Valley Stream Herald 08-31-2023

Girl Scout’s answer to L.I.’s water pollution: rain gardens

By JUAN l ASSo jlasso@liherald.com

Nine-year-old Yusuf Dungas, alongside five other kids, eagerly sat down to a crafts project at the Waldinger Memorial Library’s Children’s Room. At their fingertips were pipe cleaners, cotton balls, pom-poms, and an aluminum loaf: the raw materials for constructing a model rain garden.

Walking them through each step of the project was Nassau County Girl Scout Asha Gajraj, from Troop 2033.

Gajraj was capping off the last of six presentations over the past few weeks at the library, divided evenly between children and teens/adults, turning a colorful crafts project

Unal Karakas is new chief of Dist. 24 schools

By JUAN l ASSo jlasso@liherald.com

Unal Karakas was named superintendent of Valley Stream District 24 on July 1, succeeding Don Sturz, who announced his retirement after a four-year run.

A tall, reed-thin man often pictured in a sharply fitting navy blue suit, Karakas, 40, has a commanding presence, but balances an air of authority with a calm, gentle demeanor, to which children naturally gravitate. He hunkers down from above to meet his new students at eye level, and is an attentive listener.

Elementary education lays the foundation for everything else that is to come.

mentary school teacher — in the same school he attended when he was growing up — instructing fifth and sixth grade for nearly 10 years. He earned a degree in economics at Iona College, a master’s in childhood education at New York University and a master’s in educational leadership at Iona, and is working on a doctorate in leadership and learning in organizations, with a focus on innovative and equitable leadership, at Vanderbilt University.

UNAl KARAKAS superintendent, V.S. District 24

into a deeper lesson on the importance of water quality preservation. Her 80-hour community service project, known as the Gold Award Project, made the magic of the rain garden come alive.

You might see rain gardens figuring prominently in sloping landscaped yards,often casually mistaken for your run-of-the-mill flower garden. But what distinguishes these shrubs of native plants, often grown in a shallow basin of dirt, are the extensive environmental benefits they offer.

During a downpour, stormwater runoff that would otherwise work its way into neighboring storm drains pools around the rain garden, letting the water slowly reintroduce

With 18 years of educational experience, mostly in elementary school settings, it is clear that Karakas is in his element. “Elementary education lays the foundation for everything else that is to come,” he said. “It’s critical to set students up for success early on.”

The Queens-bred educator, a child of Turkish immigrant parents, began his career as an ele-

Growing up in a household where his parents placed an unshaken trust in public education and the doors of opportunity that it would open, Karakas took his studies seriously. Initially eyeing a career on Wall Street when he started college at Iona, his instincts pulled him to find fulfillment in the classroom after he saw the impact he made tutoring a third-grade student.

Eventually he made a name for himself, as one of 20 educators tapped by the New York CoNTiNued oN pAGe 11

Keith Rossein/Herald Nassau County Girl Scout Asha Gajraj, of Troop 2033 gave a series of presentations at the Waldinger Memorial Library on how rain gardens can help reduce nitrate water contamination.

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Irish eyes were smiling at Eisenhower Park

Long Island’s Irish American Society hosts night full of fanfare at Lakeside Theatre

While it wasn’t St. Patrick’s Day last week, there certainly was a lot to celebrate at Nassau County’s Eisenhower Park. After a weather cancelation earlier this month, Irish American Night went off successfully on Aug. 21, drawing crowds of county residents, who came out to celebrate Irish music, dance and culture.

The event is hosted by the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk & Queens, Inc., which is based in Mineola, alongside the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums.

The evening was organized by co-chairs Bridie Mahoney and Brendan Kerins and its master of ceremonies was Tony Jackson. P.J. Smith, president of the Irish American Society, was also present.

Performances by the Inis Fada Pipe Band, Clann Agus Cairde Ceili Band, Inis Fada Set Dancers and the Donny Golden School of Champion Irish Step Dancers entertained hundreds of fans packed into the fields of the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre.

The National Anthem was performed by Tommy Mulvihill and Sean Quinn. The Tommy Mulvihill Band took the stage later in the evening to put on a complete set. The band features Mulvihill, a Celtic singer.

Frank Alagia, the deputy commissioner of Nassau County parks, recreation and museums, on behalf of County Executive Bruce Blakeman, presented citations to several honorees.

The honorees included Michelle Byrne, Jeff Clark, Michael Flannery, Ed Friel, Don Lavin, Mary Lennon, Rita Lydon-Lenz, Don Mahoney, Frances McLoughlin, Niall Mulligan, Eileen Myers and Kit Smith.

There’s more free concerts and cultural nights in store throughout the remainder of the summer. For more information and a full list of upcoming shows, visit NassauCountyNY.gov.

–Jordan Vallone

Citations were presented to the evening’s honorees by Frank Alagia, the deputy commissioner of Nassau County parks, recreation and museums, on behalf of County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Keith Rossein/Herald photos

Dancers from the Donny Golden School of Champion Irish Step Dancers took to the stage at Irish American Night on Aug. 21.

12 people were honored by the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk & Queens at Irish American Night in Eisenhower Park.

The Clann Agus Cairde Ceili Band performed popular Irish hits at Irish American Night.

CRIME bRIEfS

Trio caught with burglar tools in V.S.

A Brooklyn man and two others were arrested and charged with stashing weapons in their car in Valley Stream on August 25, according to police. The trio was pulled over by officers after being allegedly spotted with a busted taillight on their black Chevy Traverse SUV while heading North on Franklin Avenue at around 3 p.m. After conducting a search of the car, officers discovered two guns — a loaded 9 mm handgun and a revolver — a crowbar, metal knuckles, and wire cut-

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ters. A black and decker drill, a pair of walkie-talkies, and three packets of Psylocibin mushrooms were also found.

Ronald Franklin of Georgia, Jasmiyn Gibson of Pennsylvania, and Kenneth Safford of Brooklyn are charged with possession of burglar tools, unlawful possession of radio devices, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal possession of a weapon. They were arraigned on Saturday, August 26 at Tenth District Court in Mineola.

Men charged with firing at V.S. home

Two men were arrested in connection with concealing a handgun police claimed was used to open fire on a home on Garfield Avenue in Valley Stream on August 13. After finding shell casings on the ground near the home and receiving descriptions of the gunmen at around 2 p.m., police tracked down Scange Volant, 31, of Westbury, and Imani Rochester, 32, of Roosevelt inside a Smoke Shop on Ocean Avenue. Officers allegedly found

the duo carrying a .40 caliber handgun inside a backpack. Volant and Rochester are charged with criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. Volant is also charged with attempted assault and Rochester is charged with tampering with physical evidence. They were arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on August 14.

CRIME watCh

PEtIt LaRCEny

On Aug. 17 at approximately 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., an unknown person stole two license plates at 39 Alvin Pl. in Inwood, according to police.

On Aug. 21, at 7 p.m., an unknown man stole items from the CVS location at 1740 Broadway in Hewlett, according to police.

According to police, an unknown man stole packages at 818 Addison St. in Woodmere at 1 p.m.

CRIMInaL MISChIEf

Jason M. Guglielmo, 24, of Lynbrook, was arrested for Criminal Mischief at the Seven Eleven location at 1700 Broadway in Hewlett at 3:45 a.m. on Aug. 24, according to police.

DwI

Jorge Avila Virula, 37, of Inwood, was arrested for driving while intoxicated between Rockaway Turnpike and Peninsula Blvd. on Aug. 18 at 11:03 p.m., according to police.

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

HOW TO REACH US

Shaw Avenue welcomes pre-k/kindergartners

Incoming pre-K and kindergarten students attended a welcome event at Shaw Avenue Elementary School on Aug. 28 to help them ease the transition to their new schools on Sept. 1. Assistant principal Ashley Lemmo and principal Erin Malone welcomed the students to the event before participating in the planned activities held at the school’s kindergarten playground. These students rotated through three

stations— an obstacle course, an art craft, and a read-aloud. Uncertain faces turned to enthusiastic smiles as they sparked new friendships and became familiar with their new teachers. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators are anticipating the beginning of the school year and the start of their educational journey.

Pre-K and kindergarten students get some reading time during an orientation event at Shaw Avenue School.

air with their teachers.

–Juan Lasso

Photos courtesy Valley Stream District 30 Incoming pre-K and kindergarten students at Shaw Avenue Elementary enjoy some playtime and fresh

D’Esposito settles in, but loves coming home

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

It’s been a fast eight months for Congressman Anthony D’Esposito into his first term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The former New York Police Department detective and longtime volunteer firefighter who would work his way to being elected a Hempstead town councilman is well known for commitment to being anywhere and everywhere in his community.

In fact, it’s like having someone who has their “boots to the ground,” as he might say.

Now, D’Esposito’s boots are in Washington, nearly 300 miles away from Long Island. But that doesn’t mean home isn’t on his mind. In fact, the congressman thinks about the part of Nassau County he represents a lot.

So, what’s the work-life balance been for the congressman?

“It’s early days into late nights,” D’Esposito said. “Whether it’s having committee hearings, markups for legislation, voting on the floor, having meetings with groups and organizations and concerns to deliver, it’s really a nonstop job.”

D’Esposito is the first Republican since Dan Frisa — who won the seat back in 1995 — to represent the congressional district. He defeated Laura Gillen in what had become a Long Island “red wave” last year, flipping the seat to the GOP after

Democratic congresswoman Kathleen Rice retired. Before her, Carolyn McCarthy kept the district blue.

The Island Park native takes pride in being involved in his community — an involvement he has since brought to Washington.

In his first month, D’Esposito joined three committees. With the House Committee on Homeland Security, he’s tasked with safeguarding national security from threats both foreign and domestic, The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is tasked with overseeing the nation’s air, rail, road and transportation networks as well as the country’s infrastructure. And lastly, the House Committee on House Administration is tasked with operations of the congressional lower chamber, as well as federal elections and Capitol complex security.

But being a congressman is more than just Joining committees. D’Esposito recently hopped onto a long flight to Israel as part of a 20-person bipartisan congressional delegation formed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence.

“It was a historic visit,” D’Esposito said.

Now, D’Esposito is committed with other members of Congress to work on continuing peace efforts in the Middle East, expanding on the Abraham Accords — which seeks to find peace among the three major Abrahamic religions of

Christianity, Islam and Judaism — as well as visits to Israel, or their government leaders coming to the United States.

Most recently, the spike in crime to fentanyl overdoses has pushed for the creation of a congressional task force aimed at combating Mexican cartels. The congressman — tapping into his former police experience — was named to the group to share his expertise.

Still, being so far away from home is not something D’Esposito looks forward to. But good communication helps, something the congressman praises his staff for maintaining, so he can remain in touch with the concerns, questions and needs of his constituents while the House is in session.

“We make ourselves very accessible on social media platforms and emails to ensure that we’re meeting all their needs,” D’Esposito said. “I’m usually on the first flight out right after our final vote. And as soon as I land, we’re heading into the district.”

That means meeting with local leaders, members of village boards, and even spending time working with Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Now back on Long Island as part of an August break, D’Esposito has kept himself busy. In Wantagh, he joined the celebration of 40 years of the family-owned Mulcahy’s Pub and Concert Hall. He also has community events and meetings lined

up with local elected officials on the state and village level.

“It’s making sure that every inch of this district — whether it’s in the west closest to the city, or in the east in Seaford and Wantagh, or down along the Barrier Island or up in Garden City and everywhere in between — making sure that they understand that they have somebody who has their boots on the ground,” D’Eposito said, “their ears open, and want to be representing their communities as best they can.”

Tim Baker/Herald file U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito has stayed busy since filling the seat previously occupied by U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice.

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Hofstra aims for another CAA Crown

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

Hofstra women’s soccer defied the odds last year to repeat as conference champions and will look for a far clearer postseason path this fall in the Coastal Athletic Association.

The Pride was in danger of missing the 2022 CAA tourney following a 2-1 defeat to Stony Brook in the regular-season finale but moments after the game learned they had earned the league’s final tournament spot when results in other matches went Hofstra’s way. Hofstra proceeded to take full advantage of its renewed life to win its fifth CAA title in six years as the eight seed starting by knocking out top-seeded Monmouth and culminating in a dramatic overtime win at Northeastern.

“Once you face the jaws of defeat, I think it’s easy to have a new lease of life,” said 18th-year Hofstra women’s soccer head coach Simon Riddiough, who has guided the Pride to seven CAA titles and nine NCAA Tournament appearances since taking over the program in 2006.

“To get that opportunity again was like a breath of fresh air and new impetus.”

Riddiough returns seven starters off last year’s 10-8-4 team that reached the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons. After a season-opening 2-1 loss at Albany, Hofstra rebounded in a major way with a 1-0 upset win at Big Ten power Rutgers on Aug. 20 on a late goal from junior midfielder Olivia Pearse on a counter attack in the 88th minute.

Pearse, a former standout at Seaford High School, has emerged as one of Hofstra’s most impactful players on both ends of the field. She netted two goals and two assists as a sophomore.

“She has come in fetter than I have ever seen her and with a new attitude,” said Riddiough of Pearse, who switched from the wide forward to fullback role last season. “She wears her heart on her sleeve and she leads by example.”

Hofstra returned last year’s leading scorer Dagny Run Petursdottir, who registered 19 points on seven goals and five assists as a freshman out of Iceland and was named to the Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention team.

Another Iceland product, Thorhildur Thorhallsdottir, also shined as a first-year college player with three goals and two assists.

Sophomore midfielder/defender Wiktoria Fronc, a London native, also made her mark on Long Island from across the pond with seven assists to earn AllCAA Third Team and All-CAA and CAA All-Rookie Team honors.

While the Hofstra roster is global in nature featuring 10 international players from four countries to go along with 10 U.S. states, the team boasts many impactful local players led by Pearse and graduate student defender Cailey Welch, a former standout at North Shore High School. Freshman defender Jill Conlon, a two-time all county player from Calhoun High school in Merrick, could potentially see some minutes on the backline during her rookie college season on the college soccer pitch.

“She’s composed on the ball,” Riddiough said of Conlon. “She’s a wonderfully nice kid who cares and I’m assuming will work hard to get to where she needs to go.”

Graduate student starting goalie Skylar Kuzmich has missed the beginning of the season due to injury,

but Riddiough hopes to have her back during the heart of CAA play. Junior goalie Mackenzie Sullivan has stepped up in Kuzmich’s absence and recorded five seasons in the Rutgers victory.

Hofstra kicks off its home schedule this Sunday against Atlantic 10 oe Saint Joseph’s at 1 p.m. before beginning its quest for another CAA title on Sept. 10 when it hosts league newcomer Campbell at 1 p.m.

The Pride’s home schedule is highlighted by a CAA finals rematch against Northeastern on Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.

The Pride were picked to finish third in the CAA Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll behind Monmouth and Northeastern.

The top six finishers in the 13-team conference will earn spots to the CAA Tournament that commences on Oct. 26.

“If we stay healthy I think we can compete and beat anybody in the conference,” Riddiough said.

Midfielder/defender

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications Thorhildur Thorhallsdottir, above right, a native of Iceland, shined as a first-year college player with three goals.

Wiktoria Fronc, a London native, made her mark from across the pond with seven assists as a freshman.

V.S. District 30 marks 100th anniversary

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Valley Stream District 30, with its flagship Clear Stream Avenue School turning a remarkable 100 years old.

A centennial celebration will occur on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 8:45 a.m., on the front steps of Clear Stream Avenue School, located at 60 Clearstream Ave. Hometown, regional, and state legislators have been invited to participate in the ceremony. Former and current principals, teachers and students will also be on hand to join in the celebration.

Before Valley Stream District 30, otherwise known as “The Friendly Schools,” was formed, students living west of Merrick Avenue had to attend either Wheeler Avenue in District 13, Brooklyn Avenue in District 24, or Elmont.

Families were concerned about these schools becoming overcrowded and worried that the children from the western end of town would have to travel far to get an education.

This matter was brought to the attention of Nassau County Second District Superintendent Wellington C. Mepham, who after reviewing numerous potential alternatives, declared on May 22, 1923, the formation of Common School District No. 30.

On June 19 of that year, the district superintendent, under the authority of the New York State Education Department, changed the district’s structure to a union-free school district which

allowed the district to provide education on a broader and more effective basis to its students.

By September of that year, its first school, a wooden structure located on Joseph Buscher’s estate, was up and run-

ning. Its doors opened to welcome a new generation of eager minds, ready to learn and grow in the nurturing environment the district had created.

Near the end of the 1923–24 academic year, an eight-room brick building

opened on Clear Stream Avenue and was named after the street. Instantly, the district began to expand and by 1929 Clear Stream Avenue Elementary School needed 11 teachers.

“Over the years, Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 has evolved into a diverse and vibrant community that seeks to empower its children to achieve greatness,” said Superintendent Roxanne Garcia-France.

“The leaders, teachers, staff, families, and community members are committed to cultivating the minds of students and inspiring them to become Global Leaders of Tomorrow.”

Garcia-France added, “With our values rooted in academic excellence, we strive to make sure each student is given individual attention to reach their fullest potential—to be independent and collaborative learners who can contribute meaningfully in this 21st-century world.

She continues: “Our district is dedicated to fostering strong, honest relationships based on integrity, respect, and inclusivity. This resolute commitment has and will continue to have a long-lasting impact on the students of Valley Stream and beyond, allowing their bright futures to shine far into the future.”

–Juan Lasso

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Courtesy Valley Stream District 30

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Valley Stream District 30, with its flagship Clear Stream Avenue School turning a remarkable 100 years old.

BOCES job fair hosts 30 school districts

Nassau BOCES, in partnership with Nassau County school districts, is holding a job fair on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This exceptional opportunity for job seekers event takes place at the Freeport Recreation Center, located at 130 E. Merrick Road in Freeport.

Representatives from Nassau BOCES, SCOPE Education Services and several school districts will be present at the job fair offering an exclusive platform for candidates to explore a wide range of exciting career opportunities within the field of education. Attendees can look forward to engaging with representatives from 30 school districts, including Franklin Square and Sewanhaka.

Job seekers, whether seasoned professionals or fresh graduates, are encouraged to attend this event to explore positions as teacher aides, bus drivers, security personnel, naturalists, bus dispatchers, registered professional nurses, maintainers, food service personnel, cleaners/laborers, HVAC and electrical technicians, groundskeepers, monitors and more.

“We are excited to bring together Nassau BOCES and our partner school districts to create a platform where talented diverse individuals can explore rewarding careers in education,” said Peter Nicolino, Nassau BOCES Liaison to the Superintendent.

The event features: information booths from each participating district, offering insights into their educational programs, work culture, and career advancement opportunities; face-to-face interactions with district representatives, allowing candidates to ask questions, discuss job openings, and showcase their skills; networking opportunities with fellow job seekers and educational professionals and on-site resources and

Job seekers get details about career opportunities at last year’s job fair.

workshops to help attendees refine their job search strategies, improve interview techniques, and create effective resumes.

Prospective attendees are encouraged to dress professionally, bring copies of their resumes, and pre-

pare to make an impression. Admission to the job fair is free, and no prior registration is required. For more information visit NassauBOCES.org/jobfair.

Town hosts meeting on Capri Motor Inn

By NICOLE FORMISANO nformisano@liherald.com

The Capri Motor Inn, on Hempstead Turnpike in West Hempstead, was shut down on Aug. 7, with structural issues. The Town of Hempstead is holding a special meeting on Aug. 31 to make sure it stays that way.

“You want to make a difference, you come down to this special board meeting,” Town Supervisor Don Clavin said at an Aug. 24 news conference. “Let your voices be heard about why this facility should be labeled a nuisance.”

The meeting, at Hempstead Town Hall, at 1 Washington St., at 11:30 a.m., will begin the process of getting the motel classified as a public nuisance.

The Capri was shut down when an Aug. 7 inspection by the Nassau County fire marshal’s office discovered smoke detectors that were not working, a faulty fire alarm system and unsafe electrical cords, according to officials. The shutdown is independent of the motel’s reported history of gun violence, drug use and prostitution. The listed owners, L&S Realty Co. in West Hempstead, can reopen the motel if they acquire the proper licensing and resolve the safety issues, officials said.

The community is rallying against the motel’s potential reopening. The West Hempstead Community Support Association has started a petition titled “Keep the Capri Motel Closed,” which

gathered more than 600 signatures in the first three days after it was created on Aug. 25.

“For years, the Capri Motel has been a bane on West Hempstead’s community,” County Legislator John Giuffré said in a statement. “Residents and community members have been loud

and clear that they do not want this crime-infested business in West Hempstead.”

Police have responded to incidents at the motel 156 times since January, according to Detective Lt. Richard Lebrun, a Nassau County Police Department spokesman. Those incidents

included nuisance complaints, drug overdoses and general “criminal activity,” Lebrun said.

“This is not the kind of business that we need in our community if it’s attracting the wrong type of clientele,” Legislator Bill Gaylor said at the conference.

As of now, the Capri is classified as a nuisance by the town Building Department due to structural concerns. In order for the motel to be classified as a public nuisance — which would more directly address the reported criminal activity that has taken place there — the town must hold a public meeting.

“This meeting is about creating a public record to start the process of making this a public nuisance and getting rid of this bane in our community,” Clavin said. “This starts the process. And the residents want it, too.”

Clavin urged those who cannot attend the meeting to send an email to their local representatives so their complaints can be made part of the record.

“I urge everyone who cares about this community to be at that special town board meeting … where action can be taken under the law to shutter the Capri motel,” Giuffré added.

“By working together,” Clavin said, “we can get an end to this blighted area, this eyesore and, really, this actually amazingly dangerous facility that shouldn’t be in this community anymore.”

Courtesy Nassau BOCES

Courtesy Town of Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin urged community members to attend the Aug. 31 special meeting to get their complaints about Capri on the record.

New superintendent comes to District 24

City Leadership Academy to undergo an “intensive year of training and development,” as Karakas described it, with the aim of making him the principal of an ailing public school in the city and with the hope of elevating student performance. In 2017 he took the helm at P.S. 195 Elementary School in the South Bronx.

Not only did Karakas oversee steadily improving academic performance in a school where roughly one-third of students are English language learners and many enter the classroom performing well below their grade levels, but he also made notable changes to the curriculum beyond academics in an effort “to cultivate the whole child,” he said.

“I brought the arts, music and drama, and even brought co-ed sports,” Karakas recalled. “I also invested in an additional guidance counselor as well as a social worker for our schools to support our students socially and emotionally. There was only one guidance counselor in the entire school, with over 1,000 students, so providing that support was really important as well to me.”

After moving to Oceanside, Karakas became the principal of Brookside Elementary School in Baldwin in 2019, and the school was recognized as a National School of Character in 2022 for its robust and inclusive character education program. The criteria for this honor includ-

ed providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership, and engaging families and communities as partners in character-building.

Karakas’s focus at Brookside Elementary also included innovative teaching and learning, and his school was part of the district American Association of

School Administrator’s Learning 2025 initiative to create student-centered, equity-focused and future-driven education.

“We started to implement and integrate technology in meaningful ways into our curriculum,” he said. “I had second-graders who were coding and look-

ing at robotics using Spheros to showcase their work. We did a cross-grade-level project where our kindergarten classes created maps of the neighborhood, and our second-graders used those maps to code bee pollination patterns for their science curriculum.”

Brookside’s Hello Neighbor Project helped the district win a New York State School Boards Association Champion of Change Award.

Before joining Valley Stream District 24, Karakas served as assistant superintendent for human resources in the Glen Cove City School District, where he helped support the growth of teachers and administrators by spearheading the development of the New Administrators Academy and the New Teachers Academy. He also played an integral part in the district’s successful passage of a $30 million bond referendum in 2022.

Playing to his strengths in curriculum innovation, Karakas plans to prioritize exploring opportunities for Valley Stream 24 students to pursue “out-of-thebox” projects that align with core learning standards while giving them the freedom to pursue their own interests.

He also plans to “tap into the cultures and the backgrounds that our students bring in and make it a part of our dayto-day learning experiences,” Karakas said, and is committed to meeting students’ individual needs to prepare them for success.

Courtesy Valley Stream District 24

unal Karakas has succeeded don Sturz as Valley Stream district 24’s superintendent for the upcoming school year.

LAKESIDE THEATRE CONCERTS

News brief Council hosts its back-to-school event

The National Council of Jewish Women hosted its 8th annual Back 2 School Store event on Aug. 6, aiding elementary students from underserved communities in obtaining clothing and school essentials for the upcoming school year.

The annual event was jointly sponsored by the South Shore Section and the Peninsula Section of the NCJW. The South Shore Section includes several communities, including Baldwin, Freeport, Island Park, Long Beach, Oceanside and Rockville Centre, showcasing their commitment to the collective well-being of the children of these neighborhoods.

Over 250 volunteers came together to ensure the success of the event, which saw an attendance of approximately 800 elementary school students.

Children were paired with personal shoppers to pick out essential items without their parents. The young participants selected everything from winter jackets and sneakers to shirts, pants, socks, toiletries, backpacks, and other school necessities. Local and national businesses generously provided all-new items as donations for the event.

The goal of the B2SS event is to instill a sense of empowerment in the children, ensuring they feel confident and well-prepared as they start the new school year.

As the children were shopping, their parents had the opportunity to engage

Youngsters were treated to a back to school event on Aug. 6.

with the Family Resource Center. The center collaborates with various agencies and organizations throughout Nassau County, offering vital information on health and county-specific services beneficial for both the parents and their families.

An additional day was scheduled several days ahead of the main event. This exclusive day was specifically for children with disabilities, ensuring they could partake in the shopping experience comfortably and have a dedicated day tailored to their needs.

With the support of local businesses and tireless volunteers, this year’s B2SS event has once again highlighted the strength and unity of the community in ensuring every child starts the school year with confidence.

–Angelina Zingariello

STEPPING OUT

Anders Osborne Duo

Backyard pleasures

…even as summer winds down

By Karen Bloom

Home is a place of refuge. Now more so than ever, we’ve rediscovered the pleasures of our abodes to entertain, relax and otherwise “chill out.”

We learned as we endured the coronavirus pandemic that moving our living spaces to the outdoors — with many of the creature comforts of indoors — has so many benefits. It’s something we’ll continue to enjoy to fullest in the seasons — and years ahead.

Your backyard is the ideal location to create summers full of memories for you, your family and friends, which will easily continue through fall. Easy to access? Check. Affordable? You bet. Able to accommodate all sorts of activities? Absolutely.

Your backyard’s potential is really only limited by your imagination and willingness to roll up your sleeves to create a sensational space. Plus, you can get the whole family involved in the process — from start to finish.

“Home is not where you live your life – it’s how you live your life,” says food stylist and consultant Wendy Perry.

Today’s outdoor vocabulary includes words like al fresco (in the fresh air), patio (Spanish for back garden), lanai (Hawaiian covered room), veranda (open-walled roofed porch) and portico (covered walkway with columns supporting it).

“We’ve all been practicing our ‘backyarding’ skills for the last few years, taking our indoor lives out into the green space around us,” says Kris Kiser, president of the TurfMutt Foundation. “Now’s a great time to turn your yard into the ideal outdoor room.”

She cites a recent poll commissioned by the TurfMutt Foundation and conducted by The Harris Poll, that reports more than three-quarters of Americans who have a yard (76 percent) say the family yard space is one of the most important parts of their home.

Backyards can become your personal oasis. Fire pits, now all the rage, can be used for warmth on a chilly fall night. Overhead awnings can be used to shade you from the hot sun. Careful landscaping can turn a stone walkway into a tempting journey.

You might want to consider the approaching Labor Day weekend as an opportunity to get all hands on deck to begin the process of giving your yard a facelift. The first step to establishing a fun zone is to work with what you have. Think of it as a pre-fall cleanup. Clean out flowerbeds. Clear the yard of debris. Spread a fresh layer of mulch around trees and bushes. And keep the grass mowed.

See what additional trees, shrubs and plants might be needed.

List all the fun you want to continue to have outside. Identify activity zones for games, entertaining and relaxation. Can your lawn lure your kids away from their screens and into the great outdoors for cornhole bocce ball, croquet, or a giant checkers board game? Do you have a patio table or deck where family game nights can be held? Have a swimming pool where you can plan a “dive in” movie night, and invite your neighbors to bring their favorite pool float? Not to mention a memorable family “staycation” in your own backyard with camping, parties and more.

Bring learning outdoors. Learning is, of course, a year-round process. Keep “summer slide” at bay by setting up an area for outdoor learning, like a space under a shade tree where your kids can do summer reading. Create games and do experiments outdoors.

Don’t forget Fido. Pets are part of the family, too, so think about what backyard improvements you can make to ensure they fully enjoy their outdoor time. Add a water feature for them to cool off. Plant some bushes for napping in the shade. Use a row of hedges to separate their “business” spot from the rest of the backyard activity areas. Just remember when planting to check the ASPCA’s list of toxic and non-toxic plants. Make outdoors as inviting as indoors. Think about ways to make your outdoor living area just as comfortable as your indoor spaces. String lights add a warm glow. That fire pit is great for toasting marshmallows. Consider the good you’re doing. Whether putting in a vegetable garden, planting pollinator-supporting shrubs and flowers, or creating activity zones, your family yard can do a lot — all at once, both for your family and the environment. A grassy area is not only a field for play, but it’s also an excellent carbon-capturing and oxygen-producing space.

Planting shrubs and flowering plants feeds our birds, bees and butterflies. A leafy tree is a perfect perch for a relaxing swing in a hammock, and it provides shade to combat the heat island effect. It also produces oxygen and captures carbon. A garden where you can grow some food for the family gets you digging in the dirt, proven to be good for our immune systems and happiness. (Soil is the new Prozac, after all.)

The roots/Americana rocker brings his acclaimed sound to the Landmark stage. Between the potency of his richly detailed songwriting, intensely emotional, soulful vocals and his piercing, expert guitar work, New Orleans’ Anders Osborne is a true musical treasure. He is regarded among the most original musicians writing and performing today. Osborne’s six-string virtuosity, inventive musicality, and poetic songcraft underpin an everexpanding three-decade catalog celebrated by fans and critics alike. As a sought-after studio talent, his writing resounds through Keb Mo’s award-winning ‘Slow Down,’ Tim McGraw’s ‘Watch the Wind Blow By,’ and more. His extensive touring history encompasses collaborations and performances alongside everyone from Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, and Stanton Moore, to Phil Lesh and Jackie Greene. Not to mention, he lit up the screen on an episode of the HBO hit ‘Treme.

Sunday, Sept. 3, 7 p.m. $48 and $43. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444, or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Sugar Ray

Sugar Ray closes out the summer concert season at Eisenhower Park. Most everything continues to change, yet Sugar Ray never seem to go out of style. While leaders cycle in and out of office, trends come and go. Vinyl dies, then comes back to life. Television shows go off the air and end up somewhere on the internet. Sugar Ray might just outlast them all. Beyond sales of 10 million records, four top-10 songs, streams in the hundreds of millions, and tickets sold, Sugar Ray — co-founded by Mark McGrath (vocals) and Rodney Sheppard (lead guitar) — embodies the endless summer of popular music and culture. Furthermore, how many acts can claim sharing the stage with the Rolling Stones, KISS, and the Sex Pistols; collaborating with Run-DMC, and interpolated by Post Malone? Just Sugar Ray. As always, bring seating.

Sunday, Sept. 3, 8 p.m. Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit NassauCountyNY.gov/parks.

Photos: The backyard is an important extension of a home’s living space, so it makes sense that your family’s individual style be reflected in its design.

THE Your Neighborhood Sept. 8

George Thorogood & The Destroyers

Since 1975, George Thorogood & The Destroyers have sold over 15 million albums, played more than 8,000 ferocious live shows, and built a catalog of classic hits that includes “Who Do You Love”, “I Drink Alone”, “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”, “Move It On Over” and “Get A Haircut.” Their definitive badass anthem “Bad To The Bone,” deemed the most popular song for bikers by Spotify, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2022. Now “one of the most iconic bands in rock & roll history” (according to the Rapid City Journal, among others) celebrates it all with their tour Bad All Over The World: 50 Years Of Rock, visiting the Paramount stage, Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m. For the past 50 years, it’s been very good to be George Thorogood & The Destroyers. And in 2023, their tour Bad All Over The World: 50 Years Of Rock will prove why like never before. “If you’re content, you may as well be dead.” George says. “I think everyone has thoughts about retiring, but the phone keeps ringing. ‘You want me and The Destroyers to come to your town, set up our gear, wear some cool threads and play ‘Who Do You Love?’ End of conversation. Let’s rock!” $89.50, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster. com or ParamountNY.com.

On exhibit

View the landmark exhibition “Modigliani and the Modern Portrait,” at Nassau County Museum of Art. Devoted to the way that Modigliani powerfully re-defined the art of portraiture, the show includes his masterworks along with paintings and drawings by his Parisian contemporaries (Picasso, van Dongen, Laurencin). Modigliani’s enduring influence on artists even in our own time is shown in a selection of Contemporary paintings by such important figures as David Hockney, Eric Fischl, Elizabeth Peyton and others. The exhibition is being curated by Dr. Kenneth Wayne, founder of The Modigliani Project, which authenticates paintings and drawings (two of the works in the show have been recently approved by the committee). Through Nov. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Bird walk

The South Shore Audubon Society welcomes all to join its members for a bird walk, at the Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area, Saturday, Sept. 9, starting at 9 a.m. Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. 500 Slice Drive, off Waukeena Ave. To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. Also text regarding questionable weather conditions. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org

Leaf Peepers

Celebrate fall and all the colors of the season with the family at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday, Sept. 23, 12-2 p.m. Use your imagination to make animal art out of colorful leaf shapes, focusing on the seasonal shades of vibrant yellow, deep purple, and fiery orange, at the drop-in program. Suitable for ages 3 and up. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org

Sept. 10

St. Jude Run/Walk Registration is open for the St. Jude Walk/ Run Long Island, presented by Tweezerman International during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Sunday, Sept. 10 , 9 a.m., at Marcum Corporate Offices & Park. The St. Jude Walk/Run offers everyone a chance to walk or run and gather in-person or virtually to raise funds and awareness for the St. Jude mission: Finding cures. Saving children. Besides the walk/run, the event features entertainment, food and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Participants will even have the opportunity to connect with St. Jude patients and learn firsthand how their support makes a difference. 10 Melville Park Road, Melville. Register or learn more at StJude.org/walklongisland.

STEM workshop

Henry Waldinger Memorial Library hosts a STEM workshop for students to learn snap circuits, Friday, Sept. 1, 4 p.m. 60 Verona Place. Register at ValleyStreamLibrary.org or call (516) 825- 6422.

Sept. 8

Vinyl Revival in concert

Vinyl Revival performs an upbeat cover band show, at the Village of Valley Stream’s annual summer concert series, Friday Sept. 8, starting at 8 p.m., at the Village Bandshell. 123 S. Central Ave. For more information, call (516) 825-4200 or visit Vsvny.org.

Village board meets

The village of Valley Stream will meet for their regular board of trustees meeting on Monday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. For more information, call (516) 825-4200 or visit their website at Vsvny.org.

Classic car show

The Village of Valley Stream hosts their annual summer car show, Thursdays, Aug. 31, starting at 6 p.m., along the Rockaway Avenue business district. For more information, call (516) 825-4200 or visit their website at Vsvny.org.

Having an event?

Sept. 2

Storybook Stroll

Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens for a storybook adventure, Saturday, Sept. 2, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Stroll the gardens and open your ears to Mary Howitt’s classic tale The Spider and The Fly.” Later create a unique take home craft. For ages 3-5. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information visit OldWestburyGardens.org or contact (516) 333-0048.

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.

Westbury House Tour

For many years visitors to Westbury House at Old Westbury Gardens asked what was beyond the first floor corridor. Now go beyond the door and discover “secrets of the service wing,” during a 60-minute guided tour, Sunday, Sept. 3, 1:30 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.

Art talk

Sept. 7

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture,” now back on-site at Nassau County Museum of Art, Thursday, Sept. 7, 1 p.m. Enjoy an in-depth presentation on the current exhibition

“Modigliani and the Modern Portrait.” Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program and to join the 2 p.m. public tour of the exhibit. Also Oct. 19. 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Alzheimer’s Foundation brings walk to Nassau

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

They are walking for a cure at Eisenhower Park this year — a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America bringing its annual walk to Nassau County this year on Saturday, Sept. 9. Fundraising efforts center around enriching the lives of those with the disease, and creating hope for a future without it.

Bert Brodsky founded the group in 2002, a decade after he lost his mother to the disease after a 12-year struggle. Today, the foundation provides support, services and education to individuals, families and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias worldwide. It also funds research for new treatments — and hopefully, one day, a cure.

This is the first time the East Meadow park is hosting the walk — something that had previously been held in the Town of Babylon, according to Chuck Fuschillo, the foundation’s president and chief executive who also is a former state senator. Eisenhower Park caught the attention of organizers after it opened a respite care area this past May.

The respite care park, Fuschillo said, serves many purposes.

“One, is for caregivers to go with the person they’re caring for in a beautiful setting,” he said. “It’s also for themselves, to avoid caregiver burnout. But it’s also educational — there are signs along the

Book Review:

park that provide education about Alzheimer’s disease, and tips and strategies for caregivers.”

Signage also provides contact information for the foundation’s national helpline at (866) 232-8484, which connects callers to licensed social workers trained to help with situations that may arise when caring for Alzheimer’s patients.

The foundation’s national Walk in the Park weekend will include physical walks on Long Island, and on Sept. 10 in New York City’s Battery Park.

“We encourage people to participate in both walks, but we have walkers through-

Your Future

Healthy at 100 by John Robbins (Part Two)

Last week we looked at the four major reasons people live longer: diet, physical activity, culture or socialization and respect for the elderly.

Taking a deeper dive, the book cites a preeminent expert on aging, John W. Rowe, M.D., Chairman of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Aging who explains: “The bottom line is very clear: with rare exceptions, only about 30 percent of physical aging can be blamed on genes...MacArthur Research provides very strong evidence that we are, in large part, responsible for our own old age.”

Take the example of longest lived people in the world — the Okinawans “When Okinawans move elsewhere and adopt the diets of their new locations, they get the same diseases at the same rates and die at the same ages, as the people whose customs they embrace. The life expectancy of Okinawans who move to Brazil, for example, drops seventeen years.”

“Diseases of affluence” — including diabetes, coronary heart diseases and many forms of cancer are all linked to animalbased diets. Foods that decrease cholesterol levels are soy products, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, peas and beans. “As a result of the vast amount of information gathered... the scientific evidence indicates that a diet based on plant foods with a minimal amount of food derived from animals as the ideal diet for human beings.” Since almost all the cells in your body continually regenerate, “steps you can take” provides a guide “so what you eat today literally becomes your body tomorrow.”

Next up are physical activities. The Vilcabamba have a saying, that “each of us has two doctors — the left leg and the right leg.” People become passive and then the less they move the harder it becomes to do so. However, “those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

out the entire country that create their own walks and support the work of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America,” Fuschillo said. “So, we’re very appreciative of individuals doing this throughout the entire country on that weekend.”

The walk serves as a major fundraiser for some of the foundation’s programs and initiatives. For example, the organization recently finalized the purchase of a building in Amityville, which will become the its Long Island education and resource center. There, the foundation will offer daily therapeutic programs,

nonprofessionals in the health care industry, memory screenings and more.

“It will be one of the largest therapeutic and domestic training centers on the island,” Fuschillo said. “You know, this disease has affected so many people and it’s continually growing throughout Long Island — there’s more than 60,000 people living with it now. We want to make sure that we have support services for families. And we’re also providing hope with the research dollars that we provide.”

The foundation also funds research at Stony Brook University and NYU Langone, as well as the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health in Manhasset. Some of it includes finding new treatment for Alzheimer’s patients who experience hallucinations and agitation — work that takes place at Feinstein.

The foundation also provides scholarships to high school seniors across the country who submit essays detailing how Alzheimer’s disease has impacted their lives. To date, the foundation has awarded more than $450,000 to college-bound students.

Registration for the walk can be done so ahead of time at AlzFdn.org/walk. Individuals can register with a team or as a solo walker. They can also sign up onsite, the day of the walk.

This year’s goal is to raise $300,000, with nearly $85,000 already collected.

In-person registration opens at 9 a.m. at Field 6, located at 1899 Park Blvd.

Courtesy Alzheimer’s Foundation of America

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of American host its national Walk in the Park weekend this year at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. The walk is slated to take place Saturday, Sept. 9. Attorney advertising

Girl Scout showcases Gold Award Project

itself into the soil. As this happens, the plants “act like an environmental sponge,” noted Gajraj, soaking up excess chemicals and nutrients that are good for the plant but damaging to our ecosystem if left unfiltered.

To simulate the concept, she poured blue-dyed water with oats, symbolizing the polluted water with spotted debris, into the empty half of an aluminum loaf as it seeped into the other half containing the “rain garden” —with a soil bed of cotton balls and flowery decorations made of pipe cleaners and pom-poms. Gajraj kept pouring on the liquid until the excess water escaped through a hole, coming out clearer on the other end.

There’s one main culprit in Long Island’s water pollutant problem Gajraj wanted to spotlight in her presentation: excess nitrates. Commonly found in nitrogen-based fertilizers and sewage, the costly and unrestrained accumulation of nitrates within local waterways has vexed Long Island ecologists and lawmakers alike. “This has been a decadeslong problem in the making,” Gajraj said. Too many nitrates can cause eutrophication in the ocean and bays, which can

lead to an explosive growth of harmful algae blooms— secreting toxins that kill marine life and choke them of oxygen as the algae decompose, creating dead zones.

It’s the expansion of these dead zones in recent years that has dealt an enormous blow to major fisheries on Long Island — from the loss of bay scallops to scores of dead fish and clams washing ashore— and the economy incumbent upon them.

AshA G A jr A j Girl Scout Troop 2033

“Speaking to one of the girls in my troop who works specifically in waterways on Long Island, tells me how when she goes to beach cleanups, how filthy the water is from the sewage and agricultural runoff,” said Gajraj. The quality of the local drinking water source is also at risk “as the nitrates go down into our groundwater and get into our aquifers which we’re heavily reliant on.”

Lawmakers have been in the thick of curbing these trends through expensive interventions like sewage treatments and updating languishing septic systems to improve water quality. Yet Gajraj argues not to discount the need for personal responsibility in reducing our individual contamination footprint: from being more mindful of how much fertilizer is

really needed for yards to dipping one’s toes in some conservation landscaping like rain gardening for one’s next home project.

“I think wherever you live, you have a responsibility as a person to care for the air and water you take in,” said Gajraj. “By doing a few little extra steps, few little extra things that really make a differ-

ence in the long run.”

She was pleasantly surprised by the turnout for her presentations and hoped she left her audiences not only more informed about “what is actually in their water but also more informed about how to prevent it from harming their lifestyle so we can continue having a beautiful, safe, and clean Long Island.”

Keith Rossein/Herald girl Scout asha gajraj worked with Waldinger library director mamie eng to set up six presentation sessions to engage patrons in a crafts project that shows the importance of water quality conservation on Long island.

I think wherever you live, you have a responsibility as a person to care for the air and water you take in.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

NASSAU COUNTY

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff against MOHAMMAD SOOFIZADA, 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 October 25, 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 September 13, 2023 at 3:30 PM. Premises known as 64 So Montgomery Street a/k/a 64 South Montgomery Street a/k/a 64 S. Montgomery Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580.

Sec 37 Block 363 Lot 119. 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, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Approximate Amount of Judgment is $359,616.01 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 3326/2015. 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.”

Malachy Lyons Jr., Esq., Referee QNSJN206

141214

LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF NEW YORK

SUPREME COURT:

COUNTY OF NASSAU

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR CARRINGTON

MORTGAGE LOAN

TRUST, SERIES 2006-FRE2

ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, Plaintiff, v.

JACQUELINE WILLIAMS, 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, Peter L. Kramer, Esq., the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on

September 11, 2023 at Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Ct. Dr. North Side Steps, County of Nassau, State of New York, 11501 at 2:00 PM the premises described as follows:

129 Liberty Avenue Valley Stream, NY 11580

SBL No.: 37-536-27

All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. feet to the point or place of beginning.

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 605735/2019 in the amount of $880,463.64 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

141206

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU

Wilmington Saving Fund Society Fund, FSB, as Trustee of Stanwich Mortgage Loan Trust J, Plaintiff

AGAINST

Anthony Isaac; Tiffany Ricci; et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale

duly entered December 1, 2022 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 September 18, 2023 at 4:00PM, premises known as 224 East New York Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580. 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, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 37 Block 292 Lot 12.

Approximate amount of judgment $403,918.83 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 610718/2019. 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.”

Peter Kramer, Esq., Referee

(516) 510-4020

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: July 14, 2023

141285

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU

Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee, for Carrington

Home Equity Loan Trust, Series 2005-NC4 Asset

Backed Pass-Through

Certificates, Plaintiff

AGAINST

Nicolas Carpio a/k/a

Nicholas Carpio; et al.,

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale

duly entered December 17, 2013 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 September 26, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 2 Fulton Place, 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, State of New York, Section 37 Block N Lots 676 & 677.

Approximate amount of judgment $435,801.19 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 003983/2010. 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.”

Judith Powell, 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: August 3, 2023

141482

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU SUNWEST MORTGAGE COMPANY, INC., Plaintiff, Against JEFFREY DELUCA PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NASSAU COUNTY AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF MARIE C.

CLARK, DECEASED, WILLIAM CLARK A/K/A WILLIAM P. CLARK AS HEIR AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARIE C.

CLARK, MATTHEW DOMIANO AS HEIR AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE

ESTATE OF MARIE C. CLARK, MICHAEL DOMIANO AS HEIR AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARIE C. CLARK, ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 06/05/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Front Steps of the Nassau County Courthouse, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501. This Auction will be held rain or shine on 9/25/2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 13 Wellsboro Road, Valley Stream, New York 11580, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Valley Stream, In The Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 37 Block 583 Lot 6

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $728,982.89 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 012113/2014 If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. Harold F. Damm, Esq., Referee.

MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 MIDLAND AVENUE, SUITE 205, PORT CHESTER, NY 10573

Dated: 6/29/2023 File Number: 16-302313 RS 141478

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS-SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU - CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC, Plaintiff, -againstANY AND ALL KNOWN OR UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF SHEMENA ROBINSON AKA SHEMENA CAMARA, DECEASED; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; P.T.R.C., INC.; MARCIA BEDELL, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF SHEMENA ROBINSON AKA SHEMENA CAMARA, DECEASED, if she be living and if she be dead, the respective heirs-atlaw, next-of-kin, distributes, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors,

creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or inheritance, lien or otherwise any right, title or interest in or to the real property described in the complaint; LUPE CAMARA, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF SHEMENA ROBINSON AKA SHEMENA CAMARA, DECEASED; WILLIAM ANDREW ROBINSON, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF SHEMENA ROBINSON AKA SHEMENA CAMARA, DECEASED; BYRON BEDELL, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF SHEMENA ROBINSON AKA SHEMENA CAMARA, DECEASED; “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #10,” said names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, intended to be possible tenants or occupants of the premises, or corporations, persons, or other entities having or claiming a lien upon the mortgaged premises, DefendantsIndex No. 600914/2022

Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated in Nassau County. To the above named Defendants-YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated August 2, 2023.

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 the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable David P. Sullivan, J.S.C. Dated: August 2, 2023 Filed: August 8, 2023. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 24 Marlowe Road, Valley Stream, NY 11580. Dated: April 17, 2023 Filed: August 15, 2023 Greenspoon Marder LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff,

By: Monica G. Christie, Esq., 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022 P: (212) 524-5000 F: (212) 524-5050 No Service by fax) Service purposes only: Trade Centre South 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 P: (888) 491-1120 F: (954) 343-698. 141596

LEGAL NOTICE

REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiffagainst - RUTH BARON, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on December 23, 2016. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side

steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 “Rain or Shine” on the 3rd day of October, 2023 at 3:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Premises known as 923 Hewlett Dr., Valley Stream, NY 11581. (Section: 39, Block: 556, Lot: 35) Approximate amount of lien $461,583.20 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 004923/2015.

Malachy P. Lyons, Esq., Referee.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409

Dated: July 31, 2023

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.

141549

LEGAL NOTICE

REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

THE BANK OF NEW YORK

MELLON F/K/A THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CERTIFICATE HOLDERS OF THE CWABS INC.,

SERIES

ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES,

2006-BC2, Plaintiffagainst - CASSANDRA N. CEAN, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on November 29, 2018. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 “Rain or Shine” on the 29th day of September, 2023 at 3:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.

Premises known as 76 Southgate Road, Valley Stream, (Town of Hempstead) NY 11581. (SBL#: 39-540-15) Approximate amount of lien $1,104,538.81 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 005943/2012. Richard C. Lunenfeld, Esq., Referee. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409

For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

Dated: July 27, 2023

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.

141547

Seeking Candidates for the Following Positions:

TEACHER AIDES

Starting Salary: $18.65 per hour

Two years’ college preferred

SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AIDES

Salary: $17.00 per hour

Two years’ college preferred

SUBSTITUTE CLEANERS

Salary: $16.00 per hour

District Wide – All Shifts

SUBSTITUTE MONITORS

Salary: $15 per hour

District Wide

SUBSTITUTE REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE

Salary: $150 per diem

Must have Registered Nurse’s License, CPR and AED Certification

SUBSTITUTE CLERICAL

Salary: $20 per hour

District Wide

SUBSTITUTE SECURITY AIDES

Salary: $20.00 per hour

District Wide

Must have continuing possession of NYS registration as a security guard issued by the NYS Department of State. Security and/or law enforcement experience preferred Candidates are to submit a letter of interest with resume and credentials to:

The Seaford Union Free School District has the following opening:

SCHOOL NURSE (Floater)

FULL-TIME

Effective Date: August 30, 2023

*Starting Salary $60,948

RN NYS License required, BLS certified

• Experience with school aged children, including students with disabilities preferred.

• Knowledgeable of CDC, OHSA, NYSDOH guidelines as they pertain to disease and or illness including COVID.

• Maintains records and performs screenings as per N.Y.S guidelines.

• Provides basic healthcare and first aid to students that are ill, medically fragile and/or injured.

• Provides treatment, documents injuries and maintains ongoing student medical records.

• Administers daily medications.

• Knowledgeable of diabetic care and seizure protocol in a school setting.

• Must have superior nursing skills to include experience in emergency procedures, anaphylaxis, injuries and general triage.

• Must be highly skilled communicator, with strong interpersonal and organizational skills.

• Must be collaborative in nature and contribute to the health and well being of the school community.

On-Line Applications Only www.olasjobs.org/nassau

Field Ser vice Technicians F/T

(Mobile Mechanics) Needed For Crown Lift Trucks Nassau/Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx џ

MS. Diane DrakoPouloS Personnel Clerk east rockaway uFSD 443 ocean avenue, east rockaway, nY 11518 (516) 887-8300 ext. 1-441 ddrakopoulos@eastrockawayschools.org 1224019

HEWLETT-WOODMERE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

by September 8, 2024 at:

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

ASSISTANT TEACHERS For Yeshiva

Of South Shore. Afternoon Hours. Competitive Pay. Please Send Resume To: monika@yoss.org

ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL /COL-

LEGE /GRAD SCHOOL STUDENTS :

Staff Needed Before School 7:00-9:00AM

Afterschool 2:45-6:00PM. Experience with children preferred. Friedberg JCC Locations in Oceanside, Bellmore, Baldwin, Long Beach, Island Park. Send resume to: tcorchado@friedbergjcc.org or call 516 -634-4179.

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time

Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a

FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department.

Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc.

STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines.

For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

DELI COUNTER

EDITOR/REPORTER

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

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

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Will Consider Part Time. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PART TIME ASSISTANTS

Garden City Childcare Center

Monday through Friday $15 per hour

HS Diploma Required Call 516-572-7614

PERSONAL TRAINER : Fitness Studio East Rockaway. Competitive Compensation. Experience Required. Email resume amplifiedems@gmail.com Call (516)253-5450

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

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

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

PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE FT: Medical Device Manufacturer in Baldwin. Duties/ Responsibilities Include Organizing, Assembling, Labeling And Stocking Of Inventory. Computer Literacy Required. Contact ncraveiro@elliquence.com

Long Island’s Premier Short-Term Inpatient Neurological Rehabilitation Team

Long Island’s Premier

Short-Term Inpatient Neurological Rehabilitation Team

Innovative Patient Centered Care Rehabilitating Patients with Brain Injury, Stroke, and other Neurological Disorders. Intense rehabilitation programming is provided up to 3.5 hours per day and up to 7 days per week. PT/OT/Speech Therapy, Brain Training and Cognitive Rehab. Certified Brain Injury Specialists On Site.

Innovative Patient Centered Care Rehabilitating Patients with Brain Injury, Stroke, and other Neurological Disorders. Intense rehabilitation programming is provided up to 3.5 hours per day and up to 7 days per week.

PT/OT/Speech Therapy, Brain Training and Cognitive Rehab. Certified Brain Injury Specialists On Site.

HomesHERALD

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

East Atlantic Beach

FEMA Compliant Stunner

Welcome home to this totally renovated, 2 story home with parking for 3 cars plus storage. This brand new home boasts a main floor with living room, 3 bedrooms, full bath and deck. The top floor features a state of the art kitchen with quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances, a primary bedroom with full bath, office, half bath and deck with ocean views. There is ground level parking and storage, sliders to back deck, brand new CAC, washer/dryer, on demand hot water heater and sprinklers. You will love having your own private beach! Enjoy all the West End of Long Beach has to offer with the privacy of living in East Atlantic Beach!

The problems water causes

Q. Our attic air conditioning leaked into our ceiling. The ceiling is so wet we need to replace it. We now understand we’ll need to have the pipe that drains water out of our A.C. drain pan blown out every spring, and now have a service contract for that. The insulation is also wet. We were told to let it dry out and it will be fine. Is this true? Also, the ceiling joists over our 12-foot-wide master bedroom are only 2 x 6, which might cause the ceiling to sag and isn’t enough for the insulation, we’re told, which we understand has to be 10 inches thick. When we asked our contractor about this, he told us we can push the insulation down and then replace the plywood floor in our attic. What do you think?

OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 9/3/23 HEWLETT Bay Pa RK

190 Meadowview Ave, BA, Ever Dream of Living in A Castle?

This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14. Near All. Must See This Unique Home! REDUCED $2,700,000

HEWLETT

1390 Broadway #102, BA, NEW! Move Right Into This

Magnificent Newly Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Prestigious Hewlett Townhouse. Open Layout. NEW State of the Art Kitchen & Bths, HW Flrs, Windows, HVAC, Recessed LED Lights, Doors, W/D. Community Pool. Full Service 24 Hr Doorman, Valet Pkg, Elevator, Priv Storage. Gar Pkg. Near Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship $579,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom A(Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious

Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER! $579,000

WOOdMERE

504 Saddle Ridge Rd, BA , Move Right Into This Renovated

4 BR, 2 Bth Split with Open Layout in Prime Location! Granite/ Wood EIK Opens to Dining Room & Living Room. Lower Level Den. HW Flrs, Gas Heat, CAC. Oversized

Rhonda Healy

Century 21 Verdeschi & Walsh Realty 1025 W. Beech Street Long Beach 516.236.7269 cell rhondaghealy@gmail.com

A. When it rains, it pours. The leaking was a wakeup call that A.C. unit condensation occurs every summer season, and even though you have a drain pan, if it doesn’t have a working sensor to shut off before the drain pan overflows and you never clean the drain pan pipe to the outdoors, the water overflows. You should, by law (code), have a floor in the attic around the unit, also, which can dry out, since it remains structural, and will be minimally affected by the water.

The insulation and the sheetrock are another story. If the sheetrock hasn’t loosened and isn’t sagging, then it can just be left to dry out. Make certain, even using a moisture meter, that the sheetrock is completely dry before repainting to avoid potential mildew and discoloration. The insulation, if it is either fiberglass or closed-cell foam, can be dried out also, but only if it can be exposed. This means removing the plywood flooring above so that air can get to the insulation.

In addition, the insulation should be inspected to see that it isn’t compressed by the saturation weight of the water, since compressing insulation, contrary to what you were told, actually takes away the ability for it to work properly. The principle behind insulation technology isn’t just the use of thermally resistant material but, most critically, the insulation forms tiny air pockets within the material that form the resistance to air passing through. Each trapped air bubble slows the transfer of cold or heat by first conducting or resisting the temperature change within the air molecules.

Heat moves by one of three mechanical principles, convection, conduction and radiation. If the air bubbles or pockets in the insulation are pressed closer together and the material made denser by this, the conduction or transfer of temperature is easier, so the insulation has less likelihood of resisting, and resisting is what you want insulation to do. It would be great to rebuild the floor with deeper joists or have closed-cell foam sprayed in, since it also resists water saturation to solve the problem. Good luck!

© 2023 Monte Leeper

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

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

HomesHERALD

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

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA,1534 BROADWAY #205, BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER!!Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom(Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living...$579,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BAY PARK BA,.190 Meadowview Ave Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14.Near All. Must See This Unique Home!..REDUCED

$2,700,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas elliman 516-238-4299

REAL ESTATE

Open Houses

CEDARHURST BA, 332B Peninsula Blvd, Move Right Into This Updated 3 Br, 2.5 Bth Coop Townhouse. LR, DR, Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. Trex Deck Off LR.Primary Ste Features Updtd Bth & WIC. Att Gar Plus 1 Pkg Spot incl in Maintenance. W/D in Unit.Pull Down Attic.SD#15. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship...$449,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA, 1390 Broadway #102, NEW! Move Right Into This Magnificent Newly Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Prestigious Hewlett Townhouse.Open Layout. NEW State of the Art Kitchen & Bths,HW Flrs, Windows, HVAC,Recessed LED Lights, Doors, W/D. Community Pool. Full Service 24 Hr Doorman, Valet Pkg, Elevator, Priv Storage. Gar Pkg. Near Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship...$579,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Parking Space Available

COMMERCIAL PARKING VANS,

TRUCKS,

TRAILERS, STORAGE CONTAINERS, OVERNIGHT, DAYTIME 516 996 5818

Garages For Rent

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

Florida Real Estate

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

Apartments For Rent

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

OCEANSIDE 1st Floor, 2Bds, 1Bath, Large EIK, Large LR, Fin. Basement/ Bath Yard, Oceanside SD. Call 516-476-8787

DELRAY BEACH, FL: For Sale, opportunity before it hits the market! Single Story Ranch Condo. Beautifully appointed in desirable Emerald Pointe gated community, Approx 1800 Sq Ft. Furnished, All Appliances, 2 Bed / 2 Bath, Eat-In Kitchen, Walk-In Closets, Great Interior Storage and Exterior Storage Room, Screened-In Porch with Dual Interior Access, New Rheem HVAC Jan 2019, Ceiling fans throughout, 4 Private Parking Spots, Clubhouse with Auditorium, Pool, Gym, Tennis, Pickleball (TBD), Game and Card Rms, Interior Walking-Paths, Pet Friendly, 55+ Community, Easy access to Palm Beach International and Ft Lauderdale Airports. Exciting Downtown Delray offers beautiful Beaches, Shopping, Restaurants, and Nightlife. Asking $309,999. Call David at 248-240-8154 SWCGRPMI@gmail.com

Herald

Home Sales

A sampling of recent sales in the area

Baldwin $670,000

Park Avenue. Other. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Living room with fireplace. Formal dining room. Den/ family room. Master bedroom with fireplace. Charming historical details, including French doors.

Taxes: $13,593

East Meadow $785,000

Cleveland Avenue. Expanded Ranch. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Updated eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. First floor master bedroom. Updates include cathedral ceiling, skylight and security system.

Taxes: $13,299.60

Elmont $692,500

Francis Court. Cape. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Front porch. First floor master bedroom. Updates include gas fireplace.

Taxes: $12,350

Lido Beach $999,000

Lido Boulevard. Split Level. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Den/family room and home office. Updates include cathedral ceiling and skylight.

Taxes: $12,374.48

Lynbrook $861,000

Northumberland Gate. Split Level. 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Granite countertops. Formal dining room.

Taxes: $18,766.97

Merrick $720,000

Wynsum Avenue. Splanch. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Partial finished basement. Large eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room with sliders to spacious yard. Laundry room on main level. Updates include cathedral ceiling. Great location within walking distance of Wynsum Avenue Park.

Taxes: $22,916.44

Oceanside $745,000

River Avenue. Expanded Cape. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and pantry. Open layout. Den/family room. Skylight and wood burning stove. Updates include cathedral ceiling and security system.

Taxes: $13,057

Rockville Centre $1,775,000

Allen Road. Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms. Gourmet eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Formal dining room. Den/family room. Ample storage.

Taxes: $18,500

West Hempstead $630,000

Fairlawn Avenue. Cape. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Updated modern open eat-in kitchen with granite countertops, island and stainless steel appliances. Living room with fireplace. Two bedrooms on first level, large bedroom with office on second floor. Private yard. Convenient location near transportation and shopping.

Taxes: $12,602

Source: The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island Inc,, a computerized network of real estate offices serving Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Brooklyn.

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

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

We Buy Antiques, Fine Art, Coins & Jewelry

Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds Under $100

20LB YORK DUMBELL set and 12lb Reebok dumbell set. $40 for both sets.

516-707-0357

32 X 32 Mirror beveled edge etchings in corners, hardware included for hanging.$70.00 (516)579-9089 excellent

ANTIQUE BLUE AND white flow blue pitcher 8" and bowl 10". Excellent condition

$60 516-295-1548

ANTIQUE HALF DOLL lamp 7" tall original lace dress. needs plug, $55

516 295-1548

GIRLS FALL CLOTHES Size 5 New with Tags $8 each item. 917-420-5814

GIRLS FALL CLOTHES Size 8 New with Tags $9 each item. 917-420-5814

GOLDTONE LIGHTER BY Colibri, Brand new with butane refill, vintage $20,00 take all (516)579-9089

OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS DECORA-

TIONS: Lights, Lawn Ornaments, Tree Ornaments, 10 Figure Nativity Set w/Stable. Free! 516-889-3439

Finds Under $100

PROHT 100 INCH, Portable Tripod Projection Screen, New, $45, 516-816-7383, Wantagh

TABLETOP GRILL, PROPANE, 13"W x 19"L, New, $35, 516-816-7383, Wantagh

TOP FLIGHT GOLF clubs for sale. Irons

3-9 plus pitching iron. $99.00 516-333-9878

VINTAGE VOLTRON LION force 11" pull back motion action toy w/sword, shield. $75. mint 516-707-0357

Finds $100-$350

DINING ROOM CHAIRS (6): Beige, Strong, Beautiful, Luxurious. 2 Slightly Soiled. $350 Negotiable. Call 516-889-0321

SERVICES

Appliance Srvc./Repair

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

Washers, Dryers, Ranges, Ovens, Refrigerators, Freezers, Dishwashers, Microwaves.

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates 516-354-5578

Doors

Handyman

HANDYMAN

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

E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Home Improvement

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

HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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

Privacy Hedge! Arborvitae 6-foot Reduced to $125/each. Free Installation, Free Delivery. Fast growing, High-quality Beautiful & Bushy! Order now to reserve for early Fall delivery. LowCostTrees.com 518-536-1367

Electricians

E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed.

Lic/Ins.

HErald Crossword Puzzle

SECURE YOUR HOME with Vivint Smart Home technology. Call 866-601-1219 to learn how you can get a professionally installed security system with $0 activation.

Miscellaneous

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Our children’s education can’t be all about numbers

imagine students who can not only grasp the concepts of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, courses through the diligent application of the scientific method, but also generate original and thought-provoking work in the humanities. Picture them creating intricate pieces in fine, performing and culinary arts, and graduating with a thorough comprehension of holistic health and physical wellbeing. Isn’t this the kind of holistic education that benefits society?

But such growth and learning cannot be conveniently distilled into numerical values. It’s a fallacy to assume that numbers hold the ultimate truth about the depth of our students’ learning.

The New York State Education Department has created a blue-ribbon

committee to present potential changes to graduation measures. One desired change is to shift toward more holistic assessments that evaluate a broader range of skills and knowledge alongside the traditional Regents exams, incorporating project-based assessments, portfolios, presentations and other methods.

Additionally, there is a need for more flexible pathways to graduation, acknowledging students’ diverse strengths, interests and career goals. New pathways could involve offering various courses, internships and experiences on college campuses, allowing students to specialize in their areas of passion.

A focus on real-world relevance is also important, emphasizing practical skills, critical thinking, problem solving and the application of knowledge to prepare students for future challenges. The aim is to create a learning environment that nurtures mastery, creativity and individual identity, in which students

can pursue their unique interests and meet their specific needs. By fostering each student’s unique identity, we can ensure equal opportunities for success and access to necessary resources and support, irrespective of their background or circumstances. It would require flexible scheduling, differentiated instruction, and opportunities for students to pursue their interests.

There is a prevailing concern that the Education Department might contemplate reducing standards and expectations. I am hopeful that it will do no such thing, and I strongly oppose any such direction of thought. All students, without exception, should be given the chance to display their mastery in all areas of learning. This encompasses a comprehensive understanding of subjects ranging from STEM to humanities, encompassing fine, performing and culinary arts as well as physical education and health.

Across the nation, societal divisions have deepened, yet our common ground outweighs our differences. Unfortunately, the decline of tight-knit neighborhoods, the excessive reliance on social media, and the neglect of reading have hindered genuine and civil interactions among us. Instead of engaging meaningfully with our neighbors, we often resort to shouting into the echo chambers of social platforms. Both classic and contemporary literary works are rejected as unworthy of our attention, further fragmenting our intellectual pursuits.

As educators, we possess the extraordinary power to give students the platform to realize their potential. I promote the idea of the hashtag “Read Write Think Critically Daily.” Rather than instructing students what to think, our role should focus more on guiding them in the art of critical thinking. I sincerely hope that any forthcoming changes in graduation requirements will be designed to unlock the full potential of every student.

Gone camping, better late than never

There are probably some experiences people shouldn’t try for the first time when they’re over 65, but I really wanted to go camping out West. I don’t much like the notion of a “bucket list,” with its attendant connotation of impending bucketkicking, but I knew I wanted to try camping while I’m still fit. My daughter, an experienced outdoorswoman, organized the adventure, and came along with her two kids, ages 6 and 4. My son and daughter-inlaw immediately signed on with their two kids, 10 and 8. We picked a week in August when my husband would be immersed in the most anticamping experience imaginable, a trade show in Las Vegas.

He didn’t go outside for six days straight, working, eating, sleeping in the hotel. We didn’t go inside for a week, except to sleep (briefly).

Long story short: I’m thrilled that I went. I did it all, and now I’m done.

We drove from San Francisco to the Big Sur Campground, about three hours south. First observation: To camp you must be willing to do an enormous amount of work that you wouldn’t need to do if you just stayed home in your house.

We had tents and sleeping bags, a medical kit, a cooler filled with food, bags of dry groceries, water, wool hats and gloves, layers of silk and wool and spare shoes, eyeglasses and medications. We brought wine and cheeses and salamis and bread and peanut butter and jelly.

We arrived at the campground in the late afternoon. Look at it through my eyes: a stunning expanse of land set among giant redwoods; a pictureperfect creek burbling around the perimeter of the campground; kids in rubber tubes floating by. But I expected wilderness, and we pitched our tents right next to cars and giant RVs. It was like sleeping in a parking lot, with a serious possibility of getting run over in the middle of the night.

We got the tents set up and put wood beside the fire pit and went off on a small hike. The smell of fresh pine trees was intoxicating, and I was really beginning to relax when I saw the posted sign warning about mountain lion attacks. It said that if a mountain lion leaps at you, try to look big. I wonder how one does that.

We hiked on. It was a walk that ended at a beach, a stunning landscape of rocks and crashing waves. Of course, no one can swim in the northern Pacific without a wetsuit, and the great whites are kind of a buzz kill, but the kids had fun on the beach.

Back at the campsite, we made a dinner plan. This being Northern California camping, we had a reservation at Nepenthe, a trendy restaurant a few miles away. Think $25 entrees. Set on a cliff over the sea, the place attracted elegant women driving expensive sports cars and men with just the right amount of shabby chic to disguise their immense wealth. It was as if the entire Silicon Valley was in Big Sur for the weekend. These people weren’t camping out unless it was at Clint Eastwood’s Carmel estate.

Back at the campsite, day was done. People were in their tents and RVs. I noticed it was dark. Not just dark but a total blackout, with just a sliver of moon in the sky over the trees. Where had I put my toothbrush? How would I brush my teeth? What if, heaven forbid, I had to go to the bathroom during the night? Turns out there were communal bathrooms and showers.

We slept, we ate well, we played in the creek and we toasted s’mores over our campfire. Still, I don’t get it. A campground does have some amenities, but it also has other people who cook smelly food and play music at night and bring their annoying dogs. The idea seems to be that you drag as much equipment — food and lights and tents and blow-up mattresses and portable stoves — as you can to make yourself comfortable when

Randi is on a brief leave. This column was originally published Aug. 29, 2013.

you could just stay home and not have to walk a quarter-mile in the dark to pee.

That’s the unromantic take on camping.

This is what I choose to remember: my four grandkids, sitting around the campfire at night, stuffing their faces with marshmallows and chocolate. They ask for a “Grandma Randi story” and I tell them one:

“Sabrina, Jacob, Elijah and Emi, when I tell you stories, they always begin the same way, with you four cousins, who love each other so much, going on an adventure. Well, kids, you’re living the story. Here you are together sleeping in a tent by a river. Put your arms around each other. This is a moment to remember.”

The next night, when we were gathered by the fire, they asked for another story, a “real” campfire story. “See that star up there next to the moon?” I said. “It’s actually a spaceship, and tonight, when you’re sleeping, it will land here next to our tents. Tiny aliens with enormous heads will lift the flap of your tent and carry you off to their planet, which happens to be made of ice cream.”

The grandkids looked giddy with excitement and fear. My work was done.

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

RAnDi KREiss

i ’ll remember my four grandkids, sitting around the campfire at night.

Daniel Rehman is the superintendent of the West Hempstead school district.

There is a need to acknowledge students’ diverse strengths and goals.

DAniEl REhmAn

Why supporting local news is so important

it’s called the Fourth Estate, a term used by journalists referring to their responsibilities and obligations as watchdogs of democracy, providing objective truth to the public they serve.

In a nation where we pride ourselves on freedoms, the First Amendment is the only line of defense newspapers — like this one — can rely on to maintain that Fourth Estate.

That’s why what happened in Kansas recently is so important. A small-town newspaper, the Marion County Record — not much different from this one — had its offices raided by police as part of an identity-theft investigation.

It’s not that media outlets work above the law — far from it. But raiding a newspaper office and retrieving materials that may have otherwise been protected under the First Amendment is something that can’t be done on a whim, and requires near-extraordinary circumstances.

This particular raid, according to reports, stemmed from a complaint by a local restaurant owner who felt that her privacy was violated when the Record uncovered her troubled driving record.

Police weren’t sure how the newspaper obtained the information on her 2008 drunken driving conviction, and concluded that it had to involve illegality of some sort. They said that the only way a reporter — or someone working with the reporter — could have obtained that information was by falsely claiming to be the restaurant owner. And if they did, they committed fraud.

But verifying information is what reporters do. Yes, they must use legal means, but a number of First Amendment advocates questioned whether there was enough probable cause against the newspaper to meet the extraordinarily high bar

Letters

WTC Health Program shouldn’t go begging

To the Editor:

of raiding the newsroom.

Eric Meyer, the publisher and editor of the Record, suspected the raid was retaliation for the paper’s coverage of the local police department, and may have even been an attempt to stall future reporting on the police chief. Instead, the raid — and the effort to justify it in light of nationwide criticism — has created new problems for law enforcement and prosecutors, whom we depend on to serve and protect all of us.

Newsroom raids are extremely rare thanks not only to First Amendment, but also the Privacy Protection Act of 1980, which prohibits law enforcement from searching or seizing information from reporters, with a few exceptions.

One of the exceptions is how an organization obtains its information, which is what law enforcement and prosecutors in Marion County claimed opened the door to the raid in the first place. In the initial fallout, those government officials defended the action, saying they had enough evidence to support it.

Yet less than a week after the raid, local prosecutors withdrew the search warrants and returned the seized items, determining that “insufficient evidence exists to establish a legally sufficient nexus between this alleged crime and the places searched and the items seized.”

Freedom of the press is a guaranteed right, and must be recognized by law enforcement agencies responsible for upholding our rights. The Founding Fathers made this protection explicit, because as Thomas Jefferson famously said, ”The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right. And were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without news-

papers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

The press must be allowed to work independent of government scrutiny. If a media outlet does violate the law, it should be prosecuted — but only in a way that keeps protections guaranteed by the First Amendment intact.

Otherwise, violations of the amendment not only threaten community newspapers like the Record, they also endanger democracy as a whole.

Reporters, armed only with an obligation to the truth, must be protected in carrying out their watchdog role, especially when it comes to investigating corruption or scandal. Journalists have a duty to hold public officials accountable, and without the protections of the First Amendment, they would be left to fend for themselves in the face of very powerful forces capable of changing anyone’s life forever.

We pity societies in which the press is not free. Where oppressive behavior like unjustified office raids is used by despots and dictators as a way to suppress knowledge and information from public view.

That’s why a threat to one local newspaper like the Marion County Record is a threat to all media. As reporters, we pride ourselves on our integrity — the only currency we have with you, our readers — and work hard to supply the news coverage you want and need to be engaged and informed.

Maybe law enforcement felt it truly was justified in its actions in Marion County. But in the end, it simply reminded us that our rights in the free society that is the United States are solely dependent on the people we put in place to govern us — and the independent media that exists to hold them truly accountable.

Re U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s op-ed piece last week, “It’s time to deliver on our promise to never forget”: The funding for the World Trade Center Health Program should be a slam drunk. But during these times, is it?

President Biden has requested an additional $25 billion from Congress for Ukraine, for a total of $135 billion since the war began. Funding provided by the American taxpayer, who just pays, but has no say.

The migrants arriving each day have to be funded by someone. The American taxpayer will be funding this as well. Another example of pay, but have no say.

The WTC Health Program should not need begging to be funded. Our homeless, our veterans, and citizens in need should be our priority. You take care of your family first, and then reach out to others.

A get-together of Republican all-stars

recently I was privileged to attend a reunion dinner, which Nassau County Republican Chairman Joe Cairo hosted at King Umberto’s Restaurant, in Elmont, for former Town of Hempstead councilmen and supervisors who served at various times over the past half century. The town, whose population of almost 800,000 makes it the largest township in America, has always been the base of the Nassau GOP’s support and success. As county chairman, Cairo has done an outstanding job leading the party to repeated victories over the past several years. These successes include winning back the North Hempstead supervisor’s position for the first time in more than three decades; the offices of county executive, district attorney and comptroller; three State Senate seats in Albany; and congressional seats in Washington. These victories, in a county where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans, brought about Cairo’s election as New York’s national committeeman.

I believe much of his success as county chairman is attributable to the knowledge and experience he has acquired over his many years in politics and govern-

ment — particularly his service as a councilman on the Hempstead Town Board beginning in 1975. The board was known for working together, getting the job done and realizing that good government is good politics. I was elected councilman in 1977, and served until I was elected county comptroller in 1981.

Those attending the reunion dinner included:

■ Al D’Amato, who served as the town’s receiver of taxes, supervisor and presiding supervisor before his election to the U.S. Senate.

■ Leo McGinity, who was elected councilman in 1969 before being appointed to the bench in 1976 and ultimately serving as an associate justice in the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court.

■ Jim Bennet, Greg Peterson and Rich Guardino, all of whom served as councilmen and supervisor.

■ Pat Zagarino, who served as councilman.

■ Bruce Blakeman, who was a councilman before being elected our current county executive.

This was a truly great evening of not just sharing stories and reminiscing, but getting input and advice from these pros after Cairo detailed the recent successes

Letters

Charity begins at home, yet in our country, our self-serving representatives have it butt backward.

TONY GIAMETTA Oceanside

Appointments or special elections?

To the Editor:

Re the editorial “Replace appointments with special elections (Aug. 17-23): The editors imply but don’t state the essential problem: The public perception that “equal justice” is undermined by our process for selecting judges. The only good sign may be that, last time, all parties offered the same candidates. This suggests some pre-election selection by insiders, making “local control” a sham. It need not be so, because it shows a path forward.

Selection by appointment risks partisan interference by those empowered to choose. But party control is threatened by elections, because they’re a gamble. Elections can be distorted by money, incumbency, and popularity over professionalism. All administrations, and all of

their opponents, have a motive to game the system.

A greater problem with elections is that, for voters, life gets in the way. The average citizen’s time for politics is limited by work, family and other commitments. Often there’s little available information about candidates, and the growing fog of misinformation also limits effective participation, depressing turnout and giving the advantage to insiders and partisan influences.

The ideal of “local control” may never be attained, but we can do better. I suggest a pool and random selection model. Make choices comparable with specific, relevant criteria. Candidates’ credentials, experience, performance record, and perhaps health and any potential conflicts, would provide a common base for evaluation. Extreme views are likely to be revealed, as are any obviously weak candidates.

All applicants would be vetted first by our professionals, who would all affirm acceptance of several candidates as “qualified.” Their ability to do so has been demonstrated. Those accepted would have their resumes published, with time for public, and press, comment. Transparency promotes engagement.

and the challenges ahead in the fastchanging world of politics and government.

Certainly, times have changed. Aside from Blakeman, none of us served on the board during a time of pervasive social media. Also, while politics was always a tough business, and stories of the “good old days” are usually exaggerated, there was nothing then like today’s bitter partisanship. Yet the underlying governmental and political precepts of those days are still meaningful: quick responsiveness to local governmental issues and problems, a strong year-round presence in the community, and doorto-door campaigning by candidates and local committeemen and women.

Most important, government officials should always be taking the political pulse of their constituents, and not be swayed by the media or elitist opinion makers. That was true then, and is just as true today, as was proven in the past two election cycles, in which Democrats’ advocacy of misguided proposals, such as bail reform and defunding the police, paved the way for Republican victories and devastating defeats for the Democrats in Nassau County.

Because those issues were largely ignored by the mainstream media, however, Republican candidates would not have prevailed without extensive paid

media advertising, a large social media presence and the unmatched Nassau GOP ground game of direct mail to voters, targeted telephone campaign calls, door-to-door distribution of campaign literature and saturation walk-throughs.

All this was overseen and coordinated by Cairo, using the feedback he got from candidates and local campaign workers as well as polling results from campaign consultants such as John McLaughlin.

As I’ve said, much has changed in the Town of Hempstead and in Nassau County over the years, including demographics, party registration and the reality that so many households now have two working spouses. What Cairo and the county Republican organization have done is update and modernize the same methods of year-round hard work and attention to constituent needs and beliefs to achieve political and governmental success. That was certainly the conclusion of the “oldtimers” who attended the reunion dinner.

Nothing in politics is easy or guaranteed, and you can never afford to rest on your laurels, but we are confident that with Cairo at the helm, the Nassau GOP will remain the most effective and responsive political organization in the nation.

One additional lesson I learned is to take the same vitamins as Judge McGinity, who at age 96 is as sharp, alert and mobile as any of us!

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Framework by Tim Baker

Finally, the selection from this group, which should be a manageable four to six qualified judges, would be done by the public. The “gamble” element provides some insulation against insider/partisan interference, is “fair” and should boost a general sense of legitimacy.

Otherwise, if there is to be a special election, ranked-choice ballots should be used, after the process described above, also with at least four candidates per seat.

Looking for a loving home at an adoption event at Bourbon & Brews — Merrick

Celebrating a number of victories, from Hempstead to Washington, for the party.