Long Beach Herald 04-09-2026

Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach

Chris Colucci/Herald

More than 200 residents and business owners packed City Hall to get the facts about how the adjusted ordinances could impact life on the boardwalk.

Alcohol sales close in on boardwalk City open to more bars and restaurants near the ocean

By CHRIS ColUCCI ccolucci@liherald.com

The Long Beach boardwalk is a major attraction for visitors and a part of the daily routine for most residents. In the coming months, the boardwalk experience may take a turn toward the tipsy.

The City Council has voted unanimously to amend two city ordinances which currently limit the opening of bars and restaurants and prevent the sale of alcohol at the boardwalk. The change will create an opportunity for new establishments to open throughout the city and, just as important, to allow boardwalk-facing businesses to sell alcohol.

City Manager Dan Creighton began Tuesday’s council meeting by explicitly stating what the amended ordinances would not allow. “To be clear, if adopted, these changes would not, I repeat, not , allow the sale or consumption of alcohol on the boardwalk or beach.”

The ordinance amendments will allow

businesses “that have an opening to the boardwalk” to serve beverages, alcoholic and otherwise, as well as food. It will affect concession-style cafes and restaurants that face the boardwalk, with the expectation that beverages will be consumed on the premises and not taken elsewhere. The amendments also permit new bars to open anywhere in the city, even those with functional bars or “service areas’ more than 10 feet long — a limitation in the current ordinance.

A similar proposal to expand alcohol sales was considered in February 2017. The council at the time, which had none of the current members, upheld the ordinances and their restrictions in a 4-1 vote.

The ordinances were first implemented in 1986. Sporadic variances, or exemptions, have been allowed in the years since. The city’s corporation counsel, Greg Kalnitsky, noted recent legal precedent. “In the last 13 years, the zoning board has heard 18 applications for new establishments or establish -

A local family’s Holocaust story

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

The most dramatic chapter of longtime Long Beach resident Kurt Reiner’s story begins in Vienna, where he and his wife, Hennie, lived in the late 1930s. Kurt was a scholar at the Technical Institute of Vienna, now known as TU Wien, and Hennie was a translator for an import-export firm. When Nazi Germany annexed Austria in March 1938, the couple knew it was time to leave.

“That was a time when the real havoc started,” their oldest son, Gary Reiner, who grew up in Long Beach, said. “My parents were on full alert.”

Germany disallowed Jewish marriages.

Less than four months later, on Nov. 9, 1938, Kurt was one of 10,000 Jewish men arrested on Kristallnacht and taken to Dachau, a concentration camp in Germany. He was released three months after that.

“It was before they were interested in the ‘Final Solution,’” Gary Reiner, 81, said of the Nazi regime. “If you could prove that you were able to leave Germany or Austria, they didn’t care.”

I didn’t become serious about my role to carry on my dad’s story until I wrote the book.

G ARY ReINeR

Long Beach native

Kurt Reiner looked for many ways to escape to other countries, registering with the U.S. Consulate in Vienna, despite its annual quota of 29,000 immigrants. He also applied for refuge in other countries, including England, Mexico and Uruguay. To avoid being separated, the couple married on July 24, 1938, at the Stadttempel, an Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Vienna. It was a week before

Over the next two years, Kurt and Hennie Reiner continued to face religious persecution. They traveled to Italy late in 1938, only to face the leggi razziali, or racial laws, established by the dictator Benito Mussolini. In 1939, after they crossed the area of the Mediterranean known as the Ligurian Sea from Ventimiglia, Italy to Marseille, France, Kurt was arrested for having a German passport. He was taken to Camp De Milles, a French internment camp.

After sending a telegram to Rabbi Simon Scheuyer, of Con-

Continued on page 7

SCAN ME!

LBHS juniors fighting environmental pollution

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

Brianna Amey and Ailah Castro, two juniors at Long Beach High School, secured a $100,000 grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on March 31. The funding, obtained in collaboration with the Long Beach Latino Civic Association, will be used to continue their research project on soil, water and air quality around the bay area and along Long Beach’s south shore.

“Understanding how we can improve our environment is the goal,” Helen Dorado-Alessi, president of the Latino civic association, said.

Amey and Castro’s curiosities sparked after being approached by Cody Onufrock, an environmental systems and society teacher at the high school. Amey said she jumped at the opportunity because she saw it as a meaningful environmental effort, noting how data collected since 2016 could influence further changes. For Castro, it was her interest in the environment.

“I love nature,” Castro said. “I saw the project as an opportunity to explore our community.”

Part of their research revolved around the Long Beach Incinerator on Water Street, which was demolished back in 2008. Later that decade, an Environmental Site Assessment indicated the presence of semi-volatile organic compounds and metal concentrations at the demolition site and the immediate surrounding area.

Working together with the girls, the civic association aims to use the grant money for air monitoring systems by the Long Beach Bridge, as well as by the ocean. They will look to add water monitoring equipment for a section of the Town of Hempstead’s Water Conservation network that runs through the city and Lido Beach.

Onufrock has partnered with the Latino civic associa-

tion since 2009 and has worked on their Miyawaki forest — a type of tree-growing method — as well as beach cleanups. “It’s an opportunity for us to do something that protects the environment of Long Beach,” Onufrock said, noting his interest in environmental science.

For more than 30 years, the Latino civic association has made efforts to empower those in need, becoming a community staple through relief efforts, providing essential and nonessential services, and being a support system for its members.

With the support of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, they aim to reduce the adverse

effects of pollution by implementing targeted interventions that improve air and water quality, enhance public health and promote sustainable practices.

Dorado-Alessi said that a high concentration of Hispanic families live near the bayfront. She noted the importance of keeping them informed, while joining in on infrastructure projects reshaping the city’s north shore.

“We want to make sure the Hispanic community understands what’s going on while focusing on an issue anyone in Long Beach can benefit from,” Dorado-Alessi said.

Aidan Warshavsky/Herald

Through their science research project at Long Beach High School, Brianna Amey, third from left, and Ailah Castro, helped secure funding for projects to potentially enhance air, soil and water quality throughout the city.

Living life like Larry: here’s his story so far

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

As a 17-year-old volunteering at the Manhattan VA hospital in New York City, Long Beach resident Larry Feldman knew he would spend his life helping others.

Now 76, his passion stems back to his 45-year career working in the New York State Department of Education as a teacher for the deaf. He served as the director for Hearing Education Services from 1999 to 2005. After that, Feldman headed a program at the Lexington Center for the Deaf, in Queens — the organization’s New Jersey operation, placing deaf adults in part-time and full-time jobs.

In 1985, Feldman interpreted for Prince at a free concert he played for students with disabilities on behalf of the state board of education. He also interpreted for Ed Koch, mayor of New York City during the 1980s, at his awards ceremonies.

“I really loved my job a great deal,” Feldman said.

After fully retiring in 2017, Feldman decided to take volunteering more seriously. He now spends at least five days a week working as a delivery driver and volunteer for several community organizations.

Fluid at times, most of Feldman’s weeks begin Monday at 7:30 a.m., at Saint Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church in Oceanside. Feldman goes on behalf of The Long Beach Soup Kitchen, always volunteering to assist in the operation run by Island Harvest Food Bank, which delivers pallets of food for 15 community organizations. “It must be fairly organized and distributed,” he said. “You don’t want to have people running in and just grabbing things off the pallet.”

When the previous volunteer in charge stepped away several years ago, Feldman stepped up. “They asked for a volunteer,” Feldman said. “Everybody else

stepped back, and I was the only one standing.”

By 8 a.m. that same day, Feldman drives his Long Beach Soup Kitchen van to Trader Joe’s, picking up both perishable and nonperishable items. He repeats the entire process again on Thursday. During the week, you can find Feldman fulfilling other odd jobs, repurposing food between the soup kitchen and Saint Mary’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry — located on Monroe and Park — and other organizations in his network. He also picks up loaves of bread for St. Mary’s from Cobs Bread, in Oceanside.

Outside of picking up food items, Feldman has established a community network in Long Beach, collecting unwanted clothing and furniture. He noted the collected clothing is redistributed to other agencies, including St. Mary’s. “Some of my neighbors drop off clothing at my

Larry Feldman’s volunteer work

■ 2013-present Volunteer in South Baldwin Jewish Center’s Alfred Nevins Food Warehouse

■ 2014-present Delivery Driver, Saint Mary’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry

■ 2015-present Delivery Driver, The Long Beach Soup Kitchen

co-op,” Feldman said. “It all started as a small network and just spread from there.”

Rob Blau, president of Long Beach

From the shores of Long Beach to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, Larry Feldman has been surfing all over since he was a teenager.

Soup Kitchen, said that Feldman is willing to do the job that most people can’t or won’t do. Blau noted Feldman’s willingness to do the heavy lifting gives the soup kitchen staff more time and flexibility to prepare meals for the community.

“Larry is a tremendous asset to our community and other communities on Long Island,” Blau said. “We are grateful for everything he does.”

When he’s not volunteering, you can find Feldman enjoying his 60-year hobby — surfing with a group of friends. When asked how he continues to surf at an older age, he quipped back, “When I go in the water, they don’t ask me for a birth certificate.”

Making Waves Poetry Festival returns to LBPL

By CHRIS COLUCCI ccolucci@liherald.com

Words moving like sand Sharing poetry out loud

At the festival.

The Long Beach Public Library will present the Making Waves Poetry Festival for the third consecutive year. The creative celebration kicked off Wednesday with an open mic hosted by the Shore Poets Peter Dugan and three-time Poet Laureate Emeritus Paula Curci. The festival continues into the weekend with four diverse poetry workshops on Saturday and another three poetry workshops Sunday.

The poetry festival offers another open mic session on Saturday evening, featuring Nassau County Poet Laureate Doreen Spungin. Winners of this year’s poetry contest, which ran from Jan. 30 to March 27, have been invited to read their winning work aloud. The contest was divided into three age categories: children from 5 to 11, tweens and teens from 12 to 18, and adults 18 and older.

The poetry festival is a passion project from Nicole Menzzasalma, who wears many hats at the library:

librarian,

“I

were so welcoming,” Menzzasalma said. “They had such a huge presence. I went to the library’s program coordinator, Sarah Siegel, and said, ‘What if we did a poetry festival?’ She said, ‘I love it. What can we do?’ And it went from there. It centered on letting the community’s voice be heard.”

Menzzasalma wanted expert-led workshops to play a key part of the festival weekend. “I find that, when you write in a community, there’s a certain alchemy, “she explained. “It just is so beautiful to see everybody come together for their love of poetry and writing.”

The workshops offer experienced poets guiding attendees through free verse poetry, haiku, finding your “voice” through journaling and more. Instructors include Poet Laureate Paula Curci; award-winner Gary Jansen; Dana Monti, a second-grade teacher at Lido Elementary; and Menzzasalma herself, an experienced poet.

“We really try to get a lot of people who are community members to host the workshops,” Menzzasalma explained. “That was a big focus for this year. Community and creativity. That’s really something I stand for. Community and inclusivity and making everybody feel welcome. The library is a place for everyone.”

Courtesy Larry Feldman photos

Larry Feldman has volunteered for The Long Beach Soup Kitchen, among other soup kitchens in the area, for over a decade.

curator of the seed library, head of the LB Garden Club, and organizer of the poetry festival.

saw from our Shore Poets open mic night that they

Christina Daly / Herald

For three years, the poetry festival has celebrated everyone from poet laureates to first-time poets.

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The Magnolia Center has had persistent issues with its current heating and cooling system. The upgrades will provide a welcomed relief in both the winter and summer.

Grant to fund renovations at Magnolia Senior Center

By CHRIS COLUCCI ccolucci@liherald.com

This summer will be a little more comfortable at the Magnolia Senior Center with the installation of a new HVAC unit, which will upgrade the heating and cooling system throughout the building.

The renovations are funded in large part by a grant, totaling nearly $540,000, from New York State’s Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors capital grant program known less formally as NY BRICKS — which provided $100 million to build and renovate community centers throughout the state.

The Magnolia Center project is expected to total just over $667,000. The cost will be predominantly offset by the state grant, with the remainder coming from funds allocated by the city. The renovations were first authorized during an October 2025 city council meeting, with the full financial plan — incorporating the state funds — having been decided at a city council meeting last month.

Park and Recreation Commissioner Joe Brand clarified the status of the project. “The installation is being done as we speak and will be done soon,” Brand said, noting that the building will remain open and uninterrupted during the work. “It was a long-time coming. We’d had problems with the A/C going out in the summer and having sweltering heat, and then the heat going out in the winter. I’m happy the administration could pull this off.”

In a news conference announcing the NY BRICKS program, Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the importance of supporting community centers which specifically provide services to older adults. “One of the great challenges for older New Yorkers is to have that sense of camaraderie,” Hochul said. “They may have lost a spouse and their friends may be passing on, and so, loneliness can really take hold. It’s truly painful. And it’s important to have a place like this, and many across the state, where people feel valued, and where they have relationships and services provided them.”

Christina Daly / Herald

City Council votes to lift restrictions

ments looking to extend the size of their bar,” Kalnitsky said, “and they have approved all of them.”

The Allegria Hotel, which opened in 2009 and has operated without notable incidents, was referred to throughout the meeting as an example of a boardwalk-facing business that sells liquor. Those who favored lifting the ordinance saw the Allegria as a testament to responsible beach-adjacent liquor sales.

More than 200 concerned residents, advocates and business owners attended the meeting to voice opinions on both sides of the argument. The single agenda item took over three hours to resolve. Anyone who wished to address the council was allowed to do so, with dozens of residents taking the opportunity to speak for up to three minutes at a time.

Denis Kelly, the first to speak, is the attorney for Riptides 11561, a boardwalk-based cafe that submitted a stillpending application to the State Liquor Authority last November with the hope of adding alcohol to its menu. Kelly add ressed rumors circulating through social media, and clarified that Riptides would not be open for late-night liquor sales, and would not host DJs or create a nightclub environment.

Next to speak was Nicolas Geer -

aerts, owner of Tulum Tacos & Tequila, which has locations in Baldwin and Mineola. Geeraerts is set to expand to the boardwalk this summer, and hoped to alleviate worries about his business. “Our lease prevents us from being open past 11 p.m. at night,” he said. “We are not opening a nightclub. We are opening up a firstclass establishment. A Mexican eatery and speakeasy.”

Mike Murphy, a Long Beach resi -

dent, noted a simple benefit of revising the ordinances. “If we all take a look outside, you can see the boardwalk. You can see it’s a million-dollar view,” Murphy pointed out. “I’m sober over 30 years. I would like to take my wife on the boardwalk for a ride at sunset, have a drink — I’ll have a soda, she’ll have a drink — and enjoy that million-dollar view.”

Other residents expressed concerns about an overabundance of bars

in the area. “Except for the poor people on Illinois, Ohio and Nevada, everybody in the West End is within one traffic light of a bar,” Jack Ryan, a West End resident, said, with some hyperbole. “Those poor people have two traffic lights to get to a bar. We don’t need any more.”

“The research is very clear,” said Judi Vining, executive director of Long Beach Aware, a nonprofit focused on reducing underage drinking. “There is a direct correlation between the number of alcohol-serving businesses in an area and the amount of underage drinking. The data backs this up. Look at the Boston School of Public Health, the Center on Alcohol Monitoring and Youth and Dr. David Jernigan’s research on ‘Alcohol Outlet Density Impact.’”

To further address misunderstandings and misinformation, City Council President Brendan Finn re-emphasized the facts of the ordinance amendments. “Alcohol is still not, not, permitted on the boardwalk or on the beach,” Finn stated. “Open containers are not permitted on the boardwalk or on the beach.”

The ordinance amendments will go into effect immediately.

Have an opinion on the City Council’s decision? Send a letter to ccolucci@ liherald.com.

Brendan Carpenter/Herald

ELIZABETH POIROT

WEST HEMPSTEAD Senior Lacrosse

ONE OF NASSAU COUNTY’S most prolific scorers, Poirot shares the Herald’s 2026 High School Lacrosse preview cover with Seaford’s Brian Falk. Poirot earned Honorable Mention All-County honors last spring after dominating the scoresheet for a second straight season and helping the Rams to 11 wins. As a junior, she racked up 77 goals to go along with 38 assists. This after in 2024 the dynamic attack scored 74 goals and had 25 assists.

games to watch

Friday, April 10

Softball: Plainedge at Mineola

Softball: Plainview at Carey

Softball: Roosevelt at Malverne

Softball: Sewanhaka at Uniondale

Baseball: Kennedy at Calhoun

Baseball: Long Beach at South Side

Baseball: Glen Cove at Hewlett

Baseball: Garden City at MacArthur 10 a.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Wantagh at North Shore 11 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Oceanside at Wantagh 11

Girls Lacrosse: Plainedge at Lynbrook 11

Girls Lacrosse: West Hempstead at Elmont 5 p.m.

Saturday, April 11

Girls Lacrosse: East Meadow at Plainedge 9 a.m.

Softball: V.S. Central at V.S. South 10 a.m.

Softball: North Shore at Hewlett 10 a.m.

Softball: Freeport at East Rockaway 10 a.m.

Softball: Massapequa at Oceanside 10 a.m.

Softball: Elmont at West Hempstead 10 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Locust Valley at Seaford 2 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a spring sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last year. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.

HERALD SPORTS

Plenty of challenges for Long Beach

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Coming off a phenomenal 2025 campaign that included a perfect 16-0 mark against Conference V rivals, Long Beach softball has its work cut out this spring.

The Marines are now in Conference III and replacing its starting battery and three other key pieces from a season that ended with a Nassau Class AA playoff loss at Calhoun.

“We’re a young team with a young pitcher that will learn how to compete every day,” said coach Carmine Verde, whose first win of his 39th year at the helm came March 27 in walk-off fashion, 5-4 over Locust Valley. “We went to nine-team leagues, so technically we took a one-conference jump,” he added. “Still there’s going to be some tough teams to face.”

A .500 or better conference record is needed to qualify for the playoffs, so at least eight wins in home-and-home sets against Garden City, Division, Herricks, Port Washington, Locust Valley, Carle Place, Island Trees and Hicksville.

The new battery combination is comprised of sophomores. Juliette Cangelosi picked up her first win in the circle when junior Avery Graziosi singled home sophomore Sydney Olivo with the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to beat Locust Valley.

Cangelosi threw 102 pitches and struck out six. “It was a very exciting game,” Verde said. “We were down 3-0 in the top of the first, came back to lead 4-3 before they tied it. Juliette is getting a little better each time out. She works hard and I’m looking forward to watching her continued progress.” Freshman Kayla Watts will also see some work in the circle.

Behind the plate, Ella Scott is not only new to the program but the entire district after relocating from North Carolina. She played travel ball there and picked up two hits in her first game for Long Beach. “She’s energetic, blocks the ball very well and has great instincts,” Verde said.

Sophomore Anabel Espinet is a first-year varsity player who earned the starting role at first base and wields a quick bat.

The left side of the infield returned with Graziosi at third base and junior Emily Adler at shortstop. Both have strong, accurate arms, Verde said, and will need to contribute offensively. Graziosi hit .294 last season and Adler batted .341 with 17 RBIs. Senior Gianna Hidaldgo takes over as the starter at second base after hitting .387 with 13 runs scored, and sophomore Anabel Espinet is up from JV to not only start at first base but serve as the leadoff batter. “She’s a line-drive hitter with a quick bat and a good baserunner,” Verde said of Espinet.

Long Beach’s best defender can be found in center field. Junior Brianna Bothell will also hit third in the lineup after raking to a .523 average with 17 RBIs and 21 runs last spring. Olivo moves from right field to left and is a reliable defender who made some highlight-reel defensive plays a year ago and a lefty slap-hitter. Her vacated spot in right remains up for grabs.

The Marines are home this Saturday at 10 a.m. versus Division and home again Monday against Herricks at 5 p.m.

Justine Stefanelli/Herald

‘An important part of Long Beach history’

gregation Shearith Israel in New York City — a Greek American woman gave Hennie the contact — the Reiners secured passage to the United States aboard the SS Champlain. They arrived in New York on May 26, 1940.

The couple lived in Long Beach for 50 years. They raised their three children, Gary, Michelle and Nancy, on Illinois Avenue in the West End, before moving to Harmon Street in the East End.

Kurt eventually became a senior engineer at the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Company and the now-defunct Republic Aviation Corporation. He was involved in developing the first Apollo lunar module, and was a principal design engineer for the Republic F-105 Thunderchief and the F-84 Thunderjet, aircraft used in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Hennie worked as a beautician and in real estate.

Gary Reiner, who now lives in Rockville, Maryland, said he grew up without much insight into where his parents came from, because they never brought it up. “I knew they had accents and everything,” he said. “But as a young person, I looked at things from a very narrow vision in terms of my immediate environment.” In 1985, however, Gary had his chance to learn more.

His father died that year, but before he did, he asked Gary to finish his memoir, now titled “Counting on America,” which told the story of Kurt and Hennie’s journey from religious persecution to freedom. Hennie died in 2005.

The book was published by Authors Place Press in 2018, and will soon be the subject of a documentary by Citizen Film. Gary will present his parents’ story on Sunday at Temple Emanu-el, on Neptune

Boulevard. The event is co-sponsored by the Long Beach Historical Society, and admission is free.

“These events motivate and inspire us to speak up against evil and violence,” Jack Zanerhaft, rabbi of Temple Emanu-el, in Long Beach, said. “To ensure moments like the Holocaust never happen again.”

Zanerhaft appreciated the opportunity to host Reiner and share his family’s story the day before Yom Hashoa — the Holocaust Rememberance Day which marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and commemorates Jewish deaths across Germany.

Temple Emanu-el will recognize Yom Hashoa on Sunday, the day before the traditional day of remembrance, with music, a candle lighting ceremony, and a keynote speech from Reiner.

Jeanne Brown, president of the historical society, noted the significance of having a Long Beach native return, and the relevance of his parents’ story.

“The subject matter is important for the historical society,” Brown said. “There were a lot of Jewish people who settled in Long Beach to escape the Holocaust. It’s an important part of our history.”

Today, Gary Reiner is a Holocaust educator, and a member of the Holocaust Commission of the Jewish Community Relations Council in Washington, D.C. His Facebook page, “Family Holocaust Education Through Family Stories, Documentaries and Videotapes,” has more than 61,000 followers. Asked what he hoped to achieve, he said it was about finishing what his father started.

“I didn’t become serious about my role to carry on my dad’s story until I wrote the book,” Reiner said. “I was selected to do it. I inherited his soul, in a sense.”

Come learn about local disability rights

Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. and explore over 125 artifacts highlighting the fight for equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

The museum provides an inclu-

Courtesy Gary Reiner Kurt and Hennie reiner settled in Long Beach after escaping the Holocaust and emigrating from france.

Premier Business Women of Long Island Awards honor top female leaders and innovators

By Abbey Salvemini

The room at The Heritage Club at Bethpage was filled with energy, ambition and a shared sense of purpose on March 25 as business leaders gathered for the 2026 Premier Business Women of Long Island Awards. This annual event honored outstanding women who are not only achieving success within their respective industries but also driving innovation and meaningful change across them.

At the heart of the evening was a clear and resonant message: women are no longer waiting for opportunities to be granted; they are creating their own paths and redefining leadership on their own terms.

Amy Amato, executive director of corporate relations and events at Richner Communications, set the tone early in the night, encouraging attendees to “take a look around this room” as a reflection of progress. She also emphasized the significance of the occasion. “Tonight is about celebrating the incredible women who are leading, building and shaping our community,” she said.

She added that the event is part of a broader mission to create spaces “where women don’t just sit at the table, they own the room,” reinforcing the evening’s theme of empowerment and visibility.

She praised the honorees not only for their professional achievements but also for their role in transforming their industries. “You are not just leaders in your field, you are redefining them,’ she said.

Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications, echoed that statement, reflecting on the company’s history and his mother, Edith Richner, a co-founder who once stood alone as the only woman at the table nearly six decades ago. “If she were here tonight, she would be incredibly proud to see a room filled with such accomplished, driven and inspiring women,” he said.

The evening also highlighted the importance of giving back, with proceeds supporting Baby Essentials of Long Island, an organization dedicated to helping families in need provide safe and healthy starts for their children. Richner emphasized the organization’s mission to assist parents facing financial hardship and other challenges, adding a deeper sense of purpose to the celebration.

The honorees themselves brought the evening to life, sharing personal

stories of resilience, leadership and determination that resonated throughout the room.

Among them, Carol Gomes was recognized in the Healthcare and Wellness category, highlighting her leadership as CEO and COO of Stony Brook University Hospital. Reflecting on what it means to be a woman in business today, she described it as a sense of empowerment and the confidence to lead with strong conviction.

“We are nowhere near where we need to be; we’re making progress, but there are still many opportunities to advance women into higher leadership positions,” she said.

Ana Ludemann, MBA, was honored in the Financial Services category, celebrating her success in a competitive, male-dominated industry. Now a vice president and wealth management financial advisor, she built her career after arriving in the United States in 2014 with just $100. Her journey underscored the importance of perseverance and mindset.

“If you work hard and do right by people, there is no way you will not succeed,” she said, adding that resilience is defined not by obstacles, but by how one responds to them.

Honorees in the Insurance and

Rising Stars Under 40, Evelyn Gellar and Jillian Kashuba of Forest Hills Financial Group, echoed the evening’s central themes. Together, they emphasized that while women are increasingly supporting one another and rising into leadership, challenges remain — particularly around work-life balance and equitable opportunities. Their message was clear: building networks and lifting each other up is essential to sustaining momentum in a competitive industry.

Another highlight of the evening was the recognition of the Power Team award, which honored a group of women from St. Joseph’s University. Among them, Jessica McAleer Decatur, Vice President of marketing and communications, reflected on the significance of the recognition and the responsibility that comes with it.

“To follow in the footsteps of these pioneering women is deeply meaningful. As part of the next generation of women leaders, I hope not only to carry forward their legacy, but also to inspire the next generation,” she said.

Throughout the evening, the room buzzed with energy and camaraderie as powerful women mingled,

exchanged stories and shared insights across industries. The atmosphere reinforced the idea that success is not achieved in isolation, but through collaboration, mentorship and a shared commitment to lifting others along the way. Conversations extended beyond individual accomplishments, focusing instead on creating lasting impact and opening doors for the next generation of women leaders.

The event also celebrated the sponsors and partners whose support made the evening possible, including Forest Hills Financial Group, Long Island Contractors Association, and our centerpiece sponsor, St. Joseph’s University. Their involvement underscored the Long Island business community’s ongoing commitment to fostering diversity, inclusion and opportunity.

As the evening ended, the message remained clear: progress is underway, and the future of women in business is being shaped through the shared determination and collaboration of everyone present.

To learn more, see additional photos and view the complete list of honorees and sponsors, visit richnerlive.com.

Tim Baker/Herald

Premier Business Women honorees enjoy the gala dinner with their guests.

President & CEO Carol Allen from People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union with her award in Banking Leadership.

Donna M. DiSclafani from Prager Metis CPAs with her award in Accounting.

Lisa Burch from EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies receives her award in Community Impact.

President of SCO Family of Services

Suzette Gordon walks to stage to accept her award.

Co-founders Jill Kofler and Janis Hoffman from Mindful Therapy accept their award in Healthcare & Wellness.

St. Joseph’s University honorees with their Power Team award.

Dr. Maria Conzatti from Nassau Community College with her award in Education.

Vanessa M. Gordon from Grassi receives her award in Accounting.

CEO Charlene Jackson from Thompson Economic Development Services, accepts her award in Entrepreneurship.

CEO-COO Carol Gomes from Stony Brook University Hospital, accepts her award in Healthcare & Wellness.

Evelyn Gellar from Forest Hills Financial Group with her award in Insurance.

Rising Star Jillian Kashuba of Forest Hills Financial Group wins the Hotel Collections raffle.

Honorees Ana Ludemann and Nicole Stefanakos read the Herald commemorative edition with their guests. Honorees received a Herald crystal award.

Chocolate Expo draws sweet crowd to Coliseum

The Chocolate Expo drew a large crowd to Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale on March 22, with attendees filling the venue throughout the day.

The one-day event featured more than 80 vendors offering chocolate, baked goods and specialty foods. While chocolate was the focus, many vendors also sold non-chocolate items such as cheeses, matcha tea, honey and beverages.

The expo included live demonstrations, interactive presentations and family-friendly activities. A children’s area featured face painting, balloon twisting and balloon art by Robbie Furman, who created hats and animal shapes for attendees.

A balloon sculpture of a horse and carriage was on display near the entrance highlighted television show “Little House on the Prairie.” The Western themed show ran nine seasons from 1974.

Television personalities, Dean Butler, Patrick Labyorteaux and Todd Bridges from “Little House on the Prairie” were the celebrity guests and took photos with visitors. During the event there was a special panel with moderator asking the cast questions. The panel drew a large audience.

The Chocolate Expo, which has been held since 2012, is part of a recurring series that brings food vendors and attendees together at venues across the region.

attendee

Samantha Phillips, left, and Nimisha Patel of Chocolate Works in Bellmore, which offers handcrafted Belgian chocolates, chocolate-covered pretzels, gift baskets and other sweets show case their products. The store displayed gift baskets for Easter and other chocolate-covered products.

James Carucci of Nut

a vendor offering nut-based snacks, joined the chocolate expo, not entirely selling chocolate but a variety of different vegan snacks inspired by nature with nuts and seeds for an active lifestyle.

Gooseberry Grove, a pop-up shop offering homemade ice cream, pastries and donuts, was one of more than 80 vendors. Its crumb cake donuts were among the featured treats.

— Stacy Driks

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Dean Butler, left, Patrick Labyorteaux and Todd Bridges were celebrity guests at the event. During their time there, they spoke during a panel discussion about their time on “Little House on the Prairie,” which aired from 1974 to 1983. Bridges also starred in “Diff’rent Strokes.”

Ken Jeong, left, and executive chef Lawrence Rosenberg hold Reese’s and peanut butter Bacon Bites, a sweetand-savory treat. Rosenberg’s product is made from real bacon and enrobed with chocolate.

An

dressed as “The Mad Harlot” stood out among the crowd.

Punch,

Debra Warshaw, left, and Gayle Zweback, both of Plainview, and Esther Almeraris of Floral Park hold chocolates from Dorothy Cox’s Chocolates. The chocolate vendor is a family business in Massachusetts.

Bessent, Blakeman tout Trump’s tax cuts

By JULIA CAPITELLI jcapitelli@liherald.com

To promote President Trump’s economic agenda, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited Long Island and took part in a panel discussion with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and business executives from across the county.

The March 30 discussion, at the county legislative building, focused on three aspects of the Working Families Tax Cut Act: the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime pay, the creation of so-called Trump Accounts and the higher cap on the income tax deduction for state and local taxes. Under the law, parents can open and contribute funds to accounts for their children under age 18. As part of the pilot program for the accounts, children born during Trump’s term will receive $1,000 from the Treasury Department.

“It’s something that’s going to help every family in America,” Blakeman, the Republican candidate for governor, said of the program.

The law includes an increase in the state and local tax deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000. It also allocates roughly $170 billion to carry out the administration’s immigration and border objectives, and raises the federal debt ceiling to $5 trillion.

“That’s the American way,” Bessent said of the tax cuts. “Work harder, keep more of your money.”

The SALT deduction avoids double taxation and allows certain taxpayers to reduce their federally taxable income. To offset the cost created by this and the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime, the law cuts nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid and reduces food assistance and clean-energy incentives.

Panelists shared their perspectives on the law, mostly as it relates to their businesses. Michael Serao, exec-

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and several business executives discussed President Trump’s economic agenda on March 30.

utive vice president and chief administrative officer of First Central Savings Bank, claimed that Trump Accounts could help students build financial literacy.

But much of the discussion focused on the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime, and the SALT deduction. “I am surrounded by hardworking people, who come into the diner and tell me how happy they are about their tax returns and about how much more money they are getting back,” Gus Tsiorvas, owner of the Embassy Diner, in Bethpage, said.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average tax refund this year is roughly 10 percent higher than it was in March 2025. “This means more discretionary spending here in Nassau County,” County Comptroller Elaine Phillips said, “which allows

Bruce not to raise taxes.”

Blakeman reiterated his assertion that Nassau is “the safest county in America where we haven’t raised taxes one penny in four years.”

In a statement about Blakeman’s use of taxpayer resources to campaign as everyday costs escalate, Democratic County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said the Bessent visit was “as shameless as it gets.”

“Nassau residents aren’t stupid — they feel the squeeze every time they fill up, check out at the grocery store, or pay a bill,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “The cost-of-living crisis is real, and it’s being driven directly by the disastrous tariffs and global instability coming from the same out-of-touch allies in Washington [Blakeman] continues to stand with.”

Courtesy Nassau County

L.I. Association hosts state transport chief

Presentation by DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez ranges from speeding to potholes

By NOAH PERETZ nperetz@liherald.com

The Long Island Association hosted state Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez as a guest speaker last week. Dominguez spoke about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fiscal year 2027 executive budget and policy proposals for the DOT.

Appearing at LIA headquarters in Melville on March 31, Dominguez explained that Hochul’s administration matched the federal funding for New York state’s transportation needs from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021 with a five-year, $35 billion plan. Hochul added $800 million to the plan last year to offset the cost of tariffs and inflation.

“Our federal dollars are expiring on Sept. 30, which presents a unique challenge,” Dominguez said. “We need to make sure that we are positioning New York for the next level of transportation funding.”

She detailed Hochul’s proposed spending plan, which totals $260 billion. Federal funding is down 11.4 percent, or $10.3 billion, and state operating funds have increased by $157 billion. The state is expecting $17 billion more in state revenue over the next two years than earlier estimates.

“The governor is committed to economic growth and making sure there is a social safety net, and funding that social safety net across the board without increasing taxes,” Dominguez said. “In sum, the 2027 Executive Budget successfully balances two simultaneous realities that we have real momentum here in New York, and addressing the volatility that we know is ahead.”

The budget plan includes automated work-zone speed enforcement with new

speed cameras. Dominguez noted that some drivers have been speeding at over 100 miles per hour through work zones, according to the cameras.

The budget proposes deployment of the cameras on non-controlled-access highways, like Sunrise Highway. It also proposes protections for highway maintenance workers against violent assault.

Dominguez also touched on Hochul’s plan to lower the cost of car insurance.

The plan proposes changes to the state’s auto insurance laws that will punish perpetrators of staged car crashes.

The spending plan also includes funding for filling potholes on main roadways. “We are on a blitz statewide addressing potholes,” Dominguez said. It proposes investments of $107 million for paving on Long Island, including 50 miles of the Northern State Parkway and 35 miles of Sunrise Highway.

Action Long Island representative Michael Rodin suggested more improvements he wanted to see. “We want to make sure public transit is a part of the DOT’s agenda in the future,” he said. “We want roads to be able to accommodate buses as well as more cars — a lot of people take public transit to work.”

When the presentation was open for questions, Dominguez addressed a concern about independent contractors’ coverage under the anti-assault provisions in the budget. “The worker assault provision covers state employees as well as independent contractors,” she said.

“We need to make sure elected officials understand that transit and the lives of transit workers are important, so they fund initiatives to help these efforts and these people,” Marc Herbst, executive director of the Long Island Contractors Association, said. “If we don’t ask, they don’t respond.”

Noah Peretz/Herald

DOT representatives, including Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, center right, made a presentation to the Long Island Association.

STEPPING OUT

‘Rent’ star Adam Pascal returns to reimagine the jukebox musical

By Iris Wiener

When Adam Pascal pulls into Long Island these days, it’s not just a commute; it’s a homecoming layered with memory, coincidence, and creative possibility. This spring, the Tony-nominated performer-turned-director from Syosset is channeling all of that into “Feels Like the First Time: The Foreigner Musical.”

The new production premieres April 17 at the Little Theatre on Long Island University’s Brookville campus.

The project, created in collaboration with the legendary rock band Foreigner, marks the launch of LIU’s New Works Initiative and Pascal’s tenure as the university’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence. But for Pascal, the journey to this moment is anything but typical.

The path to directing the show began not in a rehearsal room, but at a backyard barbecue.

“Tom Dunn [Tilles Center’s creative producer, executive/artistic Director and Dean of LIU’s College of Arts and Design] lives across the street from my sister. I first met Tom and his wife at a barbecue,” Pascal relates. “Tom said, ‘We’re doing this thing. Do you want to direct it?’”

From there, the pieces quickly began to align. A previous version of the musical had been developed, but Pascal and the team — including book writer Stephen Garvey and arranger David Abbinanti — set out to reshape it into something fresh: a high-energy, heart-driven story set in the 1980s, centered on three families whose lives collide when a rock star arrives for a backyard concert after an MTV contest win.

“We wanted to create something that was fun and that had heart, that understood its purpose using Foreigner’s music,” Pascal says.

That purpose, however, comes with a unique creative challenge. The musical weaves iconic songs into an original narrative — a process Pascal describes as both complex and deeply collaborative.

“You’re creating a story, and in many ways building a scene backwards,” he explains. “You have these lyrics that were never written to be narrative in that way, so you have to do a lot of reverse engineering.”

Still, that creative freedom is part of the appeal.

“We get to reimagine these songs,” he adds. “They’ve now become narrative storytelling songs.”

The new musical features a company of 26 performers, primarily LIU students — a fact Pascal calls fortuitous.

“The combination of this process, this particular show, and this university … it couldn’t have been a better melding of all things.”

For Pascal, working with students isn’t just about mentorship — it’s personal, as he has two sons the same age as the young cast. His directing style reflects that perspective, blending instinct, experience and a focus on emotional authenticity.

“I approach it from a much more naturalistic and real place. I’m trying to orchestrate a picture and to get them to use their emotions in a physical way.”

That lived-in approach comes from decades in the industry, which includes roles in Broadway’s “Aida,” “Memphis” and “Something Rotten,” besides the iconic“Rent.” However, Pascal quickly points out that he was never formally trained.

Works Initiative, an incubator for developing and refining new theatrical works by both emerging and established writers.

• Friday through Sunday, April 17-19 and Thursday through Sunday, April 23-26, varied times

• Tickets are $43.82, $17.82 students; available at tillescenter.org/events

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

“My approach can only be [described as] a layman approach. I’m fortunate enough to now have 30 years of experience making musicals.”

And yet, for all his Broadway credentials, Pascal is candid about the challenges facing the industry today — particularly the financial barriers that make developing new work increasingly difficult in New York City.

“We all have to change the mindset about working in New York,” he says bluntly, pointing to rising production costs and systemic issues. Instead, he sees projects like “Feels Like the First Time” as part of a larger shift — one that prioritizes creativity, collaboration and accessibility over tradition and expense.

“I want to take the power out of Broadway’s hands and put it back into the hands of people who make theater,” he states.

That philosophy is evident in the show’s development process, which Pascal praises for its efficiency and clarity of vision.

For LIU students like Anna Frost, being part of that process is nothing short of transformative. A senior serving as dramaturg for the show, Frost is deeply embedded in the rehearsal rooms, helping to shape the evolving script.

“It is so exciting for me to work on a show which is in development,” she says. “I get to work with a living, breathing text.”

For her, the experience underscores the importance of new work in today’s theatrical landscape.

“There has to be new art that is relevant to what is happening now,” she adds. “Getting to be a part of something that will be history is really cool.”

Pascal agrees and hopes the students recognize the significance of their involvement.

“They’ll forever be connected to this show as the first people that played these characters,” he says. “If the show becomes a hit, they’ll always have that on their resume.”

That sense of legacy resonates deeply with Pascal himself, particularly given his return to Long Island. He remains deeply connected to his roots, and optimistic about its potential as a hub for theatrical innovation.

“There’s no better place for it,” he says of LIU. “They have the facilities, the desire and the proximity to the city.”

As for what’s next, Pascal continues to develop new musicals through his production company, including an adaptation of “Ruthless People.” He’s also set to direct “Our Little Secret: A True New Musical” in Toronto. For now, “Feels Like the First Time” offers something that feels incredibly meaningful — -a chance to build, collaborate, and rediscover the spark that started it all.

Or, as Pascal might put it, to make it feel like the first time all over again.

Local favorite Mike DelGuidice returns to the Paramount stage with his popular residency, delivering the high-energy, feel-good performances that have made him a hometown standout. Backed by his powerhouse band, DelGuidice brings the music of his idol, Billy Joel, to life with passion and precision, celebrating decades of iconic hits in a rousing, crowd-pleasing show. A multi-instrumentalist who grew up immersed in music, DelGuidice’s deep knowledge of Joel’s catalog ultimately led to sharing the stage with the Piano Man himself, touring around the world. Alongside Joel’s beloved classics, he weaves in his own original songs, showcasing the songwriting that has earned him a devoted following. Whether performing on stage or connecting with fans through his “Live on the Porch” series, which brought audiences together during the pandemic, DelGuidice continues to share his love of music in ways that resonate far and wide.

Friday and Saturday, April 10-11, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Fleetwood Macked

Eighteen years ago

Fleetwood Macked set out to provide audiences with the truest live Fleetwood Mac experience as possible and haven’t stopped since. Much of the realism comes from the New York-based band’s history. Husband and wife musical team Hillary and Michael Epstein (Stevie and Lindsey) and friends Tracy Wells, Jay Novas, Phil Weiss and Andrew Nadien (Christine, John and Mick) have made great music together in various incarnations that finally all came together with their mutual love of Fleetwood Mac. They are and have always been professional touring rock musicians, which also adds to the authenticity of the sound of the band. Fleetwood Macked live brings audiences the passion, depth, heart, and the musicianship Fleetwood Mac’s music requires. Out of love and respect musical liberties are not taken, songs are recreated just as Fleetwood Mac intended them.

Friday, April 10, 8 p.m. $48. My Father’s Place 1221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn. Tickets available at mfpproductions.com.

Mike DelGuidice

Photo courtesy Jack Roman

Adam Pascal, left, with Tilles Center’s Executive and Artistic Director Tom Dunn, is launching LIU Post’s New

the Porch” series, which brought

“Feels is

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

Family theater

Long Island Children’s Museum stages

“Pete the Cat,” the charming musical based on the book series by Kimberly and James Dean. Life is certainly an adventure for Pete, no matter where he winds up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect pal to help him out. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; also April 14-15

• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

Seasonal Sprouts: Flowers and Trees

Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens to discover the wonders of nature with a one-hour guided tour through the gardens and woodlands, featuring naturethemed games and hands-on activities. This week, children explore plants big and small, learning how they grow and change with the seasons. Each session includes a simple planting or craft project for children to take home and continue their learning. Registration required. $22 adult, $20 seniors 62+ (member discounts available).

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 11 a.m.-noon

• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048

‘Dog

Sees God’

Hofstra University’s Department of Drama and Dance presents Bert V. Royal’s edgy comedy. The unauthorized continuation of the Peanuts comic strip, reimagines its characters as teenagers dealing with various contemporary issues including, identity, substance abuse, and relationships. When CB’s dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. His best friend is too burnt out to provide any coherent speculation; his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has recently been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to give him any sort of solace. Drug use, suicide, eating

Micky Dolenz

any specific agenda item; also any matter of concern after the Board of Education completes agenda items. Meetings take place on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month throughout the school year.

• Where: Lido Elementary School, 237 Lido Blvd.

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: District Clerk Susannah Familetti sfamiletti@lbeach.org or (516) 897-2108

Writers & Readers Festival

Micky Dolenz celebrates the 60th anniversary of The Monkees with a special tour honoring the band’s enduring legacy and timeless sound. In this nostalgic and high-spirited performance, Dolenz takes audiences on a musical journey through The Monkees’ rise to fame, performing their biggest hits in chronological order while sharing personal stories from his decades in entertainment. As the last surviving member of the beloved group, Dolenz brings both heart and history to the stage, paying tribute to bandmates Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith, while celebrating the fans who helped transform a fictional TV band into a global sensation. A true entertainment veteran, Dolenz’s career spans decades and disciplines — from his early days as a child star on “Circus Boy” to his work as a singer, actor, director and radio host. In recent years, he has continued to keep The Monkees’ music alive for new generations, including a solo tour performing the group’s 1967 album “Headquarters” in its entirety. This is sure to be a heartfelt, hit-filled evening that blends music, memories and a lasting connection to one of pop culture’s most iconic acts.

disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that’s both haunting and hopeful. $15 general admission, $10 for seniors and Hofstra alumni.

• Where: Hofstra’s Joan and Donald Schaeffer Black Box Theater, Joseph G. Shapiro Family Hall, Hempstead

• Time: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; also April 12, 2 p.m.; April 16-April 19

• Contact: hofstra.universitytickets.com

APR

11

Gerrin Hagen Memorial Hockey Day

The G2H Foundation hosts 4th Annual Hockey Day. The Nassau County Police Department hockey team takes on the FDNY hockey team, 2 p.m. The Toronto Fire Hockey Club then faces the Guardians, 5 p.m. Both are livestreamed by Long Island Sports Network. The games are preceded by a morning clinic for mite and squirt players coached by the Long Beach Lightning Coaches and the Farmingdale State College hockey team. With a 50/50 raffle, donated by businesses and local supporters. The Chuck-A-Puck contest, t-shirt launch and bubble ball races are

also included.

• Where: Long Beach Ice Arena, 150 W. Bay Drive

• Time: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 543-5736

Town E-Cycle Program

Town of Hempstead encourages residents to dispose of older computers and electronics during the E-Cycle opportunity at Town Park Point Lookout. Residents may also bring personal paper and confidential documents to be shredded, free of charge (limit file boxes or five paper bags).

• Where: Town Park Point Lookout, 1300 Lido Blvd.

• Time: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Contact : hempsteadny.gov/225/e-cycling or call (516) 378-4210

‘A Dream Is A Wish’

The enchanting “A Dream Is A Wish” princess concert returns to the Madison Theatre with new adventures and Disney Classics. Families are invited to sing along to all their favorite Disney songs including “Let It Go,” “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Part of That World,” “ A Whole New World,” and many more. Enjoy a magical journey and maybe even meet your favorite princess! Breakfast and tea ticket options

• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

also available.

• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: Varied times, also April 12

• Contact : madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Celebrate Holi

APR

12

Families are invited to Long Island Children’s Museum to celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colors. Originating in India, this Hindu festival marks the end of winter and the arrival of the colorful spring season. During this joyous holiday, families eat sweets, dance to traditional folk music and throw colorful powder made from flowers called gulal. Wear white clothes you don’t mind getting messy!

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

APR

14

Long Beach BOE meets The Board of Education holds its next meeting. The public may address the Board regarding

Hofstra University alumna and novelist Alice Hoffman hosts the third annual Writers & Readers Festival, brings together students, teachers, librarians, emerging writers and the local community for an immersive celebration of storytelling-both the craft of writing and the realities of publishing. Attendees connect with fellow book lovers and hear from prominent authors, including Hoffman, who will share stories from her new anthology, “The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love.” Hoffman’s forthcoming novel, “Witches of Cambridge,” will be published this August (and is now in development for a television series), followed by the much-anticipated film Practical Magic 2, with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman returning as the Owens sisters in September. Notable participants include “All My Children” star Susan Lucci, in keynote conversation with bestselling author and podcaster Adriana Trigiani about her new memoir, “La Lucci;” Jodi Picoult in keynote conversation with Alice Hoffman about storytelling in a time of book banning, musical director Tim Weil, who talks about his new book, “Making Rent: The Story Behind the Music That Changed Broadway. “ Registration is limited and is now open.

• Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City

• Time: Ongoing through April 17

• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or (516) 877-4000

Having an event?

Items on the Calendar 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 kbloom@ liherald.com.

PSEG pushes for scam awareness

Scammers posing as utility workers continue to target Long Island residents year-round, using phone calls, fake websites and even in-person visits to pressure customers into making immediate payments, according to PSEG Long Island officials.

The company is urging customers to take a moment to verify any unexpected communication before taking action, especially when faced with threats of immediate service shutoff.

“PSEG Long Island wants customers to remember one simple thing: Stop and verify first. If someone threatens to immediately shut off your power, check your account online or call the number that’s printed on your bill to double check before giving them any money,” said Lou DeBrino, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Customer Operations. “It may be an advanced digital scam, an in-person scammer or a telephone call, but nearly all scammers present an urgent problem in the hopes that their victims panic and miss all the clues that they’re not who they appear to be. If you are unexpectedly contacted by someone claiming to be from PSEG Long Island and threatening to immediately shut off your power without payment, take a step back. Contact PSEG Long Island independently and verify before acting.”

Officials said many scammers demand immediate payment through web-based electronic services, prepaid debit cards or even Bitcoin. In some cases, victims are instructed to purchase prepaid cards from convenience stores and read the PIN over the phone. PSEG Long Island does not accept those forms of payment outside of its official “My Account” platform and will never require a specific payment method.

Scammers also frequently use “spoofing” technology to make it appear as though calls are coming directly from PSEG Long Island. In other cases, callers may demand deposits for services such as priority meter installations — a request the company said is not legitimate.

Customers who are unsure about the authenticity of a call or email are advised to hang up and contact the company directly at (800) 490-0025.

In-person scams have also been reported, with individuals going door to door posing as utility employees. These impostors may wear fake uniforms, display counterfeit identification or place misleading signage on their vehicles. They often request personal information or offer fraudulent discounts.

PSEG Long Island officials said legitimate employees will always carry company identification and present it upon request. Customers are advised not to allow anyone into their home if they have doubts and to call 911 if the individual becomes aggressive.

Online scams are another growing concern. Fraudsters have created fake websites that closely resemble the company’s official site, hoping to trick users into entering personal and payment information. The company emphasized that its official website uses a “.com”

domain.

More recently, scammers have targeted electric vehicle users by placing fraudulent QR code stickers on public charging stations. These codes direct users to fake websites designed to collect personal or credit card information.

PSEG Long Island said it does not require customers to access its website to activate public charging stations.

The company also reminded customers that legitimate representatives will only discuss account details with the Customer of Record and will provide identifying information, including the

WEDNESDAY APRIL 22, 2026

at

account name, address and balance. If that information cannot be verified, customers should assume the call is fraudulent.

PSEG Long Island is a member of Utilities United Against Scams, a national coalition that works to raise awareness and combat utility fraud. Through its efforts, the group has helped shut down more than 14,830 tollfree numbers used by scammers.

—Jordan Vallone

BUSINESS & TRANSACTIONAL

JOSEPH G. MILIZIO Managing Partner Vishnick McGovern Milizio, LLP

RALPH ROSELLA Office Managing Member Bond, Schoeneck & King

COMPLEX TORT & GENERAL CASUALTY

CAV. NICHOLAS R. CAIAZZO Partner/Trial Attorney Wilson Elser

DAVID F. DURSO Partner Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C.

DEBT SOLUTIONS

LESLIE H. TAYNE Founder & Managing Director Tayne Law Group, P.C.

CORPORATE & SECURITIES ELDER LAW

BRIAN A. TULLY Founder & Managing Partner Tully Law Group, P.C.

ROCHELLE L. VERRON, ESQ. Founding & Managing Partner Verron Law Group, P.C.

RONALD FATOULLAH, ESQ. Chair Elder Law Group & Partner Trusts & Estates Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP

EMPLOYMENT & BUSINESS LITIGATION

DANIELÉ D. DE VOE Partner Sahn Ward Braff Coschignano, PLLC

JEFFREY BASSO Partner Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP

MICHAEL POROPAT Partner Stockman & Poropat, PPLC

ESTATE PLANNING/ ELDER LAW

STEPHEN J. SILVERBERG Founding Attorney Law Office of Stephen J. Silverberg, P.C.

WENDY K. GOIDEL, ESQ. Founder & Principal Goidel Law Group, LLC

Goidel Law LLC

ESTATE PLANNING / GENERATIONAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

RUSSEL MORGAN, ESQ. Founding Partner Morgan Legal Group, P.C.

STEPHANIE D’ANGELO, ESQ. Principal Attorney D’Angelo Law Associates, P.C.

FAMILY LAW

Armand J. Prisco, Esq. Partner Polin, Prisco & Villafane

JOSEPH TROTTI

Partner Vishnick McGovern Milizio, LLP

MICHAEL ALBER, ESQ Partner The Alber Firm, P.C.

FINANCE, INSURANCE & LEGAL AFFAIRS

PERSONAL INJURY

DOROTHY RENZ Partner Duffy & Duffy, P.C.

JASON A. GREENBERG Founder & Managing Attorney Law Offices of Jason Greenberg, P.C.

LEONARD J. WIENER Associate Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.

ALEXANDER E. SKLAVOS, ESQ. Founder & Principal Attorney Sklavos Law Group, P.C.

ALAN B. HODISH, ESQ. Founding Principal Law Offices of Alan B. Hodish, LLC

HEALTHCARE & CANNABIS LAW

ANDREW P. COOPER, ESQ., LLM Cannabis & Psychedelics Attorney Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP

NEAL A. GOLDSTEIN Partner Neal Goldstein Law

ROSS L. SCHILLER Founder & Managing Attorney Ross L. Schiller & Associates, P.C.

REAL ESTATE

BRIAN S. STOLAR Partner Harris Beach Murtha

BRYAN P. MCCROSSEN Partner Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran

ED PUERTA Partner Nixon Peabody, LLP

GILAD ADLAD Attorney at Law Law Office of Gilad Adlad

TOM MEALIFFE Partner Nixon Peabody, LLP

INJURY & CAR ACCIDENT LAW RISING STARS

CHRISSY GRIGOROPOULOSPELEYTAY, ESQ. Founding Attorney Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers

IP & TRADEMARK

ROSS PITCOFF Founder & Managing Partner Pitcoff Law Group, P.C.

LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW

ANDREW J. TURRO

Shareholder Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

JOSEPH L. CIACCIO

Partner Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC

NICHOLAS PAPAIN

Member & Director Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo, P.C.

BROOKE MCDONALD Associate Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro, LLP

JACOB BLOOM, ESQ. Associate Attorney Miller & Caggiano, LLP

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

ANDREW B. WOOLF Founding Partner Klee Woolf Goldman & Filpi, LLP

TAX CERTIORARI LITIGATION

ANTHONY FORZAGLIA Partner Schroder & Strom, LLP

TRUST & ESTATE LITIGATION

ANDREW P. NITKEWICZ Partner Cullen and Dykman, LLP

Lawyer Law Office of Chad J. LaVeglia PLLC

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

JONATHAN R. KLEE Managing Partner Klee Woolf Goldman & Filpi, LLP

TIMOTHY E.T. FINNEGAN Partner McIntyre, Donohue, Accardi, Salmonson, & Riordan, LLP

COMMUNITY CHAMPION

PHIL RIZZUTO Trial Attorney The Rizzuto Law Firm

TRIAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

STUART L. FINZ, CARAMIA R. HART, BRANDON S. FINZ

Courtesy PSEG PSEG Long Island is reminding residents that scammers don’t have an offseason. Utility work is one of the pathways in which residents can be scammed.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK TRUST

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST, -againstROGER M. SARMUKSNIS, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on February 4, 2026, wherein U.S. BANK TRUST

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2

ACQUISITION TRUST is the Plaintiff and ROGER M. SARMUKSNIS, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on May 6, 2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 629 WEST BEECH STREET, LONG BEACH, NY 11561; and the following tax map identification: 59-015-36.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 601945/2023. Jeffrey Toback, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 159293

LEGAL NOTICE ASSESSOR’S NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF THE FINAL ASSESSMENT ROLL

THE ASSESSOR OF THE COUNTY OF NASSAU HEREBY GIVES NOTICE that he has completed the 2026/2027 final assessment roll, which will be used for the 2027 levy of Town and County Taxes in the Towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, and the City of Glen Cove and the City of Long Beach, and for the 2026/2027 levy of school taxes in such Towns and in the City of Long Beach. A certified electronic copy of the roll was filed with the Department of Assessment on April 1, 2026. The electronic roll may be examined on public terminals located in the offices of:

DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT

NASSAU COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING

240 OLD COUNTRY ROAD, FOURTH FLOOR MINEOLA, NY 11501 where the same will remain open for public inspection for fifteen days.

Dated this 1st day of April 2026.

JOSEHA A. ADAMO Assessor, Nassau County 159474

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Town Hall Plaza, One Washington Street, Hempstead, New York on 04/22/2026 at 9:30

A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30

A.M.

216/26. POINT LOOKOUT - Michael & Kerry Vignola, Variances, height, number of habitable stories, lot area occupied, construct top floor addition, roof top deck, front & rear top story decks, front 2nd story deck & spiral staircase all attached to dwelling (demolish existing half story &

dormer)., W/s Parkside Dr., 1340’ S/o Lido Blvd., a/k/a 115 Parkside Dr. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550.

This notice is only for new cases in Point Lookout within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals

The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 159472

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

CO-OP APARTMENT

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, JOHN ROMAN, Auctioneer, MICHAEL CAMPBELL, Auctioneer, RICHARD J. CANTWELL, Auctioneer, or RICHIE SCHULTZ, Auctioneer will sell at public auction with reserve to the highest bidder, on the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 29, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., security consisting of 580 shares of NEPTUNE TOWERS

COOPERATIVE, INC., in the name of PAUL GILGANNON, and all right, title and interest in and to a Proprietary Lease for Cooperative, located in a building known as and by the street address 25

NEPTUNE BOULEVARD, UNIT 4F, LONG BEACH, NEW YORK 11561, between PAUL GILGANNON as Lessee, NEPTUNE TOWERS

COOPERATIVE, INC., as Lessor.

This sale is held to satisfy an indebtedness

of the unpaid principal balance, interest, attorney fees, and advances through April 29, 2026, and to enforce the rights of the U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR PRET 2024-RPL2 TRUST, the “Secured Party”, arising under a Security Agreement dated February 13, 2017, executed by and between PAUL GILGANNON and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. The Secured Party reserves the right to bid. The Co-op Apartment will be sold “AS IS”, subject to open common charges, and possession is to be obtained by the purchaser.

DATED: March 31, 2026 Knuckles & Manfro, LLP Attorneys for SECURED PARTY

120 White Plains Road Suite 215 Tarrytown, NY 10591 (914) 345-3020 159544

LEGAL NOTICE

Supplemental Summons Supreme Court of New York, Nassau County. U.S. BANK TRUST

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF LB-FLAT SERIES VI TRUST, Plaintiff -againstUNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN AVIDON; ILENE J. CLAUDE A/K/A ILENE J. AVIDON, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN AVIDON; LISA SCHLICH /K/A LISA AVIDON A/K/A LISA H. O`HARA, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF HARVEY AVIDON; DANIELLE C. LEMIEUX A/K/A DANIELLE CMAYLO A/K/A DANIELLE C. PAPPAS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF PETER A. PAPPAS; JOSHUA A. CMAYLO, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF PETER A. PAPPAS; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (EASTERN DISTRICT) O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; BOARD OF MANAGERS OF LIDO BEACH TOWERS CONDOMINIUM; “JOHN DOE” AND “JANE DOE” said names being fictitious, it being the intention of

Zucker Medical School earns top research ranking

The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell has been recognized among the nation’s top medical schools for research, earning a Tier 2 designation in the 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.

The school ranked among the top three in New York and in the top half of medical schools nationwide for research excellence, according to the report.

The recognition comes amid a challenging funding climate for medical research, including reductions in grants from the National Institutes of Health. Research activity now accounts for 60 percent of a school’s overall ranking in the U.S. News methodology, making federal funding levels a critical factor.

U.S. News evaluates research-focused medical schools based on faculty resources, funding and the strength of training programs for physician-scientists. At Zucker, MD/PhD and PhD programs emphasize the study of human disease, translational research and applying scientific discoveries in patient care.

A key component of the school’s research environment is its partnership with Northwell Health, the state’s largest health care provider. The affiliation gives students access to an extensive clinical network, diverse patient populations and advanced research facilities.

“We are incredibly proud that our dedication to impactful research has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report, amidst federal funding challenges,” said David Battinelli, the Deborah and Lawrence Smith dean of the medical school. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to pioneering discovery.

Herald

The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell has been recognized among the nation’s top medical schools for research, earning a Tier 2 designation in the 2026 Best Graduate Schools ranking released by U.S. News & World Report.

Since opening 15 years ago, the Zucker School of Medicine has built a reputation for hands-on learning, innovative programming and an emphasis on research. Graduates have gone on to match into competitive specialties, including surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery, as well as primary care fields such as internal medicine, pediatrics and family medicine.

According to a nationwide survey conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges, program directors report that Zucker graduates consistently exceed national expectations in professionalism, clinical skills and systemsbased practice.

— Abigail Grieco

Public Notices

Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of the premises being foreclosed herein, Defendants Index No. 621005/2025. Mortgaged Premises: 2 Richmond Road, Unit #3HH Lido Beach, NY 11561 a/k/a 2 Richmond Road, Unit 234 Lido Beach, NY 11561 Section: 59

Block: 66 Lot: 15A Unit: 234 a/k/a Unit #3HH and Section: 59

Block: 66 Lot: 15B TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above captioned action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after completion of

service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECTIVE of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a reverse mortgage to secure $915,000.00 and interest, recorded in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office on October 23, 2009, in Liber Book M 34296, on Page 500, covering the premises known as

2 Richmond Road, Unit #3HH, Lido Beach, NY 11561 a/k/a 2 Richmond Road, Unit 234, Lido Beach, NY 11561. The relief sought herein is a final judgment directing sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the reverse mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Nassau as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is located.NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff. 159546

file

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Waiting For The Right Family

This is a standout listing in Woodmere’s Five Towns. Fully renovated legal mother-daughter (2-family classification 220.01), this originally 6-bedroom, 3-bath home is ideal for rental income or extended family living. This oversized 3,500 sq. ft. Hi-Ranch is in the award-winning Hewlett-Woodmere District 14. A stunning chef’s kitchen anchors the home, perfect for entertaining. Features include large bedrooms, walk-in closets, cast-iron baseboard heat, 8 ductless AC units, gas

How much extra money does a home cost these days?

Q. I saw a billboard and several TV commercials for something called “Let Them Build, NY,” and was wondering what you could tell me about it. The commercial said that there is an extra $82,000 spent on housing, per home, just due to government red tape. Is this true, and is anything being done about it?

A. There is plenty of finger-pointing in the construction industry, on top of the current cost increases due to tariffs, war and subsequent delivery costs due to higher fuel prices. But long before there were these current issues, government officials began, at every level, to either increase enforcement of existing regulations or to add regulations on top of what was already fairly complicated and burdensome.

Apartment

Many years ago I was very active in the American Institute of Architects, to the point of being vice president of the Long Island chapter. I left them when I realized that they did not want to have the backbone to challenge, as a professional group, the regulations that cause construction and building design to become out of reach for a large segment of our population. In the years following, I daily encountered the thousands of building owners who never even attempted to comply with building regulations, basically skirting the entire permit process altogether because of the added expense.

The first and foremost expense is caused by the delays in getting through the approval process. There are so many reasons for the slowdown that it will take several columns, at 500 words apiece, to get through the long list of problems. If you ask a government official, they will point to the design professionals who “just can’t seem to get the regulations right” in their drawing submissions. I have often listened as officials complained to me about inadequate drawings being submitted. In all fairness, it is a two-way street, because the communications from officials back to the architects and engineers is often incoherent or incomplete.

When a plans examiner uses phrases like “demonstrate compliance” or “incomplete submission,” they are contributing to the problem, not solving it. Instead of pointing to specific sections of code and explaining the very specific problem, they communicate in generalities that are useless and cause a lot of extra work and discussion among the people trying to move a project forward. The phrase “If you aren’t part of the solution, you’re part of the problem” applies here.

I remember when a plans examiner would mark up and discuss specific drawings, and some even went the extra mile and pulled out their code books. In the era of computers, the internet and the “portal,” building officials often abbreviate and confuse both the professional and the customer by not pointing out that “the wording on Sheet 3 in the upper right-hand corner should state…” The lack of specifics creates lots of back-and-forth, delays and cost to the owner for the delays. Rent and taxes still need to be paid during the delays.

More to follow.

© 2026 Monte Leeper

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

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

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Did I ever tell you about my grad school?

Rosemary and I and our son Sean recently visited the University of Notre Dame. In many ways it was a homecoming.

Rosemary, her mother and her sister graduated from St. Mary’s College, adjacent to Notre Dame, in the days before it accepted female students. Her father and two brothers are Notre Dame grads. Our daughter Erin and I graduated from Notre Dame Law School, and Sean earned his MBA from Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Business. Sean is now an affiliated scholar at the university’s Liu Institute for Asian Affairs, and regularly lectures on Asian geopolitics and economic policy at the institute and the Mendoza School. When I was growing up as an IrishCatholic kid in blue-collar Queens, Notre Dame embodied Irish-Catholic immigrant success in becoming a part of the American fabric and achieving the American dream. That success was exemplified by Notre Dame’s fabled football teams, which dominated college

football during that era. Of course, there was and is more to the university than football. Notre Dame was founded at a time of severe anti-Catholic bias in the country, led by hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the Know Nothing movement. There also was anti-Catholic bias in academia well into the 20th century, which Arthur Schlesinger Sr. described as “the anti-Semitism of intellectuals.”

My wife and I visited a university you may have heard of to watch our son in action.

Notre Dame, though, went beyond being a defensive religious fortress to making Catholic thought a part of American life, along with full acceptance of other religions, with open debate and finding common ground encouraged. Striking that balance can be difficult, but it is still working. Religious freedom was on display on the campus last year, when pro-Hamas demonstrations did not devolve into the antisemitic violence that occurred at other universities, such as Columbia. Students were given prescribed locations and time periods for demonstrations, and those who ignored them were arrested. The result was intelligent debate without violence.

Rosemary and I visited this year to meet with some of Sean’s academic colleagues and watch him in action. We

ialso walked around the campus, taking in iconic sights like the Golden Dome and rekindling old memories. On our first morning, we met with Frank Pomarico and his wife, Eileen. A Queens native and a graduate of St. Francis Prep, Frank was the captain of Notre Dame’s 1973 national champion football team, coached by the legendary Ara Parseghian. Frank and Eileen live in South Bend, and are amazingly friendly and interesting. It was a great way to start the day.

Then we walked over to the law school to meet with Diane Desierto, a professor of international law and human rights, a native of the Philippines, a friend of Sean’s and a true scholar. Desierto updated me on the state of the law school (all good), her strong belief that law students should be exposed to all sides of issues and that legal education must include a moral component.

We had lunch with Josh Gobel, a good friend and a longtime member of the South Bend Police Department who now works in the Notre Dame P.D. in various key capacities, including protecting visiting dignitaries, such as Supreme Court Justice Amy Cony Barrett — who

attended the law school at the same time as Erin. Great conversation with Josh, as always.

After a visit to the campus bookstore, Rosemary and I joined Sean at the Morris Inn on campus for dinner with Michel Hockx, a Chinese scholar and a professor at the Liu Institute, where Sean had just finished teaching a class. Hockx, who is originally from the Netherlands, has been teaching at Notre Dame for 10 years, and has worked with Sean on various projects. After dinner, we all walked to the Mendoza School to watch Sean give a lecture to a group of students preparing to visit Japan.

He discussed the intricacies of Japanese political, cultural and economic development since the end of World War II, the country’s relationship with the United States and the threats it faces from China. My biased opinion? A thoughtful, virtuoso performance. (He must have gotten it from Rosemary, who was a teacher.)

The next day we flew back to New York. Rosemary and I went home to Seaford, and Sean to his apartment in Manhattan — all three of us with new Notre Dame memories to share. And yes, Notre Dame football is still great. Go, Irish!

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

Will there be a blue wave this fall?

Is this the year of the blue wave? Will it be a modified one or a total rout? Is there any chance of a red wave? Not likely. But, once again, we are facing a year in which the U.S. House of Representatives, and perhaps the Senate, are up for grabs, and the early odds favor the party that’s out of power.

We often refer to political prognosticating it as “reading the tea leaves.” But tea leaves are no longer the best way to pick winners and losers. There are now so many more sophisticated ways to handicap the races, some of which we have been used for years and others that are brand new. The media is dominated by daily polling announcements, and if you give the polls any credence, they spell bad news for President Trump and the candidates of his party.

Poll after poll, whether from the left or the right, seem to indicate that this may be a very bad year for Republicans.

You know that things look bad for them when Fox News consistently announces polls showing that everyday Republicans and independents are slowly moving away from long-favored party candidates. In addition, wellknown commentators such as Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson are predicting only bad things for the party come November.

i’ve seen many waves, red and blue, which are part of the ups and downs of politics.

The newest form of political projections is occurring on such outlets as Kalshi and Polymarket. On Kalshi, people trade contracts on the outcome of real-world events. They are deep into gambling on sports events, but lately have also been involved in betting on political events. Polymarket is built on a crypto platform. People bet on “yes” and “no” shares that reflect the feelings of the bettors and their inkling to pick winners. Both platforms have become highly controversial. Demands are being made for them to be regulated by Congress, but that won’t happen soon.

If you want to find more reliable trends, pay attention to what’s going on in Washington and around the country. This year, more than 30 Republican

members of the House have announced that they won’t seek re-election. Some are campaigning for Senate seats and others are running for governor, but the vast majority of the retirees have announced that they’re eager to spend more time with their families, the age-old excuse to get out of Washington.

At last count, there were 35 House seats up for reelection that were tilting toward the Democrats. If the blue wave is really going to happen, most of those seats will go to the Democrats. In 2025 the party won major races in Virginia, New Jersey and New York. This year, a number of Democrats have had upset wins in races for state House seats in districts that Trump won in 2024 by wide margins. If these victories are any indication of the national trend, it’s all bad news for the Republicans.

Up to a few months ago, there was little or no talk about Democrats having any chance to take over the U.S. Senate, but the latest polls seem to show a tightening of the races in Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Ohio. If Democrats can

pull off any upsets in these key states, Jon Ossoff can hold on to his seat in Georgia and a newcomer can win in Michigan, the party’s chances of capturing the Senate will improve remarkably. One of the more disturbing factors for Republicans is the fact that Trump hasn’t made any strong statements about his desire to see his party stay in power. He is promoting various ideas about how they can win at the ballot box, but any federal effort to take the power to oversee voting away from the states will likely be struck down as unconstitutional.

Having reached an advanced age, I’ve seen many waves, both red and blue. They sometimes last two years, and occasionally continue for four years. The swings back and forth between parties are part of the ups and downs of politics. So if it turns out that the Democrats have a great year, they’d better handle their newfound power very carefully, because two years can pass very quickly.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.

Local News Day now means more than ever

Somewhere on Long Island tonight, a village board will vote on a zoning variance, a school district will finalize a budget or a contractor will win a bid. None of it will lead the network news or trend on social media. But it will matter — to the family whose street gets rezoned, to the teachers whose contract is on the line, to the taxpayers footing the bill.

In most cases, a Herald reporter will be in that room. But in too many communities across the country — and increasingly in our own backyard — that reporter’s chair sits empty. And when no one is watching, things have a way of going sideways.

April 9 is Local News Day, a national moment to recognize what local news does, why it matters, and what we lose when it disappears.

Local news isn’t the shouting matches on cable or the partisan warfare that passes for national political coverage. Local news is the Rockville Centre St. Patrick’s Day parade and the Hewlett High School science fair. It’s the Nassau County budget hearing that will affect your property taxes for the next decade, the obituary that captures a neighbor’s life, and the investigation that stops a bad idea before it becomes law. At Richner Communications — publisher of the Long Island Herald — we’ve been doing this work since 1964. Sixty-two years, three generations, over 100 local employees, nearly 30 weekly newspapers.

The Founding Fathers understood the stakes. The free press is the only indus-

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try they considered important enough to protect by name in the Constitution. But we are failing that promise. Since 2004, one-third of all American newsrooms have closed. There are 43,000 fewer local reporters and editors working today than there were then. New York alone has lost nearly half its newspapers, and a quarter of the state’s counties now have one or no local news sources. Digital-only outlets have not filled the void.

Today, more than 2½ newspapers shutter in America each week. The consequences are documented and dire: Communities without local news see lower voter turnout, higher taxes and measurable increases in corruption, political polarization, and even toxic environmental emissions.

Wealth is no inoculation from this trend. The Scarsdale Inquirer was founded in 1901 and served one of the wealthiest communities in America for 123 years. It closed without warning in January 2024. The Westchester village — mirroring the demographics of many Long Island communities — still doesn’t have a newspaper over two years later.

Compounding this problem is the rise of artificial intelligence, which can now manufacture articles, quotes, and entire “news sites” that look authoritative and cost almost nothing to create. That means the news environment has only grown harder to navigate. Trusted news brands, with reporters who actually live and work in the communities they cover, are more important than ever. It’s the reason that we at the Herald use A.I. as a tool to support, not replace, the report-

ers you know and respect.

And yet the climate for news in America has rarely been more hostile than today. The United States now ranks 57th in the world in press freedom — labeled “problematic” by Reporters Without Borders, placing us alongside countries we’re accustomed to lecturing about democratic norms. Arrests of reporters and editors in America nearly tripled between 2023 and 2024. A national shield law for reporters has failed to pass Congress twice. Right now, the Pentagon is aggressively curtailing press access, a policy that flies in the face of a functioning democracy. The temperature in Washington sets a tone, and that tone travels — all the way to the reporters covering Long Island’s myriad municipal entities.

The Herald has always believed that local news is worth fighting for. It’s why we helped found the Empire State Local News Coalition, which won a first-of-itskind state tax credit for local newspapers. That legislation is already helping newspapers survive that might otherwise have gone dark, meaning that thousands of New Yorkers who might otherwise have lost their only trusted local news source still have one.

Every community gets the local news it deserves — which is to say, the local news it supports. If you want a paper that shows up, you have to show up for it. On Local News Day, make that decision. Subscribe. Advertise. Tell your neighbors. The Herald has been here for over a century. Whether we’re here for the next one is, in no small part, up to you.

opinions Washington must start solving problems

The American people are fed up.

The chaos at our airports was awful, the Department of Homeland Security has not been fully funded during these very dangerous times, and the people are demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement live up to the standards of all other federal law enforcement agencies. They are sick and tired of the endless blame game. All across America, people are demanding that politicians put partisanship aside and work together to fix the very real problems we face.

The anger and annoyance are real. And frankly, I agree.

That’s why I’ve introduced bipartisan legislation to immediately reopen DHS while advancing common-sense reforms to ICE. Alongside my Problem Solvers Caucus co-chair, Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, who served as an FBI agent for more than 15 years, I am trying to cut through the dysfunction, isolate the problem areas where negotiations have stalled and work together to actually get something done.

Our solution is common sense: fund the parts of the DHS where there are no disagreements, like disaster response and cybersecurity, and institute real reforms to ICE that most Americans have been hungering for. It only makes sense to hold ICE, a federal law-enforcement agency, to the same safety and accountability standards of every other bureau in the nation.

Calling us

Democrats have been saying for weeks that they will fund the $87 billion that doesn’t go to ICE right now. That would have ended the airport disaster, paid our TSA agents far earlier and kept the core functions of DHS operating. We would not vote to fund the other $10 billion for ICE, however, until there were real reforms.

‘Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats’ doesn’t help.

That means body-camera and officer-identification requirements, higher training standards, a crackdown on roving patrols and limitations on agents wearing masks. The legislation would also lay out stronger warrant requirements and rules governing activity in sensitive locations to ensure that enforcement resources are focused on the “worst of the worst.”

It seems simple, but Congress has been in a political standoff that perfectly exemplifies what’s wrong with Washington. Let me explain.

The budget for the DHS is $97 billion. $87 billion of that funds everything from the TSA agents at our airports to Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster responses, cybersecurity units and the Coast Guard. The remaining $10 billion funds ICE.

Framework by Tim Baker

While Republicans resisted at first, there was eventually enough consensus among both Democratic and Republican members of Congress to at least reopen the non-ICE agencies of DHS. But just as bipartisan negotiations in the Senate were making progress, President Trump intervened with a directive to his party: “No deals with the Democrats.”

To be precise, he outlawed deals with the “Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats.”

That’s outrageous. Once again, that’s politics getting in the way of progress. Finger-pointing has been all too prevalent.

I have built my career on finding common ground for the common good. It has always been my philosophy that I’ll work with anyone, regardless of political party, to get things done for my constituents. As co-chair of the biparti-

san Problem Solvers Caucus, I’ve worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to tackle the nation’s toughest issues. Just a few months ago we passed legislation out of the House that extended health care tax credits to prevent skyrocketing premiums for millions. Unfortunately, then as now, the president got in the way, changing the debate from bipartisan health care wins to Venezuela and Greenland before the Senate could close the deal.

I represent a district that voted for Trump and for me. My constituents aren’t interested in partisan talking points — they want results. They want safe airports, secure borders, a functioning government and a lower cost of living. And they want their elected officials to work together to deliver.

People are concerned that the Department of Homeland Security has not been in the game. They’re outraged about the illegal and immoral behavior of ICE. And they’re frustrated that politicians are too busy pointing fingers to solve our problems.

We don’t have to choose between security and accountability. We can do both. We don’t have to accept dysfunction in Washington. And we certainly don’t have to tolerate political games when real people are being affected.

Tom Suozzi represents the 3rd Congressional District.