Seaford Herald 05-09-2024

Tim Baker/Herald

Big win for a Seaford native

Westbury resident Ryan Clifford, 27, who is originally from Seaford, was the first male finisher in the Jovia Long Island Marathon last Sunday. He crossed the finish line of the full marathon, in Eat Meadow’s Eisenhower Park, in just over two and a half hours.

Board of Ed adopts 2024-25 budget

The plan, totaling $91.7 million,

By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

The Wantagh Board of Education has adopted an estimated $91.7 million spending plan for 2024-25, to be decided on by district residents in a vote on May 21.

The budget, roughly $2.2 million larger than the current spending plan, was finalized at the board’s April 4 meeting. The tax levy will total around $67.1 million, an increase of $1.8 million, or 2.72 percent, which falls below the district’s tax cap.

“We’re really fortunate in terms of the posi-

reflects community needs

tion we’re in this year with our budget,” Superintendent John McNamara said. “Other districts are in less great shape, and I think we’re in a really good spot for this upcoming budget vote.”

The spending plan was the focus of four development meetings in March and April, at which McNamara spoke of its primary goals. Focus groups and surveys conducted by the district revealed that residents’ top three priorities for the 2024-25 academic year were reductions in class sizes, security enhancements and capital improvements.

“This budget clearly reflects that,” McNamara

a school club, is now a class

By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

What started out as a club has become an entire course dedicated to providing students with a yearbook to cherish their memories at Seaford High School.

This school year marks the first time Seaford’s yearbook club has expanded into a full class for students. The goal for the course, according to its teachers, Curtis Tripoli and Melinda McKee, is to create a yearbook for the entire school, not just the seniors.

Wli, setting up a diverse classroom is important for creating a book that represents all the students.

“The goal is to get more underclassmen involved so that we can widen its reach,” Tripoli said. “We have seniors, and we actually have an underclassman for the first time working on a yearbook.”

e’d like it to get to the point where the whole school is buying the book and

excited to be part of it.

“We’d like it to get to the point where the whole school is buying the book and excited to be part of it,” McKee said. “So that there’s a buzz for it at the end of the year.”

MEliNdA MCKEE

Yearbook teacher at Seaford High School

According to McKee, previous yearbooks would include underclassmen sections featuring portraits and group photos of students. Most of the book, however, has traditionally been tailored for seniors. For Tripo-

With 24 students enrolled in the course, Emily Brown is the only sophomore, while the rest are seniors.

Tripoli said the senior majority presents a challenge when it comes to representing all the grades.

“The moment we bring up an idea, ‘Hey, let’s do a sophomore section,’ it gets shot down,” Tripoli said. “So, it’s a culture shift, and we’re trying to change that.”

Brown said she has helped to facilitate that change by recruiting students for next year’s class by telling friends about the program.

“It’s fun,” she said of the

Continued on page 4

Volunteers join Levittown community council in annual Earth Day cleanup

Students from Levittown Schools under the leadership of district social worker Joann Medina, volunteers from VFW Post 9592, and Levittown Community Council members came together on Saturday, April 20, to clean up some of the areas in Levittown that needed Spring sprucing.

Morning rain limited the number of volunteers, but more than 35 came out to help and the results, according to the Community Council, were an example of Levittown pride and unity – the Council’s slogan.

Four locations around town were worked on including the Bluegrass Lane Pool area, the Hempstead Turnpike sump area opposite Home Depot and the East Village Green garden on the corner of Jerusalem Avenue and Meridien Road.

The Earth Day Cleanup is an annual event sponsored by the Levittown Community Council that covers a number of community parks and lots in the Levittown School District areas.

For information on joining the Council and upcoming events, contact the Council at levittowncouncil@yahoo.com.

Members of the Levittown community came together on April 20 for an Earth Day cleanup as part of an annual event

sored by the Levittown Community Council that covers a number of community parks and lots in the

areas.

them for their Annual Spring Cleanup.

Keeping the streets clean with the Seaford

Lions Club

New York State Senator Steve Rhoads expressed his gratitude to the Lions Club of Seaford on April 21 for their commitment to community beautification through their Annual Spring Cleanup.

Senator Rhoads said he commended the club members for their dedication and hard work in organizing and executing the

event. By working together, the Lions Club members create a cleaner and more inviting community for all to enjoy. Rhoads said the Lion’s cleanup serves as a shining example of community engagement and environmental stewardship, inspiring others to make a positive difference in their surroundings.

A festive Spring day at the train station

Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray, left, Councilman Christopher Carini, center, and County Legislator Michael Giangregorio, second from right, stopped by the Seaford Train Station parking lot on May 4 to enjoy the festivities at the Seaford Chamber of Commerce Spring Fling event.

League of Women Voters host May meeting

The League of Women Voters of East Nassau will hold a May 15 meeting at the Levittown Public Library.

This meeting’s guest speaker will be Anne Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney. The event will take place at 3 p.m. in the community room of the Levittown Library, located at 1 Bluegrass Lane in Levittown.

Registration through the Levittown Library is required to attend. For more information and to register, visit the library’s website at levittownpl.org.

Courtesy office of State Sen. Steve Rhoads State Senator Steve Rhoads, left, paid a visit to the Lions Club of Seaford on April 21 to thank

Courtesy Councilman Christopher Carini

Courtesy Levittown Community Council

spon-

Levittown School District

— Charles Shaw

Charles Shaw/Herald The League of Women Voters will hold a meeting on May 15. Anne Donnelly, County District Attorney, will be a guest speaker at the event.

Seaford’s Spring Fling: Music, food, and fun

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

The Seaford Chamber of Commerce hosted its muchanticipated Spring Fling event, which featured a day filled with festivities, flavors, and fun for the entire community.

Located at the Seaford Long Island Railroad parking lot, the event welcomed locals and visitors alike to partake in the celebration of spring. Led by Chamber President Margaret Grub, the event boasted an array of attractions, including an impressive lineup of vendors, tantalizing food trucks, and live entertainment. Among the highlights of the day were performances by Deja Vu, a band renowned for their eclectic repertoire spanning the 60s to the 80s, who kept attendees grooving throughout the afternoon. Adding to the entertainment roster was a special performance by Downstage Dance, a local dance studio known for its talented young performers.

Food enthusiasts had their palates tempted by a mouthwatering selection of food trucks, with Dang BBQ, B Bistro, and Demi’s Spot offering delectable dishes to satisfy every craving. Additionally, an ice cream truck was on hand to provide sweet treats for those looking to indulge in a refreshing dessert.

The event also featured a diverse range of vendors, catering to various interests and preferences. From clothing for women and children

to artisanal crafts and unique gifts, attendees had the opportunity to browse and shop from a selection of offerings. Noteworthy among the vendors was one providing crafting activities for kids, allowing them to create special gifts for Mother’s Day.

A highlight of the event was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Barking Biscuit, a beloved vendor known for its assortment of gourmet treats for dogs. The ceremony marked the official debut of their latest offerings, adding to the excitement of the day.

Central to the event was the Show Mobile, a mobile stage provided by the town of Hempstead, which served as the focal point for live performances. Situated in the parking lot, the Show Mobile hosted musical acts and dance performances, ensuring that attendees are treated to topnotch entertainment throughout the day.

Speaking about the event, Chamber President Margaret Grub emphasized its significance in fostering community spirit and camaraderie.

“The Spring Fling event is a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together, reconnect, and enjoy a day of celebration,” Grub said.

With its vibrant lineup of attractions and a warm community atmosphere, the Seaford Chamber of Commerce’s third Spring Fling event was a highlight of the season, which invited everyone to join in the festivities and make lasting memories.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Seaford Chamber President Margret Grub, left, Past President Ken Jacobsen and Vice President Donna Jebaily enjoying the festivities at the Seaford Spring Fling event.

The Barking Biscuit Ira Reiter, left, and Hillary Reiter with pups Oscar and Riley.

Valerie Schuerlein, from Rustic Blooms by Val, selling flowers at the Seaford Spring Fling event.

Logan Labua, 1 and a half, with his mom Courtney Labua from Massapequa Park enjoying the Spring weather at the Seaford event.

Andy Lopez from Transformation Station.

Anthony Mastro from Dang Roadhouse providing savory BBQ to attendees at the Spring Fling in Seaford.

Yearbook course brings grades together

class. “I express what we do and how much you actually put your own input in.”

Three of her friends have already shown excitement to participate in next year’s class.

“There’s a lot more people in the class, so it’s a different dynamic,” senior Angelina Brody, the yearbook’s editor, said. “The yearbook club was a lot smaller, so now you’re amplifying that, and you have a lot of different people with a lot of different ideas. We had to kind of figure out a way to make everybody happy but still make the book work, and that’s been a challenge.”

McKee and Tripoli took over the program three years ago when it was a club that met once a week. McKee said the number of students that have enrolled in the class surprised her. As a club, it was small, McKee noted, with 13 being the highest number of students she’s had.

The class is available to sophomores, juniors and seniors, with each grade taking on a different role in developing the yearbook. Tripoli said they’ve divvied up the responsibilities by having students assigned pages to work on. Eventually, they would like to transition to each grade taking on a task — sophomores would interview students and faculty, juniors would take photos, and seniors would act as editors who decide what goes into the book.

“We’re trying to get more autonomy from the students to be able to run it themselves eventually,” McKee said.

When it was a club, Tripoli said, advisors would do much of the work while students provided input. As a class, Tripoli wants to reverse that role.

“We’re trying to make it more of a student-driven class where they’re doing most of the work, and then we’re prepping the work,” Tripoli said. “So that’s kind

of to make it more of a class environment where more people are involved.”

Tripoli described the class functioning like a newsroom, where students come up with ideas for the book and are given deadlines for their assignments.

Both teachers added that the books have been focused on photos but would like to include more writing sections in the future. One writing project is 24 questions for 24 Vikings, where students and faculty answer questions about themselves.

The yearbook class can be taken each year from

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sophomore to senior year, helping students grow into editorial roles to guide the underclassmen with their assignments. Tripoli said he wants the class to develop a system in which students learn from one another.

“Our goal is to have sophomores, juniors and seniors,” Tripoli said, “so that each year, the seniors teach the juniors, who teach the sophomores, and then they kind of help each other.”

The Seaford yearbook is available to order with prices starting at $145. For more information, visit the high school website at seaford.k12.ny.us/seafordhigh.

Special Needs Children and Grandchildren

Clients often ask whether the home should be deeded to the client’s adult children, while retaining a life estate in the parent or whether the Medicaid Asset Protection Trust should be used to protect the asset. While the deed with a life estate will be less costly to the client, in most cases it offers significant disadvantages when compared to the trust. First, if the home is sold prior to the death of the Medicaid recipient, the life estate value of the home will be required to be paid towards their care. If the house is rented, the net rents are payable to the nursing facility since they belong to the life tenant. Finally, the client loses a significant portion of their capital gains tax exclusion for the sale of their primary residence as they will only be entitled to a pro rata share based on the value of the life estate to the home as a whole.

All of the foregoing may lead to a situation where the family finds they must maintain a vacant home for many years. Conversely, a properly drafted MAPT preserves the full capital gains tax exclusion on the sale of the

primary residence and the home may be sold by the trust without obligation to make payment of any of the principal towards the client’s care, assuming we have passed the look-back period for facility care of five years.

It should be noted here that both the life estate and the MAPT will preserve the steppedup basis in the property provided it is sold after the death of the parent who was the owner or grantor. Upon the death of the parent, the basis for calculating the capital gains tax is stepped up from what the parent paid, plus any improvements, to what it was worth on the parent’s date of death. This effectively eliminates payment of capital gains taxes on the sale of appreciated property, such as the home, after the parent dies.

There are instances where the life estate deed makes sense however. When the asset is a country house or a beach house that is intended to stay in the family for the next generation, then the life estate deed works perfectly well and may effect a significant savings to the family seeking to protect the asset.

Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942

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NOTICES: Ext. 232 E-mail: legalnotices@liherald.com

Charles Shaw/Herald

Seaford High School teacher melinda mcKee, far left, with yearbook class students Kishanna Barrett, delanie Batista, angelina Brody and emily Brown, and fellow teacher Curtis tripoli. this year, the high school expanded the yearbook club into a class.

Getting a head start on mastering an instrument

Third and fourth grade students at Lee Road Elementary School in the Levittown Public School District get a head start on practicing a musical instrument through the “Band Experience.”

Spera’s “Band Experience” equips third and fourth graders with brass, woodwind and percussion instruments as they learn what it’s like to practice as a

group. They start with the basics, playing individual notes and proceeding to harmonious scales. The experience allows students to get a feel for their selected instrument and decide if they want to explore another option. As they progress in grade levels, students who join the school band will continue to master their skills on their instrument of choice.

Students get a feel for their instrument of choice and decide if they’d like to try another.

Photos Courtesy Levittown Public Schools

Third and fourth graders at Lee Road Elementary School take their first steps in practicing a new instrument in the ‘Band Experience.’

CAITLIN HAGGERTY

South Side Senior Lacrosse

AN ALL-COUNTY award winner in 2023 and AllLong Island games MVP, Haggerty reached a milestone April 27 in the Cyclones’ 16-5 victory over Calhoun. She scored five goals, including the 100th of her high school career. On the season, the University of Vermont-bound attack has scored 28 goals and assisted on 27 others as South Side split its first 12 games. She also plays a key role on draw controls and ranks amont the team leaders with 25.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, May 9

Girls Lacrosse: Freeport at Baldwin 4:30 p.m.

Flag Fooball: Herricks at V.S. Ditrict 5 p.m.

Flag Football: Bellmore-Merrick at Westbury

Baseball: Sewanhaka at Malverne

Softball: V.S. North at Garden City 5

Boys Lacrosse: V.S.District at Uniondale 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at Plainedge 5

Girls Lacrosse: Oyster Bay at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Hicksville at Kennedy 5 p.m.

Flag Football: Long Beach at Port Washington 7 p.m.

Flag Football: Division at Lynbrook 7 p.m.

Friday, May 10

Softball: Sewanhaka at V.S. North 4:30 p.m.

Flag Football: MacArthur at Plainview 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: North Shore at Seaford 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Carey at Malv/East Rock 5 p.m.

Softball: Plainview at Calhoun 5 p.m.

Softball: New Hyde Park at South Side 5:30 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Long Beach at Port Washington 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 11

Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at Wantagh 10 a.m.

Softball: Clarke at East Meadow 12 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a spring sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.

Seaford rolling as playoffs near

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Seaford boys’ lacrosse team is entering the postseason poised for a deep playoff run similar to two years ago when the program reached its first county title game since 2003.

The Vikings (11-4 overall) have tackled a grueling schedule that has seen them go toe-to-toe with some of the top teams both big and small. A win in the regular-season finale against Floral Park will likely lock up a two seed for the upcoming Class C playoffs for Seaford, who had preseason ranking of fourth entering the 2024 campaign.

“I’m very happy where we are,” said ninth-year Seaford coach Brian Horner. “To go into the playoffs ranked a little higher than where you started preseason you feel like you over achieved, but I’m not shocked.”

The 2024 season marks the second in a row where Seaford battled against the odds with last year’s team reaching the playoffs as a seven seed despite graduating 19 seniors from the 2022 squad that played on the Class C finals stage.

The potential of the 2024 team to compete on a high level was evident in a 10-9 overtime non-league loss at longtime Class A power Massapequa on April 27 with the Chiefs netting the game-winning goal with just six seconds left. The Vikings never led, but battled back throughout the game to send it to overtime led by four goals from Tim Navin and two from Andrew Tudda.

Three days prior to the Massapequa nailbiter, Seaford was on the other side of a dramatic overtime decision at Lynbrook when Navin tallied the winning goal with just one second left in the extra session for a 9-8 victory. Navin finished with four goals and versatile defenseman Jake Anzelone tallied three.

Navin, a senior attackman who was Honorable Mention All County as a junior, has led the offense this season along with Tudda, Dan Barone, Brian Falk, Frank Pyryt and Peter Barone. Navin has 44 goals, followed by Dan

Barone with 32, Anzelone with 25, Falk with 22 and Peter Barone with 20. Dan Barone’s 22 assists lead the team.

Anzelone, a U.S. Naval Academy commit, has anchored the close defense while also playing an integral role on offense on transition and man-up opportunities.

“He has a very good IQ for the game,” said Horner of Anzelone, who also is a force on faceoffs and won 100 percent of them in last Saturday’s 11-5 win against Hewlett. “We are using him differently each game.”

Junior George Casha and freshman Paul DiBlasi have also been key to the

defense this spring along with freshmen James Branch and Mike Calvacca. Junior goalie Jon Lent has patrolled the net in most games and recorded 12 saves in the Lynbrook victory.

Seaford’s regular season finale is scheduled for May 8 at home against Floral Park starting at 5 p.m. The Vikings will then turn their attention to the postseason and strive to play for the Class C championship at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.

“We know that we have the talent, and we have the ability,” Horner said. “We just have to connect all the dots every time we get out there and play.”

Ron Manfredi/Herald Senior Dan Barone (32 goals) is one of five Vikings with at least 20 goals this spring and he also leads them in assists with 22.

Reduction of class sizes is among budget goals

said of the survey results. “We’re able to accomplish those three things, so that feedback was certainly helpful from the community.”

Wantagh Elementary School, according to McNamara, has seen higher class sizes over the years compared with the Forest Lake and Mandalay elementary schools. Next year, the average class size at Wantagh Elementary will be reduced to around 20 students, thanks to the addition of two full-time teachers at the school, McNamara said.

We’re really fortunate, in terms of the position we’re in this year with our budget.

John McnaMara Superintendent

For added security, he explained, the district is looking to upgrade camera and lockdown management systems, and improve the public address system at the elementary schools. Some of that work has already started, McNamara added, and will continue through the summer. There will also be more security personnel, which has been part of the district’s long-term plan for the district.

“This will be Year Three of that three-year plan to slowly increase our security staff and improve our security infrastructure as well,” McNamara said. The proposed budget will include capital projects to improve infrastructure throughout the district. Hallway ceilings, speakers and smoke detectors will be replaced at the high school, and the auditorium’s lighting and sound will be improved. There are also plans to replace the floors and asphalt at Wantagh Middle School, and to paint and renovate the floors and wall

pads in the school’s gym. In other buildings, floors, doors and fencing will be replaced.

A separate proposition on the ballot will be for the use of roughly $1.2 million from the district’s capital reserve to upgrade P.A. and communication systems throughout the district as part of its goal to enhance security.

“They’re old analog systems, so we’ll be upgrading those,” McNamara said.

The third proposition voters will decide on would establish a new $10 million capital reserve for a period of 15 years, to be used for districtwide repairs, renova-

tions, additions and improvements.

at its april 4 meeting, the Wantagh Board of education adopted a 2024-25 budget of roughly $91.7 million, which will focus on security enhancements, reducing class sizes and capital improvements.

According to Anthony Cedrone, the assistant superintendent for business, state aid will total around $22.1 million.

“That is an increase over this year, which has obviously helped offset some of the expenditure increases that we’ve been experiencing,” Cedrone said of the state aid.

Voting on May 21 will take place at Wantagh, Forest Lake and Mandalay elementary schools from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, go to wantaghschools. org.

Presenting Sponsor

Herald file photo

First senior health expo of 2024 a hit

By Alexa Anderwkavich

The Rockville Centre Recreation Center welcomed eager attendees for the Herald’s Senior Health & Beyond Expo, produced by RichnerLive, on April 25. It was the first in a series of expos for 2024.

The expo brings together diverse businesses and innovative services to share their products and refined knowledge with attendees.

“This event is highly regarded within our community, receiving positive feedback from both attendees and vendors,” said Amy Amato, executive director of Herald Community Media and RichnerLive. “It offers valuable opportunities for companies and guests to learn, engage and access essential screenings, benefitting everyone involved.”

More than 50 vendors filled the gymnasium, offering insights into health, wellness and personal care. They provided guidance on enhancing lifestyle through new products and programs, as well as advice on senior living arrangements, financial security, and more.

Guests received hearing screenings from Mid Island Audiology, as well as health screenings from Mount Sinai South Nassau, which included free vaccines, blood pressure testing, body mass index and diabetes risk management screenings.

Before noon, guests sat down for a panel discussion to hear experts discuss myriad topics, including consumer assistance programs and preparing for summer, as well as PACE — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly — advanced-care directives, and Medicaid managed long-term care.

Guests also experienced a segment from Mae Caime, chief executive of aMAEzing Midlife & Beyond, called “Mindset, Movement and Magic” — which got the crowd stretching and in motion.

“The expo was fun, the Herald team is amazing,” Caime said. “The energy is great, and I love the spirit.”

Attendees received a goody bag courtesy of Grandell Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and Beach Terrace Care Center filled with the specialevent section, keepsakes and vital takehome information.

At the end, the first 150 attendees also received a free to-go lunch courtesy of Pantano’s, while everyone was eligible for the raffles.

The expo was made possible thanks to Silver Sponsors New York Department of Public Service, Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Centerlight Healthcare PACE and Long Beach Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (Cassena Care).

Guests and vendors are looking forward to the next expo happening Thursday, June 27 between 10 a.m. and noon at Congregation Ohav Sholom, 145 S. Merrick Ave., in Merrick.

Visit JuneExpo.eventbrite.com to register, or RichnerLive.com for more details.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

The crowd enjoys the Mindset, Movement & Magic segment from Mae Caime, chief executive of aMAEzing Midlife & Beyond.

Silver sponsor Centerlight Healthcare PACE’s exhibitor table.

Silver sponsor, New York Department of Public Service, Jill Wasser, center, and her team.

One of the expo’s gift bag sponsors, Gandell Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, at their table.

Silver sponsor Long Beach Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (Cassena Care).

The Parker Jewish team participated in a panel discussion.

NOTEBOOK

Living life ... one run at a time

By Parker Schug

Running has always served as much more of mental outlet for me than a physical one.

It’s what drew me to run the Long Island Half-Marathon last weekend that started and ended at Eisenhower Park, earning a personal record of two hours and eight minutes. But my favorite part of the entire race? It was the process to get there.

I started running — seriously — in high school, completing my first half-marathon with my mom for my 16th birthday — a day we share.

My mom and dad ran as I was growing up, and I saw it as a unique way to push myself. I played lots of sports, so I never really needed the exercise. But, at the time, it was something more for my mom and I do to together.

Come 2022, I had just returned from a semester in Spain and was back at college feeling lost in a place where I had always felt most myself.

I was studying journalism. I had some great friends. I was living in my first apartment. Yet, despite all of the great things, I was feeling unsatisfied.

The party scene was less appealing, My best friend was studying in Los Angeles, many miles away. And I was struggling with living far from my sick grand-

father who was one of the closest people to me.

So, I texted my friend, Jack, and said, “Let’s train for a half marathon.”

This training became my life.

My friends knew on Sundays I’d go out for a long run. My mornings got earlier as I wanted to get in some miles before class. And some of the times I smiled most was when I’d pass Greta — who lived two doors down from me — out for her morning run, as well.

Then graduation came. I packed up my stuff, and back to Long Island I went — the one place I had hoped to avoid — in a pursuit to keep my horizon wide. Job offers a plane ride away came in, and something in my gut told me not to go. All the while, I kept running.

I took on the Hamptons marathon this past September. My brother joined me for most of my training the summer leading up to the race.

My 6 a.m. alarm was something I enjoyed, as it meant time with him to talk about life and to talk about our grandfather — whose health continued to decline. with spurts of improvement.

My Sundays were still for long runs, and many ended with dinner at my grandparents, talking about my mileage, sitting on the floor next to my grandfather’s chair.

I ran the marathon in September and cried crossing the finish line, as he and my grandmother waved from the car that

the volunteers had let them pull up to the finish line.

I lost my grandfather in December.

The Long Island half-marathon was my chance to be with my grandfather. Through my 10 weeks of training, each run — where I braved winter temperatures, sometimes snow, into the beauty of spring — was a chance to chat with my grandfather, looking up at the sky.

With each run came new goals and new achievements. But the one thing that keeps me coming back is the way it makes my mind feel.

I shared every piece of how I prepared for the half-marathon on TikTok and Instagram in hopes that some of my friends would turn to running as well.

In November, I’ll take to the streets of New York City for my first World Major Marathon, and I’m fully prepared for a world of lessons and mental strength to come with that.

To follow along, visit @ParkerSydneySchug on TikTok and Instagram. To donate to my TeamForKids fundraising page for the New York City Marathon, visit RunWithTFK.org/Profile/PublicPage/108228.

Parker Schug is a senior reporter for the Nassau Herald, one of the publications part of the Herald Community Newspapers group.

Courtesy of Parker Schug

Parker Schug took on her very first Long Island Half-Marathon this past weekend at Eisenhower Park — a run that has very special, personal meaning to her, as it brings her closer to her late grandfather.

STEPPING OUT

Cherish mom on her day

By Karen Bloom

“Behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begins.”

– Mitch Albom

Mom — and all those special ladies in our lives — surely deserve a special day. The cards, her favorite treats, a colorful bouquet, are certainly welcome. Best yet, surround her with flowers and spring’s glorious blossoms. Old Westbury Gardens is an enchanting locale to do so on Mother’s Day. Stroll the 200 glorious acres of wooded walks and those amazing gardens with their display of vibrant spring color. Explore Westbury House, the estate’s grand Charles II-style mansion, filled with art and furnishings. Pack some lunch for a delightful picnic among spring’s many blooms, or enjoy a bite at the Café in the Woods.

The iconic site’s 65th anniversary season rolls along with all sorts of activities ahead. But, for now, mom will surely enjoy savoring some moments among spring’s colors and scents. Perhaps more so than at any time of the year, Mother’s Day — for most people — is all about the flowers when visiting this grand estate.

“We’re nearing peak season now,” says Old Westbury Gardens president Maura Brush. “As the season goes along, the highlight is the formal gardens. Starting in May is when you really see people spending more time in the Walled Garden and up around Westbury House where the wisteria blooms.”

The array of blooms bursting forth extends throughout the landscape.

“The display in the Walled Garden is really high-impact now,” Brush enthuses. “There’s plenty to take in there.”

Brush is especially fond of the tree peonies. These blooms can be eight inches across 40 blossoms in size.

“The tree peonies are just not to be missed,” she says. “They are stunning, looking like crushed tissue. The texture and color are outstanding.”

Yet, of course, the tulips remain a favorite. Seeing the tulips here by the many hundreds — in the Walled Garden and Thatched Cottage Garden

• Sunday, May 12, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• For more information and program/events schedule, visit OldWestburyGardens. org or call (516) 333-0048

and elsewhere in myriad varieties in a rainbow of colors — is described by Brush as breathtaking. Much care is put into creatively designing the colorful tulip arrangements, for dramatic appeal.

“We spend so much time curating our bulb display,” Bush says. “You can go anywhere and see a row of tulips. We’re always excited about our display as it’s unlike what you’ll see elsewhere.”

Also, visitors might want to consider checking out the refurbished Westbury House, the former home of financier John S. Phipps, his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps, and their four children. Guided tours are available throughout the day (no registration required), at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. A garden highlights tour is also offered at 2 p.m., meeting at West Porch Beech next to Westbury House.

“I don’t think Westbury House has looked better since I’ve been here,” Brush says. “We’ve had volunteers working all winter long on cleaning and polishing. It feels like there’s a lot of new life. We’ve got some wonderful new people working up in our archives, so it’s been really fun seeing photos of what the house looked like when the family was here, and putting together some of those pieces of the puzzle that we haven’t had before.”

Gleaming and restored back to its days when it was a family home, Westbury House is surely a sight to behold among the blooming gardens. As always — as an added treat, while supplies last — every adult woman receives a complimentary lavender plant. Be sure to stop by the plant shop to get yours.

Dance Theatre of Harlem

The acclaimed dance company visits Long Island on its 2024 tour, appearing on the Tilles Center stage. With a storied history, the first Black classical ballet company — co-founded by dance icon and international superstar Arthur Mitchell — has toured the world and engaged communities. The 18-member, multi-ethnic company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works by George Balanchine, and resident choreographer Robert Garland, as well as innovative contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate Black culture. The dynamic program includes Balanchine’s ‘Pas de Dix,’ with music by Alexander Glazuno; ‘Take Me With You,’ with choreography by Robert Bondara, featuring Radiohead music; ‘Return,’ choreographed by Robert Garland, with James Brown and Aretha Franklin tunes.

Friday, May 10, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $64; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.

Big Bad

Voodoo Daddy

Contemporary swing revival band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy visits the Paramount ready to cut loose. This April marked the 31st anniversary of their emarkable arrival onto the music scene. Since their formation in the early ‘90s in Ventura, California, the band has toured virtually nonstop and has produced a sizable catalog of recorded music, with sales of more than 2 million albums to date. Early on, during their legendary residency at the Derby nightclub in Los Angeles, they reminded the world — in the midst of the grunge era, no less — that it was still cool to swing. The band, co-founded by singer Scotty Morris and drummer Kurt Sodergren, was at the forefront of the swing revival of that time, blending a vibrant fusion of the classic American sounds of jazz, swing and dixieland, with the energy and spirit of contemporary culture.

Thursday, May 16, 8 p.m. $59.50, $49.50, $39.50, $29.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

Photos courtesy Old Westbury Gardensi Old Westbury Gardens is filled with many delights as spring continues to unfold, including the magnificent tree peony and tulips galore.

THE Your Neighborhood

Internationally

Ellington Tilles Center continues its collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, when the Future of Jazz orchestra visits the Tilles Center stage, Friday, May 16, 8 p.m. This all- Ellington showcases features a hand-picked ensemble of some of the greatest young musicians in jazz meeting the challenges posed by one of jazz’s great composers, Duke Ellington. Led by music director Joe Block, a recent Juilliard graduate and Essentially Ellington composition winner, this 15-piece band will keep everyone swinging all night long. The band includes some of best young jazz musicians on the scene today, who love this music as much as audiences.

Ellington’s music is so elegant, so dynamic, so intimately detailed that it takes a group of musicians with a genuine collaborative spark to fully bring out its inner magic, and that is what you will experience at this concert. The program explores decades of Duke’s music, including his earliest hits, Hollywood charts, swinging blues numbers, pieces inspired by his international travels, and portions of his later suites. It’s an eclectic repertoire and yet unmistakably Ellington through and through — always enjoyable upon first listen, but teeming with brilliant details that continue to reveal themselves over time. This vital music is at the core of Jazz at Lincoln Center, and you’re guaranteed to enjoy its timeless genius when the next generation of jazz leaders bring their fresh energy to it. Tickets are $42; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 2993100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.

Family theater

Families will enjoy another musical adventure, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, May 10, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Saturday, May 11, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, May 14-17, 10:15 a.m. and noon. Back by popular demand after a sold-out 2023 run, see Pigeon, Bus Driver, and some zany passengers sing and dance their way to helping The Pigeon find his “thing” in this upbeat, energetic comedy based on four of Mo Willems’ popular Pigeon books. Featuring a live band to bring Deborah Wicks La Puma’s jazzy score to life, audiences will thoroughly enjoy singing and flapping along with The Pigeon and friends. The audience is part of the action, in this innovative mix of songs, silliness and feathers. It’s an ideal way to introduce kids to theater and the humorous stories from Willems’ books. $10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

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.

Mail carriers ready to Stamp Out Hunger

Donating food this weekend is simple, says Randi Shubin Dresner.

“Just leave non-perishable food items in a bag next to your mailbox before the regularly scheduled mail deliver on Saturday, May 11,” she said. And your mail carrier “will do the rest to make sure it gets onto the tables of our Long Islander neighbors in need.”

Shubin Dresner should know. She’s the chief executive of Island Harvest, which provides much-needed food support to more than 300,000 people on Long Island who faces hunger — including 90,000 children.

This weekend’s event is part of the U.S. Postal Service’s annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, done in collaboration with not only local charities like Island Harvest, but also the National Association of Letter Carriers.

After the food is delivered to Island Harvest, volunteers there sort and repackage the food for distribution to those in-need.

Non-perishable food items needed include canned goods, cereal, pasta, rice, boxed juices, and shelf-stable milk. It does not include anything in glass containers, as these are easy to break.

“Even if it’s a can of soup or a box of cereal, every donation — no matter the size — will help countless Long Islanders who may be struggling to put food on their tables,” Shubin Dresner said.

Island Harvest distributed 15 million

pounds of food in 2022, a jump of 42 percent over donations before the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are counting on the generosity of our neighbors who can spare a little extra to help make this year’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive one of the most successful,” Shubin Dresner added.

Mail carriers are also on the lookout for personal care items like toothpaste,

soap, shampoo, deodorant and disposable diapers. All of these donations go toward replenishing Island Harvest’s network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding programs throughout Long Island.

Stamp Out Hunger generated 544,000 meals locally. Since its inception in 1993, the national program has collected nearly 1.8 billion pounds of food in all 50

Here’s a sample of what you can leave by your mailbox on May 11:

■ canned beans/dried beans

■ peanut butter or other nut butter

■ canned fruit and vegetables

■ low-sodium soups

■ canned tuna/chicken

■ brown rice/instant brown rice

■ nuts/seeds/dried fruits

■ shelf-stable milk/milk substitutes

■ whole grain pasta

■ low-sodium canned pasta sauce

■ low-sodium canned tomatoes

■ olive or canola oil

■ toiletries and feminine products

■ laundry and dish detergent

■ paper towels and toilet paper

states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

All donations are tax-deductible since food collected benefits Island Harvest, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

To learn more, visit IslandHarvest.org.

–Melissa Berman

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. ROGER DENNIS CHAFFEE, et al, Defts. Index #612456/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered June 12, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on May 21, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. prem. k/a Section 52, Block 302 Lot 743. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. RICHARD L. FARLEY, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Drive, Great Neck, NY. #101298 146181

LEGAL NOTICE

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court of The State of New York County of Nassau Action to Foreclose a Mortgage Index #: 618125/2023 PNC Bank, National Association Plaintiff, vs Walter Fung-A-Fat As Heir To The Estate Of JoAnne Fung-A-Fat, Unknown Heirs Of JoAnne Fung-A-Fat Aka Jo Anne Fung A Fat If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 2656 Ocean Avenue Seaford, NY 11783 To the Above named Defendant:

You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Nassau. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of JoAnne Fung-A-Fat AKA Jo Anne Fung A Fat Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Jeffrey A. Goodstein of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Tenth day of April, 2024 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, in the City of Mineola. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated June 16, 2020, executed by JoAnne Fung-A-Fat AKA Jo Anne Fung A Fat (who died on August 15, 2021, a resident of the county of Nassau, State of New York) to secure the sum of $92,200.00. The Mortgage was recorded at Book 44391, Page 554 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on July 21, 2020; The property in question is described as follows: 2656 Ocean Avenue, Seaford, NY 11783 HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state

encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline 1-800-269-0990 or visit the department’s website at WWW.DFS.NY.GOV. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTIL YOUR PROPERTY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW.

FORECLOSURE RESCUE

SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE

ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: April 16, 2024 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 80466 146433

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 05/15/24 at 9:30 A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals: THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. 297/24. SEAFORDDelight Long Island LLC/Wendys #10846, Renewal of grant to maintain one doublefaced, illuminated sign attached to detached pylon structure; overall size 85 sq. ft. (42 1/2 sq. ft. per face); clearance 4’5” from grade to bottom of sign., S/s Sunrise Hwy., 165.50’ /o Jackson Ave., a/k/a 3882 Sunrise Hwy. 312/24. - 313/24. SEAFORD - Michael & Kathleen Maher, Variances, lot area occupied, side yard, side yards aggregate, rear yard, maintain wood decks both attached to dwelling; Variance, lot area occupied, maintain shed., N/s Mill Rd., 57.4’ W/o Sidney Ct., a/k/a 3787 Mill Rd. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Seaford within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available a t https://hempsteadny.gov/ 509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.gov/ 576/Live-Streaming-Video

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it.

146664

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 21st day of May, 2024, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following locations:

ELMONT

HOEFFNER AVENUE (TH 164/24) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIMEstarting from the north curbline of Pelham Street, north for a distance of 160 feet.

OCEANSIDE

BEDELL STREET (TH 120/24) South SideNO PARKING ANYTIMEstarting at a point 75 feet west of the west curbline of Fortesque Avenue, then west for a distance of 50 feet.

SEAFORD

ANGLERS PLACE (TH 167/24) North SideNO PARKING ANYTIMEstarting at a point 11 feet west of the west curbline of Ocean Avenue, then west for a distance of 68 feet. ALSO, to REPEAL from Section 202-1 “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” from the following location: OCEANSIDE

BENNETT STREET (TH 606/09) North SideNO STOPPING ANYTIMEstarting at a point of 150 feet east of east curbline of Oceanside Road, then east for a distanceof 46 feet.

(Adopted 2/9/10) ALL PERSONS

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

Dated: May 7, 2024 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 146676

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU BETHPAGE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, -againstMICHAEL MARRON, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on March 28, 2024, wherein BETHPAGE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION is the Plaintiff and MICHAEL MARRON, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on June 10, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 2608 ISLAND CHANNEL ROAD, SEAFORD, NY 11783; and the following tax map identification: 63-261-604 & 805. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN SEAFORD, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 609978/2022. Jane P. Shrenkel, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF

SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 146645

LEGAL NOTICE REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR SG MORTGAGE SECURITIES BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-FRE2, Plaintiff - againstSUZANNE M. BRADY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on March 15, 2019. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 “Rain or Shine” on the 6th day of June, 2024 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Wantagh, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York. Premises known as 3677 Smith Street, Wantagh, NY 11793. (SBL#: 57-89-105) Approximate amount of lien $614,197.89 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 010340/2015.

John G. Kennedy, Esq., Referee. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

Dated: April 11, 2024

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit

and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.

146589

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF THE RESIDENTIAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES TRUST V-D, Plaintiff, vs. DANA MURCH A/K/A DANA G. MURCH, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 12, 2023, 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 June 11, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 2130 North Drive, 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 57, Block 237 and Lot 14. Approximate amount of judgment is $209,832.62 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #604287/2019. 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.

Brian J. Davis, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No. 190134-1 146623

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time Positions Available!

Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience.

Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome!

$20 - $25/ Hour

Bell Auto School

516-365-5778

Email: info@bellautoschool.com

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED

Will Certify And Train

HS Diploma

NYS License Clean 3 Years

$20 - $25/ Hour Call 516-731-3000

GRAPHIC DESIGNER F/T

Needed For Valley Stream Digital/ Print Shop Work Direct With Clients Digital/ Copy Shop Exp. Preferred Bilingual (Spanish) A Plus Call 516-285-8526 Email Resume: lmninvoice@gmail.com

HANDYPERSON WANTED

Immediate Opening at our Garden City Location DESIRED SKILLS: Electrical * Welding * Carpentry Mechanical * Plumbing Part Time/Fulltime (benefits available with full time) $18-$30 per hour based on experience Richner Communications, Inc 2 Endo Blvd Garden City, NY 11530 Send resume to careers@lixtherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 ext 211

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

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

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

OFFICE ASSISTANT (EAST Meadow, NY): Assist with admin. tasks, data entry, document management, answer phone calls, manage & organize schedules & meetings as well as perform general office work. (Salary $52,250 per annum). Req's 2 years of office administrator work experience, customer service & general business activity. Apply HR, Maleni Group, Inc. 1863 Chester Drive, East Meadow, NY-11554.

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 IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

PROJECT MANAGERS – ARCHITECTURAL Lindenhurst, NY area. Understand client requirements & set timelines for delivery. Dissect scope of work & define cost estimation for client agreements. Visit sites to survey & monitor progress of construction. Salary: $129,688 per year. Send res to: Visual Citi, Inc., 305 Henry St., Lindenhurst, NY 11757.

RECEPTIONIST/ P/T: SEASONAL, Warm, Friendly, Excellent People Skills, Office Work/ Customer Service. $16-$24/ Hr. Beach Club. 516-239-2150

RESTAURANT HELP: 4- 5 Days/ Week. Weekends A Must. Starting At $16/ Hr. Great Location. Must Have Transportation. Please call 516-835-2819

SR SAP FUNCTIONAL AND TECH CONSULTANT Melville, NY. Develop, configure and implement SAP systems/projects, utilizing SAP technology SAP SCM, SAP IBP, SAP CPI-DS, Oracle, HANA database; ServiceNow, Jira ALM, HPQC; Work with SAP IBP including Supply and Inventory Optimization; Advance Planning Optimization (APO DP SNP); S&OP and Demand Planning Application; Experience with SAP IBP Supply Heuristic and Optimizer set-up essential. Position requires MS in Comp Sci/Comp Info Sys or any foreign equivalent with 3 yrs of exp in related occupation. $147,285.00 per/yr. TRAVEL/RELOCATE TO UNANTICIPATED LOCATIONS WITHIN USA POSSIBLE. resumes to: IQ SYSTEMS, INC. 560 BroadHollow Rd. Suite 313 Melville, NY 11747

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EAre we floodable, or not?

Q. We ran into a problem with our insurance company and building department over renovations we want to make. First, our insurance company has us listed as living in a flood zone, which we are not, saying that because we live near a creek, we’re near water and therefore have to pay higher flood and wind insurance. Our home is next to a flood zone, according to the national flood map, and a small corner of our property is low enough to have gotten just the tip of the last flood, but our house is considerably uphill. Second, our building department insists we will need to lift our home, or only do things in small increments, spread out every five years. This is really unfair. We haven’t had a flood since the last freak storm 12 years ago. What can you advise?

A. Yours has been a recurring problem, because we live on an island and everywhere could be considered close to water, depending on how “close” is defined. Actually, there are flood zones in 100 percent of counties across the country, which leads to a lot of questions and confusion about how losses are calculated or predicted.

That said, I wouldn’t get too comfortable with the thought that you’re safe from the next flood or tornado. I’ve lived through both, having lost a side of our family home in a tornado that killed 43 people in Ohio and witnessed the flooding right here on Long Island. Even though flood maps show a high water line from the last storm, nobody really knows where the next flood will go.

I just saw, up close, the largest iceberg in our recent history, which floated next to our ship in Antarctica in January. The berg is 45 miles long and 35 miles wide, melting slowly, and is predicted to cause oceans to rise another 2 feet by 2050. So how do I respond to your dilemma? Each municipality has been given the right to make its own rules about percentages of change to dwellings, and yours wants you to lift to save lives and the majority of your home. Nobody is happy with this — not even the people who probably grow tired of enforcing the rules, since they end up as the messengers, to be “shot” by emotional homeowners unprepared for this economic ton of bricks.

I, as a professional, end up in the same situation with people whom I have to inform, usually in their living rooms or around the dining room table, about the rules. Some cooperate by flexibly tackling the most important objectives in phase one, the next group of items on their wish list later. The five-year rule is fairly new, and even though I believe it to be insensitive to real-world problems of aging and out-of-date homes, unless you get enough people to join you to overcome these rules, they remain in effect. But please don’t shoot the messenger(s). Good luck!

© 2024 Monte Leeper

Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

Ask The Architect

Monte Leeper

Baldwin $750,000

Ann Street. Split Level. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Updates include cathedral ceiling.

Taxes: $16,647

Bellmore $572,000

Judith Drive. Hi Ranch. 4 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Open layout. Formal dining room. Den/family room.

Taxes: $14,766

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Elgin Avenue. Ranch. 3 bedrooms, 1.55 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Open layout. Den/family room. Updates include cathedral ceiling and skylight.

Taxes: $11,666.52

Franklin Square $730,000 Madison Avenue. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Updated eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Formal dining room. Nicely sized yard. Updates include bathrooms. 2 car garage.

Taxes: $12,116

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Taxes: $14,765.77

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Taxes: $13,054.12

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Taxes: $15,401.23

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Taxes: $14,291.69

Woodmere $2,500,000 Edward Avenue. Colonial. 6 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Gourmet eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and pantry. Formal dining room. Den/family room. High-end finishes include cathedral ceiling, skylight, marble in bathrooms. Security system.

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We should have learned more than we have from history

Looking back at history, we often see what appear to have been clearly defined periods, eras or growths of movements. Some good or entertaining, like the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age. Some revolutionary, like the turbulent ’60s. Others absolutely evil, like the Winds of War, the growth of Nazism in the 1930s that led inevitably to the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust.

Our general impression is that people living during those times realized, or were in some way aware of, the uniqueness of the challenges and transformations going on around them. My reading of history, however, is that for the most part — whether it be everyday people, intellectuals or world leaders — there was little realization during those years that the world as they knew it was that much different from what had come before. Until it

was. Or that tragedy lay ahead. Until it was too late.

I remember when I was in college in the 1960s, doing research papers on events that occurred in the ’20s and ’30s and noting how different the contemporary accounts of those years and events were from the histories written decades later. In the ’20s there was the Manassa Mauler (Jack Dempsey), the Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) and the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame for boxing, baseball and college football aficionados. And for those who enjoyed the nightlife, there were the speakeasies, the Cotton Club, in Harlem, and the Charleston. But when you read the newspapers and periodicals from those years, there is little if any recognition of the uniqueness of the time as an era, like the “era of wonderful nonsense,” as the ’20s were later dubbed.

Dactually already was). While there would be increasing concern over the growing repression of Jews in Germany, that awareness was nothing like what it should have been. And Hitler’s annexation of the Sudetenland was met by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appeasing Hitler with hope of “peace in our time.”

emocrats are turning against Israel, and Republicans

are turning against Ukraine.

Similarly, in the 1930s, there was the media coverage of Hitler’s election in Germany, perhaps describing him as heavy-handed, but certainly nothing like the monster he would become (and

HAll this was ignored by too many America Firsters who chose to be isolationists. And then there was Pearl Harbor, the Axis of Evil and World War II.

The 1960s began with President John F. Kennedy and his New Frontier, hailing America’s greatness and pledging to “support any friend, oppose any foe,” before America slowly but inexorably edged throughout the second half of the decade into a maelstrom of outof-control campus demonstrations, flagburning, Woodstock, the Age of Aquarius and what grew into a permanent drug culture subset.

What will future historians say about today’s myriad crises and cultural challenges? Russia invading

Ukraine, and threatening the European order that has prevailed for almost eight decades. China dramatically expanding its military, threatening Taiwan and spreading its economic power and influence throughout the world. Israeli being horrifically attacked by Iran’s proxy, Hamas, followed by thousands of pro-Hamas, antisemitic demonstrators marching in the streets of New York, occupying college campuses across the country and threatening Jewish students at those colleges.

America’s response to these challenges? More Democrats turning against Israel’s government. More Republicans becoming isolationist and turning against Ukraine. More American businesses increasing their dealings with China. College presidents negotiating with pro-Hamas, antisemitic students illegally taking over campuses. Are we blind? Has history taught us nothing, and are we forcing ourselves to relive the worst days of history? God help us all.

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

The humble pen takes on the might sword

ere’s an anniversary no one wants to celebrate: The Columbine school shooting — April 20, 1999 — just passed its 25th anniversary. More than a dozen dead, 21 injured. A new era begins. Why, why, why bring up such a horrific event? Perhaps because it hasn’t stopped.

Even though I sit here in the comfort of my study, feeling perfectly safe, I can’t emotionally disentangle myself from the news, which is always, in one way or another, about the human need to kill itself — or rather, the human assumption that it’s divided from itself, and “the other,” whomever that other is, either needs to be killed or is, at best, expendable. For instance:

“The Senate has passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.”

So AP informs us, and immediately scenarios of screaming children,

bombed aid workers, home and hospitals reduced to rubble, flash before me. No, these are not abstract scenarios. Part of me and part of you lie trapped in that rubble, or stunned and grieving over the sudden loss of your whole family. And all we seem to do is continue funding the process that makes this happen, as though a larger understanding of our existence is not available — certainly not at the level of global politics.

What is power? Is it simply and sheerly us vs. them? Good vs. evil? Every war on Planet Earth is sold with this advertising slogan. Perhaps this is why I find myself thinking about the Columbine shootings — and all the mass shootings since then. Define an enemy, then kill it. This is what we learn in history class — but would-be mass shooters, caged in their own isolation, cross a line. They take this lesson personally. And there’s a world of possibility that welcomes them, oh so ironically. In this world, the sword is mightier than the pen (or anything else). Power means power over . . . something. So, if you’re a lost or wounded soul, imagining an enemy that needs to be destroyed is probably enormously tempting. If the world is going on with-

out you, maybe you should do something to stop it.

And the “world of possibility” — by which I mean far more than merely the “gun culture,” but the entirety of our culture of scripted violence, from global politics to the media to the entertainment industry — makes the loner’s imagined and insane solution, defining and killing an enemy, an actual possibility.

i n poems we can ask, where are we headed? What world comes next?

At the time of the Columbine shootings, I had begun writing poetry. This was in the wake of my wife’s death, in 1998, from pancreatic cancer. Poetry allowed me to deal with the shattered narrative of my life, and pretty soon I had expanded the terrain of my poetry beyond my personal grief to, well, life itself, including the horrific strangeness of the news.

And I happened to read, after Columbine, a news account of President Bill Clinton visiting the school and meeting with students in the gymnasium. And outside the school, gun-rights advocates held what they called a vigil, holding signs that declared “gun control kills kids” and “we will never give up our guns.”

What struck me about it the most was the idea that this was a “vigil,”

which implied something more than simply a protest — an expression of anger and disagreement. A vigil dug deeper, seemingly entering the soul. Guns were a source of power and power was the source of one’s humanity, so stripping away the right to own one had a deep, spiritual impact.

I wrote a poem in response to the vigil — I called it “Vigil” — attempting to address my feelings about the total scenario: the shooting itself, Americans’ deeply desired availability of guns, the impact of that availability on society’s lost souls.

I acknowledge that the sword is probably mightier than the poem, but a poem can ask questions that the sword can’t: Why? Where are we headed? What world comes next? Does armed defense — whether of home or country — ever go wrong, ever turn into poison?

All humans have a dark side. Is killing it in the other guy our only option? And what are the consequences of doing so?

Can power be with others, even those with whom we are in serious conflict, rather than simply over them? And if so, how can we begin reorganizing the world’s relationship with itself?

What’s stopping us?

Robert Koehler is an author and journalist syndicated by PeaceVoice.

HeraLd editoriaL

Cherishing moms who embody love, strength

at first glance, Elinor Sullivan was simply a proud suburban mother, raising her four children on the other side of the Great Depression.

Her husband was a state legislator. Her father was a vaudeville performer who originated the role of the Scarecrow in a stage production of “The Wizard of Oz.” But beyond that, you probably wouldn’t have looked twice at Elinor.

Except you should have. Because before she was a wife and a mom, she was Elinor Smith, the “Flying Flapper of Freeport,” who never met a plane she didn’t like or a dare she wouldn’t take. In fact, one taunt persuaded her to fly a Waco-10 under not one, but all four bridges that crossed the East River into Manhattan — a stunt that had never been done before, and was never repeated.

Elinor once held the women’s solo flight endurance record of more than 26 hours, set a speed record of nearly 191 mph, and even topped an altitude record of more than 32,500 feet, taking off from Roosevelt Field. And she became the first woman ever pictured on a box of Wheaties cereal.

And Elinor gave all of that up for two decades — the prime years of her life — so she could focus all of her attention on being a mother. Yet today, mothers don’t have to sacrifice their careers to raise their children, showing even more

Letters

D’Esposito gets veterans and migrants wrong

To the Editor:

how extraordinary every one of them is.

As we approach Mother’s Day, it’s important to reflect on the remarkable influence and unwavering love mothers bring into our lives. From the moment we enter this world, mothers are our first nurturers, guides and champions. They are the silent heroes whose impact transcends time and circumstances, shaping us into the individuals we become.

Mothers possess a unique blend of strength and tenderness. They are the multitaskers extraordinaire, effortlessly juggling countless roles with grace. From cooking meals to managing households. From pursuing careers to nurturing children — mothers do it all with unparalleled dedication. Their resilience in facing life’s challenges serves as an inspiration, demonstrating that with love and determination, any obstacle can be overcome.

What truly makes mothers extraordinary is their boundless capacity for love. A mother’s love is a force unlike any other — a source of comfort in times of distress. A beacon of hope in moments of despair.

It is a love that knows no bounds, selfless and unconditional. This love shapes our earliest memories, and echoes through the milestones of our lives — a constant reminder of unwavering support.

Mothers aren’t just caregivers, they

U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito is pitting New Yorkers against one another, and we see right through it.

In his recent op-ed, “Migrants get more government support than veterans” (April 18-24), D’Esposito baselessly argued that asylum seekers receive more social benefits than U.S. veterans.

His claim is completely inaccurate. There is no question that our country should expand services and safety nets for our veterans. But D’Esposito cherry-picks one measure of VA benefits, failing to mention government investment in pensions, health care, education and other critical services for veterans.

D’Esposito also falsely suggests that “many” migrant families are receiving preloaded debit cards for “a wide range of expenses,” failing to acknowledge that this New York City program is a limited pilot for just 500 families, to cover the cost of essentials like food and diapers. In fact, this is a fiscally sound effort that costs approximately $12.52 per person per day, saving taxpayers $600,000 per month and $7 million per year, while offering families more control over their budgets. If the program is successful in its implementation, we hope it will be expand-

are our first teachers, imparting lessons that extend far beyond textbooks. They teach us compassion through their actions, resilience through their examples, and empathy through their understanding.

The wisdom passed down from our mothers is a treasure trove of lessons, guiding us through sunny days and stormy nights.

In celebrating mothers, we honor the unsung heroines whose sacrifices often go unnoticed. They prioritize our needs above their own, making countless sacrifices without seeking recognition. Whether it’s waking up early to pack lunches or staying up late to offer reassurance, they give of themselves tirelessly, embodying the essence of unconditional love.

On Sunday, let us celebrate the phenomenal women — like Elinor Smith, and our own mothers — who have shaped our lives in profound ways. Beyond the flowers and gifts lies a deeper appreciation for the incredible impact mothers have on our existence. And they don’t need to fly under bridges or break endurance records. In the tapestry of life, mothers are the golden threads that bind us together. Their presence is a gift that enriches our world in ways words cannot fully capture. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us cherish and honor these extraordinary women who personify love, strength and resilience.

The blemish of college demonstrations

the numerous college demonstrations lately have given me a lot of mixed feelings. Having lived through the years when there were other demonstrations, I contrast how those incidents were handled with the present ones. In addition, I can’t help but feel some sadness about how our elected officials are reacting to these events.

In 1970, there were nationwide student protests that spurred mass walkouts from college and high school classrooms. The students were upset about the expansion of the Vietnam War in Cambodia. According to Wikipedia, the movement began on May 1, and increased dramatically after the killing of four students at Kent State University. At its height, over 4 million students participated. There was some violence, but overall the demonstrations were peaceful.

In their wake, public officials around the country held hearings and initiated investigations into student conduct, and issued numerous reports suggesting how universities should handle such demonstrations and emphasizing the need for better communication

between administration officials and students. This was the responsible way for elected officials to act, compared with how they act today.

Rather than trying to find a consensus on how university officials should react when students stage protests, Republicans have created a partisan divide with their conduct and their rhetoric. Shortly after students at Columbia University began their protest, House Speaker Mike Johnson rushed to the campus and held a news conference, surrounded by eight other Republican members of Congress. No attempt was made to convene a bipartisan group, even though the battle against antisemitism is not a partisan issue.

today’s college leadership is handicapped when handling outbursts.

education, such as President George Bush, Yale alumni, but few show respect for the campus life that launched their own careers.” Members of Congress such as New York’s own Elise Stefanik want to burnish their political images by beating up on college officials instead of pushing to reform how campus demonstrations should be handled.

protest participants are from campus to campus. Many have made demands that made no sense, and some have used antisemitic slurs even though they were Jewish. Too many of today’s college students seem to be totally unaware of the history of the tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

The protest at Harvard University created the perfect opportunity for the dozens of Harvard alumni now serving in Congress to step forward in a united effort to offer guidance and support to the university. Jeremi Suri, a respected conservative writer, told CNN, “What we need are politicians who, despite their disagreements with liberal professors, are willing to stand up for the benefits they received from their own university education.”

Suri went on to say, “Many figures in the Republican Party have the same

Letters

puts 18,000 veterans in his district at risk.

Pitting groups against one another does nothing to improve the lives of New Yorkers. It only perpetuates an usagainst-them narrative at a time when our country desperately needs collaboration and unity. If D’Esposito is serious about boosting the safety net for vulnerable New Yorkers, I’d be happy to work with him to give every New York family an equal chance at success.

MURAD AWAWDEH Staten Island

Murad Awawdeh is president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition.

Does

the

MTA’s congestion pricing plan have a fatal flaw?

To the Editor:

Even with congestion pricing scheduled to start on June 30, there is no way the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be able to advertise, award and issue Notices to Proceed tor contractors for $15 billion worth of projects remain-

ing in the agency’s 2020-2024 Five Year Capital Plan before the end of the year. There are also billions of dollars in other ongoing capital projects whose work will be carried over into the MTA’s $51 billionplus 2025-2029 five-year plan.

There may not be enough resources to integrate the implementation of all of the congestion price-funded projects in the current five-year plan with those in the first and second years of the next five-year plan. The MTA lacks sufficient procurement, project managers, engineers, legal and force account employees, along with track outage availability, to proceed with all these projects in the same time frame.

Billions of dollars’ worth of capitalimprovement projects will be delayed. Costs will increase due to inflation and other factors as time goes by. The $51 billion-plus 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan is due to be released and adopted within seven months. It should include an integrated schedule for how the billions in carryover projects from the current fiveyear plan will proceed with billions more planned for the new program.

MTA board members, elected officials, New York City, state and federal funding agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration, along with commuters, taxpayers, transit advocacy

Aside from the partisan attempts to prove which party can better battle antisemitism, today’s college leadership is badly handicapped when it comes to handling campus outbursts. Typically, college presidents are chosen based on their academic achievements and their ability to raise money. There is often little or no discussion of whether they are capable of establishing lines of communications with their students.

Many university leaders, such as former Harvard President Claudine Gay, are paralyzed when campus conduct becomes a headache. There are many college presidents who need a crash course in today’s challenges, especially because colleges have become scapegoats for numerous Republican members of Congress and governors.

Another issue is the students at those colleges and universities. I’ve been amazed by how uninformed many

Last but by far not least are the governors and other officials responsible for controlling the upheaval. Some governors have worked with college officials to try to find nonviolent ways to handle the protests. Others, such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, sent state police to campuses to arrest protesting students, without any communication with campus officials.

In the months and years ahead, many people will write books about these demonstrations, but little will change. Publicity-minded government officials, anxious to show their law-andorder credentials, will continue to beat up on university officials along with the students. College administrators will continue to botch their responses, absent any seasoned outside help, and the current drama will no doubt be repeated again and again.

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.

groups and transit reporters need to see this critical information. It is the only way we can determine if the MTA is up to meeting the challenge.

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.

Framework by Parker Schug

At the Gideon Putnam, site of the New York Press Association spring conference — Saratoga Springs

LARRY PENNER

JerrY kremer