Issuu

__________________ Merrick _________________

HERALD

Trusted by the Com munity Dedicated to Bette r Hearing

Hear Better Experience More We offer Loss Treatment, Hearing Aid Hearing Aid Fitting, and Tinnitus Therapy

Cheers to the newlyweds oCToBER 8 - 14, 2026

Scan for more info

(516) 788-7830 ilovehearing.com

Page 17 Vol. 29 No. 41

Demo the newest hearing aid technology available!

$1.00

30 Merrick Avenue, Su

ite 109, East Meadow

Athletes come together for a common goal the bench or watching a teammate make a mistake. “What does your face say of the Bellmore/Merrick Heralds when your teammate throws Hundreds of student ath- the ball away?” Marotta asked. letes and coaches from across “What does your face say when Nassau County gathered on your teammate misses the easy Sept. 23 for the fourth annual shot? What does it say? People U n i t y S u m m i t , a f o r u m are watching. Be mindful of designed to promote unity, your body language.” The summit was created sportsmanship and civility in when educators noticed broadhigh school athletics. H e l d a t t h e B r o o k s i d e er societal tensions beginning School, in Merrick, the event to af fect sportsmanship in was sponsored by schools, Caballero Section VIII, which explained. “We saw o ve r s e e s N a s s a u a need for the County high school importance of realspor ts, and org aly spreading the nized by Eric Cabalmessage of unity, lero, the Bellmoresportsmanship and Mer rick Central civility,” he said. High School Dis“The landscape of trict’s director of sports teams — typiphysical education, cally, what’s going athletics, health and o n i n t h e wo rl d driver education. It trickles down into featured a keynote IAN YEGIdIS schools, [and] we address by Andrew Senior, Calhoun started to see an Marotta, leader of High School adverse effect with t h e S u r v iv i n g & re g ard to spor tsThriving movement, and work- manship.” shops on athletic leadership, The event has g rown to mental health, perfor mance include nearly all 56 school discoaching, sportsmanship and tricts in Nassau County’s Seccivility. tion VIII, with each invited to Surviving & Thriving, based send four students who have in Port Jervis, is a leadership not attended before, and two and motivational speaking plat- coaches. The groups take part form focused on perseverance in separate workshops before and making a positive impact. coming together for lunch, with Marotta emphasized how ath- the goal of bringing what they letes’ attitudes and body lan- learn back to their schools and guage af fect those around teams. them, and challenged students “We want them to be advoto consider how they respond cates for these three pillars,” when they are losing, sitting on Continued on page 7

By AllYSoN FERRARI & JUlIA GIllEGo

Photos courtesy North Merrick Public Schools

North Merrick celebrates years of service The North Merrick School District honored staff members for their dedication to students and the school community during the Superintendent’s Opening Day Convocation on Aug. 26. Employees were recognized for milestones ranging from five to 35 years of service, celebrating the contributions they have made to generations of North Merrick students. Superintendent Cynthia Seniuk said the district remains focused on “strong relationships, high expectations, great teaching, clear communication and making sure every student, faculty member and staff member feels known, supported and appreciated.” Above, North Merrick staff members celebrating five years of service were recognized during the convocation. At right, Seniuk presented an award to Leslie Cloth, who was honored for 15 years of service to the district.

ee the person, don’t see the athlete. Just treat people kindly.

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

Merrick’s Valk takes helm of N.Y. Kiwanis By ALLYSON FERRARI aferrari@liherald.com

Merrick resident Martin E. Valk began his term as governor of the New York District of Kiwanis on Oct. 1, bringing more than two decades of local Kiwanis experience to the statewide leadership role. Valk, who served as governor-elect before beginning his 2026-27 term, was sworn in at the New York District Convention in Corning by Linda Ramsey, a Kiwanis International trustee from Martin, Tennessee. An attorney who has lived in Merrick since 1995, Valk joined the Kiwanis Club of Merrick in 2000. He has served as the club’s president, vice president and secretary, and currently serves on its board of directors. He previously served as lieutenant governor of the organization’s South Central Division. Valk’s introduction to Kiwanis came when he was invited to speak at a club meeting about a proposed cell tower atop the Granite Building across from Chatterton School. With an advanced degree in environmental law, Valk spoke about the issue and came away impressed by the organization. “I welcomed the opportunity to work with similar community-based people with the same goal in mind: helping the neighborhood be the best it can be and produce the best people it can,” he said. As governor, Valk said one of the challenges he hopes to address is declining membership in Kiwanis and other volunteer organizations. He wants clubs to attract younger members in part by using their connections with local chambers of commerce and businesses to help young people find employment. “So many Kiwanis clubs are integrated into the local chambers of commerce, that ideally Kiwanis clubs should be in the position to know what local merchants

Kiwanis International Trustee Linda Ramsey swore in Merrick resident Martin E. Valk as governor of the New York District of Kiwanis for 2026-27. sticks and mats, and donating them to organizations that can put them to use. His wife’s project will focus on literacy by encouraging the creation of more Little Libraries, where residents can take or leave books. “One reason we chose these projects in essence is to exercise the mind and body,” Valk said. “Healthy mind, healthy body.” Born and raised in Brooklyn, Valk studied political science at Vanderbilt University before earning his law degree from Brooklyn Law School and an LLM from Pace University Law School. He and his wife have a son, Jacob, an associate sports producer at SiriusXM. Valk is the second Merrick resident to serve as governor of the New York District of Kiwanis. The late attorney and judge Steven R. Scharoff held the position in 1989-90. Those interested in learning more about the Kiwanis Club of Merrick can email Merrickkiwanis@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy Merrick Kiwanis

Merrick resident Martin E. Valk began his term as governor of the New York District of Kiwanis on Oct. 1. are looking for, what kind of local employees, and be among the first to know where the vacancies are,” Valk said. He said Kiwanis members could also help young job seekers prepare resumes, practice interviewing and connect with prospective employers. Valk and his wife, Tara Cooperman Valk, a retired physician, will each oversee a special project during his term. Valk’s project will focus on collecting and recycling unused sporting goods, including baseball bats, lacrosse

BEST ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY

BEST ELDER LAW ATTORNEY

Thank you for Voting for D’Angelo Law Associates!

STEPHANIE A. D’ANGELO, ESQ.

-Boutique Trusts & Estates AttorneysGenerational Wealth Planning Wills & Trusts

Probate / Estate Administration Complex Real Estate Transactions

Garden City – Nassau County Office 901 Stewart Avenue, Suite 230 516.222.1122

www.DangeloLawAssociates.com

Estate Planning Asset Protection

Queens Village Office 224-44 Braddock Ave. 718.776.7475

Fayette students become young programmers

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

Students got a taste of the intricacies of coding at Harold D. Fayette School in the North Merrick School District as they participated in a hands-on coding activity designed to introduce them to the basics of programming on Sept. 29. Second graders were given a collection of tiles featuring directional arrows and blank tiles they could use to create their own “rules,” such as doing a dance or jumping in place. Along with “go” and “stop” tiles, students worked in pairs to arrange the tiles into a sequence, or “code,” to give a set of directions and explore how different commands work together. The activity – also taught in second grade classrooms at Camp Avenue and Old Mill Road schools by technology teacher Gabrielle Romano – helped students develop computer science skills while seeing how simple instructions can work together to accomplish a goal. — Julia Gillego

Photos courtesy North Merrick Public Schools

Second graders at Harold D. Fayette School worked together to create custom directions for a coding lesson on Sept. 29.

Tiles were assembled into “codes” that students followed stepby-step.

Technology teacher Gabrielle Romano taught students basic coding vocabulary.

Pairs worked together to create a workable sequence during the coding activity.

The classroom was bustling with energy as students excitedly completed their code.

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

We want our deck back

Q. We have a large deck that finally needs to be repaired, and some parts replaced. It is wood with some steel beams, and we wanted to do the boards that look like wood but are made from plastics and supposedly last longer. We looked at several brands and aren’t sure what is best, but it probably doesn’t matter now. The prices came in very high for the work, and each contractor we have spoken to said we were only going to save money if we use all wood, including the beams. The beams are steel, as we understand, since they extend farther without as many columns. The funny thing is that we were replacing the wood because it started rotting and twisting after 15 years, bad enough that we don’t feel comfortable using the deck — it’s on our second floor, which is why we want onte eeper fewer columns, so we can continue to use the ground level as an outdoor dining space. What can you recommend that we do? The cost makes it impossible to move forward, and we really want our deck back. Ask The Architect

A. I like to quote the oil filter commercial we used to hear all the time: “You can pay me now or pay me later.” In this case, you can spend the money on the less-costly wood, and then spend more money on re-treating the wood and repairs. As for the steel beams being replaced, it should be understood that steel is more compact for its strength, and the equivalent ability to span longer distances with wood requires much more wood, and it will more than likely be taller, meaning the beams will extend lower. The synthetic decking materials are a much better choice, and the ones that are recycled resin-based, without the wood component parts in their composition, are at the top of the list of low maintenance, deterioration and replacement that you have with wood mixtures and wood deck materials. I have seen the difference many times over the years, including the landing deck in my own yard. I originally built it out of cedar, which was supposed to be resistant to insects and, if stained properly, would last a long time, or so I thought. After just four years, the wood posts and the properly stained decking had become distorted with warping, twisting and some end rotting. I replaced the materials with synthetic decking and rails, and after 26 years, it’s still in great condition. This problem of not factoring in the cost of maintenance, accessibility and the increase in material costs over time has often led to much greater expense in the life of buildings. You have to question yourself as to which is more affordable, the continued maintenance or initial cost. Remember that the people you are speaking to will do either system, wood or synthetic, because for them it’s a current job that they will leave behind and that you have to live with. 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.

Attorney advertising

Protecting Your Future with Michael and Suzanne Ettinger Attorneys-at-Law

Prenuptial Agreements Prenuptial agreements (“prenups”) are contracts entered into by a couple before marriage setting out the rights of the parties in the event of divorce or death. Less common is the postnuptial agreement, with similar terms, but executed by the parties after marriage. Who signs these types of agreements and why? Often couples marrying for the second or more time will have children and/or substantial assets at the time of remarriage. They may wish to insure that all or some of their assets go to their children and not to the new spouse, who may have children and assets of their own. Even with a will which leaves everything to one’s children, without a prenup the surviving spouse is legally entitled to claim about onethird of the deceased spouse’s estate. Having been married before, these couples know that sometimes things do not work out and wish to simplify matters in the event of a divorce, including whether or not alimony will be payable. In the prenup there must be full disclosure of each other’s assets so that each party knows what they are giving up. A necessary

component is a schedule whereby each party sets out a list of their separate property, i.e. what they owned prior to entering into the marriage. The agreement then sets out the division of property in the event of divorce as well as the inheritance rights between the parties. While prenups often provide that neither party will inherit from the other, it is not unusual for the parties to partially waive those provisions after a few years and execute a will or trust leaving assets to the spouse despite the prenup. Other ways to leave assets to the spouse are by making some assets joint or naming the spouse as beneficiary on IRA’s, investments, bank accounts, annuities or insurance policies. The prenup may also contain a “sunset provision” that it expires after a set number of years. For younger people, who do not have significant assets but may receive a substantial inheritance, the Inheritance Protection Trust is preferable since the intended spouse need not be involved, no disclosure of assets is required, and the assets pass by blood, instead of by marriage, at death.

ETTINGER LAW FIRM ELDER LAW ESTATE PLANNING SINCE 1991

trustlaw.com Trusts & Estates • Wills & Probate • Medicaid

Visit us at trustlaw.com to learn more or search Ettinger Law on YouTube for our elder law estate planning videos

NO-COST CONSULTATION: 516-327-8880 or email info@trustlaw.com

100 Merrick Rd., Rockville Centre • 3000 Marcus Ave., Lake Success Other offices in Huntington • Melville • Islandia

Photos courtesy Bellmore Fire Department

Firefighters and emergency personnel responded to a house fire on Saint Marks Avenue in Bellmore on Oct. 4. The fire was brought under control a short time later, according to the Bellmore Fire Department.

Merrick, N. Merrick aided in Bellmore electrical fire An electrical fire broke out at a home on Saint Marks Avenue in Bellmore on Sunday evening, prompting a response from several area fire departments, according to the Bellmore Fire Department. The department was alerted to the fire at about 8:40 p.m. at a home between Clarendon Street and Merrick Road. Second Assistant Chief James Constantin was first to arrive and reported a fire in an exterior electrical panel and smoke coming from the basement windows. Chief of Department Eric Ozechowski took command and directed Bellmore Engine 603 Bellmore firefighters worked inside a Saint Marks and Merrick Fire Department Avenue home after an electrical fire broke out Engine 643 to secure hydrants Sunday evening. and stretch two lines, fire officials said. tions to check for hidden pockets of fire Constantin entered the unoccupied and prevent a rekindling. Bellmore home and, during a primary search, Ambulance 6011 handled medical comreported heavy smoke throughout the mand. house and flames coming through the Mutual aid at the scene included Merfloor above the electrical panel in the rick Engine 643 and Ladder 6412, Wantagh basement. Ozechowski then upgraded the Ladder 6911 and North Merrick Ambucall to a working fire, according to the lance 677. Seaford Ladder 683 and North department. Merrick Engine 674 provided standby covFirefighters ventilated the home and erage at Bellmore Fire Department headbrought the blaze under control a short quarters, while Bellmore-Merrick EMS time later. Crews from Bellmore Engines provided emergency medical coverage. 601, 602 and 603, Ladder 606 and Heavy Rescue 607 conducted overhaul opera— Allyson Ferrari _________________

__________________

bellmore ________________

HERALD

merrick _________________

HERALD

HOW TO REACH US

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

MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/bellmore ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: belleditor@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 207 E-mail: belleditor@liherald.com

■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/merrick ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: merrickeditor@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 207 E-mail: merrickeditor@liherald.com

The Bellmore Herald USPS 017547, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530.

The Merrick Herald USPS 017651, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 PUBlIC NOTICES: Ext. 232

E-mail: subscriptions@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 E-mail: legalnotices@liherald.com

Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Bellmore Herald or Merrick Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Newsstand Price: $1. Annual Subscription Rates, $52 per year auto-pay or $65 one-time payment within Nassau County or $76 outside of Nassau County. Copyright © 2026 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chip City crumbles after sudden nationwide closure By ABIGAIL GRIECO For cookie lovers, a favorite spot for oversized, gooey treats has suddenly disappeared. Chip City, the New York-based cookie chain known for its thick, chewy cookies and rotating lineup of flavors, abruptly closed all of its remaining locations on Oct. 2, including stores that had served customers in Merrick and Oceanside. The closure came with little warning. Just a day before shutting down nationwide, the company had introduced a new cookie flavor, making Friday’s announcement even more surprising for customers accustomed to seeing new offerings appear on the menu. “Despite extensive efforts to stabilize our business in the face of significant macro-economic headwinds, we have made the very difficult decision to close all of our Chip City locations,” the company said in a statement posted on its website. “We are grateful to our dedicated employees and loyal customers who have supported us for the past 10 years.” Chip City had more than 20 locations remaining when it

closed, bringing an abrupt end to a decade of growth that began with a single shop in Astoria, Queens. The company was founded by childhood friends Peter Phillips and Theodore Gailas, who grew up in New York City and attended Bronx High School of Science. The pair built Chip City from a neighborhood cookie shop into a growing chain with locations across New York and beyond. The company’s expansion accelerated in 2022, when Danny Meyer, the restaurateur behind Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern and Daily Provisions, invested $10 million through his investment firm, Enlightened Hospitality Investments. The investment helped Chip City expand outside New York, with stores opening in New Jersey, Texas and Virginia. But the rapid growth was followed by increasing financial and management problems. On Sept. 28, Phillips sued Chip City, Enlightened Hospitality Investments, Chip City President Nicholas Baizan and Fred LeFranc, who was serving as interim chief executive, alleging breach of contract and wage theft, among other claims.

Courtesy Google Earth

Chip City, the New York-based cookie chain known for its thick, chewy cookies and rotating lineup of flavors, abruptly closed all of its remaining locations on Oct. 2, including stores that had served customers in Merrick and Oceanside. According to the lawsuit, Phillips agreed to step down as chief executive in March as part of a company restructuring. He was allegedly guaranteed a ninemonth consulting contract and continued salary, severance and health insurance during the

Vanunu Will Bring a Get-It-Done Attitude to the Nassau Legislature Nassau County has become increasingly expensive, and our local government has not helped alleviate this financial burden. As a Merrick resident raising three children, I share the financial stress facing families: skyrocketing bills, massive taxes, and frustration with ineffective local government. This situation is unacceptable, and that is why I am running for the Nassau County Legislature. As an attorney and former prosecutor, I have the skills and drive to cut through the noise and deliver results. When elected, I will work to address each of these issues. Unfortunately, our Republican-run Nassau County Legislature consistently puts politics over people. They refused to pause a gas tax that would lower your costs at the pump solely because the bill was introduced by Democrats. They also refused to help the South Nassau Water Authority acquire Liberty Utilities, a move that would significantly lower your water bills. Meanwhile, they passed a bloated $5 billion budget containing wasteful costs and no-show paid appointments that waste your taxpayer dollars. This unproductive status quo cannot continue. During my first two-year term, I will focus on: • Lowering Water Bills: Pressure the South Nassau Water Authority to acquire Liberty Utilities so Merrick and Bellmore residents benefit from public water rates like neighboring communities.

• Cutting Government Waste: Comb through county expenses to ensure our tax dollars are spent on items that genuinely help our community, and stop no-show jobs and unnecessary outside vendor contracts.

• Keeping Neighborhoods Safe: Ensure the Nassau County Police Department has the resources it needs to solve precinct staffing shortages and stay ahead of crime trends.

• Accessible Advocacy: Serve as an active, responsive contact whenever you need help navigating local government.

Bettering our community requires leaders who put you first. I will do just that! Scan the QR code to learn more about my background and my platform. Please make your voice heard during Early Voting (October 24 – November 1) or on Election Day (November 3). Vote for Vanunu, and together we will move Merrick and Bellmore forward towards a more affordable and sustainable future. By: Michael Vanunu Democratic Candidate for Nassau County Legislature, District 12 Paid for by Vanunu for District 12

transition. The lawsuit claims that the company later began auditing about $900,000 in expenses, including expenses connected to Phillips’ other restaurant ventures and approximately $443,000 sent to a construction company

affiliated with him. The suit alleges that Phillips’ pay was frozen in September after a dispute over company information and that the company moved to terminate him days later. Representatives for Chip City, Meyer’s company, Baizan, LeFranc, Phillips and Gailas did not respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit remains ongoing, and it is unclear whether it played a role in Chip City’s decision to close. The company’s final hours also included an unusual incident at its Upper West Side location. Shortly before 2 a.m. Friday, two unidentified people entered the Columbus Avenue store and removed an unknown amount of money, according to a New York Police Department spokesman. H o u r s l at e r, C h i p C i t y announced that all of its stores would close. Police continued investigating the incident, and no arrests had been made. For customers in Merrick and Oceanside, however, the sudden closure means one less place to grab one of the chain’s signature oversized cookies — and an unexpectedly sweet chapter has come to an end.

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

agrieco@liherald.com

BRiNgiNg local spoRts home eVeRY weeK

spotlight athlete

HERALD SPORTS

Kennedy pulls away from Baldwin By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

dYLaN parchMENT HEWLETT Senior FOOTBALL IT WAS A RECORD-SETTING performance for Parchment Sept. 28 as the Bulldogs rolled to a 40-13 victory over Carle Place in a Nassau Conference III?IV crossover matchup. He set a program single-game record with five touchdowns, finishing with 252 yards on only 12 carries. His scoring runs covered 63, 29, 45, 65 and 6 yards as Hewlett upped its record to 2-1. In the opener, he scored four touchdowns on the ground in a 29-22 win over Division.

games to watch Friday, Oct. 9 Football: Carey at Calhoun ..................................3 p.m. Football: Baldwin at Jericho.................................6 p.m. Field Hockey: Sewanhaka at Baldwin ..................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: Wantagh at North Shore..................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: Oceanside at MacArthur .................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: Kennedy at East Meadow ...............5 p.m. Girls Volleyball: Malverne at West Hemp...............5 p.m. Boys Soccer: North Shore at Seaford ..................5 p.m. Football: Malverne at Island Trees........................6 p.m. Football: Sewanhaka at Hewlett ..........................6 p.m. Football: Floral Park at Lynbrook .........................6 p.m. Football: Elmont at Plainedge.........................6:30 p.m. Football: Freeport at Farmingdale ...................6:30 p.m. Football: North Shore at ERock/WHemp......... 6:30 p.m Girls Soccer: Plainedge at Lynbrook ...............7:15 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 10 Girls Soccer: Elmont at Uniondale .....................10 a.m. Girls Soccer: South Side at Carey......................10 a.m. Field Hockey: Garden City at Clarke ...................10 a.m. Football: Garden City at Mepham ...................1:30 p.m. Football: Kennedy at V.S. Central ....................1:30 p.m. Football: Long Beach at New Hyde Park .........1:30 p.m. Football: Lawrence at V.S. South .....................1:30 p.m. Football: Oceanside at Massapequa ...................2 p.m.

Despite three takeaways and a pair of safeties in the first half, Kennedy led visiting Baldwin by only 10 points at halftime of last Saturday’s Nassau Conference II football matchup. But the Cougars finally broke things open to begin the third quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the 18, junior Ethan Reiner collected a screen pass from senior quarterback Dylan Babek and took it to the house, sending Kennedy on its way to a 38-7 victory that snapped a two-game slide. “I thought that was the backbreaker,” head coach John McGuire said after the Cougars evened their record at 2-2. “Dylan did a great job holding the ball as long as possible and Ethan picked up some key blocks and finished the play. That was big. “Baldwin is a bigger and more athletic team than we are, and those kids played as hard as we did,” he added. “I thought we did a better job of executing in the second half and now we’re on to Valley Stream Central.” The Bruins, who fell to 0-4, got a 52-yard touchdown catch from junior Aydan Stewart in the first quarter, a fumble recovery from senior Adam Hilburger and a pair of spirited goal-line stands from a defense led by him, senior Mashiach Lambert and junior Ezekiel Osimokun. “We’ re not str ug gling because of a lack of effort,” Baldwin head coach Mike Robinson said. “The kids are going 100 percent from start v

Don’t let injuries sideline you.

Tony Bellissimo/Herald

Jonny Cohen celebrated his tackle in the end zone for a safety in the Cougars’ 38-7 win over Baldwin last Saturday. to finish. It’s a young team that needs to execute better.” Junior Nico Pasquariello star red for Kennedy’s offense, scoring touchdowns in the first, second and fourth quarters. He rushed

for 165 yards on 26 carries. “ I t f e e l s awe s o m e, ” Pasquariello said. “It was a beautiful day for football and all the boys played great. Coach told us at halftime the game wasn’t over and we had

to keep working. We came out with a touchdown drive to start the second half and scored 21 points in the third quarter.” Senior Frankie Stella’s fumble recovery on Baldwin’s first offensive snap of the afternoon set the tone. Four plays later, Pasquariello scored on a 10-yard run for a 6-0 lead. Senior Jonny Cohen made it 8-0 with a defensive gem, a tackle-for-loss in the end zone for a safety. The Bruins closed within 8-7 when Stewart took a dump pass from senior quarterback Patrick Feeney and raced along the sideline for their fourth touchdown of 2026. Pasquariello answered, capping an 80-yard drive with a 2-yard scoring plunge and the Cougars led 17-7 at halftime after a punt snap sailed out of Baldwin’s end zone. Junior Max Lopez had an interception and sophomore D.J. Lombardo a fumble recovery in the first half for Kennedy, which saw junior kicker Ryan Finkelstein hit 4 of 5 extra points. Babek had a 43-yard touchdown run in the fourth. “We’ re at the midway point of the season and this is when you begin to see some separation in the standings,” McGuire said. “Next week’s a big one. Valley Stream Central is a quality team. Their quarterback is dynamic and we have a lot to prepare for.” The Coug ars visit the Eagles next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff at Memorial Junior High. Baldwin will receive a forfeit win against Je r i ch o a n d b e b a ck i n action Oct. 17 at home versus Roosevelt.

We’ve Got Specialists For That ®

516.536.2800 | orlincohen.com 1363864

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

OC2143_RM_Herald_Strip_10.25x2.5_Football_Heart_v3.indd 1

9/2/26 11:21 AM

Lessons in unity extend far beyond the field Caballero said, referring to unity, sportsmanship and civility. “There’s no better advocate than the students themselves.” For Ian Yegidis, a Calhoun High School senior who plays baseball and volleyball, gathering athletes from across the county was one of the most meaningful aspects of the day. “What stood out to me is kind of how it’s the entire section, like all of Nassau County,” Yegidis said. “It’s kind of like a rare opportunity to actually get all schools involved and just work towards a common goal.” The gathering also gave athletes a chance to interact with people whose backgrounds and experiences may differ from their own, Caballero said. “These kids are going to meet and speak to people they’ve never met or spoken to ever,” he said. “They may come from a different socioeconomic background. They may be from a different demographic, but every kid in that auditorium is really doing the same things, regardless of where they live.” The lessons about civility, Yegidis said, extend beyond sports. His message to his peers was simple. “See the person, don’t see the athlete,” he said. “Just treat people kindly.” Calhoun senior Angelica Kasimatis, who plays basketball and lacrosse, said that having so many young leaders in one room made an impression on her. “I feel like just having a whole room full of student-athletes and other leaders, it really just brings out the best in everyone,” Kasimatis said. “I think it’s really great for everyone to learn from each other as well as from the presenters.” For Kasimatis, unity means “seeing more of the person rather than just a player,” a lesson she saw

Allyson Ferrari/Herald

Student-athletes from across nassau County gathered at Brookside School, in merrick, on Sept. 23 for the fourth annual Section Viii unity Summit, which focused on sportsmanship, leadership and civility in high school athletics. firsthand during a basketball game against Long Beach last season. Despite the teams’ competitive history, she said, Long Beach players congratulated Calhoun’s seniors after the game. “It meant a lot to our seniors to see everyone really just come together and respect them, even though they were opponents,” she said. Caballero said he had seen the impact of the summit’s lessons in Bellmore-Merrick, whether an athlete helps someone up after a fall or speaks up for someone who may not be comfortable doing so themselves. “All it takes is one kid to be able to be a voice for someone who may not have the skill set to have a voice of their own,” he said. Coaches play an important role in making sure those principles carry over into competition, Caballero added, because how they conduct themselves and respond to challenging moments can set the tone for their teams. “It goes beyond X’s and O’s,” he said. “It’s

about this life skill of dealing with adversity.” Part of the summit’s message is teaching athletes to recognize when teammates need help, to support one another through difficult moments and to understand when they need help themselves. Kimberly Czarnecki, a senior volleyball player at Calhoun, said that support becomes especially important when competitive pressures begin to overshadow relationships among teammates. “If I could change one thing about the culture surrounding high school sports, it would probably be the competition,” Czarnecki said. “I feel that with colleges and scouting and even high school team playing-time pressure, I feel like a lot of compassion and team bonding really gets lost in all of those aspects.” As an upperclassman, Czar necki said, she is responsible for setting an example for younger teammates, particularly during close games. “It’s very important that you have not only sportsmanship, but love and showing compassion for your teammates and also people across the net,” she said. Mental health was also addressed during the workshops, as athletes balance academic responsibilities with the demands of playing a sport. “The stress for a student and being a kid is real,” Caballero said. “For those who actually also play a sport, on top of that, brings another set of stressors for them.” The goal is to give athletes strategies to navigate that stress and make positive decisions, he said. For Marotta, the lessons ultimately come back to what athletes contribute to their teams and schools. “How do you make your team better?” he asked. “How do you make your school better? You gotta be the one that people want to be around. So you gotta change the environment a little bit. Step into your team. Step into your shoes and make it better.”

Real News, Real Local ...

All The Time!

Nobody covers your home town like we do all in on trusted place.

Super easy — do it yourself! Scan the QR code to subscribe. It’s Fast and easy.

Visit liherald.com/Subscribe, to sign-up and start having the Herald delivered to your mailbox each week.

Call us at (516) 569-4000 x7 and speak with a member of our team. They’ll be happy to help!

1337663

3 Easy Ways To Subscribe

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

Continued from page 1

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

Charmed is a place for wellness and healing By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

In the heart of Bellmore’s downtown is an eclectic wellness shop that caters to all. Whether visitors are seeking spiritual guidance, mediumship sessions, Reiki and other wellness services, or simply browsing its array of merchandise, Charmed and Healing brings it all together under one roof. The storefront in Bellmore was opened in December of 2020 by shop owner Lori McGuire, who resides in nearby East Meadow. Charmed first operated out of a smaller spot earlier that year, and despite the pandemic complicating her first year in business, she needed more space and relocated to its current location on Bedford Avenue. McGuire is a psychic medium and certified to perform Reiki, an ancient Japanese practice that involves the transfer of energy from one person to another. Walking around the shop — which sports a homey, warm feel — patrons can browse a variety of holistic health items and other gifts, including essential oils, lotions, crystals and jewel-

ry. And aside from shopping, customers can book psychic readings and Reiki sessions. “Those are our main things,” McGuire said of Charmed’s services. “And then we offer a lot of classes. We try to be more of a community place.” Psychic readings are priced at $30 for 10 minutes; $50 for 15 minutes; $75 for 30 minutes; and $125 for 60 minutes. Reiki sessions are priced at $75 for 30 minutes or $125 for 60 minutes. Charmed and Healing posts a monthly calendar on its Facebook page, which details a list of programming, including crafting classes for things such as wreaths, candles and simmer pots. The schedule also boasts movie nights, packages for Reiki services and special psychic nights. A lot of the classes and p ro g r a m m i n g a re t h e m e d around the season or month. McGuire also hosts twicemonthly moon circles, which she said are well-attended. The circles include meditation, intention-setting by candlelight, Reiki, sound bowls and individual card readings. And S h a u n Ta n n e n b a u m , wh o works with McGuire, hosts angel classes, helping people

Jordan Vallone/Herald

Lori McGuire, owner of Charmed and Healing, behind the front in the Bellmore storefront. McGuire is a psychic medium and certified to perform Reiki. connect with archangels. Charmed’s purpose, above all, is to help people and offer the community an alternative, holistic approach to wellness and healing. “It’s been different each year,” she said, reflecting on her

business journey. “I think the thing that we’ve maintained are the psychic readings and the Reiki healings, and that’s what people come back for. And then once people come once or twice, they get to know everybody who works here and the other people

who come in, and it’s really just kind of developed into a community, which I love.” “It’s become a lighter energy-place,” Tannenbaum said. “Some people with darker energies just gravitate away, and it’s been really good lately.” And of course, Charmed is a novelty shop — the type of place where people stop in for birthday, housewarming, anniversary or milestone gifts. Mental clarity in a crazy world, McGuire said, is what she feels keeps her customers engaged. “I think it’s the uplifting energy,” she explained. “I think it’s the spark of guidance and joy, hope for the future. I think it’s that hopeful energy.” Charmed and Healing is at 305c Bedford Ave., Bellmore, New York. The shop is open on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Services can be booked online. For those interested in inquiring about what’s offered, email char medbellmore@ gmail.com or contact McGuire at (347) 739-2832.

Bellmore residents among ‘Women of Distinction’ By JULIA GILLEGO jgillego@liherald.com

Bellmore residents, Dr. Gina Sita-Molz and Wendy Tepfer were among 14 women recognized for their service and leadership at state Sen. Steve Rhoads’ fourth annual Women of Distinction ceremony on Sept. 17. Sita-Molz is a lifelong Bellmore resident who returned to her hometown to establish Long Island Insights Psycholo gical Services. For more than a decade, she has helped individuals and families navigate anxiety, anger, parenting challenges and neurodivergence. Outside of her practice, Sita-Molz serves on the Board of the Suffolk County Psychological Association and remains actively involved in the Bellmore community through the PTA and local civic events. For more than 20 years, Tepfer has served as director of the Association for the Community Parent Center, where she leads programs that connect Long Island families with health, safety and educational resources. A longtime advocate

Courtesy Office of State Sen. Steve Rhoads

Several women from the 5th State Senate District were named ‘Women of Distinction’ including Bellmore residents Dr. Gina Sita-Molz and Wendy Tepfer. within the Bellmore-Merrick school community, Tepfer created Driving in the Safe Lane and the Center’s Prom Safety Program. Her work has earned her numerous honors, including the 2016 New York State Woman of Distinction Award. The event, held at the Plain-

view-Old Bethpage Library, honored women from across the 5th Senate District for their professional accomplishments, volunteer work, advocacy and contributions to their communities. “Every year, this ceremony reminds me of the incredible

people who make our communities so special,” Rhoads said. “These 14 women have each made a lasting impact in their own unique way, and it was a privilege to recognize them and thank them for all they have done. Their stories of service, perseverance, leadership,

and compassion are exactly the kind of examples we want our young people to see. I hope this evening not only celebrated their accomplishments, but inspired the next generation to step forward and make a difference in their own communities.”

A look at book challenges, censorship and the freedom to read By ALLYSON FERRARI aferrari@liherald.com

From school library shelves to state legislatures, disputes over which books people — particularly children and teenagers — should be able to access have become part of a national debate over education, parental rights and freedom of expression. Banned Books Week, observed Oct. 4-10 this year, brings renewed attention to those disagreements and the books caught in the middle. Here are three things to know about the annual observance and the debate surrounding book challenges.

Who gets to decide what stays on the shelf?

Books addressing sexuality, LGBTQ+ identities, race and racism have frequently been at the center of challenges across the country in recent years. Books have also drawn objections because of profanity, violence, drug use and sexually explicit content. The debate has expanded beyond individual parents objecting to individual titles. Some challenges target multiple books at once, while lawmakers, school boards and library systems have considered broader rules governing what children and teenagers can access. Free-expression and library advocates argue that removing books because of their content can prevent readers from encountering different experiences and viewpoints. Those seeking restrictions argue that parents should have a greater role in determining what children can read and that schools and libraries have a responsibility to ensure materials are age-appropriate.

Much of the national debate comes down to one question: Who should decide whether a book belongs in a school or library? School districts and library systems generally have policies for selecting materials and responding to challenges. Reviews may involve librarians, administrators, committees or elected boards, while parents and residents can request that books be reconsidered. State laws can also affect what materials are available. Free-speech advocates contend that removing books because of objections to their ideas can restrict readers’ ability to make their own choices. Those favoring greater restrictions argue that decisions about ageappropriate materials are a responsibility of parents, educators and public institutions. The disagreement has turned what were once largely local decisions about library collections into a broader national debate.

The Hal Knopf Team Your Local Real Estate Experts Navigating today’s housing market? You need a powerful partner to make sense of the complexities.

JUST LISTED

Kaitlynn McCartney Licensed Real Estate Salesperson kaitlynn.mccartney@compass.com

190 W Waukena Avenue, Oceanside 4 BD ∙ 2 BA ∙ $855,000 Stunning new kitchen in this renovated and expanded Ocean Lea Split Level. Main level den extension, expanded primary suite, and oversized property. Don’t miss this one!

M: 516.574.3491

Call for your honest and accurate home value appraisal. No cost. No obligation. HalKnopfTeam.com

realestateby.kait

The Hal Knopf Team is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

1356248

Banned Books Week is an annual national campaign that draws attention to attempts to remove or restrict books in schools and libraries while promoting the freedom to read. This year’s theme, “Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read,” emphasizes allowing readers to encounter different ideas and perspectives without censorship. The 2026 observance runs Oct. 4-10. Launched in 1982 by the American Library Association, Banned Books Week brings together librarians, educators, authors, publishers and readers to highlight challenges to books and access to information. A book challenge does not necessarily mean a book has been banned. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict material based on an objection, while a ban occurs when access to that material is removed. Challenges can involve books in school curricula, classroom collections and public or school libraries.

Certain themes face more challenges than others

1364932

Banned Books Week puts the freedom to read in focus

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

things to know About bAnned books week

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

Stumping for constituents, affordability, safety By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

Nassau County Legislator Michael Giangregorio says his time in office has been defined by being accessible to constituents, and the legislation he has supported. Giangregorio, who retired in March from JP Morgan Chase, was first elected in 2023 and is seeking another two-year term. He said he is most proud of making himself available to residents — even when an issue falls outside the county’s jurisdiction. “When someone calls my office, they will never get, ‘That’s not us,’” he said. “We’ll make the connection.” Residents should receive assistance whether they are calling on a major issue or a relatively small concern, Giangregorio said, adding that his office works to determine which level of government can address a problem and make the appropriate connection. He pointed to his record on taxes and laws he has authored or supported, and said he has not voted for a county tax increase since being elected. Giangregorio also cited legislation involving religious freedom, and a law he authored prohibiting hotels and motels from renting rooms by the hour. That measure, he said, was prompted by concerns raised by constituents, and was intended to address prostitution, drug trafficking and sex trafficking, particularly in residential areas and near schools. He also highlighted the county’s Blue Envelope program, which he authored in partnership with the Nassau County Police Department. It is intended to help officers identify neurodivergent drivers and passengers during traffic stops. A program participant can receive a blue envelope containing credentials and information for officers. A blue sleeve for a seat belt can also identify a neurodivergent passenger.

12 th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

Jordan Vallone/Herald

Nassau County Legislator Michael Giangregorio highlighted his legislative record and efforts in responding to constituent concerns. “The purpose of the blue envelope is you put your credentials in, you leave your hands on the wheel and you tell the police officers, I have a blue envelope,” he said, adding that neurodivergent people “need a little bit more attention.” Giangregorio said the county should control the portion of property taxes in its jurisdiction and avoid increasing taxes before identifying opportunities to reduce spending and operate more efficiently.

“We have to do more with less,” he said, adding that the county should not balance its budget “on the backs of taxpayers,” and, “I’m not a fan of waste.” On the challenge of rising property values, he said homeowners might benefit from increased values, but prospective buyers can find it more difficult to afford a home. The county, Giangregorio said, should continue looking for prospects to provide affordable housing for young people, veterans and those with disabilities. He noted several public-works projects, including improvements in Bellmore, where work is moving forward in phases, beginning with traffic signals before improvements on Bellmore Avenue. There is a planned left-turn signal at Merrick and Camp avenues, near the Camp Avenue School. The busy intersection, Giangregorio said, has been the site of accidents, and the signal should improve traffic flow and pedestrian access. He also said he wants to address long-vacant commercial properties along Sunrise Highway, including the former Treehouse and HSBC buildings. The county, the Town of Hempstead, the state and property owners, he said, need to work together to improve the appearance and condition of those properties. For Giangregorio, constituent service remains central to his work. “If it’s important to that person for them to reach out, and we can help them,” he said, that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Targeting water rates, spending and security By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

Liberty Water, government spending and public safety are the issues driving Democratic candidate Michael Vanunu’s campaign for the seat representing the Nassau County Legislature’s 12th District, which encompasses Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh and a slice of Freeport. Vanunu is focused on the proposed acquisition of Liberty Water by the South Nassau Water Authority, which he said, should be a priority because of rising water bills for Liberty customers. He added that the Legislature could play a role by holding hearings, and pressing Liberty and the water authority for information about negotiations and the proposed purchase. “The longer this goes on, the more water rates will continue to increase,” Vanunu said. The authority was created in 2021, and, he said, there has been insufficient progress toward completing the acquisition. Vanunu said that a public hearing could provide an opportunity to question Liberty about negotiations and the information needed to establish a purchase price. Viewing the county’s property tax assessment system as a longer-term affordability issue, he said that homeowners should not have to rely on the existing grievance process each year to seek a fair assessment, and called for a more transparent system. He acknowledged that changing that system would be complicated, but said he would work with people who have expertise in assessments and grievances to develop potential solutions. Vanunu also said that the county should examine fees and regulations that impact local businesses, and

Jordan Vallone/Herald

Michael Vanunu, the Democratic candidate for Nassau County Legislature, is campaigning on issues including water rates, government spending and public safety. consider ways to reduce costs for smaller enterprises, including possible breaks for new businesses or firsttime renewals. “The more we help our small businesses thrive and stay in business,” he said, “the more that our consumers are going to directly feel the dollar amount in their pocket.”

Vanunu questioned a $12 million allocation in the county budget called “miscellaneous,” and said that taxpayers should have more information about how those funds are spent. “I’m a lawyer — I work at an outside firm that gets hired by plenty of companies,” he said. “I see how much money is being wastefully spent on outside lawyers, when we have county lawyers, they’re supposed to be doing the job.” Vanunu, who previously served as an assistant district attorney in Queens, said he wants to ensure that the Nassau County Police Department has the resources needed to staff its precincts and provide officers with training. Concerned about a shortage of detectives and upcoming retirements among senior officers, he also cited worries that staffing shortages could affect county services, including reports he noted about lengthy waits for emergency dispatch. “Part of it is having the conversation with the Nassau Police Department as to what their current staffing issues are and what their needs are,” Vanunu said. “You know, same with CSEA and our support staff that works in the county.” He said he would connect constituents with the county agencies that can address their concerns. “I make sure that everybody who calls me and asks me for help, that’s what I do,” Vanunu said. “I take that extra step to make sure that … the person who asks me for help is put in touch with the right person who can help them.” He said he would bring a practical, collaborative approach, emphasizing research before making policy decisions. “I’m looking to propose and work with others,” Vanunu said, “to help all of us.”

Town unveils tax-freeze spending proposal jgillego@liherald.com

Town of Hempstead Supervisor John Ferretti unveiled a proposed $591.7 million budget for 2027 that he said would freeze town taxes while maintaining municipal services, funding infrastructure improvements and preserving a $5 million tax cut enacted earlier this year. The proposal follows a 2026 budget that reduced general fund taxes by 18 percent. Ferretti noted that the proposed tax-freeze budget comes as Hempstead faces rising costs, including the overall 3.4 percent increase in the consumer price index over the past year. Other increases have also impacted the town, such as a 23 percent increase in utility costs and pension costs rising 10 percent over the past two years. “It is on us as elected leaders to demand accountability, boost efficiency, and ensure smart budgeting within governmental operations,” Ferretti said on Sept. 30. “Families should not be left to shoulder burdens that should be addressed through responsible governance.” The proposed budget aims to maintain all town services and programs while addressing rising operating costs, public safety needs and infrastructure improvements. Ferretti said that it prioritizes affordability for residents amid rising living expenses across New York.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti, center, unveiled a nearly $592 million budget for 2027, noting that it maintains all of the town’s programs and services. Brian Devine, the town’s communications director, said the tentative budget projects the use of $30 million in reserves. Devine emphasized that the figure is only a projection, and that the final amount would not be known until the town closes its books for 2027. “It is entirely possible that the town will use no reserves at all in our 2027 budget due to strong fiscally conservative management,” he said. Devine pointed to the town’s most recent audited financial statements for

the 2025 budget as an example. That spending plan projected $22.9 million in reserve use, but the town ended the year with a $20 million surplus. Joseph Scianablo, the Democratic candidate challenging Ferretti for supervisor, released an analysis of the proposed budget, identifying what he described as concerns with projected revenue, fund transfers and reserve use. Scianablo said he identified $26.75 million in miscellaneous revenue, an increase of $24.25 million from 2026, a

$17 million part-town transfer to the Highway Department and proposed use of fund balances that need further explanation. “Without reliable, recurring revenue, today’s tax freeze can become tomorrow’s tax hike,” he said, adding that if elected, he would require documented revenue sources, realistic cost estimates and a multiyear financial plan. Scianablo also said he would protect essential services while reviewing contracts and spending for savings, pursuing outside funding through a proposed Grant Capture Unit and prioritizing preventive maintenance. He called for greater transparency through quarterly budget updates and clearer explanations of revenue and fund-balance use. While Scianablo outlined his plans to preserve essential services, the town currently provides a wide range of services to residents, including sanitation, water, highway maintenance, parks and senior enrichment programs. Town spending accounts for about four cents of every property tax dollar. For residents living in incorporated villages, the town’s share is even lower, less than one cent per dollar. The proposed spending plan would also maintain a municipal workforce at its lowest level in more than a decade. “The 2027 tax-freeze budget keeps more of your money where it belongs,” Ferretti said.

Veterans Day

WITH HONOR & GRATITUDE

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO OUR VETERANS ON VETERANS DAY!

PUBLISHING ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2026 TWO WAYS TO HONOR VERTICAL TRIBUTE AD 2.44” W X 6.30” H Your Sacrifice. Our Pride. Our Gratitude. Forever in our hearts.

HORIZONTAL TRIBUTE AD 5.04” W X 3.05” H

Your Sacrifice. Our Pride. Our Gratitude. Forever in our hearts.

$150

$300

Space is limited. Reserve your tribute today. CONTACT US TO PLACE YOUR TRIBUTE AD. Please Call 516-569-4000 Ext 268

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

By JULIA GILLEGO

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

EXPERIENCE IT ALL SUNDAY, NOV 8, 2026 • 9AM-3PM THE HERITAGE CLUB AT BETHPAGE • 99 QUAKER MEETING HOUSE RD, FARMINGDALE

Where Long Island's Health, Beauty, and Wellness World Convenes Get in the room with leading health, beauty, and wellness experts for the conversations you’ll wish you’d heard sooner. Discover your next must-have, meet premium brands, and try the products and services everyone will be talking about. From live demos to movement sessions and hands-on sampling, this is your chance to experience it all in one unforgettable day.

• Brazilian Lymphatic Massage Experience

Psychic Experiences

Beauty Trends + Live Demos

Women’s Health + Wellness Talks

Mommy Makeover Tips

Fashion Capsules

Shopping + Product Discovery

Giveaways + Swag Bags

Herald Health & Beauty Awards Luncheon

PRESENTED BY:

SCAN FOR TICKETS TICKETS & LEARN MORE: RICHNERLIVE.COM/HBX FOR SPONSORSHIPS, CONTACT AMY AMATO: AAMATO@LIHERALD.COM • 516-569-4000 X224

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

Photos courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

Chloe Auyeung of John F. Kennedy High School.

Kohana Bloom of Sanford H. Calhoun High School.

Nicholas Rooney of Sanford H. Calhoun High School.

Three Bellmore-Merrick students selected for NYSSMA All-State Three students from the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District have been selected to participate in the prestigious NYSSMA All-State Music Festival, representing the district among the top student musicians from across New York State. The All-State selection process begins during the previous school year. Students must first be recommended by their music director and perform a Level 6 audition piece at the spring NYSSMA festival, earning a score of 98 or higher to be considered for selection. The NYSSMA All-State bands, choruses, orchestras and jazz ensembles bring together outstanding

student musicians from school districts throughout New York State. Selected students work with renowned guest conductors during several days of intensive rehearsals before performing at the worldfamous Eastman Theatre in Rochester as part of the annual NYSSMA Winter Conference. The following students will travel to Rochester from Dec. 3-6 to participate in rehearsals and performances: John F. Kennedy High School student Chloe Auyeung, on cello with the Symphony Orchestra; and Sanford H. Calhoun High School students Kohana Bloom, an oboe and English horn alternate and Nicholas Rooney, a bass 2 vocal alternate.

“These students have demonstrated an extraordinary level of musical ability, but their selection also reflects the countless hours they have dedicated to developing their craft,” said Director of Fine and Performing Arts Cheryl Fontana. “We are thrilled to see them recognized at the state level, and we look forward to celebrating this exciting accomplishment with them. Their success is also a wonderful reflection of the commitment and encouragement provided by their music teachers, Ms. Kenyon, Ms. Pincus and Mr. Tumminelli.” — Julia Gillego

Broadway Comes to Babylon! Join us for a spectacular lineup of Broadway-caliber productions.

Photo: Cha Chad Griffith Griffit

Sept 17th - Oct 25th 2026

5 Off*

WITH cOde:

BEACON *Not to be combined. Discount valid off individual, premium mainstage tickets only.

ON Our Children’s Theatre

Photo: Chad Griffith

ON Our Main Stage

NOV 12th - JAN 3rd 2027

SEpt 26th - OCT 25th 2026

NOV 21st - Jan 3rd 2027

Tickets on Sale Now!

argyletheatre.com | 631.230.3500 | 34 w. mai n st. babylo n , ny 1 1702

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

STEPPING OUT A blast from the ‘80s

Courtesy Gabriella Spiegel

Courtesy Austin Colbert

Suburban kid, theatrical force: Joe Iconis thrives in the spotlight.

Two worlds, one voice Joe Iconis reconncts with his roots in an intimate showcase of his music and singular stage presence

By Iris Wiener

oe Iconis returns to Long Island for a dynamic homecoming. The Tony-nominated writer, performer and Garden City native is set to perform his solo concert, “Joe Iconis: Live on Long Island,” on Oct. 16-17. He’ll bring the songs, stories and theatrical sensibility that have defined his career to East Rockaway’s Strongbox Theater. For the writer behind Broadway’s “Be More Chill,” the occasion is both a long-overdue local debut and an opportunity to reconnect with the place that helped shape the songwriter and performer he would become. “I can’t believe it has taken me this long,” Iconis says of bringing an entire concert of his own material back here. Although he has made occasional appearances in the area, including debuting a new musical in Babylon, he had never performed a proper solo concert on his home turf. The opportunity came together almost spontaneously after he became aware of the new Strongbox Theater and he knew it would be a good fit. The significance of performing on Long Island goes beyond geography. “Long Island is just kind of baked into who I am as a person,” Iconis says. Growing up in Garden City, which he calls “the ultimate suburban area,” he was surrounded by a large Italian family and the particular social dynamics of suburban life. Those experiences, he says, helped shape both his worldview and the people who populate his writing in musicals such as “The Black Suits” and “Love in Hate Nation.” “I write a lot about suburban characters and suburban ennui, as well as people who feel just outside of something,” Iconis relates. For him, that feeling is particularly connected to “being just outside of the city, so close that you can touch it, but not quite there.” The proximity to Manhattan was another formative part of his childhood. Iconis was able

to see theater frequently and became fascinated by the city and its creative energy. At the same time, he came to recognize that Long Island could feel like its own universe. That tension between the familiar world of the suburbs and Courtesy Stephanie Wessels the seemingly limitless possibilities of New York became part of Iconis’ artistic DNA. Yet the younger Iconis might never have imagined that he would one day be performing his own songs in front of an audience. “He would blush!” Iconis says when asked what his aspiring songwriter self from Garden City would think of his current career. “I was never someone who identified as a performer.” As a child, he participated in theater because it was a way to be a part of the environment he loved, but remembers being terrified onstage.Eventually his songwriting pushed him toward performing. “I became a performer out of necessity when I got to grad school. “It was like, ‘I’m writing these songs, I have to be able to perform the songs, so I should try to get better at doing that.’” Developing his craft as a writer also helped him find greater confidence as a performer, which is regularly exhibited at popular concerts at 54 Below and around the U.S. “Finding my voice allowed me to start feeling comfortable in my own body and I started getting comfortable on stage,” he says. The Strongbox concert will offer audiences a glimpse at what is next for Iconis. He is currently writing an original musical inspired by Robert Altman, set in one weekend in the New York theater world in 1982. Other projects include “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical,” which has already been presented in several locations and is now moving toward New York. The exchange of energy between himself and his live audiences has also given Iconis the unusual experience of learning that his work has affected people he has never met. “It’s so strange to me to think that there are people whom I don’t know, who listen to my stuff and it does something for them,” he says. Iconis wants his concerts to appeal not only to theater devotees, but to people who may not consider themselves musical-theater fans. “I hope that the evening opens people up to different ideas to what musical theater can be and what it is,” he says. The thought of returning home carries a certain vulnerability for an artist who has spent so much of his career writing about outsiders and people searching for where they belong. “My artistic home feels like it’s New York City,” he says. “I can’t escape it.” But Long Island remains an essential part of that story. “[Both places] are different parts of me.” Now those two worlds will meet on a Long Island stage. And perhaps, for two nights, the distance between Long Island and the city that inspired so much of his work will disappear entirely. Visit strongboxtheater.com to purchase tickets for Joe Iconis: Live on Long Island.

Tease that hair, dig out the neon and get ready to party like it’s 1985. Jessie’s Girl is back with their wildly entertaining “Back to the Eighties” concert experience — a high-energy blast of pop, rock and pure ‘80s nostalgia. The New York City-based band features top rock and pop musicians and four powerhouse vocalists who transform into the era’s biggest icons, complete with signature looks, choreography and plenty of attitude. Expect hits from the decade’s biggest stars, delivered with the kind of over-the-top production that makes Jessie’s Girl a concert — and a party — rolled into one. Add audience participation, colorful costumes, props, bubbles and a blizzard of confetti, and you’ve got an all-out throwback celebration that keeps the crowd singing, dancing and reaching for those neon leg warmers.

Friday, Oct 9, 8 p.m. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.

Melissa Errico The Broadway star and acclaimed jazz vocalist Melissa Errico brings her celebrated album “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” to the stage with longtime collaborator pianist Tedd Firth, bassist David Finck and drummer Eric Halvorson. “I thought I was making an album of old songs,” she says.”Then the songs began telling me what they were really about: all the ingenious ways we reach for someone we love. I’ve spent my life finding stories inside music. This evening brings together Cole Porter’s wit, Duke Ellington’s tenderness and Joni Mitchell’s wondering heart, with laughter, longing and a beautiful illusions along the way.”

Friday, Oct 9, 8 p.m. $86, $79, $67. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington.

OCT

Financial Forum: Creating Your Estate Plan

CALENDAR • Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury • Time: 8-9:30 p.m. • Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048

Learn how to protect your assets and plan for your family’s future at an informative workshop presented by financial advisor Kyle Hauptman at North Bellmore Public Library. The seminar covers key legal documents, including health care proxies, wills and trusts, as well as strategies for managing and distributing assets, minimizing estate taxes and ensuring longterm wishes are carried out.

‘Uncle Vlad’s Pumpkin Patch: The Vladuation’

• Where: 1551 Newbridge Road, North Bellmore • Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m. • Contact: northbellmorelibrary.org

OCT

Step lively on the dance floor

Society Tempo welcomes all to an afternoon of dancing, ongoing every month. Participate in Big Band, classic ballroom, Latin and line dancing. Refreshments include bagels, pastries and beverages. Singles and couples welcome. Bring your friends or make new ones. $12 donation. Must reserve! Also celebrate the season with a Halloween Party on Oct. 28, 1:304:30 p.m. Includes costume contest and prizes (Costumes optional) • Where: Merrick Golf Course Clubhouse, 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick (9E off Meadowbrook Pkwy) • Time: 12:30-3:30 p.m., also Oct. 23 • Contact: (718) 332-7825 or email dancezee@aol.comto reserve

OCT

‘Pink Ribbons and Cognac’

“Pink Ribbons & Cognac,” a stage play presented by Skyeboxx Conversations, tells the stories of two women facing personal battles. The production explores breast cancer, alcoholism, family relationships, faith, healing and resilience. Recommended for ages 13 and older and contains mature themes and strong language. • Where: 222 Pettit Ave., Bellmore • Time: 7-9:30 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m.

Party in Pink Breast Cancer fundraiser

Dance for a cause during a Zumbathon with Andrea and Yesenia to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer. Participants of all experience levels are welcome. Proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Tickets are $15.

OCT

Daughtry 20 Years Unplugged

Experience Daughtry’s catalogue in a stripped-back acoustic setting, reframing the songs that have soundtracked arenas, rock radio milestones, and some of the most defining moments of the band’s career. The band’s music takes on a different meaning in more raw and immediate space, where the weight of a lyric, the scrape of a guitar string, and the quiet before a chorus can hit as hard as the full-band impact. Their lastest tour follows the release of “Shock To The System,” the complete edition of Daughtry’s two-part project via Big Machine Rock. The collection brings together “Shock To The System” (Part One) “Shock To The System” (Part Two) along with additional live recordings that capture the force and connection of the band’s latest era. Across tracks including “Artificial,” “Pieces,” “The Bottom,” and “Antidote,” Daughtry continue to channel grief, change, confrontation, and selfreclamation into some of their heaviest and most emotionally direct work to date. For an artist whose songs have always lived at the intersection of power and vulnerability, 20 Years Unplugged sees Daughtry • Where: The Paramount, 370 strip down some of their biggest and most meaningful tracks, distilling them to their New York Ave., Huntington purest form and bringing fans closer to the songs, the stories, and the unmistakable • Time: 8 p.m. voice that have carried the band from one of the biggest rock debuts of the century • Contact: ticketmaster.com through two decades of connection, evolution, and success. or paramountny.com • Where: Merrick Golf Course, 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick • Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m. • Contact: andrea2zumba@gmail. com

American Chamber Ensemble in concert

The acclaimed American Chamber Ensemble, celebrating its 61st Anniversary, returns to Hofstra University. The program includes music for various combinations of piano, clarinet and strings, with performances by ACE core members, faculty members, former students and current ACE student winner Roberto Oquendo. They’ll present works by Bernstein, contemporary composer Paul Basler, Amy Beach, Florence Price, Stephen Foster and others. Special guests are soprano Tammy Hensrud, the Sayville Chorale, Karen DiMartino conducting, cellist Deborah Sepe and Roberto Oquendo, French horn. Free; donations are gratefully received. • Where: Helene Fortunoff Theater, Monroe Lecture Center, California Ave., Hempstead • Time: 3 p.m. • Contact: (631) 242-5684 or (516) 586-3433

OCT

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to learn about the Indigenous of Long Island and the craft of making a Mishoon, a dugout canoe created by slowly burning and carving a tree trunk. • Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City • Time: 11 a.m. and noon • Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

OCT

Breast Cancer Ribbon Craft

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, participants in grades 6 and up can make a pink ribbon decoration at North Bellmore Library. Ribbons will be donated to a local organization that supports patients undergoing treatment. Community service hours earned. • Where: 1551 Newbridge Road, North Bellmore • Time: 6:30 -7:30 p.m. • Contact: northbellmorelibrary.org

OCT

The Great Give Back Join North Bellmore Public Library for The Great Give Back, a community service

initiative benefiting local nursing home residents. Patrons of all ages can stop by the library to assemble care kits containing comfort and personal items, along with homemade cards. Those seeking community service credit may participate anytime from 10 a.m. to noon and earn up to one hour of service. • Where: 1551 Newbridge Road, North Bellmore • Time: 10 a.m.-noon • Contact: northbellmorelibrary. org

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to share in the museum’s Halloween theatrical tradition. Uncle Vlad’s nephew Chad is getting ready to graduate from Boo-niversity, but needs to pass his final horror merit badge tests. Join Uncle Vlad, Gargamel the Rat, Great Aunt Margarine, Johnny Bones, and the whole spooky crew in a celebration of the pumpkin patch’s youngest bat. The Vlad team returns to the stage with another original production, now in its fifth year. Each year presents a different story with some familiar and some new kooky and creepy faces, making the shows a puppet-filled treat for anyone who likes some tricks! $5 with museum admission ($4 members), $10 theater only. • Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City • Time: 11 a. m. and 1 p.m., also Oct. 18, Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 31 • Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

NOV 27th Annual Long Island Jolson Festival

Society President Jan Hernstat invites all to participate in the annual tribute to Al Jolson, rescheduled. With Ed Greenbaum’s unique outtakes from “The Jolson Story, Noah Diamond as Grouch Marx, comedian Jeff Greenberg, with Tony Babino’s “The Heart of Al Jolson, and more. Tickets are $54.95.

• Where: Lambrou’s Catering Hall, 4073 Austin Blvd., Island Park • Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • Contact: Jan Hernstat at (516) 678-3524

‘The Song of the Cello’

Visit Old Westbury Gardens for an evening of chamber music. Ensemblein-residence Poetica Musica Quartet welcomes all to enjoy the rich, expressive tones of the cello. Renowned cellist Eugene Moye joins pianist Yasmin Alami for an evening of masterful performances featuring works by Brahms, Casals, Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn, and others. The program includes Johannes Brahms’ Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38, Pablo Casals’ “The Song of the Birds,” Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise,” and additional selections celebrating the depth, warmth, and versatility of this beloved instrument. A pre-concert talk proceeds the concert at 7:30 p.m.; a Meet-the-Artists reception with light refreshments follows the concert in the West Porch. $30; $25 seniors and members.

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.

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

Your Neighborhood

JOIN US – IT’S FREE!

H* UNC BY L E FRE VIDED PRO

PRESENTED BY

OCTOBER 15 • 10AM-12:30PM TILLES CENTER 720 NORTHERN BLVD, GREENVALE

FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers Take advantage of on-site health screenings Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A Win raffles, prizes, and giveaways Snack station for all

MAE CAIME FOUNDER, AMAEZING MIDLIFE & BEYOND

AGENDA:

VISIT EXHIBITORS EXPERT PANEL + Q&A RAFFLE DRAWINGS MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN

All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.

AN ALL-IN-ONE EXPO FOR LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE GOLD SPONSOR

https://GreenvaleSeniorHealth Expo.eventbrite.com or email rbamgbose@liherald.com or call 516.569.4000 x273

Scan Here!

SILVER SPONSORS

TO SPONSOR OR EXHIBIT CONTACT ANNA GRACI AGRACI@LIHERALD.COM OR 516.569.4000 X290

1363634

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

HERALD

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE Apex Dance Collective LLC filed with the SSNY on 4/13/2026. Office: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent for process and shall mail copy of process to Northwest Registered Agent LLC, 418 Broadway, Ste N, Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: any lawful 162153 LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. ANISSA METAYER, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 15, 2026 and a Short Form Order duly entered on April 1, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 27, 2026 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 189 Evergreen Drive, Westbury, NY 11590. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Westbury, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 10, Block 330 and Lot 9 together with an undivided 1.938609 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $688,288.53 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #610442/2024. Cash will not be accepted. Howard E. Colton, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 162485 LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR RAST SERIES 2002-A12, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH

MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2002-L UNDER THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED SEPTEMBER 1, 2002, Plaintiff, Against ELISA DUREN AS EXECUTRIX AND HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF JASON CAGEN AKA JERRY CAGEN, BARBARA CAGEN AS HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF JASON CAGEN AKA JERRY CAGEN, DAVID CAGEN AS HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF JASON CAGEN AKA JERRY CAGEN, HOWARD CAGEN AS HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF JASON CAGEN AKA JERRY CAGEN, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 05/06/2024, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 10/22/2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 318 Frankel Boulevard, Merrick, New York 11566, and described as follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Merrick, in the Township of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 63 Block 126 Lot 43, 44, and 45. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $610,329.71 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 606849/2018 If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573 Dated: 9/10/2026 File Number: 272-8714 CA 162489 LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. BHNV REALTY 2 CORP., et al, Defts. Index #604303/2024. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered August 19, 2026, I will sell at public auction on the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on October 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. premises k/a Section 55, Block 81 Lot(s) 364-365. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. The foreclosure sale will be held “rain or shine.” KEITH LAVALLE, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY 11021. #103161 162345 LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NASSAU THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON F/K/A THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS SUCCESSOR TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR THE HOLDERS OF THE BEAR STEARNS ALT-A TRUST 2004-10, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-10, Plaintiff, Against LUIS A. QUIJANO, et al, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 03/22/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 10/22/2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 174 Babylon Turnpike, Merrick, New York 11566, and described as follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York. Section 55 Block 166 Lot 158 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $1,154,373.34 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 005630/2015 If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee.

rain or shine. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573 Dated: 9/10/2026 File Number: 17-300295 CA 162350 LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN TRUST 2019-02, Plaintiff against 18 HELENE AVE LLC; EDDYLI ROSARIO, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered February 3, 2025, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 21, 2026 at 2:00PM. Premises known as 18 Helene Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566. Sec 56 Block 448 Lot 3. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $1,433,972.34 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 610604/2020. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Joy Bunch, Esq., Referee File # 22-000061-01 162356 LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN

Wedding bells ringing for Merrick native

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICES

The Witte family of Merrick has announced the upcoming marriage of Nicole Witte to Owen Reda. Witte grew up in Merrick, attending Chatterton Elementary School before graduating from Sanford H. Calhoun High School, where she was captain of the varsity cheerleading team. She and her family were also advocates for child product safety laws that were enacted in Nassau County and New York state. Witte later graduated from SUNY Geneseo and Albany Law School. She is a real estate attorney with Holland & Knight in New York City. The couple will be married Nov. 13 on Long Island’s North Shore.

Courtesy Michele Witte

HERALD

PUBLIC NOTICES NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCAF ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff - against BRUCE WEINSTEIN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on April 27, 2026. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on the 4th day of November, 2026 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the at Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Premises known as 2089 2nd Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566. (Section: 56, Block: 50, Lots: 13, 14 and 15) Approximate amount of lien $453,792.93 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 003454/2014. David S.

terms of sale. Index No. 003454/2014. David S. Zeidman, Esq., Referee. All checks must be made directly to David S. Zeidman, Esq, as Referee, no third parties checks and no cash will be accepted. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409 Dated: September 7, 2026 During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale. 162540 LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF BUDGET

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE PROPOSED 2027 BUDGET OF THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT, IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS' OF THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT FOR ITS CONSIDERATION. A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 20TH, 2026 AT 7 PM. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS BUILDING LOCATED AT 2095 CAMP AVENUE, NORTH MERRICK, NEW YORK 11566. PURSUANT TO TOWN LAW SECTION 181, THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS MUST HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, MAKE THE PROPOSED BUDGET AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND

PUBLIC PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT IN FAVOR OF, OR AGAINST, AS IT IS SUBMITTED, OR FOR OR AGAINST, ANY ITEM, OR ITEMS CONTAINED THEREIN. COPIES OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY PERSON(S) AT NO COST, AT THE FIRE DISTRICT OFFICE, 2095 CAMP AVENUE, NORTH MERRICK, NEW YORK 11566. OFFICE HOURS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8AM TO 4:30 PM. COPIES OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT WWW.NORTHMERRICKFD.ORG AND AT THE OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, ONE WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK 11550. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS KATIE O'LEARY DISTRICT SECRETARY DAVID WARD DISTRICT CLERK NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

To Place your ad call

516-569-4000 press 5

HERALD

CLASSIFIED

e-mail your ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com e-mail FINDS UNDER $100 to: ereynolds@liherald.com DEADLINE: Monday, 11:00 am for all classified ads

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

Help Wanted

Eldercare Offered

Legal Services

DRIVERS WANTED

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

HOUSEKEEPING/ SENIOR CAREGIVER AVAILABLE. PRIVATE/ PROFESSIONAL. CNA* HHA* CCA CERTIFIED. EXPERIENCED/ EXCELLENT REFERENCES. EMMA 516-519-0456

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don’t Accept the insurance company’s first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-877-315-0990. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider.

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

Homes - Real Estate

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

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR COMPANY Car/Bonuses Clean

Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome! $24 - $28/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778 Email: info@bellautoschool.com

EDITOR/REPORTER

NEVER MISS A GAME-WINNING

MOMENT

Get scores, highlights, and upcoming games from local high school teams delivered to your inbox. Sign up for our sports newsletter today. (Link to come ??)

PART TIME & Full Time. The awardwinning 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

OUTSIDE SALES RICHNER COMMUNICATIONS, ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING MEDIA, EVENT AND COMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES ON LONG ISLAND IS SEEKING A SALES/ MARKETING CANDIDATE TO SELL OUR PRINT MEDIA PRODUCTS AND OUR DIGITAL, EVENTS, SPONSORSHIPS. EARNING POTENTIAL RANGES FROM $35,360 PLUS COMMISSION AND BONUSES TO OVER $100,000 INCLUDING COMMISSIONS AND BONUSES. COMPENSATION IS BASED ON FULL TIME HOURS ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTH BENEFITS, 401K AND PAID TIME OFF. PLEASE SEND COVER LETTER AND RESUME WITH SALARY REQUIREMENTS TO RGLICKMAN@LIHERALD.COM OR CALL 516-569-4000 X250 PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

SEE

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL? Submit your best local photos for a chance to be featured! Email: photos to tbaker@liherald.com

I TREAT CARE RECIPIENTS LIKE FAMILY. Private Household Caregiver And Manager. Compassionate And Very Dependable Seeking Part-Time Position. 20 Years Experience. Text Or Call Daria At 917-626-3646

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

WE BUY ANTIQUES, Fine Art, Coins & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluaations, 45 Year Family Business.Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

Lost & Found FOUND CAT IN the vicinity of Sycamore Ave, Merrick; Cleveland St., Garfield St, and Dewey Ave. North Bellmore. Looking for the person it loves. 516 781-1267.

Medical ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-877-563-0251 AUDIEN HEARING. THE world’s first hearing aid with touchscreen controls. No tiny buttons, apps or prescriptions. 45day risk free trial. Free shipping. Lifetime support. More than 1.5 million happy customers. Call Audien 1-855-484-2093

Appliance Srvc. / Repair APPLIANCE DOCTOR FOR ALL YOUR APPLIANCE REPAIRS! Prompt, Reasonable, Reliable. All Repairs Guaranteed. Lic/Ins. Serving Community 45 Years. $10 OFF Repairs. Seniors $12 OFF. 516-764-7011

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry VUOTTO CONTRACTING INC: 50 Years In Business. Full Line Of Masonry, Stone And Blacktop. Serving North Shore And South Shore. Call Carlo 516-887-9045

Rafﬂes BIG RAFFLE TODAY at the raffle house. We will have free giveaways and a free buffet. Please join us if you can.

Accounting & Tax END YOUR TAX worries today. Let us make your tax problem our priority. Scared, stuck with high tax amounts? Our A+ tax professionals can help. Call for a FREE consultation. Call Priority Tax now 1- 877-663-7719

Health & Fitness ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-877-536-0251 ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-877-536-0251 ATTENTION: VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-877-468-3979 ATTENTION: VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-877-468-3979

Internet Services AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET. If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-877-461-0663 AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET. If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-877-461-0663

Cable / TV / Wiring GET DISH SATELLITE TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069 GET DISH SATELLITE TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069

Cleaning Services WENDY’S CLEANING SERVICES INC. Commercial/Residential. We Specialize In Houses, Apartments, Offices, Airbnb & More. Good References. Free Estimates. Call/Text Wendy 516-406-5375 Or Email wencruzpa@gmail.com

Electricians E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates. Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.

Handyman PAINTING & HANDYMAN SERVICE

Tired of calling a contractor & they don’t call back? I will call you back the same day!

917-822-0225 Ricky Specializing in carpentry, bathrooms, kitchens, sheetrock, flooring, electric, plumbing.

Over 25 yrs exp. Lic/Ins H3805150000

HERALD

Crossword Puzzle MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

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

Home Improvement

Services

Auto For Sale

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available.Call 1-877-318-7982

PREPARE FOR POWER outages with Briggs & Stratton PowerProtect(TM) standby generators - the most powerful home standby generators available. Industry-leading comprehensive warranty - 7 years ($849 value.) Proudly made in the U.S.A. Call Briggs & Stratton 1-888-605-1496

PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-877-290-0023 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 2009: Light Gray/ Black Top. Clean, 200,000 Miles. Asking $2,800. Call 516-253-7833

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-877-318-7982

BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-877-271-0003

CJM GENERAL CONTRACTING Expert Leak Repairs *Dormers/ Extensions *Fire, Flood, Mold Remediation*Basements *Carpentry*Roofing/Flat Shingle *Attics All Masonry *Waterproofing *Power washing *Plumbing * Electric *Licensed/ Insured 516-428-5777

DO YOU KNOW what’s in your water? Leaf Home Water Solutions offers FREE water testing and whole home water treatment systems that can be installed in as little one day. 15% off your entire purchase. Plus 10% senior & military discounts. Restrictions apply. Schedule your FREE test today. Call 1-866-247-5728 PREPARE FOR POWER outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-877-516-1160 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

SAFE STEP. NORTH America’s #1 WalkIn Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-855-916-5473

Miscellaneous Services GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391 GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391

Power Washing POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: HOUSES, FENCES, CONCRETE/ BRICK, DECKS/ SEALING. ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641

Telephone Services CONSUMER CELLULAR - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682

Tree Services T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE *TREE REMOVAL *STUMP GRINDING *PRUNING. FREE ESTIMATES. 516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com

Autos Wanted

Junk Cars Wanted TOP CA$H PAID Junk Cars Bought

CALL US LAST! 516-766-0000

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277 DONATE YOUR CAR today, running or not. Support Patriotic Hearts for our Veterans and their Families! Free fast pickup. Max tax deduction. Se habla Español. Call now: 844-415-1229

Satellite / TV Equipment

GET A BREAK on your taxes! Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, nocost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855-484-3467 today!

DIRECTV- ALL YOUR entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Directv and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

WE BUY 8,000 cars a week. Sell your old, busted or junk car with no hoops, haggles or headaches. Sell your car to Peddle. Easy three step process. Instant offer. Free pickup. Fast payment. Call 1-855-403-3374

ANSWERS TO TODAY’S PUZZLE

HERALD

M A R K E T P L A CE October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

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

1364077

*POWER WASHING SPECIALIST*

WE SPECIALIZE IN:

FREE ESTIMATES...Best Price For High Quality Service CHRIS, RYAN & SAL PEKOFF

MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF

 CALL OUR EXPERTS FOR ADVICE & FREE ESTIMATES 

NO JOB TOO SMALL OR TOO LARGE

SPECIAL ATTENTION TO 

1358026

COMMERCE OF THE BELLMORES (516) 546-4976 S & M CONCRETE

DEMOLITION All Phases of Interior & Exterior Demolition Kitchens/ Baths • Basements • Garages Decks • Sheds • Fences • Pools JUNK REMOVAL Furniture • Appliances • Carpeting • All Household Items CLEANOUTS �� EXTERIOR SERVICES Gutter Cleaning • Power Washing • Yard Cleanups Small Tree Removal • Land Clearing FREE ESTIMATED - LICENSED & INSURED BBB ACCREDITED A+RATING

516-538-1125 STRONGARMCONTRACTINGLI.COM 1340737

220 South Service Rd., Roslyn Heights, NY 11577

1354638

1342907

Residential and Commercial - All Surfaces Call Anthony Romeo “The Local Guy” “Anthony & J Home Improvement, Inc.” Also specializes in ★ Deck Renovation ★ Driveways ★ Siding ★ Masonry ★ Fences ★ Roofing ★ Interior/Exterior Painting. (516) 678-6641 - Licensed & Insured

opinions

ecently I had the chance to attend a tribute to Howie Rose at CitiField, honoring his almost four decades as the iconic voice of the Mets. Rosemary and I have enjoyed a friendship with Rose and his wife, Barbara, over the years, and Howie invited us to the ceremony. Being a loving grandmother, Rosemary deferred to our grandson Jack, who’s a dedicated Mets — and Howie Rose — fan. Rose is a great guy who represents the very best of what New York baseball should be all about. Baseball games have always been a great outlet for me, a place to relax and enjoy rooting for my favorite team, in good years and bad. When I was a kid growing up in Queens, that team was the Brooklyn Dodgers, and those seasons were all good, until they weren’t. When team owner Walter O’Malley hijacked the Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1957, it left a

glaring void among many New York neighborhood-type fans who could never identify with the pinstriped Yankees. That void was filled beyond expectations when the Mets came into being in 1962, and quickly developed a devoted fan base. I attended countless games at Shea Stadium, and Rose personified that new breed of fan, who lived and died with the Mets. His dream was to be an announcer for the Mets. When he achieved that goal, first as a pregame broadcaster and then as a knowledgeable, highly skilled play-by-play announcer, he was still very much the neighborhood guy, the enthusiastic fan from the upper deck. He truly was the voice of the Mets. Rose’s declaration “Put it in the books!” after every Mets win has become part of New York baseball lore. He was also a longtime announcer for the NHL’s Rangers and Islanders. His cry “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!” after Stephane Matteau’s double-overtime, sudden-death goal against the Philadel-

phia Flyers won the Eastern Conference Championship for the Rangers in 1994, is also part of New York sports history. After all his years behind the microphone and his successful recovery from major cancer surgery, Rose announced that he would retire at the end of this season. To pay tribute to him, the Mets designated Sept. 20 Howie Rose Day at CitiField, and planned to honor him in a pregame ceremony on the field. It turned out to be the Mets’ last home game, and the final Mets game Rose would announce. Unfortunately, the day was dark and rainy, which forced the cancellation of the pregame festivities. The Mets decided to reschedule the ceremony on next season’s Opening Day weekend, but went ahead with an indoor celebration for Rose and his invited guests in the owner’s suite on the 20th. That was a win-win for Howie, Barbara and their two very accomplished daughters, Alyssa and Chelsea, because so many friends and notable people attended to show their strong friendship for him. Among the many in attendance were

he voice of the Mets, still the neighborhood guy, has put ’em in the books.

Art Shamsky and Cleon Jones, from the 1969 World Series champion Miracle Mets; Ron Darling, Lee Mazzilli and Howard Johnson, from the 1986 championship team; John Franco, from the 2000 National League champion squad; Terry Collins, from the 2015 National League champs; former New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, now the Mets’ senior vice president for security; and Mets owner Steve Cohen. It was baseball and New York at its best. No one spoke about themselves. It was all about Rose, his love of baseball and the fans and how he is such a lasting part of baseball, and New York. It was an honor to be there. What has always impressed me the most about Rose is his genuineness. Whenever Rosemary and I went to dinner with Howie and Barbara, we had no advance thought of what we would discuss that evening, but we would end up talking into the night, being among the last to leave wherever we were. Thank you, Howie and Barbara. You’re great friends. Put it in the books! Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

The Republicans keep dropping easy passes

s we approach the November elections, a lot of words have popped into my mind. One of them is foolish, and another is stupid. I can easily apply those words to what has happened in politics that has made so many people angry. The gripes come from both sides of the aisle. But there’s a sports term that best describes what the Trump administration has been doing. Those words are unforced error. In football, if a receiver simply drops a pass, that’s an unforced error. In politics, it means a selfinflicted wound that could easily have been avoided. Come Nov. 3, I think those words will best define what will happen and why it will happen. While it’s true that the party in power tends to lose off-year elections, there have been too many unforced errors that will hurt the Republican Party. In 1992, James Carville, then a strategist in Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, came up with the now famous

catch phrase “It’s the economy, stupid,” which cost President George H.W. Bush his job. Decades later, it did the same to President Joe Biden, who told America that things were just fine and the country was in good shape. And now President Trump calls affordability a “hoax,” which everyone, including his most loyal supporters, knows isn’t true. The war against Iran was supposed to last a few days, and is now in its seventh month. I think if I had been a fly on the wall when the decision was made to start bombing Iran, I might have heard the generals warn Trump that doing so would have more downsides than upsides. I love America, but the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan didn’t go well, and a fight with a crazy enemy like Iran was a big gamble. The proof of how badly it’s gone is the sky-high price of gasoline and, especially, diesel fuel. The blockage of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has created a worldwide fuel shortage that has been costly for American consumers and damaged our credibility. It is noble to go after any enemy that

sponsors terrorism, but this “little excursion,” as Trump once described our latest war, has badly damaged the party in power. The next unforced error is the tariff war. I know the president loves tariffs, but using them to pick on our friends and help our enemies is bad politics. Why fight with Canada when you could end the war in Ukraine with high tariffs on Russia? The president can deny it all he wants, but consumers are paying for tariffs on almost every item on store shelves, and the price increases are hurting people big time. Every president has the right to pick whomever he wants to be in his cabinet. Trump has made quite a few controversial appointments, but none have been more costly to him than Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and “War Department” Secretary Pete Hegseth. Kennedy has caused the administration a great deal of grief with his anti-vaccine policies. As of last week, there had been 3,659 confirmed measles cases in the United States this year. That marks the highest annual case count in the U.S. since mea-

’s been one unforced error for another for the party, with big losses looming Nov. 3.

sles was declared eliminated in 2000. Kennedy has denied all of the press claims about a measles epidemic, and chooses advisers based on their antimeasles policies. Hegseth has made many enemies for the administration with his firing of a number of career military officials. In many of those cases, the ousted officials were women or Black. His handling of the issues aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has alienated countless members of the military. There have been reports of at least eight suicide attempts by members of the ship’s crew because it was deployed far longer than normal. Sadly, for those elected officials who have performed well in office, one unforced error after another will make it more difficult to get voter support. There’s no doubt, however, that the state of the economy is the biggest of all of the administration’s errors, and it’s highly likely that, once again, James Carville will be proven right on Nov. 3. 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.

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

Joining the crowd that honored the Mets’ Howie Rose

Herald editorial

Merrick

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

HERALD and Merrick Herald News Established 1994

Incorporating the Merrick Life and Merrick Beacon in 2013

Allyson FerrAri Senior Reporter JuliA GilleGo Reporter robert CumminGs Multi Media Marketing Consultant oFFiCe 2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: (516) 569-4000 Fax: (516) 569-4942 Web: www.liherald.com E-mail: merrickeditor@liherald.com Copyright © 2026 Richner Communications, Inc.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

Cliff Richner Publisher, 1982-2018 Robert Richner Edith Richner Publishers, 1964-1987 ■ stuArt riCHner Publisher brAdley m. HArmon Chief Operating Officer briAn CorCorAn Chief Financial Officer

■

JeFFrey bessen

Managing Editor JordAn VAllone

Deputy Managing Editor Jim HArmon

Copy Editor KAren bloom Features/Special Sections Editor tony bellissimo Sports Editor tim bAKer Photo Editor ■ rHondA GliCKmAn Vice President - Sales Amy AmAto Executive Director of Corporate Relations and Events lori berGer Sales Director ellen reynolds Classified / Inside Sales Director ■

JeFFrey neGrin Creative Director

robin CArter Art Director ViCKy yAnG Pre-press Coordinator ■ diAnne rAmdAss Circulation Director ■

HerAld Community neWsPAPers Amityville Record Babylon Beacon Baldwin Herald Bellmore Herald East Meadow Herald Franklin Square/Elmont Herald Freeport Herald Glen Cove Herald Hempstead Beacon Long Beach Herald Lynbrook/East Rockaway Herald Malverne/West Hempstead Herald Massapeqa Post Merrick Herald Nassau Herald Oceanside/Island Park Herald Oyster Bay Herald Rockaway Journal Rockville Centre Herald Sea Cliff/Glen Head Herald Seaford Herald South Shore Record Uniondale Herald Beacon Valley Stream Herald Wantagh Herald

member:

America’s Newspapers Empire State Local News Coalition Local Media Association New York Press Association Press Club of Long Island Merrick Chamber of Commerce

Published by richner Communications, inc. 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 LIHerald.com (516) 569-4000

Storm warning: Long Island should take stock

wo weeks ago, a storm with no name sat off our coast for three days and reminded us how little it takes. It was a September nor’easter, the kind of system older Long Islanders might once have shrugged off as just a wet, windy weekend. This one sent wind gusts past 80 miles per hour in Montauk and pushed as much as two feet of water into coastal streets with a near-fullmoon tide. Freeport residents raced to move their vehicles before high tide, and some Long Islanders paddled kayaks down roads they normally drive to work. The Long Beach Branch of the LIRR went dark. Nearly 112,000 residents lost power at some point. And we got off easy. The storm stayed offshore. If it had tracked a few dozen miles closer, we would be writing a very different editorial. Some things went right, and they deserve recognition. Anyone who lived through Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020 remembers hundreds of thousands of households in the dark and an outagereporting system that collapsed when people needed it most. This time, PSEG had more than 850 workers in the field, plus nearly 300 brought in from off the island. Most customers had power restored in short order. Village crews, volunteer firefighters and highway departments worked

Community Community Community Community

Pride Pride Pride Community neighbors. neighbors. stories. neighbors. neighbors. stories. ConneCtion. stories. stories. ConneCtion. This is your town. ConneCtion. This is your paper. ConneCtion. neighbors. This is your town.

Pride

This is your town. Thank reading stories. This is you yourfor paper. is your town. This is your paper. and supporting This is your paper. ConneCtion. Thank you for reading local journalism. Thank you for reading and This supporting is you your for town. Thank reading and supporting This is your paper. and supporting local journalism. local journalism. local Thankjournalism. you for reading and supporting local journalism.

through the night clearing roads and pumping streets. Those men and women earned our thanks. A fall storm that never made landfall is yet another wakeup call to the South Shore’s vulnerabilities that we have known about since Hurricane Sandy: low-lying roads that flood with every strong tide, storm drains that back up instead of draining, aging bulkheads, and a single rail branch that cuts off a barrier-island city whenever Reynolds Channel rises. Which brings us to our elected officials. In the days after a storm, Long Island’s politicians are everywhere: touring flooded streets, standing beside downed trees, promising action. Their concern is real. But the photo opportunity is the easy part. The money that would have kept those streets dry is won or lost months earlier, in budget negotiations in Albany, in committee rooms in Washington, and in the unglamorous back-and-forth with federal agencies over which projects get funded first. That’s where our representatives need to be fighting, all year long. Resilience funding doesn’t go to the region that suffered most. It goes to the region whose delegation shows up, makes the case relentlessly and doesn’t let the issue drop when the skies clear. Long Island’s members of Congress, state legislators and county officials should treat flood mitigation, drainage,

bulkhead replacement and grid hardening as a standing priority, not a talking point that surfaces every time the water rises and fades once it recedes. Voters can hold them to it. With Election Day weeks away, candidates for Congress, the State Legislature and local office will be knocking on doors and filling mailboxes. Ask them, specifically, what they plan to do about flooding and the power grid. Which projects will they fight for? How will they get them funded? What have they already delivered? A candidate who can answer in detail has been doing the work. One who can only talk about the last storm probably hasn’t. Long Islanders would like to see results on the ground: raised roadways and upgraded drainage in the neighborhoods that flood first, bulkheads that are replaced before they fail, and hardened transit infrastructure that doesn’t shut down every time the tide runs high. Local governments have homework, too. Residents shouldn’t learn that their street floods by finding their car underwater. The next storm may have a name. It may track closer to shore, or arrive when the moon and tides line up worse. The nor’easter gave us a warning at a relatively low price. Our leaders’ job is to make sure we heeded that warning, and that work starts now, in the quiet months, long before anyone needs a kayak.

opinions

here’s something remarkable happening in New York and across the American economy: Entrepreneurship is booming, and artificial intelligence is driving it. A recent Gusto survey found that 60 percent of founders used A.I. to start their businesses last year, and 50 percent said it made the process significantly faster or cheaper. That’s monumental for New York’s Black community, where new technology is helping clear economic hurdles that have held back Black entrepreneurship. Our community has long struggled against barriers to the capital, resources, technology and opportunity needed to grow. A.I. is changing that equation, paving the way to economic independence and wealth creation for historically underrepresented Black entrepreneurs. New York should embrace that opportunity wholeheartedly. Starting a business once required major upfront investment: a location, staff, a website and cash on hand to fund it. Today an entrepreneur can use A.I. to help develop a website, market a product and handle logistics, all while work-

ing from home. Despite claims that A.I. will hollow out New York’s workplaces, it is instead making it possible for more people to become entrepreneurs, and helping small businesses accomplish more with fewer resources. As Entrepreneur recently reported, applications from one-person firms increased by more than 20 percent between early 2025 and mid-2026, as A.I.-powered tools increasingly allow individuals to accomplish work that once required entire teams. The priority shouldn’t be undoing that progress. It should be making sure underserved and minority communities have the opportunity to share in it. These benefits aren’t limited to startups; A.I. is a genuinely powerful tool for our neighborhood businesses, too. Whether you’re a restaurant owner, a contractor, a retailer or the head of a community nonprofit, the technology can help manage customers, analyze budgets and streamline operations. A.I. helps level the playing field, making capabilities once reserved for giant corporations available to the smallest storefronts and startups. Small businesses are already putting these tools to good use. A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey found

that A.I. adoption among small and medium-sized businesses has more than doubled since 2023. The tech is helping people become more efficient and develop new capabilities — and the more widely available innovative A.I. tools become, the better off small businesses, operating on tight margins or with limited access to capital, will be. Black entrepreneurs are already recognizing that potential. Recent research from the Urban Institute found that Black-owned businesses are more likely to use or test A.I., and more likely to view the technology as “highly important” to their companies. Researchers also noted that A.I. adoption could “increase the productivity of small businesses and significantly cut costs, improving competitiveness and reducing barriers to entry.” Nonetheless, we should not assume that these benefits will reach every neighborhood equally. If access to A.I. tools, training and capital becomes uneven, our communities could miss one of the greatest economic opportunities of this generation. We can’t let that happen. New York must embrace A.I. innovation and ensure that no one misses out on the unique advantages the technology provides. New Yorkers need practical opportunities to build A.I. skills, while

he Urban Institute has found that they’re using it and benefiting from it.

Framework by Tim Baker

A last warm-weather spray-down at the Color Run-A-Thon at Floyd B. Watson Elementary School – Rockville Centre

neighborhood businesses need access to the investment, infrastructure and expertise required to put those tools to work. Our leaders should recognize that widening access to innovation is an economic opportunity, not a threat. The stakes extend beyond our own communities. Countries like China are rapidly closing the gap with the United States on A.I. If we make it harder for American innovators to develop and adopt these tools here at home, competitors like China will be more than happy to fill the void. That’s why city and state officials should focus on making A.I. adoption easier, fostering collaboration and education and removing unnecessary barriers. The more hurdles are erected against A.I. innovation, the fewer opportunities minority-owned businesses will have to get ahead. If, instead, we equip businesses with the A.I. tools they need to grow, local mom-and-pop shops will reap the benefits, and our neighborhoods will thrive. A.I. is already expanding opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and business owners. New York must ensure that every community can participate, compete and flourish in our modern A.I. economy. Phil Andrews is president of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce and founding president of the New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce.

MERRICK HERALD — October 8, 2026

A.I. is opening new doors for Black entrepreneurs

October 8, 2026 — MERRICK HERALD

HELP US BRING ADVANCED CARDIAC SERVICES TO THE SOUTH SHORE, INCLUDING OPEN-HEART SURGERY

THE LANNIN EISENHOWER PARK | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026, 6:30 PM Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Spectacular Soirée!

Featuring a selection of fine wines and spirits, an extended cocktail hour (no formal sit-down dinner) with a wide array of hors d’oeuvres, premium seafood selections, prime cuts of beef, as well as an assortment of international dishes (and a Kosher food station). Entertainment will also include a live DJ, dancing, and a mentalist.

Masters of Ceremonies: News 12 personalities Erin Colton and Joe Arena

Book your reservation online at bringinghearthome.org, or call the Mount Sinai South Nassau Development Department at 516-377-5360.