Courtesy Northwell Health Dr. Banu Aygun, the Cohen Children’s Medical Center’s associate chief of hematology, who treated Yusuf Saeed since he was a month old, congratulated him on being the first to receive novel gene therapy to cure his blood disorder.
Behind a Mickey Mouse mask, 8-year-old Yusuf Saeed with a bald scalp, a likely result of his intensive chemotherapy, sat in the glare of cameras on April 18. With elation in his eyes, he played with his toy dinosaurs, sitting beside his mother and his doctors, seemingly unbothered by the full weight of the moment. Yusuf became the first person in the state with beta thalassemia to be treated for his condition using novel gene therapy.
Since he was a month old, Saeed of Valley Stream has been under the careful watch of Cohen Children’s Medical Center doctors, Dr.
Banu Aygun the center’s associate chief of hematology, said.
Saeed suffers from a severe case of beta thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder. Roughly 1,200 people in the United States have beta thalassemia, a condition where the body can’t make enough “normal, adult” hemoglobin. As with Saeed, the disorder ties you to a lifelong dependence on blood transfusions administered roughly every two to five weeks. Even under the best of circumstances, a life of routine treatment to stay alive is far from normal and, as Aygun explained, has its drawbacks.
“If you think about a person’s lifespan, it is
11 Sunrise Plaza • Valley Stream Tel: 516-872-3575
Opposite
It was a grand yet intimate celebration for students and their families at Elite Scholars Christian Academy who gathered to welcome their new playground space. After a year of planning and construction, a part of the backyard of the Valley Stream-based daycare and early childhood education center has been turned into a modern play space.
Gone are the days of needing to borrow the playground space of the neighboring public school, Forest Road Elementary, which has always been a generous partner, noted CEO Paula Mills.
Creative fallback options for physical activity like out-ofschool nature walks have been wonderful despite the lack of an in-house playground, noted Mills. But now that the preschool had a play oasis of its own, within a few steps of the school, immersive recreation is now readily accessible.
“Our backyard is large, and we would do our little ball games and such,” said Paula. “But we wanted something that would fully develop them physically.”
A large patron force behind the project, which covered most
of the playground’s $13,700 price tag was QUALITYstarsNY, an organization that provides a voluntary rating system for childcare programs in the state alongside program guidance and support.
Mill’s preschool is comparatively modest to much larger and older nursery and childcare programs that dot throughout Valley Stream. The preschool, serving to children ages one to six, currently serves nine students. Yet Mills has been working with Stefanie Straker, a quality improvement specialist for QUALITYstarsNY, for some time now to “increase and sustain the quality” of the preschool at no cost to Mills.
“One of the goals that she had was to really create an engaging outdoor area that would be able to support the gross motor development of the children,” said Straker.
A new playground paradigm
The playground comes replete with the sort of things kids dream up for a fun day out — a climbing wall, a five-seat merrygo cycle, and a spout and splash. These play features develop children’s ability to move their limbs and use their senses, but it also
ContinueD on pAge 10
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Students who have a passion for music have an opportunity to take their skills to the next level this summer at Boces’ Long Island High School for the Arts, or LIHSA for short. On top of that, students whose applications really impress may even get in for free.
“Our summer program works to give students who are not sure if they want to attend the LIHSA program, or who are interested in attending the program down the line, an overview of what it’s like to be here at LIHSA,” said Linday Rogan, the assistant principal of LIHSA. “It gives them a really nice overview of everything that we offer.”
The four-week program, called the Summer Arts Academy, is at LIHSA campus in Syosset. It’s open to students in grades 5 through 12 from anywhere in Nassau or Suffolk.
The Summer Arts Academy offers hands-on education in artistic fields that a student would be hardpressed to find elsewhere. Students can learn how to construct sets, record and produce music using professional software and audio equipment, perform Broadway choreography, audition for a stage production and more.
“We’re the only performing arts high school on Long Island,” Rogan said. “We partner with industry professionals in our performing arts departments ranging from NYU and Verbatim Theatre Lab to Paul Taylor at the American Ballet Theatre; we are able to offer world class industry professionals that come to LIHSA to work in partnership with our faculty; our faculty members are also known industry professionals that are working in their field. And that really helps to give students the most state of the art education in their chosen art field.”
Even better, there are 15 full scholarships available for music students through funding from the Joel Foundation — yes, that Joel. When LIHSA was in danger of closing eight years ago, Billy Joel was actually
Winners of the Joel Foundation’s Summer Arts Academy scholarship, like these students from last year, are chosen based on their musical skill, artistry and expression.
the one who stepped in and donated millions to protect the only performing arts high school on Long Island.
Now his foundation is offering full $2,800 scholarships to 15 students who demonstrate high levels of skill and artistry, which is evaluated in students’ applications and audition videos. The scholarship is available to students from Nassau who are currently in grades 8-11, and have prior experience with music.
But the technical education isn’t the only reason to study the arts at LIHSA.
“Training students to be the next generation of young artists is something that not only myself, but the entire faculty of Long Island High School for the Arts, is very passionate about,” Rogan said. “Beyond the career opportunities — students who study art are really good humans. They learn empathy, they learn strong communication skills, and they learn to reflect on their own experiences. And all of that is really important.”
An education in the arts teaches young people com-
The Long Island High School for the Arts is the only performing arts high school on Long Island. In its Summer Arts Academy, students can take their skills to the next level..
munication, how to reflect, how to provide and accept feedback, and accountability to other artists on your team, Rogan said — skills that every young person needs to develop for their careers.
And what did we all do when the world shut down two years ago? We turned to art, Rogan said. We listened to music, we watched television, we read books. Art continues to be vital, and the benefits of an arts education cannot be understated.
“Art is something that preserves history,” Rogan said. “Art is something that can bring the most subtle things in life to light, and art is the way that we measure our humanity.”
The program runs from June 27 to July 26, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Scholarships are awarded based on merit. Students who are interested may submit an audition video and application by May 10. For details on how to apply and audition, students can visit tinyurl.com/BOCESScholarship2024.
the Valley Stream District 30 Board of Education has tapped Marisela Sanchez, a behavioral therapist, and a former Brooklyn assistant principal, as the next principal of Forest Road Elementary School. Her first official day will be July 1.
The announcement made during the board of education meeting on April 16 is the district’s latest administrative shakeup following sudden news of Principal Alison Bruno’s imminent departure after a single school year.
Bruno had replaced Forest Road’s longserving principal, Erin Malone, who herself was reshuffled as the new principal of Shaw Avenue Elementary School in 2023.
District officials have described Sanchez “as an experienced and visionary educational leader with extensive experience in managing daily operations to foster a positive learning environment and support student success.”
She recently served as assistant principal at PS 96 in Brooklyn. In her other former roles, including as a behavior analysis instructional coach, Sanchez successfully worked with teachers, parents, and staff to develop and implement school-wide behavior management plans. She conducted reg-
ular observations and provided constructive feedback to teachers, guiding them on how to manage challenging behaviors and create a positive classroom culture. Furthermore, she initiated restorative justice practices within the school, promoting conflict resolution and teaching students the importance of empathy and accountability.
“I am honored to have been appointed as the new principal of Forest Road Elementary School,” said Sanchez. “I am excited to join the dedicated team of educators, parents, and community members of Valley Stream District 30, and I look forward to working together to ensure that every student receives a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment.”
Sanchez earned her bachelor of arts in early childhood education from CUNY Brooklyn College and a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis from St. Joseph University, a master’s degree in school building leadership from CUNY Brooklyn College, and a master’s degree in Special Education from Touro School of Education, Graduate Division.
Clients often ask whether the home should be deeded to the client’s adult children, while retaining a life estate in the parent or whether the Medicaid Asset Protection Trust should be used to protect the asset.
While the deed with a life estate will be less costly to the client, in most cases it offers significant disadvantages when compared to the trust. First, if the home is sold prior to the death of the Medicaid recipient, the life estate value of the home will be required to be paid towards their care. If the house is rented, the net rents are payable to the nursing facility since they belong to the life tenant. Finally, the client loses a significant portion of their capital gains tax exclusion for the sale of their primary residence as they will only be entitled to a pro rata share based on the value of the life estate to the home as a whole.
All of the foregoing may lead to a situation where the family finds they must maintain a vacant home for many years. Conversely, a properly drafted MAPT preserves the full capital gains tax exclusion on the sale of the
primary residence and the home may be sold by the trust without obligation to make payment of any of the principal towards the client’s care, assuming we have passed the look-back period for facility care of five years.
It should be noted here that both the life estate and the MAPT will preserve the steppedup basis in the property provided it is sold after the death of the parent who was the owner or grantor. Upon the death of the parent, the basis for calculating the capital gains tax is stepped up from what the parent paid, plus any improvements, to what it was worth on the parent’s date of death. This effectively eliminates payment of capital gains taxes on the sale of appreciated property, such as the home, after the parent dies.
There are instances where the life estate deed makes sense however. When the asset is a country house or a beach house that is intended to stay in the family for the next generation, then the life estate deed works perfectly well and may effect a significant savings to the family seeking to protect the asset.
• Wills & Probate • Medicaid FREE CONSULTATION: 516-327-8880 x117 or email info@trustlaw.com
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South Side Senior Lacrosse
AN ALL-COUNTY award winner in 2023 and AllLong Island games MVP, Haggerty reached a milestone April 27 in the Cyclones’ 16-5 victory over Calhoun. She scored five goals, including the 100th of her high school career. On the season, the University of Vermont-bound attack has scored 28 goals and assisted on 27 others as South Side split its first 12 games. She also plays a key role on draw controls and ranks among the team leaders with 25.
Thursday, May 9
Girls Lacrosse: Freeport at Baldwin 4:30 p.m.
Flag Fooball: Herricks at V.S. Ditrict 5 p.m.
Flag Football: Bellmore-Merrick at Westbury 5 p.m.
Baseball: Sewanhaka at Malverne 5 p.m.
Softball: V.S. North at Garden City 5 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse: V.S.District at Uniondale 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at Plainedge 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: Oyster Bay at East Meadow 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: Hicksville at Kennedy 5 p.m.
Flag Football: Long Beach at Port Washington 7 p.m.
Flag Football: Division at Lynbrook 7 p.m.
Friday, May 10
Softball: Sewanhaka at V.S. North 4:30 p.m.
Flag Football: MacArthur at Plainview 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: North Shore at Seaford 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: Carey at Malv/East Rock 5 p.m.
Softball: Plainview at Calhoun 5 p.m.
Softball: New Hyde Park at South Side 5:30 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse: Long Beach at Port Washington 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 11
Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at Wantagh 10 a.m.
Softball: Clarke at East Meadow 12 p.m.
Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”
A contactless sport may not leave much room for aggression but don’t tell that to the Valley Stream District flag football team.
After dropping a low-scoring affair to Port Washington, Valley Stream (7-3) exercised its demons by earning its fifth shutout victory of the season on the road to the tune of 30-0 at Westbury April 20.
“The goal for us on defense is we want to shut the opponent out,” Valley Stream head coach Brian Kelly said. “We don’t want them to score. We always live by if the offense can’t score against us, we can’t lose the game. That’s our mentality. If we don’t give up points, we won’t lose.”
In theory, it’s a simple concept but is much more difficult to execute in practice, especially in a version of football that is much more advantageous to the offense. Nevertheless, the pass-rush duo of Sara Sierzega and Anaya Hunte have become game wreckers for Valley Stream and nightmares for opponents.
“The rush is so quick, it’s hard for the other teams to even run a play,” said Kelly.
Valley Stream’s defense has taken the responsibility of scoring upon itself as well. All-County linebacker Jazleen Narvaez has picked off five passes, returning two for touchdowns.
The competency Valley Stream has displayed on defense this season makes it somewhat hard to believe this is only the second year of the program’s existence. Just a year ago, Kelly was pinning up flyers to recruit players from all three high schools in the Valley Stream District.
“Starting from scratch, which was really stressful, but making it our own and just seeing exactly where we could take this has been tremendous,” Kelly said.“[The team] is awesome. They are great kids and amazing athletes. That combination makes doing this a joy.”
Senior quarterback Alyssa Santiago is one of the forebearers of the program and drives the offense with a combined 20 touchdowns on the ground and through the air.
“She is the ultimate competitor, but
Senior quarterback Alyssa Santiago is one of the forebearers of Valley Stream’s flag football program and has a combined 20 touchdowns this spring.
aside from the athletic ability and the stats that she puts up, she is the single most important leader on this team,” Kelly said. “She just gets everybody to buy in, and she is probably one of the reasons why we are so successful.”
High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a spring sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com. 4:21:36
Santiago has hit six different receivers to put points on the board for Valley Stream, including Lauren Alvarez, Gabriella Rivera, Kelly Garay and Ryann Blount. However, no connection has been stronger for Santiago than the one she has with leading receiver Joeyce Forero.
As an eighth-grader, Forero has eight touchdowns. Next year, she’ll take up Santiago’s mantle under center and continue to help build an already strong culture in Valley Stream.
“It really comes from the girls themselves,” Kelly said. “They understand that this is a big deal. They understand that this is a district team. Valley Stream is a close community. They build the culture themselves. We try to facilitate it, but the girls themselves are the ones who build this culture and make it so successful.”
Valley Stream District 13’s James A. Dever School students embarked on an unforgettable field trip to the Long Island Children’s Museum with their teachers earlier this year. District officials described the trip as a way for “fostering inclusive and immersive learning experiences for students.”
Students from kindergarten to fourth grade perused the captivating exhibits at the Long Island Children’s Museum. The highlight of the excursion was the exploration of the vibrant world of Eric Carle, where students were immersed in the colorful illustrations and imaginative stories of the beloved author and illustrator. Additionally, they delighted in the interactive bubble exhibit, engaged their senses in the Feasts for Beasts showcase, and experienced the magic of sound showers.
The Long Island Children’s Museum is a not-for-profit learning space that is dedicated to educational play. Children are encouraged to explore and use their imaginations as they move through the museum’s exhibits, programs, and performances. At the museum, children learned various skills, including independence, and inspired to be the next generation of outstanding citizens.
Juan Lasso
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The Rockville Centre Recreation Center welcomed eager attendees for the Herald’s Senior Health & Beyond Expo, produced by RichnerLive, on April 25. It was the first in a series of expos for 2024.
The expo brings together diverse businesses and innovative services to share their products and refined knowledge with attendees.
“This event is highly regarded within our community, receiving positive feedback from both attendees and vendors,” said Amy Amato, executive director of Herald Community Media and RichnerLive. “It offers valuable opportunities for companies and guests to learn, engage and access essential screenings, benefitting everyone involved.”
More than 50 vendors filled the gymnasium, offering insights into health, wellness and personal care. They provided guidance on enhancing lifestyle through new products and programs, as well as advice on senior living arrangements, financial security, and more.
Guests received hearing screenings from Mid Island Audiology, as well as health screenings from Mount Sinai South Nassau, which included free vaccines, blood pressure testing, body mass index and diabetes risk management screenings.
Before noon, guests sat down for a panel discussion to hear experts discuss myriad topics, including consumer assistance programs and preparing for summer, as well as PACE — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly — advanced-care directives, and Medicaid managed long-term care.
Guests also experienced a segment from Mae Caime, chief executive of aMAEzing Midlife & Beyond, called “Mindset, Movement and Magic” — which got the crowd stretching and in motion.
“The expo was fun, the Herald team is amazing,” Caime said. “The energy is great, and I love the spirit.”
Attendees received a goody bag courtesy of Grandell Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and Beach Terrace Care Center filled with the specialevent section, keepsakes and vital takehome information.
At the end, the first 150 attendees also received a free to-go lunch courtesy of Pantano’s, while everyone was eligible for the raffles.
The expo was made possible thanks to Silver Sponsors New York Department of Public Service, Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Centerlight Healthcare PACE and Long Beach Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (Cassena Care).
Guests and vendors are looking forward to the next expo happening Thursday, June 27 between 10 a.m. and noon at Congregation Ohav Sholom, 145 S. Merrick Ave., in Merrick.
Visit JuneExpo.eventbrite.com to register, or RichnerLive.com for more details.
James A. Dever Elementary School recently held a science-based charity initiative, during which students collected solar eclipse glasses for donation to the Astronomy Without Borders organization. The endeavor underscored the school’s commitment to community engagement and environmental stewardship.
With the recent total solar eclipse captivating the nation’s attention, James A. Dever Elementary School educators seized the opportunity to contribute to a cause that promotes both scientific education and global accessibility. Recognizing the importance of ensuring safe viewing experiences for all, the school embarked on a mission to collect unused solar eclipse glasses. Astronomy Without Borders, renowned for its dedication to providing astronomical resources to underserved communities worldwide, serves as the perfect conduit for redistributing these glasses. Through its innovative recycling program, the organization ensures that these valuable resources find their way into the hands of individuals who will benefit from them during future celestial events.
The collaborative effort involved students, teachers, and staff members, who rallied together to collect a significant number of solar eclipse glasses. This initiative served as an educational opportunity for students to learn about the science behind solar eclipses.
nudges kids to stretch their social muscles on the playground, noted Straker, whether it be taking turns on the merry-go cycle or helping a friend up the wall.
The play space also spatially plays with the boundaries between inside and outside activities more seamlessly.
A giant art easel, for example, is set up on the playground, giving the kids who want to paint or art doodle the option to either stay inside their usual indoor territory or take it outside.
As a reaction to the lost years of playing and extensive solitary confinement children went through during the Covid-19 pandemic, educators have been storming up ways to lengthen outdoor playing time without losing out on structured learning and engagement, usually inside the school,
Straker noted.
“That’s why there is all this hype about having an art center or science center in playgrounds,” said Straker, pushing indoor learning activities outdoors. It’s not about simple swing sets and monkey bars, anymore.
It’s certainly a trend that is catching fire among educational providers, noted Straker, but all things considered, it’s a trend backed by the proven benefits of exposing children to time outdoors. “Being in fresh air and outside has so many wonderful effects on the brain for kids,” said Straker.
“The children love the new playground,” said Mills. “The playground will help us structure our day to cater more to all types of learners, especially those who are more hands-on, kinesthetic learners. We’re very excited about that.”
The demolition crew gathered at 8:30 a.m. sharp last week in a grassy field on the side of the Southern State Parkway. Behind them was a row of residential houses on Valley Stream’s Arkansas Drive blanketed by trees, In front of them stood the decrepit remains of a 900-square-foot A-framed building.
The abandoned chalet-style structure — a holdover from another time — was built as a tourist center for motorists coming onto Long Island more than four decades ago. Yet, it has sat vacant since 2018.
But within two days last week, what was once the Southern State Parkway Tourism Center was no more.
Demolition machinery made swift work of crushing and pulverizing the building until it was nothing more than a pile of rubble. The state-deployed crew then swooped in to clean up the destruction, removing any and all physical traces.
George Gorman, regional director of the state’s parks, recreation and historic preservation office, said after workers planted grass seeds over the demolition site, they would let nature reclaim the space.
Tim Baker/Herald
A demolition machine tears into what was once the Southern State Parkway Tourism Center last week. The A-framed building was said to be too small to take in all the tourists who would want to stop by as they traveled onto Long Island, to the point that, in later years, it served more to store tourism brochures.
month. But the detailed history of the building is mostly lost to time, Gorman said. Before it, there was the Southern State Park Toll Plaza, a stopping point for vehicles to cough up a few cents to pass through its toll booths.
Since the abandoned center sits on state park land and has been “wasting away” as a relic of a bygone era, Gorman’s department coordinated with the state transportation department to have it finally razed. There was no serious talk of replacing it.
“It was a location for individuals to pick up tourism brochures,” Gorman said. “It was not a full-fledged rest stop. There were no public restrooms. It had a small septic system that helped take care of the few staffers that worked there.”
Discover Long Island, the regional nonprofit tourist promotion agency, last operated it in 2017. The building — topped with its eponymous steep-angled roof — was once the architecture of choice for vacation houses on Long Island.
No traffic was disrupted during the work. Before wiping the mini-landmark off the map, however, state officials first assessed for any hazardous materials that could be generated during demolition.
Asbestos — a toxic mineral commonly found in older buildings — was discovered in small quantities, noted Gorman, but nothing for which to raise alarm about.
“There was a minimal amount of asbestos that we removed weeks ago,” he said. “We wanted to make sure that when it gets demolished, there would be no hazardous materials on-site.”
At its height, the tourist center welcomed roughly 35,000 visitors each
But now, if anything, the building had become a passing “eyesore” for vehicles on the highway, argued Gorman — something that had long outlived its purpose. It simply had to go.
“The space doesn’t have the capability to hold a modern, code-compliant visitor’s center,” Gorman said. “There’s residences right behind, so there is really no space.
“It’s an eyesore that needed to be resolved.”
Continued from page 1
an expensive treatment,” said Aygun. “It’s also a qualityof-life issue because when you become an adult, you have to take time off work to get the transfusions. Whenever Yusuf’s family traveled, they’d have to come back every three to four weeks to give him his transfusions.”
Another consequence of constant blood transfusions, noted Aygun, is elevated iron levels in the bloodstream which must be dampened by special medication.
Until recently, the only widely known cure for the rare disorder was a bone marrow transplant where the diseased person’s bone marrow stem cells, which give rise to blood cells, are replaced with those of a healthy donor. The ideal candidate is that of a sibling.
It’s not a failsafe procedure. Recent studies report a survival rate ranging anywhere between 66 percent to 99 percent.
Saeed’s mother, Yusara Ahmed, watched her sister undergo the same ordeal her son was now experiencing. Her sister was ultimately spared of the disorder through a bone marrow transplant. Maybe Saeed, who has a sibling, and was at the ideal age to receive the transplant, could be spared the same way.
“Yes, Yusuf has a twin sister,” noted Aygun.
But any hope was quickly snuffed. “We checked her immediately, but she was not a match,” said Aygun. “Unfortunately, we could not find any donor matches for Yusuf.”
New hope years in the making Saeed spent his early childhood with the disease, but Ahmed was told about an experimental new gene therapy showing enormous promise. Doctors were confident it was only a matter of time before it received approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
“It was Dr. Aygun who gave us hope about this new
The other part is the logistical burden the treatment places on medical centers. Patients need an expert level of care for a procedure that as Aygun described “requires a very well-established” hematology program as well as stem cell transplant program.
Doctors collected stem cells nestled in Saeed’s bone marrow that were extracted and genetically modified in a lab, correcting the mutated gene by replacing it with healthy copies capable of producing healthy red blood cells, explained Aygun.
Before those new cells could be infused into Saeed, however, powerful chemotherapy wipes away any remaining bone marrow stem cells. Saeed’s family steeled themselves for the chemotherapy treatment which began in January. Saeed stayed in the hospital while he waited for his new cells to grow under the careful watch of the medical team to prevent any risk of infection or unforeseen side effects.
gene therapy treatment, and we placed our faith in her and Cohen,” she said.
When the FDA gave Bluebird Bio, the Massachusettsbased biotech company, the go-ahead to sell the treatment called Zynteglo, Ahmed knew they’d take the chance on the new therapy if given the opportunity.
Soon enough, her son was chosen as the first of a lucky few in the state. The family’s health insurance agreed to cover the cost of the bill for the treatment: a whopping $2.8 million. The medicine’s high cost is partly the reason for its limited roll-out. “The insurance companies are not readily approving it,” said Aygun. “They’re approving it for transfusion-dependent patients.”
“The process was pretty smooth, but there were days where he would look out the hospital window crying, missing his sister Mirha who was too underage to come into the hospital,” said Ahmed.
Despite the whole grueling process, the results were worth the wait and effort, noted Ahmed and her son’s doctors couldn’t agree more.
“He has not needed a blood transfusion since then,” said Aygun who was excited about how similar versions of the gene therapy could be used to help cure patients with other blood disorders.
“This treatment is also approved for people with sickle cell disease, so that will be the next group of patients that we will start treating with this treatment,” said Aygun. “The reality is this treatment took decades to become reality. But I’m glad for Yusuf, and he’s doing so well.”
Courtesy Northwell Health
Donating food this weekend is simple, says Randi Shubin Dresner.
“Just leave non-perishable food items in a bag next to your mailbox before the regularly scheduled mail deliver on Saturday, May 11,” she said. And your mail carrier “will do the rest to make sure it gets onto the tables of our Long Islander neighbors in need.”
Shubin Dresner should know. She’s the chief executive of Island Harvest, which provides much-needed food support to more than 300,000 people on Long Island who faces hunger — including 90,000 children.
This weekend’s event is part of the U.S. Postal Service’s annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, done in collaboration with not only local charities like Island Harvest, but also the National Association of Letter Carriers.
After the food is delivered to Island Harvest, volunteers there sort and repackage the food for distribution to those in-need.
Non-perishable food items needed include canned goods, cereal, pasta, rice, boxed juices, and shelf-stable milk. It does not include anything in glass containers, as these are easy to break.
“Even if it’s a can of soup or a box of cereal, every donation — no matter the size — will help countless Long Islanders who may be struggling to put food on their tables,” Shubin Dresner said.
Island Harvest distributed 15 million
pounds of food in 2022, a jump of 42 percent over donations before the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are counting on the generosity of our neighbors who can spare a little extra to help make this year’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive one of the most successful,” Shubin Dresner added.
Mail carriers are also on the lookout for personal care items like toothpaste,
soap, shampoo, deodorant and disposable diapers. All of these donations go toward replenishing Island Harvest’s network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding programs throughout Long Island.
Stamp Out Hunger generated 544,000 meals locally. Since its inception in 1993, the national program has collected nearly 1.8 billion pounds of food in all 50
Here’s a sample of what you can leave by your mailbox on May 11:
■ canned beans/dried beans
■ peanut butter or other nut butter
■ canned fruit and vegetables
■ low-sodium soups
■ canned tuna/chicken
■ brown rice/instant brown rice
■ nuts/seeds/dried fruits
■ shelf-stable milk/milk substitutes
■ whole grain pasta
■ low-sodium canned pasta sauce
■ low-sodium canned tomatoes
■ olive or canola oil
■ toiletries and feminine products
■ laundry and dish detergent
■ paper towels and toilet paper
states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
All donations are tax-deductible since food collected benefits Island Harvest, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
To learn more, visit IslandHarvest.org.
–Melissa Berman
Cherish mom on her dayBy Karen Bloom
“Behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begins.”
– Mitch AlbomMom — and all those special ladies in our lives — surely deserve a special day. The cards, her favorite treats, a colorful bouquet, are certainly welcome. Best yet, surround her with flowers and spring’s glorious blossoms. Old Westbury Gardens is an enchanting locale to do so on Mother’s Day. Stroll the 200 glorious acres of wooded walks and those amazing gardens with their display of vibrant spring color. Explore Westbury House, the estate’s grand Charles II-style mansion, filled with art and furnishings. Pack some lunch for a delightful picnic among spring’s many blooms, or enjoy a bite at the Café in the Woods.
The iconic site’s 65th anniversary season rolls along with all sorts of activities ahead. But, for now, mom will surely enjoy savoring some moments among spring’s colors and scents. Perhaps more so than at any time of the year, Mother’s Day — for most people — is all about the flowers when visiting this grand estate.
“We’re nearing peak season now,” says Old Westbury Gardens president Maura Brush. “As the season goes along, the highlight is the formal gardens. Starting in May is when you really see people spending more time in the Walled Garden and up around Westbury House where the wisteria blooms.”
The array of blooms bursting forth extends throughout the landscape.
“The display in the Walled Garden is really high-impact now,” Brush enthuses. “There’s plenty to take in there.”
Brush is especially fond of the tree peonies. These blooms can be eight inches across 40 blossoms in size.
“The tree peonies are just not to be missed,” she says. “They are stunning, looking like crushed tissue. The texture and color are outstanding.”
Yet, of course, the tulips remain a favorite. Seeing the tulips here by the many hundreds — in the Walled Garden and Thatched Cottage Garden
• Sunday, May 12, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• For more information and program/events schedule, visit OldWestburyGardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
and elsewhere in myriad varieties in a rainbow of colors — is described by Brush as breathtaking. Much care is put into creatively designing the colorful tulip arrangements, for dramatic appeal.
“We spend so much time curating our bulb display,” Bush says. “You can go anywhere and see a row of tulips. We’re always excited about our display as it’s unlike what you’ll see elsewhere.”
Also, visitors might want to consider checking out the refurbished Westbury House, the former home of financier
John S. Phipps, his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps, and their four children. Guided tours are available throughout the day (no registration required), at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. A garden highlights tour is also offered at 2 p.m., meeting at West Porch Beech next to Westbury House.
“I don’t think Westbury House has looked better since I’ve been here,” Brush says. “We’ve had volunteers working all winter long on cleaning and polishing. It feels like there’s a lot of new life. We’ve got some wonderful new people working up in our archives, so it’s been really fun seeing photos of what the house looked like when the family was here, and putting together some of those pieces of the puzzle that we haven’t had before.”
Gleaming and restored back to its days when it was a family home, Westbury House is surely a sight to behold among the blooming gardens. As always — as an added treat, while supplies last — every adult woman receives a complimentary lavender plant. Be sure to stop by the plant shop to get yours.
The acclaimed dance company visits Long Island on its 2024 tour, appearing on the Tilles Center stage. With a storied history, the first Black classical ballet company — co-founded by dance icon and international superstar Arthur Mitchell — has toured the world and engaged communities. The 18-member, multi-ethnic company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works by George Balanchine, and resident choreographer Robert Garland, as well as innovative contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate Black culture. The dynamic program includes Balanchine’s ‘Pas de Dix,’ with music by Alexander Glazuno; ‘Take Me With You,’ with choreography by Robert Bondara, featuring Radiohead music; ‘Return,’ choreographed by Robert Garland, with James Brown and Aretha Franklin tunes.
Friday, May 10, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $64; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.
Contemporary swing revival band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy visits the Paramount ready to cut loose. This April marked the 31st anniversary of their emarkable arrival onto the music scene. Since their formation in the early ‘90s in Ventura, California, the band has toured virtually nonstop and has produced a sizable catalog of recorded music, with sales of more than 2 million albums to date. Early on, during their legendary residency at the Derby nightclub in Los Angeles, they reminded the world — in the midst of the grunge era, no less — that it was still cool to swing. The band, co-founded by singer Scotty Morris and drummer Kurt Sodergren, was at the forefront of the swing revival of that time, blending a vibrant fusion of the classic American sounds of jazz, swing and dixieland, with the energy and spirit of contemporary culture.
Thursday, May 16, 8 p.m. $59.50, $49.50, $39.50, $29.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
Ellington Tilles Center continues its collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, when the Future of Jazz orchestra visits the Tilles Center stage, Friday, May 16, 8 p.m. This all- Ellington showcases features a hand-picked ensemble of some of the greatest young musicians in jazz meeting the challenges posed by one of jazz’s great composers, Duke Ellington. Led by music director Joe Block, a recent Juilliard graduate and Essentially Ellington composition winner, this 15-piece band will keep everyone swinging all night long. The band includes some of best young jazz musicians on the scene today, who love this music as much as audiences.
Ellington’s music is so elegant, so dynamic, so intimately detailed that it takes a group of musicians with a genuine collaborative spark to fully bring out its inner magic, and that is what you will experience at this concert. The program explores decades of Duke’s music, including his earliest hits, Hollywood charts, swinging blues numbers, pieces inspired by his international travels, and portions of his later suites. It’s an eclectic repertoire and yet unmistakably Ellington through and through — always enjoyable upon first listen, but teeming with brilliant details that continue to reveal themselves over time. This vital music is at the core of Jazz at Lincoln Center, and you’re guaranteed to enjoy its timeless genius when the next generation of jazz leaders bring their fresh energy to it. Tickets are $42; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 2993100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.
Families will enjoy another musical adventure, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, May 10, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Saturday, May 11, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, May 14-17, 10:15 a.m. and noon. Back by popular demand after a sold-out 2023 run, see Pigeon, Bus Driver, and some zany passengers sing and dance their way to helping The Pigeon find his “thing” in this upbeat, energetic comedy based on four of Mo Willems’ popular Pigeon books. Featuring a live band to bring Deborah Wicks La Puma’s jazzy score to life, audiences will thoroughly enjoy singing and flapping along with The Pigeon and friends. The audience is part of the action, in this innovative mix of songs, silliness and feathers. It’s an ideal way to introduce kids to theater and the humorous stories from Willems’ books. $10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.
On exhibit Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.
Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art. The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.
Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists. On view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Bring the kids to Long Island Children’s Museum and say goodbye to the traveling exhibit, “Very Eric Carle,” before it leaves the building, Sunday, May 12 Celebrate one of Eric Carle’s most beloved characters by making a crawling caterpillar to take home at the drop-in program. Suitable for ages 3+ Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. Visit LICM.org or call (516) 224-5800 for information.
Baby shower for moms-to-be
Mercy Hospital hosts this free event for expecting moms-to-be, Saturday, May 11, noon to 2 p.m., in the lower level cafeteria. With raffles, giveaways for mom and baby, and meet and greets with physicians, lactation specialists, mother/baby nurses, games and more. For moms only. 1000 N. Village Ave. Email Elizabeth.Schwind@chsli.org to register. For more information, visit CHSLI.org/mercy-hospital or call (516) 626-3729.
Families are invited to join entomologist Jeffry Petracca on an adventure with insects at Old Westbury Gardens, Saturday, May 11, 1-3 p.m. Meet some of the biggest and most beautiful insects and spiders from around the world, including giant stick bugs, beetles, tarantulas and scorpions. Learn about each of their amazing adaptations and how they help them to carry out their unique ecosystem roles, even hold many of these animals. Suitable for ages 6-9. Registration required. $17 per child. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information and to register, visit OldWestburyGardens.org or contact (516) 333-0048.
Valley Stream District 30 Board of Education holds its budget hearing, Monday, May 13, 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.
Having an event?
Buckley ‘s songs and stories
Tony Award-winner Betty Buckley brings her magical voice to the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center stage, Saturday, May 11, 8 p.m. Buckley shares an inspiring and emotionally compelling mix of stories and songs from the world of pop/rock, standards, musical theater, and Americana. Tickets start at $50, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. Visit Adelphi.edu/pac for tickets or call (516) 877-4000.
Green Acres is partnering with The Town of Hempstead Department of Occupational Resources for a Spring Mall Job Fair, Sunday, May 19, starting at 1:30 p.m., at the Green Acres Mall Center Court. 2034 Green Acres Mall. For more information, visit GreenAcresMallOnline.com or call (516) 561-1157.
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.
Long Island Kennel Club welcomes families and their four-legged companions to its spring show, Sunday, May 19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Planting Fields Arboretum. This year’s Long Island Kennel Club show follows the annual acclaimed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show earlier in the week. Many canine contenders are expected to leave the Big Apple and then head east to compete at the annual spring dog shows (Friday through Sunday, May 17-19, all held at the same venue. The three days celebrate everything canine, from impeccable show dogs and trick-dog demonstrations to doggie dock diving and an agility obstacle course. Events and attractions make this festival a treat for anyone who loves dogs. Sunday also features a special demonstration by the NYPD Transit Bureau Canine Unit, at 11 a.m. Dogs must be leashed at all times. No prong collars, retractable leashes or head halters. $20 admission per car load includes all-day access. 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay. Visit LongIslandDogsShows.com or call (516) 776-0923 for more information.
Sands Point Preserve’s reserve’s historic mansions and waterfront grounds are the backdrop for the latest edition of it’s unique chamber music series, “A Tour de France,” Sunday, May 19, 5 p.m. Feast your ears with French composers, old and new, when the duoJalal ensemble-in-residence is joined by violinists Deborah Buck and MinYoung Kim, cellist Caroline Stinson and soprano Abigail Brodnick. With wine reception following. $56, $45 members. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For tickets and information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.
The St. Francis Hospital Outreach Bus visits Henry Waldinger Memorial Library on Wednesday, May 15. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. With free health screenings, including a brief cardiac history, blood pressure and a simple blood test for cholesterol and diabetes for adults 18 and older. 60 Verona Place. For more information, visit ValleyStreamLibrary,org or call (516) 825-6422.
May 9, 2024 —
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION OF THE VALLEY STREAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT THIRTY
TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD AND NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK
NOTICE IS HEREBY
GIVEN, that a Public Hearing of the qualified voters of the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirty of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, will be Monday, May 13, 2024, at 7:00 p.m., prevailing time, for the transaction of business as authorized by the Education Law, including the following items:
1. To present to the voters a detailed statement (proposed budget) of the amount of money, which will be required for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
2. To discuss all the items hereinafter set forth to be voted upon by voting machines at the Budget Vote and Election to be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to Education Law of the State of New York and acts amendatory thereto. A copy of the proposed budget shall be made available, upon request, to residents of the school district beginning Monday, May 6, 2024, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., prevailing time, at the Office of District Clerk, 175 N. Central Avenue, Valley Stream, New York. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that said Budget Vote and Election will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, in the Three (3) Election Districts, described below, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by voting machine upon the following items:
1. To adopt the annual budget of the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirty for the fiscal year 2024-25 and that the sum be raised through a levy upon the taxable property in the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirty, after first deducting the monies from state aid and other sources, as provided by law.
2. For the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirty to be authorized to appropriate and expend from the Capital Reserve Funds, which were established on May 16, 2023, June 16, 2020, and May 15, 2018 (“Reserve Fund”), pursuant to Section 3651 of the Education Law, for the following capital improvement projects of construction of a gym for students at Shaw Avenue
School, playground equipment at Shaw Avenue School, security vestibules at Clear Stream School, Forest Road School, and Shaw Avenue School, and parking spaces at Shaw Avenue School in the approximate amount of $6,500,000, and other work required in connection therewith; and to expend from the Reserve Fund therefor, including preliminary costs and costs incidental thereto an amount not to exceed the estimated total cost of six million five hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000)
3. To adopt the annual budget of the Valley Stream Central High School District for the fiscal year 2024-25 and that the sum be raised through a levy upon the taxable property in the Valley Stream Central High School District, after first deducting the monies from state aid and other sources, as provided by law.
4. For the Valley Stream Central High School District to be authorized to appropriate and expend the maximum amount of two million five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($2,550,000.00) from fund balance for the purpose of completing capital improvements as follows: renovate current District Maintenance Garage creating Construction Trades Facility. All of the above to include labor, materials, equipment, apparatus and incidental costs.
5. For the Valley Stream Central High School District to be authorized to appropriate and expend the maximum amount of one million one hundred fifty-six thousand dollars ($1,156,000.00) from the Capital Reserve Fund for the purpose of completing capital improvements as follows: Gymnasium window replacements and operating system at Memorial Junior High School, North Junior Senior High School and South Junior Senior High School.
6. To elect one (1) member of the Board of Education for a five (5) year term commencing July 1, 2024 and expiring on June 30, 2029 to succeed Kelly Ureña, whose term expires on June 30, 2024.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required to fund the School District’s budget for 2024-25, may be obtained by any resident of the District between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. beginning Monday, May 6, 2024, except Saturday, Sunday or holidays, at the District Office, 175 North Central Avenue, Valley
Stream, New York, and at each schoolhouse in the District.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Chapter 258 of the Laws of 2008, Section 495 was added to the Real Property Tax Law, and requires the School District to attach to its proposed budget an exemption report. Said exemption report, which will also become part of the final budget, will show how much of the total assessed value on the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, list every type of exemption granted, identified by statutory authority, and show: (a) the cumulative impact of each type of exemption expressed either as a dollar amount of assessed value or as a percentage of the total assessed value on the roll; (b) the cumulative amount expected to be received from recipients of each type of exemption as payments in lieu of taxes or other payments for municipal services; and (c) the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. The exemption report shall be posted on any website maintained by the District.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education shall be filed with the Clerk of said School District at 175 North Central Avenue, Valley Stream, New York, not later than Monday, April 22, 2024, 5:00 p.m., prevailing time. Each petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the District; must be signed by at least 25 qualified voters of the District (representing the greater of 25 qualified voters or 2% of the number of voters who voted in the 2023 annual election); must state the name and residence of each signer, and, must state the name and residence of the candidate and shall describe the specific vacancy for which the candidate is nominated. Each vacancy upon the Board of Education to be filled shall be considered a separate specific vacancy. A separate nominating petition is required to nominate a candidate to each separate specific office. The petition shall describe at least the length of the term of office and contain the name of the last incumbent. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that personal registration of voters is required either pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law or pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law. If a voter has heretofore registered pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law and has voted at an annual or special district
meeting within the last four (4) calendar years, he or she is eligible to vote at this election. If a voter is registered and eligible to vote under Article 5 of the Election Law, he or she is also eligible to vote at this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register. Registration shall be conducted for the purpose of registering all qualified voters of the District pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law through Tuesday, May 14, 2024 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, on all regular days during which the office of the District Clerk is in operation, at 175 North Central Avenue, Valley Stream, New York. The Board of Registration will meet for the purpose of registering all qualified voters of the District pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law, in the following locations: Clear Stream Avenue School, Clear Stream Avenue; Shaw Avenue School, Shaw Avenue; and Forest Road School, Forest Road, Valley Stream, New York on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., prevailing time, to add any additional names to the Register to be used at the aforesaid election, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such Register, provided that at such meeting of the Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of said Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the register is prepared. The register so prepared pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the District Clerk, 175 North Central Avenue, Valley Stream, New York, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., prevailing time, on weekdays, and each day prior to the day set for the election, except Saturday and Sunday, and at the polling place(s) on the day of the vote.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law of the State of New York, the Board of Registration will meet on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, to prepare the Register of the School District to be used at the Budget Vote and Election to be held in 2024 and any special district meetings that may be held after the preparation of said Register, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her
name placed on such Register provided that at such meeting of said Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of such Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at the school election for which said Register is prepared, or any special district meeting held after May 21, 2024.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots will be obtainable during school business hours from the District Clerk beginning March 14, 2024; completed applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or one day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter at the office of the District Clerk. Absentee ballot and early mail ballot applications may not be returned to the District Clerk before April 22, 2024. Absentee ballots and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
A list of persons to whom absentee/early mail ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the office of the District Clerk on and after Tuesday, May 14, 2024, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on weekdays prior to the day set for the annual election and on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the day set for the election. Any qualified voter then present in the polling place may object to the voting of the ballot upon appropriate grounds by making his/her challenge and the reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirty. A military voter registration application may be requested from the District Clerk of the Board of Education at 175 N. Central Avenue, Valley Stream, New York and must be returned to the Office of the District Clerk at 175 N. Central Avenue, Valley Stream, New York not later than 5:00 pm on April 25, 2024. A military voter may request and return the application in person, by mail, or by email to districtclerk@vs30.org. A military voter may indicate their preference for receiving the registration application by mail, facsimile transmission, or email.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN, that Education Law also makes special provisions for absentee voting for “military” voters of the District. Specifically, the law provides a unique procedure for “military ballots” in school district votes. Whereas absentee ballots must be received by the voter by mail, a military voter may elect to receive his/her absentee ballot application and absentee ballot by mail, email or facsimile. If a military voter does not designate a preference, the board of education shall transmit the military ballot application or military ballot by mail. If a military voter designates a preference for facsimile transmission or electronic mail but does not provide the necessary facsimile number or e-mail address, the board of education shall transmit the voter registration application, military ballot application or military ballot by mail and request the omitted information. The military voter must, however, return his/her original military ballot application and military ballot by mail or in person, regardless of how the absentee application or ballot was received. The Clerk of the Board shall transmit the military voter’s military ballot in accord with the military voter’s preferred method of transmission, or if not preference by mail, not later than April 26, 2024. The Clerk of the Board must then receive the military voter’s military ballot by mail not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the vote. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with §2035 of the Education Law, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, must be filed with the Clerk of the Board of Education at the District Office, 175 North Central Avenue, Valley Stream New York, in sufficient time to permit notice of the proposition to be included with the Notice of the Public Hearing, Budget Vote and Election required by Section 2004 of the Education Law or on or before Friday, March 22, 2024, at 4:00 p.m., prevailing time; must be typed or printed in the English language; must be directed to the Clerk of the School District; must be signed by at least 25 qualified voters of the District (representing 5% of the number of voters who voted in the previous annual election); and must legibly state the name of each signer. However, the School Board will not entertain any petition to place before the voters any proposition the purpose
of which is not within the powers of the voters to determine, which is unlawful or any proposition which fails to include a specific appropriation where the expenditure of monies is required by the proposition, or where other valid reason exists for excluding the proposition from the ballot.
SCHOOL ELECTION DISTRICTS
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that Election Districts have been established in the School District. The boundaries of the Election Districts, as adopted by resolution of the Board of Education, and the place in each election district for voting shall be as follows:
Election District Number
One embracing the area serviced by the Clear Stream Avenue School:
The place of registration, voting on the budget and voting for trustees will be the Clear Stream Avenue School.
Election District Number
Two embracing the areas serviced by the Shaw Avenue School: The place of registration, voting on the budget and voting for trustees will be the Shaw Avenue School.
Election District Number
Three embracing the areas serviced by the Forest Road School: The place of registration, voting on the budget and voting for trustees will be the Forest Road School. The boundaries of each such District by street, alleys, and highways or otherwise, are contained in a resolution of the Board of Education, dated February 18, 1959, and are available for inspection at the office of the Clerk of the District.
Dated: Valley Stream, New York March 22, 2024
By Order of the BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE VALLEY STREAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT THIRTY Town of Hempstead, Nassau County Valley Stream, New York Ashley Starna, District Clerk 145977
PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…
Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. MICHAEL J. CARR, Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on September 1, 2017 and an Order Extending Sale Deadline duly entered on January 21, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on
the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 23, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 637 Diane Place, Valley Stream a/k/a South Valley Stream, NY 11581. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being near Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 39, Block 595 and Lot 7. Approximate amount of judgment is $177,240.29 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #003666/2016. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.
Lisa A. LeimbachGutman, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No.: 211487-1 146265
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as Trustee for Securitized Asset Back Receivables LLC 2005-FR5 Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2005-FR5, Plaintiff AGAINST Anthony J. Graziano, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 1, 2016, 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 May 16, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 41 Higbie Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Valley Stream, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 37., BLOCK: 574, LOT: 5. Approximate amount of judgment $531,155.02 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #005364/2013. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of
Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. For sale information, please contact XOME at www.Xome.com or call (844) 400-9633. Janine T. Lynam, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-059283-F00 80092 146146
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT:
NASSAU COUNTY. THE BANK OF NEW YORK
MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
CWALT, INC.
ALTERNATIVE LOAN
TRUST 2005-60T1
MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-60T1, Pltf. vs., RENU KUMAR, et al, Defts. Index #09-013769. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered June 4, 2019 and order substituting the referee entered January 9, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the north side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on May 21, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., prem. k/a 82 Ethel Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot, piece, or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, a/k/a Section 37, Block 267, Lot 83. Approx. amt. of judgment is $797,438.51 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale.
ELLEN DURST, Referee. PINCUS LAW GROUP PLLC, Attys. for Pltf., 425 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY File No. 03302021.48665#101311 146204
LEGAL NOTICE
Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Nassau Action to Foreclose a Mortgage Index #: 606422/2022 Mortgage Assets Management, LLC Plaintiff, vs Public Administrator Of Nassau County As Administrator To The Estate Of Enaida Marconi, Cynthia M Marconi As Heir To The Estate Of Cenaida Marconi, Daniel Marconi As Heir To The Estate Of Cenaida Marconi, Unknown Heirs Of Richard R. Marconi If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have
An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In 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, United States Of America Acting Through The Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS “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 Subject Property described in the Complaint, Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 10 East Argyle Street Valley Stream, NY 11580 To the Above named Defendant: 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 Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Nassau. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Richard Marconi Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Dawn Jimenez of the Supreme
Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Twenty-Seventh day of March, 2024 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, in the City of Mineola. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated October 26, 2007, executed by Cenaida Marconi (who died on July 28, 2017, a resident of the county of Suffolk, State of New York) to secure the sum of $544,185.00. The Mortgage was recorded at Book 32496, Page 861 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on November 13, 2007. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed November 18, 2007 and recorded on October 3, 2008, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 33280, Page 69. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed August 23, 2011 and recorded on September 29, 2011, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 36423, Page 730. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 9, 2013 and recorded on February 27, 2013, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 38353, Page 13. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed September 15, 2021 and recorded on October 4, 2021, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 45905, Page 328; The property in question is described as follows: 10 East Argyle Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580
NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: April 2, 2024 Gross Polowy LLC
Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are
attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 80246 146150
LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF NEW YORK
SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE FOR TRUMAN 2016 SC6 TITLE TRUST Plaintiff, v. MARTIN SILVERMAN, ET AL, Defendants.
NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT
In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the Office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on April 12, 2023, I, Martin Dehler, Esq., the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on May 29, 2024 at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY, at 2:00PM the premises described as follows: 934 Park Lane Valley Stream, NY 11581 014-39-556 -00230
ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.
The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 011866/2008 in the amount of $1,344,180.23 plus interest and costs. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the Court System’s 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.
Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 146339
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Plaintiff AGAINST Quan Li He a/k/a Quan L. He a/k/a Quan He; et al., Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 5, 2019 I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 5, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 51 Dewitt Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the
The Valley Stream Beautification Committee announced the winners of their anti-litter poster contest at the Village Green on April 20. All children who live in the Village of Valley Stream were eligible to participate in “Every Litter Bit Hurts” poster contest. Winners from three different age groups were presented reproductions of their winning artwork made by the Valley Stream sign shop. Rocco Pagano’s entry, “Valley Stream Clean Team” was the first grade winner. In 6th grade, A.J. Castillo’s rendition of “Keep Valley Stream Clean, took the prize as well as Alden Morales, an 8th grader.
Following the presentation of signs to the contest winners, the beautification committee weekly litter pickup began. The committee is a diverse group of Valley Stream residents consisting of adults, high school students, and junior high school students. Each week various locations around the village are chosen for litter pick up. On April 20th the committee focused on the waterway area running through the Village Green in celebration of Earth Day.
— Juan Lasso
buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in Valley Stream, the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, District: 2820
Section: 37 Block: 495 Lot: 223. Approximate amount of judgment $287,118.88 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 600388/2018. 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.”
John Kennedy, 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: April 18, 2024 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832 146506
Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 05/15/24 at 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:
THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 2:00 P.M. 324/24. NR VALLEY STREAM - Avraham Rodin, Variances, lot area occupied, front yard average setback, rear yard, construct dwelling (demolish existing dwelling)., W/s Cranford Ave., 54.41’ S/o Flanders Dr., a/k/a 955 Cranford Ave. 325/24. NR VALLEY STREAM - Richard & Monifa A. Campbell, Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd Kitchen)., S/W cor. Flower Rd. & Forest Rd., a/k/a 33 Flower Rd. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Valley Stream within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.gov/ 509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.gov/ 576/Live-Streaming-Video Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 146663
Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY BAYVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff against VARICK FLORES, 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 November 10, 2016, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 11, 2024 at 3:00 PM. Premises known as 42 Cedar Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580. Sec 37 Block 00537-00 Lot 00014. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $492,185.78 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 009285/2011. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction.
Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Richard L. Farley, Esq., Referee File # CARN262 146639
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee for Banc of America Mortgage Securities, Inc. Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates,
a/k/a
al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 20, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 12, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 182 Hungry Harbor Road, Valley Stream, NY 11581. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream and partly near Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 39, BLOCK: 506, LOT: 33. Approximate amount of judgment $793,856.18 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #008650/2016. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. For sale information, please contact XOME at www.Xome.com or call (844) 400-9633. Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-082464-F00 80388 146597
Series 2007-2, Plaintiff AGAINST Debelle J. Emmanuel Debelle Emmanuel, et
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Immediate Opening at our Garden City Location DESIRED SKILLS: Electrical * Welding * Carpentry Mechanical * Plumbing Part Time/Fulltime (benefits available with full time) $18-$30 per hour based on experience Richner Communications, Inc 2 Endo Blvd Garden City, NY 11530 Send resume to careers@lixtherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 ext 211
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
MULTI MEDIA
ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT
Inside Sales
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
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
OFFICE ASSISTANT (EAST Meadow, NY): Assist with admin. tasks, data entry, document management, answer phone calls, manage & organize schedules & meetings as well as perform general office work. (Salary $52,250 per annum). Req's 2 years of office administrator work experience, customer service & general business activity. Apply HR, Maleni Group, Inc. 1863 Chester Drive, East Meadow, NY-11554.
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS
FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
PROJECT MANAGERS – ARCHITECTURAL Lindenhurst, NY area. Understand client requirements & set timelines for delivery. Dissect scope of work & define cost estimation for client agreements. Visit sites to survey & monitor progress of construction. Salary: $129,688 per year. Send res to: Visual Citi, Inc., 305 Henry St., Lindenhurst, NY 11757.
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SR SAP FUNCTIONAL AND TECH CONSULTANT Melville, NY. Develop, configure and implement SAP systems/projects, utilizing SAP technology SAP SCM, SAP IBP, SAP CPI-DS, Oracle, HANA database; ServiceNow, Jira ALM, HPQC; Work with SAP IBP including Supply and Inventory Optimization; Advance Planning Optimization (APO DP SNP); S&OP and Demand Planning Application; Experience with SAP IBP Supply Heuristic and Optimizer set-up essential. Position requires MS in Comp Sci/Comp Info Sys or any foreign equivalent with 3 yrs of exp in related occupation. $147,285.00 per/yr. TRAVEL/RELOCATE TO UNANTICIPATED LOCATIONS WITHIN USA POSSIBLE. resumes to: IQ SYSTEMS, INC. 560 BroadHollow Rd. Suite 313 Melville, NY 11747
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Q. We ran into a problem with our insurance company and building department over renovations we want to make. First, our insurance company has us listed as living in a flood zone, which we are not, saying that because we live near a creek, we’re near water and therefore have to pay higher flood and wind insurance. Our home is next to a flood zone, according to the national flood map, and a small corner of our property is low enough to have gotten just the tip of the last flood, but our house is considerably uphill. Second, our building department insists we will need to lift our home, or only do things in small increments, spread out every five years. This is really unfair. We haven’t had a flood since the last freak storm 12 years ago. What can you advise?
A. Yours has been a recurring problem, because we live on an island and everywhere could be considered close to water, depending on how “close” is defined. Actually, there are flood zones in 100 percent of counties across the country, which leads to a lot of questions and confusion about how losses are calculated or predicted.
That said, I wouldn’t get too comfortable with the thought that you’re safe from the next flood or tornado. I’ve lived through both, having lost a side of our family home in a tornado that killed 43 people in Ohio and witnessed the flooding right here on Long Island. Even though flood maps show a high water line from the last storm, nobody really knows where the next flood will go.
I just saw, up close, the largest iceberg in our recent history, which floated next to our ship in Antarctica in January. The berg is 45 miles long and 35 miles wide, melting slowly, and is predicted to cause oceans to rise another 2 feet by 2050. So how do I respond to your dilemma? Each municipality has been given the right to make its own rules about percentages of change to dwellings, and yours wants you to lift to save lives and the majority of your home. Nobody is happy with this — not even the people who probably grow tired of enforcing the rules, since they end up as the messengers, to be “shot” by emotional homeowners unprepared for this economic ton of bricks.
I, as a professional, end up in the same situation with people whom I have to inform, usually in their living rooms or around the dining room table, about the rules. Some cooperate by flexibly tackling the most important objectives in phase one, the next group of items on their wish list later. The five-year rule is fairly new, and even though I believe it to be insensitive to real-world problems of aging and out-of-date homes, unless you get enough people to join you to overcome these rules, they remain in effect. But please don’t shoot the messenger(s). Good luck!
© 2024 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
Baldwin $750,000
Ann Street. Split Level. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Updates include cathedral ceiling.
Taxes: $16,647
Bellmore $572,000
Judith Drive. Hi Ranch. 4 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Open layout. Formal dining room. Den/family room.
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Lynbrook $695,000
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Windso Avenue. Cape. 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Partial finished basement. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. First floor bedroom.
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West Hempstead $700,000
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Taxes: $14,291.69
Woodmere $2,500,000 Edward Avenue. Colonial. 6 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Gourmet eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and pantry. Formal dining room. Den/family room. High-end finishes include cathedral ceiling, skylight, marble in bathrooms. Security system.
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Looking back at history, we often see what appear to have been clearly defined periods, eras or growths of movements. Some good or entertaining, like the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age. Some revolutionary, like the turbulent ’60s. Others absolutely evil, like the Winds of War, the growth of Nazism in the 1930s that led inevitably to the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust.
Our general impression is that people living during those times realized, or were in some way aware of, the uniqueness of the challenges and transformations going on around them. My reading of history, however, is that for the most part — whether it be everyday people, intellectuals or world leaders — there was little realization during those years that the world as they knew it was that much different from what had come before. Until it
was. Or that tragedy lay ahead. Until it was too late.
I remember when I was in college in the 1960s, doing research papers on events that occurred in the ’20s and ’30s and noting how different the contemporary accounts of those years and events were from the histories written decades later. In the ’20s there was the Manassa Mauler (Jack Dempsey), the Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) and the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame for boxing, baseball and college football aficionados. And for those who enjoyed the nightlife, there were the speakeasies, the Cotton Club, in Harlem, and the Charleston. But when you read the newspapers and periodicals from those years, there is little if any recognition of the uniqueness of the time as an era, like the “era of wonderful nonsense,” as the ’20s were later dubbed.
Dactually already was). While there would be increasing concern over the growing repression of Jews in Germany, that awareness was nothing like what it should have been. And Hitler’s annexation of the Sudetenland was met by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appeasing Hitler with hope of “peace in our time.”
emocrats are turning against Israel, and
Republicans are turning against Ukraine.
Similarly, in the 1930s, there was the media coverage of Hitler’s election in Germany, perhaps describing him as heavy-handed, but certainly nothing like the monster he would become (and
HAll this was ignored by too many America Firsters who chose to be isolationists. And then there was Pearl Harbor, the Axis of Evil and World War II.
The 1960s began with President John F. Kennedy and his New Frontier, hailing America’s greatness and pledging to “support any friend, oppose any foe,” before America slowly but inexorably edged throughout the second half of the decade into a maelstrom of outof-control campus demonstrations, flagburning, Woodstock, the Age of Aquarius and what grew into a permanent drug culture subset.
What will future historians say about today’s myriad crises and cultural challenges? Russia invading
Ukraine, and threatening the European order that has prevailed for almost eight decades. China dramatically expanding its military, threatening Taiwan and spreading its economic power and influence throughout the world. Israeli being horrifically attacked by Iran’s proxy, Hamas, followed by thousands of pro-Hamas, antisemitic demonstrators marching in the streets of New York, occupying college campuses across the country and threatening Jewish students at those colleges.
America’s response to these challenges? More Democrats turning against Israel’s government. More Republicans becoming isolationist and turning against Ukraine. More American businesses increasing their dealings with China. College presidents negotiating with pro-Hamas, antisemitic students illegally taking over campuses. Are we blind? Has history taught us nothing, and are we forcing ourselves to relive the worst days of history? God help us all.
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
ere’s an anniversary no one wants to celebrate: The Columbine school shooting — April 20, 1999 — just passed its 25th anniversary. More than a dozen dead, 21 injured. A new era begins. Why, why, why bring up such a horrific event? Perhaps because it hasn’t stopped.
Even though I sit here in the comfort of my study, feeling perfectly safe, I can’t emotionally disentangle myself from the news, which is always, in one way or another, about the human need to kill itself — or rather, the human assumption that it’s divided from itself, and “the other,” whomever that other is, either needs to be killed or is, at best, expendable. For instance:
“The Senate has passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.”
So AP informs us, and immediately scenarios of screaming children,
bombed aid workers, home and hospitals reduced to rubble, flash before me. No, these are not abstract scenarios. Part of me and part of you lie trapped in that rubble, or stunned and grieving over the sudden loss of your whole family. And all we seem to do is continue funding the process that makes this happen, as though a larger understanding of our existence is not available — certainly not at the level of global politics.
What is power? Is it simply and sheerly us vs. them? Good vs. evil? Every war on Planet Earth is sold with this advertising slogan. Perhaps this is why I find myself thinking about the Columbine shootings — and all the mass shootings since then. Define an enemy, then kill it. This is what we learn in history class — but would-be mass shooters, caged in their own isolation, cross a line. They take this lesson personally. And there’s a world of possibility that welcomes them, oh so ironically. In this world, the sword is mightier than the pen (or anything else). Power means power over . . . something. So, if you’re a lost or wounded soul, imagining an enemy that needs to be destroyed is probably enormously tempting. If the world is going on with-
out you, maybe you should do something to stop it.
And the “world of possibility” — by which I mean far more than merely the “gun culture,” but the entirety of our culture of scripted violence, from global politics to the media to the entertainment industry — makes the loner’s imagined and insane solution, defining and killing an enemy, an actual possibility.
i n poems we can ask, where are we headed? What world comes next?
At the time of the Columbine shootings, I had begun writing poetry. This was in the wake of my wife’s death, in 1998, from pancreatic cancer. Poetry allowed me to deal with the shattered narrative of my life, and pretty soon I had expanded the terrain of my poetry beyond my personal grief to, well, life itself, including the horrific strangeness of the news.
And I happened to read, after Columbine, a news account of President Bill Clinton visiting the school and meeting with students in the gymnasium. And outside the school, gun-rights advocates held what they called a vigil, holding signs that declared “gun control kills kids” and “we will never give up our guns.”
What struck me about it the most was the idea that this was a “vigil,”
which implied something more than simply a protest — an expression of anger and disagreement. A vigil dug deeper, seemingly entering the soul. Guns were a source of power and power was the source of one’s humanity, so stripping away the right to own one had a deep, spiritual impact.
I wrote a poem in response to the vigil — I called it “Vigil” — attempting to address my feelings about the total scenario: the shooting itself, Americans’ deeply desired availability of guns, the impact of that availability on society’s lost souls.
I acknowledge that the sword is probably mightier than the poem, but a poem can ask questions that the sword can’t: Why? Where are we headed? What world comes next? Does armed defense — whether of home or country — ever go wrong, ever turn into poison?
All humans have a dark side. Is killing it in the other guy our only option? And what are the consequences of doing so?
Can power be with others, even those with whom we are in serious conflict, rather than simply over them? And if so, how can we begin reorganizing the world’s relationship with itself?
What’s stopping us?
Robert Koehler is an author and journalist syndicated by PeaceVoice.
at first glance, Elinor Sullivan was simply a proud suburban mother, raising her four children on the other side of the Great Depression.
Her husband was a state legislator. Her father was a vaudeville performer who originated the role of the Scarecrow in a stage production of “The Wizard of Oz.” But beyond that, you probably wouldn’t have looked twice at Elinor.
Except you should have. Because before she was a wife and a mom, she was Elinor Smith, the “Flying Flapper of Freeport,” who never met a plane she didn’t like or a dare she wouldn’t take. In fact, one taunt persuaded her to fly a Waco-10 under not one, but all four bridges that crossed the East River into Manhattan — a stunt that had never been done before, and was never repeated.
Elinor once held the women’s solo flight endurance record of more than 26 hours, set a speed record of nearly 191 mph, and even topped an altitude record of more than 32,500 feet, taking off from Roosevelt Field. And she became the first woman ever pictured on a box of Wheaties cereal.
And Elinor gave all of that up for two decades — the prime years of her life — so she could focus all of her attention on being a mother. Yet today, mothers can have careers while raising their children, showing even more how
To the Editor:
extraordinary every one of them is.
As we approach Mother’s Day, it’s important to reflect on the remarkable influence and unwavering love mothers bring into our lives. From the moment we enter this world, mothers are our first nurturers, guides and champions. They are the silent heroes whose impact transcends time and circumstances, shaping us into the individuals we become.
Mothers possess a unique blend of strength and tenderness. They are the multitaskers extraordinaire, effortlessly juggling countless roles with grace. From pursuing careers to nurturing children — mothers do it all with unparalleled dedication. Their resilience in facing life’s challenges serves as an inspiration, demonstrating that with love and determination, any obstacle can be overcome.
What truly makes mothers extraordinary is their boundless capacity for love. A mother’s love is a force unlike any other — a source of comfort in times of distress. A beacon of hope in moments of despair.
It is a love that knows no bounds, selfless and unconditional. This love shapes our earliest memories, and echoes through the milestones of our lives — a constant reminder of unwavering support.
Mothers aren’t just caregivers, they are our first teachers, imparting lessons
U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito is pitting New Yorkers against one another, and we see right through it.
In his recent op-ed, “Migrants get more government support than veterans” (April 18-24), D’Esposito baselessly argued that asylum seekers receive more social benefits than U.S. veterans.
His claim is completely inaccurate. There is no question that our country should expand services and safety nets for our veterans. But D’Esposito cherry-picks one measure of VA benefits, failing to mention government investment in pensions, health care, education and other critical services for veterans.
D’Esposito also falsely suggests that “many” migrant families are receiving preloaded debit cards for “a wide range of expenses,” failing to acknowledge that this New York City program is a limited pilot for just 500 families, to cover the cost of essentials like food and diapers. In fact, this is a fiscally sound effort that costs approximately $12.52 per person per day, saving taxpayers $600,000
that extend far beyond textbooks. They teach us compassion through their actions, resilience through their examples, and empathy through their understanding.
The wisdom passed down from our mothers is a treasure trove of lessons, guiding us through sunny days and stormy nights.
In celebrating mothers, we honor the unsung heroines whose sacrifices often go unnoticed. They prioritize our needs above their own, making countless sacrifices without seeking recognition. Whether it’s waking up early to pack lunches or staying up late to offer reassurance, they give of themselves tirelessly, embodying the essence of unconditional love.
On Sunday, let us celebrate the phenomenal women — like Elinor Smith, and our own mothers — who have shaped our lives in profound ways. Beyond the flowers and gifts lies a deeper appreciation for the incredible impact mothers have on our existence. And they don’t need to fly under bridges or break endurance records. In the tapestry of life, mothers are the golden threads that bind us together. Their presence is a gift that enriches our world in ways words cannot fully capture. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us cherish and honor these extraordinary women who personify love, strength and resilience.
the data is clear: Kids spending more time online and on social media is detrimental to their mental health.
In many ways, this is by design. The algorithms tech companies create for their platforms are meant to keep you glued to your feed, conveying visual information that can severely damage self-esteem and increase levels of anxiety and depression. These findings, confirmed by multiple studies from the National Institutes of Health, show that these problems are worse for young people. Children are especially susceptible to falling into algorithmic rabbit holes, because they are more easily swayed by prominent social media influencers looking to sell a certain product or lifestyle.
Earlier this year, we held a roundtable with state Attorney General Letitia James in Floral Park, to discuss the impacts of social media use on young
people and to call for new legislation to regulate how tech companies present information through their feeds. Social media feeds are designed to be infinite, making it easy for any user to sit and scroll for hours on end through a constant stream of content and information. Parents spoke about the negative effects that extensive social media use has on their children, while pediatricians were reporting more instances of mental health struggles among their young patients.
POne of the bills we are advocating for in the Assembly is the Child Data Protection Act, which would ban the collection and sale of personal data online for users under age 13 without the consent of a parent, and for users between ages 13 and 18 without their consent. The mass collection of personal data has become a lucrative business online, and companies are willing to pay to learn more about their customers and potential customers. This helps them target content and advertising to maximize viewership, which feeds into the addictive nature of endless scrolling
tently voted to cut funding for critical lifeline programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which veterans across the country rely on to cover essential needs. His failure to protect safety-net programs directly puts 18,000 veterans in his district at risk.
Pitting groups against one another does nothing to improve the lives of New Yorkers. It only perpetuates an usagainst-them narrative at a time when our country desperately needs collaboration and unity. If D’Esposito is serious about boosting the safety net for vulnerable New Yorkers, I’d be happy to work with him to give every New York family an equal chance at success.
MUrAD AWAWDEH Staten IslandMurad Awawdeh is president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition.
Does the MTA’s
To the Editor:
Even with congestion pricing scheduled to start on June 30, there is no way the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be able to advertise, award and issue Notices to Proceed tor
that is such a big problem for young people using social media. By placing these restrictions on access to children’s data, we can stop online platforms from precision-targeting their content to maximize the time kids spend online.
arents, doctors and psychologists agree: Excessive social media use isn’t good.
Another key piece of legislation is the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act, or SAFE. If enacted, the bill would limit algorithms’ capacity to introduce new content from accounts a user isn’t following. Users under 18 would see content only from accounts they follow. As well, children wouldn’t receive notifications from social media platforms between midnight and 6 a.m., and parents would be allowed to block their kids’ access to social media between these hours. Only parental consent would allow those restrictions to be lifted.
The bill would also empower the attorney general to enforce these provisions by imposing a $5,000 fine on companies for each violation. And parents and guardians would be able to sue for damages.
These algorithms should not influence what children see online. It should be up to parents and their children to decide what kind of content they want to see.
These bills provide reasonable protections for kids using social media, without regulating speech or expression. The mental health crisis impacting young people across the country requires thoughtful public-policy solutions, and that includes holding online platforms accountable for pushing addictive content onto young people’s social media feeds at a pivotal time in their emotional and social development.
Parents, doctors and psychologists all agree that there are negative consequences associated with excessive social media use. We should be encouraging responsible use, and working collaboratively with parents and the tech industry to chart a new way of approaching how kids use online platforms. New York can take a leadership role in protecting kids online, which could go a long way toward alleviating the mental health crisis that has been worsening since the pandemic.
Michaelle Solages represents the 22nd Assembly District.
contractors for $15 billion worth of projects remaining in the agency’s 2020-2024 Five Year Capital Plan before the end of the year. There are also billions of dollars in other ongoing capital projects whose work will be carried over into the MTA’s $51 billion-plus 2025-2029 five-year plan.
There may not be enough resources to integrate the implementation of all of the congestion price-funded projects in the current five-year plan with those in the first and second years of the next five-year plan. The MTA lacks sufficient procurement, project managers, engineers, legal and force account employees, along with track outage availability, to proceed with all these projects in the same time frame.
Billions of dollars’ worth of capitalimprovement projects will be delayed. Costs will increase due to inflation and other factors as time goes by. The $51 billion-plus 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan is due to be released and adopted within seven months. It should include an integrated schedule for how the billions in carryover projects from the current five-year plan will proceed with billions more planned for the new program.
MTA board members, elected officials, New York City, state and federal funding agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration, along with commuters, taxpayers, transit advocacy groups and transit reporters need to see
this critical information. It is the only way we can determine if the MTA is up to meeting the challenge.
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a director of the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.
