Nassau Herald 04-16-2026 by Richner Communications, Inc

HERALD Nassau

Hewlett F.D. honors six for half a century of service

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

For the 100-plus members of the Hewlett Fire Department, the firehouse is more than a building — it is simply the place to be. It forms bonds that span generations and lifetimes. That’s why six of its members continue to serve even as they celebrated 50 years of service in the department last month.

Before the department’s current headquarters, at 25 Franklin Ave., was built in 1993, they volunteered out of an earlier firehouse next door, where the Dunkin’ Donuts now stands.

The members were honored as part of a 50-year dedication service on March 22.

In Inwood, a housing complex that prioritizes veterans

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

A decades-long vision rooted in service, faith and military sacrifice is becoming reality as a new housing complex geared toward veterans prepares to open in the heart of Inwood.

The Moultrie Grey, developed by Inwood Property Development, was built to address a growing need for affordable, stable housing, particularly for those who have served the country and older residents struggling to remain in the community they helped shape. The building, on Russell Place, is designating 48 units for veterans.

Beyond affordability, the one-, two-and three-bedroom apartments are designed with modern amenities intended to offer residents comfort and independence. They feature open floor plans, updated kitchens with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, washers and dryers, central air conditioning and smart-home technology, as well as private balconies, spacious closets and large windows.

“Not only are we from Inwood and the Inwood area,” Ericka Moorer, a broker at Moorstone Real Estate, in Valley Stream, and an Inwood

native, said. “For us, this is the best part, to put something back into your community. We’ve offered jobs to people in the neighborhood and are offering a place to live.”

The building includes a

range of shared amenities including a rooftop terrace, a fitness center, a landscaped courtyard, package lockers and on-site maintenance, along with parking.

“There’s been a lot to get to this point, and the goal from the beginning was to designate a certain number of units for military housing,” Moorer

said. “There’s no military housing on Long Island, and this will be the first building that will offer it.”

At the center of the project is Bishop Isaiah Moultrie, of the former Moultrie Temple Church of God and Christ, a 91-year-old Marine Corps veteran whose life story is deeply

Courtesy State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick

Dozens of people gathered for a luncheon at the Hewlett Fire Department last month, honoring six men who have served for 50 years.

Ever evolving Arts Below Sunrise returns for its 13th year

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

The Arts Below Sunrise Music and S.T.E.A.M. Festival, a longtime Five Towns event, will move off Broadway in Woodmere this year after police denied permission to close the street.

From its inception in 2014, the festival— hosted by Hewlett Woodmere Public School’s Endowment Fund — has evolved from a small craft fair into a larger community event, pausing during the pandemic and expanding significantly for the district’s 125th anniversary. The festival attracts over 4,000 attendees and 150 student and adult volunteers annually.

This year marks another change, and comes after Matthew Schiller, the commanding officer and inspector for Nassau County Police Department’s 4th precinct, denied the endowment fund permission to close the street, highlighting safety concerns.

John Roblin, the endowment fund’s board chairman, said organizers have worked with the precinct to adjust plans and maintain the festival experience.

“It might be a little tighter if we get the same crowds we usually get,” Roblin joked. “But we hope everyone comes, the weather is good, and everybody has a great time.”

The festival, set for April 26, will be held in the parking lots of the Wood -

mere Education Center and the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library.

Johnson Place will be closed, and organizers are contemplating using the school district’s maintenance building lot.

One of the endowment fund’s challenges, Roblin said, has been fine-tun -

ing plans for vendors dropping off equipment. In the past, they’d normally drop off their equipment at their space on Broadway and then find a place to park away from the festival. Now, they’ll have to drive into the parking lot from Johnson Place. There will be a loop inside the lot, so

cars can enter while vendors continue to set up.

“I think we’ve done everything we can to make for a smooth experience,” Roblin said. “But it’s the first time we’ve had to do this, so we don’t really know.”

With at least 50 vendors participating this year — down from last year’s 114 because of space restrictions — not much else will be changing.

The popular performance stage is anticipated to stand on Johnson Place, and food trucks will line Broadway’s parking lane facing the festival. In the education center’s front courtyard, the petting zoo will make its return, along with the STEM-focused hands-on area overseen by Brian Terry, the district’s science chairman.

Michelle Young, the library’s director, said the library will host its booth in its parking lot, along with the Hewlett Fire Department and Northwell Health. The booth will include giveaways and raffles.

“We are proud to be an integral part of the Arts Below Sunrise event again this year,” Young said. “We are confident that this year will still be a success, and our visibility from Broadway will potentially attract newcomers to our event.”

A rain date is set for May 3, and there is no cost to attend the festival. As of press time, the 4th Precinct declines to comment.

NCJW Peninsula Section to host ‘The Barn’ film screening

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

The National Council of Jewish Women Peninsula Section is expanding its efforts to bring Holocaust education into classrooms and communities with a special virtual screening of the documentary “The Barn” later this month.

Led by Holocaust Education Chair Pnina Knopf, the Lawrence-based organization is offering middle schools, high schools, religious institutions and community groups the opportunity to view the film free of charge. The initiative, Knopf said, reflects both the organization’s long-standing mission and the growing need to confront misinformation.

“We’ve been around over 87 years, and we serve the local community right here in Lawrence,” Knopf said. “We want students to really feel it not just learn it. Programs like this help them understand where hate can lead.”

The April 28 Zoom program will begin at 10 a.m. and feature filmmaker Rachel Kastner, who will join participants virtually from Israel. Kastner, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, began working on the film as a teenager, driven by a sense of responsibility to preserve her family’s story.

“I believe in the power of storytelling and documentary film to achieve this, and I am very moved to have many educators across the US are showing “The Barn” to their classrooms this year,” Kastner said.

That responsibility is at the heart of “The

The National Council of Jewish Women Peninsula Section is showing a virtual screening of the documentary “The Barn”, on April 28. Above is a drawing of Rachel Kastner’s grandfather’s hideout in a barn during the Holocaust.

Barn”, which follows Kastner and her grandfather as they return to the remote Ukrainian town where he survived the Holocaust, hidden in a bunker beneath a barn for more than a year. The film, which premiered at the International Miami Jewish Film Festival in 2019, has since reached audiences worldwide and is increasingly being used as an educational tool.

“Beyond teaching the basic requirements of the history curriculum for this chapter of history of WWII and the Holocaust, I greatly appreciate educators who find ways to ensure students truly absorb the moral takeaways and lessons of the Holocaust,” Kastner added. “Especially amidst the rise of antisemitism and Holocaust denial, as well as xenophobia that

extends to other minorities.”

Following the screening, Kastner will participate in a live question-and-answer session, giving students and participants the opportunity to engage directly with both the history and the filmmaking process.

The program is being presented with the support of community partners: Trinity-St. John’s Church, Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre, the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, Sid Jacobson JCC, Temple Am Echad and Congregation Etz Chaim. This reflects a broader effort to bring diverse groups together around Holocaust education and remembrance.

Educators who have previously participated say the experience resonates deeply. Kaitlin GaNun, principal at Lynbrook South Middle School described the film as “a moving story,” pointing to the powerful bond between Kastner and her grandfather and its impact on students.

“It is such a moving story and the love Rachel, and her grandfather shared is so special, we should all be so lucky to have a relationship like they did,” GaNun said. “I look forward to keeping this story alive in our community for years to come.”

GaNun’s school is already signed up for the presentation with a minimum of 100 students attending.

“Facts matter, but stories stay with you,” Knopf said. “If even one student walks away and chooses to speak up against hate, then this program has done its job.”

To register for the viewing, visit https:// tinyurl.com/fm8fye2d.

Herald file photo

Arts Below Sunrise will return for its 13th year, in a downsized fashion, on April 26.

Courtesy Pnina Knopf

Crime watCh

Inwood traffic stop arrest

According to police, two Inwood men were arrested following a traffic stop on April 7 at 8:38 p.m. on Bayview Avenue near Jeanette Avenue in Inwood.

without incident.

Detectives said officers conducting a Vehicle and Traffic Law investigation stopped a 2017 Nissan. The driver was found to be operating the vehicle with a suspended license.

Police said the passenger, William Rodriguez, 43, of Loretta Street, was found in possession of a loaded revolver. Both men were taken into custody

The driver was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation and multiple vehicle and traffic law violations. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to First District Court in Hempstead. Rodriguez was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. He was arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead, on April 8.

— Melissa Berman

News brief

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Barry Tech hosts NYS Ed. Commissioner

Nassau BOCES Barry Tech hosted a visit from New York state education department commissioner Betty Rosa recently, giving students an opportunity to speak with her about their experiences and the benefits of career and technical education. Rosa also enjoyed a hot lunch prepared by culinary arts students.

In attendance were Milton Ponce, Physical Therapy Aide and Rehabilitation Medicine student from Valley Stream; Arianna Junious, Nurse Assisting student from Freeport; Jett Valdez, Aviation Operations student from Bethpage; Storm Krokan, Aviation Operations

student from Mineola; Barry Tech Physical Therapy teacher Dr. Michelle Fattore; New York State Education Commissioner Dr. Betty Rosa; Barry Tech Automotive Technology teacher Ed Stella; New York State Regent Felicia Thomas-Williams; Chaelle Darby, Power Sports and Engine Repair student from Freeport; Parvati Singh, Retail and Business Skills student from Levittown; Franck Padavan Jr., Automotive Technology student from Seaford; and Barry Tech Principal Dr. William Poll, who provided a tour of the school.

—Jordan Vallone

William RodRiguez

Courtesy Nassau BOCES

Barry Tech hosted a visit from New York state education department commissioner Betty Rosa recently, giving students an opportunity to speak with her about their experiences and the benefits of career and technical education.

Teen parenting course offered

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

For many parents, raising teenagers can feel overwhelming — a stage filled with rapid change, emotional ups and downs and new challenges that don’t come with a clear roadmap. A six-week course offered by Temp Group in Woodmere is aiming to change that.

The agency’s “Active Parenting of Teens” program, led by Youth Services Social Worker Elizabeth McDonald and Prevention Supervisor and Clinical Therapist Nachma Fagin, is designed to give parents practical, research-based tools to strengthen relationships and guide their children through adolescence.

The program is part of Temp Group’s prevention efforts, focusing on building protective factors that can help reduce risky behaviors before they begin. The first session began April 16.

“It’s really part of our prevention work,” McDonald said. “Building protective factors for kids is so important when it comes to preventing misuse. And as we always say, parenting doesn’t come with a manual, it doesn’t come with a rule book.”

Over six weeks, the course takes parents through what McDonald described as an “active parenting journey,” with each session focusing on a different aspect of raising teens.

The first session introduces parenting styles and emphasizes the importance of family time, while exploring the difference between control and influence.

“A lot of times we try to control what happens with kids,” McDonald said. “But really, we have influence — and having a positive relationship with them ends up being more powerful.”

The second session focuses on cooperation and communication, helping parents identify common communication blocks and learn more effective ways to connect with their teens.

Session three shifts to responsibility and discipline, offering strategies that encourage positive behavior rather than simply punishing negative actions. It also addresses managing anger and understanding

“who the problem belongs to,” giving parents a framework for responding to conflict.

Session four centers on building courage and redirecting misbehavior. Parents are introduced to concepts such as the “say, feel, do” cycle, the goals behind behavior and how to avoid power struggles. The session also includes practical family enrichment activities that can be used at home.

The fifth session tackles more serious concerns, including how to reduce the risk of drugs, violence and other high-risk behaviors. Parents are taught strategies to guide teens through difficult topics, including peer pressure and decision-making.

Throughout the program, the emphasis remains on strengthening communication and fostering a supportive, respectful relationship between parent and child.

“It covers a bunch of different topics that parents deal with,” McDonald said. “There’s a lot of focus on relationships and communication and helping parents engage more positively with their teen.”

Fagin said the course provides a space not only for learning, but also for connection among parents facing similar challenges.

“Parents often feel like they’re the only ones dealing with these issues,” she said. “This gives them a chance to learn from each other and realize they’re not alone.”

As both facilitators and parents themselves, McDonald and Fagin said the program holds personal meaning as well.

“It’s very meaningful for us to offer this and we hope it’ll be a powerful tool for parents,” Fagin added. “I think a lot of people struggle with parenting, especially every person has their own stuff that they’re dealing with.”

With continued interest from local families, Temp Group plans to expand the program and reach more parents and age groups in the months ahead.

“I think it’s incredibly valuable to be able to offer this to the community,” Fagin said. “If we can help parents feel more confident and more connected to their teens, that has a lasting impact.”

Courtesy Elizabeth McDonald Tempo Group of Woodmere’s Prevention Supervisor and Clinical Therapist Nachma Fagin, left, and Youth Services Social Worker Elizabeth McDonald are running a sixweek teen parenting class.

BRIAN FALK

SEAFORD Senior Lacrosse

A DYNAMIC THREE-SPORT athlete who helped Seaford’s football team to the Nassau Conference IV championship and the basketball team to a deep run in the Class A playoffs, Falk is one of the most talented lacrosse players in the county. He shared the Herald’s 2026 Lacrosse Preview cover with West Hempstead’s Elizabeth Poirot. Bound for Villanova, Falk racked up 25 goals and 18 assists a year ago and earned All-County honors.

games to watch

Thursday, April 16

Boys Lacrosse: Glen Cove at Freeport 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Uniondale at Clarke 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Hewlett at Baldwin 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: MacArthur at Mepham 5 p.m.

Baseball: Seaford at Lynbrook 5 p.m.

Baseball: Oceanside at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Baseball: Farmingdale at Massapequa 5 p.m.

Softball: Kennedy at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Softball: V.S. North at Baldwin 5 p.m.

Softball: Plainedge at Farmingdale 5 p.m.

Softball: Hewlett at South Side 5 p.m.

Friday, April 17

Baseball: MacArthur at Hewlett 5 p.m.

Baseball: South Side at Kennedy 5 p.m.

Softball: Freeport at West Hempstead 5 p.m.

Softball: Oceanside at Mepham 5 p.m.

Softball: Lawrence at East Rockaway 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at South Side 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Plainedge at Lynbrook 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Long Beach at Farmingdale 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 18

Girls Lacrosse: V.S. District at Sewanhaka 10 a.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Uniondale at East Meadow 1 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

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

HERALD SPORTS

Lawrence looks to stay competitive

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Lynbrook won a dozen softball games last spring but lost its last four, including a shutout defeat at the hands of Wantagh in the Nassau Class A quarterfinals.

Now, with the improved arm of sophomore Jamie Deitch leading the way, the Owls are looking to soar higher.

In six Conference 5 games, Deitch has struck out 55 batters while allowing fewer than 15 hits as Lynbrook broke out of the gate with a 5-1 record, falling only to Valley Stream Central.

Deitch was dominant again last Saturday in a 13-1 win at Lawrence, striking out 15 and allowing just one hit against a Golden Tornadoes’ lineup missing a few key pieces after producing a combined 14 runs in the first two games.

“Jamie is one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever coached,” said Lynbrook coach Tom Frawley, who began coaching Nassau County high school softball 40 years ago. “She only pitched one game last year,” he added. “She’s off to a great start and she’s only going to get better considering how dedicated she is.”

Deitch, eighth-grade battery mate Scarlett Crane and sophomore shortstop Kamila DeJesus all homered at Lawrence and combined for 10 hits with DeJesus going 4-for-5. “It’s been a total team effort,” said Frawley, who coached the Golden Tornadoes from 2014-2020. “We’ve been pretty consistent.”

Like Deitch, Lawrence senior pitcher Addison Watson, who struck out nine, had made tremendous strides since last spring, coach Craig Mannhart said.

“Addison is one of our senior leaders along with Hailey [Brancaccio] and Kelley [Orellana],” he said. “Her command in the circle is like night and day compared to last season. She’s more confident and keeping us competitive in every game.”

Brancaccio plays first base and bats third. Orelanna moved to shortstop from second base and hits in the 2-hole. There’s also speedy center fielder Eliana Perez and left fielder Roselyn Monzon.

Tony Bellissimo/Herald Senior pitcher Addison Watson has made tremendous strides for Lawrence, which comes off a 5-6-1 season.

“We just want to compete every single game,” said Mannhart, who guided Lawrence to a 5-6-1 mark a year ago. Lynbrook’s offense produced double digits in runs for the fifth time in as many victories. Seniors Angelia Macchia (third base) and Daniella Inserra (first base) follow DeJesus in the lineup and help set the tone.

In a 14-2 win over Freeport March 30, Macchia went 4-for-4 and scored three times. Inserra homered in a 10-3 victory over East Rockaway April 7. Another senior, outfielder Brianna Lubrano, was

3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in a 12-0 win over Jericho March 27.

Crane is batting clean-up, followed by Deitch.

“Scarlett excelled at the Junior High level and had all the credentials to be on varsity this season,” Frawley said of Crane. “She has a lot to do with how much we’ve been scoring.”

The Owls and Golden Tornadoes meet again May 1 at Lynbrook. Up next for the Owls is Valley Stream South on the road this Friday at 4:30 p.m. Lawrence visits East Rockaway at 5 p.m.

Robert Longworth Jr.

A fourth-generation firefighter, Longworth, 76, is related to three founding members of the department, Daniel Longworth, Daniel Longworth Jr., and Richard Seamen. They used the hand pump that sits in thve lobby of the firehouse.

Robert Longworth Jr joined the department in May 1968, as a member of Truck Company 3. He served as department president or vice president between 1976 and 1980, and as chaplain from 1984 to 2002 and district chaplain since 2002.

His fondest memory is of standing on top of firetrucks in the 1970s as they raced down Mill Road to calls while he put on his gear.

“It meant a lot to be honored,” he said.

Richard ‘Ricky’ Velotti

The son of the late firefighter Joseph Velotti, Richard Velotti, 68, started as a youngster on the department’s drill team, the Hewlett Smokey Stovers, from 1967 to 1974.

Velotti joined the department on Aug. 7, 1975, and rose through the ranks as a member of Engine 2, serving in the chief’s office from 1986 to 1994. As chief of department in 1993, he helped oversee the transition to the current firehouse.

With volunteerism in the fire service down across the country — there are 200,000 fewer firefighters now than in 2008, according to the National Fire Protection Association — Velotti highlighted the importance of supporting younger members.

“I don’t like to use the word mentoring,” he said. “I just try to impart my wisdom onto the younger members of the department.”

Daniel Ferrente

Ferrente, 69, a Hewlett High School graduate, was sworn into the department on Feb. 8, 1975, by Joseph Velotti as a member of Engine 2.

He served as department vice president from 1992 to 1994, and as president from 2022 to 2024, in addition to holding officer’s roles in his company.

Ferrente said the department’s call volume has tripled since he joined, and there have been major advances in equipment, including Scott Packs — wearable respiratory devices — and dozens of fire apparatuses the department has seen come and go.

Through those changes, Ferrente said, the camaraderie has remained constant. “The place to be has been right here, in this firehouse,” he said.

William ‘Billy’ Voyes

Voyes, 68, has been a presence at the firehouse since 1967, when he joined the Hewlett Smokey Stovers. He officially joined the department on Aug. 7, 1975.

Serving alongside longtime friends from high school, including Velotti and Ferrente, Voyes recalled earlier days, when safety rules for equipment like Scott Packs were less strict.

He expressed gratitude for completing his service without serious injury, despite the risks of hazardous materials and fireground conditions. “One of the best experiences I’ve ever had was being able to volunteer here unscathed,” Voyes said.

Pasquale ‘Pat’ Tudda

Tudda, 74, joined the department on Sept. 3, 1975, as a member of Truck Company 3. He later served in the chief’s office from 1984 to 1992, and as a fire commissioner from 1994 to 2022.

Growing up across the street from the Lahey family, Tudda became close friends with Steven Lahey, and then a fellow firefighter. The two often operated the department’s old American La France aerial truck, which required two drivers, one in front and one in the rear.

“You couldn’t sit up straight,” Tudda joked, referring to the truck’s low ceilings.

Though he doesn’t go on fire calls anymore, he remains active at the firehouse.

“It’s physically demanding to volunteer,” Tudda said. “But the people are what makes the place. That’s why I wanted to come back.”

Steven Lahey

Lahey, 68, comes from a family deeply rooted in the fire service. He frequented the old firehouse with his late father, William Lahey, and fondly remembers the veteran firefighters gathering there to play shuffleboard.

A member of Truck Company 3, Lahey served in the chief’s office from 1990 to 1996 and again from 2016 to 2023. He was chief of department from 1996 to 1997 and has also served as department president and vice president.

Before returning to the chief’s office, Lahey suffered a heart attack in 2013. He recalled the four ambulances that came to his aid, including one from Hewlett — a service he helped establish during his first stint as chief.

His sons, Ethan and Stephen Lahey, have followed in his footsteps, making them one of the few three-generation families currently serving in Hewlett.

“I love this place,” Lahey said. “I’ve climbed over fences, hung from the railings of the old firetrucks. It’s a passion that you get.”

Concerns about water rise across the region

Uneven investment in treatment, emerging contaminants leave many residents feeling vulnerable

By Roksana amid, stacy dRiks & Hailey FulmeR of the Herald

Sixth installment in a series about water.

Concerns about water quality remain visible and closely tied to patterns of neglect in communities across Long Island.

In the region, water problems don’t exist in isolation. Flooding, contamination and aging infrastructure are increasingly intersecting, and all of it can be traced back to a single source: the Island’s underground aquifer system. The sole-source system supplies all of the region’s drinking water, leaving little margin for error as environmental pressures intensify.

neglect beneath the surface

In Uniondale, aging infrastructure, delayed upgrades and a lack of investment are reflected in a deteriorating water tower and broader concerns about environmental health. The tower is known locally as “Old Rusty,” according to Pearl Jacobs, president of the Nostrand Gardens Civic Association, and has stood for more than three decades without proper maintenance. Experts typically recommend inspection, repainting and structural upkeep every seven years, Jacobs said.

“It’s beyond repair,” she said of the tower. “You can see the corrosion. There were reports of leaks. This is not just infrastructure; it’s a health and safety issue.”

Despite years of complaints, advocates like Jacobs say local officials initially proposed only cosmetic fixes, such as applying internal epoxy coatings to stop leaks. It was only after community pressure that roughly $10 million was allocated in 2025 for a new tower. The project is still in its early stages over a year later. The new tower is planned to be fully operational by the summer of 2027.

Residents have reported brown water in their homes, raising concerns about unsafe levels of contaminants. Water quality studies conducted one of Jacobs civic partners, Jeannine Maynard, cofounder of the Greater Uniondale Area Action Coalition and vice president of the Uniondale Community Land Trust indicated elevated levels of 1,4-dioxane, [a synthetic industrial chemical that is often found as a contaminant in water supplies, especially in places with past manufacturing or heavy chemical use], in the system.

Uniondale’s water infrastructure also includes aging pipes, with much of the system’s lead content still unknown. Maps show large portions of Uniondale untested, highlighting gaps in oversight compared with nearby communities. Advocates say these combined issues — brown water, an outdated tower, unknown lead risks and industrial contamination — reflect broader inequities.

a pattern of delays and uncertainty

The water tower is not just a one-off

issue but, for many residents, part of a broader pattern of neglect in the Town of Hempstead.

Jacobs pointed to a stark comparison: while Uniondale’s water tower deteriorated, West Hempstead received millions of dollars for a new facility. “They took taxpayer money and invested it elsewhere while our infrastructure was failing,” she said.

Uniondale residents, Jacobs said, have been diagnosed with a variety of cancers. “People start asking questions like, ‘What’s in our water?’”

reflects “a level of neglect,” leaving residents in the dark about risks.

“When things are ignored for decades, it sends a message,” Maynard said. “The question is: whose communities get prioritized and whose are left waiting?”

researchers are still working to understand the full scope.

Rising seas, stronger storms strain water supply

“We have a single-source water supply on Long Island,” Ali FarhadZadeh, an associate professor of civil engineering at Stony Brook University, said. “The water basically comes from the ground — from the aquifer.”

Residents wonder about the safety of their water because much of the community’s infrastructure has not been fully studied, said Maynard.

An interactive map from the League of Conservation Voters shows that while neighboring Hempstead has many defined lead service lines, most of Uniondale is listed as unknown, raising concerns about potential contamination. Air studies and local health data suggest higher rates of certain conditions, such as asthma, in the community, which may be linked to environmental exposure. Experts say the lack of detailed pipe inventories and testing

She also pointed to growing concern over PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of human-made chemicals often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the environment or the human body. Used for decades in products designed to resist heat, water and stains — including firefighting foam, nonstick cookware and waterproof materials — PFAS have entered groundwater through industrial processes.

And because Long Island relies on a sole-source aquifer, those contaminants can persist and circulate throughout the region, Maynard said. “These weren’t things people were even looking for,” she said. “So they built up over time.”

She added that PFAS and related contaminants have been detected widely across Long Island. Exposure has been linked in studies to increased risks of cancers, hormone disruption and other long-term health effects, though

As storms grow more frequent and sea levels rise, that system is under mounting strain. Heavier rainfall is overwhelming drainage systems and saturating the ground, increasing flooding and raising the risk of saltwater intrusion.

“We have saltwater that’s in the sediment, under the ocean on the South Shore,” Ryan Wallace, assistant professor at Adelphi University’s Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences said. “That saltwater could actually make its way to make its way into and mix with the freshwater aquifer, and that’s a lot of different towns.”

While residents are not drinking saltwater, intrusion can render wells unusable and reduce the region’s supply of clean drinking water.

New York state launched a pilot program on March 8 to help residents with private wells testing for PFAS contamination and cover cleanup costs. Suffolk is among the counties expected to be

Courtesy City of Glen Cove

Former Glen Cove Mayor Reggie Spinello, second from left, toured the Duck Pond Road well’s filtration system with Public Works Director, James Byrne, far left, Denise O’Connor, Water Service Foreman Michael Colangelo, Daniel Ermmarino and Kevin Basile.

Water infrastructure faces increased demand

Continued from PreViouS PAGe

included.

Eligible homeowners can receive free testing and may qualify for rebates of up to $5,000 for filtration systems or $10,000 to connect to public water companies.

“It makes infrastructure like septic systems and pipelines very vulnerable,” FarhadZadeh said of heavy rainfall. “They’re old — they’re not built for the new norm that we have with these storm patterns.”

Low-lying communities — particularly along the South Shore and in eastern Suffolk County — face more frequent flooding and infrastructure stress. Flooding is no longer limited to major storms.

When groundwater is already close to the surface, even routine rainfall can overwhelm drainage systems, creating a direct pathway between surface pollution and the aquifer.

“When it floods, water picks up and carries a lot of pollutants with it,” Robert Hayes, Environmental Advocates NY’s senior director of clean water, said. “Those pollutants might make their way into drinking water sources, whether it’s groundwater or surface water.”

Hayes said that investing in naturebased solutions such as wetlands or rain gardens could help capture water before it carries pollutants.

Aging infrastructure adds to growing risks

Many of Long Island’s water and sewer systems were built decades ago, at a time when both population and climate pressures were lower.

“The aging infrastructure is a big deal,” FarhadZadeh said. “I think it should be taken very seriously.”

Systems not designed to handle today’s volume of stormwater can quickly become overwhelmed, increasing the likelihood of overflows, leaks or system failures.

A $250 million water infrastructure funding package announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul on March 12 includes projects aimed at upgrading aging systems and improving water quality statewide. It includes $23 million for the Village of Hempstead and $5 million for PFAS treatment in Williston Park.

Hayes said that such investments are critical, but risks — and resources — vary across the region.

“Long Island has some of the most polluted drinking water in the state of New York,” he said. “But there is much more contamination still out there, and much more still to be done to make sure that no New Yorker is exposed to harmful levels of contamination when they turn on the tap.”

“Drinking water and quality issues on Long Island — we can consider them to be disproportionately affecting certain communities,” Wallace said. “Especially communities with older infrastructure, in close proximity to industrial zones or historically industrial areas.” Communities like Uniondale and Hempstead Village, which also have fewer resources to address the problem.

Exposure to contaminated drinking water, Wallace said, has been associated with increased risks of cancers including stomach, bladder, kidney, ovarian and prostate.

As flooding increases and infrastructure continues to age, the challenge for Long Island is not just protecting its water supply, but understanding how interconnected pressures are reshaping it from the ground up.

N. Shore water divide highlights cost and quality

Glen Cove’s drinking water meets all state and federal safety standards, according to the city’s 2024 annual water quality report, but maintaining that standard has required years of infrastructure upgrades, careful management of its well system and, at times, reliance on neighboring communities.

In nearby Glen Head and Sea Cliff, water is supplied privately by Liberty Utilities, highlighting differences not only in cost, but in how water systems are maintained and experienced by residents.

Glen Cove relies on a network of six municipal wells, including sites at Duck Pond Road, Nancy Court, Seaman Road and Kelly Street. According to former Councilwoman Marsha Silverman, the system was under significant strain eight years ago , with only two of the six wells operational at the time.

Multiple wells were offline for different reasons — contamination, storm damage, long-term deterioration — forcing the city to act quickly to restore capacity.

“We had purchased a couple hundred thousand dollars’ worth of water from Locust Valley because we couldn’t supply Glen Cove,” Silverman said.

To stabilize the system, the city

implemented a multi-year plan that included installing temporary filtration systems at the Duck Pond Road wells to address freon contamination, repairing the Kelly Street well after a lightning strike, and fully rehabilitating the Seaman Road well.

That work is ongoing. In January, the City Council approved more than $700,000 in additional repairs to the Seaman Road well, awarding a $776,000 contract to Philip Ross Industries Inc. to upgrade its granular activated carbon system. The improvements are intended to better regulate PFAS, which have been linked to serious health risks, and ensure that the well remains in compliance with state Department of Health standards.

The investment follows a broader pattern of spending, with the city investing tens of millions of dollars in its water system in recent years, including a $5 million rehabilitation project completed in 2024 at the Seaman Road station. Those upgrades are necessary as state and federal guidelines for contaminants become increasingly strict.

“There was always talk about building a seventh well, because we really need it,” Silverman said.

Cost differences across the North Shore

Despite those infrastructure challenges, Glen Cove’s municipal system remains relatively affordable compared with neighboring communities, because it is publicly operated and not for profit.

Residents’ quarterly bills typically range from $40 to $50 in the winter to a few hundred dollars in the summer, depending on usage.

In contrast, residents of Glen Head and Sea Cliff — served by private systems — often face significantly higher costs, with some paying hundreds of

dollars per month. Those systems generally factor operational expenses, infrastructure upgrades and profit into their rate structures, contributing to higher bills.

For Glen Head resident Agatha Nadale, the cost is substantial — about $1,800 per year. Her concerns, however, extend beyond the money.

“I can remember [in the ’70s] we’d fill a pitcher of water in the summer and there were these, like, little squiggly things swimming in the water,” she said. She also recalled a strong chlorine taste, and said those early experiences continue to shape how she uses water today. Nadale said she relies on a wholehouse filtration system, and does not drink tap water.

“I have already saved a handful of families from buying homes where Liberty Utilities is,” she said.

While Glen Head’s system has undergone upgrades — including carbon filtration systems designed to remove PFAS and meet stricter standards for water quality — public perception has not always kept pace with those improvements.

Although Glen Cove’s system remains compliant, continued monitoring and investment will be necessary as environmental standards evolve.

That concern extends across Long Island, where all communities rely on the same groundwater source and face challenges not only of contamination and saltwater intrusion, but also of steadily increasing demand.

Looking ahead

Silverman has also raised the possibility of long-term alternatives, including desalination, though no formal plans have been established.

At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi said that water quality has been a longstanding priority.

“This has been a problem for a long time, and I’ve been working on improving our water quality on Long Island for over 30 years,” Suozzi said. “Dealing with aging infrastructure as mayor of Glen Cove, I realized how crucial drinking water projects were to my community. I installed one of the earliest ‘granulated activated carbon’ filtration systems on Long Island.”

“Improvements need to consistently be made to ensure our water remains safe,” he added.

For Glen Cove, the ability to draw from neighboring systems like Locust Valley provides a critical safety net. But it also highlights the importance for the city of maintaining its own infrastructure — particularly its network of wells — as demand continues to grow.

Across the North Shore, the contrast is clear: While water may come from the same aquifer, the cost, management and experience of that water can vary significantly from one community to the next.

And for residents like Nadale, of Glen Head, those differences are not abstract — they shape daily decisions about cost, safety and trust in what comes out of the tap.

Courtesy New York American Water the new York American Water treatment facility in Glen Head has updated its filtering process with the installation of two new granular-activated carbon vessels.

HERALD neighbors

Jewish Sports Heritage Association inductions

The Jewish Sports Heritage Association held their eighth annual Induction and Awards Ceremony at Temple Israel of Lawrence, on April 12.

It was founded in 2015 by Alan Freedman, with a mission to highlight Jewish athletes across the sports world challenging the long-held notion that “Jews in sports” is an oxymoron.

“By highlighting Jewish athletes from across the sports world, it hopefully offers a starting point for discussions of stereotypes and prejudice,” Freedman said.

Chase Rivas, a junior lacrosse player at Hewlett High School, was honored as the Temple Israel, Lawrence Outstanding Jewish High School Athlete from the South Shore.

“I feel very proud,” Rivas said. “I just want to continue playing lacrosse because I’ve always played and it’s really fun for me.”

— Melissa Berman

Chase Rivas was honored as the Temple Israel, Lawrence Outstanding Jewish High School Athlete from the South Shore.

Alice Moreno/Herald photos

Jewish Sports Heritage Association honorees Chase Rivas, left, Andy Yosinoff, Tahl Leibovitz, Founder Alan Freedman and Michael Riger at the eighth annual inductions.

Alan Freedman, middle, virtually inducted Hewlett native Riley Weiss into the association, on April 12 at Temple Israel of Lawrence.

Tahl Liebovitz shows off his citation after being inducted.

Hewlett High School Junior lacrosse player

Peter Levy accepted the award on behalf of his late dad, Butch Levy.

Blakeman looks to curtail NIFA’s oversight

By CHRIS COLUCCI ccolucci@liherald.com

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for governor, held a news conference last week to laud the county’s budget surplus and financial stability. Blakeman also called for an end to the strict oversight of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which was created in 2000 to monitor county finances.

“We are calling on NIFA to basically transfer from being a control authority to an advisory authority,” Blakeman said on April 10. “NIFA costs county taxpayers approximately $3 million a year in administrative expenses. That money is unnecessary. It is not doing anything to help our fiscal status.”

The $3 million cost Blakeman cited is a rough estimate of the combined salaries of the five NIFA committee members. The committee has had oversight of county spending since 2011.

“We will do everything necessary to make sure that we are no longer burdened in a control period that is completely unnecessary, unwarranted and, quite frankly, not according to the law,” Blakeman added.

Richard Kessel, chairman and director of NIFA, delivered a direct rebuttal, saying, “The only reason the county budget is balanced is that it got over $200 million in federal funding during

Covid, and it’s using that money and other reserves to balance and to hide what is a deficit.” In 2024, Blakeman’s administration moved more than $220 million received from federal pandemic aid into the county’s general fund.

Blakeman noted recent county prosperity — including seven bond upgrades in the past three and a half years and gross economic output that he described as larger than that of nearly 150 mem-

bers of the United Nations — before addressing the potential for a political slant to NIFA’s financial control.

“NIFA has been a political machine, governed by [Gov.] Kathy Hochul,” he said. “She wants to control every aspect of our business here in Nassau County, just like she has throughout the state of New York.”

Blakeman said that State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a Democrat, has

declared that the county has no fiscal stress. And County Comptroller Elaine Phillips, a Republican, emphasized Nassau’s financial health despite rising costs statewide. “In 2024 to 2025, we saw almost a $5 million increase in health insurance costs,” Phillips said, “[and] a 23 percent increase in our pension costs.”

Phillips commended Blakeman’s decision not to raise county taxes for the entirety of his four-year tenure, and added that NIFA’s shift to an advisory role would be appropriate. “I wholly support that NIFA does not keep us in a control period,” she said.

County Treasurer David Chiang also voiced support for reduced NIFA oversight while stressing the county’s current financial position. “Nassau County is in the best fiscal shape it’s ever been in,” he said. “Without cutting services, we have maintained our service level while keeping revenues stable. Our expenses have been going down. We have budget surpluses.”

“Bruce Blakeman has no authority to decide whether there’s a control period in effect,” Kessel said. “It’s our position that a control period is absolutely necessary, and we will continue it going forward. It’s up to us to decide whether or not to decide to have a control period. If he doesn’t comply with it, we’ll take the appropriate action at the appropriate time.”

Chris Colucci/Herald

County Executive Bruce Blakeman, center, recognized the financial guidance of Comptroller Elaine Phillips and Treasurer David Chiang at a news conference last week.

PSEG Long Island supports small businesses

Business First workshop, with topics ranging from billing to electric vehicles, scheduled for May 6

By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com

To mark Small Business Week, May 3-9, PSEG Long Island will host a Business First Workshop to support small businesses across the region.

The workshop is scheduled for May 6, from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management, at 510 Grumman Road West in Bethpage, commonly referred to as the old Grumman building. The event is intended to bring together business owners and PSEG Long Island representatives to share information about programs and services that can help businesses operate more efficiently and manage energy use and costs.

“PSEG Long Island is proud to support our local business community — the entrepreneurs who invest in our neighborhoods, drive local economy and create jobs,” Veronica Isaac, PSEG Long Island’s senior manager of Economic Development, said. “Our Business First Workshop on May 6 will present all of the products and services offered by our PSEG Long Island Business First program for small and medium business owners. We will also have a special recognition ceremony to honor local companies and business organizations that participate in, promote and support our programs.”

Last year’s Business First Workshop presenters offered information about programs and services that help businesses operate more efficiently.

The company’s Business First program provides businesses with dedicated support for managing electricity needs, as well as information on billing processes and energy-efficiency incentives. Other areas of focus include building and renovation services, electric vehicle infrastructure and fleet incen -

tives, and procurement-related opportunities.

The topics will include digital tools such as the utility’s app and online account management platforms, as well as economic development initiatives that offer grants and bill credit opportunities.

Presenters will include Nayan Parikh, on digital channels; Christine

Bryson, on economic development; Alex Nyilas, on the Business First program; Alexandro Campos, on billing; Brittany Degel, on energy efficiency; Nicole Jones-Cumberbatch, on building and renovation services; Paul DiBenedetto, on electric vehicles; and Jimmy Alty, on procurement.

The workshop will also provide an opportunity for attendees to connect with Business First Advocates and representatives from procurement and building and renovation services, offering direct access to support resources.

Long Island is home to more than 100,000 small businesses, according to the Long Island Association, underscoring their significance to the regional economy.

“We proudly share information about PSEG Long Island’s revitalization programs with all new businesses in our community,” Cheryl Fajardo, past president of the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce, said. “As a strong partner in local economic development, PSEG Long Island has played a vital role in helping us improve our downtown areas through beautification projects, infrastructure support and promotional efforts.”

Pre-registration is recommended by emailing PSEGLI-Businessfirst@psegliny.com.

Come learn about local disability rights pioneer Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. and explore over 125 artifacts highlighting the fight for equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

The

sive,

Courtesy PSEG Long Island

BRUCE A. BLAKEMAN NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE

A family prioritizes housing for veterans

intertwined with the land now transformed into housing. For more than 50 years, Moultrie served as a pastor in Inwood and South Carolina, while also operating a food pantry and church on the site where the apartments now stand.

“We started a religious church here in 1973, and my wife and I had always bought property and invested in other people who needed places to live,” Moultrie recounted. “We started a church with housing, and when we relocated to South Carolina our son, Isaiah, took over doing this wonderful work here.”

What began decades ago as a ministry to feed and support neighbors has evolved into a broader mission: to provide them with long-term housing security. The idea for the development, conceived by Moultrie and his wife, Eulah, reflects a lifelong commitment to uplifting the community, especially veterans and seniors, who are often priced out of the region.

“We’re always looking out for somebody besides ourselves,” Moultrie added. “I’m very dedicated to veterans, because we get out of the military and there’s not enough help for veterans. Housing for veterans is very important, and I hope that we can put more veterans here in this place.”

Moultrie envisioned the land first as

a place of service through ministry, and now through housing. The transition from church and pantry to residential complex represents not a departure, but an expansion of that mission.

Eulah Moultrie said they also own land in South Carolina, and plan to build military housing there too. “We’re hoping when this is finished, our son will focus on South Carolina,” she said.

Under the leadership of Moultrie’s son, Isaiah Jr., Inwood Property Development is committed to responsible development and community-focused growth. “We’re looking forward to catering toward the veteran community first along with first responders,” Isaiah Jr. said.

A dedication ceremony is scheduled for May 14, and the building is expected

to open on June 1.

“This wasn’t just a labor of love,” Isaiah Jr. said. “It was a labor of an intensely fought battle. It’s a big sense of enjoyment and thankfulness to be able to provide the community with something. We’re excited for this place to be rejuvenating the community, with families moving in and enrolling their children in the Lawrence school district.”

Melissa Berman/Herald

Ericka Moorer, a broker at Moorstone Real Estate in Valley Stream and an Inwood native, left, with Bishop Isaiah Moultrie, Eulah Moultrie and their son, Isaiah, in front of their soon-to-be-finished housing development in Inwood.

Courtesy Ericka Moorer

Above, a rendering of what a finished living room will look like in the Moultrie Grey housing complex.

OUT

Destination: Outdoor escape Your backyard, reimagined

By Karen Bloom

Spring has surely sprung (at last) — and we’re very much attuned to Earth Month as we embrace the outdoors. It’s great get out and about and not feel so housebound, which leads many of us to rethink how we use our outdoor space. The season deﬁnitely invites us outside, offering a chance to reconnect with nature right at home and shape a backyard that works for everyday living.

Start by considering how your yard can better serve your household. Maybe you’re envisioning a space for easy entertaining, a safer play area for kids and pets, or simply a peaceful retreat to unwind. Increasingly, homeowners are embracing “backyarding” — bringing indoor comforts like dining, lounging and even workouts into the open air.

A little planning now can pay off all season long, with vibrant blooms, fresh herbs and a space that feels both functional and inviting.

“With the season’s ﬁrst signs appearing, this is the time to prepare your garden for months of enjoyment,” garden design expert Fiona Jenkins says.

Here are her practical tips for creating a beautiful, low-maintenance yard that doesn’t demand all your free time.

Keep It Manageable

When it comes to ﬂower beds, smaller is often smarter. Narrow beds — about one to two feet wide — are easier to plant, maintain and keep looking tidy.

Limiting plant variety can also make a big difference. Sticking to a handful of dependable options helps you better handle their needs and simpliﬁes care. Hardy perennials such as geraniums and peonies, along with evergreen shrubs, offer reliable color year after year without the need for constant replanting.

“Once established, these plants can provide lasting beauty with minimal effort,” Jenkins says. “Just be

sure you understand their watering, feeding and pruning needs before planting.”

Build A Strong Foundation

Healthy soil is the backbone of any successful garden. Investing in rich, organic soil — and refreshing it annually with compost — helps plants thrive while reducing the necessity of frequent watering and fertilizing.

Mulch is another essential. A layer of organic material such as bark, leaves or compost helps retain moisture, regulate soil temperature and keep weeds in check — all while improving soil quality over time.

“Mulching is a great way of protecting your soil and making it last longer by helping to maintain moisture levels and prevent weeds from growing,” she explains.

Add Structure With Hardscaping

Incorporating hard surfaces like decking, patios or walkways can transform a backyard into a more usable living space. These elements provide structure, deﬁne different zones and create natural gathering areas.

Composite decking remains a popular choice for its durability and low maintenance, while natural stone, concrete or porcelain pavers offer a clean, timeless look.

Thoughtful additions like built-in lighting can extend the use of your yard into the evening, adding both safety and ambiance.

For visual interest with minimal upkeep, consider a rock garden. Combining alpine plants or succulents with layered stones and pebbles creates texture and dimension — without demanding much attention.

Try Raised Beds

Raised beds are a practical solution for both ﬂowers and vegetables. They help contain plant growth, improve drainage and make gardening more accessible. Whether placed over existing soil or integrated into a patio design, they also serve as attractive focal points.

“A raised ﬂower bed will stop them from spreading out of control and add a focal point of interest to your garden,” Jenkins says.

Let Nature Take The Lead

For a softer, more natural look, consider embracing a slightly “wild” aesthetic. Swapping part of a traditional lawn for a meadow-style area can reduce maintenance while supporting pollinators.

“This isn’t to say you should let it grow completely out of control, but your garden can look beautiful with the aesthetic of a grassy meadow rather than an urban space,” she continues.

Scattering wildflower seeds introduces bursts of color and attracts bees and butterflies, creating a lively, ever-changing landscape that benefits the local ecosystem.

With thoughtful choices and a bit of early effort, your backyard can become one of your favorite places to spend time this season and throughout the year — a space that feels as welcoming and comfortable as any room inside your home.

Asbury Short Film Concert

The acclaimed national touring showcase returns with a curated showcase of standout short films — many seen by the local audience for the first time. Presented by Asbury Shorts, the New York City-based long-running short film exhibitor, the program highlights an eclectic mix, including film festival favorites and Oscar-recognized selections. The dynamic lineup spans genres, from sharp comedies like “The Tailor,” where culture and confusion collide on a Brooklyn street (pictured), to compelling dramas, inventive animation and occasional thoughtprovoking documentaries. This is a rare opportunity to experience these cinematic “hidden gems” in a true theater setting — films that often don’t reach traditional big screens. These shorts provide a window into emerging filmmakers alongside early works from directors who go on to achieve major acclaim.

Friday, April 17, 7 p.m. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at madisontheatreny. org or (516) 323-4444.

Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz celebrates the 60th anniversary of The Monkees with a special tour honoring the band’s enduring legacy and timeless sound. In this nostalgic and high-spirited performance, Dolenz takes audiences on a musical journey through The Monkees’ rise to fame, performing their biggest hits in chronological order while sharing personal stories from his decades in entertainment — as he keeps the music alive for new generations As the last surviving member of the beloved group, Dolenz brings both heart and history to the stage, paying tribute to bandmates Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith, while celebrating the fans who helped transform a ﬁctional TV band into a global sensation. This is sure to be a heartfelt, hit-ﬁlled evening that blends music, memories and a lasting connection to one of pop culture’s most iconic acts.

Sunday, April 19, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Photos: Spring unfolds in your backyard, where patios, gardens and greenery set the stage to gather and unwind.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

APR 17

Family theater

It’s the final weekend for Long Island Children’s Museum staging of “Pete the Cat,” the charming musical based on the book series by Kimberly and James Dean. Life is certainly an adventure for Pete, no matter where he winds up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect pal to help him out. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon.; also April 19

• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

APR

18

Long Island Home Show

Check out the best resources in home improvement, landscaping and design services. Experts are ready to provide guidance on enhancing your living spaces, ensuring every corner of your home meets your needs and style.

• Where: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale

• Time: Opens 10 a.m., also April 19

• Contact: ticketmaster.com

‘Dog Days’ Weekend and Dog Festival

Get ready to wag those tails, at Old Westbury Gardens with your pooch (leashed of course), Bring your canine companions for a scenic stroll through grounds bursting spring’s first blooms. With a curated lineup of local pet and dog-focused vendors offering treats, accessories, services, and more — ust for your pup (and you!).

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., also April 19

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

Once upon a time in the Bronx

Chazz Palminteri is back on the Paramount stage with his electrifying solo performance of “A Bronx Tale,” the autobiographical one-man show that launched his remarkable career. Raw, riveting and deeply personal, the play draws on Palminteri’s own bruising childhood in the Bronx, including the moment — at just nine-years-old — when he witnessed a gangland killing that would forever shape his view of the world. Onstage, Palminteri inhabits 18 vividly drawn characters, seamlessly shifting between friends, foes and family members to conjure an entire neighborhood with nothing but his voice, physicality and storytelling prowess. First written and performed in 1989, A Bronx Tale quickly became a sensation, hailed as one of the most sought-after stage properties since Rocky. The original production paved the way for the acclaimed film adaptation — directed by Robert De Niro—and later a hit Broadway musical. Born and raised in the Bronx, Palminteri stands firmly in the lineage of iconic Italian-American artists who redefined New York storytelling in the 1970s, including Martin Scorsese, De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. Like them, he brings grit, muscle and an unflinching realism to his work, capturing both the violence and the humanity of life on those sidewalks. This return engagement offers audiences a chance to experience the original, powerhouse performance that started it all — up close, uncompromising and unforgettable.

of $33 via cash, check or money order payable to “Empire Safety Council” during the first class. Registration required.

• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett

• Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Contact: hwpl.org or (516) 374-1967

• Time: 8-9:30 p.m.

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

APR

19 Surviving the Ordeal

• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington .

• Time: 7:30 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

Megan Hilty to the stage. Enjoy an intimate afternoon of music with her Grammy-nominated pianist and music director Matt Cusson.

• Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City

The Lovin’ Spoonful Fondly known as “America’s answer to the Beatles,” the band brings their chart-topping folk-rock hits to the Madison Theatre. Formed in New York’s Greenwich Village, The Lovin’ Spoonful, made up of original band members John Sebastian, Steve Boone, Joe Butler, and Zal Yanovsky, exploded onto the charts sending their first seven singles soaring onto Billboard’s Top-10 virtually overnight. Their first single, “Do You Believe in Magic,” flew to the top of the charts, followed by an unprecedented string of hits. Today, The Lovin’ Spoonful tours with founding member Steve Boone, along with Jeff Alan Ross (Badfinger, Peter Asher), Bill Cinque (Neil Diamond), longtime drummer Mike Arturi, and Rob Bonfiglio (The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson Band, Wilson Phillips). Together they faithfully celebrate the rich, good-time catalog of hits that made The Lovin’ Spoonful one of the world’s most beloved groups to emerge from the ‘60s.

• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: madisontheatreny. org or (516) 323-4444

APR

30

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or (516) 877-4000

Lawrence Board of Trustees meet The Village of Lawrence Board of Trustees welcome all to their monthly meeting. Attend to learn what is going on in the community and to speak out about issues and concerns.

Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library hosts the Empire Safety Defensive Driving course. This class is limited to 25 participants. The instructor will collect payment

‘Romantic Rendezvous’ Old Westbury Gardens chamber ensemble in residence, Poetica Musica welcomes the season in the intimate and elegant Red Ballroom of Westbury House. Renowned pianists Javor Bracic and Angelina Gadeliya make their series debut, performing solo and duo piano works by Chopin, Schubert, Fauré, Barber, and others.The program includes Sonata in A minor by Franz Schubert, Dolly Suite for piano four hands by Gabriel Fauré, Rondo, Op. 5 by Frédéric Chopin, Souvenirs for piano four hands by Samuel Barber, and Crimean Sketches for solo piano by Serhii Bortkiewicz. Advance ticket purchase required. A pre-concert talk will take place at 7:30 pm, followed by a reception after the concert on the West Porch. $30, $25 for members, seniors and students.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury Defensive Driving Course

Rock Hall Museum hosts Natalie Naylor on “Surviving the Ordeal: Long Island Women during the Revolutionary War.” Women are almost invisible in most accounts of the Revolutionary War on Long Island, though they experienced more than seven years of British occupation, skirmishes, and calculated humiliations. This PowerPoint presentation sheds light on what life was like for women during the war (including those at Rock Hall) and how they coped. $10, $8 seniors, members free. Space limited. Reservations required.

• Where: 199 Broadway, Lawrence

• Time: 1:30 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 239-1157

Megan Hilty in concert

Direct from her Tony-nominated performance as Madeline Ashton in Broadway’s “Death Becomes Her,” Adelphi welcomes Tony, Grammy and Critics Choice Award-nominated actor-singer

APR

20

Game Time

Visit Peninsula Public Library for Canasta, Mah Jongg, Scrabble and more. Seating is limited and is first come, first seated.

• Where: 280 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: Ongoing weekly, 2 p.m.

• Contact: peninsulapublic.org or (516) 967-5777

Lawrence BOE meets Attend the monthly Lawrence School District Board of Education meeting to hear the 2026-2027 school year budget. The board will also discuss district updates and allow time for public comment.

• Where: 2 Reilly Road, Cedarhurst

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 295-8000

• Where: 196 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 239-4600

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.

Rex Heuermann pleads guilty in Gilgo case

By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com

Rex Heuermann admitted in Suffolk County Court last week to being the Gilgo Beach serial killer, and to murdering seven women whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway between 1993 and 2011.

Heuermann said on April 8 that he strangled Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Sandra Costilla, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor and Megan Waterman. He also admitted to killing Karen Vergata, who disappeared in 1996. Her remains were found later on Fire Island and near Tobay Beach.

“When Rex decided that he wanted to accept responsibility and didn’t want to proceed the trial, from a defense standpoint, we then pivoted and did our best to protect his interest,” Michael Brown, Heuermann’s attorney, said. “That included the fact that he’s going to cooperate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.”

Heuermann is expected to be sentenced to three consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of Barthelemy, Costello and Waterman. He is also expected to receive four consecutive sentences of 25 years to life for the killings of Brainard-Barnes, Costilla, Mack and Taylor. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17.

Brown stated that with this new plea, Heuermann will face no further prosecution.

Asa Ellerup, Heuermann’s ex wife, attended the hearing with their daughter, Victoria Heuermann, and attorney Robert Macedonio.

“Rex Heuermann, and Rex Heuermann alone, is responsible for these horrific crimes,” Macedonio

said. “Any suggestion that Asa Ellerup and Victoria Heuermann were involved is irresponsible. They have no knowledge, no involvement or any connection to these heinous acts.”

“My thoughts are prayers are with the victims and their families,” Ellerup said. “Their loss is immeasurable, and the focus should be on them. I ask that you give some privacy to my family as they navigate this very difficult time.”

In January, Heuermann appeared before state Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei, and his attorneys filed a 178-page omnibus motion seeking multiple forms of legal relief, including dismissal of a second-degree murder charge in the 1993 death of Costilla and a review of grand jury minutes.

He had previously pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys mounted a broad challenge to the prosecution’s case. At earlier court proceedings, the defense focused on disputing key forensic evidence, particularly DNA analysis that prosecutors said linked Heuermann to the victims.

Defense attorneys argued that the testing methods and conclusions should be closely examined, raising questions about how the evidence was collected and interpreted. They also challenged other elements of the investigation, signaling an effort to weaken the case and prepare for a potential trial.

Prosecutors maintained that the evidence was strong, citing DNA findings, cellphone data and years of investigative work that led to Heuermann’s arrest.

In September, Mazzei ruled that Heuermann would face one trial for all seven of the alleged murders.

Additional reporting by Carolyn James.

Seven women were killed between 1993 and 2010. Their remains found near Gilgo Beach and Ocean Parkway.

Rex Heuermann admitted to killing the following women:

Melissa Barthelemy — strangled July 10, 2009.

Maureen Brainard-Barnes — strangled July 9, 2007.

Amber Lynn Costello — strangled Sept. 2, 2010.

Sandra Costilla — strangled Nov. 19, 1993.

Valerie Mack — strangled and dismembered between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1, 2000.

Jessica Taylor — strangled and dismembered around July 23, 2003.

Megan Waterman — strangled June 6, 2010.

Heuermann also admitted to killing:

Karen Vergata — disappeared in 1996; remains found later on Fire Island and near Tobay Beach.

–Heuermann allocution

16,

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notices

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION OF THE HEWLETTWOODMERE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing of the qualified voters of the HewlettWoodmere Union Free School District, Town of Hempstead, New York, will be held in the Woodmere Education Center, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, in said district on May 6, 2026, at 6:30 PM, prevailing time, for the transaction of business as authorized by the Education Law, including the following items:

1. To present to the voters a detailed statement of the amount of money which will be required for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

2. To discuss all the items hereinafter set forth to be voted upon by voting machine at the Budget Vote and Election to be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to Education Law of the State of New York and acts amendatory thereto.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required to fund the School District’s budget for 2026-2027, exclusive of public moneys, may be obtained by any resident of the District beginning May 5, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, prevailing time, except Saturday, Sunday or holidays at the Office of the District Clerk, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, 1125 Broadway, Hewlett, and on the District’s internet website.

AND FURTHER NOTICE

IS HEREBY GIVEN, that said Budget Vote and Election will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Woodmere Education Center, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, between the hours of 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM prevailing time, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by voting machine upon the following items:

1. To adopt the annual budget of the School District for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and to

authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the District.

2. Resolved that the 2026-2027 fiscal year Library budget proposed by the Board of Trustees of the HewlettWoodmere Union Free School District Public Library, and the levy of a tax appropriation therefore, in accordance with the provisions of Section 259 of the Education Law, shall be approved.

3. To elect two (2) members of the Board of Education for a three (3) year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029.

4. To elect one (1) Trustee of the HewlettWoodmere Public Library for a five (5) year term of office commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2031.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Section 495 of the Real Property Tax Law, the School District is required to attach to its proposed budget an exemption report. Said exemption report, which will also become part of the final budget, will show how the total assessed value of the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, list every type of exemption granted by the statutory authority, and show the cumulative impact of each type of exemption, the cumulative amount expected to be received as payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. In addition, said exemption report shall be posted on any bulletin board maintained by the District for public notices and on any website maintained by the District. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education shall be filed with the Clerk of said School District at her office in her office in Woodmere Education Center, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, not later than April 20, 2026, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM prevailing time. Each petition shall be directed to the Clerk of the District; must be signed by at least 38 qualified voters of the District. Vacancies on the Board of Education are not considered

separate, specific offices; candidates run at large. Nominating petitions shall not describe any specific vacancy upon the Board for which the candidate is nominated. To nominate a candidate for the office of Trustee of the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library Board, each petition must be signed by at least thirtyeight (38) voters of the District. Vacancies on the Board of Trustees are not considered separate specific offices; candidates run at large. Nominating petitions shall not describe any specific vacancy upon the Board for which the candidate is nominated. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that personal registration of voters is required either pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law, or pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law. If a voter has heretofore registered pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law and has voted at an annual or special district meeting within the last four (4) calendar years, he or she is eligible to vote at this election. If a voter is registered and eligible to vote under Article 5 of the Election Law, he or she is also eligible to vote at this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register. The Board of Registration will meet for the purpose of registering all qualified voters of the District pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, prevailing time, to add any additional names to the Register to be used at the aforesaid election, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such Register provided that at such meeting of said Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of such Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the Register is prepared. The Register so prepared pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the District Clerk, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning on Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, prevailing time, on

each day prior to the day set for the election, except Sunday, and on Saturday, May 16, 2026, by prearranged appointment between 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM, and at the polling place(s) n the day of the vote. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, the voters may register with the Clerk of said School District at her office in the District Administration Office, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, when school is in session at any day on or before May 14, 2026 to add any additional names to the Register to be used at the aforesaid election, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such Register provided that at such meeting with the Clerk of said School District he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of the Clerk of said School District to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the Register is prepared. The Register so prepared pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the District Clerk, at her office in the District Administration Office, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, prevailing time, on each day prior to the day set for the election, except Sunday, and on Saturday, May 16, 2026, by prearranged appointment between 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM, and at the polling place(s) on the day of the vote.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the school district. An application for registration as a military voter can be requested from the District Clerk in the Woodmere Education Center, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, and must be returned to said office no later than 5:00 PM, April 23, 2026. In the request for an application for registration, the military voter is permitted to designate his/her preference for receiving the application for

registration by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail.

AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the District may submit an application for a military ballot or before April 23, 2026, from the Office of the District Clerk, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York. The original military ballot application must be returned by mail or in person to the District Clerk, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, during school business hours, no later than 5:00 PM on April 23, 2026. In the request for an application for a military ballot, the military voter is permitted to designate his/her preference for receiving the application for a military ballot, and the military ballot, by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail. All qualified military voters’ ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person. Ballots for military voters shall be distributed to qualified military voters no later than April 24, 2026. Military ballots must be received by the District Clerk (1) before the close of the polls, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, and must show a cancellation mark of the United States postal service or a foreign country’s postal service, or must show a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States Government; or (2) not later than 5:00 pm on the day of the election and be signed and dated by the military voter and one witness, with a date ascertained to be not later than the day before the election.

A list of persons to whom military ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the Office of the District Clerk on and after Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, prevailing time, on each day prior to the day set for the annual election, except Sunday, and on Saturday, May 16, 2026, by prearranged appointment between 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM, and on May 19, 2026, the day set for the election. Any qualified voter then present in the polling place may object to the voting of the ballot upon appropriate

grounds by making his or her challenge and the reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for early mail ballots and absentee ballots will be obtainable during school business hours from the District Clerk beginning Monday, April 20, 2026; completed applications must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than April 20, 2026 and at least seven (7) days before the election, May 12, 2026, if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, May 18, 2026, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Early mail ballots and absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Applications for absentee ballots or early mail ballots may also be printed from the District website www.hewlettwoodmere.net and delivered to the District Clerk beginning April 20, 2026, in the manner described above. A list of persons to whom early mail ballots and absentee ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the Office of the District Clerk on and after Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, prevailing time, on each day prior to the day set for the annual election, except Sunday, and on May 19, 2026, the day set for the election. Any qualified voter then present in the polling place may object to the voting of the ballot upon appropriate grounds by making his or her challenge and the reasons therefore known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls. A challenge to an absentee ballot may not be made on the basis that the voter should have applied for an early mail ballot. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with Section 2035 of the Education Law, any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, must be filed with the Clerk of the Board of Education at the District

Office, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, in sufficient time to permit notice of the proposition to be included with the Notice of the Public Hearing, Budget Vote and Election required by Section 2004 of the Education Law or on or before Friday, April 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM, prevailing time; must be typed or printed in the English language; must be directed to the Clerk of the School District; must be signed by at least 94 qualified voters of the District (representing 5% of the number of voters who voted in the previous annual election); and must legibly state the name of each signer. However, the School Board will not entertain any petition to place before the voters any proposition the purpose of which is not within the powers of the voters to determine, which is unlawful, or any proposition which fails to include a specific appropriation where the expenditure of monies is required by the proposition, or where other valid reason exists for excluding the proposition from the ballot.

Dated: Woodmere, New York, March 18, 2026 By Order of the BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE HEWLETT-WOODMERE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York District Clerk 159343

LEGAL NOTICE AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA, VOTACIÓN PRESUPUESTA Y ELECCIÓN DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR LIBRE UNIÓN DE HEWLETT-WOODMERE

El distrito escolar Woodmere Union Free School District, en la ciudad de Hempstead, Nueva York, se llevará a cabo en el

3. Elegir a dos (2) miembros de la Junta de Educación por un período de tres (3) años que comenzará el 1 de julio de 2026 y finalizará el 30 de junio de 2029. La votación sobre el presupuesto y las elecciones se celebrarán el martes 19 de mayo de 2026.

2. Se resuelve que el presupuesto de la biblioteca para el año fiscal 2026-2027 propuesto por la Junta Directiva de la Biblioteca Pública

del Distrito Escolar Unificado Gratuito de Hewlett-Woodmere, y la imposición de una asignación de impuestos para tal fin, de conformidad con las disposiciones de la Sección 259 de la Ley de Educación, serán aprobados.

1. Presentar a los votantes un estado detallado de la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el año fiscal 2026-2027.

1. Aprobar el presupuesto anual del Distrito Escolar para el año fiscal 2026-2027 y autorizar que la parte necesaria del mismo se recaude mediante impuestos sobre la propiedad gravable del Distrito. Y POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA QUE una copia del estado de la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para financiar el presupuesto del Distrito Escolar para 2026-2027, excluyendo los fondos públicos, puede ser obtenida por cualquier residente del Distrito a partir del 5 de mayo de 2026, entre las 8:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora local, excepto sábados, domingos o días festivos en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, en la Biblioteca Pública Hewlett-Woodmere, 1125 Broadway, Hewlett, y en el sitio web del Distrito. Centro Educativo Woodmere, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, en dicho distrito el 6 de mayo de 2026, a las 6:30 p. m., hora vigente, para la realización de negocios según lo autorizado por el CONDADO DE NASSAU, NUEVA YORK 4. Elegir un (1) Fideicomisario de la Biblioteca Pública Hewlett-Woodmere por un período de cinco (5) años que comenzará el 1 de julio de 2026 y finalizará el 30 de junio de 2031. Ley de Educación, incluyendo los siguientes puntos: POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que se celebrará una Audiencia Pública de los votantes calificados de Hewlett2. Discutir todos los puntos que se exponen a continuación para ser votados mediante máquina de votación en el 3. Tratar cualquier otro asunto que pueda presentarse debidamente ante la

Public Notices

reunión de conformidad con Ley de Educación del Estado de Nueva York y sus modificaciones.

Y POR LA PRESENTE

SE NOTIFICA QUE la mencionada votación del presupuesto y las elecciones se celebrarán el martes 19 de mayo de 2026 en el Centro Educativo Woodmere, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, entre las 7:00 a. m. y las 10:00 p. m., hora local, momento en el que se abrirán las urnas para votar mediante máquina de votación sobre los siguientes temas: La Junta de Registro se reunirá con el propósito de registrar a todos los votantes calificados del Distrito de conformidad con la Sección 2014 de la Ley de Educación el miércoles 13 de mayo de 2026, de 8:00 a. m. a 8:00 p. m., hora local, para agregar cualquier nombre adicional al Registro que se utilizará en la elección antes mencionada, en cuyo momento cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se coloque en dicho Registro siempre que en dicha reunión de dicha Junta de Registro se sepa o se demuestre a satisfacción de dicha Junta de Registro que tiene derecho a votar en esa elección o posteriormente en la misma para la cual se prepara el Registro. El Registro preparado de conformidad con la Sección 2014 de la Ley de Educación se archivará en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, y estará abierto para su inspección por cualquier votante calificado del Distrito a partir del jueves 14 de mayo de 2026, entre las 8:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora local, todos los días anteriores al día fijado para la elección, excepto el domingo, y el sábado 16 de mayo de 2026, con cita previa entre las 10:00 a. m. y la 1:30 p. m., y en el/los lugar(es) de votación el día de la votación.

Asimismo, se notifica que el registro personal de votantes es obligatorio conforme al Artículo 2014 de la Ley de Educación o al Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral. Si un votante se ha registrado previamente

conforme al Artículo 2014 de la Ley de Educación y ha votado en una asamblea distrital anual o extraordinaria en los últimos cuatro (4) años calendario, podrá votar en esta elección. Si un votante está registrado y puede votar conforme al Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral, también podrá votar en esta elección. Todas las demás personas que deseen votar deberán registrarse. Y POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que, de conformidad con la Sección 495 de la Ley de Impuestos sobre Bienes Inmuebles, el Distrito Escolar debe adjuntar a su presupuesto propuesto un informe de exenciones. Dicho informe de exenciones, que también formará parte del presupuesto final, mostrará cómo el valor catastral total del padrón catastral final utilizado en el proceso presupuestario está exento de impuestos, enumerará cada tipo de exención otorgada por la autoridad legal y mostrará el impacto acumulativo de cada tipo de exención, el monto acumulativo que se espera recibir como pagos en lugar de impuestos (PILOT) y el impacto acumulativo de todas las exenciones otorgadas. Además, dicho informe de exenciones deberá publicarse en cualquier tablón de anuncios que el Distrito mantenga para avisos públicos y en cualquier sitio web que mantenga el Distrito. Y SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que las peticiones para nominar candidatos para el cargo de miembro de la Junta de Educación deberán presentarse ante la Secretaria del Distrito Escolar en su oficina en Woodmere Education Center, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, a más tardar el 20 de abril de 2026, entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 5:00 p. m. hora local. Cada petición deberá dirigirse a la Secretaria del Distrito; deberá estar firmada por al menos 38 votantes calificados del Distrito. Las vacantes en la Junta de Educación no se consideran cargos específicos separados; los candidatos se postulan a nivel general. Las peticiones de nominación no deberán describir ninguna

vacante específica en la Junta para la cual se nomina al candidato. Para nominar a un candidato para el cargo de Fideicomisario de la Junta de la Biblioteca Pública HewlettWoodmere, cada petición deberá estar firmada por al menos treinta y ocho (38) votantes del Distrito. Las vacantes en la Junta de Fideicomisarios no se consideran cargos específicos separados; los candidatos se postulan a nivel general. Las solicitudes de nominación no deberán describir ninguna vacante específica en la Junta para la cual se nomina al candidato. Una lista de las personas a quienes se les entregan boletas militares estará disponible para su inspección por los votantes calificados del Distrito en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito a partir del jueves 14 de mayo de 2026, entre las 8:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora local, todos los días previos al día fijado para la elección anual, excepto el domingo, y el sábado 16 de mayo de 2026, con cita previa entre las 10:00 a. m. y la 1:30 p. m., y el 19 de mayo de 2026, el día fijado para la elección. Asimismo, se notifica que los votantes militares que no estén registrados actualmente pueden solicitar su inscripción como votantes calificados del distrito escolar. La solicitud de inscripción como votante militar puede solicitarse en la oficina del secretario del distrito, ubicada en el Centro Educativo Woodmere, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, y debe devolverse a dicha oficina a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del 23 de abril de 2026. En la solicitud de inscripción, el votante militar puede indicar si prefiere recibirla por correo postal, fax o correo electrónico. Y POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA QUE los votantes pueden registrarse con la Secretaria de dicho Distrito Escolar en su oficina en la Oficina de Administración del Distrito, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, entre las horas de 8:00 a. m. y 4:00 p. m., cuando la escuela esté en sesión en cualquier día hasta el 14 de mayo de 2026 para agregar cualquier nombre adicional al Registro que se utilizará en la elección antes

mencionada, en cuyo momento cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre sea colocado en dicho Registro siempre que en dicha reunión con la Secretaria de dicho Distrito Escolar se sepa o se demuestre a satisfacción de la Secretaria de dicho Distrito Escolar que tiene derecho a votar en esa elección para la cual se prepara el Registro. El Registro preparado de conformidad con la Sección 2014 de la Ley de Educación se archivará en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito, en su oficina en la Oficina de Administración del Distrito, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, y estará abierto para su inspección por cualquier votante calificado del Distrito a partir del jueves 14 de mayo de 2026, entre las 8:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., hora local, todos los días anteriores al día fijado para la elección, excepto el domingo, y el sábado 16 de mayo de 2026, con cita previa entre las 10:00 a. m. y la 1:30 p. m., y en el/los lugar(es) de votación el día de la votación. Asimismo, se notifica que los votantes militares que cumplan con los requisitos para votar en el Distrito pueden presentar una solicitud de boleta militar antes del 23 de abril de 2026 en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito, ubicada en One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York. La solicitud original de boleta militar debe enviarse por correo o entregarse en persona en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito, ubicada en One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, durante el horario escolar, a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del 23 de abril de 2026. En la solicitud de una boleta militar, el votante militar puede indicar su preferencia para recibir la solicitud y la boleta por correo postal, fax o correo electrónico. Todas las solicitudes y boletas militares de los votantes calificados deben devolverse por correo postal o en persona. Las boletas para los votantes militares se distribuirán a los votantes calificados a más tardar el 24 de abril de 2026. Las boletas militares deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito

(1) antes del cierre de las urnas, el martes 19 de mayo de 2026, y deben mostrar un sello de cancelación del servicio postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o deben mostrar un endoso de recepción fechado por otra agencia del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos; o (2) a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del día de la elección y estar firmadas y fechadas por el votante militar y un testigo, con una fecha que se determine que no sea posterior al día anterior a la elección.

DISTRITO ESCOLAR LIBRE UNIÓN DE HEWLETT-WOODMERE

Las papeletas de voto en ausencia se podrán obtener durante el horario escolar en la oficina del secretario del distrito.

Inspector electoral antes del cierre de las urnas. El votante calificado presente en el lugar de votación puede objetar la votación de la papeleta por motivos apropiados haciendo su impugnación y dando a conocer las razones por las cuales

Y POR LA PRESENTE

SE DA ADEMÁS AVISO que las solicitudes de boletas de voto anticipado por correo y Una lista de las personas a quienes se les emiten boletas de voto anticipado por correo y boletas de voto en ausencia estará disponible para su consulta por los votantes calificados del Distrito en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito a partir de El jueves 14 de mayo de 2026, entre las 8:00 y las 16:00 horas, hora local, todos los días previos a la fecha fijada para las elecciones anuales, excepto el domingo, y el 19 de mayo de 2026, fecha fijada para las elecciones. Cualquier votante cualificado presente en el centro de votación podrá impugnar la votación por motivos justificados, presentando su impugnación y las razones correspondientes al inspector electoral antes del cierre de las urnas. No se podrá impugnar una papeleta de voto en ausencia alegando que el votante debería haber solicitado una papeleta de voto anticipado por correo.

A partir del lunes 20

de abril de 2026, las solicitudes completas deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito no antes del 20 de abril de 2026 y al menos siete (7) días antes de las elecciones, el 12 de mayo de 2026, si la boleta se enviará por correo al votante, o el día anterior a las elecciones, el 18 de mayo de 2026, si la boleta se entregará personalmente al votante. Las boletas de voto anticipado por correo y las boletas de voto en ausencia deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m., hora local, del martes 19 de mayo de 2026. Las solicitudes de boletas de voto en ausencia o boletas de voto anticipado por correo también pueden imprimirse desde el sitio web del Distrito www.hewlettwoodmere.net y entregarse al Secretario del Distrito a partir del 20 de abril de 2026, de la manera descrita anteriormente. JUNTA DE EDUCACIÓN

DEL Por orden de Municipio de Hempstead, condado de Nassau, Nueva York Secretario del distrito Fecha: Woodmere, Nueva York, 18 de marzo de 2026 Y POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA QUE, de conformidad con una regla adoptada por la Junta de Educación de acuerdo con la Sección 2035 de la Ley de Educación, cualquier referéndum o proposición para enmendar el presupuesto, o de otro modo para ser sometido a votación en dicha elección, debe ser presentado ante el Secretario de la Junta de Educación en la Oficina del Distrito, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, Nueva York, con tiempo suficiente para permitir que el aviso de la proposición se incluya con el Aviso de la Audiencia Pública, Votación del Presupuesto y Elección requerido por la Sección 2004 de la Ley de Educación o a más tardar el viernes 17 de abril de 2026, a las 5:00 p. m., hora vigente; debe estar mecanografiado o impreso en idioma inglés; debe estar dirigido al Secretario del Distrito Escolar; debe estar firmado por al menos 94 votantes calificados del Distrito (que representen el 5% del número de votantes que votaron en la elección anual anterior); y debe indicar legiblemente el nombre de cada firmante. Sin embargo, la Junta Escolar no considerará ninguna petición para someter a votación ninguna propuesta cuyo propósito no esté dentro de las facultades de los votantes para determinar, que sea ilegal, o ninguna propuesta que no incluya una asignación específica cuando el gasto de fondos sea requerido por la propuesta, o cuando exista otra razón válida para excluir la propuesta de la boleta electoral. 159345

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #001877/2013. Paul L. Meli, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 159082

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF AUGUST 1, 2006 SECURITIZED ASSET BACKED RECEIVABLES LLC TRUST 2006-HE1 MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-HE1, Plaintiff, AGAINST AZEEM ALI, et al. Defendant(s) Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on December 19, 2024. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 23, 2026 at 3:30 PM premises known as 541 11th Street, Cedarhurst, NY 11516. Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County, and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Woodmere, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 0039, Block 00290-00 and Lot 00054. Approximate amount of judgment $1,966,318.02 plus interest and costs.

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF STARWOOD MORTGAGE RESIDENTIAL TRUST 2020-1, Plaintiff, vs. JOHNSON PLACE HOLDINGS LLC, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on February 17, 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 May 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 30 Johnson Place, Woodmere, NY 11598. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Hamlet of Woodmere, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 41, Block 101 and Lot 329 f/k/a Section 41, Block 101, and Lot Part of lot 2. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,101,512.31 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 617161/2023.

Gerard A. Geisweller, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 231781-1 159305

LEGAL NOTICE INC. VILLAGE OF CEDARHURST LEGAL NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the Board of Zoning Appeals of the Village of Cedarhurst will hold a public hearing on 04/21/2026 at 7:00 PM in the Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY for the following:

Lawrence High School hosts successful Battle of the Classes lawrence lately

On March 2, students at Lawrence High School participated in the annual Battle of the Classes, an event filled with fun and competitive activities to determine which class would come out on top. Organized by the Student Government Association (SGA), this year’s event featured a SpongeBob-themed atmosphere that brought energy and excitement to the school community.

Battle of the Classes is a yearly tradition at Lawrence High School where students from each grade compete in both physical and mental challenges. During the event, representatives from each class participate in different activities to earn points. At the end of the night, the points are tallied to determine the

winning class.

The event began at 4:15 p.m. and lasted until around 8:15 p.m. Students gathered in the gym to cheer on their classmates and participate in a variety of games.

This year’s competitions included an obstacle course, SpongeBob trivia, dodge ball, musical chairs, handball, soccer, tug-of-war, and a new event called “Wig Snatching.” Each activity gave classes the opportunity to earn points while entertaining the crowd.

To help raise money for the event, SpongeBob-themed T-shirts were sold in

Public Notices

Petition of HEIMOWITZ SIMON & SCHLAM, ATARA

Premises: 323

LIVINGSTON PL

Sec/Blk/Lot 39/346/37

Case # 2026-011

265-38 C. Building area.

The total building area, including all accessory buildings, shall not exceed 30% of the lot area.

265-41 A. Side yards.

A side yard is required along each side of a building. The side yards along the sides of a building used exclusively as a single-family dwelling shall have an aggregate width of no less than 16 feet. Neither side shall be less than seven feet in width, except on corner plots, the side yard shall be seven feet.

265-42.1 A. Character of roofs. All buildings permitted by this chapter shall be erected with roofs other than those of the character and description known as “flat roofs.” Such flat roofs are permitted for one-story extensions and appurtenances only, and are not to exceed 240 square feet in the aggregate.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER

NOTICE that all interested persons will have an opportunity to be heard at said hearing.

Dated: 04/15/2026

Cedarhurst, NY

Benjamin Weinstock

Mayor Jacob Plaut

Village Clerk-Treasurer

By Order of the Zoning Board 159653

LEGAL NOTICE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF CEDARHURST NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN in accordance with New York Village Law 5-508(3) that on April 20, 2026, at Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Ave, Cedarhurst, New York, at 8:30 a.m., the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cedarhurst will hold a public hearing to consider the adoption of the budget of the Village of Cedarhurst for the fiscal year commencing June 1, 2026 and ending May 31, 2027.

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that a copy of the tentative budget is available at the office of the Village Clerk at Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Ave, Cedarhurst, New York, where they may be inspected by any interested persons during office hours. The said budget proposes payment of compensation to each member of the Board of Trustees of $15,000.

Dated: Cedarhurst, New York

April 13, 2026

By Order of the Mayor, Benjamin Weinstock and Board of Trustees

Jacob Plaut

Village Administrator 159654

LEGAL NOTICE INC. VILLAGE OF CEDARHURST

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the Board of Zoning Appeals of the Village of Cedarhurst will hold a public hearing on 04/21/2026

the school lobby. Each class had a creative SpongeBob-inspired name printed on their shirts. Freshmen were called the Fishy Freshmen, sophomores the SpongeBob Sophomores, juniors the Jellyfish Juniors, and seniors the Senior Starfish. Students proudly wore the shirts to represent their class throughout the competition. Planning the event required weeks of preparation from the SGA. Members held meetings and even organized phone calls outside of school to ensure everything ran smoothly. Lawrence staff members Mr. Spinelli and Mr. Ziff also supported the event.

When asked about the theme, one SGA associate explained that the idea came from fellow member Meredith. “It was all Meredith’s idea. She just brought it up at one meeting,” the associate said.

tion for choosing the theme. “I love SpongeBob. I’ve been watching it ever since I was a child, and that’s how we came up with the idea,” she said.

Despite the excitement, organizing the event was not without its challenges. A recent blizzard in New York forced the organizers to postpone the event several times. Normally, Lawrence High School hosts a spirit week leading up to Battle of the Classes, but this year that tradition had to be canceled.

“It was very frustrating because a lot of people wanted it as soon as possible, but after talking with people, I was powerless to do anything,” said student government associate Tevin Johnson.

At the end of the night, the Senior Starfish claimed victory with a final score of 2,321 points—one of the highest scores seen at Lawrence High School in recent years.

“It’s been fun. I got to hang out with my peers. It’s just been a great experience,” said senior Jairo Vasquez.

at 7:00 PM in the Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY for the following: Petition of 525 Underhill LLC Premises: 316 WESTMINSTER RD Sec/Blk/Lot 39/336/85 Case # 2026-009

265-125 Location restricted.

The pool, including the foundation for the purifying apparatus, if any, shall be located not less than 10 feet from the rear lot line and not less than five feet from the side property lines of the premises.

265-126 Area limitations.

The pool shall not occupy more than 20% of the area of the rear yard excluding all garages or other accessory structures. For the purpose of computing the building area the base for the springboard or diving platform and the foundation for the purifying apparatus, if any, shall be included. Notwithstanding any other provisions contained in the rest of this chapter, the area occupied by the pool shall not be included in computing the maximum percentage of the lot area that may be built upon.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that all interested persons will have an opportunity to be heard at said hearing.

Dated: 04/15/2026

Cedarhurst, NY

Benjamin Weinstock

Mayor Jacob Plaut

Village Clerk-Treasurer By Order of the Zoning Board 159650

LEGAL NOTICE INC. VILLAGE OF CEDARHURST LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the Board of Zoning Appeals of the Village of Cedarhurst will hold a public hearing on 04/21/2026 at 7:00 PM in the Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY for the following: Petition of MENACHEM & SHAYNA LANDAU

Premises: 335 SUMMIT AVE

Sec/Blk/Lot 39/424/101

Case # 2026-010

265-125

Location restricted. No swimming pool shall be built or maintained except in a rear yard as defined by the building zone regulations of the Village of Cedarhurst. The pool, including the foundation for the purifying apparatus, if any, shall be located not less than 10 feet from the rear lot line and not less than five feet from the side property lines of the premises.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that all interested persons will have an opportunity to be heard at said hearing.

Dated: 04/15/2026

Cedarhurst, NY

Benjamin Weinstock

Mayor Jacob Plaut

Village Clerk-Treasurer By Order of theZoning Board 159651

Meredith later explained her inspira-

Andre St.Urbain is the student columnist for Lawrence High School.

news briefs

LHS students attend a dance symposium

Lawrence High School dancers recently participated in a dance symposium at Hofstra University, joining more than 100 students from across Long Island for a day of training and collaboration.

The event was on March 18 and featured master classes led by college professors, offering students instruction in technique, performance and an introduction to the collegiate dance experience.

In addition to the workshops, students connected with peers from other high school programs and local dance

companies, fostering relationships within the arts community.

The symposium concluded with a performance showcase, where each school presented original choreography. Lawrence students performed their piece and took part in a feedback session with fellow participants.

District officials said the event highlighted student creativity and collaboration and praised the dancers for representing the school with enthusiasm and professionalism.

–Melissa Berman

Lighthouse MMA celebrates 1st anniversary

Lighthouse Mixed Martial Arts in Hewlett celebrated their first anniversary, on March 26.

The owner and their family were joined by members of the HewlettWoodmere Business Association for a special ceremony and ribbon cutting.

Lighthouse MMA offers training programs designed to help individuals improve fitness, learn self-defense and develop competitive fighting skills in a supportive environment.

Andre St.UrbAin

–Melissa Berman

Courtesy Lawrence school district

LHS dancers recently participated in a dance symposium at Hofstra University.

How much extra money does a home cost these days? Part 2

Q. I saw a billboard and several TV commercials for something called “Let Them Build, NY” and was wondering what you could tell me about it. The commercial said that there is an extra $82,000 spent on housing, per home, just due to government red tape. Is this true, and is anything being done about it?

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A. As I continue to answer this delicate and complicated question, I have to respond to people who called this column, over the years, just an advertisement. I’ve received criticism and pushback for nearly four decades because I’ve pointed out where changes needed to happen, in a constructive manner. Instead of causing positive change, I saw projects delayed, passive-aggressive behavior and extra tasks thrown at me that weren’t required by others. It hasn’t been easy, and this is hopefully a forum for positive reflection on how to improve our lives, not just criticism. I will never just complain about a problem without stating that there is a solution.

The cost of building has gone up. It should be understood by all that building safety requirements should never be ignored. The problem with cost increases is that delays, due to issues that have nothing to do with safety, are a part of the problem, not the solution.

For example, the average project starts out with research. There are many issues that must be addressed, from environmental conditions, such as ground water levels, to parking and zoning use, structural conditions and fire safety. Local government archives information about each property, yet when it comes time to request the records, many have stumbling blocks, such as Freedom of Information Law, or FOIL, requests that can sometimes take weeks. Then, when you get the information, it is often inaccurate sketches.

Local government expects very detailed information from professionals, to fix the information problems of the past, yet often provides inaccurate plans that hardly reflect the building. This is because as-built drawings and final surveys were neither required nor enforced. A new home has always been required to have an accurate final survey from a licensed surveyor for the initial certificate of occupancy, but the surveys in municipal records are often inaccurate sketch diagrams made by the developer, a contractor or expeditor, not a licensed professional (as was also always required). Those “plot” plans often say “prop. dwelling” (proposed) with completely useless, inaccurate information. So, after waiting, in some cases, weeks just to see the records, what you get is just a waste of time and money. Might as well hire the surveyor at the outset, something many customers are reluctant to spend for.

The playing field is definitely not level. Government should require of itself the same standards it forces on the public. Imagine getting valuable data without delays, right at the beginning of a project, instead of waiting weeks for the answer that there are no records.

Experienced developers already know to hire the surveyor, do the testing, do the zoning analysis, etc.

Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject

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REVIVE Act is the wrong solution to the housing crisis

To the surprise of no one, Albany extremists — following the lead of Gov. Kathy Hochul — have once again proposed a one-sizefits-all, top-down mandate that would attack suburbia by stripping municipalities of control over local zoning.

The recently introduced REVIVE Act — sponsored by State Sen. James Skoufis and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages — proposes to fast-track high-density housing by redeveloping “underutilized” commercial properties, and in the process, completely bypass the local review processes that ensure thoughtful, responsible growth.

Conveniently, the definition of “underutilized” is broad and open-ended, and includes shopping centers, office parks and parking lots, setting the threshold for “underutilized” as 50 percent vacant for one year. To make matters worse, the legislation contains a fast-track clause that would grant automatic approval to developments if municipalities fail to act within a rigid, state-imposed timeline that is far too short to accommodate any type of thoughtful and meaningful public input.

Worse yet, under the REVIVE Act, new developments would be permitted to be built as-of-right to the same height as the tallest existing building in the municipality. In the Town of Hempstead, the tallest building is Nassau University Medical Center, at 280 feet. This would allow high-density, high-rise developments of nearly 30 stories to be fast-tracked throughout our community on any “underutilized” parcel a developer should choose.

This proposal simply has one goal in mind: to increase density in suburban areas, no matter what.

Ted. Responsible growth isn’t just about adding housing units. It’s about ensuring that our neighborhoods can thrive in the best way possible for every resident. Development needs to be sustainable, strategic, and aligned with the needs and character of the community.

he proposal has one goal: to increase housing density in suburban areas.

It does not adequately take into consideration the real-world impact that high-density developments would have on traffic congestion, school capacity, environmental concerns and public safety. And frankly, it sends a troubling message that Albany doesn’t care about those impacts. Local zoning exists for a reason, and decisions about development should be made by the people who live in these communities, not imposed by bureaucrats hundreds of miles away.

This “Albany knows best” approach is not just misguided; it’s dangerous. Legislation like the REVIVE Act fails to account for a community’s existing infrastructure, its long-term planning goal, and, most concerningly, the voices of residents who would be most affect-

That’s why I’ve been proud to stand with local and state leaders in strong opposition to this egregious state overreach. Last month I joined members of the State Senate and Assembly in Albany to denounce the REVIVE Act. More recently, I stood with a coalition of elected officials from across Nassau County in front of Samanea Mall in Westbury — a site that could easily be deemed “underutilized” under this legislation and targeted for highdensity redevelopment.

That location is not unique. There are countless sites across Long Island that could fall under the scope of this bill. And instead of encouraging balanced economic development or supporting job-creating commercial investment, Albany appears determined to impose high-density, high-rise residential projects with little regard for community impact.

Suburban communities aren’t Albany’s plaything to experiment with. They are neighborhoods where families have

built their lives, where small businesses support local economies and where residents take pride in the character of their towns. Stripping those communities of their voice isn’t just bad policy — it’s fundamentally detrimental to the principles of local governance and community-driven planning.

And make no mistake: Opposition to the REVIVE Act isn’t limited to elected officials. Residents across the region are speaking out because they understand what is at stake. They know that once local control is taken away, it will be impossible to get back. They know that decisions made without their input will shape their neighborhoods for generations to come.

That’s why I launched an online petition so residents can make their voices heard and stand up against this misguided proposal. I encourage everyone to visit Change.org/StopReviveAct and join the growing number of Long Islanders who are saying enough is enough.

The REVIVE Act doesn’t just get the balance wrong — it ignores it entirely. And if we allow that to happen, the consequences won’t be felt in Albany. They’ll be felt on our roads, in our schools and in the neighborhoods we call home.

That’s why this fight matters. And that’s why the REVIVE Act must be stopped.

John Ferretti is the Town of Hempstead supervisor.

Let’s strengthen protections for domestic violence victims

new York had almost 90,000 reported victims of domestic violence in 2022 alone. What makes this statistic most troubling is that domestic violence often goes unreported, as does the harm. Whether the victim is protecting their abuser out of fear of retaliation, economic or emotional dependency, denial or shame, abusers continue to exploit and further victimize survivors.

Abusers can be creative in finding ways to manipulate and control their victims. We need to provide tools to victims, victims’ advocates and law enforcement to ensure that survivors of domestic violence get the support they need and perpetrators are held accountable.

That’s why I have introduced a legislative package to increase support for victims, including bills I carry with Assemblyman Ari Brown that would help strengthen our services for those victims, and close loopholes in the law that

allow predators to control their domestic partners by threating their pets.

More than one-third of domestic violence survivors suffer head, neck or facial injuries. Nonetheless, one study found that although 65 percent of victims of intimate partner violence reported having lost consciousness or experiencing a period of being dazed and confused, only 35 percent sought medical treatment. In some cases, a victim may opt not to seek care on their own to protect their abuser, or their abuser may prevent them from seeking care.

T hey are often overlooked, despite the increased focus on traumatic brain injuries.

As a result, victims of such violence are especially vulnerable to undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries. While there has rightfully been an increased focus on TBI among athletes, military personnel and seniors who fall, domestic violence victims are typically overlooked. The state Department of Health has taken steps to address this issue, such as alerting health care providers to this connection, but there is still more to be done.

For instance, the state’s Traumatic Brain Injury Program includes a variety of state departments and offices that can

offer unique insights into how their mission intersects with challenges related to TBI, and these agencies also have their commissioner or a designee on the Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council. However, the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence does not have a seat on the council, and has no role in the TBI Program. One of my bills would correct that oversight and ensure the office’s inclusion in shaping policies and training to mitigate the epidemic of TBI among survivors of domestic violence.

Another oversight in our laws deals with the crime of coercion and the use of coercive control, whereby an abuser controls their victim through the use of threats, pressure, shame or other manipulative tactics. While New York has a criminal penalty for coercion, which includes using the threat of physical harm or damage to property, it does not include threats against pets. This critical gap in the law is especially concerning given that roughly 70 percent of pet owners entering domestic violence shelters report that their abuser threatened,

injured or killed a family pet. Additionally, 90 percent of animal abuse incidents committed by perpetrators of domestic violence are done in the presence of their victims to exert control or revenge. That’s why I have introduced a bill to include threats to harm animals in the crime of coercion.

Domestic violence is a blight that is as complex as it is ever-changing, because technology offers opportunities for abusers to exert even more control over their victims’ lives. While we may never be able to achieve a world in which this horrific crime is nonexistent, we must commit to continuously examining our laws to ensure that we are doing everything we can to prevent it and to provide critical services to those in need.

Other legislative improvements I am exploring with other lawmakers include a bill I introduced to create a registry of persistent domestic violence offenders, and one I cosponsor to allow orders of protection to include prohibiting an abuser from having contact with a shared pet. Lawmakers must be diligent in our efforts, and comprehensive in our proposals, to protect women and all victims of domestic violence.

Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick represents the 9th State Senate District.

Nassau

Established 1924

Melissa BerMan

Senior Reporter

aidan Warshavsky

Reporter

lOri harWiTT

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HERALD

Cliff Richner Publisher, 1982-2018

Community deserves better from its library

the Peninsula Public Library is more than a building filled with books — it is a civic anchor, a gathering place and, for many residents, a lifeline.

That is why the ongoing concerns about its governance, accessibility and public engagement are so troubling. A community institution that plays such a central role in daily life must be held to a higher standard. Currently, many residents feel that standard is not being met.

Recent reporting by the Herald has highlighted a pattern of dysfunction that cannot be ignored. Board meetings that are frequently rescheduled make it difficult, if not impossible, for the public to participate. Transparency suffers when residents cannot reliably attend or follow the decision-making process. Public libraries are funded and supported by the communities they serve, and in return, those communities deserve consistency, openness and accountability.

Equally concerning is the prolonged elevator outage — an issue that goes beyond inconvenience into the realm of equity and legality. As one resident’s letter makes clear, the lack of a functioning elevator creates serious barriers for seniors and those with disabilities. The inability to access restrooms and program spaces isn’t just a logistical problem; it undermines the very mission of a public library.

Libraries are meant to be accessible to all. That principle is not aspirational. It is codified in federal law through the Americans with Disabilities Act. But even without legal obligations, the moral imperative is clear. The American Library Association, the world’s oldest

letters

Appointed PPL trustees won’t

to run for re-election

To the Editor:

and largest nonprofit for librarians and library supporters, encourages accessible, safe spaces — including ramps, automatic doors and accessible restrooms — to ensure that all users can navigate these facilities. A public institution cannot claim to serve its community while effectively excluding some of its most vulnerable members.

The consequences of this exclusion ripple outward. For many seniors, the library isn’t just a place to borrow books; it is a vital social hub. It is where friendships are maintained over games of mahjong or canasta, where lifelong learning continues through lectures and workshops, and where isolation is forgotten amid simple human connection. When access is restricted, those opportunities vanish — and with them, an essential thread of community life.

At the same time, disputes among trustees and controversy surrounding meetings suggest deeper governance issues. While disagreement is not inherently negative — in fact, it can be healthy — it becomes problematic when it disrupts operations, erodes public trust or distracts from an institution’s core mission. Trustees are stewards of a public good. Their responsibility is to the community, not to internal divisions.

So where does the library go from here?

First, the board must restore consistency and transparency in its operations. Meeting schedules should be predictable and adhered to, with ample notice given for any changes. Residents should not have to chase down opportunities to be heard. Public trust begins with basic reliability.

Second, accessibility issues must be treated with urgency. The elevator situation should have been addressed long before it reached a multi-month crisis point. Whether through expedited repairs, temporary accommodations or alternative solutions, the library must ensure that all patrons can safely access its facilities and programs.

Third, communication with the public needs to improve. The concerns expressed in letters to the editor are not isolated complaints — they reflect broader frustration. A responsive board would acknowledge these concerns openly, provide updates and outline clear plans for resolution. Silence or inaction only deepens distrust.

The trustees must refocus on the library’s mission. A public library is one of the few remaining spaces that is truly open to everyone, regardless of age, income or background. It is where information is freely available, where civic engagement begins and where community bonds are strengthened. That role is too important to be overshadowed by administrative dysfunction.

The Peninsula Public Library has long been a cornerstone of its community. That status carries both privilege and responsibility. Residents are not asking for perfection — they are asking for leadership, accountability and a commitment to inclusivity.

By addressing accessibility issues, stabilizing governance and re-engaging with the public, the trustees can begin to rebuild trust and ensure that the library lives up to its promise. The community deserves nothing less — and the institution itself depends on it.

have

Members of the board of trustees of the Peninsula Public Library have taken great pains to avoid having to run for re-election in May.

Due to turmoil on the board — a mild term for what has transpired — two members resigned, and Joe Lifschutz and Miriam Statman were appointed to fill the vacancies. Based on the library’s former bylaws, vacancy appointees were required to appear on the ballot at the next election.

On March 12, the board voted to amend the bylaws to allow vacancy appointees to serve out the unexpired terms of their predecessors. The effect of this change is straightforward: It removes the requirement that those appointees face voters next month.

Why did they do this? We may not have a formal statement of intent, but the sequence of events speaks for itself. After the bylaw amendment, board President

opinions

The REVIVE Act is a wolf dressed as housing reform

the rEVIVE Act is being sold as housing reform, but it could become the law that quietly changes suburban Long Island before many residents even realize what happened. Wrapped in language about revitalization, vacant property and affordability, this bill is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a measure that appears reasonable on the surface while giving Albany democrats new power to override local decision making, weaken community review, and force suburban communities into a model many residents never asked for.

The act has not yet become law, but Long Islanders should understand what is in it. Albany democrats present it as a housing solution, but the deeper reality is political: If they can force more housing into suburban communities, they believe they can slowly change the makeup, character and, ultimately, the voting patterns of places that have long resisted their agenda.

As ranking member of the Assembly’s Local Governments Committee, and after more than five decades in the construction industry, I see exactly what happens when decisions are made by

people who never have to live with the consequences.

Business districts are built deliberately. Stores, offices, restaurants and surrounding neighborhoods function together because local boards spend years carefully managing them. A healthy downtown supports the tax base that funds local services, police protection, sanitation, roads and municipal government.

i t sounds practical and moderate, but its long-term effects would be anything but.

If business districts begin converting into residential projects whenever vacancies appear, communities lose taxable revenue, business activity and commercial identity. Once a district begins shifting away from retail, it rarely comes back.

Long Islanders should understand what this means in practice. Parking lots that support downtown merchants and customers can suddenly become targets for dense multifamily housing. A lot that serves local businesses today can become a large apartment project tomorrow, overwhelming infrastructure while weakening the very business district it once supported.

In some communities, tax-exempt institutions — religious, educational or otherwise — continue expanding into commercial corridors. When tax-exempt uses steadily replace taxable commercial property, local governments lose

Letters

Akiva Lubin resigned his own seat. Had that been the end of it, that might reasonably be interpreted as a protest of the board’s actions. Instead, Lubin then stepped into a different vacancy — one that, under the newly revised bylaws, won’t require him to stand for election until May 2029.

This isn’t complicated. A rule was changed, and immediately afterward it was used in a way that delayed voter accountability.

Lubin has pointed to the library’s founding charter as allowing this vacancy process. That may be true, but what is permissible isn’t always what is appropriate — and it doesn’t explain the timing or the sequence of actions that followed.

If you think this sounds questionable, you’re not alone. What you should be wondering now is: Why go to such lengths to avoid appearing on the ballot? Could it be because they know that if they had to stand on their records, they’d be standing kneedeep in their own mess? The past six months have been fraught with one debacle after another, from delays in addressing the library’s broken elevator to a stalled search for a new director.

And yet, instead of focusing on resolving these pressing issues, the board has devoted its energy to rewriting the rules in ways that insulate its members from voter scrutiny. Every entity we might expect to intervene has remained silent. It has become

revenue while still carrying the same infrastructure burden, and homeowners are left carrying more of the cost. under the proposed law, if a commercial property is 50 percent vacant for a year, the state would open the door to residential conversion. One year is nothing in commercial real estate, yet one difficult year could permanently change a property and neighborhood that took decades to shape.

The law would go further. If a municipality doesn’t complete a review of a project of less than 150 units within 60 days, the project would automatically be approved. That would mean drainage, sewer capacity, traffic, parking and emergency access could all be pushed aside under an artificial deadline created by Albany democrats who wouldn’t live with the consequences.

The bill would also limit parking to one space per dwelling unit. But families often have two or three cars. Streets weren’t designed to absorb endless overflow parking from dense development. design hearings could still take place, but they would nonbinding. On Long Island, boards of architectural review decide what signage, awnings, storefront designs and building appearances fit a community. Without that authority, downtown character quickly

clear that the only way to hold the board accountable is an election — and now they’re working to take that remedy off the table.

The perplexing thing is that trustees are unpaid volunteers entrusted with overseeing a valued community resource. That role depends on public trust. If trustees are unwilling to stand before the voters — and are taking steps to avoid that accountability — the community should ask why.

SAMuEL FELdEr Woodmere

Library officials ‘should be embarrassed’

To the Editor:

Some of the recent and present trustees and officers of the Peninsula Public Library should be embarrassed by their actions, which have hurt the library rather than enhance it.

The library should have been relocated (probably to Zion Park), but because of, as we see it, personal financial reasons, that did not happen. We were told that an alternate site would be found. That didn’t happen, either. Also, there are many patrons who need the elevator to be functional. How in the world is it possible for many months to go by without the elevator being fixed?

deteriorates. Anyone who has seen parts of Brooklyn knows what happens: outlandish signage and a complete free-forall that overwhelms the character of a street and strips away local identity.

Many suburban democrats sound independent when they’re home on Long Island. Their votes tell a different story. Their leadership is driven overwhelmingly by New York City priorities. Again and again, what helps the city comes first, even when Long Island communities pay the price.

The state budget proves it year after year: top-heavy spending tilted toward the city, urban priorities funded by suburban taxpayers, and less local control. The rEVIVE Act follows that same pattern. It was written to sound practical and moderate, but its long-term effect is to take more control away from local communities.

Too many elected Long Island democrats sound suburban when they’re home in their districts, but when votes are called, they follow Albany democrats increasingly influenced by voices openly hostile to suburban priorities, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. We Long Islanders put politics aside when Long Island itself is at stake, and we won’t stand by while bills like this threaten to erode our suburban way of life by putting the equivalent of a skyscraper in our backyards.

Ari Brown represents the 20th Assembly District.

Framework by Tim Baker

This is an affluent community that always passes the library budget, but couldn’t afford to pay the person who ran the library so capably — Carolynn Matulewicz — a fair wage? Can’t fix an elevator? Can’t find a suitable property to relocate to? Something is terribly wrong, and the library officers and trustees, past and present, should be ashamed of themselves.

Dancing to ‘Uptown Funk’ at Covert School’s Variety Show — Rockville Centre