Seaford Herald 07-13-2023

PACE celebrates July Fourth

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Protected from floods, and now open to visitors

By MARK Nol AN mnolan@liherald.com

Hurricane Sandy caused immeasurable grief and destruction nearly 11 years ago. That devastation, however, has spurred a few positives.

State officials last month announced the completion of a vast $47 million improvement project at Hempstead Lake State Park in West Hempstead that will reduce flood risk and improve access to the 737-acre park.

The project includes two miles of new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant trails and observation deck. In addition, the 150-year-old Hempstead Lake Dam was repaired and renovated to protect against future storm damage.

Officials said it was one of the largest wetlands projects ever completed by New York State Parks.

“Our parks are some of our greatest resources for relaxation, restoration, and connecting with our families,” said Town of Hempstead Deputy Supervisor Dorothy Goosby in a release. “I am happy that the improvement project has been completed; it was worth the wait.”

The $4 million renovation of the only high-hazard dam on Long Island, built in 1873, was a priority. Officials said the repaired dam would help maintain water levels of the lake, particularly if another hurricane like Sandy strikes. Officials had determined that if the dam were to fail, the damage would include highway flooding, water supply issues, and possible fatalities.

The state received a $35 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and another $12 million in State Parks capital money was used.

The project was part of the Living with the Bay Initiative, created in the wake of Sandy to strengthen South Shore waterfront communities in Nassau County along Mill River. The state committed $125 million to fortify East Rockaway, Bay Park, Lynbrook, Malverne, Oceanside, and Rockville Centre from future stormwater damage.

The final phase of the project, recently finished, was making the 144-acre Northern Ponds complex better able to handle stormwater runoff into Hewlett Bay while reducing flood risks on Mill

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people from all over Long island flocked to Jones Beach on July Fourth to celebrate the holiday, which was topped off with a dazzling 25-minute fireworks display.

Cleaning up Mill Pond, one invasive species at a time Volunteers pull water chestnut, a hazard to wildlife habitat, from lake’s surface

By MICHAEl MAl ASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com

Mill Pond, in south Wantagh, is now a little cleaner thanks to the efforts of state officials and volunteers to rid the small lake of water chestnuts — an invasive species that can be harmful to hikers and water birds.

The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation hosted its annual water chestnut pull on July 5, putting volunteers to work in either waders or kayaks — which are not typically allowed in Nassau County’s freshwater bodies, but an exception was made for this event.

State Sen. Steve Rhoads and his staff also took part in the cleanup.

Water chestnuts have taken over Mill Pond, which is just off of Merrick Road, and appear to be out-competing the native vegetation. While the plant does create some habitat for the fish in the pond, it’s not ideal habitat, because it reduces oxygen levels in the water, according to DEC officials.

The water chestnut also makes it more difficult for recreational anglers to catch anything, because it often tangles their lines — and Mill Pond has no shortage of fish to catch, with

species including bluegill, largemouth bass, pickerel, catfish, carp, yellow perch, American eel and, unlike many other lakes in the area, white perch.

Heidi O’Riordan, a DEC freshwater fisheries manager and biologist, said the problem first arose just to the east, at Massapequa Reservoir, and she specu-

lated that water chestnuts might have been introduced as a household plant that someone tossed in the water.

“It’s an attractive-looking plant,” O’Riordan said. “It probably came as an ornamental from someone’s aquarium. It doesn’t take much, because the seed pods can survive 10 to 12 years.”

The chestnuts contain sharp

spikes, which can stick to water birds, contributing to the plant’s spread to other ponds — which, most likely, is how they were transplanted from Massapequa Reservoir to Mill Pond.

“When you look out on the water body here, you really only see a few types of plants,” O’Riordan said of Mill Pond’s

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Tim Baker/Herald lighting it

The real solution is a harvester.

HEIdI o’RIoRdAN DEC biologist

Hempstead Lake State Park upgrades complete

River.

Parks officials said they built eight acres of wetlands to allow runoff from Southern State Parkway to slowly filter before entering Northeast Pond. Smith Pond, a 22-acre freshwater pond in Rockville Centre, was upgraded with dredging and a floodwall.

“The culmination of these vital infrastructure projects will help make the Hempstead Lake State Park and surrounding communities safer and more resilient to future storms, while improving access to outdoor recreation in the community,” New York State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said in a release.

Other upgrades to the park include a new Eagle Avenue parking lot; an observation deck overlooking Northeast Pond; and removal of invasive plant species and replanting native species. Officials said it took one year to remove by hand more than 100 tons of decades-old trash in the Northern Ponds areas.

“We want everyone to enjoy our New York State Parks, especially those in District 18, the addition of new and better accessible trail ways open up the opportunity for all New Yorkers to enjoy the gorgeous trails, lake, and wildlife that Hempstead Lake State Park offers,” said Assemblywoman Taylor Darling in a release. “As a member of the Committee on People with Disabilities, improving accessibility is incredibly important to me.”

A new 10-foot wide stone dust greenway trail was built to provide a continuous north-to-south trail system through the park. An 8-foot wide stone dust wetlands trail and two pedestrian bridges were built to allow emergency and maintenance vehicles access.

With an eye to the possibility of future storms, sluice gates were installed to allow control of lake levels prior to and during flooding. There is a new water level monitoring and lake temperature gauge system so officials can manage conditions in real-time and track data over

a view

time.

The 8,000-square-foot Environmental Education and Resiliency Center was built in 2021 at a cost of $8.3 million. The center features hands-on learning about storms and environmental management, and will serve as an emergency coordination center during disaster response, officials said.

“Through its multiyear investment, New York State has safeguarded the natural treasures contained within Hempstead Lake State Park and made them accessible for every resident in the surrounding communities to enjoy,” Nassau County Legislator Siela A. Bynoe said in

a release.

Hempstead Lake State Park is a sprawling multiuse facility with 18 tennis courts, six pickleball courts, playgrounds, basketball courts, softball field, bridle trails for horseback riding, biking and hiking trails, shaded picnic areas, and a historic hand-carved wooden carousel. There are also three bodies of freshwater that are accessible for fishing. The 167-acre Hempstead Lake is the largest freshwater lake on Long Island.

For more information, call (516) 766-1029 or visit the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website at Parks.ny.gov.

Courtesy New York State Parks

of the northern ponds area of Hempstead Lake State park with new wetlands.

Food, games and fanfare for July 4 celebration

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

While most people celebrate the Fourth of July with barbecues and fireworks, the Progressive American Community Empowerment organization, better known as PACE, hosted a fun-filled afternoon on the holiday that embraced South Asian culture, and different ways to celebrate America’s independence.

PACE’s chairman Saeed Hassan, at an event earlier this year, explained what the organization does the for community. Its main purpose is to bring people together from different backgrounds and religions, while working in several areas of public service.

PACE promotes a sense of togetherness and understanding of other cultures across Nassau County’s diverse communities. In particular, it helps minority communities find a voice in local issues.

The organization also helps Islamic communities across the County access food at Halal pantries, works with politicians on a number of topics, and encourages people in minority communities to vote, in not just national elections, but also local ones too.

“PACE believes in empowerment, to nutrition and social interaction for marginalized communities,” Hassan explained. “PACE is a nonprofit organization, with an objective to serve the community.”

Earlier this year, it hosted a meet-and-greet at the Merrick Golf Course Clubhouse with several local politicians who serve Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh, Seaford and East Meadow, communities in which PACE has a presence.

The event had a great turnout, and former president of the South Merrick Community Civic Association said it was great to see some people of different backgrounds in one room.

“It’s a wonderful thing that we are able to have so many different cultures, religions, ethnic groups get together, speak together and network together,” he said. “We’re going to continue this tradition — our model has always been neighbors helping neighbors.”

State Senator Steve Rhoads spoke at the meet-andgreet in February.

“This is our country — we all came from somewhere,” Rhoads went on. “Whether you are from Pakistan, whether you are from India, whether you are from China — wherever you are from, you are now part of the beautiful fabric and the beautiful story that is America. As elected officials, it our job to help make this county of ours, this beautiful state of ours, this beautiful country of ours, your home.”

Empowering communities, he said, means being active and engaged in the issues that affect them, and as

It was a patriotic celebration.

Subhan Anan, 10, Haseeb Anan, 11, Chaudhry Tanveer, Taha Chaudhry, 7, displayed American flags.

Ukrainian dancer Anastasia Lepin.

At the Progressive American Community Empowerment organization’s July 4 celebration, attendees embraced South Asian culture and different ways to celebrate the holiday.

chairman and Azra Dar

state senator, he’ll work to make sure residents understand that people like him and his colleagues are there to help.

PACE returned to the Merrick Golf Course on July 4 for its Independence Day celebration, which featured games, live music, gifts and giveaways — and of course, food. The event had performances by Ukrainian dancer Anastasia Lepin and Russian saxophonist Boris Kurganov.

With several forms of entertainment for both adults and children, there was something for everyone, and it was the perfect way to celebrate America’s birthday, and perhaps, most patriotic holiday.

Keith Rossein/Herald photos

Syed Bukhari, Ejaz Ul Hasan, Saeed Hassan, PACE

were joined by a funny guest, Suzanna Tomy, dressed up as a clown.

Annual pull of invasive species is a success

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surface. “Right off the top layer, this should be a whole host of native plants. Water chestnut outcompetes that, and then when it breaks down at the end of the summer season, it puts another stress on the water body by depleting oxygen as it decomposes.”

The Mill Pond cleanup has taken place annually for about eight years, and although DEC officials said they appreciate the community’s efforts, the state would like to take care of the problem once and for all. Experts expressed the hope of deploying a harvester in the pond that would stop water chestnuts from reproducing.

“It’s a management option,” O’Riordan said. “And some areas of the pond are better this year, thanks to the pull we did last (year). But the real solution is a harvester. We’ve seen the difference a harvester made with getting rid of the chestnut in Massapequa.”

Getting a harvester into the pond would be no easy task, officials said. Despite its proximity to Massapequa Reservoir, Mill Pond, Massapequa Lake and the nearby Twin Lakes Preserve — which also has a water chestnut infestation — fall under different jurisdictions.

Last Wednesday, however, volunteers made a visible difference in Mill Pond, filling dozens of trash bags with the plants. Rhoads has always been an active

participant in the cleanup, and this time he took a kayak out on the water.

“Mill Pond was a place where you could go swimming,” Rhoads, who grew up in Wantagh, said. “It was a place where, in the wintertime, you could go ice skating. It used to be clear for fishing.

Now, with the invasive species, with

water chestnuts taking over and water lilies taking over, it chokes off marine life, and it takes away the opportunity to be able to use it (and) enjoy the lake. This effort is a drop in the bucket, but it’s an opportunity for us to get out there and try and do something positive for the environment.”

contains hazardous

that can harm hikers around the pond and stick to water birds, contributing to the spread of the plant to other ponds and lakes.

in 2021, department of environmental Conservation officials took a photo of a gosling, center left, with a water chestnut stuck to its breast feathers.

Michael Malaszczyk/Herald Water chestnut

barbs

Courtesy NYSDEC

Nassau Athletics HOF class announced

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

The Nassau County High School Athletics Hall of Fame will hold its 2023 induction ceremony Sept. 28 at the Crest Hollow County Club. For more information and tickets, go to SectionVIII. org. Here’s a list of local athlete honorees.

ROBERT ALABASTER

A man for all seasons, he played five sports at Baldwin starting in 1929. He was a three-time All-Scholastic football lineman and also a starter on the basketball, baseball, swimming and track teams. Won the county backstroke title in swimming.

RON ATANASIO

Regarded as one of the greatest Nassau County soccer players of all-time. Led Oceanside to three consecutive county and Long Island championships and starred on the Sailors’ 18-0 team in 1973 that outscored opponents 99-4.

THERESE DEVLIN

Among the best distance runners in Nassau history while at Wantagh and two-time state champion in the 1500 meters. She was the first female named Gatorade’s New York State track and field player of the year in 1986. She went on to star at Dartmouth and competed in the 1992 Olympic Trials.

BILLY DONOVAN

A Rockville Centre native, he played on championship basketball teams at St. Agnes and earned All-Long Island honors as a senior in 1983. Played collegiately at Providence and helped the Friars reach the Final Four. Thirdround pick of Utah Jazz in 1987 NBA Draft. Coached Florida to 467 wins, including a pair of NCAA titles. Current head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

ARTHUR DUNN

A tremendous distance runner at Sewanhaka and the first in the state to place in the top 10 four times in cross country. He won state championships in 1953 and 1954.

D’BRICKASHAW FERGUSON

Generational football player at Freeport who won the Thorp and Martone Awards as Nassau’s best player and linemen. Helped the Red Devils to a Long Island title as a junior. Starred at the University of Virginia and in the NFL for 10 seasons with the New York Jets. A member of the Jets “Ring of Honor.”

PETER HENNING

Long Island’s and New York State’s first wrestling champion. Wantagh’s Henning won the 98-pound title in 1963. After losing his opening match that season, he ripped off 25 straight victories on the way to the historic state crown.

EAMON MCENEANEY

A three-sport star at Sewanhaka (1973 grad)

who was a fearless football player despite his 5-foot-10, 155-pound frame. Also one of the greatest high school and college lacrosse players in state history, he led Cornell to two NCAA titles.

ANNIE PARK

She was forced to play on the boys’ golf team at MacArthur because there was no girls’ team. It didn’t matter. She became the top golfer in Nassau, beating all the boys and winning the county championship in 2012. Won the NCAA women’s title a year later while helping the University of Southern California capture the team championship.

DICK POILLON

A three-sport star at Valley Stream Central in the 1930s. Excelled in football and also played basketball and baseball. After playing college football at Canisius, he earned a spot on the roster of the then-Washington Redskins.

CLIFTON SMITH

Gatorade’s New York state football Player of the Year in 1988, Smith was a Thorp Award winner and also a finalist as a star linebacker for Freeport. He also played basketball and lacrosse. Was a standout at Syracuse and played in the NFL for Washington and Cleveland.

KEVIN SHIPPOS

An outstanding football player and wrestler at Baldwin, the 1997 grad was a two-time AllCounty fullback/linebacker and a three-time county wrestling champ and a one-time state champ. He also won the 215-pound national wrestling championship.

FRANK TASHMAN

A football and lacrosse standout at Sewanhaka, he teamed with future Heisman Trophy winner and Nassau Hall of Famer Vinny Testaverde to bring the school a county title in 1979 and unbeaten season in 1980. Tashman had 118 points as a senior lacrosse attackman.

NICHOLAS TINTLE

Rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2002 to help MacArthur capture its first-ever county football title. He then rushed for over 2,000 yards as a senior. One of the top lacrosse players in the state and earned Nassau Midfielder of the Year honors in 2004.

AL WILLIAMS

One of the greatest athletes of all-time at Hempstead. A four-year starter on the basketball court and three-year starting quarterback on the gridiron. Under his direction, the Tigers went 8-0 in 1967 and outscored the competition 245-46.

JAMES ZAFFUTO

A record-setting lacrosse player at Elmont, the 1977 grad set multiple Nassau scoring records that have stood for 45 years. Holds career records for points (498) and assists (288.) Played on three NCAA championship title teams at Johns Hopkins.

Photos courtesy Nassau Boces Athletics ROckvILLE cENTRE’S BILLY Donovan starred as a basketball player at St. Agnes and Providence College, as well as a coach on the collegiate and NBA levels.

MacaRThuR gRaduaTE aNNIE Park won the Nassau County golf championship, beating all the boys, in 2012, and also an NCAA title while at USC.

Wantagh fifth graders leave with a splash of color

the legacy of Wantagh Elementary School’s Class of 2023 will be long-lasting. Just like the classes before them, the departing fifth graders left their mark with the completion of a hallway mural.

The project is an annual tradition and this year was spearheaded by art teacher Eric Rodrigues. Each of the school’s 101 fifth graders was able to paint a piece of the mural, a paint palette that surrounds the art room door. The palette features splashes of different colors along with paint brushes coming out of the top.

“They’ve been looking forward to it all year long,” Rodrigues said, noting that the work of previous fifth grade classes are scattered throughout the building. “They get really excited about it. They enjoy the hands-on aspect. It’s their mark and when they come back to visit the school, they can see this.”

Rodrigues said that his goal is to continue to create murals for the special subject areas, like music and STEAM, and those would likely be the projects for the next few fifth grade classes.

Wantagh Elementary School fifth graders completed a painting of an art palette as this year’s mural by the graduating class.

with Michael and Suzanne Ettinger Attorneys-at-Law

The philosopher Epictetus said “Men are disturbed not by events, but by the views they take of them.” Arising out of “The Good Life”, previously reviewed here, comes the W.I.S.E.R. model for reacting to emotionally challenging situations.

Watch. Initial impressions are powerful but may be incomplete. There is usually more to see. When the impression and the emotional response start to interact, take a moment to pause and thoughtfully observe the situation to prevent a potentially harmful reflexive response. As they say in psychiatry “Don’t just do something, sit there.”

Interpret. We are all seeing the world through our own eyes -- what is happening, why it is happening and how it affects us. Our reality is not necessarily that of others. Thinking that a situation is all about us often leads to misunderstanding. When your emotions start to bubble up, it indicates you have something important at stake -- a goal, an insecurity or a vital relationship. Figuring out what’s at stake will allow you to interpret the situation better.

Select. Having watched, interpreted and re-interpreted, you must select your response. Instead of reacting reflexively out of stress, slowing down allows us to choose from more options. As “The Good Life” says “Given what’s at stake and the resources at my disposal, what can I do in this situation? What would be a good outcome here? And what is the likelihood that things will go well if I respond this way instead of that way?”

Engage. Now you are ready to respond more purposefully -- aligning with who you are and what you want to accomplish. You’ve observed and interpreted the situation, taken some time to consider the possibilities and their likelihood of success, and you then execute your strategy.

Reflect. “How did that work out? Did I make things better or worse? Have I learned something new about the challenge I’m facing and about the best response? Reflecting on our response to a challenge can yield dividends for the future. It’s in learning from experience that we fully grow wiser.”

Courtesy Wantagh School District

Attorney

Senior health expo geared for young at heart

The Sunny Atlantic Beach Club opened its doors June 28 to eager guests for Herald Community Newspapers’ Senior Health & Beyond Expo presented by UnitedHealthcare and produced by RichnerLive. It was the third in a series of expos designed especially for senior citizens this year.

More than 35 diverse businesses as well as innovative services shared their products and refined knowledge with attendees to improve wellness and heighten their lifestyle.

Free on-site health screenings were provided by Mount Sinai South Nassau as well as vaccines administered by Parker Jewish. There were also hearing screenings from Dr. Lawrence Cardano of Hearing Center of Long Island — who was also one of the speakers on the expo’s afternoon panel.

Goody bags and tons of raffles were also a plus for those making their way to Atlantic Beach.

The event was made possible thanks to Gold Sponsor Otsuka and gift bag sponsors Grandell Rehabilitation & Nursing Center and Oceanside Care Center. Silver Sponsors were Beach Terrace Care Center, Parker Jewish Institute Health Care and Rehabilitation, Long Beach Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Aetna, CenterLight and Hearing Center of Long Island.

The next expo is coming up fast — Thursday, Sept. 7, at the East Meadow Jewish Center. It runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For more information, Visit RichnerLive.com.

1. Dr. Lawrence Cardano, middle, takes with Omar and Sandy about what the Hearing Center of Long Island can offer them.

2. Jacqueline Garguilo and Frank Garguilo, owners of Bikram Yoga Long Beach, showed some relaxing poses.

3. Nancy Lebron from presenting sponsor UnitedHealthcare was the keynote speaker.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

–Alexa Anderwkavich

4. Josh Herzing and Taylor Malfin from Beach Terrace Care Center were among those attending.

5. Cori Hoberman, community marketer from Long Beach Rehabilitation & Nursing

6. Pablo Rendon of Parker Jewish shares some expertise as a panelist.

7. Jill Wassner from the state public services department, offers advice.

8. Sabrina Osmani from Sunharbor Manor chats with an attendee

9. Na Zhang, Abigail Fromm and Lisa SperlingLeicht at the Mount Sinai South Nassau table.

10. Mark Legaspi of Aetna, shares some of his expertise

11. Allison Burton from Otsuka was one of the several great business leaders to come out.

12. Shaun Ruskin from Centerlight discusses PACE eligibility.

Seaford finds new principal, assistant principal within

Apair of familiar faces to the Seaford community are taking on new administrative roles in the district for the 2023-24 school year. Jennifer Bisulca was named the new principal of Seaford Harbor Elementary School and Alex Mantay was appointed as an assistant principal at Seaford High School.

Bisulca has been an assistant principal in the district for six years, first at the high school, then moving to Seaford Middle School in February 2022. She was a driving force behind the creation of student wellness centers at both schools. At the middle school, she helped grow the student leadership program, collaborated with seventh grade teachers to implement Teacher’s College reading and writing workshop units and expanded its social media presence.

Before coming to Seaford, Ms. Bisulca was a secondary English teacher. She holds her bachelor’s degree in English and secondary education from Hofstra University, a master’s degree in literacy from Dowling College and a building leadership certificate from the College of St. Rose.

In her new role as principal of Harbor, she is looking to nurture student curiosities and ensure that their first school experience is enjoyable and successful. She is excited to share in those “a-ha” moments when a child learns something new. Ms. Bisulca will work with Assistant Principal Caroline Stringer to build on the school’s strong academic, social and emotional programs, and said her experience as a middle school and high school administrator can

“I know how to prepare students for the next two levels and I know the great opportunities that lie ahead for them,” she said, adding, “I’m looking forward to building relationships with students and their families at the Harbor.”

Mr. Mantay has more than a decade of teaching experience. After beginning his career in Manhattan, he has taught eighth grade math classes at Seaford Middle School for the past six years. Additionally, he has served as a coach for the middle school football team and the junior varsity basketball and lacrosse teams, and been the middle school’s teacher representative to the PTSA.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in math and a master’s degree in secondary math education, both from Adelphi University, and his administrative certification from Stony Brook University. Mr. Mantay is also a member of the National Council of Teachers of Math.

At Seaford High School, he will be reunited with many students he has taught and coached, and looks forward to supporting them in the final leg of their academic journey in Seaford. Mr. Mantay is thrilled to be part of a studentcentered administrative team with Principal Nicole Schnabel and fellow Assistant Principal Dr. Raphi Morey.

“I’m very excited to be involved in a different capacity and continue building on the relationships that I’ve already established with the Seaford community,” he said. “I look forward to seeing the transformation of our high school students into young adults and supporting teachers in any

Courtesy Seaford School District

The Seaford School District has named Alex Mantay as an assistant principal of Seaford High School and Jennifer Bisulca as principal of Seaford Harbor Elementary School.

Library’s summer reading kickoff is a success

Summer is here, finally — and while it’s important to have fun in the summer, it’s also important to make sure that kids continue reading books and don’t have “the summer slide.”

Luckily, the Seaford Public Library has a remedy for that, with a summer reading program destined to take care of both summer needs — fun and learning. They hosted a summer reading kickoff on June 24. By all accounts, the event was a huge success, as most Seaford Library events typically are.

“The kick-off went better than we could have anticipated,” Jillian Pelliccia, director of Young Adult Services. “We were overwhelmed in a good way by how many people who came out and decided to be a part of the day by signing up for the reading clubs enjoying the bouncy house and cooling off with some ice cream. There was no way we could have [a count] because of how many people showed up. It was definitely in the hundreds.”

An important element of a summer reading program is, of course, preventing the ‘summer slide’ phenomenon in children during those two months off from school.

“[The] Seaford Public Library has been putting on a Summer Reading program for over 30 years to combat summer learning loss, develop a love of reading in children, and help struggling readers catch up before the next school year,” Jacqueline Lopez, head of children services, said. “Our theme this year, All Together Now, invites children to explore together as a community through our activities, programs, and all kinds of books. By joining the fun, you’ll earn prizes, and be invited to the Summer Reading Finale Show (Jester Jim).”

The Seaford Library staff put in the work to ensure that their summer reading program would be second-tonone this year, with Jillian Pelliccia putting together a “Chill Out” booklet for kids who want to read over the summer but in a more recreational way.

What else is there to know about the Seaford summer reading program?

“We are hosting an End of the Adult Summer Reading celebration on August 14 at 7 p.m. with Mary Calvi, co-anchor of CBS2 News and Inside Edition Weekend to discuss her new historical novel, ‘If a Poem Could Live and Breathe,’” Kristen Jording, director of adult programming, said. “Please check our website at seafordlibrary.org for more information.”

Caroline Bert/Herald photos

The Seaford community comes together to celebrate the Seaford Library Summer Reading kickoff on June 26.

Luciano Candela, 2 years old, from Wantagh getting his 2023 Nassau County Library Tour map stamped.

Frank McKenna, Gabriel Kane, Janet Feeney, and Ida Zaharopoulos in the Tech Mobile.

The Seaford Library staff from left, Ida Zaharopoulos, Kristen Jording, Jillian Pelliccia, Tara Burns, Frank McKenna, Jacqueline Lopez, Sabrina Buglioli, Olivia Laurendi, and Kristina Fuessler at the Seaford Library Summer Reading kickoff.

STEPPING OUT

Action along the midway

A bustling scene at the

STEPPING OUT

Creative advocacy

By Karen Bloom

Cotton candy, zeppole, the ubiquitous Ferris wheel. Of course, it must be time for the fair. That summertime staple is back again, taking over the Nassau Coliseum grounds, through July 16.

By Karen Bloom

Circus-type spectacle, an old-school “oddity” sideshow, exotic animals, along with plenty of thrill rides for all ages and midway action, all combine for an extravaganza that entices all ages.

Step right up everyone: The Royal Hanneford Circus carries forth with time-honored circus traditions refreshed for the 21st century. Producers Adrian Poema and Nellie Hanneford Poema — along with their four talented children, Catherine, Mariana, Adrian Jr., and Tommy — are focused on bringing a fresh new take on circus arts under the Big Top.

The Hanneford Family, long considered the “Royal Family of the Circus,” can rightly claim an unbroken span of circus history fast approaching three centuries. Beginning with Edwin Hanneford in the late 1600s to the present, they have consistently amazed, amused, thrilled and delighted audiences everywhere with their exploits and skilled acts. From aerial high-wire feats, to illusionists, freestyle motocross, the human cannonball, the big cats, and more — this surely is an edge-of-your-seat experience.

Film Expo

out the red carpet once again for the Long Island International Film Expo, now in its 26th year. LIIFE is proud to present 133 films — 75 of them from New York filmmakers, and 30 of them by Long Islanders. Even more statistics of note: LIIFE World premieres, five U.S. premieres, short- to feature-length, moviegoers can partake of a diverse group of 156 independent films this year include: ‘1,000 Years A Witness,’ to their youth; ‘Across,’ in which three young American World War II

widows take a day trip to celebrate the younger sister’s bittersweet engagement, when a corrosive and dangerous secret from the past reemerges; ‘The Concertgoer,’ the tale of a couple who, when finding the Shostakovich concert they had planned to see is sold out, are guided to an obscure garden where they find the elusive concertgoer, silent and still, lying on a brick slab.

Wednesday through Sunday, July 19-23. Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave., Bellmore. Tickets and information available at LongIslandFilm.com.

Pat McGann

Comic showcase

Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale

• Now through July 16, 5-11 p.m. weekdays; noon-11 p.m.

• Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum

Saturday and Sunday

• $10 (free for kids under 36 inches tall with paying adult); unlimited ride wristbands (for riders 36 inches and taller) are $35, $40 FridaySunday.

“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.

Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.

• Ride tickets are also available at the carnival for $1.50 each, $30/20 tickets, or $60/50 tickets plus 1 free ride (rides take 2 or more tickets each)

More animal antics can be found at Eudora Farms Exotic Petting Zoo, where kids can get up-close and personal with a variety of exotic animals from the four corners of the globe. Kids can meet and greet the animals — and feed them.

Be sure to check out the World of Wonders sideshow, new to the fair this year. Visit the colorful tent and be drawn into the scene involving 10 sideshow acts, under the watchful eye of Tommy Breen — aka The Great Gozleone. Sword swallower extraordinaire, his antics are boundless, including fire-eating and stunts with a guillotine that are not for the faint of heart.

“It highlights the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that promise equality and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” Giordano says. “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be ignored. The artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art and activism on issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, voting rights, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making of art with public service that has a grassroots approach in the hope of mobilizing their communities and the nation to ignite movement, create awareness, and inspire others to stand with them.”

“When I was 14, I decided I wanted to run away with the sideshow,” Breen says. “I started teaching myself sword swallowing and some other stunts out of the back of a book I found. I didn’t think there still were

This exhibit, which runs through July 28, is in conjunction with Hofstra’s 13th presidential conference on the Barack Obama presidency coming up in April.

sideshows around, I figured I could perform in bars with bands or something. But then, when I graduated college, I saw Ward Hall was hiring for his World of Wonders show. I was shocked it was still on the road and that I had the chance to work for the King of the Sideshow. So, I quit my job and got rid of my apartment and joined the carnival. It was what I had always daydreamed about, and once I got here, I just never left.”

Breen proudly carries on the sideshow tradition, with his fellow sideshow folk.

Strongwoman Luella Lynne emcees the show and astounds visitors with feats of strength, bending metal, ripping phone books, and breaking metal chains with her bare hands. Other “talents” include Sam Rezz, who performs with hula hoops, needle swallowing and contact juggling. And don’t miss out on Lucy Lovett, the electric lady, with her painproof woman act.

And, of course, don’t miss out on the rides. The midway features plenty of attractions that all ages will enjoy, including the Dream Wheel (one of the largest Ferris wheels on the fair circuit), the Grand Carousel, Super Cyclone roller coaster, Wacky Worm family roller coaster, Storybook Fun House, super slide, and bumper cars.

And, yes, in case you’re wondering, you can still take a spin in those tea cups. Some things never go out of style.

“We were interested in the idea that the artist has a civic responsibility,” says museum director Karen Albert. “The initial idea for this exhibition was inspired by an Obama Administration White House briefing that took place on May 12, 2009, where more than 60 artists and creative organizers met with administration officials to

Pat McGann is quickly rising as one of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at 31 after realizing he was not very good at selling packaging. He hustled his way to become the house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself as especially adept at working the crowd. A husband and father of three young children, McGann’s appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life and marriage. In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening act for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater, to arenas, including four soldout shows at Madison Square Garden. McGann’s relatively short, but impressive resume, includes Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs Festival, Gilda’s LaughFest, The Great American Comedy Festival, and more. McGann still calls Chicago home.

Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $40, $35, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

Laugh the night away at Mom’s Night Out, presented by Long Island Comedy Festival. You’ll enjoy witty standup delivered by four clever comics. Ellen Karis, known as the ‘Greek Goddess of Comedy,’ performs at venues throughout North America. She’s described as the ‘little dynamo’ given her petite stature, strong improv skills and ability to build a quick rapport with any audience. New York City-born and raised in a traditional strict Greek home, her brand of sarcastic, observational humor is along the same lines as comedy legends Joan Rivers and Richard Lewis. She’s joined by Maria Walsh, ‘America’s Naughtiest Mommy,’ whose quick wit, combined with coordinating facial expressions, give her a memorable and commanding stage presence. Kendra Cunningham, a Boston native who absconded to New York to peruse performing, who whines too much in her dreams. And Maureen Langan, acclaimed for her high-energy, versatile style that highlights her warmth and razor-edge repartee.

Thursday, July 20, 8 p.m. $35$40. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444 or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

Photos courtesy Empire State Fair

From daring sideshow acts featuring fire-eating to circus spectacle and everyone’s favorite rides, plus new enticements, plenty of summer amusements await at the latest edition of the Empire State Fair.

Can art change the world? It’s a question that’s been at the focus of our collective culture for centuries. Now as society navigates the complexities of modern life, art as a path for social change is at the forefront of artistic expression.

THE

July 27

Life Science of Summer

July 21

The folk rocker is back on tour, appearing on the Tilles Center stage, Friday and Saturday, July 21-22, 8 p.m. Singer, songwriter, producer, activist, humanitarian, best-selling author — Brandi Carlile has done it all. Since the release of her breakthrough album “By The Way, I Forgive You in 2018,” Carlile has won Grammy Awards, earned Billboard’s Women in Music Trailblazer Award, and received several Americana Music Association accolades. She won her seventh, eighth and ninth Grammys this year, winning for best Americana album with ”In These Silent Days.” Her song “Broken Horses,” won both best rock song and best rock performance. A versatile performer hailed by Billboard for her “impressive vocal range” and “captivating presence,” Carlile has topped the Americana and Rock charts with solo hits, co-founded the country supergroup The Highwomen, and collaborated with legendary artists including Elton John, Alicia Keys, Dolly Parton, and Miley Cyrus. Don’t miss an evening of iconic songs such as “The Story,” “That Wasn’t Me,” and “The Joke.” Seemingly everywhere, Carlisle has transitioned from an Americana powerhouse to a major headliner beloved by the industry and the public. Carlile’s career has been on a steep upward trajectory and her “Bramily” has her fans are known, are with her every step of the way. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets are $51.50 -$481.50; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

On exhibit

View the landmark exhibition “Modigliani and the Modern Portrait,” opening at Nassau County Museum of Art, Saturday, July 22. Devoted to the way that Modigliani powerfully re-defined the art of portraiture, the show includes his masterworks along with paintings and drawings by his Parisian contemporaries (Picasso, van Dongen, Laurencin). Modigliani’s enduring influence on artists even in our own time is shown in a selection of Contemporary paintings by such important figures as David Hockney, Eric Fischl, Elizabeth Peyton and others. The exhibition is being curated by Dr. Kenneth Wayne, founder of The Modigliani Project, which authenticates paintings and drawings (two of the works in the show have been recently approved by the committee). Through Nov. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Kids ages 6-9 can tour Old Westbury Gardens and examine how science is all around us in nature, Thursday, July 27, 2 p.m. Learn how plants grow and take home your own plant, as you participate in experiments of the water cycle and how we can use science to change the color of a flower both naturally and artificially. 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury. For information visit OldWestburyGardens.org or contact (516) 333-0048.

Wantagh Preservation Society car show

The Wantagh Preservation Society holds is second annual car show, Saturday, July 15, rain or shine, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Refreshments will be served and the museum will be open for viewing. Admission is $1 for anyone 18 and up, and free for anyone 17 or younger. 1700 Wantagh Ave. For more information email WantaghMuseum@gmail.com.

Write on: College essay workshops

Not sure how to get started on your college essay? The Hofstra University Admission Office is offering virtual workshops to help high school students learn the skills to tell their story in a way that helps them stand out. The workshops, Thursday, July 20 and Aug. 17, 4-5 p.m., are free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Hear from Hofstra Admission counselors about how to brainstorm topics, and compose a thoughtful essay that shows your personality, talents and interests. For more information about Hofstra Admission’s other virtual summer workshops, go to Admission.Hofstra.edu/ portal/virtual_admission_ webinars. To schedule a summer in-person visit go to: Hofstra.edu/visit.

Mindful mornings

Practice the “art” of looking at art at Nassau County Museum of Art, Thursday, July 27, 10-11 a.m., with

NCMA Director of Education

Laura Lynch. Mindful looking invites you to observe, question, and calmly reflect in a relaxed and supportive environment free of distraction. It’s an opportunity to experience and enjoy the art in the galleries or sculpture garden, together, making personal connection. $10. Space is limited and registration required. Also Aug. 3. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 4849337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Wantagh Class of 1973 Reunion

Wantagh High School’s Class of 1973 celebrates their 50th reunion, Sunday, July 22, 6:30 p.m., at Mulcahy’s. 3232 Railroad Ave., Wantagh. $100 per person; paid either with checks or through Venmo. For more information, email Long-Along1017@aol.com or Mimila924@aol.com.

Having an event?

The Tribunes

Enjoy summer tunes, with the five-man a capella doo wop group, featuring ‘5060s music, at Seaford Public Library, Saturday, July 22, 7:30 p.m. 2234 Jackson Ave. For information, visit SeafordLibrary.org.

Christmas in July Toy Drive

If you feel like taking a short drive to Hicksville, State Sen. Steve Rhoads, along with other local politicians including Legislator Rose Walker, Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino host a toy drive, Saturday, July 15, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hicksville Train Station, nearest to Newbridge Road and West Barclay Street. The theme is Christmas in July. For more information contact the senator’s chief of staff Christopher Dalton at cdalton@nysenate.gov or (516) 882-0630.

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.

On stage

Plaza Theatricals brings the iconic musical “Rent,” back to the stage, Friday, July 21, 7:30 p.m. The acclaimed reimagining of “La Vie Boheme,” loosely based on Puccini’s opera and set on East Village streets, fire escapes, tenements, and cafes. This groundbreaking roller coaster ride depicting the joys and sorrows of an eclectic, diverse group of young artists and activists is always captivating. It’s performed at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $35, $30 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers peer to peer breastfeeding support fwith a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 .Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Weekly Mah Jongg

Enjoy game night. The JULIETS are back playing Mah Jongg and cards at Congregation Beth Tikvah, at 3710 Woodbine Ave., in Wantagh, every Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Masks are optional. $5 per person. For more information email mahjonggCBT@yahoo.com or call (516) 785-2445.

LIIFE returns to the big screen, 26 years later

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

For 26 years, the Long Island International Film Expo has united filmmakers, producers, actors and actresses — and of course, moviegoers — right in the heart of Nassau County.

A great opportunity for people to network with professionals, learn about filmmaking, and watch some of this year’s best independent films, the expo — better known as LIIFE — returns to the Bellmore Movies and Showplace at 222 Pettit Ave., on July 19.

The expo has a lot in store for film fanatics this year, said Debra Markowitz. She’s president of the Long Island Film & TV Foundation, and is a co-creator of LIIFE, along with Henry and Anne Stampfel, owners of the Bellmore Movies.

Aside from 131 films — both shorts and features — which will be screened during this year’s expo, there are also a variety of panels and discussions ticket-buyers can attend. In particular, panels on writing, legalities and liabilities, and a director’s point of view on auditions, which are almost always fully booked.

The audition panel includes more than a half-dozen working directors, listening to actors who book themselves for 10-minute slots to read monologues.

“There are people who directors have seen during these auditions, and they might call them a year later or sometimes even two years later and say, ‘Hey, I’m casting this project. You’re great for such and such,’” Markowitz, a Merrick native, explained. “It’s a great way for them to get their face out there and practice auditioning.”

LIIFE receives support from celebrities who frequently make appearances and speak at panels during the expo.

Lukas Hassel — an actor, screenwriter and filmmaker known for roles in television shows such as NBC’s “The

Blacklist” — is again attending the expo.

“Filmmaking is hard,” he said last year. “It’s one thing if you have a studio backing you with $200 million and celebrity actors. But independent filmmaking is really hard. It’s all about reaching out to your colleagues, to your friends, to your community.”

Various venues have hosted LIIFE since its inception, including Hofstra University, Nassau Community College, and even Malverne Cinema on Hempstead Avenue. For the past 15 years — with the exception of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic — Bellmore Movies

Want to attend LIIFE?

Visit LongIslandFilm.com to see the lineup of events at the Long Island International Film Expo, and to purchase a Gold Pass, which allows one entrance to every film block and event between July 19 and July 23.

It all takes place at the Bellmore Movies and Showplace, 222 Pettit Ave., in Bellmore.

has been the festival’s home.

LIIFE also receives support each year from Nassau County, to the point its financial sponsorship makes the expo possible.

The film festival attracts everyone, from students, to successful filmmakers, to those just getting started.

“You have people who have really made it in the industry, who maybe do their own projects and lots of shows,” Markowitz said, “but you also have people who are just starting out, who maybe haven’t made a film yet. They can sit in the panels and ask all kinds of questions.

“So we kind of make the place you know, for filmmakers big and small — to really come and be a film community. That’s what I really think we do better than pretty much anybody else.”

And even though the 2023 expo is just around the corner, Markowitz said the Film & TV Foundation is already hard at work, planning the next one.

“I can’t believe we’ve been around for 26 years, and everything we’ve gone through and the changes that we’ve made,” Markowitz said. “It’s an all-volunteer staff, which is a big-time commitment and work commitment. It feels great to be able to get it done.”

Tim Baker/Herald file

Debra Markowitz, president of the Long Island Film & TV Foundation — and co-director of LIIFE — returns to bring yet another Long Island International Film Expo to the Bellmore Movies and Showplace on July 19.

No matter the industry, businesses around the world are undergoing dramatic changes to the way they operate From technology and skills development, to cultural barriers, self-care and mental health, every organization must adapt and evolve, or risk being left behind.

As we navigate a time of pivotal change, the Herald’s 2023 WE Summit presented by Bank of America brings together thought leaders, innovators and barrier-breaking women for conversations around this year’s theme: The Future is Now.

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

JUST ADDED: DANIELLE LABARBERA - SVP HUMAN RESOURCES AT AMERICAN EXPRESS & REENA JANA - HEAD OF CONTENT & PARTNERSHIP ENABLEMENT, RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION AT GOOGLE

FOR A FULL LIST OF SPEAKERS, WORKSHOPS AND AGENDA VISIT: RICHNERLIVE.COM/2023-WE-SUMMIT

SPONSORS

For more information about WE Summit or sponsorship opportunities, contact Amy Amato:

Learn and have fun at Jones Beach

Summer is here, and swimming isn’t the only thing to do at Jones Beach. The Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center, open year round, has plenty for you to do.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU LAKEVIEW LOAN

SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff - againstJOSEPH MORALES, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on March 16, 2020. 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 25th day of July, 2023 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 Seaford, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Premises known as 2331 Neptune Avenue, Seaford, New York 11783. (SBL#: 65-27313) Approximate amount of lien $598,181.30 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 602732/2018. Lisa Segal Poczik, 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 Xome.com Dated: May 19, 2023 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.

140210

LEGAL NOTICE

CASE NO. 12649

RESOLUTION NO.6592022 Adopted: May 24, 2022 Councilmember Carini offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION GRANTING THE PETITON OF THE GIAMBRONE ASSET MANAGEMENT TRUST, AS OWNER, AND BOLLA EM REALTY, LLC, AS LESSEE, FOR A VARIANCE FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE GSS DISTRICT, SITE PLAN MODIFICATION APROVAL, AND A MODIFICATION OF RESTRICITVE COVENANTS FOR REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1589 MERRICK ROAD, MERRICK, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK. WHEREAS, the petition of Bolla EM Realty, LLC, as lessee, with offices at 809 Stewart Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, and the Giambrone Asset Management Trust, as property owner, with an address at 14 Kotfield Court, Melville, New York 11747, dated and acknowledged June 25, 2021, for site plan modification approval, a Variance from the GSS provisions and a modification of Restrictive Coveneants for property located on the northeast corner of Merrick Road and Central Boulevard, Merrick, New York, more particularly described hereinafter, was filed with this Town Board; and WHEREAS, Bolla EM Realty, LLC, as lessee, and the Giambrone Asset Management Trust, as a property owner, have submitted to the Town of Hempstead a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants dated August 25, 2022, and executed by Harvinder Singh, Member (Bolla) and John Giambrone, Trustee (Giambrone)

(executed in counterparts) with reference to said overall parcel that modifies a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants recorded in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on January 27, 1986; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the petition of Bolla EM Realty, as property owner, dated June 25, 2021, for site plan modification approval, aVariance from the GSS provisions and a modification of Restricitve Covenants at the hereinafter described property in Merrick, New York, is hereby granted and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the property which is the subject of said Petition is known and designated as Section 55, Block 180, Lot 32 on the Nassau County Land And Tax Map, the meets and bounds of which are described in the Declaration of Restrictive Covenants and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that said petition is granted subject to the provisions of Chapter 132 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead and the Building Zone Ordinance of the Town of Hempstead, and further approvals if required from the Board of Appeals or any other governmental entity and the submission of a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants acceptable to this Board and the subject premises shall be maintained in accordance with the site plan prepared by High Point Engineering, last revised on May 10, 2022 and filed with the Town Clerk; and be it further RESOLVED, that this inclusion shall become effective upon the issuance of a permit by the Department of Buildings of the Town of Hempstead. The forgoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Dunne and adopted upon roll call as follows: AYES: SEVEN

(7) NOES: NONE (0)

140659

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 49

-2023 PLEASE TAKE

NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the day of June 20, 2023, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 49-2023, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Local Law No. 49-2023, for the enactment of an amendment to Chapter 99 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead entitled “Registration and Permitting of Property” in relation to accessory structures and penalties.

Dated:Hempstead, New York June 20, 2023 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD KATE MURRAY Town Clerk DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor 140661

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 August 15, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. prem. k/a Section 52, Block 302, Lot 743. Sold subject to terms and conditions of field judgment and terms of sale. RICHARD

L. FARLEY, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY. #100570 140638

Legislature recognizes Top Cops for June

The Nassau County Legislature honored two police officers from the Third Precinct of the Nassau County Police Department as Top Cops at the June meeting of the full legislature.

Officers Andrew Smith and Christopher Riebl were selected for this honor because of their work during a call where an 8-year-old girl walked into the middle of oncoming traffic, while armed with a butcher’s knife, and threatened to kill herself. The girl refused to drop the knife every time police officers directed her to and kept reiterating to the officers that she no longer wanted to live.

The situation was extremely unsafe for the girl, the police officers, and every car that was driving on the road because the incident was happening on a highly traf-

ficked road, so the officers had to make a rapid decision on how to save this girls life without putting anyone else in danger.

One officer distracted the girl while the other one snuck up behind her and grabbed the knife from the girl. She was then transported to Nassau County Medical Center for a psychological evaluation.

“Thank you to Officers Riebl and Smith for their efforts in making sure that this girl did not harm herself, and that no one else in the situation was injured,” Legislator Laura Schaefer said. “Thanks to their swift and heroic decision in a split-second, this girl survived and was able to get the help she needed. Thank you and all our great police.”

–Jordan Vallone

CRImE WaTCH

LaRCENy

On June 2, an individual on Wantagh Avenue South reported that unknown suspects stole two mini cameras from them.

On June 28 in Plainview, a woman reported that her catalytic converter was stolen while parked on Relda Street.

On June 29, a woman reported that her front license plate was stolen while parked on Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown.

CVS, located on Jerusalem Avenue in North Bellmore, reported that an unknown male suspect stole three beer cans from the store on June 29.

aRRESTS

Rebecca R. Lewis, 30, from Levittown,

was arrested on June 30 for allegedly shoplifting from Target, located on Corporate Drive in Westbury.

Paul Bonola Pena, 44, from Wantagh, was arrested on July 3 for allegedly shoplifting from Target, located on Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown.

CRImINaL mISCHIEf

At Massapequa Preserve, on the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Van Buren Street in Massapequa Park, a park bench was damaged on June 28.

On Westwood Road South in Massapequa, a woman reported that her PVC fence was damaged on July 2.

On July 2 in Massapequa, a woman reported that the left rear corner panel on her vehicle was damaged while parked on Erlwein Court.

Courtesy Nassau County Legislature Legislator Michael Giangregorio, Michael Schnider, a PBA delegate, David Re, Officer Andrew Smith; Officer Christopher Riebl, Alexander McKiel, a PBA delegate, Ed Eilenberger, PBA treasurer and Legislator Laura Schaefer.

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT

EAST ROCKAWAY JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER (2 POSITIONS)

12 Month Position

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS PER NASSAU COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE

Training and Experience

Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university, AND

Four years of satisfactory administrative staff experience, which must include participating in budget preparation, and/or personnel and/or procurement activities.

NOTE: 1. Experience, as outlined above, in excess of the four-year requirement, may be substituted for college education on a year-for-year basis up to a maximum of four years.

2. A Master's degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university may be substituted for one year of the experience as outlined above.

Anticipated Start Date: Upon Civil Service Approval

Please submit letter of interest and resume to:

Ms. Diane Drakopoulos

Personnel Clerk 443 Ocean Avenue East Rockaway, NY 11518 516-887-8300, x1-441

Email: ddrakopoulos@eastrockawayschools.org

The Merrick Before/After School Program is preparing for the 2023-24 school year. We require mature individuals to provide quality care to elementary school aged children from 2:45 pm to 5:00 or 6:00 pm weekdays. Minimum 3 afternoons per week. Experience helpful. If interested, email merrickbasp@aol.com or call 516-379-4245

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE Full Time/Part Time Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

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, 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! Bell Auto School 516-365-5778

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS

WANTED

Will Certify And Train HS Diploma NYS License Clean 3 Years Call 516-731-3000

EDITOR/REPORTER

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.

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 LINE

Path Monitor

At Blaze, Old Bethpage Village Outdoors From September Through November

5-8 Hour Evening Shifts

Providing A Welcoming Atmosphere And Ensuring Guest Safety. Hourly Rate $20. To Apply: https://hudsonvalley.org/ employment/

To Apply: https://hudsonvalley.org/ employment/

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

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. We offer salary, commission, bonuses, health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Will consider part time. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a 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. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

RECEPTIONIST P/T Busy Cedarhurst Office Sundays & Some Week Days

Answering Phones, Filing, And Scheduling Appointments Must Be Computer Literate Call 516-374-1010

Child/Eldercare/Help Wanted

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Q. Since Covid I’ve been working mostly from home. I’m planning to build a home office in my basement, and will use metal wall studs with rockwool to insulate around the outside wall and also the inside walls for sound privacy. My child’s playroom will be just outside the office. I’m wondering whether I need to put in some kind of heater or air conditioner or just put a vent in the wall for airflow. My basement normally stays pretty cool in the summer, and isn’t too cold in the winter, usually around 60 to 65 degrees. Only about 18 inches of the basement is above ground. Should I add a split air conditioner and heater, use a space heater or just put vents in my office wall to the outside room?

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A. You gave useful information that helps give me a clear understanding of the issues. There are many things to know about finishing a basement, because of building code safety requirements, thermal comfort, lighting levels and even the ceiling height. Hopefully you already know that you need a building permit, even though most people roll their eyes at this, because getting a permit isn’t as simple as it used to be, and because of the difficulties, many people avoid the process.

Consider that you need an escape well from the main room, and you can’t exit through the office room to the exterior, because you can’t exit through a smaller space with a potentially closed door. Your thermal comfort, working at any hour of the day, is important, and your choice of wall metal studs can avoid potential moisture effects that can rot wood wall studs. In a recent conversation with a contractor, he said that he often sees wall studs rusted when he opens the walls to renovate, so be sure that the wall cavity has a water-resistant coating on the masonry or concrete wall surfaces. Although I recommend rigid polystyrene for the wall cavity, because it won’t sag if there’s moisture, rockwool is also a good choice if it can be secured from drooping when there is moisture buildup in the walls.

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Rockwool is a better sound insulator than fiberglass thermal insulation, but the better choice would be a specifically manufactured sound batting, also fiberglass, that comes in packages marked with the sound rating and labeled as acoustic insulation.

The choice to add heat or cooling is based on a few factors. One factor is related to the humidity level of the basement, which can be monitored with a humidistat. You may only need a humidifier to control humidity, since the ground is an excellent insulator that slows heat and cool air from radiating to the room because of the ground’s large mass. If you remember to insulate between the floor joists at the outside wall, the cool and heat should be under control. Vents in the interior walls will defeat the sound privacy purpose of the room and are not recommended. Good luck!

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Congestion pricing, a hole-in-the-head proposal

Everything in this world is a function of timing. Whether it’s sports or some other activity, timing is everything. And it will be a key issue when it comes to the state’s longplanned congestion-pricing plan, which is scheduled to start sometime in 2024. There is no doubt that drivers in New York City face challenges every day. As the coronavirus pandemic has faded, negotiating the traffic in and out of the city has become a disastrous experience. There are many more suburban private-vehicle commuters than anyone anticipated. Planning groups have been advocating for many years for a congestion-pricing plan. It has worked in London and Singapore, and it was hoped that it would eventually come to New York. But the key question is whether or not it’s the right time to impose this burden on scores of thousands of drivers.

I have always been an advocate of finding a way to cut down on congestion in the city. A number of mayors have grappled with ideas on how to improve traffic flow, but all of their ideas have fallen flat. With more bike lanes and parking restrictions as well as the traffic, it’s almost impossible to maneuver around the city at virtually any hour of the day.

Is it the right time to start the congestion pricing program? No. I think it’s the wrong time, for a variety of reasons. The Covid nightmare may be long gone, but the city hasn’t recovered. Many businesses suffered greatly, and are just beginning to recover from their losses. Charging trucks that make multiple trips to the city will just become a consumer tax.

The hearings on the congestion plan were a sham. Members of the public were given a chance to weigh in on whether they supported such a plan, but listeners sounded bored with the whole process. You can’t have a real hearing without knowing what it will cost to use the toll zone.

The Metropolitan Transportation

Authority says it will soon reveal the toll structure, but by then the plan will be a done deal. There is no way that car and truck owners will have an opportunity to express their concerns, ideas or opposition to the final announcement. Knowing the MTA from past experience, I expect the tolls to be arbitrary and unreasonable.

The agency has stated that tolls could be as high as $23. My guess is that they will be much higher. The real toll structure will depend on how much it will cost to set up the tolling system. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent to get the E-ZPass system up and running. If the construction contract runs over budget, and you can expect that it will, drivers who commute will end up paying to cover those costs.

Most people aren’t familiar with the term “bond covenants,” which relates to the guarantees in the congestion-pricing legislation. It means that the tolling costs will be covered by the tolls drivers pay. If the cost of erecting tolling devices is exceptionally high, the tolls will have to

rise to pay off the bonds.

The MTA has said that the tolls may be lower on weekends. But with drivers covering the no doubt excessive construction costs, don’t expect any bargain fares. Sadly, the more questions people ask about the details of the program, the more likely it will be to turn into a disaster, because those answers won’t come in time.

This program wasn’t launched by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration. It was created by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Hochul has now inherited the plan. She is at the mercy of a bureaucracy that is rarely people-sensitive. If the MTA botches the toll structure and offers a confusing implementation plan, Hochul will have inherited a major political headache.

Congestion pricing is a good government idea. There is a need to control the city’s traffic nightmare. But those who drive into the city need this plan right now like they need a hole in the head.

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

Journalists become targets for jihadists

The number of foreign correspondents has plummeted in the past 10 years, and most overseas news bureaus have either shrunk or shuttered their offices. At the same time, more reporters are being killed or kidnapped by extremist groups. No one knows the exact numbers, because families and news agencies are protective of information about individuals in captivity.

We may have come to a turning point in journalism, where the danger of reporting from jihadist strongholds has become too extreme to justify the presence of correspondents.

Steven Sotloff, 31, was the 70th journalist killed in Syria since civil war began tearing the country apart in 2011. That is a devastating number of fatalities for a noncombatant group comprising professional reporters who just want to get the story and send it home.

Despite a heartbreaking videotaped appeal by Sotloff’s mother, the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, beheaded him and posted the video on YouTube. He was the second American reporter to die on his knees in a faraway desert in recent weeks. ISIS also recorded the murder of another reporter, James

Foley, sending those brutal images, too, out into the world.

Sotloff and Foley belonged to a courageous band of brothers and sisters who travel the world to tell the who, what, where, why and how of natural disasters and armed conflicts. They do the counterintuitive thing — running toward danger in order to see what is happening on the ground.

A driven group of professionals, they are willing to endure just about anything that life in the field can throw at them: deplorable living conditions, foul weather, loneliness, fatigue and violence. Their goal is to get the most accurate facts and interviews they can and transmit or broadcast the stories, often from the battlefield.

There is the glory, too, along with the guts. And there is glamour as well, and a storied history of dashing correspondents who covered wars by day, hunkered down with troops, and caroused by night in bars from Singapore to Saigon.

Dexter Filkins, author of “The Forever War,” wrote about reporting from Afghanistan and Iraq during those wars. He spoke honestly about the addictive quality of living on the edge every day. I’ve followed his career, watching him return again and again to whatever city happens to be in flames.

That’s what foreign correspondents have always done, from Ernie Pyle and

Ernest Hemingway in World War II to Dan

Rather and Morley Safer in Vietnam. They fly into danger, push toward the front lines and try to nail the story. They employ fixers and translators and locals who work both sides of the street. And, too often, they die.

In 2002, journalist Daniel Pearl was killed in Pakistan on his way to meet an informant. In 2011, CBS reporter Lara Logan was sexually assaulted by dozens of men in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on the day that rebels toppled the regime of Hosni Mubarak. In 2012, a 21-yearold British journalist, Natasha Smith, was also attacked in Tahrir Square, and barely escaped with her life. A year later, a female Dutch journalist, 22, was attacked and raped in Tahrir Square by five men, while a chanting mob stood by and watched.

The atmosphere has turned toxic for foreign reporters, especially in the Middle East. In the past, all sides in a conflict respected journalists’ neutrality and sought out reporters in order to tell their side of events.

Now, however, a reporter in the field, especially a Western journalist, is seen as a commodity, a bargaining chip in a kidnap scheme, a source of ransom money, and a target. ISIS doesn’t need a foreign correspondent to vent and rant. It has YouTube. Reporters are not only expendable; kidnapping them is profitable, both in dollars and propaganda.

Randi is on a brief leave. This column was originally published Sept. 11-17, 2014.

I watch Richard Engel, of NBC, reporting from the rooftops of Baghdad, and I see Anna Coren, an Australian correspondent, reporting from Mosel. I don’t know how they summon the courage to carry on in such a hostile environment, and I don’t know that they should.

Perhaps we need to rethink the model of sending journalists into war zones. CNN and the other major news organizations try to protect their people, moving them from safe house to safe house and changing their daily routines to discourage kidnapping. But the nature of war has changed. Freelancers, like Foley and Sotloff, are especially vulnerable; they don’t have an organization behind them. The risks they took outweighed any possible benefit.

It may have been worth the sacrifice in the 1940s to get news of faraway battles back to friends and relatives at home, and it surely was journalists who helped turn the tide of public sentiment against the war in Vietnam. But these days there are cellphones and social media to get the word out. Today’s wars in Iraq and Syria, in Gaza and Libya are turning reporters into coveted trophies, vulnerable to kidnappings that often end in death.

Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

RANDI KREISS

Reporters are seen as commodities, bargaining chips in kidnap schemes.

The MTA has said the tolls could be as high as $23. My guess? They’ll be much higher.

JERRY KREMER

Easy summer living? Not for some children

For many, summer is the time for camp, vacation and weekend barbecues.

However, for some children across the country — and even right here in Nassau County — summer leaves school-aged kids scrambling to find a healthy meal, since they can’t depend on the federally subsidized breakfast and lunch programs at their school.

It’s far more prevalent than many might realize. One report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that 12 percent of American households had children who weren’t getting enough to eat.

They call it “food insecurity,” but let’s call it what it really is: hunger.

And hunger is quite close to home, too. In fact, 1 in 4 people on Long Island who are hungry are kids. That’s 65,000 kids who are not getting three full nutritious meals every day, among more than 221,000 people overall.

While we can’t forget what it’s like to be hungry, there are even more lasting impacts beyond the sound of a grumbling stomach. Young people who are not eating properly and regularly are at a higher risk than their peers to experience behavioral issues such as anxiety, aggression and hyperactivity, according to experts. They often suffer from a reduced ability to learn social skills, impairing cognitive learning and possibly even incurring permanent brain damage.

A lack of food also raises the risk of becoming sick and possibly having to endure chronic illnesses such as anemia and asthma.

Kids who are eating healthy during

letters

Island Harvest Long Island Cares

the summer break are more than likely to retain what they learned during the previous academic year, and be better prepared to build on that foundation when they return to school.

The Summer Food Service Program administered through the state’s education department aims to fill the gap across New York. Locally, Island Harvest — a Melville-based hunger-relief organization — partners with roughly 35 community locations across Long Island — churches, health centers, libraries, recreation centers, parks and schools — to get food to those who need it.

Last year, Island Harvest served 75,000 meals to more than 2,500 children. To educate the kids on the value of eating healthy food, there were also hands-on nutrition lessons. Learning how much sugar was in their favorite breakfast cereal and drink was a “wow” moment for many of them.

Long Island Cares is another group battling hunger in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The Hauppauge-based organi-

The good and bad of pandemicdriven technological progress

To the Editor:

The coronavirus pandemic, without a doubt, changed the world — and one of its most notable effects has been the acceleration of technology initiatives as the public and private sectors seek to digitize more operations and communications. Many artificial intelligence products have come out of these advances, and many are being put to use by state and local governments with input from private tech companies.

Governments are adopting AI at an accelerating pace. New York City and state agencies have experienced a broad expansion of AI applications, such as chatbots. And now, with last year’s widespread introduction of AI tools that can create new content such as text and images, it appears that further changes are on the way.

It is imperative that the private sector and government institutions meet the moment by adopting comprehensive risk-mitigation strategies and effective AI governance

zation runs an array of programs from emergency response and recovery, to Baxter’s Pet Pantry for starving dogs and cats. There are also youth-oriented offerings such as the Kids Café, Pack It Up for Kids, and the summer food program.

As you sit back in your easy chair in the sunshine, you’re thinking, “OK, there are programs to feed the children. What can I do?”

Get involved. Getting food to the hungry takes effort — money or manpower.

Island Harvest has a food donor program. Neighbors and other groups can run a food and fund drive, and you can volunteer. For a teen looking to collect community service hours, this is a great way to earn that volunteer time while truly making a difference, maybe even for a peer.

Long Island Cares also has multiple avenues to help. There is corporate giving, individual donations, hosting a food drive, the Student Hunger Advocacy Coalition and, of course, volunteering.

These are but two of the organizations on Long Island that battle hunger. There are many local organizations that could use your time and support.

Ensuring children are properly fed through the summer is an investment we can’t afford not to make. Typically, every dollar donated equals two meals, according to Island Harvest.

Like that old commercial, “you can pay me now or pay me later,” we can help feed children now, or deal with the consequences of unhealthy young people in the near future. And that comes with a higher price tag for society, and for someone to grow up knowing all too well the pains of hunger.

Honor Harry Chapin’s legacy with action to end hunger

If you compiled the names of the most impactful Long Islanders in our history, you’d surely start off with the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, Walt Whitman and Marie Colvin — and in my estimation, Harry Chapin is a fitting fourth candidate to complete a cross-cultural Mount Rushmore of great Long Islanders.

In just nine years as a recording artist, Chapin released 12 albums that embodied his distinctive style as a musical storyteller. Thanks to timeless melodies and stirring lyrics that vividly told stories of everyday life, songs like “Taxi,” “W.O.L.D.,” “Circle,” “Sequel” and, of course, “Cat’s in the Cradle” became embedded in the soundtracks of our lives in the 1970s, and have endured in the decades since.

benefit concerts, and used his platform as a springboard for advocacy. He was involved in launching World Hunger Year (now known as WhyHunger) in 1975, and establishing the Presidential Commission on World Hunger during the Carter administration. But the food bank that now bears his name is perhaps his greatest innovation. When Chapin launched Long Island Cares in 1980, he created Long Island’s first food bank, and in doing so revolutionized our regional approach to addressing food insecurity and hunger.

arnoLD w. DrUCker

Using his remarkable gifts, Chapin also pursued a philanthropic calling: a mission to eradicate hunger, in the United States in particular.

As one of the world’s highest-paid entertainers at the time, he gave generously to charitable causes, hosted numerous

In 2021, Long Island Cares distributed 14 million pounds of food — the equivalent of 11.5 million meals — and it now has a half-dozen brick-andmortar storefront locations across the Island. The agency was instrumental in addressing crises like Superstorm Sandy and the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. And because no member of a family — included the four-legged and feathered ones — is spared from hunger, the seventh location, Baxter’s Pet Pantry, is dedicated to collecting and distributing pet food and supplies to families in need.

In this oft-derided age of the celebrity

Letters

frameworks that prioritize transparency, accuracy and fairness.

Unfortunately, the ability to understand the risks involved with some AI products — and the strategies to reduce or eliminate those risks — has not kept up with the pace at which AI is being put to use. Numerous studies have shown a significant rise in AI adoption and investment, with most experts foreseeing a further boost in AI investment in the coming years. Alarmingly, organizations have made little progress in addressing wellknown AI-related risks such as bias, lack of transparency and safety concerns.

This concerning trend is also evident in government institutions. My recent report on AI governance in New York City found that the city lacks an effective AI governance framework. City agencies have been left to develop their own divergent approaches, resulting in ad hoc and incomplete measures that fail to ensure transparency, accuracy and fairness in AI systems.

This is concerning because while AI promises vast opportunities, it also carries inherent risks. Several incidents — even before the pandemic — illustrated the unintentional harm that can be caused by government AI systems designed or implemented irresponsibly. A faulty automated fraud-detection system in Michigan erroneously accused thousands of unemployment insurance recipients of fraud, causing financial ruin for many. Similar issues have plagued other systems related to Med-

icaid eligibility determinations, facial recognition, criminal justice, health care, teacher evaluations and job recruitment applications.

New York City has been a forerunner in examining the use of AI. It was among the first to establish a task force dedicated to examining the responsible use of automated decision-making systems, including AI systems. But the city’s efforts are no longer keeping pace with this rapidly advancing technology. Despite the task force’s recommendations and the expansion of AI applications during the pandemic, the city still doesn’t have an effective AI governance framework.

As we continue to embrace the technological leaps brought forth by the pandemic, we must ensure that we do so responsibly. Audits, such as the one my office conducted in New York City, can help drive change by raising awareness of where risks lie. Understanding these risks and identifying blind spots is a first step in the right direction, but the city must also take further action, such as implementing a robust governance framework to ensure that the use of AI is transparent, accurate, unbiased, and minimizes the potential for disparate impacts. I encourage my colleagues in government to join me in ensuring that AI systems work to further the greater good for all New Yorkers.

candidate, Chapin would have been a natural to run for the House of Representatives or another elected office, but not because he was a star. He would have been ideal because he did the work and cared deeply about the future we shared. Sadly, he never got that chance. On July 16, 1981, Chapin was driving his Volkswagen to a benefit concert at Eisenhower Park when the car was struck by an 18-wheeler on the Long Island Expressway and he was fatally injured.

The shock of his sudden, untimely death reverberated through the park on that summer evening, and through our society for years afterward. He would be cited as an inspiration for endeavors like USA for Africa and Live Aid, and countless memorial awards, theaters and humanitarian events would be named in his honor.

Neighboring municipalities like Suffolk County have declared July 16 Harry Chapin Day in honor of all he achieved in just 38 years. In Nassau County, I continue to pursue legislation I filed last year to establish a Harry Chapin Day of our own. While there has been no action by the legislative majority to date, I will never lose hope, or lose sight of the important mis-

sion in front of us.

Rather than wait for the gears of government to turn, I decided to immediately implement one of the tenets of my proposed legislation — after all, Chapin was the man who said, “When in doubt, do something!” Starting on July 16, my office will hold its second annual summer food drive, to benefit Long Island Cares and draw renewed attention to Chapin’s legacy.

Among the many lessons of the past several years, we have all been confronted with the hard truth that far more of our neighbors struggle silently with food insecurity than we ever knew.

If you would like to support this endeavor, you can make a contribution of nonperishable goods at the Plainview-Old Bethpage and Syosset libraries and Plainview’s Trio Hardware, or donate directly to Long Island Cares, through Aug. 16. Call my office, at (516) 571-6216, or email adrucker@nassaucountyny.gov, if you have any questions.

In Harry’s words again, “We all have the potential to move the world, and the world is ready to be moved.” This summer, as Nassau County residents and Long Islanders, let’s unite to move the world to a better and more humane place.

Arnold W. Drucker has represented Nassau County’s 16th Legislative District since 2016.

Framework courtesy Michael Ostrow

U sing his remarkable gifts, Chapin pursued a philanthropic calling.

THOMAS P. DINAPOLI New York state comptroller

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