Uniondale Herald 02-29-2024

Courtesy The Kelly Clarkson Show Uniondale High School junior and future reporter Danie Henry appeared on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ where she met one of her role models, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Uniondale High junior Danie Henry appears on ‘Kelly Clarkson Show’

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

It’s not often that a high school junior knows exactly what she wants to be, but Uniondale High’s Danie Henry has had a career in mind ever since she was a little girl: to be a reporter, and to serve as a voice for those who don’t have the platform to effectively advocate for themselves and their causes.

Henry told the Herald that her dream is to work for a national network like CNN. She has loved telling stories, she said, since her youth, and credited her father with introducing her to journalism and teaching her the ins and outs of American politics. “He always had the news on the TV,” she said.

Henry got her first shot at preparing for her

future when she appeared on NBC’s “Kelly Clarkson Show” last week. Henry, who is heavily involved in her local church, got the chance to appear on the show through another church member, who works for NBC and noticed her passion and ambition. She ultimately pitched the idea to bring her on the show, and the producers agreed she would be perfect.

“I had such a great time,” Danie said of her appearance on Feb. 22. “I was treated like a celebrity.”

But what really made her appearance special wasn’t her newfound celebrity status, but rather a huge surprise that host Kelly Clarkson had planned for Danie — bringing out and introducing her to one of her role models, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-

Union leader continues fight against Starbucks

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

It has been almost three months since Anthony Price, of Uniondale, was fired from his job at a Westbury Starbucks.

Price, who was a union leader at his store, says he was fired by upper management in retaliation for his involvement with the store’s union, which included leading a number of strikes last October and November — one of them on Red Cup Day, Nov. 16, 2023. one of the biggest days of the year for the coffee chain. Three days after the Red Cup protest, Price says, he and his manager got into an argument, and soon afterward he was fired.

I’ve never been so much as written up. But the moment I stand up for myself and my coworkers, I’m met with immediate termination.

Price had never been in any kind of trouble at work prior to this incident, he said. The chain uses what it describes as a “progressive discipline model,” meaning that being fired is usually a last resort, after a series of escalating disciplinary steps. According to Clara Wheatley-Schaller, the political director for Workers United, the union that represents Starbucks employees, there was no progressive discipline in Price’s case, and there have been similar incidents in the Westbury store that have not led to terminations.

Price and Workers United have filed a wrongful termination lawsuit and are seeking to get his job back, along with back pay and damages. According to the union, Price is one of three Long Island union leaders — all people of color — who have been fired by Starbucks for infractions that usually do not result in terminations. All three have said they believe their firings were due to their outspoken leadership in the union.

ANTHONY PRICE former Starbucks employee

Long Island Jobs with Justice, a coalition of labor unions, community organizations, congregations and faith-based organizations, and students committed to protecting the rights of working people, held what it called a Workers’ Rights Board hearing on Feb. 22 in Amityville.

Since his firing in December,

It featured Price and several other Starbucks workers from around Nassau County, who detailed their experiences as Starbucks employees for four board members, County Legislator Siela Bynoe; Suffolk County Legislator Sam Gonzalez; Rashida Tyler, department director of the State Council of Churches; and Mary Anne Trasciatti, director of labor studies at Hofstra University. The board listened to the ConTinUeD on Page 9

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Lynette Carr-Hicks honored at county legislature

By BRANDON CRUZ

bcruz@liherald.com

For more than a decade, Lynette CarrHicks has led as a director for the Uniondale show choir, Rhythm of the Knight, to over 50 competition wins and performances in front of national audiences.

Now on Monday, Feb. 26, Carr-Hicks was finally recognized for her and the show choir’s massive achievements throughout the years in a special Black History Month celebration at the Nassau County Legislature on Monday.

A 2018 inductee into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, Carr-Hicks holds a Degree in Music Business and Vocal Performance from Berklee College of Music and also completed a Masters Degree in Music Education from Long Island University. She has worked with entertainment luminaries including Lalah Hathaway, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Phil Collins and Al Jarreau. She has performed in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions and has launched numerous award-winning community gospel choirs.

The Rhythm of the Knight show choir has been featured at Carnegie Hall, on CNN, The Steve Harvey Show, an array of tri-state area television morning shows and in the pages of The New York Times, Newsday and more. The Choir has wowed audiences at numerous Legislative inaugural ceremonies and last year’s Juneteenth celebration spearheaded by Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Bynoe’s office.

Bynoe and the Minority Caucus presented Carr-Hicks with a special plaque depicting her alongside figures that inspired her to take on the assignment of being a role model to young people and cultivating their talents — legendary performers including Lalah Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Kirk Franklin and others.

“I say you stand amongst giants because you indeed are a giant,” Bynoe said. “Your perseverance is indeed a gift that God has given you because you have been through your own challenges in this last year, and I have witnessed it with my own eyes that God has more work for you to do. Keep striving and keep doing what you’re doing – it is never, ever lost on me at all what you do for our community.”

Carr-Hicks revealed to the legislative chamber and those in attendance that she had been battling with two separate

brain surgeries, one in 2022 and the other in 2023.

Bynoe and the Minority Caucus presented Carr-Hicks with a special plaque depicting her alongside figures that inspired her to take on the assignment of being a role model to young people and cultivating their talents — legendary performers including Lalah Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Kirk Franklin and oth-

ers. Described, as “a gem to many” in both the educational and faith-based communities she serves, Ms. Carr-Hicks is a proud and active member of the First Baptist Church of Westbury who imbues a sense of purpose in the youth she works with.

“I am so honored,” Carr-Hicks told the Herald after receiving her award. “I am so blessed and grateful.”

Brandon Cruz/Herald photos

An emotional Lynette Carr-Hicks touching her heart as she receives a standing ovation from the audience.

Lynette Carr-Hicks and her daughter receiving her new plaque from Legislator Bynoe.

Lynette standing alongside the Nassau County legislature, who awarded her for outstanding achievement as director of the Uniondale ‘Rhythm of the Knight’ show choir.

Lynette on the podium in front of the Nassau County Legislature, thanking them for their kindness and for choosing to honor her.

Danie Henry’s next stop? The White House

Pierre.

“It was so shocking,” Henry said of meeting Jean-Pierre. “Everybody keeps asking me, did I know that she was going to come? No, I did not know at all. Of all people, I certainly did not expect her to come out.”

Jean-Pierre had much praise for Henry, who Clarkson told her all about, telling her that her goal to be a “voice for the voiceless” is “amazing.”

Y“Here is what I will say to you,” JeanPierre told her, saying that this was the same advice she gives to her daughters. “You have one job: to be a good person, to be kind, and to always remember who you are, and that you are enough.”

After meeting her idol, an emotional Henry learned that Jean-Pierre would be taking her on an allexpenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where Jean-Pierre will give her a personal tour of the White House, and she will get a taste of what it’s like to be a national politics reporter. Henry will have the opportunity to sit in on one of JeanPierre’s daily press briefings in the White

ington, D.C. in July.

House briefing room — and to ask her a question, so, Jean-Pierre said, she can “feel what it’s like to be a journalist in the room.”

“You are going to change tomorrow,” Jean-Pierre told Henry on the show. “I am so honored to be in your presence, because watching you and seeing everything you’re doing at 16 — I don’t think I had the gumption or fearlessness to do what you’re doing at your age.”

Henry is an outstanding student with incredible grades, involved in numerous clubs and sports teams, and even recently attended George Mason University’s annual Washington Journalism and Media Conference, which was a week-long experiential learning program for “highly engaged high school students.” The conference is funded by George Mason University and is held each summer in Wash-

Henry said she knows her opportunity with Jean-Pierre is a game-changer. It isn’t easy to make professional connections as a teenager, especially ones of this caliber, but she appears to be miles ahead of the competition, and is excited about capitalizing on that advantage.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to ask just yet,” she said, thinking ahead to her briefing room opportunity, “but I’ve been watching very closely, and I’m preparing myself.”

After her first experience on national TV, Henry said she can certainly see herself on television full-time, and the experience has strengthened her ambition of working for a network.

First, however, she’ll have to get through her senior year of high school next year.

Uniondale High School junior and future reporter Danie Henry, right, sitting with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show.’

Judge hands Sands casino another setback

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

In a significant setback for the Las Vegas Sands’ ambitious plans to develop a multi-billion dollar resort and casino around the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, a state judge has declared that the company lacks a valid lease for the Coliseum and its surrounding land.

State Supreme Court Justice Sarika Kapoor, the same judge who previously invalidated Sands’ lease with Nassau County in November, ruled that an additional agreement Sands had with the Coliseum’s previous leaseholder is also invalid.

Friday’s legal ruling is the latest development in a heated ongoing battle between Hofstra University, Nassau County and Las Vegas Sands.

Last April, Hofstra filed a lawsuit asserting that the county violated the state’s open meetings laws when the Nassau County Legislature approved the lease transfer from the Coliseum’s former tenant, Nassau Live Center LLC, to Sands that same month.

Kapoor has since ordered the county to restart the process over and this time, conduct an environmental review before considering a new lease.

Nassau County, however, contended that the Sands held leaseholder rights under a private deal with Nassau Live Center LLC, which then prompted the

county to proceed with development plans anyway, holding environmental and zoning reviews with the Town of Hempstead.

But this recent ruling by Kapoor reinforces Hofstra’s stance, and according to Hofstra attorney Adam Schuman, emphasizes the importance of conducting a public hearing and environmental review before transferring or developing the Nassau Coliseum.

“The Court has issued another important ruling needed to protect the public’s rights under state and county laws,” Schuman said in a statement.

“The Nassau Coliseum cannot be transferred or developed without a public hearing and environmental review first being properly conducted by the County,

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman alongside Nassau County Legislature presiding officer Howard Kopel, who have been fighting to ensure a casino comes to the Coliseum.

so that the public can provide its input to such critical decisions for the future of the County.”

Las Vegas Sands, aiming to secure one of three competitive state gaming licenses in the downstate region, had paid Nassau Live Center LLC roughly $241 million to acquire the Coliseum lease. The company was banking on a valid lease to strengthen its chances of obtaining one of the highly sought after gaming licenses.

In her 16-page decision, Kapoor highlighted that any new lease agreement between Nassau County and Las Vegas Sands would need to be in writing and comply with Nassau County administrative code and Open Meetings Law. The county is still currently in the process of appealing

Kapoor’s November ruling regarding the violation of open meetings laws.

Adding another layer to the controversy, County Executive Bruce Blake -

man’s efforts to involve Hofstra University President Susan Poser in the legal proceedings face delays.

Poser’s involvement is part of allegations by Blakeman and County Legislature Presiding Officer Howard Kopel, suggesting collusion between Poser and Sands competitor Hard Rock International to sabotage Sands’ Nassau Hub plans.

Last month, Blakeman and presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature, Howard Kopel, told reporters they issued a subpoena to Poser, alleging an on-going, convoluted plan by Poser and Sands competitor, Hard Rock International, to sabotage Sands and the county’s plans for the Nassau Hub. Blakeman claims an email they intercepted involving some of the leaders in Hard Rock International’s bid to build a casino near Citi Field in Queens, proves they were working with Poser to try and block the Las Vegas Sands from pursuing their own casino project in Uniondale — an effort Poser has publicly opposed — in favor of Hard Rock’s proposal across the border and demanded she sit before county lawmakers in Mineola this week to explain to herself.

Kapoor, the same judge overseeing this lease dispute, has postponed Poser’s appearance before the county legislature.

Blakeman has not responded to a request for comment

Herald File

Blakeman defends banning trans athletes

By PARKER SCHUG

pschug@liherald.com

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says he’s protecting athletes in his executive order last week banning some transgender participants in female-centric sports in county facilities. But the action also has raised concerns — and legal questions. Some of which were brought before the Nassau County Legislature on Monday.

We’re confident that as soon as this executive order comes before court, it will be shut down

BoBBy HodGSon director New York Civil Liberties Union

“An individual’s gender is defined as the individual’s biological sex at birth,” Blakeman wrote in his executive order, which demands any sport entities interested in using county facilities to first designate themselves based on male, female or co-ed categories, and then only accept athletes who meet that criteria according to the gender that was originally listed on their birth certificate.

There are nearly 100 facilities in the county that will be impacted, Blakeman told reporters last week.

But Bobby Hodgson — director of LGBTQ rights litigation at New York Civil Liberties Union — says those impacts may not be felt long.

“Were confident that as soon as this executive order comes before court, it will be shut down,” Hodgson said.

The executive order primarily targets athletes born biologically male, but who now identify as female, from participating in teams intended only for girls or women. Blakeman’s order does not require facilities to ban athletes born female and now identifying as male from joining male-centric teams.

Blakeman, however, was quick to add last week, that trans athletes identifying as females aren’t completely banned — they will still be able to participate in co-ed leagues as well as male competitive leagues.

Nassau County Legislator Samantha Goetz backed Blakeman’s directive, citing safety and integrity.

“This is about protecting our female athletes,” said Goetz, whose district primarily represents Oyster Bay. “This is about making sure they’re not denied opportunities for scholarships, or any type of opportunity that comes with playing sports, recognition and things like that.”

Eva Nordman, an 8-year-old who plays basketball, softball and soccer, said it was also about keeping sports equitable.

“Boys have different chromosomes than girls and that makes them stronger,” Nordman said. “It’s not fair if they

college, whether it’s high school, whether it’s just a community league — and it is an unfair advantage for someone who’s a biological male to compete against a biological female.”

Dawn Foster — a former deputy county attorney and an Oceanside resident — stopped by Mineola on Monday to speak out against Blakeman’s executive order in front of the county legislature on behalf of her family.

“In 2021, when I finally stopped fighting against myself and accepted that I was a woman and needed transition, we felt fortunate to live in Nassau County,” Foster said, calling the executive order unlawful, and condemning what she described as efforts to demonize trans women. “That feeling was shattered last week.

“Blakeman and Goetz press conference was a total of repudiation of the humanity of trans people, implying that we are cheaters, liars and bullies.”

compete against us.”

Protesters gathered outside of Blakeman’s news conference last week led by Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of Gender Equality New York, chanting, “Trans kids are our kids.” They will get some support from the NYCLU — a notfor=profit legal right group — say they will consider taking Nassau County to court over what Hodgson described as a disregard of state human rights and civil rights laws.

An amendment to the state’s human rights law in 2019 outlawed gender identity and expression discrimination in employment, housing, places of public accommodation, and non-religious schools, according to state officials.

Hodgson is not alone. State attorney general Letitia James condemned Blakeman’s order, calling it “transphobic and

deeply dangerous.”

“In New York, we have laws that protect our beautifully diverse communities from hate and discrimination of any and every kind,” James said, in a statement. “My office is charged with enforcing and upholding those laws, and we stand up to those who violate them and trespass on the rights of marginalized communities. We are reviewing our legal options.”

But Blakeman told reporters last week he knew of no state policy that could threaten his executive order

“This is not precluding anybody from participating in sports,” Blakeman wrote in his executive order. “What it is, is identifying that there are women and girls who spent a tremendous amount of time and effort to excel and compete in their sports that are women’s sports whether it’s the WNBA, whether it’s

Foster already had support from some county legislators like Carrié Solages and Delia DeRiggi-Whitton.

“I have never, in my many years of government service, had a constituent or parent complain to me about this issue,” Solages said, “making it clear that this embarrassing and illegal order is just another attempt by County Executive Blakeman to distract from the many issues that plague Nassau County.”

But Blakeman is not going to let those efforts dissuade him.

“We are finding out, in the last few months, there was a movement for biological males to bully their way into competing in sports or leagues or teams that identify themselves — or advertise themselves — as girls, or female or women’s teams or leagues,” the county executive said last week. “We find that unacceptable. It’s a form of bullying.”

Parker Schug/Herald photos

Victoria Argueta, from left, Sophia Argueta, Eva Nordman, Julia Nordman and Jenna Nordman join Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman at a news conference, telling reporters he’s banning some transgender athletes from participating in female-centric sports in county facilities.

Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of Gender Equality New York, front, protests outside a Mineola news conference last week where Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced he was banning some transgender athletes from participating in female-centric sports in county facilities.

Stamp of approval

It was a time to remember and reflect as Hempstead town deputy supervisor Dorothy Goosby closed out Black History Month with a visit to the Empire State After School Celebration at the Joysetta and Julius Pearse African American Museum in Hempstead. The event included the unveiling of the 47th stamp in the Black Heritage Series, a recognition of Constance Baker Motley. She was a lawyer and jurist, and a legal advocate in the civil rights movement. Also joining were, from left, Village Justice rianna Vaughan, after-school program director Barbara Powell, assistant director Arit Ekong, Hempstead village mayor Waylyn Hobbs, and Nassau County comptroller Elaine Phillips.

The Nassau County Police Department said goodbye to Kai, a retired K-9, on Jan. 4. Kai was born on March 25, 2011, joined the NCPD in March 2012, and retired in early 2020.

K-9 Kai, alongside handler retired police officer Chris Peters, dedicated his life to the NCPD and its citizens. The hard work, endless training, and dedication of K-9 Kai and Officer Peters lead to numerous apprehensions and arrests of dangerous subjects during his career. In addition to apprehending criminals, K-9 Kai protected the citizens of Nassau County by conducting well over 100 bomb sweeps and aiding in locating missing persons.

When K-9 Kai wasn’t busy with his police responsibilities, K-9 Kai and Officer Peters would visit and conduct demonstrations for various groups and people, including but not limited to school children, Boy & Girl Scouts, Police Explorers, and Community Leaders.

K-9 Kai, to those who didn’t know him, looked as if he was all business at all times. But those who worked closely with K-9 Kai knew he was a mush at heart — except if you tried to take his :Chuck It ball.” Those in the unit say they can still hear the whistle of that ball through the air as K-9 Kai gave chase.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

Legislator Bynoe and board to draft public report

employees’ testimonies as well as other statements from local activists and residents, who demanded that something be done to address the issues the workers raised. They accused various store locations of violating child labor laws, wage theft, union-busting operations, wrongful terminations, and even repeatedly reported workplace sexual harassment that has gone unpunished.

“They treat us like animals,” Price told the Herald. “I feel like every second that I’m not standing in that store physically is another second that they can exploit the people that I care about. In almost two years of employment, I have never been so much as written up, but the moment I stand up for myself and my coworkers, I’m met with immediate termination — no second chance, and not even a warning. The timing is just too close to be coincidental.”

“Anthony’s firing is part of a brutal and illegal union-busting campaign being waged by the company,” WheatleySchaller told the Herald in January. “The National Labor Relations Board has found that Starbucks has violated federal labor law more than 270 times since the campaign to unionize Starbucks began two years ago,” she added, “making Starbucks one of the worst violators of labor law in modern U.S. history.”

Ani Halasz, an organizer for Long Island Jobs with Justice, said he believes

that Starbucks can — and should — operate a much more ethical business, especially on Long Island. “This is a multibillion-dollar company,” Halasz said. “They would rather spend millions of dollars hiring anti-union attorneys and law firms to fight against their own workers, rather than taking that very same money and providing it to these workers instead.”

Last year alone, Starbucks reported roughly $36 billion in revenue.

Alisa Wrencher, the district manager for Starbucks, did not respond to the Herald’s requests for comment.

Bynoe and the other members of the board said they would draw up a public report with “intervention recommendations” for the coffee chain. “I have several policy recommendations that bubbled up from Thursday’s testimony that I will submit for further consideration and review,” Bynoe said.

There was no indication of when the

report would be completed, but once it is, the board plans to present its findings from the hearing, as well as its recommendations, to the management of the Starbucks stories whose employees testified, and to demand changes and threaten legal consequences.

“I am incredibly proud of these union members,” Bynoe added, “for paying the benefits of organizing forward and using their platform to identify and confront Starbucks.”

Brandon Cruz/Herald

Activists, organizers, residents and the Starbucks employees who spoke out about the injustices they say they face at their workplace.

Uniondale Library closes out Black History Month in style

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

As Black History Month comes to a close, the Uniondale Library made sure to finish this month on a high note.

The Library’s Junior Friends recently orchestrated a captivating event that brought the community together in celebration of Black Americans. The free event, held at the library, featured a rich blend of traditional African foods, fun arts and crafts projects to work on, and incredible performances that left attendees inspired and culturally enriched.

The Library’s Junior Friends, a dynamic group of young, passionate teens that participate in and help sponsor community service and library programs — while voicing their ideas and developing valuable leadership and organizational skills. Their dedication to highlighting the importance of Black history was evident in every aspect of the evening, from the meticulously curated menu to the captivating performances.

The highlight of the evening was the captivating performances that showcased the immense talent within the Uniondale community. Faith Randle, a former Junior Friend, took center stage with her mesmerizing vocal prowess enchanted the audience with soulful renditions that paid homage to African American musicians.

Adding an up-beat element to the celebration, the Uniondale Public Library Step Team brought their most energetic and rhythmic performance of the evening. The synchronized steps and percussive beats echoed through the library, leaving the audience in awe of the team’s skill and dedication.

“Black history is something that should be celebrated year round, not just one month out of the year,” said Amanda Borgia, one of the librarians in Uniondale who helped organize the event.

She explains that there are so many everyday examples of Black history all around us everyday, but most people just don’t know it. “You can drive safely with stop lights thanks to Garrett Morgan, if you take an elevator instead of the stairs today, you do not have to manually close those doors and worry about your safety thanks to Alexander Miles, we have caller id because of Shirley Jackson, and you can enjoy a delicious potato chip thanks to George Speck.”

Holden Leeds/Herald

Uniondale librarian, Amanda Borgia, alongside some of the Library Junior Friends volunteers serving food to the other patrons.

The food was going fast, as it was delicious and filling. From left: Kesten Coole, Corey Owens, Blessing Owens, Keith Nicholas, Savannah Medley, Mekeisha Meikle

The Uniondale Public Library Step Team, who performed at last week’s closeout event for Black History Month.

Keilani Crittenden showing off her ‘Power of a Dream’ sticker from Uniondale’s ending Black History Month celebration.

Black History Month souvenirs for those attended the celebration.

Syntchia Kendtick Samuel giving a powerful and resonating speech at the Uniondale Public Library’s Black History Month closeout event.

Coalition formed to advocate for local journalism

A statewide group of local news organizations — comprising of more than 100 newspapers across New York — have launched The Empire State Local News Coalition, a joint advocacy effort to advance a legislative package intended to deliver long-term sustainability to the sector.

The coalition launches at a watershed moment for the journalism industry as well as democracy. More than 3,000 newspapers have shuttered across the country since 2005, resulting in thousands of layoffs and countless communities losing essential platforms for sharing their stories.

In New York state alone, newspapers have declined 40 percent between 2004 and 2019. Since then, the number of journalists has halved, and there has been a 60 percent decrease in overall circulation.

There is a growing number of communities with little to no access to local newspaper coverage. More than a dozen New York counties are down to just one newspaper, and Orleans County in Western New York is the first with no local newspaper at all.

The decline of local journalism is a threat to the health of our democracy, as research from the Democracy Fund shows there is a direct correlation between the breadth of local media coverage and levels of civic engagement — an especially significant factor in an election year.

If newspapers continue to shutter, communities across the state risk being effectively disenfranchised, losing the ability to shape policy conversations, and hold local officials accountable.

“The Empire State Local News Coalition is dedicated to advancing a legislative package with bipartisan support aimed at providing a lifeline to newspapers across the state,” said founding member Zachary Rich-

More than 3,000 newspapers have closed across the country since 2005, resulting in countless communities losing essential platforms for sharing their stories. The Empire State Local News Coalition intends to reverse that by advancing new legislation and initiatives that would protect jobs, and incentivize small business to advertise.

ner — director of Richner Communications, the parent company of Herald Community Newspapers — in a release. “All New Yorkers deserve to have their voices heard, and hometown newspapers are key to that mission.

“We urge government officials and local stakeholders to rally behind us, safeguarding democracy, and bolstering the future of local journalism in New York.”

The Empire State coalition is championing what it describes as a robust legislative package intended to

ensure local papers survive through the 21st century and beyond. Key priorities include:

• The Local Journalism Sustainability Act (S.625B, A.2958C) — Sponsored by state Sen. Brad HoylmanSigal, the bill would provide tax credits to local news outlets for the employment of local journalists, while providing job stability and paving the way for more hiring opportunities, and an expanded workforce in the future.

• Incentivizing small businesses to advertise in local media — This win-win proposal, according to organizers, would encourage local businesses to advertise in local media, driving revenue for hometown papers, while connecting businesses with their customers.

“Democracy places a responsibility on citizens to be informed so they can effectively participate in the electoral process, and in local government,” said Bill Shumway, editor and publisher of North Country This Week in Potsdam, in a release. “A trusted local news source is essential for that to happen. Healthy communities need an unbiased news organization to connect, enrich and inform citizens.”

“The bottom line is that this proposed legislation would be a major game changer,” said Mark Vinciguerra, president of Capital Region Independent Media out of Clifton Park. “We would be able to increase the number and type of journalists we have on staff. It would allow us to cover more beats, do more video reporting, investigative reporting, and expand our ‘Good News’ initiative we have started.”

A 2022 analysis found more than 350 newsrooms across the state would benefit from the local journalism payroll tax credit. This includes 53 newsrooms in New York City, with 21 of them being ethnic media outlets.

To learn more about the efforts, visit SaveNYLocalNews.com.

STEPPING OUT

Her theatre life

Tony Award nominee Sheryl Kaller directs Off-Broadway’s ‘The White Chip,’ a play about alcoholism and recovery

By Iris Wiener

When Valley Stream native Sheryl Kaller was 12, she knew she wanted to be a director. It was 1973. She went to a Sunday matinee of “Pippin,” and Ben Vereen sang “Magic to Do,” immediately clinching her dream.

“I always knew theatre was the only place where we can authentically use our imaginations,” she says. “I had the Spidey sense of knowing that it was a collaborative art.”

It was the start to a journey that would lead her to a Tony nomination as she directed Broadway (“Next Fall,” “Mothers and Sons”) and Off-Broadway plays, including “The White Chip,” which follows a theatre director who finds himself spinning out of control with an addiction to alcohol. The play, exploring his journey to recovery, runs through March 9, at MCC Theater.

“Broadway and Off-Broadway always felt like my community,” Kaller says. “My parents were very vigilant about getting me in to see theatre all the time. It informed my exposure to the art and my love of New York City.”

As Kaller grew up in the Green Acres community of Valley Stream, she performed in community theatre with her mother, while her father — who repaired car seat covers for a living — would use his knowledge of sewing to design costumes for the shows. (“They were horrible actually,” Kaller says, laughing at the fond memories.)

In her senior year at Valley Stream South High School, Kaller got her first taste of directing. After landing the role of Rosie in “Bye Bye Birdie,” she realized a big number — “The Telephone Hour” — could use some major help.

“I said to the director, who was great, ‘With all due respect, may I redo (the number)?’ So I redid the whole ‘Telephone Hour.’ That’s when I knew I was much better at directing than acting, and it led me to go to Emerson College — as a director, not as an actor.”

In 2019, Kaller directed “The White Chip” at OffBroadway’s 59E59 with the support of acclaimed playwright Terrence McNally, who, much like the play’s narrator, was

• Now through March 9

• Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, 511 W. 52nd St., Manhattan

• Tickets available at WhiteChipPlay.com

a recovered alcoholic. When McNally died during the pandemic, Kaller knew she had to bring the play back to the New York theatre community.

“In the world of Covid and in the world of losing community, we felt it was really important to bring it back because ‘The White Chip’ is a hopeful sobriety story, and a serio-comedy. There’s a lot of fun things in it,” she says of the play, which found its new home at the MCC Theater. “We are building community and doing service with this show, while entertaining at the same time.”

According to Kaller, after the pandemic, alcoholism in women doubled, while in men it was up a third.

“AA and addiction meetings were all on Zoom, and everybody kind of fractured,” she says. “This is a story that makes you laugh and cry. It also talks about how there’s no shame in being an addict. Shame touches everybody’s lives in one way or another.”

In deciding to take the piece on again, it didn’t hurt that Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford was at the show’s helm as producer.

“She’s very magical,” says Kaller of Ashford, who recently starred in Broadway’s “Sweeney Todd” opposite Josh Groban.

“The White Chip” has such an important message that it also boasts celebrity supporters and producers Jason Biggs, John Larroquette, Edie Falco and Hank Azaria. The pandemic even inspired playwright Sean Daniels to create The Recovery Project, an initiative working to heal the stigma of addiction and recovery through the development of new plays, theatre education programs, and outreach.

“All of our fancy producers are sober people,” says Kaller, of the importance of the play and the initiative. “Every producer who came on board financially was incredibly gracious. They don’t have the best deal in the world because a lot of the money is going into The Recovery Project. If you’re an actor, a designer, in the PR department, if you’re cleaning the toilets, you need resources. At all of our performances so far, at least one person has asked us for help. We have a QR code that gives them resources whether or not they have health insurance.”

The play continues to remind Kaller of the importance of community, a lesson that harkens back to her roots on Long Island.

“One thousand Long Islanders showed up to my dad’s funeral,” she recalls. “I grew up in such a beautiful community there. My heart will always be on the ‘Guyland.’ I got the wonderful suburban, great education at Valley Stream South, and yet I got to go into the city all the time. But I will always remember all of these people who showed up for my family.

“I wish Long Islanders would start coming back to New York theatre because we really do build a lot of beautiful community in the city and it’s worth it. It is apparent with ‘The White Chip’ and with so much more.”

Tusk

Tusk goes their own way, with their dynamic tribute to Fleetwood Mac. Since forming in 2008, Tusk has prided themselves on being the ultimate tribute to the ‘70s supergroup. No fancy tricks, no gimmicks, just five musicians recreating the music of Fleetwood Mac to perfection with note-fornote renditions. Seasoned musicians who go back some 25 years, their attention to detail, talent and reverence of their subjects has been critically acclaimed, resulting in their accolades as the premiere purveyors of ‘Mac. Time, trust, and close friendship have cultivated an intimate familiarity with each other’s musical nuances, shaping every performance with precision. More than a band, they are a family. Made up of Kathy Phillips (as Stevie Nicks on vocals), Scott McDonald (as Lindsey Buckingham, guitar and vocals), Kim Williams (as Christine McVie, keys and vocals), Randy Artiglere (as John McVie, bass) and Tom Nelson (as Mick Fleetwood on drums) the five-piece band transports you back to the group’s glory days.

Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. $63, $53, $45. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 7676444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

The Irish Tenors

These gents will warm your soul with the beauty of Irish music. The Irish Tenors have been the acknowledged Celtic music kings since bursting upon the scene during a 1998 television special. With 10 bestselling albums to their credit, they share company with the likes of The Three Tenors and Andrea Bocelli as the biggest money makers PBS has presented. They’ve since become a part of the Irish movement in America, with plenty of talented Irish acts coming after them. They have stood the test of time — audiences of all ages love the Irish Tenors. Now comprised of classically trained tenor Anthony Kearns, doctor-turned-vocalist Ronan Tynan, and tenor Declan Kelly, their repertoire is wide-ranging and they also introduce — or reintroduce — their audiences to Ireland’s exquisite jigs, reels and ballads.

Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $70. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com,TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Crystal Dickinson, Joe Tapper, and Jason Tam star in playwright Sean Daniels’ autobiographical comedy, a wry theatrical journey of recovery.

Photos by Jenny Anderson

Sheryl Kaller in rehearsal.

THE Your Neighborhood

March 8

Janeane Garofalo

The comedianactress, who reigns as the queen of the alt-comedy scene, is eager to speak her mind on her current stand-up tour, when she visits the Landmark stage, Friday, March 8, 8 p.m.

Considered by many as an American institution since she first burst on the scene in 1992, the outspoken activist has plenty to say, in her own inimitable comedic style. Known for her incisive, cynical sense of humor, the SNL alum has branched out into many memorable film and TV roles, including “The Truth About Cats and Dogs,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Ratatouille,” “Steal This Movie,” “Reality Bites,” “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion,” “Mystery Men,” “The Ten” and “The Cable Guy,” along with including the final season of NBC’s “The West Wing.”

Garofalo’s informed opinions and unflinching honesty on topics ranging from everyday life to pop culture inspire laughs and strikes a chord with audiences everywhere. Often a lightening rod for controversy, Garofalo finds a way to get her point across with her trademark sense of humor. Known and respected worldwide, Garofalo was also instrumental in the successful launching of the first liberal radio network, Air America Radio, where she hosted her own talk show, “The Majority Report.” A lightning rod for controversy, her opinions and candor have inspired laughs, as well as striking a chord with the left, right and everyone in between. $33, $28. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Family theater

Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s stories, this clever adaptation puts the audience front and center, literally, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, March 1, 10:15 a.m. and noon, Saturday, March 2, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, March 5-7, 10:15 a.m. and noon. Kids become cast members, singing dancing, and acting onstage alongside the professional cast.

One of our most interactive shows at LICM Theater, this production received rave reviews in its prior run. Going beyond the traditional telling of the Oz stories, “Journey to Oz” uses personal journal entries and historic newspaper headlines to bring the history of author L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow to life. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion take the audience with them on this lively, playful trip down the yellow brick road.

$10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

On exhibit

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.

February 29, 2024 — UNIONDALE HERALD BEACON 16

LUNI1 0301

Public Notices

CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF CSMC 2018-SP3 TRUST

Plaintiff, Against ANGELA D. JIMENEZ AS EXECUTRIX OF THE ESTATE OF ANGEL J.

JIMENEZ; ANGELA D. JIMENEZ; JAMES E. JIMENEZ; LOUIS O. MATOS A/K/A LUIS O. MATOS; ET AL

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 12/06/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 3/25/2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 596 Park Avenue, Uniondale, New York 11553, And Described As Follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being At Uniondale, In The Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York.

Section 36 Block 141 Lot 2

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $77,306.39 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 613486/2020

If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.

Scott H Siller, Esq., Referee.

SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Dated: 1/29/2024 File

Number: 37784 CA 145020

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

COUNTY OF NASSAU

INDEX NO.: 614732/2023

DATE FILED: 9/12/2023

SUMMONS L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Plaintiff, againstRAYMOND R. PRILLER, if he be living, if he be dead, his respective heirsat-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming under, by, or through RAYMOND R. PRILLER, if he be dead,

whether by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, including any right, title or interest in and to the real property described in the complaint herein, all of who and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, NEW YORK

STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12”, the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises described in the complaint, Defendants.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action. to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with the summons, to serve notice of appearance, on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the date of service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York), and in case of failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Jeffrey A. Goodstein, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Nassau County, entered Feb. 14, 2024 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office.

THE OBJECT OF THE ACTION is to foreclose a tax lien and to recover the amount of the tax lien and all of the interest, penalties, additions and expenses thereon to premises k/a Section 34, Block 523, Lots 410-412. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the subject property.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the tax lien holder who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for

further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to the tax lien holder will not stop this foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (TAX LIEN HOLDER) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated: September 11, 2023 LEVY & LEVY

Attorneys for Plaintiff 12 Tulip Drive Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 487-6655

BY: JOSHUA LEVY, ESQ. #101182 144999

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

COUNTY OF NASSAU INDEX NO.: 614732/2023

DATE FILED: 9/12/2023

SUMMONS

L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Plaintiff, -againstRAYMOND R. PRILLER, if he be living, if he be dead, his respective heirsat-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming under, by, or through RAYMOND R. PRILLER, if be he dead, whether by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, including any right, title or interest in and to the real property described in the complaint herein, all of who and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12”, the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANTS:

summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). and in case of failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Jeffrey A. Goodstein, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Nassau County, entered Feb. 23, 2024 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office.

THE OBJECT OF THE ACTION is to foreclose a tax lien and to recover the amount of the tax lien and all of the interest, penalties. Additions and expenses thereon to premises k/a Section 34, Block 523, Lots 410-412. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the subject property.

NOTICE

YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the tax lien holder who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to the tax lien holder will not stop this foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (TAX LIEN HOLDER) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated: September 11, 2023

LEVY & LEVY

Attorneys for Plaintiff 12 Tulip Drive Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 487-6655

BY: JOSHUA LEVY, ESQ. #101194

145164

LEGAL NOTICE

CRIME WATCH

Manhattan man sentenced to 20 years for Uniondale robbery

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced that a Manhattan man, Kevin Carroll, has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for two burglaries that occurred within a week at a Uniondale boarding house in 2020.

Carroll, 41, was found guilty after a jury trial last December. He was charged with six total counts of Burglary.

According to Donnelly, the defendant was a former resident of 429 Fenimore Avenue, a Uniondale boarding house with shared and single-occupancy rooms.

Carroll “once lived at the boarding house at 429 Fenimore Avenue and knew the layout, the people that lived there, and where they kept their valuables,” Donnelly said, in a release.

threat to the community.”

On June 22, 2020, at around 5 p.m., police say that Carroll unlawfully entered the residence, assaulted a resident who came out to investigate the noise, and then quickly fled on a gray electric bicycle.

Seven days later, on June 29, 2020, at roughly 1:30 p.m. Carroll returned to the same house, forcibly entered, and took another electric bicycle from another room, and fled the scene — this time a white one.

Law enforcement officers spotted Carroll with the stolen white bicycle about a quarter of a mile from the scene just 20 minutes later. He was arrested on the same day by Nassau County Police Department officers.

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action, to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with the summons, to serve notice of appearance, on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the date of service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this

“Carroll broke into the house, attacked a victim, and stole an electric bicycle. Just seven days later, the defendant went back for more, forcing his way back into the address and stealing a second electrical bike.

“Kevin Carroll is a persistent felony offender with a lengthy criminal record. He will now potentially serve the rest of his life in prison and will no longer be a

Donnelly emphasized that Carroll posed a significant threat to the community due to the persistence of his crimes and coupled with his past criminal record, led to his designation as a “persistent felony offender,” receiving him a sentence of 20 years.

Donnelly stated that Carroll’s sentence ensures he will no longer be a danger to the community, potentially serving a life sentence.

—Brandon Cruz

Man assaults nurse, physician at NUMC

A nurse and physician were assaulted on Feb. 25 at the Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, around 1:10 p.m.

According to Nassau County Police Department detectives, Vincent Petrillo, 55, of Mineola, was being treated as a patient at the hospital, when he became violent with hospital staff.

He allegedly swung a wheel chair foot rest at 68-year-old male nurse, causing an injury to his right hand. As hospital staff

11553 a/k/a School District 2, Section 50, Block 109, Lot 6. Approximate amount of judgment is $21,571.20 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. ADRIENNE FLIPSE HAUSCH, Referee. BRONSTER, LLP, Attys. for

Pltf., 156 West 56th Street,

To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AND AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

NASSAU CitiMortgage, Inc., Plaintiff

Mathieu,

the

the

public

were attempting to restrain Petrillo, a 60-year-old female physician sustained an injury to her right knee.

Officers responded, and placed Petrillo under arrest without further incident.

Petrillo is charged with three counts of assault.

He will be arraigned at the First District Court in Hempstead when medically practical.

–Jordan Vallone

buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Uniondale, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 36, BLOCK: 128, LOT: 195, 196 and 511. Approximate amount of judgment $344,070.86 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #614603/2018. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov

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Our floor is expanding

Q. Last fall we had the walls removed between our living room, dining room and kitchen. We had a new kitchen installed with an island plus a wall of cabinets. Now the new flooring is rising at the seams, everywhere. We have a heated floor, and the flooring was specially chosen because it clicks together and “floats.” We were told that with the floor being able to move, it would be better with the heated floor. What caused this, and what can we do?

A. Your floor is expanding, and the ridges at the seams are rising, because the floor has nowhere else to expand to. This problem is common, and was caused by the floor being limited from expanding because the cabinets and island, along with heavy furniture placed over the finished floor, keep the floor from expanding when the heat is on. Wetting the floor to clean it also causes expansion, and should be limited or not done with water at all.

Solving this problem is easier said than done. Basically, anywhere the floor is unable to move defeats the purpose, and only by freeing up the floor will the problem work itself out. There’s a simple wall molding that our ancestors used that seems to be generally forgotten. Even though I include this detail in most of the drawings I prepare, I rarely see this last little strip of molding being installed. What the molding does is act like a gap cover, since properly installed flooring has a quarter- to halfinch gap at the edges of the floor, including around a fixed island and around the room’s perimeter. The whole perimeter will need to be cut so the trim molding will need to be added, unless the vertical trim board has been installed with a space, in which case the flooring has to be able to float (slide back and forth) under the vertical wallboard trim.

Our ancestors were very observant of nature, and skilled finish carpenters passed along their knowledge of the way materials behave. I worked for a finish carpenter while in high school, and learned that molding and trim weren’t just a finishing touch, but also a necessity to hide the places where materials needed room to expand and contract, at ceilings, floors, stairs and doors. Miracle materials have come along since then that were supposed to change the industry, like plastic moldings that are more temperature stable, but nature never disappoints. Natural or not, materials all have to work together, whether it’s the way they react to moisture, sunlight, heat or cold.

You’re going to need to get the contractor to organize the flooring installer and the finish carpenter to coordinate cutting the floor, and either install the shoe molding or space the vertical trim baseboard so the floor moves and adjusts underneath, even at the island and kitchen cabinet bases. Hopefully, the flooring was installed over a moisture-proof expansion membrane. Then enjoy your floor.

PUBLIC NOTICE WE, Edward & Lisa

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Reflections on the special election

It isn’t often that a congressional race becomes the center of national attention. But that was the case in the campaign between Tom Suozzi and Mazi Pilip to succeed the disgraced George Santos in the 3rd Congressional District.

In less than 12 months in office, Santos became a joke — a very sick joke. After the House of Representatives voted to expel him in December, Gov. Kathy Hochul set a special election for Feb. 13.

pETER KInG

Under state election law, candidates in a special election are selected by party leaders. Not surprisingly, Democrats selected Tom Suozzi, a seasoned veteran of the political wars who had represented the district in Congress for three terms before giving up his seat to make an unsuccessful gubernatorial primary run against Hochul in 2022.

Nassau GOP Chairman Joe Cairo set up a selection committee (that I was part of) that interviewed 22 potential candidates, and overwhelmingly recommended Pilip. Not wanting to repeat the Santos calamity, Cairo had Pilip vetted by several firms, and she passed with flying colors.

IOrdinarily it would be a gamble for a relative newcomer who had served barely one term in the County Legislature to run against a veteran like Suozzi, but Pilip personified the American dream. She’d escaped from Ethiopia to Israel with her family when she was 12, and served in an elite parachute unit in the Israel Defense Forces. She was highly educated, married a Ukrainian cardiologist, moved to the United States and raised seven children in Great Neck. She was the first Republican ever re-elected in the 10th Legislative District.

Pilip was the new running against the old. She was coming off a solid victory against the odds in a Democratic district, while Suozzi had lost badly to Hochul in the primary. Pilip was the legal immigrant who supported strong border security, challenging the candidate of the party that had allowed more than 8 million illegal migrants into the country, many of whom were overwhelming New York City and the parts of Queens that fall in the 3rd District. She was the candidate who was endorsed by the Border Patrol Agents’ union, while Suozzi had recently boasted of throwing Immigration and Customs Enforcement out of Nassau County when he was county executive. Pilip, a

trained soldier, supported strong defense at a time when Israel was at war with Hamas, Russia had invaded Ukraine and China was threatening Taiwan.

Though the Democrats had a significant registration edge over Republicans, 39 percent to 28 percent, President Biden’s popularity was at record lows, and Suozzi was on record saying he supported Biden “100 percent.”

I heard there was real concern in the Suozzi camp right up to Election Day.

Pilip campaigned tirelessly, and was making strong inroads. Suozzi countered by separating himself from prevailing Democratic positions on immigration, border security and support for police and didn’t seek Biden’s endorsement.

In the campaign’s closing days, every published poll had the race within the margin of error. A Republican poll had Pilip up by 5 points. Suozzi never got above 50 percent in any poll, a bad sign for a virtual incumbent. Democratic sources and some friendly reporters told me there was real concern in the Suozzi camp right up to Election Day. When the numbers were in, though, Suozzi won, 54 percent to 46 percent.

It’s still early, but my preliminary thoughts are that:

■ The snowstorm on Election Day hurt Republicans, but not enough to make the

difference.

■ Suozzi effectively managed to separate himself in the eyes of the voters from the sins of his party on immigration and support for the police.

■ Democratic congressional campaign committees provided extensive financial support to Suozzi early on.

■ Though Pilip actually garnered a higher percentage of votes against Suozzi than former President Donald Trump did against Biden in 2020, she couldn’t overcome the built-in Democratic registration edge.

■ Cairo and the Nassau Republican organization worked hard and effectively, but Pilip didn’t receive financial support from national Republicans comparable to what Suozzi received from Democrats.

■ Pilip was handicapped by having to campaign against the backdrop of the antics of congressional Republicans like Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Green, who come across as a gang that can’t shoot straight.

Suozzi won. No complaints. No excuses. But Pilip ran an excellent and courageous campaign, and has an excellent political future.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

Check your Medicare statement carefully

f a poll were to be taken, I would have to be the last person on this planet who thinks that government is a perfect institution. I respect the FBI and the CIA, and I even trust the IRS. As a senior citizen, I have always considered Medicare one of the finest agencies we have, but some new facts have emerged that have convinced me that it is a sloppy and careless government behemoth.

JERRY KREMER

My loss of faith in the folks who run Medicare started about three months ago, when I opened up my wife, Suzan’s, periodic statements of money spent on her medical needs. I quickly noticed that Medicare had approved $14,300 for a Texas company named Pretty in Pink Boutique. There was a claim for the sale of 600 urinary catheters over a 60-day period to my wife.

I’m happy that Suzan is physically well and by no means has any need for a warehouse full of catheters. Within minutes of discovering that Medicare had approved and paid for all of them, I

placed a call to the agency’s general number. I was connected to a woman named Gladys, who listened patiently to my complaint and, at my request, I was transferred to a Fraud Unit.

The person there noted my complaint, and assured me that it would be passed up the bureaucratic chain, to make sure there was a record of the payment, which was obviously fraudulent. A few days, later I received my periodic Medicare statement, and immediately noticed that Medicare had paid a company in Chicago for a coronavirus vaccine that I had allegedly received. That seemed strange, because I had gotten my shot at a local pharmacy, not connected to any company in Illinois.

In a farreaching scam, people everywhere are getting billed for catheters.

It seems that a woman named Linda Hennis, a resident of suburban Chicago, was checking her January Medicare statement when she noticed that a company she had never heard of had been paid about $12,000 for 2,000 catheters. She had never needed, or received, any catheters. They had been sold by a company called, guess what, Pretty in Pink Boutique.

the catheter billings. She would not confirm whether the claims had been paid. She described Medicare billing scams as “one of these problems that is ever-present and ever frustrating.”

Not to be deterred, I placed another call to the Medicare Fraud Unit, and they dutifully noted my concern about another improper payment for medical services. Satisfied that I had performed my civic duty, I turned my attention back to my law practice and other pursuits. My satisfaction lasted about 48 hours, until I spotted a New York Times article titled “Staggering Rise in Catheter Bills Suggests Medicare Scam.”

It seems that Ms. Hennis and my wife are among the 450,000 Medicare beneficiaries whose accounts were billed for catheters in 2023, up from 50,000 in previous years. It turns out that the massive increase in billing for catheters included $2 billion charged by seven high-volume suppliers, which was the equivalent of nearly one-fifth of all Medicare spending on supplies in 2023. Doctors, state insurance departments and health care groups around the country said this spike in claims for catheters that were never delivered suggests that it is not only a scam, but a far-reaching one.

What is the government doing? Dara Corrigan, who runs Medicare’s Center for Program Integrity, declined to say whether the agency was investigating

It turns out that Pretty in Pink Boutique billed Medicare at least $267 million for catheters between October 2022 and December 2023. The vast majority of the suspicious claims came from seven companies, many of which had shared executives. One of the businesses had a working phone number, but no calls were returned. The Pretty in Pink Boutique has a telephone number connected to a body shop.

Other scams are getting public attention, such as phony Covid vaccine claims, which are slowly surfacing. Regardless of its denials or bureaucratic double-speak, Medicare is failing the millions of Americans who rely on the system to be accurate and honest. Every dollar lost to some con artist is a dollar meant to pay for a legitimate health care claim.

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

HeraLd editoriaL

Let’s be sure we don’t relive some of our history

Black History Month is a chance for us to celebrate the many contributions African-Americans have made to the country. They’ve done this despite discrimination and oppression — something even Long Island, in the past, was not immune to.

For example, when we think of slavery, we think of the Deep South before the Civil War. In fact, slavery existed in New York until 1827, and the state had more enslaved people than all the New England states combined, many of them on Long Island.

At the start of the American revolution, there were roughly 10,000 enslaved Black Americans living on Long Island — nearly half of the state’s total enslaved population. While they were allowed more mobility and financial opportunities than their counterparts in the South, the claim that slavery wasn’t as bad in the North is largely inaccurate.

Throughout the 1700s, New York lawmakers created the Black Codes, which historian and author richard Moss — in his book, “Slavery on Long Island” — claimed were “the harshest criminal laws and penalties enacted by northern colonists.” Punishments for striking a white person included two weeks’ imprisonment and corporal punish-

Letters

Leave trans kids alone

To the Editor:

ment.

Enslaved people were forbidden from gathering in groups of more than three, and prevented from owning property. Children born to enslaved mothers were automatically enslaved at birth. And testimony by enslaved people was inadmissible in court.

One common practice at the time on Long Island and New York was shipping unruly African-Americans to the Caribbean slave colonies. Conditions on islands such as Barbados and Jamaica were particularly brutal, with less than a third of slaves surviving on some plantations.

Even after slavery ended in New York, discrimination did not. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the number of AfricanAmericans in the Town of Oyster Bay dwindled from roughly 17 percent to less than a half-percent as racist real estate practices and federal policies prioritized homeownership for whites while driving Black Americans — and other minorities — from the area through a mix of intimidation, legislation, and rising property rates.

When Levittown — long touted as the model of the modern American suburb — was created in 1947, non-whites were expressly forbidden from owning any of the 17,400 new homes, with the deeds

Bruce Blakeman couldn’t care less about girls’ sports.

By signing an executive order to ban teams that allow transgender girls and women from playing in Nassau County athletic facilities last week, Blakeman continued to distract from his shirking of responsibilities as Nassau County Executive.

Since his marginal win over Laura Curran in 2021, after campaigning on the promise of $128 million in tax cuts, Blakeman has rejected every cut in annual budget proposals.

In 2022, amid the highest rates of new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in the county, he issued a series of orders against mask mandates in schools.

What has he been doing instead in his capacity as executive? Attacking the participation of the county’s small percentage of transgender girls and women in athletics, a right that is supported by experts in the field, including the National Women’s Law Center. Blakeman’s order does not mention transgender boys and men — instead he hides his under-researched and dangerous order behind a thin veil of Victorian-era patriarchal values and personal opinion.

“Part of good government is listening to your constituents,” Blakeman said in a recent interview. Listen to this constituent, Bruce: Do your job, and leave trans kids alone.

CArTEr ALLEN Garden City

themselves preventing ownership by “any person other than members of the Caucasian race,” according to a 2011 research paper by Baruch College Sociology professor robert Courtney Smith. robert Moses, the urban planner and public official who is best known today for creating Jones Beach State Park and the state parkway system, designed Long Island parkways to make them impassable for buses, frequently the only mode of transportation for non-white and lowincome families. While some latter-day historians question the validity of this claim, Moses was also known to have fought against integrating public swimming pools in the 1920s.

African-Americans have continuously defied the odds and obstacles set against them — whether it be Jackie robinson playing Major League Baseball, or mathematicians Creola Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson helping NASA put men on the moon. recognizing those contributions — and learning from our mistakes of the past can open the door for even greater accomplishments in the future, as we look to remove more barriers.

The late Maya Angelou once said that “history, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived. But if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”

last week, “It’s Library Lovers Month — borrow a book.” Libraries are the greatest thing. They open the world to anyone willing to look. Not everyone bothers to look, but those who want to have the opportunity.

We must stand up to bullying

Bullying is real and pervasive in society today, often driven by the divisive nature of our current political paradigm. Authentic claims of bullying must not be de-legitimized. Step forward unapologetically to oppose inequities in our communities and stakeholders who harbor bias. Leaders seeking to dismantle current systems of inequity frequently become targets of bullying.

patriCk piZZo

Advocacy, and the building of a viable movement to reach your goals, is a worthy endeavor for change agents to combat inequities. Demonizing your presumed foes is not. There are practical alternatives to find justice and advocate for policy changes — traditional avenues to influence power are the correct routes. Voting, and supporting others who share your views, are the first steps to lasting change.

Engaging in a debate over facts isn’t bullying, for those on either side. Accusing someone of bullying you to end the discussion is an admission that your own argument is weak. Name-call-

ing diminishes the veracity of any term correctly applied.

Bullying is the unfair and unreasonable application of power to the detriment of the marginalized — the group without power — but that’s a shifting and subjective standard. Bullying accusations, in practice, can be used as a tool of the privileged unethical to obtain an advantage.

tThe misapplication of the term bullying has reached epidemic proportions in our society. This has stifled public debate, to the detriment of our First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Failure to cite facts diverts from an authentic debate. Tactically misleading accusations of bullying from the privileged, who did not help the marginalized for decades, hurt all who have been truly adversely affected. having objective standards, equally applied, is not bullying; objective standards are a component of equity. Failing to meet the clearly defined standards, and then blaming people working within the system of bullying you, is in fact slander. When false accusations are misapplied, that constitutes bullying of the manager or supervising public servant. Legitimate claims within organizations should be filed by

Letters

We need to keep that going, and not be controlled by closed-minded people.

You may not know that about one-third of Nassau County libraries allow adult patrons to borrow a telescope just like a book. I have been promoting the Library Telescope Program for almost eight years now, and I work with 17 Nassau County libraries so far.

Everything I do is free to the library. It just needs to buy the telescope and various accessories directly from vendors, totaling about $450. I help by modifying the telescope to make it easy to use and transport, and provide maintenance as needed. I also provide staff and patron training on how to handle and use the telescope, as well as periodic astronomy-related presentations. In March I will be doing eclipse presentations at eight libraries, and occasionally I do Moon Parties as well. All at no cost.

There are now over 1,000 libraries running the Library Telescope Program, mostly in the U.S. and Canada, but also in other countries.

ToM LYNCh Lynbrook

A neighborly winter surprise

To the Editor:

those aggrieved and fully supported by senior management, but false claims hurt us all.

When a rule is legally enacted by a governmental entity, you have not been bullied; you are in fact a member of a functioning democracy. When correctly applied practices are ignored for the benefit of one person or organization, that is improper, and a form of bullying against those not so empowered.

he misuse of the term has reached epidemic proportions in our society.

Therefore, if you, and those who agree with your position, had the unobstructed right to participate in the process, you were not bullied. You can only legitimately claim that an injustice was done if your ability to vote, or to take part in the process, was obstructed in some way by competing interests.

Citizens have the right to be heard and respected. We cannot, and should not, take away anyone’s right to speak. That can sometimes be painful, but that is the price of a free society. What we can, and should, do is not empower those who use their speech and political might to adversely impact ethical citizens. While we have no right to stop their speech, we do have the choice of not tacitly supporting their malice through our silence.

recalcitrant people do not need to remain our friends or have unfiltered access to our personal space. Quietly accepting the unacceptable creates the perception that you are sympatico with their beliefs. They have a right to speak, but we all have the responsibility to stand for equity. Leaders who accept malice against the ethical for political expediency may forfeit their moral authority.

The remedy for not prevailing in an argument, for initially not succeeding in an endeavor or for losing an election, is not to rail against anyone who does not agree with you. Present a better argument based on facts, focus on improving based on the objective criteria, and vote after objectively reviewing the positions presented. People on the opposite side of these actions need to focus on the humanity behind these situations and do better as well.

respect free speech, including speech with which you disagree. Debate with facts, but do not attack the right of others to hold their opinions. Attacking free speech is the most prevalent form of intimidation that exists today — and yes, that is bullying.

Dr. Patrick Pizzo is the assistant superintendent for business and finance in the East Meadow school district, the president of Equity 4 LI Youth and the Education Committee chair for the Hempstead branch of the NAACP.

Framework by Tim Baker

Looking out my bedroom window, noticing the snowfall had just about stopped, I decided to gear up and start the removal process. As I was clearing off the car, readying to start the shoveling, I noticed that part of my front walk has been cleared. Looking even closer, I saw a body working on the front entranceway. My neighbor has often started snow removal for me as I have done for him, so I thought for sure it was either him or one of his sons helping out.

As I got closer to the sidewalk, I realized for sure that this helper, a young man, was unknown to me. I asked why he was helping, and he said, “I got up early, noticed the snowfall and decided to do some shoveling.” he was finishing up the last section of sidewalk, so I went inside to grab some cash to give him, but when I came back outside, he was gone. off to job No. 2, I suppose.

Whoever you are, thank you!

PhIL GrELLA Rockville Centre

At Ogden Elementary School’s Father-Daughter and Special Person Dance — Valley Stream

High-performing heart care, right here on the South Shore.

G e t s up erior c a r di a c c a r e a t M o u n t Sina i So u th N a s s a u i n Oc ea nsi d e

O u r co mp r e h en si v e c a r e in clu d e s th e l a t e s t d i a g n o s ti c t e s t i n g, and exp e r ti s e in m inim a l l y i n v a si v e t r e a t me n t s mak ing u s a t o p c hoi c e f or L o n g Isl a n de r s s eek i n g h el p wit h h ea r t con d itions

R a t ed high p e r f o r mi n g in H ea r t At t a c k a n d

H ea r t Fa il u r e b y U S. N e w s & Wo rl d R epo r t ® ,

B e st H o spi t a ls 2 0 2 3- 2 4 , and r ec ipie n t o f th e Co r o na r y I nt e r v e n tio n E xc e ll e nc e Aw a r d ™ f r o m Healthgr a de s , w e ’ r e the on ly hospi t al o n L on g Isl and c o nn e c t e d t o the r e n o wned he a r t exp e r t s o f th e Mo u n t S in a i H eal th S y s t e m

L ea r n m o r e a t m o u n t sin a i o r g /s o u thn a s s au h ea r t

High-performing heart care, right here on the South Shore.

G e t s up erior c a r di a c c a r e a t M o u n t Sina i So u th N a s s a u i n Oc ea nsi d e

O u r co mp r e h en si v e c a r e in clu d e s th e l a t e s t d i a g n o s ti c t e s t i n g, and exp e r ti s e in m inim a l l y i n v a si v e t r e a t me n t s mak ing u s a t o p c hoi c e f or L o n g Isl a n de r s s eek i n g h el p wit h h t con d itions