Issuu

______________

Savings out UNIONDALE _____________

HERALD

of this world.

BEACON

Jackson hits 1,000 points

Pages 6, 7

Page 3 $1.00 FREE

FEBRUARY 15 - 21, 2024

DEADLINE MARCH 1ST

THE LEADER IN PROP ERTY TAX REDUCT ION

Apply online at mptrg .com/heraldnote or call 516.715.1266

Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Grou p, LLC 483 Chestnut Street, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 Habl

1243224

What’s all that noise?

Get Results. Sign Up Today!

amos Español

LIPA’s six-year plan for a zerocarbon power grid By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

Skye Margies/Herald

Mimi Pierre-Johnson, Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs and Nassau County Legislator Carriéé Solages at the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center, speaking about sharing constituents’ concerns about public transit equity on Long Island.

Fighting for equity Protesters stage bus rally from Elmont to Hempstead By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

Public transit users from Uniondale, Roosevelt, Hempstead and Elmont united for a bus rally on Feb. 4 in honor of both Rosa Parks’ birthday and Transit Equity Day, to demand exactly that: an equitable distribution of funding and resources to the county’s public transportation system. Organizers from the Elmont Cultural Center and New York Communities for Change organized the ride-along and rally, planning to take protesters from a bus stop in Elmont to the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center in order to show those who were unfamiliar with Nassau Inter-County Express bus service how long it takes to get from one place to another, and the inconvenience and stress involved. But because NICE buses were not operat-

ing at the Elmont stop — at Russell Avenue and Dutch Broadway — protesters were delayed in getting to the transit center. ECC organizer Mimi Pierre-Johnson, who helped stage the rally, said this was a perfect example of just one inconvenience that everyday riders face. “We want to bring attention to the inequalities in transportation on Long Island,” Pierre-Johnson said. “We’re fighting for more services, more funding, and more equity in our communities.” Organizers also made clear that “equity” includes fair pay for NICE’s bus drivers. Among those who attended the ride-along and rally was County Legislator Carrié Solages, who noted that the high property taxes residents pay often don’t find their way back to many communities equitably. CoNTINued oN Page 4

T he Long Island Power Authority recently unveiled its c o m p re h e n s ive I n t e g r at e d Resource Plan, outlining how it will achieve the state’s goals of creating a zero-carbon power grid in the next six years. New York state’s Climate Act of 2019 established several ambitious goals to combat climate change. The state plans to move away from fossil fuels, generating 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040 — with an overall goal of reducing greenhouse emissions by 85 percent by 2050. LIPA’s Integrated Resource Plan shows how it will make the shift from fossil fuels, which account for almost half of Long Island’s electricity production, with “imports” from other regional energy markets, such as coal and oil, responsible for 34 percent. Meanwhile, clean, renewable sources, such as solar, account for just 5 percent. But by 2030, LIPA, which is headquartered in Uniondale, plans to repurpose its existing power plants and cut fossil fuel use to just 14 percent, while slicing import use in half, to 15 percent. According to LIPA, this could be accomplished by increasing the production of off-

shore wind energy. “Everybody thinks this is something we’re doing in the future,” Thomas Falcone, chief executive officer of LIPA, said at the recent public information session on Monday in Uniondale, in which he presented LIPA’s plan and invited comments and questions from residents. “We’re doing these things right now.” But one key factor the plan fails to address is how LIPA’s proposed overhaul of its infrastructure and a shift in power sources will financially impact ratepayers. LIPA is a public authority that contracts with private companies, like PSEG and National Grid, which provide the electricity and operate the systems that LIPA oversees. According to LIPA, they are the third-largest “not-for-profit” public utility in the United States. However, despite this not-for-profit categorization, LIPA’s rates are the fourth-highest in the nation compared with utilities of similar size, according to the latest U.S. Energy Administration report. “I read the (Inte g rated Resource Plan) and saw a lot of great things in there,” said Fred Harrison, a retired teacher who attended a public information in Uniondale. “They address that we’re going to need more electric vehicle charging stations and CoNTINued oN Page 16

PERSON TO PERSON

o you often make excuses for what you did or didn’t do? If so, stop! While excuses may protect your ego, they come at the cost of acknowledging your difficulties and encouraging denial. Excuses make your perspective so foggy that you cannot see the road ahead. Hence, you don’t admit what you need to admit. And you won’t change what you’re unaware of. Though it might be painful to rid yourself of your excuses, in the long run you’ll be better off as you’ll finally do what it takes to get you where you want to be! Ted was a middle-level manager who believed he was on the fast track to success. He had a responsible job as a supervisor at a design firm. Though he had plenty of work to complete, his mind kept drifting to distractions. He even invited interruptions, such as phone calls, visitors, or sudden errands, preferring the novelty of the unexpected to the tedium of completing the task at hand. Initially, those who worked for him thought he was a

Never-ending excuses conscientious, caring man as he often said, “No matter how busy I am, I’m always available if you want to talk or need a helping hand.” They didn’t realize that these offers of help were pleas for distraction from his own work. When Ted was reprimanded for being late in handing in his paperwork, he excused himself by saying, “How could they expect be to do all that in such a short time?” After the reprimand, he said to himself, “Boy, I need to get busy on this,” but somehow, he rarely did. When he was finally let go from his job, he explained his termination as, “IT was a terrible time in the economy, so they had to let me go.” For Ted, the vague “IT” was blamed for his job loss, and he never acknowledged his own contribution. Another excuse to protect his ego. Another lost opportunity to get real with himself about his strengths and

psychWisdom

Linda Sapadin

AN AMAZING

SUMMER CAMP

EXPERIENCE STARTS @HOFSTRA

weaknesses. Ted needed to stop making excuses and start making changes in his life that would produce positive results. To continue the luxury of excusemaking and denial would kill his dreams and hope. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” said Eleanor Roosevelt. Dreams keep you young, fresh, and interested in life. But some people, like Ted, are so good at dreaming that they don’t stop to think why their dreams aren’t coming true. Hence, if you, like Ted, make too many excuses, try this exercise instead. Have an honest conversation with yourself. If you haven’t done something you said you’d do, admit it! Then if you’re feeling inadequate, scattered, fearful or depressed, admit it! If you’re disappointed in your own achievements, admit it! If you feel your relationships are lacking intima-

cy, admit it! Better to work on your emotional sadness than to distort the reality you live in. When you admit the truth to yourself, do it without making the truth sound terrible. You’re not an awful person. Yes, you have faults - like all of us. Perhaps you’re lazy, scared, or scattered. Perhaps you’re overweight, disorganized, or feel like a loser. Okay, own up to where you are in life. Once you acknowledge your truth, you can begin to make changes to improve your life. In the short run, excuses may make you feel better about yourself. But in the long run, excuses rob you of a more enriching, enhancing lifestyle. ©2024 Linda Sapadin, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and author who specializes in helping people overcome selfdefeating patterns of behavior. You can reach her at DrSapadin@aol.com or 516 791-2780. For additional articles, visit her website at www.PsychWisdom. com.

It’s never too early to plan for summer. Hofstra Summer Camps is open for registration! A favorite of Long Island families for 40 years, Hofstra Summer Camps provides campers in grades K through 12 an exciting opportunity to explore their passions, learn new skills, or become better athletes in any of our 50+ camps. Campers beneﬁt from use of Hofstra’s state-of-the-art facilities, and our included lunch and transportation options make us the preferred choice for parents. Learn more about Hofstra Summer Camps at an Open House on Sunday, February 11, 12-2 p.m. RSVP at Hofstra.edu/camp.

1246011

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

Ad_HofSummerCamp2024_Herald_HalfPg.indd 1

2/2/24 4:26 PM

Darrian Jackson drops her 1,000th point on senior night

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

Darrian Jackson has officially etched her name into Uniondale history. The five year varsity player and girl’s varsity basketball captain has done what many who play high school basketball set out to accomplish, while only a few can — score 1,000 points throughout their high school career. But not only did Jackson score 1,000 points, she did so on her home court right here in Uniondale — in front of her friends, family, and teachers on her senior night Feb. 9. She only had to play the first half to get the job done and seal the deal — not only scoring her 1,000th point, but also securing the “W” by dropping 26 points and out-scoring the entire Westbury team, who had 16 as a team and lost by 44 points. But Jackson seems more locked in about winning a Long Island championship than she does about obtaining the personal accolades. “I like to win,” Jackson told the Herald after outsourcing Westbury by herself. “I just had to really just lock in and get my mentality right.” Jackson, who only started playing organized basketball in fifth grade, has fully blossomed into a superstar for the Knights — being moved up to varsity in eighth grade and now averaging over 20 points per game as a senior and helping lead her team to a 14-win season, their best yet under Head Coach Nolan Dunkley. Simply put — she is a walking, breathing, bucket. Coach Dunkley says that Jackson serves as an inspiration to his younger athletes, without even knowing. “She doesn’t even know that she’s a role model to my young girls,” Dunkley said. “I constantly use her as an example, and tell them ‘this could be you in the future if you work hard and stay focused.’” “I just want to work hard and help my team work hard so that we can get really far in the playoffs and make a name for Uniondale,” Jackson told the Herald. —Brandon Cruz

Photos courtesy Uniondale School District

Easy buckets for Darrian Jackson on her road to 1,000

Darrian Jackson, center, next to her coaches moments after scoring her 1,000th high school point on senior night against Westbury on Feb. 9. From left: Head Coach Nolan Dunkley, Darrian Jackson, Assistant Coach Phil Williams.

Darrian Jackson being showered with praises and being gifted flowers by her teammates, a golden basketball by Assistant Coach Phil Williams following her 1,000th bucket in front of the home crowd on senior night.

Walking bucket, Darrian Jackson, holding up that follow through and watching that ball swish through the net for two of her 26 points for the night, outscoring the entire Westbury team who had 16 in a 44-point loss to Uniondale.

Moments after realizing she has scored her 1,000th point, Darrian Jackson is swarmed by her ecstatic teammates celebrating the incredible achievement.

Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, left, and Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages addressing the crowd during the bus rally at the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center.

After getting word of the protest, Jack Khzouz, chief executive of Nassau InterCounty Express, met advocates from the Elmont Cultural Center at an Elmont bus stop to address their concerns and answer residents’ questions.

NYCC organizer Darinel Velasquez sharing what it has been like to rely on public transportation as a main means of travel.

the rally to address the protesters and answer their questions — and also provided them with the bus they needed to get to and from the transit center. Beyond the issues riders have with bus schedules and transit times, the ECC demanded that NICE address problems with accessibility, create better infrastructure for bus stops that includes benches and shelter from the elements, and focus on issues of connectivity, such as the “last mile” problem, a common one, riders say: A bus will them only so far, and they have to figure out how to negotiate the last mile of their trip. Some riders said they felt that Khzouz’s answers weren’t satisfactory. He said that NICE’s funding is “stable,” meaning the agency doesn’t have the budget to meet additional demands, but is working toward “increasing the frequency of available buses.” Khzouz added that NICE is currently implementing the county’s plan to upgrade some bus stop infrastructure in the next five years, but currently does not have the funds to address the connectivity issues. “This is why I have an issue with a private company doing a public service,” Solages said at the rally. “Even

though we fund (NICE), they get to determine their budget according to their system that is based on profit — not the convenience of everyday commuters.” In 2011, Nassau County severed ties with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and contracted a private corporation, Veolia, to take over, and operate, what is now known as NICE. Once protesters arrived in Hempstead, they were greeted by Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, and more demonstrators from NYCC who were waiting with signs and bullhorns, chanting, “Fair, fair, fair, fair, you shouldn’t have a hard time getting here.” “Taking the bus here is an adventure,” said Darinel Velasquez, a rally organizer. He added that when he has to take the bus, his commute is about an hour — on a good day — compared with 15 minutes when he has access to a car. If bus service were adequate, Velasquez said, he would prefer public transportation to driving. “CO2 emissions from vehicles are insane,” he said, “but with buses, it’s a more communal way to go around, and you’re saving resources not just for the public, but for the planet.”

Bringing attention to transit inequalities CoNTINuED fRoM PAgE 1

“Our priority should be to have more access to transportation in all areas of our community, especially the areas where we’re paying a lot of property taxes,” Solages said. “The cost of living here is just unsustainable, unrealistic and, really, it’s about the rich versus the poor. This is an economic issue that has a disproportionate impact on minority communities.”

According to NICE’s Fare Equity Analysis draft from June 2023, over 88 percent of the system’s riders identify as a race other than white, with Hispanic patrons at 41 percent and Black riders at 37 percent — a stark contrast to the general population of Nassau County, which is almost 60 percent white, according to Data USA. NICE’s chief executive officer, Jack Khzouz, stopped by the starting point of

BEFORE

Seamless Wall EL

E B R ATIN

YEARS

TUB-TO-SHOWER CONVERSIONS

SPECIAL OFFER

MONTHS

0% INTEREST

TUB LINERS

TUB & SHOWER REPLACEMENTS

A BETTER BATH REMODEL With hundreds of custom designs for †

showers or tubs, a one-day install and ‡

a lifetime warranty , it’s no wonder 2 million happy customers have trusted

HOW TO REACH US

Bath Fitter with their bath remodels.

Our offices are located at 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 and are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000

your FREE consultation!

NO INTEREST UNTIL 2026!

■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: rbethany@liherald.com

1-888-818-0896 bath-fitter.com/local24

■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: E-mail: rbethany@liherald.com ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: (516) 569-4000 Press ”7” E-mail: subscriptions@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: (516) 569-4000 Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643

†

‡

Tub-to-shower conversions and fiberglass replacements typically require a two-day installation. Lifetime warranty valid for as long as you own your home. *Offer ends 4/30/24. All offers apply to a complete Bath Fitter system only, and must be presented and used at time of estimate. Minimum purchase required. Terms of promotional financing are 24 months of no interest from the date of installation and minimum deposit. Interest accrues from date of purchase, but is waived if paid in full within 24 months. Monthly payments are required during the 24 months, and making only the required monthly payments will not pay off the amount financed. See representative for details. Qualified buyers only. May not be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases. Valid only at select Bath Fitter locations. Offers and warranty subject to limitations. Fixtures and features may be different than pictured. Accessories pictured are not included. Plumbing work done by P.U.L.S.E. Plumbing. MD MPL #17499, NJ MPL #10655, DE MPL #PL-0002303, MD MPL #82842, VA MPL #2710064024, IA MPL #18066, OH MPL #37445, WV MPL #PL07514, MI MPL #8111651. PA HIC #PA017017, NJ HIC #13VH03073000, WV HIC #WV053085, MD HIC #129346, VA HIC #2705155694, MD HIC #122356, VA HIC #2705096759, IA HIC #C112725, WV HIC #WV038808, MD HIC #129995, VA HIC #2705146537, DC HIC #420213000044. Each Franchise Independently Owned And Operated By Bath Saver, Inc, Iowa Bath Solutions, LLC, Ohio Bath Solutions, LLC, Mid Atlantic Bath Solutions, LLC.

■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: (516) 569-4000 Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643

1246223

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

Uniondale Herald Beacon Newspaper (PP#), is published Weekly on Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Uniondale Herald Beacon, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Subscription rates: $50 one-time payment within Nassau County or $60 outside of Nassau County or qualified request in zip code 11514, 11530, 11550, 11553, 11555, 11556, 11590. Copyright © 2023 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Uniondale’s Danie Henry, to appear on Kelly Clarkson show

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

Uniondale is home to many bright stars with even brighter futures ahead of them. One Uniondale student, junior Danie Henry, has not let up in following her dreams. In fact, not many 15 year-olds know what they want to do for the rest of their lives, but that isn’t the case for Henry, who has known exactly what she has wanted to be ever since her adolescence — a broadcast journalist. Danie has already re presented Uniondale and herself on the national stage at the last Washington Journalism and Media Conference, a week-long experiential lear ning prog ram for “highly engaged high school students” in Washington, D.C. in July. But now, she will be telling her story on national television. This week, Henry was in New York City at 30 Rock filming her TV debut on the Kelly Clarkson show. Clarkson will have Henry on as a guest to spotlight her story and excellence at such a young age. “I’m pretty excited,” she told the Herald about her soon to be appearance on TV. “I’m not nervous yet, which makes me nervous that I’m not nervous.” But it isn’t just Henry who is excited about her future, she has an entire community and school district backing her, and they’re not nervous. “As a school community, we are tremendously proud of Danie for taking a leap of faith and following her dreams,” Uniondale high school Assistant Principal Janine Brad-

Uniondale high school junior, Danie Henry taking a selfie during the annual Washington Journalism and Media Conference she was invited to this past July. Danie is now slated to appear on the Kelly Clarkson show on Feb. 22. ley said. “We have a quote here, that we expect our students to graduate ‘empowered, responsible, resilient and pre-

pared,’ and Danie embodies all of those things.” You can check out Danie’s appear-

ance on the Kelly Clarkson Show on Feb. 22 on NBC. —Brandon Cruz

1247822

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

The hidden danger of noise and light By Will Sheeline, Nicole Formisano & Angelina Zingariello First part in a series Long Island faces a growing crisis as noise and light pollution become more troublesome. Noise pollution — characterized by unwanted and harmful sounds — and light pollution — stemming from excessive artificial lights — are pressing issues impacting not just all of us who live here, but also the environment. The World Health Organization defines noise pollution as disruptive sounds harmful to human health, while the International Dark-Sky Association — a nonprofit that fights to return the stars to our skies — warns that light pollution not only affects the natural night sky, but it also disrupts wildlife and interferes with astronomical observations. The consistent noise from traffic, airplanes, construction and urban development disrupts daily lives and sleep patterns. Simultaneously, the widespread artificial light from streetlights, billboards, and other sources diminishes the natural darkness at night, impacting stargazing and unsettling nocturnal wildlife. As Long Island tackles these escalating issues, local authorities are actively working to enforce noise regulations and promote responsible outdoor lighting practices, such as the Dark Skies Protection Act, put forth by the Assembly last year. The aim is to strike a balance between the imperatives of urban progress and the preservation of Long Island’s unique environment. Addressing noise and light pollution is vital for protecting human health, according to the WHO, as well as maintaining the integrity of natural ecosystems. Additionally, research shows the detrimental effects of noise pollution — including more stress, hypertension, and even cognitive impairment in both adults and children. Similarly, excessive exposure to artificial light at night contributes to lower quality sleep and insomnia, and even mood disorders. These environmental stressors also affects local wildlife populations by altering migration, nesting and foraging patterns, and even disrupting reproductive hormones and behaviors. Fireflies, for example, can no longer can find mates in an artificially lit night sky. “Almost every form of wildlife uses the night for either navigation or mating, or for many ways of regenerating the species,” said Susan Serven, a DarkSky spokeswoman. “So if you don’t have a deep dark night, you have this artificial daylight. It can confuse them, and it

Courtesy Junj Stare, LightPollutionMap.info

Using NASA’s Black Marble light product, observers can get a sense how bright different parts of the world really are. While it’s no surprise that New York City is one of the brightest spots in the region, it’s also clear that light pollution spreads well across Long Island — especially in Nassau County. can affect their physiology as well.” While it might not get the same attention as other forms of pollution — like air and water — community organizations are teaming up with environmental advocates and researchers to raise awareness and devise strategies against noise and light pollution on Long Island. The Town of Oyster Bay, for example, mandates that any outdoor light is properly shielded to ensure light is only cast on necessary areas rather than, really, all over the place. They must also be placed on a timer to turn on and off at appropriate times to save energy. The Village of Malverne passed a noise ordinance last December intended to limit the unnecessary sound neighbors say they experience at all hours of the day. “Sleep is the biggest factor in all of this,” Malverne mayor Tim Sullivan said. “Residents are trying to find peace at night. And if that’s disturbed, it has a negative effect on your mental wellbeing and your physical functionality, which could negatively impact your earnings potential, your family, your home life, and how you generally interact with people on a daily basis. “My biggest concern, as a father, is when I have a plane flying over my house in the middle of the day, that’s excessive. It has woken my daughter up from her nap, and that (nap is) important to her well-being and development.”

Battling light pollution Once the heart of aviation attracting

the likes of Charles Lindbergh and Wiley Post, Long Island is now a hot spot for the biggest threat to our sky: light pollution. South Shore neighbors, for example, are all too familiar with the incessant, 24-hour glow to the west that is New York City. But light pollution atlases maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences reveal Nassau County is not without its own blame. Light pollution is “the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally,” according to Dark-Sky. And for more than 20 years, Long Island has produced light pollution on par with one of the world’s biggest cities: its neighbor, New York. “We’ve been losing our night sky for decades,” Serven said, adding that more than 90 percent of people throughout the country can no longer see the Milky Way — or even many stars, for that matter — from their backyards. “We’re really the first generation who has lost the night sky.” Some of our biggest contributors, according to Dark-Sky, are streetlights, electronic advertising, and even parking lots — and it’s getting worse. Light pollution has risen by nearly 10 percent every year, and is projected to double over the next decade, Serven said. That over-lighting comes at a cost. Every year, millions of sea turtles that call Long Island home are killed because they mistake endless streetlights and billboards for a glowing ocean horizon with a brightness that rivals the moon. The fireflies that marked summer nights on Long Island now face total extinction, and studies have shown light pollution is largely at fault. Humans are not exempt from the effects of light pollution. Our circadian

rhythm — or sleep-wake cycle — relies on light cues from our natural world. But in an environment full of blue light from cellphone and laptop screens, our natural clocks are ticking out of sync. This circadian disruption, studies show, is linked to mood disorders, reproductive problems, cancers and more. It also has drastic effects on our ability to produce melatonin, meaning more people are lying awake at night, often not realizing that the brightness that surrounds them throughout the evening is to blame. The cost of light pollution is literal, too. Dark-Sky estimates 30 percent of all outdoor lighting in the United States is misdirected — meaning shone on areas that don’t require light, often even up into the night sky itself — adding up to $3.3 billion wasted every year. The energy it takes to sustain those unnecessary lights creates 21 million tons of carbon dioxide every year, which is among the leading contributors to climate change. And light isn’t the only invisible menace draining your health.

Taking on noise pollution Noise pollution, is characterized by sounds that reach above the human decibel threshold, the level of sound it takes to cause auditory damage, and has far-reaching effects on our well-being. Various sources contribute to noise pollution, with cities like Glen Cove and Long Beach bearing the brunt of its impact. Traffic noise — including the incessant honking of horns and the roar of engines — dominates streets, reaching levels as high as 100 decibels — equivalent to a hair dryer or a blender — according to the Hearing Center of Excellence, a program created by the U.S. Defense Department to study and reduce hearing loss among veterans. CoNtINUed oN NeXt pAge

Remember when you could see stars in the sky? Similarly, air traffic noise, construction sites, and bustling nightlife establishments all contribute to the cacophony of urban-like life. Lawnmowers and leaf blowers long have been a point of contention between business owners and local governments, such as in the Village of Sea Cliff, which has discussed numerous complaints by both residents and businesses regarding their use in the last two years. Following nearly two years of research, village officials passed an ordinance in 2022 restricting the days leaf blowers can be used while promoting the use of electric leaf blowers as opposed to louder, diesel versions. “We needed to balance the public’s right to live in a quiet, bucolic setting versus other residents who hire landscapers to do their work,” Sea Cliff mayor Elena Villafane said. “So, we restricted the gas leaf blowers by prohibition during the spring and summer, and then we’ve limited the hours of electric leaf blowers during the same period to weekdays, business hours. And then, in the fall and winter, you can use both.” The effects of noise pollution extend beyond mere annoyance, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency and similar organizations. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can lead to a range of health issues, including hearing loss, high blood pressure and

Will Sheeline/Herald

even sounds as innocuous as a car muffler can cause long-term auditory damage, especially compounded by the number of cars on the road in cities like glen Cove and Long Beach. heart disease. Moreover, noise pollution disrupts sleep patterns, increases stress levels, and impairs cognitive function, particularly in children according to Matthew Mannis, a noise consultant for AKRF Inc. “Whether it’s construction noise outside or aircraft flyovers — or even the most mundane things that we take for granted — these everyday noises can be disturbing,” Mannis said. “We are learning that higher degrees or levels of noise for extended periods

of time can raise anxiety and blood pressure levels.” For wildlife, noise pollution presents its own set of challenges. Marine mammals such as whales and dolphins — which have been spotted more often around the Long Island Sound as water temperatures have risen — rely on echolocation for communication and navigation, according to National Geographic. However, the underwater cacophony created by ships, sonar devices and seismic surveys interferes with their ability to perceive their surroundings, leading

to mass stranding and altered behavior. Awareness and education are essential tools in combating noise and light pollution. “Light pollution is actually the easiest form of pollution to fix,” Serven said. “Simply turn off any lights that aren’t needed at night. That’s the simplest thing you can do.” Dark-Sky also recommends neighbors swap unprotected outdoor lights for ones that are shielded or on timers to limit unnecessary light and energy drainage. Plus, more and more regions — including New York — are participating in “Lights Out,” a movement to shut off nonessential outdoor light between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., during bird migration periods to help lessen light pollution’s effects on wildlife. Investment in noise-reducing technologies — such as sound barriers and quieter asphalt for roads — can mitigate the impact of noise pollution in urban areas, according to the European Environment Agency, an organization in the European Union that studies data to support Europe’s environment and climate goals. Moreover, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship and responsible noise management is crucial for safeguarding our health and the well-being of wildlife. “Learn as much as you can, and tell others,” Serve said. “Because it’s critically important. And, the issue is getting worse.”

INJURED?

Direct Mail Specialists

NO ATTORNEY’S FEES UNLESS WE COLLECT FOR YOU TELL US YOUR STORY. THE CONSULTATION IS FREE. Personal Injury Auto and Motorcycle Accidents Construction Accidents Slip/ Trip and Fall Accidents Wrongful Death

Small Enough To Care Smart Enough To Win.

516-569-4000 ext 288

2 Endo Blvd Garden City

mkarff@richnerprinting.com

1245321

Let us plan your campaign and heIp grow your business

314 Jackson Ave Syosset, NY 11791 Robert M. Horn, Esq. 516-677-0066 Nichols & Cane PLLC RobertHorn@NClawNY.com

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

Continued from PreViouS Page

Nassau disperses $6.8M to fight opioid crisis By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Joined by various health professionals and drug treatment organizations, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced the allocation of $6.8 million for opioid use prevention, education and treatment last week in Mineola. The money will be distributed to health care providers across the county, as well as the Nassau County Police Department. Drug overdose deaths surged at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, hitting a record high by the end of 2020. Many health experts say the increase was fueled by fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin. Catholic Health Services, which is headquartered at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, will receive $2 million, and the Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow will receive $2.5 million. The county will also allocate $600,000 per year toward various education initiatives to inform the public about drug abuse and opioid addiction. At its news conference on Feb. 5, the county showed a recently recorded public service announcement featuring county Health Commissioner Dr. Irene Gelman and Anissa Moore, deputy commissioner of health and human services. “These public service announcements will start off within the next couple of weeks,” Blakeman said, “which will give people in the community the opportunity to know where they can go for help, whether it’s treatment, counseling or any educational purpose.” Dr. Larry Eisenstein, former county health commissioner and now the chief public and community health officer at Catholic Health, said the health care network was appreciative of the funding.

Jordan Vallone/Herald

County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced the allocation of $6.8 million to help health care providers and the Nassau County Police Department fight the opioid and substance abuse epidemic. “We saw that the pandemic exacerbated what was a growing problem with regard to opioid use and mental health,” Eisenstein said. “One in four people in this country has a diagnosable mental health disorder.” Catholic Health will embed primary-care physician officers with social workers and case managers to screen patients, and identify earlier those who may be suffering from substance abuse, Blakeman explained. Eisenstein said the money would be used to “build a center of excellence” and emphasized that the services would be accessible to all. “We’re going to be making services available that if

they don’t want to answer us on the spot, they know exactly where to go without barriers,” he said. “Catholic Health could not be more excited about this great opportunity — I cannot be more excited about it because preventative health has always been my life’s work.” Meg Ryan, acting chief executive officer of NUMC, said the funds are “well needed.” The hospital plans to build outpatient rooms, bathrooms, counseling centers, conference rooms and nursing stations on its 10th floor, where there’s an inpatient mental health and addiction unit, and to expand facilities on its ground floor, by the emergency room, to treat patients struggling with substance abuse and mental health disorders, Ryan explained. The county has received approximately $385 million in coronavirus relief money through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, and over $92 million in settlements form opioid manufactures, distributors and retailers. County Legislator Delia DeReggi-Whitton, the minority caucus leader, said less than $7 million of that money has been spent. She called Monday’s announcement a “disappointment.” “After two years of delays, the agencies that have been promised funding should have been paid in full, and a significant amount of additional funding should also have been released,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “Neither have happened. “To have just paid about one-seventh of our opioid funding more than two years later is an insult to every family that continues to struggle with the opioid epidemic. This money cannot be used for anything else other than addressing opioid addiction, and I feel Nassau must begin distributing this funding at a pace that meets the urgency of this crisis.”

CONNECT • COLLABORATE • CELEBRATE

are needed to see this picture.

Produced By

RICHNER

JOIN US TUESDAY • APRIL 16

6:00PM • THE HERITAGE CLUB AT BETHPAGE Long Island’s best and brightest legal professionals will be recognized at the Fifth Annual Herald Top Lawyers Awards Gala. Nominate yourself or another deserving legal professional who has achieved excellence and given back to their communities.

NOMINATE TODAY at RichnerLIVE.com/Nominate For more information or to sponsor contact Amy Amato at aamato@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 x224

1247893

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

Rebecca Benison’s debut novel hits the shelves

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

By RACHELE TERRANOVA

rterranova@liherald.com

Photo courtesy Rebecca Benison

Rebecca Benison’s debut novel ‘Harvest Cruise,’ came out on Jan. 28, and is her foray into the world of novel writing. able to make a spreadsheet of agents, when she reached out to them, and when to follow up. Social media can come in handy in more than one way while writing a novel. After the heavy lifting of writing the novel, having a social media presence can be crucial for marketing the work, even before finding a publisher or agent, you’ll need to prove you will have readers. “Building up your market early is a huge thing,” she said. “Once you do get to the point where you have finished the

work and you’re shopping it out, having a presence on social media is actually a really big deal to a lot of agents and publishers.” Agents and publishers still rely on authors, though, to continue to market their own work due to lack of marketing budgets. A social media following though, no matter how small, can be a game changer. “Definitely finding one social media network that you’re comfortable with, and trying to build up an audience there, I

Benison’s novel ‘Harvest Cruise’ is brimming with pages of kidnappings, murder, and conspiracy. would say is important,” Benison explained. The book is now available through Chicken House Press and on Amazon Kindle. “Get swept up, relate to the characters, and find something engaging” Benison said.

BRUCE A. BLAKEMAN NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE

NASSAU COUNTY

SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM 2024

JULY 1 - AUGUST 8, 2024 AGES 5 TO 12 | PROGRAM DAY: 8:30am – 4:00pm LOCATIONS:

WANTAGH PARK & CANTIAGUE PARK

INFO AND ONLINE REGISTRATION:

www.NassauCountyNY.gov/Parks

Call: 516-572-0245 | Email: ncsummerrec@nassaucountyny.gov

1246029

With kidnappings, murder, and conspiracy lining it’s 332 pages of Rebecca Benison’s debut fiction novel “Harvest Cruise,” the book is sure to grab the attention of readers. A content marketer by trade, she is used to writing and editing for businesses. Benison has previously published work in a variety of other publications including “Workers Write!” literary journal and the “Empyrean Literary Magazine.” She is now dipping her tow into novel writing. She wrote her debut book, “Harvest Cruise,” on her lunch breaks over the course of a year. Finding a home for her book proved to be more difficult than she anticipated, she explained. Talking with agents and publishers, and navigating the process can be a time consuming and an arduous task. Her novel eventually found its home at small Canadian publisher, Chicken House Press, and was officially release on Jan. 28. “Finding a home for the work has been a challenging process that you don’t necessarily think about when you’re writing it,” said Benison. For Benison, organization and preparation was the key to success — and utilizing X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Due to the active writing community on the platform, she was

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

Gambling support, Wellness Center to open in Hempstead Sands partners with Family & Children’s Association to bring resources to the community By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

Gambling has become a pretty normalized practice throughout New York state. We have unlimited access to sports betting, a frequented racetrack in Belmont, and even a proposed casino that may end up at the Nassau Hub. As gambling is becoming more and more normalized, so are the resources available to those who may have gambling issues. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, approximately 5 million Americans meet the criteria for “compulsive gambling,” however, only about 8 percent of those who fall under this category will ever seek help for their problem — with younger generations now more susceptible to this issue due to the convenience of having a casino and sportsbook right in their pockets. In fact, New York recently announced that the state generated a whopping $862 million from mobile sports wagering in just its second year of operation — less than $200,000 away from $1 billion in revenue. When factoring in for the licensing fees also collected in 2022, that brings the total generated revenue to $1.75 billion. “From the state lottery expansion, to casinos, to online spor ts betting — which became legal in N e w Yo rk i n 2021, gambling FAmily & is here to stay,” said The Family ChilDReN’s and Children’s AssOCiAtiON Association, a health and human services nonprofit organization serving 35,000 Long Islanders each year, in a press release. “On Long Island, the industry is bigger than ever and growing by the day.” But also growing by the day, are problem gamblers, which over the past year has been one of the main concerns — among many others — that residents have raised throughout all of the open forums regarding the Las Vegas Sands proposed $4 billion redevelopment plan for the Hub, with one issue being there are not enough resources for people with gambling addictions. But it seems these calls for additional resources in the community have not fallen on deaf ears. On Feb. 6, The Family and Children’s Association, in partnership with Sands, announced in Uniondale that they are opening two Gambling Support and Wellness Centers, with one being in Hempstead and the other opening in Hicksville. “For many, gambling can be a form of entertainment,” the association continued, “however, increases in online sports betting and gambling have reached newer, younger audiences, many who are unaware of the larger consequences of problem gambling.” Sands also announced at this news conference that they will be providing a

G stay.

ambling is here to

Herald File

If a casino were to come to this community, some residents made clear they want additional resources and funding invested towards gambling addiction resources and prevention. $200,000 donation to support The Family and Children’s Association’s two new Gambling Support and Wellness Centers. “We’re proud to partner with The Family and Children’s Association, an organization that’s been a staple on Long Island for 140-years,” said Ron Reese, the senior vice president of Las Vegas Sands. “They will be providing a valuable resource to the community for those who might need it.” The Family and Children’s Association has served Long Island has a 140year history of helping Long Islanders, and been awarded a state certification from the Office of Addiction Services and Supports to provide problem gambling counseling and support to those who need help. These new Centers will now offer individual, group, and family counseling, including financial counseling and planning to both individuals and families who are experiencing hardships due to problem gambling issues. “The Long Island Problem Gambling Resource Center is excited to have The Family and Children’s Association join the community of Problem Gambling treatment on Long Island,” said Pam Brenner-Davis, the team lead for the Long Island Problem Gambling Resource Center, one of the nation’s largest systems of care falling under the State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, serving over 680,000 people per year. “It’s imperative for us to introduce important new programs such as this one, especially as the need emerges,” said Jeffrey Reynolds, president and chief executive officer of the Family and Children’s Association. “As problem gambling continues to surge, particularly among young people ages 25-34, we want to make the resources readily available to Long Islanders who need or want help.”

Courtesy Family and Children’s Association

Family & Children’s Association president Jeffrey Reynolds, announcing on Feb. 6 that they are partnering with Sands to open two Gambling Support and Wellness Centers, with one being in Hempstead and the other opening in Hicksville.

Herald File

Since Sands proposed their casino across the street from Hofstra University, residents, like Karen Riordan, have raised many concerns regarding gambling addictions and the targeting of college-aged gamblers and the lack of resources to address problem gambling that exist within a nearby distance.

STEPPING OUT

Dinos come to life at

By Danielle Schwab Walk among the prehistoric giants at Jurassic Quest, where everyone can roam about and glimpse what Earth was like more than 165 million years ago. Jurassic Quest — that traveling dinosaur experience combining archaeology with the latest tech — returns with its herd to Nassau Coliseum this weekend. This immersive spectacle features a bevy of lifelike dinosaurs — of all shapes and sizes — that are an impressive lot. They transform the arena environment back to the time when dinosaurs roamed, so that visitors can get up-close and personal with the creatures. The three days of prehistoric adventuring — Saturday through Monday — includes visiting with the lifelike dinos, who’ll glare and move about as folks pass by, along with all sorts of related activities. Plus, the playful dino “babies” — Tyson the T-Rex, Trixie the Triceratops and Cammie, the Camarasaurus — always delight visitors. You’ll find exciting curiosities at every turn. Rideable dinos, dinosaur shows, and interactive science and art stations — including a fossil dig • Feb. 17-18, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; — are all part of the experience. Feb. 19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The littlest explorers will also enjoy • Tickets $32.50-$52.05 (Use a “Triceratots” soft play area, code FOSSIL for 10 percent bounce houses and inflatables. off admission price); It’s all self-guided, so everyone available at JurassicQuest. can go through the activities at com or NassauColiseum.com their own speed. But it’s suggested • Nassau Coliseum, carving out at least two to three 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, hours to get the most out of the Uniondale experience. It all began 10 years ago, created by Texas-based Jurassic Quest, which consults with paleontologists to make the creatures as realistic as possible, and reflect current thinking about how the giant creatures looked and acted. “Dinosaurs are sort of universal to all people,” says Nick Schaefer (aka Prehistoric Nick), one of the expert “dino trainers” and fossil experts, who’s been with Jurassic Quest since 2016. “When guests walk into our pillars, the first thing we have is our exhibit where we have dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. We have over 165 million years worth of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.” One of the more popular components allows kids to become dino-trainers. “We have the raptor training experience, where we have one of our trainers come out and interact with our guests to help train our full-sized Utahraptor (one of the newest additions to the animatronic pack),” Nick says. “Our guests will give central commands and try to make it listen.” Ever wonder what it’s like to ride a dinosaur? Climb

Friends of the Brothers Friends of the Brothers returns with their dynamic tribute to the Allman Brothers. Their powerful celebration of the Allman Brothers, featuring musician closely associated with the original band, continues the brotherhood with passion, committed to the ideals of every night being special and unique. Guitarist/singer Junior Mack has fronted Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band for 12 years, and starred in the acclaimed Broadway show ‘Lackawanna Blues.’ Guitarist Andy Aledort played with Dickey Betts for 12 years, has recorded with Double Trouble and Band of Gypsys, and toured with Experience Hendrix. Their ﬁrsthand experience with the Allman Brothers Band — and their deep knowledge of the repertoire and the music’s roots and heritage — allows them to play with an unrivaled depth. They perform songs from every stage of the Allman Brothers Band’s career, backed by a band of inspirational, veteran players. Friday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m. $33, $28. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444, or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

It’s estimated that a new species of dinosaur is named every two weeks. Photos courtesy Jurassic Quest

Trainer Prehistoric Nick knows his way around a dinosaur skull. aboard one — such as the mighty T-Rex — and find out. Kids also eagerly make their way to the fossil dig, where they can channel their inner paleontologist and study replicated and real fossils like T-Rex teeth, a triceratops horn, and life-size dino skull. Much like the dinos, Jurassic Quest continues to evolve (without heading to extinction). “The Quest” — a self-guided dinosaur scavenger hunt and expanded excavation station — add to this year’s experience. Visitors can also try to lasso escaped dinos in Rope-a-Raptor, assisting the experienced “Broncobusters” round up the creatures and bring them back to their pens. Also you might want to face off with a notoriously fast Utahraptor in a “Raptor Run” race. Each dinosaur is painstakingly replicated, from coloration to teeth size, to textured skin, fur or feathers, drawing on the latest research about how we understand dinosaurs and ancient giants of the sea looked and moved. Plant settings, sound effects, lighting and electronics add to the authenticity of the setting. “We actually have modified a few of the dinosaurs to stay as up to date as we can with the information,” Prehistoric Nick says. “One of our dinosaurs, the Spinosaurus, paleontologists are still learning about, and every couple of years, a new paper will come out and change the way it looks. So, we do our best to keep updating it.” Aspects like its snout, posture, and even the tail have been readjusted. These dino trainers really know their stuff. Prehistoric Nick, who studied archeology in college, shares the team’s passion for dinosaurs. He’s been involved in excavations, and has participated in paleontological digs in Canada. “Dinos are often the introductory science for younger kids,” Nick says. “I think it’s really important to bring a sense of wonder about dinosaurs to the public. Studies have shown that kids who have sustained interest — like a fascination of dinosaurs — have a tendency to do better in STEM fields. So fostering a love of dinosaurs and science and engineering is really beneficial.” Even more that that there’s magic in science. “When guests first come through for the first time, there’s this jaw-dropping awe,” Nick says. “When they see these full-sized dinosaurs, it blows their mind.”

Modi Get to know Modi when he visits Long Island with his highly anticipated comedy tour, Know Your Audience. Voted ‘One of the Top 10 comedians in New York City’ by The Hollywood Reporter, and ‘The Next Jackie Mason’ by The New York Times, he’s now one of the circuit’s most sought-after performers. Modi has received rave reviews for his charisma and positive message, relatable to both Jewish and nonJewish audiences. He and his family immigrated to the United States from Israel (at 7), and was raised on Long Island. After graduating from Boston University, he worked as an investment banker until his ﬁrst open-mic night, where he knew stand-up was his true calling. Equipped with a sharp wit, Modi has become a successful ﬁxture on the comedy scene. Sunday, Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. $144.50, $69.50, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.Tickets available atTicketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

Watch them roar

Your Neighborhood

On exhibit

THE Feb.

Camellias and more

Flogging Molly Celtic-punk rockers Flogging Molly have hit the road with their “Road to Rebellion” tour, sure to rouse audiences with their anthemic odes to the Emerald Isle, on the Paramount stage, Sunday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Formed in L.A. in 1997 by Irish expat Dave King, the band got its start (and its name) from local Hollywood bar Molly Malone’s, where each week the band performed, grew their following and laid down the blueprint for eventual success. Their infectious Celtic-tinged reels are perfect for dancing along to, for those who love their Irish heritage and those who just want a Expect an elective mix of old favorites, sing-a-longs, rare acoustic numbers and new material strung together by King’s cheeky tales and jokes and first-rate musicianship from the legendary seven-piece group. Building a loyal following through endless touring, Flogging Molly has become a staple in the punk scene over the past 20-plus years, kicking off with its riotous debut, “Swagger,” and continuing through their additional studio albums. With numerous late-night TV appearances under their belt, a sold-out Salty Dog Cruise through the Caribbean, and a yearly St. Patrick’s Day Festival in L.A., the band’s juggernaut continues. $79.50, $49.50, $39.50 . The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

Shake off the winter blues at Planting Fields Arboretum State Park’s annual two-day Camellia Festival, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17-18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy light music and be amazed by the variety of colors and gorgeous blooms of these glorious camellias. Coe Hall is the center of activity throughout the festival, with music, watercolor painting crafts, activities, a typewriter poet, tea tastings, learning experiences for all ages, shopping, self-guided tours of the historic mansion and more. Learn about Planting Fields rare and extensive collection of hundreds of camellia trees. Both historic and modern plants native to Japan, Korea and China display a wide variety of spectacular flowers including red, pink, white, bicolor and even yellow. $15, $10 seniors. 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay. Visit PlantingFields.org or call (516) 922-8600 for more.

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Our Gilded Age,” examines the appearances and the realities of an era that mirrors our own in many ways. Like the nation’s economy, American art and literature flourished during the Gilded Age. The art of John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, Louis Comfort Tiffany and others adorned palatial residences designed by Stanford White and Ogden Codman Jr., architect of the museum’s own quintessential Gilded Age mansion. Drawing heavily upon the local literary history of Long Island, including William Cullen Bryant, Mark Twain (who named the Gilded Age), Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton and others, the exhibition will include paintings, fashion, decorative arts including period silver and china, photographs, manuscripts, first editions and other historic memorabilia. The “Upstairs, Downstairs” approach to the life of a country house brings to life not only the storied conspicuous consumption for which the Gilded Age was infamous, but also the real lives of these many individuals who maintained the palatial estates where that lifestyle was enjoyed. On view through March 10. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Al Kanfei Nisharim (AKN) is a registered 501c3 organization that supports Single Mothers. These women can rely on Al Kanfei Nisharim to provide support, resources and guidance to help them achieve independent financial stability.

1247827

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

Welcome to Volume 2 • Issue 2

TODAY

Februart 2024

Sands Environmental Impact Study Moves Forward Long Islanders weigh in on Sands proposed robust environmental impact study during the January hearings in Uniondale

hen building an integrated resort complex with a multi-billion-dollar investment, it is crucial to outline

and quantify the tangible effects of economic growth, job creation, and community benefits. One key aspect that developers often strive to minimize is their environmental impact on the surrounding area through comprehensive research and mitigation measures. Under the New York State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act and its implementing regulations, projects, like the Sands New York Integrated Resort, are required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement that identifies and evaluates impacts and presents mitigation measures that avoid or reduce those impacts. The SEQR regulations require public scoping to determine what should be evaluated in the Environmental Impact Statement, and the first step in the scoping process is the preparation of a Draft Environmental Scope by the applicant. The draft scope outlines the issues that will be studied in the Environmental Impact Statement. The public comment period and hearing process on the draft scope of the Environmental Impact Statement ensures public participation is at the center of establishing a comprehensive scope of study on the surrounding environment and community character. Through the process of creating the scope for the Environmental Impact Statement for their planned Long Island integrated resort and wellness destination, Sands has gone above and beyond on their impact studies. The comprehensiveness of the draft scope and the studies proposed for the Environmental Impact Statement demonstrate Sands’ commitment to community benefits and documented record of global environmental sustainability. Sands’ draft environmental review is the most robust ever proposed. They will assess environmental and social impacts including air quality, soil, noise, water, light, parking, and traffic– but also community character, jobs, and public health. The plan includes:

who we are:

Transportation, Traffic and Parking A full traffic impact study will evaluate over 114 locations, from seasonal patterns to weekday rush hours and weekend traffic, including during construction and operation. Parking, access, bicycles, and pedestrian traffic are all being studied, as well as how the project integrates into existing transit cycles and routes. The study will also include a parking evaluation to ensure the proposed plans accommodate adequate on-site parking to mitigate the impact on the surrounding area.

Air, Soil and Water Throughout the process of drafting their Environmental Impact Statement, Sands will study the existing vegetation and habitat, including the Hempstead Plains, and conduct a full analysis of water and soil, including groundwater, water supply, discharge, storm water management, and soil excavation; study air emissions from stationary and mobile sources, as well as evaluate greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, energy conservation and sustainability measures including waste reduction.

Community Character The study will also assess how the proposed project would fit into overall the character of the existing community. This work will include a community character Continued on page 2 Photo provided by Sands

Photo: Long Islanders weigh in: Sands New York supporters urge the Sands project forward with the project’s comprehensive environmental impact study.

The developer of a multi-billion-dollar flagship hospitality, entertainment and casino project on Long Island

Continued from page 1

assessment, including cultural resources and zoning for the site and surrounding areas in consultation with the towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead and the villages of Garden City, Hempstead, Mineola, Westbury and Freeport. The impact studies will also include noise and vibration assessments, including noise impacts during construction and operation of the facility, to ensure the integrated resort remains a longstanding good neighbor.

Public Health and Problem Gambling

Photo provided by Sands

Sands New York gave a $10,000 contribution to Island Harvest Food Bank in honor of the upcoming holidays. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Sands, in partnership with the Sands community Work Groups, will study problem gambling, as well as available programs and services. This ongoing study will include period assessments to identify and study services that mitigate gambling addictions and other public health concerns.

Socio-Economic Impacts EIS studies will include a full analysis of the project’s impact on jobs and economic growth (direct and indirect), which includes looking at community demographics, Sands’ commitments to the community, as well as construction, employment, and training programs.

Community Facilities and Services, and Cumulative Impacts The study will include the site’s existing use of facilities and capacities, including emergency services, and the assessment of impacts of increased demand on services from the resort. The scope will also include proposed on-site security, as well as how the project might interact with other developments in the area, like the anticipated NYU-Langone Hospital.

Town of Hempstead Public Hearings While the Sands’ draft scope for the Environmental Impact Statement is being reviewed, the Town of Hempstead (the lead

agency) has hosted public meetings to transparently inform community members about Sands’ proposed assessment commitments, as well as solicit community feedback on the scope of the assessment. Hundreds of Long Islanders have turned out to these meetings to show their support for the project, and for the DEIS to move forward. Uniondale resident Olena Nicks said, through submitted written testimony, “Although it is imperative to have a full view of the proposed Sands project, I support the process in which Sands New York is taking to illustrate their plans. Sands New York has been working to show their commitment to the Uniondale community and surrounding areas. Through ﬂexible working groups Sands has made it accessible for residents and stakeholders to have transparent insight into the environmental impact of the project. I believe the steps taken and information distributed are positive initial steps that address the questions and concerns

of Residents.” East Meadow resident Gary Humbert submitted, "It’s an economic win for everyone. It creates thousands of jobs and brings dollars to our local businesses. It’s a win-win situation." The information collected from the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will help inform Sands on how and where it should provide targeted resources for mitigation, ensuring a final project that is a net gain for the region, providing substantial quality of life benefits. The details of Sands’ robust study for the proposed $4 billion resort is available on the Town of Hempstead’s website at HempsteadNY.gov.

Photo provided by Sands

Photo: Sands and the Town of Hempstead have hosted several public meetings to transparently inform community members about Sands’ proposed plan and hear feedback or concerns from community members.

Photo provided by Sands

EAC Network, a not-for-profit social service agency that empowers, assists, and cares for over 65,000 people in need through 100 programs across Long Island and New York City, recognized Sands New York at its annual Building Bridges Gala last week. Sands SVP and Former NYS Governor David Paterson was on-site to accept the award.

Photo provided by Sands

The partnership between Sands Cares Youth Empowerment Initiative and the Long Island Nets extended to a second Holiday Hoops Experience at Nassau Coliseum over the first weekend of January. A new batch of 75 students from communities across Long Island turned out to learn basketball fundamentals and sports safety with Long Island Nets Basketball Academy clinicians, and were surprised by a visit from Long Island Nets players Kaiser Gates, Kennedy Chandler, Kameron Hankerson and Kyler Edwards.

Photo provided by Sands

Sands New York partnered with the United States Marine Corps Reserve to collect Toys-for-Tots throughout the Season of Sparkle celebration. The Sands team also delivered a $10,000 donation to the Toys-for-Tots organization for its mission to help deliver gifts to economically disadvantaged children over the holiday season.

To learn more about the Sands as the world’s preeminent developer and operator of world-class integrated resorts visit sandsnewyork.com

Continued from page 1

Public Health and Problem Gambling

Photo provided by Sands

Sands New York gave a $10,000 contribution to Island Harvest Food Bank in honor of the upcoming holidays. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Town of Hempstead Public Hearings While the Sands’ draft scope for the Environmental Impact Statement is being reviewed, the Town of Hempstead (the lead

Photo provided by Sands

Photo: Sands and the Town of Hempstead have hosted several public meetings to transparently inform community members about Sands’ proposed plan and hear feedback or concerns from community members.

Photo provided by Sands

To learn more about the Sands as the world’s preeminent developer and operator of world-class integrated resorts visit sandsnewyork.com

Las Vegas Sands named to Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for World and North America

TODAY Ahead in Sustainability

With the goal of achieving measured, ongoing progress, Sands also has established 2021-2025 ambitions in the areas of workforce development, Team Member volunteerism and carbon emissions reduction, mapping to its People, Communities and Planet corporate responsibility pillars.

Included on DJSI World for 4th consecutive year, DJSI North America for 8th time; Sands China Ltd. named to DJSI World for 2nd year Las Vegas Sands was once again recognized on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), with placement on the DJSI World Index for the fourth consecutive year and the DJSI North America Index for the eighth time. Sands China Ltd., the company’s Asian subsidiary, was also named to the DJSI World and DJSI Asia Pacific indices for the second consecutive year. The DJSI World Index comprises global sustainability leaders as identified by S&P Global through the Corporate Sustainability Assessment). It represents the top 10% of the largest 2,500 companies in the S&P Global BMI based on longterm economic, environmental and social criteria. Sands and Sands China are the only two companies in the Casino and Gaming category listed on DJSI World this year. “Our recognition on this premier global sustainability benchmark, following our recent inclusion as one of Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies, underscores the impact of our corporate responsibility initiatives and ESG leadership,” Patrick Dumont, President and Chief Operating Officer, said. “We aim to be the employer and partner of choice in our regions, a model corporate citizen working

to ensure strength and resiliency of our communities, and the industry leader in environmental sustainability.” Sands’ DJSI inclusions reﬂect the company’s adaptability in aligning efforts and reporting to the major methodology changes and public disclosure expectations made for the Corporate Sustainability Assessment this year. The approach is reﬂective of Sands’ focus on transparency as defined by the major Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) authorities and a dedication to continuously expanding its impact. The DJSI, including the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), were launched in 1999 as the pioneering series of global sustainability benchmarks available in the market. The index family is comprised of global, regional and country benchmarks. The S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment is an annual evaluation of companies’ sustainability practices and covers over 10,000 companies from around the world. The CSA focuses on sustainability criteria that are both industry-specific and financially material and has been doing so since 1999.

Planet

• 2025 GOAL:

Achieve a 17.5% reduction in carbon emissions

Finally, Sands works to ensure the long-term environmental health of its regions through the Planet pillar, led by the Sands ECO360 global sustainability program. As of 2022, Sands had achieved a 50% reduction in carbon emissions from its 2018 baseline; however, the cumulative decrease reﬂected continued pandemic-related impact on property visitation. As business returns to more normal levels in 2023, Sands is continuing to aggressively pursue its low-carbon transition initiatives in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy and transportation.

People

• 2025 GOAL: Invest $200 million in workforce development As of 2022, Sands had invested $56 million in workforce development initiatives, bringing its cumulative investment to $113 million since 2021, well past the halfway point. Sands is focused on building the workforce of the future by supporting the professional growth of its Team Members, advancing the skills of hospitality industry professionals as well as the local labor pool in its regions, and helping local businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, succeed.

Communities • 2025 GOAL: Contribute 150,000 Team Member volunteer hours

The global Sands Cares community engagement program leads initiatives under the Communities pillar and drives the company’s priorities on hardship relief, education, nonprofit and local business advancement, disaster relief and preparedness, and cultural and natural heritage preservation. Sands surpassed their goal by the end of 2022 because of extensive support for pandemicrelated initiatives, along with core Sands Cares volunteer efforts. The new 2025 target will be announced in the company’s next ESG report in spring 2024.

Valentine’s Day Party

Feb. ‘Parallel Perspectives’ View Molloy University Art Gallery’s current exhibition, a duo exhibit displaying artwork of noted Long Island artists Holly Gordon and Ward Hooper. Various complementary paintings and prints are on view. Upon meeting, it became obvious that both Gordon and Hooper were deeply inspired by Long Island’s fascinating environment and natural beauty. Together, they toured the island and captured the same places, each interpreting the scenes in front of them through their distinctive artistic styles. Their creations not only influence one another but also blend unique aesthetics in their collaborative artistic journey. Gordon and Hooper’s partnership yielded numerous accomplishments, one of which was the publication of their book “Parallel Perspectives: The Brush/Lens Collaboration.” Through Feb. 16. Kellenberg Gallery, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Call (516) 323-3196 or email artgallery@molloy.edu for more.

Galentines 2024 with 100 Hispanic Women Join Galentines for an amazing day of inspiration, empowerment, and connection, celebrating the power and achievements of 100 Hispanic women on Long Island, at Hofstra University, Wednesday, Feb. 21 . You’ll have the chance to hear from incredible speakers who will share their stories and insights. Plus, there will be interactive workshops and networking opportunities where you can meet other like-minded women. To sign up, visit TinyUrl.com/mr26vx39. 1000 Hempstead Turnpike.

Feb.

Art talk Join Scott Defrin, owner of European Decorative Arts in Greenvale for Nassau County Museum of Art’s exhibit related program “Collecting Decorative Arts During the Gilded Age; Connoisseurship vs. Decoration,” Sunday, Feb. 25, 3 p.m. New York was the center for collecting during the Gilded Age. More money was spent on fine art, decorative art and interior decoration than at any time in American history. From Carnegie to Frick, and Morgan to Vanderbilt, Defrin discusses the different approaches to collecting among these magnates and how their fortunes helped establish the permanent collections of today’s museums. Limited seating with registration required.1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Having an event?

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.

Princesses and other enchanting heroes and heroines take to the stage, when Plaza Theatricals presents its Winter Princess concert, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24, 11 a.m. Take part in an interactive sing-a-long featuring an array of everyone’s favorite winter characters. $15. See it at The Showplace at Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave., Bellmore (Friday) or at Elmont Memorial Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont (Saturday). For tickets, visit PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870.

1:1 Tech Help Are you interested in eBooks or other digital library services, but don’t know where to start? If so, schedule a 30-minute session at Uniondale Public Library, on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Registration required. 400 Uniondale Ave. Visit UniondaleLibrary. org call (516) 489-2220 for more information.

Cooking with Chef Andrea Massop-Ramos Kids in grades K-6 and their families are invited to Uniondale Library, Tuesday, Feb. 20, to make a cultural meal with private health Chef Andrea Massop-Ramos. It begins at 4:30 p.m. and lasts one hour. Registration required. 400 Uniondale Avenue. Visit UniondaleLibrary.org/ events or call (516) 489-2220 for more information.

UNO Tournament Attention 6-12th graders! Come with your friends to Uniondale Library, Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 3 p.m. Compete against your peers in a competitive UNO tournament. Be the last teen standing and you will win a prize. Registration required. 400 Uniondale Avenue. Visit UniondaleLibrary.org/events or call (516) 489-2220 for more information.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Black History Month Commemorative Awards Luncheon The Brothers of the Eta Theta Lambda chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity invite all to attend their annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Black History Month Commemorative Awards Luncheon celebrating Long Island’s Black Excellence. Doors open at 11 a.m. for shopping at the vendors, raffles, and networking; event begins at noon and will end 4 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit TinyUrl.com/yx5d5f82. 101 James Doolittle Blvd.

A Taste of Thailand

MORE UNBUBBLIEVABLE

THAN EVER !

Siam Emerald, Rockville Centre's new Thai Hot Spot, harmonizes traditional and innovative ﬂavors, offering a delightful journey through ancient recipes reimagined for contemporary palates.

GRAND OPENING SPECIAL! ENJOY

10% OFF

“ IT WILL BLOW YO-OPURRAHMWINFINREDY ! ”

YOUR ENTIRE DINE IN CHECK With coupon only. Expiration 2/29/24

www.siamemerald.com

New World orld Stages 340 W. 50th St.

GazillionBubbleShow.com

1243272

Telecharge.com T elecharge.com or 212.239.6200 88A N. Village Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

(516) 678-0886

1247664

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

Show up in red, black, or pink at the John J. Byrne Community Center for an evening of family fun at the Valentine’s Day party, Friday, Feb. 16, 6-9 p.m. $10, $5 children; includes pizza, sweets, refreshments, and plenty of heartwarming tunes to dance to. 925 Jerusalem Avenue. To purchase tickets, visit TinyUrl.com/3ammrkxs

On stage

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

Planning begins to upgrade electrical grid By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

With a $3.26 billion investment, New York Transco and the New York Power Authority unveiled details of its Propel NY Energy project, aimed to fortify Long Island’s power grid by potentially bringing new underground electrical transmission and substations to Nassau County. The Long Island Association’s offshore wind committee hosted a discussion last week in Melville, with topics ranging from electrical grid reliability improvements to potential traffic disruptions caused by the work to make it happen. Propel NY represents a step toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Nassau County and the wider region. After last year’s competitive bid process in 2023, the New York Independent System Operator — which monitors the reliability of the state’s power system — threw its support behind Propel NY, which is now entering the permitting process. Regulated by Article VII of the New York Public Service Law, the regulatory framework emphasizes environmental impacts, ensuring community involvement. “We want to make sure that we’re all working together … to make sure that effective outreach and communication is happening throughout the process,” said Carrie Gallagher, the Long Island office director for the state’s public service department. That means bringing together not only the Long Island Power Authority and PSEG Long Island, but also the public service department, Transco, and the power authority. Propel NY aims to bolster the reliability and resiliency of the Long Island power grid, according to officials. That means adding what they are calling bi-

Courtesy Propel NY

Propel NY Energy — which plans to invest billions in a project burying 90 miles of electrical transmission lines — will discuss exactly where those lines will go in detail with affected communities, residents and businesses. directional power flows from Long Island into the statewide grid through 90 miles of new transmission pathways. The goal is to transmit up to 3,000 megawatts of energy from offshore wind projects that could power hundreds, if not thousands, of homes. An estimated 66 miles of the new underground distribution lines will run across Nassau County, with less than two miles planned for Suffolk. That includes several separate high-voltage cables from Melville, Island Park, Syosset, Uniondale and Glenwood Landing in Oyster Bay that then would

extend under the East River to the Bronx and the Long Island Sound toward Westchester. The bidirectional line — meaning power will flow in both directions — will help accommodate the influx of renewable energy from offshore wind farms, officials said, with construction expected to begin in 2026, continue on until mid-2030. Residents, according to power authority vice president Girish Behal, will be “impacted the most by traffic and all the construction that happens. But, in addition to that, it’s also the local government and community groups that have an impact on the project.” Propel NY got the go-ahead to begin groundwork needed for construction this past June. The state’s Public Service Commission approved Transco’s plan to borrow as much as $1.4 billion to build power lines. Propel NY looks to harness various clean energy sources — particularly offshore wind — reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting sustainability, officials said. A key purpose of the project., they add, is the need for upgrades to accommodate renewable energy sources like offshore wind, while discussing the current sources of electricity on Long Island and the transition toward offshore wind as a significant clean energy source. “By 2030, 50 percent of our power will come from one source: offshore wind,” said Tom Falcone, the Long Island Power Authority’s chief executive. “Right now, it’s practically zero.” Half of the 10 turbines already built are now operating, he said, with two more expected be added to the overall total by March. At that time, “the first offshore wind project in federal waters will be operational,” Falcone said, “but it’s the first of thousands. And it’s coming very soon.”

MEET THE 2024 HONOREES*

BROKER OF THE YEAR Ron Koenigsberg

Partner Cullen and Dykman LLP

President American Investment Properties

CONSTRUCTION GROUP OF THE YEAR The Kulka Group FATHER & SON POWER TEAM Dan Pulatani

David B. Sargoy

President R&M Engineering

INTERIOR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Beth Donner Founder Beth Donner Design

NOT-FOR-PROFIT Eric Alexander POWER DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR Steven Krieger, Esq. CEO B2K Development

POWER REAL ESTATE DUO Kathy Kirby-Viard

RichnerLIVE’s third annual R.E.A.L. Awards will spotlight entrepreneurs, professionals, and visionaries in Long Island’s real estate and related industries who have achieved success in their respective roles while also being actively involved in community contributions and advocacy.

PURCHASE TICKETS richnerlive.com/realawards

RICHNER

A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit a local charity. To sponsor or purchase a congratulatory ad, contact Amy Amato at aamato@liherald.com or 516.569.4000 Ext. 242

ELEVATOR Donald Gelestino

PROJECT OF THE YEAR

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT Lisa M.G. Mulligan

TRITEC Real Estate Shoregate Project

PROJECT REDEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR Michael F. Puntillo President PX4 Development, LLC

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT / DEVELOPMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR Joseph A. Farkas CEO & Founder Metropolitan Realty Associates LLC

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL BROKER Gina Coletti Licensed Real Estate Broker GC Advisory Group Inc

CEO Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency (IDA)

Kelly Murphy

Acting Executive Director Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (IDA)

TAX CERTIORARI Cara P. Cronin, Esq.

Partner Cronin & Cronin Law Firm, PLLC

TITLE INSURANCE Angelo Santomauro

Senior Partner & Vice President All State Abstract

RESIDENTIAL

RISING STARS Daniel Scarda

AGENTS Michelle Keegan

Marco Scarda

Julia Krispeal

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Director of Corporate Finance The Crest Group Director of Business Development The Crest Group

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson SERHANT.

Jonathan Schuman

Deborah Pirro

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty

Vice President Breslin Realty Development Corp.

ATTORNEY Anthony A. Nozzolillo, Esq.

Senior Associate Cushman & Wakefield

BROKERS Michael Foley

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Stephen Cadorette

Attorney at Law Anthony A. Nozzolillo, Esq.

TRAILBLAZER Sara Gore

Licensed Real Estate Broker Frontline Realty Group

Dr. Sharon R. Frank

TV Host NBC Universal Luxury Real Estate Specialist SERHANT.

Expert Realtor & Business Strategist Sharon R. Frank Real Estate LLC

Kevin Leatherman

COMMERCIAL

Licensed Real Estate Broker Leatherman Homes

ARCHITECT Mark Stumer

Connie Pinilla

Principal Agent The Connie Pinilla Team at Compass

Principal Mojo Stumer Associates

Natasha Williams

DAMIANOS 55 REALTY GROUP ®

International Empire Electrical Corp.

President/LEED AP Merritt Environmental Consulting Corp.

SILVER SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSOR

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

Peter Morris

Justin Breslin

PRODUCED BY

Senior Manager, Economic Development Amazon

ENVIRONMENTAL Chuck Merritt

Licensed Associate Broker Blue Island Homes

are needed to see this picture.

Principal Damianos Realty Group LLC

President & CEO Champion Elevator Corp.

Owner & Broker Signature Premier Properties

The Heritage Club at Bethpage 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale NY

DEVELOPERS Pelops Damianos

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Brad Griggs

Director Vision Long Island

Owner & Broker Signature Premier Properties

6:00PM

Director-Commercial Real Estate Division Brown Harris Stevens Commercial Real Estate

YEARS

& CRONIN CCCRONIN Law Firm, PLLC &

Licensed Real Estate Broker Cornelius Group Real Estate

*List in formation

1247915

02.28.24

Partner Harris Beach PLLC

Senior Vice President CBRE

ENGINEERING Christopher W. Robinson, PE

SARA GORE TV HOST , NBC UNIVERSAL LUXURY REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST, SERHANT.

Jack M. Martins, Esq.

BROKERS Paul Leone

President MP Construction D, Inc.

ANTOINETTE BIORDI 4X AWARD-WINNING REPORTER NEWS 12 ANCHOR/REPORTER

Member Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano PLLC

Partner Herman Katz LLP

Mel Pulatani

KEYNOTE

Elisabetta T. Coschignano, Esq.

Jacquelyn L. Mascetti, Esq.

Vice President MP Construction D, Inc.

HOST

ATTORNEYS Marna E. Bernstein, Esq.

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

SPECIAL AWARDS

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

How will LIPA’s plan impact ratepayers? Continued from page 1

more rooftop solar and offshore wind — but it doesn’t explain or look at how we’re going to do this in an affordable manner.” Harrison, who is an advocate for the Reimagine LIPA campaign — a movement on Long Island to transform LIPA into a nonprofit electric utility — spoke at the public session and pointed out that under LIPA’s plan, solar energy use would only rise from the current 5 percent to just 7 percent by 2030. He also questioned why LIPA wouldn’t aim to utilize more accessible and cheaper solar power, instead of contracting with private offshore wind companies. “Not only should the feasibility of publicly owned offshore wind be examined, but the possibility of utility-scale publicly owned solar,” Harrison said. He asked the LIPA’s board members to look into whether “the rapid expansion of rooftop solar and storage could provide us with power we need and be cheaper than offshore wind power purchase agreements.”

“I think the different factor for offshore wind, compared to storage for solar, is for offshore wind there is a set number of federal leases,” Falcone said. “We are still in the early days of offshore wind, so maybe when it is a more mature industry 10 years from now, we’ll look at it differently than we do today — but I think all you need to do is look at Orsted, Eversource, and a variety of other (energy companies’) stock prices, and that is all you really need to know about wind development in the United States right now.” Harrison said that in communities like Freeport, which have their own publicly owned power systems, residents pay roughly 40 percent less than LIPA customers, and that for-profit utilities have “made lots of money off of Long Island ratepayers.” “Electric power works best when not run by private interests,” Harrison said, adding that he and other customers share concerns about “huge corporations taking control of the wind and sun for their own gain.”

Public Notices

LUNI1 0216

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, 1 OAK RICHLAND, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. ROSA L. SARAVIA, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on April 21, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 27, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 400 Hawthorne Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 34, Block 495 and Lots 234-235. Approximate amount of judgment is $159,039.91 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 601376/2021. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale. Harold F. Damm, Esq., Referee Shnayder Law Firm LLC, 148 East Street Road, Suite 352, Feasterville, PA 19053, Attorneys for Plaintiff 144497

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. BEVERLY A. GIBBS, et al, Defts. Index #613853/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered August 2, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. prem. k/a Section 55, Block 494, Lot 12-14. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. MARK RICCIARDI, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Drive, Great Neck, NY. #101095 144658 LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff AGAINST YVETTE MILLS, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 11, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 4, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1027 JERUSALEM AVENUE, UNIONDALE, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Uniondale, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 50, Block

600, Lot 24. Approximate amount of judgment $335,439.46 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #003348/2016. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Richard L. Farley, Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-001772 78995 144563

To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 202-48 of the code of the Town of Hempstead entitled, “Handicapped Parking On Public Streets,” a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 27th day of February, 2024, at 7:00 o’clock in the evening of that day, to consider the adoption of a resolution setting aside certain parking spaces for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders

of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons at the following locations: FRANKLIN SQUARE CLEVELAND STREET east side, starting at a point 88 feet south of a point opposite the south curbline of Wool Avenue, south for a distance of 18 feet. (TH-15/24) UNIONDALE PAFF AVENUE - west side, starting at a point 227 feet north of the north curbline of Pine Place, north for a distance of 22 feet (TH-26/24) (NR) WESTBURY WESTLEY ROAD - north side, starting at a point 119 feet west of the west curbline of Washington Avenue, west for a distance of 20 feet. (TH-14/24) and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons: LEVITTOWN STONECUTTER ROAD west side, starting at a point 360 feet north of the north curbline of Rigger Lane, north for a distance of 20 feet. (TH-362/10 4/23/10) (TH-30/24) ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid. Dated: February 13, 2024 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY 144887

PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com

Scott Brinton/Herald file

the Long island power authority released its integrated resource plan this month, detailing how it will meet new state requirements for reducing fossil fuel and other emissions by relying on offshore wind energy.

News brief

Courtesy Assemblyman John Mikulin

assemblyman John mikulin is sponsoring a bipartisan bill that would require largescale SunY construction projects to include project labor agreements.

Mikulin wants union work for SUNY projects Assemblyman John Mikulin joined members of the New York State Building & Construction Trades Council and other labor unions at the state capitol last month to rally for union jobs in State University of New York construction projects. For decades, unions have built, maintained and invested in the state’s higher education campuses — however, with no project labor agreement requirement in place, SUNY’s current procurement system uses taxpayer dollars to subsidize out-of-state companies. “Our state has been built by good, hardworking unions, and the state-ofthe-art SUNY facilities across New York are shining beacons of decades of their efforts,” Mikulin said. “These campuses

not only inspire future generations seeking higher education, but they remind us all of the determination, grit and teamwork that went into building these campuses. “When it comes to state tax dollars, we should be doing everything we can to hire local, support local and keep jobs in-state. I proudly support our unions and am a proud supporter of this initiative.” Mikulin is a sponsor of the bipartisan bill that would require large-scale SUNY construction projects with an estimated cost of $3 million or more to be approved by the state and include a project labor agreement. –Jordan Vallone

H1 02/15

Employment

CLASSIFIED

Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460 E-mail your ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com DEADLINE: Monday, 11:00 am for all classified ads.

To pLACE your AD CALL 516-569-4000 - press 5

Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of your ad. Please check your ad at the first insertion. Credit will be made only for the first insertion. Credit given for errors in ads is limited to the printed space involved. Publisher reserves right to reject, cancel or correctly classify an ad.

HEWLETT-WOODMERE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Be A Part Of A Growing Multi Media Company Based in Garden City

NOW HIRING:

SALES/MULTI MEDIA CONSULTANTS – INSIDE & OUTSIDE* FT/PT

Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools is seeking an Administrator/Supervisor for the District’s Summer Playschool Program. The program runs July 1, 2024 August 9, 2024, Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm (closed July 4). Campers range in age from Pre-K-grade 9. Staff orientation will be held on June 28, 2024. The administrator in charge of the program will be responsible for hiring and overseeing camp staff, group scheduling, vendor contracts, field trip planning, etc.

Help Wanted

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. H i s t o r i c a l l y, r e p o r t e r s w h o h ave launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

Call Nancy For More Details Serious Inquiries Only

516-426-2427

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED Will Certify And Train HS Diploma

NYS License Clean 3 Years $20 - $25/ Hour

Call 516-731-3000

DRIVERS FT/PT (Salary Range $17 per hour to $21 per hour)

Eldercare Offered

or Call

516-569-4000

*Outside Sales must have car One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country. Call the USA Classified Network today!

1-800-231-6152

EDITOR/REPORTER

LOGISTICS ANALYST: ALPI USA Inc. seeks a Logistics Analyst in Valley Stream, Nassau County, New York. Bachelor's degree in International Business or Operations and Supply Chain Management required. Knowledge and Proficiency in Cargo Wise, Microsoft Office (Access, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Trade Map, SAP Business and Management software. Qualified applicants may submit resume directly to Michael Laurence Carkin, Chief Operating Officer, via email to michael.carkin@alpiusa.com

ext 200

Help Wanted MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

1234932

Careers@liherald.com

Help Wanted

Fun, Energetic, Reliable $16.00/ Hour

MAILROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP FT/PT (Salary Range $16 per hour to $17 per hour)

Email Your Resumes to

EMPLOYMENT

DAY CARE ASSISTANT Full Time Needed

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE FT/PT (Salary Range $16 per hour to $23 per hour)

(Salary Range $20 per hour to $30 per hour)

1247796

Equal Opportunity Employer

REPORTER/EDITOR FT/PT (Salary Range $20,000 to $45,000)

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT/PT

Interested candidates must have NYS SBL certification. Interested candidates must apply on-line at www.hewlett-woodmere.net click on career opportunities

Salary Range $33,280 to $100,000 including Commissions & Bonuses

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

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

Project Managers, Westbury, NY: Coordinate jobs start to finish, plans, permits, scheduling & updating statuses; Review scope of work to see if matches contract; Prep necessary materials & attend weekly project meeting & manage project field m a n p ow e r. S a l a r y $ 1 0 2 , 0 0 0 $121,597/year. Send res to: Cardoza Plumbing Corp, Janet@cardozaplumbing.com.

SANTA CRUZ SERAG Caregivers Provide The Best Male/ Female Caregivers In America. Certified HHA's, Professional. Experts In Dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinsons Cases. Live-in/Out. Gertrude 347-444-0960

Helping you find a HOME or sell a HOME … a place to call your own. Suburb or country, house, condo, townhouse or apartment, our Classifieds can help you find a HOME that fits your style, your budget and Real Estate needs... it’s a MUST SEE!

Call us today!

Your Hometown Newspaper

To Place an Ad Call: 516-569-4000 • Press 5

HERALD

Homes

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

REAL ESTATE Open Houses EAST ROCKAWAY 2/18,12-1:30, 62 Bulaire Rd, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch in Waverly Park Area of SD#20(Lynbrook). Open Floor Plan. LR w/Fpl, DR, Gran/Wood EIK Plus Family Rm w/ Vaulted Ceiling. Upper Level Has Huge Skylit Recreation Rm, BR, Bth & W/D. Beautifully Lanscaped Oversized Prop W/ Trex Deck for Enter taining. Multi Car Drvewy...$899,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429

HEWLETT BA, 1534 Broadway #213,.! Move Right Into This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Spacious Corner Unit. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Garage Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living. Convenient to Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship....$649,000 R o n n i e G e r b e r, D o u g l a s E l l i m a n 516-238-4299

Rent Your Apartment through the Herald and PrimeTime Classified section. Call us for our great *specials. 516-5694000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)

Open Houses HEWLETT: 1267 Peninsula Blvd, Open House By Appt, NEW! 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14(Hewlett Woodmere)Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck.HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, L I R R , Tr a n s & H o u s e s o f W o r ship...$599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299 HEWLETT: 1267 Peninsula Blvd, Open House By Appt, NEW! 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14(Hewlett Woodmere)Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck.HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, L I R R , Tr a n s & H o u s e s o f W o r ship...$599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299 H EW L ET T 1 53 4 B ROA DWAY # 213 , OPEN HOUSE By Appt, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Spacious Corner Unit. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Garage Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living. Convenient to Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship....$649,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

HERALD

H2 02/15

Merrick Woods

HOME Of tHE WEEK February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

One Of A Kind!

his turnkey, truly unique, one of a kind Ranger Ranch, boasts 5 bedrooms including 2 primary suites, 3 full baths, extended eat in kitchen, extended great room, and dedicated laundry room on main level. This incredible home has too many amenities to list. Nestled in the heart of Merrick Woods, within minutes to all, this 1/4+ acre property has a resort style heated saltwater pool/ waterfall and landscaping for spectacular privacy and beauty that is second to none. For those with a discriminating taste, this home is a must see both inside and out. $1,349,999 Call for a private showing

Q. I have been looking for houses with my daughter and son-in law. We finally found one; unfortunately, everything we’ve seen needs some kind of work, and this one is no exception. It has cracks in the foundation that we were told could be a structural problem. We got three people to look at the foundation, and one, a contractor with a lot of experience in the area, told us that the whole foundation should be replaced, that it’s a “structural mess.” An engineer told us about a horizontal crack that’s only on the outside and not on the inside, saying it needs filling with a kind of cement that would repair the problem. The third person, a mason contractor, also told us that the crack is a sign that the whole section on that side of the house is dropping and would need to be cut out and replaced. We don’t know which way to go. The wall looks straight, even though the mason said it’s already almost an inch out of vertical and could continue to tilt. What would you do if these were your children and such an expensive repair?

OPEN HOUSES SUNDAY, 2/18/24 EAST ROCKAWAY 62 Bulaire Rd, 12-1:30, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch in Waverly Park Area of SD#20 (Lynbrook). Open Floor Plan. LR w/Fpl, DR, Gran/Wood EIK Plus Family Rm w/ Vaulted Ceiling. Upper Level Has Huge Skylit Recreation Rm, BR, Bth & W/D. Beautifully Lanscaped Oversized Prop W/ Trex Deck for Entertaining. Multi Car Drvewy ............................................................................................ $899,000

HEWLETT BAY PARK 190 Meadowview Ave, BA, Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14. Near All. Must See This Unique Home!.........................................................................REDUCED $2,700,000

This Robin won’t rest until you are in your new NEST! How’s the market?? Please contact me for your free market report and personalized service!

“Leading Edge Award Winner” Robin Reiss

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Cell: 516.510.6484 Office: 516.623.4500 Robin.Reiss@elliman.com

Results that Move You

HEWLETT 1267 Peninsula Blvd, 2-3:30, 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14 (Hewlett Woodmere) Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck. HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, LIRR, Trans & Houses of Worship .................................................. $599,000

A BETTER WAY TO BUY AND SELL REAL ESTATE! “Call A Realtor With Proven Experience!” Rob Kolb Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Tripodi Shemtov Team

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

30 West Park Ave | Long Beach, NY 11561 Cell: 516-314-1728 • Office: 516-432-3400 Rob.Kolb@elliman.com • Elliman.com/RobKolb

1554 Moffitt Ave, BA, WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL! Updtd 4 BR Col w/ 2 New Bths. LR/Fpl, FDR, Den & Kit. Main Flr BR/Off. Newer W/D, Ductless AC Units, Gas Ht. 2 Car Det Gar. Enclosed Yard. SD#14 (Hewlett-Wood). Great Location Near Schools, Park, LIRR & Houses of Worship. $4500 per month

Houses For Rent HEWLET BA 1554 Moffitt Ave, OPEN , WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL! Updtd 4 BR Col w/ 2 New Bths. LR/Fpl,FDR, Den & Kit. Main Flr BR/Off. Newer W/D, Ductless AC Units, Gas Ht. 2 Car Det Gar. Enclosed Yard. SD#14(Hewlett-Wood). Great Location Near Schools, Park, LIRR & Houses of Worship...$4500 per month Ronnie Gerber. Douglas Elliman 516-238-429hewlett

Apartments Wanted SOUTH SHORE VICINITY: Nice, Responsible Person Seeking Studio/ 1 BR/ Share. Lower Level Okay. 516-569-5054

Rooms Wanted RESPONSIBLE PERSON LOOKING for Room to Rent in either Uniondale, Freeport, Hempstead or Baldwin. Non-Smoker, Reliable, Quiet and Very Nice . Please Call/ Text 929-620-9363

3487 5th Street, Oceanside

Instagram: @aigamazz

Listing Agent : AigA MAzzAnobile Cell: 516-425-2068 “Taking The Mystery Out Of Real Estate Since 1983”

Apartments For Rent

Furnished Rooms/Apts.

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

RESPONSIBLE PERSON LOOKING For a Room to Rent or Apartment to Share in either Hempstead, Uniondale, Freeport, or Baldwin Vicinity. Non-Smoker, Reliable, Quiet and Very Nice. Call/ Text 929-620-9363

ELMONT: 1 BR, Upper Level, All New, All Included, Near All, No Pets. $2,000. 516-547-8015

Sold Price! S $ 687,000 O L 4 Bedroom / 3 Bath Expanded Cape D

1245284

1390 Broadway #117, BA, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This Beautiful JR 4 Coop Apt in Luxurious Hewlett Townhouse. Huge LR & DR, Ren Kit w/ Wood Cab/Quartz Counters/ Stainless St Appl. Encl Terrace Overlooking Garden can Be Rm. Spac BR w/ En Suite Bath. W/D in Apt. 24 Hr Drmn, Elevator, Valet Pkg, Priv Storage. Redone IG Comm Pool. Gar Pkg. Near Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship ................................ $359,000

1247545

1247963

1534 Broadway #213, BA, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Spacious Corner Unit. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit, LR & DR. Washer/ Dryer in Unit. Gar Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living. Convenient to Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship .... $649,000

Call the One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price USA Classified Network to run your ad in any state, today! or across the country. 1-800-231-6152

A. The question really is, who do you trust, and how much really needs to be done? Do you accept the engineer’s opinion? Are they really a licensed engineer or a home inspector? It does matter, because there is a level of responsibility that goes with truly professional advisement versus the opinion of experienced trades-people. onte eeper Basically, it always comes down to one thing: In a court of law, whose testimony and credentials will be acceptable to the judge. Will the contractor or mason be able to demonstrate to a court that they have the training, license(s) or credentials to be recognized as the final word? A concrete wall out of vertical alignment after many years of service can be concerning, but consider that if the wall is still supporting, the one inch is one-eighth (approximately) of the width of the wall, which is still attached to the rest of the construction and is not severed away. I would doubt that the wall is as great a concern as you have been led to believe. It is certainly worth monitoring. When I approach such a condition, which happens several times a year, I look at the much greater surroundings to try to evaluate causes. Is the foundation subject to ground vibration from traffic, underground tidal activity, surface drainage that hasn’t been sloped away from the building, poor soil conditions? There can be many different reasons for the separation. Sometimes it’s just a bad construction job, where the second pour on top of the first was delayed too long, and the horizontal crack is due to what is referred to as a “cold joint,” where the concrete didn’t set up together to begin with. It doesn’t mean the foundation wall will fail. Stick with impartial advice from qualified licensed professionals to make your decision. Good luck!

Ask The Architect

1247667

1246682

Jane Clifford Signature Premier Properties 516.359.2060 Cell JCliff1743@aol.com Lic Real Estate Salesperson Lic # 10391201876 324 Merrick Avenue Merrick, NY 11566

Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299

‘Everything we’ve seen needs some kind of work’

Apts./House To Share HEMPSTEAD, UNIONDALE, FREEPORT, BALDWIN OR VICINITY: Responsible Person Looking to Share a 2 Bedroom Apartment or House. Non-Smoker, Quiet, Very Easy Going. Willing to Split All Expenses. Please Call/ Text 929-620-9363 If No Answer, Leave Message

© 2024 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

H3 02/15

Market Place • •

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

CALL FOR YOUR

ANNUAL TUNE UP

Offers Valid Valid Through Offers Through12/23/23 3/15/24

10% OFF TERMITE SERVICE

1245880

516-223-2951

1244737

1246744

Your Safety Is Our Top Priority Now Oﬀering Seasonal Tune Ups Starting At $199 with FREE Chimney Inspection. Beato Fuel Serving Nassau And Suﬀolk Counties For Over 115 Years

www.beatofuel.com

DaVe MaRloWe plUMBinG, inC. OWA_GotClutter_BW_Bold

Sunday, August 02, 2020 AM DBA 11:31:01 BOB PHILLIPS PLUMBING

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

HERALD

RepaiRs & installations

oFFiCe: 516-766-4583 Cell / teXt: 516-840-9432

6HOO \RXU PHUFKDQGLVH LQ QR WLPH OO K GL L L (PDLO \RXU $G WR WKH +HUDOG DQG 3ULPH7LPH &ODVVLÀ HG 'HSDUWPHQW DW VDOHV#OLKHUDOG FRP WR UXQ D )5(( )LQGV 8QGHU WR UXQ D )5(( )LQGV 8QGHU

Carpentry & Painting Specialist

Residential and Commercial - All Phases

$69 $49

Sewer Drains

www.unclogitnow.com

JVR Plumbing & Heating - Nassau Master Plumber lic # 2520 Suffolk # 2111 /Ins

$99

“Anthony & J Home Improvement, Inc.” Also specializes in ★ Kitchens ★ Bathrooms ★ Finished Basements ★ Flooring ★ Repairs ★ Woodwork/mouldings ★ Siding ★ Gutters

new Hi-Tech Jetting customers only

516-678-6641– Licensed & Insured

CALL NOW 888-777-9709

Free estImAtes...call Anthony romeo 1245888

PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SERVICE

10%OFF FOR NEW CUSTOMERS

Always Affordable Chimney Inc.

855-244-6880 • 516-830-0166 alwaysaffchimney@aol.com Fully Licensed And Insured

www.alwaysaffordablechimney.com

HEATING OIL HOME • COMMERCIAL

RELIABLE • 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE FAMILY OWNED FOR OVER 65 YEARS

CALL NOW FOR LOWEST PRICE

(516) 379-2727

CALL FOR MORE INFO No service in Long Beach

1245233

CRAZY?

WE GET YOUR SEWER AND DRAINS FLOWING AGAIN 1244479

&/877(5 GULYLQJ \RX J\

1247144

Exp. 4/20/24

1239551

1246620

• Insured • Licensed Master Plumber

1246780

• Faucets • Toilets • Waste Piping • Water Piping • Permits & Legalizations • Certified NYS Backflows • FREE Estimates

JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, It’s in the Herald Classifieds... REAL ESTATE & MORE... Call 516-569-4000 JOBS,To Advertise MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... press 5

HERALD

Stuff

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Cemetery Plots BETH DAVID CEMETERY: Elmont, NY. 3 Plots. Separate Or All Together. Graves 18, 25, and 32. Purchase Separate $5000; Purchase Together $14000. Negotiable. Call 845-641-7316

ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements SAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL PLANS! Up to 75% More than 500 AIRLINES and 300,000 HOTELS across the world. Let us do the research for you for FREE! Call: 877 988 7277

H4 02/15

MERCHANDISE MART Antiques/Collectibles We Buy Antiques, Fine Art, Coins & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

FINDS UNDER $100 Finds Under $100 AUDIOVOX PLAYER D1998 with two earphones, battery charger, in black carry bag, $15. 516-884-9994

CLUTTER

driving you

• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Finds Under $100

SERVICES

CRYSTAL STEMWARE: WATER, Wine, Champagne. 6 of each, Brand New in Original Boxes. $99, 516-225-9191

Electricians

DELTA KITCHEN FAUCET, single hand pull down,silver chrome, $55. 516-884-9994 HEAVY DUTY CAR Ramps $50 Firm. 516-486-7941. IRON BOARD: Full Size With Iron. Very Good Condition. $50. Valley Stream Area. 516-384-3832, Leave Message OAK MEDIA STORAGE Cabinets (2): for CD's, DVD's, etc. IKEA Unassembled, New, $50 each. 516-486-7941 PROFORM 235CSX RECUMBENT Bike N e w, M o d e l - P F E X 5 2 7 1 5 . 0 $ 9 5 516-386-3844 RO O F TO P C A R G O C A R R I E R , S o f t Used once.$50. 516-225-9191

CRAZY?

Sell your merchandise in no time! Email your Ad to the Herald and PrimeTime Classiﬁed Department at

sales@liherald.com to run a FREE "Finds Under $100"

HErald

Crossword Puzzle

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

1243304

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

HANDYMAN 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

Home Improvement BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636 CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/ Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641

Plumbing PLUMBER! PLUMBER! PLUMBER! FREE ESTIMATES! Heating, Repairs, Installations. $25 OFF New Customers. 24 Hour Emergency Response. 516-599-1011

1240395

Deals on Wheels

Satellite/TV Equipment DIRECTV SPORTS PACK – 3 Months on Us! Watch pro and college sports LIVE. Plus over 40 regional and specialty networks included. NFL, College Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, Golf and more. Some res t r i c t i o n s a p p l y. C a l l D I R E C T V 1-888-534-6918

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Health & Fitness ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 888-514-3044 HEARING AIDS!! HIGH-QUALITY rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-day money back guarantee! 855-598-5898 VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! 50 Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW! 855-413-9574

Legal Services INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don't Accept the insurance company's first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-888-454-4717. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE 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 516-VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277

Junk Cars Wanted

HIGHEST CA$H PAID All Cars Bought 24/7 FREE Pickup

Serving Nassau County 41 Years No Title, No Keys=No Problem ID Required. CALL US LAST!

Call us at 516-766-0000

Want to sell your car, motorcycle or boat? Have we got a deal for you! You can advertise your vehicle in the

Classifieds All for an amazing price! Your add will run until you sell your vehicle. Just call one of our expert classified account executives today and you will be on your way to making a great deal on your set of wheels!

516-569-4000 press 5, then 2

Answers to todAy’s puzzle

opinions

ong Island lost an American icon with the passing of Baldwin resident Bob Beckwith last week. The image of Beckwith standing with President George W. Bush amid the ruins of the World Trade Center days after the Sept. 11 attacks will forever personify America’s unyielding courage and quiet determination in the face of horrific tragedy and massive challenge. In the aftermath of 9/11, the deadliest attack ever on American soil, the country was shattered. I pETER traveled to New York from WashKinG ington on Friday, Sept. 14. Bush was on Air Force One, and I was on an accompanying Air Force jet with other members of Congress from New York. Riding in a government vehicle from LaGuardia Airport to Lower Manhattan, I was struck by how quickly New York had become a ghost town. There was virtually no traffic on its usually congested streets, and just handfuls of pedestrians on otherwise busy sidewalks. We were driven to a corner adjacent to the wreck-

age of the twin towers. Though I had worked in an office building on Vesey Street years before, when the towers were being constructed, I had difficulty getting my bearings amid all the destruction. We were told that the president was several blocks away, and would be making his way toward us, when we heard a loud roar and cheers of “USA!” This was before the age of social media, so it wasn’t until I got home that I saw the video on television of Bush standing atop a damaged vehicle, shouting into a bullhorn that “the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!’’ His left arm was wrapped around the shoulder of a strong-faced, quietly confident, veteran New York City firefighter. This image resonated with me like the iconic photo of the Marines raising the Stars and Stripes at Iwo Jima inspired a previous generation of Americans. At that moment, on Sept. 14, 2001, Americans knew we would not be vanquished. We would fight back with American spirit, determination and courage. Overnight, photos of the scene flew around the world, including to the cover of Time magazine. In the subsequent days I would talk

with firefighter friends who had worked with Bob Beckwith over the years. Everything they said about him was positive. The most common descriptions of him included “solid,” “regular guy,” “loyal” and “very patriotic.” Sure enough, when I got to know Bob and his wife, Barbara, I saw that he was all that and more. He gave no indication that his image had been seen by tens of millions of people around the world, or that he had visited Bush in the White House and maintained a friendship with him. He was a thoroughly decent man who was proud to have been a firefighter, and considered himself no more important than other firefighters. Often I would be invited to join retired firefighters at monthly breakfasts at a Lindenhurst diner. I was always struck by how Beckwith, an internationally known symbol of 9/11, mingled and sat so unassumingly as just one of the guys, expecting no recognition or special acknowledgment. Rosemary and I became friendly with Bob and Barbara. We visited their home and invited them to ours for Christmas parties. Bob campaigned for me, handing out flyers at shopping centers, appearing at fundrais-

e’d be the last to tell you that his image had been seen by millions around the world.

ing events and attending swearing-in ceremonies in Washington. In November, Rosemary and I visited him when we heard his health had taken a turn for the worse. It was a heartwarming visit. Bob was as sharp as ever, talking with us about his friendship with Bush and how he used his fame to focus public attention on the need to help burned and injured firefighters. He also reminisced about his 30 years of service in the FDNY, without ever making himself the center of the story. Though he was using a walker that day, he got around easily, using it more as a safeguard than a necessity. As always, Barbara not only joined in the conversation, but had coffee and pastries for us as we sat around the dining room table. Bob wasn’t kidding himself. He knew his cancer had spread, and he would be undergoing immunotherapy. But he was both hopeful and fatalistic, hoping it would work while knowing it might not. Bob Beckwith fought hard to the end and died as he lived, with courage and class. It was my privilege to be able to call him my friend. Bob Beckwith and 9/11. The right man for a historic moment. R.I.P. Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

Stop playing petty political games with county resources

or Nassau County, 2024 is a year of new beginnings — a fact that is evidenced by the ascension of two new legislative caucus leaders and five new legislators. I was looking forward to a fresh start and greater bipartisan cooperation as we confront the county’s most important issues. Unfortunately, our first meeting did not go as I hoped. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government allotted funding to help local communities weather the crisis and recover from the many challenges it created. The county received roughly DELiA $385 million in DeRiGGi-WHiTTon American Rescue Plan Act funds, and, as of Jan. 22, still had around $299 million left to allocate. By law, ARPA funding must be allocated by the end of this year and spent by the end of 2026. Otherwise it will be clawed back by the federal government. Some municipalities have used the money for tax rebates for residents, to launch medical bill forgiveness programs or to establish other initiatives that directly aid small businesses and non-

profit organizations. On the other hand, County Executive Bruce Blakeman has recently stressed two ideas — moving more than $222 million into the county’s operating budget, and using $10 million to help stage and promote a series of galas and other celebrations of the county’s 125th anniversary. By comparison, Blakeman proposed setting aside a relatively small portion of the funding — $15 million — to support various nonprofits and special districts that deliver ARPA-approved services. Initially, the minority caucus advocated for the inclusion of roughly $12 million for worthwhile agencies in our seven districts. When presented with the $15 million number for the entire county, our hope was to reach a compromise that increased the total to $19 million, with an agreement to divide the funds equally, with $1 million for each of the 19 districts. That would have allowed each legislator to help arrange for the distribution of resources to the most severely impacted programs and initiatives to help communities fully rebound from the pandemic. Ultimately, the majority would not commit to an equitable distribution approach, or even a small increase of the

allocation. Naturally, this was a disappointing outcome. And recent events have made the absence of an equity agreement a real concern. For the past several years, applications for grant funding in my district — for fire departments, public libraries, and more — seem to have been stonewalled by the Blakeman administration. During our ARPA negotiations, implications were made that the funding was indeed being held up. The reason? The administration didn’t approve of my comments in a recent column, urging it to expedite the delivery of opioid settlement funds to agencies that deliver life-saving prevention, treatment and recovery services. Specifically, when I argued that the administration’s approach is “badly out of touch with the needs of our constituents,” it was alleged that I engaged in “personal attacks.” By fast-tracking approval of $10 million in funding for 125th-anniversary celebrations while opioid funding continued to languish on our ledger books, the administration made its priorities clear. Pointing that out is a policy critique, and I stand by my statement today. I am still dismayed that the county held back hundreds of

e need to make better use of federal funding left over from the pandemic.

millions of dollars in remaining ARPA and opioid settlement funds for as long as it did to bolster its reserves for the sake of impressing rating agencies and potentially generating interest on the funds. In my opinion, by acquiescing to the administration’s wishes, the Legislature’s presiding officer, Howard Kopel, missed a relatively easy opportunity to start off his tenure in a good-faith, bipartisan manner. Even after hearing directly from dozens of organizations that would have put those resources to such good use, the majority rubber-stamped the administration’s plan and gave every indication that the county executive’s office will have the final say on where this $15 million will be spent. While I hope the office will be responsive to the will of the people and each district will receive a fair share, that outcome is now out of the control of the members of the minority caucus. Yes, this was an incredibly disappointing start to the year, but it’s just that — the start. I’m still optimistic that we will do a better job for the people of Nassau County in the months ahead, and that the county will use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give worthwhile organizations that serve our communities the resources they deserve. Delia DeRiggi-Whitton is the County Legislature’s new minority leader, and represents the 11th District.

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

I’ll never forget Bob Beckwith

HeraLd editoriaL

UNIONDALE

HERALD February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON

BEACON

Established 2023 Incorporating The Uniondale Beacon The East Meadow Beacon Bernadette Giacomazzo Senior Editor

Brandon cruz Reporter nicole Welch Multi Media Marketing Consultant oFFice 2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Cliff Richner Publisher, 1982-2018 Robert Richner Edith Richner Publishers, 1964-1987

■ Stuart richner Publisher ■ Jim rotche General Manager ■ michael hinman

Executive Editor JeFFrey BeSSen

Deputy Editor Jim harmon

Copy Editor Karen Bloom Features/Special Sections Editor tony BelliSSimo Sports Editor tim BaKer Photo Editor

■ rhonda GlicKman Vice President - Sales amy amato Executive Director of Corporate Relations and Events lori BerGer Sales Director ellen reynoldS Classified / Inside Sales Director ■

JeFFrey neGrin Creative Director craiG White Art Director craiG cardone Production Coordinator ■ dianne ramdaSS Circulation Director ■

herald community neWSPaPerS Baldwin Herald Bellmore Herald East Meadow Herald Franklin Square/Elmont Herald Freeport Herald Glen Cove Herald Hempstead Beacon Long Beach Herald Lynbrook/East Rockaway Herald Malverne/West Hempstead Herald Merrick Herald Nassau Herald Oceanside/Island Park Herald Oyster Bay Herald Rockaway Journal Rockville Centre Herald Sea Cliff/Glen Head Herald Seaford Herald South Shore Record Uniondale Herald Beacon Valley Stream Herald Wantagh Herald

memBer:

Americas Newspapers Local Media Association New York Press Association

Published by richner communications, inc. 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 569-4000

Saying goodbye to a true American hero

“W

hen the terrorists attacked, Bob suited up. And, like so many brave first responders, raced toward the danger to save and search for others.” Those were the words former President George W. Bush shared in a statement last week about Bob Beckwith, a Queens firefighter from Baldwin who had indeed raced to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and ultimately stood with the president a few days later as he gave a rousing speech to the first responders with nothing but a bullhorn in that iconic moment. Except that Beckwith — who died on Feb. 4, at 91 — wasn’t on active duty in 2001. He was 69, and had been retired from the New York City Fire Department since the mid-1990s, following a stellar 30-year career. But it was in his blood to rush and help, and that was the only thing on his mind as he raced to the scene in search of survivors, donning his old firefighter helmet from Ladder Co. 164. It was by pure chance that the president spotted him that day. But once he did, Bush wanted nothing more than to have Beckwith at his side while he sought to build optimism during one of the country’s darkest periods. “I want you to know that America today is on bended knee in prayer for the people whose lives we lost here,” Bush told the first responders that day, his left arm draped around Beckwith. “For the workers who work here. For the families

who mourn. This nation stands with the good people of New York City, and New Jersey and Connecticut, as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens.” “We can’t hear you,” someone shouted from the crowd. Without missing a beat, the president yelled back into the bullhorn: “I can hear you!” earning cheers from those gathered around him. “I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!” Afterward, Bush extended his hand to Beckwith, who shook it proudly before stepping off the rubble so he could get back to work. Beckwith wasn’t introduced that day, but that didn’t keep the world from knowing who he was. From multiple news reports in the months that followed to the cover of Time magazine, the image of Bush standing with Beckwith demonstrated the resolve of the American people, helping to begin the healing process. Yet those days were very difficult for Beckwith. Of the 2,977 people who died that day, 343 were FDNY members who had raced into the twin towers as others desperately tried to find their way out. Another 71 were law enforcement officers — primarily from the New York City Police Department — while 55 others were military personnel, most of them killed in the attack on the Pentagon in Washington. After it seemed the initial danger had passed, another remained hidden among

the rubble, and it attacked every one of those brave men and women who sifted through the debris that day and in the weeks and months that followed. Cancers believed to have developed after exposure to the toxic debris sickened many of them in the years afterward, and claimed many lives. Last September, after the death of former EMT Hilda Vannata and retired firefighter Robert Fulco, the number of FDNY members killed in the aftermath by those diseases equaled the total who died on Sept. 11 itself. And that number, horrifically, will only grow. The first responders and their families will continue to need our help. And it’s imperative that our leaders at both the state and federal level continue to ensure that funding is in place to make that happen. Bob Beckwith lived to 91, capping an extraordinary life. But even his was cut short by a 9/11-related illness. Something he never would have developed if he had just stayed home that day. But that wasn’t Bob Beckwith. And it certainly wasn’t who President Bush saw that day at ground zero. Beckwith was a man who raced toward danger while others ran from it. And retired or not, it wasn’t going to stop him. “I was proud to have Bob by my side at ground zero days later,” Bush said after learning of Beckwith’s death. “And privileged to stay in touch with this patriot over the years.” Rest in peace, Bob Beckwith. You truly do define what it means to be an American.

Letters Too many Long Island teens are driving distracted, and dying To the Editor: Recently, a fatal issue has been making headlines on Long Island. While motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 18-year-olds in the U.S., Nassau and Suffolk are two of the deadliest counties for traffic fatalities in New York. According to the Institute for Traffic Safety and Management, Long Island averages 18.2 roadway deaths per month. That number skyrocketed to 31 in August 2023. Crashes claimed 243 lives in 2022, 29 percent more than in 2019. On Jan. 2 of this year, on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway in North Massapequa, while returning to school after the holidays, Dylan Nuccio went off the road at Exit 5’s northbound ramp, hit a tree, and flipped the car, a crash that took his life. We at EAC Network, a nonprofit comprising 114 social service programs helping New Yorkers in need, can educate more teen drivers and their parents to decrease these numbers and save lives. Rachel Lugo, EAC’s division director and the force behind our Driving Equation program, partnered with community agencies and Long Island high schools to promote safe driving

and reduce distractions behind the wheel through free educational programs including Second Chances in Occupant Protection for Everyone, or SCOPE, and Teen Driving Equation.

Lugo also oversees Safe Start, a program promoting child passenger safety by educating parents and child care providers. According to Lisa Mirabile, an

opinions

n influx of refugees from Latin America, U.S. political wars, and the 2024 presidential campaign has fueled anti-immigrant campaigns in the United States. In statements echoing Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology, former President Donald Trump promised, if he is elected again, to keep out refugees he believes are poisoning the “blood of America.” Governors of states along the southern border have been busing migrants to northern cities, straining municipal budgets and threatening to increase homelessness. This kind of hostility to immigrants isn’t new. aLan At the nation’s sinGer founding, Black immigration was banned. Starting in the 1880s, the United States limited Asian immigration. In 1924, advocates for immigration quotas that would restrict southern and Eastern Europeans, specifically Italians and Jews, argued that they would be too difficult to Americanize. Thomas Aldrich published a poem in the Atlantic Monthly, “The Unguarded Gates,” in 1892, in which he warned, “Wide open and unguarded stand our gates, and through them presses a wild motley throng” with “accents of men-

ace alien to our air.” Aldrich begged Lady Liberty, the “white Goddess,” to reconsidered whether it was wise “to leave the gates unguarded.” During a congressional debate in 1924, Robert L. Bacon, a Republican who represented Suffolk County, argued, “We have work to do in assimilating and Americanizing those we already have living under our flag without lifting the floodgates and permitting an inundation to come rushing through … We cannot do this work if we spend all of our time at Ellis Island welcoming the millions who would like to come from other and more unfortunate lands … It must be admitted that the nationals of some countries assimilate easier and become Americanized quicker than the nationals of other countries.” The House of Representatives passed an immigration restriction law by a vote of 308-58; the vote in the Senate was 69-9. A new study by the Immigration Research Initiative shines a different light on recent immigration. Focusing on Long Island, it argues that an influx of immigrants gives local economies a boost. About 20 percent of Long Island’s population is immigrants, and with their American-born children, their families make up a significantly larger portion of the population.

The study found that “New immigrants arriving to Long Island can expect to earn a median wage of about $27,000 per year. If there are two wage earners in a family, as is likely the case for most of the immigrants coming to New York, their combined income would be about $54,000” — well above the 2021 federal poverty level of $12,880 for individuals and $26,500 for a family of four. The study also found that after five years, the annual wage was closer to $35,000, bringing a two-income family’s earnings to about $70,000. The study’s authors calculated that the wages paid to every 1,000 newly arrived immigrant workers contributed $27 million to the local economy, and increased state and local tax revenues by about $3 million. After five years, the local benefit for each 1,000 workers is $35 million annually, and tax revenues increase to $4 million. New immigrants also fill vital jobs, especially as caregivers for children, the elderly and the chronically ill, and in medical facilities. According to Anthony Capote, a senior policy analyst at the Immigration Research Initiative and one of the study’s authors, initially “there’s a net cost” as migrants integrate into new communities, “But in the long run, there’s a net benefit.” Nationally, immigrants pay almost $26

here may be a cost when they arrive, but in the long run, there’s a net benefit.

Letters involved parent, an EAC defensive driving program participant, an EAC Network Board member and the president and CEO of Vertigo Media Group, “The EAC program is invaluable. When a young person receives their license, they don’t realize they’re driving a weapon. EAC’s defensive driving program showed my son — through live examples and testimony from EMTs, police officers and victims — what it’s like to live in the aftermath of catastrophic accidents. The instructor revealed how he lost his own son. It brought my son to tears — he even hugged me. It scared him straight. This saves lives and should be taught in every high school. I’m so grateful that we had this experience. It made my son a respectful driver with no accidents to date.” As Long Island mourns, swift results are essential. The community must unite, support partners like EAC, and emphasize driver responsibility. It’s time to act. Any Long Island high school interested in free educational driving programs for parents, caregivers and students can contact the EAC Network’s Second Chances in Occupant Protection for Everyone at (631) 6487100, ext. 210. Together we can reverse the devastating statistics. GILLIAN HANNA Public Relations, EAC Network

billion annually in income, Social Security and Medicare taxes. They also pay local sales and property taxes. New York state collects $1.1 billion in taxes from immigrant families, and that number would increase by $250 million if the federal government passed legislation creating a path to legal status for undocumented workers. A number of countries now have aging or declining populations, including Japan, Italy, Finland, Portugal and Greece. In Japan, 28 percent of the population is 65 or older. In the United States the 65-and-older cohort is 16 percent. Seven European countries have populations declining at rates of over 18 percent. Japan’s rate is 16 percent, and its population is expected to drop by over 20 million by 2050. China reported a decline of almost 1 million in 2022, the first population decline there since famine in the 1950s and ’60s. Aging and declining populations put a two-way strain on national social services. Older people need more health care and receive government pensions, and a higher ratio of retirees to workers means that a smaller percentage of workers are contributing to national budgets. The United States has largely avoided this problem because of the influx of younger immigrants into the workforce. Dr. Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs at Hofstra University.

Framework by Tim Baker

Do you transfer from the LIRR to the subway? To the Editor: Thousands of LIRR commuters who transfer to the New York City subways should be concerned that neither Gov. Kathy Hochul, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber nor NYC Transit President Richard Davey told the whole story at a ceremony when they boarded the new R211 train beginning passenger service on the C local subway line. These new cars are unable to be safely operated on the A line express tracks. A series of Federal Transit Administration grants to the MTA, over several years, paid for most of the base bid of $1.44 billion awarded to Kawasaki to purchase 535 new state-of-the-art R211 subway cars. They will primarily replace a similar number of cars currently operating on the A and C lines, along with the Staten Island Railway, that have reached the end of their useful lives. Delivery of all 535 cars is anticipated to be completed before the end of 2024. This assumes there are no additional project delays. Davey said that NYC Transit is being overly cautious by keeping the subway cars on local subway routes. What they all did not share with com-

Celebrating 60 years since the Beatles first landed — TWA Hotel at Kennedy Airport

muters, taxpayers, elected officials, the MTA board and transit advocates is that the design of the gangway on the new cars makes it impossible for train operators to safely perform a required inspection following the activation of the emergency brakes. Not a day goes by in which someone doesn’t pull an emergency brake, which results in major service disruptions. Will Hochul, Lieber and Davey hold those responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, inspection and acceptance of these new subway cars

accountable for this major error? Never in the history of the MTA have new subway cars not been able to be safely operated on both local and express tracks. Whoever is responsible for this disaster should be fired. LARRY PENNER Great Neck Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer and a former director of the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.

UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON — February 15, 2024

Immigrants are crucial contributors to our economy

High-performing heart care, right here on the South Shore. Get superior cardiac care at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside. Our comprehensive care includes the latest diagnostic testing, and expertise in minimally invasive treatments—making us a top choice for Long Islanders seeking help with heart conditions. Rated high performing in Heart Attack and Heart Failure by U.S. News & World Report®, Best Hospitals 2023-24, and recipient of the Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™ from Healthgrades, we’re the only hospital on Long Island connected to the renowned heart experts of the Mount Sinai Health System. Learn more at mountsinai.org/southnassauheart

1246542

February 15, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON