Seaford Herald 03-28-2024

Putting the American Dream into words

By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

Continuing a half-century-long tradition, the Seaford American Legion honored children for writing patriotic essays last week, while also recognizing teachers in the district for their dedication to their students with the 2023 Teacher of the Year awards.

Seaford Knights of Columbus honors charities with donations

By KElSIE RADZISKI Correspondent

Seaford’s Memorare Council of the Knights of Columbus hosted its annual charity fund check distribution ceremony during its council meeting on March 20.

The council honored 13 charities across Long Island that help various groups in need.

“The Knights of Columbus was partly formed to support local parishes, and we support them with whatever they need, but we also assist the community,” Michael Nardo, the grand knight of the Memorare Council, said.

The Knights of Columbus was partly formed to support local parishes, and we support them with whatever they need, but we also assist the community.

MICHAEl NARDo Grand knight, Memorare Council of the Knights of Columbus

The distribution ceremony is “the culmination of our yearly fundraising efforts in the community through

events, donations and our annual charity drawing,” Nardo added.

Representatives of the charities were called up one by one to accept their checks and speak about what they do. Among them was the Seaford High School 9/11 Memorial Committee.

“We provide five monetary awards to five graduating seniors in memory of each of the alumni that were killed in the 9/11 attacks,” explained Ken Haskell, president of the committee and one of its founding members, who lost his brothers Tommy and Timmy, bothe members of the New York City Fire Depart -

ment on Sept. 11. “We’re about keeping their memory alive and encouraging community service.”

The committee also presents awards each year to three members of the Seaford community who have made unique contributions. The organization built, and maintains, a 9/11 memorial at Seaford High School, and hosts a senior

class trip to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Manhattan each year.

“We need to raise money every year to support the awards (and) to maintain the memorial, and any money that we take in goes right back out to our program and back into the community,” Haskell said. Also in attendance was Rick

The Legion hosted its annual Americanism essay contest on March 20 at Edwin Welch Jr. Post 1132. The event, in honor of George Murphy, a past commander of the Seaford Legion who died in 2015, is a partnership with the Seaford school district and St. William the ConTinued on PAge 5 ConTinued on PAge 7

Charles Shaw/Herald

Seaford teachers Tara Flood, far left, Ann-Marie Motisi, Laura Maciag and Stephanie Lucia were honored as the district’s 2023 Teachers of the Year at American Legion Post 1132 on March 20.

Artists and musicians share the spotlight

In honor of both Youth Art Month and Music in Our Schools month, Seaford Harbor Elementary School is celebrating its talented student artists and musicians throughout March. The programs are essential pieces of a well-rounded education and provide students with creative outlets.

Students are selected by art teacher Christine Donnelly, general music teacher Pamela Brinkman and band director Charlotte Loake on a rotation. Each day in March, one of the three educators chooses a student or a group of students to feature.

Music is highlighted during the morning announcements with student performances. Under the direction of Loake, fourth and fifth grade band students have showcased different instruments. Several classes, representing different grade levels, have sung for the school led by Brinkman.

“I think it is a great opportunity to showcase the students’ musical talents by having them performing on the morning

To celebrate Music in Our Schools Month, band students at Seaford Harbor Elementary School have

the morning announcements in March under the direction of Charlotte Loake.

instrument. They select the music and Donnelly is highlighting her students on an art and music bulletin board outside of the cafeteria. She selects student work to display that demonstrates exceptional effort, great technical skills and cre ativity. Among the pieces that Donnelly has showcased are abstract drawings and landscape paintings. Each student’s photo is also included with his or her artwork.

“The students at the Harbor have a variety of talents,” said Assistant Principal Caroline Stringer. “This month, as we

celebrate music and art in our schools, we decided to share the great talents of our students with the entire school, and each day we showcase a different artist. At Harbor this month, we live by the quote, ‘Music is art to the ear and art is music to the eye.’”

Courtesy Seaford school district

been performing during

What’s NEWs IN aND OUt OF thE CLassROOM

HERALD SCHOOLS

A living tribute to worldwide legends

Where do astronauts, baseball players and former presidents come together? At Wantagh Elementary School’s living wax museum, of course. The annual event took place on March 8 as the culmination of a biography research project for fifth graders.

Each student selected someone from the past or present to research and portray. They used books and online resources to learn more about these famous figures, then created a presentation board with important facts.

The wax museum opened in the morning with students dressed up as their noted men and women, from historical figures like George Washington and Thomas Edison, to contemporary individuals like Michelle Obama and Jane Goodall. Parents walked around and listened to the students’ prepared speeches.

Fifth grade teacher Kathryn McKeefrey said that the project emphasizes the importance of history in education and gives students an appreciation for people who have made a positive difference in the world. Traci Weiss added that students come away with research and presentation skills that they will use in middle school and beyond.

“They did an awesome job and really worked hard,” Weiss said. “This experience with public speaking will help them going forward.”

Photos courtesy Wantagh school district

Wantagh High School fifth graders dressed up as famous figures from the past and present for their annual living wax museum on March 8.

Sidra Saleem read her speech as Malala Yousafzai, the world’s youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Gianna Lindquist, left, and Maeve Burke were a pair of pioneering females.

Victor Francois portrayed baseball’s first AfricanAmerican player.

From left, Noelle Issa as Clara Barton, Kayla O’Brien as Victoria Woodhull and James O’Brien as Thomas Jefferson.

EASTER LETTER

Thoughts for holiday season

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Happy Easter to you and your families! Thank you for your love for the inspired Word of God. Thank you for your love for the Resurrection appearances of our Lord in this Easter season and the way your lives are set on fire in your meditation and contemplation of these mysteries.

Thank you for your fidelity to the Eucharist and the Sunday Mass and your Catholic spirit of evangelization. Thank you for being instruments of Eucharistic Revival.

In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis states:

storms of history” and we rely on the Risen Lord and his glorified wounds to touch the wounds in Ukraine, the Middle East, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the region of the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and Sudan, as well as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and so many other troubled areas of the world. We ask the Risen Lord and his glorified wounds to touch the wounds experienced in our own country.

ReveRend

John o. BaRRes -

“Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated the world. Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is an irresistible force...Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history ... Such is the power of the resurrection, and all who evangelize are instruments of that power.” (276)

We continue to live through “the

In The Everlasting Man, G.K. Chesterton captured the power of our Lord’s Resurrection experienced in the cycles of history. He wrote: “Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.”

This Easter and every Easter we celebrate this Everlasting Man who knew his way out of the grave and who invites us and the Catholic Church on Long Island to a great Resurrection.

Sincerely yours in the Risen Lord, Most Reverend John O. Barres

Milone receives 2024 Pathfinder Award

From left, TOH Receiver of Taxes Jeanine Driscoll, Town Clerk Kate Murray, Town Supervisor Don Clavin, Kathy Milone, Councilman Dennis Dunne Sr., Deputy Town Supervisor Dorthy Goosby, Councilman Chris Carini, Councilwoman Laura Ryder and Councilman Thomas Muscarella. Local officials congratulated Milone on her retirement and awarded her the 2024 Town of Hempstead Pathfinder Award. Milone had served on the Wantagh-Seaford Homeowners’ Association board as Vice President.

Levittown’s Gold Card program offers discounts to seniors

Discounted rates for Adult Continuing Education classes.

The Levittown School District is proud to offer eligible seniors the Gold Card program, which brings together all the wonderful opportunities the district provides for residents who are 60 years of age or older. It’s the district’s way of saying thank you for their continued support of the schools and students.

All residents of the Levittown School District who are 60 years of age or over are eligible for membership in the Gold Card program. There is NO COST for this program. Gold Card members receive:

Free admission to high school and middle school plays.

Automotive Services: services are performed at Levittown Memorial Education Center by appointment, and they are done ONLY on Fridays.

Cosmetology Services: services are performed at Levittown Memorial Education Center by appointment between the hours of 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Fridays ONLY.

Applications can be found by visiting the district website at www.levittownschools.com/departments/administrative/instruction/programs/gold-card/.

Courtesy Office of Christopher Carini

Students are eloquent on the American Dream

Abbot school, in which fourth- and fifthgraders write essays about America.

According to Charles Wroblewski, the Legion chaplain and the essay contest chair, the competition has been a tradition in Seaford for over 50 years. Elementary school students were given this year’s theme for the essays, the American Dream, in February. It reflected older generations’ hopes for the students, Wroblewski said.

“Our theme was the American Dream,” he said, “and that’s what these kids embody: the American Dream.”

Students gathered at the post with their friends and family members for the awards ceremony. The top three essayists in each grade from each school were presented with a trophy by a member of the legion. Taylor Diehlman, a 100-year-old World War II veteran and legionnaire, was the presenter for St. William the Abbot.

The fifth-grade winner at Seaford Manor Elementary School was Delaney Cassidy, who said she was excited to win the top prize and was happy to see her friends Madison Rainey and Grace McShane win second and third place. Delaney’s essay described how the American Dream is something that anyone can attain.

“To me, the American dream means that, in America, anybody and everyone, no matter where they’re from or

what they are or who they are, can always accomplish their dreams and be who they want to be,” Delaney said. “That’s what it means to me.”

She said she entered the contest because she has a passion for writing, having written short stories for as long as she can remember. When she saw the chance to write about a topic that excited her, Delaney said, she signed up right away.

Her aunt Dawn Hoffmann, her grandmother Michelle Kirsic, and her brother, Roran Cassidy, were with her at the ceremony.

“I’m so proud of her,” Hoffmann said. “She’s one of the smartest young ladies I know.”

“It was fabulous,” Kirsic said of her granddaughter’s essay. “She’s very patriotic. Her grandfather is from another country, and he came here as an immigrant, so she appreciates that and understands that.”

Delaney’s grandfather Branko Kirsic came to the United States from Croatia in the 1960s.

After the trophy ceremony, the Legion honored its choices for 2023 Seaford Teachers of the Year. Educators from each of the schools were awarded: Harbor School teacher Tara Flood, Manor School teacher Ann-Marie Motisi, middle school teacher Stephanie Lucia and high school teacher Laura Maciag.

Top finishers in the American Dream essay contest

Seaford Harbor School

Fourth grade

emmaline Hartmann

angela Bellone

Kenzie drew

Fifth grade

Sara-Jean Seemungal

Lucas matos

peyton Hujber

Seaford Manor School

Fourth grade

dax Borowski Luka dodds alex Carreras

Fifth grade

delaney Cassidy madison rainey

grace mcShane

St. William the Abbot

Fourth grade

enya gallagher

Bernadette orrino

alexandra Karchinski

Fifth grade

Ben Jaigobin

austin Wood rebecca domingo

Each teacher was presented with a plaque by their school’s principal, who had nominated the teacher for the award. Lucia, who teaches sixth- and seventh-grade art, said it was an honor to receive the award.

“It feels great to be recognized for everything that you do in the classroom and outside of the classroom,” she said. “It’s just part of your daily job, and to have the opportunity for someone to notice you and be recognized for it makes it all worth it.”

Lucia has been teaching at the mid-

and (2)

death

whom you want, when you want, the way you want, with the least amount of taxes and legal fees possible. These are the five steps to creating such a plan.

Step One: Understanding the Family Dynamics. Clients often overlook the inestimable value of getting to know the family dynamic. We are firm believers that the social goes first and the legal should serve the social. Too often it is the other way around. Once we understand who’s who and everyone’s interpersonal relations with each other, we are far better able to craft a plan that will work socially as well as legally. The failure to address the social aspects has led to many a plan tearing the family apart.

Step Two: Reviewing the Client’s Assets. IRA’s and other “qualified” assets (i.e. tax deferred) are treated quite differently, on death or disability, from “non-qualified” assets. The determination of the amount and value of all assets, who owns them, and whether they have named beneficiaries are of the utmost importance in planning correctly, including

dle school for 17 years, and has been friends with Maciag since 2006, so it was a special moment for both to receive the award, Lucia said.

Maciag taught at the middle school for 25 years, has spent the past two years at the high school teaching American history, and will retire in June.

“There are no words to describe it,” she said of the award. “It’s pretty surreal, exciting, amazing. I work with the greatest bunch of people. Like, I don’t go to work, I go to school. It’s the best job ever.”

saving legal fees and taxes.

Step Three: Reviewing Existing Estate Planning Documents: Not having been prepared by an elder law estate planning attorney, clients’ documents rarely have adequate provisions to take advantage of the many benefits the law provides for our aging population. Wills instead of trusts have often been prepared either because the client was considerably younger and a trust was not needed or a trust was needed but the general practice lawyer was unfamiliar with the specifics of preparing a trust.

Step Four: Developing the Elder Law Estate Plan. We are now in a position to determine which persons are best suited to handle your legal, financial and medical affairs on disability or death, what type of plan should be used and how the estate should be distributed -- keeping in mind the preservation of harmony in the family.

Step Five: Executing and Maintaining the Plan. Legal documents are explained and executed, assets are retitled and beneficiaries on assets changed in keeping with planning objectives. The client is called in to the law firm every three years to ensure the plan meets the client’s current wishes and conforms with any law changes.

Charles Shaw/Herald essay winner delaney Cassidy, second from left, with her aunt dawn Hoffmann, far left, her grandmother michelle Kirsic, and her brother, roran Cassidy.

Hofstra baseball swings for the fences

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Hofstra baseball team missed out on a chance to defend its conference title last year and is fueled for a return to the championship stage in late May this spring.

After reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history during a magical 2022 season, the Pride bats were driven back to earth in 2023 with an eighth-place finish that left the team just short of qualifying for its league’s sixteam double-elimination tournament held Memorial Day weekend.

This season the Pride were picked ninth in the 12 team Coastal Athletic Association and is looking to prove the doubters wrong to have an opportunity to once again compete for the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAAs.

“We got off to a slow start and then towards the end of the season we started playing better and we just missed out on making the tournament,” said third-year Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto, a former 14-year Major League Baseball player from 1997 to 2010 with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets. “It’s a motivating factor for not only the coaching staff, but also for the student athletes to be ready to play these games.”

Hofstra began the 2024 season with two narrow losses to then 14th-ranked Virginia before taking two of three from Liberty and New Mexico on the road the following two weekends. The Pride entered the start of CAA with two close losses at Columbia and Fordham.

Senior catcher Matt Pelcher, a Merrick native, has emerged as one of Hofstra’s leading hitters this season with a .328 average entering the CAA schedule. Pelcher, who played high school baseball at the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida, hit a home run in an 10-8 season-opening loss at Virginia and went 3-for-4 in a narrow 3-2 defeat at St. John’s on March 8.

“He’s made big strides with his swing and has really bought into what we’ve been teaching,” said Catalanotto of

Pelcher, who registered an RBI double in Hofstra’s 12-8 loss at Columbia on March 19. “He’s a big part of what we do and his versatility helps us out quite a bit.”

Pelcher is among four starters hitting above .300, including sophomore Dylan Palmer at a team-leading .450 starting the conference schedule. He earned Second Team All-CAA and CAA All-Rookie honors as a freshman. Senior outfielder Alex McCoy and graduate student third baseman Santino Ross are also shining offensively so far with .364 and .386 batting averages, respectively.

Catalanotto is also hoping two of his other top hitters, Will Kennedy and Steve Harrington, can produce during the CAA schedule after hitting slumps in March.

The pitching staff is led by senior Michael O’Hanlon, who recorded seven strikeouts in a 9-1 victory against Manhattan College on March 15. O’Hanlon

has stepped into the ace role after serving as the closer the last two years.

The Pride has a number of pitching options out of the bullpen including Rockville Centre native Danny Kelleher, a former South Side High School standout who tossed three scoreless innings in a 9-6 loss at New Mexico on March 3. Catalanotto is hoping Kelleher can continue to make strides on the mound and live up to his full potential.

“He’s been doing a good job and he’s gotten much better from last year,” Catalanotto said of Kelleher. “He’s throwing a lot of two seam fastballs that sink and also a good change-up so he’s keeping the ball down and getting ground balls.”

Another local arm on the roster is freshman Nick Apollo, who earned All-

County accolades at Seaford High School last year and led the Vikings to a county title. The versatile Apollo, who Catalanotto sees potential in for a strong future, received playing time at first base in a 17-6 loss to Manhattan on March 16.

Hofstra travels to longtime CAA foe Towson this weekend before hosting Delaware in another critical three-game conference series from April 5-7. The CAA regular schedule concludes at home against Monmouth on May 18 before the conference tournament commences from May 22-28 at UNC-Wilmington.

“It’s a really tough conference,” Catalanotto said of the CAA, which added last year’s 22nd-ranked team Campbell this season. “We are going to have to bring our best every single game.”

Senior outfielder Alex McCoy is off to a strong start at the dish with a .364 batting average.

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications Pitcher Danny Kelleher, a South Side High School graduate, is a key member of the Pride bullpen.

Local charities honored with donations

Genovese, founder and general manager of the Take Me Out to the Ballgame Foundation, which was created in 2007 “to assist families in need and create family building experiences for children and their parents,” according to its website. The foundation, based in Seaford, is dedicated to helping “families in crisis,” and has teamed up with organizations across Long Island to provide those families with assistance.

“Today we have eight food pantries on Long Island we fill four times a year, and we give out over 500 turkeys and hams to those food pantries,” Genovese said. “We give each pantry a budget

each year for winter clothing, because the things that we have in our closet, (families in need) don’t have any of that.”

The foundation throws an annual Christmas party, and recently launched a new initiative called the McDonald’s Program, in which it gives out McDonald’s gift cards through the food pantries.

“We try to expand our foundation every year,” Genovese said. “I never thought it would be this big, and we’re able to expand because of donations like this.”

The Memorare Knights of Columbus is closely connected to Seaford church-

es, including St. William the Abbott, one of three Catholic churches in town that received donations from the council. The Rev. Joe Fitzgerald accepted the donation on behalf of the parish, and said it would use the money to help the 5,000 families in its community.

“It’s a blessing to be connected to the mission of the Catholic Church, which is to feed the hungry and take care of the poor,” Fitzgerald said.

Other charities that received donations from the Memorare Council include the Diocese of Rockville Center, the Catholic Faith Network, True North Community Church, the Dominican Sisters of Amityville, the Guide

Dog Foundation, the Ladles of Hope Soup Kitchen, Camp Northstar, AMT Children of Hope, and the Life Center of Long Island.

The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 with a focus on charity, according to its website. It now has branches around the world, and continues to prioritize Catholic values and provide assistance to those in need.

“It’s an extension of the Catholic faith,” Ronald Provence, a member and third-degree knight of the organization, said. “We give people an opportunity to participate in their faith in the community (and) to be with men and women of similar values.”

Continued from page 1

Kelsie Radziski/Herald representatives of the honored charities with grand Knight michael nardo, fifth from left, after the distribution ceremony.

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Purim celebrations are ‘out of this world’

The Chabad Center of Merrick-Bellmore-Wantagh celebrated the holiday of Purim with an event that transported attendees to galaxies far, far away.

Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to kill all the Jews in the ancient Persian Empire. The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther. The central figures in the Purim story are Queen Esther, who was a Jewish woman married to the Persian king, and Mordecai, her cousin. Haman, the villain of the story, was the royal vizier who plotted to destroy the Jewish people.

Purim usually falls in late February or March on the Gregorian calendar. It’s marked by several customs and traditions including Reading the Book of Esther, both in the evening and the morning of Purim, sending gifts of food to friends and family, eating a festive meal, often including triangular pastries called hamantaschen, which are filled with sweet fillings such as poppy seeds or fruit preserves, and dressing up in costumes, a tradition derived from the fact that Esther concealed her Jewish identity until the opportune moment.

The outer space theme at the Chabad’s celebration was embraced by many members of the community — although there were plenty of other creative costumes to be seen around the celebration as well. Families has the option to take part in the Purim party at 10:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., at the Merrick Golf Course Clubhouse.

Children were able to watch a planetarium show in a dome, enjoy an ‘out of this world’ brunch, take part in fun cosmic-themed activities and make “ha-moontash” cookies — a play on words of the traditional hamantaschen.

Whether families came dressed up to celebrate, or just wanted to join in on the Purim fun, the holiday was joyously received by members of the MerrickBellmore-Wantagh Jewish community.

— Jordan Vallone

They’re creepy and they’re kooky! The Abudarham family as the Adams Family.

Mike Monahan/Herald photos

The Chabad Center for Jewish Life’s Rabbi Shimon Kramer, with his wife Chanie Kramer, and their daughters from left, Mirel, Leah and Sarah, at the outer space-themed Purim celebration on March 24.

Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman. It is often celebrated by dressing in costume. John, with his son Jonah, age 9, took part in an activity while rocking a Harry Potter costume.

Saraphina and Aliyah, both 9, took in the wonders of a planetarium display.

Allison, with her sons Jason, 10, and Dylan, 6, were royally dressed.

Cricket World Cup looks to ‘hit for six’

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium is starting to take form in Eisenhower Park.

The temporary 34,000-seat venue will serve as one of the hosting locations for the 2024 International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup, set to take place this June in locations that also include Florida, Texas and the West Indies. And Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman emphasized Eisenhower Park’s involvement by joining ICC officials and renowned professional cricketers at a parade last week to officially bring the World Cup’s trophy “home.”

The trophy was displayed underneath an American flag arch, set up by the East Meadow Fire Department, and escorted by the Nassau County Police Department, dozens of emergency vehicles, bagpipers, and the county’s mounted unit to the stadium site.

“We are in the process of constructing this beautiful stadium that will be here for the duration of the tournament,” Blakeman said. “It’s going to be a great venue for everybody to enjoy cricket. There’ll be so many countries that will be here with their teams — we will have fans from all over the world.”

Eight games are slated for Nassau over the course of 12 days. Eisenhower Park will actually host one of the most highly anticipated games of the tournament — India vs. Pakistan — which both consistently fielding some of the best cricketers in the game.

The Cricket World Cup is the third-most popular sporting event across the globe, only behind the FIFA World Cup and the Tour de France.

“We call it the Super Bowl on steroids,” Blakeman said.

The stadium was designed by Populous, an architec-

At the construction site of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Eisenhower Park, Ali Khan, a professional cricketer on Team USA, spoke about the excitement surrounding the Cricket World Cup in June. The tournament’s trophy traveled to stadium last week in a ceremonious parade.

ture firm also responsible for creating Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and the UBS Arena, among others. The initia tive is privately funded, and the stadium is being built in the open space behind the park’s aquatic center, adja cent to Field 6.

Tickets for games have been hard to obtain, but ICC officials say fans may still be able to secure some.

“The levels of interest in being part of the event are huge, with more than 3 million ticket applications in

the initial ballot,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC’s chief executive said. “I’m delighted to confirm today that we’ve worked closely with our partners to release more tickets to 51 of the 55 games of the event.”

For those unable to purchase tickets, Blakeman says the county will set up watch parties in various locations details of which will be announced at a later date.

Allardice also thanked the county and Blakeman for their support, saying the ICC had “found a true part -

Lawmakers, publishers rally to save local news

An advocacy group determined to save local news in New York rallied in Albany in an effort to bring more lawmakers to their cause.

The Empire State Local News Coalition — a statewide advocacy group of more than 150 local news outlets — joined elected officials at the state capital last week to support the Local Journalism Sustainability Act.

OThe bill — sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner — is intended to provide tax credits to local news outlets that employ journalists in their communities. HoylmanSigal joined the rally, along with colleagues like Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, state Sen. Monica Martinez, and Assemblyman David Weprin.

ur local papers are here. They are objective. They provide information. And we need to preserve that.

“This is a full-blown crisis,” HoylmanSigal told those who gathered for the rally in the halls of the capital building. “We live in a deliberative democracy. That means our voters need to be informed to make wise choices. How are they informed? Largely through local news.”

The senate included the Local Journalism Sustainability Act in its One House budget resolution, which organizers describe as a major sign of the bill’s growing support in the legislature.

Both the senate and the Assembly release preliminary One House budgets in response to the governor’s own preliminary budget, which was released earlier this year. The state’s final budget is due April 1, and policies in the final budget almost always must be in one of the three preliminary budgets.

“It is time that New York state steps up and supports one of the most important industries — not just to our economic well-being, but to our democracy,” Hoylman-Sigal said. “The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, which is part of the senate One House budget, will assist in that regard.”

The rally was intended to signal growing pressure on lawmakers to offer much-needed benefits to the local news industry, which has experienced a significant downturn over the past two decades.

The state has lost hundreds of newspapers since 2004, resulting in the loss of not only thousands of jobs, but also thousands of stories that helped keep communities informed. In fact, there are a growing number of communities with little to no access to local newspaper coverage, according to coalition officials. More than a dozen New York counties are down to just one newspaper.

Capped at $20 million statewide, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act is a bill with bipartisan support that provides payroll tax credits for the employment of local news journalists.

News organizations would receive a 50 percent refundable tax credit against the first $50,000 of each newsroom employee’s salary — up to $200,000 per outlet.

The benefit would be limited to print and online newspapers and broadcasters, with 100 employees or less, that cover local community news. This, sup-

porters say, ensures that only truly local news outlets will qualify for this assistance.

“Someone once said that ‘newspapers are the textbooks of democracy, and the lifeblood of freedom,’ and that’s a responsibility newsrooms like ours take very seriously,” said Michael Hinman, executive editor of Herald Community Newspapers, which employs more than 30 journalists across 24 newspapers on Long Island and in New York City.

“Communities depend on their local newspaper, because there is nowhere

else you’re going to get the news about and for your neighborhood, written by someone who knows your neighborhood. Time and time again, it’s been proven that the best communities in America are communities with a strong, local newspaper. And if we don’t do something now, those great communities will be lost to history.”

But in order for this particular bill to move forward, it needs to be supported not just by the senate, but also by the Assembly and by Gov. Kathy Hochul, so that it is included in the final state budget.

“The fight to save local news is a fight to save our democracy,” said Zachary Richner, founder of the Empire State Local News Coalition and director of Richner Communications — the parent company of Herald Community Media.

“Hometown newspapers deliver the hyperlocal updates and investigations necessary to sustain a community’s civic and financial well-being. As local news declines, critical stories are lost, and communities become more polarized.

“We’re proud to have the senate’s support, and we call on Gov. Hochul and the Assembly to support this industry-saving bill and protect critical newsroom jobs.”

Michaelle Solages says she’ll continue to push for the bill’s inclusion in the final state budget with her colleagues in the Assembly.

“We’re continuing our work on Long Island making sure the local story — the story that matters to individual New Yorkers — are heard,” Solages said. “But we really need to make sure we are investing into our community, investing into local journalism, and combatting this growing social media that is spreading misinformation.

“Our local papers are here. They are objective. They provide information. And we need to preserve that.”

Photos courtesy Empire State Local News Coalition

Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages joins lawmakers and supporters like Assemblyman David Weprin, at left, and state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, at right, to call on her colleagues to support the Local Journalism Sustainability Act. The measure — currently included in the senate’s One House budget — would provide tax credits to local news outlets, so they can keep local reporters on the ground and covering communities.

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, right, has pushed to put the Local Journalism Sustainability Act into the state senate’s One House budget, to provide tax credits to news outlets employing journalists to cover local communities. The measure is championed by the Empire State Local News Coalition, founded by Zachary Richner, director of Richner Communications, left.

MICHAELLE SOLAGES Assemblywoman

STEPPING OUT

The Chocolate Expo returns with an exciting Wonka-twist

Everyone has a golden ticket to the Chocolate Expo

By Danielle Schwab

or the love of chocolate, there’s a sweet treat awaiting everyone at this year’s Chocolate Expo.

The popular event — proclaimed as one of the largest chocolate showcases in the United States — is back, ready to tantalize all on April 14.

Chocoholics will delight in the day-long food paradise. An array of 90-plus vendors — including those representing Long Island, New England and even international purveyors — will share their sweet and savory wares with the public during this unique food-centric festival at the David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University.

So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience

Robert Neary honors an icon with a tribute show like no other. With more than 35 years as a Broadway, television and film actor, Neary brings a special flair to his tribute show. With his powerful presence, from the moment he struts on stage wearing trademark black, gray, and silver sequined jacket, Neary, uncannily resembles Neil Diamond at the height of his touring career in the ‘90s and 2000s. His wit and mannerisms on stage are spot on, especially when he plays his guitar. When he speaks and tells the stories and trivia behind some of Neil’s most popular songs, his rich baritone gravelly voice can easily be mistaken for Neil’s own speaking voice. The title says it all. It is the quintessential Neil Diamond concert experience that concludes with a mind-blowing finale.

Saturday, March 30, 8 p.m. $49.50, $39.50, $35, $29.50, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY. com.

“We have a wide variety of interesting products,” says Marvin Baum, the Chocolate Expo’s founder and creator. “It’s like going to a wine tasting. You’re trying something different and exploring. That’s really what it is, for people to come and explore all kinds of culinary delights. In this case, it’s with chocolates, baked goods, specialty foods, wines, cheeses and other products as well.”

Celebrate and indulge in delicious gourmet goodies — even treats for your beloved pooch. Of course, tasting is very much a part of the event, starting from the moment you enter.

• April 14, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• $20 adult, $10 ages 5-12 ($30 adult, $15 ages 5-12 at door); available from TheChocolateExpo.com

• Hofstra’s David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex, Hempstead

The scrumptious combination of savory and sweet includes chocolate-covered pretzels, artisanal chocolates, bonbons, fudge, rum cakes, hot chocolate, and even chocolate-covered bacon.

And, certainly, no chocolate event would be complete without big chocolate fountains. Guests are greeted by fountains overflowing with dark, white and milk chocolates, which can deliciously drench a selection of fresh fruit, marshmallows pretzels and Rice Krispies Treats.

Visitors will surely enjoy another special treat: An appearance by actors from the original 1971 film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt), Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee), and Rusty Goffe (who in addition to playing an Oompa Loompa, has also been in five of the Harry Potter movies and in Star Wars ), are the festival’s special guests. Baum proudly proclaims this is the first Wonka cast reunion at a chocolate event.

“We found that there was a true emotional connection for a lot of people, between the movie and their own lives — whether it be with good memories with the family or as being part of an escape,” he says. “And so, for that reason, we think that a lot of people on Long Island are going to respond to and be really excited to see this get-together of the Wonka characters.”

If your palate reaches sensory overload, take a break to check out some of the many activities that round out the day. Shows and demonstrations include chocolate smashing, where participants can break a part of high-quality chocolate molds with hammers. There’s also a demonstration with DJ Chef, the first winner of Food Network’s “Cuthroat Kitchen,” known for spinning tunes while cooking.

The youngest “fun-sized” visitors will enjoy Kidz Zone, enticing them with face painting, balloon twisting and crafts.

The festival, according to Baum, has now taken on a life of its own.

“I said, ‘We need to do something where New York businesses can actually make some money. Instead of just doing tastings, let’s do something where we’re tasting and have sales.’ And basically, that became the first New York Chocolate Expo.”

Participating chocolatiers, bakers and related purveyors offer a mindboggling collection of goodies.

Among the enthusiastic local returnees, Wantagh-based Uncle Jeff’s Pecan Pies is not to be missed. Owner Jeff Church participated for the first time last year, and enthusiastically reports the response to his offerings was “beyond belief.” He’ll offer both his all-natural chocolate and regular pecan pies again this year.

“As soon as they opened the doors, people swarmed the tables saying ‘one of these,’ ‘one of those,’” he says. “It was insane.”

Another bakery, Valley Stream’s Chez Hedwidge, caters to folks with dietary restrictions. All products are gluten-free and soy-free, with vegan options available. Edwidge Oriol — who owns the business with her husband — has been involved with the Chocolate Expo for five years.

“Those who have these (dietary) challenges, they deserve a good treat,” she says.

Among the items Oriol will ll bring is her gluten-free chocolate tart, which won third place in a Culinary Federation of Long Island competition.

Whether you’re looking to grab your local faves or find a new delicious obsession, the expo is the place to indulge in some chocolatey fun.

“Everybody is welcome,” Baum says. “All the noise of day-to-day life, all that’s pushed to the side. We want to get together, have a good time, share memories, share some good food, and support local businesses.”

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is recognized for fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s greatest orchestral music.

Formed by Sir Neville Mariner in 1958 from a group of London’s leading musicians, it’s become one of the world’s most respected orchestral ensembles. Joshua Bell, music director and Grammywinning violinist, has performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world, and is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. Led by violin virtuoso Bell, this performance showcases Mendelssohn’s deeply emotive Violin Concerto, with Bell himself taking the stage as both soloist and leader. The program also includes Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia Overture, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61. Set out with Bell and the orchestra on a passionate musical journey of passion and triumph as the extraordinary ensemble demonstrates their artistry.

Friday, March 29, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $80. 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.

The Chocolate Expo always is a showcase of scrumptious bites.

Photos courtesy Chuck Fishman

THE Your Neighborhood

April 6

Jaime Lozano y La Familia

Mexican

musical multi-hyphenate and Lincoln Center regular Jaime Lozano appears on the Tilles Center stage with his Familia, an all-star Latin lineup of Broadway and OffBroadway performers, Saturday, April 6, 8 p.m.

Heralded by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda as “the next big thing,” Lozano’s newest work, “Songs by an Immigrant,” is a musical journey about diversity and integration.

Lozano honestly portrays the challenges of the first- and second-generation middle class U.S. immigrant experience: finding a new home, learning a new language, dealing with discrimination, pursuing the American Dream, and searching for ways to build bridges instead of walls. His Familia includes Mauricio Martínez, Shereen Pimentel and Mayelah Barrera, as well as a nine-piece orchestra. The spectacular celebration of Latin talent includes special guests who are students from Long Island University’s Theatre Arts Department, which adds an exciting dynamic to the performance, showcasing the next generation of rising stars in the industry. The collaboration between these seasoned professionals and up-and-coming talents is sure to create a truly unforgettable experience for all who attend. “Songs by an Immigrant” is an inspiring celebration of the immigrant odyssey. Tickets start at $50; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.

‘Listen to the Music’

Join L.I. Cabaret Theatre for their latest performance, Saturday, April 6, 2 p.m., at the Elmont Library Theatre. In this spirited show music is on the menu as the cast travels back to different years in the past to find clues and knowledge to save the Melody Diner from demolition. A cast of 35 keeps the action moving along, with a live band. The singers and dancers performs current hits, oldies and also tunes from the Broadway stage. Free admission. Elmont Memorial Library Theater, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. (516) 3545280 or LICabaret@aol.com.

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.

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.

Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art. The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.

Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists. On view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Country Jukebox

The North Shore Symphony Orchestra is joined by Broadway and New York cabaret stars for “Country Jukebox: Kenny, Dolly & Friends,” Saturday, April 6, 8 p.m., on Adelphi’s Performing Arts Center stage. Your toes will be tapping and your hands clapping during this evening of country classics from the 1950s to today’s hottest contemporary hits.

The dynamic performers, with North Shore Symphony, salute such greats as Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, The Judds, Carrie Underwood and more. Tickets start at $45, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 8774000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

Easter Plant Sale

Seaford Fire Department hosts its annual Easter Plant Sale, Saturday, March 30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; also Sunday, March 31, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. A wide variety of plants and flowers will be available for purchase, while supplies last. Come early for the best selection. Rain or shine, it’s held at the Seaford Fire Department headquarters on the corner of Waverly and Southard Avenues in Seaford.

South Shore Symphony in concert

Enjoy the popular orchestra,as it continues its season,with special guests Deborah Lifton and the Adea Quartet, Saturday April 6, 7:30 p.m., at the Madison Theatre. Program includes Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances,” Op. 45; Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915,” Op. 24; and Robert Schumann’s “Concertpiece for 4 Horns”, Op. 45. Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or (516) 323-4444..

Bingo at Temple B’Nai Torah

Every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and every Thursday from 7:15 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Temple B’nai Torah will be hosting a fun-filled day of bingo. Prizes, progressive games and refreshments will be available. Temple B’Nai Torah is located at 2900 Jerusalem Ave in Wantagh. For more information, call 516221-2370.

Having an event?

Party through the decades

Dance to your favorite music from the ’50s to the present, at Temple B’Nai Torah for the Decade DressUp 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.

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.

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.

Forest Bathing

Sands Point Preserve offers another in its series of Forest Bathing walks, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m.-noon. Based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku, a wellness practice developed in the 1980s, the walk, on the grounds of the former summer residence of Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, inspires mindful connections with the natural elements of the woods for a range of healthful benefits. $40, $35 members. Registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Community Passover Seder

April

Join Congregation Beth Tikvah for the second night of Passover, Tuesday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. Led by Rabbi Moshe P. Weisblum, the event will feature an inspirational Hebrew/English Haggadah, a fun multi-generational Seder, food, singing and storytelling. 3710 Woodbine Ave., in Wantagh. For menu, pricing, dietary concerns, reservations or repayment, call the synagogue office at (516) 785-2445.

History of the Fire Island lighthouse

Seaford Historical Society hosts Angela Reich, with the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society, Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m. She’ll discuss the history of the lighthouse and its historic rescues. Her book, “Shipwreck of Hopes”, will be for sale that evening, cash only. Free to members; $5 for non-members. With refreshments and raffle. 3890 Waverly Ave., Seaford. Visit SeafordHistoricalSociety.org or call (516) 221-2851 for more.

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 other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Christine Grillo, Esq, Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-003473 79241 145237

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME:

O’Berk Consulting LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 01/29/2024. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:

O’Berk Consulting LLC 3762 Terrapin Place Seaford, NY 11783

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity 145266

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

NOTICE is hereby given that the WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT will receive separate & independent bids for the following categories: Contract No. 1 – General Construction and Related Work For the Ramp and Boiler Replacement to the WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT STATION #1 located at 3470 Park Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793.

A MANDATORY pre-bid conference walkthrough for potential Bidders and other interested parties will be held on Wednesday, April 3rd 2024 at 10:00 AM at the Wantagh Fire District Station #1 located at 3470 Park Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793. Separate & independent bids must be received on or before

Friday, April 19th, 2024 @ 12:00 PM by the WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT at the DISTRICT OFFICES located at 2045 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793 at which time all bids received will publicly be opened and read aloud @ 12:00 PM in accordance with §103(2), of the General

Municipal Law. No bids will be accepted thereafter. Please note this is a REVISED DATE to a previous notice.

Complete digital sets of Bidding Documents, drawings and specifications, may be obtained online as a download at www.revplans.com for a non-refundable fee of $100.00 (One Hundred Dollars) starting on Wednesday, March 20th 2024. All bids must be accompanied by either a) a certified check payable to the “Wantagh Fire District” in the amount of 5% of the bid price, or b) a bond with sufficient sureties to be approved by the “Wantagh Fire District” in the amount of 5% of the bid price. If the bid is accepted, the bidder will enter into a contract in accordance with the bid and will furnish a suitable security bond in the sum of the amount of the contract, conditioned for the faithful and prompt completion of the work specified in the contract.

If the bidder neglects or refuses to execute the contract and furnish the bonds, the deposit of 5% of the bid price shall be forfeited and retained by the Wantagh Fire District as liquidated damages or, in the case of a bid bond, the Wantagh Fire District shall enforce payment of the bond for its benefit.

Performance, Labor and Material payment bonds on the forms within the Specifications Book for the full amount of the contract are required and shall be included in the bid price. Exclude from all bids New York State Sales Tax on materials or supplies purchased for this project.

Pursuant to §220 of the Labor Law, the contract will contain a provision that every mechanic, laborer and workman employed in or about the work contemplated by the contract shall be paid not less than the prevailing rate of wages and provided with not less than the prevailing supplement which are set forth in the Bidding Documents.

Bids are to be enclosed in a separate sealed envelope, which shall be clearly marked:

Wantagh Fire District Station #1 3470 Park Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793

Contract No. 1 – General Construction and Related Work. The Wantagh Fire District reserves the right to waive any informalities in, to accept or reject any or all bids, to award the contract to other than the lowest bidder or to advertise anew if in the judgment of the Wantagh Fire District it is in their best interests to do so. No bidder shall withdraw his bid within 45 days after the formal opening

thereof.

By Order of The Board of Fire Commissioners Brendan J. Narell Superintendent 145683

Richard Colavita teaching the wonders of science

By CHARLES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

This is part two of a series on two Want-

educators who were recognized as distinguished teachers by the Harvard Club of Long Island

When Melanie Volz graduated from Wantagh High School as the Class of 2021 valedictorian, she wanted to find a way to give back to the teachers who helped shape her education.

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 202-48 of the code of the Town of Hempstead entitled, “Handicapped Parking on Public Streets,” a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 9th day of April, 2024, at 7:00 o’clock in the evening of that day, to consider the adoption of a resolution setting aside certain parking spaces for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons at the following locations:

ELMONT

237TH STREET - east side, starting at a point 350 feet south of the south curbline of 116th Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-71/24)

OCEANSIDE OCEANSIDE PARKWAYsouth side, starting at a point 70 feet east of the east curbline of St. Johns Road, east for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-74/24)

WANTAGH MAPLE STREET - west side, starting at a point 116 feet north of the north curbline of Merrick Road, north for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-68/24)

And on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:

SEAFORD

MARTIN COURT - south side, starting at a point 25 feet west of the driveway apron of house 2839 Martin Court, west for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-236/23 - 08/1/23)

(TH-236C/23)

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: March 12, 2024

Volz, now enrolled at Harvard University, joined the Harvard Club of Long Island, where she learned about the club’s distinguished teacher award. Each year, the club asks current Harvard undergraduates to write a letter nominating teachers who made the greatest difference in their lives.

Volz nominated Wantagh High School English teacher Heather Naughton, who won the Harvard Club of Long Island Distinguished Teacher Award for 2024 and was featured in last week’s issue.

Physics teacher Richard Colavita was also nominated, and was recognized by the club as a distinguished teacher. Though he did not win the award, Volz said Colavita is a passionate educator who always finds ways to engage his students in his lessons.

Halways laughing, smiling and having a good time.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all that he would be recognized by Harvard, because I know that for him and the kids in his class, the work that goes on there, it’s greater than the curriculum that’s being delivered,” Guzzone said. “It’s the relationships, the partnerships and how he guides them into growing up to be strong individuals and prepare them for life after high school.”

Volz said of her former AP Physics teacher, “He would just work with the kids so well, and if any problem popped up, he would try his best to resolve it and find funny ways to do it.”

Colavita said students today are more personalized in how they consume information. They watch videos and listen to music of their choice on their phones, as opposed to hearing whatever song or show comes up on the radio or television, he added. He said education is not as personalized, and sees how it can be tough for students, so he tries to engage them with class exercises, such as presenting a discussion on the rate of acceleration of objects falling to earth at different heights.

e’s so knowledgeable and so curious every day, and I just don’t know how he’s able to maintain that curiosity.

MELAniE VoLz

Wantagh High School Class of 2021 valedictorian

“I just love his zeal for life and how he approaches life,” Volz said. “He’s so knowledgeable and so curious every day, and I just don’t know how he’s able to maintain that curiosity.”

In her letter, Volz said she strives to be like Colavita, who is “someone who is genuinely curious about the world around him and interested to learn all of the details and intricacies life has to offer.”

Colavita said he was surprised to be nominated as a distinguished teacher when he received the letter in February, and speaks highly of his colleagues as well.

“I think all of our teachers are distinguished,” Colavita said. “I don’t think one is set apart from another.”

Colavita, 55, has taught science in the district for more than 30 years. He currently teaches AP Physics, one of the toughest classes the high school has to offer. He described his teaching style as conversational, making it easier for students to understand the often-difficult concepts of physics.

“We just kind of talk things through, and I let them ask questions,” Colavita said. “I think that’s a big part of it too, just making sure there’s enough time for them to ask as many questions as they have.”

Wantagh High School Principal Paul Guzzone said Colavita’s strongest asset is his ability to engage students and make science fun to learn. Guzzone added that whenever he stops by the AP Physics class, Colavita and his students are

Colavita said not knowing something is troubling to students, so he tries to use that to his advantage to make them think of solutions to questions in physics.

“I think there’s a value in pondering something,” Colavita said. “I think it’s getting lost, so I tried to kind of reverse that.”

In addition to physics, Colavita is also the advisor for Science Olympiad, in which teams of students compete in events spanning all the disciplines of science, including chemistry, biology and physics. Volz, who joined Science Olympiad in high school, said Colavita was passionate about the program and wanted the Wantagh club to be seen as a worthy competitor with strong Science Olympiad programs.

Colavita said the program, in which he has been an advisor for 25 years, is a great supplement to teaching, because students love being in the club and learning about science.

Volz said she was not always interested in science, but Colavita changed that for her. She is studying applied math as a junior at Harvard, which she added is “probably his doing.” She said that one of the most important lessons she has learned from him was to have a smile no matter what happens, and being able to get through whatever life throws at you.

“He really taught me that mistakes are okay,” Volz said, “that everything somehow manages to work out, and there’s always somehow a movie quote that can be referenced that relates to whatever is happening to me right now.”

EMPLOYMENT

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DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED

Will Certify And Train HS Diploma

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Call 516-731-3000

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Email your resume and salary expectations to villageclerk383@optimum.net or fax to 516-352-0651.

Only selected candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Thank you for considering a career with us!

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Q. I live in the flood area, which happened during Sandy. I am required to lift my air conditioning unit. I was told it had to be at least 4 feet above the ground, and could be set on a platform or put on a bracket against the house. The platform seems to kill the space in my side yard, so I’m opting for the brackets. Now that I have discussed them with my neighbors, they told me the brackets, which will be on the outside of my bedroom, are going to make the air conditioner vibrations annoying, because I’ll hear them right through the wall. I don’t want that, but the platform would take up space and would be much more expensive to build. Is there another alternative, or can I prevent the noise from the vibrations from coming through the wall? It will drive me crazy if I’m awakened every time the unit goes on. What can I do?

Ask The Architect

Monte Leeper

A. This has been a problem addressed in different ways, either by dampening the unit or brackets, relocating the unit to a different place on brackets outside a room, such as a utility, laundry or storage room, building the platform or mounting the unit on a roof. The roof mounting is really a last resort, since the unit needs to be accessible and level. The only place I have designed roof-mounted units is on new homes where flat (low-slope) roof sections are planned. If you have a steeper-sloped roof with asphalt shingles, this method is not worth considering.

As for the less costly method, mounting brackets that are made for air conditioning outdoor condenser units have accessory dampeners and isolation cushions that can be installed, so obviously the industry recognizes the problem.

Comments I have gotten are that, over time, the brackets may wear down and screws and bolts may loosen. One person told me that he lessened the problem by tightening all the fasteners, but I believe this is temporary, and I don’t see the average homeowner climbing a ladder to tighten the connections unless they become completely frustrated. Only locating the condenser unit on a wall area of a seldom-used area of the home, like your utility, storage closet, garage or laundry room, will reduce this problem.

Otherwise, the separate tower is your best option, even though it will cost at least $1,000 more to do. I rarely hear of this problem, but it still does happen. The same thing occurs with washing machines and dryers located on a wood structure adjacent to bedrooms. In such cases, I design a separate, floating structure, isolated by gaskets and dampening shoes or pads. The other alternative is using concrete, but it still needs designed separation dampers. I hope you understand that moving or installing the unit is still costly with new wiring and refrigerant lines being installed to reach the relocated unit, whichever way you go. Good luck!

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In spring, all eyes turn to the

diamond

It has arrived. Baseball’s opening day.

When I was a kid growing up in Queens, this greatly anticipated moment was my reassurance that all was well with the world. Coinciding with the coming of warm spring weather and the sale of the new season’s edition of baseball cards, it focused the attention of my friends — whether Dodgers, Yankees or Giants fans — first on the upcoming pennant races, and then on the World Series.

pETER KInG

This was the golden age of baseball in New York. During the 11 seasons from 1947 to 1957, the Yankees won nine pennants; my team, the Dodgers, six; and the Giants, two. In every year but one, there was at least one New York team in the World Series, and both teams in the fall classic were from New York eight times.

As far as we were concerned, baseball was New York, and New York was baseball. There was nothing like going to Ebbets Field, Yankee Stadium or the

Polo Grounds and being struck by the colors of bright green grass, white baselines and players’ uniforms that were so intense compared with what we saw on our 12-inch black-and-white television screens. No other sport during that era generated such attention. The football Giants often played before a lot of empty seats in the Polo Grounds, and the Knicks actually played NBA championship games in a National Guard Armory because the circus was using Madison Square Garden.

My friends and I had to take the train to Flushing Meadow to play on grass.

Because there was no grass anywhere in our Sunnyside neighborhood, we adapted with our baseball simulations of stickball, curb ball, stoop ball and punchball or softball on the concrete field in the nearby city park. When we reached age 11, we formed our own team, enrolled it in the PAL and took the Queens 7 line train to Flushing Meadow, which had grass fields. The team’s equipment consisted of two bats and a catcher’s mask. Batting helmets were nonexistent, as were parents, or any adults at all. We were on our own. And if we lost or played badly, there was no one to console us.

Much had changed, of course, by the

time my son, Sean, started playing Little League ball at Seaman’s Neck Park in Seaford in the late 1970s: There were Opening Day parades, grass fields, uniforms, umpires, adult coaches, team batting helmets and stands filled with parents, grandparents and neighbors. That was all new to me, but made for great memories.

I really noticed the differences when, starting in 2013, my grandson Jack began playing, first in the Wantagh Little League and then on Long Island travel teams, including the Chiefs and Titans. The changes that struck me most were the equipment — individual batting helmets and customized bats — and the level of play — 11- and 12-year-olds routinely turning double plays and catching high fly balls. What was unchanged was the level of family support and community enthusiasm, with no Bad News Bears adult tantrums or boorishness.

Travel team baseball was a whole new experience. Not just the higher level of skill, but playing across Long Island and traveling to tournaments in upstate Cooperstown as well as Connecticut, Maryland and even South

Carolina. At every destination, the Long Island kids played well and distinguished themselves.

Now a new baseball season is upon us, from Little League to the major leagues. Much has changed over the years. The Dodgers and Giants abandoned us for California over six decades ago. Major League Baseball, which at one time never played west of St. Louis, has expanded from two eightteam leagues to 30 teams and six divisions, and plays regular-season games in Asia and Europe. There has been a diffusion of intense fan interest beyond baseball to the NFL, NBA and NHL. And there is now an overlap of sports seasons, with the NBA and NHL cutting into months of the baseball schedule.

At the local level, the travel team phenomenon draws away from Little League and high school play. Still, baseball remains strong in New York, with the Mets and Yankees, and especially on Long Island, with our outstanding facilities and, most important, supportive families and communities. I know I’m still enthused and ready. Play ball!

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

Netanyahu is a supporter of one party: himself

Ihave known Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer since 1972. I have watched him grow from being a state assemblyman to one of the most powerful political leaders in the United States. Schumer is a serious and smart lawmaker, and he measures his every word with the greatest of caution. When he speaks, it is well planned, because he is conscious of the fact that the press will hold him accountable for his actions.

JERRY KREMER

Schumer’s recent call for new elections in Israel, and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down, was a do-ordie plea for peace in the Middle East. I have heard some of my friends call Schumer out for that plea, and describe it as dangerous, or even as a form of terrorism, and I have tried to tell them to consider all the facts before they speak.

Netanyahu has been playing political games for as long as I can remember. He

is not some well-meaning leader of a country who is being picked on. To begin with, Bibi, as he is often called, has been in and out of courtrooms in Israel for two years. He has been charged with various forms of corruption. In Israel, cases like his can drag on for years with no resolution.

For the past two years, Bibi has been hopeful that if he can change the way the courts work, his case will be dismissed. He has pushed for a change in the law that would give the country’s legislature, the Knesset, the power to run the courts and end any kind of judicial interference. His efforts to undermine the judicial system have split the country in half and have given rise to massive demonstrations calling for his ouster. To stay in power, he has forged alliances with right-wing leaders who have their own plans to change Israel from a democracy to a banana republic.

er, and has lost the confidence of the people, are 100 percent correct. As a congressional leader, Schumer has every right to speak out on Israel’s political challenges, because America sends billions of dollars to Israel each year and is Israel’s strongest supporter.

C huck Schumer was right: Bibi has lost the confidence of his people.

Schumer’s speech calling for new elections in another country may have stepped over the line, but his claims that Bibi is no longer the nation’s true lead-

If your best friend thinks you have lost your way, he or she has every right to tell you so, out of love, and not any other motive. Schumer has been Israel’s most loyal member of Congress, and has fought off other members who have questioned the need to provide so much aid to other countries.

Israel had every right to invade Gaza after Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, one of the most brutal assaults on any nation. The conduct of Hamas will go down in history as another Holocaust, and there had to be a response to such vicious conduct. Israel responded with an all-out war against a cruel and undisciplined mob that kills and steals from its own people.

The United States has asked Bibi what his plans are for Gaza when the

war is over and Hamas has been defeated, and he has no answer. As long as he stays in power, he can avoid having to face the possibility of going to prison. He has a plan, but it focuses on holding on to his job, even if his country no longer trusts him to be its leader. In the interim, he will try to hold on to power by playing partisan politics.

It’s no secret that Netanyahu has always embraced the American Republican Party. He worked against President Barack Obama, and came to Washington to promote Donald Trump on a number of occasions. He has every intention of holding on to his power in the hope that Trump will be elected again this year.

Bibi will do whatever it takes to keep his job. Schumer spoke out forcefully for one reason, which was to keep Israel a democracy. The world needs Israel to survive, and there is no question that under Netanyahu’s control, its very existence is threatened.

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.

Fax:

HeraLd editoriaL Have you got the fire(fighter) in you?

they’re good people. They’re strong. And they’re heroes.

That’s how people in New York describe volunteer firefighters, according to a survey conducted by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York. And nearly half of all people who were asked said they would love to become one of these strong, good heroes.

And now they have their chance.

Volunteer fire departments — like the one in your hometown — are opening their doors the weekend of April 13 to not only remind our neighborhoods of how important those fire departments are, but also to help bring more firefighters to the fold.

It’s called RecruitNY weekend, and leading up to it, the firefighters association is asking businesses, government buildings and anyplace else where exteriors are lit to make those lights red to show solidarity with our firefighters.

“The lights symbolize our commitment to a tradition of community help, and a need for more volunteers,” Edward Tase Jr., president of the association, said.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is doing his part, lighting the dome red on the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola in the first two weeks of April. The hope is that other major landmarks across the region and state will light up

Letters

Why isn’t the LIRR’s work at Jamaica finished?

To the Editor:

Long Island Rail Road riders have to ask why Phase 2 of the LIRR’s $168 million Jamaica Capacity Improvements wasn’t completed prior to the initiation of full-time service for the $11.6 billion East Side Access to Grand Central Madison in February 2023.

Phase 2 is scheduled to be completed by December 2026. The work will raise maximum allowable train speeds, increase train throughput — the number of trains that can pass through a section of line in a given time — as well as parallel routing capabilities, implement universal 12-car platform capacity and ensure a full state-of-good-repair throughout the Jamaica Station complex. It will include critical work on bridges carrying trains, and expansion of the Hall Interlocking.

Prior to this, there was the $450 million Phase 1 of the Jamaica Capacity Improvements, for which funding was approved in 2010, using grants from the Federal Transit Administration. It included capital improvements in and around the station, encompass -

red as well.

Being a volunteer fire department has been getting tougher. Membership has dropped, while calls have increased. And not because people don’t want to be firefighters — it’s just hard to make that commitment in our busy lives, amid a turbulent economy that requires many of us to work more than we may have in the past to pay the bills.

But there are benefits beyond simply making a difference — and potentially saving lives — to being a volunteer firefighter. And those are benefits worth considering. For example, volunteer firefighters get free training and free equipment, as well as tax breaks and essential insurance coverage — all provided by the Volunteer Firefighter Benefits Law, first passed in 1957.

Some of those tax breaks include income tax credits of $500 to $1,000 per year, as well as property tax reductions of up to 10 percent, assuming your local government has opted in.

And, depending on what individual departments have set up, there could be pension opportunities as well, established through the state’s Length of Service Award Program.

For younger people, there are scholarships and tuition reimbursement available, too.

Of course, becoming a volunteer firefighter isn’t about the financial incentives, although they help. What really

draws most people to serve is a chance to give back to the communities they love in ways they simply can’t do otherwise.

Volunteer firefighters play a crucial role in protecting their homes and neighbors from emergencies and disasters beyond simply putting out fires, although there is nothing simple about that. They are also there for medical emergencies and natural disasters like major storms, always contributing to public safety and well-being.

These days we see firefighters needed to respond to flooded basements, lithium-ion battery fires, downed power lines and car accidents.

Volunteers also get to fulfill a dream many of us have had since the moment we saw a firefighter for the first time. We knew that’s what we wanted to be, too. So why not do it?

Visit your local volunteer fire department next month. See what it’s like to be a firefighter, and how you can make a difference. And then ask where you can sign up.

President George W. Bush once said that “the willingness of America’s volunteer firefighters to risk their lives for others is a testament to the spirit of service that pervades our nation.”

Let’s continue prove him right. Find out how — and where — you can volunteer today. Visit FireInYou.org/volunteer.

ing tracks, signals, third-rail power and interlockings, designed to support increased operational capacity necessary for future service to Grand Central Madi-

son. When the FTA grants were approved, this proposed new service was many years away. Thirteen years was ample time to complete both Phase 1 and 2.

We must understand what antisemitism is, and isn’t

the American Jewish Committee recently released its annual State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report, which revealed that 63 percent of American Jews say the status of Jews in the U.S. is “less secure than a year ago” — a 22-percentagepoint increase in just one year, and a 32-point increase over two years.

Forty-six percent of American Jews say they have changed their behavior out of fear of antisemitism, a jump from 38 percent last year.

While these numbers are daunting and cause for concern, several of the key takeaways from the report, on Holocaust and antisemitism education, are positive.

state offer varying degrees of Holocaust education, in accordance with State Education Department regulations, and we also know that quality Holocaust education has been shown to reduce antisemitism and all forms of hate.

eriC post

AJC’s report found that 92 percent of American Jews, and 89 percent of all U.S. adults in the Northeast, believe it is important for public schools to invest more resources in teaching age-appropriate lessons about the Holocaust to all students. There is also overwhelming support among both the Jewish community and the general public for teaching modern manifestations of antisemitism in public schools.

We know that schools in New York

Jewish students, however, should not be seen solely through the lens of the Holocaust. We should incorporate the Jewish community in any diversity efforts, and encourage the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month in May, to promote awareness and appreciation of Jewish contributions to American society.

In addition, over the past several years, school districts across Long Island have implemented character education initiatives to address all forms of hate and racism, and help students understand the consequences of actions and words on others.

It is critical that we also teach about the modern manifestations of antisemitism, not just the historical ones. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, we have seen a steep increase in antisemitic graffiti and incidents in Long Island public schools. This is on top of an already growing problem with anti-

Letters

Why wasn’t Phase 2 completed before the service to GCM began? And will its completion increase overall rush hour capacity, including additional Atlantic branch Brooklyn service, and reduce travel time between Jamaica and Penn Station, GCM, Flatbush Avenue, Hunters Point or Long Island City? LIRR commuters, taxpayers, transit advocacy groups and elected officials deserve a detailed explanation from MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and Acting LIRR President Robert Free for why this work was delayed so long.

LARRY PENNER Great Neck

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a director of the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.

Mistake-free Medicare?

You’re dreaming, Jerry.

To the Editor:

Re Jerry Kremer’s recent column “Check your Medicare statement carefully”: I think Jerry is naïve to think Medicare will have the time and manpower to investigate billing

semitism here and nationwide.

Given that antisemitism is often not well understood, education is crucial in fostering an environment with zero tolerance for anti-Jewish bigotry and all forms of hate. It is also critical to reassure Jewish families that districts see them in this moment, and are prioritizing their children’s safety and well-being. Several Jewish organizations, including AJC, offer training for students, teachers and administrators.

In these moments of uncertainty and anxiety for American Jewry, it is also important to consider what is being reported when Israel is in the news more than usual, as has been the case since Oct. 7. Criticism of Israel is not inherently antisemitic. In fact, it is a feature of its democracy, and Israelis do it all the time. But there are occasions when antiIsrael rhetoric can become antisemitic, including statements that deny the Jewish people’s right to self-determination.

sau and Suffolk counties, New York state and the federal government, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic, but, for example, “applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation” does cross that line.

The IHRA definition can be helpful in evaluating whether antisemitism exists in school settings. Establishing a system to report antisemitism and all forms of hate, reviewing and publicizing key school policies, including social media, and communicating with families when antisemitism and hate occur are also vital.

The more we all know about antisemitism, the more we can identify it, fight it and keep it on the fringe of society. When that happens, not only Jews will feel more secure, we all will.

scams, like the one he detailed involving catheters, when they are devoting resources to denying reimbursement for preventive services that are listed in their handbook. I will explain.

I recently had a PSA test whose reimbursement was denied because of a billing code error. I am 77 years old, and per Page 49 of the Medicare handbook, this is a preventive service to which I am entitled every 12 months.

I did not have this test for several years. I called Medicare to get the service reimbursed, and was told I had to get a letter from my doctor explaining the need for the service, and with that document to file an appeal. This meant the doctor had to send me a letter, and I had to fill out a claim form and mail it to Medicare. Medicare now has to evaluate the appeal and rule on it.

The request for an appeal for coverage of this preventive service couldn’t be approved with a phone call, even after I was transferred to two different people with hold times of roughly 20 minutes. Everyone I spoke to on the phone agreed that it didn’t make sense, but they had no authority to approve the service, even though it’s listed in their manual as one that’s covered.

LEWIS ALTMAN Merrick

As noted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism, which has been adopted by the AJC and major American Jewish organizations, Nas-

Eric Post is the Long Island director of the American Jewish Committee. Bob Vecchio is the executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.

Framework by Tim Baker

A scene from Baldwin Middle School’s production of ‘The Little Mermaid’

BoB VeCCHio