Valley Stream Herald 02-29-2024

Student Council shapes future

Page 5

Treated

at wound center, he kept his leg

By JUAN l ASSo

jlasso@liherald.com

Lennox Logan has stared down mortal danger before. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, a hijacked jetliner barreled into the south tower of the World Trade Center about six floors above where Logan worked as a system administration supervisor for Morgan Stanley. He wasn’t in the building.

By some stroke of luck, he recalled, he was running late that morning. Heading toward his building along Church Street, within the radius of what would become ground zero, he was plugged into the music on his Walkman until he caught a glance of a woman dropping her purse. He unplugged his music to look at her, noticed her screaming, then looked in her direction, and saw the unthinkable.

To this day, he remains as much in awe as he

ContinueD on pAge 10

Downtown businesses rebuild after devastating fire

By JUAN l ASSo and ANGElINA ZINGARIEllo jlasso@liherald.com

In a matter of hours on Jan. 27, a chaotic fire, which started at Jadwiga’s Polish American Deli on West Lincoln Avenue, swept through the heart of the village’s business district, trampling over a trio of locally-owned corner stores on Rockaway Avenue – Long Island Hearing Center of Long Island, Valley Stream Pharmacy, and Orange Skye Day Spa.

The destruction leveled against the storefronts, all of which have stood there for years, and in some cases decades, was so complete that they were practically dislocated from the village’s downtown. Now, their business owners are struggling to make their stores

whole again, and for most of them, questions of where to restart and how soon remain unclear.

For Dr. Larry Cardano, owner of the Long Island Hearing Center, it was not long after the fire he began scouring for a new location for his hearing practice –and he found one. His new office space, located at 20 West Lincoln Avenue, is a stone’s throw away from his original spot, which he opened in 1996.

While some elements of the new office space are still under construction, Cardano has been seeing patients since early February. What’s more, he says that despite the tragic loss of the original office, the new space represents a net gain for himself and his patients.

“Our patients don’t have to travel that far from the original site,” he said,

and he refashioned the new office space in a way that allows him to upgrade his equipment based on the newest methods of treatment.”

The Hearing Center’s quick rebound, however, appears to be an exception.

Donations pour in to restore downtown stores

For the businesses that remain, it stands to reason that replacing what was lost has not been simple. For weeks, family, friends, and employees of the affected business owners have looked online for outside donations. Jadwiga’s Polish American Deli is one of them.

For those unfamiliar with Jadwiga’s, the once narrow storefront, operated by Jadwiga Strzepa and her family for nearly two decades, had garnered a rep-

utation as the go-to destination for traditional Polish products, ranging from well-known classics like kielbasa to lesser-known items like pickled mushrooms. Kaisa Jankowski, a lifelong friend of the Strzepa family, launched a GoFundMe campaign to save the deli.

“She (Jadwiga) didn’t think twice when someone asked for help and it is times like these, we need to lend a helping hand to such a selfless and caring individual,” Jankowski wrote on the GoFundMe page.

“That is why as friends and customers of Jadwiga and her Deli, we ask for your help in getting the family back on their feet. Although thankful that no one was injured, the family is devastated that their long-time family business,

Tim Baker/Herald

Dr. Devendra Brahmbhatt, a vascular surgeon and the wound center’s medical director, and podiatrist Dr. Mary Ann Bilotti welcome patient Lennox Logan after his post-hyperbaric wound treatment.

“The Vacant Space Revival Program qualified us for on-bill credits that really help me manage costs.”

—George Karatzas, James Cress Florist, Smithtown

Unoccupied business spaces are an opportunity to help bring vitality to downtown areas. For George Karatzas, owner of James Cress Florist, staying downtown was a priority, but costs were prohibitive. Then George applied for our Vacant Space Revival Program, which has provided $2,462 in bill credits to help offset his overhead.* And Smithtown continues to have a business that brings warmth and charm to the area. It’s a beautiful thing to see come together—just like George’s floral arrangements.

psegliny.com/EcoDev

*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.

HERALD NEIGHBORS

Night at the Races for the South Shore

Neighbors of Franklin Square and surrounding communities including Valley Stream are welcome to take part in Franklin Square-based nonprofit Rescuing Families’ third annual Night at the Races on March 15.

The event will be a bit different this year, as silent auctions will take the place of raffle baskets offered in the past. Long Island Silent Auctions will host the auction, offering items like sports memorabilia, designer handbags, movie memorabilia and more.

Event participants can look forward to the annual interactive horse race, where people are able to own a horse and select a rider to take part in the festivities. People cheer on horses as they go around the track and people can place bets on the horse that they believe will be the winner.

“It’s very funny, it’s very cute, and you know, everybody loves cash,” said Gina Centauro, founder of Rescuing Families. “It’s a chance to win money.”

There will also be a prize wheel that attendees can spin to win a number of prizes from for $5 a spin, including Starbucks gift cards, wine bottles, jewelry and more.

As per tradition, the event will host a derby hat competition for whoever has the craziest derby hat.

Last year’s event welcomed around 170 people, and tickets for this year’s Night at the Races are still available. Tickets for the Night at the Races the event cost $40 and can be purchased online at RescuingFamilies. org. The event will be hosted at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2718 in Franklin Square on Lincoln Road from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on March 15.

“It’s different than what we usually do, but it’s a really fun night,” Centauro said of last year’s Night at the Races. “We had a really good crowd, it was very interactive and everybody had a great time.”

Profits from the event will go towards Rescuing Families’ upcoming project at the

Rosie Iannotta and Charlie Iannotta wore derby hats to compete in last year’s derby hat contest.

Reyes family’s home in Valley Stream. The project will help retrofit the home to increase the home’s accessibility for Douglas Reyes, a 43-year-old man who became paraplegic when he was 18 years old after a swimming accident.

For any community members who are skilled or unskilled with tools, Rescuing Families is always open to add a helping hand to its team. For more information on how to help out, visit RescuingFamilies.org.

–Nicole Wagner

Carolyn Foley and Linda December bid on horses during the interactive horse race at the 2023 Night at the Races hosted by Rescuing Families.

Vincent Centauro and Gina Centauro, founders of Franklin Square-based nonprofit Rescuing Families, welcomed neighbors to the second annual Night at the Races event at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2718 last year.

Keith Rossein/Herald file photos

Rena Capri, John Iaconna, Jane Duke, Christine Smith, Lorraine Brudecki and Charlie Iannotta enjoyed a Night at the Races during last year’s event hosted by Rescuing Families in Franklin Square.

In the event of their death, many people wish to provide for the adequate care and feeding of their beloved dog, cat, bird or other pet. Here is an abridged version of New York’s statute authorizing a trust for your pet:

a. The intended use of the principal or income, of a trust for the care of a designated domestic or pet animal, may be enforced by an individual designated for that purpose in the trust instrument. Such trust shall terminate when no living animal is covered by the trust.

b. No portion of the principal or income may be converted to the use of the trustee or to any use other than for the benefit of a covered animal.

c. Upon termination, the trustee shall transfer the unexpended trust property as directed in the trust instrument or, if there are no such directions in the trust

instrument, the property shall pass to the estate of the grantor.

d. A court may reduce the amount of property transferred if it determines that amount substantially exceeds the amount required for the intended use. The amount of the reduction, if any, passes as unexpended trust property pursuant to paragraph (c), above.

e. If no trustee is designated or no designated trustee is willing or able to serve, a court shall appoint a trustee and may make such other orders and determinations as are advisable to carry out the intent of the grantor and the purpose of this section.

If you are interested in setting up a trust for your beloved pet, please make an appointment to see us for a free consultation. Should you have no one to take care of your pet, try PetEstates.com, who will perform this service for you.

CRIME bRIEfS

Mother-son duo allegedly attack police

A Valley Stream woman and her son have been charged with assault after what began as a welfare check by police allegedly broke into a violent scuffle with the duo on Feb. 25. At around 1:30 p.m. police found that Brigitte Atta-Poku, 43, required medical treatment and evaluation. In their efforts to provide her medical attention, Atta-Poku reportedly attacked by striking the officer and biting a Nassau County Police Medic.

Brigitte AttA-Poku

Amid the struggle, her son, Manai A. Frank, 23, allegedly lunged at the police medic and pushed him. Both the officer and police medic were taken to a nearby hospital for their injuries and Brigitte Atta-Poku and Frank were put into custody.

Atta-Poku is charged with assault and resisting arrest. Frank is charged with assault. They were both arraigned on February 26 in First District Court in Hempstead.

Five men arrested for Target store theft

Five Brooklyn men were arrested in connection with a robbery at a Target in Valley Stream on Feb. 20. At around 11 p.m. police responded to a larceny in progress at the 500 West Sunrise Highway store. Three men were spotted and a struggle ensued as officers tried to put them in custody, according to the report. An officer was taken to a nearby hospital for assessment and treatment. The two other men ran away but were shortly tracked down by police. A further investigation found that the same men were responsible for a previous larceny

at a Target in Westbury and that they had been riding a reportedly stolen 2003 Jeep and 2024 Acura.

The five men: Michael Turner, 32, Shukur Turner, 27, Ty Quan Spann, 28, Mario Mervilus, 26, and Kendell Poole, 25 are all charged with grand larceny and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Poole is also charged with assault. The men were arraigned on February 21 at First District Court in Hempstead.

–Juan Lasso

CRIME watCh aRRESt

S

On Feb. 1, Franklin Square resident Deborah R. Fama-Curcio, 69, was arrested for allegedly shoplifting from King Kullen on Northern Boulevard in Manhasset at 7:10 p.m.

On Feb. 2, Malverne resident Chad Walsh, 31, was arrested for allegedly shoplifting from Walgreens on Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square at 4:39 p.m.

On Feb. 12, Hempstead resident Jose Genaro, Hernandez Perez, 54, was arrested for alleged criminal mischief at Green Gas Station on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont at 11 a.m.

On Feb. 12, Elmont resident Deval D. Booker, 32, was arrested for driving while intoxicated on Babylon Turnpike and Carroll Street in Roosevelt at 1:25 a.m.

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

1248369

V.S. 24 student councils shape their future

Valley Stream District 24 Superintendent Unal Karakas recently met with the Student Councils of all three schools to engage them in discussions about the collective vision of the district’s future.

Student Council members at William L. Buck School, Robert W. Carbonaro School and Brooklyn Avenue School each gave their input and feedback during the visits with Karakas. One idea shared by students was to introduce new furniture that allows for collaborative working spaces.

Karakas also invited Student Council members to join him in reviewing the school lunch menu to determine what meals students would enjoy the most for lunch. As a result of this collaboration, the district will begin offering vegetarian choices starting in March.

In addition to these efforts, the district is embarking on an initiative titled Vision 2030, aimed at adapting to future needs and culti

vating a 21st-century learning environment for its students.

“At Valley Stream 24, we champion the importance of student voices in shaping our future, and we are committed to maintaining a forward-thinking approach as a district,” remarked Karakas. “I take immense pride in our student council members for their proactive engagement in their educational journey and for their willingness to share their visions and ideas for the future.”

He continues: “Additionally, I extend sincere appreciation to our devoted teachers and staff, whose unwavering dedication prepares our students to emerge as leaders. A special recognition is due to our Student Council teachers, Marissa Campo, Christine Iadevaio, Cathy Haufler, Pam Fowler, Linda Biley, and Denise Anderson, for their pivotal role in fostering student leadership within our schools.”

–Juan Lasso

Blakeman defends banning trans athletes

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

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

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

BoBBy HodGSon director New York Civil Liberties Union

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

compete against us.”

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

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

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

deeply dangerous.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parker Schug/Herald photos

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

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

V.S. District 24 joins P.S. I Love You Day

Valley Stream District 24 schools recently celebrated P.S. I Love You Day, recognized annually on the second Friday of February, by wearing purple—the official color of P.S. I Love You Day—and taking part in a variety of classroom activities focused on mental health,

chalk on the school’s entranceway, spreading rays of positivity for all who entered. Similarly, students at Robert W. Carbonaro School participated in uplifting social-emotional activities, infusing their hallways with a contagious spirit of optimism and compassion.

Forest Road students host cultural museum

As a culmination of Forest Road Elementary School’s “Culture in Focus Week,” kindergartners in Naomi Yocha and Poulette Villalobos’ classes invited families to attend a Cultural Museum with the theme, “We are many. We are one!” Guests were welcomed with a multilingual performance of the song “Hello to All the Children of the World.”

Museum guides— student docents — presented artifacts that represented a part of their home culture. The displayed items included woven blankets, country flags, beaded items, paintings, jewelry and more. Many families joined in the museum presentations, adding fun narratives about growing up outside of the United States.

Following the presentations, guests visited the student-created souvenir shop filled with handcrafted, woven placemats, postcards and flags symbolic of the countries represented. The day culminated with guests and docents matching currency from various countries to their respective flags. The Culture Museum beautifully showcased the diversity and pride of Valley Stream District 30’s “Global Leaders of Tomorrow,” noted village officials.

–Juan Lasso

Forest Road kindergartners hosted a cultural museum that highlighted the diversity of Valley Stream District 30.

Photos courtesy Valley Stream District 30

Students playing the part of museum guides gave the community highlighted artifacts from their home culture.

Coalition formed to advocate for local journalism

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LIJVS offers hope in hyperbaric chamber

Continued from page 1

was then over the fact that as a spry 30-something-year-old, fate allowed him to live.

“I feel like there’s an angel on my side,” he said.

But now, as a 55-year-old diabetic, the threat wasn’t outside bearing down destruction, but inside him, silently eating his body away.

Roughly two years ago, Logan came to Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital lugging around a pus-ridden foot that, if not for the resources on hand and the quick-thinking care of its medical staff, would have taken his leg, and potentially his life.

Northwell podiatrist Dr. Mary Ann Bilotti, sizing up the foot, immediately knew the situation was critical.

IAnd so it happened as predicted. What started as an open sore on the foot, known as a foot ulcer, soon enough got infected. Out of benign neglect, the infection was allowed to get progressively worse until gangrene had set in, in which festering bacteria was starving his leg of oxygen-rich blood, making his leg tissue shrivel and die.

At that point, explained Dr. Devendra Brahmbhatt, a vascular surgeon and the wound center’s medical director, the next medical step would be to go in, remove the gangrene from spreading up the body, and amputate the leg.

t’s me. I’m Lennox. I’m supposed to be me standing tall, walking tall.

Lennox Logan Hyperbaric wound care patient

“We know that when he came to the emergency room, Mr. Logan had this massive infection which became a medical emergency,” she said.

Logan suffers from diabetic neuropathy of the foot, an all-too-common disease in people with diabetes, especially those who poorly manage their blood sugar levels, in which the body’s nerves become damaged and can lead to a host of life-altering symptoms. Logan, in his case, could not feel his feet.

The silent killer within

That loss of sensation, noted Bilotti, left Logan extremely vulnerable to wounding himself without realizing it. And for a man in his condition, even the slightest of injuries, like stepping on a pebble, if not treated properly, could get seriously infected.

Barring any tools to stave off the infection and supercharge the woundhealing process, if Logan were to survive in any form, it would be as an amputee.

“I didn’t want anything cut off,” he said, his face scrunched in discomfort.

“It’s me. I’m Lennox. I’m supposed to be me standing tall, walking tall.”

Fate, indeed, had other plans.

Roughly a year and a half later, Logan returned to the Franklin Square hospital — ambling around with the aid of a walking stick but free of the infection that would have robbed him of his leg — to stand alongside his doctors to celebrate the grand reopening of the Hyperbaric Center on Feb. 22.

It was a full-circle moment for Logan to come back to the remodeled room where he fought and succeeded in keeping his leg. Largely because of the aggressive wound-hyperbaric oxygen treatment offered there, designed to boost his leg’s ability to heal itself, was Logan able to walk away, literally, with all his limbs intact.

Well, almost his entire limb. A pinky toe was sacrificed in the surgery doctors noted, but no matter. As with Logan, so with the Hyperbaric Center, new life had been breathed into them.

“We went from a single changing room to two to provide a better patient experience,” said Nadelyn F. Backer-Ali, the program director at the Comprehensive Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center. “We placed new floors and repainted. An undersea mural was installed as a nod to the link between hyperbaric and scuba divers. Hyperbaric was originally treated for decompression sickness for divers.”

Reviving limbs, restoring lives

So, how does hyperbaric oxygen therapy work?

By lying prone inside a pressurized, capsule-like chamber, “patients, like Logan, breathe in 100 percent oxygen at greater-than-normal pressure,”

Brahmbhatt explained. This helps restore oxygen-starved wounds and enhances the body’s regeneration with a roughly 80 percent success rate.

When Logan was finally discharged from the center late last month, he had undergone 59 sessions, or dives, in the hyperbaric chamber. This is on top of weekly wound care visits, where aides helped Logan methodically wrap and clean the wound until it had completely closed.

In light of the treatment, Logan says he’ll be able to regain full use of his foot, which is still padded in a supportive brace once his orthopedic shoes come in — custom-made to correct for any impaired balance in his stride and prevent new injuries to his feet. He couldn’t be happier with the results.

“Having lived through what I lived through and then coming here to heal my leg, I told myself: ‘You can do this. You can survive,’” said Logan.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

pure oxygen is pumped in to patients who lie inside the hyperbaric chamber, above, to stimulate tissue repair. While the experience is relatively pain-free, patients often experience plugged ears, similar to the sensation on a plane with a sudden change in air pressure.

nadelyn f. Backer- ali, the program director at the Comprehensive Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center, cuts the ceremonial ribbon for the remodeled center.

STEPPING OUT

Her theatre life

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

By Iris Wiener

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Now through March 9

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

• Tickets available at WhiteChipPlay.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tusk

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

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

The Irish Tenors

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

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

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

Photos by Jenny Anderson

Sheryl Kaller in rehearsal.

Legion Post meeting

Valley Stream’s American Legion Post 854 meets, Thursday, March 21, at 7 p.m. 51 Roosevelt Avenue. For more information, call (516) 791-0719 or visit AmericanLegion854.com.

District 24 board meets

Valley Stream District 24 Board of Education holds its regular board meeting, Wednesday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m., at William L. Buck School, 75 Horton Avenue. For more information, email district clerk Jennie Padilla at districtclerk@vs24.org or visit ValleyStreamSchoolDistrict24. org.

Nellie McKay performs

The effervescent multiinstrumentalist singer-songwriter returns to My Father’s Place with music from her recently released album, “Hey Guys, Watch This,”

Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. Recorded in Charleston, West Virginia with The Carpenter Ants and a roving retinue of musical compadres, her album traces the haunted sounds of Appalachia to a renaissance of revelry.

Doors open at 6 p.m., concert is at 8 p.m. 221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn. For tickets/ information, visit MFPProductions. com or call (516) 580-0887.

District 13 board meets

Valley Stream District 13 Board of Education holds its regular board meeting, Tuesday, March 19, at 8 p.m., at James A. Dever School, 585 Corona Avenue. For more information, email district clerk MaryAnn Rosamilia at mrosamilia@valleystream13.com or visit ValleyStream13.com.

Public hearing

The Village Board of Trustees holds public hearing on community development funding at their regular meeting, Monday, March 11, starting at 7 p.m., at Village Hall. 123 South Central Ave. For more information, visit Vsvny.org or call (516) 825-4200 (Option 5).

Meet the Easter Bunny

Families can enjoy Easter fun at Hendrickson Park, Saturday, March 23, 9:30-2 p.m. Meet the Easter Bunny, with bounce house and Easter goodie bag. 123 W. Merrick Road. Registration required at Vsvny. org or call (516) 821-3786.

Having an event?

STEM workshop

Kids in grades K-3 can take part in Henry Waldinger Library’s STEM program, Friday, March 1, 4-5 p.m. Learn basic coding with SCRATCH. Library laptops available for use or bring your own iPad or laptop. Registration required. 60 Verona Place. For more visit ValleyStreamLibrary. org or call (516) 825-6422.

Village Election Day

The Village of Valley Stream will hold its general election, on Tuesday, March 19, starting at 6 a.m. For more information on polling sites, visit Vsvny.org or call (516) 825-4200 (Option 5).

Movie matinee

Enjoy a movie on Henry Waldinger Memorial Library’s big screen, Friday, March 1, 1-2:30 p.m. See “King Richard,” the Oscar-nominated 2022 biopic that tells the uplifting story of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams and their family. It stars Will Smith as their father Richard Williams. Registration required. 60 Verona Place. For more information, visit ValleyStreamLibrary.org or call (516) 825-6422.

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.

Forest Bathing

Take a meditative Forest Bathing walk, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Sunday, March 10, 2-4 p.m. Based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku, a wellness practice developed in the 1980s, the walk, on the grounds of the former summer residence of Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, inspires mindful connections with the natural elements of the woods for a range of healthful benefits. $40, $35. Registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art, Saturday, March 2 and 9, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and their adult partners connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Breastfeeding Support Group

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 (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

District 30 board meets

Valley Stream District 30 Board of Education holds its regular board meeting, Wednesday, March 25, at 8 p.m., at Shaw Avenue School, 99 Shaw Ave. For more information, email district clerk Ashley Starna at AStarna@ vs30.org or visit ValleyStream30.com.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

VILLAGE OF VALLEY STREAM

NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

Telephone (516) 825-4200 / Fax (516) 825-8316

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a General Village Election will be held in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Nassau County, New York, on TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2024 for the purpose of filling the following Village Offices:

POR FAVOR DE PONER ATENCION que la Elección General de él Inc. Villaje de Valley Stream, Condado de Nassau, New York será el MARTES 19, de MARZO 2024 para llenar las siguientes oficinas que van a ser ocupadas en el Villaje:

OFFICE TERM

TRUSTEE 4 Years

TRUSTEE 4 Years

OFICINA TERMINO

CONCEJAL 4 AÑOS

CONCEJAL 4 AÑOS

The hours of such election shall be from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Las horas de la siguiente elección serán desde 6:00 a.m. y 9:00 p.m

That for the purpose of conducting such election, the Village of Valley Stream shall be divided into twenty-six (26) election districts, numbered 21019, 21068, 21069, 21067, 22072, 22077, 21071, 21118, 22083, 22084, 22061, 22062, 22063, 22064, 22065, 22085, 22067, 22068, 22069, 22071, 22074, 22075, 22086, 22076, 22081, 22301 established by the Nassau County Board of Elections and the Village of Valley Stream for general elections - and the polling places for said districts shall be as follows:

Para el propósito de conducir esta elección el Villaje de Valley Stream se divide en veintiséis (26) distritos electorales, numerado, 21019, 21068, 21069, 21067, 22072, 22077, 21071, 21118, 22083, 22084, 22061, 22062, 22063, 22064, 22065, 22085, 22067, 22068, 22069, 22071, 22074, 22075, 22086, 22076, 22081, 22301 establecidos por el Condado de Nassau, Borde de Elecciones y el Villaje de Valley Stream para las elecciones- Los lugares para votar en estos distritos son los siguientes:

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST

Jose Irizarry; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered October 17, 2023 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 14, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 24 Standish Road, Valley Stream, NY 11580-1132. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Laurelton, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 37, Block Q-3 and Lot 12. Approximate amount of judgment $1,102,535.21 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 015217/2013. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Michele Bencivinni, Esq., Referee

LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff

175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624

(877) 430-4792

Dated: January 26, 2024 144733

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE

County of Queens, and partly in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, State of New York, Block:13230, Lot: 12 (QUEENS COUNTY), Section: 37, Block: 415, Lot: 0384 (NASSAU COUNTY). Approximate amount of judgment $382,521.71 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #602017/2019. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Harold F. Damm, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-002063 79183 144672

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, V. SANDRA MULLINGS, ET AL.

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. 144870

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

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Valley Stream (the “Village”), situated in the County of Nassau, in the State of New York, has adopted, on February 26, 2024, pursuant to the Local Finance Law of New York, a bond resolution which:

(1) authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Village to finance the costs of various vehicle fleet additions, and authorizes the issuance of up to $400,000 aggregate principal amount of serial bonds to finance such purpose; and

or (c) if such obligations are authorized in violation of the provisions of the Constitution of New York.

Such resolution is subject to a permissive referendum under the provisions of Article 9 of the Village Law and petitions protesting such resolution and requesting that it be submitted to the electors of the Village of Valley Stream for their approval or disapproval, may be filed with the Village Clerk at any time within thirty (30) days after the date of the adoption of such resolution.

By order of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Valley Stream, New York.

Dated: February 29, 2024

JAMES

J. HUNTER Village Clerk Village of Valley Stream, New York 145148

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Valley Stream (the “Village”), situated in the County of Nassau, in the State of New York, has adopted, on February 26, 2024, pursuant to the Local Finance Law of New York, a bond resolution which:

for which the Village is not authorized to expend money, or (b) the provisions of law which should be complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty (20) days after the date of such publication, or (c) if such obligations are authorized in violation of the provisions of the Constitution of New York.

Such resolution is subject to a permissive referendum under the provisions of Article 9 of the Village Law and petitions protesting such resolution and requesting that it be submitted to the electors of the Village of Valley Stream for their approval or disapproval, may be filed with the Village Clerk at any time within thirty (30) days after the date of the adoption of such resolution.

By order of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Valley Stream, New York.

Dated: February 29, 2024

JAMES J. HUNTER

Village Clerk

Village of Valley Stream, New York 145149

Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com

The following are the names and addresses of all those persons who have been duly nominated for Village office in accordance with the provisions of the New York State Election Law by certificate or petition of nomination duly filed with the Village Clerk and the office and term of such for which they have been so nominated: Los siguientes son los nombres y direcciones de todas las personas nominadas para la oficina del Villaje según las provisiones de la LEY de ELECCION por petición de nominación debidamente sometidas en la oficina del Oficinista de él Villaje de Valley Stream.

UNITED COMMUNITY PARTY

John L. Tufarelli, 90 No. Grove Street, Valley Stream, N.Y. 11580

Trustee (4 Years)

Consejal (4 Años)

Sean Wright, 113 Edgeworth Street, Valley Stream, N.Y. 11581

Trustee (4 Years)

Consejal (4 Años)

ACHIEVE PARTY

Anthony Bonelli, 160 Albermarle Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580

Trustee (4 Years)

Consejal (4 Años)

Dated: Valley Stream, New York

February 29, 2024

Fecha: Villaje de Valley Stream Febrero 29, 2024

Village Clerk/Administrator

Oficinista del Villaje de Valley Stream

145166

ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST DHARMIE D. INDER, ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 7, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 11, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 208 Dean Street Valley Stream, NY 11580 AKA 208 Dean Street, North Valley Stream, NY 11580 AKA 247-15 135 Road, Rosedale, NY 11580. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being partly in the Borough and

NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 12, 2023, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST is the Plaintiff and SANDRA MULLINGS, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on March 19, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 140 ARLINGTON AVENUE, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580: Section 37, Block 441, Lot 777-778:

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF VALLEY STREAM, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 008415/2013. Mark L. Lieberman, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane &

(2) states the estimated maximum total costs of such acquisition to be not in excess of $400,000, states that such costs will be financed with the issuance of obligations authorized in the bond resolution and sets forth the plan of financing of such cost of the purpose; and (3) determines the period of probable usefulness to be five (5) years; and (4) determines that the maximum maturity of such notes will be in excess of five (5) years; and

(5) delegates the Village Treasurer the power to prescribe the terms, form and contents of such serial bonds and to authorize the issuance of, and to prescribe the terms, form and contents of any bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of the issuance of such serial bonds or renewals thereof, and to issue, sell and deliver such serial bonds and such bond anticipation notes; and

(6) states that the validity of such serial bonds or any of such bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of the issuance of such serial bonds may be contested only if: (a) such obligations are authorized for an object or purpose for which the Village is not authorized to expend money, or (b) the provisions of law which should be complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty (20) days after the date of such publication,

(1) authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Village to finance the costs of fire department equipment, and authorizes the issuance of up to $400,000 aggregate principal amount of serial bonds to finance such purpose; and

(2) states the estimated maximum total costs of such fire department equipment to be not in excess of $400,000, states that such costs will be financed with the issuance of obligations authorized in the bond resolution and sets forth the plan of financing of such cost of the purpose; and

(3) determines the period of probable usefulness to be five (5) years; and

(4) determines that the maximum maturity of such serial bonds will be in excess of five (5) years; and

(5) delegates the Village Treasurer the power to prescribe the terms, form and contents of such serial bonds and to authorize the issuance of, and to prescribe the terms, form and contents of any bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of the issuance of such serial bonds or renewals thereof, and to issue, sell and deliver such serial bonds and such bond anticipation notes; and

(6) states that the validity of such serial bonds or any of such bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of the issuance of such serial bonds may be contested only if: (a) such obligations are authorized for an object or purpose

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Valley Stream (the “Village”), situated in the County of Nassau, in the State of New York, has adopted, on February 26, 2024, pursuant to the Local Finance Law of New York, a bond resolution which:

(1) authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Village to finance the costs of reconstruction of various streets in the Village, and authorizes the issuance of up to $2,000,000 aggregate principal amount of serial bonds to finance such purpose; and

(2) states the estimated maximum total costs of reconstruction of various streets in the Village to be not in excess of $2,000,000, states that such costs will be financed with the issuance of obligations authorized in the bond resolution and sets forth the plan of financing of such cost of the purpose; and

(3) determines the period of probable usefulness to be fifteen (15) years; and

(4) determines that the maximum maturity of such serial bonds will be in excess of five (5) years; and

(5) delegates the Village Treasurer the power to prescribe the terms, form and contents of such serial bonds and to authorize the issuance of, and to prescribe the terms, form and contents of any bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of the issuance of such serial

bonds or renewals thereof, and to issue, sell and deliver such serial bonds and such bond anticipation notes; and (6) states that the validity of such serial bonds or any of such bond anticipation notes issued in anticipation of the issuance of such serial bonds may be contested only if: (a) such obligations are authorized for an object or purpose for which the Village is not authorized to expend money, or (b) the provisions of law which should be complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty (20) days after the date of such publication, or (c) if such obligations are authorized in violation of the provisions of the Constitution of New York.

Such resolution is subject to a permissive referendum under the provisions of Article 9 of the Village Law and petitions protesting such resolution and requesting that it be submitted to the electors of the Village of Valley Stream for their approval or disapproval, may be filed with the Village Clerk at any time within thirty (30) days after the date of the adoption of such resolution.

By order of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Valley Stream, New York.

Dated: February 29, 2024

JAMES J. HUNTER

Village Clerk Village of Valley Stream, New York 145147

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

NASSAU COUNTY U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET INVESTMENT LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE

PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES

2005-8, Plaintiff against FAISAL N. LODHI A/K/A FAISAL LODHI, 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 August 27, 2019, 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 April 3, 2024 at 2:30 PM.

Premises known as 88

Sobro Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580. Sec 37 Block 466 Lot 7. 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.

Approximate Amount of Judgment is $527,157.31 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 005074/2012.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Rod E. Kovel, Esq., Referee File # SPSJN204 145154

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU INDEX # 613616/2023

Property: 139 Locust Street, Valley Stream, New York 11581

Supplemental Summons with Notice of Action to Foreclose a Mortgage UMB Bank, National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as legal title trustee for LVS Title Trust XIII, Plaintiff(s), against Unknown heirs at law of Compton I Wilson Jr., and if they be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors; administrators,

devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; Louanne V. Wilson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, The People of the State of New York, The United States of America, and “JOHN DOE #1,” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises being foreclosed herein, Defendant(s). WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff’s attorneys within 20 days after the service of this summons exclusive of the day of service or within 30 days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER

ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Sheldon May & Associates, P.C. by Ted Eric May, Esq., Attorneys for Plaintiff. 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, New York 11570. Phone: 516-763-3200. File # 39393

145090

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU SELENE FINANCE LP

Plaintiff, Against JERD ORIENTAL A/K/A JERD M. ORIENTAL, MIRLYNE RICHARDSONORIENTAL, GARDY ORIENTAL, et al. Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 10/18/2016, 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, NY 11501 on 4/2/2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 16 Hudson Ave,

Community pitches in to fund stores’ recovery

Continued from page 1

in a matter of minutes, is gone.”

As of press time, Jankowksi, who declined to be interviewed, has accrued nearly $8,000 for the family.

Alisha Sohail, an intern at the Valley Stream Pharmacy, also launched her online fundraising campaign to help its owner, Azzam Elcheikh.

“Azzam has become a beloved figure in Valley Stream by consistently providing essential services, ensuring access to medications, and offering friendly, personalized care through his pharmacy,” she wrote in her plea for support. “The devastating fire took away eight years of hard work and dedication in an instant.”

The online fundraiser, which is now closed, raised about $1,300. And there seem to be some encouraging signs regarding the pharmacy’s comeback.

Chamber organizes relief efforts

“It was discussed at a recent chamber board meeting that the pharmacy has found a new space on Rockaway,” said Joosoo Kim, a realtor and board member for the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce. Many of “the businesses want to stay on Rockaway.”

Kim jump-started her online fundraiser on behalf of the Chamber and has racked up less than half of their $10,000 goal as of press time. Whatever money is raised, with the fundraiser expected to close by the end of the month, will be split evenly among the five businesses. The fifth store was Integral Electric Co. which Kim said sat just to the right of the Polish Deli and experienced “smoke contamination and their interior was damaged.”

Even though only a single Chamber member, the L.I. Hearing Center, was hurt by the fire, the Chamber felt that “helping all these local businesses was the only right thing to do,” noted Kim.

“It’s easy for us to forget other’s suffering when it’s not our family or friends involved. So, when these businesses do open, you know, we must welcome them back and let them know they were missed.”

A modest donation will also be given thanks to droves of residents and organizations who came out in a big show of solidarity at a fundraiser at BJ’s Brewhouse on Feb. 16. In partnership with the Chamber, BJ’s Brewhouse pledged to donate 20 percent of food and soft beverage sales for every flyer with a donation code presented during the fundraiser.

“We fundraised over $600,” said Joey Verrengia, general manager of the restaurant and brew house at Green Acres. “We wanted to step up and provide the resources that we have as a company to help give back. The event had a great turnout and a lot of first-time guests.”

Tim Baker/Herald Valley Stream businesses are struggling to recover from the financial blow dealt by the Jan. 27 fire at rockaway and West Lincoln avenues, and hoping to reopen.

Courtesy Larry Cardano Larry Cardano, owner of the Long island Hearing Center, at his new office space, around the corner from his destroyed former office on rockaway avenue.

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business.

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. Salary range is from $20K to $45K

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

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

MEDICAL SECRETARY FT: Far Rockaway. Front Desk, Experienced, Insurance Verification, Patient Collections, Computer Skills. Bi-lingual Spanish/ English. Starting $17-$18/Hr. Send Resume: freyecare220@gmail.com

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com

Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on

or Email joyceprince990@gmail.com

Open Houses

EAST ROCKAWAY BA 62 Bulaire Rd, , NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch in Waverly Park Area of SD#20(Lynbrook). Open Floor Plan. LR w/Fpl, DR, Gran/Wood EIK Plus Family Rm w/ Vaulted Ceiling. Upper Level Has Huge Skylit Recreation Rm, BR, Bth & W/D. Beautifully Lanscaped Oversized Prop W/ Trex Deck for Entertaining. Multi Car Drvewy...$899,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 515-238-4299

HEWLETT: 2/28, 2-3:30, 1267 Peninsula Blvd, 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14(Hewlett Woodmere)Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck.HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, LIRR, Trans & Houses of Worship...$599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA, 1534 Broadway #213,.! Move Right Into This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Spacious Corner Unit. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Garage Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living. Convenient to Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship....$649,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT: 1267 Peninsula Blvd, Open House By Appt, NEW! 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14(Hewlett Woodmere)Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck.HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, LIRR, Trans & Houses of Worship...$599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT 1390 BROADWAY #117, OPEN HOUSE BY APPT, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This Beautiful JR 4 Coop Apt in Luxurious Hewlett Townhouse. Huge LR & DR, Renov Kit w/ Wood Cab/Quartz Counters/ Stainless St Appl.Encl Terrace Overlooking Garden Can Be Rm. Spac BR w/ En Suite Bath. W/D in Apt. 24 Hr Drmn, Elevator, Valet Pkg, Priv Storage. Redone IG Comm Pool. Gar Pkg. Near Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship....$359,000 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!.REDUCED!!.$2,700,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas elliman 516-238-4299

LAWRENCE 3/3, 12-1:30, 15 Auerbach Lane,, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Amazing Opportunity to Turn This 3/4 BR, 3.5 Bth Colonial Into Your Dream Home! 3700 Sq Ft With Spacious Rms Perfect for Entertaining.Det 1.5 Garage. SD#15.Great Location Near All. You Don't Want to Miss This!...$1,599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429

Rooms Wanted

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

Apartments For Rent

CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance,

Our floor is expanding

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

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

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

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

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

SAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL PLANS!

Up to

More than 500 AIRLINES and

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds Under $100

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

CLARINET: AMATI ACL201 VGC, used very little by an adult. $99. (516) 486-2363

KEGERATOR FOR HOME. excellent condition, black, w24" x h37", $99. Oceanside area. 516-382-8315.

REFRIGERATOR: 10.0 CU. ft. Avanti, Model FF1OB0W, Works Fantastic.$100. 516-236-1961

VINTAGE BUESCHER ALTO Sax with case, playable. $95. (516) 486-2363

SERVICES

Cable/TV/Wiring

SWITCH TO DISH and get up to a $300 gift card! Plus get the Multisport pack included for a limited time! Hurry, call for details: 1-866-782-4069

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

CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/ Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641

Plumbing

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

Satellite/TV Equipment

DIRECTV SPORTS PACK – 3 Months on Us! Watch pro and college sports LIVE. Plus over 40 regional and specialty networks included. NFL, College Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, Golf and more. Some re-

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Health

Reflections on the special election

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

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

pETER KInG

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

difference.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check your Medicare statement carefully

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

JERRY KREMER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HeraLd editoriaL

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

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

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

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

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

Letters

Leave trans kids alone

To the Editor:

ment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CArTEr ALLEN Garden City

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

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

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

Kreiss’s column

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

The problems with bumper-sticker governance

Bumper-sticker slogans and politics have always been inseparable, like peanut butter and jelly. Throughout the history of campaigning, politicians have employed succinct, often widely known but ambiguous sayings to seek the approval of prospective voters. But these slogans’ recent transition from catchy phrases to foundational theories of governmental policy has had negative consequences, particularly in New York.

BrIaN CUrraN

Take, for instance, “Tax the Rich — Pay Your Fair Share.” As the son of a bus driver and a bank teller, I have never been, and likely will never be, a member of the “rich” club. The notion of millionaires and billionaires paying more taxes has an inherent appeal. In a progressive tax system, like New York’s, those with larger incomes pay a larger share of taxes. But the challenge lies in the undefined concept of one’s “fair share.” It’s effective as a bumper-sticker slogan, but it lacks the precision needed for sound governmental policy.

Politicians, driven by an insatiable desire to appease their constituents, inevitably expand municipal budgets

— which necessitates additional taxes.

On the surface, what solution could be more universally acceptable than increasing taxes on the rich to fill budget gaps? The problem arises when the gap remains unfilled, and the “rich” begin contemplating leaving New York. The exodus of a relatively few wealthy residents can create a massive budget hole.

wNew York, one of the highest taxed states, has witnessed a historic outward migration over the past two decades. In 2023 alone, the state lost over 100,000 residents, the most in the country. Since 2020, New York has bid farewell to 10 billionaires. Currently, the top 1 percent of taxpayers in the state contribute 42 percent of its tax receipts, with billionaires facing the highest income tax rate of 14.8 percent.

and increased fares for mass transit. The strategy attempts to make middleclass earners believe in the tax-the-rich slogan while in fact increasing their taxes and cost of living.

hen it comes to taxes, for instance, how do we determine our ‘fair share’?

Another problematic slogan is “New York is a sanctuary for all immigrants.” Along with several other blue states, New York declared itself a sanctuary state, directly conflicting with federal law. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo embraced this idea, branding Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents “a bunch of thugs” and refusing to cooperate with the agency.

in other areas, such as state aid for public schools. Schools are being repurposed as migrant shelters, and health care funds are being diverted from veterans to migrants. New York City Mayor Eric Adams aptly declared that “the migrant issue will destroy New York City,” but it extends beyond the city, and may jeopardize the state and country.

Given Albany’s reluctance to seriously consider cutting spending, politicians are left with a delicate task: increasing taxes on the remaining wealthy without prompting further departures. So they may raise their taxes slightly while devising alternative means to generate revenue from the “little guy” — the euphemistically described “middle class.”

Examples of these alternative revenue sources include congestion pricing, commuter taxes, the home heating tax,

Letters

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

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

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

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

TOM LYNCH Lynbrook

A neighborly winter surprise

To the Editor:

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

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

Whoever you are, thank you!

PHIL GRELLA Rockville Centre

While the policy was initially seen as “virtue signaling” by Democratic politicians, the consequences have been obvious. With a federal open-border policy and the governors of Texas and Florida transporting migrants to sanctuary states, New York now faces an unprecedented migrant crisis. New York City alone has received over 180,000 migrants, and, under a consent decree, is obligated to provide them with shelter and basic needs.

The fiscal implications of the migrant problem are staggering: It is projected to cost the city over $12 billion through 2025. Gov. Kathy Hochul recently proposed $2.3 billion in spending to deal with the crisis, making budget cuts

One more bumper-sticker slogan to consider is “Universal health care is a human right.” It’s a noble sentiment, but the reality is that universal health care is financially unsustainable, and could bankrupt any state attempting to implement it. Even Vermont abandoned its plan for universal health care in 2014, because it would have doubled the state’s budget and necessitated crippling tax increases.

A more pragmatic approach involves lowering health care costs for all by realistically addressing the overall cost of providing health care.

Obviously, slogans can’t serve as the foundation for workable governmental policies. While those like “No taxation without representation” and “One person, one vote” have led to meaningful policies, they’re the exception rather than the rule. Voters must be discerning, and ensure that candidates with bumper-sticker slogans comprehend the issues before they give them their support.

Brian Curran represents the 21st Assembly District.

Framework by Tim Baker

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