Sending the kids off
More than 500 Uniondale High School seniors crossed the stage last Saturday at Hofstra University’s David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, where students, educators and families celebrated the class of 2026 at its commencement.
Above, the graduates celebrated after moving their tassels. At right, Valedictorian Sarah Guadalupe Ramirez Calderon, who will attend Brown University in the fall, spoke to her classmates. Story, more photos, Page 12.
By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com
Uniondale residents called for additional investments in the hamlet’s parks as the summer season began, urging local officials to prioritize long-discussed projects including a public pool, walking and running tracks and expanded recreational amenities.
The discussion at the May 24 monthly meeting of the Uniondale Empowerment Resource Center, at Bernard Brown Park, brought together community members as well as Bill Harkins, acting commissioner of Nassau County parks, and Dorothy Goosby, deputy Town of Hempstead supervisor. Harkins discussed recent park improvements and responded to questions about future projects, funding and neighborhood quality-oflife concerns.
focused on what they described as the community’s current, unmet needs.
Rosslynn Pieters, a board member of the resource center said that she and other residents continue to advocate for recreational amenities they believe are lacking.
t’s not right that we are paying these taxes and our children have to go outside of our community for these
basic amenities.
RoSSlYnn PIeTeRS Uniondale
While he highlighted improvements completed in recent years, many residents
“It’s not right that we are paying these taxes and our children have to go outside of our community for these basic amenities,” Pieters said, referring to a public pool. “Swimming isn’t just about recreation — it’s a life skill.”
Other residents noted that many families travel to neighboring communities, such as the Village of Hempstead, East Meadow or Baldwin, for public pool access, and said that local children should have opportunities to learn water safety close to home.
The Town of Hempstead operates 23 public pools. Goosby said that bringing a pool to
Continued on page 14
By STACY DRIKS
sdriks@liherald.com
The Uniondale Public Library is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary throughout July with a lineup of arts, crafts and educational programs, including food decorating, quilting, patriotic coaster-making and a visit from a local historian.
Fiber artist Patti Schust will present “250 Years of Quilting in America” on July 13, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Uniondale Public Library’s Computer Room. The program will examine the history of quilting in the United States through antique, vintage and contemporary quilts, highlighting the evolution of domestic textiles and the contributions of women artisans over the past two and a half centuries.
The library will continue its America 250 arts programming with “Make Patriotic Coasters with Jessica” on July 20 and “Make a Wooden Picture Frame for America 250” on July 9. Registration is required for all adult programs, and some workshops include a materials fee.
Melinda Space will lead “Decorate 5 Patriotic Dipped Strawberries” on July 2, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Uniondale Public Library’s Meeting Room. The hands-on workshop will teach participants how to decorate fresh strawberries with red, white and blue chocolate and decorative swizzles to create a festive Independence Day-themed dessert.
During the class, Space will demonstrate dipping and decorating techniques before participants create five patriotic strawberries to take home. The program is open to adults and is designed for all skill levels, whether attendees are learning the technique for the first time or looking for a creative holiday treat to share with family and friends. Registration is required, and a $3.25 materials fee applies.
(ELL), and Economically Disadvantaged are encouraged to apply. APPLY ONLINE NOW: www.RCACS.ORG (Se Habla Espanol)
Historian and librarian Robert Weiss will present “America at 250” on July 27, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Uniondale Public Library’s Bookmark Café as part of the library’s commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The program will provide an overview of United States history, tracing the country’s development from its founding through the present as America prepares to mark the milestone in 2026.
During the presentation, Weiss will discuss key events, people and turning points that shaped the nation over the past two and a half centuries while offering historical context for the semiquincentennial celebration. The free program is open to adults. Registration is required.
By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com
The New York State Education Department has ordered the Hempstead Union Free School District to hold a new election for one Board of Education trustee seat after annulling the results of the May 19 race, in the wake of allegations that district Clerk April Keys, who oversaw the election, mishandled absentee ballots and those mailed in early.
The revote is scheduled for Aug. 17, after state Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa directed the district to conduct a new election within 60 days. The district had petitioned Rosa to invalidate only the trustee election, leaving the voter-approved school budget and capital reserve proposition unchanged.
The district’s 51-page petition, filed on June 17, alleged multiple irregularities involving election materials, absentee ballots and election procedures that undermined the integrity of the trustee race. Ballots were discarded in a garbage bag that was recovered in a dumpster outside the district’s administrative building, according to an investigation by The Nassau County District Attorney Office.
The district stated in the petition that it was impossible to determine the exact number of cast ballots that were destroyed, because their remnants were collected in a large bag — as was the case with the envelopes that would otherwise help determine the number of applications that were mailed in.
“This appeal does not arise from a routine election challenge, a candidate’s dissatisfaction with the outcome, or isolated procedural missteps,” the petition stated. “Rather, it presents a disturbing pattern of conduct and systemic failures that strike at the core of the electoral process itself.”
On election night, incumbent Trustee Victor Pratt received 288 votes, defeating challengers Gwendolyn Jackson, Eugenia Girtman and Caprice Rines. District officials
claimed that most of the votes comprised of absentee and early mailed-in ballots, because Pratt finished in third in the machine-vote tally.
District Superintendent Gary Rush said his primary concern throughout the state’s review was receiving a decision so the district could move forward.
“I just wanted the commissioner to make the decision as far as what is she is going to do. I didn’t want the district to remain in limbo,” Rush said. “That’s what my focus was. I just wanted a decision to be made so we’d know how to move forward, and once she made a decision, I was just kind of relieved.”
As of press time, the revote will be held on Aug. 17, subject to approval by the Hempstead Board of Education. The voting will be the same as in previous years for Hempstead residents, at Alberta B. Gary Schultz Middle School, at 70 Greenwich St., from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
— Hempstead Union Free School district
Rush declined to discuss the specifics of the ongoing investigation but said that the district was focused on ensuring that the Aug. 17 election is conducted properly.
“I think it’s important to make sure that we put some safeguards in place so that the process is done with fidelity,” Rush said, referring to following all required election procedures.
At a special meeting on June 25, the Board of Education appointed Alexander Hernandez as acting district clerk. The appointments were approved in a 3-2 vote, with Joylette Williams, LaMont Johnson, Jeferry Spencer voting in favor of the resolution and Pratt and Trustee Elise Nicholson voting against it.
Rush said that the district remains focused on preparing for the upcoming school year, despite the election controversy.
“Outside of this incident, this was a great year with the Board of Education,” he said. “I hate that this has to put such a dark mark on all the positives that took place.”
The district has not released details about next month’s voting, but Rush said that the voting process will follow the same procedures and polling hours used in the May election.
By MASHIAT AZMI
Coorspondent
As the school year comes to an end, on a bright, sunny day, Hempstead High School entered into a partnership with “Wild ’N Out,” MTV’s hit entertainment franchise, to partner with students and community leaders for a high-energy pep rally.
The hour-long June 11 event aimed to celebrate school spirit, youth empowerment, and community pride. It featured music, entertainment, student participation, with special guests — Zeddy Will, Fabolous, Boosie, Bobby, Shmurd, and Soulja Boy as Hempstead High received national attention through one of television’s most recognizable youth-focused brands.
The event is mostly focused on entertainment, highlighting the creativity, talent, and energy of the Hempstead students while bringing them together in a positive and uplifting environment, school officials said.
Kristin Kelly, assistant principal at Hempstead High School, said that the goal of this event was to re-engage students as they prepare for their upcoming state examination. She emphasized the importance of students engaging with each other beyond academics.
Kelly said that the event was designed to foster a sense of community among students. She noted it was an opportunity for the students to enjoy time together in the hallway and the classroom outside of academics.
“I think the message is we go through
struggles together, and we also get to experience amazing times together, whether we’re crying or we’re laughing,” Kelly said.
“We’re a family, and it’s always a blessing when we all get to come together.”
Junior Allison Moreno, a snare drummer in the school drumline, expressed her excitement about this show, highlighting Nick Cannon’s comedic talent and influence as an American actor, comedian, rapper, producer, and TV host.
Monero described this show as a platform where everyone can express their true selves. She believes this event will positively impact students’ personalities and encourage them to embrace their uniqueness.
“It’s honestly amazing that these stu-
dents have these opportunities to see these types of people,” Moreno said. “We like seeing these types of people that are a good influence, or like can influence our students to be someone, to be themselves.”
She said that Hempstead students are a tight-knit community with various talented individuals, including musicians and actors.
“We always say we’re tiny but mighty… in our school, we’re kind of like family, everyone’s like family, everyone gets to know each other, everyone accepts everyone for who they are,” Moreno said. “This opportunity with Nick Cannon, everyone’s very in well, and now being here is a very special thing for us, because it’s like we get also to embrace our talents, they get to
embrace our talents, and we can relate with them.”
Melanie Orozco Lopez, also in 11th grade and a drumline member, was introduced to this show by her friend and showed her excitement about having a nationally recognized show.
Orozco Lopez said that the event is significant for her school, even though the school has received a negative reputation in the past. She added that this event allows the Hempstead community to challenge the stereotypes and demonstrate its strength.
“Even though we have or had a bad reputation in the past, we are still here, we are still a community, and we deserve respect,” Orozco Lopez said.
She particularly looked forward to the improv rap segment as she thinks it will resonate with many hip-hop enthusiasts in the school, and highlighted Hempstead High’s expansive athletic program, featuring many talented student-athletes, as well as its music and arts programs, including enrichment and all-county programs.
Kelly believes that through this nationally recognized program, Hempstead High School will be able to showcase its personality and its love for one another.
“I think it’s important because it gives people the opportunity to see our student body and our school community in the light of our personality,” Kelly said. “The love that we have for one another, how we rise and celebrate for one another, and how far we’ve come as an academic institution over the past decade.”
Grand
Elementary School students
in New York
and
the school’s Knicks Spirit Day, celebrating team pride and school spirit.
Grand Avenue Elementary School students showed their New York Knicks pride during a recent Knicks Spirit Day, wearing orange and blue to celebrate the team and build school spirit. The event gave students and staff a chance to come together, show enthusi-
asm for their favorite team and enjoy a fun themed day during the school year. Students wore Knicks jerseys, T-shirts and team colors as the school community joined in the celebration.
— Stacy Driks
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. visited Nassau Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour, highlighting New York’s free community college program for adult learners and the college’s nursing and health care programs.
SUNY Reconnect, launched in fall 2025 under Gov. Kathy Hochul, covers tuition, fees, books and supplies for New Yorkers ages 25 to 55 who do not already have a college degree and are pursuing an associate degree in a high-demand field.
King’s visit also spotlighted a recent expansion of the program. Under the state’s newly enacted budget, adults seeking a nursing degree may now qualify for SUNY Reconnect even if they already hold a degree in another field, a change intended to help address the state’s health care workforce shortage.
“SUNY Reconnect allows us to create life-changing opportunities for adult learners and their families,” King said. “With this initiative, we remove barriers to higher education and reinforce the fact that it is never too late to follow your dreams.”
Nassau Community College Chief Administrative Officer Maria Conzatti said the college will continue to build on the state’s investment.
“Nassau Community College is proud to see the continued investment and confidence from SUNY and our partners in state government,” Conzatti said. “We will continue to support our community and region by offering dynamic programming and providing students of all ages with an affordable option for excellent academic opportunities.”
State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today visited SUNY Nassau Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour. Chancellor King has been visiting SUNY community colleges throughout the state to promote New York’s free community college program for adult learners, which officially began at the start of Fall 2025.
emergency management and supply chain/ logistics programs will also be eligible.
As we celebrate 250 years of our nation’s independence, we are reminded that strength is found in our communities.
For years, our home has been right here on Long Island. We are proud to stand alongside the local organizations, neighbors, and companies that keep our region thriving today.
we are building the next chapter of our story.
According to SUNY, nursing and other health care programs were the most popular fields among SUNY Reconnect participants during the program’s first year. Early data also showed students enrolled through SUNY Reconnect had higher fall-to-spring retention rates than other adult learners.
The program funds associate degrees in several high-demand industries, including nursing and allied health, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, engineering, artificial intelligence, green and renewable energy, technology and teacher preparation in shortage areas. Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, aviation management,
To support the initiative, Nassau Community College received $220,000 to hire a full-time advisor to assist Reconnect students with enrollment, scheduling and retention, as well as community outreach and tutoring. The college also received $35,000 to purchase advanced simulation and clinical equipment to expand capacity in its nursing and respiratory care programs.
More information about SUNY Reconnect programs at Nassau Community College is available at NCC.edu/admissions/ suny-reconnect.shtml.
—
Jordan Vallone
By HAILEY FULMER hfulmer@liherald.com
Lawmakers representing Elmont, home to a large Haitian American population, are condemning a U.S. Supreme Court decision on June 25 allowing the Trump administration to move forward with terminating Temporary Protected Status for Haitian recipients.
Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages her brother, Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages, who are of Haitian heritage, said the ruling threatens families who have built lives in the United States and could have significant humanitarian and economic consequences for Long Island.
U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen weighed in as well, saying the decision “puts our friends’ and neighbors’ lives at risk,” and argued that it could force Haitian TPS holders to return to a country still facing severe violence and instability.
Gillen said she had “stood shoulder to shoulder” with the Haitian community on Long Island throughout efforts to oppose the termination of TPS, and has continued to advocate for protections at the federal level. She said she has “fought this termination in the courts,” and pledged continued action in Congress to extend legal safeguards.
She also described Haitian TPS recipients as “a fundamental part of our vibrant identity on Long Island,” and warned that removing them would have both humanitarian and economic consequences.
Michaelle Solages strongly condemned
Hailey Fulmer/Herald photos
Rep. Laura Gillen, far left, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages took part in a roundtable discussion hosted by Gillen at Le Spot Café, in Elmont, in April. Elected officials and advocates gathered to discuss legislation extending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants.
the ruling, calling it “a devastating betrayal of America’s values.” She said that TPS exists to protect people fleeing crises, and pointed to conditions in Haiti, including “unprecedented levels of gang violence, political turmoil, economic collapse and insecurity,” arguing that returning people under those circumstances would be dangerous and irresponsible.
Solages added that Haitian families are deeply embedded in communities across New York, and that they work as nurses, educators, small-business owners and essential workers and have built long-term lives in the United States.
The Supreme Court decision, she said,
sends what she called a “chilling message” by prioritizing politics over people and undermining the humanitarian intent of TPS. Solages called on Congress to act quickly to provide permanent protections for TPS holders.
Carrié Solages said the ruling has a direct impact on his community and constituents, many of whom have lived in the United States for years, worked legally, paid taxes and built stable lives while contributing to Long Island’s workforce in health care, hospitality and other essential sectors.
TPS holders, he said, have followed legal requirements, paid taxes and become essential workers in industries such as health
care, hospitality and other service sectors.
“These individuals followed the rules,” he said. “They relied on a promise under the law that, ‘Hey, if you come here, we’ll take care of you after the earthquake.’
“They relied upon promises under the law — that’s a contract. They pay taxes, they worked, they stayed at it, and now they will be forced to leave in mass, breaking up families.”
Carrié Solages warned that the decision would have ripple effects across Long Island, and that it could destabilize the local economy and create fear and uncertainty in immigrant communities.
He also emphasized that his office strongly encourages anyone seeking immigration guidance to use trusted resources rather than navigating the system alone. He urged residents to contact the New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Immigration Legal Support Hotline at (800) 354-0365, or call 311 and say, “Immigration legal.”
Solages also pointed residents to the Haitian Response Initiative and other Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs partner organizations, which offeer Haitian Creole-speaking staff and additional immigration resources, including legal screenings, knowyour-rights materials and guidance for families facing separation or deportation risk. Solages urged families to seek help early, stressing that trusted legal guidance is critical as immigration policies continue to shift and uncertainty grows.
By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com
It was a banner season for not only the New York Knicks but also for many high school athletic teams in the Herald’s coverage area. Listed are the top team accomplishments, in chronological order.
1. Seaford girls soccer
It was a full-circle moment for Kaylie Conklin and 11 other Seaford seniors. Conklin scored off a rebound in the 11th minute of the Nassau Class A girls’ soccer championship game Nov. 1 and that’s all the offense the Vikings needed to capture their second county title in four years, 1-0 over Plaindege. The lone goal originated from a corner kick off the foot of Meghan Stovall, and Grace Cullingford was credited with the assist. Goalkeeper Caden Calderaro had the shutout.
2. Oceanside girls soccer
Fresh off its first county title in 45 years, Oceanside’s girls soccer engineered another historic victory Nov. 2, fending off surging Syosset, 2-0, to repeat as Nassau Class AAA champions. The Sailors won it behind a lights-out performance from goalkeeper Ella Murray and goals from Ava Bowers and Gianna Visone. Bowers scored unassisted in the 9th minute and assisted on Visone’s insurance goal in the 51st minute. Oceanside also took its first Long Island title, defeating Northport 1-0 on Cathryn Evans’ overtime goal Nov. 8.
3. South Side girls soccer
South Side had to work overtime and beyond to capture its third county title in the past five seasons. For a second straight game, the Cyclones needed some penalty kick magic to emerge as Nassau Class AA girls’ soccer champions. After battling top-seeded Garden City to a 1-1 draw through 80 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime in the final, they outscored the Trojans 4-3 in PKs Nov. 2. Molly Barry, South Side’s sixth shooter, delivered the golden PK goal and immediately jumped into the waiting arms of goalkeeper Abby Gruner, who not only made two dynamic PK saves but also scored.
4.
South Side’s 32-year wait ended. The Cyclones won the New York State Class A girls’ volleyball championship Nov. 22, outlasting Williamsville South 25-22, 18-25, 25-18, 18-25, 15-12 in Glens Falls. It was their second state title in program history and first since 1993, when the program captured the Class B crown. The decisive fifth set embodied everything about the Cyclones’ resilience.
They fell behind 5-1 before storming back with a 7-2 run sparked by two kills and a serving ace from Keira Mullaney. They led 8-7 at the side switch, and after Williamsville tied it at 11, the Cyclones seized control by scoring four of the final five points to claim the title.
5. Seaford football
To win a county championship, the Seaford football team needed to exorcise some demons. On Halloween, the Vikings suffered their lone loss of the season to a scary good Plainedge team at their intimidating home stadium. In a true team effort, Seaford put the memories of that defeat to bed by defeating the Red Devils, 21-7, to capture the Nassau Conference IV title Nov. 22. Seaford’s opening statement was a 12-play, 65-yard drive in which quarterback Michael Spinella (165 yards, two touchdowns) went 7-of-8, connecting with Mark Villeck and Peter Barone as well as Brian Falk, who capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to put the Vikings in front.
6. Wantagh football
Down 14 points to Bethpage early in the second quarter of the Nassau Conference III football championship game
Nov. 22, Wantagh didn’t flinch. The fourth-seeded Warriors cut the margin to one by halftime and eventually built a 14-point lead of their own before holding on for a 28-21 victory over the Golden Eagles. Luke Martini had three offensive touchdowns and an interception on defense. It marked the first time in program history Wantagh has captured back-to-back county titles. It lost 19 players from last year’s Nassau Conference IV and Long Island Class IV championship team.
7. Massapequa football
Massapequa’s football team made history Nov. 28, defeating Ward Melville, 14-12, to win the Long Island Class I title. The Chiefs joined William Floyd as the only teams in the Long Island Championship’s 33-year history to win three consecutive Class I crowns. The Colonials did so from 2005-07. And Massapequa, which topped Oceanside for the Nassau Conference I crown, did it by going undefeated for the ninth time in program history and the second time in the last three years.
8. Plainedge girls basketball
The No. 4 seed in the Nassau Class A girls’ basketball playoffs left no doubt
who’s No. 1. Junior-led Plainedge capped a sensational county tournament run March 6 with a resounding 48-28 victory over Floral Park in the championship game. “It’s really amazing and unbelievable,” said Allison Younghans, who led all scorers with 17 points. It’s the second county title in five seasons and third all-time for the Red Devils, who beat Shoreham-Wading River for the L.I. title. Maddie Belz scored 10 points off the bench, and Peyton Wise and Michela Netto added 9 and 7 points, respectively.
9. South Side boys basketball
In a packed Farmingdale State College gymnasium March 7, South Side gave Roslyn a taste of its own medicine, dropping a season-high 82 points in capturing the Nassau Class AA boys basketball championship game by a 15-point margin. Roslyn averaged 75 points but was held to 20 in the opening half and 67 on the night as the Cyclones captured their second county title in four years. South Side went on a 22-2 run from the last bucket of the first quarter to the end of the opening half, to take a 32-20 halftime lead. Trevor Walsh recorded eight of his career-high 23 points during the surge, while Ryan Schmitt, John Pericolosi, Connor Erickson and Kieran Vetter combined for the other 14 points.
10. Baldwin boys basketball
It was a freak accident at a practice in early January when Rian Gittens heard the pop in his knee and immediately thought the worst. “I thought my season was over,” the senior forward said. It was another example of adversity in a season full of it for the Baldwin boys basketball team. So when the Bruins were slow coming out of the gate and trailed by 13 in the second quarter of the Nassau Class AAA championship game March 7, it was just the latest obstacle for Baldwin to hurdle. Enter Gittens, who in his first game back from a torn MCL provided the needed offensive spark to help top-seeded Baldwin defeat Port Washington, 47-40, to win a sixth consecutive county title.
11. Baldwin girls basketball
In a Baldwin’s once-comfortable 19-point lead over Walt Whitman in the Long Island Class AAA girls’ basketball title game whittled down to five with less than three minutes remaining when its lone returning starter from last season’s state championship team made sure it wouldn’t be her high school finale. Senior guard Alyssa Polonia’s long trey from the top of the key with 2:46 to go provided the dagger in Baldwin’s 54-46 victory March 11. Her four free throws in the final minute sealed the program’s
eighth L.I. crown in head coach Tom Catapano’s 17 seasons at the helm. Polonia had a team-high 17 points, Malia Robinson added 11 and Ajeya Nicholas chipped in 8.
12. MacArthur flag football
Alexa Coppola caught a pass through the heavy rainfall from junior quarterback Gina Iannuzzi and toe-tapped in the back of the end zone to secure MacArthur’s first flag football county title May 23 at LIU Post over Plainedge, 13-9, in the Class B championship game. On fourth and goal from the 9-yard line, Iannuzzi rolled right and found a leaping Coppola, who got one foot down with just a few turf pellets between her toe and the white out-of-bounds line. The Generals went on to capture the L.I. Class B crown.
13. Massapequa girls lacrosse
Massapequa girls lacrosse ran away with the Nassau Class A championship May 27, defeating Syosset 13-5 to take the county title in convincing fashion. Savanna Appleton led the way with four goals and four assists. In a three-game playoff stretch that also included victories over East Meadow and Port Washington, Massapequa outscored opponents 43-10, a commanding run as the top seed. The Chiefs have won nine county championships in the last 11 years, including six straight since 2021.
14. South Side girls lacrosse
Tara Cody was unfazed when South Side’s girls lacrosse season hung in the balance in the final minute of the Nassau Class C final against Wantagh May 28. The senior goalie squared up for her
second free position shot in a matter of minutes in a tie game, but unlike the first attempt Cody made a crucial low stick save. Cody’s clutch stop, one of her eight on the day, set the stage for more heroics at the other end of the field when freshman Juliet Diorio scored with just 2.3 seconds left to propel South Side to an 8-7 victory and a repeat county title.
15. Massapequa softball
Dropping three straight games to Oceanside didn’t faze defending Nassau and Long Island Class AAA softball champ Massapequa. The Chiefs, who fell twice to the Sailors during the regular season and dropped the best-of-three county finals series opener, stayed alive with a wild come-from-behind victory in Game 2 and kept the momentum going in the third and deciding game for a repeat. Samantha Dolan went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, Sienna Erker scored three runs and pitcher Alexa O’Mallon scattered five hits as Massapequa squeaked past Oceanside, 7-6, May 29 for its fifth county title in six years.
16. Wantagh boys lacrosse
Wantagh captured its third straight Nassau Class C boys lacrosse championship June 1, rolling to a 15-7 victory over South Side. Warriors goalie Gianni Passaro came up huge, making 15 saves. Martini, Matt Giacobello and Sean Stachlik each had three goals and one assist, Joe Nicholson and Carter Loughman had two goals and two assists apiece, and Devin Paccione had two goals to lead Wantagh’s high-octane offense. The Warriors advanced to beat Sayville, 12-11, for their second straight Long Island title.
17. Wantagh softball
It was fitting the Long Island Class A softball championship game ended with a strikeout from Wantagh’s Lucy Olore. The junior pitcher fanned 12 and provided all the offensive support she’d need with a two-run single in the top of the first inning of the Warriors’ 3-0 victory over two-time defending champion Miller Place June 6. It was Wantagh’s third L.I. title and first since 1990 — also won on the same date that year.
18. Calhoun softball
Five days after capturing their first Nassau County title, the Colts added another chapter to the history books. Calhoun had never played for a Long Island softball title before June 6, but the Colts proved more than worthy of sharing the same stage with defending Class AA champion East Islip. Featuring a wicked curveball, sophomore pitcher Sophia Nicastro was dialed in. She struck out 14 and allowed only six baserunners in a dominant performance to lead a 7-1 victory.
19. Kennedy baseball
It was a dream season for Bellmore JFK baseball. After dramatically winning their first county championship, the Cougars claimed their first Long Island crown, defeating Hauppauge, 9-3, to win the Class AA title June 6. Ryan Yormack set the tone with a leadoff double in the first inning and scored on an error. A sacrifice fly by Matt Toliplano gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Dylan Babek got the win on the mound and Derek Yormack retired all six batters he faced for the save.
20. Plainedge baseball
With Plainedge’s Taylor Nitsch and Kings Park’s Everett Zarzicki on the mound, it wasn’t going to take many runs to come away with the Long Island Class A baseball championship June 6. And it was the bat of an unlikely source, Dylan Loccisano, who provided all the offense the Red Devils needed to capture their first L.I. title since 2012. The backup catcher’s two-run, basesloaded single to right with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning was all Plainedge needed to secure a 2-0 victory.
Massapequa ace Jack Scannapieco was back and made sure the Chiefs were back on top of the mountain, defeating Liverpool, 7-1, to capture the New York State Class AAA baseball championship at Binghamton University June 13. Scannapieco earned the win, allowing one earned run on five hits, while striking out five with one walk in five innings. Joe Genova went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored for Massapequa, which defeated Port Washington for the Nassau County title and Connetquot for the Long Island crown.
The freight train known as Massapequa’s boys lacrosse team made one final stop in Geneva. The Chiefs’ offense hummed like a locomotive once again, producing at least four goals in every quarter of their 19-9 victory over West Genessee in the New York State Class A championship game June 14. Rocco Spallina had four goals and Nolan Wieczorek and Jake Byrnes added hat tricks.
By Maureen Fitzgerald
Presented once again by PSEG Long Island, the fifth annual Herald Long Island Choice Awards Gala has quickly become one of the region’s signature contests and business recognition events. The program brings together hundreds of businesses and organizations across categories spanning dining, healthcare, home services, wellness, professional services, retail, entertainment and more.
Hosted by RichnerLIVE on May 19 at the Crest Hollow Country Club, the evening featured a cocktail reception, networking, dinner and the highly anticipated live winner reveal — with honorees learning their placements in real time throughout the evening. From the moment guests stepped into cocktail hour, the atmosphere carried an unmistakable buzz as finalists mingled and snapped photos in front of the glowing LI Choice Awards LED sign.
The applause erupted repeatedly as winners crossed the stage to accept their awards, with cheers echoing throughout the packed ballroom.
For many attendees, the evening represented more than just an awards gala; it was a celebration of resilience, growth and community recognition after years spent building businesses across Nassau and Suffolk counties.
“This evening is about celebrating the people and businesses that make our communities special,” said Stuart Richner, publisher of the Herald and CEO of Richner Communications, during opening remarks. “It is the people in this room that are the economic engines of our communities.”
This year’s continued partnership with PSEG Long Island also reinforced the utility’s longstanding focus on supporting the region’s small business community through its Business First advocate programs, which provide guidance, energy efficiency resources and rebate opportunities to help local businesses grow and operate more sustainably. The utility company — ranked No. 1 by J. D. Power in business customer satisfaction — has granted over $3.5 million to help businesses lower operating costs, improve sustainability, and create jobs.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities,” said Veronica Isaac, Senior Manager Customer and Community Partnerships, during the evening’s program. “Without your hard work, we would not have so many thriving downtown districts and beyond here on Long Island. Investing in and promoting small businesses will power the future of Long Island.”
The event also underscored how the LI Choice Awards has evolved beyond recognition. Drawing hundreds of thousands of votes across the region during the months-long public voting campaign, the program has become a platform that strengthens visibility for local businesses while fostering new partnerships and meaningful connections across industries. For many of
A beautiful poolside setting provided the perfect backdrop for an evening of networking and
the evening’s winners, the recognition has translated into tangible business growth, customer trust and lasting community credibility.
“Winning the Long Island Choice Award five years in a row for Best Auto Repair Shop, has been incredibly rewarding for our business. Because the award is voted on by the public, it means a great deal to know our customers continue to support and believe in us,” shared Kevin Killelea,
owner of Rockville Centre Auto Repair.
“The recognition has helped our business grow and flourish, while reinforcing the trust and reputation we’ve worked hard to build within the community.”
Sharing the same five-year milestone win, the Theralympic Speech Therapy team celebrated by extending “A huge thank you to our wonderful clients for believing in us, and to our
dedicated team for the care, passion, and heart you bring every single day. We couldn’t do this without you!!”
“Winning the past few years is especially meaningful because it reflects the trust our patients place in us every day,” said Dr. Howard Goodman, Long Island Weight Loss Doctor.
This year’s winners and finalists can be found in the LI Herald 2026 LI Choice Winners Guide and online at LIChoiceawards.com.
FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle
Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers
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Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences
Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A
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*Boxed lunches for first 150 attendees
All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.
By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com
More than 500 Uniondale High School seniors crossed the stage Saturday during the district’s commencement ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 before beginning the next chapter of their academic and professional journeys.
Among those recognized were valedictorian Sarah Guadalupe Ramirez Calderon and salutatorian Lisbeth Sarai Martinez Guerra, whose years of academic achievement earned them the top two spots in the graduating class.
Guadalupe Ramirez Calderon, a first-generation college student whose parents immigrated from El Salvador, will attend Brown University this fall, where she plans to study political science while exploring other academic interests through the university’s open curriculum.
Reflecting on earning the title of valedictorian, Guadalupe Ramirez Calderon said the achievement belonged to everyone who supported her throughout her academic journey.
“It’s not my achievement to boast,” she said. “When I found out, the first thing I did was tell everyone else because they have to celebrate with me too. There is no way I could have done it by myself.”
Salutatorian Martinez Guerra will attend Duke University, where she plans to study sociology with a concentration in crime, law and justice before pursuing a career in law enforcement.
The daughter of Salvadoran immigrants and the oldest of sev-
eral siblings, Martinez Guerra said her family’s sacrifices motivated her throughout high school.
“That was the main driving force that pushed me, because I wanted them to know that they didn’t come here for nothing,” she said. “Coming here was a good thing.”
Uniondale student board president Valentina Goris presented a speech as well adding her experience during Uniondale and praised her colleagues and friends.
Saturday’s ceremony celebration began with the JROTC color guard followed by the achievements of more than 500 graduates as they prepare to attend colleges and universities across the country, enter the workforce and pursue careers in public service, business, health care, the military and other fields.
Celebrate America’s 250th at the Cradle of Aviation Museum!
Summer 2026 Starts Here.
2026 Summer Bucket List ❑ See a real Lunar Module ❑ Watch a Giant-Screen Movie
Walk the Air & Space Trail
Discover Aviation History ❑ Sit in an Airplane Cockpit ❑ Eat Astronaut Ice Cream
This year, skip the airport lines, expensive hotels, and rising travel costs. America’s 250th anniversary is happening right here in your own backyard.
Join us for a summer-long celebration of aviation, innovation, exploration, and discover with special exhibits, family events, and full-dome films on Long Island’s largest screen!
From early air fields to the Moon, Long Island helped shape America’s story. Come celebrate where history took flight.
Scan the QR code or visit www.cradleofaviation.org/celebrate250 for a complete list of ongoing celebrations and special events.
Uniondale is something the town was “looking into,” though she offered no details.
Private swim options are available, but they can be costly. My Own Lane Aquatics, a swim school based in Adelphi University’s pool, offers typically five-week sessions with one session a week for those of all ages for $200. The Uniondale Police Activity League, which uses Uniondale High School facilities, charges similar fees, starting at $200 for beginners and ranging up to $325 for competitive swimmers. The Uniondale school district provides free instructional swimming also at the high school but only for elementary students.
Pieters also said she thought that adding walking and running tracks to the hamlet’s parks would not only be a benefit to athletes but give senior citizens a safe space to exercise. The only parks in Uniondale large enough to accommodate tracks, she said, would be Uniondale Park and Cedar Street Park.
“There should be something where seniors can congregate, exercise, and be healthy during the day,” Pieters said.
She asked whether Nassau County funding could be released to Uniondale to create facilities that are seen by many as long overdue.
One form of county funding is capital projects, which are proposed by County Executive Bruce Blakaman and then
voted on by the Legislature. The other is legislators’ capital funds, which lawmakers such as Viviana Russell and Olena Nicks, who represent Uniondale, would use to sponsor or advocate projects in their districts.
“Legislators have to be the ones who have to advocate for the funds to be released to our community,” Pieters said.
“I know Legislator Olena Nicks, Scott Davis and Viviana Russell — they’ve been really trying to work hard to get those funds released to our community.
“But I think there’s a stopgap there from the county,” Pieters added, “which is a big problem.”
Other residents have observed that while other communities have updated traffic signs or street repairs, Uniondale often seems to be the last to receive funds for such projects.
“We’re not working with them,” Goosby said of the county. “They have much more money than we do — that’s a whole different ballgame. They’re not going to help us. They’re not going to give [money]
to us, so we are going to do the best we can with what we have.”
“I have to go to the Town of Hempstead to tell them Uniondale is also a place that needs help,” Resource center President Stacey Richardson said. “And when I say that, it’s because everybody that comes back from the Legislature, they go to Hempstead.”
The Village of Hempstead received a $9.9 million state grant in 2025 to renovate and replace a pool to Kennedy Memorial Park. That same year, the village also secured a $15 million grant for renovations to Mirschel Park, which includes a new community center.
“I have to tell you that the money is here,” Hempstead village Trustee Clariona Griffith said. “I’ve been up to Albany — I lobby every single year for the businesses not just in Hempstead, but also Nassau County and Suffolk County. All we need to do is go to the board meetings and now hold those legislators and those people that are in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County — we need to hold them accountable.”
Harkins pointed to several recent investments in Uniondale parks, including improvements to athletic fields, resurfaced basketball courts and expanded recreation programming. Officials encouraged residents to use the county website at nassaucountyny.gov, to register for seasonal classes and activities offered throughout the year.
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By HUNTER FENOLLOL hfenollol@liherald.com
Joe Gaeta remembers spotting mines off Normandy
When Joe Gaeta looks at the American flag today, the feeling is simple.
“I’m proud of myself,” he said.
The Wantagh resident turned 99 on March 9, making him one of the last surviving members of the generation that fought and served during World War II. More than eight decades after helping support the Allied invasion of Normandy, Gaeta still carries memories of the war — and of the unlikely journey that took him there.
Gaeta grew up in the Ravenswood section of Long Island City during the Great Depression. Life was difficult. His family of five lived in a one-bedroom apartment, and there was no refrigerator, only an icebox, filled with blocks of ice delivered to the neighborhood.
“We didn’t have heat,” he recalled. “We had kerosene, and all our clothes stunk of kerosene.”
His parents worked at a local cigar company, as did many of their neighbors. Gaeta attended P.S. 83 but never went to high school. Instead, he entered the workforce and later became a laborer in construction.
At 17, with many of his older friends already serving, Gaeta decided he wanted to enlist.
“All my friends were gone,” he said. “I told my father I wanted to go.”
His parents were not thrilled by the decision, but they signed the paperwork, allowing him to join the U.S. Navy.
T
Gaeta served aboard a ship that transported troops to Normandy during the D-Day campaign. While thousands of soldiers stormed the beaches, he spent much of his time below deck in the engine room, making sure gauges and equipment were functioning properly.
“I didn’t see nothing,” he said with a laugh. “I was in the engine room.”
But he certainly heard the battle. During breaks, the sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed around the ship. After the invasion, his vessel helped recover American soldiers from the water.
“We picked up a lot of dead bodies,” he recalled quietly. “I was 17-years-old.” Gaeta was among the youngest men aboard his ship. While many of the sailors around him worried about wives and children back home, the teenager’s concerns were much different.
“A lot of guys had families,” he recalled. “Me, I’m 17-years-old. I’m talking about the Yankees and the Giants.”
Decades later, he still remembers viewing the war through the eyes of a teenager.
“To me, it was a great adventure,” he said. “It really didn’t dawn on me until I was about 21 what I did.”
o me, it was a great adventure. It really didn’t dawn on me until I was about 21 what I did.
— JOE GaETa
One of Gaeta’s most important contributions came because of his exceptional eyesight. Navy officials recognized his ability to see long distances and frequently assigned him to the crow’s nest whenever the ship entered dangerous waters.
Twice, he spotted enemy mines.
The discoveries allowed naval crews to destroy the mines and alter the routes of ships following behind, helping protect countless service members.
“They made all the ships behind us take a different route,” Gaeta said proudly.
For his efforts, he received a reward that still makes him smile more than 80 years later: a day off and a steak dinner with the ship’s chef.
“They made a big deal out of me,” he said.
After the war, Gaeta returned home to a difficult job market as thousands of veterans searched for work. He found a path into the bricklayer’s union and built a career in the trades.
Today, he remains active with veter-
an’s organizations, including AMVETS and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. During local parades, he often rides at the front.
“I’m the only World War II veteran,” he said. “When I walk in there, they make a big deal out of me.”
For Gaeta, service was never about recognition. But he hopes younger generations appreciate the sacrifices made by those who wore the uniform.
“You’re giving your life for your country,” he said. “It’s not something everybody does.”
Seaford Legion leader on service, sacrifice after 9/11 return to duty
For David VanderWerf, military service wasn’t a single chapter in his life — it was something he returned to when the country called again.
VanderWerf, adjutant of Edwin Welsh Jr. American Legion Post 1132 in Seaford and first division commander in the Nassau County American Legion, first enlisted at 17 in the National Guard and Reserve. But after the Sept. 11 attacks, he found himself drawn back to active duty.
“The impetus behind joining the regular Army was 9/11,” he said.
Raised in Glen Rock, N.J., VanderWerf said his interest in the military began early through a love of history and military simulation games with his father. Family members also served, including an uncle who flew bombing missions in World War II and another who spent decades in the Army Reserve.
After reentering service in 2003, VanderWerf deployed to South Korea,
where he spent nearly three years stationed near the Demilitarized Zone. There, he worked in combat arms on M1 Abrams tanks, serving as a driver, loader, gunner and briefly a tank commander.
A typical day, he said, began with physical training before long hours maintaining and repairing tanks in the motor pool. But the job also came with moments of high tension. He recalled monthly alerts simulating a potential North Korean attack, including one during the period when North Korea conducted its first nuclear test.
“We didn’t know why we were on alert at the time,” he said. “We were just ready.”
He also remembers the heavy responsibility of training soldiers who were later deployed to Iraq, some of whom were injured or killed in combat.
Despite those experiences, VanderWerf said morale among troops remained strong, grounded in camaraderie and shared purpose.
Today, VanderWerf has continued that sense of service through the American Legion, where he helps veterans navigate benefits, assists with community programs and participates in military funeral honors.
“Veterans and their families sacrificed a lot,” he said. “Freedom’s not free.”
For VanderWerf, the transition back to civilian life led him into leadership roles in restaurants and, later, continued community service on Long Island. But he said the core lesson of his military experience remains the same: service does not end when the uniform comes off.
As Wantagh residents gathered to honor veterans this Memorial Day, one of the community’s earliest patriots was remembered once again: Thomas Jackson, a Revolutionary War soldier whose roots run deep in the history of the hamlet.
Born on Dec. 24, 1754, in a house that once stood near present-day Jones Avenue, Jackson became an active supporter of the American cause during the fight for independence. Historical records show that he signed Queens County’s “Petition of Association” on Jan. 19, 1776 — a local declaration of support for the colonies’ break from British rule.
Jackson served as a private in the 4th Regiment of New York troops and helped defend local interests during the Revolutionary War. On Aug. 13, 1776, he received bounty funds for men assigned to protect livestock in Queens County before the Battle of Long Island, preventing supplies from falling into Brit-
ish hands. He also participated in the capture of Fort St. George in 1780.
Following the war, Jackson remained a prominent local resident. In 1803, he built a large home in what is now Wantagh.
Jackson died on Nov. 29, 1842, and is buried in the Jackson Cemetery on Wantagh Avenue. More than 180 years later, his grave continues to serve as a reminder of Wantagh’s connection to the nation’s founding and the sacrifices made by its earliest patriots.
Reflecting on service during ‘forgotten war’
For Anthony Heckl, memories of military service stretch back more than seven decades, but some moments remain as clear as ever.
Heckl, a longtime Seaford resident and member of the Edwin Welsh Jr. American Legion Post 1132, served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War. Though he was only 19 when he enlisted, the experience left a lasting impression.
By ANDREW FRANCIS afrancis@liherald.com
Laura Smith and Stacey Rose, whose ancestors have served in the U.S. military since the Revolutionary War, were named the co-grand marshals of the Village of Freeport’s Memorial Day Parade. Despite the parade being cancelled due to rain, the pair were honored during an indoor ceremony.
I’m just proud to know that I’m part of these courageous people’s bloodline, and it informs me.
StACEy RoSE
Co-grand marshal, Freeport Memorial Day Parade
Smith is an attorney who lives in Seaford and has many ties to Freeport, including owning a home in the village. She is a descendant of Revolutionary era figures Adam Smith and Benjamin Raynor, the latter the namesake of Raynortown, which eventually became Freeport.
Adam Smith joined patriotic brigades along the Long Island’s North Shore at 44 years-old, while Raynor was only 20 when he joined the fight for American independence.
Laura Smith said that she was tremendously honored by the invitation to be one of the grand marshals, and hoped that the values her family, and so many others, have fought for are maintained today.
“These guys kind of bucked a trend, since it was very loyalist around here on the South Shore,” she said, referring to
“I was 19 when I went in and 22 when I came out,” Heckl said.
A native of Manhattan, Heckl said his path into military service began almost by accident. During a New Year’s Eve gathering in 1950, a friend in the National Guard challenged him to enlist. Two days later, Heckl and another friend signed up.
His service took him from California to Korea and later Japan. Assigned to a construction engineer unit, he worked in supply, helping ensure soldiers had the equipment and clothing they needed.
The memory that stayed with him most was not the military work itself, but the devastation he witnessed in Korea.
“When I got there, it was the poverty and the devastation,” Heckl recalled. “It made me wonder what it’s all about. Why war?”
Korea’s harsh winters presented another challenge. Heckl remembered shortages of winter clothing and boots, making it difficult to keep troops supplied during the bitter cold.
One of his proudest accomplishments was helping make sure soldiers in his company had the gear they needed.
“We were trying to keep the troops in clothing,” he said.
Not every memory was difficult. Heckl fondly recalled helping build a 250-bed hospital in the city of Taegu. When the project was completed, he and his fellow soldiers were thanked by the nurses.
“At the end of it, all the nurses kissed us,” he said with a laugh.
Returning home after the war was not always easy. Unlike veterans of other conflicts, many Korean War veterans felt their service received little public recognition.
“At least the Vietnam veterans got cursed at,” Heckl joked. “They didn’t even know I was gone.”
Today, after more than 60 years on Long Island, Heckl remains active with the Seaford American Legion, where he continues to honor the friendships, service and sacrifices that defined his generation.
Smith and Raynor. “It was kind of a dangerous thing to do, and certainly unpopular that they did go against the tide.”
Smith also added that the legacies of
her ancestors inspire her to want to see the values of independence and fair representation upheld in today’s America.
“The government should be behold -
en to the people and should adhere to what it is that the people want, and not to forget that it’s for the people of the country,” she said. “Some people, they seem to be forgetting that.”
Rose, who has lived in Freeport for 40 years, is a substitute teacher at John W. Dodd Middle School, also in the village. She is a descendant of Benjamin Lattimore Sr., an enslaved Black man who was freed and later served in continental armies in New York during the Revolutionary War.
Lattimore’s descendants leading up to Rose have been very involved military service, abolitionist movements and civil rights. She speaks highly of the inspiration that her relatives provide and boldly works with her family to honor their legacy through publicly discussing the harsh treatments that Black U.S. service members and citizens often faced during the past 250 years.
“There’s a lot of Black American’s who have served in various capacities,” Rose said. “(President George) Washington didn’t want us in the military, but we were losing.”
Despite the wounds of persistent racism, Rose added she is honored to “give voice to my ancestors and give voice to everyone who served and continues to serve.”
“I’m just proud to know that I’m part of these courageous people’s bloodline, and it informs me,” Rose said during the Freeport ceremony. “It informs me the work is not over. Democracy is always a work in progress, a fragile idea. Today’s patriots are those who give military service for our country. … Our 250th anniversary is a time to reflect and think about the sacrifice of those who are no longer with us.”
By ANDREW FRANCIS afrancis@liherald.com
During the 250 years of its existence, the United States has experienced many domestic and global triumphs in large part due to the sacrifices and contributions of the millions of individuals who served in the military in various capacities.
In recognition of the ongoing service active-duty military members and veterans have offered this nation, several Long Island veterans shared their reflections on their service and what the celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary signifies to them.
Bill Morris, North Bellmore
Morris served in U.S. Army from 1962 to 1965, and was stationed in Arlington, Virginia, as a part of the Old Guard that watches over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The memorial serves as a symbolic resting place for the many soldiers who died and whose remains were unidentifiable due to the state of the body, poor record keeping or technological limitations of the time.
He expressed that it was an honor to be a part of the Old Guard and serving the country in a unique way.
Despite all of our differences, the country goes on — and we celebrate our heritage and our victories.
— BILL MoRRIS
In addition to guarding the tomb, he was a part of different ceremonies at the White House and parades at the Washington Monument. Morris also was a part of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s funeral in 1963 when JFK was assassinated in Dallas. When asked about what America 250 signifies to him, he reflected on how much history he had been a part of.
“It signifies that I’m getting old, because I remember the 200th anniversary,” he joked. “(The 250th) anniversary just shows that the country, despite all of our differences, goes on and we celebrate our heritage and we celebrate our victories.”
Photos courtesy Bill Morris
Bill Morris said he’s been “honored” to have participated in several emotional ceremonies, including the funeral of President John F. Kennedy.
Bill Morris has received several recognitions and awards for his service in the Old Guard.
Morris added that he hopes to see the U.S. government provide additional support for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and encourages the country to care more for veterans.
“There’s way too many veterans on the street,” he said. “Too many on drugs. They need more care, they need more mental health (resources), they need more benefits. And I know the Veterans Affairs are trying to do that.”
Lomonaco Angelo, Lynbrook
Angelo, a U.S. Navy veteran who served from 1951 to 1955, also worked as a New York City police
as an American Legion chaplain.
Deliah Roberts/Herald
Herald reporter Andrew Francis with U.S. veteran Marie Carmel Houanche at the 2026 Freeport Memorial Day Ceremony at Freeport High School.
officer for 20 years. He said that the nation’s 250th birthday is “meaningful” and he also hopes to see the legacy of veterans honored better.
“People, don’t forget the veterans,” he asks, mentioning “the different eras to World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, until the present.”
Angelo does his part to try to honor fellow veterans by volunteering at the New York State Veterans Home in St. Albans. Marie Carmel Houanche, Freeport
Houanche was a nurse in the U.S. Army for 20 years being sta-
tioned in Houston, Texas and other areas of the country. Despite retiring from the military in 2011, she has remained tied to it by serving as chaplain at the American Legion’s William Clinton Story Post No. 342 in Freeport.
Despite having not been a typical soldier, Houanche said that her experiences were transformative since she was required to still meet the same physical fitness requirements that regular soldiers met. She also learned how to speak French, Korean, French, Creole, Spanish, English and a bit of Russian throughout her life of service.
Houanche said that America’s 250th anniversary is both a celebration of progress and independence.
There’s way too many veterans on the street. They need more care, more mental health resources and more benefits.
— BILL MoRRIS
“The reason that we celebrate the 250th anniversary is because we have our freedom and independence, and if it wasn’t for the military, all the different branches working together, we wouldn’t be free today.”
Stephen Nicolino, Freeport
Nicolino, who recently celebrated his 94th birthday, was a U.S. Air Force traffic controller from 1952 to 1956. After graduating from high school, the same day as the Korean War started, he reported to basic training at the now closed Sampson Air Force Base in Seneca Lake, New York, and went on to be stationed at bases in Massachusetts and England. Following his service, he went on to graduate from Hofstra University with a degree in business administration. When asked about America 250, he said that he and his family have loved the U.S. for over a century.
“My parents came from Italy in 1921 and never looked back,” Nicolino said. “He became a citizen within five years of being here in the United States.”
Nicolino’s family ties to service and patriotism extends to his brother Benedetto Nicolino, who was a Suffolk County police officer in the 1950s and 1960s who would become the first Long Island police officer with a K-9 dog.
By Abbey Salvemini
Excitement is building as we head into Fourth of July weekend. All ages can find meaning and inspiration in this milestone 250th anniversary: even play takes on a patriotic twist. Long Island Children’s Museum provides young visitors a hands-on way to connect with America’s story as only kids can — by building and imagining. Through creativity and play, children can explore the country’s landscapes, wildlife and enduring symbols that are found in the museum’s “Red, White & Blue Blocks” exhibition.
At its core, the exhibit, which runs through Sept. 6, is built around a concept children readily understand. For Aimee Terzulli, the museum’s vice president of program and visitor experience, the best way to introduce young visitors to the 250th anniversary was to frame it as a birthday celebration — one on a truly grand scale.
“Birthdays are such a big part of what kids love,” Terzulli says. “We wanted to recognize and really lean into the celebration.”
The exhibit features large blue foam building blocks paired with red, white and blue accessories that encourage open-ended creativity. Inspired by the stars and stripes of the American flag, block building lets kids imagine what futures they will build together.
Throughout the first floor gallery space, prompts invite families to build birthday cakes, create monuments and design perches for bald eagles, our national bird.
The museum also incorporated an environmental and geographic component by highlighting animals native to the United States.
Large murals showcase species including buffalo, elk, mountain goats, beavers and alligators, while children can use animal puppets and blocks to create habitats inspired by each creature’s natural environment.
“This country is just so beautiful,” Terzulli says. “There are so many environmental aesthetics and animals that are indigenous just to America.” Everyone is encouraged to study the murals for inspiration and think critically about the environments different animals call home. Some may build rugged mountain landscapes for goats, while others design swampy habitats for alligators complete with rivers
and marshes. What begins as a building exercise often opens the door to deeper discussions about ecosystems and the natural world.
“It’s really beautiful to see families looking at the murals and saying, ‘I don’t know if I’ve spent enough time traveling America’” Terzulli continues. “Our landscape is so unique.”
The exhibit’s open-ended design encourages children to chart their own creative paths. While some build patriotic displays or towering birthday cakes, others tackle ambitious engineering projects, from roller coasters to replicas of famous landmarks. No two building sessions look quite the same.
Terzulli recalls one child attempting to recreate Mount Rushmore with the oversized foam blocks. Other visitors have become fascinated with beavers, constructing dams after discovering the important role the animals play in shaping ecosystems.
• Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.
- 5 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• View the events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
• Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
“The beautiful thing is they’re organic, and they allow the learning to spring up for whatever the family’s interest is,” she adds.
One particularly popular challenge involves designing perches for bald eagles.
“I’m loving seeing these perches for the eagle, because they get really competitive,” Terzulli says.
A cozy reading area stocked with books on geography, wildlife and state symbols extends the learning beyond the block-building space. The educational approach, according to Terzulli, reflects the museum’s broader vision for its America 250 programming — one that emphasizes exploration and celebration rather than history lessons. Her team intentionally took a different approach from many America 250 initiatives, focusing less on historical interpretation and more on helping children celebrate and connect with the country in age-appropriate ways.
“We’re not really doing the historical element,” she explains. “We felt like we’d leave that to historical homes and foundations. Ours is more about our country’s birthday.”
Beyond play, the exhibit and its companion programs are intended to foster shared family memories that can last a lifetime. Terzulli vividly remembers celebrating America’s Bicentennial in 1976 as a child and relates that today’s young visitors may someday reflect on the nation’s 250th birthday with similar fondness.
“I remember wearing a little bonnet and making a poster that said 1776 and marching with my siblings and cousins in [this] parade,” she recalls. “I want kids to remember where they were; so that when they’re my age, they’ll have a reflective moment.”
At its heart the exhibit is designed to foster the kinds of shared experiences that families carry with them long after the blocks have been put away. Amid the excitement surrounding America’s 250th, Terzulli sees the celebration as an opportunity to pause, connect and find joy together.
As Terzulli puts it: “Coming together and celebrating what makes life full of joy is important.”
Jones Beach is ready to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a spectacular three-day holiday weekend extravaganza. This year’s edition of the FourLeaf Air Show combines beachfront fireworks spectacle with one of the nation’s premier air shows, always an anticipated summer tradition. Festivities begin Saturday fireworks. The 25-minute display, presented by Garden State Fireworks, starts at 9:30 p.m. and will be synchronized to patriotic music. Sunday and Monday bring more excitement with the FourLeaf Air Show, headlined by the returning U.S. Navy Blue Angels. In a historic international tribute, the lineup also features the Royal Air Force Red Arrows making their first New York appearance, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds returning to Long Island for the first time since 2018, and the British Army Parachute Display Team Red Devils, among the exciting lineup. Together this is surely a signature semiquincentennial celebration that brings everyone together for a weekend honoring the nation’s history military service for a once-in-a-generation celebration.
Saturday through Monday, July 4-6. Jones Beach, Wantagh. More details available at fourleafairshow.com.
Fourth of July is so much more than pyrotechnics. Step back in time into the 1800s at Old Bethpage Village Restoration for a more laid back type of holiday. The historic village transforms into a fully immersive living-history experience. Events include a patriotic parade through the village streets, military drills, and historical reenactments that bring the era to life. Guests can watch craft demonstrations showcasing traditional trades, enjoy storytelling sessions, and take in performances by a brass band echoing the music of the period. A reading of the Declaration of Independence offers a powerful reminder of the holiday’s origins, while old-time baseball — played by vintage rules — adds a spirited, hands-on touch of recreation. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and settle in with family and friends.
Sunday, July 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage. Visit oldbethpagevillagerestoration.org or call (516) 572-8409 for more.
Celebrate America
Eisenhower Park welcomes all to the county’s annual July 4th celebration. Glenn Strange, Chicken Head and Let Freedom Rock perform, followed by drone show and fireworks.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 5:30 p.m.
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200
Bubble Magic Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to the Bubbles exhibit for some extra sudsy fun! Through playful, hands-on experiments explore what makes a bubble form, what makes them pop, and discover new creative ways to make bubbles at the drop-in program. For ages 3+.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Family theater
JUL
5
Lance the Eagle invites families to “A Semi-QuincentenEAGLE Birthday” on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. In this original production, families are invited to celebrate his birthday. His message: As the national bird, this party will be happening throughout the whole month of July. Come to think of it, I did hear something about a birthday for the United States of America as well. Hmm...must be a coincidence! I’ll be throwing a parade through LICM’s galleries and a celebratory spectacle in the Theater. Come ready to party!” Keep an eye out 30 minutes before each show for a special interactive pre-show! For ages 3+. $5 with museum admission ($4 members), $10 theater only.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; also July 8
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
JUL
7
The Bronx Wanderers visit the Paramount stage for a night of classic pop, rock, oldies and their signature brand of comedy. What do you get when a father, his two sons, and two high school classmates come together to create a show? A wildly entertaining mix of hilarious personal stories, a powerhouse playlist spanning every genre and decade, and one unforgettable family’s journey through life and music. Meet The Bronx Wanderers — a high-energy musical experience that’s been bringing audiences to their feet for over 20 years. With a unique blend of rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia, modern hits, and dynamic storytelling, this band has mastered the art of connecting with fans of all ages in one sweeping, musical tour de force. The Bronx Wanderers have spent seven years as a Top 5 show in Las Vegas out of 223 productions. They’ve earned 12 “Best of Las Vegas” awards, were named Best Tribute Show by Las Vegas Weekly in 2022, hold a prestigious residency at the South Point Hotel and Casino, and were inducted into the East Coast Music Hall of Fame. Their on-stage chemistry and infectious energy they bring night after night prove they’re still having the time of their lives — and by the end of the show, you will be too.
Gibraltar and Nigeria, along with productions from across the United States and a strong showcase of Long Island filmmakers. The festival opens with student film blocks at 6 and 9 p.m., including “Money Game,” winner of the 2026 Locust Valley Student Film Festival, directed by Justin Kwok. The diverse lineup includes documentaries, feature films, shorts, horror films, music videos and late-night screenings for mature audiences, along with workshops and more. Notable selections include “The Random Guest,” the final film featuring actor Peter Greene.
• Where: Bellmore Movies & Showplace, 222 PettitAve.,Bellmore
• Time: Varied, through July 16
• Contact: For a complete schedule and tickets, visit LIIFE2026.eventive.org
Lights, camera, Long Island!
The Long Island International Film Expo returns, bringing independent cinema from around the globe to local audiences. This year’s festival features 113 films representing countries including Spain, Hong Kong, Ghana, Wales, Singapore,
JUL 8
Family movie night
Enjoy a movie under the stars at Eisenhower Park. See Disney/Pixar’s “Elio. The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession.
• Where: Harry Chapin
Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: Movie begins at dusk
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
Citizen Science: Monarch Larva Monitoring Project
Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to be a citizen scientist and study monarch butterflies in the museum’s Milkweed Garden. By measuring plants, rainfall, and monarch eggs you will be collecting real data that scientists can analyze! Your data will help them understand butterfly migration and will help conserve this species. Each Wednesday, take a walk through this garden and see how the plants grow as habitat for visiting monarchs! To join, meet at the front desk.
For ages 4+.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 2-3 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
JUL
9
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
cars and motorcycles, along with food trucks, vendors and kids activities. Proceeds benefit the John J. Byrne Community Center. Registration is required.
• Where: 929 Jerusalem Ave., Uniondale
• Time: 2-7 p.m.
• Contact: tinyurl.com/ UniondaleEvents26 or byrncenter.org
Oldies Concert
Eisenhower Park goes all out for an oldies show. E’Stefano diSanto, Johnny Farina, Bobby Wilson, Vito Picone & The Elegants and The Brookly Bridge perform.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
JUL
11
Disco grooves
when the boogie begins.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 7 p.m
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200
JUL
13
Quilts through America’s history
Celebrate America’s birthday with a presentation exploring the history of domestic textiles and women’s craftsmanship through the years at Uniondale Library. Presenter Jessica Alexandrakis showcases antique, vintage and contemporary quilts, and attendees are encouraged to bring a quilt from home for a show-and-tell discussion.
• Where: 400 Uniondale Ave., Uniondale
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Contact: uniondalelibrary.org or (516) 489-2220
JUL
14
Summer sounds on the dance floor
TOH brings its summer concert series to Uniondale Avenue Park. Bring a chair, although you might not need it when Dance Floor gets everyone moving.
• Where: Uniondale Avenue Park
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200
Viper Collision Car & Bike Show
Engines, chrome and community spirit will take over the John J. Byrne Community Center when Viper Collision hosts its Car & Bike Show. Check out custom
Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series continues with Disco Unlimited. When Sista Soul, Sparkle Sista, Joe Cool, Strat Cat Ricky Smooth and The MacDaddy, all hit the stage, you are instantly transported to a time when Saturday nights meant white suits, platform shoes and your very best dance moves. And dance you will – when you experience the magic created
an event?
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK N.A., AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST 2006-CH2 ASSET BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-CH2, Plaintiff,
Against
MAUREEN E HILLARY
AKA MAUREEN HILLARY; BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.; COMMISSIONERS OF STATE INSURANCE FUND; KMT GROUP LLC; UNITED STATES OF AMERICAINTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 10/28/2016, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 7/13/2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 612 Newton Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553 and described as follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the at Uniondale, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 36 Block 134 Lot 507 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $388,511.23 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 11090-14 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.
Jane Shrenkel, Esq., Referee.
SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Dated: 5/26/2026 File Number: 32669 CA 160692
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
Supreme Court County of Nassau Nationstar Mortgage LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST Esperanza Arriaga-Turcios a/k/a Esperanza Rodriguez, et al, Defendant Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated entered on May 7, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, North sides of the steps, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM premises known as 524 Decatur Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Nassau, State of New York, SECTION: 50, BLOCK: 135, LOT: 263. Approximate amount of judgment is $756,555.17 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 008912/2016. This sale may be subject to the US Dept of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Real Estate Reporting Rule. In such event, all purchasers are required to provide the information needed for proper reporting in accordance with the terms of sale. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Brian Davis, Referee FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-098156-F00 90217 160628
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
Avatar Nassau Retail Center LLC, Plaintiff vs. 175 Nassau Road Holding, Inc., et. al., Defendants (612130/2023)
Pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered April 23, 2026, the undersigned referee will sell at auction on July 14, 2026 at 2:00 P.M. at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York 11501, rain or shine, the premises at 175 Nassau Road, Roosevelt, New York 11575 (Section 55, Block 413, Lot 192), 163 Nassau Road, Roosevelt, New York
11575 (Section 55, Block 413, Lot 191) and the vacant land on Centennial Avenue, Roosevelt, New York 11575 (Section 55, Block 413, Lot 8). The approx. amt. of Plaintiff’s lien is $3,959,706.55 plus interest and costs. The premises will be sold in one parcel and subject to judgment and terms of sale.
Charles Casolaro, Esq. Law Offices of Tae H. Whang, LLC, Attys for Plaintiff, 185 Bridge Plaza N., Fort Lee, NJ 07024, (201) 461-0300 160279
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2021-A, Plaintiff, vs. CARLOS H. MARTINEZ, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 11, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 21, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 124 Lawrence Street, Uniondale a/k/a Hempstead, NY 11553. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 44, Block 66 and Lot 19. Approximate amount of judgment is $543,602.36 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #615119/2023. Cash will not be accepted. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 160770
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCAF ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. KENNETH FORD A/K/A KENNETH FORD, JR. A/K/A KENNETH JAMES FORD, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 7, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 29, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 300 Laclede Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 50, Block 42 and Lot 119. Approximate amount of judgment is $570,048.64 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #602049/2024.
Matin Emouna, Esq., Referee Margolin, Weinreb & Nierer, LLP, 575 Underhill Boulevard, Suite 224, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff 160855
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF
FORMATION of SKR Medical, PLLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/21/2026 Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 626 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556. Purpose: any lawful act. 160903
Music, culture and community took center stage at Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Eisenhower Park on June 13 as Nassau County hosted Indian American Night as part of its International Nights series.
The event, presented by County Executive Bruce Blakeman, brought together residents from across Long Island to celebrate the contributions and traditions of the Indian American community. Families gathered at the outdoor venue for an evening of cultural performances, entertainment and community fellowship overlooking Salisbury Lake.
Indian American Night highlighted the rich heritage of one of Nassau County’s largest and most vibrant cultural communities. Attendees enjoyed performances showcasing traditional and contemporary Indian music and dance while community leaders and organizations promoted cultural awareness and unity.
The celebration was organized with support from local sponsors and community organizations, including the Indian American Forum, India Association of Long Island, IDP USA India Day Parade, Arya Samaj of Long Island and Friends for Good Health.
Blakeman’s International Nights series is designed to recognize the diverse cultures that make up Nassau County and provide opportunities for residents to learn about and celebrate their neighbors’ traditions.
The evening emphasized cultural
Amaira Jain, 4, shined on stage during her performance.
pride, community engagement and the shared values that connect Nassau County’s diverse population. Organizers said the event reflected the county’s commitment to honoring its multicultural heritage while fostering understanding among residents from different backgrounds.
Indian American Night was one of several cultural celebrations scheduled throughout the summer at the Lakeside Theatre, which has become a gathering place for community events, concerts and festivals.
—
Jordan Vallone
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on February 18, 2025. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on the 4th day of August, 2026 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being
in Uniondale, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Premises known as 868 Smith Street, Uniondale, (Town of Hempstead) NY 11553. (SBL#: 50-427-19) Approximate amount of lien $322,890.02 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 612309/2023. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee. Davidson Fink LLP
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 400 Meridian Centre Blvd, Ste 200 Rochester, NY 14618 Tel. 585/760-8218
For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832
Dated: June 10, 2026
During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face
coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale. 160964
Full Time and Part Time
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EDITOR/REPORTER Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
an
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Pinelawn Memorial Park
2 Cemetery Plots For Sale Plot M Grave 222 Range 26, Block 6, Section 40 $2,500.00 Each Total Real Value $8,000 615-444-3175 or 615-609-0332 Harrywatkins@yahoo.com
Q. We want your opinion. Who should pay for changes to our drawings in order for us to get our permit? We got a list of problems from the building department, and most of them seem pretty simple, but our architect is telling us these are changes, and he wants to be paid for doing the changes. They most include words to change, but there are some other things. The plans are too big for the property by only a few feet, and the height is more, because we want 10-foot ceilings on each floor. Why should we have to pay for changes? The architect should have known about this.
A. The answer to your question is another question. Whose building is it? Who wants the high ceilings that prompted the extra height? You, the owner, are the driving factor in the direction your plans went, and because of that, and the outcome you want to ultimately reach — approval, legality and a building you started out wanting — there is the price of services by each person you hire.
Many people have a misperception of the process of planning a building. They also have this commonly held belief that the builder knows the laws, the structure, the unique, unwritten requirements of the municipality. Owners place faith in a system they imagine works a particular way, and find out the hard way that things are often not what they assumed they would be.
I have had many experiences in which I warned clients that doing or insisting on certain things was going to get rejected, just to hear them say, naively, “Let’s try anyway,” doubting the advice, only to be turned back. In most cases, they insisted that the architect bear at least part of the cost for the redoing. That’s when you realize the personality of the person you are working for, when they cannot take responsibility for ignoring good advice.
Over the years, there have been many people who insisted that they “knew somebody” who would allow something that wasn’t ordinarily allowed. Very rarely did that strategy work. This question sounds similar, where you don’t want to bear the responsibility, yet the end result should be that you must.
Remember, going forward with the idea that changes may have to be made causes an even bigger problem. The changes have to be as thoroughly and thoughtfully addressed as the first time. Making constant calls to see if the work to change the plans has been done is frustrating, because if any issue, any note, any inconsistency is left that should have been changed, the construction project can take an ugly turn.
I have often wanted to put a note on the plans, in tall, bold letters, that “change is bad.” Changes unravel the best-laid plans. Others reading this should understand that municipalities are consistent, and if the architect, builder, electrician or plumber advises you to think twice based on trying to break a regulation, listen. Good luck!
© 2026 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden
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Every Fourth of July is cause for parades, hot dogs and backyard barbecues. But this year’s commemoration is special. It marks the unprecedented success of the greatest experiment in history: 250 years of representative government, which has provided more people with more freedom and opportunity, attained more international power and done more for justice and peace around the world than any nation in history.
I say this not as a super patriotic or chauvinistic extremist, but as someone who has studied history and experienced 28 years as a member of Congress. I know that even among too many of its own citizens, America is not held in universally high regard. Indeed, recent polling shows that only 29 percent of the members of one of our major political parties are proud to be Americans. Among many countries, including some we have liberated or defended, support for America is considerably less. This disdain, especially among our own citizens, is regretful and shameful — and
without foundation.
Unlike the overwhelming majority of countries that have been ruled by dictators and, in many cases, tyrants, the United States has always been a representative democracy, with the people having the final word in choosing our leaders. Having traveled to many countries during my time in Congress, including emerging democracies and countries liberated from Soviet domination, I’ve seen firsthand how much their people cherish the right to vote and being able to take part in the political process.
i’ve seen firsthand how emerging democracies want to emulate our freedoms.
Similarly, they admire and attempt to emulate our freedoms of speech, religion and assembly and a free press. Before the naysayers go apoplectic, I acknowledge the imperfections in our history. Women’s suffrage wasn’t achieved until the second decade of the 20th century. The evil of slavery, though ended by the bloody Civil War, will forever stain our history, as will the injustice of Jim Crow. The beauty of our system, though, is that our founding fathers saw America as an evolving experiment, as expressed in the words of the Constitution, “to form a more perfect union.”
Most uniquely, the U.S. is a nation of
immigrants from countless countries, many of whom were warring with one another before arriving on our shores. It hasn’t always been easy, but so many peoples from disparate cultures have come together to form a common union while maintaining their own traditions, resulting in a beautiful mosaic, a stained-glass window. Waves of immigrants give our nation new and needed lifeblood.
All my grandparents were immigrants who came here with no money and little formal education. Nothing was handed to them when they got here, yet they worked hard to achieve the American Dream, and each generation has done better than the one before it. At various times, of course, there have been intense debates over what our immigration policy should be.
At times those debates were shameful, such as when exclusion laws were adopted against Chinese immigration, and when the State Department refused to admit Jews attempting to escape Hitler’s Germany. There were also the dangerous excesses of the Biden years, when at least 10 million immigrants entered the country illegally, without examination for criminal or terrorist activity. I believe that while immigration brings needed
energy and vitality, it must follow laws that are strictly enforced. A nation without borders isn’t a nation. And to the naysayers, I would note that more legal immigrants enter our country each year than any other nation.
In foreign policy, America tried to avoid foreign wars into the 20th century. Attempts at isolationism and Fortress America were shattered by two world wars and the Cold War, when we realized we could no longer rely on two huge oceans to shield us from “foreign wars.”
After World War II, when we had a monopoly on nuclear weapons and the world’s strongest economy, we adopted the Marshall Plan and established defensive alliances such as NATO to rebuild Europe and prevent Soviet expansion. In the ensuing eight decades, Europe has been rebuilt, the Iron Curtain has come down and, for the first time in centuries, there was no invasion of one European country by another until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
None of this stability would have been possible without American leadership. We have every reason to be proud of what our nation has achieved at home and throughout the world. Happy birthday, America!
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
As the deadline for school districts to begin purchasing zero-emission school buses loomed, state lawmakers rightfully hit the brakes by delaying the mandate for five years.
The reasons are as clear as they are daunting: the electric grid isn’t ready, charging infrastructure remains scarce compared with ambitious state targets, and the upfront cost of a single electric bus can be triple that of a traditional one.
For Long Island school districts already grappling with a high tax burden and unique costof-living challenges, this represents yet another significant financial strain that would fall squarely on local taxpayers.
State leaders should be lauded for recognizing these realities. But as officials continue to debate these and other changes to the state’s climate law, we can’t fall into an either-or trap, just as we can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
New York already has a solution that has been in use for decades, and is easily deployed: renewable liquid fuels.
Transitioning the existing school bus fleets to renewable diesel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 86 percent immediately. Unlike electric buses, which require specialized chargers and rely on our dangerously thin electric grid, renewable diesel works in the engines we already own. It requires no costly equipment overhauls, no new infrastructure, and performs reliably in cold New York winters.
RWhile the state waits years for the grid to catch up, municipal leaders are already proving that renewable liquid fuels — biodegradable fuel manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats and recycled restaurant grease — can deliver significantly carbon reduction today without breaking the bank.
New York City is leading the way, having transitioned its fleet of garbage trucks, emergency vehicles and other heavy-duty machines to renewable diesel in 2024, a move expected to prevent 162 million pounds of carbon dioxide
from entering our air annually. Officials aim to complete the conversion of all city-owned vehicles this summer.
New York became the first state in the Northeast to offer the fuel to state agencies, authorities, schools, municipalities and nonprofits in 26 counties, including Nassau and Suffolk. Still, too few are availing themselves of this resource.
And while much of today’s conversation centers on delays in transportation electrification, concerns about the pace and practicality of electrification are also growing in the homes and buildings sectors, as well as budget-strapped public facilities — especially our schools.
Consider a high school in Brooklyn where administrators recently replaced traditional heating oil with the renewable fuel alternative, making it the first school in New York City to convert to a heating system running entirely on biofuels. This historic transition to cleaner renewable fuels proves that giving schools and other institutions the flexibility they need to adopt a range of clean-energy solutions — not just electrification — is how the
state can continue to make meaningful climate progress while keeping energy reliable and at a manageable price point. This common-sense approach is what New Yorkers are demanding as they navigate a punishing economy. With affordability continuing to be top of mind and the state grid operator warning of a razor-thin reliability margin that leaves Long Island particularly vulnerable to blackouts, a pragmatic, costeffective approach to making environmental progress today is the smart approach for the region’s school districts and the taxpayers and families who support them.
The debate in Albany often presents a false choice between a costly mandate and a climate delay. But a true all-of-theabove approach to energy options being advanced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and some legislators can find an effective middle ground when the right tools are brought into the mix.
The grid will catch up eventually, but our environment and hardworking Long Islanders can’t afford to wait. It’s time to choose the solutions that work today.
Rocco J. Lacertosa is CEO of the Hauppauge-based New York State Energy Coalition.
The Declaration of Independence was first published on July 6, 1776, in a newspaper, the Pennsylvania Evening Post. We are proud to commemorate that high point in American journalism by reprinting that historic document.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at
places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness of his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our Government:
For suspending our own legislature, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free People.
Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor.
The Declaration was signed first by John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, and then by 55 others representing the 13 original states.
With celebrations of America’s 250th birthday in full swing here and across the nation, Nassau County residents are experiencing the steady erosion of their ability to exercise their free-speech rights and directly petition the representatives they elect.
That is in direct conflict with the foundational principles of our nation, which were built around an essential core of representative democracy and free speech. We can — and must — reverse this disturbing trend.
In January, during the organizational meetings to codify the rules for this term of the Legislature, the majority, led by Presiding Officer Howard Kopel, changed the rules so members of the public were only permitted to speak on the day’s agenda at the beginning of the committee meetings — before officials had the opportunity to present important information about the items being voted on. Previously, public comment was allowed after committee members deliberated and before votes.
Alongside my Democratic colleagues,
I voted against this rule change, and we have repeatedly urged Kopel to remove this unnecessary barrier to meaningful public participation. Unfortunately, those requests appear to have fallen on deaf ears, because no response or justification has been provided as of this writing.
Public participation is a cornerstone of good government. Residents deserve the opportunity to comment on matters before their elected representatives take action, particularly on issues that directly affect their communities. Limiting that opportunity diminishes transparency, reduces public trust and weakens the connection between government and the people it serves.
greater civic engagement.
The first step would be to immediately revert to the previous rules of the Legislature, which would allow the public to comment on committee items after they have witnessed the full public airing of key details.
A rule change in the Legislature is a bad sign for those with opinions to share.
The rule change in the Legislature is a symptom of a larger climate in which the aim is to stifle opposing voices, reduce transparency, cut off access, and discourage and disengage the public so that those in power can operate without proper oversight.
As we have witnessed in Nassau County and across the nation, such a climate is a breeding ground for mistakes, short-sighted decisions and even corruption. Locally, we can take three important steps in the short term to chart a course toward transparency and
In addition, the presiding officer would serve the public well by lifting the one-hour cap on public comment at meetings of the full Legislature when a calendar item or a contemporary issue generates significant public interest. Currently, once the hour expires, residents must wait until the end of the meeting to weigh in. Previous presiding officers, however, have allowed all speakers to comment at the start of the meeting, no matter how long it took, when attendance and a desire to speak demanded it. It is our job to listen, and we should not be using the rules of the Legislature as a tool to discourage public participation. Finally, the Legislature should hold meetings in the evening. Scheduling them at 1 p.m. is a disservice to those who want to attend but cannot because they must prioritize their jobs. As economic challenges increasingly pressure local families, most simply cannot afford to take several hours off from work to attend a legislative meeting.
Evening meetings would provide greater accessibility and convenience for constituents who want to participate in their local government and speak directly with the representatives they elected to serve them. Matters of significant public interest, controversial issues, and legislation with a substantial impact on residents would be scheduled during evening sessions to maximize opportunities for public engagement and participation. Daytime sessions would be reserved primarily for procedural, administrative and operational matters, as well as time-sensitive issues requiring prompt action by the Legislature.
In life, our actions reveal our priorities, and how we operate at the Legislature demonstrates our philosophy as public servants. Nassau residents deserve a government that is transparent, open and responsive — one that respects their voices and encourages their input in the pursuit of a better, more prosperous life for all who live here.
Embracing a more balanced approach would promote transparency, strengthen public trust and ensure that working families, seniors, students and other community members have a meaningful opportunity to participate in the legislative process and have their voices heard.
Viviana L. Russell, of Westbury, represents Nassau County’s 2nd Legislative District.
KRISTIN THORNE Emmy-Award Winning Investigative Reporter EMCEE TAMMY
HELEN HSIEH, MD, FACOG Founder & Medical Director, Vibrance
SUZETTE GORDON President & CEO, SCO Family of Services
THERESA PORCARO Vice President, Growth & Marketing, Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine JESSICA RONDASH,
VANDEGRIFT, MD, FACS Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Vandegrift Plastic Surgery
