Issuu

Seaford

to all our readers of the Christian faith

HERALD infections as of Dec. 21

638

CoMMUNiTY UpDATE

infections as of Dec. 14 586

$1.00

Citizen

locals donate to Northport VA

Next generation of leaders named

Page 8

Page 16

DECEMBER 24- 30, 2020

Vol. 68 No. 52

Desperate for an end and a new beginning “only socialize within our home.” Some said that no one had the Amid a coronavirus pandemic that shows no signs of slow- right to tell others how to ing, Wantagh and Seaford resi- behave, even in this situation. dents were preparing to cele- Asked if people should be celebrate the holidays this week. But brating the holidays in large to many, this holiday season felt groups, as in years past, Wantagh resident Liz Greco said, “I different. “It doesn’t feel right to cele- think that’s their decision, and nobody else should brate right now,” decide for them. said Celia Carlson, Nobody should tell of Seaford. “. . . It’s anybody else they just a sad situation.” cannot be with each The Centers for other.” Disease Control has Carlson, a guidsuggested postponance counselor in ing travel plans and the New York City celebrating virtually school system, said instead. But some she had “lear ned residents said they CEliA CARsoN very quickly that w e r e c o n c e r n e d Seaford you can’t change about what might people’s minds” — happen to Covid-19 case counts after the holidays, though, she added, you can eduwhen it seemed clear that many cate them. “You have to worry people were ignoring those sug- about your own immediate cirgestions and traveling anyway, cle, because, unfortunately, a lot of people don’t understand how as they did on Thanksgiving. Ken Jacobsen, a wealth man- severe this is, because it’s invisiager, part-time contact tracer ble,” she said. “You can’t control and the immediate past presi- everyone’s behavior, but we’re going to make the best of it.” dent of the Seaford Chamber of “All along, the numbers had Commerce, said, “The trend [in new cases] comes from people been low, so people let their socializing.” He added that he guard down,” Jacobsen said. “If and his family would continue to Continued on page 3

BY DEREK FUTTERMAN

Courtesy Lisa Garcia

DEspiTE ThE pANDEMiC, the Seaford PTSA has played a continuing role in lifting the spirits of the student body, including donating a balloon arch for a socially distanced Spirit Week.

Vikings continue to navigate choppy waters, and stay afloat Seaford PTSA adapts to uncertainty amid Covid BY J.D. FREDA jfreda@liherald.com

A year ago at this time, members of the Seaford Parent Teacher Student Association were scrambling to gather all of the appropriate resources for their annual hallmark fundraising event, the After-Grammy PTSA Fundraiser. It was held a few weeks later, on Jan. 30, at Massapequa American

Legion Post 1066, and featured more than 70 patrons. After netting nearly $9,000 in one night, the PTSA was set to slow its pace for the rest of the academic year. That was its usual method, after all: prepare throughout the fall for a large in-person charity event that would bring in the majority of the money for the year, and then focus on smaller projects with comparatively little overhead.

In early February, Lisa Garcia, the group’s event planning co-chairwoman at the time, reflected on the preparation for the AfterGrammy event, referring to it as “insanity.” One month later, meetings came to a halt, communication between PTSA members and the school district changed dramatically and in-person events were suspended. Continued on page 16

t doesn’t feel right to celebrate right now.

December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

Staying Local for College MODERATOR

With the risks of COVID in the middle of a second wave, should you send your child away to school? Is it worth being away at college without the socialization aspect?

MOLLOY IS THE Do the benefits of staying home outweigh the experience of going away to college?

RIGHT COLLEGE. Skye Ostreicher

Local colleges are accepting students on rolling admission to accommodate those making the last-minute decision to stay local for the Spring semester.

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One of the best values for your tuition dollar, Molloy is close to home but far from ordinary. With career-focused programs, real-world connections and personal guidance, we’re open and here for your student – in person or online – for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Email insideli@liherald.com or ask them live during the webinar. MOLLOY COLLEGE. THE RIGHT CHOICE. RIGHT NOW. Apply Today: Molloy.edu/RightChoice

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SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020 Photos courtesy Celia Carlson

Celia Carlson said she plans to stay home this holiday season due to increased positive Covid-19 tests.

How residents are coping with Covid amid holidays continued from front page you socialize with three other people, and those three other people have socialized with 10 other people, you’re not just exposing yourself to those people; you’re exposing yourself to 30 people. That’s what people are missing. It’s not just being exposed to the couple of people you’re getting together with. It’s how many people they socialized with.” The holiday season ushers in a new year, and some shared their hopes with the Herald Citizen. “My hopes and expectations for 2021 are that everybody is able to make their choice as to what they’re doing, and that all the businesses open up completely,” said Greco. “I read [that] the mask is for those who are sick to prevent spreading their germs. I want us to be able to wear a mask if we want and not wear a mask if we don’t want to.” Jacobsen said he hoped that mitigation strategies such as universal mask-wearing and social distancing, combined with the rollout of two and perhaps more vaccines, will be enough to end the pandemic by the second half of next year. He added that he wanted to see financially struggling businesses get the help they need. “I don’t know how many businesses are going to survive going into the new year, especially if the numbers go up and we have to go into a lockdown again,” Jacobsen said. “The help that’s out there is not enough to keep businesses going.” Carlson said she supported universal mask wearing, and wished “people would understand to watch and educate themselves” on how the virus spreads. She also said she hoped for normalcy next year, adding that she saw “a light at the end of the tunnel.” “All we can do right now is stay positive and educate others as to what we have to do,” Carson said. “We have to think of the kids, and the kind of world we want to leave to [them].”

Carlson and her family cited rising Covid-19 cases as the reason for staying home.

Experts discuss benefits of 5G at Inside LI webinar agarcia@liherald.com

“It’s safe,” Dr. Purna Prasad, chief technology officer at Northwell Health, said of recent advancements to 5G technology. Thus was the resounding opinion given by experts during the latest episode of the Herald Inside LI webinar series, “The Power of 5G,” in which Prasad and other professionals in the technology field spoke about 5G’s increasing role in public and professional connectivity. Panelists alongside Prasad included Ana Rua, the government affairs manager at Crown Castle; Caitlin Brookner, spokeswoman for New Yorkers for 5G; and Fan Ye, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Stony Brook University. Skye Ostreicher, of Herald Community Newspapers and RichnerLive, moderated the discussion. She kicked off the episode by naming a number of the devices that already use 5G technology, including household security systems, pet and baby monitors, and GPS guidance applications in cars. The potential for 5G is far-reaching, Ostreicher added, such as monitoring elderly parents’ blood pressure while they are in Florida and you are in New York. “The technology has been peer reviewed — both nationally and internationally by renowned and reputable organizations — and it has been found safe,” said Rua, noting the Food and Drug

ThE lATEsT EpIsoDE of Herald Inside LI, “The Power of 5G,” featured, from left to right from top row: moderator Skye Ostreicher; New Yorkers for 5G spokeswoman Caitlin Brookner; Crown Castle Government Affairs Manager Ana Rua; Stony Brook University Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Fan Ye; and Northwell Health Chief Technology Officer Dr. Purna Prasad. Administration, the National Health Institute and the American Cancer Society have deemed the technology safe. On the electromagnetic spectrum, 5G exists in the realm of visible light, with wavelengths similar to other harmless wavelengths commonly found in households. These exist within the non-ionizing spectrum of wavelengths that are lowenergy and low-frequency. In contrast, the ionizing spectrum, which includes gamma rays and X-rays, can harm a person. The debate and discussion surrounding the implementation of technology like 5G has been happening for decades, Prasad said. In the 1990s, he authored a study on the topic and found no evidence of nega-

Serving Our Community with:

tive effects. Those findings, he added, have not changed. 5G technology was developed from its four predecessors. When 2G was the norm, mobile phones were basically no different from any others, as they were primarily used for making calls. The era of 3G, however, turned mobile phones into computers, giving unlimited access to the internet, explained Ye. 5G “is just naturally the next step,” Ye said, “because people are always asking for a higher data rate with lower loss and lower latency.” Certain advances are only possible with the assistance of 5G, such as augmented reality, which requires streaming high-

quality video, Ye explained. Doctors can also perform operations on patients thousands of miles away if remote surgery is able to rely on 5G. 5G connectivity allows for the bandwidth needed for advanced medical services. An ambulance responding to an emergency call, for example, can use the full set of tools at its disposal, connect to a doctor via 5G and treat the patient at the scene, Prasad said. “It’s going to save lives,” Prasad said. Although 5G offers an enhancement of 4G technology, 4G isn’t going anywhere, Rua said. The 4G network that exists across Long Island will be the foundation for 5G developments, allowing for public and professional use between the two. “4G is not going to go away — we need to enhance that current infrastructure for 4G and build on top of it for 5G infrastructure,” Rua said. “High speed connectivity really impacts every facet of our lives and will have a large effect on almost every industry out there,” Brookner said. This episode of Herald Inside L.I. — the final episode of the first season — was sponsored by New Yorkers for 5G and Crown Castle. All 14 episodes of the premiere season can be found at liherald. com/insideli. The first episode of the second season of Herald Inside L.I. is set to stream on Jan. 7, 2021 — “Set your calendars,” Ostreicher said. “We have a lot of things planned.”

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December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

By ANDREW GARCIA

Seaford

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Representative-elect previews first term jfreda@liherald.com

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U.S. REp.-ElEct AnDREw Garbarino spoke with the Herald Monday, as he looked ahead to his swearing in on Jan. 3. tinue to do so in the House of Representatives. He said he had made clear to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy his intention to choose district over party if the two interests clash — following in the footsteps of King, who at times voted against Republican policies if he felt they didn’t suit the needs of his fellow Long Islanders. As well, Garbarino has a slew of issues he intends to tackle: infrastructure, the environment, law enforcement

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Dressed sharply in a navy blue suit, red tie and shined shoes, Suffolk County Republican State Assemblyman Andrew Garbarino, 36, made his way to the lectern at his campaign kickoff on Sept. 3. He had just listened to fellow Long Island Republican politicians, including outgoing 2nd District U.S. Rep. Pete King, praise his political accomplishments. He prefaced statements of intent with “When I am congressman,” almost as if he was offering a spoiler for those in attendance who just didn’t know it yet. And last month, Assemblyman Garbarino became U.S. Rep.-Elect Garbarino with a convincing election victory over his Democratic challenger, Jackie Gordon. Now, beginning with his Jan. 3 swearing-in, the Sayville native will be given the opportunity he has eyed since announcing his candidacy — to succeed King. Talking with the Herald on Monday, the 36-year-old Garbarino spoke of his eagerness to begin his work for his new constituency in the 2nd C.D., which includes Wantagh and Seaford. Now taking part in new-member initiations, he is getting his first taste of what the next two years in Washington will bring, but he also laid out his hopes for what the next two years might bring residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties. “From my experience moving from the state to Congress, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about constituent service,” Garbarino said. “Thinking in the legislative way [about] how [legislation] will affect the residents in my area, even if it is a national bill.” Garbarino said that he had voted with his district’s interests in mind in the State Legislature, and would con-

and changes in the federal income tax deduction for state and local taxes. Long Island’s South Shore faces numerous environmental and infrastructural problems, but, Garbarino says, if he can become a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — after representative ratios are determined and members are voted on — he hopes to distribute funding fairly. “I want to make sure that not all of that money goes to just roads and bridges,” he said. “Things like clean water, taking care of the [Grumman] plume, whether it’s clean-water well projects or sewers, which is a big [issue] in the eastern part of my district, I want to make sure there is language in that legislation.” Garbarino stressed the importance of the removal of nitrogen from the Great South Bay as well as aviation infrastructure on the eastern border of his district, at MacArthur Airport. He said he has no qualms about prioritizing his constituents’ needs over the demands of party politics. Asked about his Nov. 28 tweet that read, “Nancy Pelosi should not be Speaker of the House,” and whether that would prove to be divisive before his swearing-in, he doubled down. “I don’t think she should be,” he said. Garbarino appears confident in his knowledge of issues and the legislative process. He mentioned wanting to move quickly on an infrastructure bill in the first half of 2021, albeit perhaps thinking optimistically. But Garbarino he said he was intent on being an effective member of the House. “The last thing I want is to waste other people’s time and my own,” he said. “If we’re sitting here in two years and I can say, ‘Here are the things I got accomplished,’ and I was effective, that will make me very happy.”

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020

BY J.D. FREDA

December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

events and activities

community update A book discussion that “grants” you access to U.S. history

Ongoing Jones Beach Magic of Lights Sunday to Thursday: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Location: Jones Beach State Park. Price: $25 (in advance). A festival of twinkling, magical holiday lights! A 200-foot light tunnel and over 40 scenes of holiday lights displays will be feature. Enjoy the unique and thrilling family-friendly drive-through holiday lights festival spread over a two-mile span. For tickets, visit https://magicoflights.com/events/jonesbeach/.

Join reference librarian Jack for a book discussion on American Ulysses by Ronald C. White, a biography on the 18th president of the United States: Ulysses S. Grant. This event is free and is hosted by the Wantagh Public Library and will take place both on location at 3285 Park Ave., Wantagh and virtually on Dec. 30. For more information, contact Jack Leone at (516) 221-1200 or jleone@antaghlibrary.org.

Seaford kindergarten registrationSeaford Harbor Elementary School will be holding kindergarten registration for the 2021-22 school year on Jan. 13 and 14. Seaford Manor Elementary School will be holding kindergarten registration on Jan. 14 and 15. Mailing information for all prospective students is needed prior to those deadlines. For parents of children who will be five by Dec. 1, 2021, call the office of the Harbor School at (516) 592-4180 or the Manor School at (516) 592-4080.

Saturday, Dec. 26

Wednesday, Jan. 6 Virtual Exercise: Meditation 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Seaford Public Library (virtual) PRICE - Free Join Linda Cafiero for a relaxing evening of self-discovery. Through the exploration of various meditation techniques, you’ll find the path to your true nature and enjoy a more fulfilling life. Please have a towel, mat or pillow if you plan on being on the floor. CONTACT - (516) 221-1334 for more information.

Monday, Jan. 18 New York Blood Center blood drive 2:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. St. Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church 1309 Wantagh Ave., Wantagh. Donate blood for the New York Blood Center. Donors must book appointments ahead of time due to social distancing guidelines. There will be four available registration spots during every 15-minute time slot. Reigster at https://bit.ly/3oRE0qP. Reserve your seat and preferred time period now, as reserved time slots will fill quickly.

Courtesy GoodReads

Family Movie Day 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. LOCATION - Wantagh Public Library 3285 Park Ave., Wantagh PRICE - Free Playing with Fire, starring John Cena, Keegan-Michael Kay and John Leguizamo, centers around a fire crew that has to babysit three unruly teenagers they rescued in a fire while they try to locate their parents. CONTACT - Susan Finck at (516) 2211200 or sfinck@wantagh.org

Monday, Dec. 28 Bookish Bingo 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. LOCATION - Wantagh Public Library 3285 Park Ave., Wantagh PRICE - Free A fun afternoon of book-themed Bingo exclusively for students in grades five

l l l l l

through 12. Winners get to choose a prize. CONTACT - Jennifer McHugh at (516) 221-1200 or jmchugh@wantaghlibrary. org

Tuesday, Dec. 29 Let’s Draw! 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wantagh Public Library (Virtual) PRICE - Free Join artist and teacher Doris Benter for a relaxing virtual drawing class. Supplies needed to participate are 8.5 x 11 in. Paper, a pencil, a black marker and colored pencils. This calss can be attended by any age group. CONTACT - Susan Finck at (516) 2211200 or sfinck@wantagh.org.

Wednesday, Dec. 30 Virtual Tai Chi 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wantagh Public Library (Virtual) PRICE - Free Join Marvin Berg RN for a weekly Tai Chi for Arthritis program geared for seniors, but all are welcome. Tai Chi combines slow-moving with deep breathing and is beneficial in increasing body strength, balance, and posture. Additionally, it can also help you reduce stress and increase relaxation. CONTACT - Ian Smith at (516) 2211200 or ismith@wantaghlibrary.org

Thursday, Dec. 31

Noon Year’s Eve Party (Zoom LIVE) 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Celebrate the new year with your little ones at Noon Year’s Eve! There will be music, dancing, a goody bag with a craft, a countdown, and a ball drop at noon sharp! Say farewell to 2020 and hello to 2021! All ages welcome! Registration for Seaford library/school district residents begins Thursday, Dec. 17 Nonresidents can register Friday, December 18th. We will contact you when to pick up the craft. Please register each child separately. Please make sure your email address is entered correctly when registering. All registered families will receive a Zoom link via email 24 hours before the start of the program. For more information or to ask question, contact childrens@seafordlibrary.org. Registration for the event begins on Dec. 17 at 10 a.m.

Multiple groups in your area are hosting fundraisers. If you can, donate! Find your perfect Christmas tree at a local nursery! Check local gyms and fitness centers for winter fitness plans and deals! Wear a mask and practice social distancing! Local small businesses still need your help. Shop local!

HAVINg AN EVENT? Items on the Community Update pages 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 jfreda@liherald.com

Town earmarks $5.5M in CARES funds for schools By AlyssA seidmAn

Town of Hempstead officials on Monday announced that each of the 36 school districts within the town and the Board of Cooperative Educational Services would receive a $150,000 grant to help pay for coronavirus-related expenses. The $5.5 million allocation was made possible by funding through the federal CARES Act. Nassau BOCES Superintendent Dr. Robert Dillon said the funds are much needed. “School districts spent millions of dollars in preparation to open up schools [in] September,” he said. “This $150,000 gives them a little bit of a cushion to reimburse them for things they’ve already paid for.” Covid-related expenses include hardware and software to boost WiFi bandwith, Chromebooks, personal protective equipment, desk shields and partitions, cleaning supplies and virus tests. Town officials said the grant would help school districts to recoup these necessary expenses. Dillon said school officials in each of the districts would decide how the grants would be spent. “This pandemic has hit everybody in so many different ways . . . and our school districts are no strangers to it,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin, a Republican from Garden City. “Teachers are essential workers on the front lines trying to educate our children, and they have numerous expenses that

Alyssa Seidman/Herald Life

Town of HempsTeAd Supervisor Donald Clavin, at lectern, and other town officials on Monday announced an initiative to help reimburse local school districts that have incurred unbudgeted expenses during the coronavirus pandemic. The $5.5 million, made possible by funding through the federal CARES Act, will provide $150,000 to each of the town’s 36 school districts and Nassau BOCES. they need help with.” The announcement followed a string of similar initiatives by the town to use $133 million in CARES Act funding secured by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer earlier this year. According to Clavin, the money has also been used to provide: ■ $4 million to local hospitals. ■ $8 million to area colleges. ■ $4 million for Covid-19 testing initiatives.

■ $6 million for food pantries. ■ More than a half million dollars for local fire departments. ■ $3.5 million for PPE distribution to benefit small business. ■ More than a half million dollars to local villages. “We’re committed to see this money utilized in the town,” Clavin said. “Alba-

ny has mandated school districts to do testing, unfunded. They dropped the burden on our school districts, [which have] no money for it. It’s a recurring theme when I talk to superintendents on a regular basis.” Tow n C o u n c i l m e n A n t h o n y D’Esposito, Dennis Dunne and Christopher Carini called on state and county officials to work to bring more CARES funding to residents on the front lines of the pandemic. “We in the Town of Hempstead would love to give more money to the schools, and each and every school deserves a heck of a lot more than this,” Dunne said. “We’re doing what we can with what we have, and the state has over $4.5 billion that they have not given to the schools yet.” In a statement, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, a Democrat from Baldwin, criticized the town for not allocating more money to school districts. “If the supervisor had not refused to reimburse $50 million for Nassau’s brave first responders who answered the call in the Town of Hempstead during the first wave of the pandemic,” Curran said, “or spent more than $50 million for new bathrooms, along with his sanitation budget and town’s general fund, then all of Nassau’s school districts would have received much-needed funding from the county and in greater sums. School districts are being thrown a proverbial bone at the very last minute when they deserved much more, much sooner.”

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What’s up next door and around the corner

Herald neigHbors

Donations from locals delivered to vets at VA By J.D. FREDA jfreda@liherald.com

Last Tuesday, local community leader and Seaford Chamber of Commerce member Donna Jebaily pulled up to the Northport VA Medical Center in East Northport. Employees from the medical center met her outside. After weeks of coordinating with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Jebaily opened the trunk of her car and employees started to haul in the culmination of multiple week’s worth of donations into the building for the many needy veterans inside. After the carts stuffed with donations from local residents were hurried inside and out of the frigid weather, Jebaily took a moment to reflect on the fundraising efforts. “We had hundreds of items donated. [We had] boxes full of razors, soaps, memory board games, toothbrushes, underwear, pajamas and gloves,” Jebaily said. “[One person] even donated a huge box of nonslip socks. There must’ve been at least 50 pairs.”

The donations started rolling in on Nov. 7. Continuing their charitable ways, residents of Seaford and the surrounding hamlets rallied to raise essential everyday items for veterans at the Northport medical facility. The Seaford Chamber of Commerce sponsored the fundraiser. “It’s nice to give back to those who have done so much for our country, and they are in need all year, not just the holidays,” Jebaily said before expounding, claiming that she intends on organizing a similar drive for next summer. Former chamber president Ken Jacobsen agreed that another drive should be organized for 2021. Residents utilized an Amazon wish list that was constantly updated by the VA. Jebaily said that the VA added to the list every so oftem so that the most desperately needed products could be purchased and donated. The list was updated fairly regularly since the fundraiser began in early November. “They were extremely appreciative,” Jebaily said.

Photos courtesy Donna Jebaily

A DonAtion DRivE for veterans at the Northport VA Medical Center was held by the Seaford Chamber of Commerce from Nov. 7 to Dec. 15, when the items were delivered to the medical facility.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with joy and hope Your Friends at: Stuart Richner, Publisher Rhonda Glickman, VP Sales Scott Brinton, Executive Editor

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December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

December 24, 2020

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December 24, 2020 â€” SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

You are not alone

hese are unprecedented times. We need to work extra hard to manage our emotions well. Expect to have a lot of mixed feelings. Naturally we feel anxiety, and maybe waves of panic, particularly when seeing new headlines. Our anxiety — while uncomfortable — can be bonding, especially if we manage it well. At the same time, we must make an effort to prevent panic contagion and create periods when we can be screen-free and calm, engaging our attention in normal daily activities. Seize opportunities to share lightness and humor. Laughter right now is a relief for all of us! You can also find moments of hope and resilience all around us despite the uncertainty. It may be helpful for you to make a list of what you can and cannot control right now. Mental health experts suggest radical acceptance of the situations we cannot control, and focus on what we can do. Stay physically safe from the virus In this case, the biggest safety behaviors (physical distancing and hand washing), which decrease transmission of the COVID-19 virus, are also an integral part of anxiety management. Stay home when you can. When outside the home, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. To help us make the thorough hand-washing a new habit, try this: “Wash as if you just chopped up a jalapeno pepper (without gloves) and you now have to put in your contact lenses.” Don’t forget the sides of each and every finger, the back of hands, palms, the creases and nail beds, and the back of nails. Wash for at least 20 seconds — as long as it takes you to silently hum the Alphabet Song, Happy Birthday, or recite the Loving Kindness Prayer. If you are a speedy hummer, say it twice. Limit media to reduce anxiety By now you have heard this recommendation many times and there is research behind it: Watching or scrolling through the media makes us even more anxious. An excess of news and visual images about a traumatic event can create symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and poor health years later, according to research by UC Irvine’s Roxy Silver, Ph.D., and others. Try to limit Covid-19 media exposure to no more than twice a day (i.e. checking for updates in the morning and before dinner) and try to avoid news about Covid-19 before bedtime. Take a vow to not forward (and thus propagate) alarming headlines to friends and family. Get and provide warm, comforting, social support Find and encourage support by video, phone, or text. This is critical! Taking time to share your feelings and to listen and support others will go a long way. Talking with others who have our best interests at heart makes us feel safe. Use phone, video, text, or email. Fortunately these new highways of social contact are unlimited resources. More than just providing social support about the current crisis, it is a good idea to use these connections to talk about the things you normally would — host your book club online, for example — which can create feelings of connectedness. Host a dinner using FaceTime or Zoom so you can talk while you eat (and talk about some positive things, not just this crisis). Loving and caring for our pets can be phenomenal stress reduction for us too! Find ways of expressing kindness, patience, and compassion Be extra kind to yourself. This is a hard time for everyone. Humans across the world are sharing this experience with you. We are all in this together and we may all emerge with a renewed appreciation for our interconnectedness. Helping others in need is both critical to get through this well, and also creates more purpose to our days and well-being. Donate blood if you are able. The American Red

Staying in control in a world that’s out of control Coronavirus stress takes many forms but can be managed

Cross faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Eligible and healthy donors are strongly urged to make an appointment to donate and help ensure that lifesaving blood products are available for patients. Create new routines and keep practicing health behaviors Routine and ritual are restorative to us. Our brain wants predictable activity so we can relax our vigilant nervous system. Go to bed early and go outside each day to be active. Remember that our activities, thoughts, and mood are closely linked. If you want to change your mood, change your activities and/or your thoughts. Eat well Good nutrition helps our mood. Stress makes us seek comfort foods, and in turn high carbs and sugars impact our mood. Many population-based studies show that a Mediterranean diet has been linked to better mental health and stress resilience, whereas a junk food western diet is linked to depression and anxiety. Try to fill your home with fresh produce, frozen vegetables, and whole foods when possible. Work well enough from home Working from home may be new to you and can have its own challenges, especially in a small home with children. Don’t expect to have the same type of productivity as usual. We are all distracted and needing to cope with a different daily life now, while helping others. Reduce your goals for typical work that is not urgent, if possible. Here are some recommendations on how to stay focused and productive during work hours: Confine your workspace to a specific clear area in your home so your job doesn’t intrude on your personal needs. Use this same space regularly to work. This will focus your mind and increase your productivity. Control sound. Use noise cancelling headphones or earbuds, or use music or fans to create white noise. End the workday with clear boundaries. Put away electronic devices and work tools at the end of your workday and set clear hours in the day for work. Have a morning or evening check-in with a colleague or supervisor to reduce social isolation and provide structure to your day. Use video communications when you can. Seeing faces provides more social connection and information than just talking. Above photo: Covid-19 has disrupted our routines and made everyday activities, such as work and caring for loved ones, challenging. Those changes, on top of the general uncertainty around this pandemic, has resulted in increased stress even for those who are generally not prone to stress-related concerns.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our lives, from health and exercise to work, school, parenting and socializing. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), many Americans are experiencing considerable stress related to the coronavirus. While you can’t control the virus, you can take steps to control how you respond to it. Coronavirus-related stress takes many forms Covid-19 has impacted many aspects of our lives, so it makes sense that our reactions to it vary widely. Many people experience physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive problems or muscle tension. Some may have problems sleeping or may sleep too much. Others may lose their appetite or overeat. Coronavirus-related stress can also have psychological effects. People whose income has been affected, for example, may be anxious about paying their bills or supporting their families. Working remotely and distance learning can take a toll on both adults and children who thrive on social interaction, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Depression and irritability are common reactions. If you don’t get a handle on your stress, you can raise your risk of more health issues. “When we’re stressed, our blood pressure goes up naturally,” says psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Brackin.“That puts you at higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke, or even developing cancer.” How to deal with stress The pandemic has left many feeling a loss of control over their lives. The usual routines have been disrupted indefinitely, and the future seems uncertain. Coping techniques help. Dr. Brackin offers some tips to help you feel more in control of your life and keep your stress level in check. Maintain routines. No matter what your age is, it can be helpful to create some type of structure in your day. If you exercised before work, for example, try to continue to do so. Have meals at the same time as you did before the virus. Try to maintain familiar routines for yourself and your family. Of course, there will be

some changes, but attempt to create normalcy where you can. Stay in touch. Social distancing requirements have significantly changed how we connect with our friends, coworkers and even our own family members. Except for those in your household, you probably aren’t seeing family as often as you used to. Children and teens may find it particularly difficult to be isolated from their friends and sports groups. It’s important to continue to find ways to connect with people when you can’t see them in person, says Dr. Brackin, such as scheduling weekly phone calls or meeting virtually on Zoom. Getting outside of the house can help relieve feelings of isolation, and spending time in nature has been shown to help reduce stress. Arrange to walk with a friend or get together in the yard while maintaining a safe distance. Get adequate rest. If stress makes it difficult to fall asleep or you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, take a look at your sleep habits. Avoid looking at your phone, tablet and other screens for an hour before you go to bed. Not only can texting, watching news videos or playing games stimulate your mind, the blue light from screens can interfere with sleep. Having a glass of wine may help you relax, but it can also disrupt sleep later. If you wake up and can’t get back to sleep right away, it can help to leave the bedroom and read or do something else relaxing until you feel sleepy again. Breathe. Any time you feel stressed, take a few minutes to practice deep, mindful breathing. Focusing on your breath can interrupt your body’s stress response, slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. Take a slow deep breath in for three seconds, hold it for a count of four, exhale for three seconds. Repeat this a few times until you feel calmer. “Mindfulness meditation is a wonderful intervention to give yourself a sense of peace, regardless of what’s happening externally,” says Dr. Brackin. Above photo: Pandemic-related stress affects people in different ways. It depends on age, coping skills, genetics, even a person’s financial situation.

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020

Emotional well-being during the pandemic

HEALTH HEALTHMEMOS MEMO

December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

Metro Physical & Aquatic Therapy expands

etro Physical & Aquatic Therapy, a leading provider of comprehensive therapy and wellness services with locations across Long Island and in Florida, is on the move again, expanding its facilities and rebranding others to reflect its high end, spa-like facilities. Most recently, on Sept. 21, 2020, the organization opened the doors of its Greenvale/ Roslyn facility on Glen Cove Road. This was a relocation from the previous facility inside the nearby Roslyn JCC. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the new facility is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Metro officially introduced this office to the Roslyn/ Greenvale community on Oct. 29, 2020 during a ribboncutting ceremony sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Roslyn. According to Metro Physical Therapy CEO Michael Mayrsohn, DPT, OCS, “We have been part of the Roslyn JCC community for over 20 years. It was a great experience, but due to Covid-19, increasing patient demand and physician referrals, we needed a standalone space. Our new space affords us the opportunity to serve more patients in the Greenvale community, while also offering the same topnotch facilities and amenities with the addition of parking spaces located right outside the

facility.” Metro Physical Therapy will provide its comprehensive physical, occupational and speech therapies, as well as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage and aquatic therapies. Services are provided by experienced, certified manual therapists who provide one-to-one therapy services for each patient to facilitate the best outcomes. “We are receiving and want to continue receiving a steady increase in patient referrals from area physicians who recognize the value in one-on-one patient care. In addition, we are treating over 100 patients in a week and are looking forward to watching that number grow,” added Mayrsohn. “It is a testament to the high caliber of our medical team and the emphasis we place on quality care. All treatments are performed by experienced healthcare professionals and not assistants. Our goal is to elevate the healthcare experience through a culture of caring, quality, safety, service and innovation.”

50 Glen Cove Rd., Greenvale • (516) 626-8787 • www.metrophysicaltherapy.com Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

HEALTH MEMO

A safe and smooth transition...coming home to Maple Pointe

ur world is in a state of change, and the lasting effects may be there for years to come. Our previously normal lives have taken drastic turns, and we are all learning to adjust. Like the very seniors we care for, a great many of us are now experiencing loneliness, stress, and loss. Lacking the very thing we as people yearn for...connection. Throughout this ongoing change the one constant that has remained untouched is Maple Pointe’s devotion to our residents. Our care has never faltered and it will continue to grow and flourish no matter how tough this crisis becomes. The mission to serve seniors has never been more important and the strength to do so has never been so great. United we stand, with our residents and families ready to emerge from this the same way we started...together. We are here for you, living this change as it happens. Adapting the care and services to better support the community we cherish. The friendly visits to the community have become family video chats and heartfelt window greetings. Although the methods have changed, the message of love and affection have become greater. As the community around us continues to adjust to the effects of social distancing and we move towards pandemic recovery, Maple Pointe is charging ahead and engaging in new ways to connect with each other. Our sense of duty never stops, and we continue to enhance our own practices to make sure residents and families

feel supported and secure. Extending our reach outside to our local community, we aim to make coming home to Maple Pointe an option to all seniors. We are a team of dedicated healthcare champions that have always prepared, yet never had to react. We have now reacted, our response was to lead our families out of this crisis and move forward. Let us return your peace of mind, and guide you back to a place of sanctuary for your loved ones.

260 Maple Ave., Rockville Centre • (516) 764-4848 Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

What happened to ‘normal’? Covid-19’s impact on mental health

uring the Covid-19 pandemic, surveys show a major increase in the number of U.S. adults who report symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression during the pandemic, compared with surveys before the pandemic. And for those already dealing with mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, their emotional health can worsen. It’s important to learn self-care strategies and get the care you need to help you cope. Take care of your mind: Reduce stress triggers Keep your regular routine. Maintaining a regular schedule is important to your mental health. In addition to sticking to a regular bedtime routine, keep consistent times for meals, bathing and getting dressed, work or study schedules, and exercise. Also set aside time for activities you enjoy. This predictability can make you feel more in control. Stay busy. A distraction can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression. Enjoy hobbies that you can do at home, identify a new project or clean out that closet you promised you’d get to. Doing something positive to manage anxiety is a healthy coping strategy. Focus on positive thoughts. Choose to focus on the positive things in your life, instead of dwelling on how bad you feel. Consider starting each day by listing things you are thankful for. Maintain a sense of hope, work to accept changes as they occur and try to keep problems in perspective.

Use your moral compass or spiritual life for support. If you draw strength from a belief system, it can bring you comfort during difficult times. Set priorities. Don’t become overwhelmed by creating a life-changing list of things to achieve while you’re home. Set reasonable goals each day and outline steps you can take to reach those goals. Give yourself credit for every step in the right direction, no matter how small. And recognize that some days will be better than others. Recognize what’s typical and what’s not. Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. Everyone reacts differently to difficult situations, and it’s normal to feel stress and worry during a crisis. But multiple challenges daily during this crisis can push you beyond your ability to cope. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling helpless, sad, angry, irritable, hopeless, anxious or afraid. You may have trouble concentrating on typical tasks, changes in appetite, body aches and pains, or difficulty sleeping or you may struggle to face routine chores. When these signs and symptoms last for several days in a row, make you miserable and cause problems in your daily life so that you find it hard to carry out normal responsibilities, it’s time to ask for help. Hoping mental health problems such as anxiety or depression will go away on their own can lead to worsening symptoms. If you have concerns or if you experience worsening of mental health symptoms, ask for help and be upfront about how you’re doing.

NSPC surgeon performs cutting-edge epilepsy treatment at local hospital

eurosurgeon Brian J. About Neurological Surgery, Snyder, M.D., P.C. (NSPC Brain & Spine operated on a young Surgery) man suffering from refractory Founded in Freeport in 1958, seizures with a new deep brain Neurological Surgery, P.C. (NSPC stimulation (DBS) technique at Brain & Spine Surgery) has grown a local Long Island hospital. He to become one of the largest, implanted the Medtronic DBS private neurosurgical groups in the System for Epilepsy to reduce U.S. with seven conveniently the frequency of his patient’s located offices on Long Island, seizures. Dr. Snyder is a partner including offices in West Islip, and attending neurosurgeon Commack, Port Jefferson Station, with Neurological Surgery, P.C. and Riverhead. (NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery), The practice’s experienced Brian J Snyder, M.D. Rockville Centre, NY, and a neurosurgeons and interventional fellowship-trained, board neuroradiologists are experts in certified expert in “Bloodless” brain and spine neuromodulation, surgery for epilepsy, movement surgery, including laser spine surgery, endoscopic disorders, and refractory pain. spine surgery, ultrasonic spine surgery, radiosurgery, Known as bilateral stimulation of the anterior and other advanced minimally invasive techniques nucleus of the thalmus (ANT), the technique uses which are used to treat brain tumors, brain aneurysms, trigeminal neuralgia, herniated disc, electrical impulses delivered by electrodes placed in spinal stenosis, chronic back pain, and other critical portions of the brain to block the onset of conditions. Please visit www.nspc.com to learn seizures. The electrodes are powered by a battery more. placed just under a patient’s collar bone. Affecting nearly 50 million people, worldwide, epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. “Studies have shown,” observes Dr. Snyder, “that treatments such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) can reduce seizures in epilepsy patients for whom other therapies have failed.” An expert in 100 Merrick Rd., #128w, Rockville Centre DBS, Dr. Snyder has implanted more DBS systems on 516-255-9031 • nspc.com Long Island than anyone else.

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020

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Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

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Neighbors iN the News

Courtesy Seaford Schools

Taylor DiFonDi

Will CasCio

Taylor PurCell

Billy KinD

Next generation of Seaford leaders chosen for Hugh O’Brian conference The Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference is held annually, and it hosts some of the brightest young minds from high schools across the country. Next year, representing Seaford High School at the HOBY New York Metro area virtual conference on June 5 and 6 will be sophomores Will Cascio, Taylor DiFondi, Billy Kind and Taylor Purcell. After an extensive interview process with a committee of high school teachers, 11 students were selected to complete an application, write an essay and meet with a panel of administrators, faculty members, guidance counselors and past HOBY attendees. Cascio, DiFondi, Purcell and Kind were chosen as the school’s ambassadors. Cascio is a triple-jumper on the varsity track and field team as a 10th grader. He also is a member of the Best Buddies Club, which pairs general education and special education students. He said he hopes to be a leader in the organization in the future. DiFondi has previously been recognized as the Seaford Lions Club Award recipient in eighth grade for her volunteer work tutoring her peers, helping them to succeed academically and manage their time. She was also a captain of both her junior-varsity cheerleading squad and middle school softball team. Kind served as a captain on his middle school football, basketball and wrestling teams. He was also a treasurer of the National Junior Honor Society and is involved in Best Buddies, as well as the Key Club. Like Kind, Purcell also has been involved in several service events with the Key Club, including making peanut butter

and jelly sandwiches for the less fortunate, helping in the cleanup of the Tackapausha Preserve and participating in a breast cancer awareness walk. She is also involved in sports, having played volleyball and lacrosse since seventh grade. HOBY focuses on selecting sophomores to attend the conference so that the high school students have ample time in their junior and senior years to expand on the leadership lessons taught to them by professionals from the event’s panel. The students said they intend on sharing the knowledge they learn in June with their peers so that other students can thrive in leadership roles within sports, clubs and student government. “You learn it, you do it, and you hand it down so other people can do things with your knowledge,” Cascio said, adding that he recognizes he was chosen for a reason and wants to deliver on those expectations. Kind expounded on that, saying he wants to play the same role for younger students that older students have played for him, and DiFondi echoed those sentiments. “It’s a great honor to be picked for HOBY,” she said. “I am determined to be a great leader. I won’t let my fellow students down.” Assistant Principal Nicole Schnabel has already tasked these four students, along with former HOBY attendees, with leadership responsibilities. She challenged the lot with creating fun and interactive ways for the 95 full-time distance-learning students to feel just as connected to the high school community as students who attend classes in-person, The group has already began brainstorming different ideas.

Public Notices

LSEA1 1224

LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE AUCTION OF SURPLUS ASSETS The Board of Education, Levittown Public Schools, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, is conducting an online auction of surplus assets in partnership with Auctions International,

Inc. These assets which include a number of snow blowers, mowers, air compressor, kitchen and gym equipment that have been declared surplus and approved by the Board of Education in accordance with State Laws. Items will be auctioned over a 14 day time period beginning Monday,

January 4, 2021. Bidders may view items up for auction on the auction w e b s i t e : www.auctionsinternation al.com. Additional details, terms and conditions, and instructions for registering to place bids can be obtained on the auction website. Levittown Public Schools

reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or parts of bids, to waive any and all technicalities, and to accept any bid, or part of bid which it deems advantageous to itself. Bonnie Pampinella Purchasing Agent 124204

Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

Courtesy Lisa Garcia

The PTsa hosTeD its last large in-person fundraiser on Jan. 30, just weeks before it had to completely shift its day-to-day operations.

Switching the method while maintaining focus continued from front page “Quickly, everyone became so disconnected in March. You felt like things were going wrong,” said Garcia, who’s now the PTSA president. “We knew we wanted to do something to bring everyone together.” The group was forced to shift its focus from one or two large, in-person events to midsized virtual fundraisers. “[Raising money] is different now,” said Second Vice President Bridget Ulzheimer, a member of the Seaford PTA or PTSA for 14 years. “We would try to do that one big fundraiser a year where we would go to local businesses and ask for donations, but we don’t want to do that this year. Even going to parents, we want to be delicate asking them to donate. Everyone has been affected.” Ulzheimer said that smaller, more frequent fundraisers have been the PTSA’s answer. One of its first such undertakings was the Seaford Strong apparel drive, which launched at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. “We put that in motion so that the community can feel a sense of pride,” said Garcia, who became president over the summer. Partnering with a local printing business, the PTSA sold roughly $800 worth of Seaford spirit apparel. She said there was “no hesitation” when she was asked if she would accept the leadership position. “I wanted it,” she said. “I knew it would be a challenge. It might sound weird, but it has been a pleasure so far.” From the apparel drive, to a graduation lawn sign fundraiser distributed to honoring individual graduates in the class of 2020 and eighth-graders graduating from Seaford Middle School, to selling PTSA pens and flannel pajama bottoms, to hosting a Thanksgiving pie sale, the association has succeeded in not just surviving, but adapting to better serve the district and its student body while continuing to raise funds for future projects and scholarships. The parents

also say they just want to make their children’s days a little brighter. “Our goal has been to keep a positive spin on everything and keep school fun and enjoyable for the kids,” said First Vice President Dame Cascone. She added that the money the organization has raised through this point of the school year is comparable to years past. The group’s success is attributable to much more than the efforts of Garcia, Ulzheimer and Cascone. It is indicative of the level of parent involvement in the district, which helped the PTSA deal with a pandemic-mandated change that members thought would be rife with problems. “The number one shift was to having to become more comfortable and acclimated to using technology,” Cascone said. Over the course of Garcia’s involvement, she has attended many in-person meetings, the most crowded attracting 12 to 15 attendees. Now, on Zoom, some of the group’s regular meetings have been attended by 80 or more parents. Clearly, the key is convenience. “Something to look at, when we do go back in-person meetings, is to hopefully keep that aspect,” Ulzheimer said. “Where parents can click on and still be a part of the conversation. We’re seeing more faces, and more parents are getting the right information.” The PTSA’s last large contribution to a school building was two years ago, when it donated a sign to Seaford Middle School. The organization and the district are now batting around ideas on what may be needed next. “A year from now, I hope we appreciate this moment in time, spending time with family,” she said before adding, “and having to come together as a community.” For the immediate future, though, the focus remains on navigating the Vikings to calmer waters. “I feel like we bring light when we can,” Garcia said. “That should always be our job, Covid or not.”

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3 Payne Circle, BA, 5 BR, 3.5 Bth Spacious Split on Beautiful Street in Cul de Sac. State of the Art EIK, 2 Dens, Bsmt, & 2 Car Gar. SD#20 ................................................................................ $1,190,000 236 Richards Lane, BA, 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary Home on an Acre Of Resortlike Prop with IG Pool. Open Floor Plan. Full Fin Bsmt. Main Flr Master. SD14....................................REDUCED! $1,499,000 NEW TO MARKET!! 10,000 Sq Ft Waterfront Property on an Acre of Parklike Grounds Tucked away in Cul de Sac. 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary. Soaring Ceilings. IG Pool, Hot Tub. 285' Vinyl Bulkhead Raised & Redone. Dock. 3 Car Garage ............. $4,650,000 70 Heron Dr, BA, 6 BR, Contemporary with Open Layout on an Acre of Parklike Property. Move Right in! SD#14 .....................$1,699,000 159 Meadowview Ave, BA, Stately 5200 Sq Ft Colonial Featuring 6 BR, 6.55 Bths on Acre Of Resortlike Prop with IG Pool, Tennis Ct, & Outdoor Kit. Fin Bsmt, 2 Car Gar, Fabulous Location in SD#14 ............................................................ REDUCED!! $2,699,000

EAST ROCKAWAY 101 Emmet Ave, NEW WATERFRONT! Rebuilt in 2010, 4 BR 3.5 Bth Split w/ Pool, Outdoor Kit & Deck. Open Layout. Private Mstr Ste, 2 Car Gar, SD#20..$1,250,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429 HEWLETT HARBOR 3 Payne Circle, OPEN HOUSE BY APPT, Spacious Split on Beautiful Street in Cul de Sac. State of the Art EIK, 2 Dens, Bsmt, & 2 Car Gar. SD#20...$1,190,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

WOODSBURGH 185 BAY Dr, OPEN HOUSE BY Appt, 5/6 BR, 4.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop. Guest Q u a r t e r s , F u l l B s m t , 2 C a r G a r. SD#14...$1,450,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Call me for a free professional consultation.

House For Sale

Melinda Beauchamp Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Mobile: 516.721.7805

mbeauchamp@coachrealtors.com mbeauchamp.coachrealtors.com 314 Sunrise Highway Rockville Centre NY 11570

Melinda & Thor

Apartments Wanted

Open Houses

HEWLETT HARBOR ba, 236 Richards Lane 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary Home on an Acre Of Resortlike, IGP, Open Floor Plan. Full Fin Bsmt. Main Flr Master. SD14...$1,499,000

1113586

Help Wanted

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

REAL ESTATE

Now is the time to buy or sell a home.

CASHIER WANTED For Grocery Store West Hempstead. Experience Helpful. Email Resume: ianddglatt2@optonline.net Or Call 516-444-6010

Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BAY PARK

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

EMPLOYMENT

e s t. 1 9 1 1

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To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

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HERALD

January 7, 14, 21, 28, 2021 4 p.m.

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EAST ROCKAWAY WATERVIEW! 3Bds, 2Bths, EIK, FDR, LR, Den, FBasement, Garage,,Large Yard. Zone X-no flood insurance. Too Much To List! 516-241-6075 MLS: 3271059/ Coldwell Banker HEWLETT BAY PARK NEW TO MARKET! 10,000 Sq Fet. Waterfront Property on an Acre Of Parklike Grounds. IGP, 5 bds, 5.5 Baths Comtemp., $4.650,000 Ronnie Gerber 516 -238-4299 Douglas Elliman

Mature - Single

Non-Smoking Woman Seeking 1-2 Bedroom Apartment with Long-Term lease. I Have a Steady Job at the Same Company for the past 20 years. I am Recently Separated and I am Looking for IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY. I am Quiet, Responsible and Extremely Reliable. Please Contact me with any Opportunities at cassiesmom810@aol.com. I have Plenty of References that I would be happy to supply to you upon request.

Apartments For Rent CEDARHURST NO FEE Pr ivate Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For O n e B e d r o o m W h e n Ava i l a bl e. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

Commercial Prop./Rent EAST ROCKAWAY: 131 Main Street 2nd Floor Offices. 100-1500 sq.ft. 24/7 access. Utilities included. Starting $350/ month. Retail Space 1350 sq.ft. $3,000/ month. OWNER 516-637-2182

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020

HERALD

It’s not that different from surgery

Homes

HERALD

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

HOME OF THE WEEK

• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

Q. Due to the pandemic, my family has been home together, and our house needs work. We have outdated stucco walls and a small kitchen. We want to see if we can remove walls, but the plumbing from two upstairs bathrooms goes right down the main dividing wall. Taking out the wall means changing the bathrooms, we’ve been told. That’s more than we can afford, and we don’t want to move out. The bathAsk The rooms were renovated less Architect than five years ago and are on an outside wall. We would like to add seven to 10 feet so we have a breakfast space, possibly with a high ceiling. What would you suggest we do?

Wantagh

A Family Dream Home

here will be no weeping for this willow, you will be cheering! Mint 4 bedroom 2.5 bath custom built 19 year young colonial. This home features sky lit family room with gas fireplace, granite sky lit eat-in-kitchen, king size master bedroom suite with full bath and 2 walk in closets, gleaming hardwood floors, huge finished basement with high ceilings, stunning entertainer’s backyard with saltwater heated in ground pool with waterfall with new liner and outdoor sprinklers with generator hook up. You will also enjoy a 2 car garage. Taxes are confirmed and are $10791.62 with star exemption. Only $999,000.

Sherlock Sherlock Homes Homes

Happy Holidays

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THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING? Contact one of our hardworking professionals today for all of your real estate needs!

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List Price: $599,000 New to Market! 5 Bedroom 2 Bath Home Large Living Room with Fireplace, Basement, Garage, Gas Heat, New Roof

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We’re Keeping the American Dream Alive. www.AllStarRealEstateBrokers.com

NYS Licensed Real Estate Salespersons

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CAMILLE GIARDINA Licensed RE Broker/Owner Cell: 516-318-1392 Camille@AllStarRealEstateBrokers.com

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2119 Bedford Ave. John Lawlor, CBR, SFR Bellmore, NY 11710 Michele Librett-Lawlor, CBR, SFR

Real Estate Salesperson, abR, SRS E: Rhonda.Healy.VW@gmail.com Verdeschi & Walsh Realty 1025 W. Beech St. | Long Beach, NY

OneKey Multiple Listing Service

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A. What it really comes down to is getting the right people to find onte eeper solutions for each of the problems. Doctors and dentists often tell me that many people get the wrong advice from those who are unqualified, so that by the time they break down and seek trained professionals, the problem has gotten much worse, but the solution finally gets solved correctly and often more quickly. Your project has that possibility. All of the conditions, just like medical testing, involve choosing one of two ways to investigate the conditions. Unfortunately, people often expect all the answers to a construction project without the ultimate removal of materials, so the main way to plan is by gathering information on the probable location of main columns and beams as well as piping. Your problem has a solution, which may or may not include the extreme of altering the bathroom finishes. Often, when everything is finally exposed, a trained professional can see creative ways that installers may be afraid to try. In the presence of a plumber and carpenter, I have seen their concern of the unknown, where knowing what calculations to perform, it was possible to figure out the answers. It takes the cooperation of a team of skilled professionals — the architect, plumber and contractor — to plan, cut and assemble all the components to make this work. I suggest that the planning take advantage of the existing structure’s nature: the way the ceiling joists connect, the direction they run, and the potential to move plumbing in the same direction or identify how to correctly intersect the pipes through the main beams. With correct calculations and the right materials, your project can be accomplished without your having to spend the extra money on the bathrooms. Necessary disturbance of surrounding materials may be minimal. You have to make sure that each of the people you hire is communicating, and I highly suggest that you make a point to be in those meetings. Your involvement, your scrutiny that the people you hire are listening to one another and that you hired the right people, is no less important here than if you were advocating with medical staff for a family member’s procedure. The surgery might be much different between a building and a body, but the process isn’t all that different. Good luck!

Laura Dupkin Memisha Licensed Broker Associate laura@therealtyadvisors.com Cell: (516) 984-0343 3342 Park Avenue, Wantagh NY

1109112

December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

© 2020 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.

Market Place • •

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

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ESTATE SALE - LOG HOMES

PAY THE BALANCE OWED ONLY!!! AMERICAN LOG HOMES IS ASSISTING JUST RELEASED OF ESTATE & ACCOUNT SETTLEMENT ON HOUSES.

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SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020

HERALD

December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

HERALD

Stuff

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Finds Under $100

Tag Sales

CRYSTAL WINE DECANTER with 6 glasses brand new,must see Paid $50.00 asking $25.00 (516) 579-9089

ISLAND PARK TAG SALE 60 Florida Ave., 12/26 & 12/27, 10am-7pm. Furniture, China Kichen Set TOO MUCH TO LIST!

Adoption Single woman looking to build her family by adoption. Any ethnicity welcome, expenses paid. Please call (347) 470-5228 or my attorney: (800) 582-3678 for information

MERCHANDISE MART Antiques/Collectibles We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 40 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid.. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

Wanted To Buy I BUY OLD AMERICAN MOTORCYCLES UP TO 1999. Please Call Dan 516-639-1027

FINDS UNDER $100 Finds Under $100 BOYS CLOTHES: SIZES 3T-4, New with Tags. Gap, Old Navy, Macy's Call/text 917-420-5814. $7

GIRLS CLOTHES: SIZE 5, New with Tags. Jeans, hoodies, long-sleeve Tshirts Call/text 917-420-5814. $8 ORIGINAL TIFFANY ASHTRAY with certificate 4 1/2 " triangle shape, paid $100.00 asking $25.00 516-579-9089

SERVICES 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 MIKE THE HANDYMAN: Light JobsPlumbing, Electrical, Specializing Vinyl Tiles, Gardening, Powerwashing, Painting. Interior And Exterior. Experienced. Reliable And Honest. Call Cell 516-225-8107; 516-837-3436

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• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Home Improvement

HANDY DANDY NO JOB TOO SMALL! *Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates 516-354-5578

Plumbing

PLUMBER! PLUMBER! PLUMBER! FREE ESTIMATES! Heating, Repairs, Installations. $25 OFF New Customers. 24 Hour Emergency Response. 516-599-1011 PLUMBING & HEATING ALL TYPES Boilers, Bathrooms. Small/Large Jobs. Licensed. Call Chris 516-697-8001 or Tony 347-843-9243.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

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AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

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Autos Wanted ***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highe$t Ca$h Paid$ All Years/Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199 Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS 516-297-2277 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

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Answers

to todAy’s puzzle

opinions

anding in Bulgaria nearly 30 years ago, I felt as though I had stepped through a portal into another dimension. After a 24-hour trip, I at last arrived at Sofia International Airport — then a dim, decrepit facility, a far cry from the modern airport that it is today. There was, at the time, a definite divide between West and East. The Soviet Union had crumbled only a year earlier, and Bulgaria, a satellite of the USSR, was reeling, politically and economically. Food and gasoline were in scott short supply and bRinton rationed. In the airport, which was hot and stifling without air conditioning, you realized fast that you were leaving behind the modernity of the West and taking a step back in time to a still developing nation. Bulgaria, where I served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer, has since opened to the world and modernized. Its economy is now fully globalized. But I will never forget those first startling, heartwrenching steps onto Bulgarian soil. Recently watching the wonderful Apple TV+ series “Long Way Up,” with the hosts Ewan McGregor and Charley

Boorman, I was instantly taken back to that steamy June day in Sofia. For the series, McGregor, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the middle three “Star Wars” films, among many other roles, and Boorman, also an actor, rode custom-made Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles for 13,000 miles from Ushuaia (pronounced oo-SWAY-a), Argentina, practically the southernmost tip of South America, to Los Angeles in 2019. Toward the end of the 11-episode series, as the pair pass from Mexico into the United States, the stark difference between the two countries is glaringly obvious. At the border, they meet refugees who had fled narco-violence and were camping out in makeshift tents, hoping, praying, to enter the U.S. It is a squalid scene, full of desperation. Then, after a bit of chaos at the border crossing, McGregor and Boorman appear, as if by magic, in America, and all is suddenly well as the two ride, surrounded by a pack of motorcyclists, into Los Angeles. The road is pristine. There is order, a sense of lawfulness. “Long Way Up” shows us the clear socioeconomic differences between the U.S. and the nations south of its border. McGregor and Boorman never intended to play politics, they have said, but they show us the reasons why so many have

fled their homelands in South and Central America and Mexico in search of a better life in the U.S., despite the terrifying uncertainty of the journeys they must undertake. At the same time, our intrepid hosts show us the unwavering resiliency of people living on the edge. “Long Way Up” is a reality TV documentary that is one part travelogue and one part buddy film. It’s about the close friendship between McGregor and Boorman, but more so, it’s about their relationship to the road and the people they meet serendipitously and befriend along the way. They ride through some of the most unforgiving regions of the Western Hemisphere — particularly in Peru and Chile, where they pass through the Andes Mountains and the Atacama Desert, which is so dry that NASA uses it for Mars simulation exercises. Traversing treacherous terrain, the two fall off their motorcycles a lot, and stall occasionally. But they have a capable backup team in producers David Alexanian and Russ Malkin, who travel behind them, though far out of sight most of the time, in two 2.6-tonne Rivian electric pickup trucks. They also bring three stellar videographers — Claudio von Planta, Jimmy Simak and Anthony von Sek — along for

TV series reminded me of going from one world to another.

the ride. With drones, the three capture the breathtaking beauty of the terrain through which the team travels. “Long Way Around” is a perfect antidote for the pandemic cabin fever so many of us are feeling. The show is all about motion — moving from one stage of the journey to the next in rapid-fire succession. McGregor and Boorman never stop anywhere for long before they’re off to their next destination. They linger only when they stop to promote projects undertaken by the United Nations Children’s Fund, ranging from providing schooling for Indigenous people previously denied an education to sheltering orphaned children fleeing violence. McGregor and Boorman have featured UNICEF projects in each of their three travel series — the first two were “Long Way Round” (from London to New York via Central Europe, Eurasia, Russia and Canada in 2004) and “Long Way Down” (through Europe and Africa in 2007). I never realized how much good UNICEF does around the globe. I had to make a donation. “Long Way Up” offers lessons in geography and culture. More so, though, it is a lesson in basic humanity that I would highly recommend watching for yourself, along with its two companion series. Scott Brinton is the Herald Community Newspapers’ executive editor and an adjunct professor at the Hofstra University Herbert School of Communication.

2020: What did you do while you waited?

or me, the theme of 2020 has been waiting learning to wait, summoning the B (balance) C (courage) and D (determination) that Type A’s struggle to find. If someone had told me in February that I would wait months to see my children and grandchildren, that I would wait more than a year to score a Shake Shack burger, that I would wait, mostly in my home, to hug a friend . . . I would RAndi not have found it kReiss credible. Our collective big wait has been for a viable Covid-19 vaccine, and now that it’s here, we’re waiting for our turn in line. I remember when the Salk polio vaccine was administered in my public school in 1955. They told us kids to line up in size order in the cafeteria, and I knew I would be first. Now we wait based on other criteria: age and general health and value to the community as front-line workers. We wait, too, on the political front.

Every process, from the Mueller investigation to the impeachment, to the election and now to the inauguration, has dragged out in agonizingly slow fashion. “Breaking news” generally means we will live with a story for countless days and weeks with little or no resolution. The Trump presidency has forced us to learn patience. Some of us have been waiting for more than four years for the foolishness of the conspiracists and the racists and the ill-informed to be swept into the past. Now it seems more patience will be required. As we wait, we hope this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic. It sinks in slowly that more than 320,000 of our fellow Americans have died in the past year from the disease. As we wait, we come to realize that many might have been saved if we had acted sooner. As we wait, we grieve the personal loss of friends and family and the suffering of 17 million who have struggled with the challenge of raising kids, going to work and getting health care while sick with the coronavirus. There are epic stories of waiting. My

favorite is from the novel “Waiting,” by Ha Jinn, which won the National Book Award in 1999. Based on a true story, it recounts the life of an Army doctor in China who waits 18 years to get a divorce from his wife in their home village so he can marry the woman he loves, a nurse who serves with him. While you’re waiting, you might give it a try. How ironic that we are the children of the instantgratification culture. From Amazon addiction to DoorDash to the ability to connect to others in a heartbeat, we have been trained to be impatient. We expect immediate satisfaction of our needs. We impatiently waited to ride bicycles and then to drive cars and to graduate from schools, and we wait to get through treatments and to dance at landmark birthdays and anniversaries. But 2020 pushed back. The demands of this year forced our attention outside ourselves. Think about this remarkable year, the year we hope to survive, the year we will never forget. It is said that the lesson of nature is patience, as we wait for seeds to sprout

ow ironic that we are the children of the instantgratification culture.

and babies to talk and trees to flower. During the days and weeks and months of waiting, we have become keener observers of smaller things. When you are homebound forever, you notice fluttering red wings outside the window that never caught your eye before. You take the many hours of a day to put together the ingredients of bread, feeling the stretch and pull of the dough because you actually have time to think about it. For women, the iconic wait of our lives is pregnancy, the time we go inward and focus attention on the seed of life growing inside. The young women I know who have had babies this year seem more intensely focused on this life event, more careful, and now they are waiting patiently to introduce their new children to the world outside and to other people. For many toddlers, life has been confined to rooms. We are all waiting for them, and the teenagers, to bust loose. I have tried to find music and art and conversation to get me through. But I am desperately awaiting 2021. I want to quietly close the book on 2020 and leap into a fresh new year. Copyright 2020 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020

‘Long Way Up,’ a deeply satisfying travelogue

vSeaford

Herald editorial

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HERALD HERALD

December 24, 2020 — SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

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It’s time for renewed vigilance over the virus

he Food and Drug Administration last Saturday issued an emergency-use authorization for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, which is administered in a series of two shots one month apart. Announcement of the EUA came after a whirlwind week of media coverage following the EUA for the Pfizer vaccine. We can only say bravo to the vaccine researchers who developed these two treatments at breakneck pace, taking months to produce what, in the past, has taken years. The science behind the vaccines seems futuristic, but it’s very much in the here and now. Both use genetic material, rather than the virus itself, to trigger an immune response by the body. Amid the jubilation that so many of us felt as the vaccines were rolled out,

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— to our holiday gatherings, full of family members and friends. We are a long way from that. We are not likely to begin a staged return to our pre-pandemic lives until we see a precipitous drop in the infection and death rates, which Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s leading infectious disease expert, warns could come in April, at the earliest. Over the weekend, we also received word from Great Britain that the coronavirus may have mutated into a new strain there, causing countries around the globe to ban travel from the United Kingdom in the hope of stopping the spread of the mutated virus. No, this is no time for apathy. It is a time of hope, yes, but we must not be lulled into a false sense of security. We’ve been down that road before.

Finally, Congress offers relief

t long last, Congress members agreed on a $900 billion Covid19 relief package that will, we hope and trust, bring desperately needed aid to Americans reeling from the continuing coronavirus crisis. We are closing in on 10 months since the start of the pandemic in the U.S., and job losses remain unacceptably high. The national unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in November, but without the relief package, it could have climbed back up into the double digits. The unemployment rate peaked at nearly 15 percent in April before drop-

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new Covid-19 cases — and deaths — continued to skyrocket. On the same day that the EUA was issued for the Moderna vaccine, the U.S. recorded more than 250,000 new cases — more than on nearly any other day since the coronavirus was first reported here in early March. That same day, some 2,800 people died of the virus. The day before that, nearly 3,300. The day before that, 3,600. We would be foolish to believe we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be months before we understand the true effect of the vaccines. The coronavirus became so widespread in the U.S. that it is now ubiquitous across the land, and is truly inescapable, except through mask wearing and social distancing. We cannot believe that we can, at this moment, magically return to normal life

Remembering pets in verse To the Editor: Reading Randi Kreiss’s column about the end of life of her daughter’s dog, and Randi’s tribute with Mary Oliver’s poem, reduced me to tears (“Saying goodbye to a force of nature on four paws,” Dec. 10-16). It really hit home, and was so well written. This year I had to put my 17-year-old cat to sleep, so I’ll share my poem. Mittens Such a small loss Amidst overwhelming chaos. Such a minor tragedy In this present time of losses. Does the weight of a dying cat Equal one pound of human flesh? How does one measure a life so small

ping steadily in the following months, though the pace of job creation has slowed since September. By infusing another $900 billion into the economy, lawmakers hope to stabilize many of the small and medium-sized businesses that are on the edge of collapse, while continuing to drive down the unemployment rate. We can only say, it’s about time, and what took you so long? Providing relief to the American people at such a dire time should have been a bipartisan nobrainer, but instead it became a protracted battle of political wits that bene-

fited no one, most especially the American worker. The new aid package will provide a $300-per-week supplemental job loss benefit and, for most Americans, a $600 direct stimulus payment. As Presidentelect Joe Biden noted, such a package is a good start, but more will be needed if the pandemic carries on longer than expected. That is why it’s about time that members of Congress set aside their partisan differences and stop playing games with the health and welfare of the American people.

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Our promise to never forget means we must wear our masks

ewant you to remember waking up on the morning of Sept. 12, 2001 — that is, if you had slept at all the night before. Recall how you felt about your country, your neighbors, and especially our lion-hearted first responders, whose bravery, selflessness and sacrifice we promised never to forget. Remember how you felt in the weeks and months that followed, when first responders and volunteers from Long Island and throughout the nation gathered at ground zero to search for survivors and victims and start the diffisara cult task of DIrector rebuilding. We were rightly in awe of our first responders, mourning those who had laid down their lives for us, and profoundly moved by their devastated brethren, who spent months digging through the rubble, atop a smoldering pile of pulverized concrete and glass, dioxin, PCB, benzene,

asbestos and other deadly toxins. There was nothing we would not do for them. Those first responders, and indeed the downtown community of office workers, students, construction workers and residents who returned after the attacks, are now disproportionately filling operating rooms, chemotherapy rooms and oncologists’ offices. They are struggling to breathe, fighting cancer, fighting lung disease, fighting for their lives. Since 9/11, 68 cancers have been linked to the toxins, as well as numerous respiratory diseases. Today, the 9/11 community is in the grips of a health crisis. We have lost more people to diseases that arose in the aftermath of the attacks than we lost that day. What does our promise to Never Forget require of us now? The answer is simple: wear a mask. Many members of the 9/11 community have compromised immune systems and serious co-morbidities that make them especially vulnerable to the effects

Letters

of Covid-19. The men and women who sacrificed so much for us, who rushed to answer the call and who eventually rebuilt New York City’s financial heart, are all around you. They are behind you at the supermarket, picking their kids and grandkids up from school, on your train, on your bus — they are everywhere. Yet if you just look at them, they are unidentifiable. You may not know that your child’s teacher taught in a school in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11 and now, as a result, suffers from chronic asthma. Or that your co-worker was a volunteer firefighter who answered the call of duty on 9/11, eventually resulting in a diagnosis of lung cancer. If today were Sept. 12, 2001, and Long Islanders were asked to wear masks to protect the 9/11 community from the spread of a virus, we would not hesitate. We would wear our masks with pride — pride for those first responders, and pride for our country. And we would be proud of our-

any members of the 9/11 community are vulnerable to the effects of Covid.

selves, for coming together and protecting those who protected us. Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat or Independent, we are all Long Islanders. Whether you believe that masks can stop or help slow the spread of the coronavirus or not, we are all Long Islanders. Whether you are a member of the 9/11 community or not, we are all Long Islanders. And we now have an opportunity to demonstrate the same unity we did 19 years ago, by following the safety precautions recommended by public health officials: wearing masks, socially distancing, washing our hands frequently and staying home when we’re not feeling well or showing any symptoms of Covid-19. We can protect our families and communities, particularly those with preexisting conditions, and we can and will crush this virus. The 9/11 community did its part. It is time for us to do ours. Never Forget. Sara Director, a native of Glen Cove who now lives in Locust Valley, is a partner at Barasch & McGarry, which representing more than 20,000 9/11 first responders and survivors.

Framework by Alyssa Seidman

In the huge universe? Can the tiny paw petting my arm Or her face tilted to mine Be important enough to earn one day Of mourning among a year of lamentations? These questions hang in the air, The answer written in tears. EvELYN KANDEL Nassau County poet laureate Glen Cove

Stop the LIRR’s fare hikes To the Editor: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is planning to raise fares yet again, during a global pandemic, no less. Just as we return to work and our daily commutes on the Long Island Rail Road, the MTA plans to ask us to cough up even more cash to take the train each day. That’s unacceptable and unconscionable. We need to fight back and make sure the MTA rejects its wrongheaded plan. The MTA needs help from Washington, but it also must make the tough, necessary choices to trim fat, cut waste and deter fraud. But fare hikes always seem to be its answer, no matter the problem, or the decade, or whether service is good or bad. The cost of a monthly pass from any of our communities to Penn Station over the past two decades has doubled, far outpacing the rate of inflation. Indeed, a monthly pass that sold for roughly $150 in 1999 now costs nearly $300. What’s more, hiking the cost of an LIRR ticket at this juncture would do nothing to boost ridership, and frankly could dissuade

Read all about it! — Merrick

many commuters from coming back. Now is the worst possible time to contemplate yet another fare hike, when trust in public transit is low. I spoke out at a recent hearing against the fare hikes, but when we speak loudly with one voice, we can accomplish anything. So please log on to http://bit.ly/fightthefarehikes to submit your testimony to the MTA in opposition to its proposal to charge us more for an LIRR ride. Together we will fight the fare hikes, and work toward fairness and affordability for Long Islanders. TODD KAMINSKY State senator, 9th Distric

correctIon In the Dec. 17 edition of the Wantagh Herald-Citizen and Seaford Herald-Citizen in the story titled, “Seniors hope to have one more go in ’21,” we incorrectly referred to Seaford High School senior vincenzo Buffolino as “vincenzo Buffalino.” We apologize to the subject for the honest mistake.

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN — December 24, 2020

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