Joseph D’Alessandro/Herald a number of student bands performed at John F. Kennedy High School last Friday to raise funds for mental health programs at South oaks Hospital. above, JFK Rock Band White performed paramore’s “Misery Business” before an energetic crowd.
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
One of the best ways to take care of your mental health is to express yourself, socialize and pursue a hobby; for the music students of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, rock, metal and grunge serve as a perfect outlet.
A number of bands from across the district performed in a two-hour concert at John F. Kennedy High School last Friday, celebrating the beginning of Mental Health Month with a student-organized fundraiser. JFK seniors and event organizers Ben Roth and Jordan Siegel are longtime musicians who played in the concert. The duo came up with the idea for a music fundrais-
er, and worked with school staff to make it a reality.
“We’re spreading our love of music in order to help people redirect their energy productively,” Roth said. “This way, they’re also able to generate that same catharsis for music, just like we’ve been able to do over the last several years … We wanted to bring people together.”
The concert raised well over $6,000 in donations to benefit Northwell Health’s adolescent care programs — including those at South Oaks Hospital in Amityville — a cause near and dear to Roth and Siegel.
“We’re here to raise money for South Oaks Hospital through Northwell,” Siegel explained. “We’re supporting the adolescent
Continued on page 10
By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
For Merrick native Mia Barkan, art has never been just about aesthetics — it’s about survival, healing and connection.
That philosophy is at the heart of “VIBES,” her solo exhibition on display at the North Merrick Public Library through May 16.
Library officials said the exhibit has become a visible and welcome addition to the space.
WNow, she’s sharing a deeply personal body of work with the same community in which she grew up.
“I’ve been painting my whole life,” she said. “Art rescues me every single day.”
e’re excited to have her art in our library
JAckiE PEREZ North Merrick Public Library Director
“We’re so excited to have her art in our library, and we’re really lucky because it’s in the middle of our reference room, so everyone from the community who comes in is able to see that art,” Jackie Perez, North Merrick Public Library director said. “We benefit from it, because it certainly brightens up our space.”
Barkan, who has lived everywhere from Italy and Israel to California, said returning home to raise her family felt like a “full circle” moment.
Since earning her degree from Hofstra University, Barkan, a creative arts therapist in private practice, has spent more than two decades working with adults with psychiatric disorders. Her dual identity as both artist and therapist shapes not only her career, but also the intent behind her work.
The “VIBES” series — a collection of large, abstract expressionist paintings — draws inspiration from nature, emotion and fleeting moments. Through layered color and texture, Barkan aims to capture what she describes as a “vibration” or emotional impression rather than a literal image.
“When you think of the word ‘vibes,’ it’s a feeling, an
Continued on page 5
By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com
The Kiwanis Club of Merrick teamed up with Long Island environmental group Save the Great South Bay to tackle one of the region’s most pervasive problems: water pollution.
Many of Long Island’s waterways flow south into the Great South Bay, a massive aquatic ecosystem bordering most of Long Island’s south shore. The bay was once a driver for the local fishing industry, but decades of garbage and chemical contamination took from its vitality. Restoration groups like Save the Great South Bay work to undo the damage.
STGSB worked with the Kiwanis Club of Merrick to clean East Meadow Creek of litter, debris and invasive species on April 26 in celebration of Earth Day.
“As we go back year after year, some places have less garbage, some place have more garbage,” said Robyn Silvestri, the executive director of STGSB.
“It’s one thing to clean up legacy garbage. It’s another thing for the garbage to keep coming back… whatever gets washed up off the streets goes into the storm drains and eventually makes its way into the bay.”
Kim Scharoff is the secretary of the Merrick Kiwanis Club.
“Anybody can come and join us,” she said. “The more people that we have, the more cleanup we can do.”
The group has taken on the role of Creek Defender in partnership with STGSB.
“The Kiwanis Club of Merrick has become the Creek Defender for the Merrick area,” Scharoff said. “It includes a couple of locations that we can pick from to do community cleanups. We’re going to do them at least twice a year.”
The cleanup site was off the side of Meadowbrook Parkway and just south of Babylon Turnpike.
“The Creek Defender program is Save the Great South Bay’s flagship program,” Silvestri explained. “In each of the 16 towns across the South Shore, we have what’s appointed what’s called a Creek Defender.”
Creek Defenders are responsible for
The joint cleanup operation between the Merrick Kiwanis Club and Save the Great South Bay happened at the East Meadow Pond near Meadowbrook
Merrick Kiwanis Club Volunteers Lauren Cassidy and Neil O’Keeffe were able to socialize while contributing to an ecofriendly cause.
facilitating community engagement, helping town residents take action and protect their local ecosystems. In total, the program has led to 87,500 pounds of trash being removed from local waterways since 2017, according to Silvestri.
“Our slogan is start where you stand,” she said. “Start in your own backyard. Start in your own neighborhood… you’re much more likely to have an impact in your local neighborhood than you are on a global issue. We really hope to empower people to feel like they can make a difference.”
After this year’s success, future collaborative cleanup plans between the organizations are in consideration.
n every word typed, in every word researched to ensure its accuracy and appropriateness, there is an invisible editor’s desk behind my dining room table.
Of course, it starts with me and the process from thinking out phrases in my head to finally sitting down and capturing the thoughts, the verbal pathways to lead me and my reader to the final word.
But from the very beginning, I have had to get the confirmation and “sanity check” from any family member who has shared the moment I describe in the articles.
It starts with my son, daughter (and more recently my son-in-law), who are reachable by text, email or stairwell to stop and take a look at the work. The objective is comfort (me) and courtesy (them) noting any changes or concerns. It’s not negotiable, if they are uncomfortable with the writing, it’s deleted. This has gotten me into confrontation with an editor (not at Richner Communications) who required more specifics than our family was willing to share and I reluctantly pulled the piece before it could be published. I have never quite recovered from that disappointment but would do it again in a heartbeat.
before I hit send. Often it is the longest five minutes of my life, but not as long or as bad as awaiting the radiologist’s annual review of a sonogram or MRI.
As he reads, I poke and prod with, “Is it okay? Does it make sense? Does it work?”
And when it doesn’t, because sometimes it doesn’t, there is disappointment, frustration and my demand to justify my approach. Fortunately, reading it as “the common man” he identifies the problems and confusions that a few changes can quickly erase.
There have only been two times in recent memory when I went ahead with my work without his conscientious review: once when he called me out on a piece I could not use under any circumstances and another when I was generally angry and didn’t want to show him anything. In both times he was right, and I was regretfully wrong, proving that you can benefit by editing an approach, as often as the writing.
Yet it is my husband (the editor in chief as it were) who gets a final look
A contributing writer to the Herald since 2012, Lauren Lev is a direct marketing/advertising executive who teaches marketing fundamentals as well as advertising and marketing communications courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology and SUNY Old Westbury.
expression,” she said. “The goal is to help soothe the viewer.”
Works in the exhibit include pieces inspired by cherry blossoms and water, though viewers won’t find clearly defined forms. Instead, Barkan leans into abstraction, inviting people to experience the paintings on an emotional level.
“You really can’t recognize anything right off the bat,” she explained. “But you get the feeling — the vibration — of what it is.”
That emotional response is no accident, even if it isn’t consciously planned. Barkan said her creative process is deeply personal, often rooted in her own need to process and externalize feelings.
“I don’t think about anybody else when I’m painting,” she said. “It’s something I have to get out. It’s really for me.”
Still, she has found that viewers consistently connect with the work in a similar way — often describing a sense of calm or peace.
“I think because I’m trying to soothe myself while painting, it comes through,” she said.
That connection between art and healing traces back to Barkan’s childhood. After undergoing multiple surgeries as a young girl, she found comfort in
making art during hospital stays — an experience that ultimately led her to pursue art therapy as a career.
“It helped me get through a very difficult time,” she said. “It made me feel empowered.”
Today, she applies that same philosophy in both her clinical practice and her personal work, emphasizing authenticity and self-expression. She regularly creates art as a form of self-care, a practice she encourages in her patients as well.
“If I’m asking my clients to do it, I should be doing it too,” she said.
Hosting the exhibit at the library holds special meaning for Barkan, who said the space’s calm, welcoming atmosphere aligns naturally with the tone of the “VIBES” series. She intentionally chose to display work that would complement the environment, offering visitors a quiet moment of escape.
“I wanted people to be able to look up from their studies and just have a moment,” she said.
With the exhibit running through mid-May, Barkan hopes local residents take more than just a visual experience away from the show.
“Life is very stressful right now,” she said. “If people can come in and get even a brief emotional break — a little sense of peace — that’s what I’m hoping to give.”
ONE OF MANY REASONS the Red Devils have established themselves as one of the favorites in Nassau Class A baseball, Torres threw their second no-hitter this spring April 27 in Plainedge’s 8-0 win over Locust Valley. The righthander struck out 15 and walked only one as the Red Devils won their 13th straight game without a loss. The performance upped Torres’ record on the mound to 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA and 0.61 WHIP with 56Ks in 28 innings.
Thursday, May 7
Softball: South Side at Hewlett 4:30 p.m.
Baseball: Plainedge at Mineola 4:45 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse: Seaford at Wantagh 5 p.m.
Baseball: Massapequa at Oceanside 5 p.m.
Baseball: Uniondale at V.S. Central
Softball: Farmingdale at Plainedge
Softball: Baldwin at V.S. North
Softball: Uniondale at Sewanhaka 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: Long Beach at North Shore 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: South Side at Garden City 5 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse: Manhasset at Farmingdale 5:30 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse: Plainedge at South Side 6 p.m.
Baseball: V.S. South at East Rockaway 7 p.m.
Friday, May 8
Softball: Lynbrook at Elmont 4:30 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse: Baldwin at Freeport 5 p.m.
Softball: Glen Cove at Wantagh 5 p.m.
Softball: Mepham at Oceanside 5 p.m.
Softball: East Meadow at Plainedge 5 p.m.
Softball: Garden City at Long Beach 5 p.m.
Baseball: Long Beach at Kennedy 5 p.m.
Baseball: New Hyde Park at Calhoun 5 p.m.
Baseball: Hewlett at Carey 5 p.m.
Baseball: Mepham at Clarke 5 p.m.
nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”
High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a spring sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last year. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.
By PETER SCHWARTZ sports@liherald.com
It’s been a solid season so far for the Calhoun baseball team as it heads towards the postseason with county title hopes.
Last week, the Colts dropped two out of three to South Side, but they enter the finale week of the regular season with a 9-4 record, 6-4 in Conference AA-1.
“We can pitch a little bit,” coach Art Canestro said. “I think we can hit one through nine. We just have to be more consistent defensively and I think we can make a little bit of a run in the playoffs.”
As they say in baseball, you have to have pitching and defense to win and Calhoun is not too shabby in the pitching department.
Junior James Smith provided the biggest performance April 29 as he tossed his second shutout of the season, a three-hit masterpiece in a 6-0 win over South Side that was sandwiched inbetween 10-0 and 16-11 losses. Smith is 2-1 with 0.96 ERA.
“He’s probably one of our better pitchers,” Canestro said. “He gets ahead of you and he has a command arm. He’s a tough pitcher to beat.”
Canestro has also received some strong innings from senior starter/ reliever Nick Rogers and junior reliever Chris Munoz who has a 2-0 record and 1.45 ERA.
Nick Esposito has been outstanding on the mound and at the plate. The junior has a 2-1 record and also plays third base. He has a pair of home runs and 19 RBIs, but it’s what he’s doing on the mound that could signal his future.
“He’s got a D1 arm,” Canestro said. “I think he’s going to pitch in college. He throws the ball very well.”
Junior catcher Andrew Marino leads the team with a .500 batting average and is considered to be the most improved player on the roster after an offseason that saw him work extremely hard.
“He actually grew some which is expected,” Canestro said. “He put on about thirty pounds of muscle so he’s actually having a really nice year.”
Ron Manfredi/Herald
Junior catcher Andrew Marino is raking at the plate for the Colts with a team-leading .500 average.
Other major contributors include senior first baseman Jack Zagariello, senior second baseman Brandon Meyers, junior left fielder Will Hutchinson, and junior outfielder Nick Maresca who is hitting .378.
“When he gets hot, he’s a tough out,” Canestro said of Maresca. “He’s got exceptional speed on the bases and in the outfield so he can be a weapon when he’s seeing the ball well.”
Calhoun will gear up for the playoffs by taking on New Hyde Park this week
in a three-game series that will close out the regular season.
“If we take them lightly, they could beat us,” said Canestro. “But if we do what we know we can do, I think we’ll finish the season with three wins and go into the playoffs on a good note.”
And the postseason is when the fun really starts. Calhoun has all of the pieces to make a run for the Nassau Class AA title, but the key is to tightening up that defense to add to the weapons it has in the lineup and on the mound.
At Mount Sinai South Nassau, patient safety isn’t just a priority— it’s a standard, one we work on every day. And the experts agree.
We’ve earned national recognition for patient safety, including an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group and the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award.
That means better outcomes for our patients with lower risk of infections or hospital acquired conditions.
When it comes to your health, nothing matters more than knowing you’re in a place where patient safety matters most.
Learn more at mountsinai.org/southnassau
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
Voters in the Merrick Union Free School District and the North Merrick Union Free School District will head to the polls to decide on their 2026-27 budgets and board of education seats. Here are three key points:
n Both districts propose budget increases for 2026-27
Merrick is proposing a $63.8 millionbudget, an increase of $1,633,558 over the current year’s $62.2 million spending plan. District officials described the proposal as a balanced approach aimed at maintaining programs and services while responding to economic conditions.
North Merrick’s proposed budget totals $44.3 million, up from $42.6 million, reflecting a $1,644,394 increase. Officials said the plan continues to prioritize instruction, innovation and student success across the district.
n Focus on maintaining programs and expanding student opportunities
In Merrick, the proposed budget maintains all existing programs, staffing levels and student services, while continuing investments in instruction, wellness and school safety. The district also emphasized preserving academic programming and extracurricular opportunities.
In North Merrick, the district is building on recent curriculum initiatives, including literacy programs aligned with the Science of Reading, strengthened math instruction and expanded social studies and science offerings. The budget also supports a K-6 foreign language program and introduces a dedicated technology teacher to enhance coding and digital learning.
n Tax levy increases stay within allowable caps, with added proposition in Merrick
Merrick’s tax levy would increase by 1.73 percent, while North Merrick’s levy would rise by 2.53 percent, both within their allowable limits.
In addition to the budget, Merrick voters will consider Proposition No. 2, which would authorize the use of $2.2 million in capital reserve funds for roof replacements at Birch and Lakeside schools and a boiler replacement at Birch. If approved, the work is expected to be completed in summer 2027 with no additional tax impact.
Residents in both districts will vote on the budgets, board seats and propositions during the upcoming school election.
ward there, and we’re raising money to get them more resources and to redo the hospital.”
Stephanie Roth, Ben’s mother, supported her son every step of the journey to make the event happen.
“He’s cared about mental health causes for a long time,” Stephanie said. “[This is] a really wonderful experience, being able to see these kids come together and play for a good cause — and to come together from five different schools. These kids don’t know each other, but they’re here for a common reason.”
11 bands performed, including Pulse, from Calhoun High School; Spark, from Grand Avenue Middle School; and the Mepham Rock Band. They are part of a broader, blossoming effort to support music in the district.
Superintendent Michael Harrington, who was among the attendees, shared his excitement about the success of the program. “The kids are so talented,” he said. “It gives them a sense of belonging and connection. It makes them get up in the morning and come to school.
“David Prince, our band chairperson, coordinated this whole event for an unbelievable cause, mental health, which is a top priority of ours,” Harrington added. “It’s a celebration of the spirit of our community, which is great.”
Prince is also the math chair for JFK and Merrick Avenue Middle School — and a member of the band Appetite for Instruction, which played a set of its own.
“[I’ve] been a semi-professional musician since I was about 14 years old,” Prince said, “and wanted to create this opportunity for the kids to play music that doesn’t fit otherwise within our orchestral and band curriculum. This is going better than I could have imagined … I just want to give the students an opportunity that I would have loved to have had when I was in school.”
Other school organization contributed to the event as well. Technical Director Ben Stone, a senior at JFK and a member of the school’s broadcasting program, oversaw the recording setup.
“I thought it would be a nice thing to do to do a live mix of the event,” Stone said. “It’s a really amazing opportunity, all this stuff that Kennedy offers, especially in the creatives. I came at such an amazing time that they started putting a bigger emphasis on this.”
From Northwell Health’s perspective, the event was a huge success. “We’re very grateful to community support for wanting to invest in the services of South Oaks,” Deepa Avula, president of both South Oaks and Zucker Hillside hospitals and Northwell’s senior vice president of behavioral health services said. “This funding will go to help sup-
port one of our children’s outpatient programs.”
Those outpatient behavioral services are designed to provide specialized care
for children, using therapy to help them manage their stress, anxiety or depression, and ultimately to help them thrive in their communities.
Ettinger Law Firm promotes the well-being of our clients as well as the public at large. Here are some thoughts to help ease your day.
“All life is an experiment and the more experiments the better”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
“When you’re good to others, you are best to yourself” – Ben Franklin
“The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it”
“Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion” – Ben Franklin
– Brian Tracy
to your rep today or contact Rhonda at (516) 569-4000 x250 or rglickman@liherald.com. Don’t miss the bus reserve your space now!
“Nothing in life is so hard that you can’t make it easier by the way you take it” – Ellen Glasgow
– Zen saying
“Accept what is. All pain comes from resistance”
“Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die” – Buddha
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – Shakespeare
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all the others” – Cicero
“Life appears to me to be too short to be spent in nursing animosity or regret”
– Charlotte Bronte
“Not money, or success, or position, or travel, or love makes happiness - service is the secret”
– Kathleen Norris
“To understand all is to forgive all” – Evelyn Waugh
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
For Robert Wilson, what began as a way to pass time during the pandemic turned into a journey across the globe — and ultimately, a finish line in Boston that marked the completion of one of running’s most prestigious achievements.
The 36-year-old Bellmore native crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 20, earning the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal after completing all six of the world’s major marathons.
“It’s definitely a special moment,” Wilson said. “I think that’s the best word to describe it.”
Wilson, who attended Winthrop Avenue School, Shore Road School and Grand Avenue Middle School before going on to Kellenberg Memorial High School, discovered distance running late. A former soccer and baseball player, he didn’t begin running seriously until the early days of COVID-19.
“I remember taking my first run — about five miles — and I was gassed,” he said. “It was really tough. But I had time, and I just wanted to get a little bit better each day.”
At the time, Wilson was back on Long Island after leaving his apartment in Long Island City. What started as a daily routine quickly evolved into something more.
He ran his first marathon, the New York City Marathon, in 2021, expecting it to be a one-time experience.
“I thought I’d be one and done,” he said. “But after that first race, I immediately signed up for the next one.”
It wasn’t until he traveled overseas for the London Marathon in 2023 that Wilson began to consider a larger goal. With each race, he was drawn not only to the challenge, but to the experience of running through some of the world’s most iconic cities.
That journey eventually took him to all six World Marathon Majors — including Tokyo, Berlin and Chicago — though the path was not without challenges.
During the Berlin Marathon, Wilson endured grueling heat that climbed into the 80s, forcing him to adjust expectations mid-race.
“The last five or six miles were brutal,” he said. “I was in a med tent afterward. It was definitely one of the toughest physically.”
In contrast, the Tokyo Marathon stood out as one of his most enjoyable races, thanks to seamless organization and a scenic course.
Still, Wilson said the most meaningful moments often came down to the people. During the Chicago Marathon, a fellow runner helped him push through severe leg cramps in the final miles, allowing him to fin -
ish under his goal time.
“There’s definitely a sense of community,” Wilson said. “People just want to help each other get to the finish line.”
That sense of connection extended across continents, with Wilson recalling chance encounters with runners he met in one city and saw again in another.
But it was Boston that brought everything full circle.
The race’s famed Heartbreak Hill tested runners late in the course, but once Wilson reached the top, he knew he was close. As he passed through Boston College — where he briefly attended before transferring to University of Notre Dame — he exchanged high-fives with cheering students.
“It was a super fun part of the race,” he said.
By the final miles, the energy of the city carried him forward. Crowds swelled near the finish line, bolstered by fans leaving a nearby Boston Red Sox game. Seeing his parents along the course added to the moment.
“It felt like everything came together,” Wilson said.
For his father, Jeff Wilson, the achievement reflected years of dedication behind the scenes.
“We’re proud of him — the dedication and everything else that it took,” Jeff Wilson said. “We know how much he wanted to accomplish it, so we were backing him the whole way.”
Watching from the sidelines, he said, brought its own challenges.
“You don’t realize how stressful it is watching someone run a marathon until you’re doing it,” he said. He added that the preparation often stood out more than the races themselves.
“The training runs were probably tougher than the marathons,” Jeff Wilson said. “He’d get out of work at 10 o’clock at night and then go run 20 miles.”
Now working as a tax attorney in New York City, Wilson said balancing marathon training with a demanding career required discipline — often running early in the morning or late at night.
“I’m a 4 a.m. runner, a 10 p.m. runner,” he said. “You just find the time.”
Through the experience, he said, he developed a deeper appreciation for the sport’s inclusivity.
“You see people of all shapes, sizes and abilities out there,” Wilson said. “It’s not just for elite athletes. It’s for everybody.”
For now, Wilson is taking time to reflect on how far he’s come — from a difficult five-mile run during the pandemic to completing six of the most prestigious marathons in the world.
“I hope somebody reads this and gets inspired to get out and run,” he said.
Mery and Sindy always knew they wanted to open a spa to bring beauty to customers. Little did they know it would have the same effect on the community. And Business First was there. We provided $23,000 in grants to help with much-needed renovations so Mery and Sindy could bring their vision to life.* Now, not only does their spa impact clients in a beautiful way, it gives the community an economic lift as well.
grants, and savings will vary with every project.
Take pride in your community…represent your hometown…play for MERRICK!!
The Merrick PAL Travel Soccer program will be holding tryouts for its 2026/27 boys and girls travel soccer teams. PLAYERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS ARE WELCOME TO TRYOUT. Tryout dates and times for all Merrick PAL Travel Soccer teams are listed below. IMPORTANT… If you cannot make the tryout dates shown, expect to be late due to prior commitments, or have any questions prior to the tryout, please email or call the contact information below. We will work to accommodate you. PLEASE PLAN TO ARRIVE AT LEAST 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED TRYOUT TIME IN ORDER TO CHECK-IN, REGISTER AND BEGIN WARMING UP. (NOTE: Qualifying age requirements are specified below.)
1st
1st
Tryouts • Birth Year 2009 - 2011
1st Date:Tuesday, May 19, 2026 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM Brookside Admin1st Date:Tuesday, May 19, 2026 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
2nd Date:Thursday, May 21, 2026
1st
2nd
To register for the tryouts please use the following link: https://campscui.active.com/orgs/ ManfredKapperSoccerInc?season=3815241
For the Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 Seasons - The league is moving to a August 1st - July 31st age bracket - we're here to assist - please reach out to Skip Haile for any clarifications - merricksoccerclub@gmail.com
TRYOUT LOCATION: Brookside Admin / School: 1260 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, NY 11566
Questions please reach out to call / email 516-410-3762 or 516-867-6279 / Merricksoccerclub@gmail.com
Brookside Admin / School: 1260 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick Questions please reach out to call / email 516-410-3762 / Merricksoccerclub@gmail.com To register for the tryouts please use the following QR Code:
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
Boy Scouts from Troop 123 in North Merrick turned a few hours of community service into a major show of generosity, collecting a large supply of food and essential items to restock the Sister Patricia Turley, CSJ Food Pantry at Sacred Heart Church on April 19.
Stationed outside Stop & Shop locations in Merrick and Bellmore, Scouts spent roughly three hours asking shoppers to pick up extra items for donation. What followed, according to Assistant Scoutmaster Tom Ferrante— who has been involved with the troop for about five years — exceeded expectations.
“We were floored by the amount of support that the community gave us,” he said. “People were bringing full carts of items — groceries, soaps, detergents — everything that the pantry needed.”
The effort was organized as a way for the troop to give back to Sacred Heart Church, which sponsors the group and provides space for meetings and activities. When troop leaders learned the pantry was running low, they stepped in to help.
Anne Heverin, who runs the pantry, said the impact was immediate.
“It was fantastic,” she said. “They provided me with an enormous amount of food to restock our shelves.”
The pantry serves about 35 families,
providing breakfast, lunch and dinner items to those in need, and remains open to anyone in the community seeking assistance.
After collecting donations, Scouts transported what amounted to several SUV loads of food to the church. They didn’t just drop it off — they stayed to help sort and stock shelves, organizing everything from canned goods to pantry
staples.
“When they came, I had the boys stock the shelves in the pantry,” Heverin said.
“The older boys directed the younger boys, and within 45 minutes, they had everything organized beautifully.”
In addition to food donations, the troop also collected $365 in cash contributions, which will help the pantry purchase perishable items such as meat.
Troop 123 includes Scouts ranging in age from about 11 to 17, and recently saw its membership grow significantly after welcoming a large group of new recruits. For many of the younger Scouts, the food drive marked one of their first experiences with community service.
“It shows them a whole different side of the community that they might not recognize,” Ferrante said. “They see that there are families who need help, and it teaches them how important it is to give back.”
Heverin said the experience also benefited the Scouts by exposing them to the importance of helping others.
“It’s a great way for them to develop community spirit and community service,” she said. “I think they enjoyed the experience, worked very hard, and were proud of themselves for what they did.”
That lesson, Ferrante added, extends beyond a single event. The troop regularly participates in community efforts, from assisting at local festivals to helping with projects at the church.
“It’s contagious,” he said. “When you do something like this, everyone feels good about it — and it makes you want to do more.”
For Heverin, the support reflects a broader truth about the community.
“It takes a village to survive our economic times,” she said. “These young men helped their peers, helped the elderly — anyone who really needs help.”
ROOTED IN STRENGTH
Glen Cove Hospital
Northwell Health
Abigail Dunne’s path into healthcare began during her high school years in Locust Valley.
“I went to Locust Valley High School and I took an EMT course and I started volunteering in the Bayville Fire Department as an EMT,” Dunne, 23, says. “I decided that I really enjoyed helping people and I really liked being able to help people in ways that others couldn’t necessarily.”
Her experience in emergency medical services shaped her decision to pursue nursing, to provide what she described as a deeper level of care.
“So it was more than just offering emotional support, but now it’s like physical support and seeing people get better, get stronger. It’s just been something that’s always made me feel really good. I just love helping people.”
Dunne went on to attend nursing school while a nursing assistant at Glen Cove Hospital, where she has been employed since September 2022.
“I’ve worked at Glen Cove ... I was a nursing assistant during nursing school.”
She relates that her role as a nurse centers on compassion and service to others.
“I feel like being a nurse, it’s really just about being able to give to other people. We know people are sick and being able to help them definitely is very rewarding in itself.”
Healthcare runs in her family. Her sister works in EMS and as a nurse at Plainview Hospital, and her greatgrandfather was a doctor.
- As told to Roksana Amid
Tameka Wallace, 42, vice president and chief nursing officer at Glen Cove Hospital, did not initially plan a career in health care.
“My path was finance,” Wallace says, explaining that she once hoped to pursue her father’s career path. “I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. He worked on Wall Street, and I was always fascinated.”
Her trajectory shifted after she took a job in hospitality services at North Shore University Hospital at age 16. By 18, she had moved onto a Telemetry unit, where she discovered her passion for patient care.
“Once I was able to get on the first unit, I fell in love with patient care services.”
That experience, coupled with working alongside her mother, helped shape her future.
“I actually started nursing school with my mom. We did nursing school together, and we actually graduated together as well.”
Wallace, who has been with Northwell Health for 26 years and a nurse for more than two decades, shares that her work is rooted in advocacy and compassion.
“What nursing means to me is being the patient and caregiver’s advocate; making sure that they feel that they are at home, away from home. You want to put the patient at ease at a very tough time in their life.”
Now in a leadership role, Wallace aims to highlight the broader impact of the profession.
“My goal is to make sure that we get the word out on how special nursing is. It’s not just being at the bedside, we touch so many people in so many ways.”
- As told to Roksana Amid
St. John's Episcopal Hospital
Episcopal Health Services
As a child, I have always had a love for medicine. One of my first toys was a stethoscope, and I loved to play doctor and surgery on my dolls. My favorite television shows have been related to medicine. My late father would say “Medicine is in your blood! You’re born with it!”
One day, I could not help but to ask my father why he said this. He went on to explain that his aunt worked as an RN in England for over 20 years, and my grandmother worked as a CNA. As I thought about this, I realized that he was right! Some of my fondest memories as a child are of my family members caring for the elders.
Upon further reflection I realized my most cherished childhood memories involve my family instinctively knowing how to care for our elders, anticipating their needs for healing or comfort. As I matured, the realization struck me: the care, compassion, attentiveness, and nurturing instinct that is within me, is the core of nursing. Almost instinctively knowing what's needed to heal or cure others.
Throughout my professional life, I have had the privilege of working in diverse settings, and those fundamental nursing principles have remained constant. Today, I am incredibly proud and grateful to be a registered nurse.
St. John's Episcopal Hospital
Episcopal Health Services
My desire to become a nurse was shaped early in life, growing up surrounded by healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, physicians and a long line of nurses across various specialties. It felt like a path I was always meant to follow.
Although I briefly pursued a degree in business administration, it didn’t take long for me to return to my true calling. My journey began as an EMT, where I was known for going above and beyond in patient care, showing compassion, empathy and a commitment to doing my best. My curiosity led me to seek more than just immediate care. I wanted to understand what happened to my patients after I transferred them and how their care continued.
This curiosity led me to work as a Behavioral Health Technician for five years, where I supported patients on a Behavioral Health unit. There, I saw firsthand the profound impact nurses had through compassion, teaching and therapeutic interventions. I found fulfillment in reinforcing coping skills and lessons patients could carry back into their communities. Ultimately, my experiences, curiosity and support system guided me to nursing.
Now, after one year as a nurse, I embrace my role as an educator, advocate and leader entrusted with lives and responsible for making a meaningful difference. I chose nursing to be a positive force in the lives of patients and their families, to educate them in ways they can understand, and to serve as an example that empowers others to advocate for themselves and pursue nursing as well.
At Mount Sinai, we proudly honor the strength, compassion, and expertise of our nurses, and recognize the essential role they play in caring for our patients and supporting the communities we serve.
Mount Sinai’s nursing team creates excellence together every day. Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside and Mount Sinai Queens have each earned the prestigious Magnet® Recognition three times consecutively, while The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan has received this distinction five times in succession—an honor achieved by less than 3 percent of hospitals in the United States. This recognition reflects an unwavering commitment to exceptional patient care and consistently better outcomes.
As we celebrate Nurses Week, we proudly recognize the dedication and excellence of the nurses who make this achievement possible every day. mountsinai.org
Dedicated to our communities. ,
Always leading. Always caring. Always learning.
They comfort, advocate, heal and inspire — often all in the same shift. Nurses bring skill, compassion and unwavering dedication to every patient encounter while helping shape the future of healthcare through leadership, education and innovation.
During National Nurses Week, we pause to recognize the extraordinary professionals who stand at the heart of our healthcare system. From routine visits to life-saving emergencies, from welcoming new beginnings to offering comfort in life’s most difficult moments, nurses are there through it all.
Their work demands resilience, expertise and endless empathy. We depend on their steady presence and commitment every day. Simply put, healthcare would not function without them.
In this special photo essay by Photo Editor Tim Baker, we celebrate these everyday heroes through images that capture their care, courage and commitment — and the countless ways they make a difference in our communities. We thank you. We celebrate you. We see you.
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8.
JENNIFER ERDMAN PSINAKIS, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, PCCN
NYU Langone Hospital
Long Island
I have been a nurse at NYU Langone Hospital - Long Island for close to 15 years on a Surgical Telemetry unit specializing in cardiothoracic surgery patients. It is the first unit I started on, and I am still working on that unit to this day! It is a very special unit staffed with very special people, some who have grown to be my closest friends. I am on many hospital councils and committees, and am a boardcertified holistic nurse.
I became a nurse out of a deeprooted desire to care for others and to form meaningful human connections. From an early age, I was drawn to roles that allowed me to support, comfort and uplift those around me, and nursing provided a natural path to turn that passion into a profession. To me, nursing is far more than clinical skill or technical knowledge — it is the privilege of being present for individuals during some of the most vulnerable and significant moments of their lives.
My greatest fulfillment comes from building trust with my patients, understanding their stories and providing care that honors not only their physical needs but also their emotional and personal experiences. Nursing means advocating, listening and showing compassion in a way that helps patients feel seen, heard and valued. It is both a responsibility and a profound honor to walk alongside patients and their families, offering support, dignity and genuine human connections when it matters most.
ADRIENNE KINCH BSN, RN, CPAN, PGMT-BC
NYU Langone Hospital
Long Island
My career as a nurse has been deeply rewarding and a lifelong journey of learning. Nursing has been my profession for almost 48 years, and I cherish every experience — whether happy or sad.
As a teenager, I lost my grandfather to a heart attack, and I felt helpless. I began volunteering at a hospital, where I realized it was my life’s calling. It became very important to me to pursue a career that would allow me to make a difference in people’s lives and give me the opportunity to help others. Nursing was the perfect fit.
I have had the privilege of working at NYU Langone Hospital - Long Island for 36 years in the PACU. Prior to that, I spent 10 years as an ICU nurse and two years on a medical-surgical floor. I feel incredibly fortunate to have built such a fulfilling career at NYU Langone - Long Island and to have gained a second work family.
Helping new nurses grow and succeed is truly my passion. Teamwork and the ability to contribute to improving the quality of patient care have motivated me throughout the years. I credit my peers, my patients, and the support of leadership for helping me grow both professionally and personally.
Nursing has given me a profound sense of purpose and a lasting passion that has brought meaning to my life. If I can give hope to someone who is sick and see it in their eyes, then I am fulfilled. Sharing human experiences and showing kindness through serving others has made me a better person and helped me overcome some of my own life’s heartaches through the strength of those around me.
Amarpreet Kaur began her nursing career at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hospital last March, working on the hospital’s Medical-Surgical unit with a focus on older adult care.
Her path to nursing was shaped by early experiences after immigrating to the United States from India in 2008. As a child, she often assisted her father during medical appointments, translating and observing the role communication plays in patient care.
“It was their dream of {my brother and me] basically getting our degrees in the medical field, and then coming back and giving back to the community,” Kaur says. “That's something that we always do here and there. When we go back, we set up a camp back home. Even if it is just checking their finger sticks for blood sugar levels or their blood pressure in the community, it's so fascinating to them. That's not something that people often do there.”
Kaur pursued a degree in biology before completing her nursing education at LIU Brooklyn in 2024.
Kaur shares she was drawn to nursing to combine compassion, advocacy and clinical knowledge while supporting patients during vulnerable moments. Since starting at the hospital, she has completed a nurse residency program and taken on additional responsibilities, including serving as a diabetes resource on her unit. She has also contributed to initiatives focused on improving care for older adults and reducing complications such as falls and delirium.
Looking ahead, Kaur plans to pursue certification in gerontology and begin graduate studies in informatics, with the goal of enhancing patient care through both clinical practice and technology.
- As told to Angelina Zingariello
Northwell
Long Island Jewish Valley Stream
Elizabeth McGrath has worked in nursing since 2010, building her career in high-acuity settings before transitioning to Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hospital to serve her local community.
A Franklin Square resident, she spent more than a decade working in Emergency and Intensive Care units in the Bronx before joining the Valley Stream hospital in 2022 as an Emergency Department nurse.
“I've always wanted to be a nurse,” McGrath says. “I've always had a passion for helping people since a very young age. I think my faith in Catholicism played a lot in wanting to provide equitable care, especially for underprivileged populations.”
After two years in the Emergency Department, she stepped into her current role as an associate educator, where she supports the development of new and experienced nurses. Her responsibilities include onboarding staff, leading training programs and coordinating educational initiatives tailored to the needs of the department.
“I'm the first nurse in my family on all sides,” McGrath says. “Actually, I am very happy to say my daughter wants to become an Emergency Department nurse, just like me. So, perhaps there will be a second nurse in the family one day.”
She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in nursing education through Jacksonville University and expects to graduate next year. McGrath relates tht teaching has been a long-standing goal, allowing her to share her experience while supporting the next generation of nurses. She remains closely connected to clinical work by assisting staff during critical situations and staying engaged in patient care environments.
- As told to Angelina Zingariello
Prepare for your healthcare career—or advance the one you have.
Adelphi is a U.S. News & World Report Best College for Nursing, offering: • BS in Nursing • Accelerated BS in Nursing*
We’re also a U.S. News & World Report Best Grad School for Nursing, offering:
• MS in Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• MS in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• MS in Healthcare Informatics • MS in Nursing Education • Master of Public Health • PhD in Nursing • DNP in Adult Gerontology Primary Care • DNP in Psychiatric Mental Health
Clinical partnerships include Catholic Health, NYU Langone Health, Northwell Health, Mount Sinai Health System, New York-Presbyterian and New York City Health + Hospitals. Visit adelphi.edu/nursingdegree *Now offered in Garden City and Adelphi’s new Manhattan Center
Mount
Becoming a nurse has been my dream since childhood. This aspiration began when I had to care for my father at a very young age. Sadly, he passed away shortly after I graduated from nursing school, but his memory continues to inspire my passion for this profession.
Nursing is a noble calling. The ability to care for others and help save lives is both a privilege and a gift — one that I carry with deep pride. For the past 25 years, I have dedicated myself to this profession, including 13 meaningful years at Mount Sinai South Nassau.
Throughout my career, nursing has taught me far more than clinical and technical skills. It has instilled in me the values of compassion, dedication and selflessness. In this profession, I learned that true fulfillment comes from serving others with a selfless heart. Helping without expecting anything in return and choosing to do what is right even when no one is watching.
Currently I work on F3, the Oncology Med-Surg/Telemetry unit, where teamwork and service are at the heart of everything we do. I work with amazing colleagues where we do more than just care for patients; we care for one another. We stand side by side like a family, lifting each other up and sharing both the burdens and the victories.
Over the years, MSSN has faced many changes and challenges. Yet, one thing has remained constant: our deep sense of belonging. We do not simply work here; we consider this institution our second home and continue to serve with compassion and purpose.
Mount
Born in South Nassau, raised in the Oceanside community and now serving patients within it, my journey into nursing has truly come full circle. I began my nursing career in 2016, driven by a passion for helping others. A passion instilled in me early on through the values of my parents, who were both nurses.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of growing within the profession, starting as a bedside nurse, advancing to Assistant Nurse Manager, and now serving as a Nurse Informaticist. Each role has shaped my perspective and strengthened my commitment to patient care. While my responsibilities have changed, the core of why I chose nursing has remained the same.
To me, nursing is more than caring for the illness in front of me. It is about recognizing the individual behind the diagnosis. It is about understanding that every patient has a story, a family, a life beyond the hospital room. Nursing means showing up for people during some of their most vulnerable moments and providing not only clinical care, but also compassion, dignity and support.
In my current role, I contribute to patient care on a broader level by improving systems and implementing technologies that empower nurses and enhance the care experience for patients. Supporting nurses in delivering safe, efficient and high-quality care is just as important as the outcomes themselves, as it ultimately shapes every patient's interaction. No matter the setting, my goal remains the same: to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
I am grateful for the opportunities that have brought me to this point and for the ability to continue serving others through nursing.
Bethany Lawson’s path to nursing began with a simple instinct: to care for others. Growing up, she was drawn to comforting people in difficult moments, a trait that steadily evolved into a calling.
Today, Lawson is a medical-surgical nurse at Mercy Hospital, where she has worked for 13 years, first as a patient care assistant before earning her nursing degree.
Her role is wide-ranging, from caring for psychiatric and elderly patients to performing IV therapy and phlebotomy. The variety keeps her engaged, but it is her mindset that defines her work. She approaches every patient as if they were family, a perspective that guides her through long hours and difficult days.
“What keeps me going is I come to work every day, and I always treat my patients like they're my mom, my sister, my brother, my grandparents. The fulfillment I get from knowing I've done my part is unmatched, and it continues to motivate me to show up every day with the same passion and dedication.”
Lawson relates her decision to advance in the field came early in her career, when she realized she wanted to do more for her patients. That drive pushed her back to school and ultimately into nursing, where she could expand her skills and impact.
She credits the supportive, familyoriented environment at Mercy Hospital for helping her grow, noting that colleagues encourage one another to improve and deliver the highest level of care to the community they serve each day.
“Nursing means helping others when they're unable to help themselves, putting my patients' needs at the forefront, and caring for them the way I would care for myself or my loved ones.”
- As told to Brian Kacharaba
Gabrielle Del Gatto discovered her calling in nursing after initially pursuing a career in education, ultimately realizing she wanted to serve people more directly in their most vulnerable moments.
Drawn to the emotional and clinical demands of patient care, she entered the nursing profession in December 2024 and quickly found meaning in the fast-paced, high-responsibility environment of the hospital setting.
On a Medical-Surgical unit, she cares for a diverse mix of patients, managing multiple assignments per shift while striving to improve each patient’s experience through attentive care each day on the unit.
“Honestly, I'm very religious, so I always wanted to work for Catholic Health hospitals because they just align with my values,” she says. “But for me, God is my never-ending motivation. Every single patient that has stood in my path, I know that they're sent to me from God. So even if things seem like they're not going the way they're meant to be, I know it's all part of the plan, and I don't question it.”
Early in her career, Del Gatto found affirmation after forming a strong connection with a patient and family, an experience that led to a Daisy Award nomination just five months after practicing independently and reinforced her sense of purpose.
“My favorite part is when a patient looks me in the eye and tells me that they appreciate everything [I’ve done for them]. It is the best feeling in the whole entire world.”
She credits Mercy Hospital’s supportive culture and teamwork for helping her grow, noting the hospital’s shared commitment to compassionate care and the opportunity to learn and develop as a new nurse at Mercy.
- As told to Brian Kacharaba
Nicolette Mascioli spent eight days in March on a mission trip to Guatemala. It was not a glamorous, Instagram-worthy vacation. Instead, she and other volunteers — through her alma mater Sacred Heart University — provided care in remote villages. Anyone who knows the 24-year-old Farmingdale native would not be surprised.
Today Nicolette is a registered nurse at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center in New Hyde Park, specializing in a Post-Surgical unit that handles everything from neurosurgery and plastic surgery to colorectal procedures and hysterectomies.
She started her volunteer streak at age 15 when she spent time with the child life program at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park by entertaining, playing and bonding with sick youngsters. She followed that up as an LIJ volunteer. Little did she realize that a career in nursing — let alone a staff role at LIJ — would be in her future. After all, no one in her family had pursued a career in health care.
“I’m grateful to have made an impact on someone else’s life — even a little,” says Nicolette, the oldest of three sisters. “I feel like I do learn something new every day. I did not expect the opportunities that I’ve had through nursing.”
The Guatemala mission through her Catholic university was made possible by a donation from LIJ to cover her travel expenses. Nicolette brought back a greater appreciation of the need in the world and good she can do.
“It was life changing,” she says. “It really reshapes your perception.”
SMALL, RN Northwell
Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Melissa Small went away to college, a Jamaican immigrant living the American dream. But the leap proved too great financially and she was soon back in Brooklyn working a string of department store jobs. She even considered joining the U.S. military. Then a chance encounter with a nursing assistant who sold an alternative future pushed her into health care.
Today Melissa, 40, of Jamaica, Queens, is a registered nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center — the last 13 years in the same unit. Eight Tower is LIJ’s surgical oncology floor, with a focus on abdominal, lung and pancreatic surgery patients.
Looking back, the climb up seemed improbable. She worked in a nursing home, then received certifications for phlebotomy and electrocardiogram testing. Her big break was landing a temp job at LIJ, which eventually grew into full-time employment.
“I would recommend health care if your heart is in it,” Melissa says. “I can’t imagine my life not being by the bedside. I like to be around people — our patients are like family — so nursing is great for that.”
Northwell helped fuel her growth. Aided by tuition reimbursement, she earned an Associate’s degree in Nursing followed by her Bachelor’s degree.
The leveling up of her career continues. Commuting part-time to New Jersey, she graduates from William Paterson University on May 20 with a Master of Science in Nursing, part of its family nurse practitioner program.
“Northwell has encouraged me to do more. The opportunity is there if it’s in you to do more."
– As told to Jason Molinet
– As told to Jason Molinet
By Nick Mongiovi
Long Island has been home for the Ducks for 26 seasons in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), and who better to add to a successful organization than a former CY Young Award winner?
Trevor Bauer signed with the Ducks on April 2, after pitching the last five years in Japan and Mexico. Long Island went 72-54 in 2025, as it looks to build upon last year’s success with speed and dominant pitching.
“When we signed guys, we were looking for guys that wanted to win, wanted to be here and further their careers,” says third-year manager Lew Ford, the franchise’s all-time hits leader. “They’re going to play hard. I think the fans enjoy that and that’s the kind of baseball we want to play.”
Last year’s Ducks led the league in pitching, finished in second in both fielding and hitting, and broke a team record for most stolen bases in a season with 239. Before last season, Ford emphasized speed, reiterating “The game is moving a lot towards speed.”
“We’re very happy with all these guys,” he says “They can still run, hit and play defense. We have a good mix of veterans and younger guys, too.”
Bauer is the name that’ll bring the reigning No. 1 pitching staff to the next level. He received the nod from Ford to be the team’s Opening Day starter on April 21 against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. The 10-year MLB veteran struck out eight but surrendered five hits, three walks and two runs in four innings of work in the 7-0 loss. Bauer, who followed his Ducks debut with a dominant no-hitter, makes his return to the United States to pitch on American soil for the first time since 2021 with a “hate to lose” mentality.
“They’ve had a lot of good players here,” Bauer says, on why he chose the Ducks. “A lot of guys have come through here and then signed elsewhere, kind of elevated their careers. All the guys who have been here and have had a really good time here, so that’s part of it. They win. I don’t like losing.
Infielder Wilmer Difo brings MLB experience.
creation to be featured on his and the team’s social media and streaming outlets.
“We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island,” Ducks President/CBO Michael Pfaff says. “His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball. We felt that was a unique and interesting approach. He’s got very unique content, and his approach is overwhelmingly positive.”
Along with Bauer, the Ducks’ starting rotation features Island Park native Ryan Sandberg, who was the team’s most reliable and dominant starter, Nolan Clinton, Harrison Francis and Michael Dominguez. Sandberg pitched to a 3.82 ERA in 91.2 innings of work, striking out 73 batters,
Familiarity returns in the bullpen for Long Island as Jacob Asa, Garrett Crowley, Tanner Jacobsen, Ryan Langford, Michael Reed and Ramon Santos all return.
“Most of these guys came halfway through the year; they had a lot of success here,” Ford adds.
“Ramon Santos, being our closer, had under a one ERA, did a very good job for us.”
Dix Hills native Matt Hogan is the starting center fielder.
Ben Folds is widely regarded as one of the major music influencers of his generation is joined by multitalented actress-singer-composer Lindsey Kraft. Known for pushing genre boundaries, Folds first rose to prominence with Ben Folds Five before launching a wide-ranging solo career that blends sharp lyricism, piano-driven melodies and orchestral ambition. His recent work reflects his deep engagement with orchestral music, including a live album featuring an olrchestral performance of his hits recorded just before concluding his eight-year tenure as Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center — an appointment that marked a first for the role. Today, he continues to move fluidly between pop tours and performances with leading orchestras worldwide, while also developing new work for film, television and theater.
Friday, May 8, 8 p.m. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
“Teams I’ve been on have been in the playoffs the last decade, except for 2019, when I was traded. “So I want the chance to be in the playoffs and play for something meaningful at the end of the year. Checks that box here. Great market, big in New York, with a huge baseball market. There are a lot of things that are important to me that go on here.”
meaningful at the end of the year. Checks that box are
Additionally, Bauer will be “Mic’d Up” for all games and practices for the purposes of content
He possesses “a lot of speed and defense,” Ford says. It’s a “full-circle moment” for Hogan, who grew up attending Ducks games.
“I remember I sat up in that box up there with my aunt and uncle,” Hogan says, reminiscing on his time as a kid coming to Ducks games. “So coming here and being able to enjoy the time here and have my family come to games. It’s my first time playing on Long Island in about eight years. It’s humbling, it feels good. I’m excited to be here and really play with this team.”
Tickets can be purchased online at LIDucks.com, by calling (631) 940-TIXX, or in person at the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office in Central Islip. All games will be streamed on HomeTeam Network (HTN) with a paid subscription.
Some promotions include fireworks at all Saturday home games, sunglasses to the first 1,500 fans May 17, and Bark in the Park with Ducks patriotic hats July 1.
here and being able to enjoy the time here and have my family come to with
Big band energy meets Jamaican soul. The unique 20-piece band blends the exuberant musical layers of the jazz Big Band era with Jamaican roots music. Their sound is powered by a passionate team of talented musicians, each bringing unique energy and expertise to create an unforgettable experience. Led by trumpeter and vocalist Kevin Batchelor, and featuring Jamaican music legend 87-year-young celebrated percussionist/vocalist Larry MacDonald on congas and vocals, and Jamaican master drummer Carl Wright, band creates and perform lush original compositions and arrangements of classic songs from the rich and culturally iconic Jamaican music of ska, mento, rock steady, reggae, and jazz from the 1950s, ’60s and ‘70s.
Friday, May 8, 8 p.m. $91, $42, $37. andmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.
7
Library art exhibit
North Merrick Library presents a solo exhibition by Merrick resident Mia Barkan.
• Where: 1691 Meadowbrook Road
• Time: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Contact: nmerricklibrary.org
8
Friday Night Car Show
Drop by to check out hundreds of antique and custom cars, every Friday, through Oct. 30.
• Where: Bellmore LIRR parking lot on Broadway between Bellmore and Bedford avenues
• Time: 5-10 p.m.
theater
Long Island Children’s Museum stages “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!,” back at the museum by popular demand. With a script written by Mo Willems, the creator of the award-winning “Pigeon” picture books, and featuring music by Deborah Wicks La Puma (Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!), this show is even more fun than staying up late and having a hot dog party! It’s not easy being the Pigeon since you never get to do anything. But when the Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers (gasp!) late, maybe that wily bird can finally do something. Featuring an innovative mix of songs, and feathers, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! is sure to get everyone’s wings flapping. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon.; also May 13-14
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
MAY
VFW Auxiliary Fundraiser
9
Enjoy a variety of scones, teas, sandwiches and desserts. $30, $20 12 and under. Reservations required.
• Where: 2400 Bedford Ave.
• Time: 1-4 p.m.
• Contact: Kathy at (516) 305-3139
Eisenhower Craft Fair
Check out the many craft vendors at Eisenhower Park.
• Where: Eisenhower Park, Field 8
• When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. also May 10, weather permitting
• Contact: NassauCountyFairs.com
Flowers are happening at Long Island Children’s Museum. As the weather gets warmer, the world around us starts blooming! Join the Green Teens and learn about the importance of flowers in our natural world.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: Noon-2 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
19
Author visit Sarah Hurwitz, former chief speechwriter for Michelle Obama discusses her new book, “As a Jew” at Merrick Jewish Centre
• Where: 225 Fox Blvd.
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 379-8650
North Merrick BOE meets
The Board of Education holds its next meeting. Stay up to date on district issues.
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 8 p.m.
The Wallflowers mark the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album “Bringing Down the Horse” on their latest tour, with a special full-album performance at the Paramount, presenting the record in sequence from start to finish. Originally released in 1996, the album became a defining success of the decade, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and going quadruple platinum. It produced a string of major hits, including “6th Avenue Heartache,” “The Difference,” and the Grammy-winning “One Headlight,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of the era’s most recognizable rock singles. Led by songwriter Jakob Dylan, the band draws on classic American rock influences such as The Band and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — a legacy echoed in the tour’s additional tribute segment to Petty, including a full performance of the 1982 album Long After Dark. Over the years, Dylan has remained a consistent figure in rock music, collaborating widely and appearing in projects such as Echo in the Canyon alongside artists including Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Beck, Norah Jones and others. The Wallflowers also recently supported Eric Clapton on his 2025 U.S. tour, continuing their long-standing presence on major stages.
‘The Enchantment of Strings’
Visit Old Westbury Gardens for an evening of chamber music as presents in the intimate and elegant Red Ballroom. Ensemblein-residence Poetica Musica Quartet featuring Eric Wyrick, violin; Eugene Moye, cello; and guest artists Janey Choi, violin; and Michael Roth, viola, performs a captivating program including works by Ravel, Mendelssohn, and Dvorák
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
MAY 13
Tweens/teens in grades 6-12 are welcome to stop by Bellmore Library to play Super Smash Bros. Library controllers are provided.
• Where: 2288 Bedford Ave.
• Time: 3:45-4:30 p.m.
• Contact: bellmorelibrary.org
Roberto Fabbri
The Internationally acclaimed classical guitar virtuoso brings his signature blend of precision
and expressive artistry to the Madison Theatre stage. A prolific performer and educator, Fabbri has built a global reputation that extends well beyond the concert hall. His more than 40 guitar publications — translated into five languages, including Chinese — have reached an audience of over 300,000 readers worldwide, underscoring his influence on both aspiring musicians and seasoned players Fabbri is a frequent guest at leading international guitar festivals and has performed in many of the world’s most renowned concert venues, where he also conducts masterclasses. His recording career has further expanded his reach.
• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444
Tote Bag
15
Decorating
Decorate tote bags at Bellmore Library to be given out to the adult summer reading club participants.
• Where: 2288 Bedford Ave.
• Time: 3:45-4:45 p.m.
• Contact: bellmorelibrary.org
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
16
Old Westbury Gardens welcomes internationally acclaimed artist Sean Kenney and his Nature Connects exhibition. Explore 17 largerthan-life sculptures inspired by the wonders of the natural world — each built from over 300,000 LEGO® bricks. Vibrant and imaginative, these creations blend art, science, and nature, offering visitors of all ages a playful new way to experience the gardens. Opens May 16 and is on view through Sept. 7. Tickets required.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: Ongoing
• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
Get your garden going at the annual plant sale. Select from native perennials, ornamental plants, and houseplants grown by club members. Get free advice from Cornell Master Gardeners! Cash only.
• Where: 150 Woodpecker Lane
• Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Contact: merrickgardenclub.org
• Where: 1057 Merrick Ave.
• Time: 7 p.m.
28
Live After Five Don’t miss out on Merrick’s Live After Five, back for another year. Merrick Community Civic Association hosts an evening dedicated to supporting local businesses. Participating restaurants and shops offer special promotions for the evening for all customers. Enjoy music at the Gazebo near the LIRR (weather permitting).
• Where: Along Merrick Avenue, from LIRR to Loines Ave, and into the Merrick Mall.
• Time: Beginning at 5 p.m.
• Contact: For the most up to date list of participating businesses, check out @ MerrickLiveAfterFive on Instagram
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.
By ABIGAIL GRIECO
agrieco@liherald.com
May is recognized nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental health conditions, reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek support when they need it. First established in 1949, it has grown into a widespread effort involving schools, workplaces, healthcare providers and communities across the country. In recent years, conversations around mental health have become more open, highlighting how common anxiety, depression and other conditions are and how important it is to treat mental health with the same seriousness as physical health.
Mental health conditions affect millions of people each year in the United States. About one in five adults experiences a mental illness annually, ranging from anxiety and depression to more complex conditions like bipolar disorder. Many more people experience stress, grief or emotional challenges that may not meet clinical definitions but still significantly impact daily life. Despite how common these struggles are, stigma often keeps people from talking about them openly or seeking help. Mental Health Awareness Month helps normalize these conversations and reminds people that they are not alone. Mental health challenges are a part of the human experience — not a personal failure — and support is widely needed and shared.
n Early help and treatment are highly effective
Getting support early can make a major difference in managing mental health conditions. Treatments such as therapy, counseling and medication are effective for many people, especially when started early. Support can also come from school counselors, community programs or workplace resources. In recent years, telehealth has made it easier for people to access care from home, helping reduce barriers like transportation or scheduling. The month also emphasizes the importance of everyday coping strategies, such as exercise, sleep, mindfulness and social connection. While these do not replace clinical treatment when needed, they can support overall well-being and resilience. The key message is simple: no one has to wait until they are in crisis to seek help.
Stigma remains one of the biggest obstacles to mental health care. Many people still hesitate to talk about what they are experiencing because they fear being misunderstood, judged or labeled. This can delay treatment and make symptoms worse overtime. Simple actions — like listening without judgment, using respectful language and sharing accurate information — helps create a safer environment for discussion. Stigma reduction is not only about awareness but also about action, like supporting policies that improve access to care, encouraging mental health days in schools and workplaces and making resources visible and easy to find. Small, everyday efforts can help create a culture where mental health is treated with the same openness and care as physical health.
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO
azingariello@liherald.com
Hurricane season begins June 1, and during National Hurricane Preparedness Week, PSEG Long Island urges customers to prepare early, strengthen safety plans and understand steps that help reduce damage and improve recovery after storms.
n Grid improvements and ongoing storm prevention efforts
PSEG Long Island has spent the past 12 years strengthening the electric grid to better withstand extreme weather and allow for faster power restorationafterstorms.
These improvements include elevating substation equipment above flood levels and installing stronger poles and wires to increase system resilience. In addition to infrastructure upgrades, PSEG Long Island maintains a year-round tree trimming program to help minimize storm damage. This program identifies and trims tree limbs in rights-of-way and along easements that could cause outages during or after a storm.
Together, these efforts are designed to reduce the impact of hurricanes on Long Island’s electric system while improving reliability and restoration times for customers.
n Preparing your home and emergency supplies ahead of time
PSEG Long Island encourages customers to put together an emergency plan and prepare ahead of hurricane season.
Home preparation includes reinforcing your home to withstand high winds, storms and flooding, as well as pruning trees and shrubs to remove dead branches near the home that could cause unnecessary damage. Customers should also gather essential emergency supplies in advance, including a battery-powered radio with fresh batteries, flashlights, blankets, nonperishable food and bottled water. Additional preparation steps include planning for refrigeration of medicines or power-dependent medical devices, charging cell phones and tablets, keeping cash available in case banks are inaccessible, filling vehicle fuel tanks, bringing in unsecured outdoor furniture, and compiling a list of emergency phone numbers.
n Safety precautions and staying connected during storms
Customers should take important safety precautions before, during and after a hurricane. Generators and fuel must always be used outdoors and kept at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages to prevent carbon monoxide exposure. Homes should have working carbon monoxide detectors on every level, as the gas is colorless, odorless and dangerous. Downed wires should always be considered live, and people should never approach, touch or drive over them. If a wire falls on or near a vehicle, remain inside and call 911 unless fire requires exiting safely. Customers can stay connected by reporting outages, receiving updates, and monitoring restoration through PSEG Long Island’s app, text alerts, website, social media and MyPower outage map.
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. Bank National Trust Association, as Trustee for Adjustable Rate Mortgage Trust 2004-4, Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2004-4, Plaintiff AGAINST
Sharon Longo; et al.,
Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 2, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 21, 2026, at 2:00PM, premises known as 1654 James Street, Merrick, NY 11566. 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, Section 55 Block 31 Lots 550, 573, 574 & 575.
Approximate amount of judgment
$788,693.50 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 604316/2024.
Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”
Francesco P. Tini, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP
Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792
Dated: March 31, 2026 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2831 159636
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT
NASSAU COUNTY
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF AND WITH RESPECT TO AJAX MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2021-D, MORTGAGE-
BACKED SECURITIES, SERIES 2021-D, Plaintiff against VICTOR PATERNO, et al
Defendant(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Leopold & Associates, PLLC, 80 Business Park Drive, Suite 110, Armonk, NY 10504.
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered March 27, 2026, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 28, 2026 at 2:00PM. Premises known as 2335 Halyard Drive, Merrick, NY 11566. Sec 63 Block 329 Lot 21. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate lying and being at Merrick, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.
Approximate Amount of Judgment is $1,283,446.08 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 603711/2024.
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.”
Linda S Agnew, Esq., Referee File # 12095024 159925
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 05/20/2026 at 9:30
A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:
THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30
A.M.
254/26. MERRICK - 7Eleven/Speedway Store #45045, Renewal of grant to maintain double-faced, illuminated logo sign with LED price sign (not permitted); overall size 122 sq. ft. (61 sq. ft. per face) & overall height 23’1”; setback 4’ to property line on Sunrise Hwy. & within the clear sight triangle., S/W cor. Sunrise Hwy. & Hewlett Ave., a/k/a 46 Sunrise Hwy. and/or 2080 Sunrise Hwy. 256/26. MERRICKAmalia Escobar, Variance, side yard, maintain cellar entrance attached to dwelling., N/s Meadowbrook Rd., 133.21’ W/o Merrick Ave., a/k/a 1096 Meadowbrook Rd. 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.
160071
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, CITIBANK, N.A., NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF THE NEW RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2019-6, Plaintiff, vs. NICHOLAS TSAPELIS, ET AL., Defendant (s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 23, 2025 and Order Appointing Substitute Referee entered on March 3, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on JUNE 4, 2026 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 2801 LINCOLN BLVD, MERRICK, NY 11566. 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, Section: 63, Block: 123, Lot: 1590. Approximate amount of judgment is $806,703.96 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 618164/2023. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee’s attorney, or the Referee.
JERRY ANTHONY MEROLA, Esq., Referee Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff 160061
Kate Churchill, a pro bono scholar and a legal intern at CARECEN, with Andrea Sacasa, a legal counsel for the Suffolk County Office of New Americans and a representative of CARECEN, and Peg Stein, a member of the management team of League of Women Voters of East Nassau, at the podium.
By HUNTER FENOLLOL hfenollol@liherald.com
The League of Women Voters of East Nassau invited legal experts for an indepth look at evolving immigration policies at a recent forum at the Levittown Public Library.
Residents spoke with experts, hoping to separate fact from misinformation amid a rapidly changing national landscape. The event featured speakers from the Central American Refugee Center, known as CARECEN, who outlined major federal policy shifts and their realworld impacts on immigrant communities.
Andrea Sacasa, a legal counsel with the Suffolk County Office of New Americans and a representative of CARECEN, said the goal of the presentation was to provide clarity during a time of uncertainty.
“We know that there’s a lot of misinformation, a lot of fear, and so our goal is to tackle that with straightforward facts and information,” Sacasa said. She explained that CARECEN, a Long Islandbased nonprofit, offers a range of services to immigrant communities beyond legal aid.
“We provide free legal services, but we also have community programs that range from English classes to naturalization classes,” Sacasa explained. The organization frequently partners with community groups such as the league to host free educational events and legal clinics.
Sacasa and another presenter, Kate Churchill, a pro bono scholar and legal intern at CARECEN, detailed several major immigration developments since early 2025, including changes to asylum processing, enforcement practices and federal legal rulings.
One of the most significant updates involved a temporary pause on asylum
applications earlier this year. While the pause has been partially lifted, Churchill said that applicants from dozens of countries designated as “high risk” remain in limbo.
Another major concern among the attendees was increased immigration enforcement at courthouses. Sacasa described how people attending hearings were, in some cases, detained immediately afterward. “They were leaving the courtrooms and getting detained right outside,” she said. “The judges didn’t even know this was happening.”
The forum also addressed leadership changes in the U.S. Department of Justice, and their potential impact on immigration courts, as well as the expiration of Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Haiti, which could leave hundreds of thousands of Haitians at risk of deportation.
Attendees raised concerns about enforcement practices and the broader immigration system. “It shows you how broken the system is,” one attendee said during the discussion.
In addition to policy updates, Sacasa highlighted the human impact of immigration enforcement, including efforts to help families prepare for potential separation through legal guardianship planning. The discussion concluded with a look ahead to a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship, expected later this year.
Despite the complexity of the issues, speakers emphasized the importance of staying informed and engaged. “Each of us has a role to play,” Sacasa said, “even if it’s just trying to stay informed.”
The League of Women Voters ended the meeting with treasurer Carol Bergman presenting a donation to the CARECEN. “We are all immigrants — we all came from somewhere — so thank you for your work,” Bergman said.
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
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Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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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
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
This breathtaking property is a masterfully crafted home set on a sprawling threequarter acre corner lot, where elegance, space, and thoughtful design come together. From the moment you step inside,
How early
Q. I’ve been interviewing architects and want your opinion on the issue of interior design. I have no sense of space, color or furniture. I’m getting mixed ideas from the architects about having an interior designer involved at the beginning, and I’m wondering what to do. Should I have the interior designer do the space plan first, and then hire the architect, or should I get the interior designer involved more toward the middle, before plans are done?
A. This is a touchy subject that often leads to frustration, mostly because the tasks of each are not always understood. There’s an old saying, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” An interior designer on my projects has always been requested to work after the building is designed, from the beginning to the end. The reasons for this are the differences in our knowledge of laws, engineering qualifications and responsibilities.
An interior designer doesn’t have a license, qualification or, generally, the education to perform the integrated services of an architect or an engineer. The reason that’s a frustrating answer is that I like working with interior designers personally, when the enhancement of the building’s finishes come into play, after the building has met the requirements of being able to stand, shed light to spaces, allow for all the safety requirements and myriad codes that must be followed. Unfortunately, clients often see that as being egotistical, overly sensitive or domineering, and that’s due to the lack of education as to what each person’s role is in construction. It’s no different than when a carpenter tells a homeowner that the structure could have been thinner and would have saved the owner money. The carpenter may not understand that the structure has to be sized for insulation thickness to meet energy codes before voicing their perspective. I’ve had multiple experiences that turned out very well because it was understood, from the project beginning, that the architect wasn’t there just to draw what they were told to draw. At times, issues needed to be discussed, and changes were necessary to accommodate the material thickness.
For example, stairways have a minimum width, and you can’t arbitrarily add a thick stone surface to the side walls that would reduce the clear width. It might be beautiful, but imagine having the inspection fail for safety reasons. In that instance, the plans could have been discussed or the material selection could have been revised.
I once had an interior designer repeatedly changing the shape of spaces, requiring the arbitrary removal of columns. A building won’t stand without columns, and moving them is like pulling one card out of a house of cards, literally and figuratively. A great design starts with great communication and a clear understanding of each person’s responsibilities and boundaries, both legal and by the project team as a whole. As a team, you will be successful if you and every team member understand this. Good luck!
© 2026 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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I have more than enough words for a memoir
Recently I entered into an agreement with noted editor Peter Ginna to put my 140,000-word memoir manuscript into final form to be presented to publishers. That will probably result in the reduction of at least 30,000 words and some reformatting. The final product, though, will be mine.
This project began five years ago. After I retired from Congress in January 2021, I started to assemble my thoughts, news stories, photos and memorabilia from 28 years in office in an attempt to make some sense of, and put in some perspective, my experiences. The more I assembled, the more I realized how long and unlikely the journey had been — and how fortunate I had been.
Particularly helpful to me in collating so much of the memories and information was Anne Rosenfeld, who worked in my district office, in Massapequa Park, for all of those years, including the last 20 as district director. Melissa Zimmerman was one of the Nassau County Police Department
detectives on my congressional security detail. Having retired shortly before I did, she agreed to be my post-congressional security director. As she learned what I was doing and heard my discussions about my experiences, she urged me to put it all into a memoir. And she didn’t let up until I started the process.
As I began to write, I realized that the story would have to begin where it all began, on the bluecollar sidewalks of Sunnyside, Queens, and then St. Albans.
if not a ragsto-riches tale, my life has certainly been an improbable journey.
My grandparents were Irish immigrants. My father was a World War II veteran and an Army Reserve major who served for three decades in the New York City Police Department, rising to the rank of lieutenant as commanding officer for physical training and head of the department’s first Ceremonial Unit, which he formed. My mother, a product of the Depression, had to turn down a college scholarship and take a job instead.
My younger brother, Kevin, and I attended St. Teresa’s grammar school, in Woodside, where there were 70-plus kids in a classroom, with no concern for feelings or sensitivity. Tuition was 25 cents a week. After that it was Brooklyn Prep and then St. Francis College, while
TI worked full-time at the Railway Express freight yards on Manhattan’s West Side as a junior and senior. After that I was unexpectedly accepted by Notre Dame Law School, where I made friendships that would last a lifetime. At neighboring St. Mary’s College I met Rosemary, who has been putting up with me for a lifetime.
All of this somehow led to experiences with an eclectic mix of people and events that made for an interesting, never boring, life, as I navigated the minefields of New York and Washington politics and government. I dealt with tragedies such as Sept. 11 and its lasting aftermath, which included fighting for health care benefits for its survivors and first responders. I was one of only two members of Congress in history to vote against the impeachment of two presidents. I faced challenges as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, holding controversial hearings into Islamic radicalization and ensuring that New York and Long Island received the funding necessary to defend against future terrorist attacks.
Over the years in New York, Washington and overseas, there were dealings with Presidents Clinton, Bush,
Obama, Trump and Biden; British Prime Minister Blair and Irish P.M. Ahern; Israeli leaders Rabin, Peres and Netanyahu; and meeting foreign leaders and dignitaries such as Russia’s Yeltsin, Poland’s Walesa and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. There were New York leaders, characters and personalities including Cardinal John O’Connor, Al D’Amato, Ed Koch, Rudy Giuliani and Roy Cohn. There was also the almost surreal experience of being the grandson of Irish immigrants and having a great uncle who was in the IRA and imprisoned during the Irish War of Independence in the 1920s — and working with Clinton, Blair, Ahern and Irish Republican leader Gerry Adams to bring about the historic 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended the centuries-old, bloody struggle between the British government and the people of Ireland.
My life has not been a rags-to-riches tale, but it has certainly been an improbable journey, beyond what I ever could have dreamed of or imagined. It has indeed been what my book title describes, “The Road to God Knows Where — From the Blue Collar Sidewalks of Queens to the Halls of Congress.”
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
We all need friends, and NATO is our best one
he older you get, the more you need to have some friends. While we should always be lucky to have a family that cares for us in good times and bad, we still have to have friends. A little research showed me that there are more songs about the value of friends, and the need for them, than about independence or going it alone. I’m sure many readers are familiar with the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Or Dionne Warwick’s “That’s What Friends Are For,” or Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” Or Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.” I could list another dozen songs that capture the importance of having a friend. Which brings us to the subject of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Somehow, President Trump has advanced the distorted idea that America can go it alone in the world without the help of our overseas allies. Long before NATO came into existence in 1949, our European friends were fighting with us in World War II, losing thou-
sands of young men to keep democracy alive.
When NATO was founded, its membership comprised Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. It now includes Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey. It is a powerful union of allies who all have economic and strategic relationships with the United States.
T here is no way the United States could go it alone without these allies.
has always stood by us since then. Trump alleges that Iran was almost ready to attack the United States and Israel, but it did not launch an attack on our country. Being a “threat” to a NATO ally isn’t the same as attacking it. On 9/11, the NATO countries immediately declared their support for the United States and provided numerous forms of assistance, both technical and economic.
territory.) Russia could mount an attack on our country in minutes if it ever served their purposes.
What gets lost in the debate about NATO’s obligations to intervene in the war with Iran is that NATO was never consulted before the war began, and no member country was attacked by Iran. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty says that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all members, which is not what happened in the war with Iran.
The first time the NATO charter was invoked was when America was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. The alliance
To this day, NATO members continue to offer us strategic advice about actions around the world that may be a threat to America. They provide us with warnings about weather patterns and environmental events that are a threat to our region of the planet. And most of all, they buy billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment and other products that make our manufacturers healthy and wealthy.
Whether the president admits it or not, our two biggest enemies are China and Russia. In the case of Russia, it is worth noting that it is less than 60 miles from Alaska. (And actually, Big Diomede Island, in Russian territory, is just 2½ miles from Little Diomede Island, in U.S.
As for China, even with some severe economic problems, it is capable of causing major upheaval for the U.S. if it chooses. Should it invade Taiwan, America would lose its major supplier of the semiconductor chips that companies like Nvidia and Apple use for advanced computing. Other chips are used in automobiles and a wide variety of products, and we can’t afford to lose that supply.
There is no way that the United States could go it alone without its NATO allies. We can’t protect our country from the world’s two worst predators without those allies on our side. Breaking up that alliance would be strategic and economic suicide. Talk is cheap, so the president has every right to pick occasional spats with NATO, but he can’t afford to abandon it. To do so would create chaos for generations to come.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.
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Small Business Week, which runs from May 3 to 9, will bring the usual round of proclamations, ribbon-cuttings and feel-good photo ops. Local entrepreneurs deserve every one of them. They also deserve the truth: The Main Streets of Long Island are under siege, and a week of celebration cannot paper over what the rest of the year has made painfully clear.
Walk down Park Avenue, in Long Beach, or Merrick Avenue, or any commercial corridor from Lynbrook to Glen Cove, and the strain is visible. For Lease signs have not come down in months. Restaurants have cut hours because they can’t find or afford the staff to stay open. Family-owned shops that survived the pandemic now wonder whether they will survive the aftermath. The business owners who anchor our downtowns aren’t asking for sympathy. They are asking, quietly and increasingly, whether the math still works.
The pressures are no secret. Rents for Long Island commercial space have climbed steadily. Costs have skyrocketed, outpacing what owners can charge without losing customers. Wages have risen, as they should, but for thin-margin businesses, every raise is a calculation about how many shifts can be staffed next month.
Energy bills and insurance premiums keep grinding higher. And looming over all of it is the e-commerce machine — Amazon, Temu, Shein and a growing list of online giants whose business model depends on undercutting the shop down the block, capturing the sale, and sending the profit somewhere far from Long Island.
The numbers tell a more complicated story than the celebratory ones we usually hear. In Nassau County, the U.S. Small Business Administration backed more than $207 million in loans last year, supporting roughly 500 businesses and helping create or sustain 2,850 jobs. That is real and meaningful. But SBA lending is also a barometer of need. A community in which hundreds of businesses require government-backed credit just to keep their doors open is not a community where small business is thriving on its own. It is a community where small business is fighting to hold ground.
Matt Coleman, the SBA’s regional administrator, has said that anyone who wants to understand the local economy needs to look past the financial markets and pay attention to those small businesses, embedded in our communities. He’s right. And what those businesses are telling us, if we listen honestly, is that the ground beneath them is shifting faster than they can adapt.
Federal tax relief on tips and overtime will help some workers. Modest tax reductions for small-business owners will help some operators. Neither will reverse the structural forces reshaping retail, hospitality and local service. The playing field is not level, and pretending otherwise does our merchants no favors.
What small businesses can offer is what e-commerce cannot: presence, accountability and a stake in the community. The pizzeria in East Rockaway that sponsors the Little League team.
The diner in Seaford that hosts the volunteer fire department’s monthly breakfast. The florist in Oyster Bay that decorates the village gazebo for the holidays.
None of those things show up on a balance sheet. All of them disappear when the storefront goes dark.
The Herald takes pride in standing alongside local businesses every day of the year. Our reporters tell their stories — the grand openings, the second-generation handoffs, the milestone anniversaries, the moments when local owners step up to feed first responders during a storm. Our advertising and marketing teams work shoulder to shoulder with owners to help them reach customers and grow their brand across print, digital and social channels. We do this because we believe local journalism and local commerce rise and fall together.
Honesty about the challenges is not pessimism. It is the precondition for a serious response. Policymakers should be looking hard at commercial rent pressures, at the unequal tax treatment that favors online sellers, at workforce housing that should allow people to actually live near where they work. Residents have a role, too — a more direct one. Every dollar spent locally is a dollar that stays here, resulting in sponsors for Little League teams, donors for nonprofit events, tenants for local storefronts, and more.
So this week, before clicking “buy now” online, walk into the shop down the block. Order takeout from the family-run restaurant in Island Park. Book the local landscaper from Malverne. Tip generously. The Main Streets of Long Island are not guaranteed. They are chosen, one transaction at a time, by the people who live here — and that choice has never mattered more.
waste in government doesn’t stay on paper. It drips through budgets, spreads through layers of bureaucracy, and ultimately lands on the kitchen table of every working family. It’s the leaky roof you can’t ignore and the faucet left running in a home already struggling to stay afloat. In New York, that leak has become a flood.
This year, New York’s state budget will approach $270 billion — a 62 percent increase since one-party Democratic rule came to Albany in 2019. That’s an extra $5,000 per year for every man, woman and child in the state.
While all concede that affordability is a massive problem, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats continue to hold New York families’ heads under water — and the water’s getting deeper every day.
While the Democrats debate how much more to tax, spend and give away to cover the socialist agenda of New York City’s new mayor, the most urgent question is being ignored: Where is the fiscal discipline?
Medicaid spending has surged to $120 billion, nearly 45 percent of the entire
state budget. A recent study by the Empire Center found that Medicaid rolls contain as many as 3 million New Yorkers who don’t qualify, costing taxpayers $20 billion annually. An audit by the state comptroller found that taxpayers spent another $1.2 billion on Medicaid for nonresidents, raising serious questions about eligibility, oversight and improper payments. Hochul’s response? Crickets.
TThe MTA continues to provide substandard service while its capital debt load is expected to double to $88 billion by 2034. Operating deficits continue to climb. While refusing calls for a forensic audit, Hochul and Albany Democrats search for the latest gimmick — like congestion pricing — to put a Band-Aid on the gaping wound of fiscal mismanagement and abuse.
year.
Nearly 300,000 regulations drive up the cost of housing, energy and doing business. One New Yorker leaves the state every 2 minutes and 23 seconds. Those aren’t just statistics — they’re a signal that the American Dream is no longer affordable here due to Albany’s failed leadership.
he state budget has increased by 62 percent since Democrats took control in 2019.
Young families are priced out of homeownership. Small-business owners struggle to survive. Retirees watch costs rise faster than fixed incomes can keep up. From housing to auto insurance to health care and child care, the cost of living continues to climb at rates far higher than the national average.
the millionaire threshold. This plan would give up to $5,000 a year back to working families — not as a one-time rebate, but as lasting, meaningful relief — while forcing fiscal discipline by making Albany abide by the same spending cap it imposes on schools and municipalities.
But tax relief alone isn’t enough. We must fix the system that creates the burden.
These are not isolated incidents. They are a “check engine” light that Albany Democrats simply ignore and just keep driving. Meanwhile, New Yorkers are paying the price. New York ranks No. 1 in overall tax burden and No. 4 in cost of living. Forbes ranks the state’s business climate the second worst in America, and the Tax Foundation ranked New York dead last in tax competitiveness for the third straight
Yet Albany under one-party rule continues to act as if government spending has no consequences. But that money comes from somewhere — the father working two jobs, the mother taking on extra shifts, the young adult trying to get started, the small-business owner working to stay afloat.
Solutions exist. In February I introduced legislation to deliver the largest tax cut in state history, eliminating income tax on the first $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for couples, reducing middle-class rates to 4 percent, and capping the top rate at 5 percent below
That’s why I’ve supported efforts to strengthen oversight and accountability by reforming Medicaid audit standards, requiring eligibility verification, auditing the MTA and mandating independent reviews of state-funded programs. I’ve co-sponsored legislation to strengthen Medicaid payment integrity through routine verification, targeted audits and safeguards to ensure that payments are accurate and transparent. I’ve worked with stakeholders to crack down on SNAP fraud and modernize benefit systems so they serve those truly in need. These reforms aren’t radical. They are responsible, and should be bipartisan. You don’t fix a leaking roof by repainting the ceiling — you fix the leak.
Until Albany confronts that reality, the cycle will continue: higher taxes, higher costs, fewer opportunities and more families leaving.
Steve Rhoads represents the 5th State Senate District.
