Uniondale Herald 06-15-2023

Father-son time

Uniondale held its first ComeInUnity since 2019 last Saturday. Jaylen Jean Pierre, 2, and his father, Chris Jean Pierre, had a ball at the event. Story, more photos, Page 3.

BEACON BEACON

A woman leads Uniondale F.D.

Jessica Ellerbe aims to inspire girls

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

Uniondale is paving the way forward with the appointment of the county’s first woman fire chief, Jessica Ellerbe, who was sworn in in April.

Ellerbe’s achievement is a significant barrier breaker not just for women, but especially for Black women, who, according to the Pew Research Center, experience significantly more discrimination than white women in most careers. Her election not only highlights her exceptional capabilities, but also serves as a powerful symbol of progress.

Born and raised in Uniondale, Ellerbe says she was inspired to pursue a career in civil service by her father, Uniondale fire -

fighter Leonard Ellerbe. At age 13 she joined the junior firefighters, and eventually graduated and joined the department’s Company Guard.

“When I finally turned 13, I loved it,” Jessica said. “My dad was the adviser for the juniors, and it was the coolest thing ever. I just knew this was something that I wanted to do.”

She credits her father for helping mold her into the passionate and hardworking firefighter and chief she became. He encouraged her to seriously consider a career in civil service and doing what she loved to do, she said, rather than getting a regular job just to survive.

Ellerbe recognized the chiefs

Continued on page 10

Proposed NYU Langone Hub hospital raises concerns

By REINE BETHANY rbethany@liherald.com

Experts have raised concerns that Nassau University Medical Center could feel the financial effects if NYU Langone builds a $3 billion, privately funded hospital complex on the grounds of Nassau Community College.

From its beginnings in 1935 as Meadowbrook Hospital, NUMC has been Nassau County’s only public hospital, funded by taxpayer dollars and expected to treat all patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced the pro -

posal for the new hospital two days after the county voted to give the lease for the 72-acre Hub development to Las Vegas Sands, which plans to build an integrated resort that would include a large casino.

NUMC is two and a half miles from the NCC campus and the Hub. Blakeman’s announcement did not mention it.

Nurse practitioner Theudia Chambers lives in Uniondale and works for NUMC. She made it clear that she was not speaking as a representative for her employer, but her reaction to Blakeman’s words was blunt.

“We already have a medical facility six to eight minutes from

SIElA BYNOE

Nassau County Legislator

the development site,” Chambers said. “What is the need for an NYU Langone development on NCC property?”

She noted that NUMC is a teaching hospital with a Level 1 trauma center, airlift capability, a renowned burn unit that treats Nassau County firefighters, and

the capacity to handle mass casualties. When Hofstra University hosted a presidential debate in 2012, NUMC was the hospital designated to treat then President Barack Obama if he needed medical services.

“So how is it good enough for the president, but not good enough for Blakeman to support?” Chambers said.

She added that she believed the proportion of less-insured patients coming to NUMC for treatment might increase if a new NYU Langone facility were built — which could take five years.

“Underinsured and uninsured come here, including undocumented immigrants in Continued on page 10

Lisa Combs/Herald

UMC is a critical link in our regional matrix.

State files suit against anti-abortion group

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

State Attorney General Letitia James announced on June 8 that her office had filed suit against Red Rose Rescue, a rightwing anti-abortion organization, for blocking access to three Planned Parenthood locations in Nassau and Westchester counties, including the Planned Parenthood in Hempstead on July 7, 2022.

The lawsuit, announced just over two weeks before the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe V. Wade, claims that several members of the pro-life group, Christopher “Fidelis” Moscinski, Matthew Connolly, William Goodman, Laura Gies and John Hinshaw, have interfered with clinics by lying to clinicians to gain access to the facilities under the guise of being a patient and having an appointment.

Once inside, James’s office said, a Red Rose Rescue member posing as a patient will open a back door, allowing others inside, where they have occupied waiting rooms and refused to leave, barricaded entrances, threatened staff and clinicians, and physically blocked access to women’s health care services, all in an effort to stop clinics from operating.

“Red Rose Rescue has made it their mission to terrorize reproductive health care providers and the patients they serve,” James said. “Only we have the right to make decisions about our own

bodies — not anti-choice legislators, not religious extremists and bigoted zealots, and not Red Rose rescue.” She continued, “We will not allow Red Rose Rescue to harass and harangue New Yorkers with their outrageous militant tactics. Make no mistake — abortion is health care, and as New York’s Attorney General, I will continue to protect and defend everyone’s legal right to safely access health care in this state.”

James also announced that she would

seek to ban members of Red Rose Rescue from coming within 30 feet of any reproductive health care facility in the state. Under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and the New York State Clinic Access Act, it is illegal to block access to reproductive health care clinics or harass their patients.

At the news conference announcing the suit, Dipal Shah, the chief external affairs officer for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, thanked James for

holding Red Rose Rescue accountable for actions that he said impact not only Planned Parenthood patients, but staff and volunteers as well.

“It’s unacceptable,” Shah said. “We see, on an almost daily basis, anti-abortion protesters outside our health centers … using harmful tactics to block patients’ access to our health centers — everything from verbally abusing them, forcing pamphlets in their face, and blocking them from entering.” He added, “These top tactics are not just disruptive, they’re psychologically destabilizing and they’re incredibly harmful.”

Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, president of Choice Matters and founder of Project CATCH (for the Center for Analysis and Tracking of Clinical Harassers), share her experiences with Red Rose Rescue.

“I would bet that everyone in this room has a day that changed their lives forever,” Lederer-Plaskett said. “I have mine. It was Nov. 27, 2021. That was the day All Women’s Medical in White Plains was invaded,” Red Rose Rescue managed to take over the entire facility, she said.

“If they had trespassed in a mall, they would have been evicted, removed, taken out immediately,” Lederer-Plaskett said, “but because it was only women’s health care, the police could be heard saying they didn’t want to get involved.”

James said she hoped to continue being a leader in the fight for a woman’s right to choose.

Brandon Cruz/Herald StAte AttORNey GeNeRAl Letitia James addressing the media about her office’s new lawsuit against Red Rose Rescue.

What’s up next door and around the corner

ComeInUnity Day returns to Uniondale

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

For the first time since 2019 due to the Covid pandemic, ComeInUnity, Uniondale’s annual community day event — returned last Saturday as hundreds of residents came together to support the hamlet and kick off the summer season with their neighbors and friends.

At Uniondale Park local vendors set up booths all along the grass, Trimz barbershop was cutting hair for free, volunteers cooked and served free food and water to all attendees, children’s games and crafts were set up, and first responders were on sight engaging with the community they serve.

Vivienne McLeish, the events emcee and founder of Fancy Frenz — a local charity focused on supporting those in need in her homeland of Jamaica — said this an important day to for the community to join together and to provide not only resources, but an overall fun time.

“We’re going to feed you, we’re going to educate you, and we’re going to entertain you,” she said.

ComeInUnity began nearly a decade ago and organized by Heeling Soles, a local nonprofit dedicated to fostering a sense of togetherness and promoting positive community engagement by giving away shoes to the homeless and others in need. Heeling Soles also regularly collaborates with other local organizations such as Fancy Frenz and elected officials like Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams to sponsor local events.

“ComeInUnity is all about bringing families together and celebrating the diversity and community pride that makes Uniondale and the surrounding communities such a special and vibrant place,” Abrahams said. “We’re all very happy that the return of this event was so well received, and hopeful for many more successful events in the years ahead,” he continued.

Steve Muir, founder of Heeling Soles, believes in equality of opportunity — that people should have access to the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter — as well as equal access to education, health care, employment and justice without discrimination.

Muir highlighted what is important about that ComeInUnity.

“It’s an environment that has a bunch of different elements, but one of the most important elements is the information we’re providing,” Muir says. “The vendors here are giving out information on health care, job opportunities, education.”

He noted that the Nassau County Board of Elections and district attorney’s office attended the event.

“It brings all of the elements of county, state and local governments together in one place and gives the community access to that without them having to go out and find it themselves, most of it is here so they can now access it,” Muir said.

Lisa Combs/Herald photos

TRimZ BARBeRshOp CUT hair for free at ComeInUnity. Zion Middleton, of Hempstead, got a trim.

DJ KeviN DAvis spun the tunes and got the crowd rocking at Uniondale Park.

AmeliA BAiley, 5, from Uniondale, had a bow of a time at ComeInUnity.

mAsON AlleN, 13 of Uniondale had his face painted by Nzingha Thompson.

Juneteenth celebration, student art June 17

AUniondale community Juneteenth celebration taking place this weekend is set to feature several paintings by Hofstra University student, Beauvoire JeanCharles, in an exhibit curated by the African American Museum of Nassau County.

Twelve paintings by Jean-Charles, who is a health science and fine arts major from Dix Hills, will be on display in the “Journey to Joy “art show featured at Uniondale’s second annual Joy Fest NY.

“My paintings depict Black individuals who are being unapologetically themselves and take a proud stance against stereotypes and misconceptions about the Black community,” Jean-Charles said.

Joy Fest will be held Saturday, June 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Uniondale High School. The event is presented by the Uniondale High School PTSA and My Brother’s Keeper, a youth initiative for young men of color, and co-sponsored by Hofstra University.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Though President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, enslaved people in states still under Confederate control remained so until June 19, 1865. Union troops arrived on that date in Galveston Bay, Texas and announced that the state’s enslaved people were free. That day came to be known as “Juneteenth.” President Joe Biden signed legislation that made

Juneteenth a federal holiday in June 2021.

In addition to the Journey to Joy exhibition, Joy Fest NY will include music, food, art, games and wellness sessions. The event, which is free, will open with remarks by Assemblywoman Taylor Darling and a keynote address by civil rights attorney Frederick Brewington, who was honored by Hofstra in May with the inau-

gural Michael D’Innocenzo Award for Outstanding Contributions to Constructive Public Dialogue.

Chanda Washington, associate to Hofstra President Susan Poser for government and community affairs, worked with the celebration organizers and Fine Arts Professor Jim Lee, who recommended JeanCharles to participate in the exhibit.

“I immediately thought of Beauvoire –a highly motivated, very talented student who is involved in all things related to the

Hofstra Fine Arts Department,” Lee said.

“She is the active president of the studentrun FORM Gallery and a constant fixture in the painting and drawing studios.”

“I feel so honored to have been recommended by Professor Lee for this opportunity,” said Jean-Charles.

Uniondale High School is at 933 Goodrich Street. For more information, go to JoyFestNy.com.

–Brandon Cruz

Hofstra student and artists Beauvoire Jean-Charles working on her paintings for the Journey to Joy art show

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Photos courtesy of Hofstra University

Hofstra student and artists Beauvoire Jean-Charles paintings will be featured at the Journey to Joy art show.

Rotary club benefits veterans and students

By REINE BETHANY rbethany@liherald.com

Every second and fourth Saturday at 10 a.m., 15 active members and two honorary members of the Hempstead/ Uniondale Rotary Club gather at the Fulton Diner in Hempstead and make plans to benefit their communities.

The group cooks up projects such as providing Thanksgiving dinners for the needy in partnership with local churches, leading food and coat drives, and giving scholarships to students from Hempstead and Uniondale high schools.

During the pandemic, the group supplied masks and hand sanitizer to the high schools and to charities like the New Life Center in Uniondale and the Salvation Army in Hempstead.

Chartered in 1937, the club also has a strong tradition of projects to help veterans, like the May 20 event in which 275 backpacks packed with brand-new T-shirts and underwear, socks, washcloths, and bath towels were sent to a shelter for homeless veterans.

The Hempstead/Uniondale Rotary partnered with the Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club, the South West Queens Rotary Club, the Satellite Club of South Queens, and the Rotary Club of Hicksville South. The Ridgewood Savings Bank and General Needs, Ltd. (a nonprofit group serving veterans) joined the effort.

Collection bins were placed at area churches, libraries and Ridgewood Savings branches. Some donors gave through a web page the Rotary set up on Amazon.com.

The Rotary Day of Service, 65 Rotary members and volunteers converged on the Freeport High School lunchroom last month. Long cafeteria tables held stacks of sized T-shirts and underwear in varying sizes as towels and washcloths.

The items were placed in dark-blue drawstring backpacks that bore the logos of the Hempstead/Uniondale

Rotary Day of Service and General Needs, Ltd., in white lettering. The last item to go in each backpack was a card written by Freeport elementary school students.

The stuffed backpacks were then taken to a storage unit for a General Needs veteran’s shelter in Long Island City.

Next, the club held its yearly officer elections. For 2023–2024, Dr. Gregory Avery was elected president, Janet Ojo vice president, Diane E. Deans secretary, Beverly James executive secretary and district governorelect, Lisa Hunte treasurer, Charles Renfroe assistant treasurer, and Tina Hodge-Bowles assistant governor.

Now the club will distribute scholarship checks to graduating seniors at Hempstead and Uniondale high schools. Students applied for the scholarships by writing essays based on questions determined by the club for the 2022–2023 school year. Two scholarships will go to each high school: the Bishop David Gates Memorial Scholarship award and the Hempstead/Uniondale Community Scholar award.

Interested in joining the Hempstead/Uniondale Rota-

Club

UNIONDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT Our Promise

Enrolling your children in public schools provides them with the opportunity to receive a well-rounded education in a diverse and inclusive environment, with a range of programs and resources. Uniondale Public Schools are also accountable to the community and operate under strict regulations, ensuring that every child receives a quality education regardless of their background or circumstances. With highly qualified teachers, a commitment to academic excellence, and a focus on equity and inclusion, our schools offer a comprehensive education that prepares students for success in college, career, and life.

ry

may reach out to a club member or on its Facebook page, or go to the district website, Rotary7255.org.

Courtesy Hempstead/Uniondale Rotary Club HEmpsTEAd-UNIoNdAlE RoTARY ClUB members were joined by Hempstead village trustees for a Rotary Service day on May 20. Assistant District Governor Tina Hodge-Bowles left, treasurer Lisa A. Hunte, Vice President Janet Ojo, secretary E. Diane Deans, trustee Kevin Boone, President Gregory Avery, executive secretary and District Governor-Elect Beverly James, Violete Avery, Elizabeth Sanders, and Trustee Clariona Griffith.

Herald sports

Arcangelo wins historic Belmont Stakes

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

There was no Triple Crown on the line, but the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes was historic nonetheless.

Trainer Jena Antonucci etched herself into thoroughbred racing history last Saturday when Arcangelo, ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, pulled away down the stretch to finish atop the nine-horse field before a roaring crowd of 48.089 at Belmont Park.

The Florida-based Antonucci, 47, became the first-ever female trainer to capture any of the Triple Crown races and did so with her first-ever entry. Castellano, meanwhile, has now won all three.

“It’s the horse and I am so grateful,” said Antonucci, who began training on her own in 2010. “I will forever be indebted to his honesty to us, his heart, and he is why you get up seven days a week. I didn’t get a lot of sleep the last few nights. I’m not going to lie. I’m so grateful.”

The race marked the 50-year anniversary of Secretariat’s electrifying 31-length Belmont triumph. One of the symbols used to honor “Big Red” this year was the addition of blue roses to the traditional blanket of white carnations awarded to the winner, reminiscent of the famous blue and white checkerboard silks of Secretari at’s owner, Meadow Stable.

Owned by Blue Rose Farm, Arcangelo was full of run throughout as he sat behind pacesetters National Treasure, the Preakness winner, and longshot Tapit Shoes along the backstretch. As the field approached the turn and with Angel of Empire and Hit Show still very much involved after a mile in 1:37.41, Castellano made a decisive move to put the lateblooming son of Arrogate in ideal position going into the turn.

A retreating Tapit Shoes left clear running room for Arcangelo to sneak up along the inside of National Treasure, who dropped out of contention at the quarter pole. Drawing away at the eighth pole, Arcangelo then held off late-charging favorite Forte and Tapit Trice to win by 1 ½-lengths in 2:29.23.

“This is a dream come true. To win two Triple Crown races in the same year, it’s amazing,” said Castellano, who rode Mage to victory in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May and guided Bernardini and Cloud Computing to Preakness scores in 2016 and 2017, respectively. “Everything worked out good,” he added. “There’s always something to shoot for, but I’m just going to keep working hard. But this is so special. He was so impres-

sive. He was always there for me.”

Castellano entered 2023 0-for-15 in the Kentucky Derby and 0-for-14 in the Belmont Stakes. Last Saturday’s win was redemptive for the 45-year-old Venezuelan native, who finished runner-up in the Belmont on three occasions — all by narrow margins, including a three-quarter length loss aboard Stay Thirsty to Ruler On Ice in 2011; a head defeat to Tonalist in 2014 when piloting 28-1 shot Commissioner; and a nose defeat to Creator in 2016 aboard

Arcangelo, a $35,000 purchase who didn’t make his career debut until December, won his third consecutive start and was coming off an impressive triumph in the Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont May 13. He paid $17.80 to win and earned a $900,000 payday to boost his lifetime earnings to $1,067,400 in five starts.

Jon Ebbert, owner of Blue Rose Farm, was in awe as he earned his first Grade 1 win of his career and said he always had

faith in the grey ridgling.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “What an amazing ride. I’m so proud of the horse. He’s an amazing horse. He’s all heart. We knew he had it in him. Javier rode him perfectly and Jena is an amazing trainer. I’m so lucky to find her. The rest is history.”

Forte nosed out Tapit Trice for second. Angel of Empire and Hit Show finished in a dead heat for fourth. Rounding out the field was National Treasure, Il Miracolo, Red Route One and Tapit Shoes.

Destin.

Eric Dunetz/Herald photos

ArcANgELO, A 7-1 ShOT ridden by Javier Castellano, pulled away down the stretch to capture the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes last Saturday before a crowd of more than 48,000.

JON EBBErT, fAr left, owner of Blue Rose Farm, jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Jena Antonucci.

Smoke of wildfires raises health concerns

Air quality advisories were issued five days in a row amid worst pollution in memory

By NICOLE FORMISANO nformisano@liherald.com

The thick yellow haze that descended on Long Island last week was more than a natural sepia-toned filter — the unnervingly post-apocalyptic scene brought with it some serious health concerns.

The blanket of smoke that blocked out the sun on June 7 was a result of a soonerthan-typical start to what is projected to be Canada’s worst wildfire season ever. The resulting smoke plume was like nothing New York state had ever seen, according to officials from the Department of Environmental Conservation.

“It’s certainly the worst in memory, by far,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said of the air quality at a June 7 news conference. “It certainly is unprecedented.”

Long Island, like most of New York, received health advisories regarding degraded air quality every day from June 5 to 9. The advisories came as no shock to residents who were experiencing a yellow, smoke-scented world.

It “smelled like a campfire I couldn’t escape from,” one Facebook user commented to the Lynbrook Herald. “Amber skies, and fire pit smell everywhere,” wrote another.

The Air Quality Index, created by the Environmental Protection Agency, measures the level of pollutants in the air and the resulting health concern. Sensitive groups — children, seniors, pregnant women, or those with heart or lung conditions — should be mindful of AQI ratings of over 100, and everyone, regardless of health, should be careful when ratings rise above 150. Places in Nassau County saw ratings of over 300 during the June 7 peak of bad air. New York City had a rating of 484, briefly making it the most polluted city on earth.

“If you’ve been looking out the window the last couple of days, you can see the effects of the Canadian wildfires,” Dr. James McDonald, acting commissioner of the state Department of Health, said at Wednesday’s news conference. “If you’re out walking and all of a sudden you’re coughing, you’re feeling short of breath, that’s a signal. When your body speaks to you, you want to listen to your body.”

The DEC and other environmental and health organizations urged people to limit time outdoors. Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement urging all schools to suspend outdoor activities, and the Public High School Athletic Association canceled a number of sports events on Long Island.

“When we’re talking particularly about wildfire smoke, we know that contains fine particulate matter, which we know can enter the lungs,” Trevor Summerfield, the director of advocacy in New York for the American Lung Association, said. “These particulate matters could be potentially toxic as well. We don’t want anything in the lungs that’s coming from burning. We know that’s just not healthy for you.”

Short-term exposure to such pollutants can cause coughing, sneezing, shortness

of breath, a runny nose, and irritation of the eyes, nose or throat, according to the DEC. Significant long-term exposure can lead to more serious complications, such as asthma. The DEC and the American Lung Association urged people to stay indoors as much as possible, and to wear an N95 mask if a trip outside was unavoidable.

Last week’s conditions were something of a perfect storm of atmospheric anomalies. According to Nelson Vas, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, the intensity of the smoke Long Island experienced was exacerbated by a poorly timed low-

Environmental and health resources

Check air quality near you airnow.gov

Safety tips and air quality forecasts @NwSNewYorkNY on Facebook and Twitter

Questions about wildfire smoke’s effects on your lungs?

(800) LUNG-USA (586-4872)

pressure system that funneled smoke from extreme fires in Quebec south to Long Island and the metropolitan area. The stifling smog, Vas said, was so intense that Long Island temperatures dropped several degrees.

“Some of the wildfires have spread a bit,” Vas said. “That and the wind direction have all come together to really increase the concentrations down here.”

The severity of the fires is due largely to an extended dry season in Canada. Vas explained that New York has not experienced such a dry spring, making a similar wildfire season here unlikely.

Nonetheless, even more concerning is

the possibility that this is only the beginning of a pattern that could continue to threaten the Northeast with smoke. Climate change is a direct cause of the increased intensity and longevity of wildfires, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. “We’re really concerned about climate change,” Summerfield said. “We know that climate change has an impact on our lung health because of incidences like this. I think it’s just getting worse.”

He added, “In New York, we’re blessed to have great air quality, for the most part. And when we’re used to that, and then you get (June 7), which is like the worst you could possibly see, it’s a pretty stark wakeup call.”

The stifling smog has given way to normal atmospheric conditions, but if the experts are right, and Long Island can potentially expect future run-ins with wildfire smoke, a hazy yellow world may be added to the growing list of “unprecedented events” people should get used to.

Tim Baker/Herald

ThE SMOkE ThAT drifted south from the fires in Canada obscured the skyline and reduced visibility across Long Island.

Courtesy Elysa Parker

ThE vIEw FROM North Woodmere Park as a plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 7.

STRONG instead creates a nurturing, family-

like environment, resulting in what Executive Director Rahsmia Zatar describes as a deep and lasting connections of more than 100,000 people.

“You don’t get discharged from a family,” Zatar said. That powerful familial unit is paramount to STRONG’s success. The proof lies with the countless people who have gone through the program, grown up, and now have families of their own — lovingly calling STRONG staff members their “moms” and “aunties.” This enduring bond is a testament to the organization’s triumph in fostering a supportive community that extends far beyond a child’s time in the program.

“That’s what we aim to build, a sense of

New chief seeks to help with mental health

who preceded her, and said she learned from their differing leadership styles. “I look for the best traits in each of the chiefs that came before me, and see what they do and what works for them, and figure out how that will work for me,” she said.

Her work as a 911 dispatcher for the New York City Fire Department added to her appreciation for the opportunity to help people. “I thought I enjoyed being a volunteer firefighter,” she said, “and then I started that position as a dispatcher, and ended up having even more love for what I was doing.”

Her goals as the chief Ellerbe hopes to build the department’s morale, modernize its workspaces, expand on the resources available to firefighters and create atmosphere in which they can discuss mental health in a comfortable setting.

“Teamwork is something that is very important to me,” she said, “and creating a safe space where people can talk, because we know suicide rates are high among first responders. But besides suicide, mental health in general is important, and to discuss the things that people don’t really talk about and they’re not comfortable talking about.

“I think, without a safe space, you can’t really do much, especially with a bunch of grown men,” she added. “It’s hard to get them comfortable, and a lot of people are unable to express themselves — and when they’re unable to express them -

selves, we struggle really hard.”

According to the Nassau County Police Department’s Office of the Commissioner’s 2021 report, titled “Suicide Prevention in Nassau County,” the suicide rate among first responders in the county is higher than the national average of 11.5 per 100,000 people, and is on the rise. In 2019 there were 10 suicides among county first responders, and the following year there were 13.

In 2021, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline reported a 25 percent increase in calls from first responders

from around the country, most likely due to the added stresses of the coronavirus pandemic. Ellerbe said she is hopeful that together, under her leadership, members of the department can tackle mental health issues head on, and lead by example for other departments.

Facing challenges

Ellerbe described her experience as chief thus far as “amazing,” and added that every day is challenging, and brings something new. “Our district is so complex, and we never know what to expect,”

she said.

But hers has not been an entirely smooth road to the top of the ranks, she noted. As a Black woman in a male-dominated line of work, she has had to change minds and hearts, and worked extra hard to gain the respect of some of her colleagues over the years.

Ellerbe believes the “skepticism” she experienced even after being elected chief can be boiled down to a fear of the unknown. “The way that I perceived it, I think it’s just that there’s never been a female chief, so they may not know what to expect from me,” she said. “I think they’re just trying to observe and watch and say, is she going to do a good job?”

She added, “I think I would be wrong to say there isn’t skepticism, because I think in the beginning there was. But now that they see my work and they see what I’m doing, that I care about them, everything is different now, and starting to come around.”

Ellerbe said she wanted her elevation to chief to inspire young girls across the state, and the country, to chase their dreams, because even if there is a lack of representation, they can still break barriers.

“I would tell them that they can do it — they can do anything,” she said. “In certain fields, you’re going to be different, and you have to be OK with being different, and sometimes it’s frustrating, and sometimes it’s very, very uncomfortable walking into certain rooms that you know you’re going to be the only one, but know that it’s OK, and you’re going to do fine.”

NUMC is running a multi-million-dollar deficit

continued from front page

abundance,” Chambers said. “It’s as if there’s a sign at JFK airport pointing them to NUMC. The private facilities can stabilize patients and send them out the door, but a public facility must treat beyond stabilization. We might get half the bill paid (from public funds) based on the illness, and the other half not paid at all.”

Chambers said she was not against new development — not even the casino — but she felt that NUMC was not included in the talks about community benefits promised by Las Vegas Sands.

The concerns she expressed were amplified by Allison O’Brien Silva, who leads the Say No to the Casino Civic Association.

“Our only public hospital serves a great need for many people in our county,” Silva said of NUMC. “I understand it is struggling a bit financially, and I don’t know what plans the county or the state might have with it.”

Silva said she also worried about the burden to the region’s infrastructure represented by two multibillion-dollar projects within the 110 acres encompassed by the Hub and the proposed hospital. And she wanted to know why the hospital complex was never mentioned before the transfer of the Hub lease.

“I met twice with my legislator, Rich Nicolello,” said Silva, who lives in Manhasset. “I asked him what else could be put in the Hub

besides a casino. He said that RXR’s Lighthouse project (floundered, and) there is nothing else that can be done with the space. He never once mentioned the medical facility.”

Meanwhile, NUMC has indeed been struggling financially. Its 2023 budget report projected a $174 million operating deficit. NuHealth, the healthy system that oversees it, claims it is instituting measures to address the shortfall.

County Legislator Siela Bynoe has called for a public hearing to demand that NuHealth clarify its plans to regain its financial footing.

In a statement to the Herald on June 9, Bynoe affirmed the importance of NUMC while expressing approval of the NYU Langone facility. She views Langone’s proposed expansion as “a tremendous opportunity” to care for the county’s growing population of seniors, and to provide more employment and training for young people entering the medical field.

“In the event that this concept comes to fruition,” Bynoe stated, “it is important for NYU Langone’s expansion to occur in a manner that complements, rather than competes with, Nassau University Medical Center, which has long served a vital role as a Level 1 trauma center and a regional safety net hospital for economically disadvantaged patients. NUMC is a critical link in our regional matrix of healthcare services that must be preserved.”

Courtesy Jessica Ellerbe

Uniondale Fire CHieF Jessica Ellerbe being sworn in by her father, firefighter Leonard Ellerbe, at the ceremony in April.

Reine Bethany/Herald

nassaU University MediCal Center is Nassau County’s sole safety-net hospital.

STEPPING OUT

How does your Get outside and go green grow?

By Karen Bloom

ne of the best things you can grow in a garden is a life-long gardener. With summer upon us, the world outdoors beckons. Starting at home. Your personal landscape is a great place to enjoy being outside.

The kids can benefit in so many ways from digging right in. Literally. There’s growing body of research that indicates gardening-related activities boost physical and emotional health, even academic performance, besides the all-around benefits of family bonding.

So parents and grandparents who are not already getting down and dirty with the kids, what are you waiting for?

From the onset, prepare to pivot. Gardening with kids requires flexibility. Most kids prioritize exploration and discovery in the garden rather than appearance or production. You might have a planned activity, but they prefer to focus on the grasshopper they just found. Rather than corral them back to the task at hand, try talking to them about the grasshopper, sharing their wonder and excitement, and then finding a way to connect it to your activity.

Remember that positive associations with gardening are the goal. If they walk away with those, you’ve succeeded. And they’ll be back to learn more.

Let kids choose what to plant. Offer guidance and guarantee some sure-success plants are among their picks. But if they want beets, roses and petunias, why not? Giving kids agency over what plants they grow also gives them the incentive to continue engaging with their plants over time. Don’t forget that gardening isn’t confined to a raised bed or backyard. You can grow a multitude of plants indoors, on windowsills, porches, or balconies, you name it!

Choose garden projects that work for your needs. To set yourself up for success, always consider projects or activities you might want to try through the lenses of the kids’ age and ability levels, your budget, available space, available time, safety concerns, and growing conditions in your area.

Leave room for good old-fashioned digging. Many kids love to dig in the dirt, and digging and observing are excellent for their sensory systems, gross and fine motor skills, and practicing focus and empathy for small creatures. Leaving a designated dig space in the garden gives them a spot to search for worms and grubs, and helps keep disruptive digging out of other areas of the garden.

Make the garden a joyful place. Positive associations with nature early on in life give kids a sense of belonging to the natural world and responsibility for it. Help with the behind-the-scenes maintenance of kids’ gardens so they continue to be an inviting space for them. Give them opportunities for responsibility, but don’t turn gardens into a chore or punishment they would rather avoid. Embrace kids’ preferences, and avoid

The Fab Faux

pressing them to taste, touch or smell something they don’t want to.

Ensure activities are geared toward equal access. Think through how to share a gardening experience equally with all the kids participating. Try collaborative gardening: One kid digs a hole, another sprinkles compost, another kid places a seedling in, and so on. This helps multiple kids be involved in smaller garden tasks.

Set aside time when kids can explore the garden without an intended activity. Positive associations also come from moments when kids are allowed to observe, explore and play in a self-led way.

And just as important, enjoy gardening yourself. One of the most powerful teaching tools is the use of modeling. Don’t underestimate how impactful showcasing your enthusiasm for gardening can be on the kids you’re working with.

A garden is a wonderful place for kids to try caring for a living thing and being responsible for the success or failure of a growth cycle. And when failures happen, it’s a space for kids to learn how to deal with an undesired outcome, grow their resiliency, and try again.

With a commitment to the accurate reproduction of Beatles’ repertoire, The Fab Faux treat the seminal music with unwavering respect, known for their painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles). The musical virtuosity of The Fab Faux — in actuality five New York City-based musicians — upends the concept of a Beatles tribute band. Far beyond extended cover sets, their shows are an inspired rediscovery of The Beatles’ musical magic. Imagine hearing complex material like ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ or “I am the Walrus” performed in complete part-perfect renditions. Or such harmony-driven songs as ‘Because,’ ‘Nowhere Man,’ and ‘Paperback Writer,’ reproduced with extra vocalists to achieve a double-tracked effect. That’s The Fab Faux experience.

Friday, June 16, 8 p.m. $75, $55, $45, $35. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, or ParamountNY.com.

Felice Brothers

A folk-Americana-rock-country band with deep roots in varied genres, The Felice Brothers are lauded as ‘musician’s musicians’ and poets. The brothers — Ian on guitar and lead vocals, and James, a multiinstrumentalist and vocalist — hail from the Catskills. Their early songs echoed off subway walls and kept company with travelers and vagrants. Their current lineup, with the addition of bassist and inaugural female Felice member Jesske Hume and drummer Will Lawrence (also a singer/songwriter) as their rhythm section, promises to be the best yet. Their latest tunes carry messages that beg listeners to think deeply about the environment, humanity, legacy, and death. Many of the songs depict nostalgia, transience and getting older. For songwriter Ian Felice, there must also always be a current of hope in the music.

Sunday, June 18, 7:30 p.m. $37 and $32.

Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark

on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

THE SCENE

Tom Chapin & The Chapin Sisters

Harry Chapin’s family holds a special place in the long rich history of family ensembles. Always busy with their many endeavors, the family unites for a rare performance together on the Landmark stage, Thursday, June 22, 7:30 p.m. Their successful musical careers are a testament to Harry’s enduring legacy. His brother Tom Chapin, with daughters Abigail and Lily Chapin, who perform as The Chapin Sisters; along with bandmate Michael Mark on electric bass and Jon Cobert on piano, will enthrall the audience with their pristine harmonies and folk-influenced melodies. A fixture on the music scene for decades, the Chapins, of course, continue to carry on Harry Chapin’s philanthropic legacy. Non-perishable food items will be collected for Long Island Cares, the Harry Chapin Food Bank. $150 and $75. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

June 15

Breastfeeding Support Group

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s exhibition, “Eye And Mind: The Shin Collection,” highlights the extraordinary collection masterworks assembled by 31-year-old connoisseur Hong Gyu Shin, an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares his treasures, including works by Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Klimt, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, de Kooning, Gorky and many other important names from art history provocatively juxtaposed with the painting and sculpture of our own time from both Asia and the West. On view through July 9. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 7052434 to secure a spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

‘Blinded By The Light’

Bruce Springsteen tribute band E Street Shuffle rocks Eisenhower Park, Saturday, June 17, 8 p.m. Hailing from Asbury Park, N.J., E Street Shuffle is a band that built itself from the ground up on the principals of being as musically authentic as humanly possible, while embodying the spirit, power and camaraderie of Springsteen and the E Street Band’s legendary live concerts. Bring seating. Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit NassaucCountyNY.gov.

Create a terrarium

June 20

Art talk

Movie matinee

See “Whitney Houston: I

Wanna Dance with Somebody,”

Wednesday, June 21, 2:304:30 p.m., at Uniondale Public Library. 400 Uniondale Ave. Visit UniondaleLibrary.org for information.

Uniondale Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting

The Uniondale Board of Trustees meets, Wednesday June 21, 7 p.m., at Uniondale Public Library. 400 Uniondale Ave. Visit UniondaleLibrary.org for information.

Friends of the Uniondale Library

Friends of the Uniondale Library hold their monthly meeting, Wednesday, June 21, 6 p.m., at Uniondale Public Library. 400 Uniondale Ave. To join remotely visit UniondaleLibrary.org.

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, June 20, 4 p.m. He’ll discuss “Baldessari and the Making of the Avant-Garde.” John Baldessari’s roster from Cal Arts featured famed artists, from Eric Fischl (who never technically took a class with him) to David Salle, James Casebere, Tony Oursler, Ericka Beckman, Ross Bleckner, Carrie Mae Weems, James Welling and so many other art stars. Examine not only Baldessari’s own art but some of the famous assignments offered by the man many consider the most influential art school teacher of the 20th century. Participation is limited; registration required. $40, $20 members. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org or call (516) 484-9337.

Having an event?

Bring your second to fifth grader to the Uniondale Public Library to build a free terrarium as an arts crafts project, Monday, June 26, 2 to 3 p.m. 400 Uniondale Ave. Visit UniondaleLibrary.org for information.

Yoga at the library

Participate in a free yoga class at Uniondale Public Library, Friday, June 23, 12:30 p.m. Limited to 20 participants. First come, first served. 400 Uniondale Ave. Register at UniondaleLibrary.org.

June 22

Heart hand bean arts and crafts

Instructor Lisa Colon guides adult participants on creating heart hands using different colored beans, Thursday, June 22, 7-9 p.m. at Uniondale Public Library. $3 materials fee. 400 Uniondale Ave. Register at UniondaleLibrary. 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.

On stage

Families will enjoy another musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Thursday and Friday, June 15-16, 10:15 a.m. and noon.This musical comedy adventure stars Willems’ beloved character The Pigeon, who is eager to try anything and everything. When a bus driver takes a break from the route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take the driver’s place — a pigeon. The audience is part of the action, in this innovative mix of songs, silliness and feathers. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Westbury House Tour

For many years visitors to Westbury House at Old Westbury Gardens asked what was beyond the first floor corridor. Now beyond the door and discover “secrets of the service wing,” during a 60-minute guided tour, Friday, June 16, noon; Sunday, June 18, 1:30 p.m.; Monday, June 19, noon, Wednesday, June 21, noon; Thursday, June 22, noon and 1:30 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.

To learn more about Paws With A Cause and to find out how you help, just download this app and watch the story come to life!

Event focuses on pedestrian, bicycling deaths

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

“I am living with this unimaginable pain, grief, emptiness,” Diana Alati, an advocate at Families for Safe Streets who lost her 13-year-old son, Andrew in a bicycle crash, told the audience at the first ever Walk Bike Long Island Summit. The event, held at Farmingdale State College, was organized to fight what advocates are calling “the silent epidemic” — the stunning and often overlooked number of pedestrian and bicycling fatalities.

Andrew was bicycling home from a friend’s house for dinner on Hempstead Turnpike, in Levittown, on June 30, 2019, when a speeding 19-yearold driver doing 55 mph in a 40-mph zone, trying to make it through a yellow light, struck and killed him. The Alati family, worried about how long Andrew had been gone, checked the Life360 app to see his location. They saw that his icon wasn’t moving, and rushed out. At the scene, his mother screamed to paramedics, “Is he OK?” saying over and over, “Andrew, please don’t go. Don’t leave me.”

But the affectionate young boy who loved baseball, hockey, music and riding his bicycle was gone, and “our family forever changed,” Alati said.

Along with other advocacy groups, Alati is part of a growing movement demanding changes that would reduce the number of deaths on the streets. Simple road design changes, such as rumble strips, consistency of school zone limits from town to town, and accurate police report documents, in the case of a fatality, are ways she has suggested could help, because “my son’s life was not an oopsie.”

Cynthia Brown, executive director of the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety, remembers the days of advocating for seatbelts to be a law. She recalls the combined efforts of medical professionals recounting the horrors of seeing car crash victims, public figures lending their voices, and public service announcements shown in movie theaters, and how they succeeded.

Brown said she believes that a similar group effort is

now necessary to draw attention to the severity of the issue, which has only worsened since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. “I think we need something like this now,” Brown said. “I don’t know how to bring people’s attention to what a serious problem (this is). It was bad before Covid, (but) since Covid it’s a nightmare.”

Speeding, impairment, distraction, and fatigue account for 90 percent of all fatalities, Kazem Oryani, an engineering professor at Farmingdale State College, said. “Thirty percent of the fatalities are related to speed,” he said. “This is the one (worth) fighting (now). There are others, which are education on other things, which would come later.”

Daniel Flanzig, an attorney and a member of the New York Bicycling Coalition board of directors, said he believes the next step for the next generation of drivers is automated enforcement, which works effectively in Europe and New York City — changing the incentive from relying on empathy to forcing open wallets after an impartial machine dishes out a ticket. Other than that, Flanzig said, little tweaks in a town can alter roadway behaviors, like changing the radius of a turn or painting bike lane lines more clearly with inexpensive paint.

Engineer Matthew Carmody stated that intersections and streets are safer when we can see eye to eye with one another. One improvement that accomplishes that is called daylighting, which bans parking near an intersection so pedestrians and bicyclists can see motorists, and vice versa. For this, Carmody said, no traffic study needs to be done; it’s just a matter of convincing the public to lose two a couple of parking spaces in order to save lives.

Karina Kovac/Herald

DIANA AlAtI, AN advocate at Families for Safe Streets, shared her heart-wrenching story of losing her young son, Andrew, to a reckless speeder at the first Walk Bike Long Island Summit, meant to fight the ‘silent epidemic’ of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities.

LI TODAY welcome to

VoIces

Sands leads the way in award-winning sustainability efforts

Not only does Sands provide world-class integrated resorts, but their three-pillar Corporate Responsibility Commitment has also been recognized on the 2022 Dow Jones Sustainability Index and named one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies” in 2023 by Newsweek.

The commitment represents Sands’ unique approach to addressing the issues most important to the business, communities and key stakeholders through three pillars: People, Communities and Planet.

Through this commitment, Sands looks to be the employer and partner of choice for team members, suppliers and guests; aims to keep its regions strong through corporate giving and partnering with local groups and organizations; and aims to minimize its environmental impact through its building design and development, operations and events.

Sands ECO360

Sands ECO360, its award-winning global sustainability program, is aligned with internationally recognized frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a specific focus on the objectives most relevant to Sands operations in the areas of energy, water

who we are:

and waste.

Through the program, the company guides its environmental impact and promotes sustainable practices through three core areas of focus:

Building design and development: Sustainability is built into the resorts from start to finish, beginning with smart design and integrated technology to reduce future impact in operations. Throughout construction, practices are implemented that preserve resources and mitigate harm to the local ecology. The approach incorporates sustainability into the entirety of buildings’ life cycles.

Resort management and operations: The heart of Sands’ environmental strategy focuses on establishing responsible practices that drive efficiency. They accomplish this objective by continually enhancing processes, incorporating the latest technologies and leveraging sustainability best practices to improve performance, all with seamless integration to ensure an exceptional guest experience.

Meetings, events and entertainment: Shaping modern meetings, events and entertainment offerings means curating experiences with environmental responsibility, wellness and community engagement in mind. Sands’ holistic approach integrates these principles into planning and execution to ensure we foster sustainability every step of the way.

Sands has proactively been working with the community to understand the environmental sensitivities of the area. Their commitment to sustainability issues across their existing portfolio is impressive and we are excited to see that dedication demonstrated in the plans they are developing.

Throughout the entire community engagement process, Sands has demonstrated their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint by incorporating renewable energy solutions and environmentally responsible design. Sands has also emphasized prioritizing sustainable operations, including emphasizing the wellbeing of their employees and partners.

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

Photo provided by Sands

Photo The heart of Sands’ environmental strategy centers on responsible practices that drive efficiency, which is accomplished by continually enhancing processes, incorporating the latest technologies and leveraging sustainability best practices to improve performance.

Jeannine Maynard, Co-Chair of Sands Environmental Working Group & Community Activist

Sammy Chu, Co-Chair Sands Environmental Working Group & Chair of Long Island Chapter of US Green Building Council

HISTORY OF

1999: A tribute to its famed namesake city, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas opened with great fanfare – singing gondoliers, sounding Poopets and a flutter of white

2007: The group’s vision would again transform a region. Seeing the potential to overcome Macao’s space challenges by filling the bay between the Coloane and Taipa islands, the group’s foresight led to the Cotai Strip and opening of The Venetian Macao, the world’s largest inhabited building at a time.

2008: Torging ahead with the success of The Venetian Macao, we continued to recognize the ever-changing needs of affluent travelers, who were seeking new levels of sophistication, attentiveness and privacy.

2010:

a

on

To learn more about the Sands as the world’s preeminent developer and

doves.

Photo: The $1.5 billion resort became a resounding success. Fortune wrote that it led to “the overall renaissance of Las Vegas itself”

2004: The company went public, and opened their first property in Asia, Sands Macao in Macao (SAR,) China.

Photo: Seeing opportunity in Asia before others, the group opened Sands Macao, the first Las Vegas-style casino in the region and the first American-based hospitality development in Asia.

Photo:Also that year, Sands opened The Palazzo in Las Vegas, which displaced the Pentagon as the largest U.S. building at the time and delivered a stunning combination of understated luxury and groundbreaking design.

Photo: They opened The Plaza Macao, which is home to the exclusive Paiza Mansions, the Four Seasons Hotel Macao, The Shoppes at Four Seasons and an array of award-winning dining options.

2009: Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened, empowering the Eastern Pennsylvania region to overtake New Jersey as the gaming center of the Eastern United States.

Photo: Located on the site of the historic Bethlehem Steel Works, the resort brought economic opportunity to the former steel town.

They set their sights

Singapore with

$5.6 billion investment that became the iconic Marina Bay Sands, a national landmark in Singapore.

Photo: In eight months, Marina Bay Sands posted an industry-record $600 million operating profit. Within a year, Singapore tourism had increased by 20% and the economy expanded by 15%.

2012: Sands Cotai Central began opening in phases and was completed in 2015 with the opening of The St. Regis Macao, Catai Central.

HISTORY OF

2016: The Parisian Macao opened in September 2016. It was the crown jewel of Mr. Adelson’s vision to recreate the excitement and success of the Las Vegas Strip on the

2019: They completed the $1.3 billion sale of Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem to Wind Creek Hospitality.

2019: They announced a $2.2 billion expansion in Macao, including plans to upgrade and rebrand the Sands Cotai Central as The Londoner, our latest European-themed property.

2021: They announced the sale of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas to focus on their investments in Asia and development of emerging markets and geographies.

2023: Sands announces its intention to pursue the development of a multi-billion-dollar flagship hospitality, entertainment and casino project on the site currently home to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Photo: Sands Cotai Central (rebranded The Londoner Macao in 2019) became home to four hotels, offering more than 6,000 rooms and suites along with gaming, dining, retail and entertainment — all under one roof.

Cotai Strip in Macao.

Photo: inspired by the famed City of Light, The Parisian features a half-size replica of the Eiffel Tower and offers the industry’s most innovative and sustainable features in an Integrated Resort.

Photo: The sale represented an important milestone in their long-term strategy to focus on large-scale, tourism-enhancing Integrated Resort development.

Photo: The Londoner began opening in phases in 2020 and fully opened in February 2021.

Photo: Sale of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas was completed in February 2022.

Photo: Artist rendering of the Long Island Sands.

LI TODAY

ECO360 core areas of focus

Sands ECO360 works to minimize environmental impact and lead the way in sustainable building development and resort operations through three key initiatives:

efforts

Continued from page 1

Strategy

Sands’ dedication to preserving the planet’s natural resources is not only a promise—it’s an area of consistent leadership in the hospitality industry. Sands continuously evolves initiatives in their key areas of focus to address emerging trends, incorporate the latest technologies and environmental practices, and foster even greater environmental stewardship.

Low-carbon transition

• Energy efficiency — Design buildings that conserve electricity and deploy new technologies to reduce energy consumption during ongoing operations

• Renewable energy — Seek out renewable energy solutions, including on-site solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems and renewable energy credits

• Transportation — Transition guest shuttle buses to electric and clean-fuel sources and leverage carbon offsets for hard-to-decarbonize air and ferry travel

Water stewardship

• Water efficiency — Upgrade fixtures and systems, enact water conversation policies and encourage sensible water usage

• Water reuse — Increase use of non-potable water for landscaping, restrooms, cooling towers and other uses

• Ecosystems — Partner with regional water champions to reinvigorate biodiverse ecosystems, increase resiliency, engage communities and leverage water technologies

Plastic and packaging

• Single-use disposables — Replace single-use products with sustainable alternatives and transition to reuse models where possible

• Packaging — Reduce the environmental footprint of primary, secondary and tertiary packaging in our operations

Sourcing

• Sustainable food — Source eco-friendly ingredients and provide sustainable cuisine in restaurants through menu offerings curated with the planet and biodiversity in mind

• Building development and renovation — Integrate energy-saving technologies and environmentally friendly products and materials

• Resort operations — Explore sustainable options for incorporation in our business processes and the guest experience

Waste

• Food waste — Tackle one of the largest waste streams through prevention, donation and diversion

• Construction waste — Responsibly handle construction waste from new developments, remodels and renovations

• Operational waste — Recycle wherever possible and find opportunities to reduce waste generation

BuILdINg dESIgN aNd dEvELOPmENt: Sands’ approach incorporates sustainability into the entirety of their buildings’ life cycles from start to finish.

RESORt

maNagEmENt aNd OPERatIONS: Sands uses the latest environmental strategies to improve performance, all with seamless integration to ensure an exceptional guest experience.

mEEtINgS, EvENtS aNd ENtERtaINmENt:

Sands’ holistic approach curates experiences with environmental responsibility, wellness and community engagement in mind when it comes to planning and execution.

Sands leads the way in award-winning sustainability

Photo provided by Sands

Photo To maintain sustainability, Sands builds its resorts with smart design and technologies meant to reduce future impact and implements practices that preserve resources and mitigate harm throughout construction.

New Navy attack sub named USS Long Island

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

A new Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine has been named the USS Long Island, paying homage to the multitude of veterans from Long Island and the island itself. The announcement was made to active sailors and media on Pier 88 in Manhattan during the 35th annual Fleet Week, the city’s time-honored celebration of the sea services, by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.

The submarine is the third U.S. Navy ship named after Long Island, but a long way from the original USS Long Island steam trawler purchased by the Navy in 1917. As an attack submarine, the 377-foot-long vessel is designed specifically to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operations forces, carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, support battle group operations and engage in mine warfare.

“New York has been a Navy town since our nation’s founding,” Del Toro said at the announcement. “Today over 200,000 veterans are spread across the five boroughs, with over 50 percent living on Long Island, in Brooklyn and Queens. The service of these veterans throughout our nation’s history has been admirable, and it’s an honor to recognize them as well as the district itself with this submarine naming.”

Capt. Patrick Evans, a naval special assistant for public affairs, wrote in an email to the Herald about the history of the original USS Long Island: “It served as a minesweeper, harbor patrol ship, and an icebreaker until after the first world war and (was) decommissioned in 1919.”

The second ship to bear the name Long Island was an

escort carrier, the first of its class at the time. Notably, it was the first of the Navy’s prototype aircraft carriers, which launched squadrons of attack aircraft in the Pacific theater in World War II.

Earlier, in 1941, the ship cruised the East Coast on neutrality patrol, keeping a watchful eye on potentially dangerous patrolling German submarines. A year later, the ship would prove instrumental in assisting with the Guadalcanal campaign.

Fighting at the Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the turn-

ing points in the war, the USS Long Island helped save the island of Guadalcanal from a Japanese onslaught. The vessel carried Marine Corps dive bombers, and two squadrons of Grumman Wildcat fighters, built in Bethpage, into the skirmish.

After the war, the USS Long Island trained pilots and ferried returning American troops home from the Pacific as part of Operation Magic Carpet, the largest combined air and sealift ever organized to bring troops back. Many of them, no doubt, were coming home to Long Island.

Courtesy U.S. Navy/Amber Speer

SeCRetARy Of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announces the name of the Navy’s newest submarine, USS Long Island, on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp on May 25 during Fleet Week.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME

COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU DLJ Mortgage Capital, Inc., Plaintiff

AGAINST Frank Romanek; Lynda Romanek; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 30, 2019, 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 27, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 688 Beck Street, 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: 050, BLOCK: 385, LOT: 21-22. Approximate amount of judgment

$141,107.13 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #015270/2011. 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. 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”. Matthew Vishnick, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-084796-F00

76170

139674

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU

NATIONSTAR HECM

ACQUISITION TRUST 2016, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE , V. CARLA

BRADFORD A/K/A CARLA

MICHELLE BRADFORD AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF CHARLES BRADFORD, ET. AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated October 19, 2022, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein NATIONSTAR

HECM ACQUISITION

TRUST 2016, WILMINGTON

SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE is the Plaintiff and CARLA BRADFORD A/K/A CARLA

MICHELLE BRADFORD AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF CHARLES

BRADFORD, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on June 27, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 273 WARREN STREET, UNIONDALE, NY 11553: Section 44, Block 38, Lot 191: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT HEMPSTEAD, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK, Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 010031/2009. Adrienne Flipse Hausch, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

139724

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. MARITZA FUENTES et al, Defts. Index #606537/2021. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered June 17, 2022 and order to substitute the referee entered May 1, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on June 29, 2023 at 3:30 p.m. prem. k/a Section 36, Block 140, Lot 8. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Foreclosure auction will be held “rain or shine.” If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the sale. MALACHY LYONS, JR., Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY. #100407

139726

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT: NASSAU COUNTY. U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF CVI LCF MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST I, Pltf. vs., KEVIN

HEARN AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF SHIRLEY M. HEARN, et al, Defts. Index #605631/2021. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered May 15, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the north side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court,

100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on July 6, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., prem. k/a 1300 Pembroke Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot, piece, or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, a/k/a Section 50, Block 03901, Lot 221. Approx. amt. of judgment is $454,709.54 plus costs 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.

SCOTT H. SILLER, Referee.

PINCUS LAW GROUP PLLC, Attys. for Pltf., 425 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY File No. 09162020.47592#100461 139839

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING PLEASE TAKE

NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, Town Hall Plaza, 1 Washington Street, Village and Town of Hempstead, New York, on the 20th day of June, 2023 at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, to consider the enactment of an amendment to Chapter 99 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead entitled “Registration and Permitting of Property” in relation to accessory structures and penalties. The proposed local law is available at hempsteadny. gov, on the bulletin board at Town Hall as of the publication of this notice, and on file in the Office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Hempstead, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, where the same may be inspected during office hours. ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated:Hempstead, New York June 6, 2023 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR.

Supervisor 140098

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR FREMONT HOME LOAN TRUST 20062, ASSET- BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-2 Plaintiff, Against DEMOFILDA BLUME A/K/A

DEMOFILDA J. BLUME, MICHAEL BLUME, et al.

Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 05/02/2023, I, the undersigned Referee,

will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501. This Auction will be held rain or shine on 7/17/2023 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 836 Hempstead Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11553, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being In The Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau, State Of New York. Section 50 Block 138 Lot 342 And 343. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $386,866.18 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 605885/2018 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. Mark L. Lieberman, Esq., Referee. McCabe, Weisberg & Conway, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573 Dated: 5/23/2023 File Number: 17-303102 LD 140139

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY

U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF11 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Plaintiff against NASSAU COUNTY PUBLIC ADMINSITRATOR AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM J.B. CARTER A/K/A WILLIAM

J.B. CARTER, SR. A/K/A JOSEPH W. CARTER, SR., 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 January 11, 2023, 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 July 18, 2023 at 2:30 PM. Premises known as 1063 Northgate Court, Uniondale, NY 11553. Sec 55 Block 530 Lot 16. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Uniondale (unincorporated), in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Approximate Amount of Judgment is $183,448.10 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 007186/2013. Cash will not be accepted at the sale. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’sCovid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction

Breakfast event sponsors thanked by Kiwanis

East Meadow Kiwanis will meet at the Grand Stage Diner, located at 2490 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow on June 20 at 7:15 p.m. New members always welcome. For more information, contact club president Diane Krug at (516) 946-6481.

The club would like to thank the sponsors of their annual pancake breakfast fundraiser that took place on June 4.

Platinum sponsors included Leo F. Kearns Funeral Directors and Starbucks. Gold sponsors included Coldwell Banker American Homes, Chas O’Shea Funeral

Homes, Four Seasons Power Equipment, The Standard Group, United Properties Corp, East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, Krug Real Estate, Sunrise Assisted Living, Grand Stage Diner and Alure Home Improvements. Silver sponsors included Debra Kirsh - Coldwell Banker American Homes, the Kamper Family, Masters Auto Collision, Greg Peterson, Warren Kalmenson, A+C Pest Management, Complete Orthopedic Services, Carvel - Trio Team, Beverage Barn, CEMCO, Tom McKevitt, AFC Urgent Care and the Bristal Assisted Living.

League of Women Voters dinner on June 30

The Central Nassau Chapter of the League of Women Voters noted the 60 high school students from across the state took part in the 23rd annual Students Inside Albany program sponsored by the League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation.

The program offers students a firsthand education on how state government works. It is designed to give the students an increased awareness of their responsibility in representative government and provide the needed information for meeting that obligation.

There were hands-on learning experi-

ences including interactive lectures on the state budget, learning the role of lobbyists in the legislative process, citizen rights to access government, the role of media in politics and reforming state government. The students toured the Capitol and shadowed their state senators and assemblymember.

Local students will be recognized at the Central Nassau Chapter dinner on Friday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m., at the Davenport Press Restaurant in Mineola. For more information on the dinner, go to LwvNy.org.

–Jeffrey Bessen

Public Notices

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.” Lisa Goodwin, Esq., Referee AYSN382 140165

OF THE HOLDERS OF THE J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST 2006CH2 ASSET BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-CH2, Plaintiff, Against MAUREEN E. HILLARY A/K/A MAUREEN HILLARY, et al.Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 11/15/2016, 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. This Auction will be held rain or shine on 7/17/2023 at

2:00 PM, premises known as 612 Newton Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553, and described as follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Uniondale, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York Section 36 Block 134 Lot 507 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $388,511.23 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure

and Sale; Index # 11090-14

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. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www. Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Jane Shrenkel, Esq., Referee. SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road , Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Maureen Lennon/Herald file East MEadow Kiwanis will be meeting on June 20. This is the first meeting after

DRIVERS

Administrative Opening Monticello Central School

Assistant Elementary Principal

The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.

Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000

NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE

Administrative Opening Monticello Central School

High School Principal

The Monticello CSD is seeking forward thinking and dynamic School Building Principal who can lead MCSD’s highly engaged faculty, staff, parents, students, and community. The successful candidate will have a vision of educational excellence, be highly motivated, and demonstrates an ability to impact student learning.

Starting Salary: $150,000

NYS SDA/SAS/SBL Certification Required plus 2 yrs. of previous administrative leadership and 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE

Administrative Opening Monticello Central School

Assistant Secondary Principal

The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.

Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000

NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus

3 yrs. exp. as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE

DRIVING

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry.

To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

LINE COOK: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 10am-6pm. Sandwiches/ Salads. Beach Restaurant. Great Summer Job. 516-835-2819

Manager On Duty

At Blaze, Old Bethpage Village Outdoors From September Through November 5-8 Hour Shifts. Serve As The Primary Point Of Contact For All Issues That May Occur During The Event, Seeing Each Through To Resolution. Serve As The Primary Point Of Contact For Emergency Personnel Hourly Rate $25-$30 To Apply: https://hudsonvalley.org/ employment/

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. We offer salary, commission, bonuses, health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Will consider part time. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OFFICE HELP PT/FT: Computer Literate. Answer Phones, Packing, Process Orders. Baldwin Dental Supply Company. 516-783-7800

Help Wanted

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships.

Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Will Consider Part Time. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

Path Monitor

At Blaze, Old Bethpage Village Outdoors From September Through November

5-8 Hour Evening Shifts

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

UP TO $20.70 NYC, $20.00 L.I., $16.20 Upstate NY! If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed. 347-713-3553

Childcare Offered

CHILDCARE AVAILABLE SUMMER PROGRAM Infants - 12 Years Custom Hours Nights and Weekends Indoor and Outdoor Activities Arts and Crafts, All Meals NYS Licensed/ DSS

HomesHERALD

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

East Atlantic Beach

Rare Double Lot

The perfect 2 family home situated on a double lot in coveted East Atlantic Beach, offering exclusive access to private beaches with a locker for all of your beach essentials. A spacious open layout is perfect for entertaining, and the gorgeous kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and a large pantry. A side deck leads to a beautifully landscaped yard. The primary bedroom features a walk-in closet and a private entrance to a full bathroom. The lower floor has two additional bedrooms, a full bathroom, an oversized laundry/utility room, and additional storage space. Upstairs boasts a spacious onebedroom apartment with a large living room, kitchen, full bathroom and private balcony, perfect for accommodating guests or as a rental unit to generate additional income. There is parking for 3 cars, a rare commodity. Close to the trendy west end of Long beach with local restaurants and shops, offering convenient access to all the amenities you need.

The Barbara Mullaney Team

Berkshire Hathaway

Laffey International Realty

The Petrey Group 860 West Beech Street Long Beach 516-582-6096

REAL ESTATE

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA 1193 E. Broadway # M23

& Sun Rm Overlooking 1/3 Acre Resortlike Prop w/ IG Lap Pool, Hot Tub, Bar & Gazebo. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. SD#20 $1,149,000

1193 E. Broadway # M23, BA, Move Right Into This Stunning Gut

Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/Thermdore St Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking

Avail. SD#14. You Don’t Want to Miss This

REDUCED! $359,000

1599 Lakeview Dr, BA, 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on Tree Lined St in SD#14. Spacious LR, DR & Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship

REDUCED! $799,000

1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry

Rm. Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED & MOTIVATED!! $599,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom (Originally

3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit.

Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style

Living BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER! $579,000

220 Jackson Pl, BA, WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL! 4 BR, 2.5 Bth CH Col on OS

Prop at the End of Quiet Dead End St. LR, FDR, Den/Fpl & Spac EIK. Primary

Ste w/ Bth. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar.

What permits do we need before we sell?

Q. I’m trying to figure out what to do about the old construction on my house that I am being told needs permits before I can finish selling. First, I understand that I may have to pay a penalty, and second, I’m wondering why my buyer says they will take over and get permits after we close but their attorney says it’s a lot more complicated because we didn’t get a flood repair permit after Hurricane Sandy. What can you tell me about this? It seems much more complicated than it needs to be.

A. This is a typical case of “you snooze, you lose.” I regularly hear from people who tell me that their friends, contractors, even their attorneys, in some cases, give them “off the record” advice not to make waves, not to do anything. But the issues and requirements don’t just go away, and design professionals are held back from what you really wanted them to do, like an addition or a home makeover, many years later.

REDUCED Move Right Into This Stunning Gut Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/Thermdore St Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking Avail. SD#14. You Don't Want to Miss This...$359,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA 1638 RIDGEWAY DR.

FIRST TIME ON MARKET Well Maintained 6 BR, 3.5 Bth 3500 Sq Ft Exp CH Colonial on Beautiful St. LR/Fpl, Spac Fam Rm/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sun Rm Overlooking 1/3 Acre Resortlike Prop w/ IG Lap Pool, Hot Tub,Bar & Gazebo. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. SD#20...$1,149,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BAY PARK BA,190 Meadowview Ave Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14.Near All. Must See This Unique Home!..$3,200,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas elliman 516-238-429 ba

Open Houses

WOODMERE BA, 504 Saddle Ridge Rd., FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This Renovated 4 BR, 2 Bth Split with Open Layout in Prime Location! Granite/Wood EIK Opens to Dining Room & Living Room. Lower Level Den. HW Flrs, Gas Heat, CAC. Oversized Property! SD#14.Near All!..$999,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Apartments For Rent

CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

Garages For Rent

OCEANSIDE 2 CAR Garage.Great Location.Good for Classic Cars or Storage. Call For Further Informations. Must See! 516-476-8787

MoneyTo Lend

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

Waiting and ignoring the requirements has put you in a much more difficult situation. Since Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has required that people who received funding, whether directly from the federal agency or through public funds like New York Rising, had to confirm that the funds were put toward the repairs they were meant for. It’s just like providing your car insurance company the receipts and/or an inspection to confirm that the money they gave you for repairs was spent on the car, and not on some fraudulent luxury expense.

In 2013, your municipality required a repair permit, and instead of repeatedly contacting you, they opted to say that they notified you (once or twice), and now it’s your problem that you didn’t respond. The friction this created has lasted long after the memory of the flood turmoil has diminished. People feel ambushed, but arguing or passing on the requirement doesn’t make it go away.

In fact, one of the requirements is a “proof of loss” letter issued to the property owner, preferably the person who owned the property at the time of the flood. Switching to the next owner just complicates the process. Even though repair permits do not have a permit fee, most people made improvements during repairs, and your municipality recently doubled the fees for property improvements. So putting off the repair is now going to cost even more, which your buyer’s attorney might also realize while protecting the buyer.

When it comes to building department fees, one of the biggest municipalities, whose fees were more lenient, just raised them substantially. A couple who applied for permits in 2019, later hampered by the pandemic, saw their projected fees go from $2,000 to $4,600 this past month. Yes, it really did take that long, due to the pandemic and the stages of approval they had to go through, and they weren’t snoozing. Listen to the buyer’s attorney and follow through. Good luck!

© 2022 Monte Leeper

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

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

Barbara Mullaney

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announcements

WITNESS WANTED To The Accident

That Occured On May 15th around 2pm At The Intersection Of Lakeville Road And Marcus Avenue. Please Call 347-235-0525

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

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

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds Under $100

30X12X12 FISH OR reptile tank with matching screen cover and 30" wooden stand. $75. 516-366-4004

CUSTOM SURF FISHING rod. Lamiglass Honey color SB1213M, cork tape butt, fuji conventional guides. $99. 516-781-7069

CUSTOM SURF FISHING rod. Lamiglass Honey color SB1362M, cork tape butt, mildrum spinning guides. $99. 516-781-7069

GOLF CART LIKE New $25.00 Assorted Woods $15.00 each Like New 516 781-8313

Finds Under $100

GOLF CLUBS COMPLETE set Tourney Irons $30.00 Golf Bag $25.00 Very Good Condition 516 781-8313

VINTAGE CHODZIEZ BONE china complete service for 8. Made in Poland $80.00. 516-785-601

WOOD HEADBOARD TWIN bed with Sealy Mattress (excellent) box spring and frame hardware. $99 516-366-4004 SERVICES

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing.

516-354-5578

Decks

Electricians

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

Handyman

HANDYMAN

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

Home Improvement

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636

HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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

Home Improvement

LITO CONSTRUCTION

Home Improvement/ Construction

10% OFF ANY JOB OVER $2,000

Masonry, Brick Work, Stone Decor, Pointing, Tile, Driveways, Sidewalks, Steps, Framing, Foundations, Remodel Interiors, Extensions, Bathrooms, Basements. Licensed/ Insured. Free Estimates. 516-564-8315, 516-376-9365

ROOFING GREAT PRICES ! NEW ROOF SPECIALS

SIDING- Best Prices

RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS SUPER COMPETITIVE PRICES! Licensed / Insured. Free Estimates Nassau License. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830

Miscellaneous

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

Painting

OLD SALT PAINTING

Small Job Specialist

Great Rates, Free Estimates 516-312-9643

Power Washing

POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: Houses, Fences, Concrete/ Brick, Decks/Sealing. . ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

Health & Fitness

VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! 50 Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW! 855-413-9574

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale

DODGE 1995 STEALTH R/T CLASSIC Red, Auto, P/S, P/B, Good Condition $3500. 516-236-2565.

MAZDA MIATA 2015 Club Edition, Silver Black Interior, 17,000 Miles, Perfect Condition. If Looking for a Miata, This is a good One To Buy. $23,800 917-273-3737

Autos Wanted

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$.

Tree Services

T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE

*Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning *Roof Line Clearing. Residential and Commercial. "We Beat All Competitors' Rates." Lowest Rates. *Senior Discount. Free Estimates. *516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com

Satellite/TV Equipment

DIRECTV. NEW 2-YEAR Price Guarantee. The most live MLB games this season, 200+ channels and over 45,000 on-demand titles. $84.99/mo for 24 months with CHOICE Package. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/31/24. 1-866-595-6967

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM!

Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 844-947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required.

TRAIN ONLINE TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required

Come to Joy Fest: A Juneteenth Celebration

Ioften imagine the thoughts and experiences of enslaved Black people in America. It is a dark place, but it is a place that keeps me in gratitude and motion every day. It keeps me moving, running, jumping and pushing toward equity for all people.

Now I want us all to imagine being one of the people who were enslaved in Galveston Bay, Texas. Enslaved people in the United States were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, but areas where people were still under Confederate rule were not free. So, because Galveston Bay was under Confederate rule, some 250,000 enslaved people were not freed until June 19, 1865. I want to recognize these beautiful people, all 250,000 of them. It is because of them and their experience that we finally federally recognize Juneteenth, June 19, in America.

Juneteenth did not just mark the end of slavery for all Black enslaved people — it lit the flame of freedom. Freedom,

the ability to do what you choose, when you choose, with whom you choose. Freedom was a foreign concept to so many enslaved people.

The fact that freedom was so hardwon by Black Americans sits with me daily, and inspires me to be very intentional with my time. I think about our community, and all the work that must be done so we can all have an excellent quality of life, and this encourages me to think about how amazing things would be if all of us used our freedom to consistently do a few things.

Imagine how our community would soar if we used our freedom to work to eliminate all barriers of connection. The stories and lessons we would share across generations would be priceless! This used to happen frequently, and we were all the better for it.

Now we have a society that awards — and almost demands — being productive and accessible 24/7. Now we rely heavily on technology, and prioritize virtual connections over true connections, and very few can argue that this hasn’t had a negative impact on our relational, mental, social and emo-

tional health.

I want you to imagine how our community would rise if we used our freedom to work toward growth, innovation and collaboration. I firmly believe we all have great gifts and skills to contribute and share with the world. Gifts and skills that we could all teach one another so they become transferrable, and benefit even more people.

I love nothing more than brainstorming sessions in which great minds from all points of the community gather to develop effective solutions to improve the community. I smile when I think about all we could solve with more frequent brainstorming sessions — effective collaboration is simply the best! It reminds us that we are communal, and we are a collective community that holds the key to our excellence.

Finally, imagine how our community would thrive if we used our freedom to become action figures! I constantly hear that we need more leaders and activists in our community. I always mention that we have many leaders, but must do a better job of organizing them and creating succession plans, so the fight for equity never stops. Our belief in com-

munity succession planning inspired my team and I to develop the Pipeline Project to identify and develop leaders in our community, so we stay ready for someone to step up in the ranks of leadership at every possible level of service.

Imagining the world in which we use our freedom to consistently serve our community fills me with so much joy, and is the reason why I have decided to host Joy Fest: A Juneteenth Celebration, this Saturday at Uniondale High School. This is the second year we are partnering with the high school PTSA, My Brother’s Keeper and Bold Mynds to celebrate Juneteenth, and we could not be more excited.

This is the first year that we decided to brand the celebration Joy Fest, and we know it will be a celebration that offers education, culture, fellowship and joy. All are welcome, and we plan on making this the most joyful and extraordinary Juneteenth celebration in Nassau County. We thank all our partners and sponsors, including Jovia Financial Credit Union, Hofstra University and AT&T. Please join us on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit joyfestny.com. We cannot wait to celebrate together!

Taylor Darling represents the state’s 18th Assembly District.

Column writing through hell and high water

I’ve written my column through hell and high water. To be specific, I wrote my heart out after 9/11, grieving with so many readers who lost loved ones in the towers. I scribbled my way through blackouts, epic blizzards, hurricanes and, for three years, the pandemic.

I wrote about how to sleep better and eat better and find friends and keep friends. Sometimes an idea landed on the page full blown, and sometimes it’s been a struggle to compose a cogent piece. I spent my 750 words in wildly different ways, from a tribute to a courageous teacher friend going through chemotherapy to a send-up of the muchreviled New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, to one column many years ago in which I advertised for a prom date for my daughter. (She was in on the joke.).

written about my children’s lives, their mitzvahs and their missteps. My breast cancer. My husband’s heart surgeries. I struggled for days trying to find just the right words to honor my parents when they died. In some ways the column has been a running history of our times in our Long Island communities. After all, don’t we share the same lives and dreams, worry about the same threats to our mother Earth and hope for a safer world for our kids?

RANDI KREISS

My work has been personal. I have

Many of my columns have suggested or reviewed books, the other love in my life. In return, many of you have pitched books my way that turned out to be thrilling and illuminating.

As politics got nasty and toxic in recent years, I jumped in, wanting to use my 750 words a week to rally support for our democracy, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and laws that ensure equality for every community and every human being. I think these were words well spent, although at times the backlash has been fierce. That’s what opinion columns are for: to stir the pot,

open up the debate and disagree without getting too creepy.

When I was lucky enough to travel, I wrote to you from places as far-flung as Mumbai, the Maldives, Japan, Norway, Komodo Island, Normandy, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Dubai. The first question I asked when booking a trip was, “Will there be Wi-Fi?”

AOver the decades, I had one official week off per year, the end-of-year edition of the Heralds, when we publish special editorial pages. I consider the obligation to turn in a column every week, on deadline (most times), a sacred privilege and a joy. Mine used to be considered a “humor” column, and I miss that, but the world is only intermittently funny these days.

Maybe you can tell: I love newspapering. So it is with some sadness that I write today to tell you that I am taking a two-month leave starting next week.

My husband, my Donnie, is facing a serious medical challenge, and I want to be there for him 100 percent. I hope to see him through it, help him get healthy

and strong again, and come back to this page with fresh ideas, good news and renewed focus.

Over the next few weeks, we’ve decided to revisit some winning columns from the past 20 years, and hope they still offer a laugh or an insight or a reason to write an angry letter. I did briefly consider using ChatGPT to write my column while I’m away, but I’d hate to find out that I can be replaced by an app that’s writing fake college essays for a living.

I am keeping a journal of this time, and if you’d like to stay in touch, please write to my email below and I’ll share some of what I’m writing on our medical adventure. I wish we were off on a Hawaiian Islands fling. Or a return to Komodo Island, even with the monstrous, salivating dragons. I’d even settle for the North Seas cruise where the waves were 20 feet high and the sun didn’t shine for 14 days.

This turn of events is not what I would have expected or wished for in our lives, but it is what has been given us at this time.

Wish us luck.

Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

nd now a break, so I can focus on Donnie’s health. So we’ll rerun some favorites.

The date we honor didn’t just mark the end of slavery. It lit the flame of freedom.

TAYLoR DARLING

HERALD

Don’t let our map of history disappear

“History is not the past, but a map of the past,” historian Henry Glassie once said, “drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveler.”

We explore that map through collections of stories, drawings and photographs. Later, through moving images and even elaborate recreations on the silver screen. Yet no matter how advanced our mapmaking skills of history have become, there is not a single plot point or directional as effective in truly connecting us with history than directly interacting with those who were there.

That’s why we are so grateful for efforts like the UJA-Federation’s Witness Project. Similar to other efforts with variations on the same name, the UJA started the Witness Project five years ago, as an effort to tell stories from the Holocaust and World War II directly from the source: those who witnessed it.

As part of a recent featured exhibit and film, “The Ties that Bind Us,” at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, the Witness Project showcased its efforts to tell stories directly to high school students in twice-monthly small group meetings where each has a chance to interact with

Another private energy company, Jerry?

To the Editor:

As former Assemblyman Jerry Kremer writes, “The PSEG love affair is over” (June 1-7). There is no prospect of LIPA continuing to contract management of our electrical system to PSEG. But Kremer is wrong to suggest that after the breakup, Long Island should get back out there and seek a relationship with a different private company.

Our current arrangement, in which a public utility (LIPA) outsources management to a private corporation (PSEG), is a unicorn found nowhere else, because it’s unworkable. PSEG wastes tens of millions of dollars a year, and gave us high electric bills, substandard service, and the lowest customer satisfaction in its class.

But the problem is bigger than one underperforming company. The incentives of outsourcing are all wrong. PSEG’s incentive is to

someone who experienced the horrors of the genocide, and later the triumphs of the period when it ended.

One of the witnesses who took part in the project is Fred Zeilberger, who was ordered to stack bodies of fellow prisoners like firewood at a makeshift concentration camp in Latvia. He was just 14, and was one of just 27 Jewish prisoners to survive that camp, out of 1,000 who ultimately ended up there.

“I was working every day,” Zeilberger recounted. “If you didn’t work, you didn’t survive.”

Some might question why we, as a society, spend so much time focused on history, when we have the present — and the future — to deal with. But that’s the thing. You can’t understand the present or prepare for the future without exploring the past. That means the bad, the good. The horrific, the triumphant. There is no room for filters, only for an honest assessment of what we, as a society, have cobbled together over the years, decades and centuries.

And yes, a lot of our history will make us quite disappointed in our ancestors. We may even feel terrible about what happened, even though we personally did not do any of those things.

No one, of course, wants to feel bad. But a little bit of guilt is far different than the pain and suffering so many others experienced before us. And if feeling bad helps us better understand the plight of those who came before us, it’s a small price to pay.

It’s an oft-repeated quote, so often that it could be argued that it’s cliché. But George Santayana was right: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Remembering the past might not ensure that it won’t be repeated, but it’s the best defense we have for breaking the cycles of pain and anguish that fill our history books.

Our darkest period in modern history is, by far, the Holocaust. Every story from this time couldn’t be more important. But as each year ticks by — as the Holocaust rapidly approaches the century mark — it’s vital that we keep listening. We keep learning. We keep seeking.

A map might make our travels easier by pointing the way, but it doesn’t simply make them easy. There are many obstacles blocking our way from the bright future we all want, and it’s important that we look at our own societal map — past, present and future — to ensure that we find our way.

Quality of life takes center stage in Hempstead Town

serving as a police officer in the New York City Police Department and the police departments of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for 22 years, I saw firsthand the effectiveness of the “broken windows” model of policing. This theory on policing suggests that visible signs of crime and disorder encourage further crime and disorder — especially serious crimes.

The theory proposes that having police enforce minor crimes, such as graffiti, public drinking, trespassing and fare evasion, will create an atmosphere of order and lawfulness. This model proved effective in New York City, when the city was transformed from the murder capital of the country in the 1990s to record low crime rates in the 2000s.

Albany’s soft-on-crime approach, with

cashless bail and the “Raise the Age” statute, has broken the windows of our community, and it’s our responsibility as elected officials to fix these windows. Although the Town of Hempstead doesn’t have its own police force, we do have hardworking CSEA Local 880 employees who know how to get the job done.

The Town of Hempstead will be doing our part to help restore quality of life by tackling local community issues such as graffiti and illegal advertisements — and Supervisor Don Clavin and I created a Quality-of-Life Task Force whose sole responsibility will be to right these wrongs. By actively targeting minor offenses and keeping our township clean and pristine, we are taking a proactive step to discourage further illegal activity.

Since my days as a civic leader, I have battled these very same quality-of-life problems that deteriorate neighborhoods and bring down home values. I brought this initiative with me to the town, and formed a graffiti task force to quickly eradicate any reported graffiti. Capitaliz-

Letters

serve shareholders, which it does well, posting impressive profits. It also does well for itself, with big executive salaries and bonus packages.

It’s the same with other private utility companies. National Grid tried holding New York hostage by halting all new gas hookups unless it got a new pipeline, bringing local development to a standstill and damaging our economy. The company pursued its own interests at the expense of the public’s, and didn’t back down until the state imposed a $36 million fine and threatened to yank its operating license. Then National Grid had the chutzpah to turn around and push for a rate hike.

Putting ratepayers first would mean lower bills, shorter outages, and better service. Serving the public interest would mean faster ramp-up of renewables, and giving local voices a say in planning and oversight. Outsourced private management isn’t designed to deliver these things. That’s why, instead of getting enmeshed with another private company after PSEG, LIPA should switch to full public power, and manage the system for the benefit of Long Islanders.

LISA TYSON Executive director, Long Island Progressive Coalition Massapequa

The outdoor season is the noisy-aircraft season

To the Editor:

There are only a few short months during which we who live on Long Island can enjoy being outdoors, riding bikes, taking walks, sitting in the backyard, gardening and eating outside.

And we are bombarded by the sound of jets taking off from Kennedy Airport every 60 to 90 seconds.

The scream of the engines is a health threat. It’s a proven fact that excess noise impacts hearing; raises blood pressure, stress, anxiety and depression; and can lead to cardiovascular problems.

Can’t air traffic controllers shoot these aircraft out over the Atlantic Ocean until they reach significant height, and then turn them back over urban areas, rather than creating havoc with our lives in Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Malverne and other communities that are in path of the takeoff patterns?

There is a Port Authority noise control number where you can lodge a complaint about the intolerable, brutal noise blasts. Call (800) 225-1071 and say something. If enough of us call, perhaps the P.A. will do something to let us enjoy our lives in the summertime while paying monumentally high taxes to do so. We deserve some peace and quiet.

JIM PAYMAR Rockville Centre

ing on this, I partnered with Clavin and the Town Board in expanding this task force to protect the quality of life in our township.

While we continue to fight against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s attempt to seize control over local zoning, the town will also fight illegal signs, overgrowth on public land, littered roadways, messy parking lots and, of course, graffiti. The task force is not limited to land and streets maintained by the town; it will also target signs on utility poles, and will not be hindered by bureaucratic red tape.

Low-level crimes blight our community, and by not holding criminals accountable, we’re pretending that these crimes don’t matter. We need proper leadership in Albany to do its part by equipping law enforcement with the resources needed to go after low-level crimes. Policies like cashless bail and “Raise the Age” only encourage this behavior, and we’re starting to see an increase in crimes such as graffiti at town parks.

Hateful graffiti was recently found at

a park in Seaford. While the drawings and handwriting were crude and childish, the message it tried to perpetuate was one of intolerance. The town was swift to remove the graffiti, but it’s not uncommon for the act to be a repeat offense. There is no fear of repercussion, and that empowers people to confidently scrawl messages of hate.

The town will continue to do its best to remove illegal signs and graffiti — especially those that infringe on the town’s zero-tolerance policy regarding hatred of any form — but sometimes the effort feels like it’s one step forward, two steps back. This needs to change.

We all want the same thing: safe, affordable and scenic neighborhoods in which to live, work and raise our families. It is my mission to keep the Town of Hempstead on this track, and I’m proud that our Quality-of-Life Task Force will continue to beautify a new area every day. We’re doing our part to fix the broken windows, but Albany would make this mission a whole lot easier if its leaders held criminals accountable.

Hempstead Town Councilman Christopher Carini represents the town’s 5th District.

Framework by Tim Baker

Serving it up at Eisenhower Park’s second annual Volleyball PrideFest — East Meadow

a special task force will rein in graffiti and keep the town clean and pristine.

CHristopHer Carini

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