Courtesy Moshe Bodner
The Israel Chesed Center, on Peninsula Boulevard in Hewlett, had a sign hung from its fence reading “50,000 Dead Gazan Kids.”
Three Hewlett businesses vandalized Organizations, officials respond to series of incidents
By BRIAN NORMAN bnorman@liherald.com
Over a week after three businesses along West Broadway and Peninsula Boulevard in Hewlett were vandalized, the Nassau County Police Department has not classified the incidents as hate crimes, but the community continues to feel their impact.
Police responded to a report of a tow truck on fire at Avi’s Auto Center on West Broadway just before 3 a.m. on June 9. The fire later spread to the building’s office.
According to the NCPD’s Public Information Office, the Hewlett Fire Department and neighboring departments responded, and no injuries were reported. The Nassau County fire marshal and the Arson Bomb Squad also
answered the call.
At 5:32 a.m. the same day, officers were called to ASAP Restoration, also on West Broadway, where the front window had been smashed. And at 7 a.m., police responded to a report of a large banner hanging on the fence of the Israel Chesed Center, on Peninsula Boulevard. The banner read, “50,000 Dead Gazan Kids.”
Despite concern among residents in the predominantly Jewish communities, the NCPD said that the incidents did not appear to be connected, and were not being investigated as hate crimes.
Moshe Bodner, a co-founder of the Chesed Center, said later that day that residents must remain vigilant. “We got a call this ConTInueD on PaGe 11
win A.B. trustee seats
By MElISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Concluding a four-person race for two Atlantic Beach board seats, Joseph Pierantoni (372) and Laura Heller (257) won the trustee election defeating incumbent Nat Etrog (182) and Julia Herbert (196) in the open race on Tuesday.
“I’m really proud of our village for turning out in such high numbers — this is definitely a higher turnout than we’ve seen in a long time,” Pierantoni said. “I’m very honored and humbled to be selected to serve as a trustee.”
Atlantic Beach saw the highest turnout of voters this election. The participation was no surprise, after the announcement of an 87 percent jump in property taxes as the village faces a tax warrant — a notice of unpaid taxes — for $3.746 million.
Incumbent Michael Meyerson won his fourth four-year term as village justice, with 377 votes, over newcomer Martin Cohen, who collected 176 votes.
Uncontested races
In Lawrence, Trustees Aaron Parnes and Tammy Roz ran and were re-elected for two more years.
Incumbent Hewlett Harbor Trustee Gil Bruh earned his third term with 56 votes, and newcomer Hamza Akram, who had 49, will also join the Hewlett Harbor board.
In Hewlett Bay Park, Renee Zylberberg retained her trustee position with 141 votes, and first-timer Steven Wilkowski joined the board with 134 votes.
The scenario repeated itself In Hewlett Neck, with sitting Trustee Isaac Showman winning re-election with 10 votes, and newcomer Ariella Gassner gaining the seat with 11.
All four candidates in Woodsburgh won re-election, Mayor Jacob Harman with 39 votes, and Trustees Alan Hirmes and Barry Rozenberg with 38 and 31, respectively. Brian Ziegler (30) will remain the village justice.
All trustee and mayoral terms are two years.
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A new discount appliance outlet DLP Budget Appliances has recently opened near JFK Airport, drawing attention from budget-savvy shoppers across Long Island and Queens. The store features a wide selection of major brands, including refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, dryers, and ranges, all offered at 50–60% off regular retail prices. Many local residents say the timing couldn’t be better. “We’ve been waiting to replace our old appliances, and this store made it finally affordable,”one shopper
Inventory changes daily, and customers are encouraged to shop early for the best selection.
Leket Israel feeds thousands with local help
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Residents from the Five Towns and the surrounding areas are contributing to Leket Israel by donating, volunteering or hosting events with the proceeds benefitting the national food bank for Israel,
In Israel, Leket Israel rescues tens of millions of pounds of fresh, surplus food. They are partnered with 300 nonprofit organizations that distribute the produce and hot meals to hundreds of thousands of Israelis in need each week.
In Hebrew the word leket means, “to glean” in regards to the poor and is a mitzvah (good deed) in the Torah.
Cedarhurst resident Yael Gurevich organized an event along with American Friends of Leket Israel for her sisterhood at Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, on May 28.
“I thought it would be a good idea to raise awareness and also to hopefully bring in other people to become more aware of Leket,” Gurevich said.
Her fundraiser included a presentation from Jennifer Zwiebel, senior development officer for the Long Island and Greater New York region of American Friends of Leket. Along with a hands-on demonstration using various fruits and creating fruit soup, fruit leather and sorbet by Chaia Frishman of Fruit Platters and More, in Far Rockaway.
“I volunteered with Leket in the sum-
mer of 2024 and I would like to volunteer with them again,” Gurevich added. “We pruned trees in an orchard in the south, the farmers needed a lot of help and we were happy to do that for them.”
Tova Markowitz ,from Lynbrook, volunteered with the organization in February and will be hosting an event with them in the fall for the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre.
“This is an amazing organization because it feeds the hungry and this is something that we should be doing for all Israelis,” Markowitz said. “I’m not an outdoorsy gardening person, but when I go to Israel I want to do that type of work.”
She mentioned that Leket is helping to fight what is called the “agricultural terrorism” that occurred on Oct. 7, 2023
in the Hamas attacks.
“Hamas caused fires on the fields that killed all the crops and when you’re killing the crops people can’t get fed,” Markowitz added. “I thought that was interesting that people grow their own farms and I’m really glad that I volunteered.”
“I feel a deep sense of pride and fulfillment to be able to represent Leket Israel and share the incredible work that they do to provide food, a basic human need,” Zwiebel wrote in an email, about the organization she has worked for since February.
Zwiebel learned about Leket through family members who support them in Israel as their main charity of choice.
“There are many ways people can be involved,” she wrote. “Right now, our greatest need is for donations during the War with Iran. There is a deepening crisis in food security and with the uncertainty of how long the war will go on, the pressure on Israel’s food supply system is only intensifying. “
Zwiebel expressed that now more than ever, Israel needs support from those who care about the country and its people.
“Food is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline,” she wrote. “We need the support of our friends who care about Israel and its people.”
For more information about the organization, to volunteer or host an event contact Jennifer Zwiebel at Jennifer@ leket.us.
New film group is ready for their close-up
By BRIAN NORMAN bnorman@liherald.com
Five Towns residents gathered at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library for the inaugural meeting of a new film society launched by community members.
The newly formed Cognitive Film Society was at the library on June 6, to watch and discuss “Rear Window” the classic 1954 Alfred Hitchcock thriller starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly for the society’s first ever meeting.
Sticking to a 1950s theme, the group watched “What’s Opera Doc,” a Warner Bros. short cartoon before they began the film.
Around 70 residents filled the library’s Gold Theater to participate in the society’s first movie screening.
Michelle Young, the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library director, said that it is always encouraging to see the community so passionate about the arts and involving the library in new groups.
“I think it’s fabulous,” Young said. “I mean, we’re the arts and music library, and I think that’s great that they want to do this. “I love partnering with community groups. You know, that’s one of our goals. Our strategic plan is to do this to bring people from the outside in. So this is really up our alley.”
Hewlett resident Douglas Hesney is the founder of the Cognitive film society and wanted to partner with the library to increase programming and have more people from the community be involved.
Foster Hirsch, an author who primar-
ily writes about film and theatre, joined the group to speak with residents about the movie.
Hirsch and Heseny had a Q&A session before and after the screening of the film and residents were allowed to ask questions throughout.
Hirsch said that he believes the 1950s was the greatest era for movies because it was so important to attract people back to the movie theater as watching television at home began to capture viewers.
“It was an era where the studios had to be invented to bring people back from the ultimate body snatcher, television,” Hirsch said, invoking a portion of the 1956 movie “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” name. “Television was taking people away from the theater, so Hollywood in many ways had to reinvent itself by putting on films, the kinds of films that you couldn’t see at home.”
Hesney said that the society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that he hopes to fund and expand programming to the library in addition to the movie nights that the group already hosts.
He added that his love for movies and the theater at the library sparked the idea for the film society.
“The library has just an incredible space, they have an incredible theater,” Hesney said. “I’m a big movie fan. I love the idea of seeing movies on the big screen. I think they should be seen on the big screen and with an audience. I think it’s a fight against the brain rot of streaming culture and trying to get people up off their couches and out of their houses.
Courtesy Jennifer Zwiebel
Women from the Five Towns and across Long Island volunteer at Leket Israel to help harvest crops for those in need.
Courtesy Michelle Young
Douglas Hesney, left, Foster Hirsch and Michelle Young, celebrated the Cognitive Film Society’s first showing on June 6.
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liherald.com
Why Some Estate Plans Fail
Clients lose legal capacity when their treating physician determines that they are unable to handle their legal and financial affairs. Once the client becomes legally disabled, it is too late to prepare and sign new legal documents. Obviously, the same is true when a client dies.
Time and again we find that the client’s legal documents were prepared many years ago and are either inadequate from a personal or professional point of view. It may be that the wrong person is in charge due to any number of circumstances -- illness, unavailability, estrangement, death, etc. In other cases, the power of attorney, the will or the trust is legally inadequate. Examples of this may be that the client had the power of attorney done many years earlier by a general lawyer, but failed to have it reviewed or replaced by an elder law attorney when they got older. Thus they end up with a power of attorney that is not strong enough to move assets out of their name or to set up a trust to protect their assets. Under Medicaid, it’s move it or lose it.
Marching forward: music, memories, and milestones
By Sunaina Samala
As May comes to a close, the class of 2025 seniors at Lawrence High School are nearing the end of their high school career. The beginning of the end of their high school careers started on May 1st, which is National College Decision Day, and most students selected the college they will attend for the next four years. The seniors celebrated the day by wearing their college’s merchandise on May 1st to show off where they will be attending. Many senior athletes were honored by their team during their respective sports teams’ senior night events, and they will be honored even further during the Athletic Senior Awards Night on June 4th. Along with the Athletic Senior Awards Night, there is also a Senior Awards Night that includes all of the seniors taking place on June 11th to recognize their various achievements. The end of the year is when most senior events take place, allowing the class to have their last few bonding moments before departing and embarking on their new journeys in life. The yearbooks are handed out, seniors go on their annual trip to an amusement park, and enjoy a peaceful sunset together before dancing away at prom and throwing their caps up at graduation.
department continues to thrive, as shown through the successful Tri-M Music Honor Society recital that was held in early April and the upcoming concert they’re holding on Thursday, May 29th. The students have been practicing diligently since their concert in the Winter to show off their best work for this year’s Spring Concert. Lawrence High School’s musicians have consistently been able to pull off extraordinary performances during their concerts, and there is no doubt that the upcoming one will be able to live up to the same standards.
Lawrence High School students continue to showcase their creativity even further through the district art show, which will take place on the same day as the upcoming Spring Concert, May 29th. Students of all grades contribute their best works to be put in the exhibit. Various forms of artistic media will be displayed, such as drawings, paintings, photography, sculptures, and more. All of the pieces are made by students who worked incredibly hard to illustrate their artistic talent and create works that represent themselves.
Countless wills and trusts do not reflect the current state of the law when a client dies, especially regarding New York and Federal estate taxes. These laws change every few years as administrations change.
The problem arises out of the fact that law firms are traditionally unwilling to take the responsibility to keep their clients informed as to law changes or to review their clients’ estate plans on a regular basis — to make certain the plan will work when the client needs it — not when they wrote it many years earlier.
To overcome the problem of facing a death or disability with an outdated plan, we provide a free review of our clients’ estate plan every three years. Having used this approach for over three decades, we have saved thousands of clients countless problems and, when something happens to one of our clients, we know who they are since the relationship has been maintained. In addition, the law firm does not charge for phone calls or emails in order to encourage communication when personal or legal issues arise.
ETTINGER LAW FIRM
Beyond senior events, Lawrence High School students have been keeping busy. On Sunday, May 25th, the Memorial Day Parade was held in Cedarhurst. Members of the Lawrence High School band, chorus, and color guard participated to honor the fallen soldiers who died protecting the U.S. They marched around Cedarhurst and gathered in Cedarhurst for the main event–the Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony. The Lawrence High School music
The 2025 school year is nearing the end, yet Lawrence High School students continue to push themselves until the very last day. The class of 2025 seniors’ time at high school is almost over, but they will leave a lasting impression on the school for years to come and are leaving behind the necessary tools for the school to continue to thrive. As these remarkable students prepare for their final exams and graduation ceremonies, their dedication and school spirit remain unwavering, serving as an inspiration to underclassmen who will carry forward Lawrence High School’s proud traditions of academic excellence and community involvement.
Sunaina Samala
Global Entry office opens in Eisenhower Park
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
A new gateway to international travel has opened in the heart of Nassau County.
County officials joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security on June 11 to unveil a Global Entry enrollment center in Eisenhower Park — the first of its kind on Long Island.
Global Entry is a special program that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to expedite their entry into the United States when arriving from international destinations. Before the office in Eisenhower Park opened, the closest interview locations were at Kennedy Airport, Newark Airport and the U.S. Customs House in New York City.
At the unveiling, County Executive Bruce Blakeman said he thought the addition of a Global Entry office in Nassau County was “a brilliant idea.”
“This is a collaboration between Nassau County and the federal government to make people safer and to make their life easier,” Blakeman said, “and that’s what government should be about.”
The office is located in Eisenhower Park’s Field 6/6A, near the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre.
Sal Ingrassia, the port director of Customs and Border Protection at Kennedy Airport, explained how one applies
port director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Kennedy Airport, explained how to apply for Global Entry, a program in which pre-approved travelers can expedite their entry into the U.S. when arriving from international destinations. Travelers can now interview for the program at an office in Eisenhower Park.
for Global Entry. Those interested can begin by visiting CBP.gov or GlobalEntry.gov, where they will fill out an application. Once it is processed and an applicant has “conditional approval,” they can schedule an interview at an office, like the one in Eisenhower Park. Ingrassia said the goal is process at least 200 interviews a day at the new location.
To apply for Global Entry, you must be a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident of the U.S. or a citizen of one of 18 countries that participate in the program. Visit CBP.gov for a full list of countries and guidelines.
The program is free for those ages 17 and younger, and costs $120 for adults for a five-year membership. If the Global Entry interview is successful and an
applicant is are approved, the card that is issued can be used as a Real ID, which is now required for all domestic flights. Global Entry members also qualify for TSA Pre-check, a different program that allows pre-approved travelers to move through airport security screening more quickly.
Frank Russo, director of Customs and Border Protection at the New York Field Office, said the Global Entry program is “a critical component of our national security.”
“It is such an important program for us because it allows our officers, agriculture specialists, import specialists and entry specialists to focus in on highrisk targets,” Russo said. “But most importantly, for our citizens of Long Island, it allows for an efficient and secure process through airports. It’s a program that, quite frankly, will allow us to allocate more resources, prioritize our mission and effectively execute the rules and laws of our country.”
County officials said they were not concerned about the potential increase in traffic in Eisenhower Park, adding that there is plenty of parking. They encouraged those who are interested in interviewing at the new office to enjoy what the park has to offer and to patronize local establishments nearby.
To schedule an interview timeslot at the Eisenhower Park office and view hours of operation, visit TTP.DHS.gov.
Jordan Vallone/Herald
Sal Ingrassia,
GREAT RELATIONSHIPS BEGIN WITH HEART.
St. Francis Heart Center’s renowned cardiovascular team is now partnering with NewYork-Presbyterian.
For Catholic Health and NewYork-Presbyterian with doctors from Columbia and Weill Cornell Medicine, clinical collaboration means that advanced and comprehensive cardiac care is now the norm for every patient across Long Island. Together, we’re expanding St. Francis Heart Center’s advanced heart failure, congenital heart disease and pediatric cardiology programs, while partnering with NewYork-Presbyterian’s leading heart transplant program. So, for anything your heart may need, you can find it right here.
To learn more, visit chsli.org/heart
Southern State: A road still stuck in the past
Decades
of improvements haven’t eliminated
By JORDAN VALLONE & MOHAMMAD RAFIQ of the Heralds
Fourth in a series on the Southern State Parkway.
Built for a different era and a different kind of driver, the Southern State Parkway is a cautionary tale of outdated infrastructure. Sections of the most notorious stretch — from Exit 17 in Malverne to Exit 32 in Farmingdale — have earned grim nicknames like “Blood Alley” and “Dead Man’s Curve,” reflecting their reputations for crashes and fatalities.
the parkway’s dangers, but more work is planned
that much of the parkway remained largely unchanged since its first section opened in 1927 — originally built to improve beach access for vehicles traveling at just 35 miles per hour.
According to New York State Department of Transportation estimates, the Southern State handles nearly 200,000 vehicles per day through Nassau County and 130,000 through its Suffolk County section. Between 2012 and 2019, there were over 15,700 accidents resulting in property damage; over 84,000 accidents resulting in injury; and 78 resulting in death.
Despite decades of proposed and implemented efforts to improve the parkway’s safety, serious accidents — many of them fatal — continue to occur. No matter how many calls to action are made, the Southern State Parkway remains a work in progress, with much more still to be done.
What makes the Southern State so dangerous?
The Southern State Parkway stretches 25.53 miles, beginning at the interchange of the Belt and Cross Island parkways in North Valley Stream. It runs east along Nassau County’s South Shore and continues into Suffolk County, ending in West Islip.
In August 2022, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, a Democrat from Valley Stream, released a report detailing the parkway’s design flaws. The report found
The Southern State’s “Blood Alley,” between Malverne and Farmingdale, has been repeatedly cited for hazardous conditions, including sharp curves, narrow lanes, short acceleration and deceleration ramps, and the proximity of three major intersecting north-south highways — the Meadowbrook State Parkway, the Wantagh State Parkway, and the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway. It’s not just the roadway design that contributes to accidents — low overpasses are also a persistent hazard. In New York state, only motor vehicles registered as passenger vehicles are permitted on parkways, excluding trucks, tractor-trailers, commercial vehicles, and any vehicle over 94 inches in height. Despite this, oversized vehicles frequently strike overpasses, particularly near Exit 18, at Eagle Avenue, in the West Hempstead–Lakeview area. Today, the speed limit on the Southern State Parkway ranges from 50 to 55 mph. According to the American Road &
Sharp curves, short acceleration and deceleration ramps, and the proximity of three major intersecting north-south highways, including the Meadowbrook State Parkway, have given the Southern State Parkway a dangerous reputation.
Transportation Builders Association’s report, Long Island’s population — which has grown nearly 200 percent since 1950 — along with larger, more powerful vehicles and increased roadway congestion, has heightened longstanding safety concerns tied to the parkway’s outdated design.
Safety improvements, discussed throughout the years
The Southern State, as drivers know it today, was completed in 1962. Upgrades to the parkway, including the sharp turns at “Dead Man’s Curve” in Malverne, have been made over the last four decades. Following 14 deaths
from head-on collisions between 1984 and 1990, the state installed median barriers between exits 17 and 21.
As part of a $157 million statewide investment in 2022, nearly $24 million was allocated for improvements to the Southern State. A pavement renewal project was completed between Exit 20 — Grand Avenue and Baldwin Road — and State Route 110 in Farmingdale, building on an earlier resurfacing effort finished in 2021 between the Cross Island Parkway and South Hempstead. Eleven miles of roadway between State Route 231 and the Sagtikos Parkway, in the Towns of Babylon and Islip,
Tim Baker/Herald photos
In Valley Stream, cars travel along the Southern State Parkway at Exit 15, a section where exit ramps are to be redone to tame chaotic traffic and prevent crashes.
Jordan Vallone/Herald
A parkway that wasn’t made for these times
were also included in the investment package, along with concrete repairs of 55 entrance and exit ramps in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
One proposed improvement in 2022, backed by the Long Island Contractors Association, was the addition of a high-occupancy toll lane. Similar to the high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the Long Island Expressway, an HOT lane is a managed lane that allows vehicles with a minimum number of occupants — typically two or more — to use the lane for free.
The proposal did not seek to remove an existing lane from the traffic flow on the parkway, but rather add one. The addition of a lane, an August 2022 report showed, was intended to alleviate traffic congestion. The data and proposal was released by Solages’ office. At the time, Solages — who has long advocated for Southern State renovations — said she did not specifically endorse the proposal, but was open to any ideas that could help relieve the parkway’s systemic issues.
A HOT plan for the Southern State has yet to materialize, but another improvement did take shape in 2022 — the installation of license plate readers. That October, 22 readers were installed along the parkway, funded by a $900,000 grant to the State Police secured by former State Sen. John Brooks, a Democrat from Merrick. The devices enable police to check license plate information across multiple databases and analyze traffic patterns and vehicle behavior. They also serve as visible deterrents to speeding and reckless driving.
“This 10-mile stretch of road has proven to be a danger to motorists,” Brooks said in 2022, referencing the “Blood Alley” portion of the parkway, “causing a litany of deadly crashes as a result, so we must do everything we can to protect our community.”
The plate readers, he said, ensure that police officers are better able to navigate the hazardous conditions of the Southern State, and ultimately ensure that Long Islanders are protected.
Calls to action and upcoming projects
In response to the prevalence of traffic deaths and serious accidents on the Southern State, elected officials and community members have been pushing for action in the form of further investigation and urgent infrastructure reforms.
U.S. Rep Laura Gillen — whose district includes a large portion of the parkway and who sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure — sent a letter in April to fellow Representatives Sam Graves and Rick Larsen, the chairman and ranking member of the committee, respectively, demanding federal attention to an “unacceptable nationwide increase in fatal traffic crashes.”
Gillen stated that the increase in traffic deaths — up 25 percent since 2014 — was a problem in her district, and that “More than 2,100 people have been killed and 16,000 have been severely injured in traffic accidents on Long Island’s dangerous roads over the past ten years.”
She went on to note that traffic accidents were the leading cause of death among young people on Long Island.
“We must do more,” she wrote, “to invest in infrastructure upgrades, creative road-planning, and new technologies to help prevent tragedies and save lives.”
Congress’s current surface transportation reauthorization, which provides states with the long-term stability they need to effectively plan and carry out major transportation infrastructure projects, expires Sept. 30, 2026.
In January 2025, the transportation committee began holding hearings to explore various aspects of the nation’s highway, transit and rail programs, helping members gather the information needed to shape upcoming legislation before the current law expires. What Gillen wants is hearings focusing on the nationwide increase in traffic fatalities.
stretch, and 130,000
Courtesy Michael Joyce/Herald file
oversized vehicles, like tractor trailers, frequently strike overpasses near exit 18 in the West HempsteadLakeview area. above, a truck’s shredded top.
“Residents have long voiced concerns about the Southern State Parkway, Sunrise Highway, and other routes,” Gillen said at a news conference in April, at which she was joined by Assemblywoman Judy Griffin and Solages, “which have a disproportionate share of roadway injuries and fatalities on Long Island.”
Solages was responsible for obtaining $20 million in federal funding in 2022 to reconfigure the Southern State’s Exit 13 ramps — which have long been thought by locals to be particularly dangerous — as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s five-year, $32.8 billion state Department of Transportation capital plan.
“There have been many accidents on this road, two fatalities, pedestrians being struck by cars — it is a very dangerous intersection,” Solages told the Herald in May. “This is long overdue. The people in the community have tolerated this for a long time.”
Construction at the exits is expected to begin in spring 2027 and be completed by spring 2028.
Changes are also underway at Exit 15 in Valley Stream, as was reported by the Herald in April. The state DOT is eliminating the southbound exit ramp there, and all traffic will instead exit via a redesigned northbound ramp, Exit 15N, which will split into two southbound lanes and one northbound lane — consolidating the flow of more than 8,000 daily vehicles into a single intersection on Corona Avenue.
Final installment: Looking to the Southern State Parkway’s future.
Some facts on the Southern
State
Notorious stretch
■ “Dead Man’s Curve” in Malverne — site of numerous crashes due to sharp turns.
Fatal collisions (1984–1990)
■ 14 head-on deaths led to median barriers between Exits 17 and 21.
Recent Investments (2022)
■ Total statewide: $157 million
Southern State allocation: Nearly $24 million
Upgrades included
■ Pavement renewal from Exit 20 (Grand Ave./ Baldwin Road) to State Route 110
■ Prior resurfacing from the Cross Island Parkway to South Hempstead
■ Repairs to 55 ramps across Nassau and Suffolk
■ 11 miles of roadway improved in Towns of Babylon and Islip
Technology upgrade
■ License plate readers installed: 22
■ Cost: $900,000 (State police grant secured by former State Sen. John Brooks)
■ Purpose: data collection, enhanced enforcement and deterrence of reckless driving
High-occupancy toll lane proposal
■ Backed by the Long Island Contractors Association
■ Would add a toll lane, not remove existing ones
Tim Baker/Herald
The Southern State handles 200,000 vehicles per day along its Nassau County
in Suffolk.
Annual 5 Towns 5K Run/Walk for Israel
This year, the annual 5 Towns 5K Run/Walk for Israel partnered with the Israel Chesed Center, in Hewlett.
The Israel Chesed Center is a grassroots distribution site that sends tactical supplies to Israel Defense Force soldiers and resources to displaced Israeli families.
“It was great, we had almost 500 runners running in support of Israel, County Executive Bruce Blakeman came to watch the race and we are extremely appreciative for Bruce and his staff,” said Moshe Bodner, co-founder of the Israel Chesed Center.
The walk/run took place at North Woodmere Park, on June 8.
The 5K started in North Woodmere Park, making its way through the local streets of North Woodmere with major stretches on Cliffside Avenue and Flanders Drive — along with a path through Nutley Place, Glenridge Avenue, Mulberry Place, Cranford Avenue and Kilmer Lane — before ending back at the park for an awards ceremony.
“The Israel Chesed Center is the Five Towns community response to the Simchat Torah Massacre and the ongoing war,” according to 5towns5k.org. “It supports soldiers, wounded soldiers, displaced persons, and medical volunteers to name just a few of its projects. It has shipped countless supplies to people in need in Israel.”
First place went to Cedarhurst resident Dov Sternberg, 48, with a time of 18:05.17 with second and third going to Jacob Pekelis from West Hempstead and Zac Nelkenbaum from Cedarhurst, respectively.
“The race shows that the community supports Israel and that we’re unified and not going to back down,” Bodner said. “We will fly our flags proudly and wear our race shirts proudly. We had amazing feedback from people who have done the race many years and from
newcomers, we look forward to doing the race again.”
Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group LLC was a major sponsor of the event along with Schumsky, Squeez’r, Abraham Roofing and Pa-Kua Long Island.
“Maidenbaum is proud to have once again sponsored the annual 5Towns5K in support of the Israel Chesed Center,” Amy Madmon of Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group LLC wrote in an email. “We continue to stand with Israel, and encourage our community to do the same.”
— Melissa Berman
Michael Prata/Herald photos
Participants of the annual 5 Towns 5K were off and running, at North Woodmere Park.
This year, community members ran/walked to raise money for the Israel Chesed Center, in Hewlett.
Esther, left and Jonathan Leiderna, Woodmere residents were excited to surprise their kids at the end of the race, on June 8.
Jacob Pekelis 35, from West Hempstead, left and Zac Nelkenbaum 22, Cedarhurst resident, make blazing finishes to take second and third place respectively.
Hate crimes are not suspected in Hewlett
morning from someone in the community who drove by and saw this banner,” Bodner recounted. “I found out later those two other incidents had happened in the middle of the night. Obviously, there are a lot of bad things going on around the country and even around New York state, but Nassau County, we believe, is a very safe place. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has made safety and security a top priority not only for the Jewish people, but for everybody. But I guess because the Jewish people are under attack, he’s made it his number one priority.”
The Chesed Center later took to social media, inviting residents to create lemahh cards, a personal prayer card, with messages of personal commitments to Israel, which they will put on the banner until the message is no longer visible.
“Our holy center was vandalized,” the center wrote on a Facebook story post. “The perpetrators thought they were sending a message — one of fear, one aligned with a global propaganda machine that dares to vilify a nation still mourning its murdered and still fighting for the return of its kidnapped — 614 days later.”
Local government officials weighed in on the incidents, clarifying their details. Blakeman posted a statement reiterating that they were unrelated, and commended the NCPD for its investigation.
“There has been a tremendous amount of conjecture about three events this past weekend in Hewlett,” Blakeman wrote. “First, the three events are not related. Second, the fire and broken window incidents do not appear to be hate or bias-related. Finally our Police Department does an outstanding job of protecting our community and will continue to devote every resource available to keep us safe.”
Assemblyman Ari Brown, who represents the area,
Police responded at 5:32 a.m. on June 9 to a report of a broken front window at ASAP Restoration, on West Broadway in Hewlett.
also released a statement to the Herald, saying that the vandalism was still being actively investigated, and that he remained committed to fighting antisemitism.
“While investigators now confirm the fire and window-smashing were driven by personal grievances — and not bias crimes — the hateful banner remains under review for antisemitic intent,” Brown wrote. “As your state representative, I have authored nine bills to toughen hate-crime penalties, mandate bias-awareness training for law enforcement, expand Holocaust and anti-bias education, and require transparent statewide reporting of all bias incidents — but the Democrat majority leadership continues to stall every one. It’s time for Albany to stop talking and start acting: bring
these bills to the floor, hold perpetrators fully accountable, and send a clear message that hatred has no home in New York.”
Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, who also represents the area, released a statement to the Herald emphasizing that public safety must remain a top priority in Nassau County and nationwide.
“From targeted hate crimes meant to intimidate our friends and neighbors to random acts of violence and vandalism, it is clear that criminals have felt emboldened by policies that have come out of Albany in recent years,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said. “Elected officials across the state and the country need to make it clear that public safety is a top priority, and that all of our friends and neighbors have a right to feel safe, regardless of their religious beliefs and ethnic background. We are fortunate in Nassau County to know our local leaders take these issues seriously, and we will do everything we can to promote public safety in our communities.”
Young Israel of Woodmere, the largest Orthodox Jewish congregation in the Five Towns, echoed Blakeman’s and Brown’s sentiments.
“Based on the best available information, the banner placed at the Chesed Center appears unrelated to the fire at 5 Towns Auto and the broken window at ASAP Restoration,” the synagogue wrote in a statement read. “Those two incidents are being investigated as criminal matters and not bias-related. We thank our Rabbi and security team for their immediate and thorough response.”
Young Israel added that residents should remain hopeful and united. “Our only hope for victory — locally and globally — is through unity,” the statement read. “No act of hatred will deter us.”
Have an opinion on the vandalism in Hewlett? Email mberman@liherald.com.
Courtesy Moshe Bodner
Recovered addict, D.A.’s office fight fentanyl
By ALEXIA CROLL Intern
After battling addiction, homelessness and a prison sentence, Richard Davis has been sober for nearly five decades — and now uses his story to fight the growing fentanyl crisis.
“I’m a heroin addict — I’m in my 48th year of recovery,” Davis said, sitting before a seminar on the dangers of fentanyl. “The disease of addiction doesn’t care about the substance it’s putting in its body. If the person’s drug of choice is crack cocaine or heroin — that’s what they want to go for.”
Davis has become a nationally certified life coach, recovery coach and interventionist.
“My father committed suicide,” he said. “I sat in Riker’s Island facing life in prison at 18 years old for selling coke that I needed to support the habit.”
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, 97 percent of individuals convicted of fentanyl trafficking have been sentenced to prison.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, far more potent than heroin or morphine. Medically, it’s prescribed in the form of pills, patches or lozenges to treat severe pain, including for cancer patients.
Illegally, it is often mixed with heroin or pressed into counterfeit pills. It is absorbed through the skin or ingested to produce a short-lived, euphoric high, but even in small amounts, it can be deadly. Just two milligrams of the drug can kill most adults.
The uptick of fentanyl came after 2020, during which the pill market became mainstream.
Nicholas Mauro, chief of the Narcotics, Firearms and Gangs Bureau of the Nassau County district attorney’s office, gave a presentation on fentanyl and opiate overdose awareness at Hempstead Town Hall
Dr.
Kathy Spatz, left, with a photo of her late son, who battled addition, with Nicholas Mauro, bureau chief of the Narcotics, Firearms and Gangs Bureau of the Nassau County district attorney’s office, who led a community seminar on drug overdose awareness.
on June 11.
Mauro discussed the ways in which law enforcement plan to mitigate harm, misconceptions about opiate usage and the history of the opioid crisis.
The “new” model of approaching the problem is pub-
lic health-focused, whereas the punitive, or “old,” model focused on targeting and punishing sellers and distributors as well as people in possession of narcotics.
“Now, that’s still an important part of the equation,” Mauro said. “No doubt that’s my primary job, to investigate and prosecute narcotics felonies.”
The shift toward a harm-reduction approach to substance abuse began with a change in the relationship between the public health sector and law enforcement. “The harm-reduction model focuses on public health, focuses on treatment, focuses on safe use, and it focuses on certainly reducing the instances of overdoses,” Mauro explained. “I think that both approaches need to find common ground so that we can get the individuals as a community.”
The percentages of both fatal and non-fatal overdoses in Nassau County declined steadily in 2024, compared with the rise in fatalities in 2020 and 2021, with slightly over 100 non-fatal overdoses and 17 fatal ones.
Cheryl Hunt, of Rochdale Village, attended the seminar because she said she want to protect her 13-yearold grandson. She waited patiently outside Town Hall for the presentation to begin, and said she believes the community “needs to be at these things.”
“One pill can kill” — the campaign slogan used by the Drug Enforcement Agency after its 2021 public awareness initiative — is intended to educate people about the dangers of counterfeit pills, a major contributor to the fentanyl crisis.
“Our kids have a spiritual disease,” Richard Davis said. “They’re not sticking needles in their arms, because they’re happy one is less expensive than the other. They’re self-medicating.”
For more information, go to the website of the state’s Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Oasas.Ny.gov.
Alexia Kroll/Herald
• Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Gynecology-Oncology
• Breast Surgery
• Urogynecology
•
• Diagnostic Ultrasounds
• Breast Biopsy Procedures
• Bone Density Testing
• Nutrition Services
Kulanu Academy’s 25th annual fair
Though postponed a month due to bad weather on the original date of May 4, the 25th annual Kulanu Fair on June 8 in Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park was a fun-filled day as the sun shined bright.
Kulanu is a not-for-profit organization serving children and adults with special needs. In Hebrew, Kulanu means “all of us.”
Between two and three thousand people attend the fair every year. The fair featured bounce houses, carnival booths, crafts, food, obstacle course, raffles, roller coasters and more.
Kulanu Academy, in Cedarhurst, offers a variety of educational, clinical and vocational programs for students aged 11 to 21 with special needs. The educational curriculum includes life skills, communication and Common Core Regents-based instruction.
— Melissa Berman
Alice Moreno/Herald photos
Kids enjoyed spinning in the “Tea Cups” at the 25th annual Kulanu Academy fair.
Chana Safier, 8, was all smiles after getting her hair braided, at Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park.
The “Kite Flyer” takes guests up in the air, feeling as if they were flying, on June 8.
Laura Samuelson, 12, left, Lon Samuelson, and Yisroel Engelsohn 11, of Troop 613 in West Hempstead, tabled at the fair.
Thousands protest Trump immigration policy
By SCOTT BRINTON & CHRISTINA ARLOTTT Special to the Herald
The “No Kings” protest opened at 11:30 a.m. Saturday outside the Nassau County Courthouse, in Mineola, with a silent prayer for two Democratic Minnesota legislators — one who was killed and another who was wounded in an alleged assassination plot.
New York legislators denounced President Donald Trump’s policies, particularly his hard line stance on immigration.
Nearly 3,000 protesters filled the green in front of the courthouse and spilled into surrounding streets, chanting with Democratic lawmakers as they ran through a litany of grievances against the Trump administration, then marched to the Nassau County Executive and Legislative Building through a downpour.
The rally was one of roughly 2,000 such protests across the nation on Saturday, the same day that Trump hosted a military parade through the streets of Washington, D.C. to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. June 14 was also his 79th birthday.
Three grassroots organizations — Show Up Long Island, Engage Long Island and the Long Island Network for Change — organized the rally.
Two calls to the Nassau County Republican Committee seeking a response to the Mineola protest, made on
Scott Brinton/Herald
Up to 3,000 protesters turned out in Mineola in a downpour on Saturday to decry the Trump administration’s immigration policy, and to speak out on a host of other issues.
Thursday and Friday, had not been returned as of press time.
Trump rebuffed criticism that he was acting like a king by saying the courts have checked his power, with judges often siding with the opposition. The president said Sunday that mass deportations would continue, despite the No Kings protests, according to The Associated Press.
Starting early this month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, under orders from the administration, intensified a series of nationwide immi-
gration raids, with a focus on major cities such as Los Angeles and New York, as well as on Long Island. According to Islip Forward, there have been 22 verified ICE sightings in the region since the April 5 “Hands Off!” protests.
Assemblyman Charles Lavine, a Democrat from Glen Cove, noted that the American Revolution began, in part, with the Battle of Long Island.
“Throughout the Revolution,” Lavine said, “Long Islanders remained largely loyal to the proposition that democracy matters a whole lot more than tyranny,
and we stand for that.”
Many participants, like Dora Coryell, of Merrick, came to voice their anger over recent ICE actions across Long Island. Coryell, an immigrant from Colombia, stood in the crowd, concerned, she said, about the recent uptick in deportations.
“I’ve been here for 47 years, and I’m very stunned by what’s going on,” Coryell said. “I have friends that are in El Salvador, and they’re not criminals like how Trump is making us look. He sees a brown person and, in his mind, we’re criminals.”
Chelsea Roocke, 32, of Bellmore, who owns a mobile spray-tan business, said both Democrats and Republicans want immigrants, documented and undocumented, to be treated fairly. The Trump administration, however, is “focusing on cruelty,” Roocke said, noting that ICE agents are “showing up in schools, at birthday parties, places of work, and they’re just deporting people. They’re taking people, arresting them and taking them in without question.”
Bill Friend, a retired dentist from Rockville Centre, emphasized the importance of public protests. “In the United States, the only times that real advances were made,” Friend said, “were when people came out and massively protested something and forced the government to then enact legislation to do what the people desired.”
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Atlantic Beach residents demand more open governance
By BRIAN NORMAN bnorman@liherald.com
Atlantic Beach village residents continued to voice frustrations over a lack of transparency from members of the board, as well as on the recent appointment of Trustee Charles Hammerman.
Many community members voiced their concerns during the village’s monthly June 9 board meeting.
Residents questioned the May 28 appointment of new Trustee Charles Hammerman by Mayor George Pappas. Hammerman replaced Anthony Livreri, who resigned following the Board of Trustees meeting on May 12.
Hammerman, who was appointed deputy mayor by Pappas, ran his first meeting that Monday. Residents also questioned Pappas’s absence from what resident Douglas Garczynski called, “the most important meeting in years in the village.”
Pappas said he was unable to attend the meeting due to a “personal family matter, ” in a statement provided to the Herald.
A portion of residents consider the appointment of Hammerman is a potential conflict of interest, as his wife, Nanci Freiman, is on the village’s Board of Zoning Appeals.
Tto do with Chabad, when recusing himself from any discussion about negotiations for Chabad or any budget issues that have to do with Chabad?”
Other residents brought up Hammerman’s involvement as special counsel to the board of zoning appeals in the ongoing Chabad litigation.
Hammerman said he has addressed the potential conflict of interests and he is ready to step in and help solve the issues occurring within the village.
hat is exactly where the decision was in my head of making what I consider to be a sacrifice of my time and energy and everything else because I felt that this was not a one issue situation
ChARles hAMMeRMAN
Village of Atlantic Beach Trustee
Resident Francine Rosenberg questioned whether Hammerman should have to excuse himself from certain matters due to the conflict.
“Charlie Hammerman’s wife is on the zoning board and made the motion to deny religious use bearings and became an independent and individual defendant in the Chabad case,” Rosenberg said. “What do you suggest that Mr. Hammerman would do as far as future recusal of himself when voting for any issue having
“That is exactly where the decision was in my head of making what I consider to be a sacrifice of my time and energy and everything else because I felt that this was not a one issue situation,” he said. “The fact of the matter is that I handle the conflicts of interest, in terms of me stepping down as the council to the BZA.”
Hammerman’s appointment was even disputed by Trustee Barry Frohlinger, who said that he was not involved in the discussion regarding Hammerman’s appointment to the board. Frohlinger added that he believes the process of appointing a new trustee should be changed.
“I was not conferred,” Frohlinger said. “I actually said that the process is wrong. We have an election coming up next week, there are four people running for the election. I say two will be elected and the person with the third most votes should be the one appointed for the position.”
He also mentioned that previously he has suggested that when a trustee leaves the board, the remaining board members vote on the appointment recommendation that would go to the mayor.
The next Atlantic Beach board meeting is at Village Hall, 65 the Plaza, on July 14 at 7:30 p.m., in the village.
Brian Norman/Herald
Residents voiced their concerns regarding the appointment of Trustee Charles Hammerman during the Atlantic Beach trustee meeting on June 9.
Hewlett community unites for Shavuot celebration
The Hewlett community gathered for the annual ice cream celebration hosted by Chabad of Hewlett to commemorate the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, on June 2.
The celebration took place at the new Chabad Center for Jewish Life of Hewlett, located at 44 Everit Ave. The event featured traditional dairy foods, cheesecake, and a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings, honoring the customary Shavuot cuisine.
The day began with a special Torah reading event for local high school students, designed to foster connection to Jewish learning and tradition.
songs and the opportunity for attendees to touch and hold the Torah scroll.
Tenenboim used the occasion to encourage deeper connections to Jewish traditions and promoted the Jewish Kids Club of Hewlett, an initiative designed to foster Jewish knowledge in an engaging environment for children.
“In a time when darkness and division exist, we need light, joy, and meaningful celebration more than ever,” Tenenboim wrote in an email.
The event brought together families, friends, and neighbors in the backyard setting, creating an atmosphere of togetherness and celebrating the enduring strength of Jewish identity in the Hewlett community. The celebration demonstrated the community’s commitment to maintaining traditions while fostering unity across all ages.
The evening’s centerpiece was the reading of the Ten Commandments from an original Torah scroll by Rabbi Nochem Tenenboim. The reading created a moment of profound silence as community members stood together in unity and reflection.
Additional activities included uplifting
— Melissa Berman
Plaza sworn in as new American Legion Commander
Marianela Lizana Plaza has been installed as the new Commander for American Legion Lawrence Cedarhurst Post 339, taking over from the Syd Mandelbaum who served for 14 years.
Plaza’s appointment marks a historic milestone as the first female Commander in the post’s 102-year history.
Nassau County American Legion Commander Dawn Samuel, who is also the first female Nassau County American Legion Commander, conducted the installation ceremony.
The following officers were installed Commander Marianela Lizana Plaza,
First Vice Commander Levar John, Vice Commander Davian Savage, Past Commander/Treasurer Syd Mandelbaum, Chaplain Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum, Sergeant of Arms Domenic Crici and Program Director Gary Cohen.
Plaza brings distinguished military service to her new role, having served four years in the U.S. Marines.
“We very excited and proud to have her lead us into the future,” Mandelbaum wrote in an email.
— Melissa Berman
HAFTR’s Mock Trial team was undefeated all season
HAFTR’s (Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway) Lower School’s Mock Trial team has concluded a perfect season, going undefeated and culminating their success with a final trial at Nassau County Supreme Court.
The young litigators impressed judges and spectators throughout the season with their poise, preparation, and compelling arguments. The team’s undefeated record demonstrates exceptional performance across all competitions.
The season concluded with a culminating trial held at Nassau County Supreme Court, providing students with an authentic courtroom experience in a professional legal setting.
Volunteer coaches Sharon Aspis and Tamar Weinrib, both attorney mothers who provided expert mentorship throughout the season, guided the team. Their real-world legal experience and enthusiasm enhanced every practice session and courtroom appearance.
Under their leadership, students developed skills beyond legal reasoning, including teamwork, public speaking, and confidence building.
— Melissa Berman
Courtesy Avi Shaver
HAFTR’s Lower School’s Mock Trial team culminated their successful season with a final trial at Nassau County Supreme Court.
STEPPING OUT
June marks the arrival of one of the sweetest highlights of the year: strawberry season.
These vibrant, juicy berries are ripe for the picking, and their short window of peak freshness makes them all the more special. Now’s the perfect time to round up the family and head to one of the many local U-pick farms for a day of sun (hopefully), fun and berry gathering.
As spring gives way to summer, strawberries reach their flavorful peak here on Long Island, ripening through June. There’s nothing quite like the taste of just-picked fruit, so skip the cross-country supermarket imports and opt for homegrown goodness instead.
Once you’ve filled your baskets, bring the harvest back to your kitchen for a round of delicious homemade treats. Whether enjoyed by the handful or baked into something special, fresh strawberries are the perfect ingredient to brighten up any dish.
Double Strawberry Cheesecake
A classic cheesecake takes on added flavor with the addition of some luscious berries.
Graham cracker crust
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 1/2 crackers)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling and topping
• 16 ounces strawberries
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
Prepare graham cracker crust:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Stir graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. Press into bottom and at least 1-inch up sides of a 9-inch non-stick springform
Boogie on with Disco Unlimited
pan (if pan is not nonstick, brush first with melted
butter). Bake until crust is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 300° F.
Then prepare filling:
Hull 1/2 of the strawberries and puree in a blender or food processor. You should have about 3/4 cup puree. Beat cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups sugar in an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, on low speed, beating well after each addition and scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in strawberry puree until blended.
Pour batter into cooled pan. Bake cheesecake about 1 hour 20 minutes or until edges are just set and center jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack 5 minutes.
Stir together sour cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Spread sour cream mixture on top of cheesecake in an even layer. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Turn oven off and prop the door ajar with the handle of a wooden spoon. Let cool in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely. Place in refrigerator and chill until cold throughout, 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
Using the remaining strawberries, halve them and arrange in concentric circles on top of cheesecake to serve.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Another summery favorite, for the pie lovers among us. Strawberries and rhubarb are a match made in heaven.
• 1 unbaked homemade double piecrust
• 2 1/2 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
(about 3 large stalks)
• 2 1/2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour or 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4inch pieces
Savor some flavorful berries
• 1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare the bottom crust by rolling out one of the pastry disks to an 11-inch circle. Nestle the crust inside the pan so about an inch hangs over the sides. Press the pastry down. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
2. Mix the fruit with the sugar, flour (or cornstarch) and lemon zest. Using the tines of a fork, poke the bottom of the pie crust evenly about five times. Pour the fruit mixture into the chilled pastry. Dot with the butter pieces.
3. Moisten the edge of the bottom crust with a finger dipped in water. Put on the top pastry in one piece and slice in a few air vents, or in a lattice pattern, trim, and crimp the edges.
4. Brush the egg glaze over the crust. Transfer the pie to a baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake another 30 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack before serving.
Strawberry Avocado Salad
A refreshing and addicting summer salad.
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups torn salad greens
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 10 strawberries, sliced
• ½ cup chopped pecans (or your nut of choice)
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, olive oil, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Set aside. Place the salad greens in a pretty bowl, and top with sliced avocado and strawberries. Drizzle dressing over everything, then sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, or serve immediately.
Disco fever arrives at Eisenhower Park’s Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre. When Disco Unlimited hits the stage, you are instantly transported to a time when Saturday nights meant white suits, platform shoes and your very best dance moves. Capturing a time in music that to this day has not been matched, the exhilarating band draws you in with their powerful vocals, tight harmonies and dance grooves — all coupled with a synchronized stage and light show that creates an unforgettable concert experience. Close your eyes and it seems as if you’re listening to the original artists. Hear the best of Tavares, France Jolie, The Trammps, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Yvonne Elliman, Anita Ward, Deney Terrio, George McCrae, Bonnie Pointer, Melba Moore, Maxine Nightingale, Carol Douglas, and so much more. This group of unique and experienced musicians love and live disco. As always, bring seating Saturday, June 21, 7-9 p.m. Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit nassaucountyny.gov/ parks.
The Fab Faux
The Beatles find their way back to the stage — in the form of The Fab Faux. The band treats the seminal music with unwavering respect — known for their painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles). Far beyond being extended cover sets, their shows are an inspired rediscovery of The Beatles’ musical magic. In this concert, you’ll hear “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Abbey Road” in their entireties. In addition to their note-for-note accuracy, the band is famous for blurring the lines slightly and injecting their own musical personalities into the performances. Imagine hearing complex material like “Strawberry Fields Forever” or “I Am the Walrus” performed in complete part-perfect renditions; or such harmony-driven songs as “Because”, “Nowhere Man”, and “Paperback Writer,” reproduced with extra vocalists to achieve a doubletracked effect. That’s The Fab Faux experience.
Saturday, June 21, 8 p.m. $125, $110, $89.50, $79.50, $69.50, $49.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
Double Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Strawberry Avocado Salad
Your Neighborhood CALENDAR
JUNE
Midsummer Nights
Visitors of all ages are invited to Old Westbury Gardens to picnic, stroll, and relax on one of the longest nights of the year. The Gardens will be illuminated with lanterns and decorated with wreaths and floral arrangements for the annual spectacle. Bring a picnic dinner or purchase food and beverages on site from Café in the Woods. $22 general admission (20 percent off members), $8 ages 7-17 (20 percent off members).
•Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
•Time: Gates open at 6 p.m.
•Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
Meet the author
JUNE
22
“Your Unique Purpose” distills 36 teachings that illuminate the path to a life filled with purpose and meeting. Meet author Rabbi Tuvia Teldon
•Where: 24 Everit Ave., Hewlett
•Time: 9 a.m.
•Contact: jewishhewlett.com
JUNE
24
Atlantic Beach Board of Zoning Appeals meeting
The Atlantic Beach BZA holds their annual meeting
•Where: 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach
•Time: 7 p.m.
•Contact: (516) 371-4600
JUNE
25
Breakfast Connect
Want to network your business? Attend the Breakfast Connect group’s get together. The breakfast meeting is free and open to everyone.
•Where: Hewlett Firehouse, 25 Franklin Ave., Hewlett
•Time: Ongoing Wednesdays, 8-9 a.m.
•Contact: Call or text Andrew Leibowitz at (516) 790-4829
JUNE
26
Jazz on Broadway
The Paul Joseph Trio visits HewlettWoodmere Public Library with an evening of the music of Cole Porter. Enjoy inspiring instrumental jazz renditions of “Night and Day,” “I Get a Kick out of You,” “Every Time We Say Goodbye,” and many others.
•Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett
•Time: 7-9 p.m.
•Contact: hwpl.org or call (516) 374-1967
JUNE 27
Led Zeppelin fans, rejoice!
through the Gold Coast features picturesque vistas and water views. Choose from a 25 mile loop with 1,060 feet of vertical climb or the more challenging ride with an additional 10 mile loop, totalling 35 miles, with 1,600 feet of vertical climb. Routes are clearly marked and ride is equipped with a rest stop. Snacks and water provided. Sponsorships also available. Online registration ends June 24, but walkins are welcome. Online registration is $50, day of is $60.
•Where: Starting at Harry Tappen Beach, Sea Cliff
•Time: Staggered starts, rain or shine
•Contact: n2nbc.org
Art of Poetry: Readings by Nassau County Poet Laureates
•Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 8 p.m.
•Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
Get The Led Out returns to the Paramount with “A Celebration of the Mighty Zep,” two electrifying nights of classic rock, running through June 28. The six veteran musicians who make up the Philadelphia-based group delivers Led Zeppelin live with the all passion and fury these blues-soaked, groove-driven rock anthems deserve. Hailed for their powerful tribute to what many consider the greatest rock band of all time, the band delivers a faithful and high-octane recreation of Zeppelin’s iconic sound. From thunderous anthems to mystical acoustic ballads, GTLO captures the full range of Led Zeppelin’s brilliance — complete with the layered instrumentation and soaring dynamics that the band rarely performed live. When an album calls for three guitars, GTLO brings three guitarists to the stage — no shortcuts, no gimmicks. With no wigs or phony accents, just pure musical passion, GTLO focuses on the legendary band’s early years and dives deep into beloved hits and rare cuts alike. Their approach is reverent and precise, more like a classical concert than a cover band — a true celebration of timeless rock. $75, $45, $35.
Tunes in the park
Eisenhower Park welcomes the classic pop-rock band Orleans and Atlantic Rhythm Section for an lively evening of tunes under the stars. Rock on to “So Into You,” “Champagne Jam,” “Imaginary Lover,” “Homesick.” Enjoy Orleans classic trademark harmonies that come alive in their iconic radio hits, including “Still The One,” “ance With Me,” and “Love Takes Time.”
•Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
•Time: 7 p.m.
•Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
Breastfeeding Support
Mercy Hospital offers a peerto-peer breastfeeding support group facilitated by a certified counselor. Open to new moms with babies from newborn to 1 year. Registration required.
•Where: St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre
•Time: Ongoing Thursdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
•Contact: Call Gabriella Gennaro at (516) 705-2434
Little Learners Art Lab
Each week in this engaging workshop, participants are
introduced to hands-on materials, artmaking, and inspiration from artists and techniques. Young kids, ages 2-5, build critical thinking skills, expand vocabulary, and support imaginations as they play, create and explore. This week families explore texture by making an octopus bubble wrap print and creating sea creatures. $4 with museum admission.
•Where: Museum Row, Garden City
•Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon
•Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
On Exhibit
JUNE
Nassau County Museum of Art unveils its new exhibition, “At Play,”a survey of artists’ perennial fascination with entertainment in all forms. Framing this topic between the nineteenth century Belle Époque and today, the exhibit includes works by Pablo Picasso, Reginald Marsh, Everett Shinn, and Max Beckmann among many others. The works are gathered to represent a wide range of expressions, from entertainmentrelated activities to the fascinating personalities involved. It encompasses dance, music,
theater, movies, circus, boating, and beach scenes, along with horseracing and various sports, both active and passive Also featured are archival items from The Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, including costumes by Marc Chagall for Die Zauberflöte, vintage fashion items by such designers as Alfred Shaheen, and iconic costumes from the Folies-Bergère in Paris. On view June 28 to Nov. 9.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: Ongoing
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
JUNE
Kiwanis Bicycle Challenge
Ride in support of others. The Nassau Bicycle Challenge (formerly Nassau to Suffolk Bicycle Challenge) supports the work of the Kiwanis Club of North Shore Foundation. It supports charities such as Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center, Pediatric Lyme Disease Foundation, Kamp Kiwanis, NOSH, Boys and Girls Club and Kiwanis International “Serving the Children of the World”, including Kiwanis’ signature programs of Klothes 4 Kids, Koats 4 Kids and Kicks 4 Kids. The beautiful ride
Visit Nassau County Museum of Art for this inaugural poetry event. Join current Nassau County Poet Laureate, writer-musicianeducator Alan Semerdjian who hosts readings by former Laureates Paula Curci, Evelyn Kandel, Linda Opyr, and Gayl Teller. Readings will respond to the artwork on view in NCMA’s new exhibition “At Play – Artists & Entertainment.” Preregistration recommended. $15, $10 seniors, $5 children, members free.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: 4-6 p.m.
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
TD Bank’s Celebrate America Fireworks Show Celebrate July 4th with the best firework display in Nassau County at Eisenhower Park.
JULY
3
•Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park
•Time: 5:30 p.m.
•Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
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.
Hewlett girls track builds legacy through grit
By JUSTIN MCKENZIE Intern
After winning 51 championships, the Hewlett Bulldogs girls track and field program has left a lasting legacy in Nassau County sports. Behind the team’s streak of excellence is coach Stephen Honerkamp, who’s been guiding the winter and spring team for 27 years.
Although many other teams have an advantage in terms of the amount of athletes compared to Hewlett, the Bulldogs use strategy and grit to win track meets.
“We like the technical part of the sport,” Honerkamp said. “We’re usually not as big as some of the other teams, so we have to coach everything.”
Hewlett’s program has sent multiple girls to national and state meets during Honerkamp’s tenure.
Charlotte Moscovici , who graduated in 2023, joined the team as an eighth grader and made it to states all four years of high school.
“Some of my core memories were made at Saturday practices.” Moscovici said about her tenure at Hewlett. “Coach Honerkamp would have more time to coach the pole vaulters than usual, so one hour practices would turn into four hours and we didn’t want practice to end because we all used to practice more just trying to get better.”
Honerkamp is no stranger to the
track either. He ran distance events in high school and college.
“I was more of a long-distance person,” he said. “I ran the mile and the 2 mile but the 5K was more of my wheelhouse. I appreciated the discipline of distance running.”
Honerkamp learned about more than just the distance events .
“I was totally different,” he said. “I
would read up on a lot of events, talk to coaches in other events and just pick their brain.”
Much like any other sport, the track team has faced its challenges, Honerkamp says.
“We always have challenges,” he said. “The pandemic was a big one. Sometimes you have bumps in the road, but it’s not what happens, it’s
how you handle things.”
Because track and field meets are won by points scored, teams succeed when athletes score in different events. Taylor Chesney (née Lubitz), Class of 2003, is a former All-County 400 meter hurdler for the Bulldogs, who went on to compete collegiately at Lehigh University.
She cited Honerkamp as her motivation to keep running in high school.
“I was a very good soccer player but my coach told me to join the track team to get faster,” Chesney said. “Then I met Honerkamp, who was an amazing coach who knows how to inspire girls and win championships. I played on the soccer team that won two state championships and track still became my main sport because I had such a wonderful experience being on the team.”
Even though Hewlett’s track and field dynasty has high standards, the program still has the potential to achieve more in the future. Sophomore Valeria Paez is a mid-distance phenom who races in events from the 400-meter all the way up to the steeplechase. Paez recently qualified for states with an 800m time of 2:18.51 at the Section 8 state qualifier meet.
“I really want to thank my coaches for always being there and motivating me,” Paez said, adding she is aiming to win medals and compete in college. “I appreciate them for taking care of me.”
Courtesy Stephen Honerkamp
Hewlett High School alumni Kayley Ragazzini owns the Nassau Countys record in the weight throw.
LEGAL NOTICE
VILLAGE OF LAWRENCE
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY
GIVEN that the Planning Board of the Incorporated Village of Lawrence will hold a work session beginning at 6:45 P.M. followed by a public meeting on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 at the Lawrence Village Hall located at 196 Central Ave., Lawrence New York 11559 beginning at 7:00 p.m.
The Village of Lawrence of 196 Central Avenue, Lawrence (Section 40 Block 188 Lot 11) And The Unlotted Area To The North Of Lot 11 Known As Lakeside Drive West for the subdivision of lot 11 into two lots and the subdivision on the unlotted area (known as Lakeside Drive West) into one lot and the remainder of the unlotted area to be maintain by the Village of Lawrence.
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 06/25/2025 at 9:30
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
north to the south curbline of Norwich Avenue.
(Adopted 9/25/62).
REYNOLDS DRIVE (TH 384/14) South SideNO PARKING 9 AM to 4 PM MAY 23rd to SEPT 8th - starting at a point 500 feet west of the west curbline of Regent Drive, west for a distance of 305 feet. (Adopted 11/25/14).
Gym membership raffle rewarded
Hewlett High School student David Ryvkin won a sixmonth membership to Kings and Queens Gym, in Hewlett.
Public Notices Public Notices
A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:
The application and accompanying exhibits are on file and may be inspected at the Village Office during normal business hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If anyone needs special accommodations for a disability, such person should contact the Village Clerk at least 5 days before the hearing.
All interested parties will have the opportunity to be heard.
By Order of the Planning Board
Michael Pinter Chairman
Dated June 12, 2025 154153
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY
GIVEN, that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Hewlett Harbor will conduct a Special Meeting at 7:00 PM on June 24, 2025 at the Village Hall, 449 Pepperidge Road, Hewlett Harbor, New York. The purpose of the Special Meeting is to discuss general business of the village, security and have an open forum for residents.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
LISA JAMES, VILLAGE CLERK
HEWLETT HARBOR, NEW YORK
DATED: 154154
Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com
THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. 346/25. WOODMEREMark Klein, Variances, lot area occupied, side yard, side yards aggregate, rear yard, maintain addition, 2nd story addition, front vestibule & enclosed porch all attached to dwelling., W/s Neptune Ave., 140’ N/o Chapman Rd., a/k/a 45 Neptune Ave. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550.
This notice is only for new cases in Woodmere within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals
The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo
Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 154151
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 1st day of July, 2025, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Chapter 202 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE and REPEAL “REGULATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS” to limit parking at the following locations:
LIDO BEACH
REYNOLDS DRIVE (TH 254/25) South SideSection 202-1 NO PARKING 9 AM to 4 PM MAY 23rd to SEPT 8th starting at a point 500 feet west of The west curbline of Regent Drive, west for a distance of 305 feet.
(NR)LYNBROOK Section 202-31
CEDAR STREET (TH 239/25) East SideNO PARKING 1 AM TO 6 AM - starting from the north curbline of Glenwood Avenue, north for a distance of 160 feet.
ALSO, to REPEAL from Chapter 202 “REGULATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS” to limit parking from the following locations:
BALDWIN
CLYDE ROAD (TH 558/76) North SideSection 202-5 NO STOPPING 8 PM to 6 AM - from a point opposite the west curbline of Circle Drive West, east to a point opposite the east curbline of Circle Drive West.
(Adopted 12/07/76).
CLYDE ROAD (TH 558/76) North SideNO STOPPING 8 PM to 6 AM - from a point 100 feet east of the east curbline of Circle Drive West, east to the east curbline of Circle Drive West. (Adopted 12/07/76).
HEWLETT Section 202-16
LIDO BEACH
Section 202-1
NORTH VALLEY
STREAM
Section 202-18
CEDAR STREET (TH 365) East SideNO PARKING 1 AM TO 6 AM - from the north curbline of Glenwood Avenue,
CORONA AVENUE Both Sides - NO STOPPING SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS, HOLIDAYS from MAY 15 to SEPT 30starting at Southerly right of way line of the Southern State Parkway south to northerly boundary line of the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream. (Adopted 7/29/58).
ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.
Dated: June 17, 2025 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 154115
Melanie Ciccone, manager of Kings and Queens Gym and David Friedman, president of the Hewlett-Woodmere Business Association presented the arts Below Sunrise raffle prize to Ryvkin.
— Melissa Berman
NO PARKING ANYTIME
- starting at a point 70 feet west of the west curbline of Remsen Street, west for a distance of 18 feet.
HEWLETT
MEACHAM AVENUE (TH 250/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the south curbline of R Street, south for a distance of 30 feet.
MEACHAM AVENUE (TH 250/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the north curbline of R Street, north for a distance of 30 feet.
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 1st day of July, 2025, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE and REPEAL “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following locations:
BALDWIN ROCKWOOD AVENUE (TH 235/25) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting from the north curbline of Merrick Road, north for a distance of 72 feet.
ELMONT
BEDFORD AVENUE (TH 241/25) South Side -
Melanie Ciccone, manager of Kings and Queens Gym, left and David Friedman, president of the Hewlett-Woodmere Business Association presented David Ryvkin, middle with a six-month membership from the Arts Below Sunrise raffle.
Seamans Neck Road, east for a distance of 30 feet.
(NR)VALLEY STREAM CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) West SideNO STOPPING
ANYTIME - starting at a point 160 feet opposite a point south of the south curbline of Blakeman Drive, south for a distance of 1728 feet.
CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) East SideNO STOPPING
PRINCETON AVENUE (TH 247/25) South Side - NO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 484 feet east of the east curbline of Broadway, east for a distance of 22 feet.
SEAFORD
MARTIN COURT (TH 480/24) North SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 305 feet east of the east curbline of Sidney Court, south for a distance of 52 feet.
SEAMANS NECK ROAD (TH 249/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Lawrence Road, north for a distance of 45 feet.
SEAMANS NECK ROAD (TH 249/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the south curbline of Lawrence Road, south for a distance of 50 feet.
LAWRENCE ROAD (TH 249/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Seamans Neck Road, east for a distance of 30 feet.
LAWRENCE ROAD (TH 249/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of
ANYTIME - starting at south curbline of Blakeman Drive, south to a point 20 feet north of the north curbline of Midvale Lane.
CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) East SideNO STOPPING
ANYTIME - starting at the south curbline of Midvale Lane, south for a distance of 97 feet.
CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) East SideNO STOPPING
ANYTIME - starting at a point 168 feet south of the south curbline of Midvale Lane, south for CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) East SideNO STOPPING
ANYTIME - starting at a point 571 feet south of the south curbline of Midvale Lane, south to the north curbline of Higbie Street.
CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) East SideNO STOPPING
ANYTIME - starting at the south curbline of Higbie Street, south to the north curbline of Thompson Street.
CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) East SideNO STOPPING
ANYTIME - starting at the south curbline of Thompson Street, south to the north curbline of Remsen Street.
CORONA AVENUE (TH 183/25) East SideNO STOPPING
ANYTIME - starting at the south curbline of
Remsen Street, south then east to the north curbline of Decker Street.
ALSO, to REPEAL from Section 202-1 “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” from the following locations: BALDWIN ROCKWOOD AVENUE (TH 42/68) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at the north curbline of Merrick Road, north for a distance of 40 feet.
(Adopted 4/02/68).
SEAFORD (NR)VALLEY STREAM CEDAR STREET (TH 421/24) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 30 feet north of the north curbline of Meyer Lane, north for a distance of 50 feet.
(Adopted 11/19/24).
MARTIN COURT (TH 129/23) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 305 feet east of the east curbline of Sidney Court, south of 35 feet.
(Adopted 5/23/23).
GEORGIA STREET (TH 218/19) West SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 246 feet south of the south curbline of Oliver Avenue, south for a distance of 26 feet.
(Adopted 8/06/19). ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.
Dated: June 17, 2025 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR
Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 154116
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. ALBERT D. SUROWIECKI A/K/A ALBERT SUROWIECKI, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 6, 2023, 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 July 22, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 966 Singleton Avenue, Woodmere, NY 11598. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Woodmere in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 41, Block 028 and Lots 105 and 823. The approximate amount of judgment is $530,294.98 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #609151/2021. Cash will not be accepted. Peter J. Famighetti, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 154160
Courtesy David Friedman
EMPLOYMENT
Help Wanted
Alterations Seamstress
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AUTO SALES
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DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
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Info. Tech. Project Manager . Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables related to data. sys.; allocate resources for proj. execution; and collaborate with database archit. & develp. to design database schemas, data models, and storage solutions. BS in info sys, sys. mgmt or related. Sal. $74506/yr. Send ltt/res to: Kiss Nail Products, Inc. 25 Harbor Park Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050
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Eldercare Offered
PRIVATE SENIOR RESIDENCE:
To place an ad call 516-569-4000
Hamptons-Style Living…
REALESTATE
Real Estate
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House For Sale
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‘Do we have to take care of any of these things?
Q. We purchased a home three years ago, knowing we wanted to make changes. When we started interviewing people, especially architects, we started hearing things we hadn’t expected about permits — or lack thereof, I should say. Two people told us our attic was illegal because it was finished with a bedroom. Same for our basement, which has a guest room and bathroom. We were also told that a record showed an open plumbing permit, and that we would need an electrical inspection. When we closed on the house, we thought all this was taken care of. If we bought it this way, why is it our problem? Do we have to take care of any of these things, since they have been there a very long time?
A. Unfortunately, you have to take care of any and all of the issues you described, plus any others you still need to know about, or roll the dice.
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When a loved one is being treated in a hospital, I often hear about how someone had to be vigilant for that person, standing by, making certain observations so that the smallest health issues didn’t worsen. The same holds true for building sales, and only someone who is knowledgeable about the local zoning and building requirements, state building codes and structural issues can guide you thoroughly. Almost nobody is in that unique position, except an architect who works in the area.
Although some local architects have offered that service, real estate sales people and attorneys often don’t ask for this help. Most buyers mistakenly assume that zoning and building code issues have been researched by the title company, but title companies, when asked, often tell customers that details of zoning, construction and building permits, especially for internal building areas, are not part of their work.
I have this conversation almost daily with potential customers, and many are completely unaware of problems, potential delays and especially the costs they have not yet considered. Recently, after I explained the issues, a husband turned to his wife and said, “I’m not doing all those things — I just want this done.” And don’t we all! They hired someone else who tried to avoid the issues, and have now been turned down, because part of what they wanted to do was divide their home into multiple living spaces, which the local jurisdiction would never allow. So they spent a lot of money for none of the results. I even told them about areas that could accept what they wanted to do, just not this one. So it may pay to get the consultation of someone who understands the many, many nuances of the building codes, the local zoning and the physical properties of the building, and who can guide you with a game plan. It can save you years of aggravation, lamenting over what you hoped to gain and thousands of dollars trying to achieve the unachievable. Or you can listen to confident, bad advice and roll the dice. Good luck!
© 2025 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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opinions
We must protect our way of life
Growing up in Levittown and now raising my family just doors from the home where I was raised, I’ve seen firsthand what makes our suburban way of life so special — safe neighborhoods, good schools, and a culture that values family and hard work. As a Nassau County legislator, I have made it my responsibility to protect those values.
When the prior administration scheduled $150 million in property tax hikes, I stood firm and helped stop it. I worked to cut over $70 million in property taxes, and have frozen property taxes in every budget since. At the same time, I helped make Nassau the safest county in America by investing in police, increasing neighborhood patrols and ensuring that law enforcement has the resources it needs to fight crime.
In addition to holding the line on taxes and keeping neighbors safe, being an elected official is also about standing up when outside forces try to change who we are. And when you’re the supervisor of America’s largest township, that responsibility is even greater — because you’re the last line of defense between local families and extremist politicians in Albany who think they know better than we do.
extremist politicians in Albany think they know what works better than we do.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s socalled “Housing Compact” is the perfect example. While it has been repackaged, renamed and reintroduced by state legislators over the past three years, the goal is the same every time: to override local zoning, strip away community input and force high-density, city-style housing into residential neighborhoods.
From mandating thousands of new apartments near every Long Island Rail Road station to allowing spot zoning — which means large-scale buildings
could go up right next to single-family homes — this plan would have a devastating impact on local schools, traffic, parking and emergency services. For residents like us, it would mean a massive strain on infrastructure, with overcrowded classrooms, overflowing parking, and longer response times for police and first responders. It would be an irreversible blow to the suburban character our families have spent generations building.
This flawed policy is a direct attack on local control — just like congestion pricing. Thanks to the governor, hardworking Long Islanders are now slammed with a $9 tax every time they drive into Manhattan — a steep penalty for thousands of residents who rely on their cars for work, medical appointments and everyday responsibilities. Worse, none of the revenue returns to our local communities. Instead, it funds the chronically mismanaged Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has
long prioritized New York City while neglecting Long Island’s needs. That’s not a transit plan — it’s a commuter tax on the middle class.
These are the kinds of attacks on our way of life that our town supervisor must be ready to stop — because no one else is going to do it for us.
I’ve already shown that I’m willing to take on tough fights. I helped block a massive county tax increase, fought to deliver a property tax cut, and never stopped pushing to make Long Island more affordable. I stood with police when others stayed silent. And I stood with taxpayers every time Albany reached into our wallets.
Now I’m running for town supervisor to take that fight to the next level — to protect our neighborhoods, defend our zoning laws and preserve the quality of life that generations of Long Islanders have worked to build. For me, this job isn’t about politics. It’s about standing up for our way of life.
John Ferretti represents Nassau County’s 15th Legislative District and is the Republican candidate for Hempstead town supervisor.
Backdoor taxes are hurting Hempstead families
Last year, the Town of Hempstead raised taxes on residents by a staggering 12.1 percent — one of the largest hikes in recent memory. We were told the town needed more revenue to maintain services and balance the budget. But anyone who lives here knows the truth: Services are getting worse, roads are crumbling, and the only thing growing in the town is frustration. Meanwhile, another quiet tax has taken hold: the school bus camera ticket program.
Right now, just four school districts in the township are taking part in this program, which levies $250 fines on drivers who allegedly pass stopped school buses. The goal sounds noble — protecting schoolchildren. But like many things in government, the execution tells a different story.
Here’s how it works: the town keeps
55 percent of the revenue, and the private company running the program gets the other 45 percent. If all the tickets are paid, the program could bring in nearly $20 million from those four districts alone.
So where is that money going? Certainly not into road repaving, expanded public services or tax cuts. Instead we’re seeing a familiar pattern: a bloated government structure that keeps squeezing taxpayers while delivering less in return.
RIt’s no coincidence. The same people who run the Town of Hempstead also run the County of Nassau. And they’ve adopted the same playbook: Hit residents with fees and fines, call it safety, and count the cash behind closed doors.
esidents of the township are being squeezed from every direction.
And just like we’ve seen with the red-light camera scandal in Nassau County, the bus camera program risks turning into another legal and financial disaster. In the red-light program, county officials illegally added a $100 administrative fee on top of the state’s $50 fine. The result? Multiple lawsuits, a court ruling that the fee was illegal, and the county will now potentially have to refund hundreds of millions of dollars. It was yet another crisis created by those who treat enforcement as a revenue stream.
Do we really want to repeat that mistake here in Hempstead?
Let me be clear: I believe in protecting schoolchildren. No one wants unsafe drivers near our schools and children. But I also believe in fairness, transparency and common sense. The way this program is currently designed and executed fails on all three counts.
As town supervisor, I will fight to:
■ Reform the bus camera program so that it targets only truly dangerous driving, not technicalities or innocent misunderstandings.
■ Increase transparency around where ticket revenue is going, and ensure that it’s reinvested in school safety, public infrastructure and tax cuts, not wasted
on political appointees and bloated payrolls.
■ Roll back the shameful 12 percent tax hike and conduct a top-to-bottom audit of every contract and department in order to root out the waste, fraud and abuse that’s draining taxpayer dollars.
Right now, Hempstead residents are being squeezed from every direction, through property taxes, inflated permit fees and $250 bus camera tickets. It’s not sustainable. It’s not right. And it’s not how you build a community that people want to stay in.
The town doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem. And this camera cash grab is just the latest example.
We can have safe streets and fair government. But it starts with leadership that respects taxpayers, not leadership that treats them like walking ATMs. Let’s fix this together.
Joseph Scianablo, a former New York City police officer and an attorney, is the Democratic candidate for town supervisor.
john feRRetti
Volunteer firefighter recruitment crisis demands action
As a second-generation volunteer and professional firefighter, I often reflect on the growing challenges we face in recruiting and retaining firefighters on Long Island.
My connection to the fire service runs deep — not just as a job or duty, but also as part of a family of firefighters.
Growing up, I watched my father respond to alarms at all hours, returning home smelling of smoke and sharing stories of emergencies. The respect he commanded — often without saying a word — left a lasting impression on me. To be a firefighter, someone who puts others first, always felt more meaningful than any high-profile career. I joined the North Babylon Volunteer Fire Department in 2000. Shortly after being sworn in, I responded to my first working house fire. As I rode the fire engine, nerves and excitement surged. Sitting across from me was my father. His steady voice, and more than 50 years
of experience, guided me through that pivotal moment — the start of 25 years as a volunteer and more than two decades with the New York City Fire Department.
My love for the fire service is why I’m so concerned about the current decline in the number of volunteer firefighters across Long Island. Volunteer firefighting is a noble and rewarding calling — one that should inspire future generations.
INationwide, volunteers make up 65 percent of all firefighters. Yet that number has dropped significantly — more than 220,000 volunteers lost — even as the U.S. population has grown from about 236 million to more than 331 million. The numbers make one thing clear: volunteerism in fire and emergency services has not kept pace with the nation’s growth.
resources thin. The result: longer response times and fewer personnel available to protect families and property.
’ve seen how involving loved ones in firehouse events creates a sense of belonging.
Recruiting and retaining volunteers is more challenging now than it was decades ago. In 1980, firefighters were required to undergo just 36 hours of training. Today, certification can take up to a year, with hundreds of hours of instruction — often completed while trainees juggle jobs and family life. And while recruitment is difficult, retention can be even harder. Busy schedules, expanding responsibilities, less-flexible employers and increased training demands all contribute to a shrinking volunteer force.
So what are the benefits of becoming a volunteer firefighter or EMS member?
would allow localities to modestly compensate qualified firefighters and cover training costs with state funds.
For many, volunteer firefighting is also a family affair. I’ve seen firsthand how involving loved ones in firehouse events creates a sense of belonging that strengthens commitment. Even those who don’t serve directly — spouses, children or relatives — provide crucial support that keeps volunteers engaged and departments strong.
Yet with the number of emergency calls increasing and volunteer numbers declining, it’s becoming harder for departments to fulfill their mission. Nationwide, volunteer firefighters save an estimated $3.8 billion annually in wages and benefits. That number underscores just how vital they are to public safety — and how urgent it is to support their continued service.
The trend is especially troubling in New York state, where fire departments on Long Island have seen a 30 percent drop in the number of volunteers. Departments are increasingly relying on aging firefighters and mutual aid to respond to calls, often stretching
In Suffolk County, incentives include property tax reductions, state income tax credits, free health screenings, insurance coverage, college tuition reimbursement, service pensions, and free equipment and training. Last year, the state began offering small stipends to volunteers, and in January, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed legislation that
Volunteering offers more than financial value. It builds deep bonds, community respect and pride in work that truly matters. There’s nothing quite like the fulfillment that comes from helping others when they need it most.
Whether you live in Nassau or Suffolk County, your community needs you!
In addition to his service in the fire department, Terence McSweeney is a Babylon town councilman.
Cars over trains and buses: Long Island’s original sin
As concern grows over the increasing number of fatalities on the roads of Nassau and Suffolk counties, it’s worth considering how transportation decisions made 100 years ago continue to contribute to today’s driving dangers.
The carnage on the parkways and expressways is largely the product of Long Island’s original sin: enormous resources lavished on road construction and a comparative pittance spent on bus and train infrastructure. Had New York State buildersupreme Robert Moses directed a better-balanced share of public funds to public transit, driving would surely have become a less common form of conveyance. And with fewer cars on the roads, crashes would have occurred less often. Hundreds of the 2,100 lives lost on Long Island in the past decade could have been saved and many of the 16,000 injuries prevented.
Moses’ privileging of motor vehicle
travel can perhaps be excused in retrospect as the inevitable outgrowth of the car-crazed era in which he lived. But it isn’t as though alternate visions were lacking in the 1920s, ’30s and beyond. It’s just that the intellectually arrogant Moses rejected them as “stupid, long-winded, contentious and impractical.”
AThat curt dismissal is quoted in “The Power Broker,” Robert Caro’s biography of Moses. Planners not beholden to the car czar came to realize, Caro writes, that “the more highways were built to alleviate congestion, the more automobiles would pour onto them and congest them and thus force the building of more highways.”
Long Island’s alluring beaches, but the large number of New Yorkers without cars could not reach them on buses.
The expressways that Moses also constructed did allow commercial traffic. But he again made sure that they would be used only by drivers.
nd with fewer cars on the roads, crashes would have occurred less often.
And that is exactly what has happened on Long Island — with heartbreaking results. Moses’ own vision of a lacy network of “parkways” — tree-lined roads free of commercial traffic and adjacent development — was fully achieved due to his unbridled political power. And he designed the Northern State, Southern State and others with low-clearance bridges to ensure that only cars would be able to use them. Many of these roads were built to afford access to
More far-sighted planners had urged that a railway be built on the median of the Long Island Expressway. It would have been the centerpiece of an expanded Long Island Rail Road system that could have included freight trains. That would, in turn, have encouraged local siting of businesses employing thousands of workers who would no longer have needed to drive to and from jobs in Manhattan.
Moses didn’t want that to happen, however — and so it did not.
Similarly, experts at the Regional Plan Association suggested in the 1930s that the Whitestone Bridge be designed to accommodate train tracks. They would have efficiently linked Long Island with the Bronx, Westchester and Connecticut. But because Moses vetoed that idea as well, the only direct way to reach Nassau and Suffolk from the north
would be via cars. “And this would condemn Long Island to future inundation by larger and larger numbers of automobiles,” Caro observes.
Because of this conscious determination to create a car-centric transportation system, Nassau and Suffolk drivers not only face elevated risks of being killed or injured, but are constantly stuck in traffic jams.
This sad story will not have a happy ending. Long Island can never entirely undo the damage that Moses and his enablers inflicted on it. “Build railroads at the same time that you were building roads,” Caro says of the pivotal period in the mid-20th century, “and solving the transportation problem would be greatly simplified. Pour all available funds into roads without building railroads, and that problem would never be solved.”
And so drivers on Long Island are left to take their chances along “Blood Alley” on the Southern State and “Dead Man’s Curve” on the Cross Island Parkway.
Just as there will be no resurrections of the 2,100 people killed on Long Island roads between 2014 and 2023, there’s no returning to the time when the transport system could have been designed rationally and humanely.
Kevin J. Kelley, of Atlantic Beach, is a retired journalist and journalism professor.
KEVIN J. KELLEY
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Active smart growth: the blueprint for L.I.
elected leaders, developers and advocates of smart growth gathered to celebrate innovation and forward-thinking design at the annual Vision Long Island Smart Growth Awards at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury last Friday.
HERALD
Vision Long Island, a Northportbased nonprofit, honored standout projects across Nassau and Suffolk counties that are improving quality of life, revitalizing neighborhoods and setting a standard for the future of the Island.
The organization has been a champion of smart growth — a planning approach that emphasizes walkable communities, transit-oriented development, mixed-use projects, affordable housing and sustainability — for more than 25 years. Its advocacy, educational outreach and planning assistance have helped make possible some of the region’s most transformative developments.
Among this year’s award-winning projects are examples of how collaboration among civic leaders, developers and communities can lead to impactful change. Transit-oriented development stood out prominently.
One of the honorees, the Langdon, in Lynbrook, developed by Breslin Realty, Fields Grade and the village, has 201 luxury rental units with concierge service and upscale amenities just steps from the community’s Long Island Rail Road station.
Smaller-scale projects are equally important. In Babylon, Zucaro Con-
letters
Don’t
forget that horse named Journalism
To the Editor:
struction developed a 27-unit residential building that is bringing new life to the downtown corridor.
These kinds of developments are helping young professionals and families stay on Long Island, close to work and transit, and energizing local economies.
Affordable housing remains a critical need across Long Island, and projects like those spearheaded by the Uniondale Community Land Trust demonstrate how nonprofits can drive change. The trust, which recently hosted its fourth annual Long Island Housing Symposium, continues to champion homeownership and affordability, and held its most recent housing lottery in February.
In Rockville Centre, a $32 million project by the village, its housing authority and D&F Development renovated the Rockville Manor senior housing complex, adding six new units as well as an elevator, funded in part by New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the Nassau County Office of Community Development.
The Smart Growth Awards also spotlighted innovations in clean energy. The Town of Hempstead’s Clean Energy Park, in Point Lookout, conceived in 2006, has become a model for sustainable municipal operations. It features a wind turbine, a hydrogen fueling station, a solar-powered shellfish nursery, a geothermal government office and a 100-kilowatt solar field. It not only powers services sustainably, but also serves as a public education hub and an example for the private sector of the advan-
Re the editorial “Horse Named Journalism showed what’s possible” (May 22-18): I agree that journalism is suffering and losing ground, and that there is a crucial need for local reporting to help sustain the backbone of our society, which remains our local communities. As a former journalist, now retired, I have complained to anyone who would listen about the decline in good reporting. It began decades ago, when television news shifted from good reporting in the 1950s and ’60s to entertainment, beginning in the ’80s. As more and more people watched the ever-expanding TV news, even the large city newspapers began to compete in order to capture readers’ attention. What resulted were more sensational stories about subjects that weren’t important, but which they suspected would be of more interest to readers. And while we learned in our journalism classes that what makes news is what interests readers, that’s not always good journalism. In addition, while TV and radio news often present-
tages of clean energy.
Efforts to strengthen local businesses and Main Streets were also recognized. The village of Farmingdale, in partnership with the Nassau County Office of Community Development, implemented a $150,000 program to replace signs, lighting and awnings using federal block grant funding. Landlords and tenants are covering just 20 percent of the cost, with the rest paid for by the grant. The initiative has created a visually cohesive downtown, boosting “curb appeal” as well as foot traffic.
These projects represent more than just physical improvements — they reflect values that matter to Long Islanders: sustainability, affordability, accessibility and smart investment in the future. They also prove that strategic planning, when guided by community input based on local needs, can transform neighborhoods and enhance residents’ lives.
As we celebrate the achievements recognized at the Smart Growth Awards, we urge municipal governments, civic organizations, village leaders and developers across Nassau and Suffolk to take note. Whether it’s revitalizing a main street, building mixed-use housing near transit, greening public spaces or supporting affordable homeownership, now is the time to adopt what works.
Smart growth isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor — it is a flexible, communitycentered approach to planning for the future. The blueprints are in place. The success stories are multiplying. Let’s keep the momentum going.
tCentrist Democrats need to listen, learn and lead
wo weeks ago, I had the honor of speaking at WelcomeFest, the nation’s largest gathering of centrist Democrats. Held in Washington, D.C., the event brought together a growing coalition committed to reshaping our party with one urgent mission: connecting with the American people again. This year’s theme, “Responsibility to Win,” says it all. The American people are asking tough questions: Do Democrats hear me? Do they understand my struggles? Will they deliver real results? Too often, the answer feels like “no.”
If you ask most American voters what the top five issues they are most concerned about are, they’ll say: the economy, immigration, taxes, crime, and health care. If you ask the same people what the Democrats are most focused on, they’ll say: choice, LGBTQ protections, health care (fortunately there’s some crossover there), protecting democracy, and climate change. While all of these issues are important,
the disconnect between what “the people” are most concerned about and what they see as Democrats’ focus must be addressed.
I was invited to speak at WelcomeFest because I’m one of the few Democrats who won in a district that President Trump won. I didn’t do it by hiding. I did it by showing up, listening and being honest — even when it wasn’t easy.
GIn my district, voters don’t want lectures. They don’t want candidates who message ideologically, technocratically or in a way that is simply out of touch. They want leaders who understand their concerns and take action to improve their lives. If you’re working two jobs and still can’t afford rent or groceries — or if your neighborhood feels less safe, or the border looks like chaos — you’re not asking for a white paper. You want someone who will do something and deliver real results.
ing on bipartisan legislation to 1. Secure the border.
2. Fix the broken asylum system.
3. Reform the legal immigration system and legalize Dreamers, TPS recipients, farmworkers, health care workers and others who have been here contributing for decades.
ood ideas mean nothing if they don’t connect to people’s real lives.
Good ideas mean nothing if they don’t connect to the real lives of working people. Our country has seen enormous growth in the past 50 years, but so many Americans feel that our economy has failed them. They work hard, but struggle to see the fruits of their own labor. Millions of Americans are crushed by insufficient wages, rising costs and their inability to afford to buy a home. The middle class is disappearing.
In many ways, the American dream no longer feels attainable.
We have to do something.
I take that seriously. That’s why I backed the bipartisan Senate border deal. I said the border is broken — because it is. Not everyone agreed with me, but they respected that I was clear, direct and actionable.
That’s why, in Congress, I am work-
ed the story first, it was always the print newspapers that got the complete story, because the reporters took the time to get it right.
We are far too late to save all those big city newspapers across the country that have disappeared from print and can now only be found online. That would be OK if only more people were reading beyond the headlines online. That’s why we urgently need to protect and preserve local newspapers in print, to further protect and preserve the strength of the local communities in which we live. Life begins in the local communities across our great country. Even our forefathers knew this when they formed the country, preserving the rights of the states with the trickledown result where local cities and towns protect their own interests.
Our newspapers need to inform the populace in our communities, and we all need to read and understand what is happening where we live. It will impact our quality of life. That’s how important local news is to each and every one of us.
RICHARD KAHN Glen Cove
I am for increasing the minimum wage, supporting union workers, and creating opportunities for more people to live the American dream. Everyone, whether a left-wing progressive or a right-wing conservative, should believe that, in America, hard work will be
Letters
Fighting the fentanyl crisis
To the Editor:
With more than 30 years of service in the Nassau County district attorney’s office, I’ve seen firsthand the heartbreaking toll the opioid epidemic has taken on our communities — especially the rise of fentanyl. This synthetic opioid, up to 100 times stronger than morphine, isn’t just another drug — it’s a weapon of mass destruction.
In 2022 alone, fentanyl was responsible for roughly 70 percent of overdose deaths. These aren’t faceless statistics. These are our children, our friends, our neighbors. And tragically, many of their deaths could have been prevented if Albany had not handcuffed law enforcement in the name of so-called “reform.”
My office is fighting this crisis headon: We’re aggressively prosecuting drug dealers who profit off misery and death, we’re expanding education and prevention initiatives, and we’re working with partners in health care and treatment services to support victims
and families. At the same time, we are also being forced to fight Gov. Kathy Hochul and extreme politicians in Albany because of their radical policies, which protect drug dealers and make life more dangerous for victims and all law-abiding citizens.
Under Hochul and extremist lawmakers who have taken control of the State Legislature, New York’s criminal justice system has been fundamentally weakened. Their reckless cashless-bail laws have made virtually all drug offenses — including those involving deadly fentanyl — ineligible for bail. That means known drug dealers walk free within hours of being arrested, often returning to the very communities they poisoned. The result? More overdoses, more deaths and more shattered families.
To make matters worse, Hochul and her political allies also implemented sweeping discovery laws that place an overwhelming burden on prosecutors and intimidate the victims and witnesses we rely on to build strong cases. These laws require prosecutors to rapidly turn over extensive evidence — including witness names and state-
rewarded.
If you work hard, you should make enough money to buy a home, educate your kids, pay for health insurance, and retire one day without being scared.
But leading isn’t just about having the right ideas — it’s about meeting people where they are. Americans don’t want jargon. They want to be sure that people like me, who are elected to represent and serve them, hear their concerns and are doing something about those concerns by working with other elected officials to find common ground to get things done.
At the end of the day, voters want to know three things: Are you listening? Do you care? Will you work to get the job done?
Leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, have to orient their policies around values that unite working people: economic opportunity, fairness and the dignity of work. To do that, we have to first listen and learn with empathy, clarity and conviction.
That’s how I campaign. That’s how I govern. It’s not about the noise. It’s about the people. It’s about delivering real results that make working people’s lives better.
Let’s stop talking past them and start fighting for them.
Tom Suozzi represents the 3rd Congressional District.
ments — days after arraignment, often putting victims and witnesses at risk of retaliation. This has had a chilling effect, particularly in drug-related cases, where intimidation is a common tactic used by gangs and drug networks. Albany’s so-called reforms are emboldening the criminals while endangering our communities.
Despite these challenges, our office remains committed to protecting Nassau County families. We recently partnered with the Town of Hempstead to host a fentanyl crisis seminar and “Not My Child” program, and the community response was overwhelming.
We must demand that Hochul and Albany lawmakers stop playing politics with our public safety. The people of New York deserve a justice system that protects the innocent, not one that prioritizes the rights of criminals. The fight against opioids, especially fentanyl, requires a united community, common-sense policies, and the courage to hold the dealers and enablers of this epidemic accountable.
ANNE DONNELLY Nassau County district attorney
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