Massapequa Herald 12_10_2025

HERALD Massapequa

Mike Polansky/Herald

Ready, set go: start of 5K race

Massapequa Turkey Trots draw thousands despite rain and wind

By MIKE POLANSKY Senioir Correspondent

Massapequa’s annual Turkey Trot tradition returned in full stride this November, with more than 2,700 runners and walkers participating in two separate 5-kilometer races just five days apart.

The Massapequa Park 5K Turkey Trot kicked off Nov. 22 at Brady Park, where 463 participants turned out despite overcast skies and intermittent rain. On Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 27, a record crowd of 2,292 gathered at Burns Park for the larger Massapequa 5K Turkey Trot, braving cold temperatures and blustery winds.

• Massapequa Park Turkey Trot — Nov. 22

Hank Barker, 18, of Springfield, Missouri, was the overall winner of the Brady Park race, finishing in 16 minutes, 55 seconds. Local standout Sean Kildare, 28, of Massapequa

Park, placed second in 17:04, edging out 45-year-old Sal Nastasi, also of Massapequa Park, by less than a second. Nastasi had finished second in each of the two previous races.

Lisa Argast of West Islip was the top female finisher at 19:32. Emily Cullinan and Sophia Nislow, both of Massapequa, placed first and second, respectively, in the female 14-and-under division, finishing within a second of each other.

About 50 children completed a half-mile Fun Run around the Massapequa Reservoir ahead of the main race.

Proceeds from the event benefited the Massapequa-based YES Community Counseling Center, which provides substance use treatment and mental health services for families, children and adults across Nassau County.

Amityville SD faces $10.6M surplus after last year’s deficit

By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

Last year, the Amityville School District was wrestling with an $8.19 million budget deficit.

This year, it is working to figure out how to handle a $10.6 million surplus, including a possible giveback to local taxpayers in the form of a reduced tax rate next year.

“This surplus resulted from conservative budgeting during a period when the district was still recovering from past fiscal challenges,” Superintendent Dr. Gina Talbert told the Board of Education and public at a recent meeting. “Additionally, several one-time factors, including a temporary state aid grant and unexpected savings in a number of areas, contributed to the positive yearend result.”

The surplus stems from the district’s 2024–25 school budget. While having more money than anticipated is generally preferable to facing a shortfall, school districts must navigate strict state regulations when surpluses exceed allowable limits.

Interim Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Richard Schneider reminded the board that the New York State Comptroller’s Office does not look favorably on large surpluses and, in extreme cases, may intervene.

State regulations allow school districts to retain no more than 4% of their budget as unrestricted surplus. Nonetheless, state audits have repeatedly found districts exceeding that threshold — sometimes reaching 10%, 15% or even 20%.

Amityville’s surplus amounts to roughly 9.01% of its voter-approved $117,701,413 budget, more than double the limit.

According to the Comptroller, districts often create “phantom deficits” by overestimating costs for items such as special education, insurance and retirement expenses. When those costs come in lower than budgeted, districts end up with sizable year-end surpluses.

Amityville officials, however, said their surplus reflects intentional cost-saving measures taken in response to the prior year’s deficit. The district reduced transportation spending by $251,795 and special education costs by $837,808. It also renegotiated rates with certain service providers and changed providers in one case, saving costs. In addition, a “high cost” student was shifted from contractual codes to a tuition code, producing additional savings, according to Schneider.

Martinez honored with statewide fire service award

Senator recognized for advocacy

State Sen. Monica Martinez has been named the 2025 recipient of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York’s prestigious Golden Trumpet Award.

Presented annually for more than three decades, the Golden Trumpet recognizes leaders who have gone above and beyond in supporting the state’s volunteer fire service. Martinez, who represents parts of Suffolk County, was honored Nov. 19 for her legislative work and public advocacy on behalf of firefighters and EMS agencies across Long Island and New York state.

“Senator Monica Martinez has shown time and again that she not only understands the challenges facing the volunteer fire service — she acts on them,” said FASNY President Eugene Perry. “Her leadership, compassion, and commitment to New York’s first responders make her a true friend to every firefighter in this state.”

Sen. Martinez represents the 4th Senate District covering parts of Amityville, Lindenhurst, West Babylon and Deer Park. As chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, Martinez has helped advance legislation focused on emergency response, recruitment and retention, and first responder safety. Among her priorities: reforms to the Volunteer Firefighter Benefit Law, expansion of state income tax credits for volunteers, and improved emergency communications and disaster

on behalf of Long Island’s volunteer responders

preparedness protocols.

Martinez has also been an advocate for 9/11 responder health, lithium-ion battery safety, and strengthening EMS infrastructure. She supports legislation to provide income and property tax exemptions to active volunteers — benefits she believes should extend to surviving spouses — and secured funding for train-

ing programs at the Suffolk County Fire Academy.

Martinez said she was humbled by the recognition.

“The Golden Trumpet symbolizes a voice that rises above the challenges of uncertainty, and I’m proud to be that voice in Albany as an advocate for our first responders,” she said. “Volunteers

are humble, but their heroism is true, and that is why I’m honored to receive the Golden Trumpet Award from this incredible organization and the members it represents.”

Sen. Martinez’ office can be reached at 631-341-7111. Her office is at 250 Veterans Highway, Hauppauge, Room 3b, 41 and 42.

Courtesy/FASNY

Massapequa’s past comes alive at Old Grace Church, Sunday, Nov. 23

By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

History came alive at Old Grace Church on Sunday, November 23, as William «Bill» Colfer delivered an evocative lecture on the grand estates that once defined Massapequa›s landscape and the families who called them home.

Addressing a captivated audience, Colfer intertwined the structural history of the mansions with colorful anecdotes of their inhabitants, offering a poignant glimpse into a vanished era of local grandeur. His talk, part of the detailed history compiled by local historian “The Mansions of Massapequa and the Families Who Lived in Them,” breathed life into the past, connecting today’s residents with the legacies etched into their community’s foundations and documented by local historian, the late George Kirchmann.

The event took place at the historic Old Grace Church, itself a testament to the area’s deep roots, built in 1844 and now part of the Massapequa Historic Complex maintained by the Historical Society of the Massapequas.

Early settlement and the rise of the Jones estate

The roots of Massapequa’s mansion era trace back to 1696, when Thomas Jones — a former soldier, privateer and operator of a whaling station — received a land grant of roughly 6,000 acres and built a brick house just south of what is now Massapequa Lake, according to the Historical Society of the Massapequas and the Massapequa Chamber of Commerce. The structure, often referred to as the Old Brick House, remained the region’s only large dwelling for decades.

In 1770, Jones’ son David constructed the area’s first true mansion, Tryon Hall, near the modern site of Massapequa High School. News accounts and local historians describe the home as having high ceilings, broad halls and finely crafted timber.

Following the American Revolution, the younger Thomas Jones — a loyalist — fled to England. The estate was passed to relatives who adopted the name Floyd-Jones, establishing a family line that would dominate Massapequa’s landscape for the next century.

The mansion-building era of the Floyd-Jones family

Throughout the 1800s, the Floyd-Jones family built a series of expansive homes along Merrick Road, transforming the corridor into a patchwork of estates. Massapequa Manor, completed in 1837 by jurist David S. Jones, included 20 rooms, Greek Revival columns, a circular drive, a polo field and a racetrack, as well as a man-made lake created by damming the local river.

Other family members added their own landmarks. Sedgmoor, built in the mid19th century by Sarah Maria Floyd-Jones, rose three stories and featured a tower and sweeping verandas. Holland House, constructed in the late 1800s, later became the Wagon Wheel restaurant before its demolition. Sewan, built by George Stanton FloydJones, was considered one of the community’s most elegant homes and was notable for having indoor plumbing.

A rare survivor from the estate era is the servants’ cottage built around 1870 for Elbert Floyd-Jones’ property. After the main house burned in the early 1900s, the cottage

was relocated to the Massapequa Historical Society complex beside Old Grace Church.

Decline of the old estates

By the mid-20th century, the mansions were increasingly difficult to maintain.

Suburban expansion after World War II accelerated their demise, historians say. Tryon Hall, later known as Fort Neck House, was destroyed by fire in 1940. Sedgmoor was razed in 1953. Massapequa Manor, sold to developers earlier in the century, was

eventually replaced by smaller homes.

The loss of these estates marked Massapequa’s shift from a region dominated by large landholdings to a typical postwar suburban community.

Legacy today

While most of the great houses are long gone, the legacy of the Jones and FloydJones families endures. The remaining structures — including the servants’ cottage, Old Grace

Church and the community’s first public library, founded by a Floyd-Jones descendant — are preserved at the Massapequa Historical Complex.

These remnants offer a glimpse into a time when sprawling estates, private lakes and horse tracks defined the area. Today, few passing through Massapequa’s quiet neighborhoods would guess that an aristocratic enclave once covered the same ground.

Photos and descriptions: Courtesy Historical Society of the Massapequas

Massapequa Manor: Circa 1836 built by Judge David S. Jones, for his wife, Mary, daughter of New York’s sixth Governor, DeWitt Clinton. The homestead included 81 acres, the Manor, Stables, Polo Field, caretaker houses and a boat house. The property included Massapequa Lake which was dug out by shovel and wheelbarrow to serve as a backdrop for this home. Years later the Manor was sold to the Caroon family who never owned the lake. The building burned down in the mid 1950’s. The area now contains several hundred homes south of Sunrise Highway from Lakeshore Drive to Park Blvd.”

Carolyn James/Herald

Built in the late 1800s by George Stanton Floyd-Jones, Sewan replaced Tryon Hall (or Fort Neck House) which stood next door. The property was left by Mr. Floyd-Jones to the Catholic Church. The Church sold the property and buildings to the Massapequa School District who used this house and the carriage house as schools until 1952 when they were torn down to build Massapequa’s first High School.

Carolyn James/Herald

Members of the Historical Society of the Massapequas posed for a photo following their annual meeting

Bill Colfer, historian and member of the Historical Society ot the Massapequas, makes his presentation on local mansions.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11

•Town of Oyster Bay Planning Advisory Board Meeting: 7 p.m., Town Board Hearing Room, Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Ave., Oyster Bay. For more information, call (516) 624-6333.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12

•Simpson United Methodist Church Thrift Shop: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 30 Locust Ave., Amityville. For more information, call (631)-789-2569.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14

•Simpson United Methodist Church Thrift Shop: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 30 Locust Ave., Amityville. For more information, call (631) 789-2569.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15

Education Meeting: 7:30 p.m., High School Cafeteria, Plainedge High School, 241 Wyngate Dr., Massapequa. For more information, call (516) 9927450.

•Emotional Health Recovery and Support Group: 7:30 to 9 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9592, 55 Hickory Lane, Levittown. Free weekly, in-person meeting of Emotions Anonymous, a 12-step support group for anyone experiencing emotional difficulties. For more information, call Steve at (631) 332-0552 or Jill at (516) 220-7808. All calls are confidential.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17

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•Plainedge Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting: 7 p.m., Plainedge Public Library, 1060 Hicksville Road, N. Massapequa. For more information, please call (516) 735-4210.

•Massapequa Fire District Monthly Work Session: 7:30 p.m., District Administration Building, 1 Brooklyn Ave., Massapequa. For more information, call (516) 798-9849.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16

•Plainedge School District Board of

•Nassau County Legislature Full Legislative Meeting: 1p.m., Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, 1550 Franklin Ave., Mineola. For more information, call 516-571-6200.

• Emotional Health Recovery and Support Group: 7:30 to 9 p.m. Free weekly, virtual meeting of Emotions Anonymous, a 12-step support group for anyone experiencing emotional difficulties. For more information, call Steve at (631) 332-0552 or Jill at (516) 220-7808. All calls are confidential.

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story in last week’s edition: Fire and Water District races Dec. 9, incorrectly identified the name of the Grumman Navy Plume. We apologize for the error.

Amityville weighs tax relief, restored services as surplus hits 10%

next budget is a form of returning money to taxpayers — a position supported by several board members.

penses came in $1.2 million under budget, partly due to the transfer of eight students out of the district.

Schneider said budgeting for special education remains difficult because student needs can fluctuate. “The increase in the 2024-25 budget was justified given the known facts (at the time the budget was prepared),” he said.

Board members expressed differing views on how the district should address the surplus.

Trustee Juan Leon urged the board to consider returning a portion of the surplus directly to taxpayers, replenishing depleted line items and proposing a zero-percent tax increase for 2026–27.

“What we have to also consider is that money was cut drastically from things like janitorial services, special education and teachers,” Leon said. “We just can’t continue to kick the can down the road because it shows instability. I am no blaming anyone or finding fault; it is just that we have to maintain the trust of the public and provide a quality education.”

The district later learned it was too late to issue rebate checks. However, it can still restore funding to line items heavily reduced last year.

Board President Lisa Johnson said lowering or freezing the tax levy in the

The Comptroller’s Office says budgets should rely on realistic estimates, not overinflated projections, and that surpluses should be used for one-time capital needs, debt reduction or temporary tax relief rather than accumulating in reserves. The office also urges “transparency with taxpayers” by clearly explaining reserve levels and their intended use.

“The benefit I saw (in sending some money back to taxpayers in the form of a check) was regaining the trust of the community,” Leon said. “This is a community that has seen deficits, and many people lost faith in the ability of our district to responsibly handle the budget. Perhaps if we were able to give some money back, it might have helped restore some faith.”

“While the district’s fiscal health has improved to its strongest point in nearly 15 years, thanks to careful oversight, conservative budgeting and strategic decision-making, we must be cautious moving forward, including planning for changes in state aid and rising operational costs,” Talbert said. “As we begin budget discussions for the 2026-27 school year, we will remain disciplined, transparent and forward-thinking in our planning, with the input of our community stakeholders.”

Clerk LaMarca urges residents to give blood on Dec. 23

With hospitals facing a nationwide blood shortage, Oyster Bay Town Clerk Richard LaMarca invites residents to attend a Blood Collection Drive on Tuesday, December 23rd from 1pm to 7pm at the Hicksville Athletic Center, located at 167 S. Broadway in Hicksville.

Clerk LaMarca stated, “Blood supplies are critically needed for local hospitals to meet the demand and continue saving lives. Please consider participating in this blood drive to help bolster our blood banks and ensure as many people as possible can be helped. Together, we can give the gift of life though a simple blood donation.”

Appointments are preferred for the Town’s Blood Drive. To qualify as a donor, a person must be between the ages of 17 and 75 years old (16 with parental permission and 76 or older with a doctor’s note), weigh at least 110 pounds and not have donated blood within the

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas & Best Wishes for a Happy New Year to all from the Incorporated Village of Massapequa Park

MAYOR DANIEL M. PEARL

DEPUTY MAYOR TINA SCHIAFFINO

TRUSTEE DANA M. DURSO

TRUSTEE TODD A. SVEC

TRUSTEE CHRISTINE M. WISS

VILLAGE JUSTICE KRISTA C. PALLESCHI

last 56 days. Anyone who received a tattoo within the past three months is ineligible to donate. It is recommended that donors eat well (low fat) and drink fluids in the days before the Blood Drive. Additionally, all donors will receive a voucher for a free Blizzard at Dairy Queen.

Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino added, “It’s quick, easy, and safe to donate a single pint of blood which can save up to three lives. Donating blood at the Hicksville Athletic Center, is an incredible way for all of us to pitch in and give back, to help ease the burden of our Healthcare Heroes as they continue to provide lifesaving efforts.”

For additional information regarding the Town’s Blood Drive, contact (516) 624-6380. To make an appointment to donate at this Blood Drive, sign up today at www.oysterbaytown.com/blooddrive

Meet some local scholars....

The following students were recently recognized for academic achievements and graduation at their respective colleges:

•Juliann Goodwin of Massapequa and a member of the Class of 2029 at the University of Scranton recently received a

Presidential Scholarship.

•Nicole Justi of Massapequa Park, attending The University of Scranton, will be serving as a student teacher at Dunmore Elementary Center in the Dunmore School District. Justi is majoring in early and primary teacher education.

Walter Anderson

Jeff Anfuso

Samantha Angerame

Michelle Bartolo

Joe Bello

Christine Bentz

Christine Botti

Christopher Briggs

Robert Cantelmo

Frank Capobianco

Thomas Chodak

Louise Conwell

Maureen Cooney

Cathy Dehmer

Ann DeSantis

William Eisele

Robert Fieman

Mary Fiorito

Cheryl Forte-lula

Osiris Garcia

Jay Gershen

Elizabeth Giorgio

Rita Grande

Kevin Hebel

Ellen Hennings

Juan Henriquez

Skip Horal

Garet Lamb

Craig Lisogorsky

Robert Macri

Christopher Magistro

Matthew McCauley

Chris Molina

Ronald Ponger

Marcus Povinelli

Richard Protano

David Ratcliff

Paul Rosenbaltt

Steve Sapeta

Vincent Sugamele

Linda Tuminello

Charlie Vandermosten

CJ Vandermosten

Emerson Vasquez

Peter Voyes

Robert Weik

Hofstra showing championship potential

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Hofstra men’s basketball team is showing early signs of a rebound season.

Coming off a disappointing 15-18 2024-25 campaign, Hofstra displayed its championship potential by winning three games in three days at the Cathedral Classic at the Palestra in Philadelphia Thanksgiving weekend against La Salle, Merrimack and Penn.

The Pride will need to accomplish a similar feat in early March at the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament and the Philly sweep showed fifth-year head coach Speedy Claxton his team may have the grit to cut down the nets.

“We know if we want to go to the NCAA Tournament we are going to have to win three games in three days,” said Claxton, who guided Hofstra to the NCAAs as a standout point guard in 2000. “This was good preparation work and now they know they are more than capable of doing that.”

The Pride made another statement a week later with an 80-73 win at ACC opponent Pittsburgh Hofstra returned six players from last season in which the Pride dropped several close conference games to finish 6-12 in the CAA. It was picked to finish eighth in the 13-team CAA and are looking to prove the doubters wrong with a determined core led by junior guard Cruz Davis, a St. Johns transfer who averaged 14,4 points per game for the Pride last season.

“He is way more comfortable in the offense and what we expect on both ends of the floor,” said Claxton of Davis, who tallied a career high 36 points in the Pitt win.

Graduate student guard German Plotnikov adds a veteran presence in the lineup after averaging 6.1 points and 2.7 rebounds last season. The 6-foot-5 Belarus native is a threat from three-point range who connected on 40.2 percent of his shots from beyond the arc last year.

Silas Sunday, a returning 7-foot power forward, is making strides in the paint during his third season on the Hofstra roster and posted a career high 15 points to go along with seven rebounds in a 78-58 win against Merrimack in the second game of the Cathedral Classic in Philadelphia.

Freshman Preston Edmead has quickly emerged as an offensive threat and is second on the team in scoring through 10 games which included a 23-point performance in Hofstra’s 83-77 win at Bucknell on Nov. 14. The 6-1 local product

from Deer Park averaged 24 points during his senior season at The Williston Northampton School in Massachusetts.

“He is killing it and it is because he works so hard,” said Claxton of Edmead. “Typically, if you love basketball you are going to do well here at Hofstra and he is someone who loves it and is in the gym throughout the day working on his craft.”

Hofstra also added some inside strength with 6-10 forward/center Victory Onuetu, a standout in Spain who competed in the FIBA U20 European

Championship. Onuetu nearly tallied a double-double in an 81-73 loss at Iona on Nov. 7 with 13 points and nine rebounds.

Biggie Patterson, a 6-7 Iona transfer, adds another weapon in the paint who registered eight rebounds and tied a career high with three blocks in the Merrimack win.

Claxton pieced together a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare Hofstra for the rigors of conference play which includes a road tilt at Syracuse this Saturday at 4 p.m. airing on ACC Network. The Pride also tipped off the season with a closely contested 82-78 loss at Big 12 foe Central Florida.

“We always want to schedule tough,” Claxton said. “Playing hard games in non-conference prepares you well for conference play.”

Hofstra opens up the CAA schedule with a Dec. 29 home game against Campbell at 7 p.m. The Pride closes the regular season hosting Long Island rival Stony Brook on Feb. 28. and longtime conference rival Drexel on March 3.

Cruz Davis, right, averaged 14.4 points per game last season.

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications Preston Edmead is off to an impressive freshman campaign.

Pastor Joanne Bond, formerly of St. David’s Lutheran Church, MPK

By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

Pastor Joanne A. Bond, who led Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Babylon for three decades and became a steady, compassionate presence in the community, died suddenly Oct. 19, 2025, while traveling in Israel with an interfaith group. She was 75.

Born in Brooklyn, Bond was confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Richmond Hill after her family moved there when she was 6. She attended schools in Queens and began her career in sales after college, though her family said she always felt a deeper calling to ministry.

“She was a wonderful sister and my best friend,” her sister Susan Doucet said.

Bond went on to earn a Master of Divinity from New York Theological Seminary

and Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, later receiving a Doctor of Divinity.

She began her pastoral work at St. Davids Lutheran Church in Massapequa Park, where she served until becoming Pastor at Cross of Christ Church in Babylon Village in 1997.

During her 30 years at Cross of Christ, Bond broadened the church’s outreach, establishing a community supper program, launching a preschool for young families and creating the Prime Timers group for seniors. She also served the wider Lutheran community as dean of the Western Suffolk Conference, mentored new pastors and strengthened ties among local faith leaders through the Babylon Interfaith Clergy Cluster.

“Jonne was Beacon of light and love in

this community,” said Pastor Brad Morgan of First Presbyterian Church in Babylon.

“Our Pastor was a holy woman without fault,” said Rossina Zacarias, minister of music at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. “She taught us all to be active members in the church, to be organized, diligent, responsible, understanding, comprehensive, to arrive on time, to serve and serve without complaining, to always think of the less privileged, to visit the poor and housebound with hot food, and to love the Lord God with all our hearts and minds. We miss her profoundly, but somehow, so far, we continue to live by the rules she taught us. We are so much the better off for that.”

Tara Morgan, the wife of Pastor Brad Morgan and a close friend of Pastor Bond, described her as a “force of nature.

“She made you feel close and cared for and appreciated,” said Tara, who recalled that when she and her husband came to First Presbyterian Church, Pastor Bond reached out to her. “She made me feel warm and welcomed,” said Tara, who added that Pastor Bond even helped her rewrite her résumé when she was looking for a new job. She noted that her daughter is now a student in Pastor Bond’s pre-k school. “I just can’t say enough wonderful things about her,” she said.

A tribute from congregation members noted that her ministry was shaped by Jesus’ call to Simon Peter: “Feed my sheep.” They remembered her as someone who loved serving others — and who famously refused to eat lamb, even at Greek restaurants.

“She was my best friend and she loved her family,” Susan said. “She was supposed to be coming to visit me in Florida. I will miss her dearly; we were very close.”

In addition to her sister Susan Doucet and her husband Richard of Florida, Pastor Bond is survived by her brothers Donald Bond of Arizona and his late wife, Ellen; and Thomas Bond of Washington state. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, along with cherished colleagues, friends and her beloved dog, Dixie.

A virtual viewing of her funeral service is available at https://client.tribucast. com/tcid/m25109956193092

Pastor Joanne A. Bond

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Local runners place in holiday 5Ks benefiting community nonprofits

Massapequa Turkey Trot , Nov. 27

A strong field gathered Thanksgiving morning at Burns Park, despite heavy winds that made it impossible for organizers to set up the traditional inflatable finish line.

Tyler McPartland of North Bellmore claimed the overall title in 15:28. Kate McNerney of Merrick led all women with a time of 18:16—both faster than last year’s rain-soaked winning times.

Among local highlights, Dylan Forrester of Massapequa Park finished fifth overall and won the men’s 20-29 age group. Michelle Walker of Massapequa placed second among female finishers for the second year in a row.

Runners from across Massapequa, Massapequa Park, North Massapequa, Farmingdale and Amityville took home top-three age-group honors.

Roughly 40 young runners also completed a half-mile Fun Run prior to the 5K.

Charitable proceeds from the Thanksgiving race supported two organizations: the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which funds research for blood cancers, and the John Theissen Children’s Foundation, which assists sick and underprivileged children and provides holiday

It was a fun start for the kids Fun Run gifts for those in need.

Massapequa High School track and field coach Richard Degnan brought student-athletes to serve as race volunteers.

Above: Overall winner in women’s division Lisa Argast.

Emily Cullinan and Sophia Nislow of Massapequa capture first and second place respectively.

Left: Local finisher Dylan Forrester of Massapequa Park

Travis Gil of Massapequa

Overall winner Tyler McPartland

Overal lwinner Hank Barker

Sam Kildare outkicks Sal Nastasi.

Cradle of Aviation welcomes Katie Ledecky

By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com

Catholic Health teamed up last week with the legendary swimmer Katie Ledecky, a world record holder and a 14-time Olympic medalist, for a presentation at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.

Ledecky, a New York Times bestselling author and the most decorated female swimmer in history, spoke to nearly 250 area Catholic middle and high school students, many of them swimmers, on Dec. 1.

Welcomed by Andy Parton, president of the Cradle of Aviation, they crowded into the museum’s Catholic Health Sky Theater Planetarium to listen to Ledecky’s discussion with Dr. Patrick O’Shaughnessy, president and CEO of Catholic Health, the nonprofit health care system.

Ledecky was just 15, and the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic team, when she won her first gold medal at the 2012 Games in London.

“I can think of no better human being than Katie Ledecky to personally inspire us with her journey,” O’Shaughnessy said. She shared some of the highlights of that journey, and discussed her role, since July, as a health and wellness ambassador for Catholic

Health. She graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic school in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2015.

“And I think I just really love all the messaging and the support that Catholic Health gives to this community, and the resources that you provide, and the opportunities — and, of course, the health care as well,” Ledecky told O’Shaughnessy. “So just to help spread that message and be a voice for healthy living, it’s such a great match, and I’m happy that this relationship has brought

me here today, and we have a lot more on the horizon.”

She also spoke of her plans for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, and offered the young swimmers in the audience some advice. She swims 20 to 25 hours a week, she said, and spends another five to six hours in the gym. “All those hours are very important, and that sounds like a lot of time,” Ledecky said, “but really, it’s the hours away from the pool and away from the gym that are just as important. I consider those hours

part of my training as well, because if I’m not doing the things I need to do outside of the pool or outside of the gym, then I’m not going to be able to be at my best when I’m physically doing the work.”

After meeting Ledecky at a conference, O’Shaughnessy said, he knew they would be a great fit to partner together. “We’d like to bring more educational symposiums where we can talk more about what it takes to really maintain health and wellness and commitment to achieving your goals in life,” he told the Herald. “And I think you’ll see more of these types of forums that we’re going to do with Katie, where we can have interactive sessions with members of the community and talk about how we make our community a thriving, healthy environment.”

“Health, wellness and goal setting have been important parts of my life since childhood, which is why it was so meaningful to speak with Long Island students about prioritizing their wellbeing—athletes and non-athletes alike,” Ledecky told the Herald. “We’re all at our best when we’re working toward our goals, and I’m grateful that my partnership with Catholic Health has helped to share that message across Long Island.”

For more information on Catholic Health, visit CatholicHealthLI.org

Alyssa R. Griffin/Herald

Katie Ledecky and Dr. Patrick O’Shaughnessy discussed her partnership with Catholic Health as a health and wellness ambassador.

Long Island’s Top Chiefs honored for leadership

By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com

Across Long Island, the business community often runs on the daily work of executives who set direction, solve problems and keep their organizations moving forward.

That work took center stage at the Heritage Club at Bethpage, where the 2025 Top Chief Officers of Long Island were celebrated for shaping the island’s economic and civic landscape on Nov. 19, which included President & CEO of Lessing’s Hospitality Group, Michael Lessing, who also owns the Heritage Club.

Hosted by the Herald and produced by RichnerLive, the event honored chief officers whose leadership, innovation and dedication have marked them as standouts in their industry. This year’s keynote speaker, Isao “Sammy” Kobayashi, president and CEO of Canon U.S.A., was presented with the Innovator of the Year award.

“These CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CMOs, CROs, regional presidents and more are creating the opportunities that strengthen our communities,” said Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications & Publisher of the Herald Community Media. “They are what help make Long Island one of the most important engines of our nation.”

A portion of the evening’s proceeds supported Dream68, a foundation created by former NFL player Gary Brown, which provides assistance to underserved youth and their families across Long Island.

Kristin Thorne, a five-time Emmy Award-winning investigative host and reporter, emceed the program.

Kirthi Mani, chief people officer at CLA was recognized for leadership in accounting. She serves on the firm’s board of directors, overseeing learning initiatives.

“I know there’s a lot of fear around AI, but I want to emphasize hope in the next year for the future,” Mani said.

Sheila Kurman, chief human resources officer at Prager Metis CPAs, was also honored in the accounting category. With more than 20 years in human resources, she leads the firm’s HR strategy.

“It has been wonderful, truly wonderful, to celebrate with all the other award winners who are proud to join me tonight,” Kurman said.

For leadership in engineering, Mohammed H. Malik, chief operating officer of M&J Engineering, D.P.C., was honored. Malik leads strategic direction and client engagement at the firm.

“To even reach this moment in my personal life, there’s a lot of people behind me, especially my family,” he said.

In the finance category, SBA director at BankUnited, Michael Marrero, was honored. He oversees SBA lending and plans to expand the bank’s SBA presence next year.

“We’re really piggybacking off that

successful commercial presence we have here,” Marrero said, “and bringing more of the retail banking and SBA lending to the community.”

LifeVac LLC, president Laura Bonelli received the award for innovation in health care. The company, founded in 2014, produces a noninvasive airway-cleaning device credited with saving 5,000 lives worldwide in 31 countries.

“I’m so honored and grateful to be here tonight and to be able to bring attention to what we do,” Bonelli said.

Frank Palma, General Manager & Chief Engagement Officer of Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, LLC, was recognized for excellence in manufacturing and distribution. With 27 years at Coca-Cola, Palma oversees operations across New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“When I look around the room and see so many people who are successful at giving back to the community, it’s all worth it,” he said.

Katherine Fritz, newly appointed president and CEO of Long Island Cares, was honored for her work in nonprofit.

“Advocacy regarding food insecurity is going to be something really big for Long Island Cares in 2026,” Fritz said.

Tammy Severino, president and CEO of Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, was also honored. A former troop leader, Severino brings decades of leadership in nonprofit strategy and development.

“With a lot of the environmental uncertainty that is around, we are put -

ting programs together to help girls feel confident,” she said.

In the realm of technology, CEO of Naka Technologies, Anil Jagtiani, was recognized. Naka launched in 2017, growing from a local operation into a North American IT solutions provider.

“It’s the greatest thing just seeing a whole community come together,” Jagtiani said.

Ronald Fatoullah, Esq., CELA,

chair of the Elder Law Practice Group and partner in the Trusts and Estates Practice Group at Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP, was honored for legal leadership.

“I want to make sure that seniors can protect all of their assets and lead a really good life in the future,” Fatoullah said.

To view all Honorees and pictures, please visit www.richnerlive.com.

Photo credit: Tim Baker and Holden Leeds/Herald photos Hundreds gathered to celebrate the Herald Top Chief Officer honorees.

Amy Newman, senior vice president, Administration from Canon U.S.A introducing a video presentation of Isao “Sammy” Kobayashi, President of Canon who was the event’s keynote speaker.

President, Sean Acosta, Property Tax Reduction Consultants.

Chief Executive Officer, Billy Haugland II, Haugland Group.

President & CEO, Katherine Fritz, Long Island Cares. Special volunteer from Guide Dogs Foundation and American VetDogs.

Robert M. Gitto from The Gitto Group with Stuart Richner.

Chief People Officer, Kirthi Mani, CLA with her team.

Dennis Daniels entertaining the crowd while accepting the award for President, Benjamin Coggiano from Walter F. Cameron Advertising.

Chief Operations Officer, Mohammad H. Malik, M&J Engineering, D.P.C. with Herald Publisher, Stuart Richner.

President & CEO, Anne Brigis from YMCA Long Island.

CELA, Chair Elder Law Practice Group and Partner Trusts & Estates Practice Group, Ronald Fatoullah from Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP.

End the Year by

East Lake inventors ready to rise and shine in cereal challenge

Kids know cereal, and fifth graders at East Lake Elementary School in Massapequa were tasked with using their expertise to come up with a new product. Students in the Magnet program are immersed in a challenge to invent a new cereal, while exploring aspects from product development to marketing.

Students will take existing cereal boxes and cover them with the designs for their own products, as well as fill the boxes with prototype pieces made from model magic.

Teacher Michaela Himmelman said that the project is a warm-up challenge for Invention Convention in the spring

in which students will think of a problem and create a product to solve it. East Lake’s fifth grade Magnet students and their peers from the other five elementary schools will showcase their ideas and markets plans at the districtwide event in April.

They are working independently or with a partner. Each product will have a unique name and nutrition information. For marketing, students will come up with a mascot and jingle, and include a game or puzzle on the box.

Himmelman said the goal is for students to be creative, think outside of the box and understand their audience.

Courtesy/Massapequa school district

Fifth grade Magnet program students at East Lake Elementary School will soon be transforming existing cereal boxes into imaginative prototypes for new kids’ cereal.

Grayson Kerley, left, and Peter Wittschiebe

breakfast product.

Chanukah: What’s really important?

By Rabbi Mitchell B. Nesenoff, PhD.

Congregation Beth Sholom, Babylon

What’s important in Judaism?

If you asked a Jewish person that question, they might tell you a pastrami sandwich, a potato latke, and a knish. But if you really want to know what is important in Judaism don’t ask a Jewish person, ask an anti-Semite.

The anti-Semites throughout history have always known very clearly what one needs to do to erase Jews and Judaism from the map. Certainly, in the Holocaust, when they took away our Jewish names and tattooed numbers on our arms was an indication of how important our Jewish and Hebrew names are. When it comes to the holiday of Chanukah the anti-Semites (the Seleucids or Assyrian-Greeks at that time) wanted to take away the Jewish people’s happiness or as we say in Hebrew, “SaMeaCH”.

The word for happiness is an acronym for three words. And those are the three things that the anti-Semite knew were the keys to Jewish continuity and survival.

SaMeaCH represents: Shabbat (the Sabbath), Milah (circumcision), Chodesh (the Jewish calendar).

The Jewish mantra of “more than the Jews have kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the Jews” is part

of the reason the Jewish people are still here today while many ancient civilizations have ceased to exist.

The Sabbath is more than just a ‘day off’, it has always been a moment in time to replenish and reconnect with our loved ones and friends. We know that even G-d utilized the comforting and refreshing attribute of the Sabbath when He created the world. The Sabbath is intrinsic and organic to our very globe. The Sabbath has been observed in ancient times, in concentration camps and in contemporary society when texts, phones, websites, and traffic rule the weekday. It has definitely sustained our people’s existence and has brought us much happiness.

life blood of our holidays and holy days. It is the road map of our week, month and year. It celebrates our spiritual focus and desires while placing them into a physical chart that we can observe and absorb. Without this Jewish GPS we would be lost, aimlessly trying to navigate our daily hours, our weeks and months ahead.

These three things are what the anti-Semites of old endeavored to rip away from the Jewish people. The Chanukah Maccabean Revolt of the year 164 BCE led by Judah and his brothers was successful in reclaiming and rededicating the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

need to participate in that spiritual battle by fortifying and arming themselves with prayers, rituals, and certainly the three important items that have just been delineated.

Just like on the holiday of Purim, where the villain, Haman, causes Jews to stand up for themselves and take pride in their religion, the antiSemites of Chanukah remind us very specifically what is important in Judaism.

Milah, the circumcision, is our direct covenant with G-d and binds us to the very first Jew, our patriarch, Abraham. It illustrates the very basis of Judaism’s connection with the physical and the spiritual. It also is an anatomical focal point of our ancestry and lineage and it brings attention to the importance of the holiness of relationships and family.

Chodesh, the Jewish calendar, is the

But certainly just as important, or perhaps even more important than the physical historical battle was the spiritual battle of the Jewish people rededicating themselves to the Sabbath observance, Milah circumcision, and celebration of the holidays on the Jewish Calendar.

In the world today, Chanukah is a reminder for the Jewish people that there is a power beyond the fortitude and holiness of the Israel Defense Forces that are fighting a battle on numerous fronts. The Jewish people

The small drop of oil in the Holy Temple’s Menorah candelabra lasting for eight days is the miracle of Chanukah. Physics dictates the length of time that the oily excretion of an olive should burn and become extinguished. The physical world has laws that scientifically are definitive. When those laws are defied and the oil continues to burn beyond rational nature, then the Creator of that nature displays His omnipotence.

We often are too tied to the physical and the material and become complacent. But our spiritual leaders and liturgy are at the forefront in returning us to our spirituality. And yes, sometimes the anti-Semite can awaken us to what is important in our journey back to the Creator.

Pastrami is certainly delicious, but our SaMeaCH, our happiness, is the key to the survival of our souls.

Rabbi Mitchell B. Nesenoff

STEPPING OUT

Baking up holiday cheer

‘Tis the season munch on a cookie

By Karen Bloom

There’s nothing quite like the smell of cookies baking to say “home for the holidays.”

Share the joy straight from your oven by gathering friends and family for a festive baking day. Mix, roll, bake, laugh — and, of course, taste — as everyone contributes to a tray (or two) of homemade treats.

For many households, holiday baking is a cherished tradition, and it only gets sweeter when shared. Turn the kitchen into a holiday workshop: assign roles for measuring, mixing and decorating, turn up the seasonal music, and let creativity and sprinkles fly.

Even refresh those holiday favorites. Chocolate chip and gingerbread cookies are classics, but find inspiration in trying something new, such as Peppermint Mocha Chip Cookies might become a fast new favorite.

Peppermint Mocha Chip Cookies

Notes of crisp peppermint perfectly complement the flavors of coffee and semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Add a crushed peppermint to each cookie to create a beautiful and seasonal presentation.

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 3 cups Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

• 3 teaspoons instant coffee

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

• 3 large eggs

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 12 soft peppermint candies, crushed

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease or line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt butter and 1 cup chocolate morsels in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.

Transfer chocolate mixture into a large mixer bowl; add sugar and beat until combined. Add coffee granules, vanilla extract and peppermint

Elon Gold

Close out 2025 with some laughs with comedian Elon Gold, best known for his relatable takes on being Jewish and getting through the weirdness of life. Considered by many to be this generation’s Borscht Belt King, he’s no stranger to those who watch Netflix. His act brings laughs to both Jews and non-Jews alike all over the world. He’s made dozens of memorable appearances on late-night talk shows and TV series, especially his hilarious recurring role as Head of Hulu on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” opposite Larry David. His one hour Netflix stand-up special, “Elon Gold: Chosen & Taken” received wide acclaim from audiences and peers alike and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. His routines have gone viral and are shared by millions around the globe. Most recently, Elon can be seen in a recurring role on Season 11 of HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and will be in the upcoming Kal Penn feature, “Trust Me, I’m A Doctor,” among other projects.

extract; beat just until combined. Beat in eggs. Add flour and baking powder, mixing until all is incorporated. Fold in remaining 2 cups chocolate morsels.

Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart, using a medium size cookie scoop. Sprinkle each cookie with a little of the crushed peppermint candies.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set. Allow to cool for about 2 minutes on baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 36 cookies.

Hanukkah Sugar Cookies

Hanukkah is more than latkes. Celebrate the Festival of Lights in style with these tasty bites.

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 tsp. vanilla

• 2 cups flour

• Colored sugar or decorating icings

Beat first 4 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add flour; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350° F. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch-thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with 2-inch cookie cutters; sprinkle with colored sugar. Or, leave plain to frost later with decorating icing (after cookies are baked and cooled). Place on baking sheets.

Bake 12 to 15 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost and decorate as desired.

Melted Snowman

These cookies are cute tasty holiday treat.

• 3/4 cup butter, softened

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Decorations:

• 12 large marshmallows

• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

• 1 drop red food coloring, or as desired

• 1 drop yellow food coloring, or as desired

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat white sugar, baking powder, and salt into butter until just combined. Beat egg, milk, and vanilla extract into butter-sugar mixture; add flour and mix until dough is just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.

Scoop dough into balls slightly larger than golf balls; flatten into cookies. Arrange cookies on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

Butter a microwave-safe plate. Place marshmallows on the prepared plate.

Microwave marshmallows until slightly puffed, 10 to 15 seconds. Gently press marshmallows until bottoms slightly ooze.

Whisk confectioners’ sugar and water together in a bowl until icing is slightly thicker than drizzleconsistency. Pour icing over cookies so it runs over the edges, reserving about 1 tablespoon.

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl, about 30 seconds. Pour melted chocolate into a piping bag with a small tip or a plastic bag with a corner snipped.

Press 1 marshmallow close to an edge of each cookie to be the snowman’s head. Draw “stick arms” onto the icing using the melted chocolate.

Divide the reserved 1 tablespoon icing into 2 small bowls. Mix red food coloring into 1 of the bowls and orange food coloring into the other bowl. Decorate the snowmen with scarves or ties using the red icing and yellow icing.

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. $76.25 and $54.25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny. com.

‘A Celtic Christmas’

An annual sold-out tradition everywhere they perform, Cherish The Ladies returns to celebrate the holiday season. Led by the charismatic flute and whistle virtuoso Joanie Madden —a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Award Winner — they’ve brought their signature blend of virtuosic instrumental talents, vocals and step dancing to the White House, the Olympics and to PBS, in addition to concert halls. Their beloved Celtic Christmas program is a festive, family-friendly concert featuring their signature sound on classic carols. Each song is beautifully arranged to showcase their Celtic instrumentation, rich harmonies and remarkable step dancing. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, this annual Christmas tour has been complemented by four acclaimed holiday albums. Etraordinary step dancers elevate the concert, featuring five-time World Champion David Geaney and All Britain Champion and Riverdance alumnus Noel Spillane, among others.

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. $48, $43, $38. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Peppermint Mocha Chip Cookies Hanukkah Sugar Cookies

Melted Snowman

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CALENDAR

DEC

‘Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years’

Visit the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame for its latest exhibit. It features the 70-foot-wide set from the show’s recent 30th anniversary TV special on CBS, never before on display. The exhibit (designed by LIMEHOF Creative Director and renowned designer Kevin O’Callgahn) is a completely immersive experience. Visitors can walk into the world of the Barone family and explore their home through original studio sets. The sets include the living room, the kitchen, and other areas of the house. Visitors will also be able to see a variety of iconic items, including original clothing, the famous fork and spoon, and the Christmas toaster, among other classic items from the series. Multimedia clips, including behind the scenes and rare out-takes and a range of videos related to the show, will play in LIMEHOF’s surround sound theater.

• Where: 97 Main St., Stony Brook

• Time: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Contact: limusichalloffame.org or (631) 689-5888

Clothing Drive

Fundraiser

Mathnasium The Math Learning Center hosts a clothing drive and the final drop-off is Dec. 13. New and gently used items including clothing, shoes, jackets, handbags, jewelry are all accepted. Also linens, bedding, toys, sporting equipment, small household electronics and goods. Mathnasium is unable to accept VHS tapes, CDs, books, furniture, fragile or large items.

• Where: 5078B Sunrise Highway, Massapequa Park

• Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 550-9031

DEC

12

‘Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive

The Bus! The Musical’

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes back this delightful production, based on Mo Willems’ award-winning “Pigeon” picture books. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! is even more fun than staying up late and having a hot dog party. It’s not easy being the Pigeon — you never get to do anything. But when the Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers (gasp!) late, maybe that wily bird can do

DEC

‘Rockin’ the Holidays’ with The Rascals

If you’re already humming holiday tunes and craving a little rock ‘n’ roll spirit, here’s your chance to celebrate in timeless style. Rockin’ the Holidays brings The Rascals back to the stage — joined by special guests John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band — for a concert packed with energy, nostalgia and chart-topping hits.

Two of The Rascals’ founding members, Felix Cavaliere and Gene Cornish, reunite for this festive performance, fueled by a deep love for their fans and the enduring power of their music. With accolades that include induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Rascals remain icons of American rock and the defining sound of 1960s blue-eyed soul. Their legacy shines through 17 Top 20 hits, seven Top 10 singles and three No. 1 classics — among them “Groovin’,” “People Got to Be Free” and “Good Lovin’.” Audiences can expect all the favorites, plus holiday flair and the warm, soulful harmonies that made The Rascals unforgettable. “We’re so grateful for the fans — this is for them,” Cavaliere shares. Cornish echoes the sentiment: “This gives us another chance to play together and do it for the fans.” A night of feel-good music, memories and holiday cheer awaits — the perfect way to rock your way into the season.

• Where: Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: livenation.com

Our Solar System Join Tom Lynch, amateur astronomer and Library Telescope Program promoter at Massapequa Public Library. He discusses the origins of our solar system, its current status and its expected eventual changes. Registration required.

• Where: 40 Harbor Lane, Massapequa Park

• Time: 7-8:45 p.m.

• Contact: massapequalibrary.org or (516) 799-0770

Farmingdale Library Cinema

Stop by Farmingdale Public Library for a showing of 2025 espionage black comedy thriller “The Phoenician Scheme” starring Benicio Del Toro and Tom Hanks. A wealthy businessman appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As he embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and determined assassins.

• Where: 116 Merritts Road, Farmingdale

• Time: 10 a.m.-noon and 1:30-4 p.m.

• Contact: farmingdalelibrary.org or call (516) 249-9090

something. Featuring an innovative mix of songs, and feathers, this show is sure to get everyone’s wings flapping. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon.; also Dec. 13, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Dec. 17-18

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

DEC

13

Annual Holiday Sip And Shop

Come take part in this annual event. Enjoy a nice cocktail, beer, glass of wine or a bite to eat and do some holiday shopping.

• Where: It’s About Time Cocktail Lounge, 706 Main St., Farmingdale

• Time: Noon-5 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 586-6690

Holiday fun at Westbury House

Step into the magic of Christmas at Old Westbury Gardens’ Westbury House! Bring the kids a festive night filled with holiday fun! Explore, through a

self-guided tour, the beautifully decorated mansion with a special Christmas scavenger hunt. Get creative at Christmas craft stations, making holiday keepsakes to take home. Meet Santa Claus himself, share your wish list and snap a photo to capture the moment. Enjoy delicious cookies and cider in our West Porch. The party features Lucky Duck Puppets’ holiday show, at 7 p.m.The Winter Holiday Puppet Show is an original story about Greg, a North Pole penguin trying to find his place in the world and how he can help spread holiday cheer! $25, $22 ages 3-12 (20% member discount. Advance registration required

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 6-8 p.m.

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

DEC 14

Lessons and Carols

Come together at Saint Rose of Lima Church and listen to favorite Advent and Christmas hymns and songs. All are welcome.

• Where: 2 Bayview Ave., Massapequa

• Time: 3-4:30 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 798-4992

Hockey

clinic

Long Island Children’s Museum hosts the Long Island Warriors, a nonprofit recreational hockey program and team for military veterans, active military and reserves, for a special hockey clinic for kids in conjunction with the museum’s popular Snowflake Skating exhibit programming. Kids who want to up their sock skating game are encouraged to participate. Warriors players will teach kids about stick handling and passing as they master wrist and slap shots on the LICM’s popular sock skating “ice.” Free for ages three and up with museum admission.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

DEC

16

Plainedge BOE meets

Plainedge School District holds its next meeting. All are welcome.

• Where: High School Cafeteria, Plainedge High School, 241 Wyngate Dr., Massapequa

• Time: 7:30 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 992-7450

DEC 17

Emotional Health Recovery

The Emotional Health Recovery and Support group meets weekly online. This is a free 12-step support group for anyone experiencing emotional difficulties. All calls are confidential.

• Where: Online

• Time: 7:30-9 p.m.

• Contact: Steve at (631) 332-0552 or Jill at (516) 220-7808

Teen Movie Night Teens in grades 6-12 are invited to Plainedge Public Library for a showing of “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch.” Pizza is served. Rated PG. Registration is required.

• Where: 1060 Hicksville Road, N. Massapequa

• Time: 6:30-8 p.m.

• Contact: plainedgepubliclibrary.org or (516) 735-4133

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.

The Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes for 2025–2026 runs through January 4, 2026 at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.

On many days there are multiple shows per

1The Rockettes have been a cherished New York City holiday tradition since 1933. Their first appearance in the inaugural Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall firmly established them as an essential part of the city’s seasonal celebrations. Over the decades, the show has expanded into one of New York’s most beloved annual events, drawing both locals and tourists. Though the production continually evolves—incorporating advanced stage technology, refreshed choreography, and updated narrative elements—it preserves classic numbers like the iconic “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” For many families, attending the Christmas Spectacular has become a multigenerational ritual, cementing the Rockettes as enduring symbols of the holiday spirit in New York.

2

day, including a matinee, afternoon, evening, late show.

The official website to buy tickets is rockettes.com/christmas. You can also get tickets via major ticket platforms such as Ticketmaster

The Rockettes are internationally renowned for their extraordinary precision dance techniques. Their reputation centers on impeccable timing, unity, and their signature “eye-high” kicks performed in a flawlessly straight line. Achieving this level of synchronicity requires significant strength, flexibility, and stamina, especially during the demanding holiday performance schedule. Dancers train yearround to maintain the conditioning necessary for repeated shows. Height uniformity—traditionally between 5’6” and 5’10½”—helps create the seamless, uniform line that has become a visual hallmark of the troupe. Their choreography fuses tap, jazz, ballet, and modern dance into a distinctive hybrid style recognized worldwide.

at Radio City Music Hall

and in person at the Radio City Music Hall box office. The show runs about 90 minutes with no intermission.

Five things to know:

3

Their auditions are famously rigorous and attract dancers from across the country. Each year, thousands of hopefuls come to New York to compete for a coveted spot in the lineup. The audition process involves multiple rounds in which dancers must quickly learn and perform complex combinations with absolute precision. Beyond technical excellence, candidates are judged on how well they blend with the group in both appearance and style—a defining aspect of the Rockettes. Even after being selected, dancers undergo weeks of intensive rehearsals, often lasting six hours a day, to build the synchronization and endurance needed.

4

The troupe’s origins trace back to the American Midwest. Before becoming synonymous with Radio

City Music Hall, the Rockettes began in St. Louis in 1925 under choreographer Russell Markert as the “Missouri Rockets.” Inspired by European precision dance ensembles, the group gained popularity and eventually caught the attention of Radio City’s management. After several transformations and expansions, they relocated to New York, where they became a defining feature of the venue.

5

During the holiday season, the Rockettes may perform up to four shows daily. These 90-minute performances require exceptional discipline, from executing rapid costume changes to sustaining high energy and flawless precision. This demanding schedule highlights the remarkable athleticism and professionalism that enable the dancers to deliver polished performances for every audience.

Notice of formation of Dayna's Island, LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/09/2025 Office

location, County of Nassau. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a process served to: Dayna's Island LLC, 937 N Central Ave. Massapequa, NY 11758 Purpose: any lawful act.

25-302. 11/12, 19, 26, 12/3, 10, 17

Notice of formation of Mason Rentals

LLC Articles of Organization filed with the SSNY on 10/11/2025. Office location, Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a process to 5500 Sunrise Highway Unit 50 1055,Massapequa, NY,11758. Purpose: any lawful act.

25-301. 11/12, 19, 26, 12/3, 10, 17

Notice of formation of C-Note Group LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 8/13/2025 Office location, County of Nassau. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.  SSNY shall mail a process served to:  The LLC, 4 Beechwood Pl, Massapequa Park, NY 11762

Purpose: Any operating business.

25-308. 11/26, 12/3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Notice of formation of RKMEB LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 10/24/2025. Office located in NASSAU. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 75 Taft Ave Lynbrook Ny 11563. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

25-307. 11/26, 12/3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Notice of formation of DANIELS OLD BETHPAGE NY, LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/06/2025

445 Winding Road, Old Bethpage, New York 11804,  County of Nassau. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.  SSNY shall mail a process served to: Corporation Service Company, 80 State Street, Albany, NY 12207

Purpose: all lawful purposes

25-306. 11/26, 12/3, 10, 17, 24, 31

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF Nassau, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as Trustee for Structured Asset Mortgage Investments II Inc., Structured Asset Mortgage Investments II Trust 2007-AR4, Mortgage PassThrough Certificates Seriess 2007-AR4, Plaintiff, vs. Samuel C. Coluzzi AKA Samuel Coluzzi, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on

September 11, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 17E Gate Road a/k/a 17 Eastgate Road, Massapequa Park, NY 11762. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Massapequa, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 48, Block 557 and Lot 13. Approximate amount of judgment is $637,234.03 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #004429/2015. Lawrence Weinreich, Esq., Referee Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff 25-309. 12/3, 10, 17, 24

Legal Notce

Please take notice

Safeguard Self Storage #190113 located at 6000 Sunrise Highway Massapequa NY 11758 intends to hold a sale of the property stored in the below listed Storage Spaces. The public sale shall occur as an online auction www. storagetreasures. com on 12/29/2025 at 10:30AM. Unless listed below, the contents consist of household goods, furnishings and garage essentials. Brian Mule unit

Public Notices

#2468; Helen Taylor unit #3347A. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. See manager for details 25-311. 12/10, 17

Town of Oyster Bay Zoning Board of Appeals

TOWN HALL, AUDREY AVENUE, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK 11771-1592 -

TELEPHONE: (516) 624-6232 – FAX: (516) 624-6149

RITA BYRNE, Chairwoman – LOIS

SCHMITT, Vice Chairwoman –

KATHLEEN MULLIGAN

REBECCA M. ALESIA –LISA CICCOLELLA – FLORESTANO GIRARDI – BRIAN GRIFFIN

*********************

*********************

PUBLIC HEARING CALENDAR NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 246, Section 246-12 of the Code of the Town of Oyster Bay, notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public meeting, which will take place in the Town Hall Meeting Room, Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, on DECEMBER 18, 2025, at 7:00 P. M., to consider the following appeals: BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

APPEAL NO. 25-339 MASSAPEQUA PARK

CHRISTOPHER

AMATO JR.: Variance to construct one story garage addition exceeding maximum building coverage than permitted by Ordinance.

W/s/o Joludow Dr., S/o Brendan Ave., a/k/a 101 Joludow

Drive, Massapequa Park, NY

APPEAL NO. 25-337

MASSAPEQUA

NICHOLAS LAQUIDARA: Variance to reconstruct a 47 ft. by 64.1 ft. two-story dwelling on partial new and partial existing foundation having less average front yard setback, side yard setback, aggregate side yards and exceeding maximum gross floor area than permitted by Ordinance; also encroachment of eaves and gutters.

E/s/o Ripplewater Ave., 96.9 ft. N/o S. Bay Dr., a/k/a 20 Ripplewater Avenue, Massapequa, NY

APPEAL NO. 25-346

MASSAPEQUA

BRIAN CRUSE: (A) Variance to allow existing pool equipment having less side yard setback and rear yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. (B) Variance to allow existing 6 ft. high PVC fence exceeding maximum height across side/front yard (Dory Lane) than permitted by Ordinance.

NW/ cor. of Burns Ln. & Dory Ln., a/k/a 22 Burns Lane, Massapequa, NY

APPEAL NO. 25-364

MASSAPEQUA

MATT SHEINFELD:

(A) Variance to construct front one story addition having less average front yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. (B) Variance to construct front one story addition, front roof-over and front cantilevers exceeding maximum building coverage than permitted by Ordinance. (C) Variance to allow existing raised pavers having less rear yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. (D) Variance to allow existing 7 ft. by 7 ft. shed having less

side yard setback and aggregate side yards than permitted by Ordinance.

S/s/o Boston Ave., 157.62 ft. W/o Franklin Ave., a/k/a 128 Boston Avenue, Massapequa, NY

APPEAL NO. 25-393 MASSAPEQUA

SHASHI GOYAL:

(A) Variance to allow existing 90 degree parking spaces without two-way traffic access. (B) Variance to allow existing site lacking raised landscape islands.

N/s/o Jerusalem Ave., W/o N. Broadway a/k/a 201 Jerusalem Avenue, Massapequa, NY

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING OF 12/18/25

APPEAL NO. 25-353

NORTH MASSAPEQUA

COLIN CROSSLEY:

(A) Variance to reconstruct a 43.4 ft. by 36.3 ft. two story dwelling on partial new and partial existing foundation having less average front yard setback, side yard setback, aggregate side yards, exceeding maximum height, building coverage and gross floor area than permitted by Ordinance; also encroachment of eaves and gutters. (B) Variance to construct driveway having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance.

APPEAL NO. 25-336 FARMINGDALE

BRIAN RODEN:

Variance to reconstruct a 43.6 ft. by 44.5 ft. dwelling on partial new and partial existing foundation having less roof pitch and exceeding maximum gross floor area than permitted by Ordinance.

W/s/o Cedar Dr., 233.11 t. ft. N/o Boundary Ave., a/k/a 94 Cedar Drive, Farmingdale, NY

DECEMBER 8, 2025 BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK 25-312 12/10

S/s/o S. Kings Ave., 400 ft. W/o N. Central Ave., a/k/a 262 N. Kings Ave., N. Massapequa, NY

Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460 E-mail your ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com

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Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multi-task, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. Salary Range is $16.50 per hour to $20 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: circulationassociate@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

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Positions Available!

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EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16.50 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

MULTI MEDIA

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Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $34,320 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications,

One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $34,320 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours

Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off.

Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS

FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

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Can we add a garage now, and get the permits later?

Q. We’ve met with two architects and two contractors to figure out how we can add a garage to our house or make it free-standing. The contractors were confident the garage could be attached to the house — our first preference — but the architects told us about regulations that make the whole thing doubtful and more expensive. Each one told us about building codes and other problems with our house that might come up. One asked if our shed was legal, and whether we had proof that the second floor and the finished basement of our Cape Cod home had been permitted. We’re now wondering whether we should even do the job. Both contractors keep calling, and even saying that we should build it first and then get it permitted after. Can we do that? Should we do that?

A. You mean ask for forgiveness instead of permission, right? Can the contractors give a guarantee of your success? The way things are going these days, I’m ready to tell you to listen to the contractors and have them direct the whole mess you’ll encounter. Just see if they stick around when the expenses start for all the extra work to undo the mess.

Two things are happening right now that make things more “challenging.” One is that as building codes become stricter and building officials become less able to communicate what it means to “demonstrate compliance” — and many architects are ready to just quit working in certain communities because of this — you, the owner, become more responsible and less protected from this mess. For example, one community examiner asks to “demonstrate” compliance with mechanical requirements in order to finish a basement. Nobody told me in architecture school that I would someday be doing plans to finish a basement, but what the heck, people need an architect, and in between much larger projects here in the suburbs, it seemed like a simpler task.

But not really. That word “demonstrate” could mean that the owner will have to actually make a choice to air-condition and heat their basement, and specific equipment to do that task may have to be shown on the drawings. In reality … remember reality? In reality, I rarely see a heating or cooling system in a basement.

But your architect is being required to “demonstrate.” This leads back to the contractor, because the architect has almost no chance of selecting any mechanical system to heat or cool in a way that an independent plumber or mechanical company would agree to, much less install. Therefore, the architect is alienated from the simple project “filler” in between projects that involve professional teams of architects, engineers, contractors and construction management. Working in small communities is becoming complicated, and therefore expensive for the homeowner. Listen to the architects, unless you want the mess, and make sure the basement, finished second floor and shed are legal, or expect to spend a lot of money when the problems come up. Good luck!

Monte Leeper, architect.

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opinions

Thank you for the honor of serving the 5th District

Thank you. I cannot say it enough.

Serving as a Nassau County Legislator for the past two years has been a tremendous honor, and an even greater privilege.

I joined the Legislature at a challenging time for Democrats. We were the last line of defense against a Republican supermajority and absolute one-party rule in Nassau.

For two years we fought for our constituents. We fought to get our communities the resources from the county that they not only deserve but pay for with their tax dollars. Under the leadership of Minority Leader Delia DeRiggiWhitton, we proudly stood shoulder to shoulder and delivered.

We successfully leveraged our votes for the 2025 capital plan to force County Executive Bruce Blakeman to process 14 long-awaited grants for first responders serving Democratic districts — including $100,000 for the Merrick Fire Department. We enacted a capital plan that delivered tens of millions for essential infrastructure investments in Demo-

cratic districts and funded first responders, law enforcement and critical countywide infrastructure upgrades.

As a caucus, we fought for American Rescue Plan Act funding that Nassau received after the pandemic, to be set aside for community organizations that helped us weather the storm and strengthen the fabric of our communities. In District 5 we supported our youth by securing $100,000 for Rising Stars in Freeport and $50,000 for the Cedarmore Corporation. We confronted hunger by delivering over $22,000 to the Ladles of Hope food pantry at Our Holy Redeemer Church in Freeport.

focused on the health and safety of our community members.

i have the utmost confidence in the Democratic conference I leave behind.

Our caucus fought for common-sense legislation that would protect the public and save lives. I proposed Gio’s Law to mandate epinephrine auto-injectors, or EpiPens, in all county police cars, and Robbie’s Law, to equip all county athletic fields with automated external defibrillators. My colleagues proposed the Families Against Fentanyl Act, which would require the inclusion of low-cost, highly accurate fentanyl-detecting test strips in Narcan kits distributed by county agencies.

We proposed these pieces of legislation because they made sense. All three

TI proudly stood with my colleagues as we sounded the alarm on tens of millions of dollars in wasteful spending on politically connected outside legal contracts. And we shed light on the chaos at Nassau University Medical Center amid the ongoing battle to save this vital safety-net hospital that so many people rely on. We fought for policies to make Nassau more affordable by reducing permit fees for businesses and returning illegally collected red-light camera ticket fees to drivers.

Unfortunately, none of the legislation proposed by Democrats made it onto the legislative calendar for a vote, but I’m optimistic that the momentum we created will continue into 2026. Here’s one example: At a recent meeting of the Merrick Community Civic Association, I saw a powerful presentation by Kennedy High School students Ava and Ethan Robinson in support of Robbie’s Law. Their passion showed that the fight for this lifesaving idea is far from over.

There is more work to do, but I have the utmost confidence in the Democratic caucus I leave behind. I owe each member a debt of gratitude. My success

representing the 5th District is directly related to the support, advice and guidance I received from my fellow legislators. Thanks to each of you.

My term ends on Dec. 31, but my work will continue until then. I will use every moment to help our community. I’m happy to announce that we will host a winter coat drive in partnership with the Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club. If you have new or gently used winter coats and accessories, please drop them off during business hours at the Freeport, North Bellmore or North Merrick libraries, or Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club headquarters, at 294 W. Merrick Road, Suite 12, in Freeport. The drive ends on Dec. 14.

I’m especially grateful for the unwavering love and support that my wife, Jill, our children and extended family gave me on this journey. Without you, none of this would have been possible. I am forever grateful to all of you.

Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve for these two years. From my family to yours, we wish you a wonderful, healthy and prosperous holiday season and an amazing 2026. I look forward to seeing you in the community as we continue making Nassau County an even better place to live, work and raise our families.

Seth I. Koslow, of Merrick, represents Nassau County’s 5th Legislative District.

Those who ignore James Carville face oblivion

he two major American political parties were built by people whose names most of us have never heard of. They weren’t Democratic or Republican officeholders. They were philosophers whose writings moved politicians who embraced their words and used them to try to make the Democratic and Republican parties attractive to voters.

Milton Friedman was a 20thcentury American economist whose ideas were a strong influence on Republicans. Russell Kirk was a highly regarded conservative and a godfather of the conservative movement. William F. Buckley Jr. is a name my generation knows because, for a long period of time, he was the voice of staunch conservative Republicans. A handful of people have shaped the Democratic Party philosophy as well — John Dewey, John Stuart Mill, John Rawls and numerous other names that are foreign to most of us. Dewey believed in a party that enables labor rights, community organizing and local empowerment.

Those old philosophers shaped the two major parties, but there is currently almost no one you could name whom President Trump or President Biden relies or relied on to help make serious decisions. In many ways, Biden was a student of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who promised dozens of programs that were helpful to countless people. Trump apparently relies on nothing other than his instincts, with occasional input from his adviser Stephen Miller. Miller has strong opinions on many subjects, and Trump often has to restrain him.

For so many voters, it’s still about the economy, as the ‘Ragin’ Cajun’ so eloquently put it.

There is one voice out there today whose message can be good for Democrats and Republicans, depending on who’s listening. I refer to James Carville. Sometimes known as the “Ragin’ Cajun,” Carville created the strategy that elected and re-elected President Bill Clinton. His plain talk has been out there for whoever wants to embrace it. His simple advice since 1992 has been, “It’s the economy, stupid.” It worked when Clinton defeated President George H.W. Bush, and in many ways it helped Donald Trump get to the White House. We are now 11 months away from another consequential election, and the

dominant political voice out there pounding the Democratic Party is Carville. He had a message for Democrats last year, when he told them to stop lecturing people and talk to them about their issues. He tried to get that message across to then Vice President Kamala Harris, but she relied on paid advisers who gave her the worst possible advice.

This year, a large group of Democrats paid attention to Carville’s counsel, and it helped them sweep numerous contests in last month’s elections. Democratic Congresswomen Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger were elected the governors of New Jersey and Virginia, respectively. California Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed through a resolution to redraw his state’s congressional map, which was approved by a landslide. Democrats won other significant contests in Georgia and Pennsylvania. The winning campaigns focused on the issue of affordability, and Trump’s unpopularity helped all of them.

Next year’s elections will be a huge challenge for both political parties. History shows that the minority party generally wins a majority of the contested seats in Congress. Current polls shows the Democrats winning a large numbers

of seats and likely taking over the House, and projections show them within three seats of taking over the Senate as well. With all this bad news, are the Republicans paying attention? Trump has reacted to the 2025 elections by insisting that the economy is great. He has claimed that prices are down, and that all of the Democratic claims to the contrary are false. Even in the face of the worst consumer confidence figures, he is living in some type of bubble and ignoring what’s really happening. He made some concessions on tariffs, but it will take time for them to have any impact.

The problem for the Republicans is that all of them are on one big ship, and Trump is the captain. The longer he continues to believe, or at least insist in public, that the economy is terrific, the more danger his passengers are in.

At the same time, pundits like Carville are pushing Democrats to stick to variations on his message. Absent a 360-degree turnaround by the GOP in the next several months, Carville’s admonition about the economy could be the winning message for Democrats, and leave Republicans looking stupid.

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.

seTh i. koslow

Act now to restore order, safety to e-mobility

New York state is undergoing a transportation transformation. Electric bikes, scooters and skateboards are no longer niche devices. They are everywhere, threading through intersections, racing down sidewalks and rapidly redefining how we move across our communities. Their convenience is undeniable. Their popularity is unmistakable. But the risks — now becoming painfully clear — demand immediate attention. The rise of unregulated electric personal mobility devices has outpaced our laws, our infrastructure and our safety systems. The result is a growing sense of disorder on our streets and a mounting toll of injuries and fatalities that can no longer be brushed aside.

This is why the introduction of S8573/ A157 by State Sen. Patricia CanzoneriFitzpatrick, of Malverne, and fellow Republican Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo, of Staten Island, matters so profoundly. Their legislation would provide what New York currently lacks: a responsible, modern framework to ensure that these increasingly powerful devices are used safely and sanely. It would create a clear registration system through the Department of Motor Vehicles. It would require operators to be at least 16 years old, and to wear helmets. It would establish penalties for dangerous behavior. Most important, it acknowledges that the era of ignoring e-mobility regulation is over. Across the state, residents have voiced

growing concern about the chaos unfolding on sidewalks and streets. Many have witnessed reckless riders speeding through crosswalks, weaving unpredictably through traffic, or operating devices that exceed the speeds of some small motorcycles, all without training, accountability or basic protective gear. These concerns are not mere irritations. They are warnings. And for too long, state law has offered no tools to respond. The consequences are tragically real. The death of 14-year-old Mepham High School student Jayden Flores is a heartbreaking reminder of how high the stakes are. Jayden’s life was cut short on Nov. 6 when he was simply trying to cross an intersection that is familiar to families, commuters and children who navigate it every day.

Jayden’s death shattered a community, devastated his loved ones and reignited fears that New York is allowing a preventable danger to grow unchecked. It was not an isolated incident. New York City accounts for nearly half of all e-bike fatalities nationwide, and injuries involving motorized two-wheelers have skyrocketed in recent years. These are the numbers not of a state that is in control, but rather of one that has fallen behind.

Opponents may argue that regulation will limit the freedom and utility these devices offer. But this legislation would not restrict responsible riders — it aims to protect them. It differentiates between

those who use these devices to commute, work or travel safely and those who endanger themselves and others by treating public roads like racetracks. By establishing clear rules, the bill would strengthen, but not stifle, the e-mobility revolution. It would tell riders: You belong here, but with the same responsibilities that govern every other vehicle user.

Community members deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing their children can cross the street safely, that seniors can walk on the sidewalks without fear, and that drivers can navigate intersections without unpredictable hazards.

Families should not have to mourn preventable deaths. Schools should not have to activate crisis-counseling teams because lawmakers failed to act. And no parent should have to receive the call that Jayden’s family received — a call that turns a normal morning into a lifetime of grief.

S8573/A157 is not merely a procedural update. It is a necessary, common-sense step toward restoring order, protecting public safety and preventing future tragedies. The Legislature must recognize the urgency of this moment. Every day without clear regulations is another day when lives are at risk.

New York cannot afford to hesitate. The time to act is now. Lawmakers must pass this bill, and ensure that the promise of e-mobility never again comes at the expense of human life.

opinions

Looking ahead to a new year of advocacy

Anew year is fast approaching, and with that a new session of the Nassau County Legislature — and I’m beginning my 10th year of service with a heart brimming with gratitude and inspiration.

This is in large part thanks to the decisive vote of confidence that the people of Legislative District 16 gave me on Nov. 4. In one of the most competitive districts on our new legislative map, honesty, integrity and experience prevailed — as it always should.

I couldn’t have done it without your support, the endorsements of so many of our friends in labor, law enforcement and advocacy organizations, and the tireless efforts of my entire team, who rallied and redoubled their dedication after the tragic passing of my longtime campaign manager and friend, Seth Lounsbury. Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart.

It’s worthwhile to explain why November’s election was contested on revised maps, which will be in place through 2032. The early reapportion-

ment was the result of a settlement reached after community advocates and civil liberties organizations sued the county, alleging that illegal gerrymandering permeated the map used in the 2023 election.

Notably, the settlement yielded a map with six majority-minority legislative districts in which the population comprises at least 50 percent underrepresented voting groups, and a seventh district in which Asian Americans account for a significant plurality. All of this is a positive outcome that fosters representation better reflecting Nassau’s diverse and rich cultural tapestry.

iSyosset and Woodbury. Parts of those hamlets have been shifted northward, to District 18.

’m beginning my 10th year of service with a heart brimming with gratitude and inspiration.

How did this impact District 16? Plainview and Old Bethpage remain the core of the district, and it will be my privilege and honor to continue serving my lifelong hometown communities in 2026. I am also pleased to report that I will return to service in portions of Hicksville and begin representing communities in the Village of Farmingdale, a burgeoning regional hub that I am excited to be immersing myself in. While I regret that I will no longer directly serve the villages of Brookville, Muttontown and Old Westbury, I’ll continue to represent smaller portions of

There is no doubt that we will enter 2026 with a full agenda and important priorities to address — and combating wasteful spending will be among my top priorities. This despite a damning audit by the Nassau Interim Finance Agency and more than $23 million in spending on outside legal counsel, with far too much of it going to politically connected firms and Republican campaign donors, on cases that should be handled in-house by the highly qualified professionals at the county attorney’s office.

Rather than slow down, the county administration doubled down. On Nov. 24, they jammed through more than 20 contracts and millions of dollars in new spending on outside counsel, including one contract for a former Republican legislative candidate. While his Republican colleagues initiated the contract this spring, they failed to disclose it until after Election Day. This runaway spending reeks of pay-to-play patronage, and is a recipe for disaster that must be addressed. Accordingly, my Democratic colleagues and I stood together, unified

in opposition to these badly misguided contracts.

In 2026 we will continue to stand together, as we have done in the face of an increasingly partisan atmosphere in which we must fight every day for equitable investments in the communities we serve. Our solidarity enabled me to secure nearly $1 million for the Mid Island Y JCC, in Plainview, $50,000 for the food pantry run by the Social Ministry at St. Edward the Confessor Church, in Syosset, millions in the capital plan for vital road projects across the district and, most recently, a long-awaited HotelMotel Occupancy Tax Fund grant for the Sid Jacobsen Y JCC.

We have sent a clear message that we won’t back down when we fight for our constituents — and it’s your vocal support that empowers us to stand tall. Thank you for once again bestowing upon me the privilege of being your advocate — from the community, for the community — in the County Legislature. Should you ever have a question or concern that you would like to share with me, don’t hesitate to contact me at (516) 571-6216 or adrucker@nassaucountyny.gov. I wish you a joyous and healthy holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

Arnold W. Drucker represents Nassau County’s 16th Legislative District and is the Legislature’s deputy minority leader.

ARnoLD W. DRUCKER

FRAmEWoRK by Tim Baker

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