Oceanside/Island Park Herald 05-01-2025025

Oceanside/island park

HERALD

Tim Baker/Herald

The demonstration of the da Vinci system showcased how small incisions allow the robot to enter the body and perform surgical procedures, producing less pain and blood loss and less likely chances of infection than in traditional surgery.

The future of robotic surgery is now

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

In an eye-opening demonstration of medical innovation, Mount Sinai South Nassau showcased its state-of-the-art robotic surgical systems on Wednesday, offering a glimpse into the future of minimally invasive medical procedures.

Surgery that was once performed through large, invasive incisions is now accomplished through tiny ports and with unprecedented precision, benefitting patients in many significant ways.

Dr. Rajiv Datta, director of the hospital’s Surgical Oncology Program at the hospital, traced three decades of innovation — from bigincision “open” surgeries to laparoscopy in the

1990s, and then the first MD Andersondesigned robot in 2001, to today’s robotic da Vinci 5 Surgical System.

Laparoscopy — using long instruments through small cuts guided by a two-dimensional camera — marked the first advancement. However, the leap to robotics in 2001 truly transformed what minimally invasive surgery could achieve.

“Three decades ago, we operated with big incisions,” Datta said. “Now, our robotic systems allow surgeons to perform complex procedures with minimal trauma to the patient.”

Last week, Mount Sinai showcased live demonstrations of the da Vinci robotic system, with physicians explaining how it works and hospital workers and media members getting

Lone Soldier’s story honors fallen heroes

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

The Friedberg JCC partnered with the Oceanside Jewish War Veterans Post 717 on Sunday to present this year’s Yom HaZikaron — Israeli Memorial Day — ceremony, in which a young Lone Soldier’s narrative captivated attendees and illuminated the profound sacrifices of Israel’s defenders.

Yom HaZikaron is the day of national remembrance in Israel to commemorate all the soldiers and others who have lost their lives during the struggle to defend the State of Israel. Nearly 100 community members gathered in the JCC auditorium for two hours of prayer, song, personal testimony and candid dialogue — honoring fallen soldiers, victims of terror, and the 59 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza a year and a half after Hamas attacked Israel.

Commander John Robbins, of the Jewish War Veterans post, opened the program, thanking JCC staff and veterans for their collaboration. JCC Junior Emis-

sary Maya Braverman, 22, lead organizer for the program, explained the dual nature of Israeli Memorial Day: two evenings of mourning followed by Independence Day celebrations. “I think it was a good opportunity to bring it together,” Braverman said. “You have Memorial Day, but we have Memorial Day, too, so I think it was a nice way to bring it together, as those who have fallen have fallen for a greater good. They sacrifice their lives so we can have our own lives.”

Braverman described Israel’s nationwide two-minute siren at 11 a.m., when the country stands still in collective remembrance on Holocaust Remembrance Day, also known as Yom HaShoah, as a moment of silence to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

This year, Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day — was observed from the evening of April 23 to the evening of April 24. Yom HaZikaron was observed from the evening of

Island Park Little League season tees off

The Island Park community celebrated the start of baseball season in style with the annual Island Park Little League Opening Day Parade on Saturday morning.

The festivities began at Lincoln Orens Middle School, with players, families, and local leaders marching to Shell Creek Park. Mayor Michael McGinty and Trustee Barbara VolpeRied were joined by Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Legislators Patrick Mullaney, John Ferretti, and Councilwoman Laura Ryder for the big

event. Members of the Island Park Volunteer Fire Department also participated and helped ensure the parade’s success.

At Shell Creek Park, Mayor McGinty continued the tradition by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, officially opening the season. Local officials praised the Island Park Little League for its dedication to the community and wished all players and families a safe and exciting season.

— Kepherd Daniel

Courtesy Village of Island Park

Island Park Mayor Michael McGinty threw the first pitch at Shell Creek Park.

Councilwoman Laura Ryder,back left,Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Legislator Patrick Mullaney, far right, joined I.P. Little League President Josh Wylie.

Mayor McGinty addresses fiscal challenges

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

Chronic budget deficits have placed the Village of Island Park in the highest tier of fiscal concern, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office announced on April 17, naming Island Park one of only three New York villages in “significant fiscal stress.” The village scored 81.7 out of 100 under the Comptroller’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System, well above the 70-point threshold for the most serious designation.

Island Park’s 2023–24 operating deficit— roughly $700,000, or about 12 percent of its $5.84 million budget—drove the red-flag designation. The Comptroller’s report cited drawdowns of fund balance, elevated debt service from essential capital projects, and rising insurance costs as principal factors.

WIsland Park has made to reverse its fortunes.

“We’re raising taxes by 7 percent for the second year in a row,” he said, noting that the additional levy generates roughly $410,000 in new revenue. “We’ve trimmed expenses such as payroll and overtime and cut sanitation collection from three days a week to two.”

McGinty added that essential public-safety investments—rebuilding a firehouse, replacing three fire trucks, and renovating the Village Public Works Central garage—were unavoidable.

e have been working as hard as anybody can work

“The number of local governments with a fiscal stress designation remains low following several years of emergency federal pandemic aid that helped stabilize their finances,” DiNapoli said in a release. “With that aid coming to an end and uncertainty coming out of Washington on state and local funding cuts, local officials should closely monitor their financial condition so they can be prepared for any financial challenges that lie ahead. I encourage local governments to use our self-assessment tool to help them budget and avoid potential pitfalls.”

MIcHAEL McGINty Island Park Mayor

Island Park Mayor Michael McGinty acknowledged the village’s financial difficulties, revealing that when he took office 11 years ago, accounts payable stood at $1.1 million with no immediate means to pay. Since then, he detailed how the village has undertaken several critical infrastructure projects, including rebuilding a firehouse, acquiring a village hall at a reasonable price as opposed to building a village hall and replacing fire trucks. McGinty detailed the hard choices

“Our debt service is high, but there wasn’t any choice in the matter,” he said. “Public safety and public health have to will out in the end. There’s no, ‘wait till tomorrow.’”

The mayor not only addressed financial challenges but also firmly defended the village’s independence. Some residents have floated the idea of unincorporating the village of Island Park and joining the Town of Hempstead as hamlet to escape rising taxes. Despite the comptroller’s office score, McGinty remained resolute against suggestions of de-incorporating and joining the Town of Hempstead.

“It would mean we relinquish local zoning control and that’s a terrible thing,” he said. “Every mayor would see it as a loss of local control.” He predicted unified opposition from villages across Long Island.

“It would need approval from the State Senate, the State Assembly, and ultimately, the governor,” McGinty said. “All the other villages, would line up in opposition, Democrat and Republican, because every mayor and every elected official would see it as a loss of local control.”

McGinty expressed confidence that the village will improve its fiscal position, emphasizing a commitment to financial transparency and responsible budgeting. The village is focusing on attracting new businesses, developing strategic properties, and seeking innova -

Island Park’s fiscal strategy

The village has implemented strategic measures to address financial challenges, including:

■ Installing parking meters to generate approximately $75,000 in recurring revenue

■ Implementing two consecutive seven percent tax increases

■ Seeking inter-municipal agreements and grants

■ Reducing costs by hiring part-time workers

■ Actively working to secure additional funding through state and federal channels

tive ways to generate revenue while maintaining essential services for residents.

“We have been working as hard as anybody can work,” he said. “We have two grants in the works. We’re going to be entering into an inter-municipal agreement with the town of Hempstead to rebuild the bulkheads to reduce erosion and to protect our homes. Down by Beach Way we had a beach stabilization project that’s protected the beach and all local homes. We just keep pushing.”

As federal pandemic aid winds down and state funding remains uncertain, McGinty is focused on grants and recurring revenues such as the village’s ParkMobile revenue.

“You got to concentrate on the work…how do I save $1? How do I increase revenue?” he said. “We’ll clean up everything at the end of the fiscal year, and we’ll see what we have.”

File Photo

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli named Island Park as one of two Long Island villages —alongside Huntington Bay in Suffolk County —that were designated in fiscal stress under his office’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System for their fiscal year ending in 2024.

Oceanside S.A.F.E hosts Drug Take Back

Oceanside High School served as the site for a successful Drug Take Back Day on Saturday where community members drove up to safely dispose of expired and unused medications.

The event provided a convenient and confidential way for residents to clear their homes of unwanted prescriptions.

The initiative, organized by the Oceanside SAFE Coalition, the Oceanside School District’s “Be Well initiative and the Nassau County Police Department, aimed to promote public health and prevent the misuse of medications. By offering a secure disposal option, the event helped reduce the risk of prescription drug abuse in the community.

–Kepherd Daniel

of dozens of medications.

Legacy Planning

Some thirty-five years ago your writer was taught that estate planning is about getting your assets to whom you want, when you want, and the way you want, with the least amount of taxes and legal fees possible.

In the intervening time, we have learned that estate planning is more — it is legacy planning. Legacy has two meanings (1) the assets you leave, and (2) the impression you leave. Your assets will dissipate, but your impression will endure.

Were you kind and generous? Were you forgiving and grateful? Were you compassionate and did you bring light into the world, despite your setbacks.

Our readers have surely noticed over the years that these sponsored columns are not only about law, but just as often about how to become a better human being. Much of it has been learned from our interactions with clients. A client once asked if I had a degree in psychology. I answered yes, I have a Masters. When she asked where I got it, I said sitting behind this desk eight hours a day for the last thirty-five years!

Observing people, you learn that perspective is everything. We consider it part of our calling to provide clients with different perspectives with which to view personal and family matters. It is not difficult to see how looking at a situation from a different perspective can completely change the way we see the world. A client came in relating how furious she was that her daughter’s abusive husband used her daughter to obtain his degree and then asked for a divorce and move out. Yes, I said, but if it was my daughter and she had an abusive husband I would be thrilled that he had move out. Oh, the client said, “I never thought of that!” Her view of the matter had shifted considerably. Thoreau put it, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Working on oneself to become a better person is a classic win/win situation. Our lives become better as do those of everyone we come into contact with. The Dalai Lama says we are all selfish but we can engage in “enlightened selfishness”, doing better by others for our own sake.

Coalition member Fran Gallin with Police Officer Jerryd Ruff collect and dispose medications into a large container which will then be disposed properly.

Maureen Lennon/Herald photos

Multiple community members at Oceanside High School to collect medications. From left was NCPD Community Council Commissioner Mark Mirsky, Abby Levitz, Sandi Schoell, 4th Precint officer Jarryd Ruff, Oceanside S.A.F.E Coalition members Frances Gallin and Ali Eriksen.

Ali Eriksen disposed

O’Sides Literary Magazine wins two national awards

The 2024 edition of the Oceanside High School literary magazine, Serendipity, was named a winner in the American Scholastic Press Association’s annual review of high school literary magazines. It also won an award of excellence from the National Council of Teachers of English. The 2023 edition was a winner in both competitions as well. Many students contributed writing, art, or both, while others served as members of the Literary Magazine Club and helped edit the publication. English Language Arts teacher Bonnie Hennessy advises the club.

— Kepherd Daniel

Oceanside High School students with teacher Bonnie

and

of Education’s honors ceremony, prior to the April 23 board meeting. The students were recognized for their contributions to the award winning literary magazine. Not all winners were present for the photo.

Current and former students who contributed to the publication’

Sarah Ali

Richard Amthor

Julian Michael Avellaneda

Allison Azanedo

Delaney Baccari

Gabriella Badolato

Christian Bier

Mylo Bonilla

Dylan Caamano

Candace Carpenato

Bella Cincinelli

Kellie Cohen

Anabel Connelly

Cassidy Cuccio

Tristan Cuevas

Erica Davydov

Julia Dellamorte

Amelia Diminico

Paige Donoghue

Vanessa Eicher

Aiyu Feng

Jordana Halpern

Hayley Heeralall

Sienna Hijuelos

Grayson Katulka

Kaitlyn Krupka

Cayla Levine

Mikayla Lieber

Carmen Lin

Cassandra Lucero

Kaitlyn Lucero

Bowie Maitland

Hannah Margolis

Luciana Mazzocco

James McGrath

Sage Morales

Avery Morgan

Reese Morris

Nate Murray

Beatrice Musto

Claudia O’Reilly

Sage Pardini

Sophia Patane

Steven Plesser

John Pohevitz

Hayden Policastro

Micah Pryce

Kira Quintero

Angelina Ricottone

Talia Ridi

Mia Grace Robley

Julianna Rodriguez

Leyla Rodriguez

Sophia Rodriguez

Carolina Rosciglio-

ne

Luke Ryan

Victoria Sailer

Daniela Sanchez

Abigail Santiago

Zaniya Selassie

Alina Smith

Ashley Sparacio

Marina Tsotsos

Amelia Wolkoff

Julianna Yanatos

Denis Yoshuvayev

Courtesy Oceanside School District

Hennesy

English Language Arts director Francesca Wasserman at the Board

MADISON WADE

Plainedge Senior Lacrosse

IT HAS BEEN A red-hot April for Wade and the Plainedge girls’ lacrosse team. The Red Devils have won eight of their last night games, with Wade serving as one of the integral parts of the success. The third-year varsity player is also a third-year captain and helping Plainedge’s offense fire. Entering this week’s action, Wade ranked near the top of Nassau County in goals with 42. She netted at least three goals in eight of the first 11 games.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, May 1

Boys Lacrosse: Baldwin at Freeport 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Calhoun at Carey 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: East Meadow at Clarke 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Sewanhaka at Freeport 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Mepham at Bethpage 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Elmont at Uniondale 5 p.m.

Friday, May 2

Flag Football: Lynbrook at East Rockaway 5 p.m.

Flag Football: Bethpage at Long Beach 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Farmingdale at Massapequa 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: South Side at Wantagh 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: South Side at North Shore 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Lynbrook at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Long Beach at Massapequa 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 3

Softball: Uniondale at Elmont 10 a.m.

Softball: North Shore at Baldwin 10 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at Mepham 10 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Calhoun at Oceanside 10 a.m.

Flag Football: Freeport at Oceanside 11 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Clarke at Division 12 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Island Trees at Hewlett 3 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

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

Oceanside leads stacked conference

By DYLAN BUTLER sports@liherald.com

The Oceanside softball team has turned the page in its regular season. After a 9-2 start in Nassau Conference I, the Sailors sit in first place and look every bit like a county champion not ready to relinquish their title.

That also won’t be easy. Conference I features the six best softball teams in the county. Rivals Massapequa and Farmingdale are just behind first-place Oceanside, and Syosset has won five games in a row.

“When you come out of a county championship, you have a bullseye on your back and everyone’s gunning for you,” Oceanside coach Carlo Quagliata said. “It is a privilege. It is nice to be known. We work hard, and the girls work hard for years trying to get to where we got to last year. A lot of them came back and they had that taste, and they want to keep it.”

The story of the first half of the season has been an offense that has produced 90 runs, third behind the Chiefs and Dalers in that category. However, that responsibility for Oceanside is evenly distributed throughout the lineup.

“When we bunch our hits together, it’s nonstop,” Quagliata said. “We have the potential one through nine where everyone could hit. There really is no soft spot in our lineup.”

The most consistent at the plate have been Christina Vlahakis and Maya Levy, while sophomore Joanna Byrne, left fielder, in her first year on varsity, has been a “contact machine.”

“She just puts the ball in play every single time,” Quagliata said. “It’s line drive after line drive after line drive. Those three have really been pushing the offense.”

Third baseman Riley Brasch brings power at the plate, while Riley Moylan, all-state at the long jump and triple jump, is a lefty slap hitter who has never been caught stealing in three-and-a-half years on varsity.

Caroline Ferchland and Kate Hyland have been a strong one-two punch in the

circle. Both pitchers bring different attributes, with Ferchland being more of a power pitcher while Hyland keeps hitters off balance with her secondary pitches.

Defensively, the Sailors have been solid in the middle of the infield with Levy at second base and Karley Handleman at shortstop.

The real defensive star has been freshman centerfielder Alexa Conte.

“Not only did she come to every single offseason workout, but it was just play after play after play,” Quagliata said. “She forced us to look twice, and once we did, we couldn’t look back.”

Yes, there’s Emma Priest at Wantagh, an Adelphi-bound senior, and Syosset

sophomore Taylor Renny. But Quagliata would put Conte up against any centerfielder in Nassau, and beyond.

“She’s just highlight reel after highlight reel,” Quagliata said.

The first half of the season, though, wasn’t without disappointment, with Quagliata highlighting a 4-2 loss to Farmingdale in early April as one he wants back.

“I just think we woke up late that day, and sometimes with teenagers, that’s what happens,” Quagliata said. “And yet, last inning we were one hit away. It was a tough loss, and in the moment, it hurt, but I think if we played them in a best-of-three series, we’re the better team.”

Derrick Dingle/Herald Senior Christina Vlahakis has been one of the hottest hitters for the Sailors, who entered this week atop the Conference I standings.

O’Side VFW hosts breakfast with Senator

Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick welcomed local veterans to a ‘Veterans Bagel Breakfast’ at the Oceanside VFW post 5199 this past weekend. The event served as an open roundtable discussion, giving veterans the opportunity to share their personal experiences and voice concerns directly with Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.

“Our veterans have given so much to protect our freedoms — the least we can do is listen, learn, and stand up for them whenever and wherever it’s needed,” said Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick. “Too often, government feels distant from the people it is supposed to serve. I want our veterans to know that they are not forgotten, their voices matter, and I am committed to bringing their concerns to Albany.”

The conversation covered a range of important topics, including access to healthcare and mental health services, strengthening local veteran resources, and the need to increase membership at many of the VFW and American Legion Posts.

“Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick truly understands the priorities and concerns of veterans,” stated Luke Magliaro, Town of Hempstead Veterans Counselor and Chief of Staff, Veterans of Foreign Wars of New York.

“She remains fully committed to supporting veterans and their families, ensuring their rights, benefits, and needs are protected, and making sure their voices for new or expanded services are

heard. As the Chief of Staff for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of New York and the Veterans Service Officer for the Town of Hempstead, I speak on behalf of many veterans when I say that these

events are crucial in ensuring that our legislative priorities are heard and acted upon in Albany.”

The breakfast will become a recurring event to ensure an ongoing, open line of

communication with our veteran community. Veterans with questions or comments are encouraged to reach out to her office.

Daniel

— Kepherd

Courtesy Office of Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick

The Oceanside VFW post 5199 welcomed Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick to it’s headquarters on 397 Wiedner Avenue and enageed in a roundtable discussion over breakfast.

The Southern State at 100: a divided legacy

History, and real or imagined inequity, collide on 25 miles of one of Long Island’s busiest roadways

By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

First in a series on the Southern State Parkway.

One bright Saturday afternoon in June 2020, a group of protesters stood near the Robert Moses statue in Babylon, calling for its removal. Their rallying cry: The “Master Builder” was not worthy of such recognition. He was, instead, a racist who, among other things, designed the Southern State Parkway to keep buses carrying low-income families from traveling from New York City to Long Island — and its beaches.

The group had collected more than 13,000 signatures in support of its cause.

major roadway expansion undertaken by New York state that also included the Northern State and Sagtikos parkways. Today, it is a 25.3-mile long roadway that stretches from the Queens-Nassau border to Heckscher State Park in East Islip.

Wayne Horsley, a former regional director of Long Island’s state parks and a local historian, countered at the time that the often aired claims against Moses, “a son of the village,” have never been proven.

What has been proven, however, is the impact of the visionary work of Moses, who was the architect behind the construction of the Southern State when he served as the chairman of the Long Island State Park Commission and president of the New York State Parks Council.

The 100th anniversary of the construction of the parkway this year offers an opportunity to reflect on both its history and its future.

Often referred to simply as “the parkway,” the Southern State was part of a

Construction on the Southern State began in 1925, under Moses’s leadership. It was designed to improve access to Jones Beach. The land was originally a water conduit owned by the borough of Brooklyn. It comprises the western portion of unsigned New York State Route 908M, with the Heckscher State Parkway occupying the eastern section. Its first section opened to the public in 1927; there were additions in 1949, and its current roadway was completed in 1962, when it reached Heckscher Parkway.

Following the post-war housing boom on Long Island, the parkway was widened and straightened in a number of places to serve commuters traveling at speeds unanticipated when the road was first constructed.

Initially, the Southern State had a toll between exits 13 and 14, at the Cross Island Parkway, until 1978 when the state eliminated it and removed the toll plaza.

Prior to World War II, the State Department of Transportation estimated that fewer than 15,000 cars traveled on the parkway each day. During the postwar population boom on Long Island, the volume expanded to 190,000 cars per day, with most using it to commute between home and work.

Mary Cascone, historian of the Town of Babylon, notes that the Long Island parkway system was initially designed to bring automobiles to state parks.

“By limiting access to passenger cars, the parkways were supposedly intended for recreational driving,” Cascone wrote in her research on Moses and the Southern State. “Drivers and passengers could enjoy the beauty of the tree-lined roadway, free of billboards and trucks, as they made the journey to the countryside.”

That intention is visually confirmed in photos taken of the road when it opened, showing one or two cars on a lushly landscaped parkway, portraying what was then known as the “leisurely Sunday drive.” With its verdant country-

side free of commercial traffic, the parkway appealed to the more affluent city residents who owned cars, whether an intentional outcome of the design or not.

An aspect of the roadway’s design that is often cited as evidence to support the claim that it was designed to deny access to the masses is its bridges, which have unusually low clearances.

“It appears to be accurate that the state parks and beaches reached by the Nassau and Suffolk County parkways were deliberately designed to accommodate motorists rather than people who used public transportation,” Cascone said. “The inference that many people make, however, is that Black people used public transportation — which they

Photos courtesy Babylon Town Historical Society

The Southern State Parkway under construction at Belmont Avenue in Babylon.

A colorized photo of the Southern State Parkway when it opened in 1927.

Southern State’s century of vehicular history

surely did — along with all the other people who could not afford to, or simply chose not to, own a car. This ignores the fact, however, that Black people did own automobiles, and drove them on the parkways and to the beaches.”

For some, however, the low parkway bridges are an unfortunate, lingering reminder of classism and inequity in the guise of public works, Cascone concluded.

Thomas J. Campanella, a professor at Cornell University, a historian and a writer on city planning and the urban environment, sees the potential evidence of discrimination in the lower height of the Southern State bridges compared with those on other parkways Moses designed.

“The low-bridge story is a microbiography of Moses, a tragic hero who built for the ages, but for a narrowly construed public,” Campanella wrote. “It also shows how something as inert as a stone-faced bridge can be alive with politics and meaning.”

He also noted that Moses’s attitude appeared contradictory, as he approved the construction of a swimming pool and play center in Harlem — now the Jackie Robinson Park — which is considered one of the best public works projects of the New Deal era anywhere in the United States, and established other recreational sites in communities of color across New York state.

In a press release dated July 23, 1934, Moses argued for the construction of more recreational facilities for all New Yorkers, noting, “It is no exaggeration to say that the health, happiness, efficiency and orderliness of many of the city’s residents, especially in the summer months, are tremendously affected by the presence or absence of adequate swimming and bathing facilities.”

Next installment: Accident statistics and causes.

■ Originally designed with quaint wooden lampposts, which became affectionately known as “woody” lights.

■ When the parkway was first built, then Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to have a western extension that reached into Brooklyn. That stretch of highway is known today as the Belt Parkway.

■ Following the suburban expansion of Long Island after World War II, the parkway was widened and straightened in places to allow for higher speeds and more traffic.

■ A state police substation and barracks were built on either side of the parkway in North Valley Stream.

■ A median service station was built in the 1930s east of Exit 32 (Route 110). It closed in 1985, but its abandoned ramps can still be seen in the median.

Jeffrey Bessen/Herald

Heading east on the south side of today’s Southern State Parkway.

Mount Sinai South Nassau honors volunteers

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

Mount Sinai South Nassau took a day to celebrate more than six decades of volunteer service on April 25 for a festive brunch marking the 68th annual volunteer luncheon during National Volunteer Week. Amid coffee and pastries, the focus was on honoring those whose selfless contributions bring warmth, compassion and creativity to patients, families and visitors daily.

Mount Sinai South Nassau President Dr. Adhi Sharma, calling it “one of his favorite events all year,” noting that the strength of a hospital’s volunteers reflects the strength of its community connection. “Today, we say thank you,” he said, likening the recognition to a communal Mother’s Day or Father’s Day for volunteers.

Leaders from across the hospital and community reiterated their thanks. Assemblywoman Judy Griffin’s office sent remarks celebrating the vital role volunteers play in healthcare. Oceanside School District Board President Michael D’Ambrosio, representing County Executive Bruce Blakeman, delivered citations to the hospital volunteers and congratulated volunteers for strengthening the bond between the hospital and the community.

“It’s the volunteers that make this room so special,” D’Ambrosio said.

Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Volunteer Value Award was presented to Anthony Maiorella of Rockville Centre, who has logged over 2,000 hours since 2009 using his guitar and melodic voice to comfort patients and staff.

“Nobody wants to be in the hospital. It’s like a last resort,” he said. “I play

one song, and we sit here, we talk.” Am I a good guitarist? I’m passable for singalongs. There are a million people better than me. But it’s me and them, and they’re getting a private concert.”

Maiorella retired in 2011 as a Mainframe Systems Programmer, and throughout his years of service, Maiorella has used his gift of music to bring comfort, healing, and joy to patients, families, and staff alike. With his melodic voice and exceptional guitar skills, Maiorella creates a soothing environment throughout the hospital. His performances have become a source of emotional support, providing patients with moments of peace during their time of need.

“The biggest aspect of retirement is not the work that you do,” he said. “Anybody can be replaced, and you will be replaced, but the biggest aspect is a social aspect, the friends you make, the people that you go out to lunch with, and volunteering keeps that going.”

Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Stacey Conklin took the podium to present the prestigious Five Star Award, named in memory of former volunteer Adelaide Cromwell. This honor recognizes “extraordinary dedication and untiring service.” Joe DiGiose of Levittown— who has volunteered more than 5,000 hours since 2016 as a greeter.

“The people I work with, they’re

great,” DiGiose said. “I look forward to coming in and seeing them, and also the staff, and having a lot of fun with the security. It makes the day go by.”

A former city court officer, in his volunteer role, DiGiose is often the first person patients and visitors encounter as they arrive at the hospital. He goes beyond simply directing them to their respective departments—DiGiose’s friendly smile and thoughtful conversations help to ease any anxiety or fear in what can be a stressful time.

“I thank everybody for the opportunity to serve here, and it is very rewarding,” he said. “The word blessing is overused these days, but I do find this to be a real blessing.”

Alice Moreno/Herald photos

All volunteers honored were given a citation from the New York State Assembly office of Judy Griffin.

Honorees Anthony Maiorella and Joe DiGiose were recognized for volunteerism.

Honoree and Volunteer Anthony Maiorella of Rockville Center was the recipient of the Volunteer Value Award and his way of connecting with patients he visits at the hospital is through his gift of music.

O’Side students branch out for Earth Day

Erica Chasan’s School Six Early Learning Center kindergarteners joined forces with OHS Castleton students for a hands-on, edible Earth Day craft. Family and Consumer Science teacher, Julianne Kur, recruited her Castleton students to help with every stage of the project. Fashion students created custom t-shirts and aprons, which they’ll upcycle for future projects. Bakeshop students prepared the craft kits, which included various shaped pretzels, colored icing, and sprinkles. Students from the Independent Living class — “Adulting 101” as the students call it—helped the little ones with their designs. The resulting pretzel trees reflected kindergarten science lessons focused on nature. Both groups connected through the collaboration and learned from each other, blending science, sustainability, and creativity to mark Earth Day in a meaningful way. Add in family, as kindergartener Kieran Kur had the rare opportunity to work alongside his mom.

“I learned how to be patient and support the kids while conversing kindly,” said OHS Castleton student Alexandrea B.

The event ended with a discussion and suggestions from the kindergarteners about how to repurpose their containers, bags, and aprons—an important Earth Day reminder to reduce waste.

— Kepherd Daniel

Courtesy Oceanside School District

Erica Chasan’s kindergarteners joined with OHS Castleton students, teachers and administrators, for an Earth Day themed craft. OHS Castleton students made the aprons and t-shirts and will upcycle them.

JCC’s Yom HaZikaron ceremony shows spirit behind IDF

April 29 to the nightfall of April 30. This siren marks the beginning of official remembrance ceremonies and serves as a unified call for Israelis to stand still and reflect. Onstage readings included a traditional Israeli memorial poem about the “map of remembrance” that binds past, present and future generations.

The highlight of the morning was the testimony of Yoni Asayag, a 23-year-old former IDF soldier who served in one of its elite reconnaissance units. Born in New York to Israeli parents, Asayag felt compelled to defend Israel after learning as a child why soldiers patrol its streets. In 2019, after finishing high school at age 17, he flew to Israel and, out of roughly 600 candidates, earned one of 92 slots in the recon unit. After 15 months of grueling training, only 18 remained, and Asayag was among them.

He carried out high-risk raids in the West Bank for the Israeli Security Agency, Shin Bet, and fought Hamas in Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021. While home in New York on Oct. 7, 2023, he learned of Hamas’s massacre, and was mobilized two hours later. Back in uniform within days, he entered Gaza on October 26, participating in buildingclearing missions under missile fire.

“I told my mom hours before I left, ‘I never told you this, but I got called back, and I’m going,’” Asayag recounted. “Imagine how a mom would react to her son with such a fresh thing that just hap-

pened — imagine going straight over there. And that’s exactly what I did.”

In late February 2024, an anti-tank blast shattered his right leg while he was riding in an armored Humvee during a Hamas attack.

“I found myself 15 feet in the air,” he said. “The Hummer flew up, and after that boom everything went black.”

Bedridden for more than four months, he relearned how to walk and run —

insisting he could not abandon his “puzzle” of comrades — and returned to frontline duty by mid summer.

“I did not give up,” he told the audience. “I said, ‘I cannot let my team fight alone. We are a puzzle, and if you take a little piece out, that puzzle is incomplete.”

Asayag took questions from members of the Jewish War Veterans Post. He acknowledged that Israel’s public-diplomacy effort has lagged, and predicted that

forthcoming statistical data, GoPro footage and detailed case files would ultimately refute critics’ claims of genocide.

“Hamas is tossing out propaganda, presenting lies,” said Post 717 member James Brick, of Long Beach, “and that has to be countered with facts, and the only way to do that is in the media, both social and in any other media.”

When asked about the battlefield challenge of militants disguised as civilians, Asayag described IDF checkpoints that screen tens of thousands of people daily, and identify hundreds of combatants in civilian dress. He emphasized that rules of engagement require positive weapon identification — whether an AK-47, RPG or machine gun — before an enemy can be fired at, and that the IDF’s proficiency in distinguishing fighters from noncombatants is steadily improving.

The ceremony provoked discussions about military service and the complex geopolitical landscape in Israel, but the Yom HaZikaron observance not only commemorated lives lost, but also renewed the Oceanside Jewish community’s commitment to preserving memory, standing in solidarity with Israel and pursuing peace through resilience and truth.

“As a veteran, you honor fallen veterans,” Brick said. “It is a very emotional thing, because men in the military have that bond that joins you forever. How do we honor the fallen? You look at them as our fallen brothers who fought for a righteous cause.”

Kepherd Daniel/Herald

From left were IDF soldier Dagan Cohen; Marcy Hallerman, the JCC’s senior program officer of social services; IDF soldier Yoni Asayag; JCC emissary Maya Braverman; and Oceanside Jewish War Veterans Commander John Robbins.

STEPPING OUT

“Choc”-full of delights

The Chocolate Expo is all sorts of delicious

By Danielle Schwab

Prepare for a day coated in all things chocolate.

Over 90 vendors soon set up shop at Hostra University’s David Mack Sports & Exhibition Center. The unique foodie experience returns, May 4, with sweet and savory tastes all in one place.

“We call ourselves the official home of chocolate, food, and fun,” Marvin Baum, the Chocolate Expo’s founder, says. “We’re using chocolate as a platform, not only to support small local businesses, but also to do good for the community.”

It all began in 2006, after Baum realized there was a strong desire to bring food vendors and communities together. Since 2012, the chocoholic’s delight has been sweetening Long Island and has grown to be the confectionery hot spot it is today.

“Long Island has always been a special spot for me. It helped us go to the next level in terms of what we could offer the public in terms of an experience,” Baum says.

From chocolate classics like bonbons, fudge and chocolate-dipped treats to interesting twists such as chocolate-covered bacon, there are no shortage of desserts to indulge in. For more savory pairings, baked goods, specialty foods, wine, and cheeses are also tempting; there’s surely something to satisfy everyone’s palate.

Visitors can check out the Long Island confectioners represented, including Bellmore’s Chocolate Works, a chocolaterie selling chocolate-covered pretzels, platters, and more.

“Last year was our first year at the Expo. We had a great experience,” Nimisha Patel, who owns the store with her husband, Raj, reports.“People always buy chocolate, and we get to be creative and decorate with different designs.”

Other local favorites include Chez Hedwidge, an artisan gluten-free bakery, based in Valley Stream; Massapequa’s Swizzled Desserts, a purveyor of small batch alchohol-infused ice creams and sorbets; and Sunflower Bakeshop, a Kosher bakery in West Hempstead that caters to customers with

• Sunday, May 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Tickets are $20, $10 ages 5-12 when purchased online, children under 5 free, $30, $15 child at door; available from thechocolateexpo.com

• Hofstra University, David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex, Hempstead

food and dietary restrictions, offering a wide range of glutenfree and vegan options.

This year, the choice of treats is more enticing than ever.

“There are a limited number of chocolate shops on Long Island. We’re bringing vendors from other states and countries, so we can bring unique things that people from Long Island have not seen elsewhere before,” Baum says.

Be sure to sample the diverse offerings that include the trendy Dubai chocolate (Omniya), rich artisanal chocolates from Paris (Chocolaknin), and luxury Swiss assortments (Canonica).

The binge-worthy experiences don’t stop with chocolate. Guests can meet up with this years’ special guests — everyone’s favorite 1970s TV family, “The Brady Bunch.”

“There’s a strong nostalgic quality to connecting with the original show. This is a chance to get together, to connect without a television screen, in a much more informal kind of way,” says Barry Williams, who fans will know as the eldest Brady child, Greg Brady.

Williams is readu to answer all your eager-to-know questions about the show — along with his castmates Christopher Knight (Peter Brady), Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady), and Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady) — during the morning panel discussion. He’s also bringing some “Tikis” that fans may recognize from the iconic Hawaii episode.

“I see happen quite often is a fan will approach us, they might be middle-aged, and in front of my eyes they will turn into the giggling teenager that they were when they were watching the show,” he notes.

Balloon artist Robbie Furman adds to the magic, creating a life-sized ‘Brady Bunch’ — made entirely out of balloons!

For more family-sized fun, young visitors can drop by the Kidz Zone for face painting, balloon twisting and chocolate smashing. You may even catch a glimpse of a Stormtrooper — don’t forget to respond “May the Fourth be with you!”

At the end of the day, kids can enjoy a balloon popping party.

“We let the kids pop them with safe little picks at the end of the event, which we’ve never done on Long Island before,” Baum says.

Whether you’re familiar with the Expo or a curious newcomer, it’s always a delectable outing.

“We have a relationship with people on Long Island, and they look forward to it every year. I recently saw a Facebook post [about the Expo] saying ‘My friend and I had a magical day that we will never forget,’” Baum says.

“This is why we do what we do with the Chocolate Expo, for our guests have a magical time.”

Pink Talking Fish

Three mammoth bands. Three musical phenomenons. One idea inspired by love of the music. That’s Pink Talking Fish. The hybrid tribute fusion act takes the music from three iconic bands creating a remarkable musical jam. PTF brings their unique sound to the Landmark on Main Street stage, on their latest tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of the incredible Pink Floyd album “Wish You Were Here.” This show consists of two sets. The first set will be a full rendition of this epic album from start to finish, with “Classic PTF” combinations for the second set. “Wish You Were Here” is extremely meaningful to the band members and so many music lovers around the world and PTF is thrilled to bring this album to life in 2025. Although the music from each act is different, PTF has discovered that fusing the material together creates an amazing story. The epic emotion of Pink Floyd; the funky, danceable layerings of The Talking Heads; the styles, unique compositional structures and pure fun of Phish — to merge these three into one gives music lovers a special experience.

Friday, May 2, 8 p.m. $49 and $46. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or call (516) 767-6444.

Regency Romance is afoot

Old Westbury Gardens welcomes everyone to Regency Romance Weekend, a most splendid affair in honor of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday. Families can wander the gardens for storybook strolls and hands-on crafts, while those with a playful spirit can enjoy lawn games fit for the finest estates. Also find inspiration in creative activities, while music lovers are serenaded with classical takes on familiar tunes. Of course, what would a Regency gathering be without fashion and society gossip? Take in a discussion on Regency fashion —fact versus fiction. And for those with a keen mind and a love of Austen’s world, Austen trivia will put your knowledge to the ultimate test. Plus indulge in a proper afternoon tea, or treat yourself to confections at the café.

Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury. For more information and program/events schedule, go to oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048.

Photos courtesy Chuck Fishman Every bite is a sweet discovery at The Chocolate Expo.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

On Exhibit

MAY

1

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, the original “Deco at 100” coincides with the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) that publicly launched the movement. The direct follow-up to the well-received 2023 exhibit, “Our Gilded Age,” it comparably links the period’s signature innovation in the decorative arts, Art Deco, to the fine arts. On view through June 15.

• Where: 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor.

• Time: Ongoing

• Contact: (516) 484-9337 or nassaumuseum.org

‘Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!’

The beloved musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved award-winning, best-selling children’s books, is back on stage at Long Island Children’s Museum. Willems’ classic characters Elephant and Piggie storm the stage in a rollicking musical romp filled with plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense perfect for young audiences.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City.

• Time: Also May 2-3, and May 7-8, times vary

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

MAY 2

Take a Bite Out of Lyme Fundraiser

Kiwanis Club of Oceanside hosts a benefit for the Kiwanis Pediatric Lyme Disease Foundation, featuring live music by Terrence, raffles and $10 “shot & bite” donations to support research and families.

• Where: J. Paul’s, 239 Merrick Road, Oceanside.

• Time: 7-10 p.m

• Contact: kiwanisoceanside.org

Long Island Marathon Weekend

The Long Island Marathon and additional races return to Eisenhower Park with three days packed with races for runners of all ages and abilities, through May 4.

• Where: Eisenhower Park, East Meadow

• Time: Varying times on Friday, Saturday & Sunday

• Contact: RunSignUp.com/ Race/NY/EastMeadow/ LongIslandMarathon

Brian Regan

Critics, fans and fellow comedians agree: Brian Regan is one of the most respected comedians in the country with Vanity Fair calling Brian, “The funniest stand-up alive,” and Entertainment Weekly citing him as “Your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian.” Having built his 30-plus year career on the strength of his material alone, Brian’s non-stop theater tour continuously fills prestigious venues across North America, visiting close to 100 cities each year. His comedic talent extends beyond the stage. He’s released two acclaimed Netflix specials, “Brian Regan: Nunchucks And Flamethrowers” and “Brian Regan: On The Rocks,” showcasing his knack for finding humor in everyday situations. He also starred in his own Netflix series,”Stand Up And Away! With Brian Regan,” and even made history with “Brian Regan: Live From Radio City Music Hall,” the first live broadcast of a stand-up special in Comedy Central’s history. Regan also co-stars in three seasons of Peter Farrelly’s series, “Loudermilk,” which moved to Netflix in January 2024, ranking in the Top 10 TV shows on Netflix for over a month. He’s also a familiar presence on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” He’s the standup guest who the show invites on for two segments: a performance segment and also on the couch to chat with Jimmy. $99.50, $79.50, $69.50, $49.50.

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

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

MAY

‘Bridgerton’inspired

3

dance workshop

Learn to dance like Simon and Daphne! Enjoy an hour of grace and merriment at Old Westbury Gardesn and learn some of the dances from the “Bridgerton” and “Queen Charlotte” series. No experience is necessary and no partner is needed. Instructor Susan de Guardiola guides participants through easy choreographies inspired from the TV series and talks about how the Bridgerton dances differ from the dances of the actual Regency/Jane Austen era. Ages 16+ welcome.

• Where: The Barn at Orchard Hill, 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: Noon-1 p.m.

• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org

Storybook Stroll

Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens for a storybook adventure. Stroll the gardens and listen to “Jane Austen: Little People Big Dreams” by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. Later create a unique take home craft. For ages 3-5. Storybook Strolls start at the Beech Tree (next to Westbury House), and end at the Thatched Cottage. Registration required.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 10:30-11:30 a.m.

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

Comedy For A Cause

The Cisneros Real Estate Team presents the Second Annual Comedy for a Cause, a night of laughter, music, and giving back, to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, at Raices Boricuas Restaurant Lounge. Enjoy hilarious comics, incredible DJ beats, and thrilling raffles. Tickets are $23.18.

• Where: 3112 Lawson Blvd., Oceanside

• Time: 6:30-10 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 612-3185

Splish Splash…

MAY

Animal Baths

4

Hang out with some Long Island Children’s Museum’s “residents,” Join an animal educator in the Hive Studio in the Feasts for Beasts Gallery to learn what goes into the care of LICM’s animals. Observe animal bath time.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City.

• Time: 1:30-2 p.m.

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

Outstanding individuals honored include Mr. & Mrs. M. Cavallo, proprietors of Churrasqueira Bairrada Restaurant; Honorable Emilio F. Grillo, Trustee of Rockville Centre; Honorable Michael McGinty, Mayor of Island Park; Honorable Debra Mule, Nassau County Legislator; Bill Maniera, President of the Rockville Centre Lions Club; Dahyr Ifranz, President of the Long Island Latino Teachers Association; and Herminia Bonilla, a licensed real estate and insurance broker. Proceeds from the event will support the After School Tutorial Program. Individual tickets are $225, with a taxexempt portion of $90.

• Where: 3050 Oceanside Road

• Time: 6 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner

• Contact: (516) 766-6610

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer-to-peer breastfeeding support meeting facilitated by a certified counselor every Thursday, 10:30–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (newborn–1 year) for an informal group setting. All new moms welcome; registration required.

• Where: Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: Ongoing Thursdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

• Contact: Gabriella Gennaro at (516) 705-2434 or chsli.org

Friedberg JCC Gala

Join in the festive celebration at the Friedberg JCC Gala at Temple Avodah. Honorees include Fred Richman, Allan Carlton, Stefanie Hanlon, Melissa Chizzik-Schnall, and Melissa Lobel. More information will follow closer to the date. Registration required.

• Where: 3050 Oceanside Road

• Time: 4 p.m.

• Contact: friedbergjcc.org

MAY

5

Village Art Club

Watercolor

Demonstration

The Art Club welcomes all to a master class in watercolor painting by Julia Yudes-Kuznetsov at Oceanside Library. Registration required.

• Where: 30 Davison Ave., Oceanside

• Time: 6:30 p.m.

• Contact : oceansidelibrary.com

MAY

9

Little Learners’ Busy Bees Planting Fields Little Learners series continues with a buzzing adventure for the little ones. Families discover how these tiny but mighty creatures help our environment flourish. Through fun activities, explore how bees spread pollen and help plants grow, making them essential to nature’s magic. Each child also gets to craft their very own beehive thumbprint masterpiece and enjoy a lively, buzzing game that brings the wonders of pollination to life. For ages 2-5. Registration required. $15 per child.

• Where: 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay

• Time: 1-2 p.m.

• Contact : plantingfields.org or call (516) 922-9210

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.

Las Vegas Sands pulls out of casino bid

By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

Las Vegas Sands is no longer pursuing its $6 billion proposal to build a casino resort on the Nassau Coliseum site.

The company will not apply in June for one of three available downstate gaming licenses in New York. Executives cited a range of market forces, including the rise of online gambling, economic uncertainty in the U.S. and a strategic shift to preserve shareholder value.

The proposed project included a 400,000-square-foot casino, hotels, restaurants, retail space and a convention center. It was projected to create more than 8,500 construction jobs and over 5,000 permanent positions across the 72-acre site.

Last August, the County Legislature approved a 42-year operational lease agreement with Las Vegas Sands for the Coliseum and surrounding land in an 18-1 vote, meaning that Sands was responsible for the general upkeep and maintenance of the property but could not build or develop. The next steps for the project would have been for the company to apply for a lease that allowed it to develop the property, and to bid for one of the gaming licenses.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a forceful advocate for the project, issued a statement through Chris Boyle, his director of communications.

Kelsie Radziski/Herald

Las Vegas Sands has withdrawn its plan to build a $6 billion casino on the Nassau Coliseum site. The project sparked debate from the start, with groups like the Say No to the Casino Civic Association, above, protesting outside legislative meetings.

according to a statement issued by members Monica Kiely and Allison O’Brien Silva.

“While we are concerned the door remains open for the county to find a new casino partner, it was always a bad idea, and it will continue to be a bad idea, whether the county works with Las Vegas Sands or another predatory gambling company looking to extract wealth from our community,” the statement read.

On April 24, County Legislator Seth Koslow sent a cease-and-desist letter to Blakeman demanding that all expenditures surrounding the Sands casino be terminated. Koslow said at a news conference that morning that there was no clear path forward for the project, and he was concerned about “wasting time, energy and money” on something that is “not what people wanted.”

“County Executive Bruce Blakeman has been aware of certain pressures that have factored into Las Vegas Sands’ rethinking of land-based brick and mortar casinos in the United States,” the statement read.

the licensing application process.”

“The County Executive is grateful that Las Vegas Sands is committed to the development of the Coliseum site with or without a casino,” Boyle added. “However, there is strong interest from gaming organizations which have been in confidential discussions with Nassau County in taking the place of Las Vegas Sands in

“Nassau County will crystallize within the next 30 days whether or not to entertain a casino component or develop the site without,” Boyle stated. “In either event there will be an exciting new development that will create jobs and positive economic activity.”

The Say No to the Casino Civic Association, whose members have been vocal opponents of the project since the beginning, is “thrilled” after a long fight against the “wholly destructive casino,”

Koslow, who is the Democratic candidate for county executive, supports development on the site that both brings in the money that the casino promised and aligns with what he maintains community members want.

“We need to invest in a real project that’s going to get done, that people want, that has community buy-in,” he said at the conference. “We can certainly do a hotel, an entertainment facility, with a convention center, something that’s going to bring more people here, something that’s going to bring tourism here.”

PSEG Long Island Hosts First “Business First” Workshop for Entrepreneurs

By Maureen Fitzgerald

On April 15, nearly 50 Long Island business owners attended PSEG Long Island’s first “Business First” workshop at its Bethpage headquarters, hosted in collaboration with the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce. The morning session featured a networking breakfast and expert-led presentations on reducing energy costs, managing utility bills, and securing funding for energy-efficient upgrades.

“Small businesses power our communities and fuel economic growth,” said Veronica Isaac, Manager of Customer and Community Partnerships at PSEG Long Island, reflecting on the vital role small businesses play here — a theme that resonated throughout the day’s program. “By helping them thrive, we unlock local jobs, boost reinvestment and create a cycle of shared success. A strong small business is a win for all of us.”

Christine Bryson and Shamisha Sims kicked off the event with an overview of financial and technical resources available through PSEG Long Island and partner agencies. Bryson explained how federal, state, and local programs—including grants, loans, and tax credits—can support energy-saving improvements. She also provided tips on working with economic development agencies. Sims introduced PSEG’s Business First program, which offers free or low-cost energy assessments, and shared sample audit reports highlighting quickreturn upgrades like LED lighting and HVAC controls.

The technical portion of the workshop focused on implementation. Matt Connors shared case studies of local companies that cut energy use by up to 25% and explained how to apply for rebates tied to improvements like programmable thermostats and motor retrofits. Nicole Jones-Cumberbatch followed with a presentation on PSEG’s renovation support services, which help businesses navigate permits, hire contractors, and stay on schedule. Paul DiBenedetto wrapped up the segment with a discussion on EV charging stations and available

incentives, sparking interest from several attendees planning future installations.

Thenaris Godbolt walked through PSEG Long Island’s commercial billing system, helping attendees better understand rate schedules, online tools, and cost-saving features like budget billing and prompt-payment discounts. The session closed with Jimmy Alty offering procurement tips to help businesses evaluate vendor bids, negotiate terms, and leverage PSEG Long Island’s contractor network — their Prime Efficiency

Partners — for quality assurance and cost control. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet one-onone with Business First Advocates to discuss next steps, from rebate applications to project planning, receiving personalized advice and customized next steps and key contacts for follow-up support. Future workshops are planned throughout the year. Businesses can email PSEGLI-BusinessFirst@pseg. com to schedule a free energy assessment or learn more.

photo courtesy PSEG Long Island

Long Island business owners attend PSEG Long Island “Business First” workshop on April 15.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU. NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT

MORTGAGE

SERVICING, Plaintiffagainst- MICHAEL MCKAY; JANET MCKAY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated December 16, 2024 and entered on January 3, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on May 13, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Oceanside, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York; known and designated as Section 38 Block 400 Lot 474. Said premises known as 2829 ELM STREET, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572

Approximate amount of lien $609,381.14 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 610218/2022.

RALPH J. MADALENA, ESQ., Referee Pincus Law Group, PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 425 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556 {* ISLAND PAR*} 152775

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS AN OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. HEIDI LIPPACHER, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 4, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 21, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 10 Quebec Road, Island Park, NY 11558. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the

Incorporated Village of Island Park, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 43, Block 41 and Lot 107. Approximate amount of judgment is $208,314.50 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #608447/2023. Cash will not be accepted.

Brian J. Davis, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 152946

To Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232

LEGAL NOTICE

Vanguard Warrior LLC

Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 2/13/2025. Office located in Nassau Co. SSNY designated agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: United States Corporation Agents Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY, 11228. Purpose: Any lawful activity. 153042

LEGAL NOTICE

CASE NO. 21527

RESOLUTION NO. 298-2025

Adopted: April 8, 2025

Councilmember Muscarella offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AND SETTING ASIDE CERTAIN PARKING SPACES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE SOLE USE OF HOLDERS OF SPECIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF NASSAU TO PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS

WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 257-2025, adopted March 25, 2025, a public hearing was duly held on the 8th, day of April 2025, at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the proposed establishment and setting aside of a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons, in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, all as set forth in said resolution; and

WHEREAS, after due consideration, this Town Board finds it to be in the public interest to establish and set aside a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, the following parking spaces be and the same hereby is set aside for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons:

(NR)ISLAND PARK BROADWAY - east side, starting at a point 261 feet north of the north curbline of Saratoga Boulevard, north for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-64/25)

NORTH BELLMORE

DAVENPORT PLACEnorth side, starting at a point 249 feet east of the east curbline of Newbridge Road, east for a distance of 31 feet.

(TH-115/25)

ROOSEVELT

PENNYSLVANIA

AVENUE - east side, starting at a point 120 feet north of the north curbline of Hudson Avenue, north for a distance of 19 feet.

(TH-544/24)

VALLEY STREAM CHARLES STREETwest side, starting at a point 94 feet south of the south curbline of Oliver Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-119/25)

LAW STREET - west side, starting at a point 420 feet south of the south curbline of Stuart Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-116/25) and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:

FRANKLIN SQUARE

CRAFT AVENUE - north side, starting at a point 195 feet west of the west curbline of Hall Street, west for a distance of 22 feet.

(TH-426/23 - 10/3/23)

(TH-121/25)

OCEANSIDE

LAWRENCE AVENUEeast side, starting at a point 30 feet north of the north curbline of Montgomery Avenue, north for a distance of

20 feet.

(TH-33/22 - 3/22/22)

(TH-120/25)

; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk shall enter this resolution in the minutes of the Town Board and shall publish a copy of this resolution once a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town of Hempstead and shall post a copy hereof on the signboard maintained by her, and file in her office affidavits of such publication and posting. The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Goosby and adopted upon roll call as follows:

AYES: SEVEN (7) NOES: NONE (0) 153233

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com

LEGAL NOTICE

At a meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, held at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on April 29, 2025

P R E S E N T: Hon. Donald X. Clavin, Jr., Supervisor Dorothy L. Goosby Dennis Dunne, Sr. Thomas E. Muscarella Melissa Miller Laura A. Ryder Chris Schneider, Council Members.

-X

IN THE MATTER

- ofTHE INCREASE AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD PARK DISTRICT IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK

-X

ORDER CALLING PUBLIC HEARING WHEREAS, the Deputy Commissioner of the Town of Hempstead Department of Parks and Recreation, as the Representative of the Town of Hempstead Park District (the “District”), proposed an improvement project regarding replacing playgrounds, basketball courts, backboards, tennis courts, outdoor decking, pool lining, pool basins, retaining walls, fencing, indoor fans, driving range netting, pathways, electrical components,

spray pad boosters, doors, windows, pool electric breakers; filter room and HVAC upgrades; sand box removals and upgrades; new outdoor pool piping, patios, and any other necessary improvements at Averill, Brook Road, Echo, Fraser, Hewlett Point, Julian Lane, Merrick Golf, Merrick Road, Newbridge, Oceanside, Veterans, and water fountain installations, backboards and recreation improvements, doors and window improvements, HVAC upgrades, pool electric breaker improvements, and sand box removals and upgrades at these and other District parks, and requested the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead hold a public hearing on such increase and improvement of the District; and, WHEREAS, the Deputy Commissioner submitted to the Town Board an estimate of cost relating to said increase and improvement; and, WHEREAS, the proposed increase and improvement is a Type II action pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act and 6 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 617; and, WHEREAS, it is in the public interest that the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead consider the proposition herein set forth and to call a public hearing thereon; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT, ORDERED, the proposed increase and improvement is a Type II action pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act and 6 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 617; and, be it further, ORDERED, that a public hearing be held by this Town Board at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on May 13, 2025 at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of the day, on the increase and improvement of the Town of Hempstead Park District at an estimated maximum cost of $4,540,000.00 to be financed by the issuance of obligations of the Town of Hempstead.

ALL persons desiring to be heard concerning the subject of the above-mentioned

hearing will be given an opportunity to be heard at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: Hempstead, New York April 29, 2025 /s/

Donald X. Clavin, Jr., Supervisor /s/

Dorothy L. Goosby /s/

Dennis Dunne, Sr. /s/

Thomas E. Muscarella /s/ Melissa Miller /s/

Laura A. Ryder /s/

Chris Schneider, Members of the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead ; and, BE IT FURTHER, 153236

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 05/07/2025 at 9:30

A.M. & 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30

A.M.

210/25. - 211/25. NR ISLAND PARK - Robert Madden, Variances, lot area occupied, front yard average setback, maintain addition, 2’ cantilever & portico all attached to dwelling; Variance, lot area occupied, maintain shed., W/s Madison Ave., 195’ N/o Kent Ave., a/k/a 239 Madison Ave.

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 2:00 P.M.

215/25. NR ISLAND PARK - Jose A. Espinoza, Variances, subdivision of lot, lot area, front width from & on street line to front setback line, construct dwelling., N/s Delaware Ave., 170’ E/o Broadway 216/25. NR ISLAND PARK - Jose A. Espinoza, Variances, subdivision of lot, lot area, lot area occupied, front width from & on street line to front setback line, side yard, side yards aggregate, maintain dwelling on a lesser lot., N/s Delaware Ave., 200’ E/o Broadway, a/k/a 1042 Delaware Ave. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550.

This notice is only for new cases in Island Park within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals

The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it.

153227

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York on May 13, 2025 at 10:30 o’clock in the morning of that day for the purpose of considering the application of 1146 BAYPORT CORP., for a special exception pursuant to Section 196(N) of the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance to permit a public garage for a motor vehicle repair shop and

accessory office at premises located at 5000 Long Beach Road, Island Park, Town of Hempstead, Count of Nassau, New York. An irregularly shaped parcel of property situated on the north side of Long Beach Road, between the Long Island Railroad tracks and Ladomus Avenue, maintaining 72.12 feet of frontage alongside Long Beach Road and containing 7,736 feet (.178 acres) of property situated within the Business “X” District in the unincorporated portion of Island Park, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau State of New York. It is presently improved with a onestory masonry building and a one-story stucco building. It is designated on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map as Section 43, Block 52, Lot 4. Maps and plans pertaining to said proposal are on file with the application in the office of the undersigned and may be viewed during office hours.

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED in the subject matter will be given an opportunity to be heard at the time and place above designated. Hempstead: April 29, 2025 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK

DONALD X. CLAVIN JR. SUPERVISOR KATE MURRAY TOWN CLERK 153231

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING AND ANNUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTION & BUDGET VOTE OF OCEANSIDE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the annual school district election and budget vote of the qualified voters of Oceanside Union Free School District, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, NY, will be held on May 20, 2025, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Merle Avenue School #6 gymnasium, Merle Avenue, Oceanside, NY, for the following purposes: a) to vote upon the annual School budget for the school year 20252026 and to authorize the levying of a tax upon

Public Notices

the taxable property of the District, which shall be in substantially the following form:

PROPOSITION 1OCEANSIDE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUDGET FOR 20252026

RESOLVED, that the statement of estimated expenses (budget) presented by the Board of Education of Oceanside Union Free School District, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, for the School Year 20252026 in the amount of $186,704,215 for the purposes stated, be and same is approved, and said total amount, exclusive of public monies and other lawful income shall be raised by the levy on the taxable property within the school district and collected during the ensuing year as provided by law.

b) to elect one Board member to fill the vacancy due to expiration of the term of Michael D’Ambrosio for a new term commencing July 1, 2025 and expiring June 30, 2028; c) to elect one Board member to fill the vacancy due to expiration of the term of Robert Transom for a new term commencing July 1, 2025 and expiring June 30, 2028; d) to vote upon the following proposition:

PROPOSITION 2OCEANSIDE LIBRARY

PROPOSITION FOR 2025-2026

The annual appropriation for Library services of $7,607,143 heretofore authorized by the voters is hereby increased by the amount of $499,489 for a total annual appropriation of $8,106,632 for each year commencing July 1, 2025, together with the Library’s designated share of any payments by LIPA pursuant to a settlement under case index #403754/2016, representing the amount necessary for Library services pursuant to the written contract between the Board of Education of the Oceanside Union Free School District and the Oceanside Library.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER

NOTICE that the voting shall be on voting machines and the polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The election shall be held in accordance with the Rules for the Conduct of Elections adopted by the Board of Education.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Budget

Hearing will be held in the Oceanside School #6 auditorium, Merle Avenue, Oceanside, NY, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 7:30 p.m., for the transaction of such business as is authorized by the Education Law. The condensed form of the budget proposition and the text of all other propositions to appear on the voting machine and a detailed statement in writing of the amount of money which will be required for the 2025-2026 school year for school purposes, specifying the purposes and the amount for each, will be prepared and copies will be made available, upon request, to any District resident at each schoolhouse from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the fourteen days preceding said election, excluding Saturday, Sunday and holidays, at such budget hearing and annual election, and on the District website.

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PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that pursuant to Section 495 of the Real Property Tax Law, the District is required to attach to its proposed budget an exemption report. Said exemption report, which will also become part of the final budget, will show how the total assessed value on the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, list every type of exemption granted by the statutory authority, and show the cumulative impact of each type of exemption, the cumulative amount expected to be received as payments in lieu of taxes and the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that nominations for the office of Board of Education member, shall be made by petition subscribed by at least 49 qualified voters of the District, shall state the name and residence of the candidate and the name and residence of each signer, must describe the specific vacancy for which the candidate is nominated, including length of term of office and name of last incumbent, and must be filed in the District Clerk’s Office, Administration Building, 145 Merle Avenue, Oceanside, NY, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. not later than the 30th day preceding the election, this year, April 21, 2025, and on April 21, 2025

from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A nomination may be rejected by the Board of Education if the candidate is ineligible for the office or declares his/her unwillingness to serve.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that any proposition to be placed upon the voting machines shall be submitted in writing by petition subscribed by at least 122 qualified voters of the District and filed in the District Clerk’s Office from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., not later than the 30th day preceding the election at which such question or proposition is to be voted upon, this year, April 21, 2025, and on April 21, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except that this rule shall not apply to those propositions which are required to be published or to those propositions or questions which the Board of Education has authority by law to present at any annual or special District election.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that registration of the qualified voters for said annual District election is permitted in the District Clerk’s Office, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, up to and including Thursday, May 15, 2025. A register will be prepared and will be filed in the District Clerk’s office and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on each of the five days before the election, except Sunday, and by appointment from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, and at the polling place on Election Day. The register shall include: (1) all qualified voters of the District who shall personally present themselves for registration; and (2) all previously qualified voters of the District who have registered for any annual or special District election and who have voted at any annual or special District election held within the four calendar years (2021-2024) prior to preparation of the said register; and (3) voters permanently registered with the Board of Elections of Nassau County.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that applications for absentee ballots or early mail ballots are to be completed on a form prescribed by the state board of elections and may be obtained by visiting the State Education Department’s

Website (https:// www.counsel.nysed. gov/miscellaneous), or by contacting the District Clerk by email (jkraemer@ oceansideschools org), or phone (516678-1226). Completed applications for absentee and early mail ballots must be received at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter or to his or her designated agent. Applications will not be accepted before April 21, 2025. Absentee and early mail ballots must be received in the District Clerk’s office not later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 to be canvassed. A list of all persons to whom absentee and early mail ballots have been issued will be available for inspection in the District Clerk’s office on each of the five days prior to the election from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 p.m. except Sunday, and by appointment only from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the Saturday prior to the election. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that pursuant to Education Law §2018-d, any person serving in the military, including spouses and dependents, may register to vote in the upcoming school district election. A military voter who is a qualified voter of the school district may obtain a registration form by contacting the District Clerk by telephone (516678-1226), facsimile (516-678-2145), email (jkraemer@ oceansideschools. org), mail (145 Merle Avenue, Oceanside, NY 11572), or in person from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A military voter who is duly registered may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application form from the District Clerk. Completed applications must be personally delivered or mailed to the District Clerk and received no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 24, 2025. Completed military ballots must be received by 5:00 p.m. on May 20, 2025 if signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto with a date which is not later than the day before the election, or not later than the close of the polls on May 20, 2025 if showing a cancellation mark of the United

States Postal Service or a foreign country’s postal service or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States Government.

A military voter may designate a preference to receive a military voter registration form, military ballot application or military ballot by mail, facsimile or electronic mail in the request for such registration, ballot application, or ballot.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Board will convene a special meeting thereof within twenty-four hours after the filing with the District Clerk of a written report of the results of the election for the purpose of examining and tabulating said reports and declaring the result of the election; that the Board hereby designates itself to be a set of poll clerks to cast and canvass ballots pursuant to Education Law, §2019-a(2b) at said special meeting of the Board.

Dated: March 14, 2025 Oceanside, New York BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OCEANSIDE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, NEW YORK Justan Kraemer District Clerk 152436

LEGAL NOTICE AVISO DE AUDIENCIA SOBRE EL PRESUPUESTO Y ELECCIÓN ANUAL DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR Y VOTACIÓN DEL PRESUPUESTO DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR OCEANSIDE UNION FREE, PUEBLO DE HEMPSTEAD, CONDADO DE NASSAU, ESTADO DE NUEVA YORK POR EL PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que la elección anual del distrito escolar y la votación del presupuesto de los votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Oceanside Union Free, pueblo de Hempstead, condado de Nassau, Nueva York, se realizará el 20 de mayo de 2025, desde las 7:00 a. m. hasta las 9:00 p. m. en el gimnasio de la escuela n.º 6 de Merle Avenue, Merle Avenue, Oceanside, Nueva York, con los siguientes propósitos: a) Votar sobre el presupuesto anual de la escuela para el año escolar 2025-2026 y autorizar la imposición de un impuesto sobre la propiedad sujeta a tributación del distrito, que será

razonablemente de la siguiente forma: PROPUESTA 1: PRESUPUESTO DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR OCEANSIDE UNION FREE PARA 2025-2026 SE RESUELVE que la declaración de los gastos estimados (presupuesto) presentada por la Junta de Educación del Distrito Escolar Oceanside Union Free, pueblo de Hempstead, condado de Nassau, estado de Nueva York, para el año escolar 2025-2026 sea y se apruebe por el monto de $186,704,215 para los fines establecidos, y que, dicho monto total, sin incluir los fondos públicos ni otros ingresos legales, se recaude mediante el gravamen sobre los bienes inmuebles sujetos a impuestos dentro del distrito escolar y se cobre durante el próximo año, según lo dispuesto por ley. b) Elegir a un miembro de la Junta para que cubra la vacante después de la finalización del período de Michael D’Ambrosio para un nuevo mandato que comienza el 1 de julio de 2025 y finaliza el 30 de junio de 2028.

c) Elegir a un miembro de la Junta para que cubra la vacante después de la finalización del período de Robert Transom para un nuevo mandato que comienza el 1 de julio de 2025 y finaliza el 30 de junio de 2028. d) Votar sobre las siguientes propuestas: PROPUESTA 2: PROPUESTA SOBRE LA BIBLIOTECA DE OCEANSIDE PARA 2025-2026 Por medio del presente, la asignación anual de $7,607,143 hasta ahora autorizada por los votantes para los servicios de la biblioteca aumenta en $499,489, por una asignación anual total de $8,106,632 para cada año, desde el 1 de julio de 2025, junto con la parte designada de la biblioteca de cualquier pago de la Autoridad de Energía de Long Island (LIPA) de conformidad con un acuerdo conforme al expediente n.º 403754/2016, lo que representa la cantidad necesaria para los servicios de la biblioteca de conformidad con el contrato por escrito celebrado entre la Junta de Educación del Distrito Escolar Oceanside Union Free y la Biblioteca de Oceanside. TENGA EN CUENTA QUE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que la votación se realizará mediante máquinas de

votación, y las urnas estarán abiertas desde las 7:00 a. m. hasta las 9:00 p. m. La elección se realizará de acuerdo con las Normas Electorales adoptadas por la Junta de Educación. TENGA EN CUENTA QUE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que la audiencia sobre el presupuesto se realizará en el auditorio de la escuela n.º 6 de Oceanside, Merle Avenue, Oceanside, Nueva York, el miércoles 7 de mayo de 2025 a las 7:30 p. m., para la resolución de dichos asuntos según lo autorizado por la Ley de Educación. Estará preparada la versión resumida de la propuesta sobre el presupuesto y el texto de todas las demás propuestas que aparecerán en las máquinas de votación, como así también una declaración detallada por escrito de la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el año escolar 2025-2026 para fines escolares, que especifica los fines y la cantidad para cada fin, y habrá copias disponibles, a pedido, para cualquier residente del Distrito en cada escuela de 9:00 a. m. a 4:00 p. m. durante los catorce días previos a la elección, excepto sábados, domingos y feriados, en dicha audiencia sobre el presupuesto y elección anual, y en el sitio web del Distrito. TENGA EN CUENTA QUE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que, conforme a la Sección 495 de la Ley del Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles, se requiere que el Distrito adjunte un informe de exención al presupuesto sugerido. En este informe de exenciones, que también formará parte del presupuesto final, se mostrará cómo el valor total estimado de la lista de tasación final que se utilice en el proceso presupuestario queda libre de impuestos, se enumerarán todos los tipos de exenciones que otorgue la autoridad legal y se expondrá el impacto acumulativo de cada tipo de exención, el monto acumulado que se prevé recibir como pago en lugar de impuestos y el impacto acumulativo de todas las exenciones otorgadas.

TENGA EN CUENTA QUE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que las nominaciones para el cargo del miembro de la Junta de Educación, se deberán realizar mediante solicitud firmada por

al menos 49 votantes calificados del Distrito, deberán indicar el nombre y la residencia del candidato, así como también el nombre y la residencia de cada firmante, deberán describir la vacante específica para la que se nomina al candidato, que incluye la duración del cargo y el nombre del último titular y deberán presentarse en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito, en el edificio de la Administración, 145 Merle Avenue, Oceanside, Nueva York, desde las 9:00 a. m. hasta las 4:00 p. m. a más tardar 30 días antes de la elección, este año es el 21 de abril de 2025, y el 21 de abril de 2025 desde las 9:00 a. m. hasta las 5:00 p. m. La Junta de Educación puede rechazar una nominación si el candidato no es elegible para el cargo o declara su poca disposición para desempeñar las funciones.

TENGA EN CUENTA QUE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que cualquier propuesta que se colocará en las máquinas de votación se deberá realizar por escrito mediante solicitud firmada por al menos 122 votantes calificados y presentar en la oficina de la secretaria del Distrito desde las 9:00 a. m. hasta las 4:00 p. m., a más tardar 30 días antes de la elección en la que se votará la cuestión o propuesta, este año, el 21 de abril de 2025, y el 21 de abril de 2025 desde las 9:00 a. m. hasta las 5:00 p. m. Esta norma no se aplicará a las propuestas que deban publicarse ni a aquellas propuestas o cuestiones sobre las que la Junta de Educación tenga la autoridad por ley para presentar en cualquier elección anual o especial del Distrito. TENGA EN CUENTA QUE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que se permite el registro de los votantes calificados para la elección anual del Distrito en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito desde las 9:00 a. m. hasta las 4:00 p. m., de lunes a viernes, hasta el jueves 15 de mayo de 2025 inclusive. Se preparará y presentará un registro en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito, que estará abierto para que cualquier votante calificado pueda inspeccionarlo desde las 9:00 a. m. hasta las 4:00 p. m. los cinco días antes de la elección, excepto el domingo, y el sábado con cita desde

A look at robotic surgery advancements

hands-on experience.

In 2011, the da Vinci Surgical System gained traction and was being utilized for various surgical procedures. Known for its improved vision and easier setup, the system was designed to help surgeons perform minimally invasive surgery. Since acquiring its first da Vinci system in 2011, Mount Sinai South Nassau has performed thousands of procedures using it.

“For our patients, recovery can shrink from days to 24 hours,” Datta said. “They bleed less, hurt less, and get back to life faster.”

With 2.6 million procedures completed in 2024 globally and a total of 17 million since inception, these robots are already making significant impacts. The overwhelmingly positive patient feedback reflects growing trust in robotic surgical technologies and their potential to improve surgical outcomes.

“Patients are very knowledgeable,” Datta said. “They want to know, ‘Can this be done robotically?’”

A panel of specialists trained in robotic surgery at Mount Sinai described how

Advantages of robotic surgery

■ 3D visualization

■ Smaller incisions

■ Faster patient recovery

■ Precise instrument movement

■ Less pain than open surgery

■ Less blood loss

■ Less opportunity for infection vs. open surgery

■ Smaller scars than open surgery

they leverage the system across urologic, thoracic, colorectal, gynecologic and headand-neck cancer cases.

“The robot mix maneuvers that you can’t do with your natural hand,” nurse Kathleen Malone, assistant director of patient care services, said.

Despite the futuristic look, every move-

Public Notices

las 9:00 a. m. hasta las 12:00 p. m., y en el lugar de votación el día de la elección. El registro incluirá lo siguiente: (1) todos los votantes calificados del Distrito que se hayan presentado personalmente para el registro; y (2) todos los votantes previamente calificados del Distrito que se hayan registrado para cualquier elección anual o especial del Distrito y que hayan votado en cualquier elección anual o especial del Distrito realizada durante los cuatro años calendario (2021-2024) previos a la preparación de este registro; y (3) los votantes que estén registrados de manera permanente en la Junta Electoral del condado de Nassau.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que las solicitudes de boletas electorales por ausencia o boletas electorales por correo anticipado se deben completar en un formulario elaborado por la Junta de Elecciones del estado, el cual puede obtenerse en el sitio web del Departamento de Educación del estado (https://www.counsel. nysed.gov/ miscellaneous) o comunicándose con la Secretaría del Distrito por correo electrónico (jkraemer@ oceansideschools.org), o por teléfono (516-6781226). Las solicitudes completadas de boletas electorales por ausencia

y boletas electorales por correo anticipado se deben recibir al menos siete (7) días antes de la elección si la boleta electoral se enviará por correo al votante o hasta el día anterior a la elección si la boleta electoral se entregará personalmente al votante o a la persona que designe. No se aceptarán solicitudes antes del 21 de abril de 2025. La Secretaría del Distrito debe recibir las boletas electorales por ausencia y boletas electorales por correo anticipado antes de las 5:00 p. m. del día martes 20 de mayo de 2025 para ser escrutadas. En la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito se podrá consultar una lista de todas las personas a las que se hayan emitido boletas electorales por ausencia y boletas electorales por correo anticipado cada uno de los cinco días anteriores a las elecciones, de 8:00 a. m. a 4:00 p. m., excepto los domingos, y solo con cita previa de 9:00 a. m. a 12:00 p. m. el sábado anterior a las elecciones. TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que, de conformidad con la sección 2018-d de la Ley de Educación, cualquier persona que preste servicio en el Ejército, incluidos los cónyuges y dependientes, puede registrarse para votar en la próxima elección del distrito escolar. Los votantes militares que

califican como votantes del distrito escolar pueden obtener un formulario de registro comunicándose con la Secretaría del Distrito por teléfono (516678-1226), fax (516678-2145), correo electrónico (jkraemer@ oceansideschools.org), correo postal (145 Merle Avenue, Oceanside, NY 11572) o en persona entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m. Los votantes militares que estén debidamente registrados pueden solicitar la boleta electoral militar mediante un formulario de solicitud proporcionado por la Secretaría del Distrito. Las solicitudes completadas se deben entregar en persona o por correo postal a la Secretaría del Distrito, y se deben recibir antes de las 5:00 p. m. del 24 de abril de 2025. Las boletas electorales militares completadas se deben recibir antes de las 5:00 p. m. del 20 de mayo de 2025 si están firmadas y fechadas por el votante militar y un testigo con una fecha que no sea posterior al día anterior a la elección o no más tarde del cierre de las urnas el 20 de mayo de 2025 si muestran una marca de cancelación del servicio postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o si muestran un endoso fechado de recepción

por otra agencia del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Los votantes militares pueden decidir si prefieren recibir un formulario de registro para votantes militares, una solicitud de boleta electoral militar o una boleta electoral militar por correo, fax o correo electrónico en su solicitud para dicho registro, solicitud de boleta electoral o boleta electoral.

TENGA EN CUENTA QUE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que la Junta convocará a una reunión especial en un plazo de veinticuatro horas después de la presentación de un informe por escrito en la Secretaría del Distrito de los resultados de la elección a fin de analizar y clasificar los informes y declarar el resultado de la elección; que la Junta, por el presente, se designa fiscal para emitir y escrutar los votos conforme a la Ley de Educación, 2019a(2b), en esta reunión especial de la Junta. Fecha: 14 de marzo de 2025 Oceanside, Nueva York POR ORDEN DE LA JUNTA DE EDUCACIÓN DISTRITO ESCOLAR OCEANSIDE UNION FREE, PUEBLO DE HEMPSTEAD, CONDADO DE NASSAU, NUEVA YORK Justan Kraemer Secretaría del Distrito 152438

ment remains under surgeon control. At the hospital’s bedside, three or four robotic arms hold ultra-slender instruments and a high-definition camera. The most striking feature of these systems is their ability to navigate complex body structures using advanced digital imaging. Surgeons can now control robotic arms with great precision, following digital maps and making quick adjustments at important branching points within the patient’s body.

“There’s less tissue trauma with the robot, because you’re controlling it,” surgical oncologist Ann Buhl said. “You can bring it within a centimeter of what you’re looking at. It’s crystal clear. So it’s better than when an open procedure. It really is amazing technology.”

At a nearby console, a surgeon sits comfortably in an ergonomic chair, peering through a three-dimensional viewer and manipulating handgrips that translate natural wrist movements into micromotions inside the body. Foot pedals let the surgeon steer the camera and activate fluorescence imaging to highlight blood vessels, or switch instruments — all without removing hands from the controls.

“In the future, it’s going to be the catheter delivery system, where the catheter takes us to the tumor, and we’re able to bring a probe in, freeze the tumor, burn the tumor, and give local chemotherapy,” said Dr. Joshua Melamed, Director of thoracic oncology at the hospital.

Queued to sit at the surgeon’s console,

visitors were guided through grabbing, flipping and repositioning rubber bands, adjusting camera zoom, and toggling fluorescence mode. First-time users uniformly described the experience as intuitive and “surprisingly smooth.”

“The misconception is that when one hears robotic surgery, they think that a robot is actually doing the surgery, that it’s somewhat automated. That is not the case,” Dr. Dean Pappas, chief of colon and rectal surgery, said.

Experts predict that within the next 10 to 20 years, these robotic systems could evolve from assisted surgical tools to nearly autonomous medical practitioners. By analyzing millions of recorded procedures, artificial intelligence could enable robots to perform surgeries with minimal human intervention.

“AI is going to come, and it’s going to be able to do even more,” Buhl said. “It will never be able to replace the person, but AI will be a complement.”

The future of surgery is not just about technology — it’s about enhancing human capabilities, reducing errors, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

“Millions of procedures have been recorded that they’re studying and analyzing through AI,” Melamed said. “Once a robot learns and watches the same procedure millions of times from different angles and different surgeons, it’s going to take over and be able to do it autonomously.”

Tim Baker/Herald

Mount Sinai South Nassau’s team of robotic surgeons have safely and successfully performed thousands of procedures, from hysterectomies to colorectal surgeries to prostate surgery.

Mount Sinai South Nassau physician Charles Sticco and his son, 5-year-old Vincent Sticco, at the control panel of the DaVinci surgical robot.

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A. There are many items to include in your thought process for finishing your basement. Mistakes are made, first, by ever assuming that the people doing the work know the laws.

The biggest problem I see is that the ceiling is just a little too low, that someone dropped the entire ceiling level just because of one pipe. The minimum ceiling height in the current code is 6 feet 8 inches clearance, with 6 feet 4 inches under the center beams, air ducts or soffits anywhere in the basement. Always leave access for shutoff valves, wiring connections, cleanouts and other controls.

If you need to move pipes that were installed without any care for your future use of the basement, move them. Piping should go around the perimeter of the basement, no matter what excuse you hear. Because of poor planning and even worse execution, pipes are the No. 1 problem, because someone thoughtlessly put them in a place that was good for them and not for you.

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HEARING

opinions Battery storage is key to economic competitiveness

As a lifelong Long Islander, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when our energy system fails. I lived through Superstorm Sandy and helped lead recovery efforts in its aftermath — and I don’t need to remind those who went weeks without power and spent hours on gas lines that grid resilience isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a necessity — one we must urgently prioritize.

Unfortunately, more than a decade later, the challenge not only persists, but it’s more complex than ever. The surge in electric vehicles, the rise of data centers and the electrification of homes and businesses are pushing Long Island’s energy demand to unprecedented levels. This isn’t just about the next superstorm — it’s about how we power everyday life for families and small businesses right now. Our existing grid wasn’t designed for this kind of load, and without proactive investment, we risk higher costs, decreased reliability and a system stretched to its breaking point. And the pressure is mounting. The Long Island Power Authority anticipates a steep rise in electricity demand in the

As I fight tooth and nail for every dollar, every program, every piece of support that I can secure for my constituents, a clear pattern has emerged in the performance of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — one that it is marred by self-promotional pageantry, misplaced priorities and big promises that ultimately collapse.

The most recent example is the failure of the NYU Langone hospital project that was supposed to rise on the campus of Nassau Community College. When Blakeman introduced it, he billed it as a multibillion-dollar economic engine that would create thousands of jobs, deliver cutting-edge medical care and provide opportunities for our students.

When it was withdrawn in March, it became just another abandoned plan — another missed opportunity that could have changed lives and transformed our economy. Questions from the public and lawmakers have been met with a lack of

coming years. Storage will be key. Planned battery storage projects in Shoreham and Hauppauge are expected to deliver 129 megawatts of capacity, enough to power 25,000 homes once they’re operational in 2028. These aren’t theoretical solutions; they’re essential to keeping Long Islanders’ lights on. And they demonstrate that the public and private sectors can work together to address infrastructure challenges with innovative solutions.

important in ensuring that clean power doesn’t go to waste.

Without it, rising demand can trigger price volatility, hurting small businesses.

Battery energy storage systems are a smart response to this challenge. By storing excess energy during off-peak times and discharging it when demand peaks, these systems stabilize the grid without requiring massive infrastructure overhauls. They help prevent blackouts, curb price spikes, and improve efficiency. In short, they let us do more with what we already have, and that’s a win for everyone.

One of BESS’s most powerful features is its flexibility. It can store energy from any source — solar, wind, natural gas — and dispatch it where and when it’s needed most. This ability to smooth out fluctuations in supply and demand is crucial not just for stability, but also for affordability. And as more renewable sources come online, storage becomes even more

And we don’t have to look far to see BESS in action. On Long Island, Brookhaven recently approved two major battery storage projects that will add more than 300 megawatts of capacity to the grid. These facilities will store renewable energy when production is high and release it during peak usage — cutting costs, improving reliability and reducing emissions. As New York state accelerates its clean energy goals, battery storage projects like these will prove to be a critical tool for making our power system cleaner, smarter and more resilient. They also mean job creation and local investment, as the clean energy economy continues to grow.

Beyond environmental benefits, BESS has an economic upside. Without storage, rising demand can trigger price volatility, hurting working families and small business owners most. Battery storage helps keep costs predictable by reducing reliance on expensive “peaker” plants. And for high-tech industries like AI, data processing and advanced manufacturing, energy stability isn’t just a bonus — it’s a requirement for doing business. The long-term economic competitiveness of our region depends on

getting this right. Of course, safety must be top of mind. Modern battery storage systems are equipped with cutting-edge fire-prevention measures, modular designs and rigorous safety protocols. Proposed updates to fire codes will go even further, requiring comprehensive emergency planning and more frequent inspections. These systems aren’t just high-performing — they’re engineered to be safe and dependable, with oversight from both developers and local authorities.

If we want Long Island to stay competitive, battery storage must become a core part of our energy strategy. That means updating regulations to enable faster deployment, incentivizing private investment and supporting community engagement. Doing nothing is not an option. The longer we wait, the more vulnerable we become — not just to storms, but also to soaring costs and system failures. The future of energy here doesn’t hinge on simply generating more power — it depends on using the power we already have more wisely. Battery storage is the bridge between today’s strained grid and tomorrow’s resilient, affordable and sustainable energy future. Let’s not wait for the next storm or the next blackout to act. The time is now.

Sammy Chu is chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council-Long Island Chapter and chief executive officer of Edgewise Energy.

Nassau has little to show for Blakeman’s big promises

transparency, and no explanation.

Just up the road from NCC, you’ll find the Uniondale Hub, where Blakeman unsuccessfully chased a casino license. Whether you supported or opposed it, you couldn’t help but notice that the pursuit was fraught. The first time it went through the Legislature, the process was so flawed that a court made him start over. The project, with his promises of jobs and tax revenues, finally fell through, and billions of dollars in promised economic development and opportunities for union workers disappeared with yet another failed attempt to develop the Hub.

accounting for how the money was used.

The same can be said of the handling of the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup. After major portions of Eisenhower Park were closed for months, and there was the promise of an economic windfall, all Nassau got in return (from what we can tell so far) is major disruptions to the park’s operations, questions about whether taxpayers made a dime and, once again, no accountability.

H e favors political theater over policies that will address our serious issues.

Worse yet, the Blakeman administration blocked the use of project labor agreements to build the temporary stadium, squandering an opportunity to boost the livelihoods of local workers.

world-class burn center and lifesaving drug detox facilities, fails, it won’t just be a health care catastrophe — it will also be an economic earthquake. Working families will lose access to care, and thousands of jobs in the medical field could vanish overnight. Finger-pointing does not suffice as a strategy.

And let’s not forget the fundamentals: Blakeman passed a county budget that was so out of balance that it violated generally accepted accounting principles, and Nassau’s fiscal monitor forced him to fix it. The county’s most recent capital infrastructure plan was stalled for months because of Blakeman’s inexplicable refusal to fund more than $1 million in grants for first responders in Democratic districts, adding political rancor where there should be none.

These are not the only things that have vanished under this administration. Remember Blakeman’s plan to use $10 million in federal coronavirus recovery funds to promote himself under the guise of the county’s 125th-anniversary celebration? While families struggled to get back on their feet after the pandemic, his administration concluded that the best use for a significant portion of those funds was gala banquets, golf outings, fireworks and parades. Yet many of these events never happened, and there is little

The disrespect for labor is further exemplified in the treatment of CSEA employees and retirees, the backbone of our county workforce. They were promised affordable health care in exchange for their service. Instead, Blakeman gutted their benefits.

Then there’s the future of Nassau University Medical Center. Instead of delivering on promises to save the hospital, the administration has installed political cronies and further deepened the crisis. If NUMC, a Level 1 trauma center with a

As someone who is fighting to make things better for our communities, it is profoundly frustrating to pick up the pieces after an administration that prioritizes political theater over implementing policies that will address the most serious issues facing our communities. Nassau County deserves better than disappearing headlines. We deserve leadership that delivers.

Seth Koslow, who represents Nassau County’s 5th Legislative District, is the Democratic candidate for county executive.

sAMMY CHU

sETH i. KosLoW

There should be nothing but support for law enforcement

in recent weeks I have been at a number of events sponsored by police organizations, including a gala honoring 100 years of the Nassau County Police Department. I also spoke at a meeting of the Long Island Shields, which comprises retired police and law enforcement officers from New York City’s five boroughs as well as Nassau and Suffolk counties. And I attended a news conference with County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Police Commissioner Pat Ryder, at which they announced the creation of a house of worship desk, and demonstrated how drones can be deployed within minutes of mass shootings at houses of worship to determine the precise location of the shooter.

I regularly attend NCPD briefings on possible terror threats on Long Island. This isn’t new for me, since for my final almost two decades in Congress after 9/11, both as chairman and as a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I worked very closely with the New York

The lessons of the Holocaust are for everyone opinions

Last week, millions of people of the Hebrew faith observed an event known as the Shoah. It is the Hebrew word for catastrophe or disaster, and it is frequently used to refer to the Holocaust, the deliberate killing of six million Jews by the Nazi regime. While not all of us pause to formally recognize this event, it is a painful reminder of man’s inhumanity to man, and deserves to be observed every year.

I am very much aware of the need to pause to remember the Holocaust, because many members of my immediate family were either innocent victims of the Nazi killing machine or managed to escape the horror. Despite the fact that many of my aunts and uncles were Holocaust survivors, there was rarely any discussion about their experiences, because they were too painful to recount.

City and Nassau and Suffolk police departments on counterterrorism strategies and resources. Unfortunately, I was also in Congress during the summer of 2020, when we saw massive demonstrations against the police, a number of which turned violent, and the coordinated effort to “defund the police.” Tragically, I have also attended too many funerals of cops who have been shot and killed in the line of duty.

Too many people take the police for granted, or in some cases are even anti-police.

I say all this because too many people too often take the police for granted, or in some cases even join or support the anti-police movement, focusing on inappropriate actions taken by the smallest minority of police while ignoring that no one does more than the men and women in blue to safeguard all of us while respecting the rights of everyone regardless of race, creed or national origin — all while putting themselves at great risk.

While I understand why everyday people, who are busy trying to make a living and provide for their families, can overlook the outstanding work cops are doing to protect us 24/7, I have little tolerance for elected officials who enact laws or implement policies to tie the

hands of the police or, even worse, turn against them when it suits their political purposes. Support for police shouldn’t be subject to the shifting political winds. It is hypocritical to see politicians who, just a few years ago, were riding the “defund the police” bandwagon, or saying nothing in defense of the police, now shamelessly demanding more funding for more police. Similarly hypocritical are those legislators who hailed themselves for passing “bail reform” now claiming they never intended it to put more criminals back on the streets.

Recent elections have shown that everyday Americans are rallying for the police and supporting policies best described as pro-law and order. For instance, most observers, Democrats and Republicans alike, would agree that Anne Donnelly was elected Nassau County district attorney over her much more well known opponent, State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, four years ago not just because of her decades-long career as a prosecutor, but because of Kaminsky’s previous outspoken support of cashless bail, which he unsuccessfully attempted to run away from during the campaign.

Similarly, the most obvious example of this growing pro-cop sentiment was Donald Trump’s election last fall. Trump ran on a clear pro-police, toughon-crime platform, moving many traditional Democrats to cross party lines to vote for him over the party they believed abandoned them.

I must admit that my support for the police is due in part to personal dealings I’ve had with members of law enforcement over the years, beginning with my father, who was in the NYPD for more than 30 years, and friends of mine who joined the NYPD and NCPD. There were also my close dealings with all levels of law enforcement — federal, state and local — in the years after 9/11, including the officers assigned to my security detail because of foreign and domestic threats against me.

But support for law enforcement must be based on more than personal or family friendships and relationships. Very basically, it is in all of our best interests to support the men and women who — often against the odds — put themselves at risk to protect our streets and communities. It’s also simply the right thing to do.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

Those members of my family who were survivors were blessed to live long lives even though they suffered greatly during the war. A few lived into their 90s, and my grandma Sarah lived to be 100. Some might say that for them, long life was a blessing, but I believe it was a testament to their willingness to be living examples of what they had seen so that we didn’t forget their ordeal, or the millions who didn’t survive.

At this point, I choose to write about my grandmother and my aunt Irene. On a few rare occasions, they put aside their reticence to tell us something about the horrible past. In the case of Irene, she spoke of how she had been sent to a concentration camp, along with her mother and sister. When they got there, a German soldier directed her mother and sister to go to one area, and Irene to another. After that moment, she said, she never saw them again, because their fate was sealed. Grandma Sarah had another story, but she never spoke of her confinement

M y Grandma Sarah never spoke of her confinement until her late 90s.

until her late 90s. We had been forced to put her in the Komanoff Pavilion, in Long Beach, due to her many physical needs. On the few occasions that we visited her, she told us that “they beat me last night.” She told us many other things that we knew she would never willingly reveal if she had control of her faculties. I share these stories out of my fear for where the world is going.

Recently there was an election in Germany. Before it, Vice President J.D. Vance decided to meet with the leaders of all of the nation’s political parties. He gave special support to the far right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party, which has strong pro-Nazi leanings. Its platform has frightened the country, and Europe in general. Vance made a plea for the party to be recognized as a partner in future governments. His visit was totally unnecessary, and sent a message to bigots around the world that their antisemitism has the approval of a White House occupant.

We are currently hearing a great deal

of talk about antisemitism on college campuses as well as in the rest of America. Leaders of the Anti-Defamation League recently reported that there have been over 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the U.S. since the horrific tragedy of Hamas’s attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023. It is believed to be the highest number of incidents ever recorded in a similar period since the ADL started tracking them in 1979.

History tells us that hate crimes don’t just single out one particular group. People of Italian, Irish, Chinese, Muslim and other backgrounds have suffered at the hands of wicked political leaders who strategically pick some group as their scapegoats. The observance of the Shoah is a stark reminder that, once again, these horror stories can be repeated, unless we are vigilant and willing to fight against hate in all forms. The forces of evil are always there waiting to strike, especially when we fail to ignore them.

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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JERRY

KREMER

Your Board of Education needs your attention

oWn Long Island and across New York state, incumbent trustees and new candidates for school district boards of education have submitted their petitions and are now on the ballot on May 20, when residents go to the polls to vote on their school budgets and capital improvement referendums, and elect their trustees.

For the next two and a half weeks, the candidates will hold forums with residents and plant lawn signs across their communities in an effort to keep their names in voters’ minds, as well as their stances on the districts’ spending plans.

While elected positions from village trustee to state legislator might appear more important and larger in scope, the decisions that shape our daily lives are frequently made on those school boards. And, from voters’ perspective, lifeimpacting decisions about where they choose to live are more often than not made based on where their children will go to school.

Quality public education not only prepares our children for bright futures, but also increases communities’ property values, attracts new residents, reduces crime and promotes social mobility.

For the 125 school districts in Nassau and Suffolk counties, boards of education, typically consisting of five to nine people, play a critical role in overseeing and shaping the educational system. Their responsibilities include creating a vision for the district, setting goals and

letters

Gillen’s ‘town

establishing policies, overseeing multimillion-dollar budgets, and collaborating with administrators to help ensure the schools’ smooth operations. They must be accountable to the community, and offer regular, constructive public engagement.

Though trustees are volunteers, they are entrusted to guide the district and have a duty to represent their constituencies during their three-year terms. That includes being aware of, and understanding, the influence they wield.

All of the above are great reasons why you should care about your local school board: because its members represent the beating heart of civic responsibility, and because our schools deserve leadership that is not only competent and informed, but also reflective of and responsive to the communities they serve. Board trustees may have none of the glamour of state or national office holders, but the impact they have is often more immediate, and more personal. Their decisions don’t just affect students — they affect entire neighborhoods, in so many ways.

Residents have a responsibility to know who represents them and what those representatives stand for. That means researching school board candidates, attending their town halls, asking tough questions — making sure community concerns are heard — and judging the results with your vote. You can learn

hall’ wasn’t much of one

To the Editor:

U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen advertised a “Town Hall Meeting” on April 16. Sadly, it was nothing more than a performative press release with an audience. What a disappointment. and waste of her constituents’ time! A 30-minute presentation with no comments, feedback or questions from the audience.

While technically meeting the definition of a Q&A by reading pre-submitted — and perhaps prescreened — questions, Gillen answered them with superficial, pre-fabricated responses that, in some cases, matched exactly the column she wrote for the Heralds last month. We could have just stayed home and read our copy of the Herald!

Gillen told us why she chose which committees she wanted to serve on, her hope and plan to work in a bipartisan fashion, and her desire to reduce roadway deaths and dangers. She shared her reason for supporting the Laken Riley Act, which requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain illegal immigrants who commit certain crimes, but when there was criticism from the audience, the person was removed by security.

more about candidates before elections, and then their effectiveness as trustees, each week in the Herald.

And anyone can run for their local school board. You don’t need a background in teaching, or a master’s in education policy, or to be working in a profession that has anything to do with either one. What you do need is a commitment to fairness, a willingness to listen and a passion for serving your community by providing its children with the highest-quality education possible.

Public education needs leaders who understand the complexities of modern classrooms and the myriad challenges faced by working families who have kids in school, and public servants who put the needs of students above special interests. That leadership doesn’t have to come from somewhere else. It can come from you. We need more residents to step forward — not for the prestige of being a trustee, but for the purpose.

At a time when trust in institutions is fragile and divisions run deep, school boards offer a rare opportunity to focus on unity and progress, where politics can — and certainly should — take a backseat to the shared goal of improving children’s lives.

So let this be a call not only to vote, but also to get involved. Attend meetings. Volunteer to help with a school activity. Speak up — ask questions. And if you’re ready to lead, step up. Our children are depending on us.

What was never touched on was the elephant in the room, the reason so many people wanted to attend the meeting: We are in crisis in this country, our rights are being overridden, the Consti-

tution trampled. The current administration is committing illegal acts in our name, “disappearing” people and shipping them to foreign countries where our tax dollars are used to keep them

Hochul Housing ies, towns

Housing state funding. focused economic housing-related

L.I. should build on Pro-Housing Communities Program

with the State Legislature in budget season, there is a ripe opportunity to improve one state program that works to combat New York’s limited housing supply by helping fund local infrastructure: the Pro-Housing Communities Program. On Long Island, that limited supply of housing has caused prices to soar to record heights. The average home price stands at nearly $780,000 in Nassau County and over $662,000 in Suffolk County.

Gov. Kathy Hochul created the $650 million ProHousing program in 2023, enabling cities, towns and villages to apply for ProHousing designation and pursue related state funding. That funding is broadly focused on downtown revitalization and economic development, but it includes housing-related infrastructure such as

water and sewage.

So far, 26 localities on Long Island have applied for the designation. Fifteen have been certified. The others are still pursuing it.

Those 15 localities include the cities of Glen Cove and Long Beach, as well as the Towns of Babylon, Brookhaven, East Hampton and Riverhead. They also include the villages of Farmingdale, Freeport, Hempstead, Mineola, Port Jefferson, Port Washington North, Sag Harbor, Valley Stream and Westbury.

it’s an important step in making affordable housing more available.

Those 15 localities have also now applied for related state funding. The funding decisions will be announced in June.

This is a start, but the $650 million covers the entire state. With high construction costs, these funds will not be enough to make the improvements necessary to satisfy Long Island’s housingrelated infrastructure needs. More is required.

In the governor’s proposed fiscal year

Letters

detained without due process. Our confidential personal data is being taken by rogue invaders without any security clearance. Our Social Security, health care system and Medicaid are in grave danger. This was not addressed in Gillen’s “town hall.” The fear, concern and dissent were not acknowledged in any way.

While I guess we should be happy that at least there was a performance of a town hall, since so many legislators are totally ignoring their constituents, and in fact hiding from them, this event was barely better. She can and should do better!

LINdA ROBERTSON West Hempstead

New chief program officer at United Cerebral Palsy-LI

To the Editor:

United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island would like to introduce Robin Lane as the organization’s first-ever chief program officer.

A dedicated member of the UCP-LI family since 1993, Lane has over 35 years of experience providing services to people with disabilities.

“Robin’s career with UCP is a testament to her unwavering dedication, passion and leadership,” Colleen Crispino, president and CEO of UCP-LI, said. “Her promotion is not only well-deserved, but also a natural progression for someone who has made such a lasting impact on our organization and the people we serve.”

2026 budget, a $100 million infrastructure fund would be set aside for certified Pro-Housing Communities. Yet this fund represents a drop in the bucket of what is needed to cover the infrastructure needs across the state and Long Island. Just one project, the recently completed Central Islip sewer expansion, had a price tag of $13.7 million.

An additional $10 million in the governor’s proposed budget would fund a new housing ombudsman’s office, which would work to assist municipalities with their housing needs and provide technical support for the Pro-Housing Communities Program. These are vital steps, but they still don’t go far enough.

Recurring funding is needed, and it is crucial. This should not be just a piecemeal allocation.

The program should also provide data on the amount of housing created by it. Promoting housing is the overall goal, so its specific impact should be

Lane began her journey with UCP-LI as a residential manager, and has held various leadership roles in the program, including associate director. Her most recent position was director of quality management and corporate compliance. In that role she had the responsibility for incident management, quality assurance and compliance, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.

As chief program officer, Lane will oversee the planning, development, and management of all program areas, including adult day services, the Children’s Center, residential services, and a wide range of family support programs.

She will also serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, where she plays an integral role in strategic planning, systems development and program innovation.

“I am honored and excited to step into the role of chief program officer,” Lane said. “UCP has been my professional home for over three decades, and I am deeply committed to advancing our mission, supporting our dedicated staff, and continuing to provide the highest quality services to the individuals and families we serve.”

Lane earned a bachelor’s degree in health policy and administration from Pennsylvania State University and a graduate degree from Stony Brook University.

For more information about UCP of Long Island and its programs, visit UCP-li. org.

JILLIAN CAVALIERI

Community relations specialist, UCP of Long Island

reported.

One improvement has been made. In response to feedback from communities on Long Island like Patchogue, applicants across the state can now be judged on a wider range of activities over a longer time frame.

The demand is clear. In July 2024, the Village of Mineola stood alone as the only Pro-Housing Community on the island. Now, 15 Long Island localities have been certified, and 11 more are pursuing it.

The momentum is growing. The need for more housing has never been greater.

The Long Island communities that are pursuing this program are taking important steps to improve the availability of more affordable housing. More localities should move in this direction, thereby creating more equitable opportunities.

The state should continue to reinforce and improve this program. Everyone will benefit.

April Francis Taylor is acting president of ERASE Racism, the regional civil rights organization based in Syosset.

Framework by Tim Baker

At the Nassau County Police Department’s 100th anniversary parade

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