Sea Cliff/Glen Head Herald 12-01-2022

Taking spirit of giving to heart Page 3

A tough loss for the Vikings Page 14

Giving children holiday joy for a decade

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

As the holiday season kicks off, millions of American fami lies are beginning to plan which presents to get for their loved ones. The nonprofit Guardian Angel Family Crisis Center, in Sea Cliff, is asking North Shore residents to con sider extending their shopping lists to include their neighbors in need.

This marks roughly the 10th year that Guardian Angel has hosted its Giving Tree, a Christmas tree set up in the store with cards written by

local children in need listing a small gift that they would like this year. Residents of Sea Cliff, Glen Head, Glen Cove and Glenwood Landing who visit the store are encouraged to take one of the cards and take on the role of Santa Claus for one of the children.

Barbara Costello, director of Guardian Angel, explained that by engaging the community to help their neighbors in need, the nonprofit hopes to not just help residents, but foster a sense of support and camarade rie in the area.

“Guardian Angel’s very

Missing deed is delaying renovations of a Sea Cliff park

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

One of Sea Cliff’s proudest attractions is the many walking paths and parks that dot its land scape. The village has recently received several grants for roughly $150,000 to help main tain, beautify and improve sever al of these green spaces.

Roslyn Park is not one of them, however, because the orig inal deed ceding ownership of the park to the village is nowhere to be found.

In 2019, Sea Cliff received money from State Sen. Jim Gaughran for a park improve ment grant. But when the world

was thrown into chaos because of the coronavirus pandemic, the village switched its focus to addressing lockdown and pan demic-related issues.

So it was not until 2021 that the village government began filling out the paperwork to accept the grant. That’s when officials realized that something was missing.

The deed granting Roslyn Park to Sea Cliff could not, and currently still can not, be locat ed. Without it, the village is unable to prove it has “site con trol,” a development term mean ing the right to own or lease a property.

According to Mayor Elena

Villafane, without the deed or a similar document that proves the village’s ownership of Ros lyn Park, Sea Cliff is unable to use any of the grant funding it has received for maintenance and renovations of the property. The money would be used to repair and replace the park benches, do some touch-up work on the field and generally improve the utility and ambi ence of the space.

“What we’re trying to do is get that money in place so that we can revitalize the park by next baseball season,” Villafane explained. “We’ve found a lot of historical village notations that imply our control of the park,

but we don’t have a single piece of paper that says, ‘Mr. ABC deeded Roslyn Park to the Vil lage of Sea Cliff,’ for example, and that’s what we need in order to complete these grants.”

The search for the deed has been exhaustive, but hampered by the difficulty finding and accessing village records from the late 19th and early 20th cen

turies. Part of the problem is that Sea Cliff is nearly three decades older than Nassau Coun ty, and was formerly under the jurisdiction of Queens, meaning that some of its earliest and most important documents may not even be in Nassau’s public records.

Erin McDonnell, the village’s

Courtesy Guardian Angel

EVELYN, 5, IS one of dozens of children who have received gifts through the Giving Tree program over the past decade at Sea Cliff’s Guardian Angel Family Crisis Center.

Guardian Angel hosts its 10th Giving Tree

much about raising awareness of the needs of our com munity,” Costello said. “The really beautiful thing is that we have recipients who have been taking on the same kids year after year, to the point where they basically become part of each other’s families in a way.”

Guardian Angel began 13 years ago, with the vision of raising awareness for the needs of community mem bers and reaching out to high-risk individuals. It works with primarily single mothers and their children, who come from a wide range of backgrounds, but all of whom are facing financial difficulties.

Throughout the year, the organization provides a wide range of services for community members, from clothing and toy donations to English language classes for local students who speak it as a second language.

Guardian Angel also sponsors a school in Honduras and provides emergency support for women in crisis due to homelessness.

Costello, a resident of Glen Head for the last 38 years, emphasized the fact that while giving the gifts is impor tant, Guardian Angel also works very hard to reduce the stigma of going to a nonprofit for help. To some people, the thought of acknowledging their financial or other struggles can feel embarrassing or shameful. By pro moting a friendly, caring, community-oriented atmo sphere, she and her fellow volunteers emphasize that they’re not getting “handouts,” but instead showing peo ple how much their neighbors support and care for them.

Jennifer Marshall, one of the volunteers at Guardian Angel, explained the importance the gifts had to fami lies in need, not just as toys or clothes, but as symbols of the holiday spirit of giving back and the community spirit of caring for neighbors.

“It’s such a good opportunity for the community to

get essential items at unbelievable prices,” Marshall said, “and also shows us how we can service the people in the community who are really in need.”

On Christmas morning, Santa Claus himself makes a special stop at the store to the delight of the children. For many mothers, such as Maria of Glen Cove, this event really brings the magic of Christmas alive for the children.

“The Giving Tree at the Guardian Angel Family Store makes my boys so happy at Christmas. First they

visit Santa in the store and have a picture with him, then Santa gives them the presents,” she said. “They are so excited Christmas morning when they open the pres ent and it is what they wanted.”

For anyone interested in donating, receiving aid, or learning more, Guardian Angel’s Family Store, the headquarters of the nonprofit organization, is at 239 Glen Cove Ave. in Sea Cliff. The store can be reached at (516) 277-1068, and are open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Will Sheeline/Herald

BARBARA COSTELLO, RIGHT, runs Guardian Angel with the help of volunteers like Susan Sagliocca, center, and Jennifer Marshall. During the holidays, their Giving Tree helps grant children’s wishes.

Students put the ‘giving’ in Thanksgiving

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

Students from the Glen Head School took the spirit of Thanksgiving to heart this year, as the members of the school’s Community Service Club band ed together to raise and donate 68 bags and six large boxes of food to the nonprofit NOSH, which distributes food to the food insecure.

ATHINA

fifth grade student, Glen Head School

Each month at Glen Head School they do a program called Accentu ate the Positive, educating the students on valu able moral traits like kindness and honesty. This past November the chosen virtue was giving, and the young stu dents spent their time learning the value of sharing with and considering the needs of others.

This inspired members of the Com munity Service Club to approach the group’s co-advisors, Janet Goldberg and Christine Kingsley, with the idea of doing a fundraiser to help support local families in need. The Service Club, which is made up of roughly 30 fifthgrade students, were inspired to do a food drive by last year’s fifth graders, who held one for the Interfaith Nutrition Net work based in Hempstead.

Goldberg, who is also the school enrichment teacher, explained that the students were also inspired by the idea of Thanksgiving, and wanted the chance to make a real impact in their community.

“With Thanksgiving coming up, and with the focus on grati tude, they wanted to be able to share with those who are local and who aren’t as fortunate as they are,” Goldberg said. “They had also seen how involved last year’s fifth grad ers were and how much they enjoyed doing it, so they want ed to do it as well.”

Because the students wanted to focus their attentions more locally, with the help of their teachers they settled on raising goodie bags for NOSH, a Glen Cove-based non-profit charity organiza tion which provides food distribution and services to the North Shore area.

To raise the food, the students and teachers came up with a “Fixin’ Bag,” where students from each grade in the school would bring in different items which would be consolidated so that each bag would hold the makings for a Thanksgiving dinner. The Service Club achieved this by raising awareness for the drive in the school, making announcements, putting up posters, and generally engaging the other grades to

get involved.

“The fifth graders went into class rooms to talk to the other students about it and then they gathered all the food,” Kingsley, the school librarian, explained. “They’re also the ones that put together the assembled Fixin’ Bags, and then we were able to take our offi cers with us to actually deliver them.”

On Nov. 17, the seven officers of the Service Club got to ride with their advi sors to deliver the meal bags to NOSH. Many remarked on how amazing it felt to get to help people in the community, and they’ve already begun planning future charitable efforts they could make.

“After the food drive, we created a document that included different fund

drive ideas that we all want ed to do,” Alice, one of the students, said. “It made me feel badly that not all people are so fortunate.”

“This made me think that you need to treat others the way you want to be treated,” another student, Athina, continued. “Even kids can make change!”

THE STUDENTS, ABOVE left, said they felt proud to have gotten the chance to help people in their community.

OFFICERS OF THE Community Service Club, above, delivered the goods to NOSH on Nov. 17.

The students’ enthusiasm and efforts has not gone unnoticed. Glen Head School Principal Peter Rufa explained that every day he gives differ ent students, classes or clubs shout outs to highlight acts of service or positive action they have taken, and the day after the donation he gave them some well-

earned praise for the whole school to hear.

“I’m extremely proud of the selfless act our students took in raising and organizing all of the food for NOSH,” Rufa said. “It’s a real demonstration of all the good that kids can do, and do do, each day.”

Courtesy North Shore School District

THE GLEN HEAD School fifth graders spent the first half of November gathering Thanksgiving dinner ingredients to share with the needy.

Courtesy North Shore School District

Even kids can make change!

Courtesy Christine Kingsley

Grant money

grants coordinator, explained that gov ernment officials in the late 1800s were also less diligent than modern record keepers when it came to recording and saving legal doc umentation.

Based on the information they have been able to find, the deed likely dates to the 1870s or 1880s, as they dis covered in their search that Ros lyn was one of the first of four parks in the vil lage.

be used in Roslyn Park

ERIN McDONNELL Grants coordinator, Sea Cliff

“For this level of documenta tion, we have to go into the city and get into their archives,” McDonnell said. “We’ve had to do similar types of title panies to try and find a way around the issue. Whitton secured two additional grants for Sea Cliff through the Conservation Reserve Program, and the village has already used some of the funding for revitalizing Clifton Park. The money was earmarked for the repair of community baseball fields.

“There are a lot of criteria for these grants to happen and it takes a while, which can be kind of arduous to be hon

est,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “You also have to prove that the project will benefit something that is open to the public and has to last at least five years. So it can’t be used for a salary or anything.”

While DeRiggi-Whitton didn’t know the details of the issue facing Roslyn Park, she promised to look into the prob lem and do what she could to expedite the process.

Will Sheeline/Herald photos

HERALD

Lianne Webb, Natalia Suaza take home crowns

Baldwin, Valley Stream contestants win at Miss Long Island pageant

By daniEL oFFnER doffner@liherald.com

Lianne Webb and Natalia Suaza stood out from among dozens of contestants from across Nassau and Suffolk counties, crowned winners of Miss Long Island and Miss Teen Long Island.

The two young women from Baldwin and Valley Stream were among those who gathered at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College on Nov. 20, selected by a panel of judges based on their talents, drive, beauty and compassion.

Before stepping on stage, Suaza said that she set out to complete the New York City Marathon as a way to take herself out of her comfort zone and face her fears head-on.

Upon her coronation as the new Miss Teen Long Island, Sauza says she plans to work with Long Island communities, spreading her message of cancer aware ness.

“With my title, I hope to partner with the Center for Hope at Northwell Hospi tal and the Calvary Hospital,” she said.

Having lost her father when she was just 9, these organizations helped pro vide Suaza an opportunity to talk about him — just as they helped others with loved ones who have passed, and to try and live the lives that they would’ve wanted them to live. Suaza also praised their free summer camp that was offered for her and her siblings.

“This really impacted my life and made me as strong as I am today,” she said.

Leanne Baum, executive director of the Miss Long Island pageants, said that over the next year, both of the winners will make guest appearances to promote their platform.

Webb’s platform aims to promote advocacy for children. She works as a

behavioral therapist with Achieve Beyond, where she works with students with autism. She’s also a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

By promoting these different causes across Long Island, the goal is for the pageant winners to become role models for change in the world. This year, for example, all of the pageant contestants came together before the big night to help collect food for Island Harvest, Baum said. In fact, they ended up with more than 400 pounds of food for Long Island’s largest food bank.

Both Webb and Sauza now move on to compete for Miss New York USA and Miss Teen New York USA next August.

Some of the runners-up from this year’s Miss Long Island competition include Jenna Hofmann of West Islip, Alexandra Ali of Commack, Alliyah St. Omer of North Baldwin, and Michelle Lent of Glen Cove.

The Miss Teen Long Island competi tion runners-up include Emily Hall and Valarie Goorahoo of Valley Stream, Rudra Patel of Farmingdale, and Kyra Smith of East Hampton.

Miss Long isLand Teen 2023 Natalia Suaza, from Valley Stream, joined by Miss Long Island Pageants executive director Leanne Baum, and Miss Long Island 2023 Lianne Webb, from Baldwin.

ThE 2022 Miss Teen Long Island winner Jessica Fuentes crowns her successor, Natalia Suaza, of Valley Stream.

ThE 2022 Miss Long Island winner Nadgeena Jerome crowns fellow Baldwin native and 2023 Miss Long Island winner Lianne Webb.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Miss Long isLand contestants hit the stage at the Madison Theatre in their glorious gowns, showing their best for judges Matthew James Graziano, Yasmeen Gumbs, Amy Amato of RichnerLive, Peter Andolina and Edson Estime

STEPPING OUT

‘First Couple’ of ‘Up, Up and Away’ with Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis Jr.

By Mary Malloy

It’s easy to see why seven-time Grammy winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., have been married for 53 years. A dynamic duo on and off the stage, the former members of the 196070s group The 5th Dimension have an easy way of sharing the conversation, finishing each other’s sentences, and endearingly calling each other “baby.” They are in true harmony — and headed to Tilles Center for the Performing Arts for “Up, Up and Away! A Musical Fable,” with special guest The Next Dimension, on Saturday.

As two of the lead vocalists with one of the top pop-R&B-soul-jazz groups of the era, their popular classics — among them “Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “One Less Bell to Answer” and “Stoned Soul Picnic” — live on. Graced with McCoo’s three-octave vocal range, the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002, and have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

After a decade with The 5th Dimension, McCoo and Davis decided to step away in 1975 to establish themselves as a duo. They had immediate success with the single “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be In My Show)” which hit No. 1 on the charts and earned them a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. They have since enjoyed enduring success through the years as recording artists, performers and authors. Throughout their career, this showbiz couple has been honored with seven Grammy Awards and earned 15 gold and three platinum records, as well as enjoyed starring roles on television and the Broadway stage.

WHERE WHEN

• Sat., Dec. 3, 8 p.m.

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, LIU Post, 720 Northern Blvd. Brookville

• Tickets are available at TillesCenter.org, or by calling the box office at (516) 299-3100

Their many endeavors go beyond their musical achievements. They also have a movie coming out during the holidays, “The Waltons Thanksgiving,” on the CW network. “It’s family-oriented, and it’s so perfect for this time of year,” McCoo says. “It’s nice for people to remember the warmth and love and excitement that comes from family.”

From East to West

“We are so looking forward to being in New York,” says McCoo, who, with Davis, calls California home. “We’ve visited, but we haven’t done a show there in quite a while. We truly always enjoy coming back … Long Island is such a pretty area, and we’re very excited.”

“We love New York, we have a history with New York,” Davis adds.

“Up, Up and Away” is a journey and musical celebration of their iconic music. The concert also includes tributes to fellow music legends including The Beatles (McCoo and Davis’ contemporaries) and The 5th Dimension’s original lineup.

They will perform some songs from their newest CD, “Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons,” a celebration of The Beatles’ timeless music. The album covers 10 Beatles classics and solos. “It’s so relevant,” Davis says about the title track. “It fits in with things that are happening today. The young people are very concerned with what was going on in the world.”

And what about their own iconic songs as the “First Couple” of Pop & Soul?

“Of course, we’ll enjoy doing many of our hits,” says Davis. “They wouldn’t let us off the stage if we didn’t!”

Tony Danza

The actor-entertainer croons the classics in his cabaret turn. In ‘Standards & Stories,’ he performs a selection of his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook, plus selections from Jason Robert Brown’s score for ‘Honeymoon in Vegas,’ while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music. Danza combines timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling, and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele, in this evening of glorious songs and personal storytelling, backed by a four-piece band. Perhaps best known for his starring roles on two of TV’s most cherished and long-running series, “Taxi” and “Who’s The Boss,” Danza has also established himself as a song and dance man, and received rave reviews for his performance in the Broadway musical comedy ‘Honeymoon In Vegas.’

Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. $62. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, Route 25A, Brookville. (516) 2993100 or TillesCenter.org.

Judy Collins: Holidays & His

The iconic legend lends her voice to holiday standards along with her classic hit songs as only she can. Collins performs holiday classics, along with songs from her latest album ‘Spellbound’ — her 55th album and first complete album of originals — and beloved songs culled from her six-decade career. Collins is as creatively vigorous as ever, writing, touring worldwide, and nurturing fresh talent. She is a modern-day Renaissance woman who is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, record label head, musical mentor, and an in-demand keynote speaker for mental health and suicide prevention. She continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m. $70, $65, $60. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Courtesy Darren Stone/Jon Carrasco

Photos: Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., honored with multiple Grammy awards numerous gold and platinum records, return to the concert stage with their iconic hits — and some surprise selections.

THE SCENE

On stage

Plaza Theatrical continues its season with “Grumpy Old Men: The Musical,” Thursday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m; Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2:30 p.m. Based on the beloved 1993 film, which starred Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret, this stage adaptation captures the lovably crotchety characters through twinkling humor, great songs, and the affectionate depiction of a small town that feels like home to everyone. It’s performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Deck the halls

Legally Blonde: The Musical

Artist/Craft Fair

Head to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, for a holiday crafts fair on Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 253 Glen Ave. in Sea Cliff, There will be a raffle with the grand prize of three days and two nights at the Cobble Mountain Lodge in Lake Placid, as well as a Gingerbread House decorating station for children. All proceeds to benefit children in Ukraine in need of medical assistance. For more information email kkallaur@ gmail.com.

Annual Winter Concert

Dec. 4

Dec. 10

The ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power arrives at Tilles Center, Saturday, Dec. 10, 4 and 8 p.m. Elle Woods, is ready to prove who’s in charge (again) in this ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Based on the beloved movie, the musical follows Elle’s transformation as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams, and proves that you can be both ‘legally blonde’ and the smartest person in the room. Tickets are $89, $69, $59, $49; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Celebrate the season as Planting Fields Arboretum kicks off the holiday season with a cocktail party, Saturday, Dec. 3, 6:30 to 9 p.m., 1395 Planting Fields Rd., Oyster Bay. Purchase tickets online at PlantingFields.org. For more information, call (516) 922-9210.

The Friends of the Gold Coast Library invite any and all to their Annual Winter Concert featuring the Island Winds Ensemble on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at American Legion Post 336, located at 190 Glen Head Road in Glen Head. The ensemble, comprised of 12 musicians, perform light classics and popular music while refreshments are served. To register and for more information go to GoldCoastLibrary.org or call (516) 759-8300.

Holiday fun

Visit the streets of 19th century London during the darkest days of the year, in this adaption of the classic “A Christmas Carol,” with the Experiential Theater Company, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 1,-2 10:15 a.m and noon; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 7, 10:15 a.m. and noon, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. Meet the Cratchit family, Mr. Scrooge, and the ghosts of past, present and future in this interactive show that weaves together music, humor, puppetry and collaboration. Celebrate the change of seasons through this beloved literary tale. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

Having an event?

Take and Make Gingerbread Memory Box

Families can make a holiday memory book, Monday, Dec. 5, 9:30 a.m., at Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library, 89 East Main St., Oyster Bay. Kids ages 3-5 can make a gingerbread memory box to store holiday memories. Registration required. For more information, contact Stacey Kaloudis at (516) 922-1212 or skaloudis@oysterbaylibrary.org.

Holiday Artisans Marketplace

On exhibit

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

Dec. 3

Deep Roots Farmers Market and Glen Cove Downtown BID have present a Holiday Artisans’ Marketplace, Saturday, Dec. 3, 12:30-5 p.m., at 100 Village Square in Glen Cove .More than 15 local artists will offer hand-made items including jewelry, pottery, textiles and more. For more information visit glencovetown.org or call (516) 318-5487.

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.

Happy Hanukkah

Get ready for Hanukkah by learning all about dreidels, at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday, Dec. 3, 1-3 p.m. Discover the game’s history and rules, and decorate your own dreidel to take home, at the drop-in program. Visit the museum on Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Matinee time

Join crafty Jack Frost on a magical, musical winter adventure, in Plaza Theatrical’s production of “Jack Frost,” Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m. Also Dec. 17. The story, narrated by a groundhog name Pardon-Me-Pete, tells us about the immortal winter sprite, who falls in love with a human girl named Elisa after rescuing her. Tickets are $15. Bring the kids to the Plaza stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

New

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

For decades, Metropolitan Bistro in Sea Cliff has been one of the favorite dining spots and watering holes for residents of the village. Now under the new name Foster’s and owned and managed by Jason and Tanya Potter, the hope is it will continue to serve its role as a premier restaurant and meeting spot while also forging their own culinary path.

The Potters have been working on buying the Met ropolitan for nearly two years, beginning shortly after they had begun running their pop-up food stand out of the restaurant. The couple had been working closely with previous owners Billy and Anita Long.

“Around the summer of 2020 we were speaking with Billy and Anita, and due to Covid and them nearing wanting to retire, they said, ‘You know what, we respect each other, maybe we could make a deal together where you guys take over this restaurant,’” Tanya explained. “We were like, ‘That’s great, let’s work out the details,’ and we were talking and talk ing, and everything was going in the right direction, but everything just kept getting delayed.”

The delays came in part due to the coronavirus pandemic, and in part due to its lingering economic effects. The Longs told the Potters they needed some time to make up the loss of revenue from the pandem ic, and repairs to the structure of the building also delayed the takeover.

As the Potters continued to run their catering business, run the pop-up stand and the Sea Cliff

‘Foster’s’ opens in Sea Cliff

all parts of their ingredients in new and creative ways, such as their oven-roasted miso-glazed bone marrow.

In terms of the actual food, the couple is very excited at the chance to continue to expand their culi nary skills, as well as to serve Sea Cliff residents with more elaborate dishes than they had been able to serve through their pop up, catering and beach café. Dishes include everything from delicata squash panzanella salad to lamb and eggplant ragu topped with ricotta.

Beach Café, the thought of owning their own local restaurant was never far from their thoughts. Eventu ally things worked out, and by October the transition to the new management finally could begin.

The couple decided that the restaurant’s new name would be Foster’s, named to honor Jason’s grandfa ther. The name on the restaurant’s sign was even drawn using his old signature, and since the original Foster never crossed his lower-case t’s, the restaurant continues that tradition.

“The name was inspired by my grandfather, but it also represents fostering community and building something from the ground up,” Jason said. “So that whole kind of theme is what we’re taking with us.”

The Potters intend for the new restaurant to be eco-conscious and will reduce waste as much as they can. They mentioned using a “nose to tail to root to leaf” system, whereby they minimize waste by using

The couple held their soft launch on Nov. 23, wel coming roughly 100 guests on their first night. While the restaurant was closed the next day for Thanksgiv ing the business has so far continued to do well, with the Potters estimating that they’ve already had around over 350 customers in their first three days open.

At the opening, attendees were treated to a limited bar menu and drinks, celebrating the continuation of Sea Cliff’s great culinary reputation. Ed Lieberman, president of the Gold Coast Business Association, attended, and although he expressed some melan choly for Metropolitan, he said he loved the new res taurant.

“It’s a really great thing to see Jason and Tanya finally be able to step in and continue the tradition of restaurants here and bring in their new approach to dining and the dining experience,” Lieberman said. “Jason and Tanya made everyone feel right at home, and I’m really excited to see what they do going for ward.”

T he name was inspired by my grandfather, but it also represents fostering community and building something from the ground up.

JASON POTTER owner, Foster’s restaurant

LIPA looks to power future with scholarships

Looking for a career? Long Island Power Authority might have it for you — and the utility is putting money behind it through a new scholarship program with Nassau and Suffolk County community colleges.

The LIPA scholarship is designed to provide education and training for stu dents from households with incomes below Long Island’s median, which is about $100,000 for a family of four.

The scholarship represents a $350,000 commitment over the next five years. It will provide 50 full scholarships for stu dents to attend one of the community col leges and earn an associate’s degree or certificate that’ll help them pursue a career in the electric utility or clean ener gy sectors.

“Electricity is the clean fuel of the future,” said Thomas Falcone, LIPA’s chief executive, in a release.

In fact, Falcone points to various stud ies he says predicts electricity will pro vide more than 70 percent of New York’s energy needs by 2050 — and be entirely carbon-free.

The 50 scholarships LIPA will offer over the next five years are intended to ensure there will be an adequate, home grown workforce to support it, the utility leader added.

Falcone was joined in the announce ment by Maria Conzatti, interim presi dent of Nassau Community College, and Edward Bonahue, president of Suffolk

Winning a Long Island Power Authority scholarship allows students to:

■ Get money toward earning an associate degree or certificate pro gram at either Nassau or Suffolk County community colleges.

■ Attend LIPA workforce seminars with utility executives and experts.

■ Receive job placement support for available positions at LIPA, PSEG Long Island, and other LIPA contrac tors and suppliers.

County Community College.

“The Long Island Power Authority’s generous scholarships will help us recruit and sustain students entering the STEM fields,” Bonahue said, “transforming our workforce and our region’s economy.”

The curriculum offered at both schools are expected to include courses relevant to the work LIPA does now — and is expected to do — to meet the clean energy goals set by New York’s Climate Act.

Signed in 2019, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requires New York to reduce greenhouse emis sions 40 percent by 2030, and no less than

85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. The law is designed to help guide New York toward carbon neutrality — achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Also, the courses are expected to show case LIPA’s mission of providing clean, reliable and affordable energy to not only Long Island, but also the Rockaways.

Graduates using LIPA scholarship funds are expected to get a competitive edge when it comes time to apply for jobs at the Long Island Power Authority, along with PSE&G Long Island, which plans to hire hundreds of entry-level workers over the next five years.

Ben Fiebert/Herald

NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE is one of the two schools that are working with Long Island Power Authority to give scholarships to students looking to get into the electrical and power fields. LIPA predicts electricity will account for 70 percent of New York’s power needs by 2050.

The five-year program will provide annual funding for 10 full-time, two-year scholarships.

Scholarship recipients will come from low- to moderate-income students who reside in disadvantaged communities — identified by New York’s Climate Justice Working Group — planning to attend either Nassau Community College or Suf folk County Community College.

The first recipients are expected to be announced early next year. To learn more, visit LIPower.org.

–Ben Fiebert

SPORTS

North Shore drops LIC to Bayport

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

North Shore fell short in its quest for a second straight Long Island foot ball championship.

The Vikings lost for the first time in 20 games, falling to Bayport-Blue Point 35-7 in last Friday’s L.I. Class IV title game at Hofstra. The Phantoms orches trated scoring drives covering 89, 80, 80, 61 and 78 yards on the way to capturing their first-ever LIC in impressive fash ion.

“It was tough giving up a touchdown late in the first half and then they drove on us and scored to open the sec ond half,” North Shore head coach Dan Agovino said. “We carried out our game plan as much as we could because we’ve got some big playmakers in the backfield. But hats off to Baypo rt-Blue Point. Those kids stepped up and played a great game. They basical ly took over in the second half.”

Senior quarterback Brady Clark was the catalyst for the Phantoms with two passing touchdowns as well as a pair of rushing scores. He completed 10 of 14

passes for 166 yards and rushed for 85 yards on 11 carries.

“We thought we were doing good things in the first half and just had to stick to it,” said Clark, whose rushing touchdowns of 5 and 3 yards came sandwiched around North Shore’s only score in the second quarter as BayportBlue Point built a 14-7 halftime lead. “Last year we lost in the [Suffolk] coun ty finals and it’s an indescribable feel ing to make history like this.”

The Vikings (11-1), who made histo ry in 2021 with their first-ever LIC, responded quickly after Clark opened the scoring on the first snap of the sec ond quarter with their best drive of the afternoon. It covered 80 yards on nine plays, capped by a spectacular 39-yard touchdown pass from senior Peter Liot ta to senior Nick Livoti.

On fourth-and-8, Liotta was flushed out of the pocket by Bayport’s Dylan Spano towards the Phantoms’ sideline. As he was sailing out of bounds, Liotta fired the ball downfield over a defender and to a waiting Livoti, who caught it just inside the 20 and weaved his way into the end zone. It was 7-7 after senior

Michael Fleming booted the extra point.

It was all Bayport (11-0) thereafter. Clark accumulated 40 yards on the ground and capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a short touchdown run to put the Phantoms ahead for good.

Bayport outgained North Shore by a margin of 204 to 77 in the second half. Clark hooked up with Michael Luce on a 21-yard scoring strike and it was 21-7 with 6:39 left in the third quarter. Two sacks of Liotta by Farley regained pos session for the Phantoms late in the third and they cashed in again early in the fourth when Clark floated a deep pass over the middle that J.J. Aiello caught in the end zone for a 44-yard score.

Danny Aiello’s 42-yard touchdown run with 4:58 remaining put the finish ing touches on Bayport’s historic win.

“I’m sure everyone’s disappointed, but we had a tremendous season,” said Agovino, who a week earlier guided the Vikings to their second straight Nassau Conference IV title with a 20-8 victory over West Hempstead. “I’m so proud of this program.”

Media Origin Inc./Herald SENIOR NICK LIVOTI scored the Vikings’ lone touchdown in the L.I. Class IV title game last Friday.

An obsessive odyssey

Dear Great Book Guru, Help! This coming weekend is filled with feasting, friends, and yes, one of my favorite holiday events: the Sea Cliff Civic Association’s Scrooge Stroll through the village at 2 p.m. on Sunday starting in front of the Chil dren’s Library, followed by the Village Holiday Lighting event at 3:45 at Clifton Park. I need a short, very short novel to read if I am to keep my 2022 resolution to read a book a week. Any sugges tions?

ANN DIPIETRO

–Harried Weekender

Dear Dear Harried Weekender, I have just the book for you: “The Pos session,” by Annie Ernaux, the 2022 Nobel Prize winner for literature. She has written many novels, most of which are autobiographical, so the line of novel and memoir is often blurred. In this 68-page book, we are in the mind of a woman who is possessed. She has recently broken up with her lover of

many years and has become obsessed with finding out about his current part ner. We follow her as she google searches, spies on the woman’s workplace and attempts to meet up with her. We come to realize this obsession is more passionate than her relationship with the former lover ever was. Jealousy certainly plays a role, but it is more than that. Ernaux captures the relent less pursuit of someone or something that embodies all previous losses — so much easier to concentrate on one thing rather than a lifetime of losses. As the narrator says in the opening sentence, “I always wanted to write as if I would be gone when the book was published, to write as if I was about to die.” This embarrassment over caring so much is the book’s underlying theme and one that readers will share. Recommend ed!

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

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

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

Agency:Board of Trustees, Village of Sea Cliff

Date: December 12, 2022

Time:7:00 pm

Place:Village Hall, 300 Sea Cliff Avenue

Subject:Bill VSC 2206: A local law to amend the Code of the Village of Sea Cliff, to authorize the use of video conferencing for public bodies.

The proposed local law is available for public inspection at the Village Clerk’s office at 300 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. All interested persons will have an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing.

The Village complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Disabled persons with special needs should contact the Village Clerk’s office at 516-671-0080 at least three business days prior to the hearing, so that reasonable efforts may be made to accommodate such needs.

Dated:November 28, 2022

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF SEA CLIFF 135739

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU. AMAR DEEP SINGH, Plaintiff, v. SACHLEEN HOMES, LLC, et al., Defendants.

Index No. 614080/2021

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale granted herein on October 6, 2022, I the undersigned, the Referee in said Judgment named, will sell at public auction on the North side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, County of NASSAU, State of New York on December 22, 2022 at 3:30 pm of that day, the premises directed by said Judgment to be sold and therein described as follows:

Said premises being known as and by street address 5 Manor Avenue, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 Section 7 Block 77 Lot 406

Said premises are sold subject to the terms and conditions of the filed Judgment and the Terms of Sale. Approximate amount of Judgment $686,125.00.

Dated: Garden City, New York November 16, 2022

BRIAN J. DAVIS, ESQ., Referee

Adam E. Mikolay, P.C.

for Plaintiff 400 Garden City Plaza Suite 405 Garden City, New York 11530 516-222-2050 135569

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AN AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

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

Agency:Planning Board, Village of Sea Cliff Date: December 14, 2022 Time:7:00 pm

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

Subject:Application of Philip and Michelle Walkley, 6 Dixon Court, Sea Cliff, New York, for site plan approval pursuant to Village Code Chapter 107, to maintain a curb cut, relocate a driveway and change topography. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 103, Lot 65 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

Application of Lisa Bet, as contract vendee, and Philip Davidow, as owner, 236 Franklin Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, for site plan approval pursuant to Village Code Chapter 107, to construct a new single family dwelling, inground pool and curb cut. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 181, Lot 368 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:November 29, 2022

BY ORDER OF THE PLANNING BOARD 135740

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

Printed in this publication can be found online. Search by publication name at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

League DONNA STANZA, LEFT, Carol Cirina, Corinne Kaufman and Phyllis Satz, members of the Glen Cove Nine Hole Golf League, participated in the fundraiser for the Manhasset Women’s Coalition Against Breast Cancer.

Hole

Golfers raise $6,000 for breast cancer

The women from the Glen Cove Nine Hole Golf League, which includes resi dents from Sea Cliff and Glen Head, gathered for their annual fundraiser for the Manhasset Women’s Coalition

Against Breast Cancer.

The group raised a record $6,000 for the organization, which offers a great deal of support services for women who develop breast cancer.

NEWS BRIEF

Grant program offers help to small businesses

$4.5 million in federal money will soon be available to small business owners and non-profit organizations financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses and not-for-profit organiza tions can apply to receive up to $5,000 in grant monies through this new initiative, known as the Oyster Bay Forward Grant Program.

“After a year-plus long pandemic and now facing an economic recession, small businesses need all the help they can get to stay afloat,” Town of Oyster Bay Super visor Joseph Saladino said. “My adminis tration earmarked these federal funds to boost small businesses and not-for-profits, help them recover losses from the pan demic, and keep their operations moving forward in the Town of Oyster Bay.”

The grant program is open to business es that employ up to 50 full-time equiva lent W-2 employees as well as sole propri etors. Eligibility criteria includes:

■ Applicants must be the principal (i.e., majority owner).

■ Entity must be for-profit business, or a 501c3 or 501c19 non-profit. organization, with an annual revenue between $35,000 and $5 million.

■ At least 60 percent of non-profit expenses must have been programmatic

in 2019.

■ Applicant must be in operation at the time of application and have been in oper ation prior to Jan. 1, 2021.

■ Must have fewer than 50 full-time equivalent W-2 employees.

■ Certification and demonstration of economic hardship due to pandemic.

■ Not be in default or arrears on past or current federal and state financing or funding program.

Grant monies can be utilized for a vari ety of purposes, including expenses that helped mitigate hardships caused by the pandemic. These could include purchase of inventory and supplies, rent payments, utilities, property taxes, lease, or pur chase of equipment, as well as operating and emergency maintenance.

Applications will be processed through the National Development Council, which has been retained by the town to adminis ter the grant program. Additional eligibil ity criteria, including required docu ments, as well as applications for eligible business and non-profit organizations are available at TOBForward.com, where interested parties can also sign up to par ticipate in an informative webinar fur ther detailing the application process.

Attorney

Courtesy Glen Cove Nine

Golf

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OPINIONS

The challenges for the Long Island Four

Once upon a time, there was a group known as the Long Island Nine. They were the nine Republican state sena tors who wielded enormous power in Albany. We now have a new group of seven Republican senators, but the spotlight is shifting to a new Long Island Four: the newly elected Republi can members of Congress, who will have enor mous influence due to the fact that the Republi cans in the House of Representa tives will be gov erning with such a small margin.

JERRY KREMER

The Long Island Four are Representatives Andrew Garbari no, Anthony D’Esposito, George Santos and Nick LaLota. On almost any issue where a critical vote is needed, those four must support the needs of the lead ership, and that’s where the headaches begin. Sometimes what your leadership wants could be a vote that would do enormous damage back at home. I know from personal experience as a state leg islator that bucking the leaders isn’t

easy, but you aren’t elected just to do what the bosses want.

Santos was the first of the four to make a public statement about the House’s mission in 2023. He made it clear that he was “not interested in a Congress that spent all of its time investigating the enemy,” and wanted to be a part of productive actions. Santos and his colleagues will be tested very early in the new session, when the far-right wing proposes the impeachment of President Biden and investigations into the business activities of his son Hunter.

The next test will be whether to shut down the federal government to appease a group that would like to cut back on entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security. That will be fol lowed by resolutions to strip certain Democrats of their committee assign ments to get even for last year’s actions against Congresswoman Marjorie Tay lor Greene of Georgia. I could go on, but that’s just a taste of what is likely to happen early on in their tenure.

Most Long Island voters are just like any other rational voters. They want government to work, and are generally

tired of partisan bickering. Inflation is an issue that hurts voters of all parties, and Congress must be prepared to take action that will heal our economy. Last month’s election taught Washington pol iticians that there is overwhelming sup port for a woman’s right, in consultation with her doctor, to decide whether she should have an abor tion. Women in the four local congressional dis tricts expect their voices to be heard, and that promis es to be another dilemma for the Long Island Four.

To add to these new members’ potential politi cal challenges is the fact that most of them received substantial funding from the Republican Congressional Cam paign Committee. Without that money, a couple of them might never have made it to Washington. How do you vote on an issue that hurts your district but is a priority of the party leadership? That headache reminds me of the old Tip O’Neill reminder that “all politics is local.”

Of course, there’s a positive side to being a member of the majority. With the backing of your party leaders, you can get grants for programs and proj

ects that will make the voters happy. You also get sufficient staff to be able to han dle the thousands of requests for help from your constituents. One of the cru cial things that help candidates get reelected is good constituent service. There are numerous cases of members of Congress losing their seats because they ignored the day-to-day demands of their voters.

Representing our suburban congres sional districts shapes up as an enor mous challenge. Long Island is a very informed and progressive region. There are no secrets about how our represen tatives vote on contentious issues, and bad votes will be part of the debate when they seek re-election. Local voters have many issues they care about at the federal level, and they won’t be bashful about demanding action. As one who served almost a lifetime in public office, I wish the Long Island Four the best of luck as they embark on their new chal lenge. They will need a lot more than luck to stay in office.

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 Strat egies, a business development and legis lative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.

Being vulnerable, a new holiday ritual

Can we settle in and be real?

No, not everyone is having a better time than you. No, you aren’t the only one who wishes you’d passed on the second slice of coconut custard pie. Yes, we’ve said it before, but that doesn’t make it any less true: Families coming together for holi days are a movable feast of food and family history, old gripes and edgy new connections. And, yes, the coronavirus pan demic and politi cal fractiousness will take seats at our tables this year.

Ph.D. researcher-scientist who’s a pro fessor at the Universities of Texas and Houston. She says she has studied cour age, vulnerability, shame and empathy for the past few decades. She says she is a storyteller. She has a Netflix docu mentary out, several books that hit bestseller lists and podcasts galore. She has a unique style propelled by wit and infused with intel ligence. She tells us we need to be vulnerable. She tells us that when we’re willing to be vulnerable, we connect with people in more genuine ways.

nabes. So smart, so funny and so authentic. I identified with her immedi ately when she told a story of her daughter going to a prom. Her date picks her up in his pickup truck. The girl is dazzled; the guy is strutting. All Brown can think is, “They’re going to crash.” I get that. She was willing to share that tendency to cat astrophize, which as a mother, I own.

I know it all sounds like stuff we know, but try her podcast or her Netflix doc umentary and see for your self.

ly can learn from my experience.

So, to be more vulnerable, I shared some truths with my daughter I haven’t thought to mention in 45 years. I initiat ed a few risky talks with my son. I told stories on myself to the teenage grand kids, not the usual morality tales I prof fer but the real stuff, the dumb stuff, the mistakes that I was lucky to survive. I told them I pretty much stayed within my own no-risk zone all my life, and I know I should have stepped out, and I hope I still may.

RANDI KREISS

So give your self a break. With Thanksgiving just behind us and this month’s Hanukkah/Christmas/New Year’s Eve trifecta ahead, we need to treat our selves with care. We’ve all been through a meat grinder. It’s OK if the fruitcake isn’t homemade. It’s fine if the gift-giv ing isn’t a whirlwind of gimme-gimmegimme.

To strike a vulnerable note myself, these ideas didn’t come to me just like that. Lately I have been watching and reading Brené Brown, the MSW and

“I believe that you must walk through vulnerabili ty to get to courage, there fore … embrace the suck,” Brown says. “I try to be grateful every day, and my motto right now is ‘courage over comfort.’”

Vulnerability might look like shar ing something about yourself you might tend to hold back, or telling somebody they have hurt you in some way, or stepping out of your comfort zone to try some new adventure or job or social group. Brown talks a lot about vulnerability, and how it makes us so much more approachable.

She’s an influencer who has the creds to influence, unlike so many wan

I brought all my new found wisdom (not that much) to the Thanksgiving table, and now call on myself to be vulnerable and tell you most of the truth of my own holiday experience with the whole family.

The mélange included kids, grand kids (all teens), ex-wives, new partners, airplane travel, car trips, weather, secrets, trying to squeeze 75 years of life lessons into words of wisdom for the grandkids, not because I should or because they want to hear it but because that is who I am. I need to teach, to hope that my words land in fertile ground and set roots, so my fami

This isn’t a recipe, but I noticed that when I opened up a bit with an honest personal story, so did others. Not every one, but the teenagers did let a crack of light into the mysterious interior of their adolescent lives.

It feels like a challenge with a big payoff. I’m going to keep reading Brené Brown. I’m pushing myself, and it feels right.

Try it for Hanukkah and Christmas and New Year’s. Talk to strangers at the party. Invite someone for dinner. Actu ally go to the shelter to deliver food. Find a way to find warmth after this long winter apart.

The best of times and the most chal lenging times lie in the holiday weeks ahead.

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

A popular author suggests it, so I gave it my best shot at the family gathering.

O ur newest members of Congress must support the needs of the party leaders.

Phone: (516) 569-4000

Fax: (516) 569-4942

seacliff.liherald.com

seacliffeditor@liherald.com

Remembering for those who no longer can

Where were you when Kennedy was shot?”

Many of us remem ber asking that, or being asked. That question has since been supplanted by ones like “Where were you when the Challenger explod ed?” or “Where were you on Sept. 11?”

But those singular tragedies were hardly the first to dominate our everyday lives on such a massive scale. That is a tragedy remembered for decades with its own question: “Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bombed?”

Yet there are very few people left who can answer that. Not surprising, since the stunning attack that officially brought the United States into World War II happened over 80 years ago. Without those living witnesses, however, we risk the possibility that the attack, the war itself, and atrocities like the Holocaust will become mere footnotes in history.

And that’s simply not acceptable.

This was the time of what NBC anchor Tom Brokaw coined the Greatest Generation. People who lived through the suffering of the Great Depression, only to find themselves fighting for something greater: freedom. Not for Americans, but for people on a global scale. We fought to destroy fascism as well as its key components, totalitarian ism and authoritarianism, as well as hate.

Not that we were perfect in doing so —

far from it. But if anything good came from that period, it was the fact that our global society at least took some signifi cant steps forward.

Conflict has been a part of human his tory, but never on the scale we saw in World War II. Never in the numbers of people lost. The outright attempted geno cide of an entire religious ethnicity. We have to take time to remember because, as Winston Churchill said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Part of that education comes from exploring what happened at Pearl Har bor — a place thousands of miles away, practically across an ocean, on a group of islands that, at the time, were merely an American territory. The attack killed 2,403 U.S. personnel and destroyed or damaged 19 ships — nearly half of them battleships.

By the time World War II ended in 1945, American deaths would reach near ly 420,000, while globally, 15 million sol diers and 45 million civilians would lose their lives.

The pain from that war — and World War I, “the Great War,” before it — was felt for generations, to the point where governments worked as hard as they could not to let any other conflict balloon to such a global scale. But memories fade, hastened by the loss of those who experienced that suffering firsthand.

Now we live in a time when fears of a

worldwide conflict are stronger than they have been in decades. It’s not just political polarization, but also what has become a broader tolerance of intoler ance and outright hate — something that can never be allowed to normalize, whether it’s antisemitism, racism, sex ism or homophobia. Attacking where someone is from, how they worship — or if they worship — or even how they iden tify gender-wise.

History is fading, and with it its les sons. And we can’t let that happen. That’s why Dec. 7 is so important. Or Jan. 27 — International Holocaust Remembrance Day — as well as spring’s Yom Hashoah. Because you can’t even begin to talk about loss during this peri od without talking about the 6 million Jews who were killed — a third of Jews worldwide. Or the 2 million ethnic Poles. Or 500,000 Roma. Or thousands more who were gay, or who were political or religious prisoners.

The late Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survi vor himself, once said, “To forget a Holo caust is to kill twice.” And that can be applied to any tragedy we try to forget.

Next week, we have a chance to remember on the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There might be few left to ask where they were when this tragedy took place, but remember ing means we’re learning. And learning gives us a fighting chance to never repeat those horrors again.

LETTERS

O’Connell sure didn’t pull any punches

To the Editor:

Don’t you love freedom of the press? That basic right enables people like John O’Connell, former executive edi tor of the Heralds, to blatantly cast aspersions on public figures without including specific evidence to support his claims.

In his op-ed last week, “I’ll take the GOP agenda — without Trump — any day,” O’Connell refers to Hillary Clin ton as a “backstabbing, secretive, supercilious, lying, characterless cypher.” While I don’t love Hillary, I question what purpose such unsup ported name-calling achieves, except perhaps to justify why O’Connell opted to vote for Trump, despite his “unap pealing, obnoxious,” “insufferable” and “bullying” behavior.

O’Connell goes on to blast our sit ting president, vice president, trans portation secretary and governor,

OPINIONS

‘Energy efficient’ may become a contradiction in terms

Hearings are getting under way on a proposal to socialize energy on Long Island. It would make the Long Island Power Authori ty the region’s sole entity responsible for keeping our lights on. Its structure would replicate virtually every government agency, bureau or department that you have cursed as inept, incompetent or indifferent.

The hearings, by a special com mission, are the result of legisla tion signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It directs the review of a plan to convert the existing public-pri vate partnership that manages our electrical grid to one that would, in essence, make the governor ultimately responsible for its operation and mainte nance.

To set the stage for these hearings, you need to understand that LIPA currently owns most of the Long Island electrical grid, including the bulk of our power plants. It has an incentive contract with PSEG Long Island, which actually runs the system. If PSEG does well and hits certain performance criteria, it is finan cially compensated. If it fails, it will take a financial bath. This is the essence of

why capitalism is always better, and why it provides for more-efficient creation and distribution of goods and services than any government-controlled or socialized economy.

What is instructive about this forced march to complete govern ment control is that these hearings were mandated by law to be held by the end of September, but are just beginning now. The govern ment commission couldn’t even get its act together to hold them on time. Good thing it isn’t responsible for directing our electrical future.

Oh, wait. It is.

James Hanley, a fellow with the Empire Center for Public Policy, is a seasoned observer of Albany’s political stinkpot. “It’s hard to predict what will come of this proposal,” Hanley has written. “Public power (left wing) advocates clearly want to eliminate any role for a private utility in operating LIPA’s grid. They don’t have any evidence that LIPA could improve upon PSEG’s management; they seem to think the word `public’ is a magical incantation that will make everything better.”

In truth, it makes everything worse. An example? Which delivery service is more reliable, the government controlled U.S. mail, or the privately owned Federal Express? The answer is obvious.

LETTERS

among others, again without a logical explanation. He cites the GOP agenda, familiar to most of us. However, he does not mention the many Americans who suffer from a housing shortage, food insecurity, climate change, or a lack of adequate gun control. He also exhibits no concern for the recent increase in racist, antisemitic and homophobic violence against fellow human beings. Will these people merely be casualties of war as the GOP tries to stifle the voic es of its opposition? Surely a nation as great as ours must be able to find a way to achieve compromise so that the needs and safety of so many of its citizens are not ignored.

PAM SINGER Malverne

Trump’s ‘great’ accomplishments?

To the Editor:

John O’Connell asserted in his Nov.

24-30 column that he doesn’t like Donald Trump, but that the former president accomplished “great things.”

What in the world would those “great things” be?

His disrespect for the country’s courts and its diplomatic and intelli gence services? His refusal to accept the results of an election? Deepening politi cal divisions and encouraging racial bigotry?

O’Connell’s column derides potential Democratic candidates for president and vice president, but omits any men tion of the many GOP members of Con gress who have gone along with Trump’s lies about a rigged election. Nor is there any mention of Trump’s attempt to defy the will of American voters by backing a coup.

O’Connell even claims there is a “GOP agenda.” And what would that be? More stunts such as votes to end Obam acare?

LARRY McCOY Rockville Centre

Hanley has identified the ideological underpinnings of this power grab. It has little to do with the efficiency, innovation and accountability demanded of PSEG Long Island under a strict don’t-screw-up contract with LIPA. Rather, it is about a progressive agenda of grow ing government whenever it can, assuming authority over infrastructure that it has no competence running and operating costs it has no interest in cutting.

What makes this power play particularly toxic is that LIPA had been tasked with running the grid before. It failed, miserably, when Superstorm Sandy came ashore a decade ago. As a result, then Gov. Andrew Cuomo required LIPA to engage private industry in running the grid, and to use financial incentives and penalties that are employed in the real world. Hav ing had such a raving success with cash less bail, today’s progressive powerbro kers seem quite content to ignore those lessons, and now seek the keys to the power grid.

How would that work? For starters, the people currently working for PSEG would probably be asked to transfer their skills and expertise to LIPA, a government enti ty. As LIPA employees, they would be given salaries, benefits and pensions that you and I would pay for. The LIPA man

FRAMEWORK

agement structure would balloon with executives making six-figure salaries. There would be no financial incentives for any of them to work smarter, better, more efficiently.

Compare that with a recent J.D. Power survey that found dissatisfaction with PSEG Long Island among businesses on the Island. That could mean a financial hit for the utility management company, because its compensation is directly tied to customer opinions of its performance. Were LIPA in charge, and faced with such a report, its response would undoubtedly be “Feh,” for there would be no account ability under a socialized structure. That would be good news for those who feast on political patronage, because one suspects someone’s brother-in-law would be in charge of consumer complaints.

We can assume that it will be Hochul’s decision as to whether Long Island’s power goes progressive. She needs to, but probably doesn’t, appreciate, or care, that if that’s the future of LIPA, her office number will be on speed dial for 2.7 mil lion Long Islanders the next time a hurri cane takes down the grid. And if last month’s elections proved anything, it’s that those LIPA customers vote.

Ronald J. Rosenberg has been an attorney for 42 years, concentrating in commercial litigation and transactions, and real estate, municipal, zoning and land use law. He founded the Garden City law firm Rosen berg Calica & Birney in 1999.

by Fatima Lasso

In a season of crowded stadiums, a moment to appreciate where it all began — Rome

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n Albany, a potential plan to gut the public-private management of our electricity.

RONALD J. ROSENBERG

Sheila Wenger

Lic. Real Estate Salesperson O 516.669.3600 | M 516.507.9303 sheila.wenger@elliman.com

Jean Marie Stalzer

Lic. Real Estate Salesperson

516.669.3600

516.509.7564

Elizabeth (Liz) Luciano