Seaford Herald 11-17-2022

Simply the best

Barking Biscuit turns canine treats into a howling success

By MICHAEl MAlASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com

What began as a passion project by a Wantagh couple now has the potential to take the pet food industry by storm.

The couple recently launched a business called the Barking Biscuit, which makes homemade treats for dogs.

Ira Reiter and wife Hillary say they always loved dogs, and both of them grew up with dogs in their home.

“Growing up, I had a German shepherd mix named Cindy,” Hillary Reiter, who is originally from the Five Towns, said. “Then I moved out and

got Bandit, another shepherd mix. He lived for 16 years. Then there was Shelby, a sheltie. She also lived for 16 years.”

Together, the Reiters now have three dogs — Gracie, Riley and Oscar, all of whom are rescues.

“I grew up with great Danes,” Ira Reiter, origi nally from Elmont, said. “Growing up, I probably had eight or nine great dogs. And then Hillary and I got married, and we went from big dogs to small dogs.”

According to the Reiters, their daughter, Jaymee, was always an animal enthusiast growing up as well, and they saw every kind of animal in their household, from mice and guinea pigs to hedge

Harvesting some goodwill

Church and Kiwanis Club grow fresh food for pantries

By MICHAEl MAlASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com

The Wantagh Kiwanis Club and a local church are combin ing their efforts to help combat world hunger, and now they are urging members of the Wantagh, Seaford and surrounding communities to help tackle the problem.

The Kiwanis Club routinely runs food drives for nonperishable food items, as well as necessities such as baby powder and shampoo, which go to local pantries. But Ron Garner of the Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation, said he wanted to add fresh produce to that lineup and started a community garden at his parish.

Garner, who is the treasurer of the Long Island Council of Churches, created the Wantagh Giving Garden in 2012. His par ish already had a working rela

tionship with the Freeport Emergency Food Center, but Garner said he quickly recog nized the need for fresh produce at pantries like that one.

“For the first few years, we had to drag a garden hose out, and it was very difficult to water the plants,” Garner said. “So we spoke to the trustees and got a sprinkler system installed in 2015.”

Laurie Nunez, of Bellmore, quickly volunteered to assist Garner in this effort, and is now in charge of the garden. Nunez said she has tried many different gardening tech niques, including “sister planting,” which originated with the Native Americans.

“It’s really a hands-on experi ment,” Nunez said. “Some things work, some things don’t.”

The effort started this spring and wrapped up late last month, and thanks to Nunez’s efforts

Karen Millindorf/Herald

Seaford’s girls’ volleyball team captured Nassau and Long Island Class B championships last week and is headed to the New York State tournament. Story, additional photo, page 8.

I was going down to the pantry in Freeport with fresh produce two or three times a week during the summer.

RoN GARNER pastor, Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church

St. Joseph’s funding helps student veterans

St. Joseph’s University-New York was awarded nearly $560,000 to help it better recruit military veterans as students, and lead them toward degrees.

The funds come from the U.S. Depart ment of Education’s Centers of Excel lence for Veteran Student Success Grant Program.

“We pride ourselves on the exceptional services we offer to all of our students, especially student veterans who have given so much of themselves before they arrive at St. Joseph’s,” said Donald Boomgaarden, the school’s president, in a release. “We are grateful to receive this funding that will allow us to continue the work we do with our student veterans, and expand our services to even more students in the years to come.”

Funds will be used primarily for the school’s Peer Health Educator Program, designating six veteran-specific peer

health educators trained in meeting the needs of student veterans. The grans also will expand career preparation and sup port for veterans, increasing participation with Student Veterans of America, pro vide graduate student completion grants, provide internship stipends, and launch a program specifically for female veterans.

“Our military and veteran students bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and diversity to our campuses,” said Erin D’Eletto, the school’s military and veter ans services director. “This funding will not only allow us to continue providing substantial services to our student veter ans, but also add programs and services to further support their personal, academic and professional success.”

St. Joseph’s University offers campuses on West Roe Boulevard tin Patchogue, as well as on Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn. To learn more, visit SJNY.edu.

Police arrest Wantagh man for alleged assault

Nassau County police arrested John Eidenwell, 55, of Wantagh, late on Sunday evening.

According to detectives, Eidenwell was seen walking on Sunrise Highway, in the direction of the Wantagh Parkway, with an open beer. Officers approached Eiden well and asked him for identification, but Eidenwell refused. He then punched one of the officers in the head, and a struggle

ensued. Eidenwell bit one of the police officers before they were able to subdue him and make the arrest.

The arresting officers and Eidenwell were taken to hospitals afterwards.

Eidenwell has been charged with sec ond degree assault, resisting arrest, and possession of an open alcohol container. He was arraigned on Nov. 14 at the First District Court in Hempstead.

A special visit from the chief rabbi of Israel

Chabad Center, with Wantagh and Seaford congregants, is blessed and educated

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Members of the Jewish com munity in Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh, and Seaford were invited to the Chabad Center for Jewish Life on Nov. 6 for a number of things — a Men’s Tefillin Club meeting, a special mezuzah check and, perhaps most important, a visit from the chief rabbi of Israel, David Lau.

The Tefillin Club meets on the first Sunday of every month at the center’s Hewlett Avenue location in Merrick. Tefil lin are a pair of leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment with verses from the Torah. Hand tefillin are fastened to the wearer’s weaker arm — the left arm for righties, the right arm for lefties. The box from this strap rests on the bicep, facing the wearer’s heart.

Head tefillin are worn like a crown, with the box resting just above the hair line. In Orthodox Judaism, tefillin are worn only by men, and it is considered a very powerful and important mitzvah to fulfill. A blessing is recited to the wearer by a rabbi, and certain prayers and texts are read aloud while wearing tefillin.

At the meeting, Rabbi Shimon Kramer, who leads the Merrick-Bell more-Wantagh Chabad, led the morning prayer. Afterward he intro duced Rabbi Nota Kuperman of Brooklyn, a sofer — or traditional Jewish scribe — who had come to examine the verses on the tefillin scrolls to ensure that the script was unsmudged and still legible.

“Tefillin (is the) channel in which we receive God’s blessing,” Kuper man said. “Tefillin is what binds us to God — our connection. The word means to be tied, to be connected. It reminds us that God not only created the world, but that he continues run ning the world.”

Kuperman remained at the Chabad for the day to check the writ ing in a mezuzah, a decorative case that contains another piece of parch ment known as a klaf. A mezuzah is attached to the doorway of a Jewish home, and Chabad members were encouraged to bring theirs to be inspected by Kuperman.

Like tefillin, the text on the klaf should also be checked regularly by a sofer to make sure it is still kosher, Kuper man explained. A mezuzah is hung to show that the dwelling is a Jewish house hold that keeps to a special set of rules, rituals and beliefs.

“With the mezuzah, we dedicate to God everything that is in our house,” Kuperman said. “This brings out God’s blessing — the blessing of everything in life that we have.”

He said he was impressed by the num ber of attendees, and explained why and how often tefillin and mezuzahs should be checked. “They wear out,” he said. “The letters, even if they were written properly, with time, can deteriorate, the parchment can deteriorate and the letters can crack

and fade. Therefore it has to be inspected once every few years.”

Some in the crowd asked about the proper method of storage for tefillin and a mezuzah, and whether that could affect on the longevity of the text. Kuperman said he had seen scrolls stored in the tightest waterproof containers deterio rate, which is why he urged the attendees to make sure theirs are checked often.

The Chabad of Hewlett and the Chabad of Long Island had helped arrange a visit by Rabbi Lau on Sunday. Kramer said that congregants were thankful that Lau was able to take some time out of his day to meet them, and to offer some thoughts about issues facing Jews around the world.

Lau, like Kuperman, said he was

impressed by the size of the audi ence, and commended people for bringing their children to Hebrew School, which also meets on Sun day mornings at the Chabad Center. After greeting the gathering, Lau made time to meet with the Chabad’s students, and answer their questions.

“I am very happy to see you here — I am very happy to hear the children,” Lau said. “I am sure that because you find the time and that you take your children to learn (about) the Jewish nation, the lan guage of the Jewish nation, they will con tinue to bless you.”

Some Chabad members asked Lau what they could do to help Israel, and how they could battle the surge of antisemi tism at home and in the media. He urged

them to continue educating students and their children, and to take them to Israel to experience the culture and holiness of the country.

On the matter of antisemitism, Lau shared some wisdom he had recently imparted to religious leaders from around the world — including Pope Francis and prominent figures in Islam — at a meet ing he attended in Kazakhstan.

“We are very quick to speak on each other,” he said, “that we forget to speak with each other.

“You can speak with people that don’t understand,” he added, “and this is a way to help us.”

Jordan Vallone/Herald photos

RABBi DAViD LAu met with the Chabad’s Hebrew students and their families.

FOLLOwiNg A Busy morning at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life last Sunday, the chief rabbi of Israel, David Lau, met its members and offered some wisdom on issues facing the greater Jewish community.

LAu tOOk quEstiONs from the children.

hogs, fish and hermit crabs. Jaymee never forget her passion for animals and now works as a zookeeper.

Ira Reiter was originally a commercial truck salesman, a job he left to fully dedi cate his time to The Barking Biscuit, while his wife still works as a hairdresser when she’s not making pet cookies.

The Barking Biscuit began as a hobby for the Reiters.

“I was baking cookies for my dogs, and I was giving them all away,” Hillary Reit er said. “The dogs were going crazy for them. So we figured why not take it to the next level and start selling these cook ies?”

The business officially began in 2019, and the Reiters donated a percentage of their sales every month to different ani mal rescues, including Last Hope in Wantagh and the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, also located in Wantagh. They have also donated cookies to pet pantries, such as Baxter’s Pet Pantry in Elmont.

The Barking Biscuit can also be seen at street fairs, farmers’ markets and even breweries — the company had its kiosk open at Blue Point Brewery in Patchogue on Nov. 6. They have even baked for the Nassau County K-9 dogs, the Reiters said. Many businesses suffered when the pandemic hit in 2020, but The Barking Biscuit’s unique model actually allowed it to flourish during this time.

“We never rested during that stay-athome period,” Hillary Reiter said. “We made cookies for essential workers’ pets. We gave them to overnight workers, nurs ing home workers and, of course, nurses and doctors.”

She added that during this time, they

also put together bags for these essential workers that included snacks, water bot tles and shampoo. They donated up to 800 of these bags, which included dog-friend ly cookie dough, to Mount Sinai South Nassau.

The “pandemic puppies” phenomenon also helped the business, as many people across the country adopted dogs to have a little extra company during the heat of

Covid-19.

“We’re licensed with the New York Department of Agriculture,” Ira Reiter said. “So everything that we sell is licensed by them. They do calorie counts and they track our ingredients.”

While the Reiters didn’t want to give away any secret recipes, they said that baking cookies for dogs is the same as baking for humans, minus certain ingre dients like sugar and chocolate.

The Barking Biscuit has expanded past the usual clientele of dog owners wanting to treat their pets. Their cookies can be found at places like Point Lookout Deli, and Bubbles-N-Bones in Mass apequa. The Reiters also help with chari ty events, including the Long Island Hos pitality Ball.

The Reiters said they want to take their product to the national stage.

“We want to go into more stores and have a factory that’s gonna bake for us,” Ira Reiter said.

“We want to have our cookies pro duced on a bigger scale.”

But they said they also want to keep the mom-and-pop shop business going at the local level.

“I also want to keep it personal and still bake at home,” Hillary Reiter said. “We have a lot of repeat customers just around here, some even follow us to our bigger events.”

The Reiters are members of both the Wantagh and Merrick chambers of com merce, and The Barking Biscuit’s truck can be found at most events sponsored by either group.

Michael Malaszczyk/Herald photos

Ira and HIllary Reiter, of Wantagh, created the Barking Biscuit, which speciallzes in treats for pets.

Combating hunger in our own communities

and research, the garden has produced fruits and vegetables such as cantaloupe, potatoes, tomatoes, kale, green beans and more.

“We tried corn once,” Nunez said. “The stalks were impressive, but the corn itself wasn’t.”

Both Garner and Nunez said they feel that 2022 has been an exceptionally suc cessful year for the garden.

“I was going down to the pantry in Freeport with fresh produce two or three times a week during the summer,” Garner said. “That’s how well we were doing.”

Garner added that when he brings the food to the pan tries, he typically stays for half an hour to do some of his treasurer’s responsibili ties, and by the time he leaves, all of the vegetables have been taken.

“That’s always very gratifying,” he said.

Nunez and Garner have received excellent help this year, with Mark Engleman and Jim Silberger of the Kiwanis Club assisting with the garden.

They also received assistance from Boy Scout Troop 96.

While the season of fresh produce might be over, the church and the Kiwanis Club aren’t going away for the winter. The Kiwanis Club hosted a food drive outside King Kullen on Wantagh Avenue on Sunday, collecting the vital non-per ishable food items that are a must for the pantries. Gar ner said he works mostly with the Freeport pantry since the garden does not produce enough food for many pantries, but the Kiwanis Club also donates to St. Francis Food Pantry in Wantagh and St. Jude Epis copal Food Pantry in Sea ford.

Garner also hosts weekly food drives at his church.

“Every Monday morning, I’m in the parking lot behind the church from 10 to 11,” Garner said.

“And I get donations from people in the community to take to the Freeport food pantry. We have some very faithful people that do that every week. But all are welcome to donate at any time. You can leave it in the church or outside the

church.”

According to Kiwanis Club officials, hunger is a bigger problem on Long Island than one might think.

“With the national poverty threshold for two adult and two children house holds at $26,500 per year, that number

doesn’t begin to factor in the cost of housing, utilities, transportation, insur ance, taxes and so much more to live on Long Island,” the Kiwanis Club said in a statement. “A recent evaluation puts the poverty scale on LI at about $85,000 a year for that same family of four.”

Christine Rivera/Herald Mark EnglEMan, lEft, and Marlena Schein, of Wantagh Kiwanis, hosted a food drive on Nov. 13 to supplement the efforts of the Giving Garden.

Courtesy Deb Colton

thE Wantagh giving Garden, behind the Memorial Congregational Church, grows a number of crops each year to donate to local pantries.

really a hands-on experiment. Some things work, some things don’t.

lauriE nunEz Member, Wantagh Giving Garden

Sc H ool S

Seaford student honored in Heisman competition

Seaford High School senior Nicole Nietsch is a school winner in the 2022 Heisman High School Schol arship competition. The award recognizes students for their outstanding achievements in academics, athletics and community service.

Nicole has been playing sports since she was a kid, participating in PAL and CYO sports programs as well as a travel basketball team. At Seaford High School, she is a member of the Long Island-cham pion girls varsity soccer team, and will be playing basketball in the winter season and lacrosse in the spring. She is commit ted to play lacrosse at Mercyhurst Univer sity, where she plans to major in music education.

Academics are equally important to Nicole, who has taken several college-lev el courses in high school, including Advanced Placement BC Calculus and AP Music Theory this year. Her academic achievements earned her induction into the National Honor Society, a community service-oriented organization that has helped her fulfill the third mission of the Heisman scholarship. Additionally, Nicole is ranked in the top 25 of the Seaford Class of 2023.

Nicole plays in the percussion section of the marching band and symphonic band, and was one of three drum majors for this year’s marching band show. She was selected to the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

“It feels good to be recognized,” she said of the award. “It shows that you don’t have to focus on just one aspect of school, but can excel in all areas.”

Nicole learned about the award in the guidance department and decided to apply. More than 5,700 students across the country were named school winners in this year’s competition, awarded by the Heisman Trophy Trust. Nicole will con tinue on for the chance to become a state winner, national finalist or national win ner, which carry scholarship prizes of up to $10,000.

Nicole Nietsch, a senior at Seaford High School, was named a school winner in the 2022 Heisman High School Scholarship competition.

Courtesy Seaford School District

Herald sports Seaford nets repeat county championship

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Seaford girls’ volleyball team achieved its goal of a repeat county title and established a dynasty in the process.

The Vikings once again hoisted the championship plaque after a four-set win against third-seeded North Shore in the Nassau Class B finals Nov. 9 at Farmingdale State College. It marked Seaford’s third county title in four seasons.

“Winning counties two years in a row was so rewarding and such an accomplishment for our team,” said senior libero Danielle McHugh, who had 11 digs in Sea ford’s county championship victo ry by set scores of 25-18, 25-11, 17-25 and 25-17. “We have been working so hard for this win throughout the season and our team has created such a strong bond, which allowed us to work so well together making us capable of achieving this goal.”

Senior setter Kailly Nocera also stepped up big to bring home the county title with 15 assists and three aces. Natalie Masters record ed 12 assists and eight digs.

Seaford (12-5) made more histo ry two days later earning the pro gram’s first Long Island champion ship since 2019 and trip to the state tournament with a dramatic fiveset win against Bayport-Blue Point at Hauppauge High School on Vet erans Day. Sophomore outside hit ter Carey-Jean Block led the way with 34 kills and 34 digs in a 24-26, 25-22, 25-17, 19-25, 17-15 triumph.

The Vikings were down to match point in the deciding set trailing 15-14 before seizing control with three straight points culmi nating with a Block kill. The team, which included eight seniors, was extra fueled after falling to John Glenn in last year’s Long Island finals in four sets.

“I couldn’t believe how hard they dug in,” said longtime Seaford coach Marie Savage. “I was really proud of them.”

In the county finals, Seaford won the first two sets before North Shore stayed alive with a 25-17 win in the third game. North Shore, which was led by seniors Abby Maler and Laini Silverstein, hung tough in the fourth set tying the score at 15-15 before Seaford took

command with 10 of the next 12 points.

North Shore had advanced to the county championship stage with a sweep of second-seeded Wheatley in the semis, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-15.

“The girls gave 110 percent of what they had and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” North Shore coach Tracy Iacovelli said. “Sea ford is a very good program with lots of history and hopefully North Shore can start creating and build ing its own.”

Seaford will continue its season this Saturday in the state semifi nals on Saturday at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls with a match against western New York’s Wayne High School. Also In Seaford’s bracket for the pool-play tourna ment is Hendrick Hudson and Wes thill.

However far Seaford goes this weekend, the memories of winning a Long Island title to earn that trip upstate will resonate for a long time.

“We all wanted this so bad,” McHugh said. “This is something I will never forget.”

West Hempstead tops Seaford in semis

By ViNCENT MATuLA sports@liherald.com

After falling to West Hempstead in the season opener, Seaford was looking to change the script Nov. 10 with a berth in the Nassau Conference IV football championship game on the line.

For the Vikings, there was no revenge on the menu as West Hemp stead made its presence felt in the fourth quarter to come out on top, 36-20. The Rams are in the county finals for the first time since 1985 and face defending champion North Shore this Friday at 4 p.m. at Hofstra.

“We were down one at halftime but put our heads down and stuck to the game plan,” West Hempstead head coach Dom Carre said. “It was a hardfought win.”

A lengthy opening drive for the Vikings went nowhere as a touchdown was called back and a missed field goal in the red zone gave the ball to the Rams and A’lorenz Chatman, who opened the scoring with an 80 yard touchdown carry on their first offen sive play. The All-County senior con cluded the day with 165 yards.

Following the explosive score, Sea ford responded as quarterback Sean

Costello ran in a 7-yard touchdown to conclude a 7:42 long drive. The senior put together a stellar outing of 171 passing yards, two rushing scores, and a passing touchdown to Devin O’Donnell.

“I thought he played great,” Seaford head coach Michael Corcoran said of Costello. “I thought he was the best quarterback in the conference this sea son. I don’t think he could’ve played any better.”

West Hempstead spent a majority of time on defense during the first half, but that didn’t seem to frustrate the Rams and senior Brendan Close, who stopped Seaford from converting on 4th and goal to close out the half.

“At that point it’s all a mental game,” Close said. “Especially being down at the goal line because you don’t want them in.”

All three of Seaford’s offensive drives in the opening half made it to the red zone, but the Vikings came away with just seven points to show.

“It definitely takes a little wind out of their sails,” Carre said. “Any time your offense is stopped on the goal line, you’re like ‘shucks, we missed an opportunity.’”

The tables turned in the second half for the Rams offense, especially

the fourth quarter, where they scored three touchdowns, two coming from Jonathan Balthazard and the other courtesy of junior Gavin Lee. Balthaz ard compiled 116 rushing yards on six carries.

“We knew we couldn’t let the sea son end on that,” Chatman said. “We just had to punch it in one more time and we knew we could.”

While Chatman led the way in car ries and rushing yards for the contest, Balthazard and Lee provide plenty of options. “They’re both (A’lorenz and Jonathan) super talented,” Carre said. “We have a balance and we mix the quarterback in there. You call the offense the way it’s meant to be called which keeps them off balance.”

The Vikings had an opportunity to pull even getting the ball just shy of midfield with five minutes to play, but West Hempstead hunkered down and shut down any chance at Seaford’s comeback.

“I never felt like we were out of it,” Corcoran said. “Even at 28-20, I thought we had a good chance to go down and tie it up. We just didn’t get them off the field.”

The Rams’ only loss this season came against North Shore on Oct. 15 when they lost at home, 14-7.

Karen Millindorf/Herald

SEAfORD’S MARiNNA DupkiN, left, and Sarah Lochner teamed for defense at the net during the Nassau Class B title match.

Karen Millindorf/Herald

SEAfORD’S T.J. HARRiNgTON made a leaping grab with West Hempstead’s Corey Pierre defending during the Conference IV semifinals Nov. 10.

Seaford football puts service first with drive

It wasn’t just a team effort, it was a teams effort, to fill several large boxes with food at the final regular season football game of the year for the Seaford Vikings. Students on the varsity team, the cheerleading squad and the oppos ing football team, the Clarke Rams, all contributed to a food drive for Island Harvest on Oct. 28. Fans were also encouraged to donate nonperishable items, with boxes placed at the entrance to the stands.

Michael Corcoran said that one of his initiatives since taking over as Sea ford’s head coach two seasons ago has been getting his players involved in community service. He said that by developing a service mindset at a young age, they are more likely to maintain a giving spirit as adults. The team decided to do the food drive at the last home game of the year because it was the closest to Thanksgiving.

“It’s something that we’ll definitely try to do again next year,” he said of the food drive, noting the large amount of donations received this year. “It’s very important to be community minded and it’s something that Seaford does very well.”

For their efforts in helping to make the food drive a success, Coach Corcor an thanked the president of the Seaford Booster Club, Bridget Ulzheimer, head

coach of the varsity cheerleading team, Lisa Ferrari, and head coach of the Clarke team, Kevin O’Hagan, who is also a Seaford resident.

Seaford senior football players Ryan Baldwin and T.J. Harrington said that

everyone on the team pitched in by donating food. By partnering with their opponents to help those in need, they showed how some things are bigger than sports.

“People in the school and the commu

nity look up to us,” T.J. said. “It’s good for them to see familiar faces doing something good for the community.”

Added Ryan, “It’s very important to help our community. We’re the faces of it. It’s good to represent Seaford pride.”

Courtesy Seaford School District

The Seaford VikingS varsity football team held a food drive for Island Harvest during the last regular season home game on Oct. 28 in partnership with their opponents, the Clarke Rams.

The Bristal Assisted Living has been serving seniors and their families in the tri-state area since 2000, offering independent and assisted living, as well as state-of-the-art memory care programs. We are committed to helping residents remain independent, while providing peace of mind that expert care is available, if needed. On-site services and amenities include daily housekeeping, gourmet meals, a cinema, salon, plus so much more. Discover a vibrant community, countless social events with new friends, and a luxurious lifestyle that you will only find at The Bristal.

STEPPING OUT

Let’s talk about Bruno — and Anna and Elsa, too Step inside an enchanting adventure in Disney on Ice’s

YES: Close to the Edge Tour

By Karen Bloom

As the calendar moves through November, another ice extravaganza from the Disney folks is sure to find its way here. This season’s production brings together two of Disney’s blockbuster films as the beloved stories come to life on ice — “as never before,” according to the Disney folks.

The spectacle, which runs through Nov. 20 at UBS Arena in Elmont, transports audiences to the heart of the icy world in

WHERE WHEN

• Now through Sunday, Nov. 20. Times vary.

Tickets start at $20 (pricing may fluctuate based on demand); available at Ticketmaster.com

Arendelle and the Madrigal family’s casita in Columbia. And, of course, the action is guided by everyone’s favorite “hosts” — Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy — who keep the energetic show moving along

each segment.

control the weather with her emotions. Her husband, Felix. Their daughter Dolores, with her gift to hear. And, yes, the mysterious Bruno, the misunderstood Madrigal family member whose visions foretold the future.

Think of this production as a singalong on ice, accompanied by dramatic skating. From beginning to end, audiences are immediately drawn to their favorite tunes, highlighted, of course, by the power ballad “Let It Go” and the boppy “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”

The pioneering rockers are back on stage in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their famed album, ‘Close to the Edge.’ With an ever growing fan base, YES continues to electrify audiences with daunting virtuosity, complex musical textures and powerful lead vocals. ‘Close to the Edge’ is widely considered one of their most defining albums, not only for YES but for the whole progressive movement. It became an inspiration for their contemporaries and for successive generations of musicians. Experience an unforgettable evening of YES at its best, featuring its existential prog masterworks and instrumental pyrotechnics. The band — featuring core members Steve Howe on guitars along with keyboardist Geoff Downes, singer Jon Davison and bassist Billy Sherwood — will play the iconic album in its entirety plus a set of classic YES hits.

world of “Frozen,’ narrated by Olaf, the lovable snowman who likes warm hugs and all winter. and bring back summer.

“I’m extremely proud of this show,” says Artistic Director Adam Loosely. “Disney on Ice continues to combine athletics and skating to tell a really good story. This particular production is all about contrasts (from design and costume to storyline) from the cold blues of ‘Frozen’ to the warm South American culture and colors of ‘Encanto.’ It comes together in such a meaningful way.”

who charm everyone in We

family home alongside her sisters: Isabela — whose perfection radiates with her ability to make plants grow and flowers bloom with every step — and Luisa, with the gift of super strength that she

After the dramatic opening sequence, you’ll enter the all things summer. He’ll take everyone to Arendelle to help Anna find Elsa, whose icy powers unleashed an eternal winter. Kristoff and Sven will be there, too, as they race to bring back summer. Then it’s time to visit with the Madrigals, that extraordinary family who charm everyone in “Encanto.” We follow Mirabel’s quest to save the casita, her enchanted uses to help her village move buildings and reroute rivers. Meet Tia Pepa, who can

Stepping in to helm the production as firsttime artistic director, Loosely admits to feeling what he described as “a little anxiety initially during the process. “My nerves started to fade away when I realized the whole (creative) team had the same vision. ‘Frozen’ has resonated with people for years and years. It seems we can’t have an ice show without ‘Let It Go.’”

As for “Encanto,” audiences are seeing these characters on ice for the first time. “The response has been really rewarding for our cast,” Loosely says.

And for that cast, Loosely points out that the production is much more than a retelling of the two movies. The skaters’ athleticism shines in their displays of aerial acrobatics and skating technique, setting the tone with the opening number. “It truly highlights the talent of the cast, with solos, pairs and plenty of skating style changes.”

“It’s a beautiful, optimistic show, which we need after two plus years of the pandemic,” he adds. “Spend two hours and leave with a smile on your face. We all deserve that.”

Two

Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury. Tickets are available at TheTheatreAtWestbury. com, LiveNation.com or (516) 247-5200.

Kirk Whalum

A familiar presence on the Madison Theatre stage with his gospel concerts, Kirk Whalum returns with a performance that demonstrates his versatile command of his sax and devotion to jazz in all its forms. Soulful, passionate, stirring — these are the words most often used to describe Whalum’s music. Forged from his Memphis, Tennessee, gospel roots and his 1980s initiation into the thriving Houston nightclub scene, Whalum’s big, rich tenor sound is unmistakably his. An ordained minister, he is the recipient of numerous awards and acknowledgments for his musical excellence, including a Grammy (2011) for Best Gospel Song (‘It’s What I Do,’ featuring Lalah Hathaway). In a career spanning decades, Whalum has a sound that is uniquely his — a sound that leaves an indelible imprint.

Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. $40-$95. Madison Theatre, Molloy University campus, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444 or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

Photos courtesy Feld Entertainment

Photo:

popular movies from the Disney canon become one in an ice skating spectacle that shares the message: You are the magic.

Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont through

THE SCENE

Weekly Mah Jongg

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, but proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required for newcomers, as well as a contribution of $5 per person. For more information email mahjonggCBT@yahoo.com or call (516) 785-2445.

On stage

Plaza Theatrical continues its season with “Grumpy Old Men: The Musical,” Saturday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 20, 2:30 p.m.. Also continuing Nov. 26-Dec. 3. Based on the beloved 1993 film, which starred Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret, this stage adaptation captures the lovably crotchety characters through twinkling humor, great songs, and the affectionate depiction of a small town that feels like home to everyone. It’s performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Blood Drive

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell brings his “Songs and Stories” concert, to Tilles Center, Saturday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m., performing classic standards and soaring showstoppers from his celebrated career. In this joyous and elegant evening of glorious songs and personal storytelling, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville, the star of “Ragtime,” “Man of La Mancha” and “Kiss, Me Kate,” among others, will serenade audiences with his powerful baritone, accompanied his long-time pianist and collaborator, Tedd Firth. Tickets are $62, available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Nov. 19

A community blood drive will be held in Seaford, Sunday, Nov. 21, at the Knights of Columbus Banquet Hall, 2183 Jackson Avenue. For more information contact Charlie Barr at (516) 410-4703.

Mamma Mia, MacArthur!

MacArthur High School presents the musical “Mamma Mia,” at 3369 Old Jerusalem Rd., Friday, Nov. 18, featuring popular songs and talented students from Wantagh, Seaford, and Levittown.

Nov. 19 Nov. 25

Tackapausha Museum

Seaford Farmers Market

Holiday fun

Visit the streets of 19th century London during the darkest days of the year, in this adaption of the classic “A Christmas Carol,” with the Experiential Theater Company, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25-26, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; also Wednesday, Nov. 30, 10:15 a.m. and noon, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. Meet the Cratchit family, Mr. Scrooge, and the ghosts of past, present and future in this interactive show that weaves together music, humor, puppetry and collaboration. Celebrate the change of seasons through this beloved literary tale. Performances continue through December. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Pick up tasty seasonal goodies at Seaford Farmers Market, Railroad Street, at the east end of the LIRR parking lot, at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Sunrise Highway, from 7 a.m. to noon through Nov. 19.

$5 Skate Night

United Skates of America in Seaford wants to make skating year round activity. Every Thursday, from 4 to 6 p.m., enjoy a skate night with only $5 admission; skate rental is available for an extra $6. For more information visit tinyurl. com/thursdayskate.

Having an event?

Bring the family to Tackapausha Museum and Preserve, 2225 Washington Avenue in Seaford. The county museum is home to 100 different live animals. The museum’s many acitivities include birthday parties, community service projects, Boy and Girl Scout programs to earn badges, educational programs, and more. For more information contact (516) 571-7443.

Wantagh Preservation Society

Want to get a lesson in local history, as well as learn where else to go for cool local history? The Wantagh Museum, 1700 Wantagh Avenue, is open for tours every Sunday from 2-4. Come step in a historic train and learn about the history of the Wantagh area dating back to when it was called Jerusalem.

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 exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium, opening Saturday, Nov. 19. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Oh Baby!

Mercy Hospital invites moms-to-be to a community baby shower, Saturday, Nov. 19, noon-2 p.m. Meet with physicians, lactation specialist, mother/baby nurses, and other hospital personnel with raffles, giveaways for mom and baby(s), games and more. The free event takes place in Mercy’s employee cafeteria, lower level, 1000 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org or call (516) 626-3729.

Madison Beer hosts concert and food drive

By MALLORY WILSON mwilson@liherald.com

The holidays are filled with plenty of food — but not for everyone. That’s why Nassau County officials have teamed up with Long Island Cares and Island Harvest food banks to make sure everyone eats on Thanksgiving.

And they’re getting a little celebrity help along the way from singer-songwriter Madison Beer.

Born and raised in Jericho before mov ing out west to pursue her music career, the 23-year-old Beer returns to Long Island on Wednesday, Nov. 23, to host the “End Hunger Thanksgiving Celebration” at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.

It doesn’t cost money to attend, but everyone who shows up beginning at 3:30 p.m., are asked to bring at least one nonperishable food item. The celebration will focus on Beer’s accomplishments — begin ning with her early days as a teenager on YouTube singing covers of her favorite songs. She shot into stardom after another young performer, Justin Bieber, linked to one of her videos.

Beer also will bring attention to hunger and the culture of giving, according to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blake man.

Beer “has become a very, very influen tial person, especially with the young peo ple throughout the world,” Blakeman said outside of Nassau Coliseum earlier this week. “We are trying to create a culture here in Nassau County and throughout the country — and throughout the world — of giving: Giving to people who need a little bit more help.”

The county also will proclaim Nov. 23 “Madison Beer Day.”

“I always look forward to coming home for the holidays,” Beer said in a state ment. “But it’s that much sweeter coming home for an event like this one that will help so many.”

Beer has more than 30 million followers on Instagram and Twitter, Blakeman said.

“She’s somebody that — certainly peo ple throughout the world, and especially young people — have recognized as some one that is very, very talented,” he said.

“We’re so happy that she is coming back to Nassau County so we can honor her, but at the same time give back to the community and make sure that everybody gets the food that they require so that they can have a happy holiday.”

Randi Shubin Dresner, the president and chief executive of Island Harvest, told reporters it was “very kind,” of Blakeman to involve the two food banks in this pro gram.

Beer, she said, is someone who “knows about our community, and clearly she understands that there are so many people who are struggling here on Long Island. With the rising costs at the gas pump and the rising costs at the supermarket, people who were just making ends meet are now having to struggle and find additional dol lars to just feed their family and put food on the table.”

Donations are down right now, accord ing to Jessica Rosati, chief programs offi cer for Long Island Cares.

Yet between the two organizations, well over 20 million pounds of food is distribut ed across Long Island, Dresner said. And that number has increased “quite a bit” from pre-pandemic times.

Seating for the celebration is limited to 15,000, and requires advanced registration at NassauCountyNY.gov. Doors open at 3:30 p.m., with the show starting at 5.

Mallory Wilson/Herald

RANdI ShuBIN dReSNeR, the president and chief executive of Island Harvest, thanked Nassau County Executive Blakeman for including her organization and Long Island Cares in the ‘End Hunger Thanksgiving Celebration.’ The free event — set for Wednesday, Nov. 23 — will be hosted by Long Island-born singer-songwriter Madison Beer, and will double as a food collection drive.

Different uniforms, similar ideals

Tim Baker/Herald

Wantagh honored its veterans at a special service at American Legion Post 1273 last Friday. Legionnaires spoke at the ceremony and fired a 21-guns salute. Among those in attendance were State Sen.-elect Steve Rhoads, Assemblyman David McDonough, Hempstead Town Councilman Christopher Carini and members of Boy Scout Troop 96.

Herald Sc H ool S

A digital world opens at Forest Lake Elementary

The new Video Game Club at Forest Lake Elementary School in the Wantagh School District is the quintessential way for students to develop 21st century skills. They learn how to work as a team, to display good sportsmanship, to solve problems and to understand modern technology.

Special education teacher Chris Pedota is the founder of the afterschool club, which meets every Tuesday and Thurs day in the library. It started as a way to bring students together who share a com mon interest, and quickly grew in popu larity. With about 130 students in the club, Mr. Pedota split them into four groups, with each invited to one or two sessions a month. The socialization that takes place and the camaraderie that has developed among students in different classes and grade levels has made the effort worth while, he explained.

Students typically rotate through three stations. At the video game console cen ter, students can use Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation or Xbox. All games are rated “E” and popular choices include Mario Kart, Mario Party and Super Smash Brothers. The club, which has already received donations of Switch con

soles, always looks to add systems so more students can play at the same time.

At another station, students use their

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff against JOSEPH MORALES, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Schiller, Knapp, Lefkowitz & Hertzel, LLP, 15 Cornell Road, Latham, NY 12110.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered March 16, 2020, and Amended on July 25, 2022 I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on November 29, 2022 at 2:00 PM. Premises known as 2331 Neptune Avenue, Seaford, New York 11783. Sec 65 Block 273

Lot 13. 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. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $598,181.30 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 602732/2018.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th

The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. For sale information, please contact XOME at www.Xome.com or call (844)400-9633.

Lisa Segal Poczik, Esq., Referee 17-13398 134920

December 6, 2022 at 2:30PM, premises known as 3835 MARION COURT, SEAFORD, NY 11783: Section 52, Block 370, Lot 18:

Chromebooks to learn computer pro gramming. They create video games using the Scratch coding language in a

child-friendly way, in which they simply drag and drop lines of code. Mr. Pedota said that students take on challenges based on their comfort level. Beginners will program character movements in provided games, while more experienced coders make their own games.

Students use Gimkit at the third sta tion, a live learning game show. Also accessible on their Chromebooks, they enter a digital world and complete mis sions by answering questions correctly about different topics. Mr. Pedota said that students can work individually or in teams and it is a great way to review con tent knowledge.

Volunteers from Wantagh High School and Wantagh Middle School also attend the Video Game Club sessions and help out their elementary peers.

Pedota said that it is important to cre ate opportunities for today’s tech-savvy youth. He also noted that with an eSports club now at Wantagh High School, and with video gaming scholarships being offered at the college level, the Forest Lake Video Game Club opens up some new doors for students. It also introduces them to the growing fields of computer programming and video game design.

NeigHborS iN THe NewS

Bellmore-Merrick students salute vets

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARINGS

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION, V. JOSEPH FIORELLO, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated June 30, 2022, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION is the Plaintiff and JOSEPH FIORELLO, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN SEAFORD, IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 008439/2016. Dominic A. Villoni, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 135064

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to N.Y. Election Law Article 17, Title 2, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York, and N.Y. Public Officers Law Article 7, the Open Meetings Law, public hearings will be held by the Town of Hempstead Temporary Redistricting Commission in the Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Village and Town of Hempstead, New York, on both November 29, 2022 at 7:00pm, and December 13, 2022 at 10:30am, to receive input regarding the reapportionment and composition of the Town of Hempstead’s councilmanic districts to be used beginning with the Town election of 2023.

ALL PERSONS

INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard and give input at the times and place aforesaid.

Dated:Hempstead, New York November 15, 2022 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor 135484

Ahead of Veterans Day, students, administrators and additional volunteers adorned the lawns of Mepham High School and Merrick Avenue Middle School in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

At Mepham, its front school yard now displays nearly 150 American and mili tary branch flags, installed at an event on Nov. 6.

In a fundraising effort led by Mepham social studies teachers Kerry Dennis and Chris Patten, students participating in the senior service-learning project sold flags to benefit the organization, Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Social Studies teacher Matt Moody, library media spe cialist Shari Stack and social studies chairperson Robyn Einbinder also assist ed with the install.

So far, the students have raised $3,200 for the organization. An upcoming Penny Wars event will add to that total. The flags will remain on the school’s front lawn through early December.

Just a day prior, MAMS installed its Flag Field of Honor on Nov. 5 in recogni tion of veterans — a new tradition for the school.

The flags will be flown through Dec. 10 as a tribute to veterans. $2,450 in proceeds from sponsorships will be donated to Honor Flight Long Island for veterans, and the Bellmore-Merrick Community Cup board.

“This is a wonderful way for our stu dents to be able to reflect on the contribu tions of our veterans and to take action to honor them,” said Christina Cone, a dis trict social studies chairperson. “It is also a meaningful way for the entire communi ty to be able to take part and show pride in our service men and women.”

–Jordan Vallone

Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and the Nassau County Foreclosure Auction Rules and Procedures.

Courtesy Wantagh School District

StudentS in ForeSt Lake Elementary School’s Video Game Club play in the gaming console center during a recent afterschool gaming session.

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Gabby niSanov and Youye Chen volunteered at Merrick Avenue’s flag installation on Nov. 5.

DRIVERS WANTED

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

Richner Communications is looking for a hands-on Human Resources professional to oversee all HR functions on a strategic and tactical level. Exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and expanding Garden City, Long Island media company. This position has a flexible schedule, part-time job share would be considered.

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@riverdalepress.com

Responsibilities: Talent acquisition: Source, screen, and interview potential candidates and manage new employee onboarding Benefits administration: Liaise with brokers, providers and facilitate enrollment and updating of coverage. Manage annual open enrollment and employee benefits review. Administration of 401(k) plan. Employee relations: Provide day- today support and problem resolution in regards to employee concerns, questions and policy issues. Performance management: Coach, counsel and recommend disciplinary actions Compliance: Maintain indepth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risk and ensuring regulatory compliance Payroll: Process biweekly payroll through payroll vendor for population of 150 employees Requirements: Bachelor's degree, preferably in business or HR, or equivalent experience Minimum 5 years HR generalist experience Knowledge of Federal, State & Local regulations governing employment Experience with payroll processing Self-motivated, ability to prioritize and work well under pressure Customer-focused attitude, with high level of professionalism and discretion Excellent oral and written communication and quantitative skills Proficiency with Microsoft Office Qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to: careers@liherald.com.

Marketing Analyst (Lynbrook, NY) Promote company services and perform market analysis. Plan and implement marketing targets, identify appropriate markets to introduce new products and services Analyze marketing statistics to formulate policies. Resumes to Group ESI, Inc., 97 Horton Avenue, Lynbrook, NY 11563

RECEPTIONIST - FULL TIME Receptionist (full-time) needed for Publisher and Self-Storage Facility located in Garden City. The ideal candidate should have excellent communications and customer service skills, be professional, dependable and have reliable transportation. Candidate should have computer knowledge and working knowledge of MS Office. Candidate MUST be reliable, punctual and be able to work a CONSISTENT schedule: Monday and Wednesday 8am to 4pm Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 6pm Friday 8am to 5pm

Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Answering phones and greeting customers, assisting new customers by showing storage facility options and pricing, collecting payments from customers, contacting customers for late payments, applying payments and updating the customer files /data base and other general administrative responsibilities on an as needed basis. Hourly pay, plus eligible for Holiday Pay, PTO, Medical, Dental, 401k with company matching, plus other benefits. Qualified candidates should email their resume, cover letter and salary requirements. No phone calls please. Job Type: Full-time. Salary: $15.00 /hour Email your resume to: careers@liherald.com

SENIOR SECURITY ENGINEER (Vandis, Inc.) (Albertson, NY): Research, Design, Development and Implementation of Cloud, Networking and Security Technologies for Medium and Large Enterprises using vendor solutions, such as FortiGate, Barracuda, Palo Alto, Cisco etc. Reqs. Bach. degree or for. equiv. in Information Technology, Network and Comp. Security, Comp. Science, Electrical Eng., or a rel. field plus 5 years’ experience in a Network and Security Engineer or related role. Exp. must include: Network and Internet Security Configuration, Design and Architecture. Cloud Security Architecture and Connectivity. Network and Internet Secure Connectivity and Security hacking prevention, including attack methodologies, firewalls (Next Generation Firewalls ex. Fortinet, Palo Alto, Juniper, Cisco; and Web Application Firewall including F5, and Barracuda), IDS, VPNs (IPSEC and SSLVPN), cryptography and wireless networking. Network and Infrastructure support, including use of TCP/IP OSI Model, Switching, IP routing, SSL/TLS, Authentication, Authorization and Accounting. $162,926$180,000. Send resumes to Vandis, Inc., Attn: S. Ratafia, CFO, 1 Albertson Avenue, Suite 1, Albertson, NY 11507 or by email to sratafia@vandis.com.

RECEPTIONIST MEDICAL OFFICE: 2pm-

TEACHERS: SPANISH SPEAKING A+. BA/ Associate Degree In Early Childhood Education. Teacher's Salary $32K. EMAIL RESUME: kgreene@fivetownsmail.org 516-239-6244 Ext. 237

Health Care/Opportunities

HHA's, LPN's, Nurse's Aides Childcare. Housekeeping Day Workers No Fee To Employers Evon's Svces: 516-505-5510

Eldercare Offered

HOME HEALTH AIDES Available: Highly Trained/ Certified. Live-in/Liveout. 12Hr. Shifts. Great References. Call Naomi 516-469-6135; Julie 516-503-1104

Luxury Oasis

Surrounded by nature, this 6 bedroom, 8 baths residence is filled with chic details and luxurious finishes! The chef's kitchen, with modern appliances has ample cabinetry, a stainless steel range hood on top of stylish island. Terracotta-style floors flow into the lovely breakfast nook, flooded with light coming in from the French doors that lead outside. The open-plan dining/ living room has 12-foot ceilings and mahogany wood built-in library, with gas/wood burning fireplace. On the main floor there is an office and a guest bedroom, with ensuite and walk-in closet. In the separate wing there is a master suite, with large walk-in closet, mahogany custom-made cabinets, master bathroom divided into "his" and "hers", with a separate entrance and connected by a stand-up shower. Upstairs you will find 3 Bedrooms and 2 baths. There is a Gym in the hi-ceiling basement along with a laundry room and plenty of storage space. Outside, there is a heatedgunite pool, Jacuzzi and gazebo that can be transformed into a Florida room. For a private tour contact V.I.Properties at 516.791.1313

The scary house down the block

Q. There is a house in my neighborhood, just a few doors away, that has never been taken care of. I know someone lives there, but they don’t seem to care about how their home looks, and I wonder: Is there a way to get the community together, tear the house down and turn it into a park? It would look a lot bet ter.

A. The house you’re referring to seems to be like one in almost every neighborhood, but I haven’t seen any single-lot parks popping up any where. Maybe the reason it doesn’t happen is because you can’t just seize someone’s property. If that were the case, what would stop your neigh bors from taking your property?

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

Every once in a while, when I’m sitting in a pub lic zoning hearing, someone appears and makes a statement at the microphone just like what you are suggesting. I think they, too, are expecting a light bulb to appear above everyone else’s head when they suddenly realize what a genuinely great idea that was. But instead of trying to condemn some one else’s property, it may be better to gain some idea about what is really going on. I have often had to do this in the course of exploring options for potential buyers.

1208 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557 516.791.1313 vipropertiesny.com

In some cases, such as a shopping center that continued to lose and not replace businesses, the owner lived a thousand miles away, and was just using the property as a tax write-off while they waited for the market to change and just sell. The condition had already existed for over a decade before someone asked me to look into the condi tions and search the records. The property did improve after violations were issued that forced the owner to respond in court. The same may be the course of action for the property you are describ ing.

Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living BIG REDUCTION!! $699,000

E

a ST ROCK aWay

8 Howland Rd, 12-1:30, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Beautiful Tree Lined St in SD#20. LR, DR, EIK, Den & Enclosed Porch. Full Fin Bsmt. 1 Car Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flrs. Update to Your

REAL ESTATE

MoneyTo Lend

ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 888-869-5361 (Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST)

Open Houses

EAST ROCKAWAY 11/20 12-1:30, 8 Howland Rd, , FIRST TIME ON MARKET! 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Beautiful Tree Lined St in SD#20.LR,DR,EIK, Den & Enclosed Porch. Full Fin Bsmt.1 Car Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flrs. Update to Your Taste!..$699,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

EAST ROCKAWAY BA 8 Acorn Rd, OPEN HOUSE By Appt, REDUCED! BR, 3 Bth Front to Back Split on Beautiful Quiet St in Lynbrook SD#20. Fin Bsmt, Att Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flr., ..$749,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Open Houses

HEWLETT 1608 RIDGEWAY Dr, Open House Sunday, 11/20, 2-3:30, NEW

! Move Right Into This Completely Gut Renovated

Some people are only compelled by legal action, while others will respond to a warning. I have seen many instances in which the owner is just finan cially, physically or mentally incapable of respond ing in the way you want them to. I have even driven people in these circumstances to meetings with authorities, especially when New York Rising had funding available to help them. None of the individ uals, even with financial assistance, followed through, either from distrust of authorities or a realization that they might have to pay money they just did not have or they could not deal with the change in their lives.

If you are inclined to look further into the cir cumstances of the owner, you may learn the reason(s) for the conditions being what they are. In a free country (so far), you may not like how your neighbors live, but we still don’t have the control to just take their property. Your recourse is to try to understand why the property is this way, and help, if you can, report them to authorities and become the “squeaky wheel,” or take your own personal legal action. Good luck!

Apartments For Rent

© 2022 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

Apartments For Rent

FRANKLIN SQUARE IMMEDIATE. 3 Room, Lower Level, Includes All Utilities. No Smoking/ Pets. $1,350. 516-205-3225.

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

CHRISTMAS ITEMS, TO many to mention, must see great condition, everything under $10.00 (516)579-9089

ELECTROLUX 30' HOSE for Power Nozzle. $80. 516-798-2098.

ELECTROLUX CENTRAL VACUUM Canister w/New Motor. Some attachments, Sidekick. $99. 516-798-2098.

GLITTER SILVERTONE JEWELRY Box 7"x3", brand new tags still on, originally $40.00, $15.00 (516)579-9089

Electricians

E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.

Handyman

HANDYMAN

SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

KING

IRONING BOARD: 48X15"; Adjustable Non-skid feet; Adjustable; Steel mesh top w/cover. $65 516-320-1906

JACKET WINDBREAKER REVERSIBLE: Hood, Zipper, Purple Grey Sweatshirt, Large. Ladies Raincoat Medium Both $50. 516-320-1906

LADDER, DAVIDSON, 8 ft., Type II, Commercial & Electrical, Model 592-08, $99, 516-816-7383

SHOPPING CARTS: SMALL blue $15, large red $20, both in perfect condition516-297-2420

Finds $100-$350

KITCHEN SET: Table/

TABLES:

Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112 E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Heating

AROUND THE CLOCK REFRIGERATION INC. Specializing In Gas Furnaces/ Ductless Heat Pump Installations/ Repairs. $99 Annual Gas Furnace Maintenance/ Inspection. FREE Estimates. Gregory 516-214-0178 gregory@clockhvac.com

Home Improvement

Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. 833-398-0526

HANDY DANDY

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

* Full Or Partial Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

ROOFING

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale

ACURA 2003, 3.2 CLS, 2 door, Silver, Black Interior, 160K Plus. Needs Battery. $2200 516-668-8877

Autos Wanted

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$

Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277

DONATE YOUR CAR TO BREAST CANCER RESEARCH RECOVERY! Tax Deduction Receipt Given Upon Pick-up, Free Towing. 501c3 Charity. 631-988-9043 breastcancerresearchrecovery.org

Autos Wanted

WHEELS FOR WISHES benefiting MakeA-Wish® Northeast New York. Your Car Donations Matter NOW More Than Ever! Free Vehicle Pick Up ANYWHERE. We Accept Most Vehicles Running or Not. 100%

Cars Wanted

- 516-852-9830

Miscellaneous

BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 888-508-5313

DIRECTV FOR $79.99/MO for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Watch your favorite

DRIVE OUT BREAST Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755

SERVICES

TILE

Pet Services

Tile

Satellite/TV Equipment

DISH

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

Health & Fitness

ATTENTION

Russia’s space program fades as China’s rises

By all accounts, Russia is losing its unprovoked war against Ukraine. It has lost thousands of troops, spent the equivalent of billions of dollars, and become an international pariah. As a result of the ruinous war, Russia is also losing some thing that has always been precious to its national pride — its position as a leader in the world’s space programs.

until 2024. The sharpest cuts will be in manufacturing technology and develop ment. Money for scientific research will be cut entirely.

into space, leading politicians and mili tary leaders to proclaim that we were failing in space.

flight and a space station, and it plans to explore the Moon, Mars and the wider solar system.

The decline of the Russian space pro gram is not new. It began after the col lapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. That kicked off a brain drain from Russian. The need to fund the Ukraine war only accelerat ed the degradation of Rus sian space efforts.

JAMES BERNSTEIN

The country that stunned the world — and shook up the Unit ed States — with the launch on Oct. 4, 1957, of the sat ellite Sputnik, is falling further and further behind in civil space explo ration, according to experts. Its mili tary space program, however, remains robust, those experts say.

“The Russian space industry is in an obvious state of crisis,” Asif Siddiqi, an authority on Russia’s space program who teaches history at Fordham Uni versity, told an industry publication.

Partly to help fund Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin recently said he planned to slash funding for space flight activities at least

Additionally, jailed Rus sian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has made allegations of widespread corruption across the coun try’s space industry, with money disappearing into the hands of oligarchs.

Russia does not have a rover on the far side of the moon. China does. It does not have orbiters circling Mars. China, Indi an and the United Arab Emirates do.

Russia does not have a fleet of space telescopes, as does the United States.

“We’ve fallen behind on the science program,” said Igor Marinin, head of the Russian industry publication Novosti Kosmonavtiki. “We’ve forgotten how to make and fly unmanned probes.”

Of course, it was not always this way. The United States and much of the world trembled when the Soviets put Sputnik

Concern deepened in 1961, when the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly to outer space, aboard the Vostok 1 capsule. He completed one orbit of Earth. Meanwhile, as the American novelist Tom Wolfe wrote in his highly acclaimed book, “The Right Stuff,” “our rockets kept exploding” on the launch pad.

But what does the cur rent demise of Russia’s space program mean for the United States? John Logsdon, who teaches at George Washington Univer sity and who is often called the “dean of space policy,” said in a phone interview last week that we can no longer count on the Russians as partners on the Interna tional Space Station, or on other space projects in the future. Russian cosmo nauts still fly aboard the space station, but Russia has said that it even plans to withdraw from that program.

For the United States, Logsdon said, the new competitor is China. The Chi nese program has overseen the develop ment and launch of ballistic missiles, thousands of satellites, manned space

In a display of its growing prowess, China launched a cargo mission to its newly completed space station last week end. The 35-foot-long cargo spacecraft docked Nov. 12 with the Tiangong station on Saturday, according to a Chinese news release. As is typical of the country’s news media, few details were released publicly. But according to space experts, the freighter was carrying propellant for the space station, as well as some scien tific experiments.

In recent months, China launched two modules to join its already orbiting space station, which is about 20 percent large than the U.S.- and European-built International Space Station. It is expect ed to be occupied and operational for at least 10 years.

Our approach to China in space has been entirely negative. In 2011, Congress banned NASA from hosting Chinese visi tors at U.S. space facilities. Two years later, Congress banned Chinese nationals from entering NASA facilities without a waiver from NASA.

Nevertheless, Logsdon said, “The Chi nese space program is advancing.”

James Bernstein is editor of the Long Beach Herald. Comments about this col umn? jbernstein@liherald.com.

Thankful, mindful and watchful this holiday

Thankful, mindful and watchful this holiday

The midterm elections proved that you can’t put lipstick on a pig. Well, maybe you can try, but eventu ally folks will see through the cover-up. That expression, “lipstick on a pig,” pops up from time to time during elec tions. In 2008, President Barack Obama said that a sup posedly new eco nomic plan pro posed by his oppo nents, John McCain and Sarah Palin, was nothing new, “just putting lipstick on a pig.” Repub licans went ballis tic, accusing Obama of slyly associating the pig patter with Palin. Obama said his comment was about policy, not people. Anyway, he wasn’t the first or the last to use the expression, which, you must admit, con jures a compelling visual.

fringe groups like QAnon, tried their best to put lipstick on these pigs, but they didn’t fly. Fortunately, most of the Republicans who were elected or reelected to office aren’t conspiracy theo rists or election deniers.

This seems like a low bar, but there it is. Don’t we all want a fair fight in the campaigns for office? And when someone clearly wins, don’t we all want to see the opponent concede defeat and move on? Thank goodness that’s what hap pened most often in the days after Nov. 8.

RANDI KREISS

This election season, the GOP sent forth dozens of MAGA election deniers to run for important and influential offices across the country. Republican influencers in and out of government, complemented by seriously delusional

I am relieved and thank ful, as we prepare to gather for Thanksgiving, that the worst-case predictions for a toxic MAGA wave did not happen. Some Trumpian candidates pre vailed, but more were defeated. Voters looked at extremist candidates, anointed by the former president, and they said no. Not all the votes are counted in all the contests, and in Georgia there will be a runoff for a Senate seat, but overall the process has been peaceful and civil — and consequential.

Are we finally reaching a point where Americans on all sides of the political landscape share a vision for a safe democracy? Are we there yet? Can we

count on folks to trust election results? Will candidates fight the good fight and retreat with grace if they lose? We don’t know yet if this midterm portends big changes for the better and a return to relative normal, but the indications are promising. It was not a rout. Rioters did not take to the streets.

The cooling of the politi cal fever gripping the nation allows us to gather at our respective Thanks giving tables and truly give thanks. I am so thankful for the greatest gift we can enjoy in this life: peace of mind. We all experience occasional setbacks and losses, but with peace of mind we can negotiate our difficult life passages.

This isn’t November 2020 or Novem ber 2021, when the pandemic was burn ing through our population. We still have about 40,000 new Covid cases a day, but we have vaccines and anti-virals, greater understanding of the disease and less panic. At the height of the pandemic surge, it was difficult to find peace.

On Thanksgiving 2020, my husband and I sat down to a chicken rather than a turkey. We were grateful for one another but terribly lonely for our kids, who live plane flights away and couldn’t risk trav

el during the fury of the pandemic.

The years of Covid restrictions and isolation offered random gifts as well: learning to find strength we didn’t know was there, finding ways to connect with loved ones through words and Zooms and eye to eye, six feet apart. I would never wish it for character-building, but living through a pandemic has height ened our zest for life and attuned us to the nourishing rhythms of nature.

I noticed recently that many people, rather than saying goodbye, now say “stay safe” when they come and go. That speaks to our relatively new belief that the ground can shift under our feet in an instant. Some threats can be mitigated and some blindside us, but we survivors of the pandemic and the political mael strom have been changed by these years. We say “stay safe” as a kind of hope and benediction for our friends and loved ones.

I hope you are blessed with friends and mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and children and grandchil dren and neighbors at your Thanksgiv ing table. Along with peace of mind, let there be delicious turkey and sweet pota toes and cranberries and pies, all the tra ditional foods that anchor us to this time and place, and to one another.

Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

Much has changed since we sat down to a Thanksgiving chicken in 2020.

Yuri Gagarin is all but forgotten, and China has an orbiting space station.

Phone: (516) 569-4000 Fax: (516) 569-4942 Web: www.liherald.com E-mail: seafordeditor@liherald.com

The power of concession

You’ve likely never heard the name William Jennings Bryan, as he’s not among those regularly talked about in history books. But his contribution to democracy should be indelible, after a simple telegram sent he sent to William McKinley on Nov. 5, 1896, forever changed how we approached elec tions.

“Sen. Jones has just informed me that the returns indicate your election, and I hasten to extend my congratulations,” Bryan said in the telegram. “We have sub mitted the issue to the American people, and their will is law.”

Conceding an election isn’t required by law, which is why what Bryan — in his first of three runs for president — did was all the more unique at the time. He didn’t have to do it by statute, but he had to do it in the spirit of democracy.

Such concessions have become a staple of our election process at all levels. Candi dates battle it out over issues and who can best represent the people, and once the people have made their decision, they accept it. Even if that decision doesn’t favor you, all for a peaceful transfer of power.

Not that making a concession is easy. Far from it. Candidates invest so much of themselves into their campaigns that to suddenly make an about-face and watch someone else get awarded what they had fought for can be heartbreaking. Still, no matter how hot the debate was among the candidates, once the decision has been made, it’s time to return to the real job at hand: governing.

When we think of concessions, we’re likely to think of those in races for our country’s highest office first.

“Just moments ago, I spoke with George W. Bush and congratulated him on becom ing the 43rd president of the United States. And I promised him that I wouldn’t call him back this time,” then-Vice President

letters

‘I could write Randi weekly’

To the Editor:

Al Gore said in a Dec. 13, 2000, address, even joking about rescinding his first con cession on election night, when the race between them was still too close to call.

“Almost a century and a half ago, Sen. Stephen Douglas told Abraham Lincoln, who had just defeated him for the presi dency, ‘Partisan feeling must yield to patri otism. I’m with you, Mr. President, and God bless you,’” Gore added. “Well, in that same spirit, I say to President-elect Bush that what remains of partisan rancor must now be put aside, and may God bless his stewardship of this country.”

Sen. John McCain shared similar senti ments eight years later, when he took the stage in Phoenix to congratulate the man who would become the 44th president, Barack Obama.

“Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed,” McCain said. “No doubt many of those dif ferences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.”

Concessions are just as powerful on the local level. State Sen. Anna Kaplan described her service in Albany as an “honor of a lifetime” after losing her reelection bid to former senator Jack Mar tins.

“While our campaign has ended, my service to — and love for — our communi ty has not,” Kaplan said. “I will always fight for you, and am committed to con tinuing that spirit of service in my next chapter.”

Laura Gillen, who lost her bid for Con gress to Anthony D’Esposito last week, also put politics aside to honor the choice of voters.

“We ran a campaign to be proud of in a challenging political environment,” Gillen said. “Together we motivated thousands of Long Islanders to make their voices heard.

To stand up for common-sense leadership. And to vigorously defend fundamental rights from assault.”

After the 2020 presidential election, in which defeated President Donald Trump never conceded to his successor, Joe Biden, there were real fears that this act of patriotism — this cornerstone action of democracy — could become a relic of the past. That conceding somehow represent ed weakness rather than strength. And that it meant essentially giving up on fighting for the chance to represent your community, region, state or even country.

But nothing about concession means you have to give up the fight, or that you can’t explore every option available to you. Once those options are exhausted, howev er, it’s time to close that chapter and start the next one.

On election night last week, U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin wasn’t ready to concede the gubernatorial race to Gov. Kathy Hochul. And that was his right — not all the votes had been counted, and while his chances of winning were remote, they still existed.

But when it became clear that he had no path to victory, Zeldin did his part to pro tect and defend democracy by exercising the power of concession.

“I would like to congratulate New York governor Kathy Hochul on her election to a full four-year term,” Zeldin said in a statement the day after the election.

But while this particular battle for the governor’s mansion might be over, Zeldin made it clear that his fight for those he had hoped to represent wouldn’t end — a senti ment every candidate on the short side of any election should share in their own quests.

“As they take office in January, Gov. Kathy Hochul and those controlling Alba ny must address the grave concerns voiced by the voters,” Zeldin said. “While this campaign has come to a close, the rescue mission to ‘save our state’ continues.”

Once again, Randi Kreiss’s amazing ability to convey her thoughts and blend them with history — and in this case, a bit of astronomy as well — moved me to tears! (“An election that will move heaven and earth,” Nov. 3-9.) These are such stressful times, and I know that while it isn’t reasonable to expect everyone to always agree, there needs to be some more honest, respectful dialogue to help move our country to a better place.

I could write to Randi weekly, because her columns are so important and meaningful. I am constantly sending copies to dear friends who don’t live in the area — even a longtime friend who has lived in Italy for decades, but who is still American at heart (whatever that means these days) and is so worried for us and the world. If the America we know and love goes, what then? But then Randi gives us the perspective of eons of time to encour

Michael Malaszczyk

opinions

Time to throw out the political trash

Happily, the midterm elections are behind us. They were, at best, stressful, and overall they were ugly. Once again, the poll sters were more wrong than they were right, predicting all kinds of results that never happened. There were many les sons to be learned from the results, and any politician who ignores them does so at his or her peril.

Any candidate who calls for a ban on abortions in a red, blue or purple state is asking for trouble. There were five states in which abortion was on the ballot, and those that pro posed a ban in one form or another were shot down.

Women want to make their own choices, in consultation with their physicians, and attempts to take away that right will meet stiff resis tance. Defeated Pennsylvania senatorial candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz suggested that elected officials should have a voice on abortion, and that didn’t help his cam paign.

Most political observers thought the issue of gun control wouldn’t have an

impact on people’s thinking, but many voters who were questioned stated that their decisions factored in their con cerns about the need for much stronger gun laws. There is a constant fear that there will be more school shootings, and pro-gun legislators who are supported by the NRA may have to rethink their posi tion, even if that costs them a few gun-rights support ers. Guns are an issue that won’t go away, and will reresurface in the 2024 elec tions.

Any pollster who tells you that young people are uninterested in elections should be banned from polltaking. This election brought out a record num ber of so-called Gen-Z voters, millions of them college students. On Election Day there were reports all over the country of enormous lines of students waiting to vote, well after the polls were scheduled to close. The youth vote is now alive and well.

Crime was an issue that helped a num ber of candidates get elected, but the vast majority of voters had other concerns on their mind, including voting rights, pre serving the Constitution, saving Social Security and Medicare and stopping can

Letters

age and help us de-stress by literally look ing to the heavens. That was so needed!

Thank you, Randi, from a most grate ful reader, for continuing to share so much of your wonderful self with us.

GEORGENE WINICk Woodmere

Another delay for LIRR East Side access

To the Editor:

Did the MTA and the LIRR forget to consider obtaining necessary clearance from the Federal Railroad Administration before they adopted the schedule calling for East Side access to Grand Central Madison to begin by December 2022? The Federal Transit Administration Full Funding Grant Agreement, approved in 2006, called for service to begin in 2011, at a total project cost of $6.3 billion, with a federal share of $2.6 billion.

The current cost is $11.6 billion, which doesn’t include debt service payments for the cost of borrowing, which brings the cost to $12.7 billion. Debt service costs are

buried under a separate agency operating budget. There is also over $4 billion more in indirect costs for what are known as LIRR “readiness” projects to support ESA service to Grand Central Madison. Honest accounting would bring the real total project cost to $16.7 billion.

A mandatory FRA safety feature that would prevent trains from entering the wrong tunnel clearly fell behind schedule. It is now forecast to be installed and up and running by March 6, 2023. Why was the original implementation schedule for installation of this safety equipment not completed earlier this year? This new FRA safety requirement was implement ed as a result of the Metro North accident on the Hudson Line at Spuyten Duyvil in 2013.

The MTA now has to request a waiver from FRA to begin service in December without this safety feature being in place. This will offer little comfort for riders who are looking for safe and reli able service to the Grand Central Madi son Terminal.

LARRY PENNER

Retired former director, Federal Transit Administration Region 2 Office of Operations and Program Management

didates endorsed by former President Donald Trump from winning key elec tions. Plenty of MAGA candidates won their races, but their tenures may be very short when their new constituents catch on to their lack of substance.

wWe learned in the mid terms that election denial ism is not a winning strate gy. The Republican candi date for New York governor, Lee Zeldin, ran a spirited race, but his resistance to acknowledging that Presi dent Biden was fairly elect ed hurt him with swing vot ers. New Yorkers are pretty sophisticated people, and the majority of them weren’t ready to buy into a candidate who opposed the certification of election results in Penn sylvania and Arizona. There are still plenty of election deniers who won their contests, but once they’re in office, their positions won’t help them do the required work.

From the ads that flooded the air waves, we could all agree that the tone of this year’s races was more dishonest and mean-spirited than ever before. In a lust for power, many candidates — incum bents and challengers alike — made false claims about their opponents, accusing

them of criminal conduct and making other outrageous allegations. But the slanderers didn’t fool most of the voters, who rejected the partisan poison.

Year after year, we have been subjected to stories about suspect polling results, in contests ranging from dogcatcher to pres ident. Political columnists and reporters, in print and on the air, have spend count less hours delving into the polling results, dissecting the numbers and often trying to divine trends that don’t exist. Over the past 10 years, I have challenged numerous pollsters who have wrongly claimed that they have reached people whose only phones are cellphones (which pollsters must dial manually). It’s time to ignore them and the commentators.

Now that the big red wave never hap pened and the experts will be scratching their heads for months trying to figure out why, it’s time to do a reset and focus on 2024. Future candidates will have to prepare for major changes in the electoral terrain, and be aware that they will suffer if they ignore the 2022 warning signs.

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

Framework by Tim Baker

St. Agnes Cathetral on a crisp fall day — Rockville Centre

e learned in the midterms that election denialism isn’t a winning strategy.

JerrY

kremer