Rockville Centre Herald 04-17-2025

Covert codes their way to Hackathon glory

In January, Covert, Wilson and Watson Elementary schools tied for first place in the Rockville Centre Hackathon, earning spots in the county competition. On April 4, Covert’s Hackathon team, The InCODEables, placed 7th overall and first among Rockville Centre schools, winning the RVC Hackathon Trophy at the KidOYO County Hackathon.

From Rockville Centre to the red carpet with feature film

By KElSIE RADZISKI

kradziski@liherald.com

A decade-long creative journey that began with a spontaneous joke on a Los Angeles highway has culminated in a feature film debuting in theaters this week — and it all traces back to Rockville Centre.

Rockville Centre native and writer-producer Chris Smith, 42, is celebrating the nationwide release of his first produced feature film, “Sacra-

mento,” a coming-of-age road trip comedy cowritten with longtime collaborator Michael Angarano. The film, which also stars Angarano alongside Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart and Maya Erskine, had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and was screened in Los Angeles earlier this week.

The movie was inspired by one scene that Smith and Angarano wrote 10 years ago after both being cast for a CBS television pilot, “We

Continued on page 20

helps de-stress

By KElSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

As students at South Side High School begin reviewing for Regents exams and finals, they have support from a beloved wellness initiative, Therapy Dog Thursdays, with Bob, a calm and cuddly black Labrador retriever, and Tory, a lively shih tzu.

South Side’s therapy dog program, now in its fourth year, was created in the aftermath of a series of student suicides in 2019. The school district first brought in dogs from Long Island Therapy Dogs to help students cope with grief and trauma, but then decided to keep therapy dogs of its own on hand.

WRockville Centre school district, fostered Bob in 2017 as part of the Guide Dog Foundation. Bob was raised with the intention of becoming a guide dog for the visually impaired — a rigorous process requiring months of training and assessment.

e really wanted

to do everything in our power

to find interventions that would help students to get through the day.

NoREEN lEAHy

Former assistant superintendent, Rockville Centre school district

That decision led to the acquisition of Bob, who had once been on a very different path.

Noreen Leahy, a former assistant superintendent of the

“He was there for two months, and at the end they released him for lack of enthusiasm,” Leahy said, “but that said, Bob is pretty quiet and kind of a passive dog, and so I knew he had some kind of life of service in him.”

Despite flunking out of his original career training, Bob’s extensive work with humans and gentle demeanor made him the ideal candidate for South Side’s first full-time therapy dog.

Leahy and Josie Bishop, a school psychologist at South Side, both completed certification through the American Kennel Association’s Canine Good Continued on page 9

Courtesy Covert Elementary School

News brief

The Rockville Centre Homemakers made and donated 40 blankets to We Care Blankets to provide comfort to kids undergoing cancer treatment.

Homemakers donate handmade blankets

Members of the Rockville Centre Homemakers donated 40 handmade blankets to the non-profit organization We Care Blankets.

The donated blankets showcased a vibrant array of colors and patterns, each of the 40 carefully knitted or crocheted by the Homemakers themselves.

The RVC Homemakers is a community-focused group of women who come together to serve others while learning and sharing skills like cooking, sewing, knitting, carving and various crafts. They meet every Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the John Anderson Recreation Centre on 111 N. Oceanside Rd.

We Care Blankets, founded in 1999 by

Tamara Baker, aims to provide every child undergoing cancer treatment with a handcrafted blanket to bring comfort during a challenging time. The organization also extends its support to adults in flood-affected regions by providing blankets to those in need.

Anyone interested in donating yarn or blankets can call Susan Berk at (516) 769-5381. The Homemakers are happy to continue making blankets, so anyone who wishes to donate washable acrylic yarn for the blankets can bring it to the Rockville Centre Recreation Center.

–Xiomara Trinidad Perez

Courtesy Rockville Centre Homemakers

RVC cracks open Easter egg fun for families

The Village of Rockville Centre embraced the Easter spirit with a fun-filled Easter egg hunt. Held on April 13 at the Rockville Centre Recreation Center, the event was a delightful success, drawing families from near and far. Children of all ages participated in the spring hunt with “egg-citement,” collecting colorful eggs filled with treats and surprises.

The festive morning brought color and fun to all the families who came out to gather eggs and celebrate the holiday together. The highlight of the hunt was the special appearance of the Easter Bunny, whose arrival spurred a line of kids and families eager to take “egg-cellent” photos.

Other special appearances were made by Mayor Francis Murray, Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley, Village Trustee Katie Conlon and Legislator Scott Davis, who was spotted wearing bunny ears for the occasion.

–Kelsie Radziski

Photos courtesy Village of Rockville Centre

Mayor Francis Murray, left, Village Trustee Katie Conlon, the Easter Bunny, Legislator Scott Davis and Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley went to the village egg hunt on April 13.

Families lined up to have their photo taken with the morning’s special guest, the Easter Bunny.

Kids and families spent the morning gathering colorful eggs to see what fun prizes were inside for them.

The ‘egg-citing’ morning saw Rockville Centre families come together for the Easter festivities.

Rockville Centre’s public officials couldn’t help but join in on the Easter Bunny photo shoot.

Crime watCh

Leaving the sCene of an aCCident

On April 11, a Baldwin resident reported that she legally parked her vehicle in the parking lot on S. Park Avenue in Rockville Centre at 6 p.m. When she returned to her vehicle, she noticed that the driver’s side door had extensive damage. The unknown driver who struck her vehicle fled the scene without exchanging information.

fire - automobiLe

On April 7, a Brooklyn resident reported that his vehicle caught fire while traveling eastbound on Sunrise Highway. The driver was able to safely pull over in front of the GMC dealership in Rockville Centre. The Rockville Centre Fire Department was promptly notified and responded to the scene. Firefighters successfully extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.

unauthorized use of a motor vehiCLe

On April 4, a Rosedale resident was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Sunrise Highway. With further investigation at a later date and time, it was found that the driver was an unauthorized user of the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was issued multiple summons.

arrest

On April 8, Samaul Carmen, 64, of Roosevelt, was arrested and charged with Menacing, Weapon and Criminal Possession and Intent to Use for threatening a complainant without cause with a knife during an incident on Merrick Road.

On April 10, Mustafa Kececi, 65, of Freeport, was arrested and released on appearance tickets for Alcohol and Unlawfully Dealing with a Child after selling to an underage child at the BP gas station on Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre.

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

fire watCh

The Rockville Centre Fire Department is always looking for help in serving our community. If you live here or in any one of the adjacent communities and are interested in joining or just

Apr. 6 – Apr. 13

General Alarms – 9

Still Alarms – 4

Rescue – 4

Aided Cases (Ambulance) – 52

Mutual Aid Fire – 4

Mutual Aid Rescue – 0

Mutual Aid Ambulance – 0

Total – 73

have questions, please visit any firehouse on Sunday mornings and speak with one of the officers or call (516) 6789320. For emergencies dial 911 or (516) 766-0400.

Year To Date

General Alarms – 146 Still Alarms – 78

Rescue – 45

Aided Cases (Ambulance) – 799

Mutual Aid Fire – 25

Mutual Aid Rescue – 0

Mutual Aid Ambulance – 3

Total – 1096

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rockville

ALEXANDRA AIEVOLI

Calhoun Senior Lacrosse

IT WAS A HISTORIC afternoon for Aievoli April 7 when the Colts defeated Carle Place, 14-6. The senior midfielder found the back of the net seven times, including the 100th goal of her high school career, to lead Calhoun’s offense. On the season, the multitalented threat ranks among Nassau County’s top 5 scorers with 26 goals and 11 assists through seven games, leading the Colts to a 6-1 start in the process. In 2024, she tallied 30 goals and 13 assists.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, April 17

Baseball: Farmingdale at Massapequa...................10 a.m.

Baseball: Malverne at Plainedge.............................10 a.m.

Baseball: MacArthur at East Meadow .....................10 a.m.

Baseball: Long Beach at Baldwin ...........................10 a.m.

Baseball: Mepham at Hewlett .................................10 a.m.

Baseball: Calhoun at Kennedy ................................10 a.m.

Softball: Uniondale at East Rockaway.....................10 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Plainedge at Mepham .....................10 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Baldwin at Calhoun .........................10 a.m.

Boys Lacrosse: South Side at Carey........................11 a.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Long Beach at Oceanside ................1 p.m.

Saturday, April 19

Softball: Freeport at East Rockaway ..........................9 a.m.

Baseball: West Hempstead at V.S. Central ..............10 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at North Shore .................10 a.m.

Boys Lacrosse: North Shore at Plainedge ...............11 a.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Mepham at Baldwin ..........................1 p.m.

Monday, April 21

Girls Lacrosse: Lynbrook at Mineola .......................10 a.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Freeport at Malv/East Rock. .............1 p.m.

Baseball: Mepham at Calhoun .................................5 p.m.

Baseball: Long Beach at Kennedy ............................5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Plainedge at Oceanside ....................5 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.

Youth doesn’t alter Cyclones’ goals

By DYLAN BUTLER sports@liherald.com

It’s a youth movement for South Side baseball with juniors starting for the first time and sophomores — even a freshman — on varsity.

And while there’s inexperience on his roster, coach Tom Smith isn’t necessarily tempering expectations.

“I want to make sure we make that playoffs, that we can get that experience for these younger players and win a couple of games, see how far we can take it into the playoffs,” Smith said. “The most important part for us is to continue to develop these young players so that they can have an even bigger run, even more success down the line.”

In ace Stellan Zangari, the Cyclones have both youth and experience as the sophomore started on the mound a year ago as a freshman.

“Stellan is a very tenacious young man. He pitches with a lot of emotion,” Smith said of Zangari, who has 13 strikeouts in nine innings this season. “He’s got a strong fastball, a knuckle drop, a great slider, and this year we’re really working on further developing his changeup.”

In a misty rain at Roslyn, Zangari struck out seven and allowed three hits, with no walks, in six innings of a 7-0 victory on April 7.

“I told him at the end of the game, this is the best game I’ve seen you pitch so far in your varsity career,” Smith said.

Senior southpaw Scott Bernabeu is the Cyclones No. 2 pitcher a year after operating out of the bullpen where he’d strike out batters but also had a high number of walks.

“He’s working hard on being consistent with his delivery and so far he’s done a really good job,” Smith said of Bernabeu, who has 19 strikeouts in 15 innings, with opposing batters hitting just .224.

The No. 3 starter is who Smith calls his “wild card.” It’s junior shortstop John Pericolosi, a Stony Brook commit who didn’t pitch much last year.

Senior southpaw Scott Bernabeu is the Cyclones No. 2 starter on the mound and has 19 strikeouts in his first 15 innings of work this spring.

“He doesn’t try to throw every pitch the same. He doesn’t try to throw every fastball at the same speed,” Smith said. “He mixes up his speeds well. He attacks the strike zone, he’s a tall Greg Maddux out there.”

In a 15-2 win over Roslyn, Pericolosi allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts, while adding a double, a triple, two runs scored and three RBIs as the leadoff hitter.

Pericolosi has a hit in all six South Side games this year.

Gavin Donoghue is a three-year starter at first base, the left-handed cleanup hitter already has a pair of doubles in

five hits while batting .385 with five RBIs.

Two key newcomers hitting at the top of the orders are juniors Connor McNulty, an outfielder and speedster on the bases, and second baseman Jack Boyens.

Sophomore outfielder AJ Magaraci is just working his way back from a torn labrum suffered while making a tackle in the first South Side football game in the fall. He’s joined in the outfield by sophomore Aaron Amberpet, while freshman Ethan Johnson and sophomore Derek Fessler will split time at catcher for a team 4-2 out of the gate.

Grace Hughes/Herald

WARNING: GROCERY PRICES ABOUT TO SOAR

AFFORDABILITY IS THE TOP PRIORITY FOR NEW YORKERS, WHO ARE ALREADY SUFFERING FROM HIGH COSTS. RADICAL ACTIVISTS ARE PUSHING A LAW THAT WILL SEND GROCERY PRICES EVEN HIGHER AND MAKE NEW YORK LESS AFFORDABLE!

X X X

UNDER THIS RADICAL LAW:

The average family of four will pay $456 to $732 more per year for groceries.

It'll be harder to buy everyday products like cheese, hot dogs, bread, frozen veggies, and items for school lunches by banning some packaging.

Small businesses that make up the backbone of our communities will be hurt. Join your neighbors and businesses across New York and Tell Senator Bynoe and Assemblymember Griffin:

TO S.1464 /A.1749 HIGHER PRICES. EMPTY SHELVES. AN UNAFFORDABLE NEW YORK. MORE FINANCIAL BURDENS FOR CONSUMERS.

TO AFFORDABLE WASTE REDUCTION THAT DOESN’T OVERBURDEN CONSUMERS!

Soccer academy builds unity, confidence

In a welcoming space, preparing kids of all ages to compete in Long Island Junior League

By MELINDA ROLLS & CHRISTINA ARLOTTOA

Special to the Herald

Second in a series of stories on immigration through a partnership between Herald Community Newspapers and Hofstra University.

As the sun dipped behind the trees in Uniondale on a recent Thursday, the rhythmic pulse of soccer balls colliding with cleats mixed with the sharp calls of coaches in Spanish. On the well-worn grass, athletes lined up one by one in familiar ritual, launching powerful kicks into the net as the goalkeeper battled each incoming shot.

The young athletes scattered across the field behind NuHealth’s A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale were members of the New York Soccer Latin Academy. The club, based in Uniondale-Hempstead, was founded in 2002 by NYSLA coach Francisco Guerrero to train players ages 5 to 19 for competition in the Long Island Junior Soccer League.

Community roots

Volunteer coaches, including Salvador Alvarenga, of Long Beach, who emigrated from El Salvador and started coaching when the team was founded, run the team. He began playing soccer at age 6, and after his playing career ended, transitioned to coaching to stay connected to the game.

Alvarenga highlighted the team’s family-centered culture, noting that many players have virtually grown up on soccer fields, especially those with older siblings already on the team. “For most of them, their mom was pregnant and they were already on the field … They practically were born here,” Alvarenga said.

He added that it was rewarding to know that the local Hispanic community recognizes NYSLA as a welcoming space for their children. “It’s really good to know that the Spanish community knows that we are here, and that they can bring the kids here,” Alvarenga said.

In line with family values, one of the academy’s core commitments since its creation has been maintaining affordable costs for families, which Alvarenga said is often not the case for American soccer academies. “We just charge basic fees to cover our expenses,” he said. “And now we’ve been surviving for 23 years, so we’re doing something good.”

With over two decades of coaching experience with NYSLA, Alvarenga explained that his coaching philosophy centers on more than developing skilled players. Instead, it is about instilling a deep love for the sport and discipline to prepare players for success beyond the game.

“They have to try their best,” Alvarenga said. “That’s what we try to tell them all the time, so they try to excel in whatever they do.”

Alvarenga shared that his greatest source of motivation to continue coach-

ing comes from watching young players grow and evolve through the academy.

“That’s our payment,” he said.

Friendship

on the field

Two players share a bond that extends beyond passing the soccer ball. Kelli Crespin, 15, of Hempstead, and Angelina Escobar, 14, of Franklin Square, have spent the past seven years as the only two girls on their team’s roster.

Escobar, with family from Mexico and El Salvador, was first introduced to soccer by her grandfather. Crespin, with roots in El Salvador and Honduras, discovered the game through her older brother while he was playing for the academy

“I just came along with him, and the coach asked if I wanted to play,” Crespin said. “I ended up liking it, and I just kept coming back.”

But it wasn’t just the game that kept her coming back — it was also her friendship with Escobar, who became her closest friend on the team.

Both girls said that while playing exclusively with boys presents its own set of challenges, they are grateful for the resilience it has instilled in them.

“Playing with the boys made me really strong,” Escobar said. “I’m not as sensitive anymore.”

Both girls shared that their coaches at the academy have also taught them valuable lessons that extend beyond the field. “I’ve learned a lot, and not just about soccer,” Crespin said. “It’s about becoming a better person while being more active.”

Escobar said her time under Guerrero’s coaching has profoundly shaped her as a player and beyond. “I’ve learned a lot from him because he’s taught me everything I know,” Escobar said. “How to play on the field, how to not be dirty,

how to act.”

After years of dedication to the team, Crespin emphasized her desire to now serve as a role model for younger team members.

face off

“I would like to show them that no matter what, you can always do what you want to do,” Crespin said. “If you’re passionate about something, continue it. Keep on going.”

Two soccer academy players

during practice.

The New York Soccer Latin Academy is dedicated not only to teaching soccer’s fundamentals, but also to providing a welcoming space for the local Hispanic community.

Christina Artlotta/Herald photos

New York Soccer Latin Academy player Angelina Escobar received a jersey during a practice.

Program is part of mental health services

Citizen program, and underwent handler training to bring Bob into the school setting. Bob passed his six-week course at Petco “like nobody’s business,” Bishop said, noting that the training involved exposing dogs to noisy, distracting environments full of people, pets and treats to test their focus and resilience.

Bob now visits South Side every other Thursday, alternating weeks with Tory, a 10-pound shih tzu who was trained as part of a Girl Scout project. Both dogs are adored by students and staff alike.

“You’ll hear the kids say, ‘Bob, I have tests, I’m going to rub you for good luck,’” Bishop said. “He’s just so compliant. He just lays there and gets pets and wags his tail, and he’s just happy to have all this attention.”

Students encounter the dogs primarily in the ninth-grade wing, where Bishop’s office is. Bob is tethered to a 25-foot lead, giving him room to greet students while remaining safe and controlled. Signs posted outside the building, and outside Bishop’s door, alert students and staff to the dog’s presence, a precaution for those with allergies or a fear of dogs.

Both dogs are especially popular with students in South Side’s CORE and Pathways programs, for students with developmental disabilities or learning challenges. But their reach extends far beyond special education.

“I work with a lot of the students who have IEPs, but this gives me an opportunity to get to know students who are just walking by my office,” Bishop said, referring to individualized education programs.

The program, once a pioneering concept, has now become a model for others and an “essential component” of South Side, Leahy said.

“Josie was actually ahead of her time when she approached me to bring Bob in as a therapy dog,” Leahy said. “Now I hear about it in many different districts, and I see them in many different districts, and I think we realize that everybody went through this very difficult, traumatic time with the pandemic. Even prior to the pandemic, there was a rise in incidents of students with mental health issues. Whatever the reasons may be — social media, cellphones, pressure, substance abuse, whatever the reasons were — we saw this uptick in the need for mental health services.

“We really wanted to do everything in our power to find interventions that

News brief

Shredding event at RVC library, April 19

Nassau County Legislator Scott Davis is teaming up with ProShred Security and the Rockville Centre Public Library to host his office’s second annual shredding event on Saturday, April 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Residents are invited to bring up to 10 black garbage bags or bankers’ boxes of unwanted papers and sensitive documents to the library parking lot for secure, environmentally-friendly disposal.

In addition to document shredding, Davis will be collecting donations of new and gently used clothing for babies to support the BackYard Players & Friends’ “Love Nana” community service project. Donations of baby clothes up to 24 months, books, blankets, hats, shoes and soft toys are encouraged.

“During spring cleaning, many of us unearth documents that we need to dispose of securely because of the sensitive information they contain – and that was evident by the tremendous response to last April’s shredding event,” Legislator Davis said. “I am glad to be working with the Rockville Centre Public Library and ProShred Security to meet that need in a way that safeguards your privacy and protects the environment. Please join us with your unwanted papers and a donation in support of the BackYard Players’ outstanding Love Nana initiative!”

For more information, contact Davis’ office at sdavis@nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 571-6201.

–Kelsie Radziski

would help students to get through the day and get beyond whatever their frustrations or their anxieties were, and so it just made a lot of sense to me,” she added.

Health Benefits of Forgiveness

Each one of us experience countless injustices in the course of everyday living. Like other experiences, it is not the experience itself so much that counts, but how you process it. The Mayo Clinic addresses the health benefits of “forgiveness” which they define as “an intentional decision to let go of resentment and anger”. Letting go of grudges and bitterness can lead to:

• Healthier relationships

• Improved mental health

• Less anxiety, stress and hostility

• Fewer symptoms of depression

• Lower blood pressure

• A stronger immune system

• Improved heart health

• Improved self-esteem

• Better sleep

Everett Worthington, Profession Emeritus of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, provides a free workbook at evworthington-forgiveness.com to aid those for whom forgiveness may be difficult (most

of us!), focusing on the REACH method. Recall: Recall the hurt. Look at the incident in an objective way and don’t try to push aside your feelings.

Empathize: Empathize with the offender without excusing the action or invalidating your own feelings. Maybe the person was having a bad day or was raised in dire circumstances.

Altruistic gift: Give the altruistic gift of forgiveness. Think about a time when you were rude or harsh, and recognize that everyone has shortcomings.

Commit: Make a decision to forgive. You can write a letter that you don’t send to help yourself make the commitment.

Hold: Hold on to forgiveness. Memories of the transgression or event won’t change. But how you react to those feelings will.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned”.

—Buddha

Bob the black lab, belonging to former assistant superintendent noreen Leahy, visits South Side High School every other thursday to help students relieve their stress.

SCOTT DAVIS

Photos courtesy Rockville Centre school district tory the shih tzu bounds through the hallways with energy, looking forward to pets and treats.

Joy, talent and unity take the Molloy stage

By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

Molloy University will host its sixth annual Unity Through Diversity: Celebrating All Abilities in the Arts production on May 2, bringing together neurodivergent artists and performers from across Long Island for an evening of music, dance, visual art and community connection.

The event, created and coordinated by Diana “Dee” Abourafeh, a board-certified music therapist at The Rebecca Center for Music Therapy, is designed to provide a creative, inclusive space for individuals of all abilities to express themselves authentically. The evening begins with an art gallery showcasing visual work from neurodivergent artists and concludes with a high-energy performance at the university’s Madison Theatre.

“We’re so happy to have all of these collaborations and people come together to just have a really exhilarating and fun night,” Abourafeh said.

This year’s performance will be the largest in the event’s history, with more than 90 performers set to take the stage. The cast includes participants from The Rebecca Center for Music Therapy as well as several community groups, including Backyard Players & Friends, The Nicholas Center and the MOST Program, an inclusive college experience for young adults with developmental disabilities offered at Molloy.

The show will open and close with full-cast numbers featuring all performers on stage together. Between those bookends, audiences can expect a mix of solo acts and group collaborations. Performances will range from upbeat pop songs and hip hop dance routines to inclusive band sets and vocal numbers.

Among the highlights is a rendition of “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas, which will feature the full cast, including special appearances by Molloy University President Jim Lentini, Vice President of Mission

Integration Donald “DJ” Mitchell Jr. and Vice President of Academic Affairs Michelle Piskulich. The Backyard Players & Friends will perform “Come On, Get Happy” with the Born 2 Sing Kids, led by Dana Lentini, and the university’s MOST Program will return for its third consecutive year with a performance of “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake.

“It’s really just a pleasure to be a part of, and I actually initiated the event. But I’ve always said that it’s not about us at the center. It’s always about the community and providing a platform for people,” Abourafeh said. “So if that’s what we can do, then we’re going to do it.”

Unity Through Diversity typically draws a crowd of

nearly 300 attendees. Proceeds from the evening will benefit The Rebecca Center’s Client Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance for individuals in need of access to music therapy services.

The main event will take place on May 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Madison Theatre at Molloy University, located at 1000 Hempstead Avenue in Rockville Centre. Tickets are $20 if purchased online by April 22, and afterwards they can only be purchased at the door for $25. Molloy students get a $5 discount on tickets if they present a Molloy ID at the box office.

To buy tickets online, visit MadisonTheatreNY.org/ event/unity-through-diversity-celebrating-all-abilitiesin-the-arts-4/.

Rockville Centre police force grows stronger

By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

The Village of Rockville Centre celebrated a milestone in its commitment to public safety as it promoted one of its own police officers to the rank of Sergeant and welcomed a new officer to the department during the Board of Trustees meeting on April 7.

TSergeant Nicholas Bamonte, who joined the Rockville Centre Police Department in 2015, was officially promoted after a distinguished career in law enforcement. Bamonte, a Suffolk County native and graduate of Newfield High School, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice after attending Suffolk County Community College. Before joining Rockville Centre, he served with the New York City Police Department at the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights, earning respect for his professionalism and dedication.

ship and a strong sense of duty,” commented Mayor Francis X. Murray. “As he begins this new chapter as a Sergeant, his fellow officers, Board of Trustees and I are confident that he will continue to lead with the same integrity and dedication that brought him this far.”

hese personnel changes mark a significant step forward for the village’s law enforcement team.

FRAncIS MuRRAy Mayor

Alongside Bamonte’s promotion, the village also introduced Officer Gerard Norton to the Rockville Centre Police Department. Born and raised in Massapequa, Norton has a rich background in service. After graduating from Massapequa High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served for four years as a radio operator in North Carolina. Following his military service, Norton joined the New York City Department of Correction before transferring to the NYPD. During his time with the NYPD, he worked in various roles, including patrol, traffic safety, and the elite Mounted Unit.

“Sergeant Bamonte’s promotion is a testament to years of hard work, leader-

“Officer Norton’s dedication to public service is exceptional, and we’re honored to have him on our team,” said

Rockville Centre Police Commissioner Randy Dodd. “Officers like him remind us of the critical role police play in protecting and connecting with our community.”

“These personnel changes mark a significant step forward for the village’s law enforcement team as it continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of residents,” Murray added. The promotion and addition to the police force reflect Rockville Centre’s ongoing commitment to enhancing public safety and community engagement.

Kelsie Radziski/Herald

Performers gathered on the Madison Theatre stage at the rehearsal for the ‘Unity Through Diversity’ show on April 9 to perfect their singing and dancing before the big night.

Courtesy Village of Rockville Centre

Nicholas Bamonte, left, and Gerard Norton were sworn in as sergeant and officer, respectively, at the Rockville Centre Board of Trustees meeting on April 7.

Full speed ahead

Proven practices to win the race against aging

Naps, knitting and nuzzling with the grandchildren — the traditional image of retirement is being challenged by the more than 76 million baby boomers in the United States.

This vibrant generation wants to make the most out of their golden years, and while hobbies and time with grandkids are a priority, they want more. To do so, we know that a proactive approach to health and wellness is a must.

Matt Johnson, a health and performance expert, admires the tenacity boomers — and all seniors — exhibit when it comes to maintaining their health and well-being. He suggests these incredibly simple, yet powerful ways to age healthfully, and keep those engines revving at peak performance, no matter how vintage the model.

Take advantage of pit stops

“Lack of sleep is the fastest way to age the human body,” says Johnson.

“Additionally, adequate sleep is extremely important for a healthy brain. Deep REM sleep allows the mind to rejuvenate. Memory, creativity and cognitive function get refreshed in this stage of sleep.”

He recommends three steps to achieve quality sleep. First, go to bed at the correct time to achieve eight hours of sleep. Second, unplug and avoid digital devices that put out stimulating blue light. Third, add the relaxing mineral magnesium to your routine by taking an Epsom salt bath or foot bath once a week.

Fuel your machine

“I like to tell people to think of nutrition as fuel for the body; without the correct fuel, the engine and components can’t work correctly,” says Johnson. “The most critical nutrients that boomers don’t get enough of are supergreens and omega-3s.

We know we all need to eat more green veggies, but did you know that up to 91 percent of the American population is deficient in omega-3s?”

Get an oil change

Some oils are considered healthy and others

cause health problems. Johnson recommends you reevaluate the types of oils you use.

Add:

√ Use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for salad dressings, baking and low-temperature sautéing.

√ Consider avocado oil. With its high smoke point, it’s ideal for high-heat cooking techniques like frying and sautéing. Avocado oil is rich in oleic acid, polyunsaturated fats, carotenoids, and other antioxidant-rich nutrients that are linked to improved heart, skin, and eye health.

Remove:

√ Vegetable oils like canola and soybean, which are heavily processed and often made with GMOs.

Rev your engines daily

“The benefits of exercise are endless, but the underdog benefit is how it makes us feel and think,” says Johnson. “You should move your body if you want to stay sharp and happy.”

Find an exercise program you enjoy, he suggests. “Exercise is the fountain of youth, but you shouldn’t do something you don’t like. Make sure you move your body daily. If you are looking for suggestions, think about hiring a trainer to learn a set program. I think focusing on form and technique over intensity is the first step.”

Schedule regular maintenance checks

“Play offense instead of defense with your health,” says Johnson. “Modern medicine is better than ever at early detection and treatment.”

The key is to focus on prevention. “Use annual doctor visits to screen, ask questions and monitor your risk factors. Remember, you can only get good answers if you ask good questions,” he says.

Finally, Johnson reminds people that antiaging doesn’t exist. “We are all aging — the key is to age well. This means to aspire to quality of life. We all have motivators in our life: kids, grandkids, spouses, careers, passions, etc. Without your health, none of these can be enjoyed to the fullest.”

Long live the brain

Activities you can do at home that help boost brain health

By Kristen Castillo

We all know that it’s important to keep your brain sharp as you age.

“In order to engage our brains for an ideal level of challenge, we should aim for something that is new, novel and challenging to maximize our effort — grow our brains, new neurons and strengthen our neuronal networks,” says certified brain health coach Dr. Krystal L. Culler, DBH, M.A., founder of Your Brain Health Matters, LLC and an Atlantic fellow for Equity in Brain Health.

Dr. Culler says brain health is 70 percent lifestyle and 30 percent genetics. She encourages people to think about brain fitness the same way they think about physical exercise. That means giving your brain a 15- to 20-minute daily workout, adding up to at least two hours a week.

Read on for easy ways to stimulate your brain.

Game On!

Playing games — whether it’s chess, puzzles, Mah Jongg or computer games, such as Words With Friends or Wordle — may help your brain to stay engaged.

For example, smartphone apps can be an entertaining and challenging activity for the brain. One app, Elevate, uses artificial intelligence to create custom exercises for each user, tailored to their personal goals.

In a four-week study of 125 Elevate users, conducted for the game company by a researcher at California State University, Stanislaus, and Nichols Research, Inc., participants who had access to Elevate games and training exercises improved their test scores “69 percent more than the control group, which did not have access to the games and exercises.”

While research on the overall benefits of cognitive games is mixed, one study shows participants may get good at a mind-stimulating activity, such as crosswords, even if those gaming skills don’t transfer to other brain health, like attention to problem-solving.

Still, that doesn’t mean the activity isn’t valuable. You can have a healthier, happier life by participating in games and activities you enjoy.

Read, Read, Read

Challenge your brain with reading but mix up your habits.

Dr. Culler suggests reading a different section of the newspaper than you usually would or reading a new book or magazine. Next, read some passages out loud, which she says can activate different areas of your brain.

Read with the intent to share the message with friends. You will be more mindful and process the information differently.

Set New Goals

Try new things. Set an intention to do something new, such as visiting museums, attending talks, etc., for the next week or month. Map it out and invite a friend. Dr. Culler says both the planning process and socialization have brain benefits, too.

Meditate

Clearing your mind can be good for your brain as well.

“Set aside time daily to cool your brain, practice mindfulness or meditate,” says Dr. Culler. “Meditation is an excellent brain workout, and studies have found numerous benefits for the brain. If meditation is not a daily part of your routine, aim to add it in.”

She recommends starting with a few minutes of meditation a day and working up to 20 minutes or longer.

Photo: Meditation can help calm the brain

Photo: Regular exercise is pivotal to looking and feeling great at every age — and especially in our older years.

By Julia Price

Sleep struggle

Your changing body and sleep patterns

Parents often monitor their kids’ sleeping patterns as a way to ensure they’re getting a quality night of zzz’s. But who monitors our sleeping routines once we’re older? How are we supposed to know whether we’re getting enough sleep or how to prepare for if we need more? According to the National Sleep Foundation, one of the most common concerns elderly people have is that they sleep for less time than when they were younger, plus they may report waking up multiple times during the night or having difficulty falling asleep in the first place.

There are various stages of sleep that cycle throughout the entirety of one’s night — light and deep — and many seniors tend to experience an increase in their number of light stages, which could cause more tiredness throughout the day. A major factor contributing to this change is linked to medications prescribed for physical and psychological illnesses, although some of it is completely natural. For example, as we age, we organically tend to get tired earlier in the evening and, in turn, rise earlier in the morning.

A sleep therapist can help change your circadian rhythm, utilizing light therapy, traditional therapy or other resources.

Rethink your nightly routine

If you’re looking to take matters into your own hands, there are homeopathic and natural remedies that are quite easy to introduce into your nightly and daily routines. At night, try to avoid television, the computer and your cellphone for at least one hour before you retire to the bedroom. Because your body wants to stay awake when it thinks it’s daytime, these devices can create a sort of fake

“daylight” effect, throwing off your natural sleep rhythm. You also should try to avoid drinking water or other liquids for at least an hour before bedtime.

Stretching and meditation are also great tools to help slow down your system into complete relaxation mode, calming and quieting the mind. If you have trouble meditating on your own, there are many assisting apps you can use; however, if you require assistance, make sure that your phone or other device has the light turned all the way down so that you avoid bright lights as recommended above. You might also try taking a warm bath or shower before sleeping, making sure to focus on slow breathing and the way the water feels on your skin. Sometimes humming slowly or chanting a mantra can also calm your mind and put you into a completely surrendered state of calm.

Maybe a sleep aid is needed

If none of the above works, melatonin is a natural sleep

aid that will help sooth you into sleep without giving you some of the “hangover” effects you may feel from an overthe-counter or prescribed sleeping pill. Melatonin is a natural chemical found in the body, so taking it merely enhances your body’s ingrained clock that tells it when to go to sleep. This shouldn’t be used nightly, however — only when necessary. That’s because when the brain is exposed to too much melatonin, it becomes unresponsive, according to Richard Wurtman, who pioneered the use of melatonin in helping people sleep.

Day into night

Of course, you want to slightly tweak some of your daytime habits, as well. When you wake up, try to get your body moving immediately with a walk or a mini-workout in your home. Whatever you decide to do, make sure that your heart rate and breath increase. And if you like a morning cup of coffee or tea with caffeine, wait to have it until after you have a full cup of water.

Aside from that, you want to stay active. Make sure to engage in physically and mentally stimulating activities. If your physical shape prevents you from being active, look for something less strenuous, or if that isn’t possible, do whatever movement you can to keep fit.

These changes are completely normal, and you don’t have to suffer through them. Remember that all of this is just a reminder to take care of yourself and to treat your body with the love and attention it deserves. Get a massage when you’re sore. Listen to audiobooks when you’re not feeling very physically active. Enjoy every moment and practice stating what you’re grateful for every morning when you wake up and every night before you crawl into bed. Sometimes those small changes can make all the difference in the world.

Photo: There are many causes of hearing loss, but the only fully preventable cause is from excess noise, or from listening too loud for too long.

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Mount Sinai South Nassau’s

While you are hopefully getting wiser as you get older, your immune system is weakening, increasing your risk for severe cases of vaccine-preventable illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, or shingles.

These diseases can lead to extended hospitalization or even death. While vaccination does not guarantee you will not get sick, getting vaccinated almost certainly will make your illness less severe, especially for individuals 65 and above. The fix is an easy one: get vaccinated!

Approximately 25,000 to 50,000 U.S. adults aged 65 and older die every year from complications caused by vaccine-preventable viral illnesses. This is more than the deaths attributed to breast cancer, traffic accidents and HIV/AIDS combined. Many of those who died were unvaccinated. During your annual checkup, be sure to speak with your doctor and make sure you are up to date on all your vaccinations.

During the 2023-2024 flu season, adults 65 and older accounted for more than 50 percent of flu-related hospitalizations and 72 percent of flu-related deaths. Meanwhile, adults 65 and older accounted for approximately twothirds of all COVID-19-associated hospitalizations from October 2023 to April 2024, while those 75 and older accounted for approximately 50 percent of COVID-19 deaths. These data are especially compelling in older adults with underlying conditions such as heart or lung disease or diabetes.

As for measles, which is increasing in prevalence across the country, there have been four cases in New York State so far this year—one in Suffolk County and three in New York City. As of Thursday, March 13, of the 373 confirmed measles cases reported in the United States, 86 (21 percent) involved individuals above age 20, and 11 of those cases required hospitalization. Approximately 2 of every 1,000 adults who contract measles die.

Aaron E. Glatt, MD, Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau, says people born before 1957 are presumed to be immune and don’t require a MMR (mumps, measles, rubella) vaccination or testing to see if they are immune. However, if they know they are not immune because of work related testing or other reasons, vaccination might be appropriate. “People born during or after 1957 who are traveling to

a high-risk area who do not have evidence of immunity to measles (which can be determined by a blood test ordered by your physician to assess your antibody levels or vaccination status or by your immunization records) should get the vaccination,” Dr. Glatt added.

Infectious disease experts also recommend that people born after 1957 and vaccinated before 1968 consider getting a single additional vaccine dose, as the vaccine used from 1963 to 1967 has proven not to be as effective or long-lasting as the current MMR vaccine. When in doubt, ask your doctor! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that most people over age 65 get the following immunizations:

• Shingles vaccine: Shingles can be a very painful rash that can last for months. The CDC recommends the vaccine Shingrix for healthy adults aged 50 and older to prevent shingles.

• RSV vaccine: Respiratory syncytial virus infections are often mild but can be serious for older people, especially those above 75 and for those 60 and older with underlying

conditions such as heart or lung disease.

• Pneumococcal vaccine: Pneumococcal disease can include pneumonia, meningitis, and blood infections. There are several vaccines available, and you should discuss with your doctor which one is most appropriate for you, based on any prior pneumococcal vaccinations and your age. The current recommendation is for all people over 50 to receive a pneumococcal vaccine, as well as those 18 years and older with significant underlying medical conditions.

• Annual flu vaccine: It remains the very best way to protect yourself and others from the flu.

• Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, or whooping cough): Everyone needs to get the Tdap vaccine at least once. After getting a Tdap vaccine, get a Td vaccine every 10 years to protect against tetanus and diphtheria.

• COVID-19 vaccine: How often you should receive this vaccine to reduce your risk and others from getting severe COVID-19 will also vary greatly based upon your underlying health, age, and when your most

recent COVID-19 illness was. Discuss this with your doctor.

• Hepatitis B vaccine: The CDC recommends this for all adults ages 19 to 59 who do not have natural immunity to hepatitis B, and for adults 60 and older who have risk factors for hepatitis B. If you are 60 and older and don’t have known risk factors, it’s okay to get the hepatitis B vaccine if you want it.

If you’re not up to date on your vaccinations, Dr. Glatt says to see your physician to set up a schedule to get them. If you haven’t received the annual flu or COVID-19 vaccination, you can get one at the Vaxmobile, Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Community Education Health Screenings and Wellness outreach effort, which will be at the following senior centers:

April

• 4/24 – Nassau County Senior Services at St Anthonys Church, Oceanside, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• 4/29 – Freeport Library, Freeport, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

May

• 5/1 – Long Beach Library, Long Beach, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• 5/6 – Hispanic Brotherhood, Hempstead, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• 5/13 – Nassau County Senior Birthday Party at the Old Barn Bethpage, Restoration Village, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

• 5/15 – Baldwin Library, Baldwin, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

• 5/20 – Freeport Library, Freeport, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• 5/22 – Nassau County Senior Services at St Anthonys Church, Oceanside, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

For more information, call Mount Sinai South Nassau Community Education at (516) 377-5333 or send an email to vaxmobile@snch.org.

Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Vaxmobile brings flu and Covid-19 vaccines along with health screenings to local senior centers and other community centers.

Mount Sinai South Nassau is Improving Health Care on the South Shore

The new Fennessy Family Emergency Department at Mount Sinai South Nassau doubles the size of our previous emergency department, o ering 54 private exam rooms with clear lines of sight for physicians, nurses, and support sta . Our new emergency department also o ers a separate triage area, dedicated areas for children and behavioral health patients, and has been designed to reduce wait times and improve patient outcomes.

The Fennessy Family Emergency Department is located within the new Feil Family Pavilion, opening later this year, which will have 40 new critical care suites and nine new operating rooms, designed to support the most complex surgeries on the South Shore.

To learn more visit www.mountsinai.org/feilpavilion

Moving from Sick Care to Well Care

Catholic Health is deeply rooted in the communities it serves, with several award-winning hospitals situated in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. Yet the ultimate measure of a great health care system is how well it does at preempting the need for hospitalization. Catholic Health is working to do just that by expanding its network of preventive Primary Care practices all across Long Island.

“When you enter into a long-term relationship with a Primary Care Provider, your doctor gets to know who you are,” says Anthony Ardito, MD, Chairman of Catholic Health’s Primary Care Service Line. “People want their doctors to truly understand their health history as well as their preferences.”

Besides ensuring that you receive your preventative health screenings—such as mammogram and colonoscopy—Primary Care Providers will monitor you at regular intervals for blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body mass index and more.

“By knowing a patient for years, we can detect early changes in a person’s condition, then work with the patient to ensure for early detection and an appropriate response,” says Dr. Ardito. “That’s the kind of health care that’s going to keep people out of the hospital and add many more healthy

years to their lives.”

Catholic Health has recruited many hundreds of Primary Care Providers to its physician network, situating them in convenient community-based medical office buildings across its Long Island footprint. Some are single practices, while many are part of the health system’s network of Catholic Health Ambulatory Care sites. These outpatient care facilities bring together Primary Care Providers and various clinical specialists—such as cardiologists,

neurologists, endocrinologists, oncologists, orthopedists and pain management specialists—under one roof.

“We’ve launched well over 20 Catholic Health Ambulatory Care sites throughout Long Island, stretching from Queens to Riverhead,” says Chief Medical Officer Jason Golbin, DO. “Each site is a multispecialty hub. So if your Primary Care physician detects it may be time to see a specialist, there’s one right down the hall, fully partnered with Catholic Health, and easily

able to access your medical records and test results. Our Catholic Health physicians work as a unified team to ensure that the care you receive is coordinated to produce the most optimal outcomes with the least amount of stress.”

Beyond their many convenient locations, Catholic Health Primary Care physicians are also available through online messaging, two-way texting and video visits with their patients.

To schedule a consultation with a Catholic Health Primary Care provider near you, call (866) MY-LI-DOC or visit CatholicHealthLI.org and click on the “Find a Doctor” tab at the top of the screen, which lets you sort by specialty or location. You can even schedule an appointment online.

Catholic Health is growing—expanding Primary Care, Urgent Care and multispecialty Ambulatory Care locations across the region. Quality care, close to home.

Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

Catholic Health has convenient preventive Primary Care practices throughout Long Island.

Compassionate Care that enriChes

By MELISSA BERMAN & JEFFREY BESSEN of the Herald

Nassau County Legislator John Ferretti, a Republican, will face off against Democrat Joseph K. Scianablo for Hempstead town supervisor.

Both are replacement candidates, because incumbent Supervisor Don Clavin, a Republican, and his expected Democratic opponent, Justin Brown, both declined their parties’ nominations. There are reports that Clavin will run for a county court judgeship on this year’s ballot.

Ferretti, a Levittown resident, has served as a county legislator for over seven years, and he highlighted his efforts to control the tax burden for Nassau County residents.

“The committee looked for someone who is a proven tax slayer, helped make Nassau County the safest in the United States, fought antisemitism and hate in general, is involved in the community and with his family, and has been a lifelong resident of the Town of Hempstead,” Joe Cairo, the Nassau County Republican Committee chairman, said at the April 10 announcement.

Scianablo, a Garden City resident, brings a career of leadership, integrity and compassion, according to the county Democratic Party, having served in the Marines in Iraq and as a New York City police officer. Most recently he was

an assistant district attorney in Queens.

Raised in what was described as a working-class family, Scianablo enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1996. After his military service, he joined the NYPD, in which his focus was domestic violence. After retiring he earned his law degree, and dedicated his legal career to justice and public safety.

“Public service isn’t only what you do, it’s who you are. I’ve served my country, my city, and my community — and I’m ready to serve the people of

Hempstead,” Scianablo said in a news release. “I’m running to lower the tax burden, clean up our broken infrastructure, and bring transparency back to Town Hall.”

Ferretti highlighted his work to stop antisemitism and hate crimes, enhance resources for police and protect women.

“When you decide to run for elected office, you do it because you want to make a different in people’s lives,” he said. “I feel I have the experience in both the private sector and government

that qualifies me for this position. In government, I have both administrative and legislative experience.”

The Democrats highlighted the town’s 12.1 percent property tax increase, pay raises for top officials and long-neglected infrastructure problems as the issues they are aiming to resolve.

“Joe Scianablo is exactly the kind of leader Hempstead needs right now,” County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs said in the release. “His courage, character, and deep commitment to public service make him the right candidate to take on the status quo. Joe has spent his life protecting others — he’ll bring that same fierce dedication to fighting for every family in Hempstead.”

The Republicans focused on Ferretti’s two local landmark laws, Fairness for Women and Girls in Sports and the Mask Transparency Act.

“Nassau Legislator John Ferretti has distinguished himself as a county legislator, holding the line on taxes every year and even reducing the tax burden for Nassau homeowners,” Cairo said. Scianablo’s campaign aims to focus on lifting up working families. “I’ve never backed down from a fight — and I won’t back down from the fight for the people of Hempstead,” he said in the release. “This town deserves a leader who shows up, stands tall, and delivers real results. That’s exactly what I intend to do.”

Herald file photos

John Ferretti, left, a Republican Nassau County legislator, and Democrat Joseph K. Scianablo are the candidates for Hempstead town supervisor.

Senior Health & Beyond Expo series kicks off

By Anna Graci

Herald Community Media and RichnerLIVE successfully launched the first event in the 2025 Senior Health & Beyond Expo series, presented by Nassau University Medical Center, on Friday, April 4, at the East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center in East Meadow. This free community event drew hundreds of attendees, including seniors, families, and caregivers, eager to learn about the latest in wellness, lifestyle enhancements, and essential health resources.

The expo featured a vibrant lineup of educational vendors and interactive activities, ensuring that attendees were both entertained and informed. “It was an incredible turnout,” said Amy Amato, executive director of corporate relations and events at RichnerLIVE.

A key highlight of the day was the “Stop the Bleed” training session led by Nassau University Medical Center’s Sloan Yoselowitz, DPT, CSCS, the hospital’s director of community outreach. This national campaign teaches people how to control severe bleeding in emergency situations before medical help arrives. The presentation emphasized the importance of immediate action in improving survival rates.

The crowd also enjoyed a dose of humor during a comedy show featuring comedian Larry Izzo.

Attendees were given complimentary swag bags sponsored by Silver Lining Homecare. A 10-minute guided exercise session by Excel Homecare Inc. helped get audience members’ blood pumping, while SightGrowth Partners offered eye test screenings.

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Nassau University Medical Center, and our program sponsors — PSEG Long Island, Parker Jewish Institute Health Care and Rehabilitation, Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, the NYS Department of Public Service Long Island, and the Sid Jacobson JCC — for their vital support.

Please visit our website to view our photo gallery from April 4: www.richnerlive.com/seniorexpo/2025senior-health-beyond-expo-of-long-island-photo-gallery.

Join us for the next Herald Senior Health & Beyond Expo for 2025, which will be held on May 22 at the Massapequa Elks Lodge #2162 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For a full list of Expos, go to liherald.com.

Tim Baker/Herald photos Keynote speaker Sloan Yoselowitz, DPT, CSCS; from Nassau University Medical Center.

Hundreds attended the first of seven 2025 Herald Senior Health & Beyond Expos.

Victoria Schickley and Nicole Hall of PSEG L.I.

Janette Lebron, Pablo Rendon, Michelle Chan and Jess Dunbar of the Parker Jewish Institute For Health Care and Rehabilitation.

Laura LaFauci of Amber Court Assisted Living.

Ryan Lynch and Diana Arevalo, NY Cancer & Blood specialists.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Lekeisha Hall, Lisa Boris and Joy Gardener of Excel Homecare Inc.

Speaker Michelle Gibson of the Sid Jacobson JCC. Stephanie Penza, Dr. Brian Berliner and Aisha Vazquez; SightMD.

Livia Stachura, Bestern Tiryaki and Ambar Bello of Prine Health.

Micah Schlendorf and Laura Racioppi of Suffolk Federal Credit Union.

Manuel Sepulveda of WellCare. Victoria Caputo of Family and Children’s Association.

Jamie Rossi and Christine Rossi of I Love Hearing, in East Meadow.

Manuel Mathew and Jill Wasser of the NYS Public Service Commission of Long Island.

Regina Khaimov and Anne Marie Fragkoulis of the Margaret Tietz Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center.

Patricia Barna of ClearCaptions.

Danielle Aglio and Trudy Losee; Blue Island Homes. Tiffany Balanoff of Douglas Elliman RVC.

Road trip comedy inspired by RVC friends

Are Men,” that was canceled after two episodes.

“We were unemployed actors living in Los Angeles, and one day we were driving around, and Mike saw a sign – I-5 north to Sacramento – in LA,” Smith said. “He kind of nudged me and said, ‘Hey, you want to go to Sacramento?’ And I go, somewhat sarcastically, ‘Yeah, I want to take a six hour road trip. I don’t have my toothbrush. What am I going to do?’ So, we laughed and wrote in those two character voices, built out that scene, and that’s now a scene in the movie.”

The story, which Smith describes as “a coming-of-age movie for people in their 30s,” follows two longtime friends, Rickey and Glenn, reconnecting on a cross-country trip and grappling with the complexities of adult life, friendship and personal growth.

Smith’s path to the big screen began in Rockville Centre, where he was raised. His early love for performing was nurtured by his aunt, Kathy Smith, who runs the local children’s theater program, Time to Shine at the Rockville Centre Recreation Center. He started acting there, and when he was 12, he performed in a production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Chaminade High School

“To go from that to where I am now feels incredible,” he said.

Though now based in Los Angeles,

Smith still has deep ties to Rockville Centre, with his family still living in the community. He has also held onto friendships he made in his childhood hometown, which he said have inspired

the film and the overall message.

“I think the friendships that you have growing up, and there are a lot for me in Rockville Centre while you might drift away from some of those friendships,

they’re still super valuable, and it’s important to have those people in your life because they bring out the kid in you,” he said. “What I hope people take away is realizing how special friendships are from your childhood.”

Smith began his professional acting career with short films like “I Killed Zoe Day,” in 2006, and gained wider recognition as Dennis in “Paranormal Activity 3” in 2011. He also appeared in feature films including “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” in 2012 and “Enough Said” in 2013, and he voiced Dougland in the animated film “Storks” in 2016. In 2021, he revisited the “Paranormal Activity” franchise in the documentary “Unknown Dimension.”

On television, Smith has appeared in series such as “30 Rock,” “The Mindy Project” and “How I Met Your Mother.” He held recurring roles in “Fake It Til You Make It,” “Young & Hungry” and “The Moodys,” and most recently, he guest-starred in a 2024 episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

As for aspiring writers and actors from Rockville Centre hoping to follow a similar path, he offers a simple piece of advice from his cousin, Rob Barredo: “Write down everything.”

“Write things down in the moment that you think of them, and always carry around a pen,” he said.

“Sacramento” is now playing in theatres.

Courtesy Chris Smith

Chris Smith, right, and michael angarano on the set of ‘Sacramento,’ Smith’s first feature film to hit theatres.

STEPPING OUT

Local filmmaker debuts ‘Godless’

Michael Ricigliano is in the spotlight

By Iris Wiener

Filmmaker Michael Ricigliano writes what he knows, and there is nothing he knows better than Long Island. His roots are certainly evident through his creative vision in his latest feature, “Godless,” which is now streaming on multiple platforms.

Starring Harry Lennix (“The Blacklist”) and Ana Ortiz (“Ugly Betty”), “Godless” explores the turbulent intersection of faith and politics. Ricigliano makes his directing debut with the film after having turned heads as a playwright (“A Queen for a Day”) and screenwriter (“The Brooklyn Banker”). He shot it in Huntington and Great Neck, only a stone’s throw away from where he grew up in Garden City.

“I think that for any writer, your own personal experiences craft how you see the world,” he says. “Growing up on Long Island, meeting the many people and remembering conversations with them, plus the stories my family would tell me about how they grew up. It all affects my work.”

Ricigliano is easily able to draw from Long Island’s “flavor,” as he is firmly entrenched in numerous communities.

Ricigliano’s father moved to Uniondale from Brooklyn in the early 1940s, and stayed until 1985; at age 15, his family moved to Garden City. Ricigliano went to private schools in Uniondale and Old Westbury, then going to law school at Hofstra where he played lacrosse. For the past 20 years, Ricigliano and his family have resided in Locust Valley. He has never left Long Island!

It wasn’t until Ricigliano was 40 that he began to write; a real estate lawyer who counsels with Spano Abstract Service Corp. (“an incredibly supportive company”) he began writing on a whim when he realized that he had an idea for a short film based on stories he heard from his family when he was very young in Brooklyn. Despite never having taken a film class, his screenplay for “The Brooklyn Banker” was picked up by Federico Castaluccio (of “The Sopranos” fame), and made into a feature length film starring Paul Sorvino.

“Everything I write is based off of things that have happened in my life and that I have experienced in my Catholic upbringing,” he says of how he began working on “Godless,” which centers on a devout Catholic governor (Ortiz) who is excommunicated after signing a progressive bill into law. “Godless” is about the crisis of faith that she endures when her religious beliefs contrast with her ambitions.

“Canon law is something I have always been fascinated with,” says Ricigliano. “From there it merged into the process of an excommunication. I wanted to explore the political fallout of her getting excommunicated when she wants to become president, as well as what’s happening with the bishop (Lennix) who has gone to the next step because the church is very politically driven as well.”

Ricigliano’s mother first suggested that her son shoot his directorial debut at Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington.

“We had the ability to use the chapel and the church, the hallways, the high ceilings, the offices which were from a different era, the beautiful grounds. It was all there,” he says. “It was beautiful and magnificent.”

The number of ways in which Ricigliano is creative are endless. He is also an accomplished pop artist who has shown his work at galleries (one of his pieces adorns a set in “Godless”) and a musician. Some of his original songs can be heard in the film.

“I have a mantra: Create every day,” he says thoughtfully. “I try and do something every day and I look forward to it, whether it’s art, writing or playing guitar. Doing this has become ingrained in me. It’s a passion.”

Ricigliano’s next film is based on the play “The Court of Oyer and Terminer,” and is also set to star Lennix. The story is about a retired judge from Nassau County who lives in the city and has dementia. He hopes to shoot scenes in Manhasset and other nearby areas.

“Long Island is one of the greatest places to live on the planet,” he says excitedly as he looks to the future. “The nature, the history, the architecture, some of the court houses. The resources that we have and the people are magnificent. We worked with the Nassau County and the Suffolk County Film Commissions for ‘Godless’ and they were so helpful.”

Ricigliano hopes that “Godless,” which can be streamed on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Fandango, makes people want to talk.

“Any of the issues within can’t be one way or the other. People have certain beliefs that are instilled in them. In today’s society, a lot of times, people don’t want to listen. They just yell at each other. Hopefully this film will open up more of a dialogue. We’re all fallible. At the end of the day, the movie is about forgiveness and understanding. All I want is for people to walk out and say, ‘Okay. But I understand what the other person is saying.’”

‘Cold Beer on a Saturday Night’

Spring blooms with Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band. Before you know it, we’ll be back on the beach; meanwhile Jimmy Kenny and his band keep the vibe going with their “Ultimate Beach Party Tribute” to Kenny Chesney, Jimmy Buffett and Zac Brown Band. Parrotheads, No Shoes Nation and the Zamily: it’s 5 o’clock somewhere so let’s ‘raise ‘em up and sing along. The Long Island based band — guided by Paul C. Cuthbert (aka Jimmy Kenny) on lead vocals/acoustic guitar, with Linn DeMilta (aka Lovely Linn), lead and backing vocals, Luis Rios, lead guitar/backing vocals, Frank Stainkamp, keyboard/ backing vocals, Dan Prine, bass, and drummer Mike Vecchione, have been celebrating the beach country sounds for over a decade, Everyone has a great time grooving to their lively mix of their popular sing-along hits and feel good, easy living flair.

Saturday, April 19, 8 p.m. $35, $25, $20, $15. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Jazzin’ with Wynton Marsalis

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, takes listeners on a thrilling ride with Contemporary Jazz Masterpieces. Hear fascinating new works composed and orchestrated by composers and Big Band leaders of today, including Miho Hazama, Darcy James Argue, Helen Sung, Jihye Lee. The concert also feature newly commissioned works by George DeLancey, Leo Steinriede, and Steven Feifke — that reflect the depth and breadth of the Big Band tradition. With music direction by Marsalis and Steven Feifke, expect an evening of fresh takes and exploratory sounds from the acclaimed orchestra. Feel the vibe of thrilling works that ignite the senses with spontaneity, virtuosity and an unwavering passion.

Thursday, April 24, 7:30 p.m. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Photos courtesy Michael Ricigliano

Ana Ortiz and Harry Lennix appear in “Godless,” which captures the collision of politics and faith.

Harry Lennix as Bishop Reginald Roland.

Director-writer Michael Ricigliano with Without a Net producers Elyssa Rabinowitz and Vincent Petrosini at the film’s premiere.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

APR

17

Dino Egg Hunt

The Center for Science Teaching and Learning hosts a dino egg hunt during the Nature Festival. Search for dinosaur eggs filled with fun prizes and make a dino craft! Activities included with admission.

•Where: 1450 Tanglewood Rd, Rockville Centre

•Time: Through April 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

•Contact: cstl.org

APR 18

‘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 April 19, April 23-24, times vary

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

On Exhibit

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

Little Learners’

Earth Day

Planting Fields

Little Learners series continues with an Earth Day celebration. Families will enjoy a heartwarming fun-filled experience, with a reading of “Gifts from the Garbage Truck” by Andrew Larsen. Explore the importance of reusing, reducing, and recycling. With an Earthinspired craft project. For ages 2-5. Registration required.

•Where: 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay.

•Time: 10-11 a.m.

Jessie’s Girl

Drag out that neon once again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back — as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off, on the Paramount stage. The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that “Back To The Eighties” vibe with the latest edition of their popular concert experience. With a lineup including four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as 80s icons, backed by a dynamic band, this is the definitive ‘80s experience. Throw on top of that: a load of super-fun choreography, audience participation, props, costumes bubbles, and confetti — and you have a party that audiences don’t want to leave. Tickets are $49.50, $37.50, $35, $25.

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

APR

19

Shredding Event

Legislator Davis partnered with ProShred and the Rockville Centre Library for his office’s second annual shredding event

•Where: 221 N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

•Contact: Legislator Davis’ office at (516) 571-6201 or SDavis@nassaucountyny.gov

Art Explorations

Converse, collaborate and create at Nassau County Museum of Art. Kids and their adult partners can talk about and make art together. Enjoy reading and play in the Reading Room, and contribute to The Lobby Project, a collaborative art installation. Registration required.

•Where: 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor.

•Time: noon-3 p.m.

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

APR

22

Beyond the Hamptons: The Hidden History of the Twin Forks

Learn about the early history of Suffolk County at Rockville Centre Public Library

•Where: 221 N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 2-3:30 p.m.

•Contact: rvclibrary.org

Shred Unwanted Documents

Russo Law Group hosts an Earth Day Shred event to safely and securely dispose of sensitive documents. All shredding handled by Arrow Transfer & Storage. Attend Fraud Awareness workshops at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

•Where: 100 Quentin Roosevelt Blvd #102, Garden City; 250 Lido Blvd, Lido Beach.

•Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

•Contact: vjrussolaw.com

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

• Time: 8 p.m.

•Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

at Jones Beach, 2000 Ocean Pkwy, Wantagh

• Time: 7-11 p.m.

•Contact: RVCEdFoundation. org/2025-gala

Light it Up Blue Gala RVC Blue Speaks is holding its annual gala fundraiser for autism awareness.

•Where: Coral House, 70 Milburn Ave., Baldwin

•Time: 6:30 p.m.

•Contact: RVCBlueSpeaks.org

MAY 2

Unity through Diversity: Celebrating All Abilities in the Arts

Join Molloy

University for an inclusive event supporting the neurodivergent community, featuring artwork and performances by members of the Rebecca Center for Music Therapy and local groupps. All proceeds will benefit the TRC Client Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $20 until April 25, and $25 at the door. A group ticket rate of $10 per person is available for groups of 10 or more using promo code GRP25.

•Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave.,

Rockville Centre

• Time: 6-8 p.m.

•Contact: Molloy.edu/Events/ Unity-Through-Diversity-2025/

Storybook

MAY 3

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

Wellness Fair

South Side Middle School hosts their annual Wellness Fair.

•Where: 67 Hillside Ave., Rockville Centre

•Time: noon-2 p.m.

•Contact: (516) 255-8976

MAY

Restaurant Crawl

7

Eat at numerous Rockville Centre restaurants, sample their special dishes and walk around town with friends or family while supporting the Rockville Centre Lions Club at their fourth annual Restaurant Crawl. $50 a ticket during the early bird special before April 15, then $55 a ticket.

•Where: Downtown Rockville Centre

• Time: 6-9 p.m.

•Contact: RVCLions.com/RVCRestaurant-Crawl/.

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.

NCC faculty union claims contract violations Administration says promotions, tenure,

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Faculty tensions at Nassau Community College escalated last week after Chief Administrative Officer Maria Conzatti announced that she would not submit faculty names for tenure, promotion or sabbatical to the college’s board of trustees until a new contract agreement is reached — despite the fact that the current contract is in effect until Aug. 31.

The announcement, made at the April 3 general faculty meeting, drew sharp criticism from the Nassau Community College Federation of Teachers. Union leaders claim the decision circumvents provisions of the existing collective bargaining agreement, particularly those related to faculty advancement during the final year of a signed contract.

“Our faculty was absolutely stunned to learn that NCC has unilaterally chosen to deny these standard promotions, sabbaticals and tenure positions to our hardworking professors,” David Stern, the acting NCCFT president, said. “This is truly unprecedented, and demonstrates why NCC and the board of trustees are losing confidence and enrollment while slashing programs and mismanaging our finances.”

Jessica Harris, attorney for the union, said that the administration is legally obligated to follow the recommendations of committees, composed of faculty members and an administrator, that approve faculty members’ advancement and sabbaticals.

“NCC administrators have no legal basis to refuse to consider the committees’ recommendations for promotions and sabbaticals,” Harris said. “If the administration persists in its refusal to inform the board of trust-

sabbaticals are on hold until new agreement is reached

The Nassau Community College Federation of Teachers alleges that the administration is illegally withholding promotions, tenure appointments and sabbaticals.

ees of the committees’ recommendations, in flagrant disregard of the CBA, we will explore all legal options.”

Speaking on behalf of the administration, Jerry Kornbluth, vice president of the Office of Community and Governmental Relations, pushed back against the union’s claims. He said the accusation that the administration is violating the collective bargaining agreement is a “false narrative,” emphasizing that the college is operating under the current 2021–25 contract.

According to Kornbluth, union representatives have not responded to invitations to begin discussions of the 2025–26 contract. He also noted that faculty members must meet “certain standards,” depending on the promotion they are seeking, with evaluations

conducted by the committees. Once approved, nominations are forwarded to the president.

“Until there is a conversation about the contract for 2025–26, those promotions, sabbaticals and tenure don’t take effect until the fall of 2025 — under the new contract,” Kornbluth said. “The contract acts on Aug. 31; a new one, whether there is a negotiated one or not, kicks in on Sept. 1.”

Many faculty members have already completed the formal review process and received committee approval. The union accuses the administration of stalling contractual obligations and blocking professional advancement at a time when many professors face increased financial strain due to the rising cost of living.

Kornbluth said that when no formal contract is in place, the college operates under a memorandum of agreement signed by both the administration and the union. That agreement allows the president to move faculty nominations forward for board approval.

Stern said that 15 faculty members had been recommended by their respective committees. “There has been virtually no dialogue or willingness by Ms. Conzatti or her administration,” he said.

The faculty organized a gathering on April 8 in the CCB building. Organizers said the event aimed to draw public attention to the ongoing contract and personnel disputes.

“In all my years that I’ve been at the college — which is 50 — there has never been a time that somebody who is nominated for promotion, sabbatical or tenure did not get it,” Kornbluth said. “This is all about trying to make the president, the administration look bad.”

Herald file photo

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE AVISO DE ELECCIÓN ANUAL DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR Y LA BIBLIOTECA DISTRITO ESCOLAR LIBRE DE LA UNIÓN DEL CENTRO DE ROCKVILLE CONDADO DE NASSAU, NUEVA YORK POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que la Reunión Anual de los votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Libre de la Unión de Rockville Centre, Condado de Nassau, Nueva York, se llevará a cabo el 20 de mayo de 2025 en South Side High School, 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, Nueva York con los siguientes propósitos:

a) Votar sobre el presupuesto anual de la Escuela y el presupuesto de la Biblioteca para el año escolar 2025/2026 y autorizar la imposición de un impuesto sobre la propiedad imponible del Distrito para los fines anteriores;

b) Elegir a un miembro de la Junta de Educación en general por un período de tres años a partir del 1 de julio de 2025 para suceder a Donna Downing, la titular, cuyo mandato expira el 30 de junio de 2025.

c) Elegir a dos miembros de la Junta de la Biblioteca en general por un período de tres años a partir del 1 de julio de 2025: (i) para suceder a Michael Lucchesi, el titular, cuyo mandato expira el 30 de junio de 2025; (ii) para suceder a Meryl Sussman, la titular, cuyo mandato expira el 30 de junio de 2025.

d) Votar sobre las demás proposiciones que se presenten debidamente a la reunión y llevar a cabo otros asuntos según lo autorice la ley.

SE DA AVISO de que la Junta de Educación del Distrito Escolar Libre de Rockville Centre Union, Condado de Nassau, Nueva York, llevará a cabo una reunión pública con el propósito de discutir el gasto de fondos para el año escolar 2025/2026 que comienza el 1 de julio de 2025. Dicha reunión puede resultar en cambios o modificaciones al presupuesto final presentado a los votantes del Distrito y se llevará a cabo en South Side High School, 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, Nueva York, el 10 de abril de

2025 a las 8:00 p.m.

Copias detalladas del presupuesto escolar propuesto estarán disponibles en cada edificio escolar, el Edificio de Administración William H. Johnson y la Biblioteca Pública.

SE DA AVISO que la Junta de Educación llevará a cabo una audiencia pública el 8 de mayo de 2025 a las 7:00 p.m. en South Side High School ubicada en 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, Nueva York, con el propósito de presentar el gasto de fondos y el presupuesto por lo tanto en relación con la asignación de fondos necesarios para cumplir con los gastos necesarios de dicho Distrito Escolar para el año escolar 2025/2026, en cuyo momento y lugar todas las personas interesadas en la materia objeto del mismo tendrán la oportunidad de ser oídas.

SE DA AVISO de que la Junta de la Biblioteca llevará a cabo una reunión pública con el propósito de discutir el gasto de los fondos y el presupuesto para el año fiscal 2025/2026 a partir del 1 de julio de 2025. Dicha reunión podrá resultar en cambios o modificaciones a los gastos de este presupuesto y se llevará a cabo en la Biblioteca Pública de Rockville Centre, 221 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre, Nueva York el 9 de abril de 2025, a las 7:00 p.m. Copias detalladas del presupuesto propuesto por la Biblioteca estarán disponibles en la Biblioteca.

Y TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que la Junta de la Biblioteca celebrará una audiencia pública el 6 de mayo de 2025 a las 7:00 p.m. en la Biblioteca Pública del Centro de Rockville ubicada en 221 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre Nueva York, con el propósito de presentar el gasto de los fondos y el presupuesto por lo tanto en relación con la asignación de fondos necesarios para cumplir con los gastos necesarios de dicha Biblioteca para el año escolar 2025/2026, en cuyo momento y lugar todas las personas interesadas en el objeto de la misma tendrán la oportunidad

de ser oídas. .

Y TAMBIÉN SE DA AVISO que la Reunión Anual y la Elección se llevarán a cabo votando sobre las proposiciones y los candidatos en las máquinas de votación el día 20 de mayo de 2025 comenzando a las 7:00 a.m. y terminando a las 9:00 p.m. en South Side High School ubicada en 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, Nueva York.

Y TAMBIÉN SE DA AVISO que una copia de la declaración de la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el año siguiente para fines escolares (presupuesto escolar) excluyendo los fondos públicos, y las proposiciones que involucran el gasto de dinero y el funcionamiento del sistema escolar para el año siguiente, puede ser inspeccionada a partir del 8 de mayo de 2025 hasta la fecha de la Reunión Anual en el sitio web del Distrito, en el Edificio Administrativo William H. Johnson y en cada escuela en la que se mantenga la escuela, durante el horario de 9:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m. excepto sábados, domingos o feriados.

Y TAMBIÉN SE DA AVISO que una copia de la declaración de la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el año siguiente para los fines de la Biblioteca (presupuesto de la Biblioteca) excluyendo los fondos públicos, y las proposiciones que involucran el gasto de dinero y el funcionamiento de la Biblioteca para el año siguiente, puede ser inspeccionada en la Biblioteca desde el 16 de abril de 2025 hasta la fecha de la Reunión Anual, excepto los días festivos.

POR FAVOR, TOME NOTA MÁS que las nominaciones para el cargo de Miembro de la Junta de Educación y la Junta de la Biblioteca, a menos que la ley disponga lo contrario, se harán mediante petición suscrita por al menos treinta y siete (37) votantes calificados del Distrito. Las peticiones se presentarán en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar entre las 8:15 a.m. y las 5:00 p.m. del 21 de abril de 2025. Dicha petición indicará la residencia de cada firmante y el nombre y residencia de los

candidatos. Los candidatos que obtengan el mayor número de votos se considerarán elegidos para llenar las vacantes. Cuando los mandatos sean de diferente duración, el candidato que obtenga la votación más alta tendrá derecho a elegir el mandato más largo. Sin embargo, una nominación puede ser rechazada por la Junta de Educación si el candidato no es elegible para el cargo o declara su falta de voluntad para servir.

Y TAMBIÉN SE DA AVISO que se permitirá el registro de votantes en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito en el Edificio de Administración William H. Johnson, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, Nueva York, durante las horas de 8:15 a.m. y 4:30 p.m. en los días hábiles escolares hasta el 15 de mayo de 2025.

Y SE DA AVISO

ADICIONAL que el registro de votantes incluirá (1) a todos los votantes calificados del Distrito que se presentarán personalmente para el registro; y (2) todos los votantes previamente calificados del Distrito que hayan sido previamente registrados para cualquier Reunión o Elección Anual o Especial del Distrito y que hayan votado en cualquier Reunión o Elección Anual o Especial del Distrito celebrada o realizada en cualquier momento dentro de los cuatro años calendario anteriores a la preparación de dicho registro; y (3) votantes registrados permanentemente en la Junta Electoral del Condado de Nassau.

Y SE DA AVISO

ADICIONAL que los registros que contienen los nombres de todas las personas con derecho a votar en la Elección Anual que se llevará a cabo el 20 de mayo de 2025 se archivarán en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito en el Edificio William H. Johnson, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, Nueva York, y estarán abiertos para la inspección de cualquier votante calificado del Distrito cinco días antes de dicha Elección Anual, excepto los domingos, entre las 8:15 a.m. y las 4:30 p.m. de lunes a viernes y con cita

previa los sábados. El registro también estará abierto para inspección en las urnas el día de dicha Elección Anual, el 20 de mayo de 2025 entre las 7:00 a.m. y las 9:00 p.m.

Y SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL que la Junta de Registro se reunirá durante las horas de votación en la Reunión y Elección Anual del Distrito el 20 de mayo de 2025 en el lugar de votación con el propósito de preparar un registro para las reuniones o elecciones del Distrito que se llevarán a cabo más de treinta días después del 20 de mayo de 2025. Dicho registro incluirá (1) a todos los votantes calificados del Distrito que se presentarán personalmente para el registro, y (2) a todos los votantes previamente calificados del Distrito que hayan sido previamente registrados para cualquier Reunión o Elección Anual o Especial del Distrito y que hayan votado en cualquier Reunión o Elección Anual o Especial del Distrito celebrada o realizada en cualquier momento dentro de los cuatro años calendario anteriores a la preparación de dicho registro.

POR FAVOR, TOME NOTA MÁS que las solicitudes de boletas de voto en ausencia para la elección del Distrito Escolar y la Biblioteca se pueden solicitar en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. Las solicitudes de boletas de voto en ausencia deben recibirse no antes de treinta (30) días antes de la elección. Si una boleta va a ser enviada por correo a un votante elegible, la solicitud debe ser recibida por el Secretario del Distrito al menos siete (7) días antes de la elección o una solicitud puede ser recogida en persona en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar el día antes de la elección por el votante o su agente designado. Al recibir una solicitud oportuna de una boleta de voto ausente enviada por correo, el Secretario del Distrito enviará la boleta a la dirección establecida en la solicitud a más tardar seis (6) días antes de la elección. Las boletas de voto en

ausencia deben recibirse en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito antes de las 5:00 p.m. del 20 de mayo de 2025, el día de la elección. Una lista de todas las personas a las que se les habrán emitido papeletas de voto en ausencia estará disponible para inspección hasta el día anterior a la Reunión Anual Elección en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito, excepto los domingos, entre las 8:15 a.m. y las 4:30 p.m. de lunes a viernes y con cita previa los sábados. POR FAVOR, TOME NOTA MÁS que de conformidad con la Sección 2018-e de la Ley de Educación, las solicitudes de boletas anticipadas por correo se pueden obtener en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito Escolar Libre de Rockville Centre Union, William H. Johnson Administration Building, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, Nueva York durante todos los días en que el Distrito esté en sesión. Las solicitudes completas deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito no antes del 20 de abril de 2025 y antes del 13 de mayo de 2025, si la boleta anticipada por correo se va a enviar al votante. Si la boleta electoral anticipada por correo debe entregarse personalmente al votante en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito, el Secretario del Distrito debe recibir la solicitud completa a más tardar el 19 de mayo de 2025. No se realizará el escrutinio de ninguna boleta de voto anticipado por correo a menos que se haya recibido en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. del 20 de mayo de 2025. Una lista de todas las personas a las que se han emitido boletas tempranas estará disponible en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito durante el horario de oficina a partir del 14 de mayo de 2025 hasta el 19 de mayo de 2025, excepto el sábado 17 de mayo de 2025, con cita previa comunicándose con el Secretario del Distrito al (516) 255-8921 o por correo electrónico al mceliberti@rvcschools. org. Un desafío a la votación anticipada La boleta no se puede

hacer sobre la base de que el votante debería haber solicitado una boleta de voto en ausencia. POR FAVOR, TOME NOTA MÁS que los votantes militares que no están registrados actualmente pueden solicitar registrarse como votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar. Los votantes militares que son votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar pueden presentar una solicitud para una boleta militar. Los votantes militares pueden designar una preferencia para recibir un registro de votante militar, una solicitud de boleta militar o una boleta militar por correo, transmisión de fax o correo electrónico en su solicitud de dicho registro, solicitud de boleta o boleta. Los formularios de registro de votantes militares y los formularios de solicitud de boletas militares deben recibirse en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. del 25 de abril de 2025. No se realizará el escrutinio de ninguna boleta militar a menos que (1) se reciba en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito antes del cierre de las urnas el día de las elecciones y muestre una marca de cancelación del servicio postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o muestre un endoso fechado de recepción por otra agencia del gobierno de los Estados Unidos; o (2) recibido por la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. el día de las elecciones y firmado y fechado por el votante militar y un testigo del mismo, con una fecha asociada a no más tarde del día antes de la elección. POR FAVOR, TOME NOTA MÁS que cualquier proposición o pregunta que se coloque en las máquinas de votación se presentará por escrito mediante una petición suscrita por al menos noventa y un (91) votantes calificados del Distrito y se presentará en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito entre las horas de 8:15 a.m. y 4:30 p.m., a más tardar el día 30 anterior a la reunión o elección, momento en el cual se votará dicha pregunta o proposición, excepto

que esta regla no se aplicará a aquellas preguntas o proposiciones que se requieran declarar en el aviso publicado o publicado de la reunión o a aquellas proposiciones o preguntas que el Consejo de Educación tiene autoridad por ley para presentar en cualquier Reunión Anual o Especial del Distrito. TENGA EN CUENTA que la Sección 495 de la Ley del Impuesto sobre la Propiedad Inmobiliaria requiere que el Distrito adjunte a su presupuesto propuesto y al informe de exención. Dicho informe de exención, que también formará parte del presupuesto final, mostrará cómo el valor total de la tasación final utilizada en el proceso presupuestario está exento de impuestos, enumerará cada tipo de exención otorgada por la autoridad legal y mostrará el impacto acumulativo de cada tipo de exención, el monto acumulado que se espera recibir como pago en lugar de impuestos (PILOT) y el impacto acumulativo de todas las exenciones otorgadas. Además, dicho informe de exención se publicará en cualquier tablón de anuncios del Distrito mantenido por el Distrito para Avisos Públicos, así como en el sitio web del Distrito. POR FAVOR, TOME NOTA MÁS que la Junta convocará una Reunión Especial de la misma dentro de las veinticuatro horas posteriores a la presentación ante el Secretario del Distrito de un informe escrito de los resultados de la votación con el propósito de examinar y tabular dicho informe de los resultados de la votación y declarar los resultados de la votación; y la Junta por la presente se designa a sí misma como un conjunto de secretarios electorales para presentar y escrutar las boletas de conformidad con la Ley de Educación S2019a, subdivisión 2b en dicha Reunión Especial de la Junta.

Fechado: 1 de febrero de 2025 Centro de Rockville, NY POR ORDEN DE LA JUNTA DE EDUCACIÓN DE ROCKVILLE CENTRE UFSD CONDADO DE NASSAU (NUEVA YORK)

April 17, 2025 —

Public Notices

MARYLOU CELIBERTI, SECRETARIA DE DISTRITO 152638

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ANNUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LIBRARY ELECTION

ROCKVILLE CENTRE

UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of the qualified voters of the Rockville Centre Union Free School District, Nassau County, New York will be held on May 20, 2025 at South Side High School, 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, New York for the following purposes:

a) To vote upon the annual School budget and the Library budget for the school year 2025/2026 and to authorize the levying of a tax upon the taxable property of the District for the foregoing purposes;

b) To elect one member of the Board of Education at large for a three-year term commencing July 1, 2025 to succeed Donna Downing, the incumbent, whose term of office expires June 30, 2025.

c) To elect two members of the Library Board at large for three-year terms commencing July 1, 2025: (i) to succeed Michael Lucchesi, the incumbent, whose term of office expires on June 30, 2025; (ii) to succeed Meryl Sussman, the incumbent, whose term of office expires on June 30, 2025.

d) To vote upon such other propositions as may properly come before the meeting and conduct other business as authorized by law.

NOTICE IS GIVEN, that the Board of Education of the Rockville Centre Union Free School District, Nassau County, New York will hold a public meeting for the purpose of discussing the expenditure of funds for school year 2025/2026 beginning, July 1, 2025. Said meeting may result in changes or modifications to the final budget presented to the District’s voters and will be held at South Side High School, 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, New York, on April 10, 2025 at 8:00 P.M. Detailed copies of the proposed

school budget will be available in each school building, the William H. Johnson Administration Building and the Public Library.

NOTICE IS GIVEN that the Board of Education will hold a public hearing on May 8, 2025 at 7:00 P.M. at South Side High School located at 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, New York, for the purpose of presenting expenditure of funds and the budgeting therefore relative to the appropriation of necessary funds to meet the necessary expenditures of said School District for school year 2025/2026, at which time and which place all persons interested in the subject matter thereof concerning the same will have an opportunity to be heard.

NOTICE IS GIVEN, that the Library Board will hold a public meeting for the purpose of discussion of the expenditure of funds and the budgeting therefore for the fiscal year 2025/2026 beginning July 1, 2025. Said meeting may result in changes or modifications to expenditures for this budget and will be held at the Rockville Centre Public Library, 221 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre, New York on April 9, 2025, at 7:00 P.M. Detailed copies of the proposed Library budget will be available in the Library. AND NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the Library Board will hold a public hearing on May 6, 2025 at 7:00 P.M. in the Rockville Centre Public Library located at 221 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre New York, for the purpose of presenting expenditure of funds and the budgeting therefore relative to the appropriation of necessary funds to meet the necessary expenditures of said Library for school year 2025/2026, at which time and place all persons interested in the subject matter thereof concerning the same will have an opportunity to be heard.

AND NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that the Annual Meeting and Election shall be conducted by voting on propositions and candidates on voting machines on

said 20th day of May, 2025 commencing at 7:00 A.M. and ending at 9:00 P.M. at South Side High School located at 140 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, New York.

AND NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for school purposes (School budget) exclusive of public moneys, and propositions involving expenditure of moneys and the operation of the school system for the ensuing year, may be inspected commencing on May 8, 2025 through the date of the Annual Meeting on the District’s website, in the William H. Johnson Administration Building and at each schoolhouse in which school is maintained, during the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. except Saturday, Sunday or holidays.

AND NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for Library purposes (Library budget) exclusive of public moneys, and propositions involving expenditure of moneys and the operation of the Library for the ensuing year, may be inspected at the Library commencing on April 16, 2025 through the date of the Annual Meeting, except for holidays.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that nominations for the office of Member of the Board of Education and the Library Board, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be made by petition subscribed by at least thirty-seven (37) qualified voters of the District. Petitions shall be filed in the office of the Clerk of the School District between the hours of 8:15 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. on April 21, 2025. Such petition shall state the residence of each signer and shall state the name and residence of the candidates. Candidates receiving the greatest number of votes shall be considered elected to fill the vacancies. Where terms are of different length, the candidate receiving the highest vote shall be

entitled to select the longest term. However, 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.

AND NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that voter registration shall be permitted in the office of the District Clerk at the William H. Johnson Administration Building, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, New York, during the hours of 8:15 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. on school business days through May 15, 2025.

AND NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the register of voters 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 shall have been previously registered for any Annual or Special District Meeting or Election and who shall have voted at any Annual or Special District Meeting or Election held or conducted at any time within the four calendar years prior to preparation of the said register; and (3) voters permanently registered with the Board of Elections of the County of Nassau.

AND NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the registers containing the names of all persons entitled to vote at the Annual Election to be held on May 20, 2025 will be filed in the office of the District Clerk in the William H. Johnson Building, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, New York, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District five days prior to said Annual Election, except Sunday, between the hours of 8:15 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. on weekdays and by appointment on Saturday. The register will also be open for inspection at the polls on the day of the said Annual Election, May 20, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M.

AND NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Board of Registration will meet during the hours of voting at the Annual District Meeting and Election on May 20,

2025 at the polling place for the purpose of preparing a register for District meetings or elections to be held more than thirty days subsequent to May 20, 2025. Said register shall include (1) all qualified voters of the District who shall present themselves personally for registration, and (2) all previously qualified voters of the District who shall have been previously registered for any Annual or Special District Meeting or Election and who shall have voted at any Annual or Special District Meeting or Election held or conducted at any time within the four calendar years prior to preparation of said register.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that applications for absentee ballots for the School District and Library election may be applied for at the office of the District Clerk, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. Applications for absentee ballots must be received no earlier than thirty (30) days before the election. If a ballot is to be mailed to an eligible voter, the application must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the election or an application may be picked up in person in the office of the District Clerk no later than the day before the election by the voter or his/her designated agent. Upon receiving a timely request for a mailed absentee ballot, the District Clerk will mail the ballot to the address set forth on the application no later than six (6) days before the election. Absentee ballots must be received in the office of the District Clerk by 5:00 P.M. on May 20, 2025, the day of the election. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available for inspection up to the day before the Annual Election in the office of the District Clerk, except Sundays, between the hours of 8:15 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. on weekdays and by appointment on Saturdays.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that pursuant to Section 2018-e of the Education Law, applications for early

mail ballots may be obtained at the Office of the District Clerk of the Rockville Centre Union Free School District, William H. Johnson Administration Building, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, New York during all days in which the District is in session. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than April 20, 2025 and by May 13, 2025, if the early mail ballot is to be mailed to the voter. If the early mail ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter at the Office of the District Clerk the completed application must be received by the District Clerk no later than May 19, 2025. No early mail voter’s ballot will be canvassed unless it has been received in the Office of the District Clerk of the District no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 20, 2025. A list of all persons to whom early ballots have been issued will be available in the Office of the District Clerk’s office during office hours on and after May 14, 2025 until May 19, 2025, except on Saturday May 17, 2025, by prearranged appointment by contacting the District Clerk at (516) 255-8921 or via email at mceliberti@rvcschools.

org. A challenge to an early voting ballot may not be made on the basis that the voter should have applied for an absentee ballot.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the School District.

Military voters who are qualified voters of the School District may submit an application for a military ballot.

Military voters may designate a preference to receive a military voter registration, military ballot application or military ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail in their request for such registration, ballot application or ballot.

Military voter registration forms and military ballot application forms must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 25, 2025. No military ballot will

be canvassed unless it is (1) received in the office of the District Clerk before the close of the polls on election day and 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; or (2) received by the office of the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 p.m. on election day and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is associated to be not later than the day before the election.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that any proposition or question to be placed upon the voting machines shall be submitted in writing by petition subscribed by at least ninety-one (91) qualified voters of the District and filed in the office of the District Clerk between the hours of 8:15 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., not later than the 30th day preceding the meeting or election at which time such question or proposition shall be voted upon, except that this rule shall not apply to those questions or propositions which are required to be stated in the published or posted notice of the meeting or to those propositions or questions which the Board of Education has authority by law to present at any Annual or Special Meeting of the District.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that Section 495 of the Real Property Tax Law requires the District to attach to its proposed budget and exemption report. Said exemption report, which will also become part of the final budget, will show how the total assessed value of the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, list every type of exemption granted by statutory authority, and show the cumulative impact of each type of exemption, the cumulative amount expected to be received as payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. In addition, said exemption report shall be posted on any District bulletin board

maintained by the District for Public Notices, as well as on the District’s website.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Board will convene a Special Meeting thereof within twenty-four- hours after filing with the District Clerk a written report of the results of the ballot for the purpose of examining and tabulating said report of the results of the ballot and declaring the results of the ballot; and the Board hereby designates itself to be a set of poll clerks to case and canvass ballots pursuant to Education Law S2019-a, subdivision 2b at said Special Meeting of the Board.

Dated: February 1, 2025 Rockville Centre, NY BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE UFSD COUNTY OF NASSAU, NEW YORK

MARYLOU CELIBERTI, DISTRICT CLERK 152636 LEGAL NOTICE Public Notice to Bidders

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. Search by publication name at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

Sealed Bids will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Village of Rockville Centre, One College Place, Room 204, Rockville Centre, New York 11570 for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on MAY 8, 2025 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for: TREE TRIM CIRCUIT PROGRAM 2025-2027 Bid No. 2504E1(1146) The bid specifications can be obtained/examined on the Village’s website at www.rvcny.gov. Follow the link to the Purchasing Department. All questions should be directed to the Purchasing Department. Please contact Lisa Strazzeri via email only at lstrazzeri@rvcny.us. Questions must be submitted no later than May 1, 2025. Award of Contract will be made to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with applicable provisions of the law. The Village

Public Notices

reserves the right to reject all bids or make such determination as in the best interests of the Village, as provided by law.

Purchasing Department

Lisa Strazzeri Purchasing Agent 516-678-9213

152964

LEGAL NOTICE

ROCKVILLE CENTRE

UNION FREE SCHOOLS

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NEW YORK PUBLIC RELEASESCHOOL BREAKFAST

MANDATE

Rockville Centre Union Free School District will be conducting a survey of parents of students in kindergarten through fourth grade who attend the Rockville Centre elementary schools to determine if there is any interest in a school breakfast program in the 20252026 school year. If insufficient interest is determined, an exemption to participate in this program will be requested by the Board of Education to the New York State Education Department. Parents and taxpayers are asked to share their concerns regarding the District’s survey and exemption request by contacting the Rockville Centre Food Service office in writing at Rockville Centre Administration, 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, N.Y. 11570 or by phone at (516) 255-8973.

152920

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS

MALVERNE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT WINDOW

REPLACEMENT RE-BID AT MALVERNE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL SED NO.

28-02-12-03-0-001-026

Notice is hereby given that SEALED PROPOSALS for:

MALVERNE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

WINDOW REPLACEMENT RE-BID AT MALVERNE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL SED#

28-02-12-03-0-001-026

CONTRACT GGENERAL CONSTRUCTION WORK

Will be received until 10:00 AM on May 5, 2025 at the Administrative Office of the Malverne Union Free School District, Attention: Dan Balzan, Assistant Superintendent for Management Services, located at 301 Wicks Lane, Malverne, NY 11565, at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Complete digital sets of Bidding Documents, drawings, and specifications, may be obtained online beginning April 14, 2025 as a download at the following website: melville.h2mplanroom. com Complete sets of Bidding Documents, Drawings and Specifications, may be obtained from REVplans, 28 Church Street, Unit 7, Warwick, NY 10990 Tel: 1-845-651- 3845, upon depositing the sum of $100 (One Hundred Dollars) for each combined set of documents. Checks or money orders shall be made payable to Malverne Union Free School District. Plan deposit is refundable in accordance with the terms in the Instructions to Bidders to all submitting bids. Any bidder requiring documents to be shipped shall make arrangements with the printer and pay for all packaging and shipping costs. Please note REVplans (melville.h2mplanroom. com) is the designated location and means for distributing and obtaining all bid package information. Only those Contract Documents obtained in this manner will enable

a prospective bidder to be identified as an official plan holder of record. The Provider takes no responsibility for the completeness of Contract Documents obtained from other sources. Contract Documents obtained from other sources may not be accurate or may not contain addenda that may have been issued.

All bid addenda will be transmitted to registered plan holders via email and will be available at melville.h2mplanroom. com. Plan holders who have paid for hard copies of the bid documents will need to make the determination if hard copies of the addenda are required for their use, and coordinate directly with the printer for hard copies of addenda to be issued. There will be no charge for registered plan holders to obtain hard copies of the bid addenda.

Bids must be made in the standard proposal form in the manner designated therein and as required by the Specifications that must be enclosed in sealed envelopes bearing the name of the job and name and address of the bidder on the outside, addressed to: MALVERNE UNION FREE SCHOOL

DISTRICT, clearly marked on the outside: Bid For: Window Replacement Re-Bid at Malverne Senior High School. Each proposal submitted must be accompanied by a certified check or bid bond, made payable to the MALVERNE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total amount of the bid, as a commitment by the bidder that, if its bid is accepted, it will enter

into a contract to perform the work and will execute such further security as may be required for the faithful performance of the contract. Certification of bonding company is required for this bid, see Instructions for Bidders section. Each bidder shall agree to hold his/her bid price for forty- five (45) days after the formal bid opening. A pre-bid meeting and walk thru is scheduled for April 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM. Potential bidders are asked to gather at the main entrance, at which time they will be directed to the areas of work. This meeting is not mandatory; however, it is highly recommended that all potential bidders attend.

It is the Board’s intention and it reserves its right to award the contract to the lowest responsible qualified bidder, providing the required security who, to the Board’s satisfaction, meets the experience, technical, budget and all specification requirements and has references and responses from references that are deemed acceptable by the Board. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids, or portions thereof, or alternates, or alternatives, to waive any informality and to accept such bids, or portions thereof, or alternates, or alternatives which, in the opinion of the Board, are in the best interests of the School District.

Board of Education Malverne Union Free School District 301 Wicks Lane Malverne, New York 11565 152941

Trump threatens federal funding for libraries

By MADISON GUSLER mgusler@liherald.com

The White House issued an executive order to reduce several government entities, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services on March 14. The dismantling of the IMLS puts New York state at risk of losing $19 million in funding.

The IMLS is a federal agency established in 1996 by Congress’s passage of the Museum and Library Services Act. With a mission to advance, support, and empower America’s museums and libraries, the IMLS serves as a primary source for grants, policy development and research.

“IMLS provides the scaffolding that enables local libraries to be creative, innovative, and to shine in their communities,” said Caroline Ashby, the Nassau County Library System director. “Services provided by IMLS are things like research and data collection from libraries across the country, which enable library systems and local libraries to benchmark key performance indicators, overtime, against peer libraries.”

“By cutting off federal support from libraries, the Trump administration is cutting off opportunity for the American people — economically, culturally, professionally, and socially,” American Library Association President Cindy Hohl wrote in a statement on ALA’s social media.

On March 20, the ALA sent a letter to the new acting director of the IMLS Keith Sonderling, advising him to not cut library programs and abide by statutory obligations of the IMLS as determined by Congress. The administration placed roughly 80 percent of IMLS staff on administrative leave earlier this month, according to PBS.

There are concerns that grants and funding that support libraries nationwide is at risk. According to the ALA, libraries in California, Connecticut and Washington have received written notification that their IMLS grants were cancelled.

“$8.1 million in grants to states funding goes from the IMLS to the New York State library every year,” explained Ashby. “That accounts for 80% of the New York State library budget. Every local library in New York benefits from the work that’s being done at the state library.”

READ THEM

The elimination of the IMLS is a concern, as this will not only affect federal funding, but the effective distribution of state and grant funding. Loss of funding for the state library could challenge the organizations ability to provide legal, technical and governmental support for libraries, access to state construction funding, as well as the charters that libraries need to function.

“The IMLS invests hundreds of mil-

lions of dollars each year to help libraries across the Island, the state, and the country, develop literacy programs, workforce training, makes digital resources available, preserves our cultural heritage, and all kinds of civic engagement initiatives,” said Kevin Verbesey, the Executive Director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.

The Nassau Library System provides multiple services to libraries throughout the county that are supported by funding from the state level, including the county wide online catalog, broadband internet service, and the interlibrary delivery system.

Amongst the libraries that will be affected by this cut is the Rockville Centre Public Library. The library’s director, Catherine Overton, expressed concern over how it might affect programs offered to the community.

“Cutting funds will hurt communities across the country,” Overton said. “Libraries do so much more than lend books—we provide access to technology, learning, and a safe, welcoming space for everyone. IMLS funding helps us offer early literacy programs, internet access, access to electronic databases, summer reading programs, and much more. Many people rely on these services every day. Losing that support would mean fewer opportunities for our community—especially those who need us most.”

In the meantime, the library is trying to advocate locally to find funding alternatives.

“We are doing what we can to advocate for continued support,” Overton said. “That includes speaking with local officials, raising community awareness, and exploring alternative funding sources like grants, partnerships, and potential donations. We’re also working to highlight the value of our programs and the real impact they have on the community.”

Additional reporting by Xiomara Trinidad Perez.

Courtesy Rockville Centre Public Library Rockville Centre Public Library director Catherine Overton is concerned about how cutting funding would affect the Rockville Centre community.

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Q. We’re planning to replace our old windows, and are doing research online to make sure we make the right decision. I saw that there’s an option for “triple pane” windows instead of double panes. It appears to be much more money, but the writer of one article says it’s well worth it. Are you familiar with triple panes, do we need permits to change our windows and is it worth the expense? We’ve lived in our current home for five years and plan to be here for the rest of our lives, hopefully a long time, while we raise our family. What do you think?

A. I could simply say that you get what you pay for, but I’m certain you need more of an explanation, since you’ve taken the time to investigate and educate yourself. In your investigation, I’m sure you saw engineering data, lots of comparative numbers and U-values, the rating acronym for glass unit values. The lower the U-value, the better the insulating value of the glass.

Because the majority of heat or cool transmission or loss of energy is through the windows, while the walls, floor and roof are more insulated, it’s most important to do something to prevent losing all that energy you’re paying to create. Whether it’s your air conditioning or your heat, the outside of your house, referred to simply as the “envelope,” is of critical importance to insulate, especially with ever-rising energy prices. While most building departments don’t require a permit for changing out the windows “in kind,” meaning in the same size and location, some will require a permit for any little thing, like sanding your floors or adding closets, and I’m not kidding, so it’s best to check their rules online, or call your local building department directly.

Another thing to be aware of is that changing windows can trigger fire safety escape rules, referred to as egress windows, and most up-anddown, or double-hung colonial windows don’t meet the requirement if you don’t have at least one window in every habitable room with a size of 5.7 square feet. The window must have a clear escape opening of 20 inches in width and a minimum height of clear opening of 24 inches. Remember that a large fire rescuer must be able to save you.

Triple pane is a great value, because you’re always losing costly energy, so the return on investment, especially if this is your long-term home, makes it well worth it. Windows lose the most energy at the edges, so the type of gasket joining the windows to the frame is critical. The most effective frames have insulation blocking, not just a thermal break in the frame. A thermal break is usually a thin gasket between the outside and inside frames. Adding insulation, instead of leaving open air spaces in the frame, saves more energy, so it’s important to look for.

© 2025 Monte Leeper

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GOT AN UNWANTED

Town needs a proven tax cutter who will keep us safe

Long Island families are getting crushed by high taxes, and homeowners need a proven tax cutter in the Hempstead town supervisor’s office, as well as someone who knows how to keep families safe. I’m running for town supervisor because I’ve had enough of high taxes, and I know you have, too.

As a Nassau County legislator, I’ve proven that I can deliver real tax relief. I’ve never voted for a tax increase. In fact, I helped cut county taxes by $70 million. I even helped stopped $150 million in tax hikes, which were included in the previous county executive’s multiyear budget plan. At the same time, I’ve worked hard to make Nassau County the safest county in the United States. I’m running to bring the same taxpayerfriendly approach to the town that I championed in the County Legislature. And I will continue to work with the law enforcement community to keep families safe. We need leaders who understand that the people aren’t an endless source of

revenue. I believe government must live within its means — just like every hardworking family must. As supervisor, I’ll bring the same fiscal discipline and taxcutting mindset to Town Hall that I embraced in the Legislature, because every dollar wasted is a dollar taken from your family’s wallet.

LBut lower taxes mean nothing if we don’t feel safe in our own neighborhoods. That’s why I’ve made public safety a top priority. I’ve worked to make Nassau the safest county in the country by increasing our police force, providing officers with the latest technology and other resources they need to stop crime, and I fought to reopen a shuttered police precinct.

ower taxes mean nothing if we don’t feel safe in our own neighborhoods.

I also stood up to ensure that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents remain stationed at the Nassau County Correctional Facility, so we can keep dangerous criminals off our streets. I even worked with town officials to provide enhanced police patrols at vulnerable houses of worship on religious holidays. Public safety isn’t political — it’s personal. As supervisor, I’ll continue to fight for strong, well-supported law enforcement in every community.

We also have to take a strong stand against hate and antisemitism, which are sadly on the rise across the region. I’ve worked hand in hand with community leaders and law enforcement to confront these threats head-on. I helped passed the Mask Transparency Act, which stops people from hiding their identity while threatening or intimidating others — because no one should be able to spread hate from behind a mask. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected, no matter their faith, race or background.

Just as important is protecting the character of our communities. I’ve been one of the strongest voices pushing back against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s housing plan, a proposal that would force high-density, city-style apartment housing into our suburban neighborhoods without local input. I believe those decisions belong to our towns and villages — not Albany bureaucrats. As supervisor, I’ll fight to keep that control where it belongs: with the people who actually live here.

I’ve also worked hard to make government more transparent and accessible, launching a weekly e-newsletter to keep residents updated on proposed laws, community events and local ser-

vices. People should know what their government is doing, and have a voice in the process.

Before serving in elective office, I was the chief deputy county clerk, managing over 100 employees and helping to collect $240 million annually for state and local governments. I helped write legislation to waive fees for Superstorm Sandy victims, because I believe government should step up in times of crisis, not make things more difficult.

But what drives me most is my family. My wife, Maryellen, and I are raising our kids just two doors down from the house where I grew up. We’re active in our church, our schools and our community. I’m a lector at St. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church, and a proud member of the Levittown Kiwanis, the local Chamber of Commerce, the Knights of Columbus and the Sons of Italy, and I’ve coached Little League, too. This isn’t just where I live — it’s home. And I want it to be a place where our kids can build their futures.

We need leadership that listens, that fights for taxpayers, that puts safety first and protects the neighborhoods we love. That’s the kind of supervisor I’ll be.

John Ferretti, who represents Nassau County’s 15th Legislative District, is the Republican candidate for Town of Hempstead supervisor.

We need leadership that puts people before politics

over two decades ago, I stood in the sands of Iraq, uncertain if I would give my life, or be forced to take one. That kind of experience leaves a permanent imprint. I’m a Marine combat veteran — one of the fewer than 1 percent who have borne the weight of war. Leadership, pain, purpose and sacrifice have shaped every fiber of who I am — and that’s why I’m running for Town of Hempstead supervisor.

I was raised by small-business owners who taught me the value of hard work, loyalty and grit. Military service runs in our family. My great-grandfather served in World War II. When times got tough, my twin brother and I enlisted. Thanks to the GI Bill, I became one of the first Scianablos to earn a college degree, and I never anticipated how deeply the military would shape my view of public service.

I deployed around the world — East Timor, Eritrea and Iraq — where I witnessed hardship and resilience. I saw children with rifles, families begging for help and communities torn apart. It reaffirmed a belief I’ve always held: People everywhere want safety, dignity and a chance at a better life. I knew then, and I know now, that I want to be a force for good.

As a Marine sergeant, I led young men into war. I carried their fears, their families’ hopes and their safety on my shoulders. I also witnessed the cost of failed leadership — Marines pushed to the edge, civilians caught in crossfire, promises broken. Those memories still drive me to lead with purpose and compassion.

thy and with a multidisciplinary approach. After a routine call led to multiple injuries and three surgeries, I was medically retired.

R eal leadership under real pressure — my experience — is what’s needed.

After the Marines, I joined the New York City Police Department. As a police officer, I had the privilege of learning firsthand about the issues affecting our communities. When I saw the impact of domestic violence, I became a Domestic Violence Officer, working to support victims with empa-

That unexpected turn became a blessing. I became a single father to the most beautiful little girl and dived into community life, serving as a Girl Scout troop leader and coaching soccer and softball. I worked with veterans through Battle Buddies, and helped open the first veterans museum, donating personal artifacts that are still on display today.

When my daughter entered middle school, I followed my passion and went to law school. Later I served as a prosecutor in the Queens district attorney’s office, focusing on protecting victims of domestic violence. Representing the people was among my most humbling and meaningful roles.

Now I see a new battlefield, in our own backyard. Seniors are struggling, veterans are overlooked, small businesses are drowning in red tape and taxpayers are fed up with inefficiency. Peo-

ple in this town are hurting. When asked how I could help, I realized that my experience — real leadership under real pressure — was exactly what was needed. I’ve never walked away from serving, and won’t start now.

On Day One, I’ll launch a full audit of the town’s finances and departments, because transparency is the only option. I’ll begin assembling a task force to address our crumbling infrastructure, focusing on underserved neighborhoods that have been ignored for far too long. I’ll kick off a public safety and community trust initiative, uniting law enforcement and local leaders to rebuild confidence and cooperation.

I’m running for supervisor because I believe we deserve better. We need leadership that puts people before politics. I’ve led Marines through war, protected the vulnerable, and brought calm amid chaos. The Town of Hempstead is worth fighting for. Let’s fix what’s broken, and build something better together.

Joseph K. Scianablo, the Democratic candidate for Hempstead town supervisor, is a Marine combat veteran, a former New York City police officer and a former prosecutor.

JoHn FERRETTi

JosEpH K. sCiAnABLo

opinions Ed Kranepool was the real Mr. Met

The Major League Baseball season is well underway. It’s been three weeks since the first pitch was thrown amid all the festivities of Opening Day. As a Brooklyn Dodgers fan since my youth, until they were hijacked from us to Los Angeles, and as a Mets fan since their creation in 1962, baseball has always been a major part of my life.

Love of the game was imparted to me by my father, and it’s something I share with my son and grandson. Whether it’s watching a Mets, Yankees or Long Island Ducks game or going to a local Little League game in Wantagh or Seaford, baseball definitely transcends generations.

What made this year’s Mets opening day more meaningful to me was the tribute to Mets legend Ed Kranepool, who died last year. To honor him, Mets players will wear a patch on their uniform sleeve emblazoned with his number 7 all season.

Kranepool was more than a guy who happened to play for the Mets. In so

many ways, he personified what New York baseball was all about. He was the real Mr. Met. Born and raised in the Bronx, he was signed by the Mets when he graduated from high school in 1962, and at age 17 actually played for them in their first season.

iKranepool went on to play 18 seasons, appearing in more games than anyone in Mets history. His career included the peaks and valleys of Mets history. In the team’s first seven years, they didn’t have one winning season. Their horrific 1962 campaign, when they set the major league record for most losses, prompted Jimmy Breslin’s famous book “Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?”

n so many ways, he personified what New York baseball was all about.

But then, in 1969, the “Miracle Mets” shocked the baseball world by winning the World Series. Kranepool, who had suffered and persevered through the dark days, was not only playing on a championship team, but smashed a key home run off the Baltimore Orioles in Game 3 of the Series. And in 1973 he was the team captain when the Mets won the National league championship and, in the World Series, took the mighty Oakland A’s to seven games. Throughout his career, Kranepool

remained a New Yorker, living in Nassau and Suffolk counties and opening a celebrated restaurant, the Dugout, in Amityville. He was also a fixture at countless Little League, charity and community events all over Long Island, and hosted batting and fielding clinics for kids.

Through the rest of his life after he retired from baseball, Kranepool suffered from diabetes and kidney disease, which progressively worsened, necessitating a toe amputation. Never once, though, did I hear him complain or bemoan his fate. After several false starts, he underwent a successful kidney transplant in 2019, the 50th anniversary of the Mets’ miracle season.

Though I was a fan of his from day one, I got to know Kranepool about 10 years ago. He was always a great guy to be with, whether at sports events or at lunch with friends. I particularly looked forward to and always enjoyed lunches with Ed, his Mets teammate Art Shamsky and former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Fred Cambria.

It was a terrific experience just to sit and listen to their stories. What struck me the most was that none of them talk-

ed about their own heroics. It was always the other guy. So very different from so many of today’s ego-driven athletes. And I’ll always remember that Kranepool was one of the very first to call me after I had successfully stomach cancer surgery two years ago.

He died last September, from cardiac arrest apparently brought on by the years of diabetes and kidney disease that preceded the kidney transplant. His death was mourned by generations of New York baseball fans.

I focus on Kranepool here because he personified, for me, what baseball in particular and sports in general should be all about, and how they can be lessons for life. Give it your best shot in good times and bad. Don’t panic or complain when life takes a bad turn, or be arrogant when things break your way and you’re on top of the heap.

I think those lessons are especially relevant today, when too many parents put too much pressure on kids to win, forgetting the admonition that it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. If you play hard and give it your best shot, you’ll be a winner in life, no matter what the scoreboard says.

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

America could really use a few honest words

Words, words and more words. Everything we do every day is connected to the use of words and their meaning. Shakespeare’s Hamlet spends a lot of time complaining about words. In “My Fair Lady,” Eliza Doolittle expresses her frustration with excess talking and her desire for action.

I relate the use of words to the political arena, where I spent a great deal of my life. In our history books, public officials gain notoriety by using memorable words.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt soothed a fearful nation with promises that America would go to war and win it. Great Britain’s prime minister, Winston Churchill, lacking enough troops and ammunition, uplifted his nation with his brilliant use of words. If I asked you to remember some of the greatest words from President Ronald Reagan, you might say, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” President

Bill Clinton was believable when he told the voters that he felt their pain. President Barack Obama was elected on the promise of change.

President Trump has used the word “tariff” with enormous frequency, but after major drops in the markets, even he may temporarily realize that the word is toxic.

TThis month’s economic crisis is a good example of how politicians fail to talk to the average consumer in simple terms. When the stock market takes a dramatic plunge, stockholders and pensioners get nervous about their long-term economic fate. Over the past few weeks, there wasn’t one person who consistently crafted a message that could soothe the millions of people who were on edge.

but he may not be the right person to talk to the American public, because he is known to change his mind often, and has already said so.

he Wall Street crisis may be on hold, but does the White House have a plan?

Most people don’t understand how pure partisan politics emerges when there are complex fiscal headaches and multiple talking heads. An example of the confusion is the back-and-forth between Elon Musk and Peter Navarro, the president’s voice on tariffs. Recently Musk referred to Navarro as being “dumber than a sack of bricks.” Navarro referred to Musk as a “car assembler.” If these two people are supposed to be the economic face of the administration, which one should the public trust?

To add to the boiling pot, there’s Vice President J.D. Vance, who has found ways to throw dynamite into a Washington crowd. While his boss is trying to find a working strategy against Chinese tariffs, Vance, who comes from so-called hillbilly country, said, “We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture.” China is our Number 2 lender. With all these crazy intra-party fights going on, one would think the Democrats would be delighting in the bloodbath. Instead, they seem to be suffering from some kind of vocal paralysis, and are unable to find a few key players to articulate the case that the MAGA party is floundering. The United States is currently in a state of total confusion, thanks to the confusing words coming from the Republicans and the silence of the Democratic lambs.

The Wall Street crisis may be on hold, but there are no assurances that the White House has a real long-term plan. One of the underlying problems right now is that there are no assurances that anyone will emerge who will be a credible voice, able to keep the nation calm. The president has promised to negotiate with multiple nations on trade issues,

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is widely respected on Wall Street, but at the height of last week’s turmoil in the markets he was telling us that “things are going to be just fine.”

This should be alarming to all Americans, because it appears there’s no one person who is capable of uttering the words that investors need to keep their collective blood pressure under control.

For now, we’ll have to hope that the country doesn’t free-fall into a recession. We could use a few words from somebody out there who’s never heard of Pinocchio.

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.

JERRY KREMER

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Earth Day isn’t just a date. It’s a turning point.

april 22 might not jump out on your calendar like a holiday or a long weekend, but maybe it should. On Earth Day, which has been around for over 50 years, we are urged us to pay attention to the natural world — the land we walk around on, the air we breathe, the oceans that surround us and the future we’re shaping.

And let’s be honest: The future of our environment is looking a little shaky right now.

Extreme weather, rising sea levels, shrinking green spaces — even here in our own communities, we’re feeling the effects. Unseasonal heat waves, water restrictions, and poor air quality brought on by summer wildfires aren’t some abstract global issue. They’re right here at home.

Long Island has at times been a case study of why Earth Day is important.

After Hurricane Sandy, many residents whose homes were flooded had to rebuild, and they aimed to mitigate future damage by raising their homes and, where possible, strengthening bulkheading. Some built seawalls, and in some cases municipalities rebuilt roadways to reduce the impact of flooding.

letters

Heck, yes, judges can overrule presidents

To the Editor:

Despite the evidence that the earth’s climates are changing, however, Earth Day too often comes and goes without much more than a passing mention. That needs to change, because the day isn’t just about planting trees or switching off the lights for an hour. It’s about recognizing the power of collective local action — and that starts with us.

That’s why this Earth Day, we encourage everyone in our communities to show up and get involved. There are countless ways to make a difference, and many of them are happening right in your backyard.

There is an event focused on recycling in Long Beach on April 26, and a celebration of tree planting in Amityville that same day. And there will be a number of beach cleanups, including one in Atlantic Beach on April 27. Last weekend in Lakeview, more than 50 people planted flowers at the train station and collected litter in the business district.

Join a community cleanup at a park or along a river trail. Volunteer with a local conservation group. Support farmers markets and businesses that use sustainable practices. Start a compost bin. Cut back on single-use plastics. Attend a

town council meeting and ask about green initiatives. Plant something — even if it’s just one flower or herb on your windowsill.

The point isn’t to do it all. It’s to do something.

And when a bunch of people do something together, momentum builds. The ripple effect is real. Small acts pile up into cultural shifts. And when those shifts start to take root in towns like ours, they grow into the kind of broad environmental awareness that leads to lasting policy, cleaner spaces and stronger communities.

Let’s move past the idea that one person can’t make a difference. You can. You do. And when you team up with a few friends, a group, or a neighborhood? That’s how change begins.

So don’t let Earth Day pass by like just another date on the calendar. Take a moment to step outside and look around. And then, do one thing for the Earth. Just one.

Because the more we treat this planet like it matters, the more likely we can preserve everything about it that we know and love. Next Tuesday, let’s do more than acknowledge Earth Day. Let’s take it personally.

In her letter in last week’s issue, “Why so much opposition to the president?” Pat King asked a question that demands a response. “Can judges overrule the president of the United States?”

The answer, of course, is not only yes, but it’s their responsibility to do so when the president goes beyond the scope of the law. The day judges can no longer do that, or choose not to, is the day democracy ends. Hundreds of our judges are now being threatened with harm to themselves and their families for upholding their oaths to defend the constitutional requirement to check presidential and legislative power.

What follows the rule of law is the rule of predation and fear, and that’s why there is so much opposition to this would-be tyrant.

BrIAN KELLY Rockville Centre

D’Esposito will fit right in in wasteful Washington

To the Editor:

Former U.S. rep. Anthony D’Esposito seems hellbent on bringing the Town of Hempstead’s hiring practices to Washington, whether it’s in Congress or as inspector general in the Department of Labor. Hemp-

stead is notorious for wasting tax dollars on high-salaried political appointments. So of course, former Councilman D’Esposito thought nothing of hiring his mistress and his fiancée’s daughter to work for him in Congress, which, unlike the town, has actual labor laws against such practices.

Given the qualifications of all of President Trump’s appointees, however,

appointing someone who openly violated labor laws to the position of inspector general overseeing the Labor Department shouldn’t surprise anyone. And there is no expectation that D’Esposito will investigate waste and abuse in the department. Not surprisingly, it didn’t take long for D’Esposito to confirm his reputation for labor law abuse. He approved

opinions School budgets offer something for everyone

spring is here, which also means it’s school budget time. School spending plans will be decided on May 20. Now is the time for everyone to take part in what is one of the most local ways to exercise civic responsibility. Not only is a school budget vote as local as it gets, but its impact is also important for everyone in the community.

Did you know that district administrators begin the following year’s budget process at the start of the school year? In October we begin to build our budgets, anticipating what the future may hold. What will enrollment look like? What will the economy look like? What will state aid revenue be? What do families want for their students? How is our infrastructure holding up? These are just a handful of the many questions we ask as we work to ensure our students’ future success while remaining fiscally responsible to the community.

The largest portion of any school budget is directly related to student

instruction. Seventy to 80 percent of the budget represents the program component, or the salaries and benefits for teachers and staff that serve students each day. School districts should provide a competitive wage to all employees so they can afford to live in the local communities near where they work. This is essential for recruiting and retaining the best employees for our children so that students can succeed now and into the future.

FRoughly 10 percent of the budget is the administrative component, for the general operation and management of the school district. The remaining 10 to 15 percent is the capital component, for transportation and facilities costs.

ings, floors, lighting, ADA compliance and masonry maintenance, to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment.

Lastly, the spending plan will inform us about what is new and innovative. New playgrounds, outdoor learning spaces, classroom redesign, and the latest technological improvements may all be part of the budget.

ind out what’s in your district’s spending plan and be an informed voter.

Did you know that public school district budgets include funding for private and charter schools? Students whose families choose to send them to private schools have a personal stake in the publicschool budget process. The costs of transportation, textbooks and nursing services are all covered by publicschool budgets.

ership affordable in New York. School districts must aim to craft their budgets as closely as possible to what they anticipate their expenditures will be. While employee raises, instructional enhancements and capital projects are important, so is balancing affordability for taxpayers. The tax levy is an important indicator of a balanced and fiscally responsible spending plan that keeps a district moving forward without unnecessarily burdening taxpayers.

Families with school-age children have the most direct stake in the school budget process. The spending plan will outline what class sizes are projected to be. It will indicate what services, and how many, will be available in schools — special education, reading and math, multilingual learner, and mental health support. Sports, music, art, library, clubs, assemblies, and field trips are all funded in the budget, as are necessary capital improvements — new roofs, ceil-

Letters

giving the deputy secretary of labor, the man tasked with cutting federal funds to local libraries and museums, 24-hour security detail.

Despite the White House’s claims to the contrary, government spending since Trump’s inauguration is $154 billion more than during the same period last year. Between Trump’s golf days, which have cost taxpayers roughly $30 million since January, and D’Esposito approving unwarranted $2 million security details, the waste and abuse committed by the Trump administration, while taking a chainsaw to agencies that provide critical services, is unconscionable.

This cavalier attitude that our tax dollars are theirs for the taking must stop in Washington, and in Nassau County.

CLAuDIA BORECkY President, Bellmore Merrick Democratic Club

The devil is in the details

To the Editor:

The big things in the Trump administration are so appalling that it’s hard to wrap your mind around them. The little things sometimes fall through the cracks. For example, a friend noted the

frequency of the alliterative “trust in Trump” phrase the White House press secretary keeps slipping into press conferences.

Or the fact that the president of the united States called his own people “yippy” for gasping in horror as their savings plummeted — not to mention watching him manipulate the stock market like a toy.

But I heard something on the news that I found so chilling that I can’t stop thinking about it: In response to a request for evidence for deporting a u.S. resident, Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded in a memo that he can deport anyone he wants. A terrifying message, yes, but I can’t stop thinking about responding with a memo to a judicial request, dismissing not only the request, but the entire judicial system and branch of government. Just waving them away like someone soliciting you to buy something cheap and tawdry. The disdain is breathtaking.

A confluence of events — Trump’s inexplicable popularity and infallibility in the eyes of a great deal of the country; the Republican majority in both the Senate and the House — have allowed Project 2025 not just to come to fruition, but to flourish. We must do something other than watch in horror from the sidelines as our entire system of government is dismantled before our eyes.

In our area, property values are closely tied to the performance of neighborhood schools. People choose to buy homes in specific areas because of the reputation of the school district. Whether you’re invested in your home or plan to buy or sell, taking part in, and understanding, the school budget process should be at the top of your list.

Residents should know how much a district is asking to raise its tax levy. The state tax cap helps keep home own-

Over the next month, school districts across the state will be presenting their 2025-26 budgets to their communities. Whether you’re a family with a child in school or a homeowner, now is the time to find out what’s is in the budget, so you make an informed decision in May. Review the budget information page on your district website. Attend a budget hearing in May, and read the budget newsletter that is sent home to district residents. If you have a question, reach out to the district business official. Most important, ensure that your voice is heard by participating in the budget vote and trustee elections on May 20. Your active engagement in this important process will help shape your community next year and for years to come.

Judith A. LaRocca, Ed.D., is superintendent of Valley Stream Union Free School District 13.

Our Founding Fathers may have been imperfect, but they created a brilliant system of government with three equal branches, which both support and check each other, and consequently give the people the power.

If power is consolidated in the execu-

tive branch, we will witness the death of democracy. We can’t let the devil — speaking literally and figuratively — win here.

Framework by Tim Baker

At the Lions Club egg hunt at Halls Pond Park — West Hempstead

judith a. Larocca

NELLA DAWN CASALINO Woodmere