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Also serving Farmingdale, Massapequa, Massapequa Park and Plainedge

The dogs who were at Ground Zero

Meet a local hip-hop pioneer

School doors are opened

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VOL. 112 NO. 32

SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2026

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Town reflects on 9/11 By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent

Mike Polansky/Herald photos

Jeffrey Zuzzolo reads the names of those enshrined on the Walls of Honor in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Nearly 500 people gathered at TOBAY Beach on Sept. 9 for the Town of Oyster Bay’s annual Sept. 11 Memorial and Walls of Honor Ceremony, marking 25 years since the terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives. Against the backdrop of the town’s Sept. 11 memorial, Supervisor Joseph Saladino emphasized remembrance, unity and the importance of teaching younger generations about the attacks. “As Americans we stand CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Massapequa Park Village remembers Sept. 11 By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent

More than 100 people gathered outside Massapequa Park Village Hall on Sept. 11 to mark the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks and remember local residents who lost their lives. Mayor Daniel Pearl opened the ceremony by drawing attention to two Sept. 11 memorials outside Village Hall. A larger monument was unveiled for the 20th anniversary in 2021, while a smaller monument was added this year. Both incorporate steel recovered

Mike Polansky/Herald photo Massapequa Park Village Mayor Daniel Pearl speaks at Sept. 11 event.

from the World Trade Center and were designed by village Superintendent of Public Works Bob Macri and his staff. Across the Village Hall lawn, Boy Scout Troop 660 placed 2,977 American flags, one for each person killed in the attacks. The color guard from Massapequa Park VFW Post 7763 presented the colors, and Veronica Nastasi sang the national anthem. Pearl reflected on the deeply personal impact Sept. 11 had on Massapequa Park. “Here in Massapequa Park, it was the loss of peo-

ple we knew, people whose families walked on our streets, attended our schools and churches, coached our children, shared our holidays and built their lives among us,” he said. Pearl read the names of five village residents killed at the World Trade Center: FDNY Chief Thomas Haskell Jr., FDNY Lt. Anthony

Jovic, NYPD Sgt. Timothy Roy, Michael Pascuma Jr. and Ronald George Horner. “Massapequa Park has never forgotten them,” Pearl said. Barbara Horner, Ronald Horner’s widow, also spoke. Her husband, who was responsible for security in the South Tower, died while CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

A look back at the first search and rescue Shepherds As we mark 25 years since 9/11 and honor those first on the scene, we must not forget the brave canine-handler search teams. Their stories remain part of the broader history of the day and its aftermath. The historic photograph of search-and-rescue shepherd Apollo was taken on Sept. 12 by my late photographer friend Mary Bloom. Although the press was not allowed at Ground Zero the next day, the American Kennel Club arranged for Mary, an AKC photographer, to meet dogs on duty that day. She recalled: “They were hard at work so I was there briefly, but the memory of that day will last forever.”

Medal in Britain on behalf of all search-and-rescue dogs at the 9/11 site. The British consider the medal the equivalent of the Navy Cross. Apollo died in November 2006 at the age of 14.

TRAKR (NOT PICTURED)

He was a stocky Shepherd born and trained in the Czech Republic in 1994. He joined the Halifax Regional Police Department a year later. Trakr worked for the department for six years, sniffing out more than $1 million in contraband, as well as finding missing people and helping in the arrests of hundreds of criminals. APOLLO His handler, Halifax police officer James Peter Davis and Apollo from the NYPD Symington, saw the 9/11 recovery effort on K-9 Unit arrived at the World Trade Center TV and put Trakr, his retired search dog, in site shortly after the South Tower collapsed, his car for the 15-hour ride from Nova Scotia making Apollo the first police K-9 to respond to New York City. Symington had retired at Ground Zero. Apollo was born in 1992. By Trakr early to avoid a Halifax police force 1994, he had graduated from the NYPD policy to euthanize working dogs the departCanine Special Operations Unit. ment had retired. Then he went on sick leave. Meanwhile, from 1994 to 2001, Apollo was Their first morning in New York City, one of New York’s best police dogs, contribTrakr found signs of life under the rubble. uting to arrests. He was a member of the first Firefighters discovered Genelle Guzman, the NYPD search-and-rescue team in urban last of only 20 survivors who had been inside JOANNE areas. the buildings when they collapsed. She was ANDERSON When the duo arrived at the scene on 9/11, trapped for 26 hours before her rescue. Apollo aided injured victims. At one point, he On Sept. 14, Trakr collapsed from chemiwas almost killed by falling debris and fire. But he was cal and smoke inhalation, burns and exhaustion, and was saved because he had been drenched when he landed in treated with intravenous fluids. After Trakr was an open pool. Davis brushed him off and sent him back to released, Symington and Trakr returned home to Canawork. da. When the Halifax Police Department saw Symington For weeks, Apollo worked for up to 18 hours a day in and Trakr on television, they suspended Jim with pay for hopes of finding survivors. He got a bath every day to attending the New York City rescue effort without perwash off contaminants and spent his downtime offering mission while on sick leave. workers moral support. In 2001, Apollo received the AKC Shortly before Trakr’s death in April 2009, Symington ACE Award. The next year, he was given the Dickin entered an essay contest sponsored by a biotech compa-

Pets, Pets, Pets...

Photo Courtesy Mary Bloom

Search & Rescue German Shepherd Apollo and handler Peter Davis NYPD at Ground Zero on 9/12/01. ny, searching for the most “clone-worthy dog.” Trakr was selected over 200 other entries. Despite controversy by animal welfare groups about the health of laboratory clones, five clone puppies were delivered to Symington in June 2009 from a South Korean laboratory. He began training the pups in search and rescue in 2011. In total, more than 350 search-and-rescue dogs with their handlers were at Ground Zero. The tallest was a Beauceron, a French herding breed; the smallest was a Rat Terrier. A memorial in New York City is dedicated to their memory and bravery. Heroes come in diverse sizes and shapes, including in the shape of man’s best friend.

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

Long Island hip-hop pioneers get their due in new documentary

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com

Long before Long Island became known for hip-hop stars like Public Enemy, De La Soul and Biz Markie, Archie Snowden remembers a generation of local DJs and rappers laying the groundwork for the music in communities across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Snowden was among them. Born in Amityville and raised in Brentwood and Central Islip, Snowden, also known as MC Amazin’ A, was part of Long Island’s early hip-hop scene before going on to build a career as a multimedia journalist and award-winning video producer. Now he is turning the camera toward that history with his directorial debut, “The Long Island Underground Legends of Hip Hop,” a documentary highlighting artists who Snowden believes have largely been left out of the story of hip-hop’s beginnings. The film will be screened Sept. 26 at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame’s Music Documentary Film Festival in Stony Brook. A panel discussion and live performances by artists featured in the documentary will follow the screening. “I’m excited to be showing this in my hometown of Long Island,” Snowden told the Herald. “If you talk about the traditional sense of rap music, no one talks about these legends who started it in Nassau and Suffolk County.” Snowden said the documentary focuses on artists who were making music across Long Island in the 1970s, before hip-hop exploded into the mainstream. “And when I say started it, I’m talking about artists in the early to mid to late 1970s, before it became mainstream, and I’m a part of that,” he said. “I’m one of those pioneers.” Snowden argues that the conventional history of hip-hop has too often focused on New York City, particularly the Bronx, while overlooking artists who were developing the culture elsewhere. DJ Kool Herc is widely credited as one of hip-hop’s founding figures, but Snowden believes focusing on one person or place obscures a larger story about the music’s development. “He was part of it, but in every borough, including Connecticut and New Jersey, it was started at the same exact time as everybody else,” Snowden said. “When you say that Kool Herc started it, you’re eliminating everybody else, including Long Island.” For Snowden, understanding why Long Island artists were overlooked also means examining the Island’s history of racial segregation and discrimination. The documentary explores that history and its effect on the perception of Black communities and culture in Nassau and Suffolk. “There were many communities but only a few of them were recognized as black communities,” Snowden said. “There are racial covenants put in

Long Island Hip Hop musician Archie Snowden there to not sell your home to black people in the 1960s and 1970s — my film features this entire conversation.” As a result, he said, Long Island’s contributions to Black music and culture were frequently ignored. “That’s why we were always overlooked,” Snowden said. Putting ‘Strong Island’ on the map Among the artists Snowden highlights is JVC Force, the Central Islip hiphop group best known for its 1987 song “Strong Island.” Snowden views the track as an important declaration of Long Island’s identity within hip-hop at a time when artists elsewhere in New York were making music celebrating their own neighborhoods and boroughs. “When you talk about traditional anthems, artists who make songs about their neighborhood — JVC Force made a song called ‘Strong Island,’” Snowden said. “That song was an anthem equal to the artists who were doing songs for the Bronx and Queens. It blew up when it first came out but they did not get the

recognition in the traditional sense when it comes to this music.” The documentary also delves into the early story of Biz Markie, the late rapper, DJ and producer who became one of Long Island hip-hop’s best-known figures. “This documentary also features a true story of how the great Biz Markie got started — a story that has never been told before,” Snowden said. More than simply documenting the past, Snowden said he wants the film to introduce younger generations to artists whose influence they may never have known. “I want everybody to recognize us — how we approached the music here on Long Island, and I want the younger people to know who these folks were,” he said. “Even the rappers in the 80’s didn’t reference us but they got it from us. I want them to recognize us and tell their children about it. I want this to be an education that we were here the entire time.” That intergenerational conversation will continue after the Sept. 26 screen-

Photo Courtesy Archie Snowden

ing. Snowden said the Q&A panel was deliberately assembled to bring together DJs and rappers from hip-hop’s early days with artists from later generations. “The Q and A portion, I wanted to make sure that there was a mixture of the DJ’s and rappers from the early days and the newer rappers so the younger guys can talk about how they were inspired by the older ones and the older ones can tell their stories,” Snowden said. Snowden said the screening sold out within an hour, and his exploration of Long Island hip-hop history is not ending with the documentary. He is already working on a second installment. The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Music Documentary Film Festival runs Sept. 25 through Sept. 27 at 97 Main St. in Stony Brook. For more information about the festival and tickets, visit limusichalloffame. org or call (631) 689-5888. More information about Snowden is available on social media at @ArchieSnowden, and updates about the film are available on Instagram at @longislandhiphopfilm.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

O N

S T A G E

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18

• Simpson United Methodist Church Thrift Shop: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 30 Locust Ave., Amityville. For more information, call (631)-789-2569. • 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, SEPT. 21

• Plainedge Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting: 7 p.m., Plainedge Public Library, 1060 Hicksville Road, N. Massapequa. For more information, call (516) 735-4133. • Massapequa Fire District Monthly Work Session: 7:30 p.m., District Administration Building, 1 Brooklyn Ave., Massapequa. For more information, call (516) 798-9849.

SEP 10–OCT 25 U P

N E X T

TUESDAY, SEPT. 22

• 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, SEPT. 23

SUNDAY, SEPT. 20

• 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. • The Herald will print public meetings and event notices for not-forprofit organizations at no charge and as space permits. To have an item considered for publication, email cbabirad@liherald.com. Please send items two weeks in advance.

MPK remembers 9/11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE COVER

helping others evacuate. “I am very proud of him, and I know that he would do anything to help anyone at any time,” she said. Family members of NYPD Officer Keith Ferrara, who later died of lung cancer attributed to his work at Ground Zero, also attended. Victor Crespo, the newly installed commander of VFW Post 7763, reflected on another toll of Sept. 11 — the service

NOV 12–DEC 27 By William Goldman Based on the Novel by Stephen King

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

THURSDAY, SEPT.R 17

• 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.

Mike Polansky/Herald photo

Barbara Horner, widow of FDNY George Horner, speaks at event.

members killed in the wars that followed. “We lost a lot of people,” Crespo said. “Not only did we lose them in Manhattan, but we lost them overseas too.” Pearl closed by describing the village memorial as a place where residents can continue returning to honor those lost. “The people we lost are not forgotten simply because time has passed,” he said.

HOW TO REACH US Our offices are located at 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 and are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ WEB SITE: www.massapequapost.com / www.liherald.com/Babylon ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: cjames@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 329 E-mail: cjames@liherald.com ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: subscriptions@liherald.com ■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com ■ PUBlIC NOTICES: Ext. 232 E-mail: legals@liherald.com The Massapequa Herald Post USPS 333440, is published every Wednesday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Massapequa Herald Post, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Newsstand Price: $1. Annual Subscription Rates, $52 per year auto-pay or $65 one-time payment within Nassau County or $76 outside of Nassau County. Copyright © 2026 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

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And while we are proud to be nationally ranked for cardiac care, our high level of excellence is clearly recognized across a number of services. With exceptional physicians, leading-edge clinical expertise, and a patient-centered approach, St. Francis sets the standard for outstanding care.

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SPOTLIGHT ATHLETE

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Wantagh rallies to stun Plainedge By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

CHACE MORRIS OCEANSIDE Senior FOOTBALL A YEAR AFTER LEADING Nassau County in touchdowns with 28 and rushing for 1,294 yards, Morris picked up where he left off in Oceanside’s season-opening 37-29 victory at Farmingdale Sept. 4. He carried 34 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns as the Sailors kicked off the new season on a winning note. Both of Morris’ scores came in the fourth quater from 10 and 11 yards as the visitors upped their 24-21 halftime lead.

GAMES TO WATCH Thursday, Sept. 17 Boys Soccer: Seaford at V.S. South......................5 p.m. Boys Soccer: Lawrence at Plainedge ...................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: South Side at Calhoun ...................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: North Shore at Wantagh..................5 p.m. Field Hockey: North Shore at Baldwin ..................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: Lynbrook at Plainedge ....................7 p.m. Girls Soccer: Lawrence at V.S. North ....................7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 18 Football: Mepham at Calhoun ........................3:30 p.m. Football: Seaford at EastRock/WestHemp ...........6 p.m. Football: Division at Plainedge .......................6:30 p.m. Football: Sewanhaka at Wantagh ........................7 p.m. Football: C.S. Harbor at Malverne .......................7 p.m. Football: Oyster Bay at Lawrence .........................5 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 19 Football: V.S. Central at New Hyde Park ...............1 p.m. Football: East Meadow at Uniondale ..............1:30 p.m. Football: Locust Valley at Lynbrook .................1:30 p.m. Football: Kennedy at Long Beach ...................1:30 p.m. Football: Bethpage at Elmont .........................1:30 p.m. Football: Baldwin at Carey ..............................1:30 p.m. Football: Clarke at South Side .............................2 p.m. Football: MacArthur at Garden City ......................3 p.m.

It was a tale of two halves when Nassau Conference III football championship contenders Wantagh and Plainedge squared off to kick off the season Thursday night in North Massapequa. Plainedge limited Wantagh star junior running back Luke Martini, the reigning Thorp Award winner, to just three yards on four carries in the first half while taking a 19-point lead into halftime. Wantagh lipped the script in the game’s final 24 minutes though with Martini rushing for 110 yards in a dominating second half where the Warriors scored 29 unanswered points en route to a come-from-behind 36-33 road win. “I loved the way we reacted to adversity as we pulled together not apart and we trusted each other,” longtime Wantagh head coach Keith Sachs said. “It wasn’t yelling and screaming and it was more about fixing what we did wrong and challenging them to play for each other.” The Wantagh rally was capped when Martini shined on defense with a 32-yard interception return with 8:02 left in the game. The Warriors then added a crucial late insurance score on a 22-yard touchdown run from senior running back Ryan Rice with 2:42 remaining that made it 36-26. Plainedge ended its long scoring drought late when junior quarterback Aidan Ryan tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Marx with 58 seconds remaining. Martini then ended any hope of a late Red Devils comeback when he recovered the ensuing onside kick. Martini began the comeback with a third seven-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 26-14. The Warriors then edged closer on a 7-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Max Avena to Luke Rubbo to make it 26-21 early in the fourth quarter after Martini hauled in a clutch 35-yard reception on a 3rd-and-21 to keep the drive alive. “He’s a real complete player,” Sachs said of Martini. “He put the team on his back.” The first half was a far different story for Plainedge, who jumped out to an early v

Don’t let injuries sideline you.

James Vassalico/Herald

Plainedge’s Dom Agovino, left, fended off Wantagh’s Luke Martini during a thrilling Conference III opener Sept. 10. 13-0 lead on the strength of Ryan throwing a 38-yard touchdown to junior tight end Jimmy Marx followed by a 24-yard touchdown run. Ryan then registered two and one-yard touchdown runs in the second quarter to give the Red Devils a 26-7 lead going into the locker room. The versatile Ryan finished with 100 yards rushing on 17 carries while also completing 10-of-15 passes for 167 yards. “He is incredibly athletic and puts a lot of time into it,” first-year Plainedge head coach Adam Hovorka said. “For his first varsity start against a championship level team who plays a unique kind of defense he did a really good job.”

Plainedge, which entered the season as the No. 2 seed in Conference III, returns home Friday night to face Division at 6:30 p.m. Wantagh, the preseason third-ranked team, hosts Sewanhaka Friday under the lights at 7 p.m. Hovorka, who was defensive coordinator at Plainedge the last nine seasons, said he hopes the opener played before a packed home crowd serves as a learning experience for the rest of the season. “We liked our effort and we liked a lot of the things we did on both sides of the ball especially in that first half,” Hovorka said. “It was a championship level atmosphere.”

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MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

Molloy is among Time’s top 100 colleges By BRIAN KACHARABA bkacharaba@liherald.com

Molloy University has been named to Time magazine’s inaugural America’s Best Colleges list for 2026-27, placing No. 85 among the top 100 colleges and universities in the nation. Molloy was one of 14 New York institutions on the list, and the only Long Island college or university to receive the distinction. It was recognized alongside Columbia University, Barnard College and New York University. Time evaluated colleges based on student outcomes, learning environment and attractiveness to students. Student outcomes accounted for 75 percent of an institution’s overall score, including graduation rates, graduate earnings and economic value for students. The remaining 25 percent of the score factored in educational costs, student resources and demand. Molloy earned an overall score of 79.93. For President James Lentini, the recognition came as a surprise, because the university was not asked to submit information. “It was totally a surprise to me,” Lentini said. “They did their own research by pulling up return-on-investment info and all kinds of metrics that are out there that people can find, and so, yeah, it was a surprise.” Lentini said that

Courtesy Molloy University

Molloy University is ranked No. 85 among the nation’s top 100 colleges and universities in Time magazine’s inaugural America’s Best Colleges list for 2026-27. Time used information including the cost of tuition, graduation rates and graduate salaries. “A lot of this data is available publicly through something called IPEDS” — the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System — “which is a system we all have to report to,” he said. “It was a pleasant surprise.”

The recognition follows another national ranking based on student outcomes. Lentini noted that Molloy was ranked No. 75 by the Wall Street Journal last year. “It was great that these two publications, and this one being Time, are the same kind of results based on student outcomes,” he said.

The distinction, Lentini added, reflects Molloy’s focus on students. “It says a lot about what we’re doing here and the high quality of the work, and what we’re doing for our students here,” he said. “We have the kind of institution that offers degrees where they’re highly regarded in health care and the arts and business and education, and it just speaks highly of the work that’s happening at Molloy.” Lentini attributed the success of the university’s students in part to its mission and student support. “I think we’re a different kind of place,” he said. “Our mission, being a Catholic school, I think the kind of care our students get, the kind of way we treat each other, the attention we pay to each student, I think it’s a lot missionbased, and I think it speaks to retention rates and graduation rates. “Those kinds of things speak to the fact that our students feel a sense of belonging here,” he added. “They stay, and they get nurtured in a way where they succeed when they graduate.” Time’s recognition, Lentini said, could bring attention from prospective students and families. “I think it should give [us] a boost,” he said. “We’re right in the backyard of a lot of these great students, so we’re worth a look from all these students, and we hope that more recognition will even take us further.”

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

The Experts at U.S. News Agree: Mount Sinai South Nassau is High Performing

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

NEIGHBORS IN THE NEWS

Smiles galore as Massapequa students head back to school The doors to Massapequa’s nine schools opened up on Sept. 2, with nearly 6,000 students walking through. It was the first day of school for grades 1-12 following two months of summer vacation. Just 24 hours later, the district’s youngest learners arrived, continuing a Massapequa School District tradition of having the first full day of kindergarten on the second day of school year. With 579 kindergartners arriving at six elementary schools, it was all hands on deck. Administrators, teachers and support staff came together to make sure kindergartners found their way from the walker and busser entrances to their new classrooms. Buildings were decorated with balloons, welcome back signs and fresh bulletin boards. The floors were shiny, desks were neatly arranged and bells toned right on time. Massapequa High School students got a glimpse of the revamped gymnasium lobby that captures Chief pride through decaled walls, while a few dozen Birch Lane students settled into newly renovated classrooms. “A successful opening truly takes a team effort, and Massapequa is the team of teams,” Superintendent Dr. William Brennan said. “As I visited our schools throughout the first two days, what stood out most were the smiles, positive energy and genuine passion throughout.”

Courtesy Massapequa school district

Assistant Principal Louisa Vecchione, Principal Michael DeLuca and Superintendent Dr. William Brennan, right, welcomed back students to Lockhart Elementary School for the first day of the 2026-2027 school year on Sept. 2.

East Lake Elementary School kindergartners, from left, Emma Brumber, Rudy O’Shea, Lucy Nizinski and Ozzy Hertling were excited to start their educational journeys in Massapequa on Sept. 3.

Biology teacher Vitor Oliveria got to know his sophomores at Massapequa High School on the first day of class.

Birch Lane students were back in the routine as the got off the bus and headed to their classrooms on Sept. 2.

Superintendent Dr. William Brennan got a warm greeting from kindergartner Joseph Cacioppo at Fairfield Elementary School.

Remembering those lost to the terrorist attacks 25 years ago

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

Mike Polansky/Herald photos

The Nassau County Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums performed at the ceremonies. behind every name on this memorial is someone who was loved and whose life mattered.” Saladino then read the four names added over the past year — William H. Berger, James J. Doktor Sr., Philip Patrick Caramico and Giuseppe Pavia — each died from illnesses attributed to exposure at ground zero. Members of the Massapequa and North Massapequa fire departments attended the ceremony, along with members of the Massapequa Chiefs baseball organization, part of Massapequa International Little League,

Oyster Bay town officials added four names to the Walls of Honor this year.

and members of Boy Scout Troop 46 of Farmingdale. Town Board members Tom Hand, Andrew Monteleone, Steve Labriola and Vicki Walsh also attended, along with Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato, State Sen. Steve Rhoads, Nassau County Legislators Rose Walker and James Kennedy, and Nassau County Police Chief Christopher Ferro, who represented County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Local clergy offered prayers throughout the ceremony. The Rev. Michael T. Matteo, pastor of St. Edward the Confessor Roman Catho-

lic Church in Syosset, delivered the opening prayer. Rabbi Joel Levenson of Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, a New York Army National Guard chaplain, offered a prayer following the reading of the names, and Pastor Robert Brown of True Life Christian Worship Center in Oyster Bay delivered the closing prayer. The gathering served not only to remember those killed on Sept. 11, but also those whose deaths in the ensuing 25 years have underscored the attacks’ lasting toll on Long Island families.

GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Maureen Fitzgerald, the town’s commissioner of youth services, got the remembrance ceremony under way.

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H AR VEST FAIR September 26, 2026 10AM - 4PM Enjoy thE Family-Fun activitiEs RAIN OR SHINE 23 CEDAR SHORE DRIVE MASSAPEQUA

Tara Marie Cunningham reads the names of those enshrined on the Walls of Honor in 2019, as Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino looks on.

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united,” Saladino said, adding that the country’s resolve has only strengthened in the years since Sept. 11, 2001. The town’s memorial is inscribed with the names of residents who were killed in the attacks. Beside it, the Walls of Honor recognize Oyster Bay residents who later died of illnesses linked to their exposure to toxins at ground zero. New names are added as the toll of Sept. 11-related illnesses continues to grow. Saladino said the ceremony is among the most important events the town holds each year. While noting that attendance has continued to grow locally, he stressed the importance of ensuring that the events and sacrifices of Sept. 11 are not forgotten as a new generation grows up without firsthand memories of that day. “As Americans we stand united through our beliefs in freedom and democracy,” Saladino said. “Through remembrance ceremonies such as tonight, we send a strong message to those around the globe that our resolve is very strong and only grows stronger.” The ceremony began with an introduction by Maureen A. Fitzgerald, the town’s commissioner of community and youth services, whose department coordinated the event. “This year we reach a milestone of 25 years,” Fitzgerald said. “Too many it seems like just yesterday. We continue to commemorate the day, cherish the memories, and celebrate the lives of those we have lost. As we gather here at the beach tonight, we hope that in some small way our ceremony will give people peace.” The Nassau County Police Department Color Guard presented the colors, and the Nassau County Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums performed. A central part of the ceremony was the reading of names inscribed on the Walls of Honor. Tara Marie Cunningham began the reading with those added in 2019, including her father, Lawrence Byrnes. Jeffrey Zuzzolo read the names added in 2020, 2021 and 2022, including his mother, Arlene Zuzzolo. Town Councilman Lou Imbroto read the names added in 2023 and 2024. “As I read the names, I was reminded that September 11th was not simply a moment in history for me. It was a day that changed countless families and communities forever,” said Zuzzolo. “Twenty five years later, the pain of that day remains but so does the strength, courage, compassion and unity that followed.” Zuzzolo added that reading his mother’s name is always a deeply personal moment. “It honors not only her memory but also the families who continue to carry the loss of their loved one. “It is a reminder that

September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

Gandolfo focuses on region’s cost of living By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com

Jarett Gandolfo, a Republican who has served in the Assembly since 2020, is seeking the 8th State Senate District seat currently held by State Sen. Alexis Weik, who is not running re-election. His opponent is Democrat Joshua James Taveras. The district includes portions of the towns of Babylon and Islip, as well as parts of the towns of Oyster Bay and Hempstead. Before being elected to the Assembly, Gandolfo, 36, worked for Assemblyman Andrew Garbarino (now Rep. Garbarino) as his chief of staff. Gandolfo also said his blue-collar upbringing also shaped his approach to public service. His parents instilled a strong work ethic, he said, and he worked at his grandfather’s window treatment shop. While in school, he also worked as a supermarket cashier and warehouse delivery driver. “When the current sitting senator, Alexis Weik, announced that she wasn’t seeking re-election, I was immediately interested,” Gandolfo said. “I have really enjoyed serving in the Assembly, but I felt the Senate gives me an opportunity to represent a larger area of the South Shore and make more of an impact in state government.” Gandolfo said he is particularly proud of securing money for the Bayport-Blue Point School District’s Student Wellness Center, when in the Assembly. Mental health advocacy, he said, would remain a priority, if elected. “It’s an issue that has been neglected, I think, for a long time,” he said. “Anything we can do to increase access to mental health care is a positive step.” Making Long Island more affordable is also at the top of Gandolfo’s agenda. As a father of two young children, he said he understands the financial pressures created by property taxes, housing and child-

8 th STATE SENATE DISTRICT

Christie Leigh Babirad/Herald

Republican Jarrett Gandolfo cites affordability as well as health awareness and services as his top priorities. care. “At the height of our child care needs, two children going to daycare, it was costing us over $3,000 extra a month,” he said. “It’s a cost you don’t necessarily think of when you’re going to have a family.” Gandolfo said he has introduced legislation aimed at reducing childcare costs, including a proposal requiring the state to consider regional cost-of-living differences in child care subsidy programs. He is also developing a proposal that would provide tax credits to families with prekindergarten-age children to reimburse up to 50 percent of child care costs

when using licensed providers. Gandolfo said he favors that approach over the state’s planned expansion of universal pre-K, citing concerns about available space and staffing. Public safety is another priority. Gandolfo said he wants to work with police and other experts to ensure departments have the resources needed to keep communities safe. Long Island’s environment and quality of life are also among his concerns. He said clean bays, waterways and beaches are essential to the region. “We have to understand that if we harm our aquifer, the costs will not only be financial, but it will affect public health,” he said. Gandolfo supports expanding wastewater infrastructure and sewer systems. “I think any way that we can expand the wastewater infrastructure, the sewers, is a home run,” he said. He said residents throughout the district generally want similar things, including economic growth in downtowns, occupied storefronts and well-maintained infrastructure. Working across party lines and increasing his involvement throughout the district is part of Gandolfo’s agenda. “Showing up is important,” he said. Gandolfo lives in Sayville with his wife, Natalia, their sons, Leonard, 5, and Benjamin, 3, and their two cats, Sniffles and Elizabeth.

Taveras hopes to turn the district Democratic By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com

The issues are well known: affordability, education and health care. Joshua James Taveras, a Democrat, is challenging Republican Jarett Gandolfo for the New York State Senate’s 8th District seat, which is currently held by Sen. Alexis Weik, who is not seeking re-election. The district includes portions of the towns of Babylon and Islip, as well as parts of the towns of Oyster Bay and Hempstead. Taveras, 26, who describes himself as Afro-Latino and a member of the LGBTQ community, said he is running as an advocate for residents he believes are not adequately represented. “On Long Island and in New York with the politics we have here right now, District 8 has been a Republican seat and sadly for a lot of New Yorkers who live in District 8, they’re not being represented to the extent that they should be,” Taveras said. He works as a store manager for BYLT, an apparel company, and said he comes from a working family. “We need someone who actually knows the struggles that Long Islanders have endured, working fulltime and paycheck to paycheck,” Taveras said. If elected, he said his priorities would include affordability, education and health care. Housing costs and property taxes are among his biggest concerns. Taveras said high costs are affecting both younger residents and seniors. “What are we doing if we’re pricing out the next generation?” he said. “We are indirectly cutting them

Christie Leigh Babirad/Herald

Joshua James Taveras is looking to advocate particularly for the large Latino population he believes feels underrepresented in the district. off from having any type of successful future on Long Island.” Taveras said he would support legislation to help first-time homebuyers and would advocate for allowing homeowners to legally rent portions of their properties, such as basements or upper floors. He also supports universal pre-K and said he would

oppose charter schools, which he believes divert funding from public schools. “I think we need to protect the education system as a whole here and make the system so strong that the other states want to copy it as well,” Taveras said. He supports the state’s plan to expand universal pre-K by the 2028-29 school year and said investing in early childhood education would benefit both students and families. He also said he would support better wages and working conditions for pre-K teachers. Health care is another major issue for Taveras, who said he would advocate for expanded access to health care and changes to what he described as a largely forprofit system. “We need to knock down that system,” he said. Taveras also said nurse-to-patient ratios should be more strictly enforced, arguing that nurses are being pushed to the brink. He said his approach to public policy is focused on addressing long-term problems rather than temporary fixes. “I’m always thinking ahead,” Taveras said. “They just want to fill a pothole, but we need to take off the whole road and lay a completely new one.” Taveras grew up in Copiague and now lives in Massapequa. He speaks Portuguese and Spanish and said support from the LGBTQ community helped inspire him to seek public office. In addition to his professional work, Taveras said he wants to remain active in the communities he hopes to represent. Election Day is Nov. 3. The polls are open from 6 am. to 9 p.m.

Trucking program at NCC offers fresh start By JULIA GILLEGO jgillego@liherald.com

Rebound on the Road celebrated the graduation of its sixth cohort at Nassau Community College earlier this month, recognizing students who completed an intensive program designed to prepare them for careers in commercial trucking while providing support focused on mental health, recovery and personal growth. The graduation, on Sept. 3, marked more than the completion of an eightweek training program. It represented a new beginning for many participants. The program, founded by former NBA star Jayson Williams, is a partnership between Rebound on the Road, Nassau County and NCC. The program offers vocational training to people seeking a second chance, helping participants earn commercial driver’s licenses. For Jerry Kornbluth, NCC’s vice president of community and government relations, the most meaningful part of the ceremony was seeing how much the students had changed over the course of eight weeks. “And when you see them, eight weeks later, at a graduation, and what they’re saying to the other people, and the camaraderie that they built, and the family that they built, they’re going to

Julia Gillego /Herald

Emil Arthur-Ricketts celebrating his completion of the Rebound on the Road program at Nassau Community college with his father, Martin Ricketts. stay forever,” Kornbluth said. “They’re never going to go back to their old ways.” The program, Williams said, emphasizes professionalism, safety and discipline. Participants train in driving, pretrip inspections and other skills needed to become commercial drivers. But the program also places a strong emphasis on mental health. Students began their mornings with time devoted

to reflection and discussion with mental health professionals before moving into their driving lessons. “I don’t want to put them behind 80,000 pounds if they’re not feeling it,” Williams said. “The psychiatrist and the psychotherapist are very important in what we do.” The combination of training and support, he added, helps turn the participants not only into better drivers, but

professionals prepared for long-term careers. “The thing I’m most proud of is that we become family here,” Williams said. That sense of community was echoed by graduate Emil Arthur-Ricketts, who said the program gave students an environment in which they could support one another while working toward a common goal. “I really enjoyed it,” Arthur-Ricketts said. “I love the fact that it’s family-oriented. It’s more than just trucking itself. It’s really about people coming together — brotherhood, fatherhood — and we all have a common goal in life.” The impact of the program extends beyond graduation day. Kornbluth said that more than 100 students who have graduated from the program have gone on to work driving trucks throughout the United States. Williams said that graduates also remain connected, returning to support one another and helping open doors for future cohorts. For the students celebrating at NCC, the ceremony marked both an ending and a beginning: the end of eight weeks of demanding training, and the start of careers built on responsibility, stability and the promise of a second chance. For more information, visit ReboundontheRoad.org.

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MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams’s course prepares trainees for new careers behind the wheel

September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

OBITUARY

Thomas J. Germano, labor leader and scholar, dies at 86 By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

Thomas J. Germano, a North Babylon resident, labor leader, scholar and arbitrator who helped lead the historic 1970 postal strike, died peacefully Aug. 27, 2026, at 86, after a battle with multiple myeloma. Born in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, Germano lost his mother when he was 10. He held several jobs while raising a family and attending night school, eventually earning a Ph.D. in sociology from the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. As a New York City letter carrier, Germano became one of the principal rank-and-file leaders of the Great Postal Strike of 1970. The wildcat strike began in New York City and spread nationwide, involving approximately 200,000 workers who sought better wages, collective bargaining rights and improved working conditions. Decades later, the National Association of Letter Carriers honored Germano as an honorary permanent member. In 2020, he shared his memories of the strike in a nationally broadcast conversation on NPR’s

“He was always “Morning Edition.” quick with a joke “Sometimes you or a funny story,” have to do a moral said his daughter, thing, and a dignity Judith Germano. thing,” Germano said. “He had a great He hoped to be rememsense of humor.” bered as “somebody But perhaps one who helped people of the greatest gifts when he could.” he left his children Germano went on to and grandchildren become a labor scholwas the example ar, teacher, arbitrator he set throughout and mediator. He his life of always taught at Cornell Unitrying to do the versity’s School of right thing. “He Industrial and Labor lived it,” she said, Relations and Queens adding that it was College and served as THOMAS J. GERMANO because of that director of Cornell’s ability that he was ILR School, Long Island sought after as a Extension, from 1976 to mediator. “His fairness and his abili2003. He also founded the Labor Man- ty to cut through the emotion and agement Center on Long Island and look at the facts, made him successserved on panels for the American ful in his field,” she said. He is survived by his children, Arbitration Association, National Mediation Board and Federal Media- Thomas Germano of East Norwich; tion and Conciliation Service. Both Andrew Germano of Florida; and labor and management sought his Judith Germano and her husband, counsel, and he continued hearing Michael Bonarti, of New Jersey. His stepchildren, James Miller and his cases until retiring in 2020. For all of his professional accom- wife, Shana, of Babylon, and Patti plishments, his family was his great- Miller Retzlaff and her husband, Todd, of North Carolina also survive est source of pride.

OBITUARY

him as does his sister, Patricia Germano Canova, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. His first wife Rosalie Chamberlain and the mother of their four children also survives him. The two remained close friends and family. He was predeceased by his daughter Elizabeth Germano, who died in 2021; his second wife, Mary Ann Germano, whom he married in 2000 and who died in 2008 and his brother Robert Germano. His legacy lives in the workers he helped, the students and colleagues he taught, and the family and friends who knew his generosity, humor and commitment to fairness. A memorial gathering was held Sept. 7 at Claude R. Boyd-Spencer Funeral Home in Babylon. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 10:15 a.m. at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in Babylon. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions in Germano’s memory to the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and the link is: https://fundraise.myeloma.org/ campaign/840028/donate., or to Island Harvest, islandharvest.org, which provides food and support to those in need on Long Island.

In loving memory of June C. Reinhardt. A long life came to an end on September 7, 2026, as June Claire (Norton) Reinhardt passed away peacefully at the age of 94. Born in Queens, New York on March 1, 1932, she was the daughter of the late William and Edna (Lotz) Norton, and grew up in Belle Harbor, New York. In addition to her parents, June is preceded in death by her husband, John (Jack) M. Reinhardt, June 19, 1995. Her memory lives on with her children, Lauren Brigham Mattituck, New York, Gregory Reinhardt of Belle Harbor, New York, Nancy and Michael Witkowski of Old Bridge, New Jersey and Valerie Reinhardt of Massapequa, New York as well as her Grandchildren Michele, Michael, MaryKate, John, Daniel, Annie and Megan and Great- Grandchildren Remy, Jack, Russell, and Maeve. She is also survived by her brother Warner (Grazia) Norton of East Rockaway and two nieces Lisa (Norton) and Bill Fotopoulos and Christine (Norton) and David Reardon. June graduated from Queens College, Queens, New York, at a time when only 5% of American women furthered their education beyond high school. After meeting her husband, Jack, they began a family in Hollis Queens and soon bought a home in Massapequa, where she lived for almost 68 years. She left her teaching career to raise her family. June took pride in her home as seen by her festive decorations for all the holidays and the many parties she held for friends and family through the years. She enjoyed gardening, reading, travel, history, genealogy, antiques and gave many lectures and discussions throughout her years in past guilds and clubs she belonged to. June was a very active woman in the community and Long Island. She was President of the PTA organizing the bicycle safety program for Massapequa schools as well as helping to organize the bottle bill and recycle program. She has been the President of the Jr. League, Garden Club and Women’s Club of Massapequa. She was President for the Long Island Federation of Women’s Clubs of all Long Island. She is a founding member of The Good Samaritan Hospital Guild with the Good Samaritan Foundation. She is very dedicated to her church and taught religious education for Eight years for her parish at St. Martins of Tours, in Amityville. June was an avid gardener, bridge player and member of the Unqua Corinthian Yacht Club. June later in life enjoyed meeting with her very best friends and having lunch and playing bridge. She cherished the moments, laughs and friendship of these wonderful ladies. June’s passing will surely be a loss to her family and the many friends she made along her life’s journey. Funeral Arrangements entrusted to the Charles G. Schmitt Funeral Home. http://www.schmittfuneralhome.com

Suozzi pushes protection for worshippers ramid@liherald.com

Roksana Amid/Herald

U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, top center, joined religious and advocacy leaders on Sept. 9 to call for passage of the bipartisan Right to Worship Act. ular courage as you enter your synagogue, church, mosque, temple, mandir or gurdwara,” he said. The legislation would establish a 100foot zone around pedestrian and vehicular entrances to houses of worship, beginning one hour before a scheduled service and ending an hour afterward. Within that area, conduct intended to hinder, deter, threaten or intimidate people attending services would be prohibited. Peaceful expression protected by the First Amendment would remain protected. Violations would carry civil penalties, with fines ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for repeat offenses. The measure would also allow affected worshippers

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More than two dozen religious leaders representing a number of faiths stood together at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center last week as U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi called for passage of federal legislation intended to protect people from intimidation and harassment at religious services. Suozzi highlighted the bipartisan, bicameral Right to Worship Act at a Sept. 9 news conference at the center in Glen Cove. Alan Mindel, chairman of HMTC’s board of directors, said that protecting religious freedom is central to the organization’s mission. “This bill grants necessary protections to houses of worship so as to protect the constitutional rights of freedom of religion granted to all Americans,” Mindel said. “In the current climate, where people have been obstructed from entering their house of worship, this new law will allow each American, regardless of faith, to freely enter their church, synagogue or mosque for their constitutionally protected right to pray, without obstruction or harassment.” Suozzi said that people should not have to put themselves at risk simply to practice their faith. “Exercising your right to worship should not require you to exhibit partic-

Notification of Funding Availability

All applications must be received by the Trustees at PO Box 350, Jericho, New York 11753 or by email at TheJonesFund1836@gmail.com on or before October 15, 2026 at 5 pm EST. Interested applicants can obtain further information and application packages by sending an email to James McGahan and/or Dina Selearis at TheJonesFund1836@gmail.com.

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The Trustees of the Jones Fund for the Support of the Poor (“Trustees”) are requesting applications for its 2026 Grant Program from eligible and qualified IRC 501(c) (3) approved charitable organizations to further its mission of affording support to the poor, in the form of food, shelter, clothing and warmth, and providing support for educational programs striving to prevent the transmission of generational poverty among the underserved and underprivileged, exclusively in the Towns of North Hempstead, New York and Oyster Bay, New York as intended by the Last Will and Testament of Samuel Jones dated February 23, 1836, and as approved by the Trustees in their absolute discretion. Program funds for the 2026 grant program will be in the form of grants totaling up to the maximum amount of $150,000.00, collectively. Program funds will be awarded on a competitive basis.

to pursue civil action, and permit the U.S. attorney general and state attorneys general to bring cases against violators. The Right to Worship Act grew out of Suozzi’s SACRED Act — Safeguarding Access to Congregations and Religious Establishments from Disruption — which he introduced in April, and which included criminal penalties. Negotiations over the legislation, he said, centered on balancing two constitutional rights, freedom of speech and freedom of worship. “Finding a balance between the two is a real challenge,” he said. “It’s why it hasn’t been done — it’s why it’s been controversial.”

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Suozzi eventually joined Republican Rep. Brad Knott, of North Carolina, to develop a single proposal that could attract broader support. The House legislation is accompanied by a Senate measure backed by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, and Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, of Michigan. “You shouldn’t have to show courage to go attend your religious services,” Suozzi said. Brandi Katz Rubin, the Anti-Defamation League’s New York/New Jersey deputy regional director, said that harassment at houses of worship has made such protections increasingly important. “No one should have to push through a hostile crowd, shout over a bullhorn or endure targeted threats while simply trying to enter a house of worship and pray,” Katz Rubin said. The ADL, she added, recorded nearly 530 incidents of antisemitic harassment at synagogues nationwide in 2025, along with dozens of protest-related incidents. According to Suozzi, there was discussion of moving the legislation through the Senate as early as this month. If that doesn’t happen, he said supporters could pursue passage during the lame-duck session in November or December. “We really want to get it done this year,” he said, citing momentum from religious organizations and lawmakers in both parties.

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

By ROKSANA AMID

HERALD SPORTS

Amityville girls soccer is ready to right the ship By NIKO SCARLATOS sports@liherald.com

After a difficult season in which games often got out of hand early, the Amityville Tide girls soccer team is approaching the new campaign with a different mindset — and a renewed sense of belief. Head coach Nick Demonda believes the Tide can be “very, very competitive” this season, thanks to a combination of returning experience, emerging young talent and, perhaps most importantly, a team that has continued to put in the work. Last season’s struggles forced Amityville to focus heavily on skill development. This year, Demonda believes those lessons can translate into closer games and a more competitive team in a league designed in part for programs looking to rebound. “The girls work really, really hard,” Demonda said. “After last season, they could have just packed it in, and they’re not.” Three seniors, Katherin Medrano, Grace Luis, and Andrea Santos, will provide leadership as returning varsity starters. Each brings a different strength to the field. Medrano is expected to anchor the defense as a stopper and sweeper, while Santos is a defensive presence who can be tasked with marking an opponent’s top player. Luis, meanwhile, returns after earning All-League honors last season and being recognized among the area’s top players despite the team’s overall record. Her work ethic has made an impression

(Niko Scarlatos/Herald)

From left, Natasha Diaz, Andrea Santos and Katherin Medrano lead the way for Amityville girls soccer. on opposing coaches and Demonda alike. Luis’ younger sister, Isabella, a sophomore, is another player Demonda expects to make a significant impact in her first season with the team. The Tide also have plenty of promising youth.

8th grader Natasha Diaz is expected to become a varsity starter after scoring three or four goals at the JV level last season. Demonda praises Diaz’s strong kick, feel for the game and willingness to compete without fear. “She doesn’t play scared,” Demonda said, describing a player who is coachable

and eager to improve. Twins Yarielly and Yacqueline Chinchilla add another dimension with their combination of speed and power, while Jackie Hernandez Belowo is expected to contribute in the midfield. In goal, sophomore Anamarie Jimenez returns after facing a barrage of shots last season. Despite the difficult circumstances, Jimenez made enough saves to keep several games from becoming even more lopsided and finished among the area’s top 10 goalkeepers in saves. For Demonda, however, the foundation of the season goes beyond formations, goals and wins. The team’s motto is simple: accountability and effort. Demonda wants his players to communicate constantly on the field, believing that talking and encouraging one another can effectively bring a “12th girl” onto the field. Team bonding has also been a priority, helping create a group that genuinely enjoys being around one another. And when things inevitably get difficult, Demonda wants his players to remember why they play. Whether it is a favorite professional player, a family memory or simply the love of the game, that motivation can provide the extra push needed through a tough practice or a difficult stretch of a game. Our goal is clear,” Demonda said. “We want to compete every time they step on the field and show just how far the girls’ hard work can take them.”

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

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MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

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KRISTIN THORNE

Aiming to ease emissions on Car Free Day By BRIAN KACHARABA bkacharaba@liherald.com

Long Island residents are being encouraged to rethink how they get around when the region marks its 14th annual Car Free Day, an initiative in which participants are asked to replace at least one trip made alone by car with a sustainable option. Car Free Day, on Sept. 22, is observed in cities around the world. Long Island joined the movement 13 years ago with a campaign focused on raising awareness of transportation choices and measuring emissions saved when people leave their cars behind. Mindy Germain, co-chair of Car Free Day LI and program manager for Transit Solutions, said the goal is not for participants to eliminate driving for an entire day. “All we ask you to do is swap out one drive-alone car trip,” Germain said. That could mean walking to a store, taking the train or bus, bicycling, or sharing a ride with someone who would otherwise drive separately. Organizers measure the emissions saved through pledges received leading up to the event, and calculate the total for Long Island. Germain said the campaign had already reached about 75 tons of saved emissions based on those pledges. Transportation, she said, accounts for about a third of the emissions con-

Brian Kacharaba/Herald

The Long Island Rail Road is among the transportation alternatives that Car Free Day LI organizers hope more residents will consider on Sept. 22. tributing to Long Island’s environmental impact, making alternatives to driving important for air quality and efforts to slow global warming. Participation this year is on pace to reach 5,000 pledges, which Germain said would be the most since the pandemic. She also pointed to changing patterns in transit use. In June, the Long Island

Rail Road recorded 5 million rides, a record, with many trips for purposes other than commuting. People are increasingly using the railroad for leisure, she said, while students use it to travel to the city for internships and programs. Family ridership has also increased thanks to an LIRR program that allows

children 17 or younger to ride for $1 when accompanied by a parent. For Germain, the most meaningful measure of success is seeing people actually using alternatives to driving. “What really is exciting to me is seeing that 20-something-year-old take the NICE bus to get to Farmingdale State College,” she said, referring to the Nassau Inter-County Express bus service, “or to see the employees at Northwell Health walk to lunch that day, the actions themselves, and the excitement it generates.” While Car Free Day is held once a year, Germain said the coalition promoting it works throughout the year with municipalities, transit partners, academic institutions and health care organizations. Improving transportation choices, she said, can also expand mobility for people who don’t drive, including older adults who have stopped driving and younger people who can’t afford cars. “I think that mobility offers so much freedom,” Germain said. People who live or work in Nassau or Suffolk counties can take participate by making a pledge on the Car Free Day LI website. Participants can also enter a raffle for prizes, including two hybrid bicycles, a Lululemon bundle and an LIRR weekly ticket. More information, and the pledge form, are available at CarFreeDayLI.com.

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STEPPING OUT

Michael Carbonaro returns with

he music — that’s what keeps him coming back MARY TRAVIS Wife, Randy Travis

Randy Travis’s music lives on, forever and ever

‘More Life’ tour features country star and guest vocalist, James Dupré By JORDAN VALLONE

ountry Music Hall of Fame legend Randy Travis is bringing one of the ﬁnal dates of his acclaimed “More Life” tour to Long Island, wrapping up an emotional two-year run that has taken the show to 54 cities across 24 states. The dynamic performance arrives at Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair on Sept. 25. The show begins at 8 p.m. Travis’s four-decade long career generated iconic No. 1 hits, including “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “On The Other Hand,” and “Three Wooden Crosses,” among others. While Travis no longer performs due to the side effects of a stroke he survived in 2013, he joins his wife, Mary Travis, on stage throughout the show, interacting with fans and celebrating his music alongside longtime members of his band and guest vocalist James Dupré.

Randy Travis carries his country music legacy forward

Travis, 67, is a North Carolina native whose music helped usher in a new traditionalist movement of modern country music when he released. Recognized for his baritone voice and an earnest approach to music, he won backto-back Country Music Association Song of the Year awards in 1986 and 1987. The seven-time Grammy award winner has sold sold over 25 million albums, generating 23 No. 1 hits and 31 Top 10s. He was named a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1986 and inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016. Though a near-fatal stroke has left him unable to perform, Travis’s recovery and commitment to his fans and music has inspired many. “The music — that’s what keeps him coming back,” Mary Travis told the Herald on a call with the country music legend. “That was Randy’s heart, his soul. That’s all he ever wanted to do was make music.” In 2024, Travis released “Where That Came From” through Warner Records Nashville, his

first new recording in over a decade, developed through the use of artificial intelligence software which helped recreate his vocals. It was overlaid on an existing recording of the song from his longtime collaborator, Dupré. Dupré, 42, of Louisiana, became a YouTube sensation in 2007 which led to a performance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Since then, he’s released multiple albums, appeared on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2015, and was eventually handpicked by Travis and his wife in 2019 to be the guest vocalist for the “More Life” tour. Dupré and Travis first worked together for a 2015 film, “The Price,” which tells the story of an aging country music singer aspiring to reconnect with his son. Years later, when Travis’s team discussed the possibly of him touring again, Dupré emerged as the best choice for long-term collaboration. “When Tony Conway, Randy’s manager said, several years after the stroke, ‘If we wanted to go back on the road, who would you have sing the music?’ — we immediately said James Dupré,” Mary recounts. “We remembered the connection that the two of them had, and it has proved correct. When you see the two on stage, you can see the relationship and the magnetism. It just works perfectly.” • Friday, Sept. 25, 8 p.m. Dupré’s collaboration with Travis, and the release of “Where That • Tickets begin at $35 per person Came From,” helped launch a new chapter of advocacy for Travis and • Flagstar at Westbury Music his wife, who used the song as a platform to champion creators’ rights Fair, 960 Brush Hollow Road, and responsible AI protections for artists. Westbury “It was a good way to introduce AI to be used in a good way,” • Visit RandyTravis.com for Mary says.“Randy’s heart and soul was still in it. He’s still involved with more details the production of it. It’s not taking his voice and using it and abusing it in some other realm.”

About the ‘More Life’ tour

Travis’s tour debuted as “The Music of Randy Travis,” but last year, his team changed the name to the “More Life” tour. “More Life” was one of the last songs Travis recorded before his stroke. “When we were in the hospital, it kept me going because it’s such a beautiful song,” Mary says. “We decided to name the tour ‘More Life’ because that’s what we felt like we got — more life — as a gift.” She describes the show as more than a “regular concert.” Travis’s songs are performed by Dupré, alongside members of his original band, but there’s also videos of Travis shown to the crowd spanning the entire length of his career. Mary also joins Travis and Dupré on stage to tell stories about her husband and his music. “It’s very interactive,” Mary says “It’s almost like a biopic of Randy Travis. It’s not just a concert — it’s a story, and it’s sad, it’s sweet, it’s happy. It’s just Randy Travis, and it’s a beautiful thing.” Travis’s team looks forward to bringing the show to Long Island and sharing his music and life with many longtime fans. “We get to play at some of the neatest (theaters), which I think is kind of cool, because of Randy Travis and the nostalgia of Randy Travis, and the years he’s been here to raise a lot of us on his music,” Mary says, “and Westbury’s a perfect place for us to land over there in Long Island with you all.”

“Wonderboy,” his all-new live tour. Packed with audience participation, sly improv, and his signature realitytwisting illusions, Carbonaro, from the star of truTV’s “The Carbonaro Effect,” delivers a high-energy, laugh-ﬁlled experience for all ages. Part magician, part comedian, all mischief-maker — “Wonderboy” is where magic is the superpower, laughter is the sidekick and reality doesn’t stand a chance. The multitalented actor-magician-comedian has built a career turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. He’s made millions laugh in astonishment by blending quick-witted comedy with jaw-dropping illusions in everyday settings. This tour is where audiences discover him as the Hero of Mischief, in a world where magic is the superpower and laughter is the sidekick.

Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.

Eddie Griffin Get ready to laugh until your sides hurt! Over his decades-long career, Eddie Grifﬁn has become known for his sharp social commentary and animated storytelling. The popular comedian-turned-actor blends personal experiences with cultural observations and shifts seamlessly from biting satire to playful crowd work, making him a consistent draw for live audiences nationwide. Acclaimed for his appearances in “Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo,” “Chappelle’s Show,” 2018’s “A Star Is Born,”and star of “Undercover Brother,” he’s praised for razor-sharp wit, spot-on impersonations and unmatched stage presence.

Saturday, Sept. 19, 8 p.m. Tickets available at LiveNation.com. Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury.

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

Michael Carbonaro

September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

Your Neighborhood SEP

‘Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years’

Visit the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame for an immersive exhibit (designed by LIMEHOF Creative Director, renowned designer Kevin O’Callaghan). It features the 70-foot-wide set from the show’s recent 30th anniversary TV special on CBS, never before on display. Visitors can walk into the world of the Barone family and explore their home through original studio sets, which include the living room, the kitchen and other areas of the house. Also 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 related videos 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

SEP

Thrift Shop

Stop by Simpson United Methodist Church’s Thrift Shop for some unique finds.

• Where: 30 Locust Ave., Amityville • Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. • Contact: (631) 789-2569

St. Mary’s Thrift Shop

Stop by St. Mary’s Thrift Shop to check out some found treasures. Choose from collectibles, glassware, clothing and other gently used items. • Where: St. Mary’s, 175 Broadway, Amityville (enter from rear parking lot) • Time: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. • Contact: (631) 464-4899

Celebrating Alexander’s Angels Showcasing what people with Down Syndrome can do, Alexander’s Angels Got Talent, AAGT, performs at the Madison Theater. Admission is $15.

• Where: Madison Theatre, Molloy University,1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre • Time: 8 p.m. • Contact: madisontheatreny.org

SEP

Larson Legacy Concert

Adelphi University’s Larson Legacy Concert Series continues with Jonathan Larson

CALENDAR SEP

Emotional Health Recovery and Support Group

This group meets weekly, in person with Emotions Anonymous, a 12-step support group for anyone experiencing emotional difficulties. • Where: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9592, 55 Hickory Lane, Levittown • Time: 7:30 to 9 p.m. • Contact: Steve at (631) 3320552 or Jill at (516) 220-7808. All calls are confidential.

SEP

Double Vision

The 1970s and ‘80s come alive when Double Vision brings their “Foreigner Experience” to the Paramount stage. Whether you’re a lifelong Foreigner enthusiast or a newcomer eager to experience the magic of their music, Double Vision promises a night of electrifying entertainment that will leave you singing along and craving more. Composed of some New York City’s top professional rock musicians, the band delivers the highest level of integrity and technical prowess in bring audiences all the hits from the band that you’ve come to love, while honoring Foreigner and its audience, with a show second to none. The spirit of rock ‘n’ roll lives on, one unforgettable performance at a time, with this group of talented musicians and die-hard Foreigner fans. Double Vision has perfected the art of bringing to life the unforgettable hits that have defined generations. From “I Want to Know What Love Is” to “Cold as Ice,” their renditions are a harmonious blend of passion, precision, and nostalgic energy. Drawing inspiration from Foreigner’s unmistakable sound and stage presence, Double Vision delivers a performance that pays homage to the band’s legacy while infusing their own charisma and enthusiasm. They are joined by special guest Frontier for an authentic • Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington Foreigner and Journey tribute. Sing along to some of the greatest hit tunes, including • Time: 8 p.m. “Juke Box Hero,” “Hot Blooded,” “Cold As Ice,” “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Urgent,” • Contact: ticketmaster.com “Double Vision,” “Head Games,” “Feels Like the First Time,” and more. or paramountny.com

Grant recipient abs wilson. This showcase will be a concert reading of the new musical by Kelly Nowak (story/book/lyrics by abs wilson, story/music by Adam LaPorte). One summer day in 2005, a teenager goes missing from her small Michigan town and is never found. Years later, her family sits for interviews about what they think happened to her. Did Kelly drown in the nearby lake? Is she alive, trapped within a massive conspiracy? Or is she somewhere a little more in between? Framed as a true crime documentary, Kelly Nowak explores the need to hold any kind of tangible truth — no matter the rationality or cost. This 90-minute musical offers a gripping and poignant psychological narrative. This is a fascinating theatrical experience worth checking out. • Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City • Time: 3-4:30 p.m. • Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or call (516) 877-4000

Battle of the Decades

Take a musical journey through three unforgettable eras at Battle of the Decades at the Madison Theatre at Molloy University. The high-energy tribute concert features Radio Gold performing

hits from the 1970s, Rock of 80’s celebrating the biggest anthems of the 1980s and Reality Bites bringing the sound of the 1990s to life. The evening will also include the presentation of the Ted Fass Music Scholarship to an incoming Molloy University music student. • Where: 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre • Time: 7:30 p.m. • Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Massapequa Kiwanis Bocce Barbecue Fundraiser

Massapequa Kiwanis welcomes all to their 14th Annual Bocce BBQ Fundraiser. The day includes Bocce competition, bagel breakfast, all day barbeque, beverage options and entertainment for all. Rain date is Sept. 26. • Where: John J. Burns Park, 4990 Merrick Road, Massapequa • Time: Registration begins at 10 a.m.; competition starts at 11 a.m. at John J. Burns Park, Kiwanis Log Cabin • Contact: massapequakiwanis. org or Bocce Chairperson Tony DeMayo at (516) 343-3435 or email awdemayo@optonline. net

Church Attic Thrift Shop Stop by the First United Methodist Church for their weekly thrift shop.

• Where: First United Methodist Church, 25 Broadway, Amityville • Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. • Contact: (631) 264-0152 or email amitychurch1792@gmail.com.

SEP

Harmonize with Long Island Harmonizers

Love to sing? So do the Long Island Harmonizers. The Barbershop Harmony Society chapter is a chorus of more than 20 singers, now welcoming new members. The ensemble performs four-part a cappella harmony in the barbershop style, entertaining audiences at local events. All are welcome to visit one of their weekly rehearsals. Come listen, meet the chorus, and — if you’d like — join in and sing. No musical experience is necessary, just a love of singing and a desire to have fun making music together. • Where: Faith Lutheran Church, 231 Jackson Ave, Syosset • Time: Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m. • Contact: Call: Rich, (516) 5214779, or Dennis, (516) 680-8036, or visit longislandharmonizers.org

Massapequa BOE meets

The Board of Education holds their next meeting. All are welcome to attend.

• Where: Massapequa High School, Board Room, 4925 Merrick Rd., Massapequa • Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. • Contact: (516) 308-5000

Oyster Bay Zoning Board of Appeals meets

The Town of Oyster Bay ZBA holds their next meeting. All are welcome to attend. • Where: Town Board Hearing Room, Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Ave., Oyster Bay • Time: 7 p.m. • Contact: (516) 624-6333

SEP

Jazzin’ with Richard Elliot

Grammy-nominated contemporary jazz saxophonist Richard Elliot brings his soulful, bluesy sound to the Madison Theatre for an evening of smooth jazz. Elliot, who has scored more than 20 Top 10 smooth jazz singles and has worked with artists including Tower of Power, Natalie Cole and the Pointer Sisters, will perform music from his latest album, “Straight Up Down.” • Where: 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre • Time: 8 p.m. • Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

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.

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MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

Public Notices

LMAS1

File No. 2025-3682/A S U R R O G AT E ’ S COURT, NASSAU COUNTY CITATION THE PEOPLE OF T H E S TAT E O F NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent TO: G r a s s i Ad v i s or y Group Office of the NYS Attorney General Jasper Surety, Attorney-In-Fact, Great Midwest Insurance Company an d any and a l l unknown persons whose names or parts of whose names and whose place or places of residence are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained, distributees, heirs-atlaw and next-of-kin of the said Katherine Grodecki, deceased, and if any of the said distributees named specifically or as a class be dead, their legal representatives, their husbands or wives, if any, distributees and successors in interest whose names and/or places of residence and post office addresses are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained. A petition having been duly filed by Nassau County Public Administrator, who is domiciled at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501. YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, on October 21st, 2026, at 10:00 o’clock in the fore noon of that day, why the account of Nassau County Public Administrator, a summary

of which has been served herewith, as Administrator of the estate of Katherine Grodecki, should not be judicially settled. [X] Further relief sought (if any): 1. R e l e a s i n g a n d discharging the Petitioner from all liability, responsibility and accountability as to all matters set forth in the account of proceedings; 2. Allowing the commissions of the Petitioner in the amount of $4,534.32 pursuant to SCPA 2307(1) and the reasonable and necessary expenses of the office in the amount of $906.86 pursuant to SCPA 1207(4); 3. Fixing and determining the attorney’s fees and disbursements of Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O'Brien, LLC attorney for petitioner in the amount of $25,000.00 as and for legal fees and $2,975.81 as and for disbursements, for a total of $27,975.81, of which $475.81 has been paid and $27,500 is unpaid; 4. Fixing and determining the accounting fees of Grassi & Co, CPA’s, PC in the amount of $6,000.00 of w h i ch NON E has been paid and $6,000.00 is unpaid; 5. Directing each of you claiming to be a distributee of the Decedent to establish proof of your kinship and show cause why the balance of said funds should not be paid to said alleged distributees upon proof of kinship or deposited with the New York State Comptroller on account for the unknown next of kin of Katherine Grodecki, decedent, should said alleged distributees default herein or fail to establish proof

of kinship; 6. Releasing and discharging the surety; 7. Granting such other and further relief as to the Court is just and proper. Dated, Attested, and Sealed, HON. HON. DAVID P. SULLIVAN JUD GE OF THE S U R R O G AT E ’ S COURT August 27, 2026 Surrogate (Seal) s / D e b r a Ke l l e r Leimbach Chief Clerk Richard T. Kerins, Esq. Signature of Attorney Print Name of Attorney Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O'Brien, LLC (516) 538-1111 Firm Name Telephone 254 Nassau Boulevard South, Garden City S outh, New York 11530 rkerins@mmkolaw. com Address Email (optional) NOTE: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you, and you or your attorney may request a copy of the full account from the petitioner or petitioner’s attorney. Estate of Katherine Grodecki File No. 2025-3682/ A Accounting Citation New York Surrogate's Court Forms JA-6 (2/2006) -PAGE 1 of 2© 2026 Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., a member of LexisNexis. 26-170 9/9, 16, 23, 30

NOTICE OF FORMATION of Fran kie’s C of fe e Beans, LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on (07/30/26) Office location: Nassau C o u n t y. S S N Y designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to (211 Foster Av e n u e , Va l l e y Stream, NY 11580). Purpose: any lawful act. 26-161. 8/26, 9/2, 9, 16, 23, 30 NOTICE OF F OR M AT ION of JDL PTA WORKS, PLLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on (08/11/26) Office lo c at ion: Nass au C o u n t y. S S N Y designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to (211 Foster Av e n u e , Va l l e y Stream, NY 11580). Purpose: any lawful act. 26-160. 8/26, 9/2, 9, 16, 23, 30 NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF Nassau, Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as Owner Trustee of the Residential Credit Opportunities Trust IX-B, Plaintiff, vs. MCR Development Corp., ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on July 27, 2026, 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 October 1, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 328 Cypress Street, Massap equa, NY 11758 a/k/a 328 Cypress Street, 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 the Incorporated Village of Massapequa Park, in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State

of New York, Section 48, Block 144 and Lots 35, 36 and 88. Approximate amount of judgment is $997,258.05 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #618388/2022. Jared Kasschau, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 250371-1 26-165 9/2,9, 16, 23

Notice of Self Storage Sale Please take notice Safeguard Self Stor age # 1 90 11 3 located at 6000 Sunrise Highway Ma s s ap e q u a N Y 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 via www. storagetreasures. com on 9/24/2026 at 10:30AM. Unless

listed below, the contents consist of household goods, furnishings and garage essentials. Danielle Mardorf Unit #0110; Regina Ragusa Unit #1409; Carl Robert Webber Jr Unit #3232; Laura L Anderson Unit #3356; Thomas E Settel Unit #3403. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. S ee manager for details. 26-169. 9/9, 16

NOTICE TO BIDDERS Pursuant to resolution adopted by the Town Board, The Town of Babylon, Commissioner of General Services, Division of Purchasing will receive sealed proposals for: BID NO. 26G43 IMPROVEMENTS TO LING ISLAND AV E N U E B E TWEEN STRAIGHT PATH (COUNTY ROAD 2) & ROUTE 231 (DEER PARK AVENUE) DEER PARK, NEW YORK Until 10:00 AM on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2026 at Babylon Town Hall, 200 E. Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst,

New York, 11757, at which time they will be publicly opened and read in the Division of Purchasing office. Bids may be hand delivered or mailed to the above address. Bids will not be accepted after 10:00 A.M. on the date of bid opening. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GRANTED. Do not remove any pages, all bids are to be submitted intact. For information call (631) 9573025. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Bidding and contract documents may be obtained on the Town’s website on and after 9:00 AM on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 , 2026.

Each Proposal must be accompanied by a Certified Check or Bid Bond made payable to the Town of Babylon, in the amount of, five percent (5%) of the total bid comparison price. This bid is a Federal Aid Project and is subject to all provisions of the Federal Highway Administration and the New York State Department of Transportation, including but not limited to NYS Dept. of Labor Prevailing Wage Law, Davis Bacon Act, Buy America Act. An APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM approve d by t he NYS Dept. Of Labor is required for

all projects in excess of $250,000.00. This requirement applies to All Prime Contractors and all their Respective Sub-Contractors regardless of the subcontract amount for all trades necessary to complete the work. All requirements are detailed in the bid documents. Failure to comply with any of the requirements shall be cause for your bid to be rejected The Town of Babylon encourages minority and women owned businesses to participate in all bids. Joseph Ferrandino Commissioner of General Services Date:9/10/26 26-172 9/16, 23

When someone stops advertising, someone stops selling. When someone stops selling, someone stops buying. When someone stops buying, someone stops making. When someone stops making, someone stops working. When someone stops working, someone stops earning. When someone stops earning, everything stops.

Public Notices

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dance with New York State Education Law and District transportation policies, with the annual cost thereof to be included in the District's budget. Notice is hereby given that the aforesaid proposition may appear on the voting machines in abbreviated form due to space constraints; if so, the full text of the proposition will be posted at the voting site. A copy of the full text of the proposition is on file in the office of the Plainedge Union Free School District Clerk, located at 241 Wyngate Drive, in North Massapequa, New York, where the same is available for inspection by any interested person during regular business hours. Voting at said special district meeting will be by the use of voting machines. The sole p olling place where such special district meeting will be held is at the Plainedge High School ILC , 241 Wyngate Drive, in North Massapequa, New York. NOTICE OF REGISTRATION. NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that, pursuant to Education Law §2007; N.Y. Gen’l Constr. Law § 20, personal registration of voters is required, and no person shall be entitled to vote at said meeting whose name does not appear on the register of said School District, or who does not register as hereinafter provided, except a person who is otherwise qualified to vote and is registered under the provisions of Article 5 of the Election Law. Voters registered for general elections under said

Article 5 are eligible to vote at the October 6, 2026, special district meeting without further registration. The Board of Registration shall prepare a register for said special district meeting, except that the register prepared at the last annual meeting or election shall be used as the basis therefor, and shall include all persons who shall have presented themselves personally for registration and shall also include all persons who shall have been previously registered for any annual or special district meeting or election and who shall have voted at any annual or special district meeting or election held or conducted at any time within four calendar years prior to the preparation of said register. NOTICE OF REGISTRATION. NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Board of Registration will meet for the purpose of registering all qualified voters of the District pursuant to §2014 of the Education law in the Office of the Plainedge School District Clerk, at 241 Wyngate Drive, in North Massapequa, New York, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, between the hours of 3:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, to add any additional names to the Register to be used at the aforesaid special district meeting at which time any person shall be entitled to have his or her name placed upon such register, provided that he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of such Board of Regis-

tration, to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at said special district meeting to be held on October 6, 2026. The last day of registration before the special district meeting on October 6, 2026, will be Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Said register will be filed in the office of the Plainedge School District Clerk, located at 241 Wyngate Drive, North Massapequa, New York, in said School District and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter on each of the five days prior to the day set for the special district meeting, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:30 P. M . , P re v a i l i n g Time, except Saturday October 3, 2026 and Sunday, October 4, 2026 which days will be by appointment. The register will also be available for inspection on the date of the special district meeting at the polling place. EARLY MAIL BALLOTS AND ABSENTEE BALLOTS. NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that applications for early mail and a b s e nt e e b a l l ot s may be applied for at the Office of the Plainedge School District Clerk, 241 Wyngate Drive, in North Massapequa, New York. Such applications must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than thirty (30) days before the special district meeting. Furthermore, such application must be received by said School District Clerk at least seven days prior to the special district meeting, if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or on the date prior

to the special district meeting, if the ballot is to be personally obtained by the voter or his/her designated agent. Upon receiving a timely request for a mailed absentee or early mail ballot, the District Clerk will mail the ballot to the address set forth in the application by no later than six (6) days before the special district meeting. Completed early mail ballots and absentee ballots must be received by said School District Clerk not later than 5:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, on October 6, 2026, the date of the special district meeting. A list of all persons to whom early mail ballots and absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available in the Office of the School District Clerk on each of the five days prior to the day of the special district meeting, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:30 P.M., Prevailing Time, except Saturday, October 3, 2026 and Sunday, O c tob er 4, 2026 which days will be by appointment, and such list shall also be posted at the voting place during the special district meeting, and any qualified voter may challenge the acceptance of the ballot of any person on such list, by making his challenge and the re as ons t herefor known to the Inspectors of Election before the close of the polls. MILITARY BALLOTS: Military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the School District. Military voters who are qualified voters of the school district may submit an ap-

plication for a military ballot. Military voters may designate a preference to receive a military voter registration, military ballot application or military ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail in their request for such registration, ballot application or ballot. Military voter registration forms and military ballot application forms must be received in the office of the District Clerk of the School District no later than 5:00 P.M. on September 10, 2026. No military ballot will be canvassed unless it is (1) received in the office of the District Clerk before close of the polls at the special district meeting and showing a cancellation mark of the United States postal service or a foreign county’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt of another agency of the United States government; or (2) received by the office of the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 P.M. on the date of the special district meeting and signed and dated by the military voter and one w it ness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the special district meeting. Dated: North Massapequa, New York, August 12, 2026. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE PLAINEDGE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, NASSAU C O U N T Y, N E W YORK. By: /s/ Noreen A. Greene School District Clerk 26-156 8/19, 9.2/ 16. 30

AV I S O D E R E - políticas de transporte UNIÓN ESPECIAL del Distrito, incluyDEL DISTRITO EN endo el coste anual UN ÚNICO LUGAR en el presupuesto del DE VOTACIÓN, Distrito. R E G I S T R O D E Se notifica que la proVOTANTES Y DIS- puesta mencionada PONIBILIDAD DE puede aparecer en las PAPELETAS AN- máquinas de votación TICIPADAS POR en forma abreviada CORREO Y POR debido a limitaciones CORREO de espacio; de ser así, Distrito Escolar Libre el texto completo de la de Plainedge Union, propuesta se publicará condado de Nassau, en el sitio de votación. Nueva York Una copia del texto La Junta de Educación completo de la prodel Distrito Escolar Li- puesta se conserva en bre Plainedge, conda- la oficina del secredo de Nassau, Nueva tario del distrito escoYork, NOTIFICA que lar Plainedge Union una reunión especial Free, situada en el 241 del distrito con los vo- de Wyngate Drive, en tantes cualificados del North Massapequa, Distrito Escolar Libre Nueva York, donde Plainedge, condado está disponible para de Nassau, Nueva su inspección por cuYork, se celebrará en alquier persona intereel Centro de Apren- sada durante el horario dizaje Innovador de laboral habitual. Escuelas Secundarias La votación en dicha de Plainedge (ILC), reunión especial del 241 Wyngate Drive distrito se realizará en North Massapequa, mediante el uso de Nueva York, para vo- máquinas de votación. tantes cualificados de El único lugar de vodicho distrito esco- tación donde se cellar, el 6 de octubre de ebrará dicha reunión 2026, a las 14:00 horas especial del distrito vigentes, y las urnas es en el ILC del instipermanecerán abier- tuto Plainedge High tas entre las 14:00 y School, 241 Wyngate las 21:00 horas, hora Drive, en North Massprevaleciente, con el apequa, Nueva York. fin de votar sobre la AVISO DE REGISsiguiente propuesta: TRO. SE NOTIFICA PROPUESTA DE A D E M Á S Q U E , T R A N S P O R T E CONFORME A PLAINEDGE Ley de Educación DEBERÁ autorizarse §2007; Ley de Conla Junta de Educación stitución General de del Distrito Escolar Nueva York § 20, es Libre de Plainedge obligatorio el registro Union para propor- personal de los vocionar transporte de tantes, y ninguna percasa a escuela para sona tendrá derecho a estudiantes de 9º a 12º votar en dicha reunión curso que residan en- cuyo nombre no apatre siete décimas (0,7) rezca en el registro de millas y quince (15) dicho distrito escolar, millas del colegio al o que no se registre que asisten legalmente, según lo establecido en lugar del requisito posteriormente, salvo actual de kilometraje una persona que esté de entre una milla y cualificada para votar media (1,5) y quince y esté registrada con(15) millas, con efecto forme a las disposia partir del 4 de enero ciones del Artículo de 2027, y dicho trans- 5 de la Ley Electoral. porte se proporcio- Los votantes inscritos nará conforme a la Ley en las Educativa del Estado elecciones generales de Nueva York y las Continued on next page

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

NOTICE OF SPECIAL DISTRICT M E E T I N G AT S I N G L E VO TING LOCATION, R E G I ST R AT ION OF VOTERS AND AVAILABILITY OF EARLY MAIL AND ABSENTEE BALLOTS Plainedge Union Free School District, Nassau County, New York The Board of Education of the Plainedge Union Free School D i s t r i c t , Na s s au County, New York HEREBY GIVES NOTICE that a special district meeting of the qualified voters of Plainedge Union Free School District, Nassau County, New York, will be held at the Plainedge High School Innovation L e ar ning C enter (ILC), 241 Wyngate Drive in North Massapequa, New York, for qualified voters of said School District, on October 6, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time and the polls will be kept open between the hours of 2:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, for the purpose of voting upon the following proposition: PLAINEDGE T R A N S P O R TA TION PROPOSITION SHALL the Board of Education of the Plainedge Union Free School District be authorized to provide home-to-school transportation for students in grades 9 through 12 who reside between seven tenths (0.7) mile and fifteen (15) miles from the school they legally attend, in lieu of the current mileage requirement of between one and one half (1.5) mile and fifteen (15) miles, effective Januar y 4, 2027, with such transportation to be provided in accor-

Continued from previous page

September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

Public Notices

LMAS3

bajo dicho Artículo 5 pueden votar en la reunión especial del distrito del 6 de octubre de 2026 sin registro adicional. La Junta de Registro preparará un registro para dicha reunión especial de distrito, salvo que el registro preparado en la última reunión o elección anual se utilice como base para ello, e incluirá a todas las personas que se hayan presentado personalmente para el registro y también a todas las personas que hayan estado previamente registradas en cualquier reunión o elección anual o especial de distrito y que hayan votado en cualquier reunión o elección anual o especial de distrito celebrada o realizada en cualquier momento dentro de los cuatro años naturales previos a la preparación de dicho registro. AVISO DE REGISTRO. SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que la Junta de Registro se reunirá con el propósito de registrar a todos los votantes cualificados del Distrito conforme a la §2014 de la ley de Educación en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar de Plainedge, en 241 Wyngate Drive, en North Massapequa, Nueva York, el miércoles 30 de septiembre de 2026, entre las 15:00 y las 19:00, hora vigente, para añadir cualquier nombre adicional al Registro que se utilice en la reunión especial del distrito mencionada, momento en el que cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se incluya en dicho registro, siempre que sea conocida o demostrada a satisfacción por dicha Junta de Registro, para entonces o posteriormente tener derecho a

votar en dicha reunión especial del distrito que se celebrará el 6 de octubre de 2026. El último día de registro antes de la reunión especial del distrito el 6 de octubre de 2026 será el miércoles 30 de septiembre de 2026. Dicho registro se archivará en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar de Plainedge, situada en 241 Wyngate Drive, North Massapequa, Nueva York, en dicho distrito escolar, y estará abierto para inspección por cualquier votante cualificado en cada uno de los cinco días previos al día fijado para la reunión especial del distrito, entre las 9:00 y las 15:30, hora vigente, excepto el sábado 3 de octubre de 2026 y el domingo 4 de octubre de 2026, días que serán con cita previa. El registro también estará disponible para su inspección en la fecha de la reunión especial del distrito en el lugar de votación. PAPELETAS ANTICIPADAS POR CORREO Y PAPELETAS POR CORREO. SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que las solicitudes para votos anticipados por correo y por correo pueden solicitarse en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar de Plainedge, 241 Wyngate Drive, en North Massapequa, Nueva York. Estas solicitudes deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito no antes de treinta (30) días antes de la reunión especial del distrito. Además, dicha solicitud debe ser recibida por dicho Secretario del Distrito Escolar al menos siete días antes de la reunión especial del distrito, si la papeleta debe enviarse al votante, o en la fecha anterior a la reunión especial del distrito, si la papeleta

debe ser obtenida personalmente por el votante o su agente designado. Al recibir una solicitud oportuna para una papeleta por correo anticipado o por correo postal, el Secretario del Distrito enviará la papeleta a la dirección indicada en la solicitud a más tardar seis (6) días antes de la reunión especial del distrito. Las papeletas anticipadas y las papeletas por correo deberán ser recibidas por dicho Secretario del Distrito Escolar a más tardar a las 17:00 horas, hora vigente, el 6 de octubre de 2026, fecha de la reunión especial del distrito. Una lista de todas las personas a las que se hayan emitido boletas anticipadas por correo y por correo estará disponible en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar en cada uno de los cinco días previos al día de la reunión especial del distrito, entre las 9:00 y las 15:30 horas, hora vigente, excepto el sábado 3 de octubre de 2026 y el domingo 4 de octubre de 2026, días que serán por cita previa, y dicha lista también se publicará en el lugar de votación durante la reunión especial del distrito, y cualquier votante cualificado podrá impugnar la aceptación de la papeleta de cualquier persona en dicha lista, haciendo saber su impugnación y sus motivos a los Inspectores de Elecciones antes del cierre de las urnas. PAPELETAS MILITARES: Los votantes militares que no estén actualmente registrados pueden solicitar registrarse como votantes cualificados del distrito escolar. Los votantes militares que sean votantes cualificados del distrito escolar pueden presentar una solicitud para una papeleta militar. Los votantes milita-

res pueden designar una preferencia para recibir un registro de votante militar, una solicitud de papeleta militar o una papeleta militar por correo, transmisión por fax o correo electrónico en su solicitud de dicha inscripción, solicitud de papeleta o papeleta. Los formularios de registro de votantes militares y los formularios de solicitud de papeleta militar deben recibirse en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito del Distrito Escolar a más tardar a las 17:00 horas del 10 de septiembre de 2026. No se consultará ninguna papeleta militar a menos que (1) se reciba en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito antes del cierre de las urnas en la reunión especial del distrito y muestre una marca de cancelación del servicio postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un condado extranjero, o que muestre un respaldo fechado de recepción de otra agencia del gobierno de los Estados Unidos; o (2) recibido por la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 17:00 horas en la fecha de la reunión especial del distrito y firmado y fechado por el votante militar y un testigo, con una fecha que se determine no más tarde que el día anterior a la reunión especial del distrito. Fechado: North Massapequa, Nueva York, 12 de agosto de 2026. POR ORDEN DE LA JUNTA DE EDUCACIÓN DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR LIBRE DE PLAINEDGE UNION, CONDADO DE NASSAU, NUEVA YORK. Por: /s/ Noreen A. Greene, secretaria del distrito escolar 26-157. 8/19, 9/2, 16, 30

Town of Oyster Bay Zoning Board of Appeals TOWN HALL, AUDREY AVENUE, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK 11771-1592 TELEPHONE: (516) 624-6232 R I TA B Y R N E , Chair woman – LOIS SCHMIT T, Vice Chairwoman – KATHLEEN MULLIGAN REBECCA M. ALESIA –LISA CICCOLELLA – FLORESTANO GIRARDI – BRIAN GRIFFIN ******************** ******************** PUBLIC HEARING CALENDAR NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BY THE ZONING B OARD OF APPEALS Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 246, Section 24612 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 SEPTEMBER 24, 2026, at 7:00 P. M., to consider the following appeals: BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS APPEAL NO. 26232 M A S S A P E Q UA PARK ALLISON PULIZZI: (A) Variance to allow existing 7.9 ft. by 5.9 ft. shed having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. (B) Variance to allow existing 11.4 ft. by 8.1 ft. shed having less rear yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. E/s/o Eastgate Rd., N/o Front St., a/k/a 25 Eastgate Road, Massapequa Park, NY

--------------------APPEAL NO. 26242 MASSAPEQUA GIUSEPPE PIERNO: (A) Variance to construct second floor addition and front roofed over porch having less average front yard setback (Stillwater Avenue) than permitted by Ordinance. (B) Variance to construct first floor addition having less average side/front yard setback (South Bay Drive) than permitted by Ordinance. (C) Variance to construct second floor addition having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance; also encroachment of eaves and gutters. (D) Variance to allow existing gas barbeque having less side/ front yard setback (South Bay Drive) than permitted by Ordinance. (E) Variance to allow existing 6 ft. high PVC fence exceeding maximum height across side/ front yard (South Bay Drive) than permitted by Ordinance. (F) Amend Specific Plan as presented for Appeal No. 11-23 and granted by Decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals, dated January 27, 2011. SE/ cor. of Stillwater Ave. & S. Bay Dr., a/k/a 22 Stillwater Avenue, Massapequa, NY --------------------APPEAL NO. 26289 MASSAPEQUA NAN TOELSTEDT: (A) Variance to allow existing wood deck with roof over having less rear yard setback and exceeding maximum building coverage than permitted by Ordinance. (B) Variance to allow existing 6 ft. high PVC fence exceed-

ing maximum height across side/front yard (Massachusetts Avenue) and within 30 ft. of intersection than permitted by Ordinance. SW/ cor. of Oak Pl. & Massachusetts Ave., a/k/a 2 Oak Place, Massapequa, NY ----------------------APPEAL NO. 26140 FARMINGDALE EILEEN LEGHART: (A) Variance to allow existing 6 ft. high vinyl fence exceeding maximum height across side/ front yard (Intervale Avenue) than permitted by Ordinance. (B) Variance to allow existing bay window having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. (C) Variance to allow existing driveway having less rear yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. NW/ cor. of Cypress St. & Intervale Ave., a/k/a 23 Cypress Street, Farmingdale, NY ----------------------APPEAL NO. 26226 FARMINGDALE MICHAEL BILARDELLO: Variance to allow nonconforming building in residential zone R1-7 to change the use (The Empanada Spot). SW/ cor. of Main St. & Frank Ave., a/k/a 850 Main Street, Farmingdale, NY ---------------------

ance to allow existing 17 ft. by 16 ft. wood deck having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance. E/s/o W. Chestnut St., N/o Spencer St., a/k/a 9 W. Chestnut Street, Farmingdale, NY ---------------------SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK 26-171 9/16

Z O N I N G B OARD OF APPEALS MEETING OF 09/24/26 ---------------------APPEAL NO. 26231 FARMINGDALE CAROL WARD: (A) Variance to allow existing second kitchen in a one-family dwelling for use as a PARENT/CHILD residence. (B) Vari-

massapequa

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S1 09/17

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ou'll appreciate the amazing design of this newly built 4-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home with an elevator. Using only the highest quality building materials, it's designed for the best in beach living, with sunfilled rooms featuring cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors, modern appliances, and stunning views, making this one of the most valuable new listings in the Long Beach area. Come live the good life in the quiet community of the canals, which offers a small city ambience with a neighborhood feel. You’re close to restaurants and markets, with proximity to the beach, parks, parkways and the Long Island Railroad.

A second floor was easier than a small addition

Q. Why is everything so complicated and expensive, just to build a small addition? It has been so frustrating interviewing builders, then needing an architect, then hearing that, even for our little addition, we might face a big delay to get a zoning variance. We just heard that we need something called a drywell, which makes this almost impossible because there really isn’t any place to put one. Do we really need one? Again, why is everything so complicated? When we added to our second floor in 1989, it was nothing like this. A. If you know the expressions “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing” and “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,” you’ll understand that as time goes by, governing bodies respond to how someone seemed to find a way to twist the meaning of a requirement and manage to get away with something, so they react by making more and onte eeper more strict requirements. Some of those requirements result from the reaction to a catastrophe, such as Superstorm Sandy, that gets twisted back and forth from a tropical storm to a hurricane, depending on who wants to take advantage of the way regulations and insurances define the storm. One mile per hour in wind speed either way meant a difference in eligibility for more coverage, for example, so authorities and insurance companies wanted to close the loopholes. People all over Florida were suddenly hit with fees to cover building assessments after the collapse of the Champlain Towers condominium building in the Miami suburb of Surfside in 2021 — a response to one building. Members of the Surfside building board knew just enough to cause part of the problem but not enough to prevent it, which resulted in an avalanche of new, more restrictive requirements. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and in the case of overreacting regulators, increased regulations make planned projects more expensive and problematic. Your small project gets lumped together in the reaction to larger projects. People have been known to be sent to a zoning hearing because the proposed stone they want to add to the face of their home will mean that their front setback distance will fall below the required distance by 3 or 4 inches. Some municipalities have tried to relieve these zoning board bottlenecks by giving building officials discretion to bypass review boards when the proposal is simple, while others treat each case the same, so that your stone-facing proposal gets scrutinized alongside a proposed shopping center. Some zoning hearings are scheduled without consideration of your simple proposal, so when you get to the hearing, you may find yourself sitting for hours while a shopping center presentation goes ahead of your request. Drywells are deep, concrete-formed basins that collect rainwater on your property, and different communities have their own requirements. Some don’t require them. Others mandate that if you add 50 percent more roof or modify 50 percent of a building, you have to add a drywell. More next week.

Ask The Architect

Tom Tripodi Tripodi | Shemtov Team Douglas Elliman Real Estate 30A West Park Avenue, Long Beach 516-902-3497

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST

Answers to todAy’s puzzle

opinions

s the effects of PFAS, the socalled “forever chemicals,” become the focus of discussions across the United States — on Long Island because of their impacts on the underground water table, our sole source of potable water — New York state’s attorney general is suing corporations involved with PFAS for allegedly violating a number of state laws. In a suit brought in July in State Supreme Court, Letitia James presented corporate documents as evidence that DuPont and other companies knew about PFAS’ threats to human health and the environment, but pushed products made with them anyway. And last month, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Lee Zeldin, a Suffolk County resident who now heads the Environmental Protection Agency, to, as Newsday reported, take “steps to protect Long Island drinking water from forever chemicals as the agency proposes rollbacks on [their] regulations.” In addition to DuPont, which first developed PFAS in 1938 and patented

them as Teflon, James’s lawsuit charges 3M, Chemours, Corteva and its subsidiary EIDP with violations of state laws, including: “Protection of the State’s Natural Resources Under New York State Constitution and Statutory Law; Public Nuisance Under New York Common Law; Strict Products Liability: Failure to Warn Under New York Common Law.” It also cites the “Green Amendment” to the State Constitution, which “provides that ‘each person shall have a right to clean air and water and a healthful environment.’” The lawsuit states: “As a consequence of the defendants’ manufacture, production, marketing and sale of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — PFAS — for use in consumer products, the State of New York faces threats to human health, widespread contamination, and damage to natural resources on an unprecedented scale.” It continues: “Long after they knew their PFAS were toxic, defendants manufactured and sold these compounds for use in consumer products — including personal, family, and household products like Stainmaster carpets, Scotchgard stain-repellent sprays, grease-resistant coatings for food packaging, cosmetics, and personal care items — that defendants knew would be sold, used,

and disposed of in New York, thereby exposing people to PFAS and releasing PFAS into New York’s environment.” It goes on: “As the results of defendants’ conduct, PFAS … are in the water we drink, the soil that sustains our crops, the fish we catch, and the air we breathe. … PFAS are highly resistant to degradation in the environment, travel easily through water and air, and bioaccumulate in humans, plants and animals. And: “People exposed to defendants’ PFAS suffer various negative health effects, including higher risks of certain cancers, adverse pregnancy outcomes, liver disease, endocrine disruption, and other increased risks.” As evidence of “knowledge” — that the companies knew about the “severe health and environmental risks” of PFAS — the lawsuit points to numerous corporate documents. DuPont, it says, “knew for decades that PFAS pose substantial dangers to public health and the environment. By 1961 … Dupont’s researchers had concluded that PFOA [a type of PFAS] was toxic … Dupont’s chief toxicologist warned in a memo that products containing PFOA should be ‘handled with extreme care.’ As early as 1966 … DuPont was aware that PFOA could leach into groundwater. … DuPont

.G. Letitia James alleges that companies knew the chemicals’ dangers.

also learned in the 1970s … of the research showing that PFAS had been detected in blood bank samples from the general public. “In 1988,” the suit continues, “DuPont began internally treating PFOA as a possible carcinogen. … In 2000, John R. Bowman … DuPont inhouse counsel wrote … to several colleagues relating to PFOA …‘My gut tells me the biopersistence issue will kill us … We are going to spend millions to defend these lawsuits and have the additional threat of punitive damage.’” A New York Times article on the lawsuit quotes Judith Enck, former director of the EPA region that includes New York state and now president of the organization Beyond Plastics, saying, “This is a blockbuster legal action that should hold these companies accountable for the immense harm caused by their products.” Schumer wrote to Zeldin, “At your confirmation hearing … you told the Senate that you had been a member of the PFAS task force [in Congress], that you voted for the PFAS Action Act, and that addressing PFAS would be a top priority of yours. The proposals now before the agency move in the other direction.” Karl Grossman has been an investigative reporter in a variety of media for more than 50 years. He is a professor of journalism at the State University of New York at Old Westbury.

Celebrate Constitution Week by supporting the ERA

s a college professor who has long been involved in civic engagement programs and voter education at Nassau Community College, where I’ve taught for 23 years, I look forward to Constitution Week. From Sept. 17 to 23, educators around the country will teach students about the Constitution, their civic rights and responsibilities, and how their voices, and votes, count because they contribute to a stronger democracy for us all. This week, I’ll be focused not only on this bipartisan responsibility, but also on the November midterm elections — and on one of the most frustrating and misunderstood chapters of constitutional history, the saga of the Equal Rights Amendment. If you’re under the impression that equal rights for all citizens, regardless of sex, are the law of the land in the United States, you have plenty of company, but that’s not the case. Even though this landmark leg-

islation has been approved by both houses of Congress and by 38 states — the requisite three-quarters of the states necessary to ratify an amendment — it is still not part of the Constitution. How can this be, when Article V of the Constitution clearly explains the rules by which it can be amended, and Congress and state legislatures have satisfied those rules? The problem is the legislation’s time-limit loophole. In 1972, when both the House of Representatives and the Senate had passed the ERA, it faced a deadline imposed by Congress for the required ratification by the states — first seven years, then extended to 10 years. By the end of that decade, 35 states had approved the amendment, just three states short of what was needed. Its time was up — even if the deadline was nothing more than a provision added by Congress that could, and still can, be removed by a future Congress to move the legislation forward. When three more states ratified the amendment — Nevada (2017), Illinois (2018) and Virginia (2020) — that milestone

should have been enough to certify the Constitution’s 28th Amendment. But since then, the legislation has stalled in Congress: Opponents have relied on filibusters, pointing to the expired timeline, while advocates have called out the arbitrary nature of the deadline and argued for its revocation. The current national campaign for the ERA, backed by more than 300 organizations across the country and many thousands of people who have signed petitions supporting it, is making a persuasive case to the public — and candidates running for Congress this fall — that amendment requirements have been fulfilled and constitutional equality is long overdue. The nation observed Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26, commemorating the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in 1920. But even the fearless suffragist Alice Paul knew that voting rights were just the beginning of codifying gender equality in the nation’s laws; she knew that grave inequalities remained for women in politics, education, employment and health care.

f you think equal rights for all are enshrined in the Constitution, think again.

That’s why Paul introduced the ERA in 1923, and why gender-equality advocates have introduced it in every congressional session since. Over a century later, it’s time for the ERA to not only be reintroduced in Congress, but also enshrined in the Constitution — ideally by the 120th Congress, which will convene in January. I know that in November, I’ll be voting for candidates who support the work that Paul started — and that the late, great journalist Gloria Steinem continued with her bold exposés on sexual harassment, pay inequality and pregnancy discrimination in Ms. magazine. I’m grateful that my congressional representative, Laura Gillen, is one of 219 U.S. representatives, 53 senators, and all those citizen activists who have affirmed their support for the ERA. Please join this historic campaign, making it clear to our lawmakers that the equal rights movement won’t rest until a future Congress acts. Go to Sign4ERA. org and add your signature. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Constitution Week — and to make history — than that. Susan Cushman, Ph.D., is a professor of English and women’s studies at Nassau Community College and a member of the League of Women Voters of East Nassau.

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

New York state takes on the ‘forever chemicals’

Herald editorial

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It’s time to update New York’s mansion tax

ew York lawmakers need to stop pretending that a $1 million home is a mansion. In 1989, when the state created a 1 percent tax on residential properties selling for $1 million or more, the threshold was intended to target luxury homeowners. At the time, it made sense. Thirty-seven years later, it doesn’t. A property on Long Island valued at $1 million back then now costs roughly $4.5 million. On Long Island, $1 million can buy a perfectly ordinary home. In Nassau County, the median home price is now around $880,000, and in Suffolk County, it’s roughly $750,000, both near historic highs. In communities where demand remains strong and inventory remains tight, a $1 million price tag is no longer an indication that someone is purchasing a sprawling estate. It may simply mean they’re buying a house. That’s why the State Legislature should make reforming the so-called mansion tax a priority in 2027. Five major Long Island business organizations — the Association for a Better Long Island, HIA-LI, the Long Island Builders Institute, the Long Island Association and the Long Island Contractors Association — have called for changes to the law. Their proposal deserves serious consideration.

The problem isn’t simply that the threshold is outdated. The structure of the tax is flawed. Once a home reaches $1 million, the additional 1 percent tax applies to the entire purchase price. A house selling for $999,999 doesn’t incur the tax. A house selling for $1 million does — an additional $10,000 charge. That is an illogical cliff. A buyer doesn’t suddenly become wealthy because a home’s sale price crosses an arbitrary line. And on Long Island, where housing costs have risen so dramatically, the tax increasingly falls on middle-class families rather than the ultra-wealthy buyers the law was designed to target. New York already collects a transfer tax on real estate transactions. The additional $10,000 on a $1 million purchase isn’t insignificant, particularly when buyers are already dealing with high mortgage costs, property taxes, insurance, maintenance and closing expenses. There is a legitimate argument for taxing luxury real estate. New York needs revenue, and those who can afford exceptionally expensive homes can reasonably be asked to contribute more. But that argument falls apart when the definition of luxury becomes disconnected from reality. The Legislature shouldn’t eliminate the mansion tax. It should modernize it.

First, lawmakers should substantially increase the threshold to reflect today’s housing market. Second, they should index that threshold to inflation or an appropriate measure of housing prices, so the law doesn’t become obsolete again. And third, they should seriously consider regional thresholds, because $1 million means something very different in Manhattan, Nassau County and upstate New York. The goal should be a tax that targets genuine luxury purchases — not families buying modest homes in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets. The state cannot simultaneously complain about its high cost of living and defend a tax structure that adds thousands of dollars to the cost of buying a home simply because the housing market has appreciated. If New York wants more people to live, work and raise families here, it should be looking for ways to make homeownership more attainable, not preserving arbitrary barriers created nearly four decades ago. The Legislature has had plenty of time to reconsider the mansion tax. Now it should do so. In 1989, $1 million could make you the owner of a Long Island mansion. Today, it may simply make you a homeowner. New York’s tax policy should reflect that reality.

tury. And we should not forget that 9/11 ended the brief era of bipartisan fiscal responsibility between 1997 and 2000 in which we balanced the national budget. With the national debt now over $40 trillion, it seems there are errors to be corrected, and that we are not economically ready for any future

hostilities. The 9/11 Commission’s investigation found multiple points of failure, producing a homeland security conglomerate supposedly having greater unity and foresight. That agency, by many reports, has been distracted, diminished and diverted. If so, the nation has forgotten the most basic Boy

letters Ways to meaningfully remember Sept. 11 To the Editor: How, the Herald asked in its editorial last week (“Twenty-five years later, we remember”), do we remember Sept. 11 in a meaningful way? One way, I suggest, is to learn from the mistakes made then to avoid repetition. It was novel attack, and the next will be as well, probably by drone, infection or massive infrastructure hack. The list of lessons is long. I’ll mention a few. Next time, the legislative branch should not surrender so much authority to the executive; the former still has not recovered. The distinction between criminal acts and acts of war was lost, and must be clarified lest it be abused again. It must be resolved that no war be declared against abstractions like “terror,” “radical Islam,” “antifa” or for “prevention,” for such amorphisms are easily dressed in new clothes. We have learned, I hope, that no future authorization of the use of military force should be granted without terms of use, including dates of expiration or renewal, and progress reports. The last AUMF has been made a standing license for a series of costly and fruitless abuses over the past quarter-cen-

opinions

t sounds reasonable. Almost selfevident. And it has become a familiar response to concerns about increasingly aggressive government enforcement. Why worry about ICE? If you’re a citizen, if you’re here legally, what’s the problem? Why object to greater scrutiny of voter rolls? If you’re legally eligible to vote, you have nothing to fear. Except that isn’t how government power works. The statement assumes that only people who have done something wrong will ever be questioned, investigated, detained or frightened. Innocent people, apparently, will somehow be recognized as innocent before anyone bothers them. But being innocent doesn’t prevent the government from suspecting you of wrongdoing, or even arresting you. The government may target people not because they have committed a crime, but to make examples of them, intimidate others, or silence those they regard as troublesome or subversive. Sometimes suspicion begins with little more than how someone looks or speaks. And once you become a suspect, your innocence doesn’t protect you from

being stopped, questioned, searched, detained or required to prove who you are. Being innocent may determine how an encounter with government ends. It doesn’t guarantee that the encounter never begins. That matters as we approach the midterm elections. The Trump administration has undertaken an extraordinary effort to identify noncitizens who may have voted illegally. The justification is election integrity. According to the administration, illegal voting is at epidemic proportions. But the numbers tell another story. ProPublica recently examined the administration’s effort. Federal searches generated tens of thousands of potential leads involving suspected illegal voting. Homeland Security Investigations agents were sent out to pursue them. Between January 2025 and May 2026, just 41 people were charged with voting illegally or other election-related crimes. More than 150 million Americans voted in the last presidential election. Tens of thousands of leads. Forty-one charges. So perhaps the more important question isn’t what should happen to illegal voters. It is what’s going to happen to legal voters. What happens when an American citizen has a name that sounds “foreign”?

magine you’re a naturalized citizen who’s heard all about ICE. On Election Day, do you vote?

Letters Scout precept, “Be prepared.” We have heroes to honor, victims to mourn, survivors to grieve with because the criminals were more clever than we imagined. To meaningfully remember Sept. 11, we should remember that connection, and make their memory a motive to make no more such heroes. BrIAN KEllY Rockville Centre

Borecky is right: Our elections need safeguards To the Editor: re “Our laws assume, incorrectly, that our leaders have integrity,” the letter from Claudia Borecky, president of the Bellmore Merrick Democratic Club, in the Sept. 3-9 issue: The letter has some important points, and I agree that more must be done to improve our election system. But Ms. Borecky has not fully examined the issues that some of our nation’s cities and states have had with voting irregularities. While there is no question that the demonstrations on Jan. 6, 2021, will forever be a blight on our political system,

What happens when an eligible voter speaks accented English, has brown skin, wears clothing associated with another culture, or simply worries that a government database may contain incorrect information? Those voters may have done absolutely nothing wrong, but they still have plenty to worry about. The concern becomes more serious when immigration enforcement moves from voter records to polling places. President Trump was asked whether he would send National Guard troops or ICE officers to polling locations during the midterms. His answer was that he would “do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections.” But federal law sharply restricts such activity. The Brennan Center for Justice notes that federal law prohibits armed federal agents from being deployed to election sites, and prohibits government officials from intimidating voters. The reality, however, is that ICE agents need never appear inside a single polling place to make voters fear for their freedom and safety. Imagine that you’re a naturalized citizen. Or that your parents are immigrants. Or that someone in your household has unresolved immigration issues. You hear repeatedly that ICE may be involved in election enforcement, and that federal agents are exam-

and I do not in any way share the belief that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election, there have been credible news stories in major publications reporting that some cities experienced voting irregularities in that and prior elections that may or may not have benefited either political party. We know from these news reports that in some cities, there were mail-in votes from deceased people. We also have heard about duplicate ballots being cast. And there have been examples of non-citizens casting ballots. I do not think that any of these irregularities have resulted in the wrong candidate winning any presidential election. But that may not be the case in congressional elections or local government races, which can also have a major impact. Again, I agree with Ms. Borecky that we are far behind other countries in creating proper safeguards for our elections. I will go one step further and suggest that our system, which enables each state to decide how elections should take place, has resulted in an imbalanced field, and that all elections should be conducted in the same manner, with the same equipment, all across our country. That way, no state or politi-

ining voter files. You see news reports about investigations of suspected noncitizen voters. On Election Day, do you vote? Or do you decide that one vote isn’t worth the possibility of attracting attention, or being wrongfully arrested even if you’re 100 percent eligible to vote? That’s what makes the nothing-toworry-about argument so dangerous. It reverses the relationship between citizens and their government. It means that government may scrutinize, investigate and intimidate whomever it wishes, and innocent people should simply trust that everything will eventually work out. That isn’t freedom. A right doesn’t disappear only when the government formally takes it away. It can also be weakened, or effectively eliminated, when exercising it feels dangerous. A government doesn’t have to prevent someone from voting if it can make that person afraid to vote. “If you’ve done nothing wrong, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Maybe so. But in a free country, citizens shouldn’t have to prove their innocence before they can exercise their rights without fear. Government should exercise its power without making innocent people afraid to exercise theirs. Michael Blitz is professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Framework by Tim Baker

At the Town of Hempstead’s Sept. 11 memorial service — Point Lookout

cian could cast doubt on any other state or party. And I agree completely with Ms. Borecky about the slander and defamation laws that are missing from our political campaigns. It disgusts me to have to listen to both sides spewing

false information about their opposing candidates. It leaves the voters with tough decisions as we try to uncover the truth. rICHArD S. KAHN Glen Cove

MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST — September 16, 2026

Done nothing wrong? That may not protect you.

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September 16, 2026 — MASSAPEQUA HERALD POST