Uniondale Herald 05-16-2024

HERALD UNIONDALE

Volleyball takes off

Mitchel Field, in Uniondale, hosted the start of the 18th annual Volleyball Long Island summer season with the first of nine tournaments played on grass through September. East Meadow resident Jason Siriban, aims to score a point. Story, more photos, Page 10.

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Standing out at Uniondale High

Mayessy Castro Ramirez and Jarred Mercado top Class of 2024

By DANIELLE SCHWAB dschwab@liherald.com

Jarred Mercado and Mayessy Castro Ramirez have been named the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of Uniondale High School’s Class of 2024, which numbers more than 480 seniors.

“It makes me feel like all my hard work has paid off,” Mercado said.

Mercado is a member of the math, music and science honor societies, and has taken 10 Advance Placement classes. He will attend Cornell University in the fall, and plans to pursue his two favorite subjects — music and math.

ematical prowess,” Uniondale High math teacher Candice Sands-Mani wrote in an email. “Jarred isn’t just an amazing student, he’s a testament to the limitless potential of dedication and intellect.”

Mercado is also an accomplished violinist, and has performed with the high school orchestra, at the Chamber Music Center of New York and with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra.

JARRED MERCADO valedictorian

“When I’m doing math, it doesn’t feel like I’m doing work, like for other classes,” Mercado said, adding that calculus is his favorite branch of mathematics.

His biggest motivators, he said, have been the teachers who have challenged him in the classroom.

“Jarred Mercado epitomizes academic excellence and math-

“Even though I was top of the class, I feel like it was an even bigger honor to be named concertmaster of all-county and the Long Island String Festival in 11th and 12th grade,” Mercado said.

As the Nassau Music Educators Association All-County Division 5 symphony orchestra concertmaster, Mercado was the violin section leader, and the instrumentplaying leader of the orchestra.

Since he took up the violin nine years ago, he said, music has brought balance to his life.

ContInUEd on PagE 9

Tim Baker/Herald

Voting on Uniondale budget, board is Tuesday

By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

Uniondale school district residents can exercise their right to vote on May 21, the day that all school budgets, Board of Education candidates and district propositions are on the ballot.

The proposed fiscal plan for Uniondale’s 2024-2025 school year is $266.73 million, a more than $10 million increase from the current operating budget. The district is expected to receive a nearly $5 million uptick in gross state aid.

Three of the major jumps in spending can be attributed to tuition/charter expenses of $3.5 million. Debit service is going up by $2.57 million and transportation costs will increase $2.28 million.

Other increases include salaries/benefits at $828,256, special education $706,108, BOCES $443,319 and supplies coupled with what the district termed other is going up by nearly $4000,000.

Steve Bermudez is challenging incumbent Board of Education Trustee Natalie Longsworth. Trustee Charmise Desiré is running unopposed. All terms are three years.

Bermudez, a 1990 Uniondale High graduate, said he takes pride in the education he received from the school district, and would like to contribute to the community. He said that the district is being hit hard by the loss of the federal Covid money and concerned about the 3.4 tax levy increase. He wants to help be a good steward of the money that is

being spent and help ensure that the district is in compliance with having the proper special education therapists in place.

“I’m a big supporter of the kids and the taxpayers and I want to do whatever I can to help,” Bermudez said, adding that he is proponent of mentoring and said, ‘The Big Brother/Big Sister is a program that could benefit our school district.”

Running for her second term, Longsworth said she is very proud of the district accomplishments from having a “dynamic superintendent” — Monique Darrisaw-Akil — to creating and applying a strategic plan that was presented to a national audience in New Orleans.

Continuity, is why Longsworth currently the board’s vice president, is running again saying, “We made some tremendous strides in education for our children,” pointing to enhanced support for special education, the program for autistic students, the graduation rate and the amount of students headed to Ivy League colleges and building a vocational program.

On the board since 2018, Desiré has served the district as a PTA member, founding president of the Uniondale High School Football Parent Booster Club and on a variety of district interview committees, the Uniondale High Education Committee, the Technology

Committee, the Pupil Capacity Focus Group and as a computer instructor for the adult education program.

Also on the ballot is Proposition One that asks voters to approve the spending of a little more than $1 million for upgrades and renovations at the elementary schools, Walnut Street, California Avenue, Northern Parkway and Smith Street, and Turtle Hook Middle School. At Northern Parkway the district aims to spend $300,000 to replace the roof above the fifth grade wing and $125,000 to upgrade the natural gas line that connects to the school’s boilers. At Walnut spend $130,000 to replace all the hallway ceiling tiles and classroom and sink renovations totaling $50,000.

Repair and refinish 11 classroom wood floors for $110,000 and classroom and sink renovations costing $50,000 at California Avenue. Another upgrade to a natural gas line for $125,000 at Turtle Hook. Installation of a new exit door from the kitchen to the outdoor walk-in freezer at Smith Street for $95,000 and classroom and sink renovations for $50,000.

Voting takes place on Tuesday, May 21 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., at California Elementary School, 235 California Ave.; Grand Avenue Elementary School, 711 School Drive, North Baldwin; Northern Parkway Elementary, 440 Northern Parkway; Smith Street Elementary School, 780 Smith St.; and Walnut Street Elementary School, 1270 Walnut St.

Attend Hofstra’s Virtual

GRADUATE

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, June

1,

2024 10 a.m.

At Hofstra University, graduate students grow the seeds to advance in their career. Hear from representatives across 200 programs that include business, communications, education, engineering, health sciences, nursing, and psychology, and learn all the ways your success can sprout at Hofstra University. Your future awaits.

For event details and to RSVP, visit hofstra.edu/visit

Steve Bermudez is challenging incumbent Uniondale education board trustee Natalie Longsworth, left. Trustee Charmise Desire is running unopposed.

Demystifying village property taxes

By REINE BETHANY

Special to the Uniondale Herald Beacon

The old joke, “Nothing is certain in life but death and taxes,” isn’t so funny when village property owners examine their property tax bills.

But a little knowledge about how taxes are calculated can be reassuring, especially with clarifications from Hempstead Village Treasurer Joe Gill.

CalCulating the ProPerty taxes

If the line on the bill that reads “Total Taxes and Assessment” shows a larger figure than the year before, the property owner might go to the village tax assessor’s office to “grieve my taxes.”

Actually, “What the property owner would need to ‘grieve,’ or challenge,” said Gill, “is the assessed value of the property — the dollar amount of the property’s value.”

But — the Taxable Assessed Value on the tax bill might seem strangely unrelated to today’s real estate market.

For example, the Taxable Assessed Value of a single-family house with five bedrooms on an 80 X 100-foot lot might be $7,350. Yet it would sell for many times that amount today.

“The reason,” said Gill, “is that, as the basis for calculating taxes, Hempstead Village must use figures from an assessment of village properties that was done in the 1930s. The Taxable Assessed Value is expressed in 1930s dollars.”

New York State partners with the village to help property owners understand their assessed value, Gill said.

Each year, the state calculates an “equalization rate,” also called a “uniform percent of value,” to convert the 1930s figure to today’s dollars.

The converted figures appear in a PDF document titled “2024 to 2025 Final Assessment Roll,” published on the village website. A property owner can open the PDF, click into it, hit Control-F (Ctrl-F), and type the property name into the search box that comes up.

The document will scroll to the right place. The “Full Mkt Val” is the Estimated Full Market Value based on the uniform percent of value.

Its tax burden would then be lowered. But the village still has to meet its budget through the property tax levy.

“Slightly higher taxes would have to be collected from the rest of the properties in the village to make up the difference,” said Gill.

W e want to get the word out there and explain things

JoE GIll Hempstead village Treasurer

The Estimated Full Market Value also appears on the village property tax bill.

If no physical changes have been made to the theoretical house and land during the past year (such as adding a room to the house or buying an adjoining lot), the Taxable Assessed Value remains the same. If it was $7,350 last year, it’s the same this year.

Ideally, the owner’s tax bill would stay the same, too.

“In reality,” Gill said, “nothing stays the same from year to year.”

Property values can fluctuate. Suppose the theoretical house is demolished in a fire. The property would lose value.

Once the theoretical house is rebuilt, the value of that property would rise, and the property would assume a bigger share of the tax levy.

“So,” Gill said, “the increase in value after the rebuilding has the opposite effect — slightly lowering taxes on the rest of the properties in the village.”

Changes in a village as populous as Hempstead happen constantly. A thriving new business, for example, would add value to the lot it occupies. The business would pay property taxes and share the burden of meeting the village budget (tax levy).

Don’t Fear inCreases in ProPerty taxes

New York State laws have legal limits that prevent sudden, steep property tax increases. Those limits could only be changed if the village board voted to do so after a public hearing.

other FunDing resourCes

The village has other resources for meeting big expenses. One is government

aid, such as the American Rescue Plan Act fund that is helping to pay for the new Department of Public Works trucks and for the upgrade to Mirschel Park.

another resourCe is usage Fees

“Water and sewer expenses have never been handled through village property taxes,” said Gill, “but rather, through water usage rates paid by property owners.”

Two major water and sewer projects are being handled in two main ways: government funding and a water rate increase.

For the extensive upgrade of Hempstead’s sewer system, the village board applied to the state Environmental Facilities Corporation. The state approved a $12 million grant plus a reduced interest rate to borrow the other $14 million.

For the $50 million rebuilding of the water treatment plant, which must comply with New York State’s recently revised standards, especially regarding the chemical called 1,4 dioxane, the water rate increase enables the village to undertake the debts that the rebuilding will incur.

For more information about the village budget for this year, download the PDF file “2024-2025 Adopted Budget” from the village website, VillageofHempstead.org.

In fact, many informational PDFs are to be found on the village website, including those that concern the reassessment of village property values that is happening now.

Courtesy Inc. Village of Hempstead

Hempstead Village IT Technician Michael Cullum, far left, prepared the Zoom screens at the village budget hearing on April 5. Village Treasurer Joe Gill, far right, began his presentation of the budget. The village board members present were, from left, trustees Kevin Boone and Clariona Griffith, Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Jr., Trustee Noah Burroughs, and Deputy Mayor Jeffery Daniels.

NUMC treats serious burns of injured deputy chief

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

The Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow provided life-saving care to a deputy fire chief last week, after he was seriously burned in an accident at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy in Old Bethpage.

According to Michael Uttaro, the Nassau County Fire Marshal, around 10:30 a.m. on May 9, the deputy chief, who works as an instructor at the academy, was setting up an exercise called a “shipboard fire training.”

Firefighters learn how to extinguish a live fire on a prop of a boat or ship, Uttaro explained.

“As they were setting up to get ready for the live fire portion of that training, there was combustible liquids that were ignited, causing a flash fire,” Uttaro said. “The deputy chief instructor sustained serious burns.”

The fire was quickly extinguished, and the Plainview Volunteer Fire Department transported the injured instructor to NUMC, which has a 12,000-square foot burn center.

Aside from Stony Brook University Hospital in Suffolk County, NuHealth — the health care organization that oversees NUMC’s operations — offers the only other center on Long Island that can effectively treat serious burns. Additional burn units are in Brooklyn and Queens.

“The Plainview fire department was quickly on the scene, which his part of their protocols, and transported him here to NUMC, which is our primary burn center here in Nassau County — and that’s why we’re happy he’s here,” Uttaro said. “He was here within just a couple of minutes. He was treated in the emergency room, he was evaluated, and he was quickly brought up to the burn center at NUMC for evaluation and further treatment.”

Uttaro was asked at a news conference on May 9 if these sorts of incidents occur frequently at the training facility.

“Things happen like this from time to time — I couldn’t really comment on how often it happens,” he said. “But when you’re dealing with firefighter experiences, whether it is a live fire in a building or a house, or training, especially a live fire

training, there’s always inherent dangers.”

Uttaro added the county and training facility have a slew of safety protocols in place, so that if incidents do occur, those on the scene are equipped to quickly deal with them.

“Sometime, the students may receive some type of a burn or a minor medical issue,” he added, “but is definitely not a common occurrence that occurs.”

The instructor, who was not identified, sustained first, second and third degree burns to his hands, thighs, and torso, and is expected to survive, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Grace Ting said.

He did not suffer smoke inhalation related injuries, so he did not need to be treated in the hospital’s hyperbaric chamber, which is an enclosed space

filled with high-pressure oxygen.

“He’s in good spirits,” Uttaro told reporters last week. “He’s awake an alert and talking to people. His family and folks from the fire academy are here as well.”

The Nassau County Fire Service Academy is utilized by volunteer fire departments across the county. The property and facility are owned by the county, but it is operated by the Nassau County Vocational Education Extension Board, also known as VEEB. The instructor who sustained burns is an employee of VEEB.

According to Ting, the instructor’s injuries can be treated with certain types of dressings that cover the wounds, as well as strict isolation of the wounds, to prevent infections. It is too early to tell if he will need a skin graft, she added.

“Any burn is very serious,” Ting said.

“And from what I heard of the situation there, he’s very lucky that he’s with us.”

“Today is another prime example of how NUMC is prepared to handle situations that occur, like this that happened earlier today,” NUMC chief executive and president Meg Ryan said. “NUMC has a world class burn unit, and we have the only multichambered hyperbaric in Nassau County. Every day, and especially today, I’m extremely proud of our staff and their great work.”

When serious injuries occur during fires, Uttaro said people immediately think the worst — but he said he knows the protocols in place at the fire academy are solid and helped save the instructor’s life. It is still unclear what caused the fire, he added, and it is under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office.

“The right things were in place, and the right things were happening,” he said. “There’s a silver lining to the story, that fact that his injuries weren’t more severe.”

Jordan Vallone/Herald Nassau County Fire Marshall Michael Uttaro spoke outside of the Nassau University Medical Center on Thursday, after a deputy chief sustained serious burns at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy last week.

Pearl Jacobs shines as a community advocate

By LYLE MARK BULADO Correspondent

Pearl Jacobs, the president of Nostrand Gardens Civic Association, champions civic advocacies with fervor beyond activism. She shines as a maternal figure, advocating for the betterment of her community.

Born Willene Jacobs, she adopted the moniker Pearl, a name that has become synonymous with compassion, resilience, and unwavering dedication.

“Everyone here knows me as Pearl Jacobs,” she shares with a smile, her warmth infectious. “My grandmother gave me the name Pearl as a nickname. It’s just stuck with me.”

Pearl’s roots are as diverse as the community she serves; she is of Italian, African American, and Native American descent. Originally from the Bronx, and a Queens girl at heart, Pearl found her home in Uniondale over three decades ago. Now a widow, she has two adult sons.

Her career, marked by her tenure as a corporate manager for Verizon before retiring, prepared her for the challenges she would later face as a civic leader. Despite initial reservations about balancing her career with civic duties, Pearl heeded the call to service, propelled by the mentorship of Melvin Harris Jr., who was instrumental in recruiting her at the civic association. She started as a recording secretary in 2010 and moved

her way up to becoming the president of the association in 2014.

Under Pearl’s leadership, the association has become a powerful advocate for change in the community, addressing racial disparity and injustice head-on. She speaks out against inequality and disenfranchisement at town and legislative meetings.

Since then, the NGCA has led significant initiatives.

“One key project was the streetscaping on Uniondale Avenue with the Victorian lights, the new sidewalks, and the

roadways; it took 10 years of strong advocacy and persistence,” she said.

Despite Uniondale being the third highest revenue-generating community in Nassau County, as it generates a robust tax revenue base from neighboring businesses, Pearl adamantly argues, “That money, it does not come back to our community.”

Pearl said the biggest issue right now in Nassau County, and that definitely affects Uniondale more than any other community, is the multi-billion-dollar Sands Casino project. The county has

been criticized for not having open meetings, educating communities and involving them in the process. The community is concerned about the casino’s location and proximity to schools, as well as its health and environmental impact.

Pearl’s journey is indeed not without its challenges. She and her community navigates through political obstacles, but Pearl remains undaunted, guided by a steadfast belief in justice and equality.

“I can’t be intimidated,” she said. “That’s just not my nature.”

Heidi Sanft, the civic association’s vice president, praises Pearl for her leadership and community-focused approach. She admires Pearl as a friend and mentor.

“Working with Pearl is an absolute joy; she values the community; whatever she does is not for her personal gain,” Sanft said.

“She truly cares about making the quality of life better.”

At the core of Pearl’s ethos lies a profound sense of empathy and compassion. Her tireless efforts are fueled by a desire to empower the community and uplift those who have been marginalized by society’s indifference.

“What motivates and drives me is that there are so many people out here that don’t have voices,” she said. “Balancing her responsibilities as president with her personal life is challenging, as she is always available to help people, even when out of the country.”

Lyle Mark Bulado/Herald

Pearl Jacobs, Uniondale resident and president of the Nostrand Gardens Civic Association. Serves as strong civic advocate.

LEILA PAZ

Carey Senior Lacrosse

A FOUR-YEAR STARTING midfielder, Paz has been front and center in the Seahawks’ resurgence this spring and reached a milestone May 2 in a hard-fought 12-11 defeat to Herricks. Paz netted all but two of Carey’s goals, giving her 50 on the season to go along with 11 assists. Her nine goals was a singlegame high, topping her previous mark of eight set April 4 against Jericho. She ranks in the Top 10 of Nassau County scorers.

PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 16

SOFTBALL: Nassau Class AAA quarterfinals at higher seed

SOFTBALL: Nassau Class AA quarterfinals at higher seed

SOFTBALL: Nassau Class A quarterfinals at higher seed

BASEBALL:

BOYS LACROSSE: Nassau Class A quarterfinals at higher seed BOYS LACROSSE: Nassau Class C quarterfinals at higher seed

FLAG FOOTBALL: Nassau Division 1 semis at higher seed

FLAG FOOTBALL: Nassau Division 2 semis at higher seed

Friday, May 17

BOYS LACROSSE: Nassau Class B quarterfinals at higher seed GIRLS LACROSSE: Nassau Class A quarterfinals at higher seed

Saturday, May 18

GIRLS LACROSSE: Nassau Class C quarterfinals at higher seed

Monday, May 20 (at Long Beach Middle School)

FLAG FOOTBALL: Nassau Division 1 final 4:30 p.m.

FLAG FOOTBALL: Nassau Division 2 final 7 p.m.

Wednesday, May 22 (at Adelphi University)

GIRLS LACROSSE: Nassau Class B semis 6 & 8 p.m.

Nominate a ‘Spotlight Athlete’

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a spring sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to sports@liherald.com.

Uniondale track seeks strong finish

By TONY BELLISSIMO sports@liherald.com

This spring has been far from smooth for Uniondale girls’ track and field, but longtime coach Leigh Pollet believes the Knights are gaining traction at the most important time.

Ongoing construction on the high school athletic facilities eliminated access to a track all year, forcing practices onto grass and in a handful of cases thanks to neighboring Calhoun, off-site after a short bus trip.

“Our Athletic Director [Peter Cardone] has been outstanding and we’re appreciative of Calhoun’s program and athletic director helping us get in five or six practices there,” Pollet said. “It hasn’t been an easy adjustment but I’m so proud of our girls. They’re a great group of kids and working as hard as they can.”

Pollet, who took over Uniondale’s spring program in 1988, reached the 450win milestone last spring and plans to continue coaching as long as he’s still having fun. “It’s never been about me, it’s always about the kids,” he said.

In a historic run that included undefeated teams from 1990 through 2000, Pollet said senior Chika Akazi is easily a Top 20 athlete in program history. This past winter she was state champion in the 55 hurdles and last spring earned AllAmerica honors.

Akazi, who is bound for the Ivy League’s University of Pennsylvania and boasts a 97-plus GPA, will try to capture the Nassau Class AAA title in at least one of the hurdle events after winning both the 400 and 100 in Monday’s Division 1A championships hosted by Freeport.

“The main goal is to get her back to states in high hurdles,” Pollet said. “We still have some decisions to make. She’s just a great athlete and student.”

Akazi and fellow captain Kimari McKay, who won the 1A 800 meter run, have mentored some of the young talent on the roster such as eighth-grader London White, freshman Christian Smalls and sophomore Olivia Talley.

“It’s important for the younger kids to

Eric Dunetz/Herald

Sophomore Olivia Talley won the Division 1A title in the 100-meter dash and also ran the leadoff leg in the Knights’ winning 4-x-100 relay.

soak up the experience from the older kids,” Pollet said. “Akazi and Kimari are exceptional leaders.”

McKay is ranked third in Nassau in the 800 and peaking at the right time, Pollet noted. “Kimari is a mellow kid who joined us for the first time last year and showed some sparks this winter,” he said. “She always gives a full effort and walks away with her head held high. She ran away from the field in the division race and it’s going to be an interesting county championship race.”

Talley won the 1A 100-meter dash and also led off Uniondale’s winning 4-x-100 relay that included Akazi, Smalls and White. “Olivia ran a top 3 time in the 100 earlier this year and she’s been making huge strides since last spring,” Pollet said of Talley.

White won the 1A 200 race and has “a great deal of talent,” Pollet noted.

Uniondale placed fourth in the seventeam division meet and will look to make more noise in the Class AAA championships next Wednesday at Westbury.

Two new fields are coming to Mitchel Field

By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

The land at Mitchel Field in Uniondale has seen its share of Long Island history from serving as a military base to a sports complex.

Now the 49-acre sports complex will add two 80,000-square-foot state-ofthe-art lighted outdoor fields to be built adjacent to Globall Sports Centers existing indoor facility that will transform Nassau County’s Butler Building into one of the first indoor/outdoor multi-sports and entertainment venues in the county.

GAlong with soccer, the two new fields are planned to host field hockey, football, lacrosse and other sports, Zaratin said.

“But we are also looking to find anchor tenants at the minor league and/ or collegiate levels for each of them,” he said.

loball is in close coordination with Nassau County’s Department of Public Works and we are anticipating to begin midsummer.

“Globall is in close coordination with Nassau County’s Department of Public Works and we are anticipating to begin midsummer,” Peter Zaratin, Globall Concepts’ chief executive told the Herald in an email.

PEtER ZaR atiN CEO, Globall Concepts

The County Legislature approved the plans to expand the public-private partnership with Globall last month. Globall, which also has a Brooklyn location, has birthday parties, camps, clinics, league and tournaments at its athleticrelated facilities.

A mater site plan is being finalized with a civil engineering firm before construction gets under way.

“If all goes according to schedule, we are hoping to have interior renovations at the facility finished by next winter, and the field ready to go for the 2025 spring season,” Zaratin said.

The new outdoor field will expand the Butler Building footprint to 10 times its current size from 25,000-square–feet to 250,00-square-feet.

“Given Long Island’s finite amount of available open space, municipalities and developers must look for ways to redevelop under-utilized land and facilities for the betterment of our communities and economy,” Globall principal Mitchell Rechler said in a news release.

The area in and around Mitchel Field became Camp Mills during World War I

and the training ground for the army’s 42nd Infantry Division. Decommissioned in 1961, over the years the land became home to no only the Mitchel Field sports complex, but to the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Hofstra University, Nassau Coliseum and Nassau Community College.

The remaining buildings and facilities were identified as a historic district and place on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The approval of these two new fields at the Mitchel Athletic Complex is the latest example in our investment in the

Hub, county assets and most importantly, our young people,” County Executive Bruce Blakeman said in the release

The complex hosts high school and collegiate athletic events, as well as local sports leagues. The facility includes a track and field stadium (nine lanes) with an oval that has a new synthetic field for football, lacrosse and soccer

There are four fields for softball and two for baseball; these fields can also be used for football, lacrosse and soccer. The complex is also home to the county’s rifle and pistol range.

Courtesy Globall Concepts

A rendering of the planned Globall Sports Center complex at Mitchel Field in Uniondale.

Learning about cops, straight from the source

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

For nearly a century, the men and women of the Nassau County Police Department have put themselves on the line, protecting the communities they love. But how exactly do they do it?

Some 2,400 students from 23 schools across the county found out last week, as they were all invited to an open house at the police department’s David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence in Garden City.

Students ranging from kindergarten to those about to graduate high school received an opportunity to interact with law enforcement officers and learn about police work. Detective Lt. Richard LeBrun emphasized that interaction between students and officers was central to what the police department was trying to achieve.

“It’s all about community engagement,” he said. “Interaction with the students, exchanging ideas, and answering their questions. That’s the big thing because there’s a lot of myths about police work, and we bring out the truth. They get it right from somebody who’s actually a police officer.”

Each day of the open house featured a variety of activities as well as various demonstrations and exhibits — from watching the SWAT team in action, to interacting with K-9 units, to interacting with exhibits from the arson and bomb

squad, emergency services unit and highway patrol bureau.

“It’s cool to be here this year,” said

Karen Barrins, a fifth-grade teacher from Newbridge Road School in North Bellmore. “The kids can see all the different

units where they could perhaps become involved in future careers with aviation, the K-9 unit, or the mounted unit.

“It’s important for them to know there are so many people that are willing to help them and that support them every day. If anything ever happens, we could always depend upon Nassau County police officers — but it gives them opportunities to think about their future. Being a police officer doesn’t just mean being in a car. There’s so many different things that they could do.”

Kyle Kelly, a forensics and special education teacher from Division Avenue High School in Levittown, brought his class to the open house for the first time. Many of his students are interested in forensic science.

“They have an opportunity to talk to people who have gone through the process before and see what different career opportunities there are within the police department,” Kelly said.

One of Kelly’s students, high school junior Justin Gesualdo, is interested in forensic psychology. The open house, he said was great to display the variety of different roles available in law enforcement.

“There are a lot more options than just being a cop, and there’s a lot of different things here,” Gesualdo said. “It’s definitely helping a lot of people out, so I think it’s a cool opportunity for us to get here and take the tour.”

Kepherd Daniel/Herald

The Nassau County K-9 unit shows local kids what they can do during the recent Nassau County Police Department open house at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence.

Uniondale’s best driven by intellect, passion to learn

“There’s STEM,” he said, referring to science, technology, engineering and math, “and then there’s music, which is more of a soft subject. It’s more relaxing and decompressing.”

He has spent many of his lunch practicing the violin, so he could focus on schoolwork later in the day.

Salutatorian Castro Ramirez is also passionate about learning, and has a natural curiosity about how things work, she said, which is why biology and chemistry are her favorite subjects.

“I feel like science and nature are so complex,” she said. “I like to ‘solve’ them, find out how they work.”

“It’s really amazing,” Victoria A. Lore, Castro Ramirez’s creative writing teacher at the high school, wrote in an email. “Mayessy stands as a testament to brilliance, innovation and creativity. Her ability to create captivating narratives within my course clearly shows these qualities, exemplifying her exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to academic excellence.”

Castro Ramirez plans to study biology at Smith College in Massachusetts. Having left El Salvador for the United States. with her family when she was 5, she’s a first-generation American high school graduate. But that was no small challenge: Being bilingual, she had to learn English and academics simultaneously when she was younger.

In her spare time, Castro Ramirez

said, she loves to edit videos on Instagram, having learning the skill by way of YouTube video. “It’s a way to showcase your creativity, and your mood,” she said.

She hopes to become a health care worker, to help people in the Latino community. “From my experience, I

think there’s a lack of people that can … juggle between English and Spanish at doctors’ appointments,” Castro Ramirez said. “That frustrates me, because I just wish that there was someone there to help people.”

As Mercado and Castro Ramirez move onto the next chapter of their

lives, they have many things to remember about their high school years.

“I feel like I’ve become more adaptive as a learner to each situation thrown at me,” Mercado said.

“I’m grateful that I’ve been blessed by God,” Castro Ramirez said. “This is a really big achievement. ”

Courtesy Uniondale School District

Jarred Mercado was named the Uniondale High School Class of 2024 valedictorian, and Mayessy Castro Ramirez its salutatorian. Mercado is heading to Cornell University, and Castro Ramirez to Smith College.

Please make sure you play volleyball on the grass

The 18th annual Volleyball Long Island summer season kicked off with the first of nine tournaments played on grass from May through September at Mitchel Field in Uniondale on May 11.

Founded in 2005, the focus of VBLI is to provide accurate and the most updated volleyball information in what they describe as a “clear and easy-tofollow format for free with no advertising.

Realizing that there are thousands of volleyball players in the New York

metropolitan area, but venues for playing were expensive or limited, Volleyball Long Island founder Glenn Yankow helped conceive Volleyball In The Park in 2006. Since then VBLI has expended to include beach, grass and indoor tournaments.

The tournaments have helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for college volleyball program in and around the tri-state area, VBLI states on its website, VBLI.com.

— Jeffrey Bessen

Tim Baker/Herald photos

The grass volleyball tournament at Mitchel Field was overseen by Managing Director Glenn Yankow, left, and event staffers Mark Deprado, John Schiede, Joseph Luft and Keydrick Segur.

Mitchel Field in Uniondale played host to the first of nine grass volleyball tournaments on May11 that will take place through September.

Westbury resident Umberto Piscitelli returned a volley during one of the many matches during the Saturday tournament.

Kat Verastegui, from Long Beach, leans into a shot on the Mitchel Field grass.

some

Warmer days mean it’s time to get that ‘cue going

By Karen Bloom

Summertime is soon headed our way, when the grillin’ is easy. If you’re already reaching for the tongs, well then, it’s time to get in the grilling groove.

With Memorial Day weekend around the corner — or whether you just want to enjoy being outdoors with family and friends — forgo the oven and step outside.

Serving your gang the most mouth-watering grilled entrees with ease requires a little know-how and a few crowd-pleasing recipes. From versatile chicken to hearty ribs to tender seafood, it’s never been more fun to incorporate new flavors into grilled cuisine.

Find some inspiration with these recipes.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Take a break from the burger and kick your grilling chops up a notch with new take on Buffalo chicken.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (if thick, cut horizontally into two even pieces)

• 1 bottle (12 ounces) Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce, divided

• 1/4 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing

• 4 hard rolls, split

• 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

• Lettuce leaves (optional)

• Tomato slices (optional)

• Red onion rings (optional)

Marinate chicken in 6 ounces Buffalo wings sauce for 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours.

Mix remainder of Buffalo wings sauce and dressing together. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Grill chicken 12 minutes, turning once, or until no longer pink in center. Place 2 tablespoons of mixed sauce on each roll half. Place chicken on top of roll half and top with 1 tablespoon blue cheese crumbles.

Add lettuce, tomato and onion rings, if desired. Top with second roll half. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.

Sweet Chili Ribs

As the temperatures rise, focus on flavor to take your backyard barbecue to a whole new level. Sweet and tangy, fall-off-the-bone ribs are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

• 2 full racks spareribs, trimmed (about 6 pounds)

• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 bottle (12 ounces) Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce, divided

OUT

Heat grill to 250° F and prepare for indirect cooking. Spread ribs with ginger and garlic. Place ribs on rib rack or in foil pan. Cook on covered grill for 2 hours.

Spread 6 ounces sweet chili sauce evenly over ribs then cook another hour, until tender.

Baste ribs with remaining sweet chili sauce during last 15 minutes of cooking. If desired, at end of cooking time grill ribs over direct heat to char slightly.

Sweet ‘n Savory Teriyaki Kabobs

Kabobs are a tasty, healthy way to enjoy many of your favorite fresh flavors in a single meal. The potential combinations of meat, vegetables and fruit on a kabob are nearly endless.

• 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch cubes

• 18 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined (1/2 to 3/4 pound)

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup prepared mango chutney, chopped if coarse

• 1/2 cup bottled teriyaki sauce

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 18 large bamboo or metal skewers (about 12 inches long)

• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

• 2 firm, ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and cut into large cubes

• 1 large green bell pepper, halved, trimmed, seeded and cubed

• Nonstick cooking spray, as needed

Place chicken and shrimp in shallow glass pan or large re-sealable plastic bag. For marinade, combine oil, chutney, teriyaki sauce and vinegar in small bowl with lid. Pour half of marinade mixture over chicken and shrimp. Cover or seal and marinate in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.

If using bamboo skewers, soak in water at least l hour before using.

To prepare kabobs: Drain and discard marinade from meat. Thread chicken, yellow and red onion, mango, green pepper and shrimp alternately onto skewers. Be sure to keep enough room at one end of each skewer for a “handle.”

Coat grill grate with nonstick cooking spray. Place skewers over medium coals, and grill for 12 to 15 minutes or until meat is done and vegetables are tender. Brush often with reserved marinade and turn skewers until cooked through. If needed, use spatula to gently loosen skewers before turning as they may stick.

Arrange skewers on a platter and serve with Serve with dipping sauce of your choice. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Internationally Ellington

Tilles Center continues its collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, when the Future of Jazz orchestra visits the Tilles Center stage. This all-Ellington showcase features a hand-picked ensemble of some of the greatest young musicians in jazz meeting the challenges posed by one of jazz’s great composers, Duke Ellington. Led by music director Joe Block — a recent Juilliard graduate and Essentially Ellington composition winner — this 15-piece band will keep everyone swinging all evening long. Ellington’s music is so elegant, so dynamic, so intimately detailed, that it takes a group of musicians with a genuine collaborative spark to fully bring out its inner magic. And that is what you will experience at this concert. You’re guaranteed to enjoy its timeless genius when the next generation of jazz leaders bring their fresh energy to it.

Friday, May 17, 8 p.m. Tickets are $42; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.

Musical memoir

See the inspirational documentary ‘Left Alone Rhapsody: The Musical Memoir of Pianist John Bayless,’ at a special concert screening. At 25, Leonard Bernstein protégé John Bayless made his Carnegie Hall debut performing ‘Rhapsody in Blue.’ At 54, a left-brain stroke immobilized his entire right side. The music stopped. John’s magical ‘first act’ disappeared. Award-winning independent filmmaker Stewart M. Schulman chronicles John’s rise from four-year-old Texas prodigy to international stardom, capturing his talent and his humanity, as he pushes himself to recover and reinvents himself as a storyteller-entertainer who plays only with his non-dominant left hand. What happens in a person’s brain that allows this kind of transcendence? The film provides some insight. It’s followed by a Q&A with Schulman and Bayless, along with a short concert.

Sunday May 19, 7 p.m. $40. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet. org or (516) 767-6444. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Sweet Chili Ribs

Sweet ‘n Savory Teriyaki Kabobs

Courtesy Hugh Kretschmer

THE Your Neighborhood

Aztec Two-Step

This unique and entertaining music and multimedia event chronicles the extraordinary career of Simon & Garfunkel, on the Landmark stage, Friday, May 31, 8 p.m. The music speaks for itself, anchored by Rex Fowler, co-founder of the renowned folk/rock duo Aztec Two-Step, and his wife, Dodie Pettit, an original cast member of Broadway’s “The Phantom of The Opera.” Multi-instrumentalist Steven Roues, multi-horn player Joe Meo, and drummer/percussionist Peter Hohmeister round out the band.The show’s storyline was originally created by Pete Fornatale, the late great pioneer of progressive FM radio and author of Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends biography. Now telling the stories, emceeing and directing the engaging and amusing multimedia show is Fornatale’s dear friend and protégé, Tony Traguardo, WCWP-FM radio host, noted rock music historian, podcaster and founding board member of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. Nostalgia and laughter abound, and a sing a-long is always in the mix! $42, $37. $33. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Family theater

Families will enjoy another musical adventure, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, May 17, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Saturday, May 18, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Sunday, May 19, 2 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, May 21-23, 10:15 a.m. and noon. Back by popular demand after a sold-out 2023 run, see Pigeon, Bus Driver, and some zany passengers sing and dance their way to help Pigeon find his “thing” in this upbeat comedy based on Willems’ popular Pigeon books. Featuring a live band to bring Deborah Wicks La Puma’s jazzy score to life, audiences will thoroughly enjoy singing and flapping along with The Pigeon and friends. The audience is part of the action, in this innovative mix of songs, silliness and feathers. It’s an ideal way to introduce kids to theater and the humorous stories from Willems’ books. $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, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.

Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art. The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.

Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists. On view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Nassau County Committed to Moving Forward with Sands New York

Achange in the New York State Gaming Commission’s process will delay application submissions for the three downstate gaming licenses to 2025. In a statement to local media, a spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said, “In spite of delays and changing circumstances, we are fully committed to deal with Sands to bring a world-class hotel, entertainment center, casino and spa to Nassau County."

"Our commitment to being a dedicated neighbor is reflected in our work to meet the needs of the surrounding communities–whether that’s through workforce training and local business readiness, partnerships with Long Island’s educational institutions and nonprofits like the Family

and Childrens' Association, events for organizations like the LGBT Network and the Womens’ Diversity Network, or support of Uniondale’s community center and community land trust, and a variety of youth sports,” Tracey Edwards, Sands Senior Vice President and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer said.

“We are grateful for the extraordinary and diverse support we have received and remain committed to being a collaborative partner and excellent neighbor to the organizations and residents of Nassau County,” she added.

One year ago, the Nassau County Legislature approved Sands’ lease with near unanimous support. Las Vegas Sands is now preparing to repeat the process before the county to operate the county-

Joe Zino, General Manager of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum said, “Over the past year, the Sands New York team played a critical role in making sure that our employees remained in place and that no jobs were lost despite outside challenges. We are grateful for our partnership with Sands and we look forward to seeing this deal completed and finalized - not only for our staff at the Nassau Coliseum, but for the whole of Nassau County.”

About the project

Sands is proposing an integrated resort development that would include four and five-star hotel rooms, a Canyon Ranch Spa and Wellness Center, outdoor

community spaces, and a worldclass live performance venue honoring the long legacy of live music at the 72-acre, county-owned Coliseum site. The resort also would feature celebrity chef restaurants, experiential events and venues, high-quality casino gaming and flexible meeting and convention space, with ballrooms.

Since announcing its intention to build in the area, Sands has partnered with the local community in numerous ways, from sponsoring local events, to hosting starstudded youth sports programs, to partnering with many of Nassau County’s leading educational institutions and nonprofits to meet the needs and aspirations of the local communities,

owned Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum property.

Bishop Lionel Harvey Celebrates 25 Years

Sands joined in celebration with the friends and families of First Baptist Church in Westbury to honor Bishop Lionel Harvey’s 25 years as pastor. David Paterson, Former New York State Governor and Senior Vice President for Sands said, “Bishop Harvey is a long time friend, and one of the best, most authentic advocates for this community. He is a leader in every sense of the word. Sands is proud to stand beside him as he celebrates this milestone, and we wish him many more years of success.”

LGBT Network

On April 17, Sands joined the LGBT Network as it celebrated 30 years of service to Long Island, creating safe spaces for LGBT people to live, learn, work, play, and pray. The event raised money to continue and expand services offered to Long Island’s LGBT community and their families. Dr. David Kilmnick, Founder and President, LGBT Network said, "We are deeply grateful for the continued support from our community, which has enabled us to reach this incredible milestone. As we celebrate 30 years of service, our commitment remains steadfast—to create a world where everyone can feel safe and affirmed in their identity. The funds raised tonight will help us expand our programs and continue our mission of advocacy, education, and support for the LGBT community on Long Island."

Central Nassau Club Annual Founders Day Celebration

Sands Senior Vice President and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer Tracey Edwards was honored with the Sojourner Truth Award at the Central Nassau Club Annual Founders Day Celebration. Established in 1959 as part of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc., the Central Nassau Club is committed to the betterment of the community and promoting leadership, entrepreneurship and technology development. Congratulations to Tracey and the other honorees including Angela Stanley, Joy Williams, LaShawn Lukes, Samantha Lawson, Adrian Goodwin and Brianna Vaughn.

Womens Diversity Network Summit

Sands was a proud sponsor of The Women’s Diversity Network (WDN) Diversity Summit. More than 200 attendees gathered on Saturday, April 20th at Nassau Community College for a day of powerful workshops, diverse entertainment, cultural food, and networking. WDN connects and mobilizes women and gender-expansive people of different backgrounds to create positive change through unity and collective work.

Photos provided by Sands

Legislator Siela A. Bynoe, Governor David Paterson, Bishop Lionel Harvey, Angela Harvey, Sands Senior Vice President Tracey Edwards, Town of Hempstead Senior Councilwoman Dorothy L. Goosby

Tracey Edwards receives Sojourner Truth Award at the Central Nassau Club Annual Founders Day Celebration

Sands joins the LGBT Network to celebrate 30 years of service to Long Island

Sands sponsored The Women’s Diversity Network Diversity Summit on April 20 at Nassau Community College

Uniondale Community Land Trust Long Island Housing Symposium

Tracey Edwards, Senior Vice President and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer for Las Vegas Sands, was a featured speaker at the Uniondale Community Land Trust’s Housing Symposium. The symposium aimed to bridge the gap between the information regarding the resources available and the Uniondale residents looking to use these resources to own an affordable home in the area. Bringing together experts, homeowners, renters, and policymakers, panelists included Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe, Ian Wilder of the Long Island Housing Services, Michael Wigutow from Nassau and Suffolk Law Services, and Michelle Abreu from JP Morgan Chase.

Following her remarks, Edwards said "Congratulations to the Uniondale Land Trust for hosting this critical conversation with the community. Sands New York is proud to be a lead sponsor of this excellent event."

HIA-LI Pre-Trade Show Networking Event

Tracey Edwards and the Sands New York team joined the HIA-LI PreTrade Show Networking Event. The Trade Show, scheduled for Thursday, May 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be held at the Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena at Suffolk County Community College’s Grant Campus in Brentwood and will include two information sessions with Sands executives. Marking its second consecutive year as the Title Sponsor, Sands New York’s continued partnership underscores its commitment to fostering local business growth and economic development. Join us for an informative session and Q&A at the 36th Annual HIA-LI Trade Show and hear from top leadership on how to take advantage of new business opportunities. To register for the event or to learn more visit bit.ly/HIASNY2024

Long Island Federation of Labor-AFL-CIO's Annual Dinner

On April 24, 2024 Sands New York served as the event sponsor for the Long Island Federation of Labor-AFL-CIO's Annual Reception for the second year in a row. Honorees included U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Vice President William Kee, and Long Island Contractors' Association Executive Director Marc Herbst, with a special guest appearance by United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. This annual occasion celebrates the organized union movement, elected leaders, as well as community and industry partners on Long Island.

John Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO said, "The Sands team has been true to their word, working collaboratively as a partner with the union movement on Long Island—and we look forward to making positive transformational change together with their integrated resort proposal as an economic center piece of Nassau County and all of Long Island."

Old Westbury Foundation Gala

The Sands New York team joined the Old Westbury College Foundation's 2024 Own Your Future Gala. The Gala celebrates the accomplishments of the institution, its students, faculty and staff, while bringing together business and industry leaders from across Long Island and New York City to celebrate dedicated community leaders. Proceeds from the event support the ongoing work of the premier institution, SUNY Old Westbury.

Tracey Edwards speaks at the Uniondale Community Land Trust’s Housing Symposium

United Way youth development program pictured with Sands Senior VP, Governor David Paterson at Long Island Federation of Labor-AFL-CIO's Annual Dinner

Sands will again serve as the Title Sponsor for this year’s HIA-LI Pre-Trade Show Networking Event

Sands Senior Vice President, Governor David Paterson joins SUNY Old Westbury Students at the Old Westbury College Foundation's 2024 Own Your Future Gala

LI TODAY

Sands Updates on Environmental Initiatives

In celebration of Earth Day 2024, Sands marked the environmental milestones it has achieved toward protecting the planet in the areas where the company can have greatest impact: lowcarbon transition, water stewardship, waste reduction and incorporation of sustainable materials and resources.

A key highlight of the past year was receiving LEED Gold Certification for the company’s new corporate headquarters in Las Vegas. Powered by renewable electricity and a number of sustainable features, the corporate campus produces enough energy to power its usage throughout the workday. The campus includes 1,200 solar photovoltaic panels, 16 electric vehicle charging stations, a high albedo rooftop to reflect sunlight and reduce air conditioning load, and 100% LED light sources.

Last year, Sands also made significant progress on its 2021-2025 ambition to reduce emissions by 17.5% from a 2018 baseline by logging

a 50% emissions reduction in 2023 thanks to its focus on energy efficiency projects and renewable energy certificate purchases.

The company’s waste management strategies also yielded substantial results with Sands properties preventing, rescuing or diverting 23% of food waste in 2023. Additionally, the company diverted 52% of construction waste and 20% of operational waste from landfill.

In the area of water stewardship, Sands decreased potable water consumption by 12% from its 2019 baseline in 2023. The company also continued its focus on transitioning to sustainable materials where possible, and as of 2023, 61% of the Sands-branded water bottles used at resorts incorporated sustainable solutions. In addition, 98% of the paper hygiene products sourced globally were sustainable.

“We are firmly committed to protecting the

planet through coordinated strategies around conserving resources, incorporating efficiencies and transitioning to sustainable alternatives in our priority focus areas,” Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, said. “Earth Day 2024 is a day in which we can celebrate our achievements through the midpoint of our 2021-2025 environmental, social and governance reporting cycle, and pledge to continue driving toward the targets we have set to reduce our impact around the world.”

Sands’ environmental initiatives are led by the global Sands ECO360 program, which spearheads the company’s efforts in sustainable building development, resort operations, and meetings and events. To learn more about Sands’ environmental priorities and performance, read the latest ESG Report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.

Bird walk

See some birds with the South Shore Audubon Society. All are welcome to join members for the next in its series of bird walks, at the west end of Jones Beach State Park, Sunday, May 19, starting at 9 a.m. The group meets at the Jones Beach Coast Guard Station Parking Area. The entrance for the Coast Guard Station and West End Boat Basin is on Bay Drive going west.

Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. To register, text name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. No walk if rain. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.

Walk MS:

Long Island 2024

Support the National MS Society at that annual walk at Jones Beach, Saturday, May 18 Everyone is welcome at Walk MS, with no registration fee or fundraising minimum. While there is no fee to participate, every dollar raised helps to lift up those living with MS and their supporters. Visit WalkMS. org and use the search bar to find the donation page, or call (855) 372-1331.

Budget vote

The 2024 Budget Vote and Trustee Election at the Uniondale Union Free School District will be held. Tuesday, May 21. For information about your polling site call (516) 5608800.

Cradle-Con

Join in the fun at Cradle-Con, Long Island’s comic, collectible, and pop culture convention, built by fans, for fans, Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., at Cradle of Aviation Museum. Museum Row, Garden City. Visit CradleOfAviation.org for more information.

Uniondale Junior Friends

Uniondale Junior Friends invite teens in grades 6 through 12 to join in their peer-led meetings, Fridays, 4:305:30 p.m. Discuss upcoming events, share ideas and learn about community service opportunities. 400 Uniondale Ave. For more information, visit UniondaleLibrary.org or call (516) 489-2220.

Having an

event?

‘Thomas & Friends’

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to experience its newest exhibit, Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails!, opening Saturday, May 28. Participate in fun activities celebrate the arrival of this traveling exhibit, 1-3 p.m., during the drop-in programs. Step onto the Island of Sodor, where visitors can climb aboard a large model of Thomas the Tank Engine, race trains along a giant track, work together to sort and load cargo and maintain engines.

Kids engage in a variety of STEM challenges from simple sorting and shape identification to more complex engineering obstacles. As they test their abilities, the smiling faces of Thomas, Percy, Victor and others are there to offer encouragement and remind children how “really useful” they all are. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

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.

Westminster’s top dogs

Long Island Kennel Club welcomes families and their four-legged companions to its spring show, Sunday, May 19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Planting Fields Arboretum. This year’s Long Island Kennel Club show follows the annual acclaimed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show earlier in the week. Many canine contenders are expected to leave the Big Apple and then head east to compete at the annual spring dog shows (Friday through Sunday, May 17-19, all held at the same venue.

The three days celebrate everything canine, from impeccable show dogs and trick-dog demonstrations to doggie dock diving and an agility obstacle course. Events and attractions make this festival a treat for anyone who loves dogs. Sunday also features a special demonstration by the NYPD Transit Bureau Canine Unit, at 11 a.m. Dogs must be leashed at all times. No prong collars, retractable leashes or head halters. $20 admission per car load includes all-day access. 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay. Visit LongIslandDogsShows.com or call (516) 776-0923 for more information.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Join Connie Zhu as they explain how adults can eat nutritious meals on a tight budget, at Uniondale Public Library, Tuesday, May 21, 7-8 p.m. 400 Uniondale Ave. Visit UniondaleLibrary. org or call (516) 489-2220 for information.

Art explorations

Nintendo Switch Sundays

Kids in grades 2-5 can enjoy some video game action, at Uniondale Library, Sunday, May 19. 400 Uniondale Ave. Visit UniondaleLibrary.org or call (516) 489-2220 for information.

Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art, Saturday, May 19, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and adults connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. For ages 2-14. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org for to register or call (516) 484-9337.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION

MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST

2007-BNC1 MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES

2007-BNC1 Plaintiff, Against GEORGE WATSON; MARIA MONTALVO; ET AL Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 01/17/2019, 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 5/30/2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 24 Commander Avenue, Hempstead, New York 11550, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village Of Hempstead, Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 34 Block 527 Lot 0006

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $379,321.86 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 15-005434 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.

Lisa Segal Poczik, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 3/28/2024 File Number: 14-310604 CA 146341

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2013-TT2, BY U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE, Plaintiff, vs. CALIPH GRAHAM A/K/A CALIPH A. GRAHAM, Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Default Judgment and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 15, 2019, 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 May 30, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1271 Walnut Street, 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 50, Block 54 and Lot 33. Approximate amount of judgment is $704,613.53 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 003006/2017. Cash will not be accepted. 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.

Charles Casolaro, Esq., Referee Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 146335

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, successor in interest to Bank of America National Association, as Trustee, successor by merger to LaSalle Bank National Association, as Trustee for Merrill Lynch First Franklin Mortgage Loan Trust, Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2007-3, Plaintiff, -againstVirginia Yearby’s unknown heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devises, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming, under, by or through said defendant, who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, Joseph Steeple, Sr., Heir to the Estate of Virginia Yearby, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, United States of America, John Doe (Refused Name), Defendants

Index No.: 607294/2023

Filed: April 12, 2024

SUPPLEMENTAL

SUMMONS

Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is situated.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANT(S):

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York; or within sixty (60) days if it is the United States of America.

In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $360,000.00 and interest, recorded in the office of the clerk of the County of Nassau on June 25, 2007 in Liber M32034, Page 787 covering premises known as 709 Nostrand Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

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 mortgage company 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 your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action.

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

Dated: Bay Shore, New York April 12, 2024 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon LLP

/s/BY: Linda P. Manfredi

Attorneys for Plaintiff 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, New York 11706 (631) 969-3100

Our File No.: 01-072713F02 146275

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff against DASWELL ANDERSON A/K/A DASWELL S. ANDERSON, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered March 18, 2024, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 4, 2024 at 3:00 PM. Premises known as 227 Warren Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. Sec 44 Block 38 Lot 100. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $640,112.60 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 604137/2020. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Richard L. Farley, Esq., Referee File # YCHNY333 146482

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. 1900 CAPITAL TRUST II, BY US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS CERTIFICATE TRUSTEE, Pltf. vs. PATRICIA THOMAS, et al, Defts. Index #009601/2012. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered August 3, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the northside steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on June 13, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. prem. k/a 55 E. Centennial Avenue, Roosevelt, NY 11575 a/k/a Section 55, Block 330, Lot 346. Said property being at Roosevelt in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of NY, known as and by Lots 296, 297, and part of Lots 295 and 298 on a certain

Music scholars go on a college tour

Musicians are known to go on the road to perform, so it’s no surprise that the musically talented Uniondale High School students went on a tour of colleges in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. area.

The Marching Knights Band, the concert band and jazz band took part in master classes and performed at Howard University and Towson University. At Howard, one of the famous historically Black colleges, the students caught up with Uniondale High graduates Isaac Hernandez and Sierra Prescod.

“The dedication and talent displayed by our scholars continue to inspire us all,” Kelvin Jenkins, the school district’s director of Fine and Performing arts, said in a news release. “These experiences enrich their musical education and instill a sense of pride in their achievements.”

In addition to the college tour, the Knight-Time Jazz Band showcased their talents at the Battle of the Bands at Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair. Makayla Grier’s outstanding performance on alto sax earned her Best

Courtesy Uniondale schools Uniondale School District’s Knight-Time Jazz Band took part in master classes at Howard University and Towson University on a recent a tour of colleges.

Jazz Soloist. The jazz band also put on an impressive performance at the Five Towns College High School Jazz Festival last month.

“Our scholars consistently demonstrate a level of skill and artistry that is truly remarkable, band director Colton Wynter, said in the release. ‘Their dedication to their craft and their passion for music are evident in every performance.”

— Jeffrey Bessen

Public Notices

Map entitled “Map of Allers Park at Roosevelt, L.I, Property of John H. Randall Company of 47 Railroad Avenue, Freeport, N.Y. surveyed and mapped August 1923, by Smith and Malcomson, Inc., C.E.,” and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on August 29, 1923, as Map No. 532, Case No. 3271. Approximate amount of judgment is $518,106.44 plus cost and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale and the right of the United States of America to redeem within 120 days from the date of sale as provided by law.

BRIAN J. DAVIS, Referee. HILL WALLACK LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 261 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor, Ste. 940-941, New York, NY. File No. 20292-1248#101408 146641

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST Lisa Wiley; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 30, 2024 I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 13, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 809 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, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 50 Block 138 Lot 361. Approximate amount of judgment $339,234.30 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 612018/2022. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the 10th Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: April 23, 2024 146637

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST SHABAZZ ABDUL-ALIM AKA SHABAZZ ABDUL ALIM, KISHA OLIVER, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 27, 2020, 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 June 18, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 317 FENIMORE AVENUE,

UNIONDALE, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 34, Block 500, Lot 240-241. Approximate amount of judgment $359,691.55 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #613539/2018. 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”. Rita Solomon, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-006311 80688 146756

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Citibank N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Cheryl A. Glenn, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 22, 2024, 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 June 20, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 781 Union Drive, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, at Uniondale. County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 50, BLOCK: 370, LOT: 23. Approximate amount of judgment $356,173.08 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #609626/2019. 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 /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Jane Shrenkel, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-091851-F00 80618 146744

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How can we keep rising costs down?

Q. I was told by a contractor that the cost of construction has been increasing over the years due to many more requirements that, if we didn’t have them, would keep costs a lot lower. He said they make us put in a lot of extra metal to connect the wood wall studs and rafters, even in decks, and that it adds about $10,000 just for that. Plus he said that we have to use a lot more insulation than we used to, and the foam insulation, especially, really raises the price, up to $16,000 to $20,000 more. I know this is necessary, but are there alternatives to keep prices lower? We have plans we paid for, and now we may not even be able to build. What can you suggest?

A. The connectors for wood can be eliminated almost entirely if you build with metal wall studs, metal rafters and ceiling joists with metal screws. Metal to metal is strong. There are two reasons that people don’t build with metal more often, one being the ease of working with wood, because you can trim and adjust a wood cut to fit more easily, and not have to be so exact, and most people building residential construction don’t have the right tools or training to switch easily to metal.

You see, screws and nails are metal. Wood … is not. Because screws and nails don’t grab wood as well, the connections can pull apart more easily in high winds. Metal connectors brace wood connections with a lot of redundancy, making it harder for a home to pull apart in a high wind. Watch any news report this spring and summer, as homes rip apart from tornadoes, and you’ll see why insurance companies pushed for these regulations, to have better bracing of wall connections to roofs and floors. Metal actually would cost less if more people used the products.

The ease of putting down a metal track and fastening the top plate and wall studs is faster and lighter than working with lumber, but traditions die hard. Metal doesn’t burn easily, will not warp, twist or rot, and you don’t have to treat it with cancer-causing toxins to resist insect damage. Metal is generally stronger and more efficient to work with, and waste is minimal.

Other than that answer, I only know of certain connections utilizing long screws to avoid these connectors, and people in construction would need training to know where and when these types of long fasteners can be used. Even the metal braces widely used have multiple holes for nails, because every hole must have a nail filling it, yet I often see where some holes are not filled.

Insulation, just like metal, will come down in price as more is applied, but better insulation is one of the few products that pays for itself in energy savings. Higher insulation value was debated for years before becoming code. It’s a necessary reality that actually saves money in the long term. Good luck!

© 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.

Ask The Architect

Monte Leeper

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opInIons

What if you had to vote right now?

Last week, we were treated (or subjected, in one instance) to two presidential events unfolding simultaneously in different places. As the day progressed, I understood that if we see and hear nothing else during the campaign, we will realize, as sentient beings and patriots, that only one man deserves the honor of serving as our president. Only one man is intellectually and temperamentally fit for the job.

The first image we saw on May 9 was President Biden speaking at a Holocaust remembrance at the Capitol, a sacred moment of tribute to the dead and a promise to the living to fight a robust resurgence of antisemitism. The flip screen, on the same day and time, was of former President Donald Trump in a New York City courtroom, where an adult entertainment star testified against him, offering lurid details of their alleged affair. The testimony was part of the ongoing trial of the ex-president for an alleged hush money cover-up.

The data is clear: Kids spending more time online and on social media is detrimental to their mental health.

In many ways, this is by design. The algorithms tech companies create for their platforms are meant to keep you glued to your feed, conveying visual information that can severely damage self-esteem and increase levels of anxiety and depression. These findings, confirmed by multiple studies from the National Institutes of Health, show that these problems are worse for young people. Children are especially susceptible to falling into algorithmic rabbit holes, because they are more easily swayed by prominent social media influencers looking to sell a certain product or lifestyle.

Earlier this year, we held a roundtable with state Attorney General Letitia James in Floral Park, to discuss the impacts of social media use on young

As Peter Baker observed in The New York Times, we were whiplashed by the images of the candidates: Biden recalling taking his grandchildren to Dachau to bear witness to the horrors of Nazi death camps, and Trump listening to Stormy Daniels describe him “sitting on a hotel bed in his boxer shorts waiting for sex.”

Imagine if, on May 9, you had just dropped onto our planet from another world where the arc of the moral universe does indeed bend toward justice, and good guys win, and presidents are held to high ethical standards, and you had to decide that very day whom would get your vote.

Long Island, where many of us never heard a hateful word or experienced any kind of ostracism related to our faith. Now the rise of extremism, fueled by lies pumped out by social media, has put Jewish Americans in the cross hairs, along with any other group seen as a threat to a MAGA America.

I magine if you had just dropped onto our planet from another, more just, world.

On one hand, you see Biden, a seasoned leader, vowing to fight antisemitism in America, stating that anti-Jewish rhetoric demands “our continued vigilance . . . and outspokenness.” You see him in action on just this one day, addressing hate speech and violence toward Jews, which he said is “ferociously” surging.

You hear him say that Jews will always have a safe place in America, a notion that many Jewish people in my age group have never questioned. We grew up in welcoming communities on

You witness Biden communicating his full support for the Jewish people and for Israel, and for peaceful college protesters on both sides, while pushing back against some of Israel’s most aggressive war tactics in its battle against Hamas. You are seeing impossible political and humanitarian dilemmas, in which no one answer is good or easy, in which any comment is instantly parsed and shredded by multiple raging influencers, ordinary citizens and political opponents.

You see Biden, a determined leader who knows himself and knows justice when he sees it, and knows how to move through this minefield.

That same day, when you drop into our country, you also see the former president, also an old man. You see Trump on TV coming and going from a

Protecting our kids online

people and to call for new legislation to regulate how tech companies present information through their feeds. Social media feeds are designed to be infinite, making it easy for any user to sit and scroll for hours on end through a constant stream of content and information. Parents spoke about the negative effects that extensive social media use has on their children, while pediatricians were reporting more instances of mental health struggles among their young patients.

One of the bills we are advocating for in the Assembly is the Child Data Protection Act, which would ban the collection and sale of personal data online for users under age 13 without the consent of a parent, and for users between ages 13 and 18 without their consent. The mass collection of personal data has become a lucrative business online, and companies are willing to pay to learn more about their customers and potential customers. This helps them target content and advertising to maximize viewership, which feeds into the addictive nature of endless scrolling

courtroom where he is on trial for allegedly covering up an affair he had with a porn star so that his 2016 presidential campaign would not be affected.

Stay with me. You just landed here from a better place. You see the two men in action that day. You know nothing about their respective policies on the economy or the environment or foreign trade or inflation or immigration. You know nothing about Trump’s presidency, when he alienated our allies abroad and denied the coronavirus pandemic even as it killed a million Americans. You never heard the speeches in which he called migrants “animals,” or suggested injecting bleach for a deadly virus, or said there were good people on both sides when white Christian nationalists marched in Charlotte chanting, “Jews will not replace us!”

You have not witnessed, in the past few years, the complete erosion of women’s reproductive rights and the diminishment of our Supreme Court.

You are just here this one day, May 9. Listen to Biden’s Holocaust speech. Look at defendant Trump, contemptuous and contemptible, an abject failure as a human being, not to mention a world leader.

Who gets your vote?

Copyright 2024 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

that is such a big problem for young people using social media. By placing these restrictions on access to children’s data, we can stop online platforms from precision-targeting their content to maximize the time kids spend online.

p arents, doctors and psychologists agree: Excessive social media use isn’t good.

Another key piece of legislation is the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act, or SAFE. If enacted, the bill would limit algorithms’ capacity to introduce new content from accounts a user isn’t following. Users under 18 would see content only from accounts they follow. As well, children wouldn’t receive notifications from social media platforms between midnight and 6 a.m., and parents would be allowed to block their kids’ access to social media between these hours. Only parental consent would allow those restrictions to be lifted.

The bill would also empower the attorney general to enforce these provisions by imposing a $5,000 fine on companies for each violation. And parents and guardians would be able to sue for damages.

These algorithms should not influence what children see online. It should be up to parents and their children to decide what kind of content they want to see.

These bills provide reasonable protections for kids using social media, without regulating speech or expression. The mental health crisis impacting young people across the country requires thoughtful public-policy solutions, and that includes holding online platforms accountable for pushing addictive content onto young people’s social media feeds at a pivotal time in their emotional and social development.

Parents, doctors and psychologists all agree that there are negative consequences associated with excessive social media use. We should be encouraging responsible use, and working collaboratively with parents and the tech industry to chart a new way of approaching how kids use online platforms. New York can take a leadership role in protecting kids online, which could go a long way toward alleviating the mental health crisis that has been worsening since the pandemic.

Michaelle Solages represents the 22nd Assembly District.

MIchaeLLe c.

soLages

RanDI KReIss

Incorporating

oFFice

Phone: (516) 569-4000

Fax: (516) 569-4942

Web: www.liherald.com E-mail:

HERALD

HeraLd editoriaL

With hurricane season coming, be prepared

the looming possibility of natural disasters — such as hurricanes and other severe storms — poses a significant, and ongoing, threat to Long Island, and particularly for those living in more vulnerable coastal communities, like Long Beach and Freeport, which are most susceptible to damage caused by high winds and surging floodwaters.

With hurricane season set to begin June 1, it is vital for all of us — especially those in communities with the highest risk — to take proactive measures to prepare. Resilience requires a strategy for severe weather conditions that are often unpredictable. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, that means:

■ Developing an evacuation plan

■ Assembling disaster supplies — including food, water, batteries, chargers, a radio and cash

■ Getting an insurance checkup and documenting your possessions

■ Creating a communication plan with a hand-written list of contacts

■ Strengthening your home

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From a government standpoint, preparedness often begins with comprehensive planning and investment in resilient infrastructure. Following the damage wrought by tropical storms Irene and Lee in 2011 and Sandy in 2012, many coastal protection measures have been put into effect, including seawalls and reinforced jetties and dunes.

For instance, after Sandy decimated the boardwalk in Long Beach, the structure was strengthened when it was rebuilt, and sturdier dunes were constructed as an added layer of protection.

Collaborative initiatives involving local governments, community organizations and emergency responders foster a culture of resilience, strengthening the collective ability to withstand and recover from disasters.

In addition, having a robust earlywarning system and evacuation plans in place can be essential in ensuring the safety of residents in the event of a major storm.

The disasters resulting from previous storms continue to serve as a glaring reminder, however, that even the best preparations may not be enough. It’s hard to forget the images of homes sub-

Include Nassau residents in transit authority’s monthly rail discount program

To the Editor:

For so many reasons, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board’s April 30 enactment of a discount program for New York City monthly rail tickets that excludes residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties is extremely disappointing — especially amid the advent of congestion pricing and its likely fiscal impact on Nassau County households.

As a lifelong resident of Plainview and the representative of the Nassau County Legislature’s 16th District for the last eight years, I am keenly aware of the extent to which residents of my district rely on Long Island Rail Road train service to commute to and from work in the five boroughs every day. Moreover, as a policymaker, I am cognizant of the environmental benefits associated with increased mass transit use and the positive fiscal impact that greater ridership would generate for the MTA and our county.

Considering those clear benefits for our region, Nassau and Suffolk’s exclusion from this incentive program makes little sense. Furthermore, it strikes me as a missed opportunity to extend a gesture of goodwill to Long Islanders in an atmosphere rife with palpable frustration about the implementation of congestion pricing. Imagine the frustration of commuters who live in Elmont, minutes from the Queens border, when they discover that they will be paying more to ride the train to Manhattan than someone up the block in New York City simply because of an arbi-

merged, fallen trees damaging cars and blocking roadways, and long lines of vehicles at gas pumps.

So it never hurts to have additional plans of action. Remember to store some extra gas to provide power to emergency generators. Store backup batteries and chargers. Prepare to-go bags in an easyto-access location. Have your home, auto and flood insurance information at the ready, just in case.

In the aftermath of any natural disaster, swift and coordinated recovery efforts are crucial. Having timely access to emergency services, temporary shelters and essential supplies is paramount to ensure the well-being of our communities.

And, as a storm approaches, it is of the utmost importance to listen to authorities, familiarize yourself with all available evacuation routes, and stay tuned for updates.

And always take warnings seriously. These storms cannot only destroy, they can kill. Being prepared, knowing what to do when a storm is on its way, and putting a plan in motion when the time comes is essential to staying safe and secure.

trary line on a map dividing municipalities!

State lawmakers now have a responsibility to address this glaring omission. As stated in an April 30 news release announcing the five-boroughs incentive initiative, “the programs are funded by the Outer Borough Transportation Account, created in 2018 by the New York State Legislature to provide $50 million per year to improve transportation in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens,

and Staten Island in association with congestion pricing.” The MTA must now work with state officials to identify resources that can be swiftly applied to funding a comparable discount for Nassau and Suffolk commuters.

A strong and comprehensive commitment to mass transit will yield tremendous benefits for our future — but our entire region must be included to maximize those opportunities. It now behooves New York state to act, and cor-

Let’s

rethink the war in Ukraine

Now that the Ukrainian military aid bill has been passed, we have an opportunity to assess the developing conflict and offer suggestions.

Back in the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy acquired some hard-won experience in managing crises and dealing with what is now the Russian Federation in a nuclear-armed world.

Two wellknown observations he made at that time are relevant now. First, at his inaugural address in 1961 he declared, “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”

Although Kennedy’s words seem reasonable, the fact is that the United States has repeatedly refused to negotiate with the Russian Federation about the crisis in Ukraine, starting even before the Russian invasion in early 2022. Beyond that, the United States exerted its influence to help halt talks between Ukraine and Russia in March 2022, shortly after the invasion. At the time, the Ukrainian position

was much stronger, its forces having just thrown the Russians back from the gates of Kiev.

The United States again refused to engage in talks as recently as February. This American rejection of diplomacy may not be out of fear, but is unhelpful to the cause of peace.

In the past, the United States has engaged in high-level negotiations even while fighting was ongoing. We know that during the War of 1812, the Vietnam War and in Afghanistan as well, highlevel talks between the warring parties took place while military action continued.

Iconflict.

Policymakers in Washington and NATO seem confident that they can tiptoe along the line of nuclear war with little risk. That is a confidence that some of us do not share given what we know about how nations stumble into war, and how those wars sometimes spiral out of control.

t will be late summer before new Ukrainian recruits can be properly trained.

No one in Washington seems interested in doing anything similar now, even during an expanding crisis with a nuclear-armed Russia.

A second quote from Kennedy, equally relevant, came only months after the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962.

JFK declared the United States sought to “avert those confrontations which bring an adversary to a choice of either a humiliating defeat or nuclear war.” It seems to some of us that U.S. foreign policymakers have forgotten that message with respect to the Ukraine-Russia

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rect the glaring and illogical inequities that currently exist.

ARNOLD W. DRUCKER Plainview

Arnold W. Drucker is the Nassau County Legislature’s deputy minority leader.

Liberty customers, tell Albany to stop the hidden taxes!

To the Editor:

For over two years, Liberty has been working hard to convince New York state to eliminate the Special Franchise Tax applied to utility water service so that we can remove that cost from our customers’ monthly bills. It represents a pass-through of the tax we are required to remit to the state government, and does not benefit Liberty in any way. And in many cases, it comprises a significant portion of your monthly water bill.

Your support of this initiative this spring has put us in a position to see real change, and eliminate the SFT from your monthly water bills as we work with officials in Albany this legislative session. While we have great momentum, we need our customers’

help to push this initiative past the finish line.

Stopthehiddentax.org provides details on the tax and the actions Liberty is taking to remove it from customers’ bills. On the site, customers can click the Take Action button to let their local legislators know that they want the tax eliminated. Nearly 2,000 Liberty customers have already taken action through the site, which has resulted in more than 30,000 letters being sent to key decision makers in the state. This is great, but we still need more support.

Between 30 and 50 percent of our customers’ bills comprise taxes that provide no benefit to the water system itself. While they do help fund local taxing jurisdictions, it is our firm belief that it is inappropriate and unjust for these taxes to be collected through your water bill. To make matters worse, our customers are the only ones in Nassau County who pay this excessive tax.

The only advantage Liberty stands to gain in pursuing this legislative change is happier customers, and providing water rates that accurately reflect the true cost of providing highquality water service. That’s it. We have dedicated ourselves to improving the customer experience, and this kind of rate relief will benefit all of our customers.

It takes only a couple of minutes to

For many months, the conflict has steadily escalated, with both sides now striking energy and other infrastructure well behind the front lines. And if Russia faces the prospect of losing, in Kennedy’s words, a “humiliating defeat,” nuclear weapons may well come into the mix.

How do we know this?

Because Russian leaders have said so. Ukraine seems to be in a bad position. It is running out of troops and having trouble enlisting new ones. Many of the Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines have been there for more than two years with hardly any breaks or respite. That is not sustainable, and in fact it is remarkable that so many Ukrainian troops have carried on the fight for so long.

New aid from the United States is

already arriving in Ukraine, but it will be of limited use if Ukraine lacks the soldiers to make use of it. Its new conscription law takes effect this month, but it will be late summer before new recruits can be properly trained in significant numbers to join the struggle. For Ukraine, that is not good news. In addition, many potential military recruits in both Ukraine and Russia seem reluctant to enlist in the service of regimes riddled with corruption. Who can blame them?

Clare Daly, a feisty Irish member of the European Parliament, has drawn a comparison of Ukraine’s difficult position now and that of the Irish republic in 1922. Although the Irish at that time felt strongly that all of Ireland should be part of the republic, they made the difficult decision not to fight the British over the six counties in the north at the time. But through diplomatic and other means, the Irish still struggle for a unified Ireland.

It is unlikely that Ukraine will win this round, but like the Irish, the Ukrainians will doubtless pursue their national aspirations into the future. Daly wants a halt to the war, and so do many of the rest of us.

Arnold Oliver is a political science professor emeritus, and is syndicated by PeaceVoice.

Framework by Tim Baker

visit stopthehiddentax.org, click Take Action and fill in the information to have your voice heard. As a local Long Islander, I encourage you to take the time to tell your elected officials to remove this onerous tax from your water bill during the

2024 legislative session. Working together, we can make a difference.

The fountain in Andrew J. Parise Park — Cedarhurst

DEBORAH FRANCO President, Liberty New York Water

arNoLD J. oLIVer