Uniondale Herald Beacon 07-16-2026

A powerful throw leads SHA student to success

By JUSTIN HABERMAN

For Freeport resident Natalia Taylor, 17, her path to being considered one of the state’s top high school throwers began with a volleyball serve.

Taylor, a rising senior at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, quickly mastered the track and field’s throwing events of the shot put, discus and hammer and weight throws for 149 feet, nine inches, gaining notoriety on the New York stage.

Angela Mongitore, a track and field coach at Sacred Heart, first noticed Taylor’s throwing potential during her freshman year, while teaching physical education class.

“I had her in ninth grade, and she was playing volleyball, and I saw her serve,” Mongitore said. “The amount of power and strength that she had behind the volleyball was crazy. Knowing that I coach track, I pulled her aside and recommended shot put and discus, and she finally joined the track team.”

That decision launched Taylor into recognition as one of the state’s most accomplished field athletes in the throwing events.

Taylor’s mother, Tanya, also said it was during her freshman year, while watching her compete at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, that she recognized her daughter’s throwing skills.

“I watched her throw at

HERALD UNIONDALE

Jack Banham, 100, with one of his paper-art creations, featuring a tree made with a real branch for its trunk and branches with layers of green paper leaves. More than 50 of his other pieces are on display at the Uniondale Public Library until Aug. 31.

Paper art keeps him going

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

Just months before Jack Banham will turn 101 on Dec. 14, he is still doing what has occupied him for the past 16 years: cutting pieces of paper, fitting them together and creating worlds entirely from his imagination.

Banham, of Rockville Centre, has brought his latest exhibit, “My World of Paper Art,” to the Uniondale Public Library, where

it will remain on display through Aug. 31. The collection gives visitors a look at landscapes, houses, flowers and figures fashioned from pieces of paper layered and glued together.

For Banham, seeing his art displayed remains difficult to believe.

“I love it,” he said of the exhibit. “I just can’t believe it — I never thought anything like this would occur.”

Banham began creating paper

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

The Uniondale Board of Education began the school year with its annual reorganization meeting and an action session on July 7, re-electing Mary Bediako as board president for a three-year term.

Bediako, who won 770 tallies from voters in May, said she’s looking forward to the 2026-27 school year.

Wgrams and services without the increase.

hile others are on the beach, our building and staff are working really hard to upgrade our facilities.

“We are now beginning a new school year, 26-27,” Bediako said. “Whatever happened last year, we don’t look to the back, we look to the front. We look ahead and do the right thing.”

MoNIqUE

DARRISAW-AKIl

Uniondale School District superintendent

The meeting followed the Uniondale voters’ approval of the district’s $296 million budget for the 2026-27 school year on May 19. The spending plan required a tax-cap override after district officials said limited state aid and rising costs would have forced roughly $2.7 million in cuts to staff, pro -

During the annual reorganization meeting, Nassau Family Court Judge Darlene Harris, also a Uniondale alumna administered the oath of office to superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil, board trustee Yvette Janniere and deputy treasurer Leonore Pringle. The board also appointed Sandra Edwards as district clerk and Anthony Telesa as temporary treasurer until Aug. 30. Board vice president Addie Blanko Harvey, who could not attend the meeting due to a family emergency, will be sworn in during the next board meeting.

Randdy Acosta, a rising senior and a five-course AP scholar at Uniondale High School, who just finished a semester at Hofstra University gaining credits before graduation, was sworn in as the new student trustee, replacing recent graduate Valentina

Stacy Driks/Herald photos

Run club builds community, one mile at a time

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

The sound of sneakers, heavy breaths and fun echoed across the Uniondale High School track as runners of every pace — from first timers to experienced half-marathoners — ran for “We Outside Wednesday”.

The Inside Out Run Club celebrated its second birthday on July 8 – Long Island based club chose the high school as one of the hub locations, traveling to different parts of Long Island.

Yet, the high school was chosen intentionally as part of its mission to make running and wellness more accessible in historically underserved communities.

“We wanted to find purpose in the community,” said Lauren French, cofounder of run club. “We wanted to reach out to diverse folks and make sure they felt included and had a means for health and wellness.

About a dozen members warmed up before hitting the track, where they ran or walked four laps — the equivalent of one mile. Afterward, French and cofounder Dr. Nicole Sample-Harris led members through a series of short exercises.

Sometimes Black and Latino communities can be a little disenfranchised,” she added. “Sometimes run clubs can feel a little exclusive, and we just wanted to nurture inclusivity.”

The club has expanded from a handful of runners into an organization that hosts weekly runs across Nassau and Suffolk counties and has launched a nonprofit arm, Inside Out Impact.

“Uniondale High School has become a hub of ours,” French said. “We really do try to keep it local when we’re over here in Nassau.”

The club’s mission is also rooted in addressing health disparities.

“When you look at the actual data, Black and Latino communities tend to fall short when it comes to cardiovascular health,” Sample-Harris said.

We really want to highlight the places in our community and meet our people where they’re at,” Sample-Harris said.

Word-of-mouth, social media and

partnerships with local businesses have helped expand the club’s reach. Weekly runs remain open to those interested in participating.

“We have people who’ve never run a race a day in their lives now doing 5Ks,” Sample-Harris said. “We have people who completed their first half marathon with us. People definitely have their individual whys, whether it’s community, fitness or wanting to accomplish something they’ve never done before.”

Among those running laps at Uniondale High was Uniondale resident and 2007 graduate Chris Harris, who joined the club in January. Growing up, he never considered himself a runner.

“I was more of a basketball fan,

What are the next running events?

■ July 19: Northport at 8:45 a.m.

■ July 22: Uniondale High School at 6:45 p.m.

■ July 25: Pilates at Eisenhower Park Field 2 at 9:45 a.m.

■ July 26: Chipotle Night, 474 Old Country Road, Westbury between 4 to 8 p.m.

football fan,” he said. “I was always slim. I was always slow. So I never participated.”

Now, he completes 5K races nearly every month and collects medals he never imagined earning. “I didn’t even know what a 5K was,” he said. “Now I’m a totally different person.”

He said the one transformation running can be is mental health.

“The mental part is half the battle, if not the majority of the battle,” Chris said. “When we get tired, mentally we have to push past that barrier. It’s just convincing yourself not to stop and trying to be better than your last performance.”

Tim Baker/Herald

A dozen first-time runners to experienced racers, hit the Uniondale track for a two year anniversary celebration.

Orange hearts spreads a message to L.I.

By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com

On Gun Violence Awareness Day, a field of orange hearts surrounded a statue in Eisenhower Park of a young girl hiding beneath a school desk, each one representing one of the 130 lives lost to gun violence every day.

Orange is the color of gun safety. Over 100 activists gathered wore the color on June 5, sharing information with gun violence survivors and speaking about their personal history with the topic.

East Meadow’s Janet Klein Goldstein is a fierce advocate for gun violence victims. She is a leading member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America’s New York chapter. She invited local elected officials to the event to remind them of gun legislation’s life-or-death stakes.

“We want them to hear the voices of survivors,” she said. “We want to honor the victims of gun violence, and that’s why we invite them here.”

Goldstein and her colleagues take their advocacy on the road, heading all the way to Albany to push for “common sense” legislation, she said.

“We were in Albany three or four times these past seven months, and we advocated for two bills that the governor signed into law just recently,” Goldstein said. “A third one she signed into law (days) ago, and she’s signing the fourth into law as we speak. It’s breaking news.”

These bills include prohibitions against manufacturing firearms that are easily modified into rapid-fire weapons, holding software companies accountable for 3D printed weapons, and Francesco’s Law, which requires firearm owners to lock up all weapons if a person under the age of 18 is in the home.

In America, about 130 people die to

gun violence every day.

“I think it’s sad that we still have to do this,” said Amanda Geist of Merrick.

“The consequences of gun violence are very real and very evident. It really shouldn’t be a debate anymore… it is absolutely heartbreaking for families and for survivors, and I admire the courage it takes to continue and to channel that into activism.”

Event organizer Stephanie Draine and George Graydon are the founders of Life After Loss A.N.D.R.E., a nonprofit that focuses on helping gun violence survivors through the recovery process.

The couple lost their son, Andre, in 2014.

“We started this in 2020, trying to deal with the trauma of losing a child through gun violence,” Draine, a resident of Hempstead, said. “Not having that type of support back in 2014 motivated us to start an organization to support and advocate families who are impacted as we are and advocate speak out against gun violence.”

Draine and Graydon spent the past six years supporting families through mental, medical and legal challenges.

“We just didn’t want nobody to go through what we went through, as far as the court system goes, and not knowing where to turn,” Graydon said.

Long Beach’s James Hodge spoke at the event. His nephew was killed and other relatives injured in acts of violence, and he is committed to preventing further harm.

“I continue to advocate on behalf of policies that will help eradicate gun violence,” he said. “There’s plenty of preventative measures that we see go on in different places that work, and so I’ll continue speaking up and speaking out.”

Freeport’s Richard Paul is the executive director of So Rich In Community, a local organization that partners with schools, offers support services and volunteer opportunities for at-risk youth. He also works with the Northwell Cen-

County Legislator Olena Nicks spoke at the event, recounting how gun violence affecter her family and how important it is for local groups to support survivors.

ter for Gun Violence Prevention.

“Like many of us here, we are always looking forward to the day in which we can look for new jobs — the day in which our center can close down because these hearts won’t be here anymore, and the violence in our communities will cease,” he said. “Sometimes it’s rough, and we feel like we’re not making an impact, but I want all of you to know that you are, and I’m honored to be here with you today.”

County Legislator Olena Nicks was one of the politicians in attendance. She spoke as both an elected official and a survivor of gun violence, which caused the death of her mother three years ago.

“It’s most important that each and every year we continue to grow the people who are standing here, and we reduce the amount of hearts that we see in the grass,” she said. “It’s not a partisan issue, it is an everyone issue, because we all can be affected.”

Joseph D’Alessandro/Herald photos

Over 100 activists wore orange in support of Gun Violence Awareness Day at a speaking event on June 5 at Eisenhower Park.

George Graydon, Stephanie Draine, Congressman Tom Suozzi, Janet Klein Goldstein and James Hodge are outspoken supporters of gun violence legislation and support programs.

Please join attorney Michael Ettinger for a live webinar, our “Advantages of Using Trusts,” on Wednesday, July 22 at 6:30 p.m. Register in advance at trustlaw.com

Taxation of The Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT)

Your writer has often stated that, in elder law, there is more misinformation than information. For example, one of the most pernicious myths about MAPTs is that they lose the stepped-up basis at death. Indeed, a syndicated columnist under the byline “Ask the Expert” recently wrote “...the IRS has determined that assets in an irrevocable trust don’t qualify for a step-up in tax basis at your death.”

For those unfamiliar with the step-up in basis, it works this way. Let’s say you bought your house many years ago for $200,000 and when you pass away it is worth $850,000. The basis gets stepped-up from what you paid to what it was worth on the date of your death. If the heirs sell it shortly after inheriting, they pay no capital gain tax. Savings would be about $200,000 in taxes!

In 2023, the IRS issued a widely misunderstood Revenue Ruling stating that a certain type of irrevocable trust did not get the stepped-up basis. In tax law, it is well understood that (1) if assets pass at death they are includible in the estate and get the stepped-up basis, and (2) if the assets are given away during your lifetime, they keep your original basis. You either get the tax break of the

stepped-up basis and inclusion in the estate OR you get the exclusion from the estate but no stepup. Some aggressive tax lawyers tried to write a trust that purported to get both -- inclusion for capital gains tax purposes but exclusion for estate tax purposes. The 2023 IRS ruling simply stated that you cannot have your cake and eat it too. If the taxpayer claims the irrevocable trust is excluded from the estate for estate tax purposes, then no step-up in basis will be allowed.

Seeing as the estate tax exemption for New York is $7.35 million, most clients are not concerned about inclusion for estate-tax purposes, they want the step-up! Every elder law attorney worth their salt knows this and drafts the MAPT as a “Grantor Trust” keeping the trust assets in the estate.

A very common way of doing this is to provide a “power of appointment” giving the grantor (creator of the trust) the right to change who they leave it to. This way the gift is “incomplete” until death, as which time the grantor can no longer change it. Since the gift is only “completed” at death, it is included in the estate and gets the stepup.

ETTINGER LAW FIRM

ELDER LAW ESTATE PLANNING SINCE 1991 trustlaw.com

Trusts & Estates • Wills & Probate • Medicaid FREE CONSULTATION: 516-327-8880 or email info@trustlaw.com

100 Merrick Rd., Rockville Centre • 3000 Marcus Ave., Lake Success

Other offices in Huntington • Melville • Islandia

‘Planters

News briefs

with a Purpose’ beautification efforts

East Meadow businesses are adding a splash of color to their storefronts this summer through a new beautification initiative launched by Friends for a More Beautiful East Meadow in partnership with the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce.

The Planters with a Purpose program provides participating businesses with a free planter filled with colorful summer annuals, which are delivered directly to storefronts. The goal is to enhance the appearance of local business districts while encouraging residents to shop locally and support the community.

The first businesses to receive planters include JAG Psychical Therapy, The Skinner Agency, The Bagel Place, A&C Pest Control, and Nostalgia Vintage and Thrift.

Businesses that participate receive the planter at no cost and are responsible for maintaining it after delivery. Organizers say the initiative is designed to brighten commercial corridors, improve curb appeal and strengthen community pride one storefront at a time.

Friends for a More Beautiful East

Meadow and the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce hope additional businesses will join the program throughout the summer. Interested business owners can register by visiting bit.ly/4p83bWs.

— Jordan Vallone

East Meadow farm is open for the season

Fresh, locally grown produce will once again be available at the East Meadow Farm Stand, which will operate every Wednesday through Oct. 28.

The farm stand, located at East Meadow Farm, 832 Merrick Ave., will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Wednesday, offering residents access to seasonal fruits and vegetables.

The program is funded by the Nassau County Department of Human Services’

Office for the Aging through the New York State Office for the Aging. For information about Farmers Market Coupon distribution, residents can contact the Nassau County Office for the Aging at (516) 227-8900. For additional information about the farm stand, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County at nassau@cornell.edu.

— Jordan Vallone

Courtesy Friends for a More Beautiful East Meadow Planters are arriving around town, thanks to a new beautification initiative launched by Friends for a More Beautiful East Meadow in partnership with the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce.

Town of Hempstead, Northwell Health speak

By CHRIS COLUCCI

With July at the heart of every summer, its designation as National UV Safety Awareness Month is timely. When beachgoers soak in the sun and outdoor activities fill most days, skin care and cancer prevention tips are as critical as ever.

Town of Hempstead Supervisor John Ferretti held a news conference at the Town Park at Point Lookout Thursday morning, joined by partners from Northwell Health, to launch the town’s Summertime Wellness Series.

“This program offers residents convenient access to important health services,” Ferretti said. “We’re kicking it off today with a free skin cancer screening event.” From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., medical professionals from Northwell Health were set up with a mobile unit, providing free skin cancer screenings to 50 town residents. “We urge all of our town residents in the Town of Hempstead to get checked on an annual basis for skin cancer,” Ferretti explained, “Whether that’s here in a town facility or with your own dermatologist.”

Ferretti shared effective tips to mitigate UV exposure, including the use of sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher; aiming to stay in the shade during peak sunlight hours, typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and wearing proper clothing, sunglasses and headwear when outdoors.

Dr. Camila Villa-Ruiz, a dermatologist at Northwell Health, spoke at the conference discussing more realities surrounding skin cancer. “We estimate that one in five people will develop skin cancer by the age of 70,” VillaRuiz stated. “It is a very common, but preventable, cancer that has a high cure rate. Have your skin cancer screenings. Visit your dermatologist if you see anything that’s changing, growing, or bleeding.”

Individuals with tattoos, or anyone considering get -

of Hempstead Supervisor John

Clerk Kate

Dorothy Goosby.

Councilman Tom

ting a tattoo, should take extra precaution. “It is harder to screen, especially when you have tattoos that are covering moles,” Villa-Ruiz said. “It is definitely harder, but we can still do it. I would highly recommend to not get tattoos over existing moles.”

A second wellness series event and free skin cancer screening will be held on July 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Park Pool in East Meadow. The series will conclude with a presentation on Four Ways to Save a Life — including how to administer CPR, how to use an automated external defibrillator and other potentially life-saving practices — from 11 a.m. to noon on July 23 at the Echo Park Pool Complex in West Hempstead.

(ELL), and Economically Disadvantaged are

Chris Colucci / Herald

Town

Ferretti, at podium, was joined, from left, by Councilwoman Laura Ryder, Town

Murray,

Muscarella, Dr. Camila Villa-Ruiz from Northwell Health and Deputy Supervisor

HERALD SPORTS

First rounders shine at Isles development camp

By TONY BELLISSIMO

tbellissimo@liherald.com

Unlike 2025 when the New York Islanders selected three players within the first 17 picks of the NHL Draft, including eventual unanimous Calder Trophy winning defenseman Matthew Schaefer No. 1 overall, they had only one pick in the first three rounds this year.

That came at No. 13 overall when Schaefer, in Buffalo for draft weekend June 26-27, stepped to the podium to announce the selection of 6-foot-4, 203-pound left-shot defenseman Malte Gustafsson.

“I’m a big two-way defender, I like to contribute all over the ice,” said the 18-year-old Gustafsson, who played 27 games in the Swedish Hockey League with HV71. “I like to use my size, my length and I play physical. Being annoying is part of my game,” he added.

Gustafsson was one of 37 players at Islanders Development Camp June 29-July 2 and impressed in the Blue & White Scrimmage played before an overflow crowd July 1 at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow.

Gustafsson signed a one-year contract to remain with HV71 for the 2026-27 season, but perhaps one day he’ll be teammates with fellow Swedes Simon Holmstrom, Emil Heineman and Victor Eklund.

The latter two became Islanders property during the early stages of the 2025 Draft when General Manager Mathieu Darche dealt defenseman Noah Dobson to Montreal. Heineman scored 22 goals in his debut season on Long Island, while Eklund, drafted 16th, and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, 17th, were nothing short of dynamic in the SHL and Ontario Hockey League, respectively.

Eklund is very much looking forward to playing a full season in North America, either with the Islanders or recently relocated Hamilton Hammers of the American Hockey League. The 19-year-old winger registered 6 goals and 18 assists in 43 games for Djurgardens IF in the SHL and made his way to the Bridgeport Islanders (10 points in nine games) and ultimately Long Island for his NHL debut April 14. He recorded his first NHL point, an assist, against Carolina.

“I think I made the right decision at the end of last season to come to North America and adapt as fast as I can,” Eklund said after the Blue & White Scrimmage. “Being here with the boys and playing in front of the fans is a lot of fun. Now I’m looking to get stronger, gain weight and be ready for camp in September.”

Aitcheson, who brings a rare combination of physicality and offensive sizzle, is ready for the next step as well after the 19-year-old earned the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman award after posting 70 points (28 goals, 34 assists) during the regular season and 27 in the playoffs (8, 19) for the Barrie Colts, helping them to the finals.

“Just putting my head down and putting the work in,” Aitcheson said. “This is another step to get ready for training camp. It’s been fun so far.”

Nobody had more fun at the Blue & White Scrimmage than Gleb Veremyev, an undrafted 23-year-old 6-5, 218pound forward born in Brooklyn. He had a hat trick to lead Team Blue to a 6-3 victory and also scored the winner in a shootout that followed the 40-minute game.

“I’m trying to take everything in this summer, and I feel like I have something to prove for the rest of my career,” Veremyev said.

Kashawn Aitcheson, one of the Islanders’ three first-round picks in 2025 is ready for the next level after starring in the Ontario Hockey League.

Tony Bellissimo/Herald photos

Goaltender Sam Hillebrandt made a stop on Jesse Nurmi during development camp held June 29-July 2 at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow.

Walnut Street School 5th Grade

Isabella Alfaro

Aizah Ali

Charlie Allen

Shavonaye Allen

Thiago Alvarado Caceres

Kinberly Aragon Alvarez

Brianna Archain

Madelyn Arevalo Sanchez

Valeria Ayala Villegas

Justin Bailey

Roxy Baires

Jaime Barrera Trujillo

William Bershadsky

Liam Blanco

Mia Blanco-Brooks

Angel Bonifacio

Christian Bonilla Zavala

Dominick Calderon

Natasha Cando Cedeno

Sydney Carr

Stephanie Chinchilla Garcia

Trinity Christian

Bella Coleman

Dante Coleman

Rosell Concepcion Lora

Alex Dalice

Ludis Diaz Morales

Ragnar Dumesle

Geancarlo Estrada Hercules

Melissa Exantus

Adele Fearon

Julia Fortuna

Camila Galvez Jimenez

Francisco Garcia Gutierrez

Michael Garcia Moscoso

Genesis Garcia Munoz

Emily Garcia

Evelyn Garcia

Eduar Gonzalez Zavala

Madison Goodwin

Mia Goodwin

Alexander Goris

Mia Granados

Dylan Grandez Martinez

Colin Greene

Kayleen Guevara Chacon

Victoria Guevara Menjivar

Flor Henriquez Rivera

Jameer Henry

Kaidence Holland

Stephany Interiano

Tayler Jenkins

Sheina Joseph

Elijah Jusino

Stanley Kayou

Jaceon Kee

Ember Kelly Cruz

Liam Khan

Alexa Lazo

Anais Long

Jonas Lopez-Linares

Theodore Love

Geovanny Luna Sanchez

Osman Maldonado-Mejia

Allison Martinez Medrano

Genesis Matthie

Gianni Matthie

Michael Mayo Jr

Isaac McLean

Yaneisy Mejia Ulloa

James Melendez Asturias

Arianny Melendez Rios

Diego Mendoza Fuentes

Tyler Michel

Demi Mikell

Jostin Molina De Paz

Raziyah Noel

Angie Ortega Salinas

Gabriella Oye-Ogundijo

Richard Perez Cabrera

Joel Perez Londono

Sofia Plata Cumares

Allison Polanco

Matheu Ponce

Ilsi Prisciliano Reyes

Brian Ramirez Bonilla

Jonathan Ramirez Jeronimo

Gelin Reyes Romero

Bryan Rivas

Shayla Roberts

Jose Robles Capellan

Leonel Rodriguez

Josue Rojas Vallejo

Elizabeth Romero Moran

Liam Russell

Jhadiel Siguenza

Lucas Soriano Peraza

Jezabell Torres Tacuri

Sofia Turcios Martinez

Sebatien Vaillant

Brianna Valladares Flores

Ezra Velasquez

Azucena Ventura Romero

Keylor Ventura

Juan Walker Cruz

Pre-Kindergarten

Ariana Alvarado Rivera

Kylie Alvarez Canales

Leylani Amador Zavala

Isaias Argueta Hernandez

Noah Argueta

Julian Bershadsky

Bryhana Castillo Monjes

Noah Chandon

Carrera Chouloute

Noah Coffey

Elena Coleman

Janiah Concepcion Bravo

Andres Contreras Lopez

Danna Cordova Alfaro

Jace D’Silva-Grayson

Isaac Daceus

Naaira Fuller

Andy Galdamez Valle

Isaiah Garcia Alvarado

Leo Guevara

Aryah Hyppolite

Luna Jack

Jennesis Maxwell

Aubree Mehu

Arie Mikell

Loyal Oliver

Elisabeth Paul

Carlota Paz Perez

Camila Puente Albarracin

Isaac Reyes Gomez

Paul Salvodon

Hannah Solage

Elijah Triplett

Aleya Valle Calderon

Lucas Vega Medina

Ethan Zambrano

‘My World of Paper Art’ exhibit comes to Uniondale

art in 2010, after experimenting with nearly every creative medium that interested him. He worked with clay, wood and stained glass, carved chess pieces and made furniture before turning to something he had never tried.

“I started with clay,” Banham said. “I worked my way to wood, stained glass — you name it, I worked on it.”

“He worked for Pfizer in Manhattan,” Eva Banham, one of his two daughters, also a resident of Rockville Center, said. “And he just would come home and do some artwork in the house, to do anything with his hands.

“And as for the paper, it was another medium that he hadn’t explored,” she added.

His earliest pieces were made with construction paper, but its colors eventually faded, so Banham experimented with ways to preserve the color before eventually switching to higher-quality paper.

“People often ask me, ‘How do you get this to stick?’ and I surprise everybody,” he said. “I give them a look and say, ‘You don’t understand? You never heard of Elmer’s Glue?’”

His creative pursuits began when he was a child growing up in Manhattan, Banham recalled. His mother would give him a mixture of flour and water while she baked bread or a cake, and he would shape the doughy material.

His creations remain mysteries until he begins working. He does not trace images or rely on references. Rather, he works from memory and his imagination.

“He has some sort of vision,” his daughter said as she examined his work, pointing to a tree made from a real branch for the trunk and branches, and green paper “leaves.” He completed the piece this month.

Banham often finds some of his materials outdoors, particularly in his other daughter, Susan Banham, backyard in Melville where he spots branches or rocks. Those natural elements make much of his work three-dimensional.

“This is all my imagination — every bit of it,” Banham

said. “I make up my own leaves, but I make them to look like leaves — leaves don’t grow the way I make them.”

The time he spends on a given piece depends on its size. Some can take as long as two months.

Eva said that her father has created 165 works of art, which are scattered among family homes, exhibits and other spaces, including a conference room in Baran’s Melville office.

His public exhibitions, began in 2024 at the Sandel Senior Center, in Rockville Centre, where, Eva recalled,

visitors responded warmly to her father’s work. Since January 2025, she has helped move the collection among libraries in North Belmore, Oceanside, East Meadow, Woodmere-Hewlett and now Uniondale.

For the library exhibit, she arranged pieces partly by color, while making the most of the available wall space in the basement and the facility’s meeting room.

Banham keeps guest books filled with visitors’ comments from his exhibitions. Some describe the artwork as “amazing” or “fascinating,” while others express surprise that the scenes are made of paper.

“Being a guy that’s over 100, still alive and involved in this type of business, it’s great,” he said. “People who visit the libraries left their remarks, and they’re all pleasant and wonderful.

“I’m flattered by their words of how much they care for me,” he added.

He has sold some of his works, but much of Banham’s collection remains with his family. “Well, I made them only for one reason,” he said. “To leave something to my children.”

Banham’s creative life centered on music: He played the saxophone and the clarinet. During his military service in the Korean War, he entertained the troops. He had previously served in World War II.

He gave up his dream of being a musician to start a family. He and his late wife, Terry, whom he met at a dance in Manhattan, were married for 62 years, and he said he considered himself “a lucky guy.” She died in 2016.

They raised four children — two sons Russell and John Banham as well as Eva and Baran — and Banham is a grandfather of nine and a great-grandfather of nine. These days he splits his time between Rockville Centre and Melville, where he stays with his daughters.

And he has no shortage of ideas waiting to become paper houses, landscapes and trees. “I never took a class,” he said of his art. “This shows it’s all from the heart.”

Stacy Driks/Herald photos

Small cutouts of paper form autumn-colored trees, grass and rocks in this Banham landscape, while a tiny boat on the lake bears the name of his late wife, Terry.

Long ago when Long Island ruled the skies

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

Millions of people pass through Roosevelt Field each year to shop, dine and catch a movie. Few realize that the area once stood at the center of some of the most important developments in aviation history. In the 20th century, more than 70 airfields once dotted Long Island and Queens.

Long before Long Island became known for its suburbs, pilots were taking to the skies over the Hempstead Plains, testing new aircraft and helping shape the future of flight. Today, much of that history is preserved at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale and by the Long Island Early Fliers Club and Education Foundation at Bayport Aerodrome.

One of the lesser-known figures in Long Island aviation history is Earle Ovington, an early aviator whose name now appears on a road near the museum. Ovington carried some of the nation’s first air mail during a demonstration flight over Mineola to Garden City. The plane was built the exact opposite of the way engines are built today – with a rotary engine, the engine turns with the prop. Roosevelt Field began as a simple grass airfield on the Hempstead Plains, and there is far more history there than the departure point for Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 transAtlantic flight to Paris. Before becoming one of the country’s busiest aviation hubs, the area consisted of the wide-open Hempstead Plains, where aviation pioneers tested aircraft, established flying schools and introduced thousands of spectators to powered flight. The nearby Long Island Railroad and early roadways made the area easily accessible, helping transform the plains into one of America’s earliest centers of aviation innovation.

Long Island also played an important role in expanding opportunities for women in aviation. Pioneers included Harriet Quimby, the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel. And Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Both helped break barriers in a field long dominated by men. Quimby learned to fly at the Moisant Aviation School on Long Island in 1911, one of the few flight schools of the era that accepted women as students.

Long Island’s aviation industry expanded rapidly during World War II. Companies including Curtiss,

Republic and Grumman manufactured thousands of military aircraft on Long Island, supporting the Allied war effort while employing tens of thousands of workers. That expertise later carried into the Space Race, when Grumman engineers designed and built the Lunar Module that carried Apollo astronauts to the moon, securing Long Island’s place in aerospace history.

Many of the artifacts preserving that history are originals rather than reproductions. The Long Island Early Fliers Club owns Lindbergh’s original Curtiss Jenny — the airplane he used while barnstorming before his historic flight to Paris — which is on long-term loan to the Cradle of Aviation Museum. Museum historians authenticated the aircraft after restorers discovered Lindbergh’s initials inside repaired wing ribs, and Lindbergh later confirmed it was his airplane.

The foundation also houses one of the region’s most significant collections of aviation history, including original photographs dating to the early 1910s, pilot logbooks, uniforms, technical manuals and rare aviation books donated by former pilots and their families. Volunteers continue organizing and preserving the growing archive to ensure Long Island’s aviation story is not lost.

Visitors to Bayport Aerodrome can also view a large map documenting the dozens of airports that once operated across Long Island and Queens. The display identifies former aviation landmarks including Roosevelt Field, Mitchel Field, Curtiss Field, Flushing Airport, Zahn’s Airport, Republic Airport, Brookhaven Airport and many others while explaining what eventually became of each site. Many have since been replaced by neighborhoods, highways, shopping centers and office parks, offering a striking reminder of how dramatically Long Island’s landscape has changed over the past century.

To help support its preservation efforts, the nonprofit foundation hosts community events throughout the year, including Wings & Wheels showcases featuring vintage aircraft and classic cars, while also opening its facilities for community gatherings. They also hold weddings and small gatherings. The events help sustain the organization’s educational and restoration efforts. Visit info@liefef.com. And for more information on how to view original archives, visit New York Heritage.

Stacy Driks/Herald photos

An original edition of the “New York Telegraph” reported Charles Lindbergh’s progress during his historic 1927 nonstop trans-Atlantic flight, with a headline announcing he had been sighted over Nova Scotia after taking off at Roosevelt Field, as he continued toward Paris. The newspaper is part of the Long Island Early Fliers Club and Education Foundation’s collection.

Photos courtesy cradle of Aviation Museum

Replica of Earle Ovington’s Blériot XI, Dragonfly monoplane at Bayport Aerodrome, commemorating the aviator’s role in carrying some of the nation’s first air mail from Garden City to Mineola, the beginning of U.S.A. air mail service.

Stacy Driks/Herald photos Charles Lindbergh before he lifted off from Roosevelt Field aboard the “Spirit of St. Louis” on May 20, 1927, beginning the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The successful journey to Paris cemented Long Island’s place in aviation history.

Photos courtesy cradle of Aviation Museum Grumman – American aerospace and defense corporation –drawing from 1970 illustrates the company’s proposal for NASA’s Space Shuttle program, reflecting Long Island’s continuing role in aerospace innovation decades after the pioneering era.

Stacy Driks/Herald

A map of Roosevelt Field illustrates the sprawling aviation complex that once covered the Hempstead Plains, where pioneering pilots tested aircraft, established flying schools and launched record-setting flights before the area was transformed into the shopping centers, neighborhoods and roadways.

photos

Photos courtesy cradle of Aviation Museum. Charles Lindbergh Long Island’s aviator.

ClearVote system set for November election

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

The new voting machines Nassau County residents will use in November are designed to make casting a ballot faster while keeping the voting experience largely unchanged, according to election officials and the machines’ manufacturer.

Voters heading to the polls this fall will use an allnew voting system, after the county Board of Elections selected Clear Ballot’s ClearVote system following a competitive procurement process.

The system will replace the county’s traditional voting equipment, and Nassau will join more than a dozen New York counties that have already adopted ClearVote’s paper-ballot technology.

Although the machines are new, election officials said that voters should notice very little difference in how they cast their ballots. “To the public it will be pretty much the same as they’re used to,” Republican Elections Commissioner James V. Moriarty wrote in a news release. “These machines will be smaller, more efficient and new. New and better equipment.”

The ClearVote system uses full-sized paper ballots that voters fill out by hand or, for those requiring accessibility accommodations, through an ADA-compliant ballot-marking device that prints a full-sized ballot. Every voter ultimately casts the same type of paper ballot, regardless of how it is marked.

The biggest improvements, Democratic Elections Commissioner James Scheuerman explained, will take place behind the scenes, allowing election workers to administer elections more efficiently while preserving the familiar voting experience.

“It’s easier for us to build and run the election and it’s going to be the exact same for the voter, which is

what you’re looking for when you’re bringing on a new voting system,” Scheuerman wrote in a news release.

Once a ballot is filled out, it is inserted into a scanner that reads and records the vote while securely storing the ballot for auditing and recount purposes. Unlike some voting systems that rely on barcodes or summary cards, ClearVote records votes directly from the paper ballots, giving voters the chance to visually verify every selection before casting it.

According to Clear Ballot CEO Bob Hoyt, that transparency is central to the company’s philosophy.

“We believe the best way to establish voter trust is through paper ballots,” Hoyt said. “It allows people to verify their own vote before it’s cast so they know that it counted.”

The new scanners also process ballots significantly faster than older equipment. A ballot, Hoyt said, is scanned and accepted almost immediately after it is inserted — about one second — compared with four to five seconds on many older voting systems.

As soon as the ballot is processed, the screen confirms that the vote has been successfully cast and displays a running ballot count. “It processes the ballot almost immediately,” Hoyt said. “You get a message on the screen that your ballot has been cast, and you can actually see the ballot count increase.”

Clear Ballot first came to New York in 2017, providing high-speed scanners for absentee and mail-in ballots and conducting independent post-election audits. The company introduced its first in-person voting system in the state in 2023. Nationally, its election technology is used in 14 states, serving more than 46 million registered voters.

Preparing Nassau County for the transition has been a months-long process. Roughly 500 voting machines have already been delivered for testing and poll worker training, with the remaining equipment — roughly 12 trailer loads — scheduled to arrive beginning later this month.

The company is also implementing a learning-management system that will help Nassau comply with New York’s mandatory poll worker training requirements by documenting training and providing ondemand instructional materials.

“If you train the election workers really well, and you have good equipment and good people servicing it,” Hoyt said, “you’ll probably have a really good election.”

Courtesy Clear Ballot Group

Nassau County voters will be using the new ClearVote voting system in the November election.

Bediako, Janniere are re-elected to board

Goris.

“I just happened to have the opportunity to sit in one of his seminar presentations, and he has a very creative mind,” Darrisaw-Akil said about Acosta. “He has a lot of ideas about ways he can support our student body.”

Acosta said he takes his new role as the student representative on the school board very seriously.

“Being a student board member is more than a picture on the wall,” he said. “It’s people understanding that kids are growing up with a greater responsibility.”

After the district officials were sworn in, DarrisawAkil gave a report about end-of-the-year celebrations and introduced several summer programs.

“Even though a lot of people are on vacation, the district is really the small hamlet that never sleeps,” the superintendent said. “There’s a lot of activities that we would like to provide some brief updates about.”

Before she began discussing summer enrichment programs, she congratulated students who have graduated and moved onto a different grade. She also added praise for students who have graduated with Advanced Regents diplomas and CTE certifications, seals of biliteracy, civic readiness, barbering, EMT and other distinguished accomplishments.

She also acknowledged rising juniors who scored a perfect grade on the global history and global geography Regents. Those students are Joshua Auguste, Daniel Flores, Alice Hernandez, Kevin Leiva Cabrera, K. Mejia Alverenga and K. Nieves Morales.

“This is an outstanding feat,” Darrisaw-Akil added in praise.

After the superintendent’s report, Rhonda Taylor, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, spoke about Uniondale summer enrichment programs. Taylor expressed her gratitude to the more than 1,200

students in the district who decided to attend summer school on their own accord.

“We do not end instruction on June 30th,” Taylor said, explaining that those students chose not to stay home, sleep late or watch television. The district’s high school students choose to take the summer courses for credit or if they wish to get ahead in their studies, she added.

As for the summer arts program, some students from K-12 do not end their day at noon. After attending summer courses, their day continues until 4 p.m., practicing instruments such as the saxophone and clarinet and taking a physical approach to singing and dance, among other extracurricular activities.

Acosta shared his experience in the summer arts program, serving as a counselor teaching kids in his third consecutive year in music.

“We are really excited about the opportunity for our

children to avoid what we call the ‘summer slide,’” Darrisaw-Akil said, using a term to describe the loss of academic skills or knowledge during summer vacation.

A meta-analysis led by academic social psychologist Harris Cooper and published in the Review of Educational Research found that achievement test scores declined over the summer, with the average loss equal to about one month of learning. The study found that summer break had a greater impact on mathematics than reading.

The district runs a MBK Summer Reading Program called “Just Read,” Darrisaw-Akil said, describing it as an easy opportunity for students to brush up on their reading skills in the summer. The goal is to ensure students are reading on grade level by third grade. All parents need to do is log their child’s reading with any book by Aug. 15. To pick up log forms, parents can visit the Uniondale library, ShopRite of Uniondale. For more information visit uniondalelibrary.org.

The superintendent said the children who participated would be invited to a special event, which she did not specify.

The superintendent also mentioned some district upgrades, such as brand-new bleaches in the high school gym, renovated classroom sinks, and improved lighting in some elementary schools and in the high school.

Irrigation projects are also beginning at Grand Avenue School, which she said the district is proud about, and she included updates of the school’s Little Theater, where board meetings take place. Lawrence Road Middle School will also have a new wellness center, she added.

“While others are on the beach, our building and staff are working really hard to upgrade our facilities,” Darrisaw-Akil said.

Next Board of Education Action Meeting will take place on Aug. 25, 7 p.m. at Uniondale High School.

Taylor’s throws change the SHA record book

St. Anthony’s and saw her potential,” her mother said. “After seeing that, I knew she would become one of the greater throwers in the league.”

During the 2025-26 school year, Taylor qualified for the New Balance Nationals Indoor at The Armory in New York City in March and the New Balance Nationals Outdoor at Franklin Field in Philadelphia in June. She also won four Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) state titles, earning Most Outstanding Field Athlete honors at the indoor championships at The Armory in February and the outdoor championships at Icahn Stadium in May, before placing fourth in the weight throw at the New York State Federation Championships at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island in March.

This season, Taylor captured outdoor CHSAA state titles with throws of 149 feet, 9 inches in the hammer throw, 114 feet, 6 inches in the discus and 35 feet, 1 inch in the shot put.

Mongitore said Taylor’s success is rooted in her work ethic, which extends well beyond practice.

“She does extra time in the weight room with our throwing coach,” Mongitore said. “Even on days where she is not scheduled to throw, she is going to the gym.”

Taylor’s mother said much of that dedication happens away from competition.

“She had to put in more hours toward track and even attend early practices during her breaks,” she said.

Taylor explained that reaching the highest level of competition takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work, both physically and mentally.

“I had to do more drills, more lifts and listen more,” the track and field star said.

“I also had to eat and sleep well and stay on top of my school work. After a while, it became routine.”

Despite winning multiple championships, Taylor said her fourth-place finish in the weight throw at the state federation championships stands out among the rest.

“I am most proud of my fourth-place finish at states this year,” Taylor said. “Most of the time when I get to bigger competitions, especially in the winter season, I get psyched up, but this year I managed to get it together and get fourth place at states.”

Mongitore praised Taylor for her ability to succeed and stay focused during high pressure situations.

“We remind her that she is meant to be there,” Mongitore said. “It helps her relax, and she has grown comfortable in a competition setting.”

As Taylor’s accomplishments have grown, so has her role within the program. Mongitore explained how she has developed into a leader for Sacred Heart’s younger throwers.

“Now she’s a junior, she takes the lead

she has improved over time, so it motivates the current freshmen that they could do the same.”

In addition, she also received the NYS Federation Sportsmanship Award and now holds Sacred Heart Academy records in the indoor and outdoor shotput, weight throw, hammer throw and discus.

Taylor explained how this honor reflects the relationships athletes build despite competing against one another.

“Beyond us being teams and separate players, we all come together, and we form one sort of bond,” Taylor said. “Even though I have to compete against a lot of these people, they’re still friends outside the sport, and even during the competition, you still have to support each other.”

For Mongitore, Taylor’s accomplishments have elevated not only her own career but also Sacred Heart’s track and field program.

“It’s definitely been huge,” Mongitore said. “She’s put our school on the radar. Aside from her talent, she’s known by other coaches for her positive attitude and sportsmanship.”

As she prepares for her senior season, Taylor has set ambitious goals for herself.

with helping the younger athletes,” Mongitore said. “The other girls look up to her because of how talented she is. When she was a freshman, she was still talented, but

“I want to go further with all my distances,” she said. “I am trying to hit things like 150-plus in hammer and 40-plus in shot put, but at the end of the day, I also want to be consistent with my throws.”

Courtesy Uniondale School District

Mary Bediako was sworn in as president of the Uniondale Board of Education during the annual reorganization meeting on July 7.

Courtesy Sacred Heart Academy Freeport resident Natalia Taylor, a rising senior at Sacred Heart Academy, had a record-breaking season in which she won four CHSAA state titles and earned NYS Federation Sportsmanship Award honors.

CoNTiNUEd FroM pAgE 1

CoNTiNUEd FroM pAgE 1

STEPPING OUT

Wild Child

Jazz is in the air

By Karen Bloom

Tilles Jazz Fest is going strong in its third season. The festival returns to the historic LIU Post campus, on Saturday, offering a full day of world-class jazz, family-friendly fun and community celebration across four stages.

Presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, this year’s edition again brings together legendary artists and rising stars. This is an immersive indoor/outdoor experience — from lawn picnics and second line parades during the day to headliner The Buena Vista Orchestra performing in the evening.

The day’s lineup includes the Bobby Sanabria Octet, the Grammy-nominated percussionist blends Afro-Cuban jazz with big band flair; Bluesy Beats and Jazzy Treats with Dan and Claudia Zanes, with a lively, family-friendly set of jazz rhythms; young vocalist Ruby Laks, a fresh, expressive voice in contemporary jazz; along with a swinging Second-Line Parade, led by Hot Jazz All-Stars, including up-and-coming trumpeter Bria Skonberg, when all artists and the audience are invited to join in.

As Tom Dunn, Tilles Center’s executive and artistic director puts it: “This festival captures the spirit of jazz, where iconic voices and emerging artists share the stage. It’s an energizing celebration of artistry, innovation, and community, set in a place that inspires creativity at every turn.”

The LIU Jazz Combo (current LIU students) and Long Island Rising Stars (LIU alumni and regional talent) welcome guests at festival entrances from 12:15 p.m. Members of the LIU Marching Band add energy to the New Orleans-style Second Line parade, closing the daytime festivities at 5:45 p.m.

The young superstars of tomorrow are certainly given their due, alongside the jazz greats. Of course, headliner, The Buena Vista Orchestra, surely deserves the spotlight. The orchestra (sometimes referred to as The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, Orquesta Buena Vista) is acclaimed as the world’s foremost Cuban music repertory ensemble — featuring a revolving lineup. Virtuoso Cuban violinist Rolando Morejón Reyes leads an exciting set of musicians pulled from The Buena Vista Social Club, AfroCuban All Stars, the bands of Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, Chucho Valdés, Willie Colón, and others.

To date, The Buena Vista Orchestra and related projects have toured the world and garnered global accolades, making it one of the biggest-selling and best known Cuban music projects in history.

On a more intimate scale are Dan and Claudia

Feel that beat

Zanes, who are delighted to bring what Dan Zanes described as their “community music” to this year’s festival audience.

“It was an exiting call to get,” he says, of the invite. He notes that while they’ve performed at Tilles before, their festival appearance allows the Zanes to show a different side of their musicianship.

• July 18, starting at noon

• Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100

• LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville

This is not a typical tribute or pretend concert act. Wild Child relies on recapturing the original: sound, feel, mood, dynamics and delivery of the Doors music. It’s about the music and its delivery. Wild Child lead singer Dave Brock’s Doors concert tribute debuted with a triple sellout at the Whisky a-Go-Go. Since then the act has been touring and playing at sold out national act venues and festivals around the world. Wild Child became the mold that “tribute bands” aspired to become, as they flooded the market with good and bad impersonations of famous artists. In 2010 Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors, invited Dave to tour with them as their vocalist on their concert engagements: a hug honorl Wild Child performances are praised as the closest thing to a real live Doors experience.

Friday, July 17, 8 p.m. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny. com.

“I come from the folk and rock ‘n roll world, but Claudia, my wife and partner in all this, is a jazz singer. She was performing and touring as a jazz vocalist before I met her. And Tyree Austin who’s also going to be singing with us is also a jazz vocalist. He sings jazz and gospel. So the spirit of jazz is really in what we do.”

partner in performing and

Zanes, a Grammy-winner, occupies a unique place in American music — where sea shanties, English Music hall, play party songs, the spirit of early rock ‘n roll, soul, North American and West Indian folk music collide. For the past 20 years, he has toured the world with his band, Dan Zanes and Friends, sharing 21st century social music with enthusiastic crowds of all ages.

In the 1980s Zanes was a member of The Del Fuegos, the roots rock band that released several albums and toured heavily before spontaneously combusting in 1989. In 1994 he became a father and began trying to create music that he and his daughter could enjoy together as a shared experience — an updated version of the Folkways records he grew up on. In 2000, he released Rocket Ship Beach, which became an immediate hit with families in America. NPR called him “The Gold Standard in kid’s music.”

And while their music does have a certain kid-friendly appeal, Zanes is quick to point out that there’s much more to it than that. The Zanes prefer not to be categorized as “children’s entertainers.”

“Our music is social music. It’s very participatory. We come out of a lot of different folk traditions: North American folk traditions, blues, as well as Haitian folk traditions {influenced by Claudia who is Haitian-American). It’s for all ages, including young folks but also older.

“At our concerts there’s quite a bit of singing along. It’s a social experiment. Even though we’re a modern group we work with ancient traditions and one of those traditions is galvanizing people with song. There’s movement, there’s dancing. Three voices and a 12 string guitar is the foundation of what we do, with addition of trombone, horn and some percussion.”

He describes their sound as “joyful music.”

“These are hard times for a lot of people and music reminds us that there is so much beauty in the world and so much that we get from being with each other. There’s something about singing together that gives all a sense of life’s best possibilities. Behind it all is joy always.”

Guests are encouraged to come with lawn chairs and blankets for a day of relaxed listening and discovery. Youngsters will also enjoy the Kids Zone, with an instrument “petting zoo,” crafts and face painting. When everyone is ready for a bite, check out the food trucks and artisan purveyors with their tempting wares. Or bring your own picnic!

Derek Hough Symphony of Dance: Encore

Following sold-out successes of his previous tours, Derek Hough is back. The Emmy-winning dancerchoreographer-entertainer — known for his dazzling performances on “Dancing With The Stars” — takes his audience on an exhilarating journey through dance with breathtaking choreography, vibrant visuals and his signature stage presence. The high-energy production celebrates the artistry and emotion of movement while showcasing the versatility that has made Hough one of today’s most celebrated performers. Experience a thrilling fusion of dance and music; the fan-favorite dancer explores styles ranging from ballroom, tap, salsa, hip-hop and everything in between.

Sunday, July 19, 8 p.m. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter. org or (516) 299-3100. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.

Courtesy Anna Zanes Dan Zanes

Courtesy Tilles Center Bobby Sanabria

Courtesy Andrea Escobar

The Buena Vista Orchestra

Courtesy Mark Mann Claudia Zanes

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

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‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’

The Madison Theatre’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” brings the beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber musical to the stage, retelling the biblical story of Joseph, his colorful coat and his rise from slavery to Pharaoh’s trusted advisor. Told entirely through song, the family-friendly production features memorable numbers including “Any Dream Will Do,” “Close Every Door” and “One More Angel in Heaven,” blending musical styles from calypso to country-western. Suitable for audiences of all ages, the show continues to be one of the world’s most frequently performed musicals.

• Where: Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: Various dates and times, through Aug. 2

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Happy Birthday, Franklin!

Long Island Children’s Museum invites families to celebrate the Eastern Box Turtle’s 50th Birthday! Make him a one-of-akind cake craft inspired by all his favorite things! Come help honor 50 turtle-tastic years at the dropin program. For ages 3+.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 1-3 p.m.

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

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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 cars and motorcycles, along with food trucks, vendors and kids activities. Proceeds benefit the John J. Byrne Community Center. Registration is required.

A Celebration of the Mighty Zep

video game. Four misfits are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected expert crafter.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: Movie begins at dusk

• Contact: nassaucountyny. gov

Citizen Science: Monarch Larva Monitoring Project

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

• Time: 8 p.m.; also July 25

Led Zeppelin fans, rejoice! Get The Led Out returns to the Paramount with “A Celebration of the Mighty Zep,” two electrifying nights of classic rock, running through June 28. From the bombastic and epic, to the folky and mystical, GTLO has captured the essence of Led Zeppelin and brought their music to the concert stage. The Philadelphia-based group consists of six veteran musicians, intent on delivering Led Zeppelin live, like you’ve never heard before! Utilizing the multi-instrumentalists at their disposal, GTLO re-creates songs, in all their depth and glory, with the studio overdubs that Zeppelin themselves never performed. Hailed for their powerful tribute to what many consider the greatest rock band of all time, the band delivers a faithful and highoctane recreation of Zeppelin’s iconic sound. From thunderous anthems to mystical acoustic ballads, GTLO captures the full range of Led Zeppelin’s brilliance — complete with the layered instrumentation and soaring dynamics that the band rarely performed live. With no wigs or phony accents, just pure musical passion. When an album calls for three guitars, GTLO brings three guitarists to the stage — no shortcuts, no gimmicks. GTLO focuses on the legendary band’s early years and dives deep into beloved hits and rare cuts alike. Their approach is reverent and precise, more like a classical concert than a cover band — a true celebration of timeless rock.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

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., also July 29

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: 6 p.m.

• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200

Magic

in the Making

Old Westbury Gardens welcomes young witches, wizards, and magical makers to special after-hours evening in the gardens. Families are invited enjoy an evening of creativity and a little bit of magic. Activities include Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects exhibit, I LUG NY Challenge Zone, LEGO-freeplay area, “My Own Creation” build contest, craft stations and spell-bound sports. Dress as your favorite wizard, witch or whimsical character! $34 general admission, $24 child, with member discounts. Registration required.

Parents can relive their Warped Tour days while kids discover why this music still hits hard. Expect jump-worthy pop-punk, heart-tugging emo classics, and the kind of electric beach-night vibe only Jones Beach delivers. From toddlers to teens to full-grown elder emos, everyone can dance, laugh, and sing along. Bring your crew, your kids, your nostalgia, and your energy.

19 Viper Collision Car & Bike Show

• Where: 929 Jerusalem Ave., Uniondale

• Time: 2-7 p.m.

• Contact: tinyurl.com/ UniondaleEvents26 or byrncenter.org

Country sounds

Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series welcomes Simply Stapleton for a Chris Stapleton tribute.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 5-8 p.m.

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

Summertime vibes

Cover City Soundtrack takes over the Jones Beach Bandshell for a free, all-ages night of pop-punk anthems, emo nostalgia, and shoreline summer energy.

• Where: Jones Beach Boardwalk Bandshell, Field 4, 2400 Ocean Parkway, Wantagh

• Time: 8-10 p.m.

• Contact: CoverCitySoundtrack. com

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Family theater

Lance the Eagle welcomes 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 22

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

Rockin’ on Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series continues with a double bill of Last Exit with a Pearl Jam tribute and Foo For All with Foo Fighters tunes.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: 6 p.m.

• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200

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

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Summer grooves

Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series welcomes rising country and rock singer-songwriter Lanie Gardner, best known for her viral cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and her sophomore album, Faded Polaroids. Country sensation Brooke Moriber also performs.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200

Having an event?

Family movie night

Enjoy a movie under the stars at Eisenhower Park.

See “A Minecraft Movie,” the 2025 adventure comedy film based on the jul

Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.

FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle

Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers

Take advantage of on-site health screenings

Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences

Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A

Win raffles, prizes, and giveaways

Snack station for all

*Boxed lunches for first 150 attendees

All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.

MAE CAIME FOUNDER, AMAEZING MIDLIFE & BEYOND AGENDA:

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Public Notices

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

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

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

LEGAL NOTICE REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., Plaintiff - against - ALICE B. MARR, et al Defendant(s).

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

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST

C/O U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff AGAINST CARLOS AZUCAR, SILVIA AZUCAR AKA SYLVIA AZUCAR, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 8, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on August 11, 2026 at 3:30 PM, premises known as 1345 Galley 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 Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, and State of New York, Section 50 Block 336 Lot 10. Approximate amount of judgment $626,751.93 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #601687/2024. Cary D. Kessler, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 22-003487 90445 161047

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 4th day of August 2026, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Chapter 202 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “REGULATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS” at the following location(s): UNIONDALE Section 202-12

Arcadia Avenue, west for a distance of 89 feet. ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: July 7, 2026 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

JOHN FERRETTI

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 161216

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 4th day of August 2026, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following location(s): UNIONDALE

GILROY AVENUE (TH 263/26) West SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 14 feet north of the north curbline of Pembroke Street, north for a distance of 172 feet.

GILROY AVENUE (TH 264/26) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 95 feet north of the north curbline of Pembroke Street, north for a distance of 37 feet.

BRAXTON STREET (TH 285/26) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Uniondale Avenue, east for a distance of 45 feet.

BRAXTON STREET (TH 285/26) South SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 45 feet of east of the east curbline of Uniondale Avenue, east for a distance of 61 feet.

Block party returns to Hempstead News brief

The annual Terrace Avenue Block Party brought community organizations, local officials and residents together in Hempstead Village on June 26.

Nassau County Legislators Olena Nicks, of Uniondale, and Viviana L. Russell, of Westbury, attended the event, according to the Nassau County Legislature Minority Office.

As part of the festivities, The Town

Elite partnered with Hempstead PAL and GB’s Sneakers to provide new sneakers to winners of a Terrace Avenue 3-on-3 basketball tournament, according to a social media post by The Town Elite’s Larry Gore. The event also featured participation from other community organizations and local elected officials.

— Stacy Driks

Let us Know

News Brief items including awards, honors, promotions and other tidbits about local residents are welcome. Photographs may be emailed as well. Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday, week prior to publication. Send to execeditor@liherald.com

Public Notices

Section 202-1 “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” from the following location(s):

UNIONDALE

GILROY AVENUE (TH 268/17) West SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 14 feet north of the north curbline of Pembroke Street, north for a distance of 100 feet.

(Adopted 10/03/17)

WANTAGH

CYPRESS STREET (TH 351/24) West Sidestarting at a point 262 feet north of the north curbline of Merrick Road, north for a distance of 17 feet.

(Adopted 9/17/24)

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: July 7, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

JOHN FERRETTI

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY

Town Clerk 161217

Hempstead, New York, on the 4th day of August 2026, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 197-13 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to REPEAL “TRAFFIC REGULATIONS IN THE VICINITY OF SCHOOLS” at the following location(s):

UNIONDALE

PEMBROKE STREET (TH 155/13) North SideNO PARKING 8 AM to 3 PM SCHOOL DAYSstarting at a point 30 feet west of the west curbline of Arcadia Avenue, west for a distance of 89 feet.

(Adopted 9/17/13)

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: July 7, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

JOHN FERRETTI

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 161220

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

PEMBROKE STREET (TH 265/26) North SideNO PARKING 8 PM to 8 AM - starting at a point 30 feet west of the west curbline of

WANTAGH CYPRESS STREET (TH 270/26) West Sidestarting at a point 262 feet north of the north curbline of Merrick Road, north for a distance of 51 feet. ALSO, to REPEAL from

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street,

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County of Nassau 21st Mortgage Corporation, Plaintiff AGAINST Estate of Hertha Mintah a/k/a Hertha Felicia Mintah a/k/a Hertha F. Mintah, et al, Defendant Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on July 31, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee,

will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, North sides of the steps, Mineola, NY 11501 on August 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM premises known as 159 Gilroy Avenue, 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: 40, LOT: 279. Approximate amount of judgment is $506,494.44 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 009876/2015. 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. Peter Lawrence Kramer, Referee FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-096978-F00 90683 161158

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, TOWD POINT MORTGAGE TRUST 2019-3, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE, Plaintiff, vs. ESMERALDA LOPEZ, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on April 6, 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 August 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 726 Northern Parkway, 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, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 50, Block 284 and Lot 100. Approximate amount of judgment is $637,670.36 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #600389/2024. Oscar Prieto, Esq., Referee Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff 161196

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

ASSISTANT F/T NEEDED For Kidz Being Kidz Daycare In Oceanside

Must Be Reliable And Love Children Call 516-608-2575

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time

Positions Available!

Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers.

Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

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

MULTI MEDIA

ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

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

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $35,360 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours

Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

HomesHERALD

Waterfront Dream Home

Spectacular 8,100-square-foot stately brick Colonial offering seven bedrooms, seven full and two half baths on 215 feet of prime waterfront property. Beautifully renovated throughout, this exceptional home features a dramatic two-story entry foyer that opens to a second-floor balcony. Walls of windows flood the home with natural light while showcasing magnificent water views. Designed for both comfortable living and elegant entertaining, the home offers an exceptional flow and generously proportioned rooms throughout. The main-level primary suite overlooks the water and features two enormous walk-in closets and a luxurious radiant-heated bath with double vanities, separate water closets, a steam shower, and a Jacuzzi tub. The 2,100-square-foot finished basement, renovated just 10 years ago, includes a theater, recreation room, gym, wine cellar, bonus room, and full bath. The resortstyle backyard features a heated Gunite pool and spa, outdoor kitchen, expansive patio, and a newly renovated 215-foot raised vinyl bulkhead with a private dock for your boat. Additional highlights include a grand circular driveway and an attached three-car garage. Every luxury amenity has been thoughtfully included. Located in the Hewlett-Woodmere School District #14, this remarkable waterfront estate is conveniently close to the LIRR, shopping, and houses of worship. Asking $5,570,000. Call today to arrange your private viewing of this exceptional waterfront residence.

Gerber Licensed Real Estate Salesperson C: 516-428-4298 O: 516-623-2776 ronnie.gerber@elliman.com For Everything 5 Towns & More Douglas Elliman / Merrick

What to do about cracking concrete, Part 2

Q. We have large cracks in our concrete driveway and garage floor, and want to make sure they are repaired correctly, since they appear to be recently done, possibly within a year before we purchased the house. In particular, there is a nearly round hole that turned to gravel, kind of, and we want to know why it happened and avoid having it happen again. What can you tell us?

A. As I previously explained, concrete reacts to extreme weather changes, and isn’t as stable as people think. Nature moves mountains, so your driveway was no challenge to the forces of nature. Extreme cold causes concrete to contract — push in on itself — while heat has the effect of stretching rigid concrete to the point of literally ripping apart.

As with any material, water and movement are the most critical factors to work with. You’ll never win over nature. The hole is basically like a zit, a buildup of pressure in a weaker place across the surface. Concrete develops strength as a chemical reaction to the specific combination of materials it is made from. With too much water in the mix, it will be weaker, especially in a particular spot. With not enough water to support the chemical reaction of Portland cement, sand and stone, the concrete will be weak. It’s important to follow the directions on the package(s) to get the correct mix.

Like any successful repair or construction project, analysis and planning are extremely important. You should have a professional take a look at the problem before you repair it, to decide if a repair is even worth it. A short consult more than pays for itself if it turns out you’d be wasting money on something that isn’t worth a quick fix. If that round hole reveals that there’s no steel reinforcement, for example, then the rest of the driveway is on its way to needing more serious work in the near future. If the hole reveals that the mix was too wet or too dry, or was poured in weather that was too cold, or that admixtures were the wrong combination, you’ll just be throwing good money after bad.

When I see concrete work being done in extreme cold or excessive heat, as I’m driving by, I make a mental note to double back, over time, to see how the experiment worked or didn’t work. You can only shake your head when you understand the possible outcome. There are concrete repair mixtures that include epoxy adhesives, but, again, follow the directions to the letter if you’re making the less expensive, quick repair.

It was invaluable for me to work with a mason, carpenter and painter during summers off from architecture school. The mason taught me to wet the area before continuing after our lunch break, not adding wet next to dry mortar. The dry area was already curing. The fresh mortar would have the moisture sucked right into the drier surface, weakening both, and the work in general. 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 City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

The

Monte Leeper

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opinions

America must not abdicate its leadership

Almost 60 years ago, former Secretary of State Dean Acheson wrote a memoir, “Present At the Creation,” which focused on the reality that the United States had to remake the world — or at least Europe — in the years after World War II. That required a rejection and repudiation of the isolationist “America First” policy that had predominated after World War I until Pearl Harbor.

In 1945, Hitler and Nazi Germany had been destroyed, and postwar Germany was in ruins. Though England and France had been victors, the war left them seriously weakened. The British economy was in shambles, and France, which had largely surrendered to Nazi collaborators during the war, was economically damaged and politically unstable.

Most ominously, it soon became apparent that Stalin’s Russia was intent on expanding Soviet rule in Europe, with no regard for treaties or territorial boundaries. Agreements such as Yalta and Potsdam were ignored as Soviet communist rule was imposed on

Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany and most of Eastern Europe, creating what Winston Churchill so accurately labeled the Iron Curtain.

Fortunately, the United States would not repeat the tragic errors it made after World War I, which led to the inexorable rise of Hitler and World War II. The first world war had left Germany impoverished, creating fertile ground for Hitler and the growth of Naziism. The U.S. had basically demobilized its armed forces after the “war to end all wars.”

As Hitler rebuilt the German war machine in the 1930s and Europe appeased Hitler at Munich, the U.S. was slow to respond, and then the America First movement opposed helping Churchill when England was under siege.

Ultimately, the Soviet empire would implode.

U kraine needs American support, and in Iran we need NATO’s support.

Today, our world is in need of another act of creation. Russian President Vladimir Putin envisions a new Russian empire, beginning with the invasion of Ukraine. This was the first invasion of one sovereign European nation by another in the almost eight decades since World War II. This continuing attack threatens European stability and, as we should have learned from the two 20th-century conflagrations, America’s security is imperiled. The concept of Fortress America, with oceans protecting us, is outmoded, and potentially suicidal.

In the aftermath of World War II, however, the U.S. assumed the leadership of the free world. Unlike Germany under Hitler, Stalin’s Russian expansion would be halted. America First would be no more. The Marshall Plan was enacted to rebuild West Germany and Western Europe.

To prevent a replay of Munich and appeasement, NATO was created so that an attack on one would be an attack on all. Isolationism was over.

While Europe has stepped forward and provided Ukraine with needed weaponry, the Trump administration has cut off arms sales to Ukraine, instead selling them to Europe, which will provide them to Ukraine. This is unnecessarily convoluted, and is causing Ukrainian lives to be lost. The administration somehow sees a moral equivalence between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which isn’t that different from equating Hitler with Churchill.

Our lead negotiator, Steve Witcoff, is a real estate guy from New York with

no diplomatic experience, and he hasn’t met with the parties in months. Ukraine is fighting valiantly, and actually beating Russia on the battlefield. But being outnumbered and outgunned, Ukraine can’t survive without American support. Echoes of Munich! Similarly, we will not prevail in our struggle against Iran by announcing that we will never use ground troops or by pretending we are winning when we are stalemated by the Iranians, who have the ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. To succeed we will need the support of NATO nations to use their minesweeper expertise to clear the strait. That would have been easier if we had informed NATO of our intention to attack Iran in the first place. Every effort must be made to obtain congressional support, and to level with the American people that no war is easy, especially a war against religious fanatics. And every war has risks. Telling the enemy we won’t ever use ground troops only increases the risk of having to use them.

These are perilous times, and we cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. America must show firm leadership. America First cannot be America alone!

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

No need for Democrats to panic about Mamdani & Co.

These past few weeks have been difficult for middle-of the-road Democrats. Candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America have won roughly half of 70 or so contested primary contests nationwide. The Wall Street Journal called the DSA successes “the political story of 2026.” But will the DSA drag the Democratic Party permanently to the left, or will it fade away, as the Tea Party did on the Republican side in the mid-2010s?

Over the past 50 years, I have seen the Democratic Party tugged left and center by a number of forces, but in the end the moderates have always won the tug of war. The first big DSA win was in New York City, when Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor. He has now been in office just over six months, and the political jury is still out on whether he will be able to hold on to his job for more than one term. To date, Mamdani has won some major victories, and kept his pledges to

the voters who supported him. He has gotten lots of money from Albany for pre-K and child care programs, and his promised rent freeze has been approved. He has not delivered yet on his promise of free buses, because that’s a cost that would hurt all New Yorkers who use mass transit, and can’t afford to subsidize bus riders.

GMamdani got elected by virtue of the fact that his only primary opponent was former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who turned out to be a weak candidate. Mamdani’s success can also attributed to the so-called socialists’ mastery of social media. Moderate Democrats have failed to use that medium as effectively, giving the DSA a gift that other candidates around the country have benefited from as well. Can the DSA become a major force in American politics? I personally doubt its long-term ability to survive, but I may be proven wrong. An August 2025 Gallup poll found that 39 percent of Americans had a positive view of socialism, while 57 percent had a negative view. Socialist positions like defunding the police, eliminating rent and solidarity with the Palestinian cause may ener-

overning in the modern era is a big challenge for a fledgling movement.

gize the base, but they remain liabilities in swing districts and national races. A recent article in the Atlantic reported that the DSA’s sectarian wing has refused to endorse a Democratic presidential nominee. That will undercut its political influence.

The recent DSA wins have been concentrated in cities such as New York, Seattle, Denver and Washington, where progressive voters dominate. The organization has no U.S. senators and only a handful of House members, and no member of the DSA has never won a statewide race. And the Mamdani victory is instructive. He won because he softened his image, distancing himself from defunding the police, and stuck to breadand-butter issues.

The socialist movement has an internal contradiction. Its ideologically pure wing alienates voters it needs to build majority coalitions, while its more electable candidates drift toward positions that look a lot like those of typical progressives. In the early 1970s, the New Democratic Coalition made a run at taking over the moderate wing of the Democratic Party, but failed because it

lacked a strong party structure. Electoral success in blue cities does not equal long-term political viability. For socialist candidates to establish durable legitimacy, they will need to demonstrate competence at governing. Mamdani is being watched closely to see if he can hold on to his base. To do so he will have to relax some of his stated positions, which has already unnerved some of his DSA supporters. One example, that went beyond his campaign pledges, was his decision to keep the city police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, in her position.

Some of my Democratic friends in high party positions have reached for the panic button, but I’ve urged them to hold their fire. The DSA and its base have yet to capture the Democratic centrists and hold them hostage. They may notch a few more wins, but governing in the modern era is a big challenge for a small, fledgling movement. History informs me that the moderates in the Democratic Party are still in charge, and, while threatened, are very much alive and well.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm.

SHERALD

Sports still bring us together

ports have always been about more than wins and losses. At their best, they remind us that we have far more in common than the headlines, social media feeds and political arguments would have us believe.

Over the past several weeks, Long Islanders saw two remarkable examples.

The New York Knicks’ championship run transformed Long Island and New York City into one giant community gathering. Bars overflowed with fans wearing blue and orange. Families planned evenings around playoff game tipoffs. Friends who hadn’t watched a game together in years reunited.

Even people who only casually followed basketball found themselves caught up in the excitement. Whether you watched from a crowded sports bar, a watch party or your living room, you became part of something bigger than yourself.

The FIFA World Cup offered a different, but equally meaningful, lesson.

U.S. forward Folarin Balogun’s red card sparked spirited debate among soccer fans. Many questioned the referee’s decision, others defended it, and nearly everyone had an opinion. Yet those conversations, like so many others about the competition, remained focused on the pitch. Fans dissected tactics, coach-

ing decisions and player performances not as ideological opponents, but as people who simply loved the game.

That distinction matters.

In too many corners of public life today, disagreement quickly turns into hostility. Every issue seems destined to become another battle in an endless culture war. Sports remind us that there is another way. You can passionately disagree with someone’s opinion, make your case, and then sit beside that same person to watch the next match.

Even after Belgium eliminated the United States, American supporters found themselves tipping their caps to a talented Belgian squad. There was disappointment, certainly, but also respect. Some fans even joked that Belgium had earned a little good karma along the way for not making Balogun’s controversial reinstatement an issue. That’s the beauty of sports. Defeat doesn’t have to produce bitterness. Sometimes it simply produces appreciation for excellence.

The same spirit carried Knicks fans through every dramatic moment of their championship run. Complete strangers celebrated together after clutch baskets. Subway rides morphed into rolling pep rallies. Neighborhood restaurants and bars became gathering places where age, politics, profession and background mattered far less than

the logo on a jersey.

For a few hours at a time, everyone was simply a fan. Those shared experiences strengthen communities in ways that statistics never can. They create memories between parents and children, lifelong friends and even strangers who may never meet again.

Years from now, many people won’t remember every score or every lineup change. But they will remember where they were, whom they were with and how it felt when an entire room erupted in celebration.

Our communities need more moments like that.

Sports won’t solve our political differences or erase the challenges we face. They shouldn’t have to. Their value lies elsewhere. They remind us that healthy competition doesn’t require contempt, that spirited debate doesn’t have to become personal, and that people with different backgrounds and viewpoints can still cheer, groan and celebrate together.

The Knicks gave New Yorkers a championship to remember. The World Cup is giving the world another reminder of soccer’s unmatched ability to unite people across borders and cultures. Long after the trophies are lifted and the final whistles blow, that is the real victory worth celebrating.

MatterS

Your opinion Matters

The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.

The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government. Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send them to execeditor@liherald.com.

Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com

Be heard. Be part of the conversation.

Be heard. Be part of the conversation.

Seeing for ourselves where a legendary writer lived

suffolk County has been the home of many literary giants. The number is unusual for any area. It includes Walt Whitman, James Fenimore Cooper, Kurt Vonnegut, James Jones, Truman Capote, Betty Friedan, Edward Albee, E.L. Doctorow, Joseph Heller, Lanford Wilson, Joe Pintauro, Terence McNally, Colson Whitehead, Peter Matthiessen . . . and John Steinbeck.

And now, you can get an extraordinary insight into Steinbeck.

The house in Sag Harbor in which Steinbeck and his wife, Elaine, lived has been preserved. That’s thanks to donations to the Sag Harbor Partnership, the participation of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas (Elaine’s alma mater), $750,000 from New York state, $11.2 million from the Town of Southampton’s Community Preservation Fund, and individual contributions from folks in Sag Harbor. You can go on a free Saturday tour of the 1.8 acres of property overlooking

Sag Harbor Cove, and visit inside the house, too, on Holiday Open House Weekends. My wife and I took the tour on the Memorial Day weekend.

Among the many features of the property is Steinbeck’s charming little six-sided gazebo, his writing studio. He named it, with a sign, Joyous Garde, after Sir Lancelot’s castle in the legend of King Arthur. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for literature and the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his renowned novel “The Grapes of Wrath.” Among his many other books were “East of Eden,” “Of Mice and Men,” “The Pearl,” “The Red Pony,” “The Winter of Our Discontent,” “Tortilla Flat,” Cannery Row” and “Travels with Charley: In Search of America” — which begins in Sag Harbor.

sHe and Elaine lived in the Sag Harbor house from 1955 until his death in 1968. Elaine continued to use the house until she died in 2003.

Our docent for the tour was Lori Raimondo, who is highly knowledgeable about Steinbeck. She told us how Sag Harbor reminded him of Monterey, Calif., on the Pacific Ocean south of San Francisco, where he had earlier lived. Monterey was a working-class waterfront town, like Sag Harbor in those days.

teinbeck wrote in a gazebo that had room for only a small desk and a chair.

Raimondo said that Steinbeck saw the house while looking at another one nearby, but was told it wasn’t for sale. He went over and knocked on the door, anyway, and the couple who owned it said they were just putting it up for sale.

a collection of rifles hung above the fireplace, and she showed us photos of them. In a hallway that led down to a bedroom were many photos, including one of Steinbeck receiving the Nobel Prize. Up what is now a metal circular staircase — which replaced a ladder, Raimondo said — was a loft for the Steinbecks’ two sons, Thomas and John. Outside, we visited a small workshop building that, Raimondo told us, Steinbeck originally thought he could use for writing. But he found there were too many diversions in it. Then it was on to the simple Joyous Garde, which had room for only a small desk and a chair. It was a tranquil place for Steinbeck to write, with a serene view of the waters of Sag Harbor Cove through its windows.

He hung out with friends in the village, which in recent years has featured the John Steinbeck Waterfront Park. In the 1960s, he was a founder and honorary chairman of Sag Harbor’s Old Whaler’s Festival (now known as HarborFest). We lived in Sayville back then, and as a reporter for the Long Island Press, I went to Sag Harbor and interviewed Steinbeck on a festival day.

Framework by Tim Baker

In the house, Steinbeck’s creativity — and humor — were apparent immediately. Raimondo pointed out a mobile hanging in the living room, which, she noted, Steinbeck constructed from the spokes of an umbrella. Adjacent was a cozy kitchen area.

A main feature of the living room is a fireplace made with large stones, especially big in the context of the small house. Originally, Raimondo explained,

To arrange to take the tour, go to steinbeckhouse.org/visit. “There are two options for visiting,” it advises. One is a “regular Saturday visit,” on dates that are listed. The other is holiday open house weekends, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays on which both the grounds and the home are open. Take the tour. It is immensely worthwhile.

Karl Grossman has been an investigative reporter in a variety of media for more than 50 years. He is a professor of journalism at the State University of New York at Old Westbury.

Thrilling the thousands on chairs and blankets below, the Blue Angels celebrated the nation’s 250th birthday — Jones Beach