Tribute to Freedom
A walk through Malverne’s Little League history, legacy
By AlYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com
Residents stepped back through more than seven decades of local baseball history last weekend, when the Malverne Historical & Preservation Society hosted a special exhibit celebrating the legacy of Malverne Little League.
Visitors of all ages were invited to explore an extensive collection of league memorabilia, including vintage uniforms, championship trophies, photos, newspaper clippings, scorebooks, programs, pamphlets and other artifacts documenting one of Mal-
verne’s longest-running youth traditions. Families reminisced about seasons past, while younger visitors learned about the league’s lasting impact on generations of local players and residents.
“What I’m looking forward to today is to see a child come in here and say, ‘Hey, that’s my team in the photograph,’” David Weinstein, president of the society and village historian, said, “or a dad to come in and say, ‘When I was a kid, that was my manager,’ and bring back memories.”
Guests at Sunday’s event also had the chance to take part in raffles for Yankees
Continued on page 2
Speaking from the heart at the library
By AlYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com
Several local health organizations banded together on Saturday during a free community heart health event at the Lakeview Public Library, as part of the nationwide “Letter to My Mother” campaign.
The initiative is designed to raise awareness about heart disease in women and encourage conversations about family heart health history.
WMedtronic partnered with WomenHeart during the event, which drew medical professionals, patient advocates and community organizations for a day of education, wellness activities and health screenings.
Robinson, director of the Bureau of Health Access at the Nassau County Health Department, who highlighted the continuing disparities women face in cardiovascular care.
“Women oftentimes are underdiagnosed, underrepresented, and undertreated when it comes to cardiovascular disease, and we see that those numbers are even higher for women of underrepresented populations,” Robinson said.
hat this experience has taught me is that advocating for your health is not optional, it’s essential
VERA SWEENEY Lifestyle blogger
Dozens of attendees were provided access to free heart health screenings, a fitness class, a poetry workshop, food and educational resources focused on preventing cardiovascular disease over the course of the two-hour event.
The program opened with remarks from Dr. Kimberly
According to Medtronic, heart disease has remained the leading cause of death among women for more than 100 years, with 60 million women in the United States living with or at risk for heart disease, yet awareness gaps and treatment disparities persist. Women often experience heart disease differently than men and are less likely to receive minimally invasive treatments for conditions such as heart valve disease.
The “Letter to My Mother” campaign, launched in 2025, Continued on page 5
Alyssa R. Griffin/Herald
dozens of people came to the Malverne Historical & preservation Society on Sunday to get a glimpse of the village’s Little League history.
Little League history exhibit is a home run
and Mets jerseys, while children received free Wiffle Ball sets to take home.
The exhibit also inspired visitors to reconnect with their own family histories. Siblings Lynn Rapp and Tom Minnion attended after seeing the event posted on Facebook and searching the basement of their mother’s house for their late father’s Little League trophies. They found one carefully stored away, and brought them to the exhibit to honor him.
“I went to the basement — I found it behind a table,” Minnion said. “Somehow it was still there, luckily.”
Lifelong Malverne resident Thomas Minnion was among the league’s earliest players, and was recognized as its first Most Valuable Player in 1952. Although he played for only one season, baseball remained an important part of his life, and many of the friendships he formed in Malverne Little League, his children said, lasted for decades. The exhibit gave his family an opportunity to revisit those memories and recognize familiar faces in historic photos.
Tteams are currently competing in Nassau County district tournaments.
“Seeing the community come out and support, and be involved, is another benefit of the program,” league President Patrick Rudden said. “The Little League program couldn’t be what it is today or in the past without the community supporting it.”
he Little League program couldn’t be what it is today or in the past without the community supporting it.
PaTrick rudden Little League president
“He was always a Malverne guy,” his son said. “He stayed here his whole life. He was a big baseball player — mailman. He’s part of the history of the town.”
Today, the Little League continues to thrive. The organization now serves nearly 400 players between ages 4 and 16, with both its baseball and softball programs continuing to grow. They currently play at the Whelan Field, named after Robert Whelan who brought Little League to the village in 1951. Several
Operated entirely by volunteers, the league relies on coaches, parents and other residents who dedicate countless hours to working with the young players, raising funds and organizing events throughout the year. The league also maintains strong partnerships with village officials, who help create community events beyond baseball, including a Knicks watch party that drew hundreds of residents and plans for future family movie nights.
When the league was founded in 1951, Robert Whelan joined 26 other fathers to establish an organized baseball program for local children. The first game was played at Harris Field, on Hempstead Avenue. What began as a grass-roots community effort quickly became one of the village’s most cherished traditions.
As participation grew, Opening Day evolved into a village-wide celebration, with the village police and fire departments and local businesses sponsoring teams. Parents filled the bleachers each spring, creating lasting memories as their children learned the game, built friendships and developed a sense of community.
Whether visitors recognized former teammates, coaches and family members in the old photos or were learning about the league for the first time, the exhibit
celebrated a tradition that has united neighbors for nearly 75 years, and continues to strengthen the community today.
For more information about the league, visit its Facebook page, Malverne Little League, N.Y.
Alyssa R. Griffin/Herald Visitors viewed the displays of malverne Little League history, which included jerseys, pamphlets and photos.
Malverne graduates celebrate commencement
Dozens of Malverne High School graduates, dressed in blue caps and gowns, celebrated the culmination of their high school careers during the Malverne Union Free School District’s commencement ceremony on June 26.
Family members, friends, faculty and district administrators gathered to honor the Class of 2026 as graduates received their diplomas and prepared to begin the next chapter of their lives.
The ceremony featured remarks from valedictorian Dayami Guaman, salutatorian Lorraine Akou and senior class president Makayla Boubert, who reflected on the class’s accomplishments, resilience and shared experiences while encouraging their classmates to embrace the future with confidence.
The ceremony concluded with the traditional turning of the tassels and cap toss, marking the official graduation of the Class of 2026.
–Alyssa R. Griffin
Photos courtesy Malverne Union Free School District
Malverne High School held their graduation ceremony on June 26, which featured dozens of seniors eager to begin their new journeys.
Salutatorian Lorraine Akou delivered her speech on this not being the end, but mere opening the door to what lies ahead.
Senior Concert Choir performed countless classics including “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears.
Graduates showed off their diplomas celebrating their achievements.
Gradates decked out their gear for a fun-filled commencement ceremony.
3 MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD — July 2, 2026
Chancellor vists NCC, spotlights free program
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. visited Nassau Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour, highlighting New York’s free community college program for adult learners and the college’s nursing and health care programs.
SUNY Reconnect, launched in fall 2025 under Gov. Kathy Hochul, covers tuition, fees, books and supplies for New Yorkers ages 25 to 55 who do not already have a college degree and are pursuing an associate degree in a highdemand field.
King’s visit also spotlighted a recent expansion of the program. Under the state’s newly enacted budget, adults seeking a nursing degree may now qualify for SUNY Reconnect even if they already hold a degree in another field, a change intended to help address the state’s health care workforce shortage.
“SUNY Reconnect allows us to create life-changing opportunities for adult learners and their families,” King said. “With this initiative, we remove barriers to higher education and reinforce the fact that it is never too late to follow your dreams.”
Nassau Community College Chief Administrative Officer Maria Conzatti said the college will continue to build on the state’s investment.
“Nassau Community College is proud to see the continued investment and confidence from SUNY and our partners in state government,” Conzatti said. “We will continue to support our community and region by offering dynamic programming and providing students of all ages with an affordable option for excellent academic opportunities.”
According to SUNY, nursing and other health care programs were the most popular fields among SUNY Reconnect participants during the program’s first year. Early data also showed students enrolled through SUNY Reconnect had higher fall-to-spring retention rates than other adult learners.
The program funds associate degrees in several high-demand industries, including nursing and allied health, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, engineering, artificial intelligence,
State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. visited Nassau Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour. King has visited community colleges throughout the state.
green and renewable energy, technology and teacher preparation in shortage areas. Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, aviation management, emergency management and supply chain/logistics programs will also be eligible.
To support the initiative, Nassau Community College received $220,000 to hire a full-time advisor to assist Reconnect students with enrollment, scheduling and retention, as well as community outreach and tutoring. The college also received $35,000 to purchase advanced simulation and clinical equipment to expand capacity in its nursing and respiratory care programs.
More information about SUNY Reconnect programs at Nassau Community College is available at NCC.edu/ admissions/suny-reconnect.shtml.
–Jordan Vallone
E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460
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Herald file photo
Leaning into heart healthcare in Lakeview
encourages women to discuss their family’s heart health history, recognize risk factors and seek medical care when symptoms arise. By promoting conversations among family members, the campaign aims to improve awareness while encouraging earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Kimberly Powell, communications director for Medtronic’s interventional cardiology therapy business, expressed hope that bringing the campaign to Long Island would encourage women to take charge of their heart health while creating conversations that could save lives.
“Today’s event is about more than just heart disease,” Powell said. “It’s about raising awareness, it’s about encouraging prevention, and inspiring impactful conversations that can save lives. Heart disease remains the number one cause of death among women in the United States, and that still surprises me today. Yet many women are unaware of their personal risk or have never discussed their heart health with their health care provider.”
Planning for the June 27 event involved collaboration among multiple Medtronic teams, the Lakeview Public Library, local advocates and community partners.
Vera Sweeney, a lifestyle blogger and Garden City resident, shared her personal heart health journey, explaining that what began as a routine medical evaluation led to unexpected concerns about her cardiovascular health.
“What this experience has taught me is that advocating for your health is not optional, it’s essential,” Sweeney said. “My journey isn’t over. I’m still searching for answers, but I’m also grateful that a routine blood test started a conversation, grateful that I paid attention and grateful that I found support in my Long Island community.”
Stephanie Silva, director of operations for WomenHeart, discussed the nonprofit organization’s mission to support women living with or at risk for heart disease and emphasized the importance of equitable care.
“Everything we do, every program we build, every event like this one is rooted in one belief,” Silva said, “that women deserve to be seen, heard, and treated equitably when it comes to their heart health, and today that belief brought us here.”
Community partners, including WomenHeart, Aortic Hope, the Nassau County Health Department and Heart Valve Voice, supplied educational materials, health resources and free screenings. Representatives were available throughout the event to answer questions, connect attendees with services and discuss cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.
The event also featured a poetry workshop led by New York artist and performer Melania Luisa Marte, who combined creative expression with mindfulness and wellness practices. After performing an original poem centered on resilience, healing and self-
dr. Kimberly robinson, director of the Bureau of Health access at the nassau County Health department, provided the opening remarks on June 27.
care, Marte guided participants through breathing exercises and reflective writing focused on family, health and personal well-being.
“Mindfulness is a simple and powerful practice of training our attention,” Marte said. “It’s simple in that it’s really about paying attention to what’s happening in the here and now, the sensations, the thoughts, the emotions in a non-judgmental way.”
Organizers said they hoped attendees left feeling empowered to prioritize their heart health, discuss concerns with their health care providers and advocate for themselves when something does not feel right. They also emphasized that understanding family history and recognizing cardiovascular risk factors can lead to earlier diagnosis, earlier treatment and better longterm health outcomes.
The Lakeview event followed a similar community outreach program in Houston and is part of Medtronic’s broader effort to address gaps in women’s cardiovascular care through education, research, advocacy and community engagement. Organizers said they hope the campaign will continue encouraging more women to learn their family health history, speak openly about heart disease and take proactive steps to protect their health.
Medtronic, which develops and manufactures healthcare technology and therapies, has served over 79 million patients for more than 70 health conditions.
WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, was founded in 1999 by Nancy Loving, Jackie Markham and Judy Mingram after each experienced a heart attack. Recognizing a critical gap in women’s cardiovascular care, they established WomenHeart to provide education, advocacy and peer support while raising awareness that heart disease is the leading cause of
death among women.
For more information on Medtronic, visit Medtronic.com. And for more information on WomenHeart, visit WomenHeart.org.
As we celebrate 250 years of our nation’s independence, we are reminded that strength is found in our communities.
For years, our home has been right here on Long Island. We are proud to stand alongside the local organizations, neighbors, and companies that keep our region thriving today.
Togeth�, we are building the next chapter of our story.
Alyssa R. Griffin/Herald photos
Vera Sweeney, a lifestyle blogger spoke on her personal journey revolving around heart healthcare.
new York artist, performer melania Luisa marte held a poetry workshop to help with mindfulness and wellness practices.
L.I. Choice Awards celebrate local success
By Maureen Fitzgerald
Presented once again by PSEG Long Island, the fifth annual Herald Long Island Choice Awards Gala has quickly become one of the region’s signature contests and business recognition events. The program brings together hundreds of businesses and organizations across categories spanning dining, healthcare, home services, wellness, professional services, retail, entertainment and more.
Hosted by RichnerLIVE on May 19 at the Crest Hollow Country Club, the evening featured a cocktail reception, networking, dinner and the highly anticipated live winner reveal — with honorees learning their placements in real time throughout the evening. From the moment guests stepped into cocktail hour, the atmosphere carried an unmistakable buzz as finalists mingled and snapped photos in front of the glowing LI Choice Awards LED sign.
The applause erupted repeatedly as winners crossed the stage to accept their awards, with cheers echoing throughout the packed ballroom.
For many attendees, the evening represented more than just an awards gala; it was a celebration of resilience, growth and community recognition after years spent building businesses across Nassau and Suffolk counties.
“This evening is about celebrating the people and businesses that make our communities special,” said Stuart Richner, publisher of the Herald and CEO of Richner Communications, during opening remarks. “It is the people in this room that are the economic engines of our communities.”
This year’s continued partnership with PSEG Long Island also reinforced the utility’s longstanding focus on supporting the region’s small business community through its Business First advocate programs, which provide guidance, energy efficiency resources and rebate opportunities to help local businesses grow and operate more sustainably. The utility company — ranked No. 1 by J. D. Power in business customer satisfaction — has granted over $3.5 million to help businesses lower operating costs, improve sustainability, and create jobs.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities,” said Veronica Isaac, Senior Manager Customer and Community Partnerships, during the evening’s program. “Without your hard work, we would not have so many thriving downtown districts and beyond here on Long Island. Investing in and promoting small businesses will power the future of Long Island.”
The event also underscored how the LI Choice Awards has evolved beyond recognition. Drawing hundreds of thousands of votes across the region during the months-long public voting campaign, the program has become a platform that strengthens visibility for local businesses while fostering new partnerships and meaningful connections across industries. For many of
A beautiful poolside setting provided the perfect backdrop for an evening of networking and
the evening’s winners, the recognition has translated into tangible business growth, customer trust and lasting community credibility.
“Winning the Long Island Choice Award five years in a row for Best Auto Repair Shop, has been incredibly rewarding for our business. Because the award is voted on by the public, it means a great deal to know our customers continue to support and believe in us,” shared Kevin Killelea,
owner of Rockville Centre Auto Repair.
“The recognition has helped our business grow and flourish, while reinforcing the trust and reputation we’ve worked hard to build within the community.”
Sharing the same five-year milestone win, the Theralympic Speech Therapy team celebrated by extending “A huge thank you to our wonderful clients for believing in us, and to our
dedicated team for the care, passion, and heart you bring every single day. We couldn’t do this without you!!”
“Winning the past few years is especially meaningful because it reflects the trust our patients place in us every day,” said Dr. Howard Goodman, Long Island Weight Loss Doctor.
This year’s winners and finalists can be found in the LI Herald 2026 LI Choice Winners Guide and online at LIChoiceawards.com.
Photos by Tim Baker/Melissa Baptiste/Michael Rechter
celebration.
Proud sponsor PSEG Long Island was represented by Matt Connors, left, Andrew Cacioppo, Jordan Isaac, Veronica Isaac, Krista Kester, Sean Galvis, and Amy Di Leo.
Photos by Tim Baker/Melissa Baptiste/Michael Rechter
The winning team at Ambiance Salon and Spa took home multiple categories.
Erik Andrieux, Esq. of Andrieux Law, PLLC, was named finalist in multiple categories.
Six generations of Bagel Boss, one winning team.
The team at Discover Long Island, a proud supporting partner.
Future Stars Summer Camp’s winning team were all smiles after their big victory. Geri Barish, right, Executive Director of Hewlett House, accepts her award.
Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group, LLC’s winning team members. PSEG attendees Krista Kester and Sean Galvis enjoy cocktail hour poolside.
Marianne Bochilo of Peaceful Yoga is pleased to be a winner.
Harry Cohen, left, of Men on the Move beams after their big win.
Dr. Ryan Sugarman of Memorial Sloan Kettering, second from left, accepts his award.
Photos by Tim Baker/Melissa Baptiste/Michael Rechter
Laura D’Amato (second, right) and team members of Apple Bank were among the winners.
Winners Rachael Berg and Dr. Beth Raskin of Kulanu Academy.
FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle
Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers
Take advantage of on-site health screenings
Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences
Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A
Win raffles, prizes, and giveaways
Snack station for all
*Boxed lunches for first 150 attendees
All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.
HERALD SPORTS
A salute to 2025-26 sports champions
By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com
It was a banner season for not only the New York Knicks but also for many high school athletic teams in the Herald’s coverage area. Listed are the top team accomplishments, in chronological order.
1. Seaford girls soccer
It was a full-circle moment for Kaylie Conklin and 11 other Seaford seniors. Conklin scored off a rebound in the 11th minute of the Nassau Class A girls’ soccer championship game Nov. 1 and that’s all the offense the Vikings needed to capture their second county title in four years, 1-0 over Plaindege. The lone goal originated from a corner kick off the foot of Meghan Stovall, and Grace Cullingford was credited with the assist. Goalkeeper Caden Calderaro had the shutout.
2. Oceanside girls soccer
Fresh off its first county title in 45 years, Oceanside’s girls soccer engineered another historic victory Nov. 2, fending off surging Syosset, 2-0, to repeat as Nassau Class AAA champions. The Sailors won it behind a lights-out performance from goalkeeper Ella Murray and goals from Ava Bowers and Gianna Visone. Bowers scored unassisted in the 9th minute and assisted on Visone’s insurance goal in the 51st minute. Oceanside also took its first Long Island title, defeating Northport 1-0 on Cathryn Evans’ overtime goal Nov. 8.
3. South Side girls soccer
South Side had to work overtime and beyond to capture its third county title in the past five seasons. For a second straight game, the Cyclones needed some penalty kick magic to emerge as Nassau Class AA girls’ soccer champions. After battling top-seeded Garden City to a 1-1 draw through 80 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime in the final, they outscored the Trojans 4-3 in PKs Nov. 2. Molly Barry, South Side’s sixth shooter, delivered the golden PK goal and immediately jumped into the waiting arms of goalkeeper Abby Gruner, who not only made two dynamic PK saves but also scored.
4. South Side girls volleyball
South Side’s 32-year wait ended. The Cyclones won the New York State Class A girls’ volleyball championship Nov. 22, outlasting Williamsville South 25-22, 18-25, 25-18, 18-25, 15-12 in Glens Falls. It was their second state title in program history and first since 1993, when the program captured the Class B crown. The decisive fifth set embodied everything about the Cyclones’ resilience.
They fell behind 5-1 before storming back with a 7-2 run sparked by two kills and a serving ace from Keira Mullaney. They led 8-7 at the side switch, and after Williamsville tied it at 11, the Cyclones seized control by scoring four of the final five points to claim the title.
5. Seaford football
To win a county championship, the Seaford football team needed to exorcise some demons. On Halloween, the Vikings suffered their lone loss of the season to a scary good Plainedge team at their intimidating home stadium. In a true team effort, Seaford put the memories of that defeat to bed by defeating the Red Devils, 21-7, to capture the Nassau Conference IV title Nov. 22. Seaford’s opening statement was a 12-play, 65-yard drive in which quarterback Michael Spinella (165 yards, two touchdowns) went 7-of-8, connecting with Mark Villeck and Peter Barone as well as Brian Falk, who capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to put the Vikings in front.
6. Wantagh football
Down 14 points to Bethpage early in the second quarter of the Nassau Conference III football championship game
Nov. 22, Wantagh didn’t flinch. The fourth-seeded Warriors cut the margin to one by halftime and eventually built a 14-point lead of their own before holding on for a 28-21 victory over the Golden Eagles. Luke Martini had three offensive touchdowns and an interception on defense. It marked the first time in program history Wantagh has captured back-to-back county titles. It lost 19 players from last year’s Nassau Conference IV and Long Island Class IV championship team.
7. Massapequa football
Massapequa’s football team made history Nov. 28, defeating Ward Melville, 14-12, to win the Long Island Class I title. The Chiefs joined William Floyd as the only teams in the Long Island Championship’s 33-year history to win three consecutive Class I crowns. The Colonials did so from 2005-07. And Massapequa, which topped Oceanside for the Nassau Conference I crown, did it by going undefeated for the ninth time in program history and the second time in the last three years.
8. Plainedge girls basketball
The No. 4 seed in the Nassau Class A girls’ basketball playoffs left no doubt
who’s No. 1. Junior-led Plainedge capped a sensational county tournament run March 6 with a resounding 48-28 victory over Floral Park in the championship game. “It’s really amazing and unbelievable,” said Allison Younghans, who led all scorers with 17 points. It’s the second county title in five seasons and third all-time for the Red Devils, who beat Shoreham-Wading River for the L.I. title. Maddie Belz scored 10 points off the bench, and Peyton Wise and Michela Netto added 9 and 7 points, respectively.
9. South Side boys basketball
In a packed Farmingdale State College gymnasium March 7, South Side gave Roslyn a taste of its own medicine, dropping a season-high 82 points in capturing the Nassau Class AA boys basketball championship game by a 15-point margin. Roslyn averaged 75 points but was held to 20 in the opening half and 67 on the night as the Cyclones captured their second county title in four years. South Side went on a 22-2 run from the last bucket of the first quarter to the end of the opening half, to take a 32-20 halftime lead. Trevor Walsh recorded eight of his career-high 23 points during the surge, while Ryan Schmitt, John Pericolosi, Connor Erickson and Kieran Vetter combined for the other 14 points.
10. Baldwin boys basketball
It was a freak accident at a practice in early January when Rian Gittens heard the pop in his knee and immediately thought the worst. “I thought my season was over,” the senior forward said. It was another example of adversity in a season full of it for the Baldwin boys basketball team. So when the Bruins were slow coming out of the gate and trailed by 13 in the second quarter of the Nassau Class AAA championship game March 7, it was just the latest obstacle for Baldwin to hurdle. Enter Gittens, who in his first game back from a torn MCL provided the needed offensive spark to help top-seeded Baldwin defeat Port Washington, 47-40, to win a sixth consecutive county title.
11. Baldwin girls basketball
In a Baldwin’s once-comfortable 19-point lead over Walt Whitman in the Long Island Class AAA girls’ basketball title game whittled down to five with less than three minutes remaining when its lone returning starter from last season’s state championship team made sure it wouldn’t be her high school finale. Senior guard Alyssa Polonia’s long trey from the top of the key with 2:46 to go provided the dagger in Baldwin’s 54-46 victory March 11. Her four free throws in the final minute sealed the program’s
Erik Lee/Herald
Massapequa won its third straight Long Island football title.
SPORTS
Local teams celebrated historic seasons
eighth L.I. crown in head coach Tom Catapano’s 17 seasons at the helm. Polonia had a team-high 17 points, Malia Robinson added 11 and Ajeya Nicholas chipped in 8.
12. MacArthur flag football
Alexa Coppola caught a pass through the heavy rainfall from junior quarterback Gina Iannuzzi and toe-tapped in the back of the end zone to secure MacArthur’s first flag football county title May 23 at LIU Post over Plainedge, 13-9, in the Class B championship game. On fourth and goal from the 9-yard line, Iannuzzi rolled right and found a leaping Coppola, who got one foot down with just a few turf pellets between her toe and the white out-of-bounds line. The Generals went on to capture the L.I. Class B crown.
13. Massapequa girls lacrosse
Massapequa girls lacrosse ran away with the Nassau Class A championship May 27, defeating Syosset 13-5 to take the county title in convincing fashion. Savanna Appleton led the way with four goals and four assists. In a three-game playoff stretch that also included victories over East Meadow and Port Washington, Massapequa outscored opponents 43-10, a commanding run as the top seed. The Chiefs have won nine county championships in the last 11 years, including six straight since 2021.
14. South Side girls lacrosse
Tara Cody was unfazed when South Side’s girls lacrosse season hung in the balance in the final minute of the Nassau Class C final against Wantagh May 28. The senior goalie squared up for her
second free position shot in a matter of minutes in a tie game, but unlike the first attempt Cody made a crucial low stick save. Cody’s clutch stop, one of her eight on the day, set the stage for more heroics at the other end of the field when freshman Juliet Diorio scored with just 2.3 seconds left to propel South Side to an 8-7 victory and a repeat county title.
15. Massapequa softball
Dropping three straight games to Oceanside didn’t faze defending Nassau and Long Island Class AAA softball champ Massapequa. The Chiefs, who fell twice to the Sailors during the regular season and dropped the best-of-three county finals series opener, stayed alive with a wild come-from-behind victory in Game 2 and kept the momentum going in the third and deciding game for a repeat. Samantha Dolan went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, Sienna Erker scored three runs and pitcher Alexa O’Mallon scattered five hits as Massapequa squeaked past Oceanside, 7-6, May 29 for its fifth county title in six years.
16. Wantagh boys lacrosse
Wantagh captured its third straight Nassau Class C boys lacrosse championship June 1, rolling to a 15-7 victory over South Side. Warriors goalie Gianni Passaro came up huge, making 15 saves. Martini, Matt Giacobello and Sean Stachlik each had three goals and one assist, Joe Nicholson and Carter Loughman had two goals and two assists apiece, and Devin Paccione had two goals to lead Wantagh’s high-octane offense. The Warriors advanced to beat Sayville, 12-11, for their second straight Long Island title.
17. Wantagh softball
It was fitting the Long Island Class A softball championship game ended with a strikeout from Wantagh’s Lucy Olore. The junior pitcher fanned 12 and provided all the offensive support she’d need with a two-run single in the top of the first inning of the Warriors’ 3-0 victory over two-time defending champion Miller Place June 6. It was Wantagh’s third L.I. title and first since 1990 — also won on the same date that year.
18. Calhoun softball
Five days after capturing their first Nassau County title, the Colts added another chapter to the history books. Calhoun had never played for a Long Island softball title before June 6, but the Colts proved more than worthy of sharing the same stage with defending Class AA champion East Islip. Featuring a wicked curveball, sophomore pitcher Sophia Nicastro was dialed in. She struck out 14 and allowed only six baserunners in a dominant performance to lead a 7-1 victory.
19. Kennedy baseball
It was a dream season for Bellmore JFK baseball. After dramatically winning their first county championship, the Cougars claimed their first Long Island crown, defeating Hauppauge, 9-3, to win the Class AA title June 6. Ryan Yormack set the tone with a leadoff double in the first inning and scored on an error. A sacrifice fly by Matt Toliplano gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Dylan Babek got the win on the mound and Derek Yormack retired all six batters he faced for the save.
20. Plainedge baseball
With Plainedge’s Taylor Nitsch and Kings Park’s Everett Zarzicki on the mound, it wasn’t going to take many runs to come away with the Long Island Class A baseball championship June 6. And it was the bat of an unlikely source, Dylan Loccisano, who provided all the offense the Red Devils needed to capture their first L.I. title since 2012. The backup catcher’s two-run, basesloaded single to right with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning was all Plainedge needed to secure a 2-0 victory.
21. Massapequa baseball
Massapequa ace Jack Scannapieco was back and made sure the Chiefs were back on top of the mountain, defeating Liverpool, 7-1, to capture the New York State Class AAA baseball championship at Binghamton University June 13. Scannapieco earned the win, allowing one earned run on five hits, while striking out five with one walk in five innings. Joe Genova went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored for Massapequa, which defeated Port Washington for the Nassau County title and Connetquot for the Long Island crown.
22. Massapequa boys lacrosse
The freight train known as Massapequa’s boys lacrosse team made one final stop in Geneva. The Chiefs’ offense hummed like a locomotive once again, producing at least four goals in every quarter of their 19-9 victory over West Genessee in the New York State Class A championship game June 14. Rocco Spallina had four goals and Nolan Wieczorek and Jake Byrnes added hat tricks.
Continued FRoM PReViouS Page
Media Origin Inc./Herald
alyssa Polonia and Baldwin captured the L.i. Class aaa crown. BRINGING
Erik Lee/Herald
Kennedy’s baseball team made history with the program’s first county and Long island titles.
West Hempstead seniors celebrate graduation
Hundreds of West Hempstead Secondary School seniors, dressed in blue caps and gowns, celebrated their graduation during the district’s commencement ceremony on June 28 at the Tilles Center at LIU Post.
Family members, friends, faculty and administrators gathered to honor the Class of 2026 as graduates received their diplomas and prepared for the next chapter of their lives.
The ceremony featured remarks from valedictorian Victoria Hasan, salutatorian Valerie Schreck and senior class president Jayden Leslie, who reflected on the class’s achievements and encouraged their classmates to embrace the future.
Superintendent Dan Rehman and Principal Joseph Pumo also addressed the graduates, reinforcing the district’s theme, “WHe Rise Together,” while recognizing the perseverance, leadership and accomplishments of the graduating class.
The ceremony concluded with the traditional turning of the tassels and cap toss, marking the official graduation of the Class of 2026.
–Alyssa R. Griffin
Tim Baker/Herald photos
Hundreds of West Hempstead students filled the Tilles Center at LIU Post for th 2026 commencement.
Salutatorian Valerie Schreck delivered her speech to her peers.
Graduates eagerly awaited the closing of the ceremony, as they set off on their new journeys.
The West Hempstead Chorus Graduates performed Alma Mater during the ceremony.
Valedictorian Victoria Hasan spoke to the class of 2026 as they embark on this new chapter.
AMERICA
By ANDREW FRANCIS afrancis@liherald.com
During the 250 years of its existence, the United States has experienced many domestic and global triumphs in large part due to the sacrifices and contributions of the millions of individuals who served in the military in various capacities.
In recognition of the ongoing service active-duty military members and veterans have offered this nation, several Long Island veterans shared their reflections on their service and what the celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary signifies to them.
Bill Morris, North Bellmore
Morris served in U.S. Army from 1962 to 1965, and was stationed in Arlington, Virginia, as a part of the Old Guard that watches over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The memorial serves as a symbolic resting place for the many soldiers who died and whose remains were unidentifiable due to the state of the body, poor record keeping or technological limitations of the time.
DHe expressed that it was an honor to be a part of the Old Guard and serving the country in a unique way. In addition to guarding the tomb, he was a part of different ceremonies at the White House and parades at the Washington Monument.
espite all of our differences, the country goes on — and we celebrate our heritage and our victories.
— BILL MoRRIS
Morris also was a part of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s funeral in 1963 when JFK was assassinated in Dallas. When asked about what America 250 signifies to him, he reflected on how much history he had been a part of.
“It signifies that I’m getting old, because I remember the 200th anniversary,” he joked. “(The 250th) anniversary just shows that the country, despite all of our differences, goes on and we celebrate our heritage and we celebrate our victories.”
For America’s 250th, looking back on service
Photos courtesy Bill Morris
Bill Morris said he’s been “honored” to have participated in several emotional ceremonies, including the funeral of President John F. Kennedy.
Bill Morris has received several recognitions and awards for his service in the Old Guard.
Morris added that he hopes to see the U.S. government provide additional support for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and encourages the country to care more for veterans.
“There’s way too many veterans on the street,” he said. “Too many on drugs. They need more care, they need more mental health (resources), they need more benefits. And I know the Veterans Affairs are trying to do that.”
Lomonaco Angelo, Lynbrook
Angelo, a U.S. Navy veteran who served from 1951 to 1955, also worked as a New York City police
Carmel
as a
Deliah Roberts/Herald Herald reporter Andrew Francis with U.S. veteran Marie Carmel Houanche at the 2026 Freeport Memorial Day Ceremony at Freeport High School.
officer for 20 years. He said that the nation’s 250th birthday is “meaningful” and he also hopes to see the legacy of veterans honored better.
“People, don’t forget the veterans,” he asks, mentioning “the different eras to World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, until the present.”
Angelo does his part to try to honor fellow veterans by volunteering at the New York State Veterans Home in St. Albans.
Marie Carmel Houanche, Freeport
Houanche was a nurse in the U.S. Army for 20 years being sta-
tioned in Houston, Texas and other areas of the country. Despite retiring from the military in 2011, she has remained tied to it by serving as chaplain at the American Legion’s William Clinton Story Post No. 342 in Freeport.
Despite having not been a typical soldier, Houanche said that her experiences were transformative since she was required to still meet the same physical fitness requirements that regular soldiers met. She also learned how to speak French, Korean, French, Creole, Spanish, English and a bit of Russian throughout her life of service.
Houanche said that America’s 250th anniversary is both a celebration of progress and independence.
T here’s way too many veterans on the street. They need more care, more mental health resources and more benefits.
— BILL MoRRIS
“The reason that we celebrate the 250th anniversary is because we have our freedom and independence, and if it wasn’t for the military, all the different branches working together, we wouldn’t be free today.”
Stephen Nicolino, Freeport
Nicolino, who recently celebrated his 94th birthday, was a U.S. Air Force traffic controller from 1952 to 1956. After graduating from high school, the same day as the Korean War started, he reported to basic training at the now closed Sampson Air Force Base in Seneca Lake, New York, and went on to be stationed at bases in Massachusetts and England. Following his service, he went on to graduate from Hofstra University with a degree in business administration. When asked about America 250, he said that he and his family have loved the U.S. for over a century.
“My parents came from Italy in 1921 and never looked back,” Nicolino said. “He became a citizen within five years of being here in the United States.”
Nicolino’s family ties to service and patriotism extends to his brother Benedetto Nicolino, who was a Suffolk County police officer in the 1950s and 1960s who would become the first Long Island police officer with a K-9 dog.
Courtesy Marie Carmel Houanche
Marie
Houanche worked
nurse in the U.S. Army for 20 years before serving as an American Legion chaplain.
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LONG ISLAND’S 2026 STAYCATION GUIDE
Celebrate America’s 250th at the Cradle of Aviation Museum!
Summer 2026 Starts Here.
See a real Lunar Module
Watch a Giant-Screen Movie
Walk the Air & Space Trail
Discover Aviation History
Sit in an Airplane Cockpit
Eat Astronaut Ice Cream
This year, skip the airport lines, expensive hotels, and rising travel costs. America’s 250th anniversary is happening right here in your own backyard.
Join us for a summer-long celebration of aviation, innovation, exploration, and discover with special exhibits, family events, and full-dome films on Long Island’s largest screen!
From early air fields to the Moon, Long Island helped shape America’s story. Come celebrate where history took flight. Scan the QR code or visit www.cradleofaviation.org/celebrate250 for a complete list of ongoing celebrations and special events.
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AMERICA
By HUNTER FENOLLOL hfenollol@liherald.com
Joe Gaeta remembers spotting mines off Normandy
When Joe Gaeta looks at the American flag today, the feeling is simple.
“I’m proud of myself,” he said.
The Wantagh resident turned 99 on March 9, making him one of the last surviving members of the generation that fought and served during World War II. More than eight decades after helping support the Allied invasion of Normandy, Gaeta still carries memories of the war — and of the unlikely journey that took him there.
Gaeta grew up in the Ravenswood section of Long Island City during the Great Depression. Life was difficult. His family of five lived in a one-bedroom apartment, and there was no refrigerator, only an icebox, filled with blocks of ice delivered to the neighborhood.
“We didn’t have heat,” he recalled. “We had kerosene, and all our clothes stunk of kerosene.”
His parents worked at a local cigar company, as did many of their neighbors. Gaeta attended P.S. 83 but never went to high school. Instead, he entered the workforce and later became a laborer in construction.
At 17, with many of his older friends already serving, Gaeta decided he wanted to enlist.
“All my friends were gone,” he said. “I told my father I wanted to go.”
His parents were not thrilled by the decision, but they signed the paperwork, allowing him to join the U.S. Navy.
Gaeta served aboard a ship that transported troops to Normandy during the D-Day campaign. While thousands of soldiers stormed the beaches, he spent much of his time below deck in the engine room, making sure gauges and equipment were functioning properly.
“I didn’t see nothing,” he said with a laugh. “I was in the engine room.”
But he certainly heard the battle. During breaks, the sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed around the ship. After the invasion, his vessel helped recover American soldiers from the water.
“We picked up a lot of dead bodies,” he recalled quietly. “I was 17-years-old.”
Gaeta was among the youngest men aboard his ship. While many of the sailors around him worried about wives and children back home, the teenager’s concerns were much different.
Veterans reflect on service, role in American history
“A lot of guys had families,” he recalled. “Me, I’m 17-years-old. I’m talking about the Yankees and the Giants.”
Decades later, he still remembers viewing the war through the eyes of a teenager.
“To me, it was a great adventure,” he said. “It really didn’t dawn on me until I was about 21 what I did.”
T o me, it was a great adventure. It really didn’t dawn on me until I was about 21 what I did.
— JOE GaETa
One of Gaeta’s most important contributions came because of his exceptional eyesight. Navy officials recognized his ability to see long distances and frequently assigned him to the crow’s nest whenever the ship entered dangerous waters.
Twice, he spotted enemy mines.
The discoveries allowed naval crews to destroy the mines and alter the routes of ships following behind, helping protect countless service members.
“They made all the ships behind us take a different route,” Gaeta said proudly.
For his efforts, he received a reward that still makes him smile more than 80 years later: a day off and a steak dinner with the ship’s chef.
“They made a big deal out of me,” he said.
After the war, Gaeta returned home to a difficult job market as thousands of veterans searched for work. He found a path into the bricklayer’s union and built a career in the trades.
Today, he remains active with veter-
an’s organizations, including AMVETS and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. During local parades, he often rides at the front.
“I’m the only World War II veteran,” he said. “When I walk in there, they make a big deal out of me.”
For Gaeta, service was never about recognition. But he hopes younger generations appreciate the sacrifices made by those who wore the uniform.
“You’re giving your life for your country,” he said. “It’s not something everybody does.”
Seaford Legion leader on service, sacrifice after 9/11 return to duty
For David VanderWerf, military service wasn’t a single chapter in his life — it was something he returned to when the country called again.
VanderWerf, adjutant of Edwin Welsh Jr. American Legion Post 1132 in Seaford and first division commander in the Nassau County American Legion, first enlisted at 17 in the National Guard and Reserve. But after the Sept. 11 attacks, he found himself drawn back to active duty.
“The impetus behind joining the regular Army was 9/11,” he said.
Raised in Glen Rock, N.J., VanderWerf said his interest in the military began early through a love of history and military simulation games with his father. Family members also served, including an uncle who flew bombing missions in World War II and another who spent decades in the Army Reserve.
After reentering service in 2003, VanderWerf deployed to South Korea,
where he spent nearly three years stationed near the Demilitarized Zone. There, he worked in combat arms on M1 Abrams tanks, serving as a driver, loader, gunner and briefly a tank commander.
A typical day, he said, began with physical training before long hours maintaining and repairing tanks in the motor pool. But the job also came with moments of high tension. He recalled monthly alerts simulating a potential North Korean attack, including one during the period when North Korea conducted its first nuclear test.
“We didn’t know why we were on alert at the time,” he said. “We were just ready.”
He also remembers the heavy responsibility of training soldiers who were later deployed to Iraq, some of whom were injured or killed in combat.
Despite those experiences, VanderWerf said morale among troops remained strong, grounded in camaraderie and shared purpose.
Today, VanderWerf has continued that sense of service through the American Legion, where he helps veterans navigate benefits, assists with community programs and participates in military funeral honors.
“Veterans and their families sacrificed a lot,” he said. “Freedom’s not free.”
For VanderWerf, the transition back to civilian life led him into leadership roles in restaurants and, later, continued community service on Long Island. But he said the core lesson of his military experience remains the same: service does not end when the uniform comes off.
Wantagh honors Revolutionary War patriot Thomas Jackson
As Wantagh residents gathered to honor veterans this Memorial Day, one of the community’s earliest patriots was remembered once again: Thomas Jackson, a Revolutionary War soldier whose roots run deep in the history of the hamlet.
Born on Dec. 24, 1754, in a house that once stood near present-day Jones Avenue, Jackson became an active supporter of the American cause during the fight for independence. Historical records show that he signed Queens County’s “Petition of Association” on Jan. 19, 1776 — a local declaration of support for the colonies’ break from British rule.
Jackson served as a private in the 4th Regiment of New York troops and helped defend local interests during the Revolutionary War. On Aug. 13, 1776, he received bounty funds for men assigned to protect livestock in Queens County before the Battle of Long Island, preventing supplies from falling into Brit-
Courtesy Joe Gaeta
World War II veteran Joe Gaeta remembers his military service with pride.
AMERICA
ish hands. He also participated in the capture of Fort St. George in 1780.
Following the war, Jackson remained a prominent local resident. In 1803, he built a large home in what is now Wantagh.
Jackson died on Nov. 29, 1842, and is buried in the Jackson Cemetery on Wantagh Avenue. More than 180 years later, his grave continues to serve as a reminder of Wantagh’s connection to the nation’s founding and the sacrifices made by its earliest patriots.
Reflecting on service during ‘forgotten war’
For Anthony Heckl, memories of military service stretch back more than seven decades, but some moments remain as clear as ever.
Heckl, a longtime Seaford resident and member of the Edwin Welsh Jr. American Legion Post 1132, served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War. Though he was only 19 when he enlisted, the experience left a lasting impression.
By ANDREW FRANCIS afrancis@liherald.com
Laura Smith and Stacey Rose, whose ancestors have served in the U.S. military since the Revolutionary War, were named the co-grand marshals of the Village of Freeport’s Memorial Day Parade. Despite the parade being cancelled due to rain, the pair were honored during an indoor ceremony.
I’m just proud to know that I’m part of these courageous people’s bloodline, and it informs me.
StACEy RoSE
Co-grand marshal, Freeport Memorial Day Parade
Smith is an attorney who lives in Seaford and has many ties to Freeport, including owning a home in the village. She is a descendant of Revolutionary era figures Adam Smith and Benjamin Raynor, the latter the namesake of Raynortown, which eventually became Freeport.
Adam Smith joined patriotic brigades along the Long Island’s North Shore at 44 years-old, while Raynor was only 20 when he joined the fight for American independence.
Laura Smith said that she was tremendously honored by the invitation to be one of the grand marshals, and hoped that the values her family, and so many others, have fought for are maintained today.
“These guys kind of bucked a trend, since it was very loyalist around here on the South Shore,” she said, referring to
For generations of heroes, anniversary offers time to reflect
“I was 19 when I went in and 22 when I came out,” Heckl said.
A native of Manhattan, Heckl said his path into military service began almost by accident. During a New Year’s Eve gathering in 1950, a friend in the National Guard challenged him to enlist. Two days later, Heckl and another friend signed up.
His service took him from California to Korea and later Japan. Assigned to a construction engineer unit, he worked in supply, helping ensure soldiers had the equipment and clothing they needed.
The memory that stayed with him most was not the military work itself, but the devastation he witnessed in Korea.
“When I got there, it was the poverty and the devastation,” Heckl recalled. “It made me wonder what it’s all about. Why war?”
Korea’s harsh winters presented another challenge. Heckl remembered shortages of winter clothing and boots, making it difficult to keep troops supplied during the bitter cold.
One of his proudest accomplishments was helping make sure soldiers in his company had the gear they needed.
“We were trying to keep the troops in clothing,” he said.
Not every memory was difficult. Heckl fondly recalled helping build a 250-bed hospital in the city of Taegu. When the project was completed, he and his fellow soldiers were thanked by the nurses.
“At the end of it, all the nurses kissed us,” he said with a laugh.
Returning home after the war was not always easy. Unlike veterans of other conflicts, many Korean War veterans felt their service received little public recognition.
“At least the Vietnam veterans got cursed at,” Heckl joked. “They didn’t even know I was gone.”
Today, after more than 60 years on Long Island, Heckl remains active with the Seaford American Legion, where he continues to honor the friendships, service and sacrifices that defined his generation.
Grand marshals honor their Revolutionary War ancestors
Smith and Raynor. “It was kind of a dangerous thing to do, and certainly unpopular that they did go against the tide.”
Smith also added that the legacies of
her ancestors inspire her to want to see the values of independence and fair representation upheld in today’s America.
“The government should be behold-
en to the people and should adhere to what it is that the people want, and not to forget that it’s for the people of the country,” she said. “Some people, they seem to be forgetting that.”
Rose, who has lived in Freeport for 40 years, is a substitute teacher at John W. Dodd Middle School, also in the village. She is a descendant of Benjamin Lattimore Sr., an enslaved Black man who was freed and later served in continental armies in New York during the Revolutionary War.
Lattimore’s descendants leading up to Rose have been very involved military service, abolitionist movements and civil rights. She speaks highly of the inspiration that her relatives provide and boldly works with her family to honor their legacy through publicly discussing the harsh treatments that Black U.S. service members and citizens often faced during the past 250 years.
“There’s a lot of Black American’s who have served in various capacities,” Rose said. “(President George) Washington didn’t want us in the military, but we were losing.”
Despite the wounds of persistent racism, Rose added she is honored to “give voice to my ancestors and give voice to everyone who served and continues to serve.”
“I’m just proud to know that I’m part of these courageous people’s bloodline, and it informs me,” Rose said during the Freeport ceremony. “It informs me the work is not over. Democracy is always a work in progress, a fragile idea. Today’s patriots are those who give military service for our country. … Our 250th anniversary is a time to reflect and think about the sacrifice of those who are no longer with us.”
Deliah Roberts/Herald
Stacey Rose, left, and Laura Smith, right, the two grand marshals for the parade, with Marie Carmel Houanche, chaplain of American Legion William Clinton Story Post 342.
Andrew Francis/Herald
Despite the rain, Phillip Matragas, Mayor Robert Kennedy and Laura Smith were still able to briefly enjoy riding in a Mustang convertible after the Memorial Day ceremony.
AMERICA
Look into the future
Julianna M. Birch Elementary School
Samuel G. Birch Elementary School
Hannah N. Birch Elementary School
Maddy K. Birch Elementary School
STEPPING OUT
Block party
The nation’s story comes to life at L.I. Children’s Museum
By Abbey Salvemini
Excitement is building as we head into Fourth of July weekend. All ages can find meaning and inspiration in this milestone 250th anniversary: even play takes on a patriotic twist. Long Island Children’s Museum provides young visitors a hands-on way to connect with America’s story as only kids can — by building and imagining. Through creativity and play, children can explore the country’s landscapes, wildlife and enduring symbols that are found in the museum’s “Red, White & Blue Blocks” exhibition.
At its core, the exhibit, which runs through Sept. 6, is built around a concept children readily understand. For Aimee Terzulli, the museum’s vice president of program and visitor experience, the best way to introduce young visitors to the 250th anniversary was to frame it as a birthday celebration — one on a truly grand scale.
“Birthdays are such a big part of what kids love,” Terzulli says. “We wanted to recognize and really lean into the celebration.”
The exhibit features large blue foam building blocks paired with red, white and blue accessories that encourage open-ended creativity. Inspired by the stars and stripes of the American flag, block building lets kids imagine what futures they will build together.
Throughout the first floor gallery space, prompts invite families to build birthday cakes, create monuments and design perches for bald eagles, our national bird.
The museum also incorporated an environmental and geographic component by highlighting animals native to the United States.
Large murals showcase species including buffalo, elk, mountain goats, beavers and alligators, while children can use animal puppets and blocks to create habitats inspired by each creature’s natural environment.
“This country is just so beautiful,” Terzulli says. “There are so many environmental aesthetics and animals that are indigenous just to America.”
Everyone is encouraged to study the murals for inspiration and think critically about the environments different animals call home. Some may build rugged mountain landscapes for goats, while others design swampy habitats for alligators complete with rivers
and marshes. What begins as a building exercise often opens the door to deeper discussions about ecosystems and the natural world.
“It’s really beautiful to see families looking at the murals and saying, ‘I don’t know if I’ve spent enough time traveling America’” Terzulli continues. “Our landscape is so unique.”
The exhibit’s open-ended design encourages children to chart their own creative paths. While some build patriotic displays or towering birthday cakes, others tackle ambitious engineering projects, from roller coasters to replicas of famous landmarks. No two building sessions look quite the same.
Terzulli recalls one child attempting to recreate Mount Rushmore with the oversized foam blocks. Other visitors have become fascinated with beavers, constructing dams after discovering the important role the animals play in shaping ecosystems.
• Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.
- 5 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• View the events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
• Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
“The beautiful thing is they’re organic, and they allow the learning to spring up for whatever the family’s interest is,” she adds.
One particularly popular challenge involves designing perches for bald eagles.
“I’m loving seeing these perches for the eagle, because they get really competitive,” Terzulli says.
A cozy reading area stocked with books on geography, wildlife and state symbols extends the learning beyond the block-building space. The educational approach, according to Terzulli, reflects the museum’s broader vision for its America 250 programming — one that emphasizes exploration and celebration rather than history lessons. Her team intentionally took a different approach from many America 250 initiatives, focusing less on historical interpretation and more on helping children celebrate and connect with the country in age-appropriate ways.
“We’re not really doing the historical element,” she explains. “We felt like we’d leave that to historical homes and foundations. Ours is more about our country’s birthday.”
Beyond play, the exhibit and its companion programs are intended to foster shared family memories that can last a lifetime. Terzulli vividly remembers celebrating America’s Bicentennial in 1976 as a child and relates that today’s young visitors may someday reflect on the nation’s 250th birthday with similar fondness.
“I remember wearing a little bonnet and making a poster that said 1776 and marching with my siblings and cousins in [this] parade,” she recalls. “I want kids to remember where they were; so that when they’re my age, they’ll have a reflective moment.”
At its heart the exhibit is designed to foster the kinds of shared experiences that families carry with them long after the blocks have been put away. Amid the excitement surrounding America’s 250th, Terzulli sees the celebration as an opportunity to pause, connect and find joy together.
As Terzulli puts it: “Coming together and celebrating what makes life full of joy is important.”
Sky-high salute to America’s 250th
Jones Beach is ready to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a spectacular three-day holiday weekend extravaganza. This year’s edition of the FourLeaf Air Show combines beachfront fireworks spectacle with one of the nation’s premier air shows, always an anticipated summer tradition. Festivities begin Saturday fireworks. The 25-minute display, presented by Garden State Fireworks, starts at 9:30 p.m. and will be synchronized to patriotic music. Sunday and Monday bring more excitement with the FourLeaf Air Show, headlined by the returning U.S. Navy Blue Angels. In a historic international tribute, the lineup also features the Royal Air Force Red Arrows making their first New York appearance, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds returning to Long Island for the first time since 2018, and the British Army Parachute Display Team Red Devils, among the exciting lineup. Together this is surely a signature semiquincentennial celebration that brings everyone together for a weekend honoring the nation’s history military service for a once-in-a-generation celebration.
Saturday through Monday, July 4-6. Jones Beach, Wantagh. More details available at fourleafairshow.com.
America’s birthday 19th century-style
Fourth of July is so much more than pyrotechnics. Step back in time into the 1800s at Old Bethpage Village Restoration for a more laid back type of holiday. The historic village transforms into a fully immersive living-history experience. Events include a patriotic parade through the village streets, military drills, and historical reenactments that bring the era to life. Guests can watch craft demonstrations showcasing traditional trades, enjoy storytelling sessions, and take in performances by a brass band echoing the music of the period. A reading of the Declaration of Independence offers a powerful reminder of the holiday’s origins, while old-time baseball — played by vintage rules — adds a spirited, hands-on touch of recreation. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and settle in with family and friends.
Sunday, July 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage. Visit
Photos courtesy LICM
Imagination takes shape in foam and color as children build within the Long Island Children’s Museum’s “Red, White & Blue Blocks” exhibit.
Your Neighborhood CALENDAR
JUL
2
Celebrate America
Eisenhower Park welcomes all to the county’s annual July 4th celebration. Glenn Strange, Chicken Head and Let Freedom Rock perform, followed by drone show and fireworks.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 5:30 p.m.
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200
Bubble Magic
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3
Long Island
Children’s Museum welcomes families to the Bubbles exhibit for some extra sudsy fun! Through playful, handson experiments explore what makes a bubble form, what makes them pop, and discover new creative ways to make bubbles at the drop-in program. For ages 3+.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
JUL 5
Family theater
Lance the Eagle invites families to “A Semi-QuincentenEAGLE Birthday” on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. In this original production, families are invited to celebrate his birthday. His message: As the national bird, this party will be happening throughout the whole month of July. Come to think of it, I did hear something about a birthday for the United States of America as well. Hmm...must be a coincidence! I’ll be throwing a parade through LICM’s galleries and a celebratory spectacle in the Theater. Come ready to party!” Keep an eye out 30 minutes before each show for a special interactive pre-show! For ages 3+. $5 with museum admission ($4 members), $10 theater only.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; also July 8
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
JUL
7
The Bronx Wanderers
The Bronx Wanderers visit the Paramount stage for a night of classic pop, rock, oldies and their signature brand of comedy. What do you get when a father, his two sons, and two high school classmates come together to create a show? A wildly entertaining mix of hilarious personal stories, a powerhouse playlist spanning every genre and decade, and one unforgettable family’s journey through life and music. Meet The Bronx Wanderers — a high-energy musical experience that’s been bringing audiences to their feet for over 20 years. With a unique blend of rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia, modern hits, and dynamic storytelling, this band has mastered the art of connecting with fans of all ages in one sweeping, musical tour de force. The Bronx Wanderers have spent seven years as a Top 5 show in Las Vegas out of 223 productions. They’ve earned 12 “Best of Las Vegas” awards, were named Best Tribute Show by Las Vegas Weekly in 2022, hold a prestigious residency at the South Point Hotel and Casino, and were inducted into the East Coast Music Hall of Fame. Their on-stage chemistry and infectious energy they bring night after night prove they’re still having the time of their lives — and by the end of the show, you will be too.
countries including Spain, Hong Kong, Ghana, Wales, Singapore, Gibraltar and Nigeria, along with productions from across the United States and a strong showcase of Long Island filmmakers. The festival opens with student film blocks at 6 and 9 p.m., including “Money Game,” winner of the 2026 Locust Valley Student Film Festival, directed by Justin Kwok. The diverse lineup includes documentaries, feature films, shorts, horror films, music videos and late-night screenings for mature audiences, along with workshops and more. Notable selections include “The Random Guest,” the final film featuring actor Peter Greene.
• Where: Bellmore Movies & Showplace, 222 PettitAve.,Bellmore
• Time: Varied, through July 16
• Contact: For a complete schedule and tickets, visit LIIFE2026.eventive.org
Lights, camera, Long Island!
The Long Island International Film Expo returns, bringing independent cinema from around the globe to local audiences. This year’s festival features 113 films representing
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under the stars at Eisenhower Park. See Disney/Pixar’s “Elio. The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and JUL
a huge alien obsession.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: Movie begins at dusk
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
Citizen Science: Monarch Larva
Monitoring Project
Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to be a citizen scientist and study monarch butterflies in the museum’s Milkweed Garden. By measuring plants, rainfall, and monarch eggs you will be collecting real data that scientists can analyze! Your data will help them understand butterfly migration and will help conserve this species. Each Wednesday, take a walk through this garden and see how the plants grow as habitat for visiting monarchs! To join, meet at the front desk. For ages 4+.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: Tuesdays, 2-3 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Harmonize with Long Island Harmonizers
Love to sing? So do the Long Island Harmonizers. The chapter of the Barbershop Harmony
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
Society is a chorus of more than 20 singers, now welcoming new members. The ensemble performs four-part a cappella harmony in the barbershop style, entertaining audiences throughout the area. All are welcome to visit one of their weekly rehearsals. Come listen, meet the chorus, and — if you’d like — join in and sing. No musical experience is necessary, just a love of singing and a desire to have fun making music together.
• Where: Faith Lutheran Church, 231 Jackson Ave, Syosset
• Time: Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
• Contact: Call: Rich, 516) 521-4779, or Dennis, (516) 680-8036, or visit longislandharmonizers.org
JUL
9
Oldies concert
Eisenhower Park goes all out for an oldies show.
E’Stefano diSanto, Johnny Farina, Bobby Wilson, Vito Picone & The Elegants and The Brookly Bridge perform.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
JUL
10
‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ The Madison Theatre’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” brings the beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber musical to the stage, retelling the biblical story of Joseph, his colorful coat and his rise from slavery to Pharaoh’s trusted advisor. Told entirely through song, the familyfriendly production features memorable numbers including “Any Dream Will Do,” “Close Every Door” and “One More Angel in Heaven,” blending musical styles from calypso to country-western. Suitable for audiences of all ages, the show continues to be one of the world’s most frequently performed musicals.
• Where: Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre
• Time: Various dates and times, through Aug. 2
• Contact: madisontheatreny. org or (516) 323-4444
JUL
11
Disco grooves Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series continues with Disco Unlimited. When Sista Soul, Sparkle Sista, Joe Cool, Strat Cat Ricky Smooth and The MacDaddy, all hit the stage, you are instantly transported to a time when Saturday nights meant white suits, platform shoes and your very best dance moves. And dance you will –when you experience the magic created when the boogie begins.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200
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.
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
LOCAL LAW NO. 59-2026
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 23rd day of June 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 59-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 59-2026, to amend Section 197-13 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include “TRAFFIC REGULATIONS IN THE VICINITY OF SCHOOLS” at location.
Dated: June 23, 2026 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 160983
LEGAL NOTICE CASE NO. 21527
RESOLUTION NO. 613-2026
Adopted: June 23, 2026
Councilmember Miller offered the following resolution and moved its adoption:
RESOLUTION
ESTABLISHING AND SETTING ASIDE CERTAIN PARKING SPACES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE SOLE USE OF HOLDERS OF SPECIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF NASSAU TO PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 608-2026, adopted June 9, 2026, a public hearing was duly held on the 23rd day of June 2026, at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the proposed establishment and setting aside of a certain parking space
for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons, in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, all as set forth in said resolution; and
WHEREAS, after due consideration, this Town Board finds it to be in the public interest to establish and set aside a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, the following parking spaces be and the same hereby is set aside for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons:
BALDWIN PARSONAGE STREETnorth side, starting at a point 62 feet west of the west curbline of Grand Avenue, for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-202/26)
WEST HEMPSTEAD COLONY STREET - east side, starting at a point 223 feet south of the south curbline of Hempstead Avenue, south for a distance of 17 feet.
(TH-617/25)
; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk shall enter this resolution in the minutes of the Town Board and shall publish a copy of this resolution once a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town of Hempstead and shall post a copy hereof on the signboard maintained by her, and file in her office affidavits of such publication and posting.
The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Ryder and adopted upon roll call as follows:
AYES: SEVEN (7)
NOES: NONE (0) 160984
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 202-48 of the code of the Town of Hempstead entitled, “Handicapped Parking On Public Streets,” a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 7th day of July 2026, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, to consider the adoption of a resolution setting aside certain parking spaces for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons at the following locations:
ELMONT
RANDALL AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 129 feet south of the south curbline of Sweetman Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-213/26)
WEST HEMPSTEAD
GREENWAY SOUTHeast side, starting at a point 140 feet south of the south curbline of Greenway East, south for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-226/26)
and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:
BELLMORE HILLSIDE AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 95 feet north of the north curbline of Wilson Avenue, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-69/22 - 4/25/2022)
(TH-229/26)
ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.
Dated: June 23, 2026 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 160985
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 7th day of July, 2026, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following location(s):
BALDWIN GRAND AVENUE (TH 233/26) West SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 185 feet north of the north curbline of Brooklyn Avenue, north for a distance of 58 feet.
BELLMORE CAMP AVENUE (TH 177/26) North SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 38 feet west of the west curbline of Stewart Avenue, west for a distance of 796 feet.
CAMP AVENUE (TH 177/26) North SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 834 feet west of the west curbline of Stewart Avenue, west then north to the west curbline of Roberta Lane.
ELMONT LEHRER AVENUE (TH 55(B)/26) West SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 135 feet north of the north curbline of Sweetman Avenue, north for a distance of 35 feet.
LEIGHTON ROAD (TH 254/26) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the east curbline of Conway Road, east for a distance of 45 feet.
LEIGHTON ROAD (TH 254/26) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the west curbline of Conway Road, west for a distance of 45 feet.
CONWAY ROAD (TH 254/26) East Side -
NO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the north curbline of Leighton Road, north for a distance of 35 feet.
FRANKLIN SQUARE LANGDON STREET (TH 211/26) North SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 97 feet west of the west curbline of Franklin Avenue, west to the east curbline of Scherer Boulevard.
PLAIN COURT (TH 241/26) East SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 265 feet north of the north curbline of Court House Road, north for a distance of 110 feet.
(NR) ISLAND PARK AUSTIN BOULEVARD (TH 228/26) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting from the north curbline of Jamaica Avenue, north for a distance of 208 feet.
LEVITTOWN BALSAM LANE (TH 210/26) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the east curbline of Ranch Lane, east for a distance of 35 feet.
MERRICK HARBOR
ROAD (TH 238/26) West SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Lindenmere Drive, north for a distance of 48 feet.
WANTAGH
BELLPORT AVENUE (TH 212/26) North SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 355 feet west of the west curbline of Riverside Drive, west for a distance 85 feet.
BELLPORT AVENUE (TH 212/26) South SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 240 feet east of the east curbline of Beverly Road, east for a distance 151 feet.
WEST HEMPSTEAD BROADWAY (TH 239/26) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from south curbline of Lexington Avenue, south for a distance of 40 feet.
WOODMERE BRANCH BOULEVARD (TH 234/26) West SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Peninsula Boulevard, north for a distance of 70 feet.
BRANCH BOULEVARD (TH 234/26) West SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 70 feet north of the north curbline of Peninsula Boulevard, north for a distance of 170 feet.
ALSO, to REPEAL from Section 202-1 “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” from the following location(s):
BALDWIN GRAND AVENUE (TH 568(B)/25) West SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 73 feet north of the north curbline of Brooklyn Avenue, north for a distance of 75 feet. (Adopted 2/24/26)
GRAND AVENUE (TH 97/78) West SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 199 feet north of the north curbline of Brooklyn Avenue, north for a distance of 26 feet. (Adopted 7/11/78)
BELLMORE CAMP AVENUE (TH 665/05) North SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 38 feet west of the west curbline of Stewart Avenue, west for a distance of 435 feet. (Adopted 2/7/06)
FRANKLIN SQUARE LANGDON STREET (TH 279/63) North SideNO PARKING - starting at a the west curbline of Franklin Avenue, west to Scherer Boulevard. (Adopted 8/13/63)
PLAIN COURT (TH 777/66) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 184 feet northwest of the west curbline of Court House Road, north to the Garden City Village Line. (Adopted 5/9/67)
(NR) ISLAND PARK JAMAICA AVENUE (TH 332/77) North SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at the west curbline of Nevada Avenue, west for a distance of 62 feet.
(Adopted 6/27/78) ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.
Dated: June 23, 2026
Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
JOHN FERRETTI
Supervisor
KATE MURRAY
Town Clerk 160977
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 57-2026
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 23rd day of June 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 57-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 57-2026, to amend Chapter 202 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to repeal “REGULATIONS & RESTRICTIONS” to limit parking at various locations.
Dated: June 23, 2026
Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
JOHN FERRETTI
Supervisor
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 160981
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 58-2026
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 23rd day of June 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 58-2026, and following the close
of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 58-2026, to amend Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations
Dated: June 23, 2026 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI
Supervisor
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 160982
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY MTAG, AS CUST FOR ATCF II NEW YORK LLC, Plaintiff against DONNA DI SCLAFANI (AKA DONNA M. SPADAFINA) (INDIVIDUALLY AND AS ADMINISTRATOR C.T.A OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH M. SPADAFINA), et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Hersko & Ehrenreich P.C., 555 Willow Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516, (516) 942-4216. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered March 25, 2026, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on August 6, 2026 at 2:00PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being, and identified on the land and tax map of the County of Nassau in the State of New York. Premises known as 224 Windsor Lane, West Hempstead, NY 11552. Sec 35 Block 67 Lot 20. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $83,195.19 plus interest, fees, and costs, and attorney fees. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 608877/2020. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social
NYIT offering new online degree program
By JORDAN VALLONE
jvallone@liherald.com
As millions of Americans have earned some college credits but never completed a degree, the New York Institute of Technology is expanding its online undergraduate business programs to help adult learners finish their education.
The university’s School of Management now offers four fully online bachelor’s degree programs designed for students balancing work, family and other responsibilities while pursuing a degree.
The online offerings include a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in business analytics, finance, management and marketing; a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Accounting and Financial Fraud Investigation; a Bachelor of Science in Business Artificial Intelligence and Analytics; and a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Applied Artificial Intelligence.
According to the university, each program incorporates artificial intelligence into its curriculum while emphasizing practical business skills and emerging technologies. The programs were developed with input from industry leaders to align with current work-
distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions
force needs.
“These programs are ideal for a large segment of the population, including community college graduates looking to complete their bachelor’s degree, working professionals with some college credits, and also for career changers seeking to transition into business but hold degrees in other fields,” Jaishankar Ganesh, dean of the School of Management, said in a statement. “The online programs help adult and other nontraditional students get ahead without pausing their lives.”
The Business Administration program provides a foundation in management, marketing, finance and operations. The Forensic Accounting and Financial Fraud Investigation program prepares students for careers in auditing, compliance and financial investigations. The Business Artificial Intelligence and Analytics program focuses on using AI and data analytics to solve business challenges, while the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Applied Artificial Intelligence program combines business fundamentals with AI and cloud technologies to prepare students to launch and grow new ventures.
Enrollment is open for students interested in beginning the programs this fall.
West Hempstead Secondary School
its College Signing
on June 15, recognizing members of the Class of 2026 who have committed to continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Athletes celebrate their college commitments
West Hempstead Secondary School recognized several student-athletes during its annual College Signing Day ceremony on June 15, celebrating members of the Class of 2026 who will continue their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level.
Family members, friends, coaches, teachers and school administrators gathered to honor the students as they marked an important milestone before graduation. Principal Joe Pumo and Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics Jonathan Gill joined the celebration, recognizing each student for their hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence.
The students recognized during the ceremony were Karen Orozco-Castro, who will compete in cross-country at Canisius University; Fredi CastroFuentes, who will compete in track and field at Molloy University; Johanna Fray, who will compete in track and field at Iona University; Angel Guzman, who will play soccer at La Roche University; Jayden Higginson, who will play football at Nassau Community Col-
lege; Kayden Nuzzi, who will play lacrosse at Carroll University; and Elizabeth Poirot, who will compete in lacrosse at Mercy University.
Throughout their time at West Hempstead Secondary School, the student-athletes have represented the Rams through their accomplishments in the classroom and in competition. School officials recognized the students for their leadership, sportsmanship and dedication, while also acknowledging the support provided by their families, coaches and teachers throughout their athletic careers.
The annual College Signing Day ceremony gave the school community an opportunity to celebrate the students’ achievements and wish them continued success as they begin the next chapter of their academic and athletic journeys. West Hempstead Secondary School congratulated the student-athletes and expressed its pride in their accomplishments as they continue their careers as Rams alumni.
–Alyssa R. Griffin
Courtesy New York Institute of Technology
The New York Institute of Technology is expanding its online undergraduate business programs. The university’s School of Management now offers four fully online bachelor’s degree programs.
Courtesy West Hempstead Union Free School District
proudly celebrated
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MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City.
We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com
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HomesHERALD
Why should we have to pay for changes?
Prime Location - Endless Possibilities
Q. We want your opinion. Who should pay for changes to our drawings in order for us to get our permit? We got a list of problems from the building department, and most of them seem pretty simple, but our architect is telling us these are changes, and he wants to be paid for doing the changes. They most include words to change, but there are some other things. The plans are too big for the property by only a few feet, and the height is more, because we want 10-foot ceilings on each floor. Why should we have to pay for changes? The architect should have known about this.
A. The answer to your question is another question. Whose building is it? Who wants the high ceilings that prompted the extra height? You, the owner, are the driving factor in the direction your plans went, and because of that, and the outcome you want to ultimately reach — approval, legality and a building you started out wanting — there is the price of services by each person you hire.
Many people have a misperception of the process of planning a building. They also have this commonly held belief that the builder knows the laws, the structure, the unique, unwritten requirements of the municipality. Owners place faith in a system they imagine works a particular way, and find out the hard way that things are often not what they assumed they would be.
I have had many experiences in which I warned clients that doing or insisting on certain things was going to get rejected, just to hear them say, naively, “Let’s try anyway,” doubting the advice, only to be turned back. In most cases, they insisted that the architect bear at least part of the cost for the redoing. That’s when you realize the personality of the person you are working for, when they cannot take responsibility for ignoring good advice.
Over the years, there have been many people who insisted that they “knew somebody” who would allow something that wasn’t ordinarily allowed. Very rarely did that strategy work. This question sounds similar, where you don’t want to bear the responsibility, yet the end result should be that you must.
Remember, going forward with the idea that changes may have to be made causes an even bigger problem. The changes have to be as thoroughly and thoughtfully addressed as the first time. Making constant calls to see if the work to change the plans has been done is frustrating, because if any issue, any note, any inconsistency is left that should have been changed, the construction project can take an ugly turn.
I have often wanted to put a note on the plans, in tall, bold letters, that “change is bad.” Changes unravel the best-laid plans. Others reading this should understand that municipalities are consistent, and if the architect, builder, electrician or plumber advises you to think twice based on trying to break a regulation, listen. Good luck!
© 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.
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opinions Enough beating up on Joe Biden
Although Joe Biden’s presidency is now very far in the rearview mirror, there are attempts being made by both sides to keep his name in the public arena. Republicans invoke Biden as a scapegoat for all of President Trump’s missteps, and former first lady Jill Biden wants to rewrite history after the very bad end to her husband’s term of office.
I approach the Biden legacy from a different perspective. I met Biden in the early 1980s, when one of his close supporters asked me to help raise money for Joe’s Senate re-election campaign, and we met at one of those events. I found him to be a pleasant and gracious man who enjoyed talking about his life in the Senate and his legislative priorities. He had one apparent flaw. He liked to talk and talk, and often needed a reminder that it was time to move on. Our subsequent contacts were infrequent but always warm and kind. I attended President Clinton’s second
inauguration, and while in Washington I stopped by the senator’s office. He posed for some photos my wife, Suzan, and I, and then invited us to sit in on a Senate Judiciary hearing for new judges. Biden loved legislating, and his record during those years in the Senate is a very admirable one.
TLooking back at his accomplishments in the Senate, there is much to talk about. He was responsible for many important laws, dating back to 1994, when he spearheaded the Violence Against Women Act, which addressed domestic violence issues. That same year, he pushed through a major crime bill, which resulted in great success for law enforcement. Critics say it brought about mass incarceration, but its pros outweighed the cons.
sia’s expansion plans. Overall, Biden’s record in the Senate was historic for its scope and impact.
he Republican blame game is starting to sound a little hollow.
The early years of his presidency were marked by legislative success in many areas. He spearheaded the American Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion program that helped the nation recover from the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which created millions of new jobs rebuilding highways, bridges and other badly needed public-works projects. He signed the CHIPS and Science Act, which began the effort to get the country to accelerate the semiconductor industry. One semiconductor-manufacturing plant is currently under construction upstate.
Biden subsequently passed the Protect Our Children Act, which dealt with online exploitation of children. That was followed by major climate-change laws and anti-apartheid statutes. He was a strong supporter of NATO, and persuaded many of his fellow senators that the European alliance was critical to America’s interests In combating Rus-
After the death of his son Beau, a veteran who had suffered toxic fume exposure, Biden got the PACT Act passed to help veterans suffering from similar disabilities. He got bipartisan support for the first anti-gun law in 30 years. He succeeded in capping the cost of insulin, and helped expand NATO membership. And he appointed the first black woman, Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the Supreme Court.
All of those accomplished were blurred during Biden’s final year in office. The hardest thing for any politician to do is to quit public office, and obvious it’s even harder when you’re president. Giving up trips on Air Force Once and being treated royally wherever you go is a very big deal. But a combination of family pressures and staff members all anxious to keep their jobs kept Biden from recognizing that it was time to go. An added complication was his failing health.
But because he isn’t president anymore, the Republicans’ blame game is starting to sound a little hollow. They are making efforts to expose embarrassing recordings of conversations he had with a ghostwriter as a way to cover up for President Trump’s current failings. I have no doubt that history will treat Biden a lot better, but that takes time. The country has countless challenges to face, and it’s time for all sides to move on and let the man deal with his potential end-of-life issues.
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.
Biofuels can help decarbonize L.I.’s school bus fleet
As the deadline for school districts to begin purchasing zero-emission school buses loomed, state lawmakers rightfully hit the brakes by delaying the mandate for five years.
The reasons are as clear as they are daunting: the electric grid isn’t ready, charging infrastructure remains scarce compared with ambitious state targets, and the upfront cost of a single electric bus can be triple that of a traditional one.
For Long Island school districts already grappling with a high tax burden and unique costof-living challenges, this represents yet another significant financial strain that would fall squarely on local taxpayers.
State leaders should be lauded for recognizing these realities. But as officials continue to debate these and other changes to the state’s climate law, we can’t fall into an either-or trap, just as we can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
New York already has a solution that has been in use for decades, and is easily deployed: renewable liquid fuels.
Transitioning the existing school bus fleets to renewable diesel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 86 percent immediately. Unlike electric buses, which require specialized chargers and rely on our dangerously thin electric grid, renewable diesel works in the engines we already own. It requires no costly equipment overhauls, no new infrastructure, and performs reliably in cold New York winters.
Rfrom entering our air annually. Officials aim to complete the conversion of all city-owned vehicles this summer.
New York became the first state in the Northeast to offer the fuel to state agencies, authorities, schools, municipalities and nonprofits in 26 counties, including Nassau and Suffolk. Still, too few are availing themselves of this resource.
e newable diesel fuel works in the school bus engines we already own.
While the state waits years for the grid to catch up, municipal leaders are already proving that renewable liquid fuels — biodegradable fuel manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats and recycled restaurant grease — can deliver significantly carbon reduction today without breaking the bank.
New York City is leading the way, having transitioned its fleet of garbage trucks, emergency vehicles and other heavy-duty machines to renewable diesel in 2024, a move expected to prevent 162 million pounds of carbon dioxide
And while much of today’s conversation centers on delays in transportation electrification, concerns about the pace and practicality of electrification are also growing in the homes and buildings sectors, as well as budget-strapped public facilities — especially our schools.
Consider a high school in Brooklyn where administrators recently replaced traditional heating oil with the renewable fuel alternative, making it the first school in New York City to convert to a heating system running entirely on biofuels. This historic transition to cleaner renewable fuels proves that giving schools and other institutions the flexibility they need to adopt a range of clean-energy solutions — not just electrification — is how the
state can continue to make meaningful climate progress while keeping energy reliable and at a manageable price point.
This common-sense approach is what New Yorkers are demanding as they navigate a punishing economy. With affordability continuing to be top of mind and the state grid operator warning of a razor-thin reliability margin that leaves Long Island particularly vulnerable to blackouts, a pragmatic, costeffective approach to making environmental progress today is the smart approach for the region’s school districts and the taxpayers and families who support them.
The debate in Albany often presents a false choice between a costly mandate and a climate delay. But a true all-of-theabove approach to energy options being advanced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and some legislators can find an effective middle ground when the right tools are brought into the mix.
The grid will catch up eventually, but our environment and hardworking Long Islanders can’t afford to wait. It’s time to choose the solutions that work today.
Rocco J. Lacertosa is CEO of the Hauppauge-based New York State Energy Coalition.
RoCCo J. LACERTosA
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The Declaration of Independence was first published on July 6, 1776, in a newspaper, the Pennsylvania Evening Post. We are proud to commemorate that high point in American journalism by reprinting that historic document.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at
places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness of his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our Government:
For suspending our own legislature, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free People.
Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor.
The Declaration was signed first by John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, and then by 55 others representing the 13 original states.
Ways we can ease the property tax burden
over the course of this state legislative session, I focused on the policies my constituents cared about most. Every session presents its own set of unique circumstances requiring legislative action, but this year it was abundantly clear that affordability was a top concern. The cost of groceries, utilities, insurance and housing continues to rise, making it increasingly challenging for many residents to make ends meet, especially on Long Island.
relief.
Since property taxes fund a significant portion of local school district budgets, substantial state support is vital. School districts are continually facing rising costs, and school administrators work diligently to mitigate those costs to avoid burdening taxpayers. One of my top priorities this year was securing increased funding for our schools while reducing costs in order to bolster district budgets.
slence that makes our communities so desirable.
tarting with foundation aid and pausing the zeroemission bus mandate.
But specifically among homeowners, one concern was raised time and again: property taxes.
For many Long Island families, property taxes represent one of the largest expenses in their household budget. Seniors living on fixed incomes worry about whether they can afford to remain in the communities they helped build. Young families trying to purchase their first home question whether they can keep up with the long-term costs of homeownership in addition to child care. The government has a responsibility to address those concerns with practical solutions that provide meaningful and tangible
Record foundation aid investment. Every additional dollar New York state invests in local schools is a dollar that doesn’t need to come from homeowners. This year’s state budget provides historic funding for public education, ensuring that school districts receive the resources they need to educate students without relying as heavily on local property taxpayers.
These investments allow districts to continue funding classroom instruction, special-education programs, transportation services, extracurricular activities, mental health resources and other essential programs. In short, increasing state support for education is one of the most effective ways to make homeownership more affordable while preserving the educational excel-
Framework by Tim Baker
Zero-emission bus mandate for school districts pause. I strongly support responsible environmental policies, but we must carefully consider the financial impact that major mandates can have on local communities. School districts across Long Island expressed concerns about the significant costs associated with purchasing electric buses, constructing charging infrastructure and upgrading facilities. Without additional flexibility, many districts could have been forced to absorb millions of dollars in new expenses in a relatively short period of time. Ultimately, those costs would have landed on the shoulders of local taxpayers.
I fought strongly for a pause in the zero-emission bus mandate because it just isn’t feasible at this time. The decision to pause implementation deadlines by five years gives the state more time to effectively plan a fiduciary responsible strategy of procurement, building the infrastructure and ensuring grid reliability. I will continue fighting to keep this pause in effect until the state agencies involved can lay out a comprehensive plan to implement EV buses, since the cost burden cannot be passed on to taxpayers.
Energy performance contracts. Energy performance contracts are an extremely effective tool that help school districts generate savings on energy upgrades. Currently, state law only allows recovery for up to 18 years, meaning schools often have to pass on projects that would generate longerterm savings. However, my bill A6318 would extend the allowable contract period to 25 years, making it easier for districts to undertake projects that lower costs without requiring large upfront expenditures. I’m proud to report that, for the first time since its introduction in 2019, this legislation passed both houses of the Legislature and is currently awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.
Real change happens when meaningful action is taken to address the burden of rising costs throughout our communities. Record foundation aid, pausing the zero-emission bus mandate and extending the time for energy performance contracts are just three of the ways to bring financial relief to Long Island families. I will continue fighting for policies that help families keep more of their hard-earned money, strengthen our schools and ensure that Long Island remains a place where people can afford to live, work, play, raise a family and retire with dignity.
Judy Griffin represents the 21st Assembly District.
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