__________________ SEAFORD _________________
HERALD Urging water conservation
Protecting your pets from heat
Summer music in levittown
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Vol. 70 No. 31
JUlY 28 - AUGUST 3, 2022
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OBITUARY
James Vinson, fire captain, dies Seaford native, 44, was dedicated to Wantagh Fire Department and drive to the fires so he could watch the firefighters.” His career as a firefighter Capt. James Vinson, who began in high school at age 16, served more than 20 years with working as a junior volunteer the Wantagh Fire Department, firefighter in North Massapequa, died unexpectedly on July 5. He since Wantagh didn’t have such was 44. a program available Capt. Vinson’s at the time. As soon family and friends in as he turned 18, Vinthe Wantagh comson joined the Wantmunity described agh Fire Department him as a selfless indiand was assigned to vidual who will soreEngine 7. In 2004, ly be missed. Vinson transferred Vinson, whose to Ladder 2 and career was as an began the transition insurance broker in from an engine comManhattan, dedicatpany to a ladder ed a great deal of his company, moving James Vinson time to the Wantagh from fire suppresFire Department, a sion to ventilation fully volunteer organization, to and rescue. Vinson was promothelp protect his community. ed to lieutenant in 2012 and According to Vinson’s sister, served for two years before being Jackie Verdon, 41, growing up in elected captain of Ladder 2. Due Seaford, he had always wanted to to his seniority, Vinson also be a firefighter. served as a mentor to many of “Our grandmother used to the department’s younger memhave the fire department scan- bers. ner (on), and he would listen to Vinson served on a number of whatever fires were going on in Wantagh Fire Department comthe area,” Verdon said. “Some- mittees and also served as an times we would get into the car Continued on page 5
By MiCHAel MAlASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
Courtesy Justine DeNicola
ANGeliNA lAVolPe, SeAford High School senior, in a plaza in Florence, Italy, while on a singing tour.
Seaford student sings in Italy
Angelina LaVolpe, 17, performs at the Vatican By MiCHAel MAlASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com
The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra recently selected a number of chorus students from Long Island for a two-week singing tour in Italy, from July 6-19, with the Vatican being the final stop. One of those lucky students was Angelina LaVolpe, 17, a senior at Seaford High School this September who sings as an alto and also plays the piano. “It’s funny, she turned 17 on July 14 while we were on the tour,” Justine DeNicola, LaVolpe’s mother, said. “We celebrated her birthday with the group in Italy.” LaVolpe had always expressed an interest
in singing, ever since she was a fourth-grader at Seaford’s Harbor Elementary School. Linda Grieco, the then chorus teacher at Harbor, had recommended to DeNicola that her daughter audition for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. This venture was a success, and LaVolpe continued singing throughout elementary, middle and high school, both for school chorus groups and for the youth orchestra. The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, based in Manhasset, seeks to further music students’ potential outside of school by taking them to perform in highly regarded venues. John C. McNeur founded the youth orchestra in 1993, and it has grown from a 15-piece orchestra to Continued on page 15