Seaford Herald 03-14-2024

Under the sea

East Broadway students Vittoria DiGiovanni and Faith Ahn brought Flounder and Ariel to life in a February production of ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Story, more photos, Page 5.

John Theissen is 2024 grand marshal Community prepares for St. Patrick’s Day festivities

By CHARlES SHAW

cshaw@liherald.com

It was a night full of Irish spirit as Wantagh honored John Theissen, the grand marshal of this year St. Patrick’s Day Parade. On March 7, the Chamber of Commerce hosted a Grand Marshal Reception and Dinner at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.

“John is the epitome of kindness, grace, being humble, and having a mission,” Chamber President Cathy Powell said. “This is his mission in life, to make everyone else better.”

Theissen is the founder and executive director of the John Theissen Children’s Foundation, a

nonprofit that helps sick and underprivileged children through donations and fundraisers. Since it was founded in 1992, the organization has collected more than a million toys for children in need at more than 180 hospitals and child care facilities.

Theissen said that the work comes naturally to him, but being an honoree does not. “Usually I’m the one that’s giving, so it’s hard for me,” he said. “It’s going to be hard for me at the parade, but I’m honored.”

This is the fourth year Wantagh has held its St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which, according to Powell, is the biggest on Long Island. Last year’s

District offers adults classes of all kinds

By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

In Levittown, you’re never too old to learn a new skill.

The Levittown school district has restored its Adult Continuing Education Program, which had been a pillar in the community for years before it was discontinued in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The program, now in its spring semester, offers a smaller selection of classes compared to pre-pandemic years, but program coordinators Vincent Causeman and Brittany Cirrone expressed hope that it will be expanded in the future.

I“It was just so nice to have the community members back in and joining together with common interests,” Cirrone said.

According to Cirrone, public demand spurred the program’s comeback after Covid restrictions around the state were lifted. Parents often brought up the program at school board and PTA meetings, and Cirrone said it became a consistent talking point in the community. When the program returned, it was obvious why so many people were excited about it, she said.

“We kind of started out just to ease back in,” Causeman said of the program, which was reinstated last fall, “and get the community familiar with the program and get the word out there, and hopefully it will get bigger as we go on.”

“When you walk the halls and see the high-energy in every classroom, you’re like, ‘Of course, this is exactly what we needed,’” Cirrone said. “It gives everyone something to look forward to throughout their week.”

The programs are offered at Levittown Memorial Education

Continued on page 9

Courtesy Levittown Public Schools

Nassau makes federal case of trans ban

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Bruce Blakeman wants to ban transgender athletes who identify as female from participating in women sports on Nassau County playing fields. But Letitia James says he can’t do that.

So, the Nassau County executive is joining Mark Mullen — the father of a female athlete he says is protected by such a ban — to file a federal lawsuit contesting the state attorney general’s ceaseand-desist order halting Blakeman’s efforts to restrict who can be on a sports team.

“What the attorney general was asking us to do was a violation of federal Constitutional law and federal statutory law,” Blakeman told reporters in Mineola last week. “Our response was to file a lawsuit, for a declaratory judgment, requiring the attorney general to come before a federal judge and explain why this cease-and-desist order has been issued and the threat of sanctions and litigations against the county, when we in Nassau County are protecting women and girls, who are a protected class under the constitution, and under federal law.”

James sent her cease-and-desist letter to Blakeman on March 1, demanding he rescind his executive order banning transgender athletes identifying as female from participating in women’s

sports in county facilities. She called the executive order was transphobic and illegal under the state’s human rights and civil rights laws.

With the cease-and-desist, James ordered the county to rescind the executive order or face potential legal action.

“Not only will the order impact a wide array of Nassau-based teams and leagues, it will undoubtedly deter inclusive teams and transgender women and girls who participate in women’s and girls’ sports from other parts of the state who want to participate in sporting events and competitions in Nassau County,” James wrote.

A spokesperson from the attorney

general’s office reiterated that after Blakeman’s news conference, saying the laws protecting people from discrimination are not “up for debate.”

“The executive order is illegal,” the spokesperson said, “and it will not stand in New York.”

Blakeman cited the New York City Marathon as an example where males and females compete exclusively in their own classified groups.

“There is a reason for those classifications,” he said. “Males are bigger, stronger and faster. And it wouldn’t be a fair competition with females.”

The county’s action is consistent with the Constitution, Blakeman added, treat-

ing women and girls as a protected class under federal law.

“Transgender women who are biological males are not a protected class under federal law,” he said.

And because of that, Blakeman believes his order is not transphobic.

“Transgender athletes can compete freely here in Nassau County, and we welcome it,” Blakeman said. “If you’re a biological male and you identify yourself as a female, you can play against other biological males. Or, you can play in a co-ed league.”

Blakeman posed an idea with reporters of starting a transgender league, something he said his parks commissioner, Darcy Belyea, is open to.

Blakeman issued his executive order last month with County Legislator Samantha Goetz and sports activist Kimberly Ross standing by his side.

The executive order demands sports, leagues, organizations, teams, programs or sport entities operating in county facilities to first designate themselves based on gender makeup, and then only accept athletes who meet that criteria according to what was originally listed on their birth certificate.

While those born male would not be allowed to participate in female teams, the order does not ban someone born female from joining a male team, or for anyone who is transgender from participating on a co-ed team.

Parker Schug/Herald

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says he’s filing a federal lawsuit contesting the state attorney general’s cease-and-desist order on his ban of transgender athletes identifying as female playing in women’s sports on county property.

Theissen is honored to be grand marshal

Continued from page 1

event, she said, attracted around 60,000 people, and she expects to see an even larger turnout this year.

“We put a lot of work into it, we do it the right way and everything falls together,” parade Chairman Christopher Brown said.

According to Brown, the parade has succeeded thanks to help from the community, which includes sponsors and groups that march, as well as fire, sanitation and public works departments, the Town of Hempstead and Nassau County.

“It’s a collective group that makes this happen,” Brown said.

Aside from celebrating Irish heritage, he said, the parade also recognizes its grand marshals’ contributions to the community. Past grand marshals included John Murray Jr., owner of Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall; Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder; and Michael Dunphy, owner of the Wantagh Inn.

“These are people who have done so much for our community,” Brown said, “so it’s our time to celebrate them.”

At last week’s dinner, guests were treated to performances by members of the Show Stompin’ Irish Dance School and the American Legion Pipe Band, and sashes were presented to members of community organizations who will serve as aides to the grand marshal. Karen Lofgren, first vice president of the chamber, said that being chosen to be an aide was “a recognition of one’s longstanding and exceptional service to the Wantagh community.”

Town Councilman Christopher Carini and County Legislator Michael Giangregorio presented Theissen with citations for his work in the community. State Sen. Steve Rhoads spoke at the reception, thanking the chamber for putting on the parade and honoring Theissen with a proclamation from the

Senate in recognition of his charitable work over the past three decades.

“When you talk about community, when you talk about what’s important in our community,” Rhoads said, “you’ll always go back to think about those who put community first, who put people ahead of their own self, and that’s the perfect definition of John Theissen.”

Theissen was given the grand marshal’s sash, and Dunphy, last year’s honoree, presented him with a traditional blackthorn cane.

Theissen thanked the chamber, members of his foundation, family and friends. In the parade, he said, he would be marching for everyone who has been important in his life.

“I’m doing it for everyone who supports my foundation,” he said. “I’m doing it for the children that we’ve helped and children that have passed.”

Theissen said he would also be walk-

ing for Jeff Gadell, a childhood friend who died of cancer last month.

“I am so grateful,” Theissen said of being named grand marshal, “and I hope you know I do not take this for granted.”

Sunday’s parade will start at Wantagh High School at 2 p.m., and will make its way south along Wantagh Avenue. Powell encouraged paradegoers to use the Long Island Rail Road, because parking will be difficult. For more information, email info@wantaghchamber.com.

Wantagh Chamber of Commerce president Cathy powell speaking at the grand marshal dinner. powell described theissen, this year’s grand marshal, as the epitome of kindness and grace.

Mike Monahan/Herald photos Wantagh grand marshal John theissen, center, without sash, with the marshal’s aides at the grand marshal reception and dinner on march 7, at which theissen was honored for his contributions to the community.

parade Chairman Christopher Brown, far left, State Sen. Steve rhoads, theissen, and Wantagh Chamber of Commerce president Cathy powell. rhoads honored theissen with a proclamation from the Senate in recognition of his charitable work over the past 30 years.

past grand marshals John murray Jr., far left, and michael dunphy with Karen Lofgren, first vice president of the chamber. the Wantagh St. patrick’s day parade honors irish heritage, but also recognizes its grand marshals’ contributions to the community.

HERALD SchoolS

It’s a crazy numbers game at Seaford Manor

Numbers are cool at Seaford Manor Elementary School this month as March Mathness is creating a lot of buzz. The college basketball tournament-inspired math initiative is getting students excited to add, subtract, multiply and divide.

A bulletin board features two questions for every grade level. Students can submit their answers and the more they get right, the more each grade’s pot of gold is filled up. The questions will change every week throughout the month, with the student council helping tally up the correct responses.

Student council advisers Kristin Nelson and Lisa Perrone said that they selected questions from the GoMath program that are suitable for each grade level. At the end of March, the winning grade will be declared “Manor Mathematicians.” Students will receive medals and each class in that grade will also get a plaque.

“It’s interactive for everybody

and it’s very motivating to keep doing math,” fifth grade student council member Meghan Feil said.

“It’s competitive and it gets the brain going,” added Jack Fagan. “Everyone can show off their math skills.”

Ms. Nelson said that the student council members are doing a great job promoting the math competition and getting their peers excited for the new questions each week.

“They are the student leaders of the school, so they are setting an example on the importance of math,” she said.

Manor students are also participating in a Math-A-Thon to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Students complete a math packet at home, specific to their grade level, while seeking donations for St. Jude. The Math-A-Thon is an annual tradition at Manor to help students improve their math knowledge while also helping others, and this year’s fundraising goal is $5,000.

Seaford

questions each week for every grade level. From

Courtesy Seaford school district

Manor Elementary School’s March Mathness bulletin board features different math

left are Assistant Principal Rich Schwartz, student council advisers Lisa Perrone and Kristin Nelson, and Principal Debra Emmerich, along with fifth grade student council members.

Under the sea for ‘The Little Mermaid’ stage play

Talent beamed from the stage at East Broadway Elementary School as they presented their latest play, “The Little Mermaid,” a production weeks in the making.

Audiences were taken under the sea with immersive stage sets decorated with student-made props and backgrounds. Under the direction

Ryan Paine portrayed King Triton while Sebastian was played by Alessandro Maffia.

of art teacher Kaitlyn Judge and music teacher Alexia Horner, more than 50 students played sea creatures, sailors and mermaids to tell the story of Ariel discovering a world beyond the sea. Playing the leads were Faith Ahn as Ariel and Eric Joseph Laucella as Prince Eric.

“Elder Law Estate Planning” is an area of law that combines features of both elder law (disability planning) and estate planning (death planning) and relates mostly to the needs of the middle class. Estate planning was formerly only for the wealthy, who wanted to shelter their assets from taxes and pass more on to their heirs. But today estate planning is also needed by the middle class who may have assets exceeding one million dollars, especially when you consider life insurance in the mix.

Estate planning with trusts became popular starting in 1991 when AARP published “A Consumer Report on Probate” concluding that probate should be avoided and trusts should be used to transfer assets to heirs without the expense and delay of probate, a court proceeding on death. Trusts are also widely used today to avoid guardianship proceedings on disability, protect privacy, and reduce the chance of a will contest in court.

As the population aged, life expectancies increased, and the cost of care skyrocketed, the field of elder law emerged in the late 1980’s to help people protect assets from the cost of long-term care by using Medicaid asset protection strategies.

We have been practicing “elder law estate planning” together for over thirty years to address these needs:

• Getting your assets to your heirs, with the least amount of court costs, taxes and legal fees possible.

• Keeping your assets in the bloodline for your grandchildren and protecting those assets from your children’s divorces, lawsuits and creditors.

• Protecting your assets from the costs of long-term care and qualifying you for government benefits to pay for your home care or facility care.

• Avoiding guardianship proceedings if you become disabled and probate court proceedings on death.

Photos courtesy Levittown Public Schoolst

Scarlett Alston, center, brought a menacing tone to Ursula.

By MOHAMMAD RAFIQ mrafiq@liherald.com

The Town of Hempstead is gearing up once again to a job fair — this one scheduled for Thursday, March 21 at the Freeport Recreation Center.

Appointments are already filling up for the event, set to run between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., at the center, located at 130 E. Merrick Road — all aimed to connect job seekers with prospective employers.

HempsteadWorks — a branch of the town’s occupational services department — has hosted the fair since 2021. Established more than 40 years ago, HempsteadWorks serves as a career center for not only the town, but also for Long Beach. Its primary mission is to provide access to training, develop skills, and share job opportunities across various industries, including health care, construction and manufacturing.

“Our primary goal is to help people within our township to better themselves, promote , careers that are up and coming, provide them access to training and skills,” said Nene Alameda, a business representative who works for the town.

“And if they don’t have those skills, we we give them access to occupational skills training.”

More than 85 such companies already

have registered to participate in the Freeport job fair, That includes prominent entities like the U.S. Postal Service, the New York Police Department, Mount Sinai Hospital, Brookhaven National Lab, Amazon, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

“We have the job fair to make sure that companies who are looking for people are partnered with people who are looking for jobs,” Alameda said.

The fair is experiencing radical growth in every iteration, Alameda adds, growing from fewer than 1,000 attendees in 2021, to more than 2,100 in its most recent outing. For next week’s event, more than 1,100 job seekers have

already signed up.

This rapid growth has produced long lines. To make everything more convenient, HempsteadWorks has instituted a time slot-based registration system, which job seekers can sign up for at HempsteadWorks.com/jobfair.

This registration system already was in effect last year, Alameda said, cutting down the wait from two hours to almost nothing.

The first hour of the fair, beginning at 9:30, is dedicated to veterans and people with disabilities. But no matter what time you sign up, attendees are advised to bring several copies of their resume.

Caroline Coyne, a 22-year-old Maris College graduate, says her current job hunt “has been pretty terrible.”

“It seems like there’s an oversaturation of applications because so many people are getting laid off and so many people didn’t get jobs during Covid when they were graduating,” she said. “So now, along with the 2022 graduates, you have the 2023 and the upcoming 2024. And everybody’s just trying to find their way at the same time.”

But, Alameda said, it’s important to remain optimistic and not despair.

“For every job seeker that’s out there, there (are) two positions,” she said. “Employers are in dire need of workers.”

In fact, the HempsteadWorks job fairs have likely helped at least 500 people find jobs directly in recent years. The end of pandemic-era benefits may also play a role in the sudden increase of people looking for work, as those bonuses and extra money are no longer available.

“As the largest and most diverse township in America, the Town of Hempstead is dedicated to leading the way in job creation and economic growth throughout the community,” said Town Supervisor Don Clavin, in a release.

“With dozens of employers participating in this year’s HempsteadWorks Job Fair, we encourage all job-seekers to come on down to the Freeport Recreation Center on March 21.”

HERALD SPORTS

Hofstra aims for conference tournament

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

After just missing out on reaching its postseason conference tournament for a second straight year, the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team is sharply focused on extending its 2024 season into the month of May.

The Pride entered the final season game against Stony Brook in a win or go home scenario and fell 11-10 to its Long Island rivals and missed out on a tiebreaker for the final spot in the fourteam league tournament to compete for an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament. The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) preseason coaches poll projects Hofstra to finish fifth in the eight-team conference, which would leave Hofstra just shy once again of the postseason.

“After losing the tiebreaker two years in a row it doesn’t sit well with us,” said longtime Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney.

Hofstra enters the start of CAA play this weekend at 3-4 following a 21-9 loss to 18th-ranked North Carolina at home last Saturday in the program’s first meeting with the ACC power since 2018.

Junior attackman John Madsen (21 goals) and redshirt junior midfielder Rory Jones (16 goals) have paced the offense so far this season. Madsen, a Locust Valley High School graduate, tallied 27 points as a junior, while Jones neatly set a program record for goals in a game with eight in a season-opening 21-9 win against Wagner.

Madsen and Jones lead a deep Hofstra offense featuring multiple scoring options including Colton Rudd, Griffin Turner and Justin Sykes.

A key part of assuring Hofstra is in the offensive end of the field for much

of the game is the play of graduate student faceoff specialist Chase Patterson, who earned preseason All-CAA honors. Patterson led the CAA in faceoff win -

ning percentage at 59.5 percent last year and is at 60 percent through seven games this season.

“He’s been very self motivated and won some big face offs for us,” said Tierney of Patterson. “He very much thinks like a coach as even after a successful game he finds the negatives, he finds the ones that he missed and he continues to work each week to miss less and less.”

The defense is led by redshirt sophomore goalie Sean Henderson, who recorded 19 saves in a 17-13 victory against St. John’s on Feb. 13. Graduate student goalie Max May, a Hewlett High School product who previously played goalie at Muhlenberg College, serves as a solid backup behind Henderson and tallied three saves at the end of the Wagner game.

“They push each other every day in practice and no one can take a day off,”: said Tierney of his two top goalies. “Right now we are staying with what we’re staying with, but Max is right there ready to go to help the team when necessary.”

The starting defense in front of Hen-

derson features Henry Troy, Will Delaney and Blake Cooling. Graduate student long stick defensive midfielder is also a key component of the defense and earned All-CAA preseason accolades after playing 14 games at North Carolina last season.

The Hofstra defensive unit also features two local players in redshirt sophomore Ryan Kiernan, a Rockville Centre native and Chaminade graduate, along with junior short-stick defensive midfielder Chris Barry, an East Meadow High School alum.

The CAA season kicks off Saturday at Fairfield followed by a March 23 road trip to two-time defending champion Delaware. The conference home opener is set for March 30 against Monmouth at 1 p.m.

Hofstra’s late season schedule also includes an April 16 non-league game against Yale at 7 p.m., which will mark the program’s first meeting with the Ivy League school since 1995.

“They are a tremendous team with a lot of talent,” said Tierney of Yale. “It is another opportunity to sharpen our swords against a quality opponent.”

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications

Midfielder Rory Jones is off to a strong start for the Pride with 16 goals through seven games, including eight in the seasonopening victory over Wagner.

Attack John Madsen, a Locust Valley product, leads the Pride with 21 goals.

Courses in pickleball, yoga and painting

Center on Abbey Lane on Monday and Wednesday nights. The spring semester runs from March until May and offers a variety of courses for people who registered, such as painting, hula-hoop fitness, yoga and Zumba.

According to the program coordinators, pickleball, a sport described as a combination of table tennis and badminton, is their most popular program. When pickleball was introduced in the fall semester, 36 participants had enrolled, Causeman said. For the spring semester, an additional class was slotted in, and around 70 spots sold out within 24 minutes after registration opened.

“It was almost like Taylor Swift tickets on Ticketmaster,” Causeman said. “It was kind of rapid.”

“We’ve had emails and voicemails of people asking to get on the waitlist, so that is a high-interest class,” Cirrone said of pickleball.

Erica Bleimeyer, an instructor for the pickleball course, said the experience has been fun. She teaches a course with around 38 participants who are split into three skill levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Bleimeyer said experienced players would occasionally ask questions about specific rulings, while beginners require more in-depth teaching.

“We’re really sitting with our beginners to go over how to serve, scoring, and all those pesky pickleball rules,” Bleimeyer said.

Bleimeyer added that beginners love watching advanced players, and the goal is to eventually integrate the groups when everyone is familiar with the rules. She said that she has the beginners taking the court and playing, correcting them as they go.

“There’s a big sense of community here,” Bleimeyer said. “The people got here 30 minutes early just to

where an instructor provides the materials and participants have access to them for 90 days, allowing them to go at their own pace, which is convenient for busy adults.

“It’s nice for people who have work,” Cirrone said, “because if it’s stressful to get to a class, and if this is something they want to do, then they have the option to still make that happen.”

Courses, such as pickleball and painting, have a wide age range, and Cirrone said she enjoys seeing community members share similar interests despite generational differences.

“In the fall we saw people exchanging numbers and becoming friends, it’s so nice,” Cirrone said. “You’re taking a class with people who have similar interests. So, they may not be your physical neighbor, but obviously it’s a small community, so it’s nice that everyone gets to make a friend.”

For Causeman, the program has been unbelievable, especially as a Levittown native. The 47-year-old instructor graduated from MacArthur High School in 1997 and has taught social studies at the school for the last 23 years.

knock the ball around. It’s so much fun.”

In addition to the eight-week courses, the Levittown program offers one-night financial seminars, where participants can learn about investing their money after retirement or helping parents save money for their children’s college education.

Also available are CPR and notary public courses, both of which lead to certification after completion. Cirrone said notary is a self-paced online course,

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“To be able to offer these types of classes to people that I know personally, members of the community I grew up with, their parents, friends, and to see that they’re really enjoying it, it means a lot,” Causeman said.

Registration for the Spring 2024 semester has closed, but the coordinators are looking forward to registrations in the fall. Fees for the spring courses ranged from $55 to $90, while the one-night seminars cost $20. Senior discounts are available. For more information about the Adult Continuing Education Program, visit levittownschools.org.

Charles Shaw/Herald pickleball instructor erica Bleimeyer, left, with Brittany Cirrone, a coordinator for the Levittown public Schools’ adult Continuing education program. the program, which returned last fall, has seen a strong turnout from the community, according to program coordinators.

FRANCINE BASSETT

A comforting meal for a good cause

Youth group hosts bread and soup dinner to give back to their community

By RACHEL BAMGBOSE Correspondent

A 24-year-old tradition that even surpasses many of the younger generation of the Young St. Vincentians met once more to bring comfort to the Wantagh community.

Sunday, March 11,

On Sunday, March 11, the Young St. Vincentians of the Wantagh community hosted a dinner with various soups, bread and water symbolic of their blessed community.

The need now has been so great and food is so expensive, you go to get your groceries and $100 now is nothing. You can’t get paper goods with food stamps or detergent.

Middle school and high school students from the Wantagh community were joined by parents, teachers and friends as they welcomed everyone to the dinner event at St. Francis de Chantal Roman Catholic Church. Each student worked hard to take soup orders, plate and fish the food and buss the tables in a timely fashion. Derek, a junior at Wantagh High School, presented a small speech dedicated to his fellow Young Vincentians for committing to making the bread and soup event possible.

ELE MELEndE z Director, parish social ministry, St. Francis de Chantal Roman Catholic Church

Being a part of the Young Vincentians, a youth group of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, provides an opportunity for community service as early as sixth grade until twelfth grade. Students have a place they can identify with the church and also have an impact on those around them. During Thanksgiving, students put together food packages for the hungry. Recently, they hosted a Hawaiian-themed party for the special needs members of the Wantagh community with food, games and a chance to meet new people, according to Kelly, a junior at Wantagh High School.

Eleventh graders from Wantagh High School attested to the growth of friendships after joining the Young Vincentians group. Michael, a junior at Wantagh High School, said being able to give back to the less fortunate never fails to bring a smile to their faces.

“Making people happy and doing things that can help them makes me feel better. Just seeing people come to mass, it just puts a good feeling inside to know we’re making an impact,” Michael said.

Brendan Vonrunnen and Ele Melendez, organizers of the event, said they are proud of the work they’ve been able to accomplish toward ending world hunger and teenage hunger by providing soup kitchen style events to donate food.

“The need now has been so great and food is so expen-

The soup and bread dinner at St. Francis de Chantal Roman Catholic Church is held to raise the community’s awareness about world hunger and collect funds to help

Volunteers

sive, you go to get your groceries and $100 now is nothing. You can’t get paper goods with food stamps or detergent,” Melendez said.

After being a part of the parish for 25 years and commuting to and from the city as a woman on Wall Street, Melendez was inspired by the church to work in office to be closer with her community, and is now the director of Parish Social Ministries at St. Francis.

“I’m the in between, you tell me you have a need and I get to be the middle person, I get to see the happiness,” says Melendez. “God has given me the honor of helping.”

Vonrunnen, 25, has been a part of the parish community most of his life as a credit to his parents. He became an altar server as a young member of the church but as more time was spent with the lord and the parish family, he found those relationships blossoming on their own.

“The dinner itself is symbolic of how blessed we are as a community and to remind us not everybody is as blessed as we are and basically the dinner resembles what you would get at a soup kitchen,” said Vonrunnen.

He commended the Young Vincentians on their dedication to the community and the clear benefits he’s seen. He said the parish and the Wantagh communities are a family and take care of each other, being a blessing for one another.

Sponsors and partners of the parish who have appreciated what the church has brought to their neighborhoods donated all the bread and soup.

Rachel Bamgbose/Herald photos

of the Young St. Vincentians group and Wantagh High School Juniors Derek, left, Michael, Gabriel, Joe and Kelly helped provide food at the soup and bread dinner.

Ele Melendez, director of parish social ministry at St. Francis de Chantal Roman Catholic Church, with her pet bird, Martha. Melendez says food is getting expensive, making the need to help even greater.

Young volunteers rolled around carts of soup at the bread and soup event at St. Francis de Chantal Roman Catholic Church.

those in need.

Defending against an invisible enemy

Can laws solve the problems of noise pollution?

By Nicole Formisano & Will Sheeline

Continuing a series exploring the impact pollution from air, noise and light has on our communities and way of life. Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Email us at execeditor@liherald.com.

How can local representatives protect people from an invisible, ever-present hazard? That’s the question small governments across Nassau County have been trying to answer when it comes to noise pollution — all to varying degrees of success.

“Inevitably, you might be creating a standard that is unfair, that is inequitable,” said Kevin Walsh, an attorney who’s helped draft noise ordinances for municipalities like Malverne and Farmingdale. “Not because it isn’t applied equally, but because it hurts people that don’t have a problem with it.”

Noise pollution — excessive or frequent noise — is said to come with health risks like increased stress, hypertension and sleep disruption, according to the World Health Organization. But for some communities, dealing with excessive noise is nothing new.

Glen Cove’s noise ordinance, for example, has been largely unchanged since 1997, limiting noise that is “clearly audible at 50 feet.” Village ordinances for Sea Cliff — dating back to 1995 with updates more than a decade ago — define unreasonable noise as any constant, continuous or repetitive loud sound which “annoys” or “disturbs” the peace and comfort of neighboring residents.

But — despite what neighbors of barking dogs or chronic partiers may

wish — there is no legal definition of “annoying.” Noise ordinances often use subjective language, because noise pollution is a subjective experience, Walsh said. Sound that irks one neighbor may be hardly noticeable by another.

Finding a way to differentiate

“It’s difficult because it’s trying to regulate human behavior,” he said. “When you try to regulate people’s enjoyment of their existence like this, on relatively subjective degrees, it’s a problem.”

When someone wants to play music while their neighbor wants their child to go to sleep, where does law enforcement draw the line? The incongruous — yet equally defensible — interests are “making it more and more difficult to get a balance between what is acceptable noise and what is not,” Walsh said.

Finding that balance

So, the question becomes, what is a fair standard to regulate noise? Do municipalities put the noise limit at the lower end to shield more sensitive people, and risk discouraging others from enjoying time outside?

Or do municipalities create more lenient ordinances that allow more noise, and risk leaving sensitive people unprotected?

“It’s a no-win situation, because, inevitably, you make one person happy. You’re making one person sad.”

Managing these conflicting expectations can result in local officials walking a tightrope. But Elena Villafane, Sea Cliff’s mayor, says that is an inherent part of serving the community.

“So, as with every local government, where you are managing how people reside in a community together, you’re always balancing a variety of interests.” she said. “Right now, we seem to be at a happy equilibrium.”

It’s a balancing act Glen Cove has had to grapple with.

“It is a very subjective criteria when one person’s noise pollution is another person’s ‘fun time,’ so to speak,” said Christopher Ortiz, deputy chief of the Glen Cove Police Department. “So, in that sense, it is difficult trying to precisely determine what is an excessive amount of noise, and it becomes kind of a gray area.”

And that “fun time” is on the rise, especially since Covid-19. People these days are spending more time in their backyards since the pandemic, Walsh said.

Malverne mayor Tim Sullivan noticed that trend as well.

“What we found is, during Covid, a lot of homeowners invested in their backyards,” Sullivan said. “Whether pools, or outdoor bars and kitchens and sound systems. The backyard has become a renewed entertainment focus of the home.”

Sound-measuring technology,

though, has dramatically improved in the decades since those original laws were passed, Walsh said — another reason why more governments across the county are passing updated noise ordinances.

Malverne’s noise ordinance, passed in December, limits outdoor music to 80 decibels — about the noise level of a vacuum cleaner — measured at the property line. Glen Cove considers 65 decibels — about the noise level of a conversation — “disturbing,” but also allows for subjectivity by employing a standard of whether the noise is “clearly audible” at 50 feet.

Too many variables?

But even something seemingly objective — such as a measurable standard like decibel level — presents new obstacles. A noise level that constitutes a nuisance to one neighbor may not bother another.

Sometimes, Walsh said, police will visit a property that is technically violating the noise ordinance, but the officer will personally find that the sound level or quality shouldn’t break the law.

So even with a measurable standard, enforcement is subjective.

And the actual sound level isn’t the only thing that matters — the source does, too.

Things like fire whistles and barking dogs polarize neighbors, Villafane said. Gas-powered leaf blowers are another malefactor that often earn their own section of noise ordinances.

The city ordinances also differentiate between how much noise various types of properties can make at different

Herald file photo

In growing numbers, local villages are passing noise ordinance to curb excessive or unwanted noise in their neighborhoods. But airplanes — perhaps the biggest noisemakers — are beyond local jurisdiction. The Town of Hempstead is working with the Federal Aviation Administration, but with little success.

Noise laws are often subjective, experts say

times. For example, a private residence can be penalized for making 50 decibels or more of noise after 10 p.m., and before 7 a.m., while a commercial property operating at the same time would need to reach 70 decibels before neighbors can make a complaint.

These different standards for businesses and private residences can sometimes boil over in communities. Because Long Island is very much suburbia, Walsh said, the interests of commercial and residential parts of towns often conflict — commercial districts often create more noise, which is at odds with the interests of residential communities that typically neighbor them.

Fly-by-night (and day) noise

But the arguably biggest culprits of excessive noise may also be the hardest to manage. The constant drone of airplanes flying overhead is seemingly ever-present, but comes with its own challenges.

With John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports right next door, neighbors across the county are dealing with the near-constant drone of planes fly-

modate the residents on the ground that are dealing with the airplane influence? We maintain that there is.”

The committee’s primary goal right now is to get accurate, specific decibel readings from FAA monitors.

The problem, Vilardi said, is the information the FAA provides right now is warped because the decibel readings are averaged out among neighborhoods.

But if the committee gets the raw data and finds that the decibels violate municipal or federal code, they can appeal to the FAA to make changes.

The FAA, however, is largely unwilling to even acknowledge the noise abatement committee.

“It’s difficult to make changes in their policy without them being willing to talk to us,” Vilardi said. “We’re pushing as hard as we can to get this data so we can have a real conversation with them.

“Unfortunately, it’s a problem that our residents face, that our local elected officials do not have the power to directly impact. “There’s no way that the supervisor — or the county executive, or even a congressman — can say ‘OK, stop flying over Franklin Square.’ Or ‘fly 20 feet higher.’

“They just don’t have the jurisdiction to do it.”

The timeline for progress is in the air, so to speak, until the federal agency finally has a dialogue with the town.

In the meantime, local governments are still striving for progress in the fight against noise pollution using new and updated noise ordinances.

Although noise is largely inescapable, its excess can be mitigated when we focus on what we can control, experts say — local government’s respon

STEPPING OUT

JigJam

Spring forth by donning some green

Savor the flavor of St. Patrick’s Day

By Karen Bloom

Spring is in our sights and we’re sure ready for its embrace. The arrival of St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday always is a welcome harbinger of the season. Enjoy some of the lively parades nearby, even a concert, and certainly bring St. Patrick’s Day into your home with some tasty Irish cuisine. Favorites include corned beef and cabbage, and, of course, soda bread.

Among these quintessential Irish foods, Irish Soda Bread is a tempting quick bread that everyone enjoys and is quite easy to make. It gets its name from the baking soda used as a leavener, instead of yeast. While the traditional version is made with only flour, buttermilk, salt and baking soda, consider adding a modern version to your repertoire.

Classic Irish Soda Bread

• 3 cups pastry flour blend or unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Heaping 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup currants or raisins

• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, optional

• 1 large egg

• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Topping:

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 1 tablespoon coarse white sparkling sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the pastry blend or flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl, or in a measuring cup, whisk together the egg and buttermilk (or milk and yogurt).

Quickly and gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Stir in the melted butter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Draw your finger around the edge of the pan to create a “moat.” Drizzle the bread with the 1 tablespoon of milk; the moat will help prevent the milk from running down the sides of the loaf. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean; the interior of the bread will measure 200°F to 210°F on a thermometer.

Remove the bread from the oven, loosen its edges, and after five minutes turn it out onto a rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap airtight and store at room temperature.

Serve with hot tea and organic jam, Irish stew, traditional Irish cabbage dishes, or enjoy on its own!

Savory Irish Cheese Soda Bread

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons caraway seed

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper, ground

• 1/2 cup shredded Irish Cheddar cheese

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and seasonings in large bowl. Stir in cheese. Set aside. Mix eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to dry ingredients; stir until well blended. Spread in lightly grease 9-inch round cake pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Tip: Make muffins instead of bread. Prepare dough as directed and divide among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 cups currants (first choice) or raisins

• 1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, to taste

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted; or 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• sparkling white sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk (or equivalent) and melted butter (or equivalent).

Quickly and gently combine the dry and wet ingredients; honestly, this won’t take more than a few stirs with a bowl scraper or large spoon. As soon as everything is evenly moistened, quit; further stirring will cause the muffins to be tough.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full; the stiff batter will look mounded in the cups. Top with sparkling white sugar, if desired.

Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove them from the oven. Tip the muffins in the pan, so their bottoms don’t get soggy. Wait five minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam.

When virtuoso Irish playing jumps the pond running through the wide open fields of bluegrass and Americana, JigJam is born. This Offaly- and Tipperary-born band has started the Irish invasion of Americana with an injection of the magic of Scottish folk music. The lads — described as ‘The best Irish band in bluegrass’ and ‘sparkling, infectious’ — bring their footstomping vibe to Long Island for a lively St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Founding members from Offaly Jamie McKeogh (lead singer and guitar) and Daithi Melia (five-string banjo and Dobro) were joined by Tipperary-born Gavin Strappe (mandolin and tenor banjo) in 2016. They’ve since added Glasgow native Danny Hunter (fiddle) to make up this iGrass (Irish Bluegrass) quartet. With a sounded rooted in Irish music and Irish immigration, the Irish have found their prodigal son in JigJam.

Saturday, March 16, 8 p.m.

$38.14-$49.48. Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Blippi

The colorful YouTube sensation known as Blippi is ready to delight preschoolers when The Wonderful World tour visits Tilles Center. Families will dance, sing and learn with Blippi and special guest, Meekah, as everyone discovers how different cities are unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore? You bet! So get ready to shake those wiggles out and O.J. Twist your way through this musical party. The lively show expands upon creator Stevin John’s engaging world that inspires curiosity in young families. Clad in his iconic blue and orange outfit, Blippi — along with best friend Meekah — clearly excites preschoolers with experiences that are relatable and accessible and make learning fun. Kids 4 and younger quickly respond to Blippi’s endearing personality as they explore the world around them through adventures that relate to everyday life, involving fire trucks, zoos, animals, and so much more.

Tuesday, March 19, 6 p.m. Tickets start at $32. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Classic Irish Soda Bread

Savory Irish Cheese Soda Bread

Soda Bread Muffins

March 27

Literary conversation

Poet-essayist Elizabeth Schmermund, who is an assistant professor of English at SUNY Old Westbury, reads from her works, as part of Hofstra University’s Great Writers Great Readings series, Wednesday, March 27, 4:30 p.m.

Her work has appeared in The Independent, Mantis, and Gyroscope Review, among other venues. Her first poetry chapbook, “Alexander the Great,” is published by Finishing Line Press. Free and open to the public. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus, Hempstead. Register in advance at events.hofstra. edu or call the Hofstra Cultural Center at (516) 463-5669 for more information.

Game time

Join the JULIETS for Mahjongg and card games at Congregation Beth Tikvah, every Thursday, noon-4 p.m. Masks are optional, but proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required for newcomers, as well as a contribution of $5 per person. 3710 Woodbine Ave., in Wantagh, For more information email mahjonggCBT@yahoo.com or call (516) 785-2445.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Wantagh Chamber of Commerce hosts its 4th annual Wantagh St. Patrick’s Parade, Sunday, March 17. The parade will step off at 2 p.m. from Wantagh High School, 3297 Beltagh Ave. This year’s grand marshal is John Theissen, founder and executive director of the John Theissen Children’s Foundation. For more information, visit WantaghChamber. WildApricot.org.

Party through the decades

Dance to your favorite music from the ’50s to the present, at Temple B’Nai Torah for the Decade Dress-Up Dance Party fundraiser, Saturday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. Dinner, dessert, and beverages will be served. $65 per person. Open to all adults, young and not so young, and attendees can dress in period clothing if they choose. 2700 Jerusalem Ave., in Wantagh. For more information, visit TBTWantagh.org.

Having an event?

In concert

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Linda Ipanema and The Dixie Cats, Saturday, March 16, 2 p.m., at Seaford Public Library. Their concert, “It’s a Great Day for the Irish,” features beloved Irish classics. Registration required. 2234 Jackson Ave. Visit SeafordLibrary.org or call (516) 221-1334.

Weekly bingo

Bingo everyone! Temple

B’nai Torah host fun-filled bingo sessions, every Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.1 p.m.; every Thursday, 7:15 p.m.-10 p.m. Prizes, progressive games and refreshments are available. 2900 Jerusalem Ave., in Wantagh. For more information, visit TBTWantagh.org or call (516) 221-2370.

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.

In concert

Plaza Theatrical welcomes spring with a lively tribute to The Temptations, Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. Groove along with The Fellas, in their concert “Just My Imagination,” a powerful salute to the Motown icons. Enjoy all those great tunes, including “Just My Imagination,” “My Girl,” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and more. See the concert at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre. 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $40, $35 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Bird walk

March 17

See some birds with the South Shore Audubon Society. All are welcome to join members for the next in its series of bird walks, at Mill Pond Park in Wantagh, Sunday, March 17, starting at 9 a.m. The Park is on the north side of Merrick Road, four blocks west of the Wantagh State Parkway. Meet at the gazebo. Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. The group will meet at the gazebo. To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. No walk if rain or snow. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.

Purim Ball

Congregation Beth Tikvah hosts a Purim Ball, Sunday, March 24, at 1:30 p.m. This free celebration is open to the community and includes food, entertainment by the Congregation Beth Tikvah Band, Megillah reading and Purim reading for children and adults. Costumes encouraged. 3710 Woodbine Ave., in Wantagh. To RSVP and for questions, call the office at (516) 785-2445.

Food Drive

Kiwanis Club of Wantagh hosts a food drive, Saturday, March 23, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Bring donations to King Kullen. Requested food items include canned goods, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, rice, boxed meals, pasta and jar sauce, paper goods, shelf stable juices, kid friendly snacks, baby food; also baby wipes, diapers, and baby toys. Gift cards and cash donations are also welcome. 1340 Wantagh Ave., in Wantagh.

Hoops and dollars at school heart fundraiser

For nearly three decades, Wantagh Middle School students have shown their commitment to heart health by raising money for the American Heart Association. This year, their donations exceeded $6,000, and the fundraising

effort culminated with a basketball competition.

Hoops for Hearts began with preliminary rounds in physical education classes throughout February. Students who raised money for the American Heart Association were eligible to compete for a spot in the finals. On March 1, nearly 30 class winners competed in a basketball game of knockout. Eighth graders filled out the bleachers to cheer on the finalists. The walls were also covered in red and pink paper hearts on which students wrote messages or encouragement or tributes to family members who had heart disease.

Seventh graders

Ava DeVita and Lucas Tartakoff emerged as the schoolwide champions. The three top individual fundraisers were also recognized – Victoria Guber, $795; Landon Fusco, $750; and Maisie Stachlik, $368.

The 28th annual

Hoops for Heart was organized by physical education teachers Deb DiBiase, Thomas Liguori, Eileen Keener and Gary Reh. During their classes, they educated students about the American Heart Association and how the money is

used to help people with heart disease, in addition to giving students tips to maintain their own health.

“We want to convey to them how to live a healthy lifestyle and have a healthy heart,” Keener said.

Photos courtesy Wantagh school district

Ava DeVita and Lucas Tartakoff were the top finishers in the Hoops for Heart finals.

Courtesy Wantagh school district

Participants, who won class competitions, warmed up for the final round.

Pick a reading partner at Abbey Lane

Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray participated in the Pick a Reading Partner Program at Abbey Lane Elementary School in Levittown on Jan. 25, 2024. Town Clerk Murray was joined by students from Ms. McAuley’s 1st grade class: Jacob Abarca Galo, Kate Bennett, David Bennis, Adriana Bevilacqua, Ava Bianco, Daivik Bisnauth, Olivia Blumenthal, Kenneth Bonura, Marvin Cheng, Alyssa DiBernardo, Ryan Grady, Hazel Kong, Cheyenne Martello, Nirvair Singh, Jackson Taub, Jaleesa Torres, Kevin Wilson Jr. and Alice Xing.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, US

BANK TRUST NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL

CAPACITY BUT SOLELY

AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. MICHELLE CLEMENTE, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order

Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 31, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 11, 2024 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 3680 Naomi Street, Seaford, NY 11783. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 63, Block 062 and Lot 6.

Approximate amount of judgment is $374,509.74

plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #600708/2023. Cash will not be accepted. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee

Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, 565 Taxter Road, Suite 590, Elmsford, NY 10523, Attorneys for Plaintiff 145292

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff AGAINST CHARLES MUSARRA; JOHN A. MUSARRA, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 22, 2017, I,

the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 10, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 2419 CEDAR STREET, SEAFORD, NY 11783. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 63, Block 269, Lot 17. Approximate amount of judgment $84,863.30 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #005165/2013. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are

Levittown resident named top Air National Guard first sergeant

The New York Air National Guard has named Senior Master Sergeant Roland Cooper, of Levittown, as the top First Sergeant of the year for Region 1, encompassing eight northeastern states.

As a member of the 106th rescue wing, Sgt. Cooper is responsible for advising his commander on the readiness, health, morale, welfare, and quality of life of Airmen and families to ensure a missionready force.

“I am excited to be selected as the 2023 Regional First Sergeant and I will continue to lead and provide guidance and advice to my commanders, other service members, and civilians that perform their duties daily to accomplish the mission,” Cooper said.

Cooper enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1991 and served as a Marine for 16 years before joining the Air National Guard in 2007. In 2008, Cooper was assigned to the 106th Maintenance

Squadron as a fuel systems specialist. In 2016, he was selected as the first sergeant for the 106th Maintenance Squadron and soon after was selected as the 103rd Rescue Squadron’s first sergeant.

Sgt. Cooper will now be evaluated against Air Guard first sergeants from across the country to determine who is the best in the 100,000-member Air National Guard. Col. Shawn Fitzgerald, the commander of the 106th Rescue Wing, praised Cooper for his service and commitment.

“Senior Master Sergeant Roland Cooper not only raised the standard within our Wing but has since been recognized at both the State and Region 1 level. It’s a tremendous accomplishment and a direct reflection on all the quality Airmen that are part of the 106th Rescue Wing,” Fitzgerald said.

–Rachel Bamgbose

Heart association, Anthem trains lifesavers in new CPR

other

The Elevance Health Foundation worked with both the American Heart Association and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield recently to train neighbors in Nassau County with hands-only CPR.

“Most people feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they don’t know how to perform CPR, or they may be afraid,” said Wendy Dominguez, community outreach manager for Anthem, in a release. “But the training and education provided can help people acquire a comfort level and

with performing CPR, which may make the difference for someone they know or love.”

Hands-only CPR has two steps: When you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, dial 911. After that, push hard and fast in the center of their chest — to a rhythm of about 100 to 120 beats per minute — until help arrives.

Elevance, Anthem and the heart association delivered more than two-dozen kits to their community service center on Fulton Avenue in Hempstead. Each kit included a mannequin and instructional video to practice compression skills.

Joining in the training included the Nassau County Office of Hispanic

Affairs, Hispanic Counseling Services, Betty’s Breast Cancer Foundation, Circulo de la Hispanidad, and Family First Community Center.

More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year in the United States, and some 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests due, according to the heart association.

CPR — especially if performed immediately — could double or triple a person’s chance of survival. Yet, less than half of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims receive CPR from a bystander.

“With about 70 percent of cardiac arrests occurring at home, a person will likely be trying to save the life of someone they know and live if they’re called on to perform hands-only CPR,” said Lidi Flores, a community relations representative for Anthem. “The American Heart Association urges the public to get trained in CPR because we need more lifesavers in our communities to be prepared to take action if they see a person suffer a cardiac emergency.”

To learn more about the Nation of Lifesavers initiative as well as handsonly CPR, visit Heart.org/nation.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

Help Wanted

EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

Help

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com

Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off.

Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com

or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS

FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDI-

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COMPANION AVAILABLE : Care For The Elderly. Own Car. Live-in/ Out. $20+/ Hr. References. Yvonne 516-417-4411

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Q. I’m planning to redo my whole backyard, and I live on a waterway. I plan to have a swimming pool, open bar, cabana with a shower room at the back of it, running water, outdoor kitchen and a fire pit. The yard is sloping to the water, so the seawall (bulkhead) will have backfill and then a concrete patio with stone paving on top. The question came up, and I’m wondering, can I rest the concrete patio on top of my seawall, or should the patio be built separately and have a separate foundation? I’ve seen where some bulkheads were damaged in a previous storm, so I’m wondering, before I spend all this money, which way to go?

A. I recently returned from an ocean voyage that included South America and Antarctica. During the trip, we were detoured away from ports that had been damaged by storms, and after seeing the aftermath of seawall damage, as far as a mile upriver from a port entrance, I have a profound respect for what Mother Nature can do to bulkheads, no matter where they are.

Your bulkhead is intended to take average to extreme horizontal loads from a body of water impacting it. Just remember, though, that just like bridges and skyscrapers being designed to work with the extreme impact of forces from wind and water, with built-in expansion joints and the ability to rock back and forth, so too is your bulkhead moving much of the time. Because you plan to put a rigid construction made of concrete and pavers next to that seawall, you’ll need to realize and work with the dynamic movement, and concrete isn’t flexible. It may be strong, but it has very little ability to resist being twisted, lifted and shifted.

You’re better off considering the bulkhead as a buffer that can lessen the impacts of water and wind and build your concrete structure separately, with its own supports and with engineered reinforcement to work with the natural movement. This means more foundation support, expansion joints, and internal reinforcement. Not working with nature will mean working through experimentation and, ultimately, failure.

Another alternative is to build with wood materials and no backfill, since wood has greater flexibility. The problem is that wood — even chemically treated wood — tends to deteriorate, so if you’re going for a look of stone or concrete, you need to work with professionals who may cost more than just guessing, but the whole idea is to develop a better structure that won’t need rebuilding, at a much higher cost, than a well-designed construction. Without placing the correctly coated steel reinforcement in the proper strength concrete on the correctly located underground supports, you’re just guessing, and either overbuilding at greater cost or under-building, at even greater cost. You’ll save money resting the concrete on the new bulkhead, and then spend the money to do it all over again. Good luck!

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St. Patrick’s is so much bigger than one day

St. Patrick’s Day is in reality no longer a one-day festive occasion celebrated on March 17, but an almost three-week-long celebration full of parades, luncheons, dinners and parties.

On Long Island alone there will be more than two dozen parades and hundreds of events this month at Hibernian halls, bars, restaurants and community centers from western Nassau County to eastern Suffolk.

pETER KinG

And, of course, New York City’s parade up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, drawing a crowd of more than 500,000 and lasting more than seven hours, is the largest Irish celebration in the world.

As a proud Irish-American, I have marched in many St. Patrick’s Day parades over the years, including the

city’s, where I was grand marshal 39 years ago, and Huntington’s, last Sunday, where I was privileged to march with the grand marshal, a longtime family friend, Monsignor Steve Camp.

I remember around the time I was grand marshal in New York’s parade, there was discussion about whether, going forward, younger generations would continue to support it. The answer is a definite yes. Attendance is growing every year, and new parades are actually forming elsewhere. The Wantagh parade, for instance, which only began in 2019, draws overflow throngs all along the parade route, up and down both sides of Wantagh Avenue.

One beautiful pane in the stained-glass window that is America.

This increased interest and enthusiasm is a welcome development at a time when everyday life has become so frenetic and fast-paced, and institutions and traditions are under siege from some and ignored by others. Perhaps it is this societal turbulence that

moves good people to reach out for something that gives them and their families and friends a sense of stability and permanence. And I apply this to all ethnic groups and religions. While America is generally described as a melting pot, I prefer the late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo’s description of our magnificent country as a beautiful mosaic where each group maintains its uniqueness in the large stained-glass window that is America.

Parades are an expression of that uniqueness, and the mosaic. Whether it’s the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Italians on Columbus Day, Germans on Steuben Day, Poles on Pulaski Day, Jews on Israel’s Day of Independence, Greeks on Greek Independence Day, Puerto Ricans on Puerto Rican Day or any of the many newer people in our country celebrating their heritage, these parades honor the traditions that combine to make America

such a shining city on a hill.

They also recall the travails and adversities each group had to overcome to become part of the American dream. For instance, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade represents so much more than the trivial stereotypes of green beer and leprechauns. The parade is always led up Fifth Avenue by the 69th Infantry Regiment (in which I proudly served), in recognition of this Army unit’s predominantly Irish membership protecting parade marchers from being attacked and St. Patrick’s Cathedral from being burned down by antiCatholic nativists in the 1860s.

All races, ethnic groups and religions can point to what they have achieved and what they have overcome in their American experience. That is why celebrating our heritage is celebrating America, which has made it all possible. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and God bless America.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

The challenge of a Supreme Court that isn’t supreme

As a lawyer, I have the greatest respect for the American court system. Our country is one of the few in the world whose courts are not used for political vendettas, as is the case in Russia. That system is manipulated by one man, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and there are countless cases in which he has punished his political enemies by using the judicial system.

JERRY KREMER

There is no question that some judges appointed to our courts have philosophical or personal views that color their decisions. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is hearing the case involving former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, has appeared to favor him on a number of occasions. Some judicial observers believe Cannon will find ways to stop Trump from being brought to justice before November’s election.

Many judges, including those appointed during Trump’s tenure, have

shut down multiple attempts to throw out the 2020 election results. Upward of 60 judges have overseen election fraud suits, and all of them have ruled against the team headed by former New York City Mayor Rudy Guliani. That gives me, and countless others, a degree of comfort.

Will it prevent any prosecution of Donald Trump before the election?

Regrettably, that doesn’t apply to members of the U.S. Supreme Court, which of late has been dominated by a majority that is willing to bend its decisions to fit its philosophy. Our country has had some Supreme Court majorities that have approached most of their big cases with strong personal views, but in the end have chosen more moderate positions.

During my lifetime, different Supreme Courts have been known as the Warren Court, the Burger Court, the Rehnquist Court. They get those label based on who the chief justice is, and whether the court is in fact guided by him. In the case of the current court, Chief Justice John Roberts has been unable, in most big cases, to steer the court to positions that fit his philosophy.

Because this court is so strongly

guided by its five ultra-conservative members, there is no doubt that the decisions it will make in some pending cases may have a strong impact on the November election. There are at least six cases yet to be decided that fit into that category. One, which will stir up the pro-choice movement, involves the legality of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. Considering that more than half of the women in America who have abortions use pills, if that legalization is overturned, it will likely lead to nationwide protests.

Another case in that arena involves the legality of restraining orders that prohibit granting gun permits to people with a history of domestic violence. It is universally agreed that spouses should be protected from a spouse with a history of violent conduct. But this court is so wedded to protecting the Second Amendment that it’s likely that it could rule in favor of gun owners.

Another case involving guns is the challenge to an executive order by then President Trump that makes it illegal to add a “bump stock” to a gun that

turns it into a machine gun. That order came about as the result of a mass killing at a Las Vegas concert. If you took a national poll on this issue, an overwhelmingly majority would express their opposition to the use of bump stocks. But this is another case in which the court could side with gun rights.

One of the biggest cases the Supremes will soon decide is whether a former president is immune from prosecution for an alleged crime he committed when he was in office. A federal court has written a lengthy opinion denying such immunity, but the Supreme Court has taken the case to put its own imprint on this issue. Some court followers have conjectured that it did so to prevent any prosecution of Trump before the election.

People unfamiliar with the courts often aren’t aware of how much mischief a court can create. But sadly, the current highest court in the land has shown that it is anything but a “supreme” court.

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

HeraLd editoriaL

Shining light where government remains dark “K

nowledge will forever govern ignorance,” President

James Madison once said.

“And a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

Madison may not be the most wellknown of the Founding Fathers — not even getting the most prominent of roles in the hit musical “Hamilton” — but it’s hard to imagine an America without him. Not only was he an early advocate of the U.S. Constitution, but Madison is also credited as the author of the Bill of Rights — the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that address, among other things, the freedom of the press — and, by extension, the ability to arm ourselves with the very knowledge he championed.

So it’s fitting that Sunshine Week — this week, when we promote open government and the freedom of information — happens to include Madison’s birthday, March 16. But sadly, more than two centuries later, we still have a long way to go to ensure the transparency in government that the founders promised us.

Established by the American Society of News Editors nearly 20 years ago, Sunshine Week is an important reminder of the vital role transparency plays in a democratic society. It’s vital we protect the public’s right to know.

While New York might lead the nation in many different categories, one area in which the state is not a pioneer is government transparency. In fact, four states have the right to open government spelled out in their state constitutions,

Letters

according to the New York Coalition for Open Government, but none of them are New York.

A bill offered by Assemblyman Phil Steck and state Sen. Rachel May would fix that by enshrining access to public information as a fundamental right in the state constitution, because it’s a “necessary and vital part of democracy and public deliberation.”

“The right of the people to inspect and/or copy records of government, and to be provided notice of and attend public meetings of government, shall not be unreasonably restricted,” according to the legislation.

Yet even if that constitutional amendment passed, enforcement would be nearly impossible. Right now, the only way any of us can ensure that government is transparent is by taking it to court. But even if we win, courts are not required to also award attorneys’ fees unless someone “substantially prevails” in such a case — something that is quite subjective and hard to prove.

With that, governments can simply run up legal costs until someone exhausts their financial resources. And if there were a violation of open-government laws, it would never reach a judge.

Instead, the open-government coalition is pushing a bill from Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal that would create a hearing-officer system to adjudicate those issues and impose penalties.

It’s certainly not a new approach. The open-government coalition points out the small-claims assessment reviews for property tax assessment disputes, in which homeowners complete a simple

NUMC needs state funding restored

To the Editor:

I write to underscore the critical situation facing the Nassau University Medical Center, as reported in the Herald in recent weeks. Without restoration of state funding that was drastically cut from the hospital in 2020, this vital community resource could be lost.

NUMC stands as a cornerstone of our community, providing vital health care services to hundreds of thousands of patients annually, with a significant portion relying on Medicare or Medicaid. Reductions in state aid — not current leadership — have endangered the hospital’s ability to provide care for Long Island’s most vulnerable populations.

Despite these challenges, NUMC’s team has forged ahead, with those we serve remaining our top priority. Hospital leadership has initiated comprehensive reforms to improve financial health. These reforms are already demonstrating the hospital’s commitment to financial sustainability.

Unfortunately, NUMC, as a safety-net hospital, cannot overcome these challenges alone. It’s paramount for lead-

application, pay a filing fee, and then have their case decided by a hearing officer. More than 100,000 such complaints made their way through the system in 2020, costing just over $100 each. The same system is needed for disputes over government records, and Rosenthal is pushing just that. But she has yet to get any support from anyone in the state Senate.

The coronavirus pandemic introduced many of us to livestreaming online — especially when it came to government meetings. Now that we are on the other side of the pandemic, those online streams are not as common. Yet a bill from Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. would require all public bodies to not only broadcast their meetings, but record them, and leave them online for five years.

Even more important is a chance for members of the public to comment at meetings — something that is not guaranteed by the state’s open meetings law, and which a number of organizations don’t make time for. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in front of lawmakers yet to make this happen — but it’s needed. Sunshine Week is important to remind us that we have some work ahead of us as citizens, but it’s also good to remind government officials that they need to prioritize transparency and accountability as well. It’s vital that we stay informed and engaged, and reach out to our lawmakers so that these bills — and others designed to make our government more open — will indeed see the light of day.

Where do our young leaders fit in the age debate?

It’s a common refrain your wellmeaning, often younger friend or coworker might tell you to dampen your fears of getting older: “Age is just a number.”

Of course, to our inner cynics, these are just pretty words. But it’s true, isn’t it? Judging oneself based purely on one’s time spent on earth can lead to false conclusions. And if we struggle to extend this generous thinking to ourselves, imagine how hard it’s been for voters to extend it to this year’s presidential candidates.

Fate is pointing toward a rematch between President Biden and former president Donald Trump, the two oldest nominees in history — as they were when they faced off four years ago. Their age has given voters plenty to talk about.

In fact, age — and its toll on the physical and mental fitness of the candidates — has become a leading issue in the campaign.

Trump would be 82 at the end of a second term. Biden, who is already the oldest president in history, would be 86.

If current polls are correct, most Americans are less than thrilled about another four years of a geriatric presidency.

The endless media clips of incoherent garble, memory slips and puzzling public performances by both candidates have done little to quell fears. Instead, they’ve served as endless fodder for speculation and rumor, with words like “dementia,” “senile” and “incompetent” dripping from commentators’ lips.

Much of the panic is over-hyped, medical experts say. Forgetting things and stumbling over words are not, by themselves, telltale symptoms of cognitive decline, they explain — rather, symptoms of just being human.

they’re in a cohort all their own. They are “super seniors,” pushing the limits of an average lifespan while competing for the hardest job in the world.

It’s one thing not to judge people by their age, but quite another to ask the American public to ignore the effects of aging on these two people.

a merica today isn’t the America in which Biden and Trump came of age.

Age is a factor for the average senior managing the strains and pressures of a normal life, to say nothing of one who’s dealing with the unthinkable pressures of leading the free world. Can either Trump or Biden do it? Sure they can. But if the past few months are any indication of the next four years, it won’t be pretty.

ing to Pew Research. For a senator, it’s 65.

Is it any wonder that young people feel they have been shut out of a place at the decision-making table, and that their concerns don’t rank high among their representatives’ priorities?

Young people’s alienation from and skepticism about politics have created a vacuum of engagement that older politicians have exploited in their own interests, as evidenced by the culture war focusing on gender in universities and school board meetings — and by extension against young people, who are by and large more open than past generations to redefining such concepts.

They remind us that no president under 24-hour media scrutiny has been spared cringe-worthy moments. Who can forget the gaffes of President George W. Bush, a spring chicken compared with Biden and Trump?

Nonetheless, I think Americans do have a right to be worried.

The fact that we must consider the possibility that either man could die in office of natural causes should give us pause. Doctors tell us that both are exceptionally healthy for their age, but

Letters

ers in Albany to restore the funding in this year’s state budget. Without this essential aid, NUMC’s capacity to fulfill its mission will be in jeopardy.

I implore our governor, legislative leaders and local state legislators to prioritize our community’s health and well-being by reinstating funding for NUMC and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

CARMINe CARMONe Director of environmental services, NUMC Levittown

Peter King, who’s to blame for the border crisis?

To the editor:

I am one of the growing number of American voters who are politically unaffiliated. I have no allegiance to either party or personality cult.

I believe that we have to have a functioning border system. There’s a difference between who I believe, and who former Congressman

Peter King believes, is to blame for the border crisis (“Reflections on the special election,” Feb. 29-March 6).

The Republicans have historically scuttled any attempts to resolve this issue. There really are many instances of this, but I’ll just list a few. In 2013, then House Speaker John Boehner refused to allow a comprehensive reform bill to come to the floor of the House. Recently, a bipartisan bill that had been worked on for months was voted down in the Senate by Republicans, after House Speaker Mike Johnson had numerous discussions with former President Donald Trump and said that it would be “dead on arrival” in the House.

During the Trump administration, one of the most disgraceful border policies separated minor children from their parents and put them in chain-link enclosures to provide photo opportunities for the Republicans. Now Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has spent more than $150 million to send migrants to socalled sanctuary cities so that other Republican officials can share in the fun. Perhaps that money would be better spent on helping the victims of the recent

The problem is bigger than just Trump and Biden — it’s a sign of deeper trouble with our politics. We complain about our leaders being too old, but we’ve paid too little attention to the other side of that coin: Where are our young leaders?

Socially and technologically, America today is not the America in which Biden and Trump came of age. Yet those in their 40s and younger are still passed up and overlooked for positions of power. The median age of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives is 58, accord-

Those generational differences are also evident in the sluggish pace with which the government has mobilized technology and legislation to combat climate change, despite the urgent cries of young people demanding change now.

And those differences are brutally obvious in the lack of progress toward rethinking the cost of education and housing, for which young people stand most to lose.

Our present discontent toward our aging leaders is neither inevitable nor forever. It’s something we’ve chosen by refusing to let our young people take the lead and have a say in their future.

Juan Lasso is editor of the Valley Stream Herald, Comments? jlasso@liherald.com.

wildfires in Abbott’s home state.

So, Mr. King, I don’t believe Republicans want to solve this problem, because they want to use it for political gains. What have you done to encourage your fellow Republi-

cans to solve it? Did you ever work on a bipartisan solution? Just asking.

Framework

JUan Lasso