Children from the Five Towns were treated to traditional fair fun as they rode the roller coaster at the sixth annual Marion & Aaron Gural JCC Succos Fair in Cedarhurst’s Andrew J. Parise Park on Oct. 9. Story, more photos, Page 10.
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
The 39th annual Rock Hall Country Fair in Lawrence will spotlight historical aspects of the museum, along with offering popular fall fair activities for thousands of residents to enjoy on Saturday and Sunday.
The fair, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days, will feature entertainment from the Redhawk Native American Arts Council.
“The Redhawk Native American Arts Council is a not for profit organization founded and maintained by Native American artists and edu-
cators serving the tri-state area,” according to RedHawkCouncil.org.
Linda Barriera, former museum director, established the fair, and each year it celebrates early America while connecting the past with the present through crafts, historical education and entertainment.
Rock Hall, at 199 Broadway, was an 18th-century plantation that was transformed into a museum, owned and operated by the Town of Hempstead since 1953.
Amy Vacchio, the museum’s director, described the fair as a “labor of love,” adding that as an Inwood native, she has been attending
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Hewlett High School senior Darsh Chavre is the HewlettWoodmere Public School District’s only semifinalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Chavre is among the top 1 percent of U.S. seniors — more than 16,000 students nationwide — to receive the honor after scoring a perfect 1520 on his Preliminary SAT exam.
Marking its 70th year, the program has a several-step process in which students compete to earn $2,500 and the title of Merit Scholar. The scholarships are underwritten by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
the Hewlett High Student Council and the Chess Club, and a member of the Debate Club and the Roboboogie robotics team. “I’m also really big into science research,” he said. “I do science research with the program offered at school.”
He received a letter in the mail about his semifinalist status late last month, and completed a required essay, activities list and demographic information in order to be considered further.
“I’m applying to be a finalist, fingers crossed,” he said. “We’ll see how that goes in the coming months.”
CoLLEEN MuRphy School counselor
Over 1 million high school juniors at more than 21,000 high schools take the PSAT, and those with the highest scores are selected as semifinalists on a state-by-state bases, proportional to each state’s percentage of the nation’s total number of graduating seniors.
Chavre, 17, is president of
Chavre said he was happy to be a semifinalist, but felt bad, because a lot of his friends also scored high on the PSAT. “I hoped more of my friends would make it to the cutoff,” he said. “I just happened to be lucky and make it through. I’m happy I made it, but also a little sad.”
He plans to study regenerative biology in college, and to
Continued on page 5
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
When Indigenous Peoples’ Day arrives each October, it is both a celebration of the vibrant cultures that predate European settlement and a reminder of the histories that were too often erased or overlooked.
In Valley Stream and North Woodmere, the evidence of Indigenous presence may not be obvious on the surface, but beneath the paved roads and suburban neighborhoods lie stories tied to waterways, migrations and survival.
“The topic of Indigenous People and Valley Stream often comes up amongst researchers, historians and the curious-minded,” Valley Stream Historical Society Trustee Amy Bentley said. “ Our closest proximity to indigenous people were the Reckouwackys, a group of Native Americans who lived on the Rockaway Peninsula. They were part of the Algonquian-speaking Lenape people. Reckouwacky, or the modern translation, Rockaway, means “place of our own people,” “sandy place,” or “place of laughing waters” — depending on what article or book you might read.”
Their proximity to the bay, with its abundance of fish, shellfish, reeds and beavers, made it an ideal location for settlement. Though modern Valley Stream developed later, its landscape was shaped by these same waterways that sustained Indigenous communities for centuries.
Hungry Harbor, today part of South Valley Stream and North Woodmere, was another site tied to these histories. Along Motts Creek, people fished and harvested oysters.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the area that would become Valley Stream was known as the South Woods or Fosters Meadow, sparsely populated woodland between Near Rockaway and Jamaica. Streams criss-
crossed the land, connecting it to Jamaica Bay.
While most Indigenous settlements were concentrated closer to the bay itself, the Reckouwackys are believed to have traveled north in the warmer months, following creeks and waterways for fishing and hunting. Hook Creek, which winds through what is now Mill Brook, Hendrickson Park and eventually to
Jamaica Bay, was one such route.
Historical evidence places Native people along Hook Creek’s banks well before suburban streets and parks replaced natural shorelines. In 1922, an archaeological report documented the remains of a prehistoric village site and shell heap along Hook Creek, evidence of seasonal camps and fishing activity. Though development erased those sites long ago, they underscore the role waterways played in sustaining Indigenous life.
Written accounts describe the area as home to “squatters,” both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, who lived off its abundant resources. The area’s name and its legacy remain embedded in the local landscape.
But by the time Loyalist families began migrating south from Hempstead after the American Revolution, Indigenous communities in the Rockaway and Jamaica Bay region had already been devastated.
“The Native American culture died off quickly,” Bentley said. “They had no immunity to the diseases that the Europeans brought with them. The confluence of illness, deadly battles, loss of homeland, and omission on census records effectively eradicated their existence.”
The early settlement of was shaped more by postRevolution migration than by longstanding colonial communities. When political divisions between Patriots and Loyalists fractured Hempstead during the war, Loyalists fled south to the lightly populated woods that would become the village. These shifting populations coincided with the disappearance, both literal and documented, of Indigenous communities in local records.
The marker itself has moved locations over time, from Broadway in Woodmere to the Trinity Church graveyard to its current shaded triangle at Keene and Woods lanes, but it remains one of the most visible acknowledgments of Indigenous presence in the area.
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
The Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department is supporting ex-chief Donaven “Soupy” Wright in his fight against 9/11-related Stage 3 esophageal cancer with a fundraiser.
Wright is a member of the LCFD for 38 years and served as a detective in the NYPD for 20 years. As a Cedarhurst native, he graduated from Lawrence High School where he played varsity football.
He was the first African American Fire Chief in the 3rd Battalion, serving from 2007 to 2008.
“He paved the way for several young men from the battalion who serve today and he has sworn them all into office,” said Anthony Rivelli, LCFD ex-chief and fundraiser organizer.
The event will take place at LCFD headquarters, 75 Washington Ave., Lawrence on Nov. 9 from 1 to 5 p.m. It will feature a Chinese auction, food, poker, open bar, football, cigars and live music by Matt Wahl.
There will be $20,000 worth of prizes and cost $50 to enter without a raffle ticket or $100 for entry and raffle tickets.
“I want to make sure as the chairman of this event it’s a success and we’re able to help out the Wright family,” Rivelli said. “For everything he’s done for the city post 9/11, the Five Towns area as a fire chief and active member for many years, he was one of the most active guys
he never missed an aid. It’s our responsibility to stand up for him right now and hold this fundraiser so we can show support and make sure his kids are taken care of.”
Sponsors from all across the South Shore of Long Island and beyond are showing support for Wright and being apart of the fundraiser. Sponsors include
Arty’s Collision Shop, North Star Collision, Mother Kelly’s and Traditions among other restaurants and businesses.
“Most of our vendors for the fire department that deal with our air packs, fire trucks, boats, cars and turn-out gear are all kicking in stuff,” he added. “A lot of them are giving tools and equipment that firefighters carry individually.”
Firefighters in attendance from the Five Towns and surrounding areas can put in raffle tickets to win these donated items.
Chief Meyer Adler said that Wright is someone who has helped this community for many years and is a family-oriented man.
“He’s one of those guys who is a really nice person and after an interaction with him, it’s the highlight of your day,” Adler said. “When you spend time with him, he brightens everyone’s day.”
Rivelli is looking forward to a “successful day” and said people can donate without attending by visiting the LCFD website/social media and scanning the QR code or by contacting him or ex-chief Tom Foi.
“We always have each other’s backs,” Rivelli said. “We’re always going to support one another even when we’re not on the fire ground or inside a burning building, nobody gets left behind. We always make sure regardless of what goes on we have each other’s support.”
He said that even when the firefighter is no longer “here,” families know how much the firefighters care for them.
“It’s not even because Donaven were both cops in the NYPD and were both chiefs together,” he added. “It’s because we’re both brothers in the fire department. That’s what it really comes down to.”
For tickets and more information, visit www.LCFDFire.com/Wright.
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Rock Hall Museum is expanding their horizons with a brand new educational center designed like an 18th century English barn.
The center can hold 75 to 100 people, features an ADA compliant bathroom, air conditioning and heat.
Located at 199 Broadway in Lawrence, Rock Hall was an 18th-century plantation that was transformed into a museum, owned and operated by the Town of Hempstead since 1953.
The barn was officially completed on Oct. 8 and will be used to host a spooky walk through at their annual country fair, this weekend. The first official event in the barn is “spooky family movie night in the ‘barn’” where “Beetlejuice” will be playing on Oct. 23.
“The premise behind the education center was to take pressure off the historic house,” said Amy Vacchio, director of Rock Hall Museum. “Right now we can accommodate 40 people to a program/lecture and we wanted to have a versatile space that was ADA compliant and climate controlled. This space could be used for programs, lectures, exhibits and everybody can attend and not worry about stairs.”
Next spring, Vacchio plans on using the space to celebrate the semiquincentennial of the United States for special lectures and events.
“One of the things that’s limited us is that we can’t put a nail into the wall, it’s a historic artifact,” Vacchio added.
“The fact that we now have walls to do exhibits, it will be used for so many things that the Friends of Rock Hall can use as an extension of the museum.”
The Friends of Rock Hall, a non-profit founded in 1976 to support the museum and works to preserve the historic site and promote education programs related to it.
“It’s just like a barn and it looks like one that used to be at Rock Hall,” said Doug Sheer, president of Friends of
Rock Hall. “We wanted to recreate that barn-like structure to keep with the history of Rock Hall and also allow us to have guest speakers and activities during the whole year.”
He said it was a lot of work to get this done and is “excited” to see how they can grow and host different things.
“There’s a lot of wonderful things we’re doing for the museum,” he added. Vacchio said she has lots of ideas and is “excited for the next chapter” of this historic site.
“We started this barn exactly this time last year,” she said. “We did start to finish on this particular design in one year. It was originally the brainchild of my predecessor (Linda Barreira) in 2012 but it didn’t come to fruition.”
Students from all across Nassau County and Queen come to Rock Hall while studying colonial history to take part in special crafts such as wampum, cornhusk dolls or calligraphy with quills and ink.
“Part of the problem we had here was that we could only accommodate a group of 25 at a time,” Vacchio said. “The education center will also act as a space for some of our workshops for the children. This is going to make it so much better to accommodate school group and different organizations that visit the museum.”
According to police, an Inwood man was arrested for murder at 5:06 p.m. on Oct. 6.
Anthony Iacomino, 46, of Wahl Avenue in Inwood was arrested for a violent domestic dispute with his 52-year old brother at their residence. The NCPD Fourth Precinct responded to an aided case where a 52-year old man was unresponsive with visible blunt force trauma.
The brother was pronounced dead by the Nassau County Police Medic at the home.
After investigating the incident, police placed Iacomino into custody. He was charged with murder and was arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead, on Oct. 7.
—
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According to Bergenfield Police a New Jersey man was arrested for allegedly attacking a Rabbi at 2 p.m. on Oct. 5.
Jeffrey Zincchinella, 40, of New Jersey allegedly exited his vehicle and attacked Rabbi Avraham Wein, a Queens native and former rabbinic assistant at Congregation Beth Shalom in Lawrence while he was building a Sukkah (a temporary dwelling used during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot) in his front yard.
Wein is currently an assistant Rabbi at Congregation Keter Torah in Teaneck.
Bergenfeld Police reported that a nearby resident intervened and Wein both sustained minor injuries before officers took Zicchinella arrested him. He was booked at Bergen County Jail following his arrest.
Police believe the attack was an
“isolated incident” and are working with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office as the investigation continues.
—
The Hewlett-Woodmere Public School District congratulated Hewlett High School senior Darsh Chavre on Facebook last month for being the district’s only semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship competition.
eventually earn a Ph.D. and become either a doctor or a science researcher.
“My high school is awesome, and any chance I get to represent them and put a good foot forward is awesome,” Chavre said. “Also, the scholarship money would be nice.”
“I recall the day he got the perfect score on the PSATs last year,” said Colleen Murphy, who has been Chavre’s school counselor for three years, but has known him for seven years. “He came in with the biggest smile ever. He worked tirelessly to ace that test, and we had a great moment of celebration.”
Murphy described his being named a semifinalist as a “huge accomplishment,” and added that it makes him a top candidate for a lot of major universities.
Al BAuer Principal, Hewlett
“This is one of those markers that helps set him apart for access to really great college opportunities,” she said.
Hewlett High Principal Al Bauer, who has known Chavre since he was in sixth grade, said that his accomplishment highlights the school, and its community.
“This is a community that really
embraces its academics and showcases what our students can do,” Bauer said.
“Hopefully this will be a catalyst for the next round of students that come up to the high school. Darsh has always been on the top of his game, inquisitive and has a thirst for knowledge.”
Murphy said that Chavre takes the most rigorous courses, and influences other students, who see the virtually limitless opportunities they have at the high school.
Bauer’s first reaction when he found out about Chavre’s accomplishment was happiness for him and his family, as well as those at school who work with him.
“I was super excited for Ms. Murphy, because it’s not something that happens often, and we do only have one,” Bauer said. “It also gives a sense of pride for the staff and all who helped him along his journey.”
“Knowing that there’s so many more greater things ahead of him is exciting to think about,” Bauer added.
Murphy said she couldn’t wait to see where Chavre will go from here. “He’s an incredibly qualified candidate for whatever he puts his mind to,” she said. “Darsh is certainly on his way.”
SARAH FLYNN
V.S. NORTH Senior SWIMMING
A KEY MEMBER OF Valley Stream Central High School District’s girls’ swim program since its inception in 2023, Flynn earned the coaches award as a sophomore and has served as a two-year captain. She has earned an appearance in the Nassau County championships in each season and reached the finals of the 100-yard butterfly as a junior. Her career-best time in the event is 1:07.02, and she also thrives in the 100 and 200 freestyle.
Friday, Oct. 17
Girls Volleyball: V.S. North at Clarke 5 p.m.
Football: Freeport at Westbury 5 p.m.
Football: Plainview at Oceanside 6 p.m.
Football: Floral Park at South Side 6 p.m.
Football: Elmont at Hewlett 6 p.m.
Football: Bethpage at Wantagh 6 p.m.
Football: Locust Valley at Plainedge 6:30 p.m.
Girls Volleyball: Mepham at Calhoun 6:45 p.m.
Football: Sewanhaka at V.S. North 7 p.m.
Football: V.S. South at Division 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 18
Football: Carey at Clarke 11 a.m.
Girls Volleyball: E.Meadow at V.S. Central 11:45 a.m.
Girls Volleyball: Plainedge at Elmont 11:45 a.m.
Football: Baldwin at Roosevelt 12 p.m.
Football: Massapequa at Farmingdale 1 p.m.
Football: New Hyde Park at Mepham 2 p.m.
Football: MacArthur at Calhoun 2 p.m.
Football: Long Beach at East Meadow 2 p.m.
Football: Jericho at V.S. Central 2 p.m.
Football: Kennedy at Roslyn 2 p.m.
Football: Lynbrook at Seaford 2 p.m.
Football: East Rockaway at North Shore 2 p.m.
Football: Malverne at Lawrence 2 p.m.
Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”
High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a fall sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.
By MICHELLE RABINOVICH sports@liherald.com
Standing at 7-6 with half a dozen matches remaining, Hewlett boys volleyball coach Monique Ciccarelli says the pieces are there, it’s just a matter of using them consistently.
The Bulldogs’ Oct. 6 win was a four-set victory win over Kennedy: 25-10, 27-29, 25-20, 25-22. In it, Aidan Ayala and Orr Mizrachi reached doubledigits in hits and Philip Ginsburg had nearly 30 assists up front with three aces. Ryan Ginsburg held the defense steady with 10 blocks.
Take its match the following evening, a 3-0 loss to New Hyde Park as proof: a tough 25-15, 25-22, 27-25 setback. As a match progressed, so did Hewlett’s drive. The offense was evolving as match unfolded, something that Ciccarelli credits the team for, in part because of the cohesive nature of the hitters and middles.
In that effort, for example, Ayala paced the offense with 7 kills, Ethan Harush had 6, and Mizrachi and Zachary Faber had 3 each. Ginsburg helped out with 11 assists to his hitters. Ginsburg anchored the defense with 14 digs, assisted with Mizrachi’s 8 and Harush’s 7 on the defensive side of the ball.
Ciccarelli described the outside hitters “very complete,” naming Mizrachi and Harush as key examples of such qualities, no matter the offensive scheme the team is running. Notably, these two are also captains.
The offense makes a splash regularly, it’s other facets of the game that Ciccarelli wants
to see fortified with six matches still remaining.
“I think this team has a lot of talent and a lot of potential and I think once we put the pieces together, they could be unstoppable,” Ciccarelli said, regarding the consistency she wants to see improved. “Sometimes our serve-receive is great, other times it’s not great.”
There’s also the free points the Bulldogs have given to opponents that Ciccarelli wants to see cleaned up. “Making unforced error mistakes, serving the ball out, hitting the ball out, minimizing unforced errors,” she said.
A huge benefit is depth, Ciccarelli saying the roster maxes out at 21, so if she sees that someone is not having a good match, she has a bench to turn to.
“There’s just so much depth that if someone’s not having a good day, I could just switch them [out], which is nice,” she said.
Defense is the latest task.
“We’re working on it,” Ciccarelli said. “We’re trying to be more aggressive on defense, like balls that are like ‘you know I don’t think I’m going to get it but I’m going to try anyway.’”
Someone crucial in the whole process has been Aidan Khan. He’s one of the team’s loudest uplifting voices as a captain. “He leads very well,” Ciccarelli said. “Aidan Khan is like a motivator, just an unbelievable motivator.”
Hewlett has captured five of its last seven matches to get over the .500 mark. This week it faces Elmont on the road Thursday and has a rematch at home Saturday with New Hyde Park at 11:45 a.m.
By AINSLEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com
Maureen O’Connell, the Nassau County clerk since 2006, is seeking re-election, with a focus on continuing the modernization of county records and expanding services for senior citizens and non-English speakers.
A registered nurse and an attorney, O’Connell, 74, has served in public office for more than three decades, including a term in the Assembly and as deputy mayor of East Williston. In the clerk’s office, she says, she is committed to improving access and service for residents.
“When I walked into that office … there were about 2 million unprocessed documents,” she said. “We were not really modernized.”
Since then, O’Connell said, the office has undergone a significant transformation. Court and land records are now digitized and available online, allowing attorneys and members of the public to file and access documents without visiting the clerk’s office in a building on Old Country Road in Mineola that is notorious for its limited parking.
“We created an electronic database so that a lawyer who wants to start a lawsuit doesn’t have to drive over,” O’Connell said. “They can electronically file a lawsuit from their home office.”
In addition to overseeing deed and mortgage filings, the clerk also serves as the clerk of county Supreme Court. O’Connell said she implemented one of the state’s first Supreme Court filing databases, and added digital interfaces with local and state agencies to streamline access to records.
She has also led efforts to digitize historical documents, a process she refers to as “backfilling.” “The more we backfill, the better the public is served,” O’Connell said. She noted frequent visits from senior
citizens needing access to decades-old property records they have misplaced. “Sometimes that safe place is so safe they can never find it again,” she said.
To further assist homeowners, O’Connell created a Property Fraud Alert Program. Property owners can sign up to receive email alerts if any documents — such as deeds or mortgages — are filed relating to their property. The goal is to prevent fraud involving falsified documents.
“Fortunately, we have not seen a lot of it in Nassau — a very minimal amount,” O’Connell said. “But the county clerks statewide do see it in some counties.”
If she is re-elected, O’Connell said, she plans to focus on expanding parking at the Mineola complex and to continue efforts to digitize older records. She also hopes to expand the effort to adapting services to the growing population of residents for whom English is not their primary language. A language line, which translates conversations between clerk’s office employees and visitors in real time, has been implemented to aid communication.
O’Connell said that her dual background in nursing and law has shaped her approach to public service. “As a nurse, you like to help people,” she said. “Get the problem solved, and help them resolve whatever issues they’re in need of resolving.”
A lifelong Nassau County resident, O’Connell grew up in Mineola and now lives in East Williston. She trained at Flushing Hospital School of Nursing, and has a bachelor’s degree in health care management from St. Joseph’s College and a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. She is an assistant professor of nursing at SUNY Farmingdale, and serves on several local boards, including the Farmingdale School of Nursing advisory board and Harbor Child Care in Mineola.
She remains passionate about her work for the county. “It’s just a wonderful job,” she said. “I love working, serving in public.”
By AINSLEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com
Joylette E. Williams, a professor of English at Nassau Community College, is running for Nassau County clerk. A resident of the Village of Hempstead since 1993, she has built her career in education and local service, and in her campaign is emphasizing administrative experience, accessibility and modernization.
Williams has a Ph.D. in English, is completing a second doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Connecticut and is in her second term on the Hempstead Board of Education. She was first elected in 2022, and re-elected in May after community members urged her to continue her service. Her current term runs through 2028.
“It helps me to understand not only the concerns that residents have throughout the county, but it’s very, very rewarding to actually participate in those advocacy roles,” Williams said.
Her academic background, she added, which includes several master’s degrees and over two decades of teaching, has prepared her for the administrative demands of the clerk’s office, which manages the county’s legal documents, property records and business filings. She noted her experience with recordkeeping, document management and organizational leadership in higher education.
Williams served as a Hempstead village trustee from 2021 to 2022, and sits on the Town of Hempstead’s Industrial Development Agency board. She is also the assistant secretary of the Hempstead chapter of the NAACP, is active in the Hempstead Community Land Trust, the Hempstead chapter of the AARP and the Long Island chapter of the National Coalition of 100
Tim Baker/Herald
Joylette Williams has a Ph.D. in English and is completing a second doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Connecticut.
Black Women. She is a member of the Nassau Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
A central goal of her campaign is to digitize county records and to modernize the operating systems of the clerk’s office. “Right now it’s running like it’s 1974,” she said.
Williams has spoken with title insurance companies and attorneys who frequent the clerk’s office, she said, and has identified inefficiencies, including a lack
of online access to court records that makes it necessary for paralegals to visit the office in person.
The clerk’s mobile outreach van is underutilized, she added, and she has proposed increasing its presence across the county, including at libraries and senior centers. She has also proposed extending the office’s hours to 7 p.m. one day a week to accommodate working residents.
“The clerk’s office needs to be more accessible to all residents of Nassau County, and not just a few areas,” Williams said.
If elected, she plans to propose to the Legislature that fees for deed transfers and property transactions be reduced, and has identified seniors, first responders, first-time homebuyers and veterans as populations that could benefit from fee reductions or waivers.
Williams also cited the need for translators in the clerk’s office, noting a range of languages, from Spanish to Urdu, that are spoken by residents who visit the office regularly. Increased language accessibility, she said, would ensure equitable service across the county’s diverse population.
Her work in civic organizations, Williams said, has helped her better understand residents’ needs and leadership strategies. She added that she plans to request a leave of absence from Nassau Community College if she is elected, because both positions are county-funded and cannot be held simultaneously.
Williams was invited to join the ticket by the Democratic Party leadership, and underwent a vetting process that included interviews, reference checks and social media review. Her commitment to public service and community advocacy, she said, motivated her to accept the nomination.
The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC hosted their sixth annual Succos Fair on Oct. 9, 10 and 12 at Andrew J. Parise Park in Cedarhurst.
“We draw people from all over the metropolitan area,” Stacey Feldman, executive director of the Gural JCC, said. “Thousands of people will be with us to enjoy the beautiful holiday.”
The celebration featured the Chicago Boys, an acrobatic group, on Oct. 9 and the music of Danny Palgom on Oct. 12. There was also an array of activities for children, including face painting, a petting zoo, arts and crafts, rides and bounce houses. And kosher food will be available for purchase from local eateries including Chickies, Lollibop, David’s Pizza and Pizza’le.
“We are very proud to put together three days of a magnificent festival for so many members of our community and the extended community of the metropolitan area,” Feldman said. “Our goal is to have an affordable fair where families can have a great day spent outside while celebrating the holiday of Sukkot.”
What began as a Columbus Day weekend fair, turned into a threeday extravaganza that the entire community can enjoy when children in Yeshivas and Jewish day schools are off from school.
— Melissa Berman
Residents were serenaded by the musical stylings of Danny Palgon, the featured familyfriendly entertainment.
family-friendly entertainment and arts & crafts.
Woodmere resident Benjamin Landa, co-founder and CEO of the nursing home operator Sentosa Care, was nominated to be an ambassador to Hungary by President Donald Trump, according to a notice sent to the Senate last week.
Landa has been actively pursuing the ambassadorial role, meeting with Trump in the Oval Office last month. He is actively involved in Republican politics and philanthropic efforts supporting Jewish causes in the United States and Israel. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli national security minister, visited Landa’s home during a trip to the United States in April.
Landa will need Senate confirmation for the posting. His nomination heads to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for consideration.
At least three other Jewish candidates were reportedly in the running for the position, including pro-Hungary activist and media commentator Bryan Leib, David Cornstein, who served in the role during the first term of the Trump administration, and Nancy Brinker, who held the Budapest posting under President George W. Bush.
Hungary has boasted of its protection of its Jewish community and its alliance with Israel, and its prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has a particularly close relationship with Trump.
— Melissa Berman
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By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com
Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips traces her drive for public service to a childhood defined by independence, perseverance and the generosity of mentors who opened doors. Born in western Pennsylvania, the youngest of four daughters, she was the first in her family to attend college — a milestone achieved without guidance or financial help after her father’s death when she was 12.
“I was kind of left on my own a lot,” Phillips recalled. “There was no guidance for college.” That changed when she became a Rotary exchange student in Brazil for 13 months — an experience she described as life-changing. “It allowed me to mature and figure out who I wanted to be in life,” she said, adding that she still speaks fluent Portuguese nearly five decades later.
Phillips went on to earn both a bachelor’s degree in political science and an MBA in finance from Penn State, working as a bartender to pay tuition. Her career began in finance — first at Metropolitan Life, later at J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, where she helped build mortgage-backed securities departments. After taking time off to raise her three daughters, she negotiated a rare job-sharing arrangement at Goldman that allowed her to balance motherhood with highstakes finance work for nearly a decade.
Public service came later. After serving as mayor of Flower Hill during Superstorm Sandy, she was elected to the State Senate in 2016, where she championed legislation closing a loophole that had allowed those convicted of domestic violence to keep certain firearms. In 2021 she was elected Nassau County’s comptroller — a role she calls both humbling and demanding.
Her signature initiative, she said, has been modernizing the county’s outdated financial system, which dates back to 1999. “We do our accounting basically
using Excel files,” Phillips said. “Departments like DPW, purchasing and accounting all had different data — none of it lined up.”
Her office led a two-year process to select CGI to implement a cloud-based enterprise resource planning system, dubbed Nassau Forward, that will unify county financial operations and automatically update accounting standards. “It’s transformative,” Phillips said. “Our goal is to go live between 2027 and 2028.”
During her tenure, the comptroller’s office also digitized vendor claims, cutting payment times from four months to less than 10 days. “There used to be paper almost to the ceiling,” she said. “Now it’s all online
through e-claims.” Phillips also overhauled the audit process, emphasizing collaboration and corrective action rather than punitive reports that “collected dust.”
She credited her staff for the county’s recognition by the Government Finance Officers Association with its Triple Crown award for excellence in financial reporting — the only county in New York state to earn it. Nassau has also received seven bond-rating upgrades during her term.
Looking ahead, Phillips said her top priorities, if re-elected, would be completing the Nassau Forward project, hiring additional accountants and expanding electronic systems for retirees’ benefits. “We’re still sending out paper checks to some retirees,” she said. “We want to move to direct deposit — it’s safer and more efficient.”
She acknowledged ongoing challenges balancing employee wages and benefits with affordability for residents. “You want to pay your employees a fair wage and provide good health care,” Phillips said. “But you also want to make sure people can still afford to live here.”
Reflecting on her career, she credited her success to teamwork. “I’m as good as the people around me,” she said. “You always want to do more — to make government more efficient, save taxpayers money, and keep Nassau in strong fiscal shape.”
By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com
Wayne Wink says Nassau County is once again standing on shaky financial ground — and he believes the comptroller’s office should be the first line of defense. The longtime public servant, attorney and former legislator is challenging incumbent Comptroller Elaine Phillips, arguing that the county needs more transparency, oversight and independence from the administration.
“I’ve always spoken truth to power,” said Wink, 58, who currently serves as minority counsel to the County Legislature. “What we need is a fiscal watchdog. What we have is a fiscal lapdog.”
A Hofstra University and St. John’s University School of Law graduate, Wink grew up in Uniondale, in what he describes as a “barely middle-class” household, and was the first in his family to go to college. He was elected to public office for the first time in the early 2000s and went on to serve 20 years in local government — including as a North Hempstead town councilman, county legislator and town clerk.
Among his legislative accomplishments, Wink cites the creation of Nassau’s Silver Alert law, modeled after the Amber Alert system but designed to locate missing seniors with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. “We’ve had a number of people saved because of that program,” he said. He also helped establish North Hempstead’s domestic partner registry before same-sex marriage was legalized in New York. and pushed for “right-sizing” government by transferring underused county assets to towns that could better manage them.
Jeff Bessen/Herald
Among his legislative accomplishments, Wink cites the creation of Nassau’s Silver Alert law, modeled after the Amber Alerts system.
Now, as he seeks to return to countywide office, Wink says that Nassau’s biggest problems aren’t new — they’re just unresolved. “When I left the Legislature in 2013, I came back 10 years later and found the same issues: the college, the medical center, the jail, assessments,” he said. “They’re all repackaged, but the same issues.”
One of his top concerns is the county’s ongoing fiscal oversight by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which was created more than 20 years ago amid
budget turmoil. “No county our size with our affluence and abilities should still be under a control board,” he said, adding that sustainable budgeting and stronger auditing practices could allow the county to regain autonomy.
Wink has been especially critical of the county’s use of American Rescue Plan Act funds to plug operating deficits. “The only way they’re balancing the 2025 budget is to take $120 million of Covid money,” he said. “We’re spending down reserves that were built up under Laura Curran,” he added, referring to the former county executive. “It’s unsustainable.” He said that Nassau faces a structural deficit of $200 million to $250 million per year in its four-year plan.
Wink argues that genuine transparency begins with full disclosure of how public money is spent — including vendor identities. “The county’s ‘open checkbook’ lists every transaction except who got the money,” he said. “That’s not transparency.”
If elected, he said, his first priority would be to restore field audits, which he claims have disappeared under the current administration. “The comptroller is there to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely,” Wink said. “We need to get back to real audits, in the weeds, to find waste, fraud and abuse.”
He also called for greater oversight of county contracts, jail operations and agencies such as the Nassau University Medical Center, which he says have faced mounting financial and management issues.
“The county is slowly fading into the fiscal abyss again,” Wink said. “We’ve been here before — and if we keep the status quo, we’ll be back there again. Nassau needs new eyes, real accountability, and leadership willing to tell the truth.”
Students at Lawrence Primary School participated in an assembly all about becoming a Cub Scout. The event introduced students to the core values and activities that come with joining the Cub Scouts, a program designed to build character, citizenship, and lifelong skills in young children.
Led by local leaders Pam Makaea, Matthew Libbey, and Rob Wolf, the assembly gave students a glimpse into the world of scouting through interactive discussions and hands-on demonstrations. Topics included citizenship, community involvement, first aid, and the importance of helping others, all key pillars of the Cub Scout experience.
“Our goal is to empower students with confidence, leadership, and a strong sense of responsibility,” Principal Kristen Panzarella wrote in a news release. “Cub Scouts is more than just an afterschool activity. It’s a journey of growth, friendship, and community service.”
Lawrence Primary School encourages all parents to consider enrolling their children in this incredible program. Cub Scouts is open to all students and offers a fun, structured environment to learn, grow, and explore the world around them.
— Melissa Berman
the event for 25 years.
“I’ve always been here helping out,” Vacchio said. “We start working on it six months to a year before and think of a theme or featured event. I really feel connected to the community — anybody who knows me knows I love this place and I’m passionate about history.”
She said her goal is to bring history to life, inviting historians who serve as artisans that work on the property to give demonstrations at the fair.
“We have someone who makes wampum,” Vacchio said, referring to historical shell beads used by Indigenous people in North America, “someone who spins and sometimes we have broom makers. We have that historical aspect as well where people get to see historical trades being done.”
The fair will also feature a pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, arts and crafts, scarecrow making, an animal farm, pony rides, craft vendors, antique cars, harvest market and food vendors. A spooky walk through the museum’s new educational center will also be available, along with the Peninsula Public Library outreach van.
“The van will have giveaways, library card applications, free books, the quarterly library newsletter and two library staff members to meet and greet attendees,” Carolynn Matulewicz, the library’s director, wrote in an email. “We are excited to be part of this long-standing
Holden Leeds/Herald
Diane Goldstein, a Rock Hall volunteer dressed in period costume, far left, demonstrated Colonial cooking techniques at last year’s Rock Hall Country Fair.
community event. Outreach in our community is a top priority for the library.”
Admission to the fair and parking is free, but a fee will be charged for certain activities like scarecrow making, pony rides, and admittance to the animal farm.
“It’s a really fun two-day event,” Vacchio said. “There’s a lot of work, set-up and prep that goes into it. We’re very fortunate for the Town of Hempstead, who owns the museum, (to) assist with setting up.”
The Friends of Rock Hall, a nonprofit founded in 1976 to support the museum, helps fund the programs and featured events that generate income to support
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2025
8:00 A.M. TO 10:00 A.M.
The Heritage Club at Bethpage
the fair. The organization works to preserve the historic site and promote education programs related to it.
“We’ve been roughly getting about 1,000 people for each of the two days of the fair,” Doug Sheer, president of Friends of Rock Hall, said. “It’s a lot of fun, and people come to both get entertained and to learn. You can always take a tour of the museum or go to presentation to everything from making food in colonial days, working on handicrafts, or view historical objects.”
Raffles will be available for purchase from sponsors of the fair, and all proceeds generated during the two-day event
Join Us!
go toward improving the museum.
“As a board, we decide with Amy (Vacchio) what type of entertainment we want for this year — whether we want Native Americans who are coming this year or fellows that do country of folk music or axe throwing and log rolling,” Sheer said. “We also make decisions about food vendors and other organizations to table.”
Sheer added that his favorite part of the fair is seeing people watching the presentations and learning about crafts from the historians.
“People have a lot of fun picking pumpkins, buying apple pies and participating in perennial favorites,” he said. “People may come to the fair, but they may be seeing Rock Hall for the first time, and that’s always great because that’s the ultimate purpose.”
Vacchio called the fair a “great family fun, community event,” saying her favorite part is the pumpkin patch.
“It makes you smile walking by it because it really shows that fall fun and everyone is getting along and creating these artistic messes,” she added. “It just screams out ‘fair.’ Our pumpkin patch and craft area brings delight to everybody.
“We also have the house on display, which is the central focal point of the fair because it’s 18th century,” Vacchio said. “Between the town and the Friends of Rock Hall, it’s a wonderful collaboration, and we get it all done.”
For more than 100 years the American Red Cross on Long Island has helped the community prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
COMMUNITY IMPACT HERO
Luv Michael
FIRST RESPONDER HEROES
Officers Timothy Deegan and Matthew Walling
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP HERO
Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize
DISASTER HERO
Jennifer Keane
MILITARY HERO
Mel Cohen
YOUTH HEROES
Charlie Dubofsky and Sydney Hassenbein
The American Red Cross Heroes Celebration is the signature fundraising event for the American Red Cross on Long Island, serving Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Event Co-chairs: James Quent, Greg Lavine, and Jennifer Solomon
For tickets, sponsorships, journal ads and to learn more, please visit redcross.org/LIheroes
ATTENTION STUDENTS:
THE HERALD IS HOLDING A CONTEST TO DESIGN HOLIDAY WRAPPING PAPER
THE WINNING DESIGNS WILL BE PRINTED AS HOLIDAY GIFT WRAP IN 12/4/25 & 12/11/25 ISSUES OF YOUR HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Who can enter: There will be 2 categories:
Students in grades k-5. Students in 6-12
One entry per student
Deadline: Entries must be received by 5 p.m.
Friday, October 31, 2025
Grand prize: Winners will have their design printed as wrapping paper in the Herald and will be featured in an article in their local Herald newspaper.
Entry format: Please use an 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of unlined paper. All entries should have the student’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, grade and school printed on the back. Design can be reflective of all religious holidays. Entries will not be returned.
Mail or hand-deliver to:
Wrapping Paper Contest
Herald Community Newspapers 2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 OR Scan and email to: ekimbrell@liherald.com
(No Photos of Artwork Will Be Accepted).
Winners will be notified by email or phone by November 14
• Must use 8 1/2 x 11” unlined paper, copy paper or construction paper.
• Be creative & original.
• Use bright colors.
• Fill the entire page.
• Choose paint, crayon, chalk, markers, pens, or other creative materials.
• Remember your design will be used to make a real sheet of wrapping paper.
At the mock store modeled after Freeport’s Two Cousins Fish Market, kids role play as fishmongers and customers.
Visitors are introduced to the exhibit’s many components.
By Abbey Salvemini
Long Island Children’s Museum sets sail on a bold new chapter with “Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea and the Sea Needs Me,” its first new permanent exhibition in over a decade. The 1,900-square-foot immersive installation, which officially opened last week, invites families to explore Long Island’s rich nautical heritage, celebrating the people, traditions and cultures that have long relied on the sea.
Our coastal identity comes to life through storytelling, interactive play and local traditions. Kids (and grown-ups!) can climb into a full-size bay house, sort the day’s catch in a bustling fish market, explore the wonders under the sea and even hop inside a 500-pound hand-carved canoe. That canoe — a mishoon (Indigenous dugout canoe) commissioned by the museum — was created through the collaboration of Shinnecock Cultural Steward Chenae Bullock, her mentor Darius Coombs of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and apprentice Shane Weeks of the Shinnecock Nation. Welcomed by the museum in June, it now takes up residence within “Saltwater Stories.”
A culmination of more than 15 years of museum programming and partnerships with local fishermen, Indigenous communities and historians, it anchors Long Island’s past to its future with creativity and care. The concept first took shape several years ago, sparked by the museum’s long-running partnerships with tradition bearers and a desire to give families a more personal connection to the natural world around them.
Museum President Erika Floreska describes the exhibit as “authentic, playful and beautiful.”
Director of Exhibits Margo Malter traces its roots back to weekend programs begun in 2009, when local baymen and fishermen shared firsthand stories about life on the water. Over the years, those early conversations grew into a deeper exploration of Long Island’s maritime culture. The turning point came in 2019, when the museum received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. That funding allowed the team to assemble a cohort of community advisors — fisherfolk, Indigenous leaders, historians, and educators — whose voices helped shape Saltwater’s foundation.
“We like to say the exhibit is informed by community, for the community,” Floreska adds.
From the stories of generations of baymen to the bustling fish markets of the Nautical Mile, the exhibit’s components are rooted in the everyday lives of Long
Anthony Rodia is back with his “Laugh Till It Hurts” tour. Building on the success of his previous outing, this is his biggest and most ambitious yet. Born and raised in Westchester, Rodia came out of the womb making people laugh. In his 20s he tried a few open mics, but ultimately took a different career path. In 2019, Rodia returned to comedy and left his day job to become a full-time stand-up comic. With a background steeped in family traditions, Italian-American culture and the ups and downs of modern life, Anthony’s comedy feels like a conversation with your funniest friend. His blend of observational humor, self-deprecation and witty impressions has led him on his path as one of the most exciting rising stars on the comedy scene.
Saturday, Oct. 18, 7 and 9:30 p.m.
Islanders past and present. It also highlights the connections between the traditions of immigrant communities who share seaside cultures, offering opportunities for shared experiences and dialogue.
Visitors are welcomed by a nine-foot high immersive, stylized wave tunnel. Visible from the three entries to the museum’s second floor, this wow-moment hooks you into the gallery and recreates that first introduction to the sea for many of us — a day at the beach. Lighting and sound effects give a transportive transition into “Saltwater Stories.”
• Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Among the exhibit’s many features, young visitors can role-play life on the bay in a walkin replica of a bay house, where a “magic window” lets them observe real-time changes in weather, tides and marsh life. Nearby, in a classic Long Island fish market, you can sort, weigh and sell the day’s catch — mimicking the work of generations who lived off the sea. Also everyone will enjoy “Lifting the Ocean’s Lid,” an early learner area where kids can get a close-up look at what lives under the sea.
• View the events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
• Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City
For Floreska, Saltwater’s heart lies in its ability to tell a local story while providing a playful, hands-on space that’s deeply connected to the real world — something she describes as both unique and meaningful.
“It gives visitors of all ages a chance to connect with a cultural richness that defines Long Island,” she says.
Integrating new technology felt like a natural next step in the evolution of the museum’s approach to storytelling, according to Malter. She highlights the bay house installation as a standout example, where digital features are used to make the environment feel dynamic and real.
To create the immersive “magic window,” the team hired a videographer to capture time-lapse footage of a local marsh over the course of several days, including scenes at night and during a storm. With the push of a button, kids can change the view outside the window — transforming from day to night or calm to stormy — making the experience both magical and grounded in the real world.
“Observing the natural world was a big educational goal for me,” Malter explains. By blending real footage with playful interaction, young visitors notice environmental details they might otherwise overlook — fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity rooted in the rhythms of local life.
The phrase “we need the sea and the sea needs me” serves as the exhibit’s guiding inspiration.
Even the quintessential Long Island Islander — Billy Joel — has a place here. Everyone can watch a video of his “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’,” commercial fishing’s unofficial anthem.
To help families turn inspiration into action, a resource guide on the museum website provides ideas for local, family-friendly activities that extend the learning into the home. Floreska points to community programs like Freeport-based “Operation Splash,” where families can participate in cleaning up local shorelines.
As a permanent fixture now, “Saltwater Stories” continues the museum’s commitment to ignite curiosity, encourage stewardship and strengthen our bond with the environment — reminding us all that the sea’s story is deeply intertwined with our own.
$144.75, $108.75, $98.25, $86.50, $76.25, $64.75. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
Gala
Maestro Louis Panacciulli and the Nassau Pops Orchestra return to the Tilles Center for their annual gala supporting the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, joined again by Tony Danza and his band. Danza’s latest cabaret show, “Sinatra and Stories,” blends personal anecdotes, humor and some classic tunes. He pays tribute to the music of ‘Ol Blue Eyes, whose music formed the soundtrack of his childhood. He brings his trademark charisma and storytelling — along with touch of soft shoe and ukulele-strumming — to his selection of Sinatra’s timeless classics. Swing into an afternoon of great tunes and fascinating stories — all to benefit this vital organization.
Sunday, Oct. 19, 3 p.m. Tickets start at $30. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post Campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at npso.org/tickets or tillescenter.org.
Artist Reception
Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library hosts a reception for artist Jack Banham.
• Where: 1125 Broadway
• Time: 2-3 p.m.
• Contact: hwpl.org
Rock Hall Country Fair
Rock Hall welcomes everyone to the Country Fair! Enjoy a weekend of entertainment, shows and fall fun! Visit with colonial historians, with harvest market, craft vendors and antique cars, kids craft area, pumpkin patch, and much more.
• Where: 199 Broadway, Lawrence
• Time: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 239-1157
Bring the kids to Long Island Children’s Museum’s annual Halloween celebration. Enjoy the holiday in a fun, safe and spooky (not scary) way! Show off your costumes and dance moves in a Monster Mash Dance Party. Visit the Spooky Studio and meet mysterious underwater creatures. Also make some cool and creepy crafts. Start off your spooky night by decorating a bewitching trick-or-treat bag, then collect ghostly goodies from the museum’s roaming staff. Also a special showing of “Uncle Vlad’s Pumpkin Patch” in the LICM theater. $16, $14 members; show $5.
• Where: Museum Row, Garden City
• Time: 6-9 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Poetica
Enjoy an evening of romantic and electrifying music at the next concert with Old Westbury Garden’s chamber ensemble-in-residence in Westbury House’s Red Ballroom. Celebrated pianist Hayk Arsenyan joins Poetica Musica for Chopin’s complete cycle of 24 Preludes, Op. 28, alongside selected preludes from Rachmaninoff’s Op. 32. Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28, are a set of short pieces inspired by Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, each written in a different key to explore all 24 keys on the keyboard. Composed in 1839, they were not performed until 1876, 25 years after Chopin’s death. Today, they are a favorite of pianists for their virtuosity, emotional depth, and exquisite beauty. With post-concert reception $30, $25 members and seniors.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: 8-10:30 p.m.
• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048
One of America’s most distinctive and longest-running rock bands, Little Feat is back in a big way with a revitalized lineup, a stellar new record — its first album of original material in over a decade The venerable six-piece is touring in support of ‘Strike Up the Band,” their first new studio album reliant on new material since 2012’s Rooster Rag. It’s Little Feat’s triumphant return to rock ‘n roll with plenty of swampy Southern soul. The band builds on a deep, over 50-year history. Little Feat used a combination of elite musicianship and brilliant, idiosyncratic songwriting to create a repertoire that transcends all boundaries. California rock, funk, folk, jazz, country and rockabilly mixed with New Orleans swamp boogie led to a powerful sound that has kept the audience dancing for decades. Their groove — in songs like “Dixie Chicken,” “Spanish Moon,” “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” and “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” — was so infectious it allowed them to endure and press on even when losing their founder, Lowell George, and founding drummer, Richie Hayward. They’re in top form now with Scott Sharrard on lead/vox and Tony Leone on drums/vox, and with founder Bill Payne on keys/vox, Fred Tackett on guitars/vox, Kenny Gradney on bass, and Sam Clayton on percussion/vox. Fifty years on, they’ve been up and they’ve been down and they know where they belong — standing or sitting behind their instruments, playing for you. And anything’s possible, because the end is not in sight. Tickets are $141.25, $120.25, $99.75, $77.75, $66.25
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
The Great Giveback Volunteer through the HewlettWoodmere Public Library to give back to the community! Packing new craft bags for children who attend SIBSplace, a support program for children affiliated with Mt. Sinai South Nassau Hospital. Registration required.
• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Contact: hwpl.org
Join Bill Schulman at HewlettWoodmere Public Library. While writing the columns “Collecting Memories” and “Where Are They Now?” for Yankee Magazine, he interviewed 113 former Yankees from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. He’ll share some of those fascinating conversations and some insights into baseball card collecting.
• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett
• Time: 6-7 p.m.
• Contact: hwpl.org
Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library invites adults 18 and over who are neurodivergent or have developmental disabilities a monthly session. Participate in crafts and socializing, or just come to hang out.
• Where: 1125 Broadway
• Time: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
• Contact: hwpl.org
Create Your Own Necklace
Join Ofra for a fun and relaxing workshop at Peninusula Public Library. Learn how to twist, bend, bead, and wrap to create a unique beaded wire pendant necklace. Registration is required. $15 per person.
• Where: 280 Central Ave., Lawrence
• Time: 6:30-8 p.m.
• Contact: peninsulapublic.org or call (516) 967-5777
Board of Education meets
The Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education holds its monthly meeting. Stay up to date on what’s happening in the district.
(leashed of course), With fall dog parade and costume contest on Sunday.Prizes awarded to best dog costumes, including Prettiest, Most Handsome, Most Original, Best Duo or Group, Funniest. Costume contest participants must register.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury.
• Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: also Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with costume parade/contest, 3-5 p.m.
• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
Haunted Halloween
Step back in time at Old Bethpage Village Restoration for some Halloween fun. Enjoy safe trick or treating, a kids’ costume parade and contest, witch-broom making, pumpkin painting, and other family fun. Meet the Headless Horseman and listen to a reading of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Enjoy the spooky fun while you appreciate the colors and beauty of the fall season in the farms, woods, and fields of the historic site. $15, $12 seniors and children 5-12.
• Where: 1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage
• Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Contact: oldbethpagevillagerestoration.org or call (516) 572-8409
• Where: 1570 Broadway, Hewlett
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: hewlett-woodmere.net
Enjoy a family movie night in Rock Hall’s new Education/ Visitor Center. See “Beetlejuice” (rated PG). Bring a blanket. $5 per person. Space limited and reservations required. Raffles, popcorn and snacks will be sold. All proceeds benefit the Friends of Rock Hall.
• Where: 199 Broadway, Lawrence
• Time: 6:30-9 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 239-1157
Board of Trustees meet
The Village of Lawrence Board of Trustees holds its monthly meeting. Stay up to date on what’s happening in the village.
• Where: 196 Central Ave., Lawrence.
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Contact: ivillageoflawrence.org
Dog Days Weekend
Enjoy the glorious grounds of Old Westbury Gardens with your pooch
Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes all to its latest theater production. Horrible news! The Mountain Boo Soda Company has their eyes on a piece of property for their new factory — Uncle Vlad’s pumpkin patch! Join Uncle Vlad, his nephew Chad, and their freakish friends as they team up to protect their Halloween home from the bony fingers of big business. The company is run by a skeleton, after all! With puppeteers and actors from LICM’s Theater, this musical adventure will tickle your funny bone as a Halloween treat for the whole family. $5 with museum admission ($4 members). $10 theater only.
• Where: Museum Row, Garden City
• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., also Oct. 26
• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
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.
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR RPMLT 2014-1 TRUST, SERIES 2014-1, Plaintiff, vs. NINA FISCHMAN, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 17, 2023 and a Short Form Order duly entered on May 5, 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 November 12, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 703 Carlyle Street, Woodmere, NY 11598. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 39, Block 192 and Lot 218. Approximate amount of judgment is $191,479.38 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #608260/2017.
Joshua David Brookstein, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 182006-1 156135
LEGAL NOTICE
INCORPORATED
VILLAGE OF LAWRENCE NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING and PUBLIC HEARING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that there will be a Regular Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Lawrence, at Lawrence Village Hall, 196 Central Avenue, Lawrence, New York 11559, on the 23rd day of October, 2025, at 8:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time, and one (1) Public Hearing with respect to the following matter: Public Hearing re: Proposed Local Law #11 of 2025
“A Local Law to amend the Village Code to amend §212.27.C of
the Village Code regarding off-street parking requirements
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT copies of the proposed items described above are on file/available in the office of the Village Clerk of the Village of Lawrence, NY, where the same is available for public inspection during regular office hours.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that all interested parties will be given an opportunity to be heard on all meeting matters at the place and time aforesaid. If anyone needs special accommodations for a disability, such person should contact the Village Clerk at least 5 days before the meeting.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to the requirements of the Open Meetings Law of the State of New York, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lawrence will convene in public meeting at the place and time aforesaid for the purpose of conducting a regular meeting where general business will be conducted.
Dated: October 7, 2025
By Order of the Board of Trustees Village of Lawrence, NY
Gerry Castro, Village Administrator 15633
LEGAL NOTICE
Notice of Public Hearing
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Inwood Fire District will conduct a Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 12:00 P.M., at the Office of the District, located at 188 Doughty Boulevard, Inwood, New York, for the purpose of adopting the 2026 Annual Budget for the District.
TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a copy of the proposed budget will be available at the Office of the Town Clerk, Town of Hempstead, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, beginning October 1, 2025, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M., Monday to Friday, except holidays or at the above Fire District’s Offices, 188 Doughty Boulevard, Inwood, New York, beginning October 1, 2025, between the hours of 10:00 A.M.
and 2:00 P.M., daily. By Order of the Board of Fire Commissioners INWOOD FIRE DISTRICT Inwood, NY
DATED: 10/01/2025 156189
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE OF ESTOPPEL
The bond resolution, summary of which is published herewith, has been adopted on October 9, 2025, and the validity of the obligations authorized by such resolution may be hereafter contested only if such obligations were authorized for an object or purpose for which the Village of Atlantic Beach, Nassau County, New York, is not authorized to expend money, or if the provisions of law which should have been complied with as of the date of publication of this notice were not substantially complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty days after the date of publication of this notice, or such obligations were authorized in violation of the provisions of the Constitution.
A complete copy of the resolution summarized herewith is available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Office of the Village Clerk of the Village for a period of twenty days from the date of publication of this Notice.
Dates: Atlantic Beach, New York October 9, 2025
Emily Siniscalchi Village Clerk
BOND RESOLUTION
DATED OCTOBER 9, 2025
A RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF UP TO $950,000 BONDS OF THE VILLAGE OF ATLANTIC BEACH, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK, TO PAY THE COST OF A SETTLED CLAIM WITH THE CHABAD
Object or purpose: Payment of a settled claim with the Chabad Period of Probable usefulness: Fifteen years Amount of obligations to be issued: $950,000 bonds 156336
meeting held on the 6th of October 2025, duly adopted the following Resolution, subject to permissive referendum:
A Resolution authorizing the expenditure of monies from the Hewlett Bay Fire District Capital Reserve Apparatus/Equipment Fund for replacement of the current 1st generation Styker power stretcher and stair chair due to their age and availability of repair parts. Upon a unanimous vote of the Board of Fire Commissioners, it approved to expend up to $65,000.00 from the Capital Reserve Apparatus/Equipment Fund to cover cost of replacement of the Stretcher & chair. And be it further resolved that should any of the monies allocated remain unused at the completion of the project, all remaining monies will be returned to the Hewlett Bay Fire District Capital Reserve Apparatus/Equipment Fund in an expedient manner by act of Board Resolution
A complete copy of the Resolution summarized herewith is available for public inspection during regular business hours (M-F 9am-2pm) at the office of the Hewlett Bay Fire District Secretary for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice.
Dated: Hewlett Bay Fire District, New York October 7, 2025
/s/Mike Ahern Fire District Secretary 156337
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Frederick L. Thomas, III; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered July 28, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on November 13, 2025, at 3:00PM, premises known as 127 Lawrence Avenue, Inwood, NY 11096. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon
The Lawrence School District participated in the annual Unified Champion Schools Coaches and Athletes Unity Summit, joining over 55 schools from across the region for a day of collaboration, learning, and leadership development, on Oct. 3.
Held as a dynamic gathering of studentathletes and coaches, the summit focused on core themes including fair play, mental health awareness for both athletes and coaches, and the importance of personal and community growth through sports.
Representing Lawrence at the summit were Coach Donald Crispyn and Special Education Teacher David Ziff, along with four standout student-athletes: Saully Hernandez, Jordan Gajadhar, Eitan Kisheev, and Jayden Torres. The group participated in a full day of interactive workshops and discussions that encouraged reflection, empathy, and leadership both on and off the field.
One highlight of the summit was the opportunity for the Lawrence students to take the stage alongside keynote speaker Mark Leinweaver, a renowned advocate for character-driven athletics and professional sports mentor. The students engaged directly with Leinweaver during his presentation, contributing to a conversation about resilience, responsibility, and unity in sports.
“Our students came away from the sum-
erected, situate, lying and being at Lawrence in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section: 40 Block: 38 Lot: 278. Approximate amount of judgment $124,412.80 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 615770/2023. Foreclosure auction will be held “Rain or Shine”.
Paul Meli, Esq, Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792
Dated: September 23, 2025
For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2831 156182
2007-12T1 Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2007-12T1, Plaintiff AGAINST Sarwar H. Riaz, et al, Defendant Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on August 4, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, North sides of the steps, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 28, 2025 at 2:30 PM premises known as 721 Park Lane, Cedarhurst, NY 11516. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Nassau, State of New York, SECTION: 39, BLOCK: 292, LOT: 116. Approximate amount of judgment is $947,543.00 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 000334/2016. For sale inform ation, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Francesco Tini, Referee
David Ziff and Coach Donal Crispyn
the annual Unified Champion Schools Coaches and Athletes Unity Summit, on Oct. 3.
mit energized and inspired,” Ziff wrote in a news release. “It was a meaningful experience that not only emphasized the values of fair competition, but also reinforced the importance of emotional well-being and being leaders in our community.”
The UCS Unity Summit continues to be a valuable experience for young athletes and coaches alike, offering a platform to connect across schools, share stories, and build a stronger, more supportive athletic culture.
— Melissa Berman
FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISS WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 87235 155871
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF AUGUST 1, 2006 SECURITIZED ASSET BACKED RECEIVABLES LLC TRUST 2006-HE1 MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-HE1, Plaintiff, AGAINST AZEEM ALI, et al. Defendant(s) Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on December 19, 2024. , the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 28, 2025 at 3:30 PM premises known as 541
11th Street, Cedarhurst, NY 11516. Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County, and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Woodmere, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 0039, Block 00290-00 and Lot 00054. Approximate amount of judgment $1,966,318.02 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #001877/2013. Paul L. Meli, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 155938
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Q. We’re trying to figure out how a mess started right at the beginning of our renovation. The plans were permitted, so we believe they were properly reviewed, but the mason and the contractor built something different than what was in the plans. The contractor is a friend who we trust. They have told us that the architect made mistakes, and they couldn’t build it the way the plans show, so they did something different.
We don’t want to stop the job, but the architect came by and said that there are many problems now, because the structure isn’t going to work the way the contractor made changes, and because the structure had to be a certain way. The contractor keeps sending us texts showing different ways to do the job, complete with sketches. The architect is saying that the work will be unsafe the way the contractor is proposing the changes. What should we do?
A. When plans aren’t followed, which happens all too frequently, the job has to stop while the design is reassessed by the architect. If you take that authority away from the architect, you set yourself up for a prolonged set of problems that can go on and on, delaying the work and possibly not even getting the outcome you were looking for.
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The contractor is not given the authority to change the design or construction. Most construction plans have clauses stating that the contractor is not to deviate from them, and also instruct the contractor to contact the architect with questions, or to get clarification on any issues or discrepancies before any work starts. Once the work starts, the contractor will often begin to point fingers at the architect for anything not clear and misunderstood. I refer to this as “divide and conquer,” a common practice in which the contractor, empowered to run the construction job, alienates the architect from the owner, creating an often permanent rift.
Contractors and building inspectors have told me it is rare to see an architect on a construction site, but I recommend that the architect look at the work — especially foundation forms — before a concrete pour and also framing. During demolition is an important time to see previously hidden structure, especially because older homes were often built with bare-minimum beams — hence the explanation for sagging floors that people often point out before the architect starts redesigning. You need to listen to the architect before this problem becomes harder, and more expensive, to undo.
If you have doubts about the architect, especially about structure, bring in a structural engineer to meet with the architect. One of the biggest reasons these problems occur is because of a lack of communication. You, the owner, should have brought everyone, including the architect, contractor, subcontractors — especially the mason — together and had a team meeting. Letting everyone do their own thing with the assumption that everything would run smoothly was the first problem. But it’s not too late. 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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MERCEDES C350, 2015:
American foreign policy is at a watershed moment, comparable to the critical years after World War II, when the United States and our allies were forced to accept that the euphoria of victory over Nazi Germany and imperial Japan had been supplanted by the reality of the Iron Curtain and the threat of Soviet expansion. The Cold War had begun.
The NATO alliance was formed to prevent Joseph Stalin from emulating Adolf Hitler’s march through Europe after the Munich Conference capitulation in 1938, which had given Hitler virtually free rein to invade and seize Czechoslovakia. A decadeslong struggle would continue through various iterations and crises until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 — a struggle that today’s isolationists would have labeled an “endless war.” Fortunately, neither American political party elected isolationists during those defining 45 years. Pre-World War II isolationism had long since been consigned to the ash heap of history.
The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 created a sense of euphoria similar to
Ithat of 1945 and ’46. Eastern Europe was liberated from the yoke of Soviet communist rule, and the Soviet republics declared their independence from Moscow. One of them was Ukraine, which, tragically, had been brutalized for centuries by Russia.
TUkraine was also left with thousands of Soviet nuclear weapons. In 1994, in keeping with the spirit of the Soviet demise, Ukraine gave up those weapons in return for guarantees of security from the United States, Britain and Russia, in what was known as the Budapest Agreement. All indicators seemed to foresee a reformed Russia, and no aggression of the type that drew the U.S. into the two world wars of the 20th century.
rump’s turnabout with Zelensky and Putin sends a clear message to China.
There would be fits and starts with Russia during the later Bush years, including an incursion into Georgia, and then a promise by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009 that the Obama administration would “reset” the relationship with Russia. That reset never worked, and Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. There was no Russian aggression during the first Trump administration, but then, in February 2022, Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine — the first invasion of a sovereign European nation since the end of World War II.
defeating Russian aggression, having supplied more funding to Ukraine than the U.S. Unfortunately, President Trump has shown reluctance to stand with Ukraine, ascribing equal blame for the war to Zelensky — even berating him in the White House, telling him he had no cards to play.
I accompanied President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to Moscow in September 1998 for meetings with Russian President Boris Yeltsin and other Russian officials to strengthen economic and cultural ties between our two nations. The dialogue between the leaders was extremely positive. Then, after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the newly elected Russian president, Vladimir Putin, was among the first foreign leaders to pledge President George W. Bush his full support.
Ukraine, under its newly elected reform president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was expected to succumb in days or weeks. President Joseph Biden even offered to have American jets provide Zelensky safe passage out of Ukraine. But with the U.S. and NATO countries supplying weapons and logistical support, Zelensky and Ukraine have fought Russia to a stalemate for over three and a half years — longer than America’s war against Nazi Germany.
Russia has suffered more than a million casualties, and has had to resort to using North Korean troops. Its economy is in shambles. NATO has admitted two previously neutral nations, Sweden and Finland, and remains committed to
Trump met with Putin in Alaska, and implored him to meet with Zelensky to reach a compromise. Putin implied that he would, but reneged. Realizing he was being played, Trump denounced Putin in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month, and just hours later, met one on one with Zelensky. Then, going full circle, Trump released a statement hailing Zelensky’s leadership, saying that Ukraine was in a position to “fight and win,” and pledging to continue to supply weapons to NATO for Ukraine’s use against Russia.
Trump’s turnabout will prevent a catastrophic replay of Munich and halt Putin’s attempt to rebuild the Russian empire. This defeat of Russian aggression in Europe will simultaneously send a clear message to China not to move against Taiwan or other Pacific nations such as the Philippines and Japan. The United States will remain the leader of the free world.
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
’m tired. In fact, I’m exhausted. I’m overwhelmed. It’s not from going to the gym. It’s not from being glued to my TV, watching my favorite baseball team trying to survive the playoffs.
It’s the torrent of information that has been drowning me 24 hours a day, with no promise of abating. Is there any hope that the flood will end and that I’ll have a respite from information overload? Is there any hope that the barrage will shut down over the weekend, when we try to pay less attention to our laptops and cellphones? Or are we doomed to being perpetually overwhelmed by the greatest avalanche of facts, figures, news, emails, text messages and robocalls since the dawn of the high-tech era?
There is no one culprit that we can identify whose elimination would give us a reprieve from the onslaught. One of the biggest offenders of them all is,
Aof course, the White House, which engages in a strategy known as Flood the Zone. Every day, it releases so many “hot” news items that it would take you or me two or three days just to get through them. In addition to the media flood, President Trump holds freewheeling news conferences that can last well over an hour. Generally, those events generate other news stories on top of the daily pressroom output.
Then there’s the smartphone app challenge. I checked my phone and found that I am attached to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X and have subscriptions to the Daily News, the New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsday, Newsday TV, the Huffington Post, Apple News, The Hill, CNN, The Weather Channel and some others that I’ve forgotten. I know that over the course of the day, I tap into every one of those outlets for some type of information.
imagine waiting at a bus stop for six hours. It’s a long time.
ll ‘breaking’ news all the time — and for goodness’ sake, don’t forget podcasts.
Beyond all these challenges is the introduction of artificial intelligence into our lives. No matter how hard you try, there’s no way to escape the onslaught of articles, studies, memos and office talk about AI. Just a few years ago, if someone had uttered the words artificial intelligence, they would have been largely ignored. These days, those words hover over us like a threatening storm cloud, with most of us having no idea whether it will help or harm us.
program. How many times in a halfhour can there be so much “breaking” news? And the repetition of the same stories can be head-splitting.
Last, but by far not least, is the introduction into our space of the podcast. Today, almost every media, political, religious, sports or entertainment personality has a podcast of some kind. They have rotating guests, and offer a mountain of opinions on the subjects of the moment. Many of them are interesting and informative, but how many hours in a day do we have to partake in this newest information vehicle?
Once a week, I get a text telling me that, on average, I’m on my phone for a minimum of six hours a week. That doesn’t sound like a lot of hours, but
Once upon a time, watching television was a respite from the pressures of the day. Today, watching TV can leave you dazed and confused by hour after hour of commercials for countless drugs, all of which, apparently, will save humanity. On top of the drug tsunami, there are countless other ads that dominate the time you would like to just sit back and watch your favorite show, uninterrupted.
To add to the desperation for some chill time, there’s today’s typical news
So that is my ongoing nightmare. It is mine, but it’s the nightmare that we all face. We’re just human beings; we’re not robots. At least for now, they can’t implant a chip in our brain to help us fend off the cascade of facts, figures, opinions, ideas, theories and concepts that flood our every waking hour. So we’ll have to find new ways to help ourselves live a normal life, and still be adequately informed people.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. Comments about this column? jkremer@ liherald.com.
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n an age of uncertainty and skepticism toward the media, one mission has remained unwavering: to inform, empower and connect our community with journalism rooted in truth and integrity.
That mission defines Herald Community Media, publisher of 27 community weekly newspapers serving Nassau and Suffolk counties and a touch of New York City. It is the foundation of everything we do — every story we report, every question we ask and every issue we print.
The Herald’s purpose has never been clearer or more vital, especially now, during election season. Across the nation, trust in media has declined as misinformation spreads faster than facts and as social media platforms blur the line between opinion and truth. Yet despite this turbulence, the need for reliable local journalism has never been greater. We know you depend on us not only to tell you what’s happening, but also to help you understand why it matters — to your neighborhood, your family and your future.
This summer, the Pew Research Center published “How Americans View Journalists in the Digital Age,” an indepth look at how the public perceives our profession. Pew surveyed nearly 9,400 U.S. adults and convened a number of focus groups, and found both optimism and concern. Most Americans still believe journalists are vital to our soci-
There’s often been bias in journalism
To the Editor:
Re Nick Buglione’s column in the Oct. 2-8 issue, “I was proud to be a reporter — but things have changed”: I, too, would like to put to rest the argument that Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok and other social media have any role in serious journalism. It’s indeed unfortunate that so many people rely on these geysers of rumor, gossip, misinformation and lies for their news.
But the journalism profession has never been as idealistic and innocent as Mr. Buglione seems to suggest it once was. In fact, long before social media invaded our world, the press’s coverage of important events was at times nakedly partisan, ignorant and dishonest.
In the 19th century, for example, some newspapers accepted hefty sums of money from politicians for favorable coverage of their campaigns. At least one paper from that era, William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal, ran sensationalized stories about Spanish atrocities in Cuba, which, many believe, helped drum up support for American involvement in the Spanish-American War.
ety’s well-being — but many also express frustration, feeling that the media’s credibility and influence have declined amid political division and technological upheaval.
Yet within those findings lies a message of hope and direction. Americans say what they value most in their news providers is honesty, intelligence and authenticity — qualities that have guided the Herald’s reporting since its founding in 1964. Our journalists live by those values every day. We verify information carefully, we listen with compassion and we report with clarity and context. We are not distant observers; we are your neighbors, your fellow community members and your partners in truth.
At a time when the term “media” often evokes distrust, the Herald reaffirms its promise: to deliver accurate, objective and trustworthy local journalism. That means being transparent about how we report, being accountable when we err, and being authentic in how we connect with you.
Authenticity, as editors across the country have noted, may be the most powerful defense against today’s flood of misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated content. Real, local journalism can’t be practiced from behind a desk or from a distant city. It requires trained professionals who show up in the community, ask hard questions and share the stories of other real-life
people.
Every week, Herald journalists attend school board meetings, interview local business owners, chronicle civic debates, and celebrate the achievements of neighbors doing extraordinary things. We are not reporting on the community from afar — we are reporting within it, with care, empathy and purpose.
Readers deserve to know how stories come together — how sources are verified, why certain facts are included and how conclusions are drawn. We are committed to correcting mistakes quickly and publicly, because credibility is not earned by claiming perfection but by demonstrating honesty.
As Pew’s research highlights, Americans long for media that is clear, fair and accountable. The Herald’s commitment to those ideals has not wavered for more than six decades, and it will not waver now. Our mission — to inform, empower and connect our community with journalism rooted in truth and integrity — is our responsibility, our calling and our promise. As a locally owned family business, our commitment is to our communities, not to Wall Street.
In a world increasingly driven by algorithms and artificial noise, the Herald’s voice remains steady: local reporting by real journalists, telling real stories that matter. That is how we serve. That is how we strengthen our community. And that is how we continue.
Have you noticed that your vision is becoming a little hazy, like you’re looking through a foggy window? If so, you might be experiencing the effects of cataracts.
contact lens prescription, or double vision in one eye.
What, exactly, is a cataract? Imagine the lens of your eye is like the lens of a camera. It’s a clear, natural part of your eye that focuses light onto the retina, which is at the back of your eye. The retina then sends signals to your brain, creating the images you see.
A cataract is simply the clouding of this natural lens. It’s a bit like a clear camera lens becoming frosted over. This clouding prevents light from passing through properly, leading to blurry, hazy or dim vision. Cataracts typically develop slowly and painlessly, so you might not even notice a change in your vision at first. As they progress, however, you may experience cloudy or blurry vision, the fading or yellowing of colors, an increased sensitivity to light, difficulty with night vision, halos around lights, frequent changes in your eyeglass or
The most common cause of cataracts is aging, but other factors can also contribute to their development, including family history, medical conditions, previous eye injury or surgery, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.
When cataracts begin to interfere with your daily life, making it difficult to read, drive or watch TV, it’s time to consider cataract surgery. It’s one of the most common and routinely successful surgical procedures performed today.
Tdistance (i.e. driving, watching a Broadway show). You will likely still need glasses for reading, using a computer and other close-up tasks.
Toric lenses (astigmatism correction): Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is shaped more like a football than a baseball, causing blurry or distorted vision. Toric IOLs have a special design that corrects both your cataract and your astigmatism in a single procedure.
hey’re a normal part of aging, but they don’t have to define your vision.
The surgeon makes a tiny incision in the eye, and then uses a special tool to break up and remove the cloudy natural lens. Then a new, clear artificial lens — called an intraocular lens, or IOL — is implanted in its place. The new lens becomes a permanent part of your eye and requires no special care.
With modern cataract surgery, you have options for your new lens. Your doctor will help you choose the best one to fit your lifestyle and needs.
Monofocal IOL: This is the most common type of IOL. It provides clear vision at a single distance, usually for
Closer to our time, the press remained curiously silent about the 1940s Levittown covenant restricting home ownership in that community to white people. And in 2002, when President George W. Bush justified our invasion of Iraq by insisting that the country’s weapons of mass destruction posed a threat to America, few newspapers questioned his claim.
I’m sure Mr. Buglione enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with his Herald colleagues 20 years ago. And while I’ve no reason to doubt his statement that Herald reporters were genuinely committed to presenting the news accurately, we’d be hard-pressed to find a time when the press — in general — has been entirely squeaky clean.
RICHARd J. COnWAY Massapequa
To the Editor:
It can be an easy win for a candidate with name recognition who has enough money and government power to bombard us with fliers, signs and TV ads each day. Bruce Blakeman, our current n assau County executive, has this power. We need to look beyond the hype.
It’s time for a more centrist candidate. Blakeman and his team are entrenched in
Extended depth of focus lenses: These lenses create a single, elongated focal point to provide a continuous range of vision. They offer excellent distance vision and a solid range of intermediate vision — great for computer work or seeing a car dashboard — with a lower chance of nighttime glare or halos than other multifocal designs. You may still need glasses for very fine print.
Light adjustable lenses: These are the only IOLs that can be customized after they have been implanted. The lenses are made of unique, photosensitive material. After a few weeks of healing, your surgeon uses a special light-delivery device to fine-tune the lenses’ power to your exact visual needs (distance, near or a blend), eliminating any small remaining prescription errors. Once
national politics, pleasing President Trump by doing such things as training a group of our county police officers to work in tandem with the president’s controversial ICE force, setting aside cells in our county jail for nonviolent ICE detainees, and creating a volunteer, private militia that Blakeman can use when and how he decides.
On the other hand, Seth Koslow is a centrist candidate for county executive with years of experience as a Queens district attorney, a private-practice lawyer and a current member of the nassau County Legislature. He has lived in nassau County his entire life, and is raising his family here. He is very concerned about our taxes in nassau, and has said that he would order a full, independent audit of county spending to see where our money is being spent.
Koslow has stated that he would share ideas with his Republican counterpart in Suffolk County, because he believes in the idea of people on both sides working together for the benefit of the county. He has said he would disband Blakeman’s private militia because he believes that our excellent county police force is more than capable of handling our citizens’ safety.
The bottom line is that Seth Koslow is a highly qualified local resident who would concentrate solely on the needs of our county. This makes him and his team best suited to run our county.
ELAInE RAuCH Lynbrook
the optimal vision is achieved, the lens is “locked in” and the adjustments are permanent. This offers the highest level of precision and customization.
Femtosecond cataract surgery: precision with lasers: While traditional cataract surgery is very safe and effective, many surgeons now offer laser-assisted surgery. It uses a highly precise, computer-controlled laser to perform several key steps of the surgery that were traditionally done by hand with a blade. The laser creates the tiny incision, opens the lens capsule and even softens the cataract before it is removed. This allows for extraordinary accuracy and consistency, can lead to a more predictable outcome and a faster recovery, and is a safer procedure for certain patients.
Cataracts are a normal part of aging, but they don’t have to define your vision. With simple preventive measures and highly effective surgical options, you can look forward to a world that is once again clear, vibrant and full of light. If you have any concerns about your vision, don’t hesitate to speak with your eye doctor.
Dr. Carolyn Shih is an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, and works at South Shore Eye Care, a member of the Northwell Health Eye Institute.
for the
