Local artist Jim Zabatta held his first solo show last weekend at the Pagan-Fletcher Restoration, donating all proceeds to the Valley Stream Historical Society. The Valley Stream resident showcased his artwork, and used it as a way to give back to the community he has long been a part of. Story, more photos, Page 10.
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
The 44th annual Valley Stream Camporee brought together about 300 Scouts and leaders from Valley Stream and Franklin Square for a weekend of camping, activities and fellowship.
The Scouting America gathering was held last Friday through Sunday on the Village Green, and included participants ranging from Cub Scouts to Scouting Troops. Organized around a “Galactic Outpost” theme, the event featured camping, games, educational demonstrations, competitions and opportunities for Scouts from multiple units to spend the weekend together.
“Regardless of what number you wear on
your sleeve, you are all a part of Scouting America,” Camporee Co-Chair Patrick Burke, who has served on the Camporee Committee since 2010 and is involved with Cub Pack 367, Troops 116 and 99, said. “You all have a common goal. You’re all part of a movement designed to instill in young people values and leadership skills and to help them become the leaders of tomorrow.”
Six units participated in this year’s event. The weekend began on Friday night with campsite setup and a themed movie for families.
Opening ceremonies were held the following morning, and included remarks from Town of Hempstead Clerk Kate Murray, Nassau County Legislator Cynthia
The free event, now in its 12th year, is held in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and coincides with one of the state’s designated free-fishing weekends, when adults can fish in freshwater without a license.
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
Families, first-time anglers and longtime fishing enthusiasts will gather at Arthur J. Hendrickson Park Lake on June 27 and 28, when the Village of Valley Stream will host its annual Family Fishing Weekend.
Activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Participants are encouraged to register in advance by calling (516) 8213786 by June 22.
Rich DeAngelis, the village’s deputy clerk, said the event was established to introduce residents to fishing and provide an opportunity for families to learn the sport together.
“You get a lot of people from
RIch DEANGELIs Deputy clerk, Village of Valley Stream
that have continued on and made fishing a
all walks of life who never really have gotten an opportunity to, and it’s a great way to learn how to fish,” DeAngelis said. “We’ve had many families that have continued on and made fishing a part of their lives.” DEC staff members travel to Valley Stream each year to assist participants, bringing fishing equipment, bait and educational materials. They are on hand to provide instruction on such key elements as knot tying, baiting hooks and casting. A limited number of rods and bait will be available, though participants are encouraged to bring their own rod and reel.
The weekend operates as a catchand-release program using barbless hooks to avoid hurting the fish. Fish are returned to the water after being caught, photographed and removed from the hook. Fishing is generally prohibited at Hendrickson Park Lake during the rest of the year, making the event one of the Continued on page 11
Juan Alzamora/Herald
PSEG Long Island is prepared for summer
PSEG Long Island has completed a series of electric system upgrades ahead of the summer season, including several projects to improve reliability and increase capacity.
“PSEG Long Island personnel evaluate the system, plan and make improvements all year round to ensure the grid is ready for summer’s extreme weather conditions,” Michael Sullivan, vice president of Electric Operations at PSEG Long Island, said. “We continue to make the investments and improvements that we have been making since 2014 to deliver consistent, resilient power to our customers, today and in the future.”
Among the projects is the installation of a new 69-kilovolt underground transmission circuit between the Belmont and Lake Success substations. The project will add electrical capacity serving Elmont and Floral Park, as well as growing demand associated with UBS Arena, Belmont Village and businesses expected to serve visitors to Belmont Park.
The utility also completed repairs to the underground pipe-type cable connecting the Barrett and Valley Stream substations. The work will enhance electrical resiliency and strengthen service reliability for residential customers in Long Beach, Oceanside and the Five Towns.
At the Barrett and Bayport substations, aging transformers were replaced to improve system resiliency and support reliable electric service. The Barrett substation serves the Long Beach area, while the Bay-
Among the completed improvements was the replacement of an underground pipetype transmission cable linking the Barrett and Valley Stream substations.
port substation serves Fire Island communities.
Additional distribution improvements included the installation or upgrade of feeder lines in Central Islip, Arverne and Syosset to accommodate load growth. The projects increase system capacity to support new demand in each area.
In the Rockaway Beach area, the utility replaced underground cables and network protector transformers at Dayton Towers.
The project is intended to improve reliability and reduce the likelihood of future service interruptions for residential customers.
Other infrastructure projects completed ahead of summer include expansion of the Holbrook substation to support the Sunrise Wind Project, installation of a new underground transmission circuit between the Bridgehampton and Buell substations, additions of distribution transformers and
BELMONT PARK VILLAGE
switchgear at the Miller Place substation and upgrades to distribution circuits in the East Hampton area.
PSEG Long Island has also continued system hardening efforts. Since 2014, the utility has strengthened more than 1,400 miles of distribution circuits with stronger poles, wire and crossarms. The company reported that from the first quarter of last year through the first quarter of this year, storm-hardened sections of the system experienced a 45 percent reduction in outage-causing damage compared with the rest of the distribution network.
The utility is also installing automatic branch line reclosers through a Federal Emergency Management Agency-funded program. By this fall, approximately 8,500 units are expected to be installed under the grant, bringing the total number of reclosers on the system to about 10,000.
PSEG Long Island’s tree-trimming program continues year-round across Long Island and the Rockaways. The company trims all 9,000 miles of distribution circuits and 1,000 miles of transmission circuits every four years and has completed that cycle three times since 2014.
The utility has also conducted hurricane and tropical storm drills, employee training, summer operating planning and reliability analyses as part of preparations for the 2026 hurricane season and periods of extreme heat.
— Angelina Zingariello
Herald file photo
V.S. teen to present at sociology conference
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
Sacred Heart Academy junior Sameera Rampertab will take part in an academic discussion typically reserved for college-level researchers when she presents her work at an American Sociological Association conference in New York City on Aug. 8.
The 17-year-old Valley Stream resident has been invited to present her paper, “The BAS Model: Analyzing the Impact of Excessive Social Media Usage on the Mental Health and Neurologic Reward System of Female Adolescents,” during Roundtable 9: Social Media and Digital Culture. The session will bring together undergraduate and graduate students to discuss research related to social media and its effects on society.
For Rampertab, the opportunity represents a chance to share her work with a broader academic audience while participating in a professional research setting that is uncommon for high school students.
“I’m not completely sure if they know that I’m a high school student,” Rampertab said. “They just looked at the quality of my project and accepted me, as far as I know.”
The conference serves as a forum for sociologists, researchers and students to share findings, discuss emerging topics and connect with others in their fields. Participants attend presentations, exchange ideas and build professional relationships with scholars who share similar research interests.
Rampertab originally planned to present a poster, a format she had become familiar with through previous research experiences. However, after learning that student poster sessions were not part of this year’s program, she submitted her work for consideration in a roundtable discussion and was accepted.
Her project examines the relationship between social media use, anxiety and sleep among female adolescents. Through what she calls the BAS Model, focusing on biology, anxiety and sleep. Rampertab sought to address what she viewed as a gap in existing research.
“Previous studies looking at this have only studied psychology in females, like interviews and surveys, and have only studied biometrics, like heart rate, eye tracking and beta waves in adults,” Rampertab said. “I wanted to bridge this gap and do both psychometrics and biometrics in female adolescents.”
One aspect of the invitation that stood out to Rampertab was the listing of Sacred Heart Academy as one of the participating institutions. After reviewing conference materials, she found that her school appeared to be the only high school represented.
“I’m really happy I’ll be the only high school student there to represent my school, because my school has just given me so much,” Rampertab said. “I’m really grateful to Dr. [Stephen] Sullivan and Dr. [Beth] Feinman for all that they’ve given me.”
That distinction highlights the unusual nature of her participation. The conference is primarily attended by college students, graduate researchers and professional sociologists, making the inclusion of a high school researcher particularly noteworthy.
For Sullivan, Rampertab’s acceptance reflects both the quality of her research and her determination to pursue opportunities beyond those typically available to high school students.
High school students rarely present as primary authors at conferences of this caliber, according to Sullivan. While younger students sometimes participate in research connected to universities or family members working in academia, he noted that Rampertab is the lead author of her project and earned the opportunity through the strength of her work.
He described her as a student who consistently seeks out new challenges and develops the skills necessary to meet them.
“She’s very creative, very scientific and very thorough,” Sullivan said. “When she doesn’t know how to do something, she acknowledges that she doesn’t know how to do it. She finds resources, whether it’s a person or a place, and she’s not afraid to ask for help.”
Her growth over the past several years has been particularly notable to Sullivan. He said she entered Sacred Heart’s research program as a motivated student with strong ideas but gradually developed into a confident and polished presenter through repeated experience conducting and discussing research.
Beyond her own accomplishments, Rampertab has become a positive influence on younger students. Sullivan described her as someone who regularly encourages those following behind her and who understands the importance of creating opportunities for future student researchers.
Rampertab hopes her experience will inspire younger students at Sacred Heart Academy in the same way she was inspired by older students who presented research at professional conferences before her. She views participation in events like the upcoming conference as part of a broader tradition of students supporting and encouraging one another.
The conference will also provide an opportunity to engage directly with researchers whose work overlaps with her own interests. Ramp -
ertab has already been reviewing the work of other presenters and is eager to learn from students studying topics related to anxiety, social media and neurological processes.
Even as she prepares for the August presentation, Rampertab continues to build on her research. She plans to expand the sleep component of her study by collecting additional data to further examine the
relationship between social media use before bedtime and sleep quality.
“She’s got this really wonderful project that has gotten her an invitation to a major conference, and she’s already talking about what she’s going to do next and how she’s going to make it better,” Sullivan said. “There’s this notion of not being satisfied with excellence. It’s kind of cool.”
Photos courtesy Stephen Sullivan
Sameera Rampertab was previously awarded First Place Overall and a $1,000 prize at the 2026 Long Island Youth Summit, held April 17 at St. Joseph’s University, for this research.
Sameera Rampertab attributes her growth as a researcher to her educators, Beth Feinman and Stephen Sullivan.
Green Acres awards $15,350 to local PTAs
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com
second and received $3,000. Robert W. Carbonaro Elementary School earned third place and received $2,500.
Green Acres Mall awarded $15,350 to local Parent-Teacher Associations during its third annual School Cents Awards Presentation last Saturday.
Representatives from participating PTA organizations gathered at Green Acres to learn how much funding their schools earned through the School Cents program during the 2025-26 school year.
A total of $15,350 was awarded based on points earned by supporters who shopped and dined at Green Acres throughout the school year.
“School Cents demonstrates the incredible impact our community can make when we come together to support local schools,” Jill Bromberg, marketing community relations manager for Green Acres, said. “We are proud to continue this program and celebrate the families, educators and supporters whose participation helps create meaningful opportunities for students throughout our community.”
Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School received first place and a $3,500 award. Forest Road Elementary School placed
Shaw Avenue Elementary School finished fourth and received $2,000. William L. Buck Elementary School placed fifth and received $1,500. Lawrence Middle School earned sixth place and received $1,000.
Lawrence Primary School placed seventh and received $750. Howell Road Elementary School finished eighth and received $500. Wheeler Avenue Elementary School earned ninth place and received $350. Lawrence Elementary School placed tenth and received $250.
The School Cents program engages parents, teachers, students and community supporters who shop and dine at Green Acres by allowing them to upload receipts and earn points for their participating school of choice. Schools can also earn bonus points through special events, fundraising partnerships with Green Acres businesses and community engagement activities held throughout the year. Now in its third year, the School Cents program continues to connect Green Acres with local schools and provide financial support for PTA-sponsored programs and initiatives.
Angelina Zingariello/Herald The money awarded to local schools was based on points earned through the School Cents
Hundreds gather for camping and community
Justice Melanie Jenkins and former Village Justice Robert Bogle.
“These are memories, these are friendships, and these are bonds that will last with you forever,” Nuñez said. “Take a minute, enjoy the time, say thank you to your leaders. Enjoy each other’s company.”
Troop 109 was also recognized during the weekend as it marked its 100th and final year of Scouting.
All day Saturday, Scouts participated in activities tied to the Galactic Outpost theme, including games and competitions. Community organizations also visited the event, sharing information and demonstrations. Ambulances, fire trucks and other community partners were among those participating.
“We’re doing it all for the kids,” Camporee Co-Chair Laurie Schour of Cub Pack 372 said. “It’s a lot of work, and if they’re smiling, if they’re having fun, we’ve succeeded.”
Younger Scouts had opportunities to interact with older Scouts, who often serve as role models by demonstrating camping, leadership and teamwork skills. Older youth members also helped support activities and assist younger participants.
In addition to recreational activities, Scouts practiced skills central to the Scouting program, including camping, cooking, teamwork and problem-solving. A cooking competition challenged participants to prepare meals using the same ingredient, emphasizing safe food handling, cooperation and outdoor cooking techniques.
Saturday evening included Scouts’ Own, a traditional reflection program centered on reverence and service, followed by a campfire gathering and skits prepared by each participating unit. Campfire skits have long been a Camporee tradition and remain one of the most anticipated activities for younger participants.
“The skits never are funny, never ever, but the kids who participate think it’s the funniest thing in the world, so their laughter makes it so funny,” Schour said. “They like really cheesy jokes, and sometimes the kids can’t even get to the punchline because they’re giggling so much.”
However, the weekend took an unexpected turn on Saturday night, when severe weather moved into the area. Participants had gathered for the campfire program when conditions deteriorated rapidly, forcing an evacuation of the Village Green.
Organizers reported no major injuries. While many participants were shaken by the sudden storm, Scouts and leaders safely left the grounds as weather conditions worsened.
The following morning, units returned to the site beginning around 6 a.m. to clean up. Every pack and troop sustained some equipment damage requiring
replacement.
Even with the disruption, Camporee leaders proceeded with closing ceremonies on Sunday.
Cub Pack 327 won the Cub Scout-level cooking competition, while Scout Troop 109 captured the troop-level cooking title. The Spirit Stick, awarded annually to the unit demonstrating the strongest enthusiasm and Scout spirit throughout the weekend, was presented to Cub Pack 372.
Now in its 44th year, the Camporee remains a longstanding local tradition. Although this year’s gathering ended under challenging circumstances, the resilience shown by Scouts and volunteers reflected the values the program seeks to teach.
Participants left with stories of an unforgettable weekend and renewed appreciation for the community that supports Scouting in Valley Stream and Franklin Square.
Angelina Zingariello/Herald photos
The Valley Stream Camporee committee joined local leaders for the opening ceremony last Saturday.
Service member visits daughter’s class after eight month deployment
Brooklyn Avenue School welcomed Captain Lisette Lugo home after almost eight months of active-duty service in the Air National Guard.
Lugo visited her daughter’s class on May 18 and received a warm celebration from both students and staff, where she was greeted with handmade messages from students, showing their appreciation for her service.
The celebration was an opportunity for students to learn about the sacrifices members of the Armed Forces make to
serve the country, as well as the importance of supporting the family members of those in the service.
“Brooklyn Avenue School extends its sincere appreciation to Captain Lugo for her dedication, sacrifice and service to our country while celebrating the strength and resilience of military families within our school community,” Scott Comis, Brooklyn Avenue School Principal, said.
— Jane Bagatta
Heralds win three awards from Press Club of L.I.
By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com
Herald Community Media captured three awards at the annual Press Club of Long Island Media Awards and Long Island Journalism Hall of Fame induction dinner on June 4.
Oceanside/Island Park Herald reporter Abigail Grieco won the James Murphy Cub Reporter of the Year award, given to “emerging journalists who show strong early promise in the field.”
Journalists who have worked full-time for fewer than 18 months are eligible. Grieco was an intern with the Herald in 2023, and began working full-time in October 2025.
Deputy Managing Editor Jordan Vallone and previous senior reporter Mohammad Fariq shared a second-place award in the transportation category for the story “Southern State: a road still stuck in the past,” which was part of the Herald’s 2025 series on the Southern State Parkway.
“A compelling and well-structured piece that effectively examines the longstanding dangers of the Southern State Parkway,” judges wrote. “The article succeeds in connecting historical design flaws with present-day traffic realities, clearly explaining how outdated infrastructure continues to contribute to
accidents.
“Particularly strong is the integration of data, expert references, and concrete examples, such as low overpass collisions and hazardous curve segments,” the judges added. “The writing remains clear and accessible while addressing a complex safety issue. Overall, a thoughtful and informative investigation with clear public relevance and lasting value.”
Photographer Erik H. Lee earned a third-place award for a photo of the Wantagh High School baseball game.
“These awards reflect our commitment to strong local journalism and to telling the stories that matter most to Long Island communities,” Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications, said. “We are especially proud to see our emerging reporters, experienced editors and talented photographers recognized for work that informs the public and has a lasting impact.”
Four veterans of Long Island journalism were inducted into the PCLI’s Hall of Fame: Photojournalist Michael DelGiudice, radio reporter Sophia Hall, former Newsday editor Anthony E. Insolia, and Shirley E. Perelman, who covered many major stories for Newsday, from the Long Island garbage barge to the trial of O.J. Simpson.
For more information on the press club, go to PCLI.org.
Why Long Island stands to gain from clean energy
For many Long Islanders looking ahead, a major cause for concern is the lack of economic investments that bolsters financial opportunity for the next generation. This looks like great paying jobs with benefits while keeping everyday necessary expenses affordable so that they can afford to buy homes and raise their families where they grew up.
Long Island sits at a crossroads, having the opportunity to build an industry that can provide that economic investment, train an entire generation of skilled workers, and give our kids the chance to obtain great paying jobs, all at the same time as stabilizing energy costs.
Offshore wind, solar power and battery storage are solutions to those challenges.
Starting With Affordability
Energy costs matter everywhere, but especially on Long Island, where household budgets are already stretched. John Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor, said battery storage can help by leveling demand and reducing
Block Island Wind Farm, located off the shore of Rhode Island, marked the first commercial offshore wind farm in the U.S. Now, for areas like Long Island, offshore wind is a driving force to clean, affordable energy and a healthy economy.
expensive peak pricing.
“When there is a heavy pull, it evens out the energy so you don’t have highs and lows,” Durso said. “You don’t have to pay the higher rate because of the great demand.”
Jobs, Careers and Local Investment
Clean energy is already reshaping the labor market. Construction of offshore wind transmission, solar installations, battery facilities and supporting infrastructure requires everything from electricians, engineers and ironworkers to
experts in law, math and science.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity here for our environment, for jobs, for the future,” Durso said. “We want to create careers.”
Long Island has long watched younger residents leave for more affordable regions or larger job markets. Clean energy advocates say emerging industries can help reverse that pattern.
Safety and Reliability Matter
Battery storage projects have drawn public scrutiny in some
communities, but industry officials say safety standards have significantly evolved to include strict codes, testing and emergency planning.
“These systems are being developed with safety in mind from the start,” said Paul Rogers, a retired FDNY lieutenant and founding principal of Energy Safety Response Group.
Building the Next Long Island Economy
Supporters believe clean energy could become another major chapter — one that combines infrastructure investment with local employment and community stability.
For many residents, that future would be measured not in megawatts, but in whether Long Island remains home.
Click here for more.
Courtesy Valley Stream 24 School District Brooklyn Avenue School proudly welcomed home Captain Lisette Lugo after nearly eight months of active-duty service in the Air National Guard.
Reworld celebrates Long Island environmental leaders
By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com
Herald Community Media and Reworld partnered to celebrate Long Island’s leading environmental advocates and innovators during the Herald Sustainability Awards of Long Island, held May 14 at the Heritage Club at Bethpage.
The event recognized individuals and organizations making significant contributions to environmental sustainability while also honoring student leaders working to protect Long Island’s natural resources.
“Nothing unites Long Islanders more than our natural environment, from beaches and bays to wetlands and parks — these treasures are our fountain of life, beauty and resources,” said Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications. “Tonight, we gather to honor environmental champions who are working tirelessly to protect
Long Island’s natural ecosystem for future generations. Their efforts are challenging but vitally important and we thank them for their unwavering dedication.”
The ceremony, emceed by comedian Tom Kelley, also featured awards for four Student Champions for Sustainability and a total of $7,500 in student sustainability initiative prizes.
Adel Omrani, president of Reworld’s East Region, highlighted the company’s role in transforming waste into energy.
“You don’t think of waste when you put it at the curb, and you usually don’t think about disposal, but there’s a lot of processes that goes into that,” he said. “We generate electricity out of that and recycle metals. Just for Long Island, for example, we power 100,000 homes just from processing this waste and using it as fuel.”
Omrani said collaboration among environmental leaders remains essential.
“It’s a very big part of what we do as a community,” he said.
Reworld Market Area Director James Regan stressed the importance of sustainable waste management on Long Island.
“For Long Island, an issue like sustainable waste management is extremely important given how populated it is and how limited resources are,” he said. “Reworld, for us, has a focus to continue to partner with all
these great champions of sustainability to ensure we have sustainable waste management for decades to come.”
New York State Senator Siela Bynoe spoke during the dinner portion of the event.
“I have really had the environment in mind as I’ve been in my various roles in government,” she said.
Bynoe’s life experiences motivated her to pursue environmental advocacy, witnessing increased cancer rates due to local contamination in the Caribbean and disproportionate harm done to marginalized communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I set off on a path to make sure that we can conserve water, make sure we have clean water, and make sure that we are doing what we can to ensure that we sustain this community, this county and this state (so) that we have a bright future,” she said.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, a longtime environmental advocate, discussed his commitment to protecting Long Island’s future.
“I’m very concerned about the direction we’re going as a state and as an island, and I’m looking to change that direction by doing a number of things,” he said.
Romaine cited efforts to improve municipal waste management, expand solar energy infrastructure and advance environmentally friendly policies.
“I could have retired long ago, but there are things that I want to accomplish,” he said. “We need to see change.”
Among the evening’s featured speakers was sports broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, who reflected on his connection to the Great South Bay.
“When I was a kid, between the ages of 14 and 17, I spent a lot of my summers on the Great South Bay — I was a clammer,” he said. “It was great, but there were areas of the Great South Bay that we couldn’t clam in because it was considered polluted... It took many years for it to turn around and to start going back the other way, and it’s one of the things I’m most proud about.”
Esiason praised young environmental advocates being recognized at the event.
“I’m very, very proud of them, and very proud of what they’re trying to do for the beaches of the Great South Bay,” he said.
Girl Scouts Emma Klein and Zoe Lazarus, of Savyille High School, Roslyn High sophomore Charles Metzger and Hauppauge High se-
nior Matias Kalaitzis were all winners of the Student Champions for Sustainability Award. The four were recognized for their civic service, from cleanups to awareness efforts. National Grid Ventures, the main natural gas utility for over 600,000 residential and business customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties; Tritec, primarily known for mixeduse developments, transit-oriented communities and commercial property management across Long Island; and UBS Arena, the home of the New York Islanders, were all recognized with team awards.
As the presenting sponsor, Reworld continues to support environmental progress across Long Island. The company operates facilities in Westbury, West Babylon, East Northport and Ronkonkoma, processing two-thirds of Long Island’s waste, recycling thousands of tons of metals and generating electricity for local homes while helping reduce landfill use and greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information about Reworld and its initiatives that support various community empowerment and environmental programs fostering positive change locally and globally, visit ReworldWaste.com. To view more pictures, visit RichnerLive.com.
Tim Baker/Herald
The Sustainability Awards powered by Reworld brought together leaders, innovators, and advocates committed to building a more sustainable future for Long Island
P hotos by Tim Baker and Melissa Baptiste/Herald
Sponsors for the night (back, from left) included Ricardo Salce, Bobby Green, Rudy Winkler, Rob Balbierz, James Regan, Bill Murphy, David Sharp, Adel Omrani, Maureen Early, Ed Sandkuhl, Matt Augi, Brian Aerne and (front, from left) Kamrun Haque, Vickey Ardounis, and Rehan Simonia from the team at Reworld.
Honoree Suffolk County Executive, Edward P. Romaine with special guest, former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason.
Honoree State Senator Siela Bynoe, District 6.
College Student Champion Honoree Vienna De Lombaerde, who attends Hofstra University.
The duo team honorees for the Student Champion Award: Sayville High School 9th graders Emma Klein, left, and Zoe Lazarus.
Student Champion honorees: Roslyn High School 10th grader Charles Metzger, left, and Hauppauge High School graduating senior Matias Kalaitzis with special guest Kyle Palmieri of the New York Islanders.
National Grid Ventures’ honor team included Kamona Ayres, left, Robert Wittmer, Tom Garry, Alanna Russo, and Retha Fernandez.
Tianna D’Italia, left, Michael Sciortino, Mike Santeramo, Joe Giarraputo, Caroline Shipps, and Erin Nourijanian of UBS Arena’s honoree team.
Michael O’Leary, left, Robert Kent, Shannon Coughlan, Jim Coughlan, Jimmy Coughlan, and Chris Kelly of TRITEC Real Estate Company’s honoree team.
A special thank you to Adel Omrani, President of Reworld East Region, whose vision and leadership helped bring this inspiring celebration of sustainability to life.
Art show benefits the V.S. Historical Society
A local artist presented his paintings at an art show last weekend to raise money for the Valley Stream Historical Society.
Jim Zabatta, a longtime Valley Stream resident, began painting with acrylic paint four years ago. Since then, he has displayed his work at numerous art shows alongside other artists at locations such as Green Acres Mall and Babylon. This past show was Zabatta’s first solo show, and all proceeds from the paintings he sold went toward the Valley Stream Historical Society.
Zabatta has always been an active member of the Valley Stream community. He is the President of the Valley Stream Lions Club, a member of the Valley Stream Architectural Review Board and a member of the Friends of Bridge Board. He was happy he was able to use his artistic abilities to benefit another organization in the village.
“It’s wonderful,” Zabatta said in a previous interview with the Herald. “I love it, giving it back to Valley Stream, the place I’ve always loved. It’s a great feeling. I’m honored that they would even let me do it.”
The show took place at the Pagan-Fletcher Restoration. Attendees eagerly lined up to admire Zabatta’s paintings, which mainly consist of nature scenes, particularly of the ocean, and structures inspired by those on Long Island, such as lighthouses and bridges. At the show, Zabatta presented his “masterpiece” for the first time: a painting of an American flag with a bald eagle in front of it in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary next month.
Zabatta hoped those who came to the show enjoyed viewing his artwork, and that it evoked positive emotions.
–Jane Bagatta
Juan Alzamora/Herald photos
Last weekend’s art show was Valley Stream resident Jim Zabatta’s first solo show.
This piece titled “Freedom” was created to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary next month. “Next Chapter,” was also a featured painting.
One of the pieces on display was “Sails at Sunset.”
Fellow local artist Mike Stanko and his wife, Karen Zang, came out to support Zabatta alongside his wife, Cheryl Zabatta.
DEC provides fishing equipment for families
few opportunities for the public to fish there. The lake’s fish population includes freshwater carp, catfish, eels and sunfish. The lake is not stocked with fish, and the species present there have been reproducing naturally for decades.
“There are snapping turtles, and we don’t bring them in,” DeAngelis said. “We just cut the line. We kind of stay away from the snapping turtles; they could be kind of mean and big.”
To accommodate participants, organizers divide each day into three sessions: 10 a.m. to noon, noon to 2 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. Fishing locations are marked around the lake, with more than 100 designated spots available. Participants who wish to continue fishing after a session can sign up for another time slot if space is available.
Advance registration helps organizers estimate attendance, staffing needs and the amount of bait required for the weekend. Upon arrival, participants check in, receive information about the event and are assigned a fishing location around the lake.
Accessibility and safety are also part of the event’s planning. Designated wheelchair-accessible fishing locations are reserved, and two lifeguards remain on duty.
“We haven’t ever had any problems, but just in case, we have lifeguards there with a first aid kit during the
Herald file photo
Anglers will return to Arthur J. Hendrickson Park Lake on June 27 and 28 for the annual Family Fishing Weekend, a free event offering gear, guidance and fishing fun.
whole event,” Jimmy Fitanzo, the village’s director of recreation, said.
A shuttle bus also transports participants to fishing locations on the far side of the lake.
On favorable weather days, officials said the event can attract several hundred participants daily. Families often spend hours at the lake, with some
remaining for much of the day.
Over the years, organizers have seen the event become a multigenerational tradition. Families return annually, and some participants who fished at Hendrickson Park decades ago, now bring their children and grandchildren to the event.
For DeAngelis, one of the most
rewarding aspects of the weekend is seeing participants catch their first fish and watching families share the experience together.
“When Mom or Grandma catches a fish that just charges me up,” DeAngelis said. “Or when a kid catches a fish for the first time, they’ll run up and tell you. That’s the stuff that makes you do it again, and you do it for those moments.”
DeAngelis noted that participants often ask how they can continue fishing after the event, and many go on to make it a regular hobby.
Fitanzo said patience is important for first-time participants, emphasizing that the experience is as much about creating memories as it is about catching fish.
“Every year we see new people coming, people haven’t come before, we talk with them, and some people have never fished before; they just want to come and see what it’s all about,” Fitanzo said. “And then when they get a fish, you can’t even imagine it; it just makes their whole summer.”
Family Fishing Weekend will conclude a busy June of summer programming in Valley Stream, which includes recreational activities, concerts and movie nights. Organizers encourage residents of all ages and experience levels to take part in the village’s activities all summer.
LIRR expands service for golf’s U.S. Open
By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com
The 126th U.S. Open Championship, which begins next week, is being played at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club — known as one of the “cathedrals” of golf — for the first time since 2018.
Eric Steimer, senior director of U.S. Championships at the United States Golf Association, said the USGA’s transportation strategy is intended to reduce congestion around the site while providing multiple travel options for fans attending the tournament.
The plan, developed in collaboration with the Long Island Rail Road, Suffolk County and New York state officials, will be in effect from June 15, three days before the tournament starts, until June 21, the day it ends.
Steimer said that the 15-person team that planned transportation operations recognized early that travel logistics would be one of the event’s biggest challenges. “Any time we’re out here in eastern Long Island at Shinnecock Hills, transportation is a challenge,” Steimer said. “We’re doing a lot of different things to really try to mitigate that.”
As it did eight years ago, the LIRR’s Montauk Branch will provide transportation to and from the tournament. A temporary station will be constructed in Tuckahoe, across from Shinnecock Hills, on the south side of County Road
said. “Anyone that looks at Calverton on a map is going to see that it’s pretty far away from Shinnecock Hills, but at the same time it is very accessible for anyone that’s coming from points west or coming along the Long Island Expressway.”
For residents of Southampton, Sag Harbor, Easthampton and neighboring communities, Steimer recommended using a rideshare program operating from Stony Brook Southampton’s campus.
Hamton Jitney will operate shuttle service for spectators traveling from Montauk, Amagansett, Sag Harbor, Bridgehampton, Water Mill and Southampton. Pickups and drop-offs will be located near Admission Gate 2 on the Stony Brook campus.
STEPPING OUT
39, adjacent to Stony Brook University’s Southampton campus. A temporary pedestrian bridge will span the roadway.
From June 15 to 17, the LIRR plans to operate 10 inbound trains and dozens of outbound trains, more than double the service it provided in 2018. During the championship rounds, June 18 to 21, 12 inbound trains and 13 outbound trains are scheduled to operate.
“The Long Island Rail Road is ready,” its president, Rob Free, stated in a news release. “Avoid the traffic and use our
exceptionally reliable service to and from Shinnecock Hills for all the golf action. Extra staff will also be on hand at Southampton to help customers throughout the championship for a great customer experience.”
Steimer explained that this year’s transportation differs from 2018 because satellite parking operations have moved from Gabreski Airport to Calverton Executive Airpark.
“We will have complimentary parking and complimentary shuttle buses to and from the championship,” Steimer
Fans traveling from New York City will have the option of using Blade helicopter service from June 18 to 21, with return flights scheduled each evening after play ends.
Steimer urged commuters not to arrange drop-offs on County Road 39, and said there would be increased police presence at intersections around the golf course.
“This is a plan that’s been carefully articulated with local experts to be able to implement this plan,” he said. “Now is the time to bring it to life.”
For more information on train service, go to MTA.INFO/document/209406.
‘Good times never seemed so good…’ Neil Diamond’s tunes are always in style
By Karen Bloom
For those who can’t get enough of Neil Diamond, perhaps the next best thing to seeing him perform, is when Robert Neary takes on legendary singer-songwriter’s persona.
retiring due to Parkinson’s, set out to create the best Neil Diamond tribute I could.”
And audiences certainly agree.
• Sunday, June 14, 3 p.m.
• Tickets available at tillescenter.org or ticketmaster.com or (516) 299-3100
“We always hope that for the two hours they come to our show, they [audiences] are able to forget about the craziness going on in the world, and relive the happy moments with the Neil Diamond’s iconic music.
People relate to his music and so many favorites bring so many people back to those beautiful days,” Neary continues.
The multi-hyphenate performer brings his acclaimed show, ”So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience,” to Tilles Center, on Sunday, featuring his band and a special “hometown” guest performance. The East Meadow High School Chamber Choir concludes the concert with a six-song finale, under the direction of Chorus Director Samantha Schick.
The collaboration is especially meaningful, as Neary is an alumnus of East Meadow High School, and the production’s trumpet player, Stephen Engle, formerly served as head of the music department at the school.
• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville
Part of the show’s enduring appeal is Neary’s commitment to honoring Diamond’s catalog while keeping the performance dynamic and engaging for both new and returning audiences.
“I went right to his 50th anniversary hits album and compared each song to the success of each one and chart history. We now touch on 28 of them in a full show. We do various medleys that are able to incorporate more songs and with the fabulous multimedia, it really brings the songs to life. also go into the audience for Sweet Caroline and high five and hug on as many people as can,” Neary adds.
Over the years, the production has evolved into a full-scale theatrical concert experience.
“I set out to do exactly what it has become. So having it all continue to fall into place, has been all part of the plan. We continue to evolve in our production. Its started with eight members on stage and 22 songs. We now have amazing background singers, a violinist and a full multimedia presentation that is amazing. We also have included a full overture highlighting Neil’s career through the decades.”
His band, The Mystic, certainly adds to the experience.
The stage, TV and film star has created an acclaimed tribute experience. The show celebrates the timeless songs and storytelling of Neil Diamond, with the beloved hits from Diamond’s extensive catalogincluding “Sweet Caroline,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “America, ,” and many more. Known for his remarkable vocals, Neary has earned praise for delivering a heartfelt and high-energy tribute to one of America’s most iconic entertainers. The concert was also filmed as a documentary feature that is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, where it continues to receive rave reviews from audiences nationwide.
“I am beyond blessed to have this amazing band,” Neary says, enthusiastically. “I met them playing at a huge Halloween party and asked if they would like to join me in this venture and they said, yes.
To have this band and the comradery that they possess, having been together for 30 years, is just icing on the cake. We have such a great time on stage as well as touring together and it shows. Countless accolades say how amazingly tight the band is and that we all look like we are having fun.”
One could say that that that this performance’s special closing is the icing on the cake for Neary.
Conversations in art
With decades in the entertainment industry, Neary has starred in three Broadway lead roles and appeared in more than 60 major television and film guest-starring roles. He has also built a worldwide social media following of more than half a million fans. Neary created “So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience” in 2019 and, alongside New York-based band The Mystic, developed the show into the nationwide hit it is today. The production continues to sell out venues across the United States and is now set to expand internationally.
“I’ve always been a fan,” says Neary, of Diamond. “I even learned how to play the piano to Hello Again and knew could emulate his voice since high school. was an actor for 40 years, but in 2018, the business for me, started to slow down. After hearing he was
“I’m incredibly proud to return home and share this experience with students from East Meadow High School. Music education played such an important role in my life, and having these talented young performers join us for the finale makes this performance especially meaningful. It’s going to be a really memorable afternoon,” he continues.
“I’ve always wanted to add a choir, and with this Tilles show, being as big as it is, I figured now’s the time to make it happen. My best friend from junior high Stephen Engle, suggested them and immediately said, “Of course!”
Neary, who now resides in Melville after leaving East Meadow all those years ago to pursue his dreams in L.A., is delighted to be back on his home turf, especially reconnecting with his high school.
“It feels wonderful. So humbling and so blessed to be back where was when my career was only a dream away. The first time we played Eisenhower Park, was very emotional and now to play the Tilles Center with the EMHS choir, on such a grander scale, is even more unbelievable.”
Nassau County Museum of Art hosts an engaging conversation with curator and collections expert Lauren Brincat, whose work and expertise helped shape the current exhibition “250 Years of Art on Long Island.” Brincat, Chief Curator and Director of Collections at Preservation Long Island — a key lending partner to the exhibit — offers an in-depth exploration of the show’s themes, giving visitors a closer look at the wide-ranging artworks and historical objects on view. Her talk illuminates how the exhibit brings together painting and decorative arts to trace the evolution of Long Island’s artistic identity across the centuries. She also discusses the collaborative research and curatorial process behind the exhibition, highlighting how artists, collectors and communities have contributed to shaping and preserving the region’s visual legacy.
Sunday, June 14, 3 p.m. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students (members free). Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. Register at nassaumuseum.org or call (516) 484-9337.
USGA/Fred Vuich
With the 126th U.S. Open set to tee off at Shinnecock Hills,
Photos courtesy Robert Neary
Robert Neary enthusiastically gets his audiences involved in this celebration of the singersongwriter’s enduring catalog of hits.
Your Neighborhood CALENDAR
JUN
11
‘The Little Mermaid Jr.’
Valley Stream District
24 Drama Club welcomes all to a performance of “The Little Mermaid Jr.” at William L. Buck School. Tickets are free and must be reserved in advance.
• Where: 75 Horton Ave.
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: valleystreamschooldistrict24.org
JUN
12
Family theater
Long Island Children’s Museum stages
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!,” for its final weekend. 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, the show 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 June 13-14
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
JUN
16
Harmonize with Long Island
Harmonizers
Love to sing? So do the Long Island Harmonizers. The Barbershop Harmony Society chapter is a chorus of more than 20 singers, now welcoming new members. The ensemble performs fourpart a cappella harmony in the barbershop style, entertaining audiences at libraries, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and local events. All are welcome to visit one of their weekly rehearsals. Come listen, meet the chorus, and — if you’d like — join in and sing. No musical experience is necessary, just a love of singing and a desire to have fun making music together.
• Where: Faith Lutheran Church, 231 Jackson Ave, Syosset
• Time: Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
• Contact: Call: Rich, (516) 521-4779, or Dennis, (516) 680-8036, or visit longislandharmonizers.org
JUN
Daniel Tosh’s: My First Farewell Tour
JUN
25
Midsummer
Jazz
Old Westbury Gardens hosts Monk for President, an ensemble that’s redefined the art of the jazz trio. Glafkos Kontemeniotis (piano), Fred Berman (bass) and Vince ‘Kazi’ McCoy (drums) deliver a high-wire act of musical conversation. From timeless standards to deep-cut favorites, and originals from Glafkos. Their improvisation has graced iconic stages like Bryant Park, Central Park Summer Stage and the Schomburg Center. Don’t miss this masterclass in intuitive jazz. Before, during, or after, stroll the gardens decorated with floral arrangements and illuminated with lanterns. Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic dinner. $40 (includes light season fair and beverages), with member discount. Additional wine, beer and prosecco may be purchased separately.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: Gates open at 6 p.m., concert 7-9 p.m.
JUN
18
Juneteenth Celebration
Eisenhower Summer Concert Series continues with an Earth Wind & Fire Tribute by D’votion, a Gospel Choir and DRIFT featuring members of TAUK and MJT.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 572-0200
Stargazers
Join members of the Astronomical Society of Long Island for a nighttime skywatching session at Old Westbury Gardens. Gates open 30 minutes before observing begins. Free with admission.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: 8:15-10 p.m.
• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048
JUN
19
FIFA World Cup Watch Party Soccer fans are invited to Eisenhower Park for Soccer In The Park, a free public watch party for the FIFA World Cup match between the United States and Australia. The viewing will feature a live match broadcast, giveaways, family-friendly
activities, concessions and more. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for outdoor viewing. Free parking is available, with Lots 6 and 6A closest to the venue. Free parking is available.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 3 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 572-0200 TheIslandFC.com
Juneteenth Jubilee
Join in the fun at the second annual Juneteenth Jubilee at Valley Stream State Park. With cultural entertainment, cultural food, information booths, children’s games, children’s inflatables, and various other activities.
Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages will give the welcoming address.
• Where: Valley Stream State Park
• Time: Noon-4 p.m.
• Contact: LIParksRecreation@parks.ny.gov
Long Island Nets
Juneteenth Youth Basketball Clinic
The Long Island Nets host free basketball clinic for kids 7-14 as a part of Valley Stream State Park’s Juneteeth celebration. Spots are limited. Registration required.
• Where: Valley Stream State Park
• Time: 1-3 p.m.
• Contact: (934) 948-2546
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 7 and 9:30 p.m.
Get ready for an evening of sharp observations and quick-fire punchlines that are Daniel Tosh’s signature irreverent style when he brings My First Farewell tour to The Paramount stage. Acclaimed for his quick wit and deadpan delivery, he’s built a devoted following through both stand-up and television. After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in marketing, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue comedy full-time. His career gained national attention following a standout appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2001, leading to appearances on programs including Comedy Central Presents, Premium Blend and The Tonight Show. Tosh became a household name as the creator and host of Tosh.0, the long-running Comedy Central hit that paired viral internet videos with his trademark commentary and satirical take on pop culture. The series became one of the network’s most successful and enduring comedy programs, helping cement Tosh’s reputation as one of stand-up’s most recognizable voices. Expect an energetic set filled with new material, unexpected twists and the unapologetic humor that has defined Tosh’s career.
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
JUN
22
Tunes with The Chiclettes
Eisenhower Summer Concert Series welcomes The Chiclettes and Vinnie Medugno. Celebrate the remarkable women who reigned supreme on the charts! Gracie, Mikayla, and Jennie deliver an exceptional blend of female vocal groups and artists, spanning from the early rock ‘n roll and Motown eras to disco, R&B, ‘80s/90s pop and more. The Chiclettes are set to energize you as they celebrate the female artists who have graced the music scene from past to present.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 6 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 572-0200
• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048
JUN
26
Rockin’ with The Almost Brothers Band Rock on during the Eisenhower Summer Concert Series. Enjoy an Allman Brothers tribute with ABB and Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute with Sons of Skynyrd.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 572-0200
JUN
24
Summer concert series
The schedule continues with Tales of Funk & Soul, playing R&B, Jazz and Motown, will be performing.
• Where: Village Bandshell, 123 S. Central Ave.
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 825-4200
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.
things to know about american revolution
Foreign Founding Fathers
By WILL SHEELINE
wsheeline@liherald.com
The Founding Fathers and revolutionaries who built the United States and defeated the British Empire came from all backgrounds and walks of life. Several of them even traveled thousands of miles, on horseback and by ship, to a country that was not theirs to support the cause of freedom. While Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, is the most famous of the foreign Founding Fathers, plenty of other men from around the world risked their lives and fought in the Revolution. Here are three of their stories:
nThe Father of the American Cavalry
Born in Warsaw, then part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in 1745, Casimir Pulaski was a nobleman and already a revolutionary before Lexington and Concord. He had fought against Russian imperialism as a member of the Bar Confederation, a group of nobles who opposed foreign interference in their government.
After the confederation’s failure he went into exile, living in poverty in France, until the Marquis de Lafayette and Benjamin Franklin recruited Pulaski to join the Revolution in 1777. Once in America, Pulaski became an invaluable asset as a cavalryman, saving the life of George Washington himself at the Battle of the Brandywine. He reformed the cavalry and created Pulaski’s Legion, a mixed cavalry and infantry force.
Pulaski would die from grapeshot fire in 1779, leading a cavalry charge during the Siege of Savannah.
n The fake baron who saved the army
The man who Continental troops would know as Baron von Steuben (his actual title was Freiherr, or “free lord”) was born to minor nobility in the German city of Magdeburg, then part of the Kingdom of Prussia, in 1730. von Steuben joined the Prussian Army at age 17, then considered the best army in Europe. von Steuben distinguished himself in military service, rising to the rank of captain and serving as aide-decamp to the Prussian King Frederick the Great. After the Seven Years War ended in 1763 he was out of a job however, and would serve as a duke’s chamberlain until he joined the Revolution in 1778. His arrival came during the disastrous winter at Valley Forge he drilled the demoralized troops in Prussian style, restoring discipline and creating the first military drill guide in American history. He also reduced corruption, and served the remainder of the war as Washington’s chief of staff, settling in America after.
n The man who built West Point
Tadeusz Koscsiuszko was born in 1746 to the lower tiers of Polish nobility. After studying at the premier military school in the country, he was forced to flee Poland-Lithuania after a failed elopement. He joined the American war effort in 1776, after surviving a shipwreck on the way here. Trained in European scientific theory and advanced mathematics, the Polish soldier’s knowledge was instrumental in selecting the ground for the Battle of Saratoga, a pivotal choice that defined the battle that most helped to win the revolution.
Kosciuszko was the chief engineer and designer for Fort West Point, the very designs which Benedict Arnold planned to sell to the British as part of his betrayal. After the war Kosciuszko returned to Poland-Lithuania, fighting in two wars against Russia in support of democracy. He died in Switzerland in 1817.
June 11, 2026 —
LEGAL NOTICE
Public Notices
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE
COMPANY, Plaintiff, vs. JONATHAN CASTILLO, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 3, 2025 and an Order
Appointing Successor Referee duly entered on December 11, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1294 G 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 Elmont, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 35, Block 633 and Lot 38. Approximate amount of judgment is $501,068.35 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #604919/2023.
Joshua D. Brookstein, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 230154-1 160320
LEGAL NOTICE
INCORPORATED
VILLAGE OF VALLEY STREAM OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE CLERK/ADMINISTRATO R 123 South Central Avenue Valley Stream New York 11580 (516) 592-5105
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Public Hearing will be held by this Board of Trustees on the 15th day of June, 2026 at 7:00 o’clock p.m. in the Village Hall Auditorium, 123 So. Central Avenue, Valley Stream in person and on Zoom https://us02web.zoom. us/j/7148140969 to consider the subdivision of Village
owned property §37, Block 335, Lot 409 known as 62-78 Hicks Street.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that all interested persons shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the subdivision of Village owned property §37, Block 335, Lot 409 known as 62-78 Hicks Street.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that twentyfour hours before the meeting, there will be a link on the Village website www.vsvny.org to download the Public Hearing agenda.
Dated: Valley Stream, New York
June 4, 2026 June 11, 2026 By Order of the Board of Trustees Incorporated Village of Valley Stream James J. Hunter Village Clerk/Administrator 160579
LEGAL NOTICE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF VALLEY STREAM
123 So. Central Avenue Valley Stream, New York 11580 516-592-5105
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution and the provisions of the Village Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a Public Hearing will take place on Monday the 15th day of June, 2026 at 7:00 o’clock p.m. in person in the Village Hall Auditorium, 123 South Central Avenue, Valley Stream, New York and on ZOOM using the link provided: https://us02web.zoom. us/j/7148140969 to consider the enactment of the following local law:
PROPOSED LOCAL LAW 3 - 2026 - A LOCAL LAW TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL MAP OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF VALLEY STREAM BY CHANGING A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND (§37, BLOCK 335, LOT 409) IN A “P” DISTRICT TO THE CA FLOATING MULTIPLE DWELLING DISTRICT (62-78 HICKS STREET). The
proposed local law will be available on the Village website www.vsvny.org and is on file in the Office of the Village Clerk, in the Village Hall of said Village of Valley Stream, where it may be inspected on regular business days between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on the proposed local law at the time and place aforesaid.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER
NOTICE that twentyfour hours before the meeting, there will be a link on the Village website www.vsvny.org to download the Public Hearing agenda.
Dated: Valley Stream, New York June 4, 2026 June 11, 2026
By Order of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream JAMES J. HUNTER Village Clerk/Administrator 160577
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement relating to IMPAC Secured Assets Corp., Mortgage PassThrough Certificates, Series 2006-3, Plaintiff AGAINST Yolene Masse a/k/a Yolene F. Masse; et al., Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 10, 2023, amended July 11, 2025, and April 13, 2026 , I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 7, 2026, at 2:00PM, premises known as 194 North Cottage Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 37 Block 146 Lots 3 and 4. Approximate amount of judgment
$911,758.46 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 616430/2018. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”
Karen C. Grant, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792
Dated: May 5, 2026 160583
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Gloria Torres, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 10, 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 July 8, 2026 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 622 Wyngate Drive East, Valley Stream, NY 11580 AKA 622 Wyngate Drive East, North 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 Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 35 Block 522 Lot 23. Approximate amount of judgment $359,128.29 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #603859/2024. Michael J. Sepe, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 24-000259 90057 160500
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. CLAUDIA S. ROSENTHAL AKA CLAUDIA S. BROCHMAN, AS POTENTIAL HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF EILEEN ROSENTHAL AKA EILEEN G.
Richard Kessel named next chair of NHCC
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
Richard Kessel, chairman of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, has been tapped by Gov. Kathy Hochul to be the next chairman of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, the public benefit corporation that oversees Nassau University Medical Center, in East Meadow, and the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility, in Uniondale.
A regional leader for decades, Kessel, of Merrick, is known for his expertise on energy and consumer issues and has an extensive background in public service. He previously served as chairman of the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency and as chief executive officer of the New York Power Authority. Kessel, 76, has a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s from Columbia University.
The finance authority, another public benefit corporation, monitors and oversees Nassau County’s finances. It assumed direct financial oversight of NUMC in 2020, a move that was met with heavy opposition from previous hospital leadership. As part of the state’s takeover last year, it mandated that NHCC conduct a comprehensive study outlining the long-term viability of NUMC. The study is to be submitted to NIFA by Dec. 1.
“Richard Kessel brings decades of leadership experience in government, public policy and complex organizations,” Hochul said of Monday’s appointment in a statement emailed to the Herald. “His proven record of public service, commitment to Long Island and ability to navigate challenging issues make him exceptionally well-suited to lead the board as NHCC continues its mission of providing high-quality care to the communities we serve.”
Kessel’s appointment to the NHCC board means he will step down from NIFA. His position there will be filled by Moshin Meghji, a current NIFA board member.
ROSENTHAL, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 18, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County
Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 16, 2026 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 47 Southgate Road a/k/a 47 Southgate Road South, Valley Stream, NY 11581. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon
The NHCC chair’s position has been vacant since March, when former Chairman Stuart Rabinowitz stepped down. Rabinowitz had served in the role since June 2025, after being appointed by Hochul when state officials assumed leadership of the public hospital and its governing body.
Rabinowitz’s departure came during a turbulent period for NUMC. Following a public battle between the hospital’s former leadership and the state, New York assumed oversight of the hospital under provisions included in the 2025-26 state budget. The board was restructured to include 11 members, most of whom were appointed by Hochul.
When Rabinowitz stepped down, Hochul thanked him for his service, saying he “stepped up when Nassau University Medical Center desperately needed steady, serious leadership.” She added that “his focus on accountability and fiscal management has helped put this critical safety-net hospital on the road to recovery.”
erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 39, Block 502 and Lot 41. Approximate amount of judgment is $416,394.08 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index
Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must.
Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239
EDITOR/REPORTER
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City.
We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales
Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
OUTSIDE
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Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $35,360 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key.
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xperience elevated living in this exceptional luxury, smart home, located
More about homes close to the water
Q. We’re looking for a house, and have run into a pattern where every house we see has some real problems. We’re wondering, after our home inspector looked at a house recently and found major foundation cracks, how we can figure out what to negotiate for the repairs. The house is on a canal, and also has other additions that have no permits (we checked). How do we go about discussing this with facts, and try to resolve what it will really cost if we buy the house?
A. I have a sinking feeling about the house, as you described. Some of the homes I have seen in high water tables, next to canals, in what are known as flood plain areas, are expensive and require a lot of engineering work to repair. Unfortunately, time doesn’t heal all wounds, and many people looking in areas adjacent to water don’t realize what they’re looking at.
The history of these close-to-the-water neighborhoods is an interesting study in civil engineering. Most of the areas, especially along shorelines, were previously swampland that was “reclaimed.” This means that tall reeds were often plowed under and covered with sand, dredged to make the adjacent canals deeper and more navigable while shooting the sand with water cannons, in a process called hydro-fill, to stabilize and level out the land for construction of developments. At the time, unfortunately, there wasn’t the same level of scrutiny in issuing permits, and testing from those eras is sometimes questionable. One of the most obvious test reports I have ever seen was one in which every soil boring taken on a single property was written on a chart so that every number on every line was the same. A trained professional would realize that is nearly impossible. I imagine the person just filling in each line with the same ditto information just so they could get past filing the required report.
It’s all too common to see record plans, taken from building departments, showing standard foundation walls with no spread footing, and therefore no piles. Piles are the large, long poles or large helical screws that are jammed down into the earth until they reach a point where they can’t be jammed any farther. If you really love the location, you should hire an experienced engineer or architect, who will need to investigate the old records on file and also look at the foundation conditions.
If it turns out the house has either no underground pile report or a certified pile log, which is not unusual, then the foundation cracking can be caused by the continued settling of the house into the less stable ground. Will the settling stop at some point? Not for a long time — several lifetimes, predictably. There are ways to insert pile supports around the foundation, utilizing brackets and angled piles, to stop the settling. At that point, you need a professional’s plan and a pile company estimate to negotiate. Good luck!
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Recalling Robert Moses’ plans for Fire Island
sixty-four years ago, in the spring of 1962, I began working as a reporter on Long Island, and engaged immediately in my first big story — Robert Moses’ plan to build a four-lane highway on Fire Island. It would have devastated much of the exquisite nature of that barrier beach, along with its 17 very special communities. I was 20 years old. After two years of grassroots opposition and journalism, in which I played a significant part, the highway scheme was stopped. In September 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation establishing Fire Island National Seashore. In those two years I merged investigative reporting with environmental journalism, a combination that has been a journalistic and academic focus of mine for the past six decades. Life has its circles, and I was delighted that Alexcy Romero, superintendent of the national seashore and a 1990 graduate of SUNY Old Westbury, was a guest speaker at the school on Earth Day. As
The
Ta professor at the university for 47 years, I taught investigative reporting and environmental journalism.
In his talk, Romero said, “I did not know how I was going to apply my environmental science degree.” He found a highly positive application for it for more than three decades now at the National Park Service.
on my first day at the Babylon Town Leader, my bosses had a story for me.
Romero has been the superintendent at Fire Island since 2018. “Everything we do is about protecting resources and providing a good, memorable visitor experience,” he said. The title of his presentation was “Cities and Seashores,” and its focus was “Long Island seashore conservation and working in public service.”
Romero is originally from New York City, and when he was appointed superintendent, he said, “As a native New Yorker, I have spent many days enjoying the Great South Bay by boat, strolling the beaches of Fire Island, and have experienced some breathtaking sunsets that only Fire Island National Seashore has to offer. I look forward to working with all the communities, partners and talented staff managing this beautiful resource that many people have come to treasure.”
In 1962 I had never been to Fire Island. But even though I was also from New York City, I became an Eagle Scout, relished nature, and my family camped in the summers at Wildwood State Park, in Wading River. I got the reporter’s job at the Babylon Town Leader, and when I arrived on my first day of work, the newspaper’s publisher, James Cooper, and editor, John Maher, told me that Moses had just announced his highway plan for Fire Island, and they wanted me to go there that weekend and put together a story.
As Robert Caro wrote in his Pulitzer Prize-winning 1974 book, “The Power Broker:Robert Moses and the Fall of New York,” Moses had the New York media in his pocket. But that wasn’t the case with the Town Leader. Moses had a home in Babylon, and through the years the newspaper took on Moses and his various projects.
I lucked out by connecting with Fire Islanders including TV journalist Charles Collingwood, playwright Reginald Rose, author Theodore H. White and some regular folks, who articulately explained how the island’s nature and communities would be impacted by
the proposed highway. A walk in Sunken Forest made the environmental importance of Fire Island clear to me. I wrote a story, the first of many. We discovered that the four-lane highway Moses built to the west, along Jones Beach, instead of being an “anchor” of the beach — as Moses insisted a highway on Fire Island would be — regularly needed to be bolstered with sand pushed along its edges by bulldozers working at night.
The first call I received the morning after my first story ran was from Murray Barbash, an environmentally committed builder from Brightwaters. Barbash and his brother-in-law, Babylon attorney Irving Like, co-author of the state’s Conservation Bill of Rights, then organized a Citizens Committee for a Fire Island National Seashore. Their view was that Moses couldn’t be stopped on the state level because of the enormous power he wielded in New York. If Fire Island were to be saved, it would have to be through the federal government. Also, a national seashore offered a positive goal, they felt. And happily, that’s what came about.
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.
lessons our leaders should take from the LIRR strike
he three-day Long Island Rail Road strike last month did more than disrupt commutes. It highlighted just how interconnected New York City and Long Island truly are. For 72 hours, the effects rippled across the entire metropolitan region. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli estimated that the work stoppage cost as much as $61 million per day in lost economic activity.
The losses weren’t confined to any one county or borough. They were shared by all of us, because our regional economy functions as one interconnected system.
I heard from employers immediately concerned about staffing shortages, delayed deliveries and declining foot traffic. The reason was simple: The workforce connection between Long Island and New York City is enormous. According to Census data, around 240,000 Long Island residents commute into New York City for work, while roughly 310,000 New York City residents work in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Queens alone sends around 95,000 work-
ers into Nassau County and another 28,000 into Suffolk County every day. Queens residents are among the largest workforce pipelines for Long Island employers, particularly in health care, construction, retail, transportation and professional services.
When that flow stops, even briefly, the economic consequences are immediate.
Too often, some elected officials and commentators have tried to frame Long Island and New York City as competitors, as though economic success on one side of the city line somehow comes at the expense of the other side.
It doesn’t.
L ong Island’s economy is deeply dependent on New York City’s, and vice versa.
We saw this dynamic emerge during the pandemic, when some suburban leaders openly encouraged businesses to leave New York City and relocate to Long Island. More recently, some politicians have continued to take rhetorical swipes at the city’s struggles as a way to score political points.
But the LIRR strike demonstrated exactly why that mindset misses the bigger picture.
Long Island’s economy is deeply dependent on New York City’s economic strength, just as the city depends on
Long Island. Roughly 150,000 Suffolk County residents work in New York City’s five boroughs, with many commuting into Manhattan and Queens every day. Nassau County’s economic ties are even deeper. Meanwhile, businesses throughout the city rely heavily on Long Island residents as customers, employees and business partners.
Queens and suburban Long Island, in particular, share extraordinarily close economic ties. Queens is home to Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, major health care institutions, construction projects and entertainment destinations that employ thousands of Long Islanders. Long Islanders help staff schools, hospitals, financial firms and transportation systems throughout the city. At the same time, Queens residents support Long Island’s retail centers, restaurants, beaches and small businesses. That’s why the true competition facing our region isn’t between Queens and Nassau or between Manhattan and Suffolk. It is coming from states aggressively attracting residents and employers away from New York altogether. Florida. Texas. The Carolinas.
When families leave the metropolitan area because housing costs become unsustainable, Long Island and New York City both lose. When businesses relocate operations out of state, the economic pain is shared throughout the downstate region.
Instead of trying to outcompete one another for headlines or short-term political advantage, regional leaders should be working together to address the challenges we all face: affordability, transportation reliability, housing shortages and public safety.
The LIRR strike also reinforced another important truth: Infrastructure matters. Reliable transportation is the backbone of the downstate economy. Millions of people depend on the seamless movement of workers and consumers throughout the region every day. When that system breaks down, even temporarily, it reminds us how fragile — and how interconnected — our economy really is.
In the future Long, Island and New York City will succeed or fail, rise or fall, together. That isn’t political rhetoric. It is an economic reality.
Tom Grech is president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce and acting chair of the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency and Local Development Corporation.
Fax: (516) 569-4942
WTaking care to the streets
hen communities confront homelessness, the conversation often becomes trapped between competing concerns: public safety, housing costs, mental health, addiction and strained social services. But programs that make a real difference recognize a simple truth: Homelessness is both a humanitarian crisis and a public health crisis.
Addressing it requires more than temporary shelter or emergency interventions. It requires meeting people where they are — literally and figuratively. That is what makes street medicine and community outreach programs such powerful and innovative models.
Instead of waiting for vulnerable people to navigate a complicated health care system, outreach teams bring services directly to them. They visit train stations, commuter lots, wooded encampments, shelters and other places where homeless individuals live and gather.
The approach acknowledges a reality often overlooked in policy discussions: People struggling to survive day to day rarely have the ability to prioritize medical appointments, transportation, paperwork or insurance requirements. For many, simply getting through the next 24 hours is challenge enough.
Long Island’s most recent Point-InTime Count found more than 4,500 unhoused adults and children in Nassau and Suffolk counties, the highest total recorded since 2007.
letters
Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Brown are silent on Israel
To the Editor:
In a pair of opinion pieces in the May 28-June 3 issue of the Herald, Assemblyman Ari Brown (“New York’s radical mobs are testing America’s spine”) and State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (“Our state must do more to combat antisemitism”) deplored the rise in antisemitism locally, nationally and globally. The two legislators called for stronger measures to protect Jews from harassment and the threat, or actuality, of violence. No New Yorker of goodwill would oppose such protective efforts or deny that hatred of Jews is growing and spreading. It must also be acknowledged that Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities in murdering 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023.
But neither Brown nor CanzoneriFitzpatrick offers the slightest criticism
Behind every statistic is a person facing enormous barriers to proper health and stability. Chronic illnesses often go untreated. Mental health conditions worsen without care. Substance-use disorders become more dangerous. Small medical problems can become lifethreatening emergencies.
Traditional systems are often not designed to reach people living in these circumstances. Outreach programs are.
What makes these efforts especially effective is their emphasis on trust. Team members may spend significant time with one person, providing medical evaluations, wellness education, supplies, referrals and, perhaps most important, human connection. People who often feel ignored, judged or invisible are treated with dignity and respect.
That trust-building is not a “soft” benefit. It is the foundation of successful intervention. People who trust service providers are more likely to seek treatment, follow medical advice, complete paperwork and engage with housing services. Those relationships can become the bridge that leads someone from instability to recovery and ultimately to permanent housing.
The results of street medicine programs across Long Island and the nation demonstrate the value of this approach. People have been connected to urgent medical care, chronic conditions have been managed before they became emergencies, and individuals have been guid-
ed into stable housing. While the numbers may seem modest compared with the scale of the crisis, they represent something larger: individualized, community-based care that works.
Housing itself is a public health issue. Stable housing improves physical health, mental well-being, medication compliance and overall quality of life. Yet obtaining housing often requires medical evaluations and documentation that many homeless people struggle to access. Outreach teams help bridge that gap.
These programs also serve as a reminder that homelessness can happen to anyone. Job loss, illness, family breakdown, disability or financial hardship can push an individual into crisis. People do not choose homelessness, yet they are often judged as though they did. Compassion alone will not solve homelessness. Neither will enforcement alone. Communities need practical, scalable solutions that combine health care, housing support and human connection. Street medicine and communitybased outreach programs are proving that such solutions exist. As homelessness continues to rise, communities should look closely at these models and invest in expanding them. If society wants to help people move off the streets, it cannot wait for them to come through the door. Sometimes the most effective solution is to bring the door to them.
How $1 becomes $1.60 on L.I.: the multiplier effect
Most Long Islanders have a pretty good feel for the local economy, with housing demand up, unemployment down and new businesses replacing older ones. What many people don’t see is how all of those activities are connected.
thing much larger than many residents realize. Nassau and Suffolk counties together generate approximately $256 billion in economic activity annually. If Long Island were a state, its economy would rank roughly 23rd in the nation.
While those numbers are impressive, the more interesting story is how that economic activity is created.
A new apartment building isn’t just a construction project. A restaurant isn’t simply a place to grab dinner. A law firm does more than provide legal advice. Each of these businesses creates economic activity that extends well beyond its front door, generating jobs, income and spending throughout the region.
Economists call this the multiplier effect, and it impacts Long Islanders every day.
Our economy is often discussed in terms of individual industries — health care, education, construction, technology, hospitality, retail, professional services. Yet one of the reasons the economy has remained resilient through economic cycles is that no single industry dominates it. Instead, thousands of businesses of varying sizes create a diverse and interconnected economic ecosystem.
That diversity helps explain why Long Island’s economy has grown into some-
our economy is powered by thousands of interconnected decisions we make every day.
Consider a neighborhood bagel shop. When a customer purchases breakfast, the economic impact doesn’t stop at the cash register. The bakery purchases flour, cream cheese, utilities, equipment, insurance, accounting services and transportation. Employees spend their wages at local stores, restaurants and service providers. The original dollars continue to circulate through the economy, creating value long after the first transaction takes place.
This process happens every day, in every corner of Long Island.
Over the past year, the LIA Research Institute has been examining these relationships through input-output analysis, a methodology used to measure the direct, indirect and induced impacts of businesses and institutions. The findings reinforce something many business owners already know from experience: local spending creates local prosperity.
Take a hypothetical Long Island law firm generating $1 million in annual
Letters
of the Israeli government’s military response to Hamas’s barbarism. And silence on this score is used by bigots to assert — falsely — that all Jews are complicit in the slaughter of Muslims.
Reputable sources, including the Israel Defense Forces, confirm that Israel has killed over 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza in the past two and a half years. That toll is known to include several thousand children and hundreds of humanitarian workers.
In addition, Israel has killed more than 3,000 civilians in Lebanon in the past few months in retaliation for Hezbollah terrorist attacks that have taken the lives of about 100 Israelis.
The relentless, merciless and disproportionate response on Israel’s part has caused support for the Jewish state to plummet in the U.S. and worldwide. Only 37 percent of Americans now view Israel favorably, according to a Pew Research Center poll. Sympathy for Palestinians has risen correspondingly.
Anti-Israel sentiments do sometimes take the form of antisemitism. But most U.S. activists, including the many Jews who denounce the actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, cannot be fairly accused of religious or ethnic bigotry.
Influential figures like Brown and Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick are not helping shield Jews by ignoring the causes of Israel’s isolation. They also ought to be pointing out that Israel’s security will not be enhanced through endless warfare that gives rise to new generations of Palestinian militants.
The cycle of hate, death and destruction is certain to continue until Israelis and Palestinians work cooperatively toward a twostate solution.
KEvIN J. KELLEY Atlantic Beach
Editors’ note: Ari Brown’s and Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick’s op-eds did not appear in all print editions of the Herald, but can be found at liherald.com.
revenue. The direct activity supports attorneys, staff and business operations. But the firm’s impact extends to office suppliers, maintenance providers, technology vendors and numerous other businesses. When those secondary effects are included, the original $1 million generates roughly $1.6 million in total economic output throughout the region.
The multiplier effect becomes even more visible with large-scale investments. Consider the construction of a multifamily housing development. Before a single family moves in, the project generates significant economic activity through construction workers, architects, engineers, legal professionals, material suppliers, trucking companies, and dozens of supporting industries.
Our analysis of a hypothetical $100 million apartment development found that the project could support more than 600 jobs and create roughly $166 million in total economic output. This is in addition to the benefit of adding to our region’s housing stock to address the high demand and low inventory, which pushes up prices.
That’s why discussions of economic development should never focus solely on the initial investment. The broader impact often tells a much larger story. For example, the LIA Research Institute
estimated that the 2025 Ryder Cup generated roughly $160 million in economic activity, not simply because spectators attended the tournament, but because visitors stayed in hotels, dined in restaurants and utilized transportation services. The ripple effects spread through our communities, strengthening the broader economy.
Long Island’s economy is powered by thousands of interconnected decisions made every day by entrepreneurs, workers, consumers, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and investors. From a neighborhood bagel shop to new construction, from a local law firm to an international sporting event, economic activity rarely stops where it starts. Every transaction creates additional opportunities that ripple across our region.
The next time you buy a bagel, hire an attorney, dine at a local restaurant or drive past a construction site, remember that you are seeing the multiplier effect in action.
On Long Island, dollars we spend at local businesses become wages for workers, revenue for suppliers and opportunities for families across our region. That’s how $1 becomes $1.60 — and why the strength of our economy depends on the success of the businesses and institutions that keep that cycle moving forward.
Steven Kent is chief economist of the Long Island Association and an associate professor of economics and finance at Molloy University in Rockville Centre.
FraMework by Christina Gerbore
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.
