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Police: Home aide forged checks

Students look to college

Officials tour Exit 13 ramps

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NOVEMBER 26 - DECEMBER 2, 2020

VOl. 31 NO. 48

Showing their work District 24 develops diversity efforts after public outcry job fairs, also in partnership with Nassau BOCES.

By NiCOlE AlCiNDOR nalcindor@liherald.com

“These are all new initiatives, things that we have not participated in before, things we have not done before that will hopefully move us forward” in diversifying the teaching staff, Sturz said. The move came after an outcry at the previous month’s Board of Education meeting ■ Establishing during which roughdirect relationships ly two dozen resiwith colleges and dents and parents universities to place asked district offimore student-teachcials to take greater ers of color in Disste ps to address trict 24 schools. staff diversity in an elementary school ■ Expanding online district where the j o b a p p l i c a t i o n DR. DON StuRz s t u d e n t b o dy i s options to make it made up predomiSuperintendent, easier for teachers to nantly of children District 24 schools apply. of color, while the teachers are over■ Organizing district tours, or virtual tours for whelmingly white. Cristina Arroyo, a District 24 the duration of the pandemic, for student-teachers through a parent, said she was pleased to partnership with the Nassau see the administration take conCounty Board of Cooperative crete steps in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion, but Educational Services. asked the district to continue to ■ Furthering outreach through Continued on page 4 District 24 school officials announced new hiring initiatives on Nov. 18 after a recent outcry by parents and residents over a lack of teacher diversity in a district. Dr. Don Sturz, the District 24 schools superintendent, said the efforts include:

Peter Belfiore/Herald

CAPRiCE CAMPBEll DECORAtED a custom-ordered rosette cake at The Best Goodie Bag. Two of the shop’s owners are set to appear on the Netflix series “Sugar Rush” on Nov. 27.

V.S. bakers to appear on Netflix competition show By PEtER BElfiORE pbelfiore@liherald.com

The story of The Best Goodie Bag bake shop in Valley Stream is one of the unexpected. It started with a birthday party for grandma. Justine Campbell was turning 84 in 2008. She was the gregarious type, with nine children, the youngest of whom, Darlene Edwards, wanted to throw a party for her with plenty of sweets. Campbell also had nearly two-

dozen grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, and Edwards wanted them at the celebration. “She was the type of grandmother who wanted to have all of her grandkids around her,” her daughter recalled. But Edwards, now 56, wasn’t a baker back then. In fact, she was a soon-to-retire New York City police sergeant who had only recently moved to Valley Stream. So, to pull off it off, she recruited her

daughters, Eleesa Abrams and Dale Campbell, and niece Caprice Campbell, and together they threw a carnivalthemed extravaganza. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. “That’s where we started,” recounted Darlene, who through word of mouth started taking requests to furnish parties with cakes, cookies and other baked goods. Event u a l l y, t h o s e r e q u e s t s Continued on page 15

hese are all new initiatives . . . things we have not done before that will hopefully move us forward in this area.

November 26, 2020 — VALLEY STREAM HERALD

Courtesy Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages

County and state officials toured the on and off ramps at Exit 13 of the Southern State Parkway last week.

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County, state officials tour Southern State Exit 13

Give your favorite College Student a BOOK for OUR TIMES!

Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages led Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, Legislator Carrié Solages, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Joe Pecora and New York State Department of Transportation Region 10 Director Richard Causin on a tour of the on and off ramps at Exit 13 of the Souther n State Parkway last week. As part of the tour, the assemblywoman highlighted areas of concern for Valley Stream and Elmont residents, including the lack of pedestrian signals to help people navigate their way through the busy intersection. Much of the foot traffic in the area, Assemblywoman Solages said, is a result of pedestrians traveling to Masjid Hamza on days of worship, as well as students who travel from their homes in North Valley Stream to Elmont Memorial High School. “We know that this is one of the most well-traversed exits in the State of New York, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles traveling through each year,” she said in a statement, “and we must utilize all of the tools at our disposal to enhance the safety of our roadways for drivers and pedestrians alike.” Representatives from the Nassau County Department of Public Works attended the tour last week to ascertain how the county and state could work together to improve conditions at Exit

13. The county has jurisdiction over the maintenance of North Central Avenue, and local traffic mitigation measures, such as traffic lighting, sidewalks and pedestrian signals, but the State Department of Transportation has jurisdiction over the on and off ramps, the signage for the parkway, the overpass bridge and the parkway itself. In 2018, the State Legislature passed the Southern State Parkway study to coordinate with local gover nments to examine the configuration of entrance and exit r a m p s, a n d s i g n a g e a t entrance ways and exits on the Southern State Parkway. Assemblywoman Solages expects the New York State Department of Transportation to release the study next week, however, a DOT spokesman previously told the Herald that a report of the study’s findings would not be released to state and local leaders until May 2021. County Executive Laura Curran said she urges her “colleagues in government to move as quickly as possible to finish this safety study,” and Legislator Carrié Solages said he was “very thankful that Assemblywoman Solages and I were able to get representatives from the Governor’s Office, the county executive and members of her staff to tour the intersection, see the concerns of the community and commit to a plan and solution.”

state DOT official said they expect a study of the Southern State’s entrance and exit ramps to be complete by May, 2021.

Let us Know Linda Sapadin, Ph.D. www.PsychWisdom.com • 516 791-2780

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News Brief items including awards, honors, promotions and other tidbits about local residents are welcome. Photographs may be emailed as well. Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday, week prior to publication. Send to pbelfiore@liherald.com

Valley Streamer finds redemption in faith

VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

By Nicole AlciNdor nalcindor@liherald.com

Valley Streamer William Figueroa, was 15 and growing up in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, when he said he would frequently sneak out of his house against his parent’s will, disappearing for days at a time to drink and go to parties with older crowds. As he reached his late teens, he said he felt it was only natural that he continued to party heavily, and started selling drugs because most teens his age throughout the neighborhood were doing the same. By the time he was 24, Figueroa, now 52, recalled feeling empty, lost and alone in his bedroom one evening in 1993, and resolved in his mind to change his lifestyle. So he tur ned to the Quran his father had given him that until that point he had left untouched for years o n h i s d e s k . He began to read it. “I’ll never forget that night that I read from the Quran for the first time and I we pt for hours,” Figueroa, said, adding that he later converted to Islam, and quit drinking and selling drugs. “I was tired of the way I was living and I wasn’t finding joy in Nicole Alcindor/ Herald the partying, the VAlley sTreAm resideNT lying, the drunkenWilliam Figueroa said he found ness and the hustling redemption in Islam after spend- to make money.” ing his formative years partying. After his initial experience reading the holy book, Figueroa said that for five years after, he studied up on the particulars of the religion, taking classes and studying the Quran’s teachings on his own. He said he fell in love with the principals of Islam because he said it softened his heart by motivating him to love others more, work harder and to be more considerate, kind and merciful. “I probably would have ended up doing life in prison or dead without my faith,” Figueroa said. “Converting wasn’t easy at first because I lost many friends, who are still living the street life and are involved in gang-related activities now.” Nearly twenty-seven years later, Figueroa, lives with his wife and three children in his home in the North Valley Stream. He has attended a number of mosques over the years, he said, but for the past two he has been a congregant at Valley Stream’s Masjid Hamza. Additionally, since 2002, he has worked as a volunteer chaplain in Islam for the Department of Corrections. “The Muslim faith helped me to realize that my purpose is to work hard to try to better myself and others and to try to do good for Allah,” he said. “I know I’m not perfect, but being Muslim has helped me do a 360 change.” For Figueroa, he said his involvement in Islamic religious activities has helped him through tough times in life and has led him to form long-lasting friendships. “I just talk to God and leave everything in his hands and my prayers keep me motivated during tough times,” Figueroa said. “I feel that community as a whole and people praying for me has helped me realize how precious life is and it has helped me realize the importance of staying united.” Of the many Muslim friends and mentors Figueroa has accumulated over the years, North Carolina resident, Imam Salahuddin Muhmmad, said he was one of the religious leaders who helped introduce Figueroa to the Muslim faith decades ago.

Courtesy William Figueroa

TeN yeArs AfTer Figueroa converted to Islam, in 2004, he visited the Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque in Madina, Saudi Arabia while on Hajj. As the final resting place of the prophet, the mosque is considered one of the holiest sites in Islam. figueroA, sAid he partied all the time in his youth in the 1980s. He converted to Islam when he was 24 and said it turned his life around. Courtesy William Figueroa

“It was an important time in Will’s life when he decided to become a Muslim because the teachings of Islam teach men to provide for their families, to be productive and to work hard,” Muhmmad said. “Islam restores people because it proves we are dignified. When a person takes the Muslim faith and declares it, they are told that all their sins are forgiven by God and there is always hope found in the Muslim faith for those who might not be living a life they are proud of.” While the imam helped guide Figueroa in his earlier days while converting to the Muslim faith, another, Imam Abid Hasan, helped guide Figuroa more recently in the past six years. “Will’s faith is so strong and that is how we bonded at first and the fact that he went from being on the wrong side of the law to being a devoted Muslim father and husband is incredible,” said Hasan, who taught Islam to inmates at the Rikers Island Correctional facilities since 1997. “I have worked with a lot of people who have found the Muslim faith after coming out of a criminal background and I show people that there’s hope and they can change their life, just like Will did.” In the same way that Figuroa credits Imam Hasan for

inspiring him, Iman Hasan feels the same about Figueroa’s impact on his volunteer work because he said that he finds that Figuroa’s conversion story encourages him every day that he can change the lives of the inmates that he works closely with. “Whenever I am feeling down, Will’s story encourages me, and when he’s down, I always try to uplift him and that’s how our friendship has been,” he said. “The Muslim faith gives people the chance to make amends, repent, move on and do better. I teach my inmates that once they can think clearly without self-harming or selfmedicating, then they can find their truth in God by finding a better way and holding true to that way.” “Everyone comes to the Muslim faith for different reasons and we all search for truth in one way or another. Will came to find his truth in the Muslim faith to guide him away from his past,” said Gabriela Carpio, a Brooklyn resident and longtime friend to Figuroa. “Will was able to discover himself and that’s what Islam is for; to examine ourselves, work on ourselves and realize that it’s not us, but a higher power giving us the strength to keep moving forward in life.”

V.S. Covid ‘long hauler’ appears on ‘60 Minutes’ By niCole alCindor nalcindor@liherald.com

Valley Stream resident Sadie Nagamootoo, 44, was featured on a “60 Minutes” segment with Anderson Cooper on Sunday in which she discussed the lingering symptoms she has suffered, months after recovering from Covid-19. Colloquially known as a “long hauler,” Nagamootoo suffers from post-acute Covid syndrome, and continues to have symptoms of fatigue and dizziness months after recovering from the coronavirus. The syndrome is still considered a mystery to doctors. Nagamootoo, who worked as a personal trainer and fell ill with Covid-19 in

March, has found that she continues to have debilitating symptoms months after she tested negative for the virus in May. She said her symptoms prevent her from working out, going to the gym and carrying bags at the grocery store. Walking up stairs causes her heart to race, she told Cooper. “There are days where I do nothing and just can’t get out of bed. The migraines, they are like 10 times worse than a flu headache, pains, like muscular issues,” Nagamootoo said in a preview clip. “And sometimes my hands feel like they have pins and needles and I have to stop using them because I can’t feel anything.”

Crime watCh

Police: Women forged checks, used debit card Two We s t H e m p s t e a d women were arrested for allegedly forging checks and using the debit card of a 76-year-old woman at the Valley Stream Target, Nassau County Kiondra police said on SatBullocks-Bassoo urday. According to detectives, on Aug. 17, Kiondra BullocksBassoo, 33, allegedly deposited two forged checks belonging to an elderly woman for whom she was a home health aid. Additionally, police reported that on Aug. 5, Stephanie Fletcher, 36, who reportedly lives in the same Woodfield Road home as Bullocks-Bassoo, allegedly used the elderly woman’s debit card to

make two fraudulent transactions a t t h e Va l l e y Stream Target. Police arrested Fletcher on Nov. 3 and charged her with fourthdegree possession of stolen property, Stephanie Fletcher third-degree identity theft and third-degree petit larceny. Bullocks-Bassoo was arrested on Nov. 20, police said, and charged with attempted grand larceny, first-degree identity theft, second-degree identity theft and third-degree possession of a forged instrument and personal ID. Police said they do not know the relationship between the two. They are represented by the Legal Aid Society, which does not comment on cases.

District 24 adopts new diversity hiring practices continued from front page provide updates on the steps it is taking. “All of their diversity hiring initiatives sound great, but they’re performative so far,” she said. “Good faith in their leadership is no longer a currency the administration or the board can cash with the community. So, as teachers always say, ‘Show their work.’” Arroyo is also the founder and head of the local advocacy non-profit, The Valley Stream Justice Project. District 24 is not the only district on Long Island grappling with a lack of teacher diversity relative to its student body. According to a 2019 study authored by Hofstra UniversiNicole Alcindor/Herald ty sociology professor William CriStina arroyo led calls for increased diverMangino and Hofstra Executive sity hiring in District 24 last month. She said she Dean of Suburban Studies Lawrence Levy, districts across the was pleased with the newly announced initiatives. Island have failed to hire teachers of color amid major demographic are eventually hired as teachers,” he said. shifts in recent years. “And so we’re trying to extend that to them Their analysis found that Island-wide, and establish this ongoing relationship in white teachers outnumber Hispanic stu- an attempt to expand diversity amongst dents 75 to 1, Asian students 67 to 1 and the staff.” Black students 48 to 1. This is compared to Board President Kimberly Wheeler also Long Island’s student population, which as a provided an overview from a New York of 2017 was nearly 45 percent non-white. State School Boards Association DEI workAccording to district and New York shop that she and Sturz recently attended. State Education Department figures, 86 Among the takeaways she outlined were percent of District 24 students are children establishing plans to address diversity, of color, and 95 percent of its teachers are interrogating long-held assumptions, gathwhite. ering input from a variety of backgrounds The Hofstra study identified possible and addressing gaps in the hiring process, reasons for the disparity in hiring, which among many others. She noted that followincluded practices that favored the hiring ing through would require partnerships of teachers within the staff and adminis- throughout the community and could take trators’ personal networks, and the lack of time. an effective pipeline to recruit and retain Sturz echoed the latter sentiment and teachers of color. asked for patience. It was in this area where Sturz “I think it’s important for us all to get to appeared to be focusing the district’s new this place where we put the divisiveness efforts, through increased outreach to have aside. I don’t think that serves us well,” he student-teachers of color perform class- said. “… This is something we really need room observations, student teaching and to pull together on, focus on the positive, substitute teaching at District 24 schools. focus on moving forward and continue to “That’s often the pipeline through have this district be the great district that which we get to know the individuals who it is.”

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V.S. salon and spa suite celebrates expansion purchase the space next to Paradise, and expand her business she jumped at it. Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, Gocoul said she was able to open a brand new set of spa suites, while her original location, just next door, will remain as a salon.

VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

Paradise Salon & Spa Suites on Central Avenue celebrated the expansion of its business earlier this month. Paradise owner and Valley Stream resident Karen Gocoul said she came up with the idea of combining salon and spa services in 2012, and finally realized her dream in 2016 with the opening of her business. When the opportunity arose to

Compiled by Peter Belfiore

Photos courtesy Karen Gocoul

The Gocouls: Bryshaun, from left, Karen, Ruddy and Karyse in the new spa space. The family lives in Valley Stream.

Paradise salon & Spa Suites owner Karen Gocoul celebrated the expansion of her business on Central Avenue earlier this month. She was with her husband, Ruddy.

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Herald sports Hofstra takes more aggressive approach By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Last season was a difficult one for Hofstra’s women’s basketball program in terms of wins and losses, but there’s plenty of reasons for second-year head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson to be optimistic about the future. The Pride was unable to beat any of its Colonial Athletic Association rivals in 201920 and finished 3-27 overall while being outscored by an average of 15.6 points per game. Its victories came against Hartford, Morgan State and Campbell. “There were a lot of factors going into my first season and our eyes were set on a bigger picture,” said Santos Atkinson, a former Hofstra assistant who returned to campus last season to become the 12th head coach in program history. “We saw a lot of individual development and laid the foundation,” she added. “This season we’re looking to be much more aggressive at both ends of the floor. We want to play faster on offense and pressure the ball and generate more turnovers on defense.” The effort to close the gap on the rest of the CAA will be led by two full-time returning starters and one part-time returning starter, all of whom Atkinson is counting on to take their games to another level, along with a talented group of newcomers. Jaylen Hines started all 30 games in 201920 and led the team in scoring (11.6 ppg), rebounding (8.8 rpg) and steals while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor (139-for281) to rank third in the conference. A 5-foot10 redshirt junior forward, she poured in a career-high 30 points against Charleston and is a “walking double-double,” Santos Atkinson said. “Jaylen is our most proven player and she’s returned with a lot more confidence,” Santos Atkinson said. “She worked on her game and her body big time during the quarantine. She has great touch around the rim and a positive demeanor that makes her a leader.” Sophomore Sorelle Ineza started all but two games last season at point guard and chipped in 8 points per game with a teamleading 32 minutes per game and 85 assists. From Quebec, Canada, Ineza was named to the CAA All-Rookie Team. “We put an awful lot on Sorelle’s shoulders last season,” Santos Atkinson said. “Being a freshman point guard is tough. Her game evolved over the season and now we’ll look to move her off the ball and give her more opportunities to shoot.” A couple of candidates to run the point are Rosi Nicholson, a junior coming off a strong season for Santa Fe Community College in Florida, and Jaysyni Knight, a junior transfer from the University of Pittsburgh who may not be eligible to play until next season pending a waiver decision on the NCAA’s transfer policy. Another former Pitt Panther, 6-foot-3 redshirt junior forward Jaala Henry, practiced with the Pride all of last season while sitting

out under the transfer rule. “She knows our system and is ready to contribute major minutes,” Santos Atkinson said. “She’s versatile with good shooting range and rebounding ability.” Hofstra’s third returnee with starting experience is junior guard JaKayla Brown, who averaged 6 points per game over 24 appearances, including a dozen starts. “JaKayla’s worked hard during the offseason and is an improved shooter who’ll help us at both ends.” Santos Atkinson believes the Pride will be a deeper squad than last season — and needs to be. “We want to play faster so we need fresh legs off the bench,” she noted. The Pride is scheduled to open the campaign with a non-conference game at Siena on Nov. 25. The CAA slate will once again include 18 games, but due to Covid-19 the format has been adjusted to limit travel and help ensure the health and safety of studentathletes, coaches and staff. In lieu of a traditional, home-and-home round robin schedule, teams will play against the same opponent at the same site on consecutive days, primarily weekends. “On paper, the conference is just as strong as last season,” Santos Atkinson said. “We’re focused on the little things and what’s going to make us competitive every single game.” The CAA regular season will tip off Friday, Jan. 1, and conclude on Sunday, Feb. 28. Games impacted by the pandemic could be made up at various alternate dates. Hofstra opens CAA action against William & Mary. As of now, fans are not expected to be permitted to attend games. “No fans is something we’ll have to get used to,” Santos Atkinson said. “When it’s game time, we just have to get locked in.”

JaYLEN HYNES LEd Hofstra in scoring and rebounding last season as a redshirt sophomore.

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

JuNIOr guard JaKaYLa Brown made a dozen starts for the Pride last season and averaged 6 points per game.

VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

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November 26, 2020 — VALLEY STREAM HERALD

Applying to college amid the coronavirus pandemic tion process. “We are in a Covid world right now, nalcindor@liherald.com and students are concerned about if To help reduce Long Island high that is going to affect the list of schools school seniors’ worries while applying that they apply to, or if they need to to college amid the coronavirus pan- think about local schools, even though demic, Herald Inside LI hosted a webi- they might have been planning on going nar on Nov. 19 to guide them through a away for school, and they are also conprocess that is at once similar, but very cerned about how their families should plan financially for the decision-making different than in years past. Molloy College sponsored the hour- process,” DeMartini said. “SAT and ACT scores are ingrained in our psyche, long Zoom session. Because many entrance exams were so it’s shocking for many kids that we canceled during the pandemic, a num- no longer have to submit them. Howevber of students have not taken the SAT er, we encourage students to submit or ACT, and certainly have not taken SAT and ACT scores, and if they go test either or both of the tests more than optional, their college essays should be once, as many high school students had exceptional.” The panelists also agreed that the in the past between their junior to topics students choose for senior years. As a result, the their admission essays play webinar panelists said, a major role in their chances many colleges are making of acceptance to their such exams optional and desired schools. giving greater weight to “We are trying to steer extracurricular activities, kids away from choosing the number of Advanced Covid-19 or pandemic-relatPlacement classes a student ed stories for their college has taken and admissions essays. admissions essays because many people will write sto“At Molloy College, we ries like that,” Muzio said. have a holistic approach when evaluating students “However, if a student’s panfor entry into the college, so demic story demonstrates we always look at more than exceptional strength, then just the academic average we will encourage them to and the test scores that write about it.” appeared on the student’s The owner of Standout transcript and on their file College Prep, Bethany Goldand we dig a little deeper,” szer, said she has noticed a said Marguerite Lane, assisbig difference over the past t a n t v i c e p re s i d e n t fo r year in the college admisenrollment management at sions essays that students Molloy. “We understand that FrANk Muzio have submitted to colleges many high school students because of the stories stuWantagh were thrown into remote dents are telling about curlearning because of the pan- guidance director rent events in the world. demic, and that they might “Kids on Long Island not have the best academic have a habit of being spoiled test scores, so we look at the entire pic- and entitled, but the college admissions ture of a student to see if the student is essays have changed a lot to topics such a good fit for Molloy to help them devel- as sexuality, gender, race issues, Covidop in their academics and career.” 19-related stories and more,” said GoldFrank Muzio, the guidance director szer, who often serves as a liaison for the Wantagh School District, said between parents and high school counthe district has held Common App work- selors and parents and college admisshops with students and is encouraging sions officers. “I think in previous years them to apply both to local colleges and students would have been afraid to disthose farther away. cuss those topics, but now they talk “Students have adapted to this new about it. Kids are braver.” normal in different ways and at differ“I’ve noticed that students have put ent paces, and we want to make sure themselves out there more and have that all students have an application been more vulnerable in their college plan,” he said. “This past year, we really admissions essays — whether it’s about had to do a lot of individual counseling Covid-19 or about social justice,” Lane to meet students and families where agreed. they are and to meet a wide spectrum of Panelists also said they are encouragneeds.” ing students to fill out the Free ApplicaAnthony DeMartini, assistant princi- tion for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). pal of school counseling and wellness at Finally, counselors are encouraging Calhoun High School in North Merrick, students to take a deep breath and relax. said counselors had to pivot last winter “We are trying to encourage kids to and spring because of the pandemic, enjoy school,” DeMartini said. “But, at using Zoom and Google Classroom to the same time, we want them to know keep in touch with students and meet that they can get through the college with parents about the college applica- application process.”

By Nicole AlciNdor

tudents have adapted to this new normal in different ways and at different paces, and we want to make sure that all students have an application plan.

VIEWFINDER By SUSAN GRIECO

THE QUESTION: How

do you cook a turkey?

You have to get something sharp to cut up the turkey. Put some salt on it, and then you put it on the stove for about 30 minutes. Or if you have a phone, you can Google it! MADELINE K. Kindergarten

Buy a turkey and cut it up. Put it in the oven, and cook it for 13 minutes with hot dogs. I love to eat the chicken part the best. LIAM B. Kindergarten

I think my dad has a baking soda box to put on it, but he never cooked a turkey before. I guess you put it in a pot or pan with cheese and M&Ms on it and then cook it. I don’t eat the bone part, just the chicken part. GIADDA I. Kindergarten

I think you put some kind of grease inside it to make it soft to chew. When it comes out, you decorate it with salad for its hair, bones for its legs and a carrot for its nose. Mackenzie U. 1st Grade

Buy a 10-pound turkey, season it with any type of spices, like pepper and hot sauce. Then put it in the oven for about 30 minutes. SEBASTIAN H. 1st Grade

Put the turkey in the oven for 30 minutes, bring it out, then eat it with a fork with corn, chicken, rice, meatballs and broccoli. When you’re done, put the plate in the sink, and then wash your hands. MARYN H. 1st Grade

VALLEY STREAM HERALD â€” November 26, 2020

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What’s neWs in and out of the classroom

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Memorial students CARE for themselves Students and staff at Memorial Junior High School celebrated CARE week by participating in activities that focused on caring for yourself, others and the environment. The festivities took place from Oct. 26 to Oct. 30 and included giving compliments to others, being a team player, spreading kindness to one another, supporting peers by including others and providing breast cancer awareness by wearing pink. Throughout the week, students and staff also dressed for theme of the day. The seventh grade class council and the BRAVE club created an outstanding display of ways students can care for others. The display was called, “MJHS a Rainbow of Possibilities.” In addition, eighth- and ninth-grade class councils and the GSA Club decorated bathrooms with uplifting messages for students.

Courtesy Central High School District

Eighth- and ninth-gradE class councils and the GSA Club decorated bathrooms with uplifting messages for students at Memorial Junior High Schools as part of CARE week.

Students look to life after high school Memorial Junior High School hosted its Road Map to High School, Colle ge and C a r e e r D ay e a rl i e r t h i s month, during which staff and students sported their favorite college apparel. Throughout the day, school guidance counselors visited ninth-grade English classes to prep students on college and c a r e e r aw a r e n e s s . T h e y addressed life after high school, showed high school transcripts and discussed the importance of being a high school freshman. School guidance counselor Michel Jackson organized the event. Compiled by Peter Belfiore

Part of thE event involved students sporting their favorite college apparel.

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November 26, 2020 — VALLEY STREAM HERALD

Have a great school story? Call our editors today 516-569-4000 or email pbelfiore@liherald.com

Courtesy Central High School District

VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

NYU Winthrop Hospital is now

NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island New name. Same exceptional care. Close to home. At NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island we continue to foster a rich tradition of providing world-class healthcare to local Long Island communities. Patients of NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island have access to more than 350 inpatient and outpatient locations across Long Island, into Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and beyond.

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To find a doctor, visit nyulangone.org/doctors or call 646-929-7800.

November 26, 2020 — VALLEY STREAM HERALD

Covid-19

HoMetown HeroeS

JeFFrey BeSSen E

lindenHurSt Senior editor, naSSau Herald Five townS

arly in the coronavirus pandemic quarantine/working from home stage, I was reading a journalism trade publication and saw this: “Editors of community newspapers, an often overlooked but critically important element of the U.S. media ecosystem, are front-line responders in the coronavirus crisis.” I had to read it twice. First because someone was recognizing community newspapers and second it made realize the vitality of the work my Herald colleagues and I have been doing since March. The first two months were a whirlwind of news, updating news, more news and getting our bearings as the Herald editorial team translated their skills from only producing a weekly newspaper to becoming an online daily that produces a paper. Watching the daily briefings from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and County Executive Laura Curran and either writing or updating stories based on the information presented became routine. Waiting for the phases of reopening, writing stories on residents doing their part to help from feeding essential workers to making homemade facemasks also became part of our story landscape. The need to go out to our coverage areas remained important, and that continued all the while maintaining the required safety protocols. In the Five Towns, we have deepened our friendships with those we knew, made new friends.

HoMetown Hero

geeta arJune valley StreaM inForMation tecHnologiSt

y job entails analyzing hospital financial results, providing reports to all management levels and maintaining financial systems. The pandemic has changed my job because now I work remotely. Now, we collaborate by email, telephone and virtual meetings. I work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, sometimes I work longer hours because of deadlines or because I need to finish reports or respond to emails. The hardest part of working during the pandemic is not seeing my co-workers in person for face-to-face engagements, especially when we work on big projects. On many occasions, the internet fails during a video conference. It takes a longer time to accomplish certain tasks when you are not with your superiors or co-workers trying to figure out the unknown. I have come to terms with this new normal at work, but it’s not easy because I am in a confined space in my home all day, without much human interaction. I miss collaborating with co-workers and celebrating birthdays or special holidays at work. The pandemic has changed my mindset in many ways. It made me realize how much people rely on each other to make our lives function. For example, we rely on grocery shop workers, health care workers, mailmen and women and FedEx delivery people, and many others, who risk their lives going to work each day, to provide us with their services. The pandemic was a shock at first because during my lifetime we have not experienced an invisible war like how this Covid-19 virus has been.

HoMetown Hero

MaLverne President, Post 44 Ladies auxiLiary

Patient transPorter, Mount sinai soutH nassau oCeanside

s the lockdowns were implemented and the world’s attention was locked in on the relentless surge of Covid-19, my colleagues and I at Mount Sinai South Nassau united with one mission: We were going to face it head-on with our patients and be with them every step of the way until the day we joyfully ushered them out of the main entrance of the hospital. I could see the fear in our patients when they arrived at the hospital doors and in their loved ones who dropped them off. When I returned home from work to my family, I was just as fearful that they might catch it from me; obviously, that was the last thing I wanted. While I knew that the hospital’s infectious disease and quality and safety teams had implemented the protocols and measures that would keep me and my colleagues safe while at work, I always had this nagging thought of "what if.” I often good-naturedly reminded my wife that my years of working in a school reinforced the habit of sanitizing my hands. Each day I returned home from work, I immediately went to my bedroom without greeting or hugging my wife and then headed to the shower. Purposely avoiding the running hugs from my children as I entered our home was something I had never imagined having to do. As the lockdown intensified and our loved ones and neighbors sheltered in place, I went to work each day hoping that today would be better than yesterday.

HoMetoWn Hero

ne was the village’s events that was supposed to take place in late March was Post 44’s annual walk-a-thon to raise funds for our veterans. Just because volunteers couldn’t walk with us this year, we told them that can still have their boots on the ground to help walk in spirit with our veterans. If you can, we would appreciate your consideration of any amount to help our veterans. We held our first walk-a-thon in 2018, and we had Post 44 veterans walking side by side with children on Franklin Avenue. Our slogan for the walk was, ‘They march for us, we walk for them.’ We ended up collecting $800 in donations that year. As for this year’s walk-a-thon, the [New York State] Department of State advised Post 44 that people interested in donating to veterans that are hospitalized, living in state homes, awaiting placements or need of shelter, can send checks to the American Legion at P.O. Box 44, Malverne, N.Y. 11565. We thought that this would also be a great project for children at home to reach out to all veterans. If you wish to send a card with or without a donation, we would be very thankful.

HoMetoWn Hero

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continued from front page morphed into a part-time baking business run out of the kitchen of her Adeline Place home, and from there, the venture would became a shop. Now, in a recent, and yet another unexpected turn, Darlene and Abrams are set to appear in the second Christmas special of the Netflix reality competition show “Sugar Rush,” now in its fourth season. The season will air Nov. 27. “Sugar Rush” pits four teams of two contestants per episode against each other in timed baking challenges for a $10,000 prize. Three judges, including a celebrity guest judge, rate the bakers’ creations, and the challenges are broken into three segments: cupcakes, confections and cakes. A few years after that initial party, Edwards began running out of room in her home, and when Caprice, now 36, lost her job at Time Warner Cable in 2016 the family took it as a sign to open up their own shop. So, Edwards, along with Caprice and Abrams took a business course at Hofstra University and searched for a place to call their own. In 2018 they opened their shop, The Best Goodie Bag, on Roosevelt Avenue. It took two years to settle on a storefront and ready it for business, Abrams, 34, said. It celebrated its second anniversary on Halloween. The “Sugar Rush” producers had reached out to the shop’s owners through social media, and filming for the segment with Edwards and Abrams took place over four days in February, they said. The two were flown to Los Angeles for the competition, while Dale and Campbell tended to the shop. The two described a long competition day filled with stress, as the two selftaught bakers went up against teams of classically trained contestants. The three remaining days of filming were reserved for interviews. “We thought we worked well under pressure,” Edwards said. “But not that kind of pressure,” Abrams joked, adding that at one point early in filming, she thought she had broken a toe. While they were coy about how they fared in the competition, they did promise some potentially entertaining drama.

Self-baked and self-made

In the days leading up to the episode’s airing, Edwards and company were working on another, yet unannounced and unrelated project. Although a secret, as part of it, nearly every available space in their shop was temporarily filled with brown cardboard boxes. Inside were cookie-making kits. The group had pulled a few all-nighters working on the project, but speaking quickly with her eyes wide open, Edwards was clearly excited. As if to highlight their fortuitous trajectory, she remarked that aside from Dale, 24, who earned an associate’s degree in culinary arts from upstate SUNY Delhi in 2014, none of them has a formal background in baking. Abrams

Photos by Peter Belfiore/Herald

ElEESa abramS, far left, Darlene Edwards and Caprice Campbell, of Valley Stream’s Best Goodie Bag bake shop. Edwards and Abrams, a mother-daughter duo, are set to appear on the Netflix’s “Sugar Rush” on Nov. 27. works as an NYPD dispatcher, and Campbell has a degree in accounting. “I used to use Duncan Hines boxes,” Darlene joked, referring to the pre-made cake mixes found in the grocery store. “Now we make everything from scratch,” Abrams noted. As the two worked to assemble the kits, Campbell sat behind the counter, ensconced in a small plexiglass enclosure as she carefully piped butter cream roses onto a custom rosette cake. She and Abrams handle decorating, while Edwards takes care of the baking, they explained. Nearly all of it has been self-taught through a combination of trial and error and research. “Google is our friend,” Abrams remarked, with Dale providing expert input from her studies. Their work continues to evolve every day, they said, as they strive to keep up with popular trends in the cake world and customer requests. Recent ones include geode cakes — cakes decorated to look like rocks that have been split open to reveal colorful crystals inside — and drip cakes featuring melted toppings that spill down the sides. Others have been popularized by celebrities like Khloe Kardashian, who recently had a brown Teddy bearthemed cake made for a friend’s baby shower. Campbell said replicating some of these requires a bit of reverse engineering, recreating the cakes from photos without knowing exactly how they were made. They also offer personal spins on classics, with rosette cakes that they refer to as “flower boucakes,” Campbell said, and customers can make custom requests. Edwards said they have been fortunate to remain busy during the coronavirus pandemic. They, like many businesses, were forced to close for nearly

It took ItS owners two years to find and open their shop on Roosevelt Avenue, after taking the unexpected step of becoming professional bakers. This past Halloween they celebrated two years in business. three months at the start of the crisis, but she said, they have been able to sustain themselves since. While Justine is no longer with them — she died in January at age 95 — her legacy remains. She was resourceful,

Edwards said, pointing to a chalkboard menu hung in the shop. Edwards repurposed it from a slab of wood found in her garage. She said it reminded her of her mother.

Public Notices

LVAL1 1126

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: HERBO’S SELF DEFENSE & FIGHTING, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of

State of New York, (SSNY) on 9/14/2020. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a

copy of the process to:169 Elmwood Street, Valley Stream, NY 11581 Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity. 123733

To Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AND AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

Local bakers to appear on Netflix show

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to join our outside sales team, contact Rhonda glickman. send your resume today. rglickman@liherald.com, 516-569-4000 x250.

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November 26, 2020 — VALLEY STREAM HERALD

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Point Lookout

Expansive Views of the Bay!

Q. As a contractor who Ask The reads your column, I don’t always agree with you, but Architect generally I find things interesting, especially knowing other people are going through the same things as me. I have a strange situation I wanted your opinion about and also wanted readers to know about, since it has never happened before, to me, anyway. I have a really nice prospective job to do onte eeper that will keep me and my employees busy through the winter. It’s a complete interior renovation in an upscale, very large apartment. The problem is, I was just told there would be another contractor on the job. Weird, huh? After months of interviews and checking my references, I was told the owner would kind of “bid” items out as we go along, like if my number was too high for finish work in the master bathroom, they would take the other guy, or if they needed me to only do the flooring that week, even though I was supposed to do everything, they would give me a “day or two notice.” Have you ever heard of anything like that? How can I make a living this way? What do you think?

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A. Not only is it strange, it’s a great way to lose your business. I wouldn’t even consider such an arrangement. I have experienced similar setups, and I do mean “setup,” when an owner wants a building design, but after many design meetings, walls and spaces finally arranged, structure determined with room for ductwork, plumbing and electrical, the owner hands the job to a mystery interior designer who moves wall locations, violates code, ignores ductwork and plumbing locations — basically wrecking the building’s ability to work as a “system” in favor of random-ordered walls. When the owner does this, it sets us up for failure. It’s possible that owners don’t understand the consequences of their narrowed thinking. Your dilemma is financial and logistical, and worst of all, you’re being set up to fail at your job, one for which you could end up being blamed for work you didn’t even do. There’s the liability problem with whose workmanship caused damages, whose employee may get hurt because of cross-over work that created a dangerous condition, and whose insurance will be used to cover the scope of the job. The owner, it seems, wants to be the contractor, treating two competing companies as subcontractors. Maybe the owner has figured out a way to save money on every item while watching workers scrounge for morsels of tasks to try to make payroll that week. This is a bait-and-switch operation where you believe you’ll be doing the work, as a professional, setting up the dates to deploy which employee or subcontractor, arranging for tools and delivered materials, only to get a call the day before informing you that the parallel party will be stepping in. You may regret being set up. Good luck!

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VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

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VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

HERALD

Herald editorial

Valley Stream

November 26, 2020 — VALLEY STREAM HERALD

HERALD Established 1990 Incorporating the Valley Stream Mailleader Peter Belfiore Editorr NiCole AlCiNDor Reporter ANGelA SHiriAN Advertising Account Executive mArtHA jACoviDeS Founding Editor offiCe 2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: (516) 569-4000 Fax: (516) 569-4942 Web: www.liherald.com E-mail: vseditor@liherald.com offiCiAl NeWSPAPer: Village of Valley Stream Valley Stream High School District Valley Stream Districts 13, 24 and 30

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Robert Richner Edith Richner Publishers, 1964-1987 ■ ClifforD riCHNer StUArt riCHNer Publishers miCHAel BoloGNA Vice President - Operations ■ SCott BriNtoN Executive Editor jim HArmoN

Copy Editor CHriStiNA DAlY Photo Editor toNY BelliSSimo Sports Editor KAreN Bloom Calendar Editor ■ rHoNDA GliCKmAN Vice President - Sales elleN reYNolDS Classified Manager lori BerGer Digital Sales Manager ■

jeffreY NeGriN Creative Director CrAiG WHite Production Coordinator CrAiG CArDoNe Art Director ■ DiANNe rAmDASS Circulation Director ■

HerAlD CommUNitY NeWSPAPerS Baldwin Herald Bellmore Herald Life East Meadow Herald Franklin Square/Elmont Herald Freeport Leader Long Beach Herald Lynbrook/East Rockaway Herald Malverne/West Hempstead Herald Merrick Herald Life Nassau Herald Oceanside/Island Park Herald Oyster Bay Herald Guardian Rockaway Journal Rockville Centre Herald South Shore Record Valley Stream Herald Wantagh Herald Citizen Seaford Herald Citizen

memBer: Local Media Association New York Press Association Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce

Published by richner Communications, inc. 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 569-4000

Giving thanks in 2020

n a year when so much has gone awry — so many lives lost, businesses battered, jobs vanished — it strains the imagination to think what we might be thankful for, particularly as the nation enters its second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The coming months will likely be, as President-elect Joseph Biden has said, a “dark winter.” Thanksgiving is, however, all about the audacious nature of hope. The holiday, first celebrated in the fall of 1621, commemorates the struggle that the original Pilgrims faced and, against all odds, overcame in the New World — and the kinship they felt with the Native Americans who rescued them, helping to provide sustenance to a relatively small band of people who otherwise might have starved. The roughly 50 colonists at the original harvest celebration in Plymouth, Mass., were outnumbered by Native Americans two to one, according to History.com. The 100 Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower had seen much death between 1620 and 1621: Some 78 percent of the women died during the first winter. Yet they persevered, and survived. So shall the American people today — thanks in no small measure to our heroes

— the doctors, nurses, EMTS, firefighters, police officers, teachers, teachers’ aides, sanitation workers, railroad workers, subway and bus drivers, custodians, cooks, waiters and waitresses, supermarket employees and so many others — who have kept us safe, our education system up and running, and our economy moving. When many others were able to work from home, they put their lives on the line to do their jobs. As a society, we should take a moment and reflect on their sacrifices over the past nine months. We can also be thankful for our family and friends. We may not be able to shower them with hugs and kisses as we might want, but we can keep them in our thoughts and close to our hearts. And we can be thankful for the miracles of modern science. Only 100 years ago, the 1918 pandemic ran wild for two years, killing 50 million worldwide, including 675,000 in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thanks to technology that allows many of us to work remotely and socially distance, to date we have seen a tenth of the 500 million cases that the world did in

1918-19, and because of modern medical technology, the death toll thus far is onefiftieth what it was then. So, while the number of infections and deaths today is unacceptably high, it is not close to the level of suffering experienced a hundred years ago — and let us hope and pray that it remains that way. Likely, it will. On Saturday, the innovative New York company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals received emergency-use authorization for its experimental antibody treatment for the coronavirus. President Trump received the treatment, and by all accounts it was highly effective. The drug is designed to prevent patients from becoming severely ill by imitating the body’s natural defense system. We can only say, wow! If all goes well, the Regeneron treatment should prevent many deaths, enabling health officials to safely roll out at least one of the vaccines now in the pipeline without undue political pressure. By April, we could indeed round the corner on this terrible pandemic, says Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Yes, there has been much despair this year, but there is much hope as well.

County does right by small businesses

e are pleased that Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is once again promoting small businesses ahead of the holiday season — which is vital this pandemic year. Last Friday, Curran and county Industrial Development Agency Chairman Richard Kessel came to Rockville Centre to promote an innovative contest, aptly titled the Shop Safe, Shop Local Scavenger Hunt, and we are encouraging readers to take part in it. The contest, which will be held for one week starting Saturday, will work like this: Complete four of eight tasks in your community, like buying breakfast at a local eat-

ery or making a purchase at a local shop, and take a photo of yourself — masked — at each location, along with the product you purchased and your receipt. Then email it to scavengerhunt@nassaucountyny.gov or share it on Facebook. The first person who finishes all four tasks and registers them on each day of the contest will receive a $100 gift card. All purchases must be made at small businesses in a single community on the day of the contest. Online and delivery orders are eligible. The complete set of

letters More praise for doctor’s column To the Editor: As Bob Praver did in last week’s letters, I also applaud Dr. Eric Last’s column, “Surely we shouldn’t be fighting over wearing masks” (Nov. 12-18), on the urgency of wearing masks in fighting the coronavirus

pandemic. But while Last’s exhortation that we must “treat others as you’d want to be treated yourself ” was well-intentioned, I believe it would fall on deaf ears when directed not only at those who, at this late date, scoff at the wearing of masks and social distancing, but also those who deliberately promote and take part in large, illegal social gatherings with no consideration of taking measures to counter the spread

instructions can be found at www.nassaucountygov/shoplocal. As we noted in last week’s editorial, “Remember to shop locally this holiday season”: “Despite the crisis, we encourage you to consider patronizing our mom-and-pop shops, many of which now offer their goods online. Abandoning our local businesses would be devastating on so many levels.”

opinions

he coronavirus pandemic has created a variety of hardships that have left families and children in distress. Social isolation. A mounting death toll. An estimated 8 million Americans falling into poverty. We have entered uncharted territory, and uncertainty continues as cases continue to rise across the U.S. Grief is a normal reaction — grieving not just the loss of life, but also the loss of normalcy and freedom when a disaster occurs. So what happens when we add even more stress to families sharon and their children, skariah particularly when schools close? The trickledown effect of all this misfortune can dramatically weigh on kids, especially if they don’t have access to mental health resources at home. Typically, mental health symptoms are identified at school, by their teachers and peers, social workers and guidance counselors. Children need a routine and consistency. Remote learning and social isolation will continue to uproot them. Children

with autism also face challenges with irritability, anxiety and behavioral disturbances. And the erratic nature of schools’ opening and closing (albeit temporarily) can have a lasting effect. A recent study in JAMA Pediatrics showed that more than 22 percent of students in the Hubei province of China reported symptoms of depression, and more than 18 percent had anxiety symptoms, when schools closed for over a month. A second study, in the Journal of Pediatrics, determined that younger children (ages 3 to 6) were more inclined to show fear or clinginess, where older kids (6 to 18) were more likely to show inattention and persistent inquiry. Clinging, inattention and irritability were the severe psychological conditions demonstrated by children in all age groups. School closures — short or long — are unfortunately bound to happen until a safe and effective vaccine is available. Prepare to take care of your child now. First, children need outlets. In early childhood, play is important for development in the physical, verbal and emotional domains. Build that imaginary fort,

he trickledown effect of all this misfortune can dramatically weigh on kids.

LeTTers of the virus. The time for these selfish and greedy individuals to be reasoned with has long passed. These people should be penalized for their actions, which continue to put the rest of us at even greater risk of acquiring the disease, and severe penalties should also be meted out to participants in these gatherings, not just their greed-bound organizers. If anything, these miscreants should consider the 17th-century English poet John Donne’s poem, telling us not to ask “for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.” They might also be reminded that, indeed, “no man is an island,” as Donne wrote. It appears, though, that they do not realize or accept this concept, even though we are all in this fight — together. ROBERT RUBALSkY East Rockaway

We must protect communities of color To the Editor: The Washington Post last Friday published a new analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on people of color. It reported, “Nearly nine months after the virus exploded in

encourage storytelling, toast s’mores in your backyard. For adolescents, it’s important that they develop their own sense of identity but also explore peer relationships. Encourage this — in a socially distanced, safe way. Second, seek normalcy. The goal is to foster continued development, even if your children can’t attend school in person. They want to feel safe — an important tool for parents to use during the crisis. Make sure you provide protection and consistency in an otherwise uncertain time. Talk to them about their feelings. Ensure their safety by creating an atmosphere of stability. Third, adapt to the environment. Summer may be gone, but you can still enjoy the outdoors safely during the fall, and even on some nice winter days. When the extreme cold sets in, continue building on the elements of safety and fun you have already introduced. Have family game nights. Schedule a movie night. Cook and bake together as a family. Designate a reading hour. Although it may be colder, it’s important to get exercise, so go for a walk or a hike or a brisk bike ride. There are also online exercises for kids, like yoga and others.

Fourth — and most important — pay attention. Younger children can’t always express their distress, anxiety or fear. Their behavior may regress. Look for the signs, which include an increase in crying or neediness, more temper tantrums or somatic symptoms (headaches, stomach aches) than normal. Older children may also show increased anger and irritability. If you think your children or adolescents may need a mental health professional, don’t hesitate. They are acting that way because they need help. So watch out for them to verbalize any suicidal thoughts, ongoing sleep disturbances, a decline in overall functioning (hygiene, grooming), aggression or worsening substance use. If you see these signs, seek treatment. Following these steps may help keep children mentally fit during one of our harshest times. Nothing can replace life as we knew it pre-Covid, but you can manage this new normal and keep your kids safe, too. Sharon Skariah, M.D., is the director of child and adolescent psychiatry for Zucker Hillside Hospital. She is also an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell.

Framework Courtesy Roni M. Chastain

the United States, and amid big treatment strides, the disease continues to ravage African-American and other minority communities with a particular vengeance. Black, Asian, Native American and Hispanic patients still die far more frequently than white patients, even as death rates have plummeted for all races and age groups.” As Covid-19 continues to spread aggressively nationwide, it is crucial that government officials at all levels — federal, state and local — address the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on people of color. Immediate attention should be paid to issues such as the availability of testing facilities in communities of color, access to health care, inequitable treatment once access is provided and priorities for providing vaccines once they are available. The evidence is clear: Government owes it to all Americans to ensure fair and equal access to health care, regardless of race, in this pandemic — and always. ELAINE GROSS President, ERASE Racism

The season’s last splashes of color — Glen Cove

VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

We need to pay attention to children’s mental health G

November 26, 2020 — VALLEY STREAM HERALD

opinions

Give thanks the election is over, and put the knives away

esides the sad deaths of a quartermillion Americans, the pandemic claimed another victim this month: the re-election of President Trump. Had the election been held in February, Trump would have won against any Democrat. Unemployment was historically low, there were more jobs than job seekers, incomes were up, 401(k)s were high, manufacturing was robust, deregulation liberated small business, he engineered a more assertive U.S. trade policy, no new wars were waged, hostilities were being JoHn abroad, o’ConneLL reduced Middle East peace deals were coming and consumer spending was strong. Trump’s February re-election wouldn’t have been unanimous. Millions who prioritize the environment and climate change would have voted for a Democrat. People who disagreed with Trump’s right-to-life stand would have opposed him. Citizens who find him repulsive wouldn’t have voted for him. His obnoxious narcissism didn’t help, though Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s and former President Barack Obama’s obvious vanity is overlooked by a worshipful media.

But the ante-pandemic Trump would have won. Even in November he garnered 4 million more votes than Obama did in 2008, 8 million more than Obama did in 2012, 8 million more than Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump 2020 even beat Trump 2016 by nearly 11 million votes. Yet still, to the cheers of nearly 80 million Biden voters, Trump is likely to have lost his re-election bid after his legal challenges conclude. The virus exposed his myopic focus on the economy and jobs and his minimizing of other critical concerns. Trump all along has preached a gospel of nationalistic capitalism. John F. Kennedy’s brilliant speechwriter, Ted Sorenson, once used the now famous aphorism, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” in a presidential address. Trump not only believed in that theory, he achieved such an uplifted economy. Unemployment was at 3.5 percent in February, the lowest since 1969. Americans were working, getting paid more, saving more, spending more. The increased demand encouraged more trade under better trade deals, such as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Retirement savings plans were doing well, helping limited-income seniors feel more secure about paying their bills. Most people were living better. A pre-election poll —

that received little press attention — revealed that most people felt they were better off than they were four years ago. Then the pandemic struck. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the president and the nation in January that Covid-19 wasn’t a major threat. That’s all the rationale the country’s CEO needed to continue prioritizing economic growth. He knew that a pandemic had the potential to reverse all of his economic accomplishments and cut America’s flourishing growth off at the knees. While he took actions, like stopping incoming travel from China, ordering vaccine research and eventual distribution to commence at warp speed, sending hospital ships to California and New York, and ramping up ventilator production, he eschewed leading a national, coordinated effort. Nor did he inspire an America-wide “Let’s fight together” effort of mutual protection. This lack of a federal-level, all-out war on the virus gave voters the impression that Trump saw the pandemic as an annoying distraction, eclipsing the sun from shining on his accomplishments. The virus wasn’t a problem he could build, deal or fire his way out of. He ran for president to be the manager in chief, and he was good at it, but when the pandemic came,

ut just imagine if the vote had taken place in February, before the pandemic.

we needed an empathizer and inspirer, a credible leader who could take — and eloquently explain — tough actions, and he wasn’t that. Covid-19 delivered the fatal wound. And when Trump caught the virus at the height of the campaign — probably by setting a poor example by not wearing a mask and ignoring social distancing — the spotlight narrowed onto his failure to lead, and all his achievements went dark. He had fended off many cuts before. Long knives had been out even before Inauguration Day 2017: An indisputably far-left press in cahoots with social media moguls to censor MAGA speech; an infuriatingly condescending socialist elite; millionaire athletes and other entertainers; anarchists, arsonists and rioters disturbing the domestic tranquility and opposition-party conspiracies each drew blood. With little help, he prevailed against them all. President-elect Joseph Biden’s supporters can celebrate their victory this Thanksgiving weekend. Trump’s fans should also be thankful, because the national pride they’ve relished for the last four years will prevail. Trump ignited it, but it was ours before him and will be ours after him. Reasonable patriots on both political sides make America great. We can all be thankful for that. John O’Connell is a former executive editor of the Herald Community Newspapers. Comments about this column? OConnell11001@yahoo.com.

It wasn’t easy: How I got to see my grandkids

he following is not a how-to for anyone else. It’s just my story. We all have to maneuver our way through the grinding deprivations of the coronavirus as best we can. We hadn’t seen the kids or grandkids for nine months, since we were lucky enough to gather for an anniversary holiday in the Dominican Republic last February. Before we left for the D.R., we were worried about the mysterious and random deaths of Randi tourists on the kReiss island over the year before. We didn’t realize that the far more deadly Covid-19 was already lying in wait there, and gaining ground in the U.S. We went, and everyone came home healthy, but toward the end of our stay we started hearing news about this novel coronavirus thing. Having survived the D.R., we fully expected to go back to our lives and begin planning the next time we could see our children and grandchildren. We were on that imaginary road we all have in our

heads that rolls along into the future until we hit a wall. Suddenly all of us got knocked sideways by Covid-19, and we began making adjustments and accepting life compromises we never could have imagined. Over the summer, we didn’t visit our kids out West as we always do. We didn’t visit the Florida kids, either, because Florida seems to be ground zero for foolishness when it comes to the virus. We felt increasingly shocked and depressed by the stories of people toiling at risky jobs because they couldn’t afford to stay home, at the same time caring for sick relatives and watching loved ones die. If you have a heart and a conscience, they keep hammering you to do something when there really was nothing to do except try to stay healthy and safe. We stayed in touch with the family as the kids’ schools closed down, and they appeared increasingly detached and sleepy and bored when we connected on Zoom or Facetime. We leaned in and asked questions and they answered, and their slightly distant politeness seemed to exacerbate the pain of separation and real communica-

tion. A few weeks ago, my daughter in California said she wanted to visit and bring the kids. She really wanted to visit; I think she was worried that we might not be around forever. I suppose we’re all feeling our mortality. And she was worried that Covid was getting worse and flying might become impossible. As I wrote last week, we all decided that Thanksgiving was out of the question because of all the people who would be traveling over the holiday despite the warnings. We wanted to maximize safety. My daughter flew three weeks ago. Two flights to get here: empty planes. Everyone in the airports and on board was masked. When they got here, they stayed in a rental rather than with us, and we lent them a car so we wouldn’t drive anyplace together. They ate meals in their own place, although that’s usually our best family activity. It didn’t feel good at all to pay for a rental when I have plenty of room for them. It felt worse to wear masks when we were together, to keep six feet of social distance, and not hug. After a nine-month separation, we didn’t hug the people we love most in the

e invented the interlockingelbow hug and the expressiveeyes love beam.

world. The Florida kids came for 24 hours and stayed at a nearby hotel, just so the cousins could see one another before another year goes by. We were together outside whenever possible, and when the weather was uncooperative we sat inside, apart, near open doors and windows. The kids spent a big part of each day going to school online at their rental space. We invented the interlocking-elbow hug and the expressive-eyes love beam, and we went to parks when we could and walked around, taking in the fresh air and one another. I never noticed on Facetime how much they have grown this year, and how they carry themselves differently, and how one has become a bit more diffident as another displays a new boldness in the world. We did it as best we could. I would say we never forgot the danger lurking among us. Our regimen was disciplined but not perfect. They flew back home a few days ago, having obtained proof of life and proof of love all around. It was a visit unlike any others: We all knew we were seizing a moment with no promise of when we could meet again. Copyright 2020 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

VALLEY STREAM HERALD — November 26, 2020

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