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SEPTA installs boards aimed for inclusivity needs, feelings and ideas.” Communication boards use simple images and symbols to The North Merrick Special help children communicate Education Parent Teacher nonverbally. Squillace said they Association recently donated benefit students with speech or five permanent communication language challenges, neurodiboards to playgrounds at all vergent students and children three elementary schools in the with disabilities, while also North Mer rick Union Free supporting younger children School District, expanding and community members who opportunities for inclusive play visit school playgrounds. and social interacKelly Croghan, tion. president of North The boards were M e r r i ck S E P TA , installed at Camp said the boards Avenue School, Harreflect the organio l d D. F ay e t t e zation’s mission to School and Old Mill foster empathy and Road School last inclusion across month, following a the district. fundraising effort KEllY CRoGHAN “North Merrick led by SEPTA. SEPTA is proud to North Merrick SEPTA Laura Squillace, announce the treasurer of North installation of comMerrick SEPTA and a former munication boards in our president of the organization, schools,” Croghan said. “These said the initiative grew out of a boards help give a voice to stubroader post-pandemic focus dents with communication on inclusion and communica- challenges and promote undertion. standing, kindness, and inclu“Coming out of Covid, one sion among all students. This is of our biggest goals was mak- one way we’ re working to ing sure every child felt wel- ensure every child feels seen, come and part of the communi- heard, and valued.” ty,” Squillace said. “CommuniCynthia Seniuk, superintencation is such a huge part of dent of North Merrick Schools, that — not just playing togeth- thanked SEPTA for the donaer, but being able to express COntinued On paGe 2

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ

hgaldamez@liherald.com

courtesy of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

Gabriella Gioielli, left, Juliet Harvey, Superintendent of Schools Michael Harrington, Molly Hofmayer, Olivia Wood, and Hailey Johnson enjoyed the relaxation-focused event.

Students unwind with puppy yoga By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com

The Meadowbrook Alternative Program found a special group of therapeutic partners with wagging tails and tiny paws for an experimental, one-time relaxation event. Eight adoptable puppies helped high school students decompress after a tough semester as a part of Roslyn Salt Cave and Yoga’s guided yoga session, who partnered with the program to find new ways to improve students’ school experience. The Dec. 9 yoga session guided students through mindfulness and relaxation exercises while exploring their social and emotional worlds, supported by the infectious positivity of playful puppies. MAP held the event at the Brookside School in North Merrick. MAP is a specialized program in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District designed to help students who struggle in a conventional educational environment.

Ironically, the puppies learned as much as the students. While the four-legged visitors helped students be at ease, the exposure to new people and places helped the dogs get comfortable in the human world and prepare for adoption. The canines came from Yoga Puppies, an agency partnering with Roslyn Salt Cave. Carol Cupo is a school counselor for the district’s MAP, Prep Academy and CHOICE programs said puppy yoga offers a range of benefits for high school students, especially those in alternative settings. “It combines the stress-relieving effects of yoga with the emotional support of interacting with puppies, helping students manage anxiety, improve focus, and boost mood,” Cupo said in a news release. The supplementary experience is meant to build community and support essential interpersonal skills, according to Cupo. “The practice promotes mindfulness, physical well-being, and social interaction in COntinued On paGe 11

hese boards help give a voice to students.

Fundraising effort brings lasting resource Continued from page 1

tion and its impact on the district. “We are incredibly grateful for the donation of communication sensory boards for all of our playgrounds by the North Merrick SEPTA organization,” Seniuk said. “Their thoughtfulness and generosity are deeply appreciated by our entire school district community.” SEPTA members said the effects of pandemic-related isolation highlighted the importance of rebuilding social and communication skills for all children. “We noticed that it wasn’t just special education students who experienced regression,” Squillace said. “Kids across the board lost that everyday interaction. In a small district like North Merrick, where children constantly see each other in school, sports, and activities, it was important to reunite them.” The communication boards were funded through SEPTA’s annual March fundraiser, held last year at Dave & Buster’s in Westbury. Squillace said the organization raised about $4,800 to purchase and install the boards. SEPTA fundraises throughout the year to support inclusive programming, previously donating books on autism, ADHD and anxiety to school libraries and exploring projects such as sensory walks. Squillace credited the district’s administration for its support in bringing the project to fruition. “The administration was incredible — from approvals to physically helping place the boards,” she said. “It truly was a team effort.” SEPTA members said the boards are among the first of their kind in the Bellmore-Merrick area, reflecting a growing emphasis on accessibility and inclusion in public spaces.

Courtesy North Merrick SEPTA

Communication boards help rebuild social and communication skills for all children. The organization will hold its next annual fundraiser on March 6 at the Long Island Children’s Museum. The event is open to the public and will feature raffles, food, and full access to the museum.

“When people come to our events and support us, we want them to know their time and money are going somewhere meaningful,” Squillace said. “If this helps even one child feel included, it’s worth it.”

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LIRR, Metro-North set yearly records

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In 2025, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad set record highs for ridership and on-time performance, marking a year of significant growth and improved service for the MTA. Poughkeepsie and Grand Central to under 90 minutes. These gains were part of a larger, region-wide growth in MTA ridership in 2025, which saw nearly 1.9 billion trips across all services, including the subway and buses. Gov. Kathy Hochul praised the MTA’s achievements,

highlighting the significant improvements in service and ridership across the system. Reflecting on the milestone year, she emphasized how investments in mass transit are driving both perfor mance and growth, benefiting riders and the broader region. “This is what happens when you invest in mass transit: better service, faster trips, and increasing ridership, benefitting the entire region,” she said “[The year] 2025 was a record-breaking year for the MTA and a great year for riders, who took almost two billion trips, powering the entire region. Transit is the lifeblood of New York, and in 2026, we will build on these results to continue improving service, saving New Yorkers precious time and powering our economy.” Improved reliability and record ridership in 2025 were the result of sustained investments in infrastructure and service enhancements, including a focus on increasing subway and bus frequencies and expanding rail services. On the LIRR, for instance, new schedules and more trains helped accommodate the surge in demand, while Metro-North’s modernized “SuperExpress” services added new options for commuters. However, as the MTA looks ahead to 2026, fare hikes are on the horizon. Starting Jan. 4, all MTA services— including the LIRR and Metro-North—will see a price increase. This move is intended to help offset rising operational costs and ensure continued improvements to service and infrastructure. — Brian Kacharaba

Bellmore home welcomes Canine Companions By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

When Anne Johnson welcomes a puppy into her Bellmore home, she realizes its stay will not be a long one. Johnson, who has lived in Bellmore for nearly 40 years, recently began raising her ninth future service dog for Canine Companions, a national nonprofit that provides highly trained service dogs to adults, children and veterans with disabilities at no cost. Her newest trainee, Tansy IV, a 9-week-old golden retriever, will eventually learn more than 40 professional commands before being matched with a person in need. Johnson has volunteered as a puppy raiser with Canine Companions for about 15 years — a role she first adopted in 2011 after working as a veterinary technician while raising a family. “Once you see what these dogs can do to change someone’s life, you kind of get addicted to raising puppies,” Johnson said. Canine Companions breeds, raises and trains its own service dogs, which are born through the organization’s breeding program in California. According to Kim Doyle, a senior instructor with Canine Companions, the dogs are trained to assist with a wide range of needs. “They can pick up dropped items, open doors, turn lights on and off, interrupt anxiety or nightmares, and alert people who are hearing impaired to sounds around them,” Doyle said. “What makes us special is that we find the right

job for the right person.” Volunteer puppy raisers play a critical role in that process. Puppies are placed with volunteers at about 8 weeks old and spend roughly 18 months learning basic obedience, house manners and socialization before returning for six months of professional training at the organization’s regional headquarters in Medford. “We rely heavily on our puppy raisers,” Doyle said. “We have about 1,000 puppies born a year, and all of them need that foundation before professional training even begins.” Johnson said one of the most important lessons she focuses on is keeping the puppy calm, especially in public. “There are so many distractions,” she said. “They need to stay calm and focused on their handler.” During that first year and a half, puppy raisers work on house training, leash walking and appropriate behavior in public spaces — often while juggling the realities of everyday life. “They deal with a lot of things people don’t see — house training, crate training, teaching them not to jump or nip, and getting them used to loud noises, different surfaces and crowded places,” Doyle said. Tansy is Johnson’s first puppy to be co-raised, which means she’s sharing responsibilities with another volunteer she met through the program. The arrangement allows the puppy to experience different environments while giving each raiser occasional breaks. Johnson said one of the hardest parts of being a puppy raiser is saying goodbye, but the purpose always outweighs

Bellmore’s Anne Johnson welcomed Tansy IV to her home.

Courtesy Canine Companions

the heartbreak. “You’ re absolutely emotionally attached,” she said. “You love them as much as if they were your own dog. But someone needs them more than we do, and that’s what helps.” Doyle said raisers like Johnson are especially valuable because of their experience and long-term commitment. “Having seasoned puppy raisers makes a huge difference,” she said. “They understand what matters most at each stage, and their dogs are more likely to succeed.” Founded in 1975, Canine Companions

is celebrating its 50th year and operates six regions nationwide. All service dogs and follow-up services are provided free of charge. For Johnson, the organization’s important mission keeps her coming back for more. “You know from the day you get the puppy that it’s not your dog,” she said. “You love them, but you give them up because they’re meant for something greater.” For information about becoming a volunteer puppy raiser, visit canine.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.

MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad capped off 2025 with extraordinary performance and ridership growth, setting new records for both services. The LIRR led the charge with a 9 percent increase in ridership, totaling 81 million customers. In December alone, the railroad hit several milestones, including its highest post-pandemic Saturday ridership with 183,250 riders on Dec. 13, and the highest Sunday ridership since the pandemic with 152,661 riders on Dec. 21. This growth reflects a larger trend throughout the year, as the LIRR reached over 300,000 passengers in a single day on Sept. 24 for the first time since the pandemic. With a 96 percent on-time performance rate, the LIRR also achieved its best reliability score in over a decade, an increase of one percentage point from 2024. Rider satisfaction surged to 81 percent, an 11-point boost from the previous year. Not to be outdone, Metro-North Railroad also posted impressive results. With OTP reaching nearly 98 percent in 2025, Metro-North achieved its highest levels of reliability in recent years. The railroad carried 69 million riders, a 6 percent increase over 2024, with notable spikes in ridership during the winter holiday season. The week of Dec. 15 saw Metro-North’s highest post-pandemic ridership, with 827,015 total riders. Metro-North’s “Super-Express” service, launched ahead of schedule on Oct. 5, further enhanced the passenger experience, cutting travel times between

Minimum wage increase soon to hit paychecks

By JORDAN VALLONE

jvallone@liherald.com

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ERRORS IN DRAFTING AND EXECUTING THE COMPLEX .EW 9ORK FORM OF POWER OF ATTORNEY 7HAT CHANCE DOES A LAY PERSON HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT 4HEN THERE S THE FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY ONE HAS IN BELIEVING THEY HAVE AN ADEQUATE PLAN UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE n ULTIMATELY ENDING UP WITH THE FAMILY LOSING THEIR HOME AND LIFE SAVINGS 7HY "ECAUSE ONLINE ESTATE PLANNING DOES NOT ADDRESS PROTECTING ASSETS FROM THE EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH COST OF LONG TERM CARE EITHER AT HOME OR IN A FACILITY 4HIS INVOLVES PLANNING WITH A -EDICAID !SSET 0ROTECTION 4RUST -!04 ONLY AVAILABLE FROM AN EXPERIENCED ELDER LAW lRM AND NOT FROM THE INTERNET #ONSIDER THIS 9OUR CHANCE OF HAVING YOUR HOUSE BURN DOWN IN ANY GIVEN YEAR IS ABOUT ONE IN THREE THOUSAND 9ET WHO DOESN T CARRY HOMEOWNER S INSURANCE EVERY YEAR /N THE OTHER HAND THE MORTALITY RATE IS STUBBORNLY STUCK AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT 9OUR ESTATE PLAN FOR YOUR FAMILY YOUR HOME AND YOUR LIFE SAVINGS IS SIMPLY WORTHWHILE INSURANCE THAT WILL ONE DAY PAY OFF .OT ONLY THAT BUT YOU ONLY PAY FOR IT ONCE AND HAVE THAT INSURANCE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFETIME

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How much did it increase?

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4HE lRST MYTH TO EXPLORE ABOUT ESTATE PLANNING IS THAT YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF OVER THE INTERNET 4HIS SUPPOSES THAT A TRUST IS A GENERIC LEGAL DOCUMENT WHERE YOU PLUG IN NAMES ADDRESSES AND AMOUNTS YOU WANT TO GIVE AND THEN OFF YOU GO (OWEVER EXPERIENCED ESTATE PLANNING LAWYERS WILL TELL YOU THE JOB IS NINETY PERCENT SOCIAL WORK AND ONLY TEN PERCENT LEGAL -OST OF THE TIME WE SPEND WITH CLIENTS INVOLVES GOING OVER THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE ESTATE PLAN &IRST WHO SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR LEGAL AND lNANCIAL DECISION MAKING IN THE EVENT OF DEATH OR DISABILITY /NE PERSON OR MORE THAN ONE 3HOULD THEY BE REQUIRED TO ACT TOGETHER OR MAY THEY BE PERMITTED TO ACT SEPARATELY (OW ARE THE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS GOING TO FEEL ABOUT THESE CHOICES 7HO GETS ALONG WITH WHOM 7HAT ARE MY OPTIONS AND WHAT DO OTHER PEOPLE DO AND WHY 9OU NEED TO BE IN A POSITION TO EVALUATE PROS AND CONS AND THERE S NO COUNSELLING ON THE INTERNET 'ETTING AN ESTATE PLAN FROM OUT OF STATE IS FRAUGHT WITH OTHER PITFALLS 4AKE THE .EW 9ORK FORM OF POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR EXAMPLE )N OUR EXPERIENCE EVEN TRAINED LAWYERS OFTEN MAKE MAJOR

New York state’s minimum wage increased on Jan. 1, marking the third straight year of increases. In New York City, Westchester and Long Island, the wage increased to $17 per hour, and in the rest of the state to $16 per hour. This adjustment of $.50 per hour is part of a planned series of increases, which will be indexed to inflation starting in 2027. “From the tip of Montauk to Niagara Falls, this increase reflects our promise to put money back in New Yorkers pockets and uplift our hard workers,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “By continuing these investments and indexing wages to inflation, we’re making sure New Yorkers can keep up with rising costs by taking home more money.” “As costs rise, wages must keep pace,” State Sen. Jessica Ramos, who represents parts of Queens and is chair of the committee on labor, said. “Indexing the minimum wage to inflation was not radical, it was responsible, and it’s how we make sure that work is rewarded with dignity today and in the years ahead.” The ability for the state to increase its

minimum wages traces its roots back to a 2023 agreement between Hochul and the state legislature. Minimum wage was also boosted by $0.50 per hour in 2024 and 2025. Starting in 2027, the minimum wage will increase annually at a rate determined by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for the Northeast Region — the most accurate regional measure of inflation. The state’s Department of Labor is working to educate employers and employees about wage changes. It offers free education seminars to help employers better understand labor laws and ensure compliance. Workers can visit the Department of Labor’s minimum wage webpage for more information, including an interactive minimum wage lookup tool to verify their correct pay rate. If you earn minimum wage and do not see an increase reflected in your paycheck, wage complaints can be filed at DOL.NY.gov or by calling (833) 910-4378. “With costs rising, this increase is crucial for workers looking to make ends meet,” New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said.

Minimum Wage: What to Know

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■ Wages rose by 50 cents per hour, marking the third straight annual increase. What’s next? ■ Beginning in 2027, New York’s min-

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■ Visit the New York State Department of Labor’s minimum wage webpage for an interactive lookup tool to confirm your correct rate. Not seeing the increase? ■ Workers can file a wage complaint at DOL.NY.gov Or call (833) 910-4378

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HERALD

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MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

THANKS TO THE CONGESTION RELIEF PROGRAM, NEW YORK IS ON THE MOVE! One year of the congestion relief program means real results for Long Island. Commute times are down 22% from the LIE to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel— meaning less time wasted in traffic and more time back in your day. [SOURCE: Newsday, 8/6/25]

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HEALTH MEMO

Support memory, focus and total wellness

t is that time of year again. A time for new beginnings. A time to start fresh and take control of our lives. A time to make positive changes in our lives to help improve our health, and to make better decisions on how we live our lives. Fortunately, there are many things we can do to improve our overall physical and cognitive (mental) health. It never makes sense to attempt dramatic change in our behaviors, because we are likely to break our New Year’s Resolutions if the challenge is too great. Like many people, you may have made some resolutions for 2023. Perhaps you’re determined to improve your health by joining your local gym or drinking less alcohol. The good news is that making healthier choices can also help reduce your risk of dementia. While some things that affect your risk of dementia can’t be changed, such as your age or genes, there are many things you can change. Here are some simple things you can do to help yourself, and your loved ones, improve your overall wellness. They’re especially important if you’re in your 40s, 50s or 60s – although they are certainly relevant to everyone. Stop saying ‘huh? And ‘What?’: It’s true, one of the best ways to reduce your risk of dementia is taking part in regular audiology exams and to treat a hearing condition at the first signs of loss. Get moving: Another easy way to take care of yourself and to reduce the risk of dementia is taking part in regular physical exercise. It’s good for your heart, circulation, weight and cognitive (your brain!) wellbeing. Eat well: A healthy, balanced diet is likely to reduce your risk of dementia, as well as other conditions including cancer,

type 2 diabetes, obesity, stroke and heart disease. Quit smoking and cut down on alcohol: If you smoke, you’re putting yourself at much higher risk of developing dementia later in life, as well as other conditions such as cancer and stroke. But you likely already knew that. Lets make 2022 the year you quit, or helped your loved one get over their nicotine addiction. Keep your mind active: Much like exercising your body, it is important to workout the brain as well — and doing so

can also help reduce your risk of dementia! Years of research suggests that regularly challenging yourself mentally seems to build up the brain’s ability to cope with disease. Find an activity you enjoy, as you’re more likely to keep it up.

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Simple New Year’s resolutions to protect your brain

Your HealtH and Wellness — with a focus on neW You for tHe neW Year

By Francesca Coltrera A veritable avalanche of influencers, news headlines, and well-meaning friends and family offer conflicting advice on wellness. If you’re overwhelmed by fads and hype around wellness, read on. Dr. Wynne Armand, a primary care physician at Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham health care, recommends simple habits to boost health and wellness in everyday life. Quick fixes and fads may do little for our health, and some even prove harmful. Try to work healthy habits into your daily routines. If you’re a parent, sharing and modeling them can help children and teens embrace wellness, too. Bring mindfulness into your day Mindfulness and meditation are overlapping techniques proven to ease stress, improve sleep, and enhance concentration. “Anxiety and stress are very common issues in my practice,” says Armand. Worrying too often about the past or future is rarely helpful. The too-frequent release of stress hormones affects our heart, brain, and sleep, all of which have downstream consequences for our health. Practicing mindfulness — whether simply by appreciating birds and plants on a walk in green space, or using apps like Calm and Headspace — anchors you in the present moment. This can calm anxiety, improve focus and concentration, and amp up positive feelings. When applied to eating, mindfulness may help with weight loss by encouraging people to slow down to savor meals. Meditation knits together body and mind by focusing

on sensations, such as breathing, images, or a repeated word or phrase. One exercise that works equally well for adults and younger people is box breathing. The rhythmic pattern of breathing helps regulate the nervous system, reining in anxiety and stress, lowering heart rate and blood pressure, and boosting focus. The rhythmic pattern of breathing helps regulate the nervous system, reining in anxiety and stress, lowering heart rate and blood pressure, and boosting focus. Prioritize sleep Sleeping poorly can leave you feeling awful — snappish, foggy-headed, slow moving — and take a toll on your health over time. By contrast, getting sufficient, restful sleep supports the immune system, helps control weight, and aids physical well-being, mental well-being, memory, judgment,

Eat real, whole foods A wealth of evidence shows that diets rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes and pulses like lentils, peas, and beans, and minimally processed foods support longevity and vitality. Plant-based and plant-forward diets are better for our health: research links them to lower rates of heart disease, certain cancers, and chronic illnesses like diabetes and obesity. They’re better for the planet, too. Move more, sit less The hurry of life often short-circuits opportunities to be active. So, swap out the thought “What saves me time?” for a healthier one: “What keeps me mobile, flexible, and functioning well within my world?” Polishing off exercise requirements through a 30-minute block once daily is great, but you may reap even greater health benefits if you seek out ways to stay active throughout the day. Photo: Adopting a healthier way of life moves us beyond quick fixes and fads

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Timeless habits for better health

and other cognitive functions. It may even extend longevity. But how much sleep do you need? That varies with age and other factors: most adults need at least seven hours per night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, sleep quality (a measure of refreshing, uninterrupted sleep versus tossing and turning) may be more important than nailing seven hours. And it’s worth noting that too much sleep — nine hours or more in one analysis of multiple studies — is linked to higher risk for early deaths, too. Be aware that sleep patterns and circadian rhythms that help rule sleep and wakefulness change over time. Good sleep hygiene can help. Tips include getting regular exercise, setting regular bedtime and wake-up times and turning off screens at least 30 minutes before going to bed.

HERALD — January 8, 2026

Go the distance

BRINGING LOCAL SPORTS HOME EVERY WEEK

SPOTLIGHT ATHLETE

January 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

HERALD SPORTS

Kennedy second in 50th Sprig Gardner By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

juSTIN OrTIz Hewlett Senior Basketball ORTIZ ADDED HIS name to Hewlett boys’ basketballl lore Dec. 26 by becoming the eighth player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. He entered the game needing 27 for the milestone and accomplished the feat in the third quarter. A third-year starter with a pair of All-County seasons under his belt, Ortiz averaged 17 points per game as a sophomore and 18.8 last season with 63 threes to rank among Nassau’s leaders.

GAMES TO WATCH Thursday, Jan. 8 Girls Basketball: Carey at Sewanhaka..................4:30 p.m. Boys Basketball: Sewanhaka at Carey .................4:30 p.m. Girls Basketball: Seaford at Lawrence..................6:45 p.m. Girls Basketball: Plainedge at Kennedy................6:45 p.m. Girls Basketball: Calhoun at Long Beach .............6:45 p.m. Girls Basketball: Clarke at South Side .................6:45 p.m. Boys Basketball: South Side at Clarke .................6:45 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 9 Boys Basketball: V.S. South at V.S. North................... 5 p.m. Boys Basketball: Lawrence at Seaford ...................... 5 p.m. Boys Basketball: Carle Place at West Hemp ............. 5 p.m. Girls Basketball: Mineola at Lynbrook ..................6:45 p.m. Girls Basketball: V.S. South at V.S. North ..............6:45 p.m. Girls Basketball: Hicksville at Oceanside .............6:45 p.m. Boys Basketball: Island Trees at Malverne................. 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 10 Boys Basketball: Division at Mepham................11:45 a.m. Girls Basketball: Syosset at Baldwin ..................11:45 a.m. Girls Basketball: East Meadow at F-Dale ...........11:45 a.m. Girls Basketball: Freeport at V.S. Central ............11:45 a.m. Boys Basketball: Uniondale at Massapequa............. 1 p.m. Boys Basketball: Baldwin at Oceanside .................... 1 p.m.

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

It was only fitting the Bellmore-Merrick wrestling teams enjoyed a great deal of success in the 50th annual Sprig Gardner Tournament held Dec. 12-13. Held in honor of the iconic National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach who led Mepham from 1936 to 1958 and won an incredible 100 straight meets or tournaments culminating in 1946, Massapequa captured the half-century old version of the event whilst Kennedy (second place), Calhoun (fourth) and Mepham (fifth) produced its share of strong performances. “Just an outstanding weekend,” said Kennedy coach Brian DeGaetano, who has coached the Cougars since 1994-95 season and earned his 400th dual meet victory Dec. 11. “The tournament was probably the best in terms of competitiveness since I’ve been here.” The Cougars crowned three champions, Calhoun two and Mepham one. “I believe this team has potential to be the best I’ve ever had,” DeGaetano said. Kennedy junior Jared Eisenberg recorded the only pin of the finals, taking down Bellport’s Jason Tyson in 5:49 to capture the 138-pound title. He also earned the John Walters Most Falls in Least Time Award, with four falls in 11:29. At 157, Kennedy’s Harlan Chugerman, who last season as a sophomore was county runner up and a state quailifer, outlasted Massapequa’s Joseph Brooks in a thrilling 4-1 oertime victory, earning the George Munnich Outstanding Wrestler Award in the process. “Jared and Harlan’s finals were just unreal,” DeGaetano said. “Those guys know how to get out of tough spots. Both were very poised in the finals and that was the difference.” Now a sophomore, Peter Mikedis added to his rich history in the Sprig with a 15-0 tech fall victory over East Meadow’s Matthew Amy in the 175pound final. Mikedis, a state qualifier, is still the only seventh-grader to win the Sprig, doing so in December of 2022 at 126 pounds. “Peter’s the real deal,” DeGaetano said.

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Kennedy junior Jared Eisenberg recorded the only victory by pin in the finals of the Sprig Gardner Tournament. The Cougars also had a pair of runners-up with sophomore Jason Brodack, a returning All-County finisher, coming up just short to Calhoun’s Zachary Gubba, 4-2, at 118, and junior Hendrick Capo battling Massapequa’s Kai Tiringer to a 9-6 bout at 150. Calhoun’s Colin Gallagher captured the 103-pound crown with a win over Mepham’s Daniel Corcoran in the finals. The Colts also had Matteo Dowling in the finals at 110. Mepham’s champ was at 190 with Jason Martin. The Pirates’ Christopher Notti was runner-up at 144. “Barring any injuries or illness, the sky’s the limit for us,” DeGaetano said.

Sprig Gardner’s legacy Dubbed “The father of New York State Wrestling,” Gardner compiled a stunning overall record of 254-5-1 with 40 tournament titles and 106 individual sectional champions in 22 seasons. The Pirates won 18 consecutive South Shore titles and 17 Sectional championships. In his final season, 1958, Mepham finished 20-0 and had nine sectional champs out of 12 weight classes totaling 186 points — more than the combined total of the next 10 teams. None of these records have come close to being equaled.

516.536.2800 | orlincohen.com

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Bellmore woman sews joy for Toys for Tots hgaldamez@liherald.com

For longtime Bellmore resident Linda Huncharosf, quilting is much more than just a hobby — it’s a way to bring purpose, love and a little magic into the lives of children who might not otherwise receive a meaningful holiday gift. Through the Long Island Quilters’ Society, Huncharosf recently led a holiday project to create handmade stuffed animals for Toys for Tots. Over a three-day span, at the Merrick Golf Course, volunteers stitched together nearly 125 animals, including elephants, Scottie dogs and teddy bears. “This year, I was nominated to be the charity chairperson,” Huncharosf, who’s lived in Bellmore for 45 years, said. “I felt it was necessary to do something more meaningful for Toys for Tots. In the past, people would bring in a random gift from the Dollar Tree or Five Below. I wanted the gifts to have love attached to them.” Huncharosf said many members of the quilters’ society, most of whom are older, often struggle with a sense of purpose once their children and grandchildren are grown. “We realized we still have something to give,” she said. “Making these stuffed animals is our way to connect, create and give back.” A lifelong quilter, Huncharosf has previously donated pillowcases, quilts and other handmade items to charities supporting older adults, the homeless and local fire departments. This year’s project, however, marked her first time creating stuffed animals — a challenge, she said, she embraced with enthusiasm.

The quilters’ society, a community of 140 members that meets monthly at the Freeport Recreation Center, is committed to fostering quilting through education, service and art. “The Long Island Quilters’ Society is proud to support Toys for Tots during the holiday season,” Lisa Morrow, the society’s co-president, told the Herald. “As quilters, we believe handmade items carry comfort, care and connection, and with every stitch, our members are thinking about the person who will eventually receive it. It means a great deal to us to know our work can help bring joy to children in our community.” Morrow said giving back is a major part of the society’s identity, noting that the Toys for Tots’ efforts reflect the generosity and heart of the society’s members. Beyond Toys for Tots, Huncharosf teased several upcoming initiatives, including creating more than 50 lap quilts for a new veterans’ facility, making pillows and caps for women undergoing cancer treatment, and supporting homeless shelters and the Ronald McDonald House. Huncharosf and the other quilters donated the stuffed animals to Toys for Tots during the society’s annual Christmas dinner on Dec. 16. “Purpose is the magical word,” Huncharosf said. “This group gives me purpose, and I hope these gifts give a little bit of love and hope to the children who receive them.” Anyone interested in joining the Long Island Quilters’ Society or learning more about its charitable work may visit its Facebook page, which contains information about upcoming meetings and volunteer opportunities.

MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ

Courtesy Linda Huncharosf

Bellmore’s Linda Huncharosft and members of the Long Island Quilters’ Society donated to Toys for Tots last month.

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North Merrick Library dances into 2026 The North Merrick Library welcomed 2026 a few hours ahead of schedule with their annual “Noon Year’s Eve” celebrations, offering a festive, familyfriendly way for children to ring in the New Year. Held in the late morning on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, Noon Year’s Eve events swap the traditional midnight countdown for a noon celebration, allowing young children to take part in the excitement without staying up late. The gatherings feature classic New Year’s Eve traditions tailored for kids, including party hats, noisemakers, balloon drops or bubble releases at the stroke of noon, along with age-appropriate entertainment and light refreshments. Families filled the children’s area to celebrate alongside neighbors and fellow patrons, counting down together as the new year officially arrived at midday. Library staff emphasized that the event is about more than just fun, noting that Noon Year’s Eve provides an opportunity to introduce children to holiday traditions while celebrating fresh starts in an inclusive, welcoming environment. — Hernesto Galdamez

Stu Goldman/Herald photos

North Merrick Library Director Jackie Perez and staff welcome in the New Year.

Kennedy and Cosolito of Merrick with Rumi from KPOP Demon Hunters.

Children participated in a dance party. Rumi singing ‘Golden’ to bring in the New Year for children and staff.

Children enjoyed the festivites on the last day of 2025.

Friendly canines create stress-free students

MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

“We’ve been doing it out of the salt a relaxed, inclusive environment, which cave, and then we had schools calling can enhance students’ self-esteem and us,” she continued. “It was such an create a sense of community,” she amazing experience to go to that school, added. “Additionally, it encourages specifically to the MAP program… The empathy, responsibility, and creative kids were so grounded and happy, and expression, fostering positive connec- even the faculty came and took part in tions among students while supporting the puppy yoga experience!” The event was made possible with mental and emotional health.” The event was a hit among the stu- financial support from the North Merrick Community Parent Cendents, and Cupo expressed ter, a nonprofit focused on interest in planning future enhancing health and safety events. educational programs in the Yoga instructor Wendy area. Director Wendy Tepfer Shulman led the two physical saw puppy yoga as a spectaceducation classes through a ular opportunity. war m-up, breathwork and “We thought that this was basic yoga poses. Shulman is a really important thing to the owner of Roslyn Salt bring to the students, Cave, a holistic wellness cenbecause we’re working with ter in Roslyn. She takes cli- Carol CuPo alternative ed students,” she ents through a wide variety School Counselor said. “It was a non-judgmenof wellness practices, often tal, uplifting environment combatting allergies, asthma, psoriasis, inflammation, and anxiety. which was created by the puppies, Shulman’s salt cave was founded eight which helps to reduce stress and anxiyears ago after a lifelong jour ney ety, which are common challenges for all exploring the wide world of wellness teenagers who are struggling to balance stressful, academic, social and personal culture. “One of the things we do is puppy pressures. “It ended up being a very, very benefiyoga,” she said. “We do puppy yoga for lots of reasons — we work with accred- cial day for everybody who was ited breeders, it’s very good. Who can be involved,” she concluded. To lear n more about Roslyn Salt unhappy when they’re playing with Cave, visit RoslynSaltCave.com. puppies? Continued from page 1

uppy yoga offers a range of benefits.

Courtesy of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

molly Hofmayer and Hailey Johnson held their de-stressing puppies as the session concluded.

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STEPPING OUT

Fettucine with Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries

Hearty Beef Stew with Roasted Vegetables

Rustic Roasted Winter Vegetable Chowder

New year, fresh flavors Your kitchen beckons By Karen Bloom

he holidays may be behind us, but winter’s cozy rhythm is in full force. January invites us to nest at home and gather in the kitchen, where comforting, flavorful dishes warm both body and spirit — and gently set the tone for healthier habits in the new year. It’s the perfect time to experiment “Top Chef”–style, playing with bold flavors and seasonal ingredients. After all, few pleasures rival a hearty, nourishing meal shared on a cold winter evening.

additional 1-2 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. (If pasta is too dry, add reserved cooking water a tablespoon at a time.) Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with Parmesan cheese and reserved bacon.

Consider adding these recipes to your repertoire.

• 1 cup cubed butternut squash • 1 cup cubed carrots • 1 cup cubed parsnips • 1 cup cubed sweet potatoes • 1 cup cubed onion • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes • 3/4 cup chicken stock • 3 bay leaves • 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 cup dry red wine Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Arrange in single layer on large baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes or until vegetables are golden brown. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches. Return all beef to skillet. Add roasted vegetables, stock, wine, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Fettucine with Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries A satisfying plate of pasta is especially welcoming on a cold winter day. • 4 slices bacon (approximately), cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 2 cups (about 12 ounces) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and vertically halved • 1 medium onion, sliced • 1 cup chicken broth • 1⁄4 cup dry vermouth • 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped • 6 ounces fettuccine (or another long pasta like spaghetti) • 2 ounces. Parmesan cheese, coarsely shredded • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste Slowly cook bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set bacon aside. Increase heat to medium-high, arrange Brussels sprouts cut-side down in the rendered bacon fat and cook, without stirring, until sprouts begin to crisp and brown on the cut face, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and toss to combine with the sprouts; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the broth, vermouth, and dried cranberries, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the skillet, and bring to a fast simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the sprouts soften, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Transfer pasta to the skillet with the sprouts and liquid and toss continuously over medium-high heat for an

Hearty Beef Stew with Roasted Vegetables This classic stick-to-your-ribs stew is a terrific winter warmer-upper, served with a hearty bread or corn bread.

Rustic Roasted Winter Vegetable Chowder A rustic, flavorful soup can be flavorful centerpiece to healthy, satisfying meal. This filling soup is packed with vegetables. • 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice (about 2 cups) • 3 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup ) • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup) • 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice

(about 1 cup) • 1/2 fennel bulb, quartered & sliced thin (about 1 cup) • 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt • 2 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups) • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 4 cups vegetable broth • 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4inch dice (about 2 cups) 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs • 1 cup milk or unsweetened plain almond milk • Additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste • More pepper and thyme leaves for garnish Heat oven to 400 F. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, and fennel with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast until tender and browned in places, about 40 minutes, turning a couple of times while roasting. While the veggies are roasting, prepare the base of the soup. To a large saucepan over low heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and a bit of pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the vegetable broth. Add the potatoes and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat. Pick out the thyme stems and discard. Stir in the roasted vegetables. Carefully transfer about 3 cups of the chowder to the pitcher of a blender. Puree until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pot and stir to combine. The soup should be thick, rich, and creamy. Stir in the milk. Place the pot back on the burner, and, with the heat on medium-low, return to a simmer, stirring often to prevent burning. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve garnished with an additional turn of cracked pepper and thyme leaves.

Hailed by Rolling Stone as the “world’s premier soft-rock party band,” Yacht Rock Revue invites audiences on a nostalgic voyage through the melodies of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Since their humble beginnings in 2007, Atlanta, Ga.-based YRR has emerged as a pivotal figure in revitalizing yacht rock, sharing stages with icons and garnering a devoted following of “Anchorheads.” Inspired by soft rock’s golden era, the 10-piece band has mastered the art of recreating the breezy laid-back tunes that defined a generation. From the sun-kissed melodies of Steely Dan and Michael McDonald to Hall & Oates’ velvety harmonies, their repertoire spans beloved hits that evoke memories of palm trees, ocean breezes and carefree summers. But Yacht Rock Revue isn’t just a tribute band. Their original compositions are a modern ode to the genre, capturing the essence of those bygone days while infusing it with a fresh and invigorating twist.

Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 8-10, 8 p.m. $82, $60.25, $49.25 $37.25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

V is for Violet Families are welcome to Nassau County Museum of Art for a special storytime with children’s author Valerie Goldstein. During the interactive reading of her inspiring picture book “Violet’s Victory!”, young audiences will follow Violet — a determined girl with lavender hair — as she discovers her inner strength, perseverance as she chases her dreams. Violet wants to participate in Sports Day at her school. She walks with crutches for support, which she calls her “magic sticks.” Violet knows she will not be able to keep up with her classmates using crutches. Then she spots a purple handcycle! With determination and perseverance she participates in Sports Day. Every hue of purple is mentioned and makes for a perfect art connection. Following the reading, children and caregivers can meet the author during a book signing and participate in a handson craft inspired by Violet’s journey. Designed to spark imagination and open the door to meaningful conversations, the session celebrates resilience, self-belief and the joy of trying something new. Saturday, Jan. 10, 1:30-3 p.m. $20 adult, $10 members and children. Register at nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337.

MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

Yacht Rock Revue

January 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD JAN

North Bellmore BOE meets

CALENDAR Garden City • Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-580

The Board of Education holds its next meeting. Let your voice be heard at the monthly meeting..

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create with kids at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and adults connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. For ages 2-14. Registration required. $20, $10 child; members free.

• Where: 2616 Martin Ave. • Time: 7:30 p.m.

JAN

Concert program

North Bellmore Public Library welcomes the Voyager Reed Quintet. The ensemble explores shared humanity by performing music that traverses stylistic boundaries and celebrates the intersections of diverse musical traditions. • Where: 1551 Newbridge Road, Bellmore • Time: 2:30-3:40 p.m. • Contact: northbellmorelibrary.org

Elated Eagles

Long Island Children’s Museum invites families to discover the mighty eagle. Since 1782, the bald eagle has been the United States’ national emblem and mascot. These amazing animals have an impressive wingspan of 7 feet and use their strong wings to soar 10,000 feet in the air. Come learn all about these majestic birds and make your own flying eagle craft in honor of National Save the Eagles Day. This is a drop-in program, free with admission. • Where: Museum Row, Garden City • Time: Noon-2 p.m. • Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

‘Violet’s Victory’

Families are invited to Nassau County Museum of Art for a special story time with children’s author Valerie Goldstein, who shares her inspiring picture book Violet’s Victory! Follow Violet, a determined young girl with lavender hair, as she discovers her strength, perseverance, and the power of adaptive sports on her journey to achieve her dreams. After the reading, meet the author for a book signing and enjoy a fun, hands-on craft inspired by Violet’s story of creativity, courage, and confidence. Children must be accompanied by an adult care giver.; $20 adult, $10 members and children. Advance registration preferred. • Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor • Time: 1:30-3 p.m. • Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

JAN

Paul Cornish Trio

Newly signed to Blue Note Records, Los Angeles-based pianist and composer Paul Cornish is making waves as one of the most innovative new voices in jazz. Presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, Tilles Center Atrium becomes an intimate lounge to showcase this exciting up-and-coming jazz talent. Cornish, who strives to inspire freedom and collaboration in his music and community, has performed extensively across the globe with such notable artists as Joshua Redman, Louis Cole, Mark Guiliana, and more. With Jonathan Pinson (drums) and Jermaine Paul (bass) he’ll perform selections from his Blue Note Records debut album “You’re Exaggerating. “ A Stanford Jazz Workshop alumnus, Cornish blends deep jazz roots with bold, forward-thinking vision, transforming tradition into an electrifying and inspiring musical journey. A standout talent from Houston’s renowned High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Cornish went on to earn degrees from USC and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz at UCLA. Now a member of Joshua Redman’s band, he has toured the • Where: LIU Post campus, 720 world and was featured on Redman’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert. “Paul is one of the most Northern Blvd., Brookville innovative pianists to come along in quite a while,” says Blue Note President Don • Time: 7:30 p.m. Was. “He is the next purveyor of that hallowed legacy.” Don’t miss this opportunity to • Contact: tillescenter.org or witness Cornish’s extraordinary artistry and boundless creativity live. (516) 299-3100

JAN

AARP Smart Driver Course

Merrick Library offers the AARP Smart Driver Course. Boost driving skills and obtain multi-year discount on your auto insurance. Registration required. • Where: 2279 Merrick Ave. • Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • Contact: merricklibrary.org

JAN

volunteer.

Board Game Buddies

Play board games (or bring your own) at Bellmore Memorial Library with a teen

• Where: 2288 Bedford Ave. • Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m. • Contact: bellmorelibrary.org

‘Brown Bag’ Art Chat

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture” at the museum. Explore “The Real, Surreal, and Photoreal,” through a lively and informative presentation. No reservations. First come,first seated. • Where: 1 Museum Drive,

Roslyn Harbor • Time: 1 p.m. • Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

JAN

Crafts with Corinne

Create a decorative basket at North Bellmore Public Library. Registration required.

• Where: 1551 Newbridge Road • Time: 11 a.m.-noon • Contact: northbellmorelibrary.org

JAN

Comic showcase

Known for their elite brand of clever comedy, The Ivy League of Comedy visits the Madison Theatre. You’ve heard their brilliant comedic voices on late-night television and Comedy Central and on the club circuit. The lineup features Keith Alberstadt, who’s playful personality radiates on stage. He mixes light-hearted sarcasm with a southern charm and has become a favorite at comedy clubs and theaters. Also Clayton Fletcher, who’s heard every day on Sirius/XM Radio’s Laugh USA, Blue Collar Comedy, and Jamie Foxx’s Foxxhole stations. He has been featured on Hulu-TV’s “Comedy

Brew,” MSNBC’s “Your Business,” ESPN’s “World Series of Poker,” and Comcast-TV’s “Who’s Laughing Now?” He allows us to see the world through the eyes of the son of a poker-playing mom and a jazz musician dad. And Jane Condon, mom of two boys, has been dubbed “an uppercrust Roseanne.” She loves to tell stories about her adventures (mostly survival tales) with her husband and kids. • Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre • Time: 8 p.m. • Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor • Time: Noon-3 p.m. • Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

JAN

Let Freedom Ring with MLK

Visit Long Island Children’s Museum for a workshop honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Families will learn about MLK beyond his “I Have a Dream” speech and gain a better understanding of his impact on the civil rights movement. Also participate in a gallery walk of images from that era and then create a bell to “let freedom ring.” The program is part of the AdvoKids monthly series that focuses on teaching kids how to advocate for themselves and others and teaching adults how to support their kids’ advocacy efforts. For ages 5 and up. Free with museum admission, but tickets required. • Where: Museum Row, Garden City • Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. • Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out

Long Island Children’s Museum’s welcomes all to the opening of its new exhibit. Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out provides interactive experiences that help visitors learn about the important role emotions, memory and imagination play in our everyday lives. Hands-on and digital experiences focus on the five emotions featured in the film: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear. Kids learn to recognize emotions and explore ways that we express and manage our own emotions. With opening weekend activities to celebrate the arrival of this traveling exhibit. • Where: Museum Row,

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.

Saw Mill Road students spread holiday cheer hgaldamez@liherald.com

Students at Saw Mill Road Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District helped brighten the holiday season for hundreds of children through three toy drives held in December. T he school’s Students Ag ainst Destructive Decisions club and Danielle Brocco’s second-grade class collected toys for the John Theissen Children’s Foundation, while Michelle Mittler’s third-grade class donated toys to Cohen Children’s Medical Center. The John Theissen Children’s Foundation is a Wantagh-based nonprofit founded in 1992 to support sick and underprivileged children and their families. Established after founder John Theissen was hospitalized as a teenager, the organization began with a small holiday toy drive and has since grown to distribute tens of thousands of new toys each year to hospitals, child-care facilities and community organizations across Long Island. Theissen visited the school on Dec. 18 to collect the donations. Sixth-grade members of SADD and Brocco’s second graders gathered in the lobby to hear him share the story behind the organization. Theissen also visited Park Avenue Elementary School in North Bellmore.

Photos courtesy of the North Bellmore School District

SADD club members brought the toys to John Theissen’s car so he could give them to sick and underprivileged children across Long Island. “I am so honored that Saw Mill Elementary School donated once again to our foundation,” Theissen wrote in a statement to the Herald. “The students

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and staff did such an amazing job promoting their toy drive to their peers.” He told students that the foundation began after a young girl named Tasha,

who was hospitalized with him, gave him a teddy bear. Inspired by the gesture, Theissen organized his first toy drive, delivering 800 toys to children that year. The effort has since grown to distribute about 130,000 toys annually. “I feel really good about how our school is helping other children and giving them a good holiday,” said SADD club member Nathan Smith. “I hope they know that people care about them.” Angelina Chen said she was inspired by the foundation’s origins. “It’s amazing how he started this because of another person’s nice gesture,” she said. “It feels awesome to know that these gifts can help underprivileged children.” The SADD club, under the direction of Keara McNamara, promoted the toy drive with handmade signs displayed throughout the school and daily morning announcements. The drive ran from Dec. 1 through Dec. 17. Mittler said she has involved her students in a toy drive each year for about a decade. Her family makes an annual holiday donation to Cohen Children’s Medical Center in appreciation for the care the hospital provided to her daughter. “I like to involve my class,” Mittler said, “because it teaches them about generosity and compassion.”

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MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ

$100K to Island Harvest to fight hunger year-round

January 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

our neighbors don’t have to worry about where their next meal comes from.” David Lyons, interim president and While the surge of generosity that chief operating officer at PSEG Long marks the holiday season fades once the Island said the company has long partdecorations come down, the need facing nered with Island Harvest to collect, food banks and families struggling to sort and distribute meals to Long make ends meet continues year-round Islanders facing food insecurity. “We have seen first-hand — a re a l i t y p ro m p t i n g the good work Island Harrenewed investment from organizations seeking to vest has done, and we are sustain that support well thrilled that the PSEG Founbeyond winter. dation is ensuring that even Addressing that need, more good can be done last month, PSEG Foundathrough this $100,000 grant,” tion, a nonprofit supported he said in a December and funded by PSEG, release. announced $1.5 million in Calvin Ledford Jr., presigrants to more than 25 comdent of the PSEG Foundamunity organizations that tion, said its work extends provide critical assistance beyond providing clean and to households facing ecoreliable energ y to Long nomic hardship, including a Islanders. $100,000 award to Island Har“During times of ecovest, a longtime community nomic challenges and hardpartner of PSEG Long ship, these collaborations Island, a major electricity allow us to deliver meaningprovider for the region. ful solutions that directly The funding is part of the benefit families,” he said. foundation’s Community “We are deeply grateful for Relief Initiative, a year-long CALViN LEDfORD each of our partners and for effort designed to bolster JR. the impact these initiatives food banks and social ser- President of the PSEG will have in helping local vice organizations through communities access the critFoundation a multifaceted approach. ical resources needed to stay The initiative also reflects safe, healthy, and secure.” the foundation’s commitment to afford“On behalf of the 240,000 people we ability and community well-being, while serve who face food insecurity and reinforcing the volunteer efforts of uncertainty of when their next meal employees at PSEG Long Island. will come, we are incredibly grateful to Island Harvest Food Bank is a lead- direct the PSEG Foundation grant to ing hunger-relief organization with a our Hunger Relief Action Fund,” Shumission to end hunger and reduce food bin Dresner said. “The strong, longwaste on Long Island. The organization term partnership we have with PSEG boasts food and product collection and Long Island and the PSEG Foundation distribution systems, hunger awareness continues to make a positive impact on and education programs, a Workforce the lives of Long Islanders.” Skills Development Institute, as well as targeted services for specific populations, outreach activities, and advocacy initiatives. Its work supports a wide network of community-based nonprofits, as well as individuals, families, and seniors in need. The $100,000 grant to Island HarAt an event in 2024 in Nassau County’s headquarters in Mineola, Randi vest will support the organization’s Shubin Dresner, the president and chief Hunger Relief Action Fund, which executive of Island Harvest, and a forhelps ensure consistent access to mer East Meadow Herald Person of the food for Long Islanders facing food Year, explained that even though Nassau insecurity year-round. County has some of the wealthiest residents living within its zip codes, Island Island Harvest’s work includes: Harvest helps more than 100,000 neigh■ Food collection and distribution bors in need. Annual distribution efforts have topped 10 million pounds in ■ Hunger awareness and educaNassau County. tion Many neighbors in need who receive food from Island Harvest are working, ■ Workforce Skills Development sometimes multiple jobs, to make ends Institute need. ■ Targeted services for seniors and “We’re on the side of action,” Shubin families Dresner said of Island Harvest’s efforts. “We are providing support, and impor■ Outreach, advocacy, and nontantly, we’re providing 10 million profit partnerships pounds of food so we can be sure that

By JORDAN VALLONE

jvallone@liherald.com

uring times of economic challenges and hardship, these collaborations allow us to deliver meaningful solutions that directly benefit families

Courtesy PSEG

Island Harvest Food Bank received a $100,000 donation from the PSEG Foundation, a nonprofit that is supported and funded by PSEG, a major utility provider in the Long Island region. Randi Shubin Dresner, president of Island Harvest with David Lyons, interim president of Island Harvest.

Public Notices

LMER1 0108

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Town Hall Plaza, One Washington Street, Hempstead, New York on 01/21/2026 at 9:30 A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals: -----------------------------THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. 30/26. 31/26. MERRICK - L.I. Property Partners, LLC, Renewal of grants: Use variance to maintain office building with three (3) apartments in Bus. District; Waive offstreet parking & special exception to park in Res. “B” District., E/s Merrick Ave., 146.10’

S/o Loines Ave., a/k/a 128 Merrick Ave. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Merrick within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before

it. 157641

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN TRUST 2019-02, Plaintiff against 18 HELENE AVE LLC, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered February 3, 2025, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 27, 2026 at 2:00 PM. Premises known as 18 Helene Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566. Sec 56 Block 448 Lot 3. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and

improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $1,433,972.34 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 610604/2020. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Joy Bunch, Esq., Referee File # 22-000061-01 157475

Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232

What the grant supports

E1 01/08

Employment

CLASSIFIED

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Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460 E-mail your ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com DEADLINE: Monday, 11:00 am for all classified ads.

Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of your ad. Please check your ad at the first insertion. Credit will be made only for the first insertion. Credit given for errors in ads is limited to the printed space involved. Publisher reserves right to reject, cancel or correctly classify an ad.

BUS NOW HIRING IVERS AND VAN DR The Merrick Before/After School Program is hiring for the 2025-26 school year.

Call (516) 379-4245.

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE Full Time/Part Time Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multi-task, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. Salary Range is $17 per hour to $20 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: circulationassociate@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

Open the door to a bright future! Check the

Job listings today!

516-569-4000 Press 5

Big Bus

NEW

$31.68/hr.

Non-Beneﬁt Rate

EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. H i s t o r i c a l l y, r e p o r t e r s w h o h ave launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286 OIL DELIVERY DRIVER NEEDED P/T-F/T, Weekdays/ Weekends/ And Nights. Experienced Only. Twic Card A Plus. Spanish Speaking A Plus. 631-264-8800

Van

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OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $35,360 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250 PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

Eldercare Needed

COMPANION WANTED Looking For Female Companion For Elderly Female. Flexible Hours. Must Have Car References Requested Live-in Position Possible 516-652-1453

Deals on Wheels

(Salary is $17.00 per hour)

Why Not Print Want to sell your car, motorcycle or boat? Have we got a deal for you! You can advertise your vehicle in the

Classifieds All for an amazing price! Your add will run until you sell your vehicle. Just call one of our expert classified account executives today and you will be on your way to making a great deal on your set of wheels!

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Call Lou today at 516-569-4000 ext 223 One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country.

Call the USA Classified Network today!

1-800-231-6152

MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

HERALD

January 8, 2026 — HERALD

E2 01/08

Homes

HERALD

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

HOME OF THE WEEK

• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

Long Beach

Fabulous Ocean Views

elcome to the ultimate coastal retreat, where luxury, comfort, and entertainment meet. Just steps from the Atlantic Ocean, this stunning 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom residence offers the perfect blend of modern design and beachside living. Enjoy breathtaking ocean views from the enclosed four-season room, and step outside to your private backyard oasis with a heated in-ground pool, a relaxing hot tub, cozy firepit, and an impressive outdoor kitchen. This home showcases quality finishes throughout, including stainless steel appliances, Andersen windows, washer and dryer on the second floor, blackout and pull-down bedroom shades. The thoughtful layout offers three spacious bedrooms and two full baths upstairs, plus a convenient first-floor bedroom and full bath, ideal for guests or multi-generational living. Experience the best of the Long Beach lifestyle, just moments from the boardwalk, pristine beaches, and the vibrant coastal community that makes this area so desirable.

Joyce Coletti Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Douglas Elliman Real Estate 30A West Park Avenue, Long Beach 516.313.2700

REAL ESTATE Real Estate WE BUY HOUSES for Cash AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-888-704-5670

Rent Your Apartment through the Herald and PrimeTime Classified section. Call us for our great *specials. 516-5694000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)

Helping you find a HOME or sell a HOME … a place to call your own. Suburb or country, house, condo, townhouse or apartment, our Classifieds can help you find a HOME that fits your style, your budget and Real Estate needs... it’s a MUST SEE!

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Your Hometown Newspaper

To Place an Ad Call: 516-569-4000 • Press 5

Don’t people understand how important permits are? Q. I notice you write about getting building permits all the time. You would think it was obvious, yet you devote many of your columns to reminding people to get permits. Is this because you find that people don’t already know this? I like the details about buildings that you give, and wish you could write more about that.

A. You would probably be amazed at how often I hear from people wondering if they need a permit for something. Or maybe you wouldn’t. Either way, I started writing this column, which some only see as an advertisement or a blog, in December of 1989, after speaking with a young lady from the Herald who came to speak to my local onte eeper Chamber of Commerce. I was a young architect with a toddler and a kindergartner, both of whom have long since finished college, married and provided my wife, Mindy, and me with grandchildren. When I first spoke to the local editor that day, it was about how I naively started my own practice after leaving an international firm in Manhattan. I realized right away that people are investing the largest amount of what they will ever spend on having a home, and need guidance on how to avoid the pitfalls of shoddy practices, dangerous work done by amateurs and getting ambushed by finding out the work they had done can’t pass a building inspection. She asked me to write a sample column, which wasn’t difficult, since local architects are challenged daily with trying to figure out the best way to get people out of the messes they’re dealing with. I noticed that different building departments had different instruction sheets and different ways of handling the permit process, and that some were extremely helpful, while others basically pushed the responsibility of explaining onto the architect. Some even referred architects, but mostly referred to unlicensed services, which became another problem for many homeowners when plans were incomplete or code-deficient, or where there was only a rubber stamp from an elderly retiree who needed a few extra bucks but wouldn’t be around to answer questions or resolve more technical problems. Basically, the system has no real guidance on whether the most expensive thing homeowners will ever undertake is being done safely, correctly or legally, or whether it will last. I approached bigger building departments about coming up with their own manuals to explain what needs a permit and the best way to get one. Not one, to this day, has either put together such a guide for their department, and not one municipality has ever informed their constituency in one of their newsletters about how important it is to avoid doing things the wrong way, having to go to court, pay a fine, and still have to file for a permit. One government leader even suggested that I write the manual for them. Instead, I write for you. So I try to inform people about how to avoid the hassles for better success — permits and all. Thank you!

Ask The Architect

© 2026 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

E3 01/08

Market Place • • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

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HERALD — January 8, 2026

HERALD

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or Email: ereynolds@liherald.com

JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, It’s in the Herald Classifieds... REAL ESTATE & MORE... Call 516-569-4000 JOBS,To Advertise MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... press 5

January 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

HERALD

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Answers to todAy’s puzzle

opinions

my Goodman, an intrepid journalist and a Long Island native, explained after a recent screening of a documentary about her that she is “committed to independent media being the oxygen to a democratic society.” The documentary “Steal This Story, Please!” had its premier at the DC/DOX film festival in Washington, D.C., in June, and has been shown at other film festivals, at which it has also received awards. And now she was “here on Long Island!” she exclaimed after kArl the documentary grossmAn was featured last month as the opening-night presentation of the Hamptons Doc Fest. Being on Long Island was “really a thrill,” Goodman said following the showing at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. She is a 1975 Bay Shore High School graduate, and after graduating from Harvard with an anthropology degree, she went to work at WBAI, the listener-sponsored radio station in New York City, part of the Pacifica network. It was there that Goodman co-founded and became — and still is — host and

executive producer of “Democracy Now!” It began as a radio program, and subsequently expanded to television, too. Goodman has not only been a journalist on radio and TV, but has authored or co-authored books including “Standing Up to the Madness,” “The Exception to the Rulers,” “The Silenced Majority” and “Democracy Now! Twenty Years Covering the Movements Changing America,” published in 2017. As the website for it then related: “In 1996 Amy Goodman began hosting a show on Pacifica Radio called Democracy Now! to focus on the issues and movements that are too often ignored by the corporate media. Today Democracy Now! is the largest public media collaboration in the U.S., broadcasting on over 1,400 public television and radio stations around the world, with millions accessing it online at democracynow.org.” A documentary is different than a book. I’ve authored books and also written and presented documentaries, and as a journalism professor at SUNY Old Westbury, I taught for years a course called “Documentary: Theories and Techniques.” As John Grierson, the Scottish filmmaker credited with coining the term “documentary” in 1926, explained, a documentary focuses on an “actuality”

— capturing and showcasing the real-life issues of real people, with the “original” people involved, and “original” scenes, conveying a truer picture of reality, he felt, than actors and a set could provide. That’s what the documentary about Goodman does. It starts with her trying to question Wells Griffith, the representative of the first Trump administration at a 2018 United Nations climate conference in Poland. She asks Griffith about President Trump’s claim that climate change is a hoax. Griffith scrambles away up a series of stairways, with Goodman keeping up, and charges her with “harassment.” “A reporter asking you a question,” Goodman responds, “is not harassment.” The documentary then shifts to Goodman’s reporting on the 1991 killing of more than 200 independence protesters in East Timor by Indonesian troops, and shows her and fellow journalist Allan Nairn badly beaten. It includes her arrest, with other journalists, in a police sweep of an anti-war demonstration at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. It presents scenes of Goodman covering Native Americans in Standing Rock, N.D., in 2017, protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline, which brought with it

his 1975 Bay Shore High grad is seen and heard by millions on public media.

the threat of oil spills that could contaminate the Missouri River and the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation’s water supply, as Goodman faced arrest. These are just some of the elements of “Steal This Story, Please!” The archival footage illuminates. The directing, by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, is superb. The words of Goodman running through it are eloquent. Here’s the description of the documentary in the Hamptons Doc Fest program: “Undeterred by armed soldiers, smooth-talking politicians and riot police, journalist Amy Goodman has reported some of the most consequential stories of our time. ‘Steal This Story, Please!’ is a gripping portrait of Amy, the trailblazer whose unwavering commitment to truth-telling spans three decades of turbulent history. The film is both a call to action and a celebration of resistance, posing the question: What happens to democracy when the press surrenders to power?” In kicking off the 18th year of the Hamptons Doc Fest with the documentary about Goodman, Jacqui Lofaro, the festival’s founder and executive director, spoke of “journalism’s vital role in revealing truth.” Carl 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.

The arts on Long Island are for you

he arts — literature, music, drama, painting, sculpture — form a narrative that helps explain the origins and promises of a society. The arts help us explore our history and imagine our future. While Long Island is well known for health sciences and aerospace technology, it is also a major home for culture — the arts and artists. Think of Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner, F. Scott Fitzgerald and “The Great Gatsby,” Stanford White and the Gold Coast, Harry Chapin, Chuck D roBErT A. and Public Enemy, Adelphi sCoTT Professor Paul Moravec’s Pulitzer Prize for Music, Billy Joel and countless others. We are fortunate to have the Long Island Arts Alliance, a regional arts service organization dedicated to strengthening the arts and arts education across Nassau and Suffolk counties. It does this through advocacy for private and public funding, research into best practices and innovations, programming for people of all ages as well as for performance and

recognition, and promoting collaboration across sectors. LIAA partnered with the Center for an Urban Future to report on the condition of the arts and arts education on Long Island. The report, “Sustaining Long Island’s Creative Spark,” offers important insights. Among them are: ■ Arts and culture employment on Long Island grew 21.8 percent from 2014 to 2024, more than five times the region’s overall job growth.

received about 3.2 percent of awards. Yet Long Island is home to 15 percent of New York’s population. In addition, grants to Long Island arts organizations were about 21 percent lower than the statewide average. So Long Island not only receives a small share of the total; it also receives smaller average awards than the rest of the state. The size of grants to Long Island artists, however, increased about 375 percent over 2024. This reflects a small but targeted pilot program that LIAA ran this year. It acted as a fiscal sponsor and outreach coordinator, met one-on-one with artists, reviewed proposals, and helped first-time applicants navigate the process. LIAA submitted 14 artist applications; nine were funded, and all nine were first-time state grant recipients. The pattern is clear: when Long Island has the support and infrastructure to compete, it can bring in substantially more state funding. Without that support, the region continues to be underrepresented. LIAA is now advocating for Nassau and Suffolk to seed a Long Island grants

hat do F. Scott Fitzgerald and Chuck D have in common? Take a guess.

■ Long Island’s resident artist and design workforce increased to over 10,500, even as the under-65 population declined.

■ Nonprofit arts and culture organizations generate $330 million in annual economic activity on Long Island, supporting 4,905 jobs and $81 million in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments. The center found that Long Island’s arts sector is performing at a high level, but state funding lags. For example, Long Island received about 2.5 percent of the total grant funding awarded, and

academy for the arts. The goal is to build a reliable, long-term pipeline of grant-ready organizations and artists so the region finally gets its fair share of state and federal arts funding. The proposed academy would provide training and coaching for artists and small or midsized nonprofits; offer shared tools, templates and guidance for preparing competitive applications; and deliver cohort-based workshops and one-on-one support tied to the New York State Council on the Arts and other public funds. LIAA is seeking an initial investment of $50,000 from each county to scale this model. The results to date suggest that even this modest local investment can unlock hundreds of thousands of additional state dollars for Long Island’s creative sector. To date, more than 50 organizations and individual artists have indicated support for the grants academy concept. LIAA will continue to advocate for this resource at the county and state level. It is imperative to step up advocacy for Long Island arts, and essential for the LIAA to expand its influence in promoting the value of culture to the community. Robert Scott is president emeritus of Adelphi University and the author of “How University Boards Work.”

MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

Documenting a formidable L.I. journalist, Amy Goodman

Herald editorial

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January 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

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Without January pressure, change works better

very January, we perform the same ritual. We draw a hard line between who we were and who we intend to become, armed with resolutions that sound decisive and hopeful: lose 20 pounds, save more money, finally become more disciplined. And yet, by February, or sooner, many of these goals quietly dissolve. This isn’t a personal failure. It’s a structural one. Traditional goal-setting asks too much of willpower and too little of reality. It assumes that motivation is stable, that life will cooperate, and that change happens neatly within arbitrary timelines. Behavioral research consistently shows the opposite. Willpower fluctuates. Stress, fatigue and unexpected events derail even the most sincere intentions. A goal like “exercise five times a week” collapses the moment work runs late, a child gets sick or winter motivation disappears. The problem isn’t laziness; it’s designing change by focusing on outcomes instead of behavior. Consider the familiar stories of those who set weight-loss goals. For weeks they follow strict rules, track every calorie and push through workouts fueled by January enthusiasm. Then, when the scale stalls or life intervenes, frustration sets in. The goal becomes a source of shame rather than support, and quitting feels inevitable. Contrast this with someone who

builds a simple system instead: walking for 20 minutes after dinner, cooking the same three nourishing meals during the week, keeping snacks visible and convenient. No dramatic target, no deadline, just repeatable behaviors that fit real life. One approach relies on intensity; the other relies on design. The same pattern shows up at work. Professionals set ambitious annual targets — revenue milestones by the third quarter, promotion by December — tying their sense of progress to metrics largely outside their control. When external conditions change, motivation craters. A systems-based approach looks different: a weekly ritual of deep work, a monthly feedback loop, a principle of saying no to low-leverage tasks. These don’t guarantee a promotion, but they dramatically increase clarity, energy and long-term momentum. What replaces resolutions isn’t a lowering of ambition; it’s a smarter framework. Instead of obsessing over outcomes or focusing on inputs, what’s important are the actions you can show up for even on imperfect days. Instead of intensity, prioritize consistency. Ten minutes completed daily beats an hour attempted sporadically. Instead of perfection, build adaptability. Systems that can bend won’t break when life gets messy. This reframing also forces us to rethink what progress means. In 2026, progress doesn’t look like constant

acceleration or public metrics that reward burnout. It looks like sustainability. It looks like habits that support physical and mental health, boundaries that protect attention, and routines that make good choices easier over time. Progress is waking up with less dread. It’s energy that lasts past Wednesday. It’s the ability to course-correct without starting over. The myth of the January fresh start persists because it’s comforting. It promises a clean slate, a dramatic reset. But meaningful change rarely respects the calendar. People quit smoking on random Tuesdays. They start therapy after breaking points, not countdowns. They rebuild routines in April, September or the middle of a chaotic week. When we tie improvement to a date, we also tie failure to missing it. A healthier approach is permissionbased rather than deadline-driven. You can begin again at any point. You can adjust systems without declaring them broken. You can measure progress by how supported you feel, not how perfect your execution looks. This January doesn’t need another list of resolutions destined to expire. It can be a moment to design a life that works beyond motivation — one built on systems, rituals and principles that make showing up easier than giving up. For those tired of trying harder and ready to live better, that shift changes everything.

opInIons

t shouldn’t be necessary to say this: Every day that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. remains in charge of America’s public health system, the health of every American is at greater risk. The Department of Health and Human Services exists to protect Americans from disease, contamination and preventable death. It depends on science, expertise and public trust. RFK Jr., now its secretary, has long questioned the scientific consensus on vaccines and other core publichealth tools. The tension between those views and mICHaeL the mission of HHS isn’t theoretiBLITZ cal; it is immediate and consequential. HHS oversees vaccines, food and drug safety, disease surveillance, medical research, and emergency health responses. Much of its work happens quietly, noticed only when it fails. Its effectiveness rests on credibility: the public’s confidence that health guidance is grounded in evidence rather than ideology. That confidence is harder to sustain when the agency’s leader has built a public profile on skepticism toward established science. For years Kennedy has worked not

simply to question specific vaccines or treatments, but to cast doubt on the scientific enterprise itself — on research, on data and on the idea that fact-based medicine should guide health care decisions. He regularly portrays medical science as suspect, and institutions built on evidence as fundamentally untrustworthy. Those claims, long rejected by scientists and physicians, once lived at the fringes of public discourse. They now carry institutional weight — not because they have become more credible, but because leadership determines which facts are defended, which expertise is respected and which truths are allowed to blur into doubt. This matters because vaccine skepticism isn’t an intellectual exercise; it is a public health failure in slow motion. Declining vaccination rates are directly tied to the return of diseases once considered under control. Measles outbreaks are no longer theoretical; they are occurring now. When the HHS secretary consistently undermines confidence in science itself, the signal to the public is destabilizing: Evidence is optional, expertise is suspect, and facts are just other opinions. Parents are left navigating fear and misinformation instead of receiving clear guidance, and the consequences fall most heavily on children

Framework by Tim Baker

On the ice at Milburn Pond, no scarves or skates needed — Baldwin

and vulnerable communities. This is what irresponsible, reckless anti-science posturing looks like when it moves from rhetoric to governance. The greatest risk of RFK Jr.’s leadership isn’t dramatic upheaval. Public health rarely unravels overnight. More often, it weakens gradually. Guidance becomes less decisive. Research is second-guessed in ways that stall action rather than improve it. Fringe ideas receive attention in the name of balance. The result is delay — and in public health, delay costs lives. The administration’s decision to put Kennedy in charge of HHS reflects a troubling willingness to treat scientific expertise as negotiable. HHS was created because societies learned, often through painful experience, that coordinated, evidence-based action saves lives. Undermining that foundation doesn’t lead to better outcomes; it invites preventable harm. That harm will not be shared equally. Children, the elderly, the immunocompromised, and communities with limited access to care are always the most vulnerable when public health falters. Doctors and nurses will confront illnesses they shouldn’t be seeing. Hospitals will absorb the strain. Families will bear the consequences of uncertainty that should never have existed.

he greatest risk of RFK Jr.’s leadership isn’t dramatic upheaval. It’s a weakening.

Kennedy frequently presents himself as an advocate for children and health. But protecting children requires more than questioning authority; it requires responsibility. It requires clear communication, respect for evidence, and a willingness to act decisively in the face of risk. Confusion isn’t empowerment, and skepticism isn’t a substitute for leadership. Viruses and bacteria don’t respond to debate. They exploit hesitation and mistrust. History makes this painfully clear: Public health failures occur not because science is wrong, but because leaders choose not to rely on it. RFK Jr.’s tenure at HHS is already reshaping how Americans think about health guidance at a time when trust is fragile and the stakes are high. The likely outcomes — more preventable illness, more avoidable death and deeper public confusion — aren’t matters of opinion. They are the foreseeable results of weakening the bond between science and policy. Government has many responsibilities, but one should be beyond dispute: to protect the public using the best knowledge available. Anything less risks turning one of the nation’s most important health institutions into something it was never meant to be — an experiment whose costs are paid in human lives. Michael Blitz is professor emeritus of interdisciplinary studies at the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

MERRICK HERALD — January 8, 2026

Health and Human Services: less healthy, more disservice

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