Brandon Brower has spent six years building a career at Long Island
Valley Stream hospitall, moving up from critical care patient care associate to assistant nurse manager.
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
As National Nurses Week highlights the important role of these healthcare workers across the country each May, recognition for nurses like Brandon Brower should extend well beyond a single week.
Brower, 28, has spent the past six years building his career at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hospital, growing from a critical care patient care associate during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic to an assistant nurse manager overseeing multiple critical care units.
This year, Brower was nominated for Northwell Health’s Truly Awards in both the initiative and collaborative categories, recognitions that honor nurses who demon -
strate leadership, innovation and teamwork.
At the hospital, he is known for his teamwork, as well as his flexibility and patientcentered care. Outside the hospital, Brower has worked to strengthen ties with the community through a beach cleanup initiative he launched in Long Beach last year.
Brower’s path into nursing began long before he entered a hospital as a professional. As a child, he spent much of the first years of his life in and out of hospitals after being diagnosed with hypogammaglobulinemia, an immune deficiency disorder that left him vulnerable to infections.
“I was very sick as a baby, and it was kind of like the first three years of my life, and all the little memories that I ever possibly have blips of, were of nurses caring for me,
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
An $850,000 federal funding award will help Valley Stream South High School move forward with a long-planned shoreline stabilization project designed to stop worsening erosion along Valley Stream Creek that school officials say threatens athletic facilities, maintenance buildings and other campus infrastructure.
The funding, secured through the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process by Rep. Laura Gillen, will support repairs along the northern edge of the campus, where years of erosion and storm damage have steadily narrowed the distance between the creek and school property.
project
severe weather events.
Superintendent Wayne Loper said the district first realized the extent of the problem more than three years ago while planning to replace a deteriorating maintenance garage near the creek at Valley Stream South High School.
“We could end up having to replace everything and move to another field, which would mean you’d have to reconstruct the entire thing again,” Loper said.
WAYNE LOpER
Superintendent,
Valley Stream Central High School District
The project is intended to protect areas including the track and football field, scoreboard, north parking lot and storage buildings from future damage and flooding during
“Millions of dollars of investment in our school are in jeopardy if we don’t do this project.”
During the early stages of that project, architects surveying the site determined the shoreline had eroded so close to the building that reconstruction could not safely proceed without first stabilizing the embankment.
District officials expanded their assessment and found the erosion stretched across several hundred feet of school prop-
ContInued on page 9
Courtesy Northwell Health
Jewish
Green Acres prepares students for prom season
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
Green Acres Mall brought together local students, families and retailers for its first-ever Prom Event on April 25, transforming the shopping center into a celebration of prom season with fashion, music and community engagement.
The afternoon event featured a live runway show showcasing prom styles from Windsor and Raphael, with student models from the Valley Stream Central High School District presenting a variety of formal looks, including gowns and modern suiting options.
The Wardrobe Therapist served as the emcee and stylist for the event, guiding students through the runway presentations and offering fashion commentary throughout the show.
“Prom season is a major milestone for students and an important shopping season for many of our retailers,” Jill Bromberg, community relations manager at Green Acres, said. “It’s a time when families come together to prepare for a memorable occasion, and Green Acres wants to be part of that experience. Events like this also allow us to connect with students in a more personal and engaging way. We want local families to see Green Acres not just as a place to shop, but as a community destination that celebrates important life moments alongside them.”
Community collaboration played a significant role in organizing the event.
After discussions with local parents and community members, one Valley Stream South High School parent helped coordinate student participation across the district’s high schools.
“The student models were local high school students who were excited to participate and represent their schools,” Bromberg said. “Their energy and confidence truly brought the runway to life
and made the event feel authentic and community driven.”
In addition to the fashion show, guests were treated to music from a DJ, refreshments and giveaways throughout the afternoon. Black Pearl Bubble Tea and Granny’s Table provided treats for attendees, while the first 50 guests received complimentary Prom Survival Kits filled with prom-night essentials. Raphael also distributed free bow ties to the first 100 attendees.
BELMONT PARK VILLAGE
The event concluded with raffle giveaways for a free dress from Windsor and a free suit from Raphael. One of the student models won the dress raffle after previously planning to purchase the same gown she had modeled during the show, a moment organizers said reflected the excitement and energy of the day.
“More than anything, we wanted students to feel celebrated, confident and connected to their community,” Bromberg said. “Prom is an important milestone, and we hoped the event would help students feel excited and supported as they prepared for that special night.”
Bromberg said the positive response from students, families and shoppers reinforced Green Acres’ broader goal of positioning the mall as more than a retail destination. In addition to hosting shopping and seasonal events, the mall has continued expanding partnerships with local schools, PTAs and community organizations through initiatives such as School Cents and other familyfocused programs.
The success of the Prom Event has opened the door for similar communitycentered programs in the future, with plans to continue building relationships with local schools, businesses and families through events that bring residents together beyond just shopping experiences.
Just off the Cross Island Parkway, shop designer fashion finds from Coach, lululemon, Valentino, and more, at up to 65% off every day. Dine at award-winning restaurants, stroll through pedestrian-only streets, and turn a quick trip into a day’s escape.
Courtesy Green Acres Mall
The afternoon event featured a live runway show showcasing prom styles from Windsor and Raphael, with student models from the Valley Stream Central High School District.
Nonprofit helps students shine without the cost
By HAILEY FULMER hfulmer@liherald.com
You’re Our Unity — a Valley Streambased nonprofit that focuses on empowering youth and providing resources for selflove and growth within the community — hosted its fifth annual prom giveaway at Sewanhaka High School, offering students free formalwear, styling support and the full prom experience without the financial pressure.
The event started as a small community effort in 2022 and has grown into an annual giveaway that draws high school students from across New York for the ultimate prom experience.
LeShawn Walker, founder of You’re Our Unity, said the goal has always been to make sure students feel supported and celebrated during an important milestone.
“It’s all about giving back,” Walker said. “It’s about serving. It’s about filling a void. It’s about outreach.”
Walker said the first event came together with help from her daughter, Jay Ellis, who works in fashion and now plays a central role in styling and organizing the giveaway.
It’s all about giving back. It’s about serving. It’s about filling a void. It’s about outreach.
Ellis said she’s been involved for about four or five years and sees it as something deeply personal, not just organizational work.
LESHAwn wALkER
Founder of You’re Our Unity
“I have just been her support system, in helping her build out the whole entire process of everything,” Ellis said. That support includes collecting donated dresses, suits and accessories from friends, family and local supporters. Ellis said one of her priorities now is making sure boys are included just as much as girls.
“We are focusing more on also getting more male items in,” she said, adding that prom should feel like a complete experience for everyone, not just one group.
During the event, Ellis works directly with students to build full looks, from outfits to shoes and accessories. She said the process is hands-on and collaborative, with volunteers working together to help each student find something that feels right.
Even when certain items aren’t available, she said the goal is to guide students so they can still complete their look afterward.
“We try our hardest to mirror that experience,” Ellis said, adding that the team is intentional about how the event feels, not wanting it to come across as charity.
“We want you to feel seen. We want you to feel respected and honored in that moment,” she said.
Four years ago, You’re Our Unity invited another nonprofit to join forces for the event. Meera Empowerment of Elmont,
founded by 13-year-old Selene Ferdinand, is another organization committed to spreading kindness and positivity when contributing to the community. Selene said that the initiative really helps the students, “especially the ones who might not be able to afford a prom dress or prom shoes.” Meera collaborates with various organizations and organizes events throughout the year, including toy drives and volunteer initiatives, aimed at encouraging children and teenagers to engage in similar acts of service.
Walker said that mindset has helped the event grow year after year, especially as partnerships with groups like Meera Empowerment have expanded its reach. Students now travel from across the region — including Brooklyn, the Bronx, Westchester and beyond — to attend.
Ellis said what makes the experience meaningful is the way everyone involved works together, from volunteers to families.
“It’s all a teamwork type of event,” she said, describing how staff and volunteers bounce ideas off one another to help style students.
She also said a big part of the experience is recreating the feeling of going prom shopping with someone who is truly invested in helping.
“We don’t want the families and the kids to come in thinking that it’s kind of like a charity type of case,” Ellis said.
For Ellis, the work is also tied to her background in fashion merchandising and business, as well as growing up around family members who valued style and creativity. She said that influence shaped both her career and her desire to give back.
Walker said that same sense of connection is what keeps the initiative going. For her, You’re Our Unity is about more than prom — it’s about creating moments where young people feel supported, valued and included.
Melissa Baptiste/Herald photos
Volunteers included, clockwise from upper left, Savitre Ferdinand of Meera Empowerment and LeShawn Walker, founder of You’re Our Unity, Joan Jennings, volunteer with You’re Our Unity, and Jordan Jennings volunteer for You’re Our Unity.
The annual prom giveaway is fueled by donations from the community, supporting the joint efforts of You’re Our Unity and Meera Empowerment to host the event each year.
Le’shawn Walker, founder of You’re Our Unity, is pictured at left, and Jayden Francisco, at right, holds up a suit as a possible option for his prom this year. The initiatives of You’re Our Unity and Meera Empowerment aim to help high school students find suits and dresses that match their desired style.
Queens women arrested for offering illegal services out of Dream Spa in Valley Stream
Two Queens women were arrested for an incident that occurred on May 5 at 4:10 p.m. in Valley Stream.
According to Detectives, an undercover investigation was conducted at Dream Spa, 230 West Merrick Rd. During the investigation, it was determined that spa employees were offering illegal services. Qingyun Luo, 46, of Flushing, and Jiewen Wang, 32, of Oakland Gardens, were placed under arrest without further incident.
Luo is charged with unauthorized practice of a profession and prostitution and was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings. Wang is charged with unauthorized practice of a profession and prostitution and was issued an appearance ticket to First District Court returnable on May 22.
— Angelina Zingariello
Avoiding Guardianship in New York
For the ever-increasing number of those who become legally incapacitated later in life (i.e. unable to handle their legal and financial affairs) having a legal guardian appointed looms as a distinct possibility.
A guardianship proceeding may be commenced by a hospital, nursing home, assisted living residence, family member or a professional involved in the affairs of the “alleged incapacitated person” or “AIP”. These proceedings arise for various reasons such as the facility looking to secure payment or a family member or professional finding that the AIP is either not handling their affairs well or is being taken advantage of financially.
Once the proceeding is commenced a vast bureaucratic process begins to unfold. Notice of the proceeding and of the date and location of any hearings are sent to all interested parties, including all immediate family members.
The court appoints a court evaluator to meet with the AIP, determine the nature and extent
of the disability and write a report to the judge. The judge will also appoint a lawyer to represent the AIP in the proceeding and sometimes adult children will want their own lawyers to represent their interests.
The judge decides on who the legal guardian will be and it often ends up being a stranger to the family. Some judges feel that the AIP’s children should not be guardian due to a conflict – that whatever they spend on the AIP is coming out of their inheritance. Other reasons for not choosing one of the AIP’s adult children are sibling rivalry or inability to handle the responsibility.
Guardianship proceedings are expensive, time-consuming and highly stressful to all involved, including the AIP. Trusts avoid guardianship by providing privately who will handle your legal and financial affairs should you become legally incapacitated. Having a trust means you will have those in charge who you know and trust instead of the possibility of a court
Queens woman arrested for leaving children unattended in Valley Stream parking lot
A Queens woman was arrested for an incident that occurred May 8 at 8:58 p.m. in Valley Stream.
According to police, officers responded to the Walmart parking lot at 77 Green Acres Rd. for a report of children left unattended in a vehicle. After an investigation at the scene, it was found that Karlesca Quintero Solorzano, 31, of Flushing, left her two children alone in a vehicle and went
inside the Walmart. Quintero Solorzano was placed under arrest without incident. The victims, an 8-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl, were unharmed and released to a family member.
Quintero Solorzano is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Her next court appearance is May 20.
— Angelina Zingariello
People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.
■ PUBlIC NOTICES: Ext. 232 E-mail: legalnotices@liherald.com
Qingyun Luo Jiewen w ang
spotlight athlete
rOccO SpaLLINa MASSAPEQUA Junior LACROSSE
A UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA commit, Spallina is Nassau County’s leader in goals with 60 after scoring 52 as a sophmore in 2025 for the Class A champion. He’s scored at least four goals in nine games this spring including seven apiece against both Wantagh and Long Beach. He also has 19 assists.
eVeNts to watch
Monday, May 18
Boys/Girls Track & Field: Class AA championships at Roslyn High School 3 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20
Boys/Girls Track & Field: Class AAA championships at Westbury High School 3 p.m.
Thursday, May 21
Boys/Girls Track & Field: Class A championships at North Shore High School 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 23
Flag Football: Class A/B/C finals at LIU TBA
Wednesday, May 27
Girls Lacrosse: Class A/B finals at Adelphi TBA
Thursday, May 28
Girls Lacrosse: Class C/D finals at Adelphi TBA
Monday, June 1
Boys Lacrosse: Class B final at Hofstra 5:30 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse: Class C final at Hofstra 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 2
Boys Lacrosse: Class D final at Hofstra 5:30 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse: Class A final at Hofstra 7:30 p.m.
Nominate a “Spotlight athlete”
High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a spring sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.
HERALD SPORTS
VSS nets conference tennis title
By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com
It wasn’t long ago when opponents were happy to see Valley Stream South boys tennis on its schedule.
Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the Falcons won just one of 28 matches. But a move to Conference 4 last spring, coupled with the leadership of Markus Kreuzer and addition of talented youngster Andre Rubio, the program got on the map with a 10-6 record.
“Winning one match in two years wasn’t great for morale or recruiting kids to play,” coach Dave Richman said. “The most important thing was to give the team a better chance at being competitive, so we moved to Conference 4.”
This year, the Falcons proved a bit more than just competitive. They captured the conference championship in undefeated fashion with a 14-0 mark. It’s the program’s first conference title since 2010.
“We brought back almost everyone from last year and used the same lineup throughout this entire season,” said Richman, in his fifth year as VSS coach. “Winning 10 matches created a different atmosphere and it gave the kids a real desire to be successful. I’m really proud of these guys.”
Kreuzer, a senior who played third singles, showed up last spring with a focus Richman never saw before, he said. “Markus became a real leader and wanted not only himself but most importantly for the team to succeed,” Richman noted. “His
skill got incredibly better. He has the ability to wear opponents down.”
Kreuzer went 10-1 and served as a captain along with No. 2 singles player Leo
Rodriguez, a junior who also plays volleyball. Rodriguez (10-2) played second singles last season and will be the leader going forward.
“We’re losing about half
of the starting lineup to graduation,” Richman said. “Leo will definitely be ready to take over the leadership role. He’s a highly competitive and consistent athlete.”
Rubio provided a jolt to the lineup a year ago and helped get the Falcons flying in the right direction. He played third singles and rose to the top spot this spring, going undefeated in 12 matches.
“It’s wonderful to have a player of his talent level,” Richman said. “Andre is still growing physically but he’s hitting the ball with much more velocity than last year. He plays tennis year-round and has a tremendous understanding of the sport.”
But a team can’t win matches based on singles courts alone and the Falcons had steady contributions at doubles, starting at the top with senior Arsh Sondhi and junior Calvin Lee. It was their second season as the top duo. Sondri also moved up to fill in during a few singles matches, Richman said. At second doubles was another familiar tandem with seniors Nicholas Rizzuto and Nathan Patangan pairing up for a second straight year.
“Those two doubles teams were a big part of our turnaround,” Richman said.
Senior Vijah Singh and freshman Ezeki Mitchel thrived at third doubles, while senior Jesse Sherack and junior Spencer Kaplan got the job done at fourth doubles.
“We didn’t have the mindset of ‘this is our year,’” Richman said. “But we’re glad it turned out that way.”
Sue Grieco/Herald
Senior Markus Kreuzer went 10-2 at second singles and helped the Falcons to their first conference title since 2010.
Village celebrates Arbor Day with tree planting
Valley Stream scouts and community leaders commemorated Arbor Day by planting a young tree in front of the newly renovated Nassau County Police Booth on West Merrick Road.
Children representing several scouting groups in Valley Stream participated in the planting and were assisted by Village Arborist Eugene Boening, who selected an Eastern Red Bud sapling, a species native to the region.
“Scouting is a great outlet for youngsters to thrive and grow, just as this beautiful tree they have planted today,” Cub Pack 367 Leader Carlos Caban said. “We are proud that they have embraced the spirit of environmental health and are eager learners. We are grateful to Mr. Boening, scout leaders Kathy and Judge Robert Bogle, and the Village officials who foster these important lessons for tomorrow’s environmental stewards.”
The tree is expected to grow to about 20 feet over the next several years and will further enhance the recently refreshed landscaping at the police booth.
— Angelina Zingariello
Photos courtesy Village of Valley Stream
Valley Stream scouts and community leaders commemorated Arbor Day by planting a young Eastern Red Bud in front of the newly renovated Nassau County Police Booth on West Merrick Road.
Children from several scouting groups participated in the tree-planting.
Focus is on teamwork and community service
and that was so sentimental,” Brower said. “It was the reason I decided to kind of go into the healthcare field.”
Nursing also became familiar through his mother, who worked in pediatrics.
A Rockville Centre native, Brower attended the University of Alabama, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in public health in December 2019. While there, he volunteered at Glen Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center in Northport and at Hospice of West Alabama.
After returning home, Brower still planned to pursue nursing. In April 2020, he joined LIJ Valley Stream as a critical care patient care associate, working in the intensive care unit while attending nursing school at Long Island University, Brooklyn.
“During the pandemic, because people couldn’t have visitors, nursing was that human connection and at the end of the day, nursing is about people,” Brower said. “It’s holding someone’s hand when they’re scared, explaining things in a way to that families understand on the phone, being able to have a patient FaceTime their family and really like making people feel seen in that time, and not just like treated as a patient, because how difficult of a timeframe that was.”
Brower graduated from LIU Brooklyn in August 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and was accepted into LIJ Valley Stream’s critical care fellowship program, a highly competitive specialty training program for nurses entering critical care.
Isabel Law, director of patient care services at LIJ Valley Stream, said Brower stood out early in his career for his willingness to help others and his ability to work collaboratively across departments.
“He has a positive outlook when things get rough,” Law said. “Nursing can be rough when we have diffi-
cult situations; we have critical care patients, and he’s the first one to jump in. It doesn’t matter where he is or what the patient is, he goes and helps out. He’s always had that willing spirit to help. And he makes people feel comfortable, which is something we admire.”
Law said Brower consistently received positive feedback while working throughout the hospital as a patient care associate and later excelled during the critical care fellowship. She said nurses and staff members viewed him as dependable, flexible and eager to support patients and colleagues regardless of the situation.
Earlier this year, Brower was promoted to assistant
nurse manager in critical care, a leadership position in which he oversees telemetry services and supports nursing teams and supervisors within the unit.
Brower said the transition from bedside nursing into leadership has broadened his understanding of how hospitals operate behind the scenes, including staffing coordination and patient movement throughout the facility. He said the experience has strengthened his appreciation for teamwork among nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, patient care associates and environmental staff.
He described hospitals as systems built on constant collaboration, where every role contributes to patient care and safety.
Outside of the hospital, Brower has continued his commitment to service through community volunteer efforts.
Last year, after Labor Day, he organized a beach cleanup in Long Beach, near Edwards Boulevard, choosing the location for its accessibility and heavy foot traffic near the train station and beach entrance.
The event encouraged volunteers to help remove litter from the shoreline and surrounding areas while promoting environmental awareness among beachgoers. Brower said he plans to continue the cleanup initiative again this year.
“Every time we get a nurse spearheading something like that and get all the nurses involved, it’s inspirational,” Law said. “Some of those people who go to the beach are some of our patients, but just to have our name out there, and make sure that people know who we are, is very powerful, and it’s very impactful in a positive way.”
For Brower, nursing remains more than a profession. He described it as both a responsibility and a privilege to care for patients in difficult times.
Courtesy Brandon Brower
hospital, Brandon Brower, center, has worked to strengthen ties with communities through a cleanup initiative he launched in Long Beach last year.
Funding will support shoreline stabilization
erty. In some areas behind the athletic track, the creek had advanced to within 10 feet of the fencing near the scoreboard, raising concerns about future damage to athletic facilities if conditions worsen.
“It’s a very slow erosion process,” Loper said. “It’s because it’s not a very busy waterway, the canal. However, anytime there’s a big storm, that’s really the danger, especially if there is ever any real nor’easter or anything.”
He identified Superstorm Sandy as a major factor in the loss of land behind the school.
Portions of the property that once lay between the creek and the school infrastructure have steadily disappeared. Loper said areas that had significant buffer space are reduced to almost nothing in some locations.
To combat the erosion, the district developed a stream bank reconstruction plan that involves reinforcing the shoreline with stone along the embankment. The work will include filling in eroded areas and installing protective rock barriers designed to absorb rushing water and prevent additional soil loss.
line enough to safely move forward with rebuilding the maintenance garage and protecting nearby facilities.
The district estimates the overall project will cost approximately $2.5 million. The newly secured federal funding will cover part of the cost, while the district plans to use reserve funds it had already set aside for the repairs.
“I was shocked to see how close the stream is to the perimeter of the school property and that the school has installed pylons to block off corners of the campus because the ground was sinking into the water,” Gillen said. “It demonstrated how quickly this erosion could spread to the track and football facilities and why the project cannot be delayed.”
Gillen also emphasized that the campus facilities are community assets used beyond the school day for athletics and local events, making the stabilization project important not only for students and staff but for the Valley Stream community.
rep. Laura gillen, center, joined Valley Stream district officials at South High School, where erosion along Valley Stream Creek has raised concerns about the stability of nearby athletic facilities and
property.
and permitting with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and other agencies. The district must also receive approval from the State Education Department before the project can be put out to bid. Loper said officials hope to complete the permitting process by the summer and begin construction as soon as possible. Continued from page 1
Loper compared the stabilization method of rock barriers is commonly used along coastlines and waterways to slow erosion. The goal, he said, is to stop the creek from cutting farther into school property and stabilize the shore-
The congresswoman secured the funding through the Economic Development Initiative program within the Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the FY26 appropriations process. Gillen said her office worked with school district leaders throughout the application process and helped build bipartisan support for the proposal.
Support for the project came from
leaders across party lines, including Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and the Valley Stream school board. Although the funding has been secured, construction cannot begin until the district receives several regulatory approvals. Because the project involves work along a waterway, plans must undergo environmental review
Courtesy office of Rep. Laura Gillen
HERALD LittLe League
Little League’s Opening Day was a home run
Despite cloudy skies on May 2, families, players and volunteers gathered for Valley Stream Little League’s Opening Day, celebrating the start of the organization’s 68th season.
The annual tradition welcomed children of all ages back to the field as the community came together to begin another baseball and softball season in the village.
From tee-ball to the older divisions, Opening Day reflected the volunteer spirit and sense of community that continue to define the league.
–Angelina Zingariello
Melissa Baptiste/Herald photos Team Manager Allan Santiago, Coach Alexander Santos and Assistant Coach Anthony Jiordano guided the Farm Division Red Team for ages seven through eight.
A Valley Stream Little League batter took a big swing to kick off the new season.
Players took their positions as the new Little League season officially began.
Players enjoyed a quick snack break.
A catcher geared up and waited for the next play.
A player shared a moment before taking the field.
Players enthusiastically await a pass to prevent the opposing team from scoring.
Mental health on Long Island
By Christy Hinko
Mental health needs across Long Island are rising, even as awareness and resources continue to expand. From Nassau to Su olk counties, providers, educators and advocates say the region is facing a complex moment: more people are seeking help, but barriers to access—including wait times, stigma and workforce shortages—remain significant.
“We’re still in a crisis,” said Liz Hildebrandt, executive director of NAMI Queens/Nassau. “The needs are high and people are still desperate to find care. There are long wait times for appointments, especially in the private sector.”
At the same time, Hildebrandt points to a shift that is both encouraging and urgent. “The rate of death by drug overdoses in Nassau County may be down, but behind the scenes, the state of mental health is in disarray,” she said. “Suicide rates are still very high and we’re seeing increases among young people.”
“
WLong Island’s network of nonprofit providers continues to play a critical role. Organizations such as Family & Children’s Association, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center and CN Guidance & Counseling Services o er more immediate access to care than many private practices.
“Our local nonprofits can see people, and they provide excellent care,” Hildebrandt said. “We can’t ignore them. They are essential, especially for families who need help now.”
Access to crisis care has also improved in Nassau County with the addition of a 24/7 behavioral health crisis center in Hicksville, o ering an alternative to emergency rooms for individuals in acute distress. Still, the system faces capacity challenges, particularly when it comes to inpatient psychiatric beds.
e’re still in a crisis,” said Liz Hildebrandt, executive director of NAMI Queens/ Nassau. “The needs are high and people are still desperate to find care. There are long wait times for appointments, especially in the private sector.”
Youth mental health has become a central concern. Anxiety and depression are rising, and many experts point to a combination of social, environmental and behavioral factors.
A system under strain, a community responding
“The conversations with our youth show increased anxiety and depression,” Hildebrandt said. “Social media isolation is a big part of that. It’s not just how much time they’re spending online—it’s what they’re doing and whether they’re still connecting with people in real life.”
Substance use, particularly among teens, is another emerging factor. “There’s growing concern around THC use and vaping, which may be contributing to increased paranoia and psychosis,” she said. “That’s a serious issue when we talk about long-term mental health outcomes.”
Despite these challenges,
“There’s still a very limited number of beds available if someone needs to be hospitalized,” Hildebrandt said. “That’s an area where increased funding is critical.”
At the state level, recent policy changes have expanded the criteria for psychiatric intervention, allowing providers to consider a person’s overall ability to care for themselves—not just whether they pose an immediate danger. Hildebrandt called the shift “a really important step,” though she noted that public awareness of such changes remains low.
Education and outreach are also evolving. NAMI has seen increased interest from schools in bringing mental health programming directly to students.
“More schools are recognizing that students need more than just academic support,” she said. “They need real mental health education— understanding anxiety, learning coping skills and knowing when to ask for help.”
At Molloy University, faculty members are seeing the impact of the mental health crisis from another angle: the growing need for trained professionals.
Why Women Should Not Ignore Hearing Loss This May
May is a reminder that women’s health goes far beyond annual checkups, diet, or exercise. It’s about protecting long-term function, independence, confidence, and brain health.
May is both Women’s Health Month and Better Hearing Month, a national awareness effort encouraging people to take hearing and communication seriously. Today, research shows hearing loss is not just an ear issue—it is a brain health issue and one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline.
For many women, hearing loss begins subtly. It may look like difficulty following conversations in noisy settings, feeling drained after social events, asking others to repeat themselves, or noticing ringing or buzzing in the ears. These signs are often dismissed as stress, aging, or others “mumbling.” But untreated hearing loss and tinnitus should not be ignored.
When hearing declines, the brain works harder to process sound. This added strain can affect memory, attention, and mental energy. Over time, it has been linked to cognitive decline, social withdrawal, loneliness, and depression. For women—often the communicators and caregivers in families—this loss of connection can impact every aspect of life. The good news is that hearing
loss and tinnitus are treatable. Early treatment can help restore clarity, reduce cognitive strain, and improve quality of life. Women who address hearing concerns often feel more confident, connected, and present in daily life.
Research continues to show that treating hearing loss may help reduce the risk of dementia and slow cognitive decline.
This May, add hearing to your
health checklist. If you’re noticin changes, don’t ignore them or assume they’re a normal part of aging. Take action. Protecting your hearing means protecting your brain, your relationships, and yo future.
Call (516) 212-0691 to request a copy of Preventing Decline, ask your questions, or schedule an appointment with Hearing and Brain Centers.
Better Hearing Month
Herald Content Studio articles are produced by the Herald's marketing division and independent of the newsroom. The Herald may be compensated by
which does not constitute the Herald's endorsement.
Managing the risks of excessive social media use
Numerous studies show that screen time— whether on cell phones, tablets, computers, or TVs—is interfering with children’s sleep, physical activity, hobbies, behavioral health, and academic achievement.
Many parents, however, are underestimating or unaware of the harmful impact that excessive social media use may have or is having on their children, according to the results of a recent Mount Sinai South Nassau Truth in Medicine poll.
A study of U.S. children ages 12-15, referenced in the 2023 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory “Social Media and Youth Mental Health,” found that teens who spent more than three hours per day on social media faced double the risk of poor mental health, including depression and anxiety. The advisory also pointed out that when 13-17-year-olds were asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46 percent said social media makes them feel worse, 40 percent said it makes them feel neither better nor worse, and only 14 percent said it makes them feel better.
So what is a parent to do?
Lincoln Ferguson, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at Mount Sinai South Nassau, says a family media plan is an effective way to help parents and children manage time on mobile devices (and computers) for social media, gaming, and entertainment. Based on recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Ferguson believes the plan should include:
• One hour daily of physical activity
• 8-12 hours of sleep, depending on age
• A ban on use of devices or screens one hour before bedtime
• Media-free homework time, family time (such as dinner, family outings, and other activities), and locations in the home (including the kitchen, dining room, and/or bedrooms)
Many Long Island children are spending considerably more time with their screens than recommended.
Limiting screen time and ensuring your children are getting at least one hour of daily physical activity is vital to promote better health.
The Mount Sinai South Nassau Truth in Medicine Poll released in September 2024 asked 600 parents from New York and Long Island to estimate the amount of time per day their children use social media apps. In response, 27 percent said their children spend up to two hours per day, 34 percent said they spend between three and four hours, 16 percent said five or more hours, and 23 percent said they were not sure.
As part of the fiscal year 2026 State Budget, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation that announced and enacted on May 9, 2025, a statewide, “bell-to-bell” smartphone restriction in schools to reduce distractions and improve students’ mental health. Many school leaders are reporting positive results from the restriction.
Concern about overuse of social media is not limited to children. Nearly a third of area residents agree that they also spend too much time on social media or their cell phones, according to the Truth in Medicine poll. Some 16 percent of adults admit that they may be addicted to their cell phones, although most do not believe it is harming their relationships.
Residents concerned about mental health issues can turn to several resources, including Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Mental Health Counseling Center in Baldwin, as well as its Center for Primary and Behavioral Healthcare in Hempstead. Both Nassau and Suffolk counties also provide mobile crisis teams. Call 516-227-TALK (227-8255) for the Nassau County Mobile Crisis Team, which operates seven days a week, from 10 am to 11 pm. The Suffolk County Mobile Crisis Team phone number is 631-952-3333 for adults 18 and older; 631-3701701 for those under 18. For more information or a physician referral, call (516) 632-3000 or visit mountsinai.org/southnassau.
And the Experts Agree
At Mount Sinai South Nassau, patient safety isn’t just a priority— it’s a standard, one we work on every day. And the experts agree.
We’ve earned national recognition for patient safety, including an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group and the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award.
That means better outcomes for our patients with lower risk of infections or hospital acquired conditions.
When it comes to your health, nothing matters more than knowing you’re in a place where patient safety matters most.
Learn more at mountsinai.org/southnassau
“Mental health is health. Without mental health, everything else really doesn’t work,” said Joseph Amnawah, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and assistant professor. “There isn’t a meaningful separation between the mind and body.”
Amnawah said awareness is improving, particularly among younger generations.
“We’re seeing increased awareness, which is a positive shift,” he said. “More people are recognizing the need for care for conditions like anxiety, depression and ADHD, but many of these still go untreated for long periods of time.”
Stigma remains a major barrier.
“If someone has diabetes or high blood pressure, they don’t hesitate to seek treatment,” Amnawah said. “But with mental health, there’s still this perception that it’s a personal failing and that prevents people from getting help.”
Breaking that stigma, he said, requires visibility and education.
“More community outreach, more public awareness—those are key,” he said. “Even seeing things like 988 crisis line ads in public spaces is a step in the right direction.”
The demand for providers is also shaping the next generation
Mental health is health; barriers remain significant
of healthcare workers. At Molloy, Amnawah said students are entering psychiatric programs from a wide range of medical backgrounds.
“We’re seeing people from ICU, ER, pediatrics, oncology—all different specialties,” he said. “What they have in common is that they’ve seen the unmet need for mental health care in the populations they serve.”
Many students bring personal connections to the field as well.
“People are going into this because they want to make a difference,” Amnawah said. “They’ve seen how mental health affects individuals and families and they want to be part of the solution.”
Keep a Consistent Routine
Your brain likes predictability. Waking up, eating, and going to sleep at roughly the same time helps stabilize mood and energy levels.
Move
YouR BodY dailY
You don’t need a full workout—just 20–30 minutes of walking, stretching, or light exercise can reduce stress and improve mood by boosting endorphins.
liMit infoRMation oveRload
Constant news and social media can spike anxiety. Set boundaries—check in once or twice a day instead of constantly scrolling.
Get QualitY sleep
Aim for 7–9 hours. Poor sleep directly impacts mood, focus, and stress tolerance. A simple rule: no screens 30–60 minutes before bed.
staY ConneCted
For residents navigating the system, both Hildebrandt and Amnawah emphasize the importance of reaching out— whether through nonprofits, crisis centers or educational programs.
“People should know that help is available,” Hildebrandt said. “If you call these organizations, you will get care. You will get support.”
As Long Island continues to confront growing mental health needs, the path forward appears to depend on a combination of expanded access, sustained funding and continued efforts to normalize the conversation around mental wellbeing.
Even brief conversations with friends, family, or coworkers can improve mental health. Isolation tends to amplify stress.
pRaCtiCe “Mental offloadinG”
Write things down—tasks, worries, ideas. Getting them out of your head reduces overwhelm and helps you focus.
Be RealistiC With YouR WoRKload
Not everything is urgent. Prioritize what truly matters and push back when needed. Constant overload leads straight to burnout.
Photo by Marcel Straub
Brain boost Simple, smart habits for better mental health
By Christy Hinko
Improving mental health doesn’t require a full reset. Small, consistent changes in how you eat, move and manage your day can have a real impact on mood, focus and resilience.
Eat with your brain in mind
Nutrition plays a direct role in mental well-being. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats are linked to better mood and cognitive function. Antioxidant-rich foods like berries help protect brain cells, while leafy greens provide folate, a B vitamin tied to mood regulation. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish support brain health. Try to limit ultra-processed foods, which are associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression.
Keep your energy steady
Blood sugar swings can affect how you feel. Meals that include protein, fiber and healthy fats help maintain stable energy and prevent irritability and fatigue. Skipping meals or relying on sugary snacks often leads to crashes that impact focus.
Move regularly
Exercise is a proven mood booster. Physical activity releases endorphins and reduces stress hormones. You don’t need a gym— walking, stretching or biking for even 20 minutes can improve your outlook.
Prioritize sleep
Sleep is essential for emotional balance and mental clarity. Aim for seven to nine hours per night and stick to a consistent schedule. Reducing screen time before bed and limiting late-day caffeine can help improve sleep quality.
Get outside
Exposure to natural light
supports your body’s internal clock and helps regulate mood-related chemicals like serotonin. Even a few minutes outdoors each day can make a difference.
Stay hydrated
Dehydration can lead to fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Drinking enough water throughout the day supports overall brain function.
Reduce mental clutter
Constant notifications and screen time can overwhelm the brain. Build in quiet moments—turn off alerts, step away from devices or take a few minutes to reset without distractions.
Stay connected
Strong social ties support mental health. Regular interaction with friends or family—even brief checkins—can reduce feelings of isolation and improve mood.
Practice mindfulness
You don’t need long meditation sessions. Simple habits like focusing on your breathing or slowing down during daily activities can help manage stress and improve emotional control.
Be realistic—and flexible
Mental health isn’t about perfection. Set manageable goals, pace yourself and allow time to rest. Avoid overloading your schedule.
Know when to get help
If stress, anxiety or depression become overwhelming, professional support can make a difference. Seeking help is a practical step toward better mental health.
Small habits, practiced consistently, can build a stronger, healthier mind over time.
Photo by Amauri Mejia Photo: Yoga is a great exercise to practice mindfulness.
Mental health resources: where to turn on Long Island
By Christy Hinko
From crisis hotlines to longterm counseling and peer support, Long Island o ers a wide network of nonprofit mental health services. Whether you’re seeking immediate help or ongoing care, these organizations provide accessible, often low-cost or free support across Nassau and Su olk counties, as well as nearby Queens.
Nassau County
NAMI Queens/Nassau
A leading grassroots organization
offering free peer-led support groups, education programs and advocacy for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Services are available both in person and online.
Contact: (516) 326-0797 or (718) 347-7284
Helpline: 800-950-NAMI (6264)
Local crisis lines: Nassau: (516) 227-8255
NAMI provides ongoing support groups and educational resources at no cost.
CN Guidance & Counseling Services
A major behavioral health provider
offering therapy, substance use
treatment, crisis services and care coordination. Operates a 24/7 Community Crisis Center in Hicksville. Contact: (516) 822-6111
CN Guidance serves Long Islanders with comprehensive clinical and support services under one umbrella.
Family & Children’s Association
Provides a wide range of mental health programs for children, adults and seniors, including counseling, recovery services and community outreach.
Address: 377 Oak St., Garden City Contact: (516) 746-0350
Programs include senior mental health care, addiction recovery and family support services.
Mental Health Association of Nassau County
Serving the community since 1953, MHANC offers advocacy, education and direct services to help individuals navigate mental health challenges. Provides wellness programs, training and recovery support.
Su olk County
Association for Mental Health and Wellness
Offers peer support, family services, recovery programs and education across Suffolk County. Known for support
groups and community-based care.
Family Service League
A major regional nonprofit providing mental health counseling, addiction services, housing support and crisis intervention.
Crisis/DASH (Diagnostic, Assessment and Stabilization Hub): (631) 952-3333
Suffolk residents can access 24/7 behavioral health crisis services through DASH.
Queens (NYC-based, serving western Long Island)
NYC Well
A free, confidential mental health support line for New York City residents, including Queens. Call: 1-888-692-9355
Offers phone, text and chat support 24/7
NAMI NYC
Provides education, support groups and advocacy across New York City, complementing services offered by NAMI Queens/Nassau.
Statewide & Crisis Resources
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Dial or text 988 for immediate mental health support anywhere in the U.S. Free, confidential and available 24/7.
New York State Mental Health Hotline Call: 1-844-863-9314
Provides emotional support and referrals across New York State.
How To Use These Resources
Long Island’s mental health network is designed to meet people where they are. Crisis lines offer immediate help, while organizations like NAMI and MHANC focus on peer support and education. Providers such as CN Guidance and the Family & Children’s Association offer more structured clinical care, including therapy and case management.
Many services are free or covered by insurance, and several organizations provide multilingual support and telehealth options. For those unsure where to start, calling a local helpline or visiting a community-based nonprofit can be the first step toward care.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. For urgent emotional support, dialing 988 connects you to trained counselors at any time.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev
Photo: Long Island’s mental health network is designed to meet people where they are.
Your Neighborhood CALENDAR
Family theater
Long Island Children’s Museum stages “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!,” back at the museum by popular demand. With a script written by Mo Willems, the creator of the award-winning “Pigeon” picture books, and featuring music by Deborah Wicks La Puma (Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!), this show is even more fun than staying up late and having a hot dog party! It’s not easy being the Pigeon since you never get to do anything. But when the Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers (gasp!) late, maybe that wily bird can finally do something. Featuring an innovative mix of songs, and feathers, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! is sure to get everyone’s wings flapping. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon.; also May 16, May 20-21
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
MAY
MAY 15 Nature Connects
16
Old Westbury Gardens welcomes internationally acclaimed artist Sean Kenney and his Nature Connects exhibition. Explore 17 larger-than-life sculptures inspired by the wonders of the natural world—each built from over 300,000 LEGO® bricks. Vibrant and imaginative, these creations blend art, science, and nature, offering visitors of all ages a playful new way to experience the gardens. Opens May 16 and is on view through Sept. 7. Tickets required.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: Ongoing
• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048
STEM Explorers: May
Flowers
Flowers are happening at Long Island Children’s Museum. As the weather gets warmer, the world around us starts blooming! Join the Green Teens and learn about the importance of flowers in our natural world.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: Noon-2 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
Kiwanis Car Wash Fundraiser
The Valley Stream Kiwanis Club holds a car wash to raise money for student scholarships. $10 per car, $15 per SUV or truck. MAY
‘Cold Beer on a Saturday Night’
MAY
23
Decoration Day
Step back in time at Old Bethpage Village Restoration during a Decoration Day program honoring those who served. With historical demonstrations, brass band entertainment, ceremony and parade.
• Where: 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage.
• Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m
• Contact: oldbethpagevillagerestoration.org or (516) 572-8409
MAY
25
Village Memorial Day
Parade
The Village of Valley Stream hosts their annual Memorial Day parade. Join in with neighbors and friends.
• Where: Corner of Rockaway Pkwy. & Wheeler Ave.
• Time: 9:30 a.m.
• Contact: (516) 825-4200
MAY
• Time: 8 p.m.
Spring blooms with a taste of summer as Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band bring their “Ultimate Beach Party Tribute” to the Paramount stage, celebrating the music of Kenny Chesney, Jimmy Buffett, and Zac Brown Band. Long Island–based and led by Paul C. Cuthbert (aka Jimmy Kenny) on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, the group also features Linn DeMilta (Lovely Linn) on lead and backing vocals, Luis Rios on guitar, Frank Stainkamp on keyboards, Dan Prine on bass, and Mike Vecchione on drums. Together, they’ve spent more than a decade channeling the laid-back spirit of beach-country favorites across stages throughout the Northeast. With a setlist built for singing along, the band blends crowd-pleasing hits with an easygoing, sun-soaked energy that evokes margaritas, ocean breezes and carefree nights where, as they like to say, it’s always “5 o’clock somewhere.” Fans of Parrotheads, No Shoes Nation and the Zamily alike can expect a lively, feel-good night of music that turns the Paramount into a full-on coastal celebration. Everyone has a great time grooving to their lively mix of their popular sing-along hits and feel good, easy living flair. If you like your toes in the sand, wasting away with a margarita or a cold beer, then you’ll surely have a great time with the Jimmy Kenny Band.
• Where: Hendrickson Park Pool Parking Lot, 123 W. Merrick Road.
• Time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Queen Charlotte’s 282nd Birthday Party
Children are welcome to celebrate Queen Charlotte’s birthday, hosted by the Valley Stream Historical Society by dressing in British period costumes. Scavenger hunts, face painting, arts and crafts and readings.
• Contact: (516) 872-4159 or vshistorical@gmail.com
Busy Bees
We all know that bees are amazing. While we often think of only the honey bee, Long Island’s native mason bee is an impressive little insect. They pollinate 20 times more plants than honey bees, live their life in solitude and are not aggressive. Bring the family to celebrate World Bee Day at Long Island Children’s Museum to learn all about these hard workers and make a bee habitat to welcome them to your garden. For ages 3+.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 1-3 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Long Island Choral Society Spring Concert
The Long Island Choral Society performs a concert of varied delights, including Franz Schubert’s Mass No.2 in G, selections by Haydn, Brahms, Samuel Barber and Randall Thompson, plus some traditional selections celebrating America at 250. Under the baton of Music Director Michael C. Haigler, ensemble is joined by a chamber orchestra and featured soloists Georgia Rehbock, soprano; Christopher Judge, tenor, and Ian Joyal, baritone. Tickets are available at the door. $20 adult, $10, youth.
• Where: Garden City Community Church, 245 Stewart Ave., Garden City
• Time: 4 p.m.
• Contact: lics.org or (516) 652-6878
MAY
Library Board meets
The Henry Waldinger Memorial Library Board of Trustees holds their next meeting. All are welcome to attend. Ring bell at the Children’s Room Entrance for admittance. Send an e-mail to hwmlcontact@ hotmail.com or register for the meeting if you are interested in attending and would like the
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
agenda and documents sent to you via e-mail prior to the meeting.
• Where: 60 Verona Place
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: valleystreamlibrary.org or (516) 825-6422
Bricks & Brews
MAY
21
Old Westbury Gardens hosts an adult-only, brickbuilding experience using official LEGO sets. Begin your evening with a guided tour of Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects an exhibit made with LEGO bricks. After the tour, build your own LEGO Botanical Daisies Kit at the Barn at Orchard Hill while enjoying refreshments. Each guest receives one drink ticket redeemable for a glass of beer or wine, with additional drinks available for purchase onsite. All participants take their LEGO kit home at the end of the program. Arrive 15 minutes early to the Barn at Orchard Hill to check in before the tour. For ages 21+. $50, with member discount. Registration required.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
28
“Something Rotten! The Musical”
See the comedy musical, set in the 1590s, which follows two playwright brothers competing with William Shakespeare as they attempt to create the world’s first musical. From tap dancing eggs to beautiful love stores, this musical really has it all. Songs include “A Musical!,”“It’s Hard to Be the Bard,” and “Welcome to the Renaissance.” The cast is comprised of New York City professionals, including David Hibbard, who was in the original Broadway production, with CAP21 alumni and current students. Performances are scheduled throughout the fourday run.
• Where: Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre
• Time: Varied times, through May 31
• Contact: madisontheatreny. org or (516) 323-4444
Having an event?
Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.
STEPPING OUT
A garden invites children to take part in nurturing life and understanding the outcomes of their choices. When things don’t go as planned, it becomes a valuable space to build resilience, accept outcomes and try again.
Planting seeds of wonder
By Karen Bloom
One of the most meaningful things you can grow in a garden isn’t a flower or a vegetable — it’s a lifelong gardener. With summer on the horizon, outdoor spaces begin to feel like an extension of home, creating a natural setting for families to connect, explore and unwind.
For children, the benefits of gardening go far beyond getting a little dirt under their nails. A growing body of research links hands-on gardening to improved physical health, emotional well-being and even stronger academic performance. Add in the value of family time, and it’s easy to see why more parents and grandparents are heading outside together.
Let curiosity lead
The key to success? A little flexibility — and a lot of patience.
When gardening with kids, be prepared to pivot. Adults may focus on neat rows and finished results, but children are often drawn to discovery. That carefully planned planting activity might pause for a closer look at a grasshopper or a worm—and that’s okay. Lean into their curiosity. Use those moments as opportunities to teach, connect and nurture a sense of wonder.
At its core, gardening with children is about building positive associations. If they leave the garden feeling curious, happy and engaged, you’ve done it right — and they’ll be eager to return.
America
Following a sold-out run of shows for their 55th anniversary, America is on the road again. Known for their timeless tunes, the Grammy-winning band draws on their deep catalog of hits, including their signature song, “Horse With No Name,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. America — Gerry Buckley and Dewey Bunnell — met in while attending school in London, along with Dan Peek, while their Air Force fathers were stationed there. The band is also the subject of a new documentary, “I Need You: 53 Years Of The Band America,” which takes audiences backstage as Beckley and Bunnell privately say goodbye to a lifetime together on the road. Beckley remains an active band member but retired from touring in 2024, while America continues to tour with Bunnell at the helm. America’s audiences continue to grow, bearing testament to their enduring appeal.
Friday, May 15, 8 p.m. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
Life lessons in the garden
Dig, plant, repeat
Giving kids a say in what they grow can also make a big difference. While it helps to include a few easy, reliable plants, don’t shy away from their creative choices. Whether it’s beets, roses or bright petunias, that sense of ownership encourages them to stay involved. And remember, gardening doesn’t require a large backyard — containers on a porch, balcony or windowsill can be just as rewarding.
It’s also important to choose projects that fit your family’s lifestyle. Consider your children’s ages and abilities, along with your time, space and budget. Setting realistic expectations helps ensure the experience remains enjoyable rather than overwhelming.
And don’t underestimate the simple joy of digging. For many kids, that’s the highlight. Designating a small “dig zone” in the garden allows them to explore freely — searching for worms, examining soil and engaging their senses — while protecting more delicate plantings.
Many hands, one garden
Creating a welcoming, joyful environment is essential. Early, positive experiences in nature can foster a lasting sense of responsibility for the world around them. Encourage participation and small responsibilities, but avoid turning gardening into a chore. Let children engage at their own pace, and respect their comfort levels when it comes to touching, tasting or smelling plants.
If you’re gardening with multiple children, think about ways to make the experience inclusive. Collaborative tasks — one child digging, another adding soil, another placing a plant — can keep everyone involved and invested.
Equally valuable is unstructured time. Allow kids to simply be in the garden without a set agenda. Those quiet moments of observation and self-directed play often spark the deepest connections to nature.
Finally, don’t forget to enjoy it yourself. Children take cues from the adults around them, and your enthusiasm can be contagious. When they see your genuine appreciation for gardening, they’re far more likely to develop their own.
Because in the end, the real harvest isn’t just what grows in the soil — it’s the love of nature that grows alongside it.
Wallflowers
The Wallflowers mark the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album “Bringing Down the Horse” on their latest tour, with a special full-album performance at the Paramount, presenting the record in sequence from start to finish. Originally released in 1996, the album became a defining success of the decade, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and going quadruple platinum. It produced a string of major hits, including “6th Avenue Heartache,” “The Difference,” and the Grammy-winning “One Headlight,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of the era’s most recognizable rock singles. Led by songwriter Jakob Dylan, the band draws on classic American rock influences such as The Band and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — a legacy echoed in the tour’s additional tribute segment to Petty, including a full performance of the 1982 album Long After Dark. Saturday, May 16, 7:30 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
things to know About MentAl heAlth AwAreness Month
Breaking the silence on mental health
By ABIGAIL GRIECO
agrieco@liherald.com
May is recognized nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental health conditions, reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek support when they need it. First established in 1949, it has grown into a widespread effort involving schools, workplaces, healthcare providers and communities across the country. In recent years, conversations around mental health have become more open, highlighting how common anxiety, depression and other conditions are and how important it is to treat mental health with the same seriousness as physical health.
n
Mental health conditions are far more common than people realize
Mental health conditions affect millions of people each year in the United States. About one in five adults experiences a mental illness annually, ranging from anxiety and depression to more complex conditions like bipolar disorder. Many more people experience stress, grief or emotional challenges that may not meet clinical definitions but still significantly impact daily life. Despite how common these struggles are, stigma often keeps people from talking about them openly or seeking help. Mental Health Awareness Month helps normalize these conversations and reminds people that they are not alone. Mental health challenges are a part of the human experience — not a personal failure — and support is widely needed and shared.
n Early help and treatment are highly effective
Getting support early can make a major difference in managing mental health conditions. Treatments such as therapy, counseling and medication are effective for many people, especially when started early. Support can also come from school counselors, community programs or workplace resources. In recent years, telehealth has made it easier for people to access care from home, helping reduce barriers like transportation or scheduling. The month also emphasizes the importance of everyday coping strategies, such as exercise, sleep, mindfulness and social connection. While these do not replace clinical treatment when needed, they can support overall well-being and resilience. The key message is simple: no one has to wait until they are in crisis to seek help.
n Stigma still prevents many from speaking up
Stigma remains one of the biggest obstacles to mental health care. Many people still hesitate to talk about what they are experiencing because they fear being misunderstood, judged or labeled. This can delay treatment and make symptoms worse overtime. Simple actions — like listening without judgment, using respectful language and sharing accurate information — helps create a safer environment for discussion. Stigma reduction is not only about awareness but also about action, like supporting policies that improve access to care, encouraging mental health days in schools and workplaces and making resources visible and easy to find. Small, everyday efforts can help create a culture where mental health is treated with the same openness and care as physical health.
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET
VOTE AND ELECTION
VALLEY STREAM UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT THIRTEEN, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing of the qualified voters of the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, will be held at the James A. Dever School in said District on May 6, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. prevailing time, for the transaction of such business as is authorized by the New York State Education Law, including the following items.
1. Presentation of the budget document.
2. To discuss all of the items herein set forth, to be voted upon by voting machine, at the election to be held on May 19, 2026. as hereinafter set forth.
3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that said vote and election will be held on May 19, 2026, at 6:00 a.m., prevailing time, in the school buildings located in such districts as enumerated below:
District No. 1: Wheeler Avenue School 1 Wheeler Ave W Valley Stream, NY 11580
District No. 2: James A. Dever School 585 Corona Ave, Valley Stream, NY 11580
District No. 3: Howell Road School 1475 Howell Rd Valley Stream, NY 11580
District No. 4: Willow Road School 880 Catalpa Dr Franklin Square, NY 11010
at which time the polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, to vote by voting machines upon the following items:
1. To adopt the annual budget of the School District for the fiscal year 2026-2027 and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property
of the District.
2. SHALL the Board of Education of the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen be authorized to expend from the Capital Reserve Fund which was established on May 15, 2018, for the following capital improvement project of improving the playground and baseball field at James A. Dever Elementary School, the Upper Grade playground at Howell Road School, exterior doors District wide, other improvements, additions, renovations and other work required in connection therewith; and to expend from the Capital Reserve Fund therefor, including preliminary costs and costs incidental thereto an amount not to exceed the estimated total cost of $700,000.
3. SHALL the proposed budget of expenditures of Valley Stream Central High School District, Nassau County, New York for the year 2026-2027 be approved in the amount of $173,600,882 and that the sum be raised through a levy upon the taxable property in the Valley Stream Central High School District, after first deducting the monies from state aid and other sources, as provided by law.
4. SHALL the Board of Education be authorized to establish a Capital Reserve Fund for the purpose of financing capital improvements to District facilities and sites, including but not limited to additions, reconstruction, renovation, rehabilitation, expansion and equipping of District buildings and grounds; site work and improvements; parking areas and paving; sidewalks and curbing; drainage and utility infrastructure; ADA features; auditoriums; ceilings; computer and technology systems; data and communication networks; doors; mechanical, electrical, plumbing and sanitary systems; energy management and conservation systems; exterior and interior lighting; fencing; flooring; fire safety and suppression systems; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; gymnasiums; masonry; roofs; security systems; toilet rooms; walls; windows;
furnishings and equipment permanently affixed to buildings, and similar projects together with architectural, engineering and other incidental costs related thereto; with the ultimate amount of such Capital Reserve Fund to be $15,000,000, plus accumulated interest, and with a term of fifteen (15) years, to be funded by transfers of unappropriated fund balance from the District’s general fund and interest earned thereon.
5. To elect members of the Board of Education as follows:
“ To elect one (1) member of the Board of Education for a three (3) year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed Gerardo Cavaliere, whose term expires on June 30, 2026.
“ To elect one (1) member of the Board of Education for a three (3) year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed Patricia Farrell, whose term expires on June 30, 2026.
“ To elect one (1) member of the Board of Education for a three (3) year term commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring on June 30, 2029, to succeed Anthony Grosso, whose term expires on June 30, 2026.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that petitions nominating candidates for the office of Member of the Board of Education of the Valley Stream Union Free School District shall be filed with the District Clerk of said School District at the District Clerk’s office, 585 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, New York not later than April 20, 2026, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., prevailing time. All nominating petitions must be signed by 31 qualified voters of the District (representing the greater of 25 or 2% of the number of voters who voted in the previous annual election); must state the name and residence of each signer, and must state the name and residence of the candidate. Each petition shall be directed to the District Clerk and shall describe the specific vacancy for which the candidate is nominated.
Each vacancy upon the Board of Education to be filled shall be considered a separate specific vacancy.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that personal registration of voters is required either pursuant to New York Education Law §2014 or pursuant to Article 5 of the New York State Election Law. If a voter has heretofore registered pursuant to New York Education Law §2014 and has voted at any annual or special district meeting within the past four (4) calendar years, such voter is eligible to vote at this election; if a voter is registered and eligible to vote pursuant to Article 5 of the New York State Election Law, such voter is also eligible to vote at this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register. Voters may register on any school day prior to May 12, 2026, at the James A. Dever School, Howell Road School, Wheeler Avenue School and Willow Road School, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., prevailing time, to add any additional names to the registers to be used at the aforesaid election, and the Board of Registration will meet for the purposes of registering all qualified voters of the District at the James A. Dever School, Howell Road School, Wheeler Avenue School and Willow Road School, on May 12, 2026, between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, to add any additional names to the Register to be used at the aforesaid election, at which time any person will be entitled to have her or his name placed on such registers provided that at the meeting of the Board of Registration he or she is known, or proven to the satisfaction of the Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such public hearing or election for which such registers are prepared, and that the registers so prepared pursuant to New York Education Law §2014 and the registration list prepared by the Board of Elections of Nassau County will be filed in the Office of the District Clerk of the School District, 585 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, New York, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District on weekdays
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., prevailing time, on and after May 12, 2026, and Saturday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., except Sunday;
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to New York Education Law §2014, the Board of Registration shall meet on May 19, 2026, at the James A. Dever School, Howell Road School, Wheeler Avenue School and Willow Road School between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, to prepare the Register of the School District to be used at the annual meeting and election that is to be held in 2027, and any special meeting that may be held after the preparation of said Register, at which time any person will be entitled to have her or his name placed on such Register, provided that at such meeting of the Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of such Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at the school meeting or election for which such Register is prepared.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that qualified voters with disabilities who seek information about access to polling places may, in advance of the day of the vote, contact the District Clerk at (516) 568-6110 for information about accessibility.
Wheeler Avenue School 1 Wheeler Ave W Valley Stream, NY 11580
James A. Dever School 585 Corona Ave, Valley Stream, NY 11580
Howell Road School 1475 Howell Rd Valley Stream, NY 11580
Willow Road School 880 Catalpa Dr Franklin Square, NY 11010
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Real Property Tax Law Section 495, the School District is required to attach to its proposed budget an exemption report. Said exemption report, which will also become part of the final budget, will show how much of the total assessed value on the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, list every type of exemption granted, identified by statutory authority, and show: (a) the cumulative impact of each type of exemption expressed either as a dollar amount of assessed value or as a percentage of the total assessed value on the roll; (b) the cumulative amount expected to be received from recipients of each type of exemption as payments in lieu of taxes or other payments for municipal services; and (c) the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. The exemption report shall be posted on any bulletin board maintained by the District for public notices and on any website maintained by the District.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for absentee and early mail ballots will be obtainable during school business hours at the office of the District Clerk beginning March 20, 2026. In accordance with Education Law §§ 2018-a and 2018e, completed absentee and early mail ballot applications may not be received by the District Clerk earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the election, and must be received by the District Clerk at least seven
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that beginning May 5, 2026, any resident in the District may request to review a copy of the proposed budget by appearing at the Office of the District Clerk, 585 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580. Additionally, a statement of the estimated expenses for the ensuing year may be obtained by any resident in the District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding said election on the school district website https://valleystream13. com/district/budgetinformation, at the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library during its normal hours of operation, located at 60 Verona Place, Valley Stream, NY 11580, at the School District Administrative Center, 585 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580, and at each of the following school buildings in which school is maintained between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., prevailing time, except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays:
(7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter or to the agent named in the absentee or early mail ballot application. Absentee and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
A list of persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued, and a list of all persons to whom early mail voter’s ballots shall have been issued, will be available for public inspection beginning May 12, 2026, in the office of the District Clerk during regular office hours, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., each weekday through May 19, 2026, the day set for the election. Any qualified voter may, upon examination of such lists, file a written challenge of the qualifications as a voter of any person whose name appears on such lists, stating the reasons for such challenge. Any such written challenge shall be transmitted by the District Clerk or a designee of the Board of Education to the inspectors of election on election day.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen by requesting and returning a registration application to the District Clerk in person, or by email to districtclerk@ valleystream13.com. The request for the registration application may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the registration application by either mail, fax or email. Military voter registration application forms must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 23, 2026.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen may request an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk and return such military ballot application to the District Clerk in
person, or by email to districtclerk@ valleystream13.com. In order for a military voter to be issued a military ballot, a valid military ballot application must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., on April 12, 2026. Military ballot applications received in accordance with the foregoing will be processed in the same manner as a non-military ballot application under Section 2018-a of the Education Law. The application for military ballot may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the military ballot by mail, fax, or email. A military voter’s original military ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk at 585 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, New York 11580 along with the required signed affidavit by the voter.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military ballots shall be canvassed if they are received by the District Clerk before the close of polls on May 19, 2026, showing a cancellation mark of the United States Postal Service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States Government; or received not later than 5:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026, and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a rule adopted by the Board of Education in accordance with New York Education Law §2035, any referenda or propositions to change the number of Board of Education members, or a bond issue for capital improvements, or any other petition required by law to be stated in the Notice of Annual Meeting and Election must be filed with the District Clerk at 585 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580, not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on March 20, 2026. Any other petition, except those petitions required by law to be stated in the Notice of Annual Meeting and Election, must be filed with the
Public Notices
District Clerk at the 585 N. Corona Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580, no later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time on April 20, 2026. All such petitions must be typed or printed in the English language; must be directed to the Clerk of the School District; must be signed by at least 100 qualified voters of the District (representing the greater of 100 or 5% of the number of voters who voted in the previous annual election); and must legibly state the name of each signer. However, the Board of Education will not entertain any petition to place before the voters any proposition the purpose of which is not within the powers of the voters to determine, nor any proposition or amendment which is contrary to law.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that those voters seeking information regarding this Budget Vote and Election in Spanish should contact the Office of the District Clerk at (516) 568-6110.
Jennifer Mercatante
District Clerk of the Board of Education Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen 585 N. Corona Avenue Valley Stream, NY 11580 159199
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU The Bank of New York Mellon fka The Bank of New York, as Trustee for the Certificateholders of CWALT, Inc., Alternative Loan Trust 2007-8CB, Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2007-8CB, Plaintiff AGAINST John Depergola; Fina Depergola; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 24, 2026, 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 May 27, 2026 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 66 Berry Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and
improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 37 Block: 605 Lot: 17. Approximate amount of judgment $604,499.54 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #611030/2023. For sale information, please visit ServiceLink Auction at https://www.servicelink auction.com or call (866) 539-4173. Lawrence Farbman, Esq., Referee McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC 420 Lexington Avenue-Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 21-09312NY 89668 159717
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST JACLYN CANNIZZARO A/K/A JACLYN M. CANNIZZARO, LORETTA CANNIZZARO, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered November 13, 2019, 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 May 27, 2026 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 63 Garden Street, Valley Stream, NY 11581. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 39 Block: 408 Lot: 4. Approximate amount of judgment $390,428.35 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #611311/2018. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Brian Davis, Esq., Referee Tromberg, Miller, Morris & Partners, PLLC 39 Broadway, Suite 1840 New York, NY 10006 25-001130 89529 159715
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO CITIBANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR BEAR STEARNS ASSET BACKED SECURITES I TRUST 2006-HE3, ASSET BACKEDCERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-HE3, Plaintiff AGAINST JEAN-PIERRE
LAGUERRE A/K/A JEAN PIERRE LAGUERRE ; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 19, 2019 and amended January 7, 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 May 26, 2026 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 79 Oliver Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 37. Block: 468 Lot: 103. Approximate amount of judgment $547,140.88 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject t o provisions of filed Judgment Index #009631/2013. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832.
Steven M. Feinberg, Referee FEIN, SUCH & CRANE, LLP 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, NY 14614 SPSNY171 89554 159713
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE OF COOPERATIVE APARTMENT SECURITY BY VIRTUE OF A DEFAULT In a Loan Security Agreement dated May 28, 2003 executed by Lynette Battle and Martha Battle, debtor to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc., secured party via assignment, will cause a public sale of the security consisting of 178 shares of stock plus Parking Space and/or Garage, if applicable, of Valley Park Estates Owners Corp. all right title and interest in and to a Proprietary Lease between said Corporation and debtor
for Unit 1 in the building known as 1848 SOBRO AVENUE, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580 together with all fixtures and articles of personal property now or hereafter affixed to or used in connection with said apartment on May 22, 2026 at 9:30am. at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, in satisfaction of an indebtedness. Apartment is sold “AS IS” AND POSSESSION TO BE OBTAINED BY THE PURCHASER. Said sale is subject to: payment of all sums due, if any, to Valley Park Estates Owners Corp. and the consent if necessary, of said corporation; any existing tenancy; payment of all expenses and fees of the secured party with respect thereto; terms of sale and auctioneers fees; flip tax; State, City and County transfer tax. The secured party reserves the right to bid. Terms: an official bank or certified check made payable to Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC., for ten (10%) percent of the price bid. No cash accepted. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC. 900 MERCHANTS CONCOURSE WESTBURY, NEW YORK 11590 (516) 280-7675 159933
LEGAL NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that an On-Premises Restaurant-Liquor License, NYS Application ID: NA-0340-26-110785 has been applied for by The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants Inc to sell liquor, beer, wine and cider at retail in an on-premises Restaurant-Liquor establishment. For on premise consumption under the ABC Law located at 2034 Green Acres Rd Valley Stream NY 11581 160067
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK N.A. AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS, OF THE J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE
ACQUISITION TRUST 2006--WMC4 ASSET BACKED PASS-
THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-WMC4, Plaintiff, vs. WILLIAMS FAMILY TRUST, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale With Reference For Sale duly entered on September 12, 2019 and an Order Substituting CourtAppointed Referee duly entered on December 31, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 9, 2026 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 187 Fir Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 37, Block 395 and Lots 453 and 454. Approximate amount of judgment is $831,973.71 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #000533/2015. Ira B. Warshawsky, Esq., Referee Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff 160051
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU SELECT PORTFOLIO SERVICING, INC., Plaintiff AGAINST LLOYD MARSHALL; KAELIA MARSHALL; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 18, 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 June 4, 2026 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 122 Union Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, County of Nassau and State of
New York, Section: 37 Block: 682 Lot: 47. Approximate amount of judgment $806,881.35 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #603573/2023. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832.
Natasha Meyers, Esq, Referee FEIN, SUCH & CRANE, LLP 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, NY 14614 YPHNY316 89669 159999
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County of Nassau U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, successor in interest to Bank of America, National Association, as Trustee, successor by merger to LaSalle Bank National Association, as Trustee for Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors Trust, Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2006-WMC2, Plaintiff AGAINST Wilfrido Dominguez a/k/a Wilfredo A. Dominguez, et al, Defendant Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 28, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, North sides of the steps, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 5, 2026 at 2:30 PM premises known as 345 Hendrickson Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580. 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: 37, BLOCK: 552, LOT: 31. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,061,556.14 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 008065/2016. This sale may be subject to the US Dept of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Real Estate Reporting Rule. In such event, all purchasers are required to provide the information needed for proper reporting in accordance with the terms of sale. For sale information, please visit XOME at
www.XOME.com or call 844-400-9663. Michael Postiglione, Referee FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-064121-F01 89012 160003
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that a public auction for a used vehicle sale will be held on May 26, 2026 on the website www.auctionsinternati onal.com. Bidders must register on website prior to bidding. Vehicles are sold “as is” condition and do not come with vehicle keys. Vehicles pictures and descriptions can be found on website when bid is live. Vehicles must be paid through the website prior to removal of vehicle. Vehicles are located at 390 E. Clinton Avenue, Roosevelt NY 11575. 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee; Gray; VIN: 1J4GR48K55C523371; Owner: Wayne Huey of 2832 Bruner Ave 1, Bronx, NY 10469 *2007 Kia Sedona; Gray; VIN: KNDMB233876173866; Owner: Renee McDonough of 157 59 27th Ave, Flushing, NY 11354
*2010 Chevrolet Equinox; Gray; VIN: 2CNALDEW4A6371649 ; Owner: Boris Mizhquero-Yunga of 276 Mountain Grove St, Bridgeport, CT 06605
*2009 Chevrolet Malibu; Black; VIN: 1G1ZK57B59F169309; Owner: Glendon Cateau of 716 E. 45th St, Brooklyn, NY 11203 *2007 Dodge Sprinter; White; VIN: WD0PE845X75208525; Owner: Haim Tobaly of 21 Weyant Dr, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 *2004 Toyota Corolla; Blue; VIN: 2T1LR32E04C317785; Owner: Luis V. Peraltamorban of 1934 Harrison Ave 5E, Bronx, NY 10453 *2006 Lexus ES250; Black; VIN: JTHCK262382022200; Owner: Klein Georges of 185 Rutland Rd, Hempstead NY 11550 *2014 Audi AS4; Gray; VIN: WAUBGAFL5EA082964
; Owner: Dominique Blackman of 8400 Lindbergh Blvd Apt 716, Philadelphia PA 19153 *2010 Honda Accord; Black; VIN: 1HGCS2B85AA004466; Owners: Mike Eli
Landaverde and C.L. Landaverde of 69 Hewlett St, Hempstead NY 11550
*2005 Nissan Altima; Red; VIN: 1N4AL11D75N900462; Owner: Timothy Wanser of 1141 Norbay St, Franklin Square NY 11010
*2002 Acura MDX; Blue; VIN: 2HNYD188X2H530024; Owner: Zaynah Witter of 632 Nauer Ct, Elmont, NY 11003 *2016 Nissan Sentra; Gray; VIN: 3N1AB7AP1GY299861; Owner: Nissan Infiniti Lease Trust of PO Box 254648 Sacramento, CA 95865
TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS Antonio Fanizzi Commissioner 160208
LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS
INDEX #602670/2026
Original Filed with Clerk February 4, 2026 Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated Nassau County Premises: 6 Sandalwood Ave. Valley Stream, NY 11581 THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE (CWALT 2006-31 CB), Plaintiff, -againstSUSAN GARGIULO, AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH GARGIULO A/K/A JOSEPH J. GARGIULO, DECEASED; any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or
Public Notices
under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; NASSAU COUNTY TRAFFIC AND PARKING VIOLATIONS AGENCY; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE;, and JOHN DOE AND JANE DOE #1 through #7, the last seven (7) names being fictitious and unknown to the Plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or parties, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the mortgaged premises described in the complaint, Defendants.
TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer
the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); the United States of America may appear or answer within 60 day of service hereof; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.
This supplemental summons and amended complaint are being filed pursuant to granted court order dated April 13, 2026.
TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Jeffrey A. Goodstein, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Nassau County, entered April 29, 2026 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office.
NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the amount of $250,000.00 recorded in the office of the clerk of Nassau County on November 21, 2006 in Liber Book M 31233 at Page 61 covering premises known as 6 Sandalwood Ave, Valley Stream, NY 11581 a/k/a Section 39, Block 034, Lot 11. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured
by the Mortgage described above.
NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME
If you do not respond to this Summons and Complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE (CWALT 2006-31 CB) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: Uniondale, New York 2026
Respectfully submitted, PINCUS & TARAB, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, PLLC.
By:
Robert Markel, Esq. Attorneys for Plaintiff 425 RXR Plaza Uniondale, NY 11556 516-699-8902 #102965 160095
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A CHAMPION MORTGAGE COMPANY, V. LYNN ANDERSON, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on February 3, 2017, wherein NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A CHAMPION MORTGAGE COMPANY is the Plaintiff and LYNN ANDERSON, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on June 15, 2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 193 MARTENS AVENUE, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580; and the following tax map identification: 37-594-23. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF VALLEY STREAM, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 003428/2015. Michael Mirotznik, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 160191
516-569-4000 x232
With a May 16 strike deadline approaching, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a coalition of Long Island Rail Road unions continue negotiations over wages and work rules for more than 3,500 employees, as both sides remain divided despite ongoing talks.
LIRR strike looms
By BRIAN KACHARABA bkacharaba@liherald.com
With less than a week remaining before a potential Long Island Rail Road strike set for midnight Saturday, negotiations between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a coalition of rail unions remain ongoing, with both sides offering sharply different assessments of progress.
At the center of the dispute are pay and working conditions. Union leaders are seeking a retroactive 9.5 percent wage increase over the past three years and an additional 5 percent raise beginning this year.
The MTA, meanwhile, is offering raises but is also seeking changes to work rules and productivity standards in return, saying it must control costs and protect the system’s long-term financial stability.
The sides were scheduled to meet again on Monday.
The dispute involves more than 3,500 workers represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers–Transportation Division; the Transportation Communications Union/IAM; the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Two Presidential Emergency Boards were convened between September 2025 and last March to help resolve the dispute. Both boards sided with the unions, rejecting the MTA’s proposed work rule changes and recommending wage increases, helping set the stage for the current standoff.
At a press conference in New York City on May 8, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said he believes progress has been made in negotiations but acknowledged a deal has not yet been reached.
“I do think progress has been made,” he said. “We had a very long meeting yesterday and I would say we are closer, although we’re not there yet.”
Lieber urged the unions to avoid a strike, warning of financial consequences for workers.
“At this point, we’re getting close enough that it would be, I think, crazy for the workforce who is looking for more money to throw it away by going on a strike,” he said. “Remember, if you go on a strike for a day, that’s one out of roughly 260 days of pay. Pretty quickly, that starts to wipe out the
small increments that we’re still trying to negotiate out.”
Union leaders, however, said in a May 8 statement that negotiations made no progress and accused the MTA of failing to offer acceptable wage terms.
“What was presented did not move us closer to a settlement,” said Jeff Klein, general chairman of IBEW Local 589. “Every day, as a result of MTA’s phony surface bargaining, we move closer to the May 16 strike date.”
Shaun O’Connor, general chairman of IAM District 19, said talks have been slowmoving.
“We’re running out of time here,” he said. “The MTA is still showing a lack of urgency. We practically had to drag them back to the bargaining table this week and what they’ve offered can be best described as ‘too little, too late.’”
Kevin Sexton, vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said workers want a contract that reflects rising costs.
“Our members are very frustrated,” he said. “They have gone years without a raise, and they want the trains to keep moving. But they won’t agree to a concessionary contract when the cost of living on Long Island has dramatically increased.”
Lieber disputed those characterizations.
“I don’t think it’s accurate,” he said. “I don’t want to get into a debate. It’s their turn to come back and respond to the new proposals that have been put on the table.” He also said the MTA has already put money on the table.
“It’s money in the pockets of the families that they represent,” Lieber said. “No one’s playing gimmicks, but we’ve got this money on the table. Don’t hurt your workforce. Let’s make a deal.”
The unions also held a rally May 9 at the Massapequa LIRR station as part of a “Day of Action to Protest MTA’s Inaction.”
In the event of a strike, the MTA said it would operate limited weekday shuttle bus service for essential workers and commuters unable to work remotely. Buses would run during peak travel hours between six Long Island locations — Bay Shore, Hempstead Lake State Park near the Lakeview train station, Hicksville, Huntington, Mineola and Ronkonkoma — and subway connection points in Queens, including the Howard Beach-JFK Airport A train station and the Jamaica-179 Street F train station.
Kyle Denson/Herald
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So, how did they build the pyramids?
A Home That Says You’ve Arrived!
Q. The question of how the pyramids were built came up in a recent discussion among friends. I’m wondering if there’s any definite answer to that question. One person said that even with hundreds of thousands of slaves, you’re only as strong as the rope can bear, and another suggested that they were built by extraterrestrials, but nothing serious came out of that. What do you know about this?
A. There are many theories about the construction of the pyramids. The Library of Alexandria may have contained this information, but was burned by Julius Caesar, accidentally, when he attacked the ships in the harbor nearby and the sprinkler system for the library (which had failed inspections) wasn’t working that day, or nobody ever made the drawings to begin with. We’ll never know the true answer, but there are many profound and wise engineering ideas on this subject. You may not be aware that there are more than 100 pyramids in Egypt alone, and many of them are still standing today.
So how did ancient Egyptians build them, using millions of blocks of Nile riverbank stone (and white limestone, dragged from much farther south, for the finishes)? How did they construct a 6.5-million-ton mountain of stone blocks, each weighing 2.5 tons, or 5,000 pounds, on sand? Several historical figures, pardon the pun, weighed in on this question.
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The most prominent, Herodotus, of ancient Greece, who wasn’t there but is considered the father of historians, wrote of a machine system of levers and pulleys that lifted each block to the next level, and then another set of levers and pulleys was used for the next level, etc. I am fascinated by the writings of a more recent pair of writers, Matthys Levy and Mario Salvadori, who propose an idea, based on the dissection of pyramids that have, through recent history, been documented. In their book “Why Buildings Fall Down,” they describe and illustrate in sketches how stones were placed.
Imhotep, considered the greatest mathematician and engineer in Egyptian history, designed later-era pyramids, observing and calculating how to avoid previous failures. For his success with some of the largest mountains of stone, he was worshipped as a god in the ancient Egyptian culture. So, kids, stay in school.
What I believe Imhotep did was use gravity. The later pyramids were built in man-made valleys, where the stones could be moved down an incline and then set at a 52-degree angle. That way, instead of laying the stone horizontally, they pushed into each other on a downward incline, relieving vertical weight and reducing the stones’ ability to crush each other.
Remember, Egyptians didn’t have block and tackle, didn’t use wheels to move heavy loads and didn’t have metal harder than copper. They had a lot of laborers, spent much less time watching TV or staring at their cellphones, and filled in each level of the valley as the pyramids grew in height. Great question!
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Battery energy storage isn’t just an experiment. It works.
I’m a Long Islander. This place is more than where I live; it’s part of who I am. My bacon, egg and cheese comes from L.I. Bagel Cafe. Growing up, I spent summers at Tobay with my family, and now I spend beach days in Long Beach with my own kids. We take day trips to the East End, both the North and South forks, and we explore quaint villages along the North Shore. Life here is incredible. The cultural capital of the world is a short train ride away, and we have some of the best public schools in the country. It’s hard to want for more.
But every month I open the electric bill and feel a little less sure we can afford to stay.
Mine isn’t a unique story. Long Island has some of the highest electricity costs in the country, and the bills keep climbing. All of my high school friends have moved away for various reasons, but a common denominator is the high cost
of living here. This is the conversation taking place at every kitchen table from Mineola to Montauk.
So when I read another op-ed in this paper warning about battery energy storage on Long Island — usually framed as something foreign, risky or driven by outsiders — I get frustrated. Because the people writing those pieces don’t seem to be looking at the bill in my mailbox. And they don’t seem to be reading what New York’s grid operator has been saying.
I work in clean energy because I believe in combating climate change.
In October, the New York Independent System Operator, the independent nonprofit that runs the state’s electric grid, warned that reliability margins on Long Island are projected to fall short beginning in 2027 unless new resources come online. A follow-up report a few weeks later warned of “significant reliability shortfalls” across the state within the next decade if planning and investment don’t accelerate now. Here’s what battery storage actually does about it. When demand on the grid spikes, like on a brutal August afternoon or during a cold snap in February,
the system has to call on its most expensive resources to keep the lights on. On Long Island, that means firing up old fossil fuel-run peaking power plants that operate only a handful of days a year, but cost LIPA customers close to half a billion dollars annually to keep on standby.
A study found that replacing a meaningful share of Long Island’s peaker plants with energy storage could save LIPA customers nearly $400 million while improving air quality across the Island.
Energy storage is how you avoid that cost. Batteries charge when power is cheap and abundant — overnight, on windy days, when the new offshore wind projects start delivering — and discharge when the grid is stretched thin. Instead of paying premium prices for premium peaker power, ratepayers get the cheaper electricity the batteries stored earlier.
Battery storage isn’t a climate luxury or an experiment. Texas has already built hundreds of projects that are operating today, saving ratepayers money and steadying the grid. New York shouldn’t wait. Battery storage is cheaper to build than new power plants or transmission lines, it strengthens grid reliability, and it eases the pressure on monthly electric bills. It’s safe and effective and a common-sense answer to the affordability and reliability problems families are living with right now.
The opposition to storage on Long Island has been loud, but they are spreading misinformation. The case for it deserves to be heard too, by the people who actually live here and pay these bills, rooted in facts and not baseless claims that ignore the science.
Nick Guariglia is an advocacy manager of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance, a project of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York.
I work in this field. I’m an advocacy manager for the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, so people sometimes assume I’m pushing storage because of where I work. The truth is the opposite. I work in clean energy because I believe in the science that is behind combating climate change, and I want my children to have a better environment to live, play and raise their families in. The added benefit of the work I do is helping my family not get priced out of living on Long Island.
Preparing students to succeed in L.I.’s creative economy
Last month, five students from Long Island High School for the Arts advanced from regional competition to the SkillsUSA state championships in an impressive showcase of career readiness and leadership ability. Two went on to win bronze for their work in digital cinema production.
If you watched the LIHSA students present their work, explain their creative choices and demonstrate their technical skill, one thing was clear: These young people aren’t simply pursuing their passions, but are diligently preparing to enter Long Island’s thriving creative economy.
According to the Center for an Urban Future’s 2025 report, “Sustaining Long Island’s Creative Spark,” employment in Long Island’s arts and culture sector grew 21.6 percent from 2014 to 2024, compared with overall job growth in the region of just 4.1 percent. During that
same period, the number of independent artists on Long Island nearly doubled, and nonprofit arts and culture organizations generated more than $330 million in annual economic activity, according to the Long Island Arts Alliance.
I
The creative economy is trending upward at the national level, too. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ most recently reported data attests that arts and cultural economic activity increased 6.6 percent in 2023, more than double the 2.8 percent increase of the prior year. It accounted for 4.2 percent of the nation’s GDP in 2023, and supported 5.4 million jobs.
invite Long Island families to consider the growing promise of creative industries.
As district superintendent and CEO of Nassau BOCES, where our mission includes a focus on vocational career training, I am thrilled that SkillsUSA — the nation’s top workforce-development organization for students — has recognized rigorous arts education for what it is: vital preparation for real careers.
And yet there is still a lingering perception that arts education is somehow less practical than other vocational tracks, like those in health care, con-
struction, automotive technology and computer science — pathways that matter deeply. And concerns about the arts often come from a good place. Families want stability for their children. School leaders want to prepare students for real opportunity. But those goals aren’t at odds with arts education.
Students pursuing design, animation, digital media, filmmaking, music and performance are building specific and transferable skills that have value in today’s world. They are learning how to create under pressure, revise based on feedback, collaborate with others, communicate clearly and produce work for an audience. They are also learning industry tools and technology while building portfolios that make them competitive college applicants and open doors to conservatory training and professional employment.
For Nassau BOCES, this is evident at LIHSA and among the school’s alumni, who have gone on to study at Juilliard, the Parsons School of Design and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and to work for employers ranging from The
New Yorker to the Metropolitan Opera. I offer LIHSA as an example, but this isn’t about one school. I invite Long Island families, educators and public officials to re-examine the full range of career pathways that lead to meaningful work in today’s evolving economy and consider the growing promise of creative industries.
We are quick to guide students who want to become nurses, engineers or electricians toward those programs of study. We should be just as ready to do the same for students who want to work in design, media or the performing arts.
The five LIHSA students currently advancing through the national rankings at SkillsUSA remind us of something important — talent matters, but so does training and opportunity.
If our region is serious about economic growth, we should prepare our students accordingly and not ignore the creative sector, which is outpacing overall job growth by a factor of five to one. Long Island has built strong pipelines into other trades. We owe our young artists, performers and producers the same counseling, the same investment, and the same expectation of success.
Larry Leaven is district superintendent and CEO of Nassau BOCES.
May 19 decisions carry outsized local impact
long Islanders will be asked to make decisions on May 19 that quietly but profoundly shape their communities. From Amityville to Valley Stream and from Oyster Bay to Massapequa, voters will head to the polls to weigh in on public school district budgets, elect Board of Education trustees and, in several cases, decide funding for their local libraries.
These are not minor matters. Yet year after year, school district elections draw strikingly low turnout and are often decided by a small fraction of eligible voters. More often than not, only 5 to 10 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. That disconnect is hard to justify given the outsized influence these votes have on taxes, educational quality, public services and overall community health.
School budgets determine far more than what happens inside the classroom. They shape the volume of opportunities available to students — from arts and music programs to athletics and extracurricular activities — as well as spending on classroom instruction, staff salaries, employee benefits, school operations, transportation and specialized programs. The budgets, proposed by local school boards and voted on by residents, dictate the allocation of local property taxes, state aid and federal funding.
In districts where library budgets are on the ballot, these votes also impact access to books, technology, program-
ming and community space for residents of all ages.
Equally important are the elections for Board of Education trustees. These individuals are not figureheads; they are elected officials responsible for setting district policy, hiring and evaluating the superintendent, and establishing the annual budget. They ensure compliance with state education laws, manage district property and represent the community’s interests.
Their choices influence curriculum, long-term planning and how effectively taxpayer dollars are managed. The direction of a school district for years to come can hinge on who fills these seats. What makes these elections especially significant is how much can turn on so few votes. In many Long Island communities, multimillion-dollar spending plans and major capital projects are approved or rejected by narrow margins. A relative handful of ballots can alter the outcome. That reality means that every vote carries real weight, much more than in higher-profile elections where margins often stretch into the thousands or millions.
The 2006-07 Baldwin School District budget passed by only five votes. Last May, the Shelter Island School District spending plan fell just 40 votes short of the required 60 percent supermajority needed to pierce the state tax cap, A year earlier, only a few of Long Island’s 124 school districts, including Sachem and
West Babylon, had their budgets rejected. It is also a mistake to view these elections as relevant only to parents of school-aged children. Strong public schools are a cornerstone of vibrant communities. They help sustain property values, attract families, support local businesses and contribute to a shared sense of stability and pride. Libraries, too, serve as essential civic hubs, offering educational resources, workforce support and cultural programming that benefit entire neighborhoods.
Participation in these elections is not complicated, but it does require intention. Voters should take time to review the proposed budgets and any referendums, understand what is at stake and, if possible, attend public hearings or information sessions. These forums provide valuable insight into how decisions are made and where priorities lie. Most important, residents must show up. Local democracy is strongest when it reflects the voices of the many, not the few. When turnout is low, decisions that affect entire communities are left in the hands of a limited group of voters, weakening the representative nature of the process.
May 19 may not carry the fanfare of a national election, but its consequences are immediate and tangible. Those who participate will shape the future of Long Island’s schools, libraries and neighborhoods. That alone should be reason enough to make voting a priority.
It’s long past time to recognize the Montauketts
in March, the State Assembly unanimously passed — yes, even in these polarized times, it unanimously passed — a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni providing for reinstatement and acknowledgement of the Montaukett Indian Nation.
The bill has now gone to the State Senate, which, like the Assembly, has overwhelmingly passed it seven times. Yes, seven times. But Gov. Kathy Hochul has vetoed it four times. And her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, vetoed it three times.
“The people of the Montaukett Indian Nation are a rich part of the Long Island community,” declared a statement issued by Schiavoni’s office. But “After several attempts to advance legislation that would recognize and acknowledge the Montauketts, New York State has continued with the precedent set in 1910 to deny them their right of existence in the eyes of the state. Despite the 1910 Pharaoh v. Benson case when the court declared them to be extinct while their leaders and 75
members of the nation sat in the courtroom, the Montaukett Indian Nation has continued to thrive and govern itself. The wrongful removal of their state recognition remains uncorrected.”
Schiavoni, a Sag Harbor Democrat, joined the Assembly in January 2025.
The 2026 Montaukett recognition measure, and earlier bills, were sponsored in the Senate by Anthony Palumbo, a Republican from New Suffolk. One of them passed the Senate, 50 to 1, last year.
The Indian nation has been dissed by no fewer than seven vetoes by two governors.
In her veto message about that bill in December, Hochul again pointed to the 1910 ruling in Pharaoh v. Benson. In it, State Supreme Court Justice Abel Blackmar sided with the descendants of Arthur Benson, a developer, in awarding them Montaukett tribal lands. Hochul said there were still “outstanding questions and issues concerning the Montauketts’ eligibility for recognition, according to traditional criteria.”
Schiavoni succeeded Fred W. Thiele Jr., a member of the Assembly for nearly 30 years, who sponsored the earlier Montaukett measures in the Assembly.
After Hochul cited Pharoah v. Benson in a veto of the 2023 bill, Thiele, a Sag Harbor Democrat, said he was shocked
Framework by Tim Baker
that the governor would reference that ruling, which he described as “one of the most racist decisions in the history of New York jurisprudence. The prior vetoes were unfortunate but the language in this one was stunning. To take the Benson case, which has language in it that would embarrass the Proud Boys, and hold that up as the justification for this veto is just crazy. Instead of rejecting the noxious rationale of Benson, [Hochul’s] veto affirmed it. I am ashamed of our state government.”
The case focused on an effort by the Montaukett chief, Wyandank Pharoah, to undo the taking of Montauk lands by Benson. As Newsday’s Mark Harrington noted in his coverage of the 2025 Hochul veto: “Newsday in a 1998 investigation found that the process by which developers and the Long Island Rail Road annexed Montaukett and Shinnecock Indian Nation lands over the past 200 years was rife with ‘deceit, lies and possible forgery.’”
There is a passage in the vetoed 2025 bill — and in the current and prior measures — stating that Blackmar’s “arbitrary ruling ignored earlier U.S. Supreme Court decisions defining Indian Nations according to criteria under
which the Montaukett Indian Nation qualified as an existing sovereign tribe and giving Congress, rather than the courts, power to decide [its] status.”
The Montaukett situation has attracted attention beyond Long Island. A New York Post article on Hochul’s December veto quoted Sandra BrewerWalker, executive director of the Montaukett Indian Nation, saying, “The governor just doesn’t get it — she lacks an understanding of Native American history and is upholding an illegal, racist ruling.”
On the floor of the Senate, Palumbo has decried the ruling in the Pharoah v. Benson case, which he termed “likely racist” and spoke of how the tribe “was recognized for years prior” to the case. He declared, “Now is the time to correct this injustice and provide the Montaukett Indian Nation with the status they deserve.”
The Montauketts were one of the original great tribes of Long Island — and they’re still here. Peter Pharaoh, a proud Montaukett, was a journalism student of mine. They thoroughly deserve the restoration of their recognition.
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.
At the Town of Hempstead’s Rock Hall Museum, an affiliate of the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities — Lawrence
