Malverne/West Hempstead Herald 10-16-2025

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Members of the Malverne Police Department attended the Malverne Police Benevolent Association’s first Hops and Cops Farm Fest last Monday.

Brewing up a fundraiser for Malverne police

By MADISoN GUSlER mgusler@liherald.com

More than 100 residents showed their support for the Malverne Police Department last Monday evening, attending the Malverne Police Benevolent Association’s first Hops and Cops Farm Fest at Crossroads Farm at Grossmann’s.

With a $100 entry donation, attendees enjoyed unlimited craft beer provided by local breweries, as well as catered food.

“This was a fundraiser for the Malverne PBA, the first of its kind,” Christopher Aresta, a Malverne police officer and event coordinator for the PBA, said. “We just offered a nice event to the community to come and enjoy.” Door prize raffles, raffle prizes, a 50/50 and more were offered during the inaugural event. The raffle prizes were donated to the PBA from numerous local businesses.

“I’m very happy to say the event was a success,” Aresta said. “We’d like to thank everyone that showed their ContinueD on PAge 10

Beautification committee leads community cleanup

By MADISoN GUSlER mgusler@liherald.com

The Lakeview train station was spruced up last weekend.

Dozens of people attended the biannual community clean up, hosted by the Lakeview Civic Association, on Saturday. Despite the damp weather, association members, local officials, Metropolitan Transportation Authority police, Sanitation District 6 employees and residents gathered at 9 a.m. to help out.

“We work with all residents, local government officials, and all the different departments in the area,” civic association

President Lisa Ortiz said, “to address quality-of-life concerns and to ensure that our downtown area is maintained.

“We clean it up, plant new plants, and make sure the community you’re entering through our business district looks beautiful,” Ortiz added.

Participants picked up garbage around the train station and along nearby streets.

The other focus of the cleanup was the upkeep of the community garden on Woodfield Road, adjacent to the Lakeview train station. The work included weeding, trimming and uprooting plants to replace them for the fall season.

“We’ve noticed that areas of the garden have become overgrown,” Lisa Jolly, a member of the association’s Beautification Committee, said. “So during our annual fall cleanup, we try to beautify the space with some seasonal mums, and make sure that our bulbs are in place for bloom in the spring.”

Each year, Jolly said, the committee considers what was planted the previous season, and plans garden updates accordingly. “I have pictures of where our beautiful tulips and daffodils bloomed last year, and we’re planting perennials in between those spaces,” she explained. “So we try to be stra-

tegic, and not mess up the work we did last year.”

The garden was created in 1997 as a beautification project for Lakeview, and was sponsored by the Lakeview Council Incorporated, which disbanded in 2021. The cleanup shares the same intention of creating a welcoming entrance to the hamlet.

“This is the gateway to our community,” Ortiz said. “So people coming in, you want them to see that this is a wellmaintained, well-manicured community. This is a community of people that care about the way it looks. We pay a lot to live here, and we want people to see that this is a community that

ContinueD on PAge 16

Christine Rivera/Herald

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Hill would fight for safe streets, more revenue

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

Moshe Hill, who is challenging Olena Nicks for her seat in the County Legislature, believes Nassau’s future depends on doubling down on safety, strengthening communities and creating the conditions for families to stay and thrive.

The political writer and journalist says his roots and professional experience make him a pragmatic problem-solver in a time of local transition.

“I want the next generation to have the kind of childhood I had — safe neighborhoods, good parks, a chance to grow up and stay in the community,” Hill told reporters at a Herald Roundtable. “But that doesn’t happen by accident. You have to work at it.”

Hill, 39, lives in West Hempstead with his wife and three children. Since launching his blog, “A Hill with a View,” in 2018, he has written more than 600 political commentaries and contributed to outlets like the Daily Wire, the Washington Examiner and Newsweek.

A former business analyst and now a project coordinator at B&H, the camera and electronics store in Manhattan, Hill also worked at the Nassau Board of Elections. That mix of public- and private-sector work, he said, gives him insight into how government operates — and how to get things done.

“That’s how I got more involved in the local politics — more involved with the Republican Party,” he said. If he is elected, Hill said, he would make public safety a top priority, especially amid growing concerns about antisemitism in his neighborhood.

“They say it’s about Israel, but when you target a guy who’s wearing a yarmulke, you just walk up to them — you’re targeting Jewish people,” he said. “You don’t know their opinions. You don’t know anything about them.”

Hill praised the Nassau County Police Department’s

5th Precinct for being visible and proactive, and said that law enforcement needs consistent support. He described the steady presence of officers in Hempstead as “amazing,” as cites Uniondale as well, where he attends Uniondale Community Council meetings.

Housing is another major issue. Hill said he opposes large-scale, high-density development, instead favoring private reinvestment in underused properties.

“Nassau County — it’s on an island, and we have very finite space,” he said. “A lot of places can expand out — we cannot do that. We also are not so interested

in expanding up, because we don’t want to become the sixth borough of New York City.”

He pointed to a $200 million development in West Hempstead — where the developer Heatherwood is turning the old National Wholesale Liquidators site into 450 apartments — as a model.

“That was just sitting there for years,” Hill said. “Now it’s becoming housing. That’s a win.”

Following the collapse of the Sands casino proposal earlier this year, Hill said Nassau needs new strategies to expand revenue. He believes that starts with small business.

“I think the best way to raise revenue is to let local businesses succeed — and then use that growth to offset taxes,” he said.

His years in project management, Hill said, taught him how to juggle different needs and still deliver results — skills he believes are essential in the Legislature. “The biggest strength I have is the ability to work with people,” he said, “the ability to negotiate certain deals and come to a compromise we can all live with.”

His campaign is also a family affair — at least in his kids’ eyes. “My kids love seeing our last name on the signs that went out,” he said. “They think it’s great. They still don’t know how to say the word ‘legislator,’ and they still don’t really understand what I’m going to do. They think it makes me like some kind of allpowerful ruler.”

After special election, Nicks seeks a full term

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

Olena Nicks has worn many hats — firefighter, library trustee, volunteer, and now Nassau County legislator. Known throughout Uniondale and parts of Hempstead, the areas she represents, she is hoping that her deep local ties and civic record will help her build trust with residents as she seeks a full term in the Legislature.

“I want to be described as the legislator who works for our residents, not the other way around,” she told Herald reporters at a recent roundtable.

Nicks, 33, won a special election in February, defeating Karin Campbell to represent the 5th District. Now she hopes to continue in the role long-term.

A Uniondale native, Nicks began volunteering at 14 as a teen advocate for Planned Parenthood. The program aimed to bring comprehensive sex education into schools that had previously taught abstinenceonly.

“My first job was actually at Planned Parenthood — it was a split, it was hybrid, where I volunteered for a portion of it and a portion of it was paid,” Nicks recalled. “I think that really got my start into volunteering, and just wanting to do better work for communities, especially those who are a bit more marginalized.”

After graduating from Uniondale High School in 2010, she joined the Uniondale Community Council, and later she served two terms as a trustee of the Uniondale Public Library. She resigned from that role due to county charter rules when she ran for legislator. At 19 Nicks joined the Uniondale Fire Department. After two years in emergency medical services, she

As she campaigns for a full term in the County Legislature, Olena Nicks is making an effort to connect with more people in the 5th District.

transitioned to firefighting, and eventually became captain of Manor Company 3 — the first woman to hold that rank.

“I was driving down the road, and I saw a sign that said we’re looking for volunteers at the Fire Department, and I’m, like, well, that’s cool,” she recounted. “I called, and they thought I was looking to join EMS, because most of the women who called weren’t looking to be firefighters.”

She also works with the Uniondale Community Land Trust, which promotes affordable home ownership.

“What a lot of people don’t know is that, one, it’s personalities and being able to communicate with others,” she said. “As a legislator, you have to understand that no matter which board you serve on, there are always going to be individuals who don’t agree with me, or we don’t see eye to eye on things, but it doesn’t mean that we’re in a fight or arguing.”

If elected, she said, her focus will be on housing, safety and her constituents’ quality of life. She is also working to connect with residents in newly drawn parts of the district, including Franklin Square and Hempstead Village.

“I want to make sure that we are setting up and meeting our residents where they are,” she said, mentioning mobile office hours as one strategy.

“Housing is an issue across Nassau County as we’re seeing more millennials moving out,” Nicks said. “A $20,000 down payment that worked 20 years ago isn’t the same now — you need almost $100,000.”

She also noted limited land availability and the need to balance green space with development. “A solution that I think might be best for Uniondale might not be the same solution for West Hempstead,” she said. “What I can say is that land trusts are a wonderful thing.”

When it comes to public safety, Nicks said she would continue to engage with local police. “The Nassau County Police Department does a good job at being in the community and sending their pop-up units,” she said. “… They come into our meetings and they speak with us. They understand that accountability is part of their role.”

Tim Baker/Herald

Moshe Hill, who lives in West Hempstead with his family, says his campaign for the Legislature is focused on safety, housing and preserving community values.

Kepherd Daniel/Herald

Spooky Fest returns for science and scares

The Center for Science is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the return of Spooky Fest, Long Island’s long-running, family-friendly Halloween celebration, opening last weekend at the Tanglewood Preserve.

Running every weekend in October, Spooky Fest kicked off its 14th season with new attractions aimed at visitors of all ages.

This year introduces Pirate’s Cove, an expanded area within the popular Enchanted Walk, featuring a brightly lit pirate ship experience and colorful Halloween displays for younger children and those seeking a non-scary option. For thrill-seekers, the Haunted Woods offers a quarter-mile walk through the darkened preserve, filled with jump scares, monsters and animatronic zombie dinosaurs.

Hosted annually on the grounds of the Center’s Tanglewood Preserve, Spooky Fest has become one of Long Island’s longest-running continuous Halloween events. Unlike many seasonal attractions, all proceeds benefit a local nonprofit. Funds raised directly support the Center’s year-round youth STEM education programs, as well as its animal rescue efforts and permanent dinosaur exhibit.

The Center for Science, based in Rockville Centre, has served the Long Island community for 25 years through science-focused camps, school programs and hands-on learning experiences.

Spooky Fest, their biggest annual fundraiser, is vital for sustaining those initiatives.

“We are celebrating our 25th anniversary with this year’s Spooky Fest,” said Dr. Ray Ann Havasy, Executive Director of the Center for Science. “This beloved tradition not only brings families and the community together for Halloween fun, but also generates crucial funding for our STEM education programs that inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators. The new Pirate’s Cove

is just one example of how we continue to evolve and enhance the experience for our visitors year after year.”

The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m., rain or shine, at Tanglewood Preserve, located at 1450 Tanglewood Rd. in Rockville Centre.

Tickets are available online, with pricing set at $22 for non-scary attractions and $27 for all-inclusive admission that includes the Haunted Woods experience. All visitors ages 2 and older must have a ticket.

To buy tickets or to learn more, visit CSTL.org/spooky-fest.

–Kelsie Radziski

Rhys Lewis, 7, Deucalion Davis, 3, Anthony Davis and Shae Julian worked on their arts and crafts at the annual festive fundraiser.

Christine Rivera/Herald photos

Friends, families and neighbors came out for the opening weekend of Spooky Fest at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning, from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5.

Luke Schordine, Adeline, 4, Candice and Miles, 2, dressed up in their spookiest costumes and outfits.

Chloe Khachaturian, 4, and Calvin, 7, paid a visit to the witch, Isis Burgos, 16.

Violet Crocevera, 11, ran scared through the Haunted Woods.

When the unfortunate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia is made, the whole world shifts for the patient and their family. Uncertainty abounds. For this reason, Ettinger Law Firm has published a guide for families facing these dilemmas, available as a free download at our website, trustlaw.com.

Sections of interest are:

Communication Strategies: Adapting communication techniques to improve connection and reduce frustration.

Establishing Daily Routes: Predictability reduces anxiety, helps with orientation and promotes independence.

Creating a Safe Home Environment: Modifying the home to reduce the risk of falls and other accidents.

Medical Care and Support: The importance and benefits of early diagnosis in slowing the progress of the disease and improving quality of life, as well as a list of questions to ask the doctor. Non-Medical Interventions: Different types of therapy, both physical and

How to vote early, in-per-

son for upcoming election

Early voting for the upcoming general election in Nassau County will take place from Saturday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 2. All polling sites are accessible to voters with physical disabilities, and any eligible voter residing in the county may vote at any early voting location during the designated days and hours. Voters who cast a ballot during early voting will not be permitted to vote again on Election Day.

mental to support physical and mental wellbeing. Building a Care Team: Who is on the team and avoiding caregiver burnout.

Coping with Behavioral Changes: Tips on managing new and challenging behaviors, such as agitation, depression, waking and sleep disturbances.

One of the biggest mistakes we see families make is the failure to connect with an elder law attorney upon learning of the illness. We understand that it is easy to overlook the legal where there are so many other social, emotional, psychological and medical issues in play. Early legal intervention, however, allows the family to obtain all the legal documents they will need later on, such as the “prescription strength” elder law power of attorney. The earlier the family moves to protect assets from being depleted for the cost of care, the more assets will be saved. Perhaps most important of all, the elder law attorney will be able to assure the family that caregiver services will be available when needed and the home and life savings will not all be lost for care.

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Voting hours are scheduled as follows: Oct. 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 27 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the Board of Elections remaining open until 8 p.m. on those two days; and Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Election Day, Nov. 4, voters must go to their assigned polling place to cast a ballot.

Early voting sites across the county include Temple Beth Am in Merrick, the Freeport Recreation Center, Massapequa Town Hall South, St. Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh, the West Hempstead Public Library, and the Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury, among others. A complete list of early voting locations is available at NassauVotes.com or by calling (516) 571-8683.

Voters who wish to register for the

general election must do so by Oct. 25, 2025. Registration applications submitted by mail must be received by the Nassau County Board of Elections by that date, and in-person registration is available at the board’s offices or participating state agencies through Oct. 25. To learn how to apply to vote, visit Elections.NY.gov.

Any registered voter may also apply for an early mail ballot. Applications must be received by the board of elections no later than 10 days before the election, or in person by Nov. 3. Ballots will be mailed beginning 46 days before the election and will continue to be sent immediately after completed applications are processed. Voters may apply for an early mail ballot online through the state’s Early Mail Ballot Request Portal, in person at the Nassau County Board of Elections at 240 Old Country Road in Mineola, or by designating another person to deliver and return their application. Visit Elections.NY. gov/request-ballot for more.

If you’re planning to vote in person on Election Day, visit VoterLookUp.Elections.NY.gov.

–Jordan Vallone

■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/malverne or www.liherald.com/westhempstead

■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: mal-wheditor@liherald.com

■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 298 E-mail: mal-wheditor@liherald.com

■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942

■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460

■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643

■ PUBlIC NOTICES: Ext. 232 E-mail: legalnotices@liherald.com

Courtesy Metro

Nassau County voters can vote early, by mail and in-person ahead of this year’s general election on Nov. 4.

Senator Bynoe hosts Senior Health Fair

By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com

New York State Senator Siela Bynoe, in partnership with Mayor Francis X. Murray, offered a Senior Health Fair at the John A. Anderson Recreation Center in Rockville Centre. This free event was created for connecting older residents with well-informed and healthy resources.

“Our seniors are the pillars of the community,” Bynoe said. “That’s why it is important that we create access and elevate awareness regarding important services related to senior health.”

Dozens visited the recreation center on Oct. 3 to take in all that was offered. Numerous vendors, including Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, came out to share their resources with the community. The Hospital provided Flu vaccines and health screenings such as cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, diabetes risk assessment and stroke risk assessment.

Abigail Fromm, Director of Community Education at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, discussed the importance of coming out into the community: “It’s really hard for other people to go to healthcare facilities. We know that access is really not that easy anymore, whether it’s something due to insurance, transportation or other reasons.”

A wide variety of organizations set up tables within the center to offer information and resources connecting them to the healthcare and wellbeing residents may need. Among those was the Sandel Senior Center, which provides senior residents of Rockville Centre with essential services for them and their families.

“Our senior citizens in our community are very important,” Debbie Cuevas, a senior citizen program

development aid at Sandel Senior Center, said. “They have a wealth of knowledge and I feel that to be around our seniors is something that you just can’t replace. It’s very crucial to our community and for our young people to learn from their experience and carry on their traditions.”

When it comes to legalities, Rhonda L. Maco, managing attorney, was there to help seniors with elder care and life estates services. “I assist with overall health and just making sure you have the appropriate documents and in place for your family,” she said. “That way you can protect your assets, understand

what type of benefits you may be qualified for and just making sure that you have all the things in place so that way you and your next of kin will be protected.”

Attendees walked through the fair over four hours to take the provided information and resources offered to them.

“We showcased information about medical alert systems, Able-Ride, and free health screenings and flu shots,” Bynoe said. “It’s wonderful that local healthcare providers like Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital and Nassau University Medical Center were able to offer their services.”

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Alyssa R. Griffin/Herald

New York State Senator Siela A. Bynoe, in partnership with Mayor Francis X. Murray, hosted a Senior Health Fair at the John A. Anderson Recreation Center with various vendors in attendance.

SARAH FLYNN

V.S. NORTH SENIOR SWIMMING

A KEY MEMBER OF Valley Stream Central High School District’s girls’ swim program since its inception in 2023, Flynn earned the coaches award as a sophomore and has served as a two-year captain. She has earned an appearance in the Nassau County championships in each season and reached the finals of the 100-yard butterfly as a junior. Her career-best time in the event is 1:07.02, and she also thrives in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

games to watch

Friday, Oct. 17

Girls Volleyball: V.S. North at Clarke 5 p.m.

Football: Freeport at Westbury 5 p.m.

Football: Plainview at Oceanside 6 p.m.

Football: Floral Park at South Side 6 p.m.

Football: Elmont at Hewlett 6 p.m.

Football: Bethpage at Wantagh 6 p.m.

Football: Locust Valley at Plainedge 6:30 p.m.

Girls Volleyball: Mepham at Calhoun 6:45 p.m.

Football: Sewanhaka at V.S. North 7 p.m.

Football: V.S. South at Division 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 18

Football: Carey at Clarke 11 a.m.

Girls Volleyball: E.Meadow at V.S. Central 11:45 a.m.

Girls Volleyball: Plainedge at Elmont 11:45 a.m.

Football: Baldwin at Roosevelt 12 p.m.

Football: Massapequa at Farmingdale 1 p.m.

Football: New Hyde Park at Mepham 2 p.m.

Football: MacArthur at Calhoun 2 p.m.

Football: Long Beach at East Meadow 2 p.m.

Football: Jericho at V.S. Central 2 p.m.

Football: Kennedy at Roslyn 2 p.m.

Football: Lynbrook at Seaford 2 p.m.

Football: East Rockaway at North Shore 2 p.m.

Football: Malverne at Lawrence 2 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

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

HERALD SPORTS

Winless to playoff spot for MER

By DYLAN BUTLER sports@liherald.com

From winless in 2024 to playoff-bound in 2025, the Malverne-East Rockaway boys’ soccer team has completed a stunning turnaround.

The Rockin’ Mules have already locked up a playoff spot, currently sitting in fifth place in Conference AA3 with an 8-6 record and one game remaining.

Outside of the team, expectations coming into the season were minimal for Malverne-East Rockaway. The conference included perennial powerhouses in South Side and Manhasset who were expected to battle for the top spot, followed by Bethpage and Carey.

But the Rockin’ Mules rocked the landscape in the conference with a 4-2 victory over Manhasset Sept. 4 to set the stage.

“We are the game changer,” coach Rob Anderson said. “We believe we can play with anybody. Right now we’re confident.”

Utilizing a high pressing system, Malverne/East Rockaway has poured in goals. The Rockin’ Mules are third in Nassau County in goals scored with 50, trailing division leaders Calhoun (61) and Garden City (52).

Leading that charge is captain Filip Beben, who Anderson thinks should be the AA3 Offensive Player of the Year. The senior midfielder, who is an excellent distributor, has 14 goals and 10 assists on the season, and he’s not selective with who he’s scoring goals against.

“He’s scored in every

Grace Hughes/Herald

Senior Edwin Espinoza has contributed to the Rockin’ Mules success at sweeper and in the midfield.

game,” Anderson said of Beben, who has been utilized as the No. 10 down the stretch of the season. “It’s not like he’s dialing it up against any specific team.”

There’s also been no shortage of standouts in the turnaround season.

Senior forward Jayden Mora scored 12 of those goals in the first four matches, but has missed most of the action due to club soccer commitments. Even without Mora for a large portion of the season, the Rockin’ Mules haven’t missed a step.

Brothers Joseph and Jeremiah Arning have been huge additions after transferring in from Valley Stream Central. They both have a soft touch on the ball, and Anderson said they instinctively know where to put the ball.

Jose Gomez has partnered well with Beben. The junior has six goals and nine assists, most coming on Beben’s goals. Senior Edwin Espinoza is the team’s utility star, Anderson said, contributing at sweeper and midfield.

Defensively, junior center back Liam Whitehouse has been an unsung hero, a consistent weapon on long throw-ins. He’s joined by outside backs Johnny Staubitz and Sebastian Quiroz, who are gritty and physical with non-stop engines.

And then there’s freshman Nate Huertas, the team’s third goalkeeper this year, who has made 22 saves in four matches.

“He’s like a puppy, he just comes in happy and ready to play,” Anderson said. “He’s been all guts, coming off the line, attacking guys on breakaways now, so I’m feeling more confident. He’s been a Godsend with his attitude and play.”

Malverne/East Rockaway has lost back-to-back games, including a tough 3-0 defeat to first-place South Side Oct. 9. Considering where its come from, those defeats are just a small blip for a team that has a “why not us?” mentality entering the postseason.

“They’re not overconfident,” Anderson said. “But they’ve got a chip on their shoulder.”

News briefs

Achievement Behavior Services opens

Achievement Behavior Services held a ribbon cutting to open its doors to the Malverne community on Oct. 3. ABS provides comprehensive Applied Behavior Analysis therapy to children and young adults with autism and related developmental disorders, offering center- and home-based programs designed to help each child reach their potential. The team of professionals focuses on fostering communication, social skills, and independence in a supportive environment.

“ It’s inspiring to see organizations like ABS expanding their services here in Assembly District 21 and making a meaningful difference in the lives of families,” Assemblywoman Judy Griffin wrote in a press release. Griffin took a tour of the offices and presented a citation of recognition to the staff following the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Congratulations again on your ribbon cutting - we’re so glad to have you in the Malverne community!”

–Madison Gusler

Village of Malverne has new sergeants

Two Malverne police officers were promoted to sergeant at the village board of trustees meeting on Oct. 8. Malverne natives, officers Anthony Castellano and Christopher Padula were promoted after several years serving in the Malverne Police Department. These are the first promotions made by Malverne’s new chief of police

Thomas Martini. Martini was sworn in as police chief on Aug. 25.

Castellano and Padula received congratulations from Malverne Mayor Tim Sullivan, State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Martini, and the village’s board of trustees.

–Madison Gusler

Courtesy Assemblywoman Judy Griffin

Assemblywoman Judy Griffin presented a citation to the staff at Achievement Behavior Services.

Madison Gusler/Herald

Officer Christopher Padula was sworn in as a Sergeant of the Malverne Police Department at the village’s board of trustees meeting last Wednesday.

MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD — October 16, 2025

O’Connell seeks to build on 20-year record

By AINSLEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com

Maureen O’Connell, the Nassau County clerk since 2006, is seeking re-election, with a focus on continuing the modernization of county records and expanding services for senior citizens and non-English speakers.

A registered nurse and an attorney, O’Connell, 74, has served in public office for more than three decades, including a term in the Assembly and as deputy mayor of East Williston. In the clerk’s office, she says, she is committed to improving access and service for residents.

“When I walked into that office … there were about 2 million unprocessed documents,” she said. “We were not really modernized.”

Since then, O’Connell said, the office has undergone a significant transformation. Court and land records are now digitized and available online, allowing attorneys and members of the public to file and access documents without visiting the clerk’s office in a building on Old Country Road in Mineola that is notorious for its limited parking.

“We created an electronic database so that a lawyer who wants to start a lawsuit doesn’t have to drive over,” O’Connell said. “They can electronically file a lawsuit from their home office.”

In addition to overseeing deed and mortgage filings, the clerk also serves as the clerk of county Supreme Court. O’Connell said she implemented one of the state’s first Supreme Court filing databases, and added digital interfaces with local and state agencies to streamline access to records.

She has also led efforts to digitize historical documents, a process she refers to as “backfilling.” “The more we backfill, the better the public is served,” O’Connell said. She noted frequent visits from senior

citizens needing access to decades-old property records they have misplaced. “Sometimes that safe place is so safe they can never find it again,” she said.

To further assist homeowners, O’Connell created a Property Fraud Alert Program. Property owners can sign up to receive email alerts if any documents — such as deeds or mortgages — are filed relating to their property. The goal is to prevent fraud involving falsified documents.

“Fortunately, we have not seen a lot of it in Nassau — a very minimal amount,” O’Connell said. “But the county clerks statewide do see it in some counties.”

COUNTY CLERK

If she is re-elected, O’Connell said, she plans to focus on expanding parking at the Mineola complex and to continue efforts to digitize older records. She also hopes to expand the effort to adapting services to the growing population of residents for whom English is not their primary language. A language line, which translates conversations between clerk’s office employees and visitors in real time, has been implemented to aid communication.

O’Connell said that her dual background in nursing and law has shaped her approach to public service. “As a nurse, you like to help people,” she said. “Get the problem solved, and help them resolve whatever issues they’re in need of resolving.”

A lifelong Nassau County resident, O’Connell grew up in Mineola and now lives in East Williston. She trained at Flushing Hospital School of Nursing, and has a bachelor’s degree in health care management from St. Joseph’s College and a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. She is an assistant professor of nursing at SUNY Farmingdale, and serves on several local boards, including the Farmingdale School of Nursing advisory board and Harbor Child Care in Mineola.

She remains passionate about her work for the county. “It’s just a wonderful job,” she said. “I love working, serving in public.”

Clerk must be more accessible,Williams says

By AINSLEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com

Joylette E. Williams, a professor of English at Nassau Community College, is running for Nassau County clerk. A resident of the Village of Hempstead since 1993, she has built her career in education and local service, and in her campaign is emphasizing administrative experience, accessibility and modernization.

Williams has a Ph.D. in English, is completing a second doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Connecticut and is in her second term on the Hempstead Board of Education. She was first elected in 2022, and re-elected in May after community members urged her to continue her service. Her current term runs through 2028.

“It helps me to understand not only the concerns that residents have throughout the county, but it’s very, very rewarding to actually participate in those advocacy roles,” Williams said.

Her academic background, she added, which includes several master’s degrees and over two decades of teaching, has prepared her for the administrative demands of the clerk’s office, which manages the county’s legal documents, property records and business filings. She noted her experience with recordkeeping, document management and organizational leadership in higher education.

Williams served as a Hempstead village trustee from 2021 to 2022, and sits on the Town of Hempstead’s Industrial Development Agency board. She is also the assistant secretary of the Hempstead chapter of the NAACP, is active in the Hempstead Community Land Trust, the Hempstead chapter of the AARP and the Long Island chapter of the National Coalition of 100

Tim Baker/Herald

Joylette Williams has a Ph.D. in English and is completing a second doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Connecticut.

Black Women. She is a member of the Nassau Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

A central goal of her campaign is to digitize county records and to modernize the operating systems of the clerk’s office. “Right now it’s running like it’s 1974,” she said.

Williams has spoken with title insurance companies and attorneys who frequent the clerk’s office, she said, and has identified inefficiencies, including a lack

of online access to court records that makes it necessary for paralegals to visit the office in person.

The clerk’s mobile outreach van is underutilized, she added, and she has proposed increasing its presence across the county, including at libraries and senior centers. She has also proposed extending the office’s hours to 7 p.m. one day a week to accommodate working residents.

“The clerk’s office needs to be more accessible to all residents of Nassau County, and not just a few areas,” Williams said.

If elected, she plans to propose to the Legislature that fees for deed transfers and property transactions be reduced, and has identified seniors, first responders, first-time homebuyers and veterans as populations that could benefit from fee reductions or waivers.

Williams also cited the need for translators in the clerk’s office, noting a range of languages, from Spanish to Urdu, that are spoken by residents who visit the office regularly. Increased language accessibility, she said, would ensure equitable service across the county’s diverse population.

Her work in civic organizations, Williams said, has helped her better understand residents’ needs and leadership strategies. She added that she plans to request a leave of absence from Nassau Community College if she is elected, because both positions are county-funded and cannot be held simultaneously.

Williams was invited to join the ticket by the Democratic Party leadership, and underwent a vetting process that included interviews, reference checks and social media review. Her commitment to public service and community advocacy, she said, motivated her to accept the nomination.

Tim Baker/Herald

A registered nurse and an attorney, Maureen O’Connell has served in public office for over three decades, including a term in the Assembly.

Ear Works Audiology: Patient-Centered Hearing Care

When it comes to hearing healthcare, one size does not fit all. At Ear Works Audiology, providers take the time to understand each patient’s unique experience — whether it’s a child hearing clearly in class or a grandparent reconnecting with family.

“Hearing loss is a very individualized disorder,” says Dr. Anne Capogna, audiologist with Ear Works Audiology. “People can have the exact same level of hearing loss and have very, very different experiences with it…so, as an audiologist, our first job is to diagnose the level of the hearing loss. But then we really spend a lot of time working

one-on-one with our patients to see how this hearing loss is impacting their life and what their situations they have the most difficulty with.”

That means looking beyond the test results. “We strive to improve their quality of life through better hearing,” Dr. Capogna says. Empathy plays a key role. “There’s a level of vulnerability to explain why you need help…that’s why I’m very vocal in encouraging my patients to give me as much feedback as possible. The more the patient shares about their hearing difficulties, the better I can assist and improve their communication goals.”

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2025

8:00 A.M. TO 10:00 A.M.

The Heritage Club at Bethpage

Follow-up visits are where real progress happens. “It is during these appointments that we can really fine tune the hearing aid to meet all of our patients’ needs,” she explains. “Helping [patients] is the most important part of my day.”

At Ear Works, it’s not just about better hearing — it’s about better living.

516-248-0068

www.EarWorksAudiology.com 11 Locations Throughout Long Island

For more than 100 years the American Red Cross on Long Island has helped the community prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. Join Us!

HONORING

COMMUNITY IMPACT HERO

Luv Michael

FIRST RESPONDER HEROES

Officers Timothy Deegan and Matthew Walling

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP HERO

Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize

DISASTER HERO

Jennifer Keane

MILITARY HERO

Mel Cohen

YOUTH HEROES

Charlie Dubofsky and Sydney Hassenbein

The American Red Cross Heroes Celebration is the signature fundraising event for the American Red Cross on Long Island, serving Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Event Co-chairs: James Quent, Greg Lavine, and Jennifer Solomon

For tickets, sponsorships, journal ads and to learn more, please visit redcross.org/LIheroes

Dr. Anne Capogna

Malverne PBA brews up something new

support for us. It only strengthens our ties to the community.”

With a projector set up behind Crossroads Farm’s educational hoop house, attendees watched the Monday Night Football matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs on the big screen.

“Aresta had reached out to me a number of months ago and shared his desire to do a large-scale fundraising event for the Malverne PBA, which we immediately decided to support,” Malverne Mayor Tim Sullivan, who attended the event, said.

“It was a wonderful community event to support the PBA, which has supported the village throughout its existence,” Sullivan added. “It was a pleasure catching up with not only the men and women of the department, but the other members of the community that support our police.”

Providing the beer were Oceanside’s Barrier Brewing Co.; South Shore Craft Brewery, also in Oceanside; Jones Beach Brewing Company in Point Lookout; and Somerset Brewing Company in West Hempstead.

Serving up the food during the fundraiser were Malverne’s Antonio’s Delicatessen and Catering; Dominick’s ItalianAmerican Deli of New Hyde Park; and Dilly Dilly Donuts food trucks.

“We want to support local initiatives, local fundraisers,” Michael D’Angelo, operations manager for Crossroads Farm, said. “So when the Malverne PBA reached out, we were really excited to cooperate and create an event that worked for the community.

“It’s important to us to give space for local groups to have a community gathering space — for people to come down to the farm and enjoy time together,” D’Angelo added.

The Malverne PBA is a union representing members of the Malverne Police Department. “Our police department is an integral organization in this village and certainly credited with keeping Malverne safe,” Sullivan said.

Funds raised during the farm fest will support PBA events, such as the annual senior barbecue, the volunteer barbecue the PBA hosts during the annual Light-

ing of Malverne, and the PBA scholarship fund. Prior to the farm fest, donations and membership dues supported PBA events.

The Sgt. Thomas J. Winters Memorial Scholarship Fund is available to all Village of Malverne high school seniors who are graduating. The scholarship honors Winters, who died suddenly in 2021 after serving more than 20 years in the Malverne Police Department and more than 10 years as PBA president.

Each year since 2022, two students from Malverne have received the scholarship.

“Malverne is a very special community,” Aresta said. “Anybody who lives in Malverne knows it’s very tight-knit. So we’re just happy that we can do something like this and host a fun night for the community members that want to show their support for us.”

Aresta said he’s already looking forward to organizing the farm fest again next year.

Christine Rivera/Herald photos

Brian J. mcevoy Jr., co-owner of Jones Beach Brewing Co., serves a beer that honors first responders.

thomas grech, left, compliments Crossroads farm staff members Sara Santora, michael alsheimer and michael d’angelo, who poured beer for Barrier Brewing Co.

malverne residents enjoyed the unlimited food and beer while supporting the pBa.

malverne police department members eddie dietrich, left, Chris aresta, Joe rossi and rob Lang watched monday night football at the fundraiser.

Judge declines to block Nassau’s sports law

Court denies temporary pause as legal fight continues

By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com

A judge has declined to temporarily block Nassau County’s Local Law 121-24, which restricts sports teams at countyowned facilities based on biological sex — a decision that leaves the controversial measure in effect for now.

In a statement issued Oct. 6, the county said, “The Court has reviewed the Plaintiffs’ arguments and does not find that Local Law 121-24 excludes transgender women and girls from public facilities based on their gender identity. Furthermore, the Plaintiffs have not shown discrimination under the Human Rights Law or the Civil Rights Law.”

County Executive Bruce Blakeman said in a statement, ““We are grateful that the court found our legislation to be valid and legal. We will continue to protect girls and women from unsafe and unfair competition.”

The law, which Blakeman signed in July, requires that sports teams applying to use county-owned facilities align their rosters with each player’s biological sex assigned at birth. That effectively bars transgender women and girls from participating in female-designated sports divisions.

The legislation was immediately challenged by the New York Civil Liber-

ties Union and state Attorney General Letitia James, who argued the law discriminates against transgender athletes.

“The purpose of Local Law 121-24 is to protect women and girls, and their physical protection is certainly relevant to the enactment of this law,” the county said in its statement, pushing back against the plaintiffs’ argument that biological distinctions are irrelevant. However, opponents of the ban still

remain hopeful for change, including the NEW Pride Agenda, am LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.

“New York must remain a beacon of hope and safety for transgender and gender nonconforming people — especially as we face a coordinated national effort to erase our existence from public life,” the organization said in a statement, “Nassau County’s law is a disruptive, bullying policy intended to isolate

and demonize those who already live at the margins. It denies transgender youth the simple freedom to play, to belong, and to thrive.”

The battle over the law dates back to 2024, when Blakeman first introduced a similar executive order. That measure was struck down by a state Supreme Court judge in May 2024, following a legal challenge by the NYCLU. A federal court also dismissed a related lawsuit earlier that spring. Blakeman later brought the proposal back as legislation, which was passed by the county Legislature in June.

Despite the earlier court setbacks, the version signed into law in July remains active in the county and still faces legal scrutiny.

“If the freedom to participate is not protected in this state, it will only add to the rollbacks of freedoms seen across the country,” the NEW Pride Agenda said. “The NEW Pride Agenda urges our state’s elected leaders to rigorously enforce New York’s anti-discrimination laws and ensure that transgender New Yorkers can live, play, and exist freely and safely. We will continue to hold the line— because we know what is at stake if we do not.”

As of press time, there are no updates on potential future court hearings or appeals.

Parker Schug/Herald

County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed a law restricting sports teams at county facilities based on biological sex in July 2024 alongside co-sponsor of bill, Legislator Samantha Goetz, with others who voted for its passing.

Phillips has led county’s drive into digital era

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips traces her drive for public service to a childhood defined by independence, perseverance and the generosity of mentors who opened doors. Born in western Pennsylvania, the youngest of four daughters, she was the first in her family to attend college — a milestone achieved without guidance or financial help after her father’s death when she was 12.

“I was kind of left on my own a lot,” Phillips recalled. “There was no guidance for college.” That changed when she became a Rotary exchange student in Brazil for 13 months — an experience she described as life-changing. “It allowed me to mature and figure out who I wanted to be in life,” she said, adding that she still speaks fluent Portuguese nearly five decades later.

Phillips went on to earn both a bachelor’s degree in political science and an MBA in finance from Penn State, working as a bartender to pay tuition. Her career began in finance — first at Metropolitan Life, later at J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, where she helped build mortgage-backed securities departments. After taking time off to raise her three daughters, she negotiated a rare job-sharing arrangement at Goldman that allowed her to balance motherhood with highstakes finance work for nearly a decade.

Public service came later. After serving as mayor of Flower Hill during Superstorm Sandy, she was elected to the State Senate in 2016, where she championed legislation closing a loophole that had allowed those convicted of domestic violence to keep certain firearms. In 2021 she was elected Nassau County’s comptroller — a role she calls both humbling and demanding.

Her signature initiative, she said, has been modernizing the county’s outdated financial system, which dates back to 1999. “We do our accounting basically

using Excel files,” Phillips said. “Departments like DPW, purchasing and accounting all had different data — none of it lined up.”

Her office led a two-year process to select CGI to implement a cloud-based enterprise resource planning system, dubbed Nassau Forward, that will unify county financial operations and automatically update accounting standards. “It’s transformative,” Phillips said. “Our goal is to go live between 2027 and 2028.”

During her tenure, the comptroller’s office also digitized vendor claims, cutting payment times from four months to less than 10 days. “There used to be paper almost to the ceiling,” she said. “Now it’s all online

COUNTY COMPTROLLER

through e-claims.” Phillips also overhauled the audit process, emphasizing collaboration and corrective action rather than punitive reports that “collected dust.”

She credited her staff for the county’s recognition by the Government Finance Officers Association with its Triple Crown award for excellence in financial reporting — the only county in New York state to earn it. Nassau has also received seven bond-rating upgrades during her term.

Looking ahead, Phillips said her top priorities, if re-elected, would be completing the Nassau Forward project, hiring additional accountants and expanding electronic systems for retirees’ benefits. “We’re still sending out paper checks to some retirees,” she said. “We want to move to direct deposit — it’s safer and more efficient.”

She acknowledged ongoing challenges balancing employee wages and benefits with affordability for residents. “You want to pay your employees a fair wage and provide good health care,” Phillips said. “But you also want to make sure people can still afford to live here.”

Reflecting on her career, she credited her success to teamwork. “I’m as good as the people around me,” she said. “You always want to do more — to make government more efficient, save taxpayers money, and keep Nassau in strong fiscal shape.”

Wink: Comptroller must be ‘fiscal watchdog’

By ROKSANA AMID

ramid@liherald.com

Wayne Wink says Nassau County is once again standing on shaky financial ground — and he believes the comptroller’s office should be the first line of defense. The longtime public servant, attorney and former legislator is challenging incumbent Comptroller Elaine Phillips, arguing that the county needs more transparency, oversight and independence from the administration.

“I’ve always spoken truth to power,” said Wink, 58, who currently serves as minority counsel to the County Legislature. “What we need is a fiscal watchdog. What we have is a fiscal lapdog.”

A Hofstra University and St. John’s University School of Law graduate, Wink grew up in Uniondale, in what he describes as a “barely middle-class” household, and was the first in his family to go to college. He was elected to public office for the first time in the early 2000s and went on to serve 20 years in local government — including as a North Hempstead town councilman, county legislator and town clerk.

Among his legislative accomplishments, Wink cites the creation of Nassau’s Silver Alert law, modeled after the Amber Alert system but designed to locate missing seniors with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. “We’ve had a number of people saved because of that program,” he said. He also helped establish North Hempstead’s domestic partner registry before same-sex marriage was legalized in New York. and pushed for “right-sizing” government by transferring underused county assets to towns that could better manage them.

Among his legislative accomplishments, Wink cites the creation of Nassau’s Silver Alert law, modeled after the Amber Alerts system.

Now, as he seeks to return to countywide office, Wink says that Nassau’s biggest problems aren’t new — they’re just unresolved. “When I left the Legislature in 2013, I came back 10 years later and found the same issues: the college, the medical center, the jail, assessments,” he said. “They’re all repackaged, but the same issues.”

One of his top concerns is the county’s ongoing fiscal oversight by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which was created more than 20 years ago amid

budget turmoil. “No county our size with our affluence and abilities should still be under a control board,” he said, adding that sustainable budgeting and stronger auditing practices could allow the county to regain autonomy.

Wink has been especially critical of the county’s use of American Rescue Plan Act funds to plug operating deficits. “The only way they’re balancing the 2025 budget is to take $120 million of Covid money,” he said. “We’re spending down reserves that were built up under Laura Curran,” he added, referring to the former county executive. “It’s unsustainable.” He said that Nassau faces a structural deficit of $200 million to $250 million per year in its four-year plan.

Wink argues that genuine transparency begins with full disclosure of how public money is spent — including vendor identities. “The county’s ‘open checkbook’ lists every transaction except who got the money,” he said. “That’s not transparency.”

If elected, he said, his first priority would be to restore field audits, which he claims have disappeared under the current administration. “The comptroller is there to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely,” Wink said. “We need to get back to real audits, in the weeds, to find waste, fraud and abuse.”

He also called for greater oversight of county contracts, jail operations and agencies such as the Nassau University Medical Center, which he says have faced mounting financial and management issues.

“The county is slowly fading into the fiscal abyss again,” Wink said. “We’ve been here before — and if we keep the status quo, we’ll be back there again. Nassau needs new eyes, real accountability, and leadership willing to tell the truth.”

Tim Baker/Herald

Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips is seeking re-election.

Jeff Bessen/Herald

STEPPING OUT

At the mock store modeled after Freeport’s Two Cousins Fish Market, kids role play as fishmongers and customers.

Visitors are introduced to the exhibit’s many components.

THE SEA IS CALLING

Children’s Museum’s ‘Saltwater Stories’ is rooted in local maritime traditions

By Abbey Salvemini

Long Island Children’s Museum sets sail on a bold new chapter with “Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea and the Sea Needs Me,” its first new permanent exhibition in over a decade. The 1,900-square-foot immersive installation, which officially opened last week, invites families to explore Long Island’s rich nautical heritage, celebrating the people, traditions and cultures that have long relied on the sea.

Our coastal identity comes to life through storytelling, interactive play and local traditions. Kids (and grown-ups!) can climb into a full-size bay house, sort the day’s catch in a bustling fish market, explore the wonders under the sea and even hop inside a 500-pound hand-carved canoe. That canoe — a mishoon (Indigenous dugout canoe) commissioned by the museum — was created through the collaboration of Shinnecock Cultural Steward Chenae Bullock, her mentor Darius Coombs of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and apprentice Shane Weeks of the Shinnecock Nation. Welcomed by the museum in June, it now takes up residence within “Saltwater Stories.”

A culmination of more than 15 years of museum programming and partnerships with local fishermen, Indigenous communities and historians, it anchors Long Island’s past to its future with creativity and care. The concept first took shape several years ago, sparked by the museum’s long-running partnerships with tradition bearers and a desire to give families a more personal connection to the natural world around them.

Museum President Erika Floreska describes the exhibit as “authentic, playful and beautiful.”

Director of Exhibits Margo Malter traces its roots back to weekend programs begun in 2009, when local baymen and fishermen shared firsthand stories about life on the water. Over the years, those early conversations grew into a deeper exploration of Long Island’s maritime culture. The turning point came in 2019, when the museum received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. That funding allowed the team to assemble a cohort of community advisors — fisherfolk, Indigenous leaders, historians, and educators — whose voices helped shape Saltwater’s foundation.

“We like to say the exhibit is informed by community, for the community,” Floreska adds.

From the stories of generations of baymen to the bustling fish markets of the Nautical Mile, the exhibit’s components are rooted in the everyday lives of Long

Anthony Rodia

Anthony Rodia is back with his “Laugh Till It Hurts” tour. Building on the success of his previous outing, this is his biggest and most ambitious yet. Born and raised in Westchester, Rodia came out of the womb making people laugh. In his 20s he tried a few open mics, but ultimately took a different career path. In 2019, Rodia returned to comedy and left his day job to become a full-time stand-up comic. With a background steeped in family traditions, Italian-American culture and the ups and downs of modern life, Anthony’s comedy feels like a conversation with your funniest friend. His blend of observational humor, self-deprecation and witty impressions has led him on his path as one of the most exciting rising stars on the comedy scene.

Saturday, Oct. 18, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Islanders past and present. It also highlights the connections between the traditions of immigrant communities who share seaside cultures, offering opportunities for shared experiences and dialogue.

Visitors are welcomed by a nine-foot high immersive, stylized wave tunnel. Visible from the three entries to the museum’s second floor, this wow-moment hooks you into the gallery and recreates that first introduction to the sea for many of us — a day at the beach. Lighting and sound effects give a transportive transition into “Saltwater Stories.”

• Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Among the exhibit’s many features, young visitors can role-play life on the bay in a walkin replica of a bay house, where a “magic window” lets them observe real-time changes in weather, tides and marsh life. Nearby, in a classic Long Island fish market, you can sort, weigh and sell the day’s catch — mimicking the work of generations who lived off the sea. Also everyone will enjoy “Lifting the Ocean’s Lid,” an early learner area where kids can get a close-up look at what lives under the sea.

• View the events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800

• Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City

For Floreska, Saltwater’s heart lies in its ability to tell a local story while providing a playful, hands-on space that’s deeply connected to the real world — something she describes as both unique and meaningful.

“It gives visitors of all ages a chance to connect with a cultural richness that defines Long Island,” she says.

Integrating new technology felt like a natural next step in the evolution of the museum’s approach to storytelling, according to Malter. She highlights the bay house installation as a standout example, where digital features are used to make the environment feel dynamic and real.

To create the immersive “magic window,” the team hired a videographer to capture time-lapse footage of a local marsh over the course of several days, including scenes at night and during a storm. With the push of a button, kids can change the view outside the window — transforming from day to night or calm to stormy — making the experience both magical and grounded in the real world.

“Observing the natural world was a big educational goal for me,” Malter explains.

By blending real footage with playful interaction, young visitors notice environmental details they might otherwise overlook — fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity rooted in the rhythms of local life.

The phrase “we need the sea and the sea needs me” serves as the exhibit’s guiding inspiration.

Even the quintessential Long Island Islander — Billy Joel — has a place here. Everyone can watch a video of his “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’,” commercial fishing’s unofficial anthem.

To help families turn inspiration into action, a resource guide on the museum website provides ideas for local, family-friendly activities that extend the learning into the home. Floreska points to community programs like Freeport-based “Operation Splash,” where families can participate in cleaning up local shorelines.

As a permanent fixture now, “Saltwater Stories” continues the museum’s commitment to ignite curiosity, encourage stewardship and strengthen our bond with the environment — reminding us all that the sea’s story is deeply intertwined with our own.

$144.75, $108.75, $98.25, $86.50, $76.25, $64.75. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra Gala

Maestro Louis Panacciulli and the Nassau Pops Orchestra return to the Tilles Center for their annual gala supporting the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, joined again by Tony Danza and his band. Danza’s latest cabaret show, “Sinatra and Stories,” blends personal anecdotes, humor and some classic tunes. He pays tribute to the music of ‘Ol Blue Eyes, whose music formed the soundtrack of his childhood. He brings his trademark charisma and storytelling — along with touch of soft shoe and ukulele-strumming — to his selection of Sinatra’s timeless classics. Swing into an afternoon of great tunes and fascinating stories — all to benefit this vital organization.

Sunday, Oct. 19, 3 p.m. Tickets start at $30. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post Campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at npso.org/tickets or tillescenter.org.

Photos courtesy Kevin Chu/KCJP Everyone is welcomed into “Saltwater Stories” through a stylized wave tunnel.

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CALENDAR

OCT 16

West Hempstead Community Meeting

The West Hempstead Community Support Association will be hosting a community meeting open for all West Hempstead residents to attend. The WHCSA will be honoring their Person of the Year and more.

• Where: American Legion Hall Cathedral Post 233 Woodlawn Ave., West Hempstead

OCT 17

Taxpayer Forum

Attend the free Town of Hempstead seminar on important property tax exemptions at West Hempstead Public Library. Review eligibility requirements and get your questions answered. Know your rights as a taxpayer.

• Where: 500 Hempstead Ave.

• Time: 11 am.

• Contact: Call (516) 538-1500 or email taxforums@hempstead. ny.gov

Craft and Trade Show

Bridge Church Women’s Ministry hosts a craft and trade show. This community event celebrates creativity, entrepreneurship and connection. Explore handmade crafts, discover local businesses and support local women artists.

• Where: The Bridge Church, 1 Norwood Ave., Malverne

• Time: 7-10 p.m., also Oct 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 561-8101

OCT

18

Korean Culture Day

Celebrate the vibrant traditions of Korea at Old Westbury Gardens at the 3rd Annual Korean Culture Day Celebration. This family-friendly event brings together the sights, sounds and flavors of Korea in the beautiful garden setting. Enjoy authentic Korean foods and flavors, dance performances, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, and more. Whether you’re discovering Korean culture for the first time or reconnecting with cherished traditions, this afternoon offers something for everyone. Free with Gardens admission.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 2-5 p.m.

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

Ghostly Gala

Bring the kids to Long Island Children’s Museum’s annual Halloween celebration. Enjoy the

OCT

25

Little Feat

One of America’s most distinctive and longest-running rock bands, Little Feat is back in a big way with a revitalized lineup, a stellar new record — its first album of original material in over a decade The venerable six-piece is touring in support of ‘Strike Up the Band,” their first new studio album reliant on new material since 2012’s Rooster Rag. It’s Little Feat’s triumphant return to rock ‘n roll with plenty of swampy Southern soul. The band builds on a deep, over 50-year history. Little Feat used a combination of elite musicianship and brilliant, idiosyncratic songwriting to create a repertoire that transcends all boundaries. California rock, funk, folk, jazz, country and rockabilly mixed with New Orleans swamp boogie led to a powerful sound that has kept the audience dancing for decades. Their groove — in songs like “Dixie Chicken,” “Spanish Moon,” “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” and “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” — was so infectious it allowed them to endure and press on even when losing their founder, Lowell George, and founding drummer, Richie Hayward. They’re in top form now with Scott Sharrard on lead/vox and Tony Leone on drums/vox, and with founder Bill Payne on keys/vox, Fred Tackett on guitars/vox, Kenny Gradney on bass, and Sam Clayton on percussion/vox. Fifty years on, they’ve been up and they’ve been down and they know where they belong — standing or sitting behind their instruments, playing for you. And anything’s possible, because the end is not in sight. Tickets are $141.25, $120.25, $99.75, $77.75, $66.25

holiday in a fun, safe and spooky (not scary) way! Show off your costumes and dance moves in a Monster Mash Dance Party. Visit the Spooky Studio and meet mysterious underwater creatures. Also make some cool and creepy crafts. Start offyour spooky night by decorating a bewitching trick-or-treat bag, then collect ghostly goodies from the museum’s roaming staff. Also a special showing of “Uncle Vlad’s Pumpkin Patch” in the LICM theater. $16, $14 members; show $5.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 6-9 p.m.

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

Malverne 5K

OCT 19

Participate in the 20th Annual Malverne 5K Run/ Walk for Education. Organized by the Malverne Educational and Fitness Foundation, proceeds support youth programs in the district.

• Where: Malverne High School

80 Ocean Ave., Malverne

• Time: Fun run 8:30 a.m., 5K 9

a.m.

• Contact: Register at runsignup. com/Race/NY/Malverne/ TheMalverne5KRun

‘Gloria’s Miami Nights’

Plaza Theatrical invites to all to its stage at Elmont Memorial Library for dazzling tribute to Gloria Estefan, Kikki Torres and a pulsating troupe of musicians, singers, and dancers to celebrate the music and career of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine. $40, $35 seniors.

• Where: 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: 2:30 p.m.

• Contact: PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870

Community Clean-Up

The West Hempstead Community Support Association partners with the Town of Hempstead’s Quality of Life Task Force for a Community Clean-Up Project. All local business and homeowners are encouraged to join in.

• Where: Eagle Avenue and Hempstead Avenue, West Hempstead

• Time: 9 a.m.

Spooky Card Show

Archive Day hosts a spooky card show at Cherry Valley Sports. Come buy, sell and trade collectable cards and other collectable items. General admission is $5 and available for purchase online or at the door.

School to support 6th grade fun day. Reserve your place for $15 per spot, as spots are limited. Treats and glow sticks will be for sale. The school will be closed and school parking is for Trunk and Treat cars only. All are welcome to trick or treat.

• Where: 347 William St., West Hempstead

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: Fiorella Llanos at (516) 637-6019

OCT

25

Dog Days Weekend

Enjoy the glorious grounds of Old Westbury Gardens with your pooch (leashed of course), With fall dog parade and costume contest on Sunday.Prizes awarded to best dog costumes, including Prettiest, Most Handsome, Most Original, Best Duo or Group, Funniest. Costume contest participants must register.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury.

• Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: also Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with costume parade/contest, 3-5 p.m.

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

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

• Where: Cherry Valley Sports, 45 Cherry Valley Ave., West Hempstead

• Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Salute to Malverne Firefighters

The Malverne Historical Society invites all to explore a Malverne fire truck and the Malverne Historical House.

• Where: 269 Ocean Ave., Malverne

• Time: 2-4 p.m.

• Contact: malvernehistory.org

OCT

21

West Hempstead BOE Meeting

The West Hempstead Board of Education holds their next meeting. Stay up to date with issues affecting the district.

• Where: West Hempstead Secondary School, 400 Nassau Blvd., West Hempstead

• Time: 7:30 p.m.

Trunk or Treat

OCT 24

The West Hempstead Elementary PTA is hosting a Trunk or Treat at George Washington

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

OCT

25

Haunted Halloween

Step back in time at Old Bethpage Village Restoration for some Halloween fun. Enjoy safe trick or treating, a kids’ costume parade and contest, witch-broom making, pumpkin painting, and other family fun. Meet the Headless Horseman and listen to a reading of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Enjoy the spooky fun while you appreciate the colors and beauty of the fall season in the farms, woods, and fields of the historic site. $15, $12 seniors and children 5-12.

• Where: 1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage

• Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Contact: oldbethpagevillagerestoration. org or call (516) 572-8409

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 SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST KEVIN D. WILLIAMS, TERRELL STALEY, ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered July 28, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on November 6, 2025 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 274 Coventry Road, West Hempstead, NY 11552. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Lakeview in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 35 Block 514 and Lot 17. Approximate amount of judgment $672,939.98 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #604974/2023. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 23-001125 87181 156100

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that SEALED PROPOSALS for: Well No. 6 Rehabilitation H2M Project No.: WHWD2502 will be received by the Board of Commissioners of the WEST HEMPSTEAD WATER DISTRICT (Owner) at the office of the Water District, 575 Birch Street, West Hempstead, New York 11552, until 10:00 a.m., Prevailing Time on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 and

will be publicly opened and read aloud at 5:00 p.m. Hard Copy Bidding Documents may be obtained from REVplans, 28 Church Street, Unit #7, Warwick,New York 10990, upon deposit of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each combined set of documents. Checks or money orders shall be made payable to H2M architects + engineers. Mail the deposit to the office of the District’s Engineer, H2M architects + engineers, 538 Broad Hollow Road, New York 11747, attn: Ashley Gambardella. Please simultaneously email a scanned copy of the deposit check to the following: agambardella@h2m.co m and spal@h2m.com. Upon electronic receipt of the scanned check, H2M will contact REVplans to initiate the addition of the bidder to the bidder’s list, and release the printing of hard copy Bidding Documents. Any bidder requiring documents to be shipped shall make arrangements with REVplans and pay for all packaging and shipping costs. If a hardcopy of the deposit check is not received by H2M, the Owner reserves the right to reject the bid submission. Deposits for the plans and specifications will be completely refunded to bidders and nonbidders who make a request to H2M to get the deposit check back and return the hard copy plans and specifications to H2M architects + engineers within thirty (30) days following the award of contracts or rejection of bids. No deposit will be refunded after this time.

As a convenience to the Contractor, Digital Bidding Documents may be obtained from the following website:

h2mplanroom.com as an online download for a non-refundable fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), paid by credit card. Please note REV and h2mplanroom.com are the designated locations and means for distributing and obtaining all bid package information. All bidders are urged to register to ensure receipt of all necessary information, including bid addenda. All bid addenda will be transmitted to registered plan holders via email and will be available at h2mplanroom.com.

Plan holders who have paid for hard copies of the bid documents will need to make the determination if hard copies of the addenda are required for their use, and coordinate directly with REV for hard copies of addenda to be issued. There will be no charge for registered plan holders to obtain hard copies of the bid addenda. Each proposal submitted must be accompanied by a certified check or bid bond, made payable to the WEST HEMPSTEAD WATER DISTRICT, in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a commitment by the bidder that, if its bid is accepted, it will enter into a contract to perform the work and will execute such further security as may be required for the faithful performance of the contract.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any informalities and to accept such bid which, in the opinion of the Owner, is in the best interests of the Owner.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WEST HEMPSTEAD WATER DISTRICT C. John Sparacio, Chairman Kenneth P. Wenthen,

Jr., Treasurer Carl Kolansky, Secretary DATED: OCTOBER 16, 2025 156313

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU

DLJ Mortgage Capital, Inc., Plaintiff AGAINST Frank J. Gombocs a/k/a Frank Gombocs; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 6, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 29, 2025, at 2:00PM, premises known as 72 Cedar Road, Malverne, NY 11565. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Malverne, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 38 Block 118 Lot 8, 9, 10 & 11. Approximate amount of judgment $817,202.98 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 600336/2020.

Foreclosure auction will be held “Rain or Shine”.

Robert Aiello, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: September 8, 2025 155914

Lakeview civic hosts

annual fall cleaning event

Continued from page 1

should be respected.”

Local businesses and residents donate resources such as flowers and gardening tools to the cleanup. Sanitation 6 provided gloves and garbage bags as well as manpower, and collected the trash the volunteers gathered.

the beautification project began in 1997.

“The sign has deteriorated throughout the years,” Ortiz said. “So we want to revitalize the sign, bring it back to life, have it repainted and make sure the sign will last the test of time.”

W e make sure the community you’re entering through our business district looks beautiful

READ THEM

“We take care of a lot of different towns, and it’s just nice to keep everything clean and make things look nicer,” Joseph Sparacio, a sanitation district supervisor, said. The district encompasses Lakeview as well as Elmont, Franklin Square, Garden City South, Malverne Park, North Valley Stream, South Floral Park and West Hempstead. “Especially by the train station — it’s nice when people arrive and everything is neat,” Sparacio added.

Lisa Ortiz President, Lakeview Civic Association

The civic association is working to refurbish a sign in the garden — stating “Welcome to Lakeview”— that was donated by the Lakeview Council when

The Beautification Committee works to spruce up areas around Lakeview. “We really are working hard, investing our time and resources to make sure that the space is maintained and adds to the value of our community,” Jolly said. The group also maintains the Lakeview Peace Garden, at the intersection of Woodfield Road and Scaneateles Avenue.

“It is a labor of love from the members of the community,” Jolly added. “We’ve been able to reach friends and others in the community that partner with us and lend a hand.”

To join or make a donation, financial or floral, to the volunteer Beautification Committee, contact the civic association at concerns.lakeview@gmail.com.

fannie Still, a Lakeview resident, helped establish the garden in 1997, and donated the new flowers.

Madison Gusler/Herald photos

residents and local officials gathered for the Lakeview Civic association’s fall community cleanup.

Stunning Euro Chic Home

TWhy can’t the architect and the contractor be friends?

Q. We’re trying to figure out how a mess started right at the beginning of our renovation. The plans were permitted, so we believe they were properly reviewed, but the mason and the contractor built something different than what was in the plans. The contractor is a friend who we trust. They have told us that the architect made mistakes, and they couldn’t build it the way the plans show, so they did something different.

We don’t want to stop the job, but the architect came by and said that there are many problems now, because the structure isn’t going to work the way the contractor made changes, and because the structure had to be a certain way. The contractor keeps sending us texts showing different ways to do the job, complete with sketches. The architect is saying that the work will be unsafe the way the contractor is proposing the changes. What should we do?

A. When plans aren’t followed, which happens all too frequently, the job has to stop while the design is reassessed by the architect. If you take that authority away from the architect, you set yourself up for a prolonged set of problems that can go on and on, delaying the work and possibly not even getting the outcome you were looking for.

Plots

HEADSTONE WITH 8 Plots For Sale In Beth David Cemetery, Elmont, NY. First Row Facing Belmont Racetrack. Sold Together. $60,000.00/ Neg. Please Email stein@nova.edu

The contractor is not given the authority to change the design or construction. Most construction plans have clauses stating that the contractor is not to deviate from them, and also instruct the contractor to contact the architect with questions, or to get clarification on any issues or discrepancies before any work starts. Once the work starts, the contractor will often begin to point fingers at the architect for anything not clear and misunderstood. I refer to this as “divide and conquer,” a common practice in which the contractor, empowered to run the construction job, alienates the architect from the owner, creating an often permanent rift.

Contractors and building inspectors have told me it is rare to see an architect on a construction site, but I recommend that the architect look at the work — especially foundation forms — before a concrete pour and also framing. During demolition is an important time to see previously hidden structure, especially because older homes were often built with bare-minimum beams — hence the explanation for sagging floors that people often point out before the architect starts redesigning. You need to listen to the architect before this problem becomes harder, and more expensive, to undo.

If you have doubts about the architect, especially about structure, bring in a structural engineer to meet with the architect. One of the biggest reasons these problems occur is because of a lack of communication. You, the owner, should have brought everyone, including the architect, contractor, subcontractors — especially the mason — together and had a team meeting. Letting everyone do their own thing with the assumption that everything would run smoothly was the first problem. But it’s not too late. Good luck!

© 2025 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

We will remain the leader of the free world

American foreign policy is at a watershed moment, comparable to the critical years after World War II, when the United States and our allies were forced to accept that the euphoria of victory over Nazi Germany and imperial Japan had been supplanted by the reality of the Iron Curtain and the threat of Soviet expansion. The Cold War had begun.

The NATO alliance was formed to prevent Joseph Stalin from emulating Adolf Hitler’s march through Europe after the Munich Conference capitulation in 1938, which had given Hitler virtually free rein to invade and seize Czechoslovakia. A decadeslong struggle would continue through various iterations and crises until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 — a struggle that today’s isolationists would have labeled an “endless war.” Fortunately, neither American political party elected isolationists during those defining 45 years. Pre-World War II isolationism had long since been consigned to the ash heap of history.

The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 created a sense of euphoria similar to

Staying

Ithat of 1945 and ’46. Eastern Europe was liberated from the yoke of Soviet communist rule, and the Soviet republics declared their independence from Moscow. One of them was Ukraine, which, tragically, had been brutalized for centuries by Russia.

TUkraine was also left with thousands of Soviet nuclear weapons. In 1994, in keeping with the spirit of the Soviet demise, Ukraine gave up those weapons in return for guarantees of security from the United States, Britain and Russia, in what was known as the Budapest Agreement. All indicators seemed to foresee a reformed Russia, and no aggression of the type that drew the U.S. into the two world wars of the 20th century.

rump’s turnabout with Zelensky and Putin sends a clear message to China.

There would be fits and starts with Russia during the later Bush years, including an incursion into Georgia, and then a promise by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009 that the Obama administration would “reset” the relationship with Russia. That reset never worked, and Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. There was no Russian aggression during the first Trump administration, but then, in February 2022, Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine — the first invasion of a sovereign European nation since the end of World War II.

defeating Russian aggression, having supplied more funding to Ukraine than the U.S. Unfortunately, President Trump has shown reluctance to stand with Ukraine, ascribing equal blame for the war to Zelensky — even berating him in the White House, telling him he had no cards to play.

I accompanied President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to Moscow in September 1998 for meetings with Russian President Boris Yeltsin and other Russian officials to strengthen economic and cultural ties between our two nations. The dialogue between the leaders was extremely positive. Then, after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the newly elected Russian president, Vladimir Putin, was among the first foreign leaders to pledge President George W. Bush his full support.

Ukraine, under its newly elected reform president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was expected to succumb in days or weeks. President Joseph Biden even offered to have American jets provide Zelensky safe passage out of Ukraine. But with the U.S. and NATO countries supplying weapons and logistical support, Zelensky and Ukraine have fought Russia to a stalemate for over three and a half years — longer than America’s war against Nazi Germany.

Russia has suffered more than a million casualties, and has had to resort to using North Korean troops. Its economy is in shambles. NATO has admitted two previously neutral nations, Sweden and Finland, and remains committed to

Trump met with Putin in Alaska, and implored him to meet with Zelensky to reach a compromise. Putin implied that he would, but reneged. Realizing he was being played, Trump denounced Putin in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month, and just hours later, met one on one with Zelensky. Then, going full circle, Trump released a statement hailing Zelensky’s leadership, saying that Ukraine was in a position to “fight and win,” and pledging to continue to supply weapons to NATO for Ukraine’s use against Russia.

Trump’s turnabout will prevent a catastrophic replay of Munich and halt Putin’s attempt to rebuild the Russian empire. This defeat of Russian aggression in Europe will simultaneously send a clear message to China not to move against Taiwan or other Pacific nations such as the Philippines and Japan. The United States will remain the leader of the free world.

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

sane in the age of information overload

’m tired. In fact, I’m exhausted. I’m overwhelmed. It’s not from going to the gym. It’s not from being glued to my TV, watching my favorite baseball team trying to survive the playoffs.

It’s the torrent of information that has been drowning me 24 hours a day, with no promise of abating. Is there any hope that the flood will end and that I’ll have a respite from information overload? Is there any hope that the barrage will shut down over the weekend, when we try to pay less attention to our laptops and cellphones? Or are we doomed to being perpetually overwhelmed by the greatest avalanche of facts, figures, news, emails, text messages and robocalls since the dawn of the high-tech era?

There is no one culprit that we can identify whose elimination would give us a reprieve from the onslaught. One of the biggest offenders of them all is,

Aof course, the White House, which engages in a strategy known as Flood the Zone. Every day, it releases so many “hot” news items that it would take you or me two or three days just to get through them. In addition to the media flood, President Trump holds freewheeling news conferences that can last well over an hour. Generally, those events generate other news stories on top of the daily pressroom output. Then there’s the smartphone app challenge. I checked my phone and found that I am attached to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X and have subscriptions to the Daily News, the New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsday, Newsday TV, the Huffington Post, Apple News, The Hill, CNN, The Weather Channel and some others that I’ve forgotten. I know that over the course of the day, I tap into every one of those outlets for some type of information.

imagine waiting at a bus stop for six hours. It’s a long time.

ll ‘breaking’ news all the time — and for goodness’ sake, don’t forget podcasts.

Beyond all these challenges is the introduction of artificial intelligence into our lives. No matter how hard you try, there’s no way to escape the onslaught of articles, studies, memos and office talk about AI. Just a few years ago, if someone had uttered the words artificial intelligence, they would have been largely ignored. These days, those words hover over us like a threatening storm cloud, with most of us having no idea whether it will help or harm us.

program. How many times in a halfhour can there be so much “breaking” news? And the repetition of the same stories can be head-splitting.

Last, but by far not least, is the introduction into our space of the podcast. Today, almost every media, political, religious, sports or entertainment personality has a podcast of some kind. They have rotating guests, and offer a mountain of opinions on the subjects of the moment. Many of them are interesting and informative, but how many hours in a day do we have to partake in this newest information vehicle?

Once a week, I get a text telling me that, on average, I’m on my phone for a minimum of six hours a week. That doesn’t sound like a lot of hours, but

Once upon a time, watching television was a respite from the pressures of the day. Today, watching TV can leave you dazed and confused by hour after hour of commercials for countless drugs, all of which, apparently, will save humanity. On top of the drug tsunami, there are countless other ads that dominate the time you would like to just sit back and watch your favorite show, uninterrupted.

To add to the desperation for some chill time, there’s today’s typical news

So that is my ongoing nightmare. It is mine, but it’s the nightmare that we all face. We’re just human beings; we’re not robots. At least for now, they can’t implant a chip in our brain to help us fend off the cascade of facts, figures, opinions, ideas, theories and concepts that flood our every waking hour. So we’ll have to find new ways to help ourselves live a normal life, and still be adequately informed people.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. Comments about this column? jkremer@ liherald.com.

Malverne/West HeMpstead

Also serving Lakeview

Established 1994

Incorporating:

Malverne Community Times 1964-1994

West Hempstead Beacon 1950-2020

Madison Gusler

Senior Reporter

rhonda GlickMan

Vice President - Sales office

2 Endo Boulevard

Garden City, NY 11530

Phone: (516) 569-4000

Fax: (516)

iHerald editorial

Real journalists, reporting real stories

n an age of uncertainty and skepticism toward the media, one mission has remained unwavering: to inform, empower and connect our community with journalism rooted in truth and integrity.

That mission defines Herald Community Media, publisher of 27 community weekly newspapers serving Nassau and Suffolk counties and a touch of New York City. It is the foundation of everything we do — every story we report, every question we ask and every issue we print.

The Herald’s purpose has never been clearer or more vital, especially now, during election season. Across the nation, trust in media has declined as misinformation spreads faster than facts and as social media platforms blur the line between opinion and truth. Yet despite this turbulence, the need for reliable local journalism has never been greater. We know you depend on us not only to tell you what’s happening, but also to help you understand why it matters — to your neighborhood, your family and your future.

This summer, the Pew Research Center published “How Americans View Journalists in the Digital Age,” an indepth look at how the public perceives our profession. Pew surveyed nearly 9,400 U.S. adults and convened a number of focus groups, and found both optimism and concern. Most Americans still believe journalists are vital to our soci-

letters

There’s often been bias in journalism

To the Editor:

Re Nick Buglione’s column in the Oct. 2-8 issue, “I was proud to be a reporter — but things have changed”: I, too, would like to put to rest the argument that Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok and other social media have any role in serious journalism. It’s indeed unfortunate that so many people rely on these geysers of rumor, gossip, misinformation and lies for their news.

But the journalism profession has never been as idealistic and innocent as Mr. Buglione seems to suggest it once was. In fact, long before social media invaded our world, the press’s coverage of important events was at times nakedly partisan, ignorant and dishonest.

In the 19th century, for example, some newspapers accepted hefty sums of money from politicians for favorable coverage of their campaigns. At least one paper from that era, William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal, ran sensationalized stories about Spanish atrocities in Cuba, which, many believe, helped

ety’s well-being — but many also express frustration, feeling that the media’s credibility and influence have declined amid political division and technological upheaval.

Yet within those findings lies a message of hope and direction. Americans say what they value most in their news providers is honesty, intelligence and authenticity — qualities that have guided the Herald’s reporting since its founding in 1964. Our journalists live by those values every day. We verify information carefully, we listen with compassion and we report with clarity and context. We are not distant observers; we are your neighbors, your fellow community members and your partners in truth.

At a time when the term “media” often evokes distrust, the Herald reaffirms its promise: to deliver accurate, objective and trustworthy local journalism. That means being transparent about how we report, being accountable when we err, and being authentic in how we connect with you.

Authenticity, as editors across the country have noted, may be the most powerful defense against today’s flood of misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated content. Real, local journalism can’t be practiced from behind a desk or from a distant city. It requires trained professionals who show up in the community, ask hard questions and share the stories of other real-life

people.

Every week, Herald journalists attend school board meetings, interview local business owners, chronicle civic debates, and celebrate the achievements of neighbors doing extraordinary things. We are not reporting on the community from afar — we are reporting within it, with care, empathy and purpose.

Readers deserve to know how stories come together — how sources are verified, why certain facts are included and how conclusions are drawn. We are committed to correcting mistakes quickly and publicly, because credibility is not earned by claiming perfection but by demonstrating honesty.

As Pew’s research highlights, Americans long for media that is clear, fair and accountable. The Herald’s commitment to those ideals has not wavered for more than six decades, and it will not waver now. Our mission — to inform, empower and connect our community with journalism rooted in truth and integrity — is our responsibility, our calling and our promise. As a locally owned family business, our commitment is to our communities, not to Wall Street.

In a world increasingly driven by algorithms and artificial noise, the Herald’s voice remains steady: local reporting by real journalists, telling real stories that matter. That is how we serve. That is how we strengthen our community. And that is how we continue.

Fixing our roads starts with fixing unequal funding

in my 15 years of representing you, I’ve seen a full spectrum of concerns, but none spark as much frustration and conversation as our roads. That’s no surprise to anyone who has navigated the Southern State Parkway, Hillside Avenue, Hempstead Turnpike or Glen Cove Road.

Nearly everyone on Long Island relies on our roads every single day. It’s one of the few things that actually unites Americans across the country: our dependence on infrastructure that has been left to deteriorate in more places than not. The condition of our local roads is a public safety hazard, making the frustration I hear regularly from residents both understandable and warranted. Every year, my colleagues and I hold news conferences in Albany and around the state to call for greater investment in our roads. But it remains an uphill battle.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and her administration continue to throw money at misguided priorities, while inflation in the

highway construction industry, outdated and flawed state funding formulas and the unequal distribution of aid stack the deck against suburban neighborhoods like ours. Time and again, other Long Island representatives and I have made clear that our region is not getting its fair share.

iIt’s outrageous that Long Islanders, who are taxed more than most New Yorkers, also endure some of the worst roads. It’s not merely anecdotal; the numbers back it up. Long Island’s local roads rank among the worst in New York, with 42 percent rated in “poor” or “fair” condition, compared to 35 percent statewide. Despite the fact that we spend more money on roads than any other region except New York City, our heavy traffic volume and dense population mean those dollars don’t stretch nearly far enough.

and dead last in aid per lane-mile, even though we have the second-highest taxable property value per lane-mile in the state.

t’s outrageous that we highly taxed Long Islanders put up with such bad roads.

We can all see that Long Island’s roads are aging. What deserves equal attention, but is far less visible, are the outdated funding formulas meant to repair them. Each year in Albany, lawmakers divide money into five “formula programs” that make up the bulk of local road aid. Four of them rely on factors like lane mileage, vehicle registrations and government type, while the fifth — added in 2021 — applies only to a select few municipalities with specially designated “state touring routes.”

secure Long Island’s fair share of road funding. One option is to restore the Long Island Suburban Highway Improvement Program, which once targeted funding specifically to suburban communities. It was discontinued after 1997, but the need for dedicated suburban highway funding has only grown since then. I’m drafting a bill to direct the DOT to study current funding streams to gauge regional fairness. Only with a dedicated review can the system finally be improved. The goal is to determine whether reinstating SHIPS, or a similar program, is necessary to ensure that our roads are properly funded.

This year, Long Island received only about 8 percent of Department of Transportation Capital Plan funding, far below our share of local lane-miles (12 percent) and population (15 percent). Western New York, by comparison, received about 40 percent. Long Island ranks near the bottom in aid per capita

Letters

drum up support for American involvement in the Spanish-American War.

Closer to our time, the press remained curiously silent about the 1940s Levittown covenant restricting home ownership in that community to white people. And in 2002, when President George W. Bush justified our invasion of Iraq by insisting that the country’s weapons of mass destruction posed a threat to America, few newspapers questioned his claim.

I’m sure Mr. Buglione enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with his Herald colleagues 20 years ago. And while I’ve no reason to doubt his statement that Herald reporters were genuinely committed to presenting the news accurately, we’d be hard-pressed to find a time when the press — in general — has been entirely squeaky clean.

RICHARD J. CONWAY Massapequa

Koslow’s a better choice than Blakeman

To the Editor:

It can be an easy win for a candidate with name recognition who has enough money and government power

to bombard us with fliers, signs and TV ads each day. Bruce Blakeman, our current Nassau County executive, has this power. We need to look beyond the hype. It’s time for a more centrist candidate. Blakeman and his team are entrenched in national politics, pleasing President Trump by doing such things as training a group of our county police officers to work in tandem with the president’s controversial ICE force, setting aside cells in our county jail for nonviolent ICE detainees, and creating a volunteer, private militia that Blakeman can use when and how he decides.

On the other hand, Seth Koslow is a centrist candidate for county executive with years of experience as a Queens district attorney, a privatepractice lawyer and a current member of the Nassau County Legislature. He has lived in Nassau County his entire life, and is raising his family here. He is very concerned about our taxes in Nassau, and has said that he would order a full, independent audit of county spending to see where our money is being spent.

Koslow has stated that he would share ideas with his Republican counterpart in Suffolk County, because he believes in the idea of people on both sides working together for the benefit of the county. He has said he would

The problem is that many of these formulas are decades old, built on precedents from as far back as 46 years ago, when demographics and driving patterns looked nothing like they do today. These stuck-in-the-past formulas don’t reflect today’s realities. They also fail to account for New York’s diverse weather conditions, like the heavy rainfall and flooding that regularly hit Long Island. Updating these formulas is essential if Long Island is going to get the funding it’s owed.

There are additional ways to help

The cost of inaction and deferred maintenance is too large to ignore. In 2023, Nassau County reported 39,104 crashes resulting in 650 serious injuries and 61 fatalities. Pedestrian accidents alone increased by 2.2 percent from 2022, with 875 incidents in 2023, including 24 fatalities — an increase of 9.1 percent. The frustration we feel over potholes, faded lane markings and inadequate drainage systems is nothing compared with the accidents they actively contribute to. Proactive investment is critical, and it depends entirely on proper funding.

Ed Ra represents the 19th Assembly District and is the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee.

disband Blakeman’s private militia because he believes that our excellent county police force is more than capable of handling our citizens’ safety.

The bottom line is that Seth Koslow is a highly qualified local resident who

would concentrate solely on the needs of our county. This makes him and his team best suited to run our county.

Framework by Jackie Adamo

Waiting to hail a gondola? — Castello, Venice

ELAINE RAUCH Lynbrook