Valley Stream Herald 12-01-2022

MARKENS JEWELERS

Giving the gift of holiday hope Church treats families to Thanksgiving dinners

By KEpHERD DANIEl kdaniel@liherald.com

The Bethlehem Assembly of God, in Valley Stream, wrapped up another success ful annual Thanksgiving event by distributing their “Boxes of Hope” the weekend before the holiday, feeding 700 families in Valley Stream, Springfield Gardens and Rosedale.

The church works together with its House of Hope food pantry to make a difference by helping feed many during

the holiday season. Every year, the church packs the Boxes of Hope with a turkey and all the trimmings, so fam ilies in need can have full Thanksgiving dinners.

Some 550 of the 700 fami lies received a box of tradi tional Thanksgiving food and a turkey, and 150 received a box of Thanksgiving food and canned goods.

The pickup location for the food was Wheeler Avenue School in Valley Stream. The church also partnered with Public School 52 in Spring

field Gardens and its campus in Rosedale, where families were also able to pick up boxes.

Jenna Gentry, daughter of Bethlehem Assembly of God’s pastor, Steven Milazzo, worked at the church and is a veteran volunteer at the pan try food drive event.

“We set a goal of how many families we’re going to feed, and we try to give the children their hot meals because a lot of them live in shelters, close to the school,”

North makes the grade, and then some

By KEpHERD DANIEl kdaniel@liherald.com

Three high school students from Valley Stream North High School achieved a rare feat by earning perfect scores on their Advanced Place ment exams.

A.P. courses pres ent students with a college-level curricu lum, and the exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Scoring a 5 is difficult enough, but receiving a per fect score is very rare. If that weren’t enough, this comes after two students in last year’s A.P. Semi nar class at North High received per fect exam scores.

This year’s stu dents are Evan Thomas, Giovanni Mascetti and Kira Sherman, all seniors who received perfect scores in the A.P. Capstone Research exam.

Last year’s students were Hannah Lee and Alain Deen, who are also now seniors.

The AP Capstone course is a two-year course with the first

year being the seminar class and the second year being research. The Capstone class is a relatively new program started by the Col lege Board. North High School implemented the course in Sep tember 2017, and Joe Powers and Nicole Ryan have served as co-teach ers for the past six years.

“One of the things that are so exciting about this course is that you just have to motivate the kids, get them to be passionate, and find their interests,” Ryan said. “We guide them and motivate them. That’s what makes the program so amazing, is that they have so much aca demic freedom. They can study what they want, and they can do research.”

The statistics on the students’ perfect score achievement are rare. In 2021, over 46,840 students took the A.P. Seminar exam. Worldwide, there were only 33 students who had perfect

Courtesy Jenna Gentry

‘BoxES of HopE’ contained Thanksgiving dinners and trimmings as well as canned goods.

o

ne of the things that are so exciting about this course is that you just have to motivate the kids. . .and find their interests.

NIColE RyAN Teacher, V.S. North High

Valley Stream 24 students and staff poured out their hearts in gratitude this Thanksgiving holiday, partaking in a variety of activities that kindled their cheery spirit of thanksgiving.

At Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School, students held a “Morning of Gratitude,” in which they spent their morning writing down what they were grateful for and then colored in their own turkey feathers with words of appreciation. After sharing their com pleted works with fellow classmates, the students sat together and filled their bel lies with a holiday feast.

William L. Buck Elementary School students enjoyed their annual Grateful Gallop race, dashing off around the Grateful Gallop course with each one crossing the finish line to commemorate all they were grateful for. The students also fashioned their virtual gratitude jars, filling them with thanks for family and friends, their school food, and other simple freedoms enjoyed.

At Robert W. Carbonaro Elementary School, students crafted their own food placemats which they handily deployed

during their “Friendsgiving” feast as they sat down together to enjoy juice and snacks. They then shared with each other what they were thankful for and watched an instructional video on how to color their turkeys on their iPads. Students also created a “Thankful Tree” where they colored in the trees, cut out leaves to attach, and wrote on the leaves their words of thanks.

“This is the time of year when we are most reminded of what it is we are grateful for and the value of family and friends. It was truly wonderful and inspiring to see our students come together, celebrate the blessings in their lives, share with each other and publicly acknowledge to each other the things and people they are most grateful for this holiday season, “ said Superinten dent Don Sturz. “On behalf of our Board of Education and Administra tion, we extend our deep appreciation to the Valley Stream 24 community for their unwavering support and commit ment to our students’ well-being and education.”

Sc H ool S

–Juan Lasso

Courtesy Valley Stream District 24

RobeRt W. CaRbonaRo Elementary School students enjoy a “Friendsgiving Feast.”

‘Lighting of Gibson’ returns after hiatus

Holiday festivities come back to the Gibson train station after a roughly 20-year pause

To mark the start of the upcom ing holiday season, residents, village officials and even Santa Claus turned out for the “Light ing of Gibson” Sunday night at the Gibson train station. It was the first tree lighting there in over 20 years.

Mayor Ed Fare was happy to see the festivities return after the long break. “On behalf of the Village of Valley Stream, the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce and the Valley Stream Fire Department, we are delighted to see so many joyful Valley Streamers turn out as a nostalgic and favorite tradition here in Gibson is brought back for a new generation of Gibsonites to enjoy,” he said.

The tree lighting wasn’t brought about with major publicity or notice.

Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce member Nicole Eliopoulos said most of the publicity included one robocall and a few small posts on her part in the local Facebook groups.

Those small reminders paid off in a modest but all-around festive turnout, despite the rain.

“I think it was an amazing turnout for our first year back,, considering the weather and little publicity, the turnout was great.” Eliopoulos said. “The rain came down all day, though a little clearing at the time of the light ing allowed for the festivities to go on.”

children gathered around for a picture with Kris Kringle.

it was a merry, intimate gathering of village residents, dignitaries, and members from the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce at the “Lighting of Gibson” last Sunday night.

Christine Rivera/Herald photos

Village officials, chamber members, and even police officers squeezed in for their shot with Santa at the Gibson tree lighting.

old saint nick paid a visit to the Gibson tree lighting to kick off the merry holiday season.

Shaw Avenue students do the turkey trot

Students at Shaw Avenue Elementary School did not mark the Thanksgiving holiday through the usual festive fare of sitting and feasting on hefty servings of holiday grub. Instead, they hit the pave ment to partake in the school’s annual Turkey Trot on Nov. 18.

Classes from Clear Stream Avenue, Forest Road, and Shaw Avenue elementa ry schools jogged around their blacktops and fields and counted their miles by col

lecting paper cups at the end of every lap. Each class logged their total distance and competed to see who ran the most miles. Students trained and conditioned their bodies to be race-ready for the event. They also learned how to pace themselves throughout their run in their respective physical education classes.

Valley Stream 30 focuses on mental health

Students throughout Valley Stream District 30 each played their part in focus ing on and exercising their mental health in recognition of National School Psy chology Awareness Week.

The district’s psychologists at Forest Road, Clear Stream Avenue, and Shaw Avenue elementary schools organize the event annually in coordination with phys ical education teachers. In each school gymnasium, several stations based on social-emotional learning and this year’s theme, “Together We Shine,” were estab lished to test students’ knowledge of men

tal well-being. They navigated several interactive centers titled “Minute to Win It,” “Mysterious Journey,” “The Wheel of Cooperation” and “The Escape Room.” In each challenge, students worked together to complete one-minute activities, follow a correct path to safety, solve puzzles and riddles and follow specific tasks. Each activity required teamwork, collabora tion, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication to be successful.

–Juan Lasso

–Juan Lasso

Courtesy Valley Stream District 30 At ShAw Avenue Elementary School, students were joined by a festive turkey during the annual Turkey Trot.

ForeSt roAd elementAry School students raced to stack buckets with words that described themselves during National School Psychology Awareness Week.

Courtesy Valley Stream District 30

Sc H ool S

South senior gets Capstone research project published

Few of us have earned the brag ging rights to say we’ve had a high school research project of ours published in a distin guished, peer-reviewed journal. Valley Stream South High School senior Brean na Villarreal can. Her Capstone research project was published in the widely regarded “The Young Researcher.”

Her project, titled: “Immigrant Par ents and Academic Success: Genera tional Status and Race on Academic Achievement,” explores the academic advantages and disadvantages of sec ond and third-generation children of immigrants.

Under the guidance of AP teachers Jeanette Azzaretto, Katie Graves, Mike O’Brien, and Katie Kennedy, Villarreal conducted a detailed literature review, aligning her methodology with previ ous studies on the topic while also seek ing to find a gap in previous research.

Her project surveyed 64 second and third-generation students between the

ages of 14 and 18 to assess feelings of cultural identity, perceived and real academic success, and academic moti vations.

Using a combination of statistical analysis and comparisons to the means of different data sets, her research con firmed widely accepted academic advantages held by second-generation students, but also found that Hispanic and Latino students may not be at as much of an academic disadvantage as previous research has indicated.

The Young Researcher is a journal that, according to its website, is “dedi cated to publishing the best original research from secondary school stu dents,” and publishes research covering a wide range of subjects.

–Juan Lasso

Breanna Villarreal, as pictured above, had her research published in the peerreviewed journal “The Young Researcher.”

Courtesy Valley Stream Central High School District

Lianne Webb, Natalia Suaza take home crowns

Baldwin, Valley Stream contestants win at Miss Long Island pageant

By daniEL oFFnER doffner@liherald.com

Lianne Webb and Natalia Suaza stood out from among dozens of contestants from across Nassau and Suffolk counties, crowned winners of Miss Long Island and Miss Teen Long Island.

The two young women from Baldwin and Valley Stream were among those who gathered at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College on Nov. 20, selected by a panel of judges based on their talents, drive, beauty and compassion.

Before stepping on stage, Suaza said that she set out to complete the New York City Marathon as a way to take herself out of her comfort zone and face her fears head-on.

Upon her coronation as the new Miss Teen Long Island, Sauza says she plans to work with Long Island communities, spreading her message of cancer aware ness.

“With my title, I hope to partner with the Center for Hope at Northwell Hospi tal and the Calvary Hospital,” she said.

Having lost her father when she was just 9, these organizations helped pro vide Suaza an opportunity to talk about him — just as they helped others with loved ones who have passed, and to try and live the lives that they would’ve wanted them to live. Suaza also praised their free summer camp that was offered for her and her siblings.

“This really impacted my life and made me as strong as I am today,” she said.

Leanne Baum, executive director of the Miss Long Island pageants, said that over the next year, both of the winners will make guest appearances to promote their platform.

Webb’s platform aims to promote advocacy for children. She works as a

behavioral therapist with Achieve Beyond, where she works with students with autism. She’s also a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

By promoting these different causes across Long Island, the goal is for the pageant winners to become role models for change in the world. This year, for example, all of the pageant contestants came together before the big night to help collect food for Island Harvest, Baum said. In fact, they ended up with more than 400 pounds of food for Long Island’s largest food bank.

Both Webb and Sauza now move on to compete for Miss New York USA and Miss Teen New York USA next August.

Some of the runners-up from this year’s Miss Long Island competition include Jenna Hofmann of West Islip, Alexandra Ali of Commack, Alliyah St. Omer of North Baldwin, and Michelle Lent of Glen Cove.

The Miss Teen Long Island competi tion runners-up include Emily Hall and Valarie Goorahoo of Valley Stream, Rudra Patel of Farmingdale, and Kyra Smith of East Hampton.

Miss Long isLand Teen 2023 Natalia Suaza, from Valley Stream, joined by Miss Long Island Pageants executive director Leanne Baum, and Miss Long Island 2023 Lianne Webb, from Baldwin.

ThE 2022 Miss Teen Long Island winner Jessica Fuentes crowns her successor, Natalia Suaza, of Valley Stream.

ThE 2022 Miss Long Island winner Nadgeena Jerome crowns fellow Baldwin native and 2023 Miss Long Island winner Lianne Webb.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Miss Long isLand contestants hit the stage at the Madison Theatre in their glorious gowns, showing their best for judges Matthew James Graziano, Yasmeen Gumbs, Amy Amato of RichnerLive, Peter Andolina and Edson Estime

D’Esposito in driver’s seat to House floor

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

He was an obscure candidate from Island Park who went up against a Republican powerhouse — and won.

His name was Al D’Amato, who would go on to serve 18 years in the U.S. Senate before being upended himself by Chuck Schumer in 1998. D’Amato’s early political career in Island Park involved him running village elec tions, which helped him get his feet wet before heading to Congress.

Now, four decades later, voters have sent another Island Park resident to Washington as Anthony D’Esposito makes his way to the floor of the House of Representatives, in congressional seat he flipped from Democrat to Republican.

“I don’t think that coming from a small community prepares you to be in politics,” D’Esposito said, after defeating Laura Gillen in the November election. “I think it opens your eyes to what community is all about.”

But getting involved on a local level in the fire depart ment, Kiwanis, chamber of commerce or a civic group is “really what opens people’s eyes to further public ser vice” — paralleling how the Hempstead town council man got his start.

Mentioning D’Amato’s influence during his victory speech election night, D’Esposito says he’s pleased to be adding to the village’s story.

“That’s a piece of history, especially coming from a small tight-knit community,” he said. “It’s a place where I was born, raised, called home. The fact that we’ve sent two members of our little village to represent us in Washington, D.C. I think is pretty cool.”

On Long Island, those within the Town of Hempstead have wondered who will fill his empty seat on the town board. D’Esposito still has a month or so left before he

has to pack up and head to Capitol Hill, but says he’ll “figure that out when the time comes.”

He spent his first week in Washington undergoing ori entation, and hopes when it comes time to join commit tees, he’ll find himself on homeland security, and trans portation and infrastructure.

Worried about the state of people’s pocketbooks as well as their quality of life, D’Esposito says nothing has

changed his campaign promises since winning.

“The duration of this campaign, the message has been the same,” D’Esposito said. “And people are con cerned about things that affect their pockets. They’re concerned about crime, and they want someone to repre sent them that’s willing to cross party lines and work with others in order to deliver for our communities.”

But then again, he’s already posting negative com ments on social media about some Democratic col leagues like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. D’Esposito says their track records leave much to be desired.

“When it comes to Nancy Pelosi, the fact that we can all ask ourselves, ‘Are we better off today than we were two years ago when Joe Biden took office?’ And she’s been nothing but a rubber stamp for the Biden adminis tration,” he said. “And I think a lot of the issues that we’re dealing with on Long Island are issues that are reflective of the administration.”

So, which Democrats will D’Esposito work with?

“People that are there to deliver for the communities that they represent,” he said. “Not just be a loud mouth piece and looking for headlines on Twitter and CNN.”

Sitting down as a delegation after Thanksgiving, D’Esposito says he’s looking forward to making America safer, the economy stronger, and energy greener. But his first focus will be eliminating the cap on state and local taxes, otherwise known as a SALT cap.

“For me, what’s most important is delivering change to Long Island,” D’Esposito said. “Working hard to repeal the SALT cap, so that we can bring tax relief to commu nities here in New York — some of the individuals who pay the highest taxes in the nation. So, there’s a lot of work to do.

“But I look forward to getting to D.C. again, rolling up my sleeves, and getting to work.”

Courtesy Anthony D’Esposito

By the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building sits freshly elected Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican from Island Park, getting ready for his first day in Congress.

Gentry said.

“Normally, a lot of the donations come in from other organizations, but this year because of widespread turkey flu, com bined with the current infla tion rates, it was difficult to get donations.”

With the added challenges faced this year, the Valley Stream Chamber of Com merce stepped in to lend a hol iday hand. The church is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and one of the pantry directors and employ ees expressed the need for tur keys. A handful of businesses offered to help out with the drive and provided a signifi cant amount of the festive fowl. Nicole Eliopoulos of State Farm, Chamber Presi dent Sasan Shavanson of One In A Million Inc, and Juan Reyes of Ace Landscaping, helped out by providing 178 turkeys to include in the pack ages given to each family.

Reyes spoke at the Cham ber meeting last month when the church asked for help and offered to donate 25 turkeys. Shavanson and Eliopoulos then offered to match it. “They didn’t use any funds from the Chamber,” Gentry said. “It was just these three specific busi nesses. They found out about it at the chamber meeting.”

The church began its food collection Oct. 16 and despite the difficulties this year, the church had a successful food drive.

“We started putting our heads together and seeing what we could come up with,” Gentry said. “And we went out and we

were buying turkeys and did whatever we could do. Because there was the turkey flu, stores were limiting how many turkeys you could get, but Nicole just pressed on, and she did whatever she could to help us get the turkeys. She and Juan and Sasan were coming almost every night during the week to drop off more tur keys. They were so dedicated to helping us and we were so unbelievably grateful for them.”

Each of the chamber mem bers was honored in front of the church congregation, Sun day morning, Nov. 20 for their help in the food drive.

Gentry has been going to church all her life and after assisting with the food drive for the last three years, she loves to be able to give back.

“What I love best is seeing the change that we’re bring ing to the community and truly helping the people that don’t have anything or can’t provide a Thanksgiving meal,” she said. “When you go into the outreaches and see how grateful they are when they’re receiving this box and this turkey, it changes your whole perspective.”

The Church provided another 150 turkeys and deliv ered them directly to the House of Hope food pantry clients, who get food from the pantry on a bi-weekly basis. People from the congregation adopted a family and delivered food directly to them on Nov. 20.

“I went with my husband, and my son because we adopted a family and the woman was so grateful,” Gentry said. “She was appreciative that someone was able to provide a meal for her.”

continued from front page

Courtesy Jenna Gentry

Bethlehem AssemBly of God gave Thanksgiving meals to local families.

JennA Gentry

North students’ scores are statistically stunning

architectural. We do it all.”

only 33 students who had perfect scores, and two of them were from Valley Stream North.

On the A.P. Research, the three perfect scores from North High School were among 306 in the entire world.

“We’re talking about astro nomical ability,” said Powers. “I was lucky enough to get not just one, but five over two years. I was probably one of the luckiest teachers in the world. I get to work with these wonderful kids, and we seem to be on to something in terms of whatever our pro cess is.”

Ryan is amazed by his stu dents’ perfection.“Getting a five is very difficult, and then to have two out of 33 kids get a perfect five is crazy,” said Ryan. “Then to find the fol lowing year, we got three stu dents with perfect fives in A.P. Research. It’s really exciting.”

Within the Seminar course, the amount of kids that score a perfect five is 0.06 percent in the world, in Research; it is 1.14 percent out of 26,947 tests worldwide.

A.P. Seminar an Research allow students to explore their own research topics. “They’re empowered to do what interests them,” Powers said. “We give them the tools to research a topic of their interest and start now exploring different avenues. We do humanities papers and science-based papers. Sometimes humanities and sci ence overlap. We do social papers, politi cal papers, technological papers, and

The A.P. exams are given every year in May, with results coming out over the summer. But the way that testing and evaluation works with both courses is very unique.

“It’s not typical of the other A.P. exams because it’s based on a portfolio of work,” Ryan said.

“They do work throughout the year which includes con ducting research, picking a methodology, and collecting data. Then they try to solve a problem, and give a presenta tion of their work.”

The A.P. Research paper counts as 75 percent of the total score, and the presenta tion counts as 25 percent. After completing the Seminar and Research courses, and scoring 3 or higher on the A.P. tests, students receive a Cap stone diploma. Seminar stu dents are now the current seniors, and have already got ten their Capstone diplomas.

Both Powers and Ryan have been teaching at North High School for 21 years, and say that the Capstone course has been a highlight in their teaching careers.

“We want to encourage and empower them to feel that they can explore and just express themselves, and I think that is the one thing that has helped us earn those five perfect scores over two years,”

Powers said of the rare accomplish ment. “We’ve kind of unleashed the cre ative spirit in some of our brightest and best students. We’re now seeing the results.”

continued from front page

Herald file photo

Three sTudenTs from Valley Stream North High School achieved a rare academic feat by earning perfect scores on their Advanced Placement exams.

I was probably one of the luckiest teachers in the world. I get to work with these wonderful kids, and we seem to be on to something in terms of our process.

Joe Powers Teacher, V.S. North High

STEPPING OUT

‘First Couple’ of ‘Up, Up and Away’ with Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis Jr.

By Mary Malloy

It’s easy to see why seven-time Grammy winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., have been married for 53 years. A dynamic duo on and off the stage, the former members of the 196070s group The 5th Dimension have an easy way of sharing the conversation, finishing each other’s sentences, and endearingly calling each other “baby.” They are in true harmony — and headed to Tilles Center for the Performing Arts for “Up, Up and Away! A Musical Fable,” with special guest The Next Dimension, on Saturday.

As two of the lead vocalists with one of the top pop-R&B-soul-jazz groups of the era, their popular classics — among them “Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “One Less Bell to Answer” and “Stoned Soul Picnic” — live on. Graced with McCoo’s three-octave vocal range, the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002, and have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

After a decade with The 5th Dimension, McCoo and Davis decided to step away in 1975 to establish themselves as a duo. They had immediate success with the single “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be In My Show)” which hit No. 1 on the charts and earned them a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. They have since enjoyed enduring success through the years as recording artists, performers and authors. Throughout their career, this showbiz couple has been honored with seven Grammy Awards and earned 15 gold and three platinum records, as well as enjoyed starring roles on television and the Broadway stage.

• Sat., Dec. 3, 8 p.m.

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, LIU Post, 720 Northern Blvd. Brookville

• Tickets are available at TillesCenter.org, or by calling the box office at (516) 299-3100

Their many endeavors go beyond their musical achievements. They also have a movie coming out during the holidays, “The Waltons Thanksgiving,” on the CW network. “It’s family-oriented, and it’s so perfect for this time of year,” McCoo says. “It’s nice for people to remember the warmth and love and excitement that comes from family.”

From East to West

“We are so looking forward to being in New York,” says McCoo, who, with Davis, calls California home. “We’ve visited, but we haven’t done a show there in quite a while. We truly always enjoy coming back … Long Island is such a pretty area, and we’re very excited.”

“We love New York, we have a history with New York,” Davis adds.

“Up, Up and Away” is a journey and musical celebration of their iconic music. The concert also includes tributes to fellow music legends including The Beatles (McCoo and Davis’ contemporaries) and The 5th Dimension’s original lineup.

They will perform some songs from their newest CD, “Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons,” a celebration of The Beatles’ timeless music. The album covers 10 Beatles classics and solos. “It’s so relevant,” Davis says about the title track. “It fits in with things that are happening today. The young people are very concerned with what was going on in the world.”

And what about their own iconic songs as the “First Couple” of Pop & Soul?

“Of course, we’ll enjoy doing many of our hits,” says Davis. “They wouldn’t let us off the stage if we didn’t!”

Tony Danza

The actor-entertainer croons the classics in his cabaret turn. In ‘Standards & Stories,’ he performs a selection of his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook, plus selections from Jason Robert Brown’s score for ‘Honeymoon in Vegas,’ while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music. Danza combines timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling, and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele, in this evening of glorious songs and personal storytelling, backed by a four-piece band. Perhaps best known for his starring roles on two of TV’s most cherished and long-running series, “Taxi” and “Who’s The Boss,” Danza has also established himself as a song and dance man, and received rave reviews for his performance in the Broadway musical comedy ‘Honeymoon In Vegas.’

Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. $62. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, Route 25A, Brookville. (516) 2993100 or TillesCenter.org.

Judy Collins: Holidays & His

The iconic legend lends her voice to holiday standards along with her classic hit songs as only she can. Collins performs holiday classics, along with songs from her latest album ‘Spellbound’ — her 55th album and first complete album of originals — and beloved songs culled from her six-decade career. Collins is as creatively vigorous as ever, writing, touring worldwide, and nurturing fresh talent. She is a modern-day Renaissance woman who is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, record label head, musical mentor, and an in-demand keynote speaker for mental health and suicide prevention. She continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m. $70, $65, $60. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

WHERE WHEN

Courtesy Darren Stone/Jon Carrasco

Photos: Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., honored with multiple Grammy awards numerous gold and platinum records, return to the concert stage with their iconic hits — and some surprise selections.

THE SCENE

On stage

Plaza Theatrical continues its season with “Grumpy Old Men: The Musical,” Thursday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m; Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2:30 p.m. Based on the beloved 1993 film, which starred Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret, this stage adaptation captures the lovably crotchety characters through twinkling humor, great songs, and the affectionate depiction of a small town that feels like home to everyone. It’s performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Village board meets

Holiday fun

Legally Blonde: The Musical

The ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power arrives at Tilles Center, Saturday, Dec. 10, 4 and 8 p.m. Elle Woods, is ready to prove who’s in charge (again) in this ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Based on the beloved movie, the musical follows Elle’s transformation as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams, and proves that you can be both ‘legally blonde’ and the smartest person in the room. Tickets are $89, $69, $59, $49; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

The village board of trustees will meet Monday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m. at the Village Hall boardroom, 123 S. Central Ave. for their regular public meeting. For more information, call the village clerk at (516) 825-4200 Ext. 5 or visit Vsvny.org.

Visit the streets of 19th century London during the darkest days of the year, in this adaption of the classic “A Christmas Carol,” with the Experiential Theater Company, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 1,-2 10:15 a.m and noon; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 7, 10:15 a.m. and noon, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. Meet the Cratchit family, Mr. Scrooge, and the ghosts of past, present and future in this interactive show that weaves together music, humor, puppetry and collaboration. Celebrate the change of seasons through this beloved literary tale. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

Art talk

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, PhD, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 4 p.m. He’ll discuss “Photography: Beauty and Truth,” in a session that examines the intensely emotional approach to photography taken by many of the greats. Participation is limited; registration required.

Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

District 30 board meets

Valley Stream District 30 board of education will meet Monday, Dec. 19, 8 p.m., for their business meeting at Shaw Avenue School, 99 Shaw Ave. For more information, call district clerk Ashley Starna at (516) 434-3600 or visit ValleyStream30.com.

Snuggly Story Time

Come to the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library for snuggly reading time with bedtime stories, songs, and rhymes for children four and under Thursday, Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m. Registration is required. For more information, contact Children’s Library Director Jaclyn Kunz at (516) 825-6422 or send an email to kidsroomvs@ nassaulibrary.org.

Dec. 20

District 13 board meets

Valley Stream District 13 board of education will meet, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 8 p.m., at James A. Dever School, 585 Corona Ave, Valley Stream for their regular board meeting. For more information, call (516) 568-6100 or visit ValleyStream13.com.

Christmas Services

Join the Bethlehem Assembly of God for Christmas services, Saturday, Dec. 26, starting at 4 p.m. at their campus, 12 E. Fairview Ave. For more information, call (516) 285- 585 or visit Bethlehemag.org.

Winterfest

Join Valley Stream for the Annual Winterfest, Friday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m., at Hendrickson Park. Christmas tree lighting and more. For info visitit VSNY.org.

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times.

On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Happy Hanukkah

Get ready for Hanukkah by learning all about dreidels, at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday, Dec. 3, 1-3 p.m. Discover the game’s history and rules, and decorate your own dreidel to take home, at the drop-in program. Visit the museum on Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Having an event?

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.

Matinee s time

Join crafty Jack Frost on a magical, musical winter adventure, in Plaza Theatrical’s production of “Jack Frost,” Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m. Also Dec. 17. The story, narrated by a groundhog name Pardon-Me-Pete, tells us about the immortal winter sprite, who falls in love with a human girl named Elisa after rescuing her. Tickets are $15. Bring the kids to the Plaza stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical. com.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK (BROOKLYN)

Millennium Trust Company, LLC; Plaintiff v. 25 Salem Road Corp, et al; Defendants Attorneys for Plaintiff: Hasbani & Light, P.C., 450 7th Ave, Suite 1408, NY, NY 10123; (212) 643-6677

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale granted herein on 8/30/2022, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder in the EDNY-Brooklyn, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

On December 8, 2022 at 1:00 pm.

Premises known as 25 Salem Road, Valley Stream, NY 11580

Section: 37 Block: Q05 Lot: 5

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.

As more particularly described in the judgment of foreclosure and sale.

Sold subject to all of the terms and conditions contained in said judgment and terms of sale.

Approximate amount of judgment: $405,240.00 plus interest and costs.

Case Number: 1:21cv-06636-WFK-LB

Susan E. Rizos, Esq., Referee 135395

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 009892/2012 in the amount of $629,483.54 plus interest and costs.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held Rain or Shine. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the foreclosure auction.

Richard S. Mullen Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP Plaintiff’s Attorney 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 135335

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to N.Y. Election Law Article 17, Title 2, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York, and N.Y. Public Officers Law Article 7, the Open Meetings Law, public hearings will be held by the Town of Hempstead Temporary Redistricting Commission in the Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Village and Town of Hempstead, New York, on December 13, 2022 at 10:30am, to receive input regarding the reapportionment and composition of the Town of Hempstead’s councilmanic districts to be used beginning with the Town election of 2023.

VIVIANE KEROLLE; any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff, SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; “JOHN DOE” (REFUSED NAME)

AS JOHN DOE #1”

against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $555,000.00 and interest, recorded on July 16, 2014, in Liber M39803 at Page 138, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York., covering premises known as 40 CLOVERFIELD ROAD SOUTH, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11581.

The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

NASSAU County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

Michael Jacovides dies at 91 Lived

in Valley Stream 36 years

Michael Jacovides was considered a Renaissance man by the many people that knew the 36-year resident of Valley Stream who taught social studies at Lawrence High School for three decades.

Jacovides died peacefully in his sleep, his family said on Oct 20. He was 91. Jacovides was in memory care and had battled advanced dementia due to vascular disease with Lewy body syndrome. He was living in Belmont, Mass.

A graduate of Stuyvesant High School, an academically rigorous public school in New York City, Jacovides attained a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s degree from NYU in history and another from Columbia University Teachers’ College.

He served in the military during the Korean War and played a role in history. Stationed in Pusan when the three-year war ended, Jacovides was assigned to the dock from which he signed the paperwork that sent the U.S. troops home.

Born to Greek immigrants in Manhattan, Jacovides spoke three languages. He learned Greek at home. “No one under stands me,” he complained to his mother after his first day of kindergarten, his fam ily recalled. He learned Eng lish quickly and fluently, and later Spanish.

After his retirement from teaching in 1988, Jacovides enjoyed traveling the world with his wife, Martha, whom he consistently entertained with his extensive historical knowledge. “And over there,” he would point out, “was the battle of whatever,” his family recounted. Then he would reenact the battle and similarly add his vast reservoir of infor mation with the stories behind the paint ings hanging in museums and the sculp tures on exhibit.

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff, v. TYRON DAVIS A/K/A

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard and give input at the times and place aforesaid.

Dated:Hempstead, New York November 15, 2022

“JOHN DOE #2” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint,, Plaintiff designates NASSAU as the place of trial situs of the real property

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.

A history scholar, he was well read and had a “wide-ranging knowledge and a keen sense of humor,” family members said.

Jacovides is survived by Martha with whom he was married 61 years. Two daughters, Melina Jacovides and her hus band, Mark Wagner, of Belmont, Mass.; Mary Beth Jacovides of Cambridge, Mass,; and three grandchildren, Justin, Evan and Adeline Wagner.

–Jeffrey Bessen

Public Notices Public Notices

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.

TYRONE DAVIS A/K/A TYRONE DAVIS, SR., ET AL, Defendant 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 September 06, 2017, I, Scott H. Siller, Esq. the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on December 15, 2022 at The North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, County of Nassau, State of New York, at 2:30 PM the premises described as follows:

89 N Cottage Valley Stream, NY 11580

SBL No: 37-108-31 & 32

ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor 135671

LEGAL

NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INDEX NO. 614656/2021 COUNTY OF NASSAU

FAREVERSE LLC I/L/T/N FINANCE OF AMERICA REVERSE LLC Plaintiff, vs. FINDLEY KEROLLE, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF VIVIANE KEROLLE; PEGGY KEROLLE A/K/A PEGGY SAVASTA, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF VIVIANE KEROLLE; THEOPHILE KEROLLE, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF VIVIANE KEROLLE; ROSELYNN COCKBURN, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF VIVIANE KEROLLE; ; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Mortgaged Premises: 40 CLOVERFIELD ROAD SOUTH, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11581

SLB: Section: 39, Block: 496, Lot: 25 Servicer: Compu-Link Corporation Servicer Telephone: (866) 444-0026 Defendants.

To the above named Defendants

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State.

The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment

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 (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated:October 27, 2022

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC

Attorney for Plaintiff Oluwatobi Adedokun, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675 135286

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INDEX NO. 616669/2019 COUNTY OF NASSAU

REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING LLC, Plaintiff, vs. ANTHONY A. BARBERA III, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TOR THE ESTATE OF GLORIA BARBERA; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES TO THE ESTATE OF

GLORIA BARBERA, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; DISCOVER BANK; MIDLAND FUNDING, LLC; JOHN DOE; JANE DOE,

“JOHN DOE #3” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last ten names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants.

within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.

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.

Plaintiff designates NASSAU as the place of trial situs of the real property SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Mortgaged Premises: 1297 SOUTH STREET, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580

Section: 35, Block: 518, Lot: 40

To the above named Defendants

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State.

The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $544,185.00 and interest, recorded on April 11, 2007, in Liber M 31762 at Page 94, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York., covering premises known as 1297 SOUTH STREET, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580.

The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

NASSAU County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and

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 (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated:October 28, 2022 ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Matthew Rothstein, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675 135494

www.newyorkpublicnotices.com 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

Michael Jacovides

TEACHERS: SPANISH SPEAKING A+. BA/ Associate Degree In Early Childhood Education. Teacher's Salary $32K. EMAIL RESUME: kgreene@fivetownsmail.org 516-239-6244 Ext. 237

Private Paradise on Long Island

This Mediterranean-style estate is perched atop a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides. The home was carefully designed for entertaining as well as comfortable day-to-day living. With its 7 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, this home is filled with luxurious details, from the indoor pool with stunning harbor and the sunset views, to the private home theatre, party room, and home gym. Outside, a newly constructed 84-foot dock and an amazing glass entertaining deck that wraps around the house. For a private tour please contact V.I.Properties at 516.791.1313

A deck becomes a nightmare

Q. We bought a house with a deck and didn’t know it never had a permit until we went to make a home office out of the garage. We then learned that the deck posts are resting on the patio, with no footings in the ground, so the deck won’t pass an inspec tion. The problem is that we got estimates for the con crete posts, 3 feet deep in the ground, and it’s going to be a lot more than we expected, like $12,000. We decided to take the deck down instead, but then we saw that the crumbled concrete steps underneath have to be replaced. Between demolition costs and new back steps, we feel stuck. Any alternative ideas would be greatly appreciated.

A. Once again, an avoidable problem created by someone not investi gating the right way, before building, then pass ing the problem on to an innocent buyer. An engi neer’s building report before buying might have caught this problem, but like many other instances, the problem is pushed off because it seemed like a minor reason to not buy the house.

1208 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557 516-791-1313 vipropertiesny.com

REAL ESTATE

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MoneyTo Lend

ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens &

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

The building code requires the support posts extend into the ground in your region at least 3 feet deep, so the post bottoms are below the front line. This is to avoid uplift that causes damage when the ground is frozen in the colder months. Ice crystals form that crowd out the posts and force them upward. Resting on a patio, not only is the deck moving up and down with the slab, but it has no safe anchorage to resist high winds from ripping it to pieces. So now you need an anchorage manage ment class before you get too upset.

A publication on barn-building for the farming industry, mostly in the American Midwest, often publishes techniques with many cost-saving engi neering diagrams and discussions about using treated wood posts, coated or uncoated, extending into the ground and resting on thick rubber disks down below the 3- to 4-foot-deep frost line. The discs come in sizes from 12 inches to 36 inches in diame ter, to spread the loads, which must be calculated to select the correct-sized column base footing pad.

The same requirement of flared-out spread is required in the building code for concrete posts and must be calculated, no guessing or shortcuts allowed, and there actually are code tables outlin ing the minimum required spread size of column bases. This technique, without concrete, was devel oped to save money and time. If you can imagine the constant stresses and strains the wind and earth can impose on a freestanding barn in a Midwest blizzard, you can imagine that the person who came up with this idea must have been out standing in their field.

Since you will need plans for the deck to show this money-saving solution, hire a licensed profes sional who will review the code, the right method and save you much more than the cost of their ser vice. You can already see what guessing led to. Good luck!

© 2022 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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OpINIONS

The challenges for the Long Island Four

Once upon a time, there was a group known as the Long Island Nine. They were the nine Republican state sena tors who wielded enormous power in Albany. We now have a new group of seven Republican senators, but the spotlight is shifting to a new Long Island Four: the newly elected Republi can members of Congress, who will have enor mous influence due to the fact that the Republi cans in the House of Representa tives will be gov erning with such a small margin.

JERRY KREMER

The Long Island Four are Representatives Andrew Garbari no, Anthony D’Esposito, George Santos and Nick LaLota. On almost any issue where a critical vote is needed, those four must support the needs of the lead ership, and that’s where the headaches begin. Sometimes what your leadership wants could be a vote that would do enormous damage back at home. I know from personal experience as a state leg islator that bucking the leaders isn’t

easy, but you aren’t elected just to do what the bosses want.

Santos was the first of the four to make a public statement about the House’s mission in 2023. He made it clear that he was “not interested in a Congress that spent all of its time investigating the enemy,” and wanted to be a part of productive actions. Santos and his colleagues will be tested very early in the new session, when the far-right wing proposes the impeachment of President Biden and investigations into the business activities of his son Hunter.

The next test will be whether to shut down the federal government to appease a group that would like to cut back on entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security. That will be fol lowed by resolutions to strip certain Democrats of their committee assign ments to get even for last year’s actions against Congresswoman Marjorie Tay lor Greene of Georgia. I could go on, but that’s just a taste of what is likely to happen early on in their tenure.

Most Long Island voters are just like any other rational voters. They want government to work, and are generally

tired of partisan bickering. Inflation is an issue that hurts voters of all parties, and Congress must be prepared to take action that will heal our economy. Last month’s election taught Washington pol iticians that there is overwhelming sup port for a woman’s right, in consultation with her doctor, to decide whether she should have an abor tion. Women in the four local congressional dis tricts expect their voices to be heard, and that promis es to be another dilemma for the Long Island Four.

To add to these new members’ potential politi cal challenges is the fact that most of them received substantial funding from the Republican Congressional Cam paign Committee. Without that money, a couple of them might never have made it to Washington. How do you vote on an issue that hurts your district but is a priority of the party leadership? That headache reminds me of the old Tip O’Neill reminder that “all politics is local.”

Of course, there’s a positive side to being a member of the majority. With the backing of your party leaders, you can get grants for programs and proj

ects that will make the voters happy. You also get sufficient staff to be able to han dle the thousands of requests for help from your constituents. One of the cru cial things that help candidates get reelected is good constituent service. There are numerous cases of members of Congress losing their seats because they ignored the day-to-day demands of their voters.

Representing our suburban congres sional districts shapes up as an enor mous challenge. Long Island is a very informed and progressive region. There are no secrets about how our represen tatives vote on contentious issues, and bad votes will be part of the debate when they seek re-election. Local voters have many issues they care about at the federal level, and they won’t be bashful about demanding action. As one who served almost a lifetime in public office, I wish the Long Island Four the best of luck as they embark on their new chal lenge. They will need a lot more than luck to stay in office.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strat egies, a business development and legis lative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.

Being vulnerable, a new holiday ritual

Can we settle in and be real?

No, not everyone is having a better time than you. No, you aren’t the only one who wishes you’d passed on the second slice of coconut custard pie. Yes, we’ve said it before, but that doesn’t make it any less true: Families coming together for holi days are a movable feast of food and family history, old gripes and edgy new connections.

And, yes, the coronavirus pan demic and politi cal fractiousness will take seats at our tables this year.

Ph.D. researcher-scientist who’s a pro fessor at the Universities of Texas and Houston. She says she has studied cour age, vulnerability, shame and empathy for the past few decades. She says she is a storyteller. She has a Netflix docu mentary out, several books that hit bestseller lists and podcasts galore. She has a unique style propelled by wit and infused with intel ligence. She tells us we need to be vulnerable. She tells us that when we’re willing to be vulnerable, we connect with people in more genuine ways.

nabes. So smart, so funny and so authentic. I identified with her immedi ately when she told a story of her daughter going to a prom. Her date picks her up in his pickup truck. The girl is dazzled; the guy is strutting. All Brown can think is, “They’re going to crash.” I get that. She was willing to share that tendency to cat astrophize, which as a mother, I own.

I know it all sounds like stuff we know, but try her podcast or her Netflix doc umentary and see for your self.

ly can learn from my experience.

So, to be more vulnerable, I shared some truths with my daughter I haven’t thought to mention in 45 years. I initiat ed a few risky talks with my son. I told stories on myself to the teenage grand kids, not the usual morality tales I prof fer but the real stuff, the dumb stuff, the mistakes that I was lucky to survive. I told them I pretty much stayed within my own no-risk zone all my life, and I know I should have stepped out, and I hope I still may.

RANDI KREISS

So give your self a break. With Thanksgiving just behind us and this month’s Hanukkah/Christmas/New Year’s Eve trifecta ahead, we need to treat our selves with care. We’ve all been through a meat grinder. It’s OK if the fruitcake isn’t homemade. It’s fine if the gift-giv ing isn’t a whirlwind of gimme-gimmegimme.

To strike a vulnerable note myself, these ideas didn’t come to me just like that. Lately I have been watching and reading Brené Brown, the MSW and

“I believe that you must walk through vulnerabili ty to get to courage, there fore … embrace the suck,” Brown says. “I try to be grateful every day, and my motto right now is ‘courage over comfort.’”

Vulnerability might look like shar ing something about yourself you might tend to hold back, or telling somebody they have hurt you in some way, or stepping out of your comfort zone to try some new adventure or job or social group. Brown talks a lot about vulnerability, and how it makes us so much more approachable.

She’s an influencer who has the creds to influence, unlike so many wan

I brought all my new found wisdom (not that much) to the Thanksgiving table, and now call on myself to be vulnerable and tell you most of the truth of my own holiday experience with the whole family.

The mélange included kids, grand kids (all teens), ex-wives, new partners, airplane travel, car trips, weather, secrets, trying to squeeze 75 years of life lessons into words of wisdom for the grandkids, not because I should or because they want to hear it but because that is who I am. I need to teach, to hope that my words land in fertile ground and set roots, so my fami

This isn’t a recipe, but I noticed that when I opened up a bit with an honest personal story, so did others. Not every one, but the teenagers did let a crack of light into the mysterious interior of their adolescent lives.

It feels like a challenge with a big payoff. I’m going to keep reading Brené Brown. I’m pushing myself, and it feels right.

Try it for Hanukkah and Christmas and New Year’s. Talk to strangers at the party. Invite someone for dinner. Actu ally go to the shelter to deliver food. Find a way to find warmth after this long winter apart.

The best of times and the most chal lenging times lie in the holiday weeks ahead.

Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

A popular author suggests it, so I gave it my best shot at the family gathering.

O ur newest members of Congress must support the needs of the party leaders.

Remembering for those who no longer can

Where were you when Kennedy was shot?”

Many of us remem ber asking that, or being asked. That question has since been supplanted by ones like “Where were you when the Challenger explod ed?” or “Where were you on Sept. 11?”

But those singular tragedies were hardly the first to dominate our everyday lives on such a massive scale. That is a tragedy remembered for decades with its own question: “Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bombed?”

Yet there are very few people left who can answer that. Not surprising, since the stunning attack that officially brought the United States into World War II happened over 80 years ago. Without those living witnesses, however, we risk the possibility that the attack, the war itself, and atrocities like the Holocaust will become mere footnotes in history.

And that’s simply not acceptable.

This was the time of what NBC anchor Tom Brokaw coined the Greatest Generation. People who lived through the suffering of the Great Depression, only to find themselves fighting for something greater: freedom. Not for Americans, but for people on a global scale. We fought to destroy fascism as well as its key components, totalitarian ism and authoritarianism, as well as hate.

Not that we were perfect in doing so —

far from it. But if anything good came from that period, it was the fact that our global society at least took some signifi cant steps forward.

Conflict has been a part of human his tory, but never on the scale we saw in World War II. Never in the numbers of people lost. The outright attempted geno cide of an entire religious ethnicity. We have to take time to remember because, as Winston Churchill said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Part of that education comes from exploring what happened at Pearl Har bor — a place thousands of miles away, practically across an ocean, on a group of islands that, at the time, were merely an American territory. The attack killed 2,403 U.S. personnel and destroyed or damaged 19 ships — nearly half of them battleships.

By the time World War II ended in 1945, American deaths would reach near ly 420,000, while globally, 15 million sol diers and 45 million civilians would lose their lives.

The pain from that war — and World War I, “the Great War,” before it — was felt for generations, to the point where governments worked as hard as they could not to let any other conflict balloon to such a global scale. But memories fade, hastened by the loss of those who experienced that suffering firsthand.

Now we live in a time when fears of a

worldwide conflict are stronger than they have been in decades. It’s not just political polarization, but also what has become a broader tolerance of intoler ance and outright hate — something that can never be allowed to normalize, whether it’s antisemitism, racism, sex ism or homophobia. Attacking where someone is from, how they worship — or if they worship — or even how they iden tify gender-wise.

History is fading, and with it its les sons. And we can’t let that happen. That’s why Dec. 7 is so important. Or Jan. 27 — International Holocaust Remembrance Day — as well as spring’s Yom Hashoah. Because you can’t even begin to talk about loss during this peri od without talking about the 6 million Jews who were killed — a third of Jews worldwide. Or the 2 million ethnic Poles. Or 500,000 Roma. Or thousands more who were gay, or who were political or religious prisoners.

The late Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survi vor himself, once said, “To forget a Holo caust is to kill twice.” And that can be applied to any tragedy we try to forget.

Next week, we have a chance to remember on the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There might be few left to ask where they were when this tragedy took place, but remember ing means we’re learning. And learning gives us a fighting chance to never repeat those horrors again.

letters

O’Connell sure didn’t pull any punches

To the Editor:

Don’t you love freedom of the press? That basic right enables people like John O’Connell, former executive edi tor of the Heralds, to blatantly cast aspersions on public figures without including specific evidence to support his claims.

In his op-ed last week, “I’ll take the GOP agenda — without Trump — any day,” O’Connell refers to Hillary Clin ton as a “backstabbing, secretive, supercilious, lying, characterless cypher.” While I don’t love Hillary, I question what purpose such unsup ported name-calling achieves, except perhaps to justify why O’Connell opted to vote for Trump, despite his “unap pealing, obnoxious,” “insufferable” and “bullying” behavior.

O’Connell goes on to blast our sit ting president, vice president, trans portation secretary and governor,

‘Energy efficient’ may become a contradiction in terms

Hearings are getting under way on a proposal to socialize energy on Long Island. It would make the Long Island Power Authori ty the region’s sole entity responsible for keeping our lights on. Its structure would replicate virtually every government agency, bureau or department that you have cursed as inept, incompetent or indifferent.

The hearings, by a special com mission, are the result of legisla tion signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It directs the review of a plan to convert the existing public-pri vate partnership that manages our electrical grid to one that would, in essence, make the governor ultimately responsible for its operation and mainte nance.

To set the stage for these hearings, you need to understand that LIPA currently owns most of the Long Island electrical grid, including the bulk of our power plants. It has an incentive contract with PSEG Long Island, which actually runs the system. If PSEG does well and hits certain performance criteria, it is finan cially compensated. If it fails, it will take a financial bath. This is the essence of

why capitalism is always better, and why it provides for more-efficient creation and distribution of goods and services than any government-controlled or socialized economy.

What is instructive about this forced march to complete govern ment control is that these hearings were mandated by law to be held by the end of September, but are just beginning now. The govern ment commission couldn’t even get its act together to hold them on time. Good thing it isn’t responsible for directing our electrical future.

Oh, wait. It is.

James Hanley, a fellow with the Empire Center for Public Policy, is a seasoned observer of Albany’s political stinkpot. “It’s hard to predict what will come of this proposal,” Hanley has written. “Public power (left wing) advocates clearly want to eliminate any role for a private utility in operating LIPA’s grid. They don’t have any evidence that LIPA could improve upon PSEG’s management; they seem to think the word `public’ is a magical incantation that will make everything better.”

In truth, it makes everything worse. An example? Which delivery service is more reliable, the government controlled U.S. mail, or the privately owned Federal Express? The answer is obvious.

Letters

among others, again without a logical explanation. He cites the GOP agenda, familiar to most of us. However, he does not mention the many Americans who suffer from a housing shortage, food insecurity, climate change, or a lack of adequate gun control. He also exhibits no concern for the recent increase in racist, antisemitic and homophobic violence against fellow human beings. Will these people merely be casualties of war as the GOP tries to stifle the voic es of its opposition? Surely a nation as great as ours must be able to find a way to achieve compromise so that the needs and safety of so many of its citizens are not ignored.

PAm SInGER Malverne

Trump’s ‘great’ accomplishments?

To the Editor:

John O’Connell asserted in his nov.

24-30 column that he doesn’t like Donald Trump, but that the former president accomplished “great things.”

What in the world would those “great things” be?

His disrespect for the country’s courts and its diplomatic and intelli gence services? His refusal to accept the results of an election? Deepening politi cal divisions and encouraging racial bigotry?

O’Connell’s column derides potential Democratic candidates for president and vice president, but omits any men tion of the many GOP members of Con gress who have gone along with Trump’s lies about a rigged election. n or is there any mention of Trump’s attempt to defy the will of American voters by backing a coup.

O’Connell even claims there is a “GOP agenda.” And what would that be? more stunts such as votes to end Obam acare?

Hanley has identified the ideological underpinnings of this power grab. It has little to do with the efficiency, innovation and accountability demanded of PSEG Long Island under a strict don’t-screw-up contract with LIPA. Rather, it is about a progressive agenda of grow ing government whenever it can, assuming authority over infrastructure that it has no competence running and operating costs it has no interest in cutting.

What makes this power play particularly toxic is that LIPA had been tasked with running the grid before. It failed, miserably, when Superstorm Sandy came ashore a decade ago. As a result, then Gov. Andrew Cuomo required LIPA to engage private industry in running the grid, and to use financial incentives and penalties that are employed in the real world. Hav ing had such a raving success with cash less bail, today’s progressive powerbro kers seem quite content to ignore those lessons, and now seek the keys to the power grid.

How would that work? For starters, the people currently working for PSEG would probably be asked to transfer their skills and expertise to LIPA, a government enti ty. As LIPA employees, they would be given salaries, benefits and pensions that you and I would pay for. The LIPA man

Framework

agement structure would balloon with executives making six-figure salaries. There would be no financial incentives for any of them to work smarter, better, more efficiently.

Compare that with a recent J.D. Power survey that found dissatisfaction with PSEG Long Island among businesses on the Island. That could mean a financial hit for the utility management company, because its compensation is directly tied to customer opinions of its performance. Were LIPA in charge, and faced with such a report, its response would undoubtedly be “Feh,” for there would be no account ability under a socialized structure. That would be good news for those who feast on political patronage, because one suspects someone’s brother-in-law would be in charge of consumer complaints.

We can assume that it will be Hochul’s decision as to whether Long Island’s power goes progressive. She needs to, but probably doesn’t, appreciate, or care, that if that’s the future of LIPA, her office number will be on speed dial for 2.7 mil lion Long Islanders the next time a hurri cane takes down the grid. And if last month’s elections proved anything, it’s that those LIPA customers vote.

Ronald J. Rosenberg has been an attorney for 42 years, concentrating in commercial litigation and transactions, and real estate, municipal, zoning and land use law. He founded the Garden City law firm Rosen berg Calica & Birney in 1999.

by Fatima Lasso

Centre

LARRy mcCOy Rockville

In a season of crowded stadiums, a moment to appreciate where it all began — Rome

i n Albany, a potential plan to gut the public-private management of our electricity.

ronaLd J. rosenBerG

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