Kindergartners at Wantagh’s Forest Lake Elementary School brought their favorite stuffed animals to a hands-on teddy bear clinic on March 24. Led by Good Samaritan Hospital’s injury prevention coordinator, Stacey Pinto, students learned about seatbelt use, helmet safety and outdoor awareness as warm weather approaches. Then they played doctor and nurse, treating their stuffed animals using their new skills. Above, from left, were Matthew Asaro, Charles Juergens, Jane Cronin, Nora Stipanov and Riley Ferrara. At right, Indira Taylor cared for her teddy bear.
Wantagh Inn owner Michael Dunphy, a native of Ireland, dies at age 84
By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
The Wantagh Inn, on Railroad Avenue, is the kind of place where you can enjoy a meal, drink a pint of Guinness or catch a game on television with your friends. It’s an inviting place where you’re always greeted with a smile, and the man who embodied that hospitality was its longtime owner, Michael Dunphy.
Dunphy, an Irish native turned American businessowner, died on March 20, at age 84.
Born in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland on April 4, 1941, he was raised by his father, Matthew Dunphy, a member of the An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s first free-state police force. An athlete, Dunphy excelled in Irish sports, including hurling and Gaelic football.
H is kindness spoke volumes — not through words, but through actions that touched so many lives.
JIm JoNES Wantagh Chamber of Commerce
He hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a police officer, but color blindness prevented him from doing so. He moved to London in 1963, where anti-Irish sentiment made it difficult to find work. In 1969 he emigrated to New York and found work in a vibrant sports bar and club in Manhattan called the Red Blazer. Soon afterward he met his wife of 52 years, Geraldine. The couple moved to Wantagh in the early 1970s, where they raised their children, Brian, Conor, Ronan and Una. In 1981 Dunphy, determined to open his own bar on Long Island, purchased an old butcher shop across from the Wantagh train station, which would become the Wantagh Inn.
He long understood the power of service and hospitality, beginning work as a barback, or bartender’s assistant, in a local pub when he was 12.
“Never flashy or pretentious,” read an online obituary for Dunphy posted to the O’Shea Funeral Home’s website, “like its owner, the inn was built on grit, tenacity, and a
Continued on page 13
Photos courtesy Wantagh School District
One of Long Island’s Top Audiologists Dr. Thomas Recher, Au.D.
Mery and Sindy always knew they wanted to open a spa to bring beauty to customers. Little did they know it would have the same effect on the community. And Business First was there. We provided $23,000 in grants to help with much-needed renovations so Mery and Sindy could bring their vision to life.* Now, not only does their spa impact clients in a beautiful way, it gives the community an economic lift as well.
grants, and savings will vary with every project.
SCOPE recognizes Long Island educators
More than 900 guests filled Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook for SCOPE Education Service’s 25th annual School District Awards Dinner on March 23.
To begin the night, George Duffy, executive director and CEO of SCOPE, welcomed all in attendance and offered his gratitude and thanks to all whose time and dedication were instrumental in planning the event.
This year’s program was dedicated to the memory of Jennifer Milillo, former SCOPE Awards Dinner coordinator. Her daughter, Danielle Marcello, accepted flowers from Duffy and was received with a wave of applause from the ballroom.
Duffy thanked the platinum, gold, silver and bronze-level sponsors of the evening and invited representatives from each organization to receive a plaque as a token of appreciation.
Robert Vecchio, executive director of the NassauSuffolk School Board Association, was given the National School Development Council’s Cooperative Leadership Award. Vecchio was joined by his wife and daughter, and he subsequently offered his praises to SCOPE and to all districts in attendance for the work they do for all students after he accepted his award.
The highlight of the evening was the service awards presentation. A total of 192 individuals were recognized across five categories: School Board Service, Community Service, Teacher Service, Support Staff Service and Administrator Service.
—Jordan
Vallone
Photos courtesy East Meadow School District
SCOPE Education Service’s 25th annual School District Awards Dinner on March 23 included Administrator Service awards.
The Support Staff service award honored school-related professionals who are vital to Long Island education.
The Community Service award was presented to several Long Island residents who contribute to their school districts.
George Duffy, left, presented the Cooperative Leadership Award to Robert Vecchio, executive director of the NassauSuffolk School Board Association.
Educators from school district across Long Island were recognized with Teacher Service awards.
The risen Lord renews our path forward East E r GrEEtinG
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Happy Easter to you and your families!
This Easter Sunday, Easter Octave, Divine Mercy Sunday and Easter Season we continue to pray and contemplate our Lord’s Resurrection appearances, and we give thanks for Pope Leo XIV and his worldwide spirit of Catholic mission.
despair of the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. Their hearts burn and their joy is restored as the Risen Lord explains the Scriptures to them and they recognize Him in the breaking of the bread. In this way, the Paschal Mystery gives us hope and strength in every trial and circumstance.
In his Cycle of Catechesis on the Resurrection of Christ, Pope Leo writes: “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is an event that one never finishes contemplating and meditating on, and the more one explores it, the more one is filled with wonder, drawn in as if by an overwhelming yet fascinating light. It was an explosion of life and joy that changed the meaning of reality itself, from negative to positive; yet it did not happen in a striking way, much less a violent one, but gently, hidden, one might say humbly.”
Pope Leo recognizes that there is much sadness in the world - “a feeling of precariousness, at times profound desperation.” We think especially of the daily crosses and trials of those from war-torn and violence-ridden areas of the world.
The Holy Father then reflects on the
Pope Leo concludes: “May the unexpected joy of the disciples of Emmaus be a gentle reminder to us when the going gets tough. It is the Risen One who radically changes our perspective, instilling the hope that fills the void of sadness. On the paths of the heart, the Risen One walks with us and for us. He bears witness to the defeat of death and affirms the victory of life, despite the darkness of Calvary... He alone makes the impossible possible!” May the Light of the Risen Christ illumine with God in Heaven our path to holiness on earth and our path to eternal life and happiness
Sincerely yours in the Risen Lord, Most Reverend John O. Barres Bishop of Rockville Centre
The Most Reverend John O. Barres is the Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.
us K now
News Brief items including awards, honors, promotions and other tidbits about local residents are welcome. Photographs may be emailed as well. Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday, week prior to publication. Send to execeditor@liherald.com
NCC trustees file legal claim
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
The Board of Trustees at Nassau Community College has filed a formal legal claim against the State University of New York, escalating an ongoing dispute over the leadership of the college.
The Notice of Claim, a required step before initiating a lawsuit, challenges SUNY’s rejection of Maria P. Conzatti as the college’s permanent president. Trustees allege the decision was “arbitrary and capricious,” legally flawed and made outside the system’s authority.
According to the filing, the board appointed Conzatti as president on May 3, 2023, following what it described as a lawful process. Under New York State Education Law, local community college boards are responsible for selecting presidents, while SUNY’s role is limited to supervisory review.
Trustees contend that SUNY failed to complete that review in a timely manner, alleging the system did not conduct required interviews or take formal action for nearly three years. During that time, SUNY approved Conzatti to serve in multiple leadership capacities, including interim president, acting president and chief administrative officer, the claim states.
The college’s administration has remained firmly behind Conzatti, who was offered a five-year contract by the board in 2023, though that agreement has not received SUNY’s approval.
“The outcome we are looking for is for SUNY and the chancellor to make Maria Conzatti the permanent president,” Jerry Kornbluth, the college’s vice president for community and governmental relations told the Herald. “She’s been sitting in the seat for a little over three years now and performing at the highest level.”
SUNY officials, however, said the presidential search process began in 2022 and included a committee made up of trustees, faculty, staff, students and community representatives. According to the system, that process produced five finalists who were interviewed on campus, though Conzatti was not among them. SUNY has said
the board ultimately selected Conzatti instead of the committee’s recommended finalists, raising concerns about the integrity of the process.
Kornbluth disputed that account, saying Conzatti was part of the broader candidate pool and ultimately selected through the established process.
He said Conzatti was ranked sixth among candidates and was not among the initial five finalists, but that no finalist received enough votes to advance. As a result, he said, the process moved forward to additional candidates, including Conzatti, who was ultimately chosen.
“The five candidates were all interviewed by the board, and no candidate received enough votes to move forward,” Kornbluth said. “The college and SUNY legal team agreed not to terminate the search and move forward with the next candidates, of which Maria was number six.”
Kornbluth also said Conzatti was unanimously selected by the board and that her name was forwarded to the SUNY chancellor in accordance with the process. He said delays in SUNY’s review followed.
A SUNY spokesperson defended the system’s position, calling the legal action without merit.
“SUNY is committed to excellent leadership for all of our campuses and we will vigorously defend ourselves against this frivolous lawsuit that seeks to harm efforts to provide the world-class education and job preparation that New York community college students deserve,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the dispute, Kornbluth said the college’s operations have continued without disruption.
“We’re not taking our foot off the pedal,” he said. “We’re moving everything forward that we’re supposed to be doing. This is just a little bump in the road.”
The board is seeking judicial relief to overturn SUNY’s decision.
The filing marks the latest development in a broader conflict over leadership at Nassau Community College, where tensions between the administration, faculty and SUNY officials have intensified in recent months.
News brief
Walk the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday
Hundreds of Catholics are expected to gather at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury on Good Friday, April 3, for the annual outdoor walking of the Stations of the Cross, marking one of the most solemn observances of the Christian calendar during the 2026 Lenten season.
“This walking service provides a powerful space for our community to come together in prayer and reflection during Holy Week,” said Richard Bie, president and chief executive of Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island. “As participants journey through the Stations of the Cross, they walk in the footsteps of Christ and deepen their connection to this sacred tradition that has sustained the faithful for centuries.”
The 1.5-mile prayer service will guide participants through 14 stations depicting the Passion of Christ, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate through the crucifixion to his entombment. Each station at the cemetery is marked by a cross or sculpture featuring carved images that illustrate these sacred events.
Deacons from Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island will lead the service, helping attendees engage in this Holy Week tradition. The Cemetery of the Holy Rood is one of four cemeteries operated by Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island.
Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ and rep-
resents a cornerstone of the Catholic faith and the culmination of Holy Week. For Catholics worldwide, the day is observed with prayer, fasting and reflection on Christ’s sacrifice.
As part of Holy Week, the days leading up to Easter Sunday are observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. The outdoor walking service offers an opportunity for the faithful from across Long Island to gather in prayer and reflection during this sacred time.
For more information about the Stations of the Cross service and upcoming Masses and events, visit CCLongIsland. org.
—Jordan Vallone
Courtesy Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island Catholics can walk the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury.
Dr. Moshe P. Weisblum, Rabbi • Gail Jeby Levy, Jerald Wohlstetter, Co-Presidents
Stuart Richner Publisher Rhonda Glickman
Hofstra baseball impacted by weather
By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com
The Hofstra baseball team is looking to take flight in the heart of spring after it was largely grounded to open the season in the dead of winter.
After opening the 2026 season with a three-game series at then fourth-ranked Mississippi State from Feb. 13-15, the Pride were only able to play three games over the next three weeks as mother nature unleashed historic snow totals across the Long Island region.
“You count on those early games to be able to evaluate the team and see where we’re going into conference play,” said fifth-year Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto. “It’s tough to replicate that when you’re inside in the gym or in the bubble.”
Playing just six games in the first three weeks of the season didn’t give Hofstra much preparation before starting the critical Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) portion of its schedule on March 6 at College of Charleston. The Pride took one of three games in series at Charleston and Monmouth to open conference play before taking two of three against Northeastern last weekend to move to 4-5 entering April.
Hofstra is looking to reach the sixteam CAA tournament with 21 returners from last year’s disappointing 18-36 team that went 8-19 in the league to miss out on the postseason. The Pride can assure a CAA playoff spot by placing among the top two in the league’s north division featuring Monmouth, Northeastern, Stony Brook and Towson or by having one of the two highest NCAA RPI ratings at the end of the regular season for the remaining teams.
Leading Hofstra’s charge for some late May baseball is red-shirt senior center fielder Tyler Cox, who hit .276 last season after transferring from West Virginia. The local lefty product from Clarke High School is second on the team in hitting as of March 30 with a .304 average and four home runs.
“He’s probably my best hitter in the
lineup and his approach has gotten better as lately he’s been more aggressive in hitting counts,” said Catalanotto of Cox. “He’s a leader on the team.”
Junior shortstop Michael Brown who leads the Pride in hitting with a .361 average and two home runs. Brown drove in the winning run in Hofstra’s 5-4 11 inning win against Northeastern on March 27.
Sophomore catcher CJ Griggs entered the final week of March hitting .304 and recording the winning RBI in a dramatic 11-10 win against Northeastern Sunday in which the Pride rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth.
JJ DeVito, a graduate student transfer from St. Johns, who was a former standout at Wantagh High School, has added some offensive punch to the lineup with a .268 average including four hits in a 5-4 loss at Charleston on March 8.
The pitching staff got a boost to start the season with the return of 2024 First-
Team All-CAA honoree Carlos Martinez, who missed last season due to Tommy John surgery. Martinez missed some early non-league action as he worked his way back from injury and Catalano is hoping he can peak during the crucial CAA portion of the schedule in April and May.
“He was struggling a little bit early with some pain in his arm, but now he’s feeling close to 100 percent,” said Catalanotto of Matinez.
The starting rotation for weekend CAA games also features sophomore Chris Bedford and senior Sean Hamilton. Key hurlers out of the bullpen include Nick Reese, Deuce Musial, Maddon McArthur, Tanner Sanderoff and Brayden Gregg.
Sophomore Michael Heyman, a Hewlett High School graduate, is another relief pitching option who could be called upon in non-league midweek games this season.
The Pride will look to get the April part of their CAA schedule off on the right foot with a series at Towson this weekend before hosting Long Island rival Stony Brook for three games from April 10-12. Hofstra will host series against Towson from May 1-3 and Monmouth from May 8 -10 before closing the regular season at Stony Brook.
Hofstra dug itself an early hole to gain a playoff spot by dropping four of six CAA games to start the season, but taking two of three from Northeastern gives the Pride a winning foundation to build off with plenty more conference games left to finish strong.
“There are a lot of games left and we’ve got to go take care of business,” said Catalanotto, a former 14-year Major League Baseball player who led Hofstra to a CAA title in his season as head coach in 2022. “We’ve got the talent to do it.”
Carlos Martinez is back on the mound after missing 2025.
Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications Clarke High School product Tyler Cox is a key piece for the Pride in the lineup and center field.
Water economics: balancing need with cost
The politics of profits, taxes and surcharges have roiled the debate over public and private service
By Allyson Ferr Ari & Chris ColuCCi of the Herald
Fifth installment in a series about water.
Water is a business.
Advocates argue that water is a basic human right. It’s also a product, provided for a cost and purchased by consumers. Whether filling a 40-ounce water bottle, taking a long, relaxing shower or running the tap for two minutes of teeth-brushing, water consumption is an often overlooked part of our everyday lives.
Like other expenses considered essential for life such as food, electricity and a Wi-Fi signal, the water bill is a recurring payment. And just like other utilities, residents sometimes have limited options for their service provider.
Long Island residents are served by either public water districts or private water suppliers and, depending on location, some pay significantly more for the same basic necessity — often with little or no ability to choose their provider. While a majority receive water from public providers, a smaller portion of the population is served by private companies, often at higher cost.
The dollars and cents
When their water bill comes in, many ratepayers feel a sharp pain in the wallet. Costs can fluctuate based not only on how much they use, but what they use it for.
Several water districts estimate that the average use for a family of four is nearly 400 gallons per day. In some cases, especially in private service areas, water bills can range from $500 to $800 per month during peak summer periods, according to longtime advocate Agatha Nadel, a resident of Glen Head.
Pricing differs sharply between public and private water systems. According to Pamela Bellings, a communications specialist at Liberty Water, “Residential water rates are set through a regulatory process overseen by the New York Public Service Commission.”
“Rates are designed to recover the cost of operating, maintaining and upgrading water infrastructure while ensuring service remains safe and reliable,” Bellings said of how Liberty determines its residential rates.
“Rates do not fluctuate month to month, but they may change over time following regulatory review and approval,” she added. These proposed changes require detailed justification and include opportunities for public input before a decision is made, which helps balance customer affordability with the need to maintain and modernize critical water infrastructure, according to Liberty.
Critics argue that despite regulatory oversight, the structure of private water systems can lead to significantly higher costs due to general service charges, meter charges, regulatory charges and other fees.
Public water suppliers typically pro-
vide a standard water usage rate, a conservation rate — a type of sliding scale applying higher fees to higher use, intended to encourage judicious water use — and an irrigation fee for dedicated sprinkler systems, which are presumed to be relatively lower priority than consumption.
“We feel water is a basic need. You need it for drinking, cooking and bathing,” said Robert McEvoy, chairman of the Oyster Bay Water District.
“Once you get past that, whether you’re putting 15,000 gallons on your lawn in the course of a quarter or you’re drinking every last drop, it has to meet the same standards, health-wise. We have to treat all our water the same way.”
“Water districts are determined or created as part of town law,” McEvoy explained. “A lot of the boundaries preexist the Nassau Subdivisions Act and the Nassau County charter — when they were established. Some of them run sort of coterminous with school district lines.”
of about 9.75 percent per project by the New York Public Service Commission, and that can rise to as much as 12 to 15 percent.
While treatment standards remain consistent for public safety, pricing can vary significantly depending on the provider. In some towns, prices may even vary between houses on the same block due to water zoning boundaries or the homeowners’ use of private or public water supplies.
Nadel’s residence, for example, is in the Liberty Water service area, while homes just 100 feet away are served by the public Jericho Water District.
“My neighbor pays a fifth of what I pay in an entire year,” Nadel said. “No taxes, no surcharges, nothing.”
Pricing differences, advocates say, are driven largely by the structure of private systems, which include profit margins and surcharges and have limited access to the government funding that public providers rely on to offset costs.
Residents in a private system can pay three to five times more than those served by public water providers, according to Nadel. Private water companies are guaranteed a baseline profit
According to Nadel, a four-year rate cycle in the mid-2010s brought an increase of about 120 percent, significantly driving up household water costs. A major issue voiced by private water customers is the amount they pay in fees added to their water bills, which typically include base usage rates and additional charges such as taxes and surcharges. In some cases, nearly half of the bill is not for water usage. Surcharges can include the cost of infrastructure projects such as filtration systems, water towers and other capital improvements.
“It’s an absolute sin,” Nadel said of the surcharges. “Forty-one percent of a typical water bill goes to charges and taxes that have nothing to do with the actual water usage. It really is an absolute sin.”
Public vs. private water suppliers
While most Long Island homeowners rely on public water services from their local municipality, private water suppliers may be an option for certain service areas. Liberty Water is one of the area’s
Public, private water rates differ drastically
Continued from PreViouS PAGe
largest private alternatives, currently supplying water to nearly 120,000 Nassau residents, primarily in the Town of Hempstead. A homeowner who wants an alternative to either public or private water suppliers would need to install and maintain a private well, subject to local and state requirements.
“For most customers, remaining connected to a regulated public water system provides reliability, water quality oversight and long-term infrastructure support,” Bellings said.
As a result, most Long Islanders continue to receive water service from the provider assigned to their area, even if they are dissatisfied with it. Because water is tied to geographic districts, homeowners typically cannot choose their provider.
As a matter of public safety, water suppliers — public and private — must adhere to state and federal guidelines to monitor and remove waterborne contaminants. “Private suppliers have the same health department and [Department of Environmental Conservation] requirements — federal, state and local requirements for pure water,” McEvoy said. “They have the same maximum contaminant levels for the same contaminants. Their testing requirements are the same as us, whether it’s a public or a private water supplier.”
McEvoy has decades of experience in the water industry, having previously served as chairman of the Long Island Water Conference and president of the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association — both organizations dedicated to ensuring water quality, safety and affordability across the Island.
Nadel explained that the Water Authority of North Shore has two main options to deliver public water: build and operate its own system or contract with an existing public provider. In her own research with North Shore Concerned Citizens, she has concluded that contracting with nearby systems — such as Jericho, Glen Cove, or Roslyn — would be the fastest and most practical approach because those providers already have infrastructure in place.
Long Island’s water systems are interconnected, allowing supplies to be rerouted during emergencies such as contamination events or periods of high demand, demonstrating that a transition from private to public supply may be feasible. Nadel said the shift would not be overly complex, but rather a matter of political will.
Homeowners having scant options is an issue on both shores, but potential alternatives have been considered for several years. The South Nassau Water Authority was created in 2021 to potentially offer Town of Hempstead residents an alternative to Liberty Water. A plan to establish a new water authority and create a sustainable, efficient and effective alternative to Liberty has been in the works for years. Residents and legislators are eager to move forward, but negotiations to transition away from the current water supply are complex and have moved slowly.
“Right now, the options are very limited,” explained Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, who represents District 21, which encompasses Baldwin, East Rockaway, Lynbrook, Malverne, Rockville Centre, South Hempstead and parts of Freeport and Valley Stream. “Residents that live in the Village of Rockville Centre and the Village of Freeport have municipal water; however, those who live anywhere else in AD-21 are served by Liberty Water with no ability to opt out, unless the municipalization of South Nassau Water Authority becomes a reality. The primary goal being to transition these private customers to public control to lower costs.” Public funding for some, but not for others
“Strong communities start with a strong infrastructure,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a 2024 news release. “Clean water is a basic human right.”
Last month, Hochul announced a plan to direct $28 million in state and federal grants to Long Island to help facilitate water infrastructure upgrades. The
Customers who received water from Liberty utilities opposed a 2023 rate hike that potentially saw bills in nassau County increase by a cumulative 34.2 percent. the increase ultimately went into effect in August 2024.
Drip, drip, drip: Where are your dollars going?
If your water bill seems excessive, there are some relatively simple steps to pare it down.
20-minute shower with standard showerhead
Up to 50 gallons of water
15-minute shower with low-flow showerhead
Up to 30 gallons of water
5 loads of laundry, standard machine
Up to 200 gallons of water per week
4 loads of laundry, Energy Star-certified machine
Up to 115 gallons of water per week
Standard toilet with minor running leak
Up to 1.6 gallons per flush plus up to 180 gallons per week
EPA-verified WaterSense-label toilet
Up to 1.28 gallons per flush
funds are part of a $250 million statewide project to improve water infrastructure.
The plan follows similar financial support in January of this year, when Hochul sent $18 million to Long Island — one part of a $288 million project — with the similar aim of making water and sewer infrastructure improvements.
In a statement supporting the most recent funding, Village of Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. wrote, “We know that access to clean water is not a luxury, but it is a necessity.” Hobbs continued, “Upgrading our aging water system, replacing outdated pipes and improving the overall system is critical to protecting public health.”
The influx of funds can play a significant role in maintaining and upgrading anything from deteriorating equipment at water treatment plants to damaged
underground supply lines. As government agencies, water districts can benefit from funding directly from the state, while private businesses cannot. The trickledown effect, so to speak, of extra governmental funding is that cost savings can be passed to residents. More important, water quality and safety can be more easily maintained. Private suppliers address potential safety issues at their own expense, without state or federal aid.
“Currently they’re not available for private water companies,” McEvoy said. “But the Long Island Water Conference has put it on their agenda to seek legislation that would give them access [to public funds] only for treatment of the contaminants. Not for any other purpose.”
Due to the unequal funding for environmental upgrades, public water providers are in a stronger financial position to improve infrastructure and remove contaminants using state and federal funds, while private systems are excluded from receiving them — meaning costs are passed on to residents.
The Environmental Protection Agency requires community water systems — public and private — to publish “community confidence reports,” most commonly in the form of yearly water-quality reports that reveal test results for contaminants, as well as facts and figures detailing overall water consumption.
The Jericho Water District Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2024, for example, highlighted nearly 4.9 billion gallons of water provided to 58,000 customers, averaging 13.4 million gallons per day. Jericho Water charges a minimum of $13 per calendar quarter, at a rate of $1.30 per 1,000 gallons up to 10,000 gallons. Fees increase on a sliding scale with usage — similar to the conservation rate used in other municipalities — reaching $3.90 per 1,000 gallons for usage above 200,000 gallons per quarter.
According to the 2025 Liberty Annual Water Quality Report for the Sea Cliff Operations District, the average customer used just under 95,800 gallons of water, at a cost of about $1,340, or $3.67 a day. Liberty also revealed that it served roughly 4,388 customers, at a total cost of $5.9 million.
The reports highlight how costs and scale can vary widely between systems, even as both draw from the same regional water supply.
For many residents, the issue is not just how much water they use, but who controls the system that delivers it.
Jordan Vallone/Herald file
EPIC Family Gala raises awareness, $160K
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
The EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies raised $160,000 at its 2026 EPIC Family Gala to support epilepsy advocacy, mental health counseling and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Long Island.
The event, themed “Love in Action. A Night to Give. A Legacy to Grow,” was held at the Heritage Club at Farmingdale and brought together community leaders, families, supporters and partners for an evening focused on sustaining programs that thousands of Long Islanders rely on each year.
“This year’s gala was a powerful reflection of our community’s commitment to ensuring no one faces life’s challenges alone,” said Lisa Burch, president and CEO of the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies. “The generosity shown through this event directly supports the people we serve every day—individuals, children and families who depend on these services for care and advocacy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who came together to make this night such a success.”
Officials said proceeds from the gala are critical to maintaining and expanding services as demand continues to grow. Funding from the event helps stabilize programs that provide residential and day services, community-based supports, crisis response and outpatient mental health care, as well as education and advocacy for individuals and families affected by epilepsy.
Across its agencies, EPIC serves individuals facing a range of complex challenges. More than 35,000 Long Islanders live with epilepsy and rely on education, advocacy and seizure support services. At the same time, the need for mental health services has increased significantly, with the Nassau County Mobile Crisis Team
responding to more than 3,000 calls in 2025, connecting individuals in crisis to immediate care.
EPIC Long Island’s residential, day and clinical programs also support children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, helping individuals live with greater independence and maintain meaningful connections within their communities.
“Community support is essential to maintaining the strength and accessibility of our services,” said Jeff Nagel, board chair of EPIC Long Island.
“Events like the EPIC Family Gala help us navigate an increasingly complex funding environment while staying focused on the people and families who rely on us.”
“Access to timely, quality mental
health care is more important than ever,” said Steven Greenfield, board chair of South Shore Guidance Center. “The support generated through this event and donations received throughout the year helps ensure we can continue providing effective care and crisis services as needs grow throughout Long Island.”
The gala also recognized several honorees for their contributions to the organization and the community. Community Care Rx was named corporate honoree, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick J. Ryder received the community partner honor, and Joseph and Nina Meyer were recognized as Family of the Year for their advocacy and support of EPIC’s mission.
The EPIC Family of Human Service
Agencies is made up of three organizations serving Long Island. EPIC Long Island operates a day habilitation program in East Meadow, along with 18 group homes across Nassau and Suffolk counties, and provides clinical services for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
The Epilepsy Foundation Long Island focuses on awareness, advocacy and education, including seizure first aid training for community members. South Shore Guidance Center, based in Freeport, provides outpatient behavioral health services, including therapy, substance use treatment, crisis stabilization and medication-assisted treatment for individuals of all ages.
For more information or to support EPIC’s programs, visit EPICLI.org.
Photos courtesy EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies
EPIC Long Island and South Shore Guidance Center Board of Directors with Joseph Ramirez, Nassau County representative for Gov. Kathy Hochul and Lisa Burch, president chief executive of the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies, at the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies Gala.
Jeffrey L. Nagel, EPIC LI board chair with Lisa Burch, president and chief executive of EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies, Joseph and Nina Meyer, Family of the Year honorees, and Steven Greenfield, South Shore Guidance Center board chair.
Joseph and Nina Meyer, Family of the Year honorees with Irene Rodgers, chief development & engagement officer of the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies;, Lisa Burch, president and chief executive of the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies and Janet Romeo, director of epilepsy services, Epilepsy Foundation Long Island.
Climate activists rally against Hochul plan
By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com
Dozens of advocates and concerned residents gathered at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola last month to protest Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to revise New York state’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
The CLCPA is an environmental policy that requires greenhouse gas emissions in the state to be reduced by 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 by replacing much of the state’s fossil fuel electricity with renewable energy. Hochul wrote about the policy in an opinion essay published by the Empire Report on March 20, titled “Climate Action and Affordability Must Go HandIn-Hand.”
Following the loss of federal support for solar, wind and other energy initiatives and the rapid increase of oil prices, Hochul suggested that the climate act could lead to severe utility cost increases if it is not revised.
“So much has radically changed since the climate act was enacted, necessitating common-sense adjustments that keep us on our path to a greener future in a way that is affordable for New Yorkers,” Hochul wrote. “We need more time, and so I am proposing we amend the law to require regulations to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions to
be issued at the end of 2030.”
Eric Weltman, senior organizer of the national nonprofit Food and Water Watch, led a group of protesters urging state legislators to defend the climate law later that day.
“We are here because Governor Hochul, unfortunately, is threatening to weaken New York’s landmark climate law,” Weltman said, “and we’re here to urge our legislators to stand up and
defend and protect the climate law. Hochul is embracing policies that would promote fracking and more costly fossil fuel pipelines and power plants.”
The CLCPA, Weltman said, reduces costs related to fossil fuels, decreases air pollution and supports a shift toward renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
Joe Sackman, executive director of the Long Island Progressive Coalition,
said the 2019 legislation “fully expressed New York’s willingness to take on climate change and move us toward a just and working-class-centered economy.”
“Governor Hochul, by demanding rollbacks to the CLCPA, you are playing politics with our future,” Sackman added. “It’s time to do what is right. No rollbacks on New York’s climate law.”
T.J. Shivers, representing New York Communities for Change, focused on the climate crisis’s direct effects on Long Islanders’ budgets.
“Energy burdens are crushing families from many low- and moderateincome communities,” Shivers said. “People are paying 6 to 10 percent or more of their income just on energy bills, far above what is considered affordable … When my bill goes up, it’s not just the number on paper, that’s food off the table.”
A number of community organizations joined the protest and spoke against revisions to the CLCPA, including the New York Public Interest Research Group, Transition Town Port Washington, the South Shore Audubon Society, the Green Party of Nassau County, All Our Energy, Grassroots Environmental Education, Renewable Heat Now and Bend the Arc Jewish Action: Long Island, calling for Nassau County residents to contact their local elected officials to advocate for preserving the climate act.
Joseph D’Alessandro/Herald
Eric Weltman, a senior organizer for Food and Water Action, led the crowd in urging legislators to defend the state’s climate law on March 20.
A reflection for our shared responsibility Passover GreetinG
Communities rarely fall apart because of one big failure. They weaken quietly, in the space between people who stop showing up. And often, the moments that matter most are the ones no one sees. A call made. A door knocked on. A person who chose to care. Passover is one of those moments in the year that invites reflection. Not because everything stops, but because it asks us to pay closer attention to what we owe one another. At its core, it tells a story about people who refused to remain where they were. A story about moving from limitation to possibility. From isolation to responsibility. It is an ancient story, but its message remains close to home. Because the same way communities drift apart quietly, they are rebuilt in the same way. One person reaching out. One act of responsibility. One decision to be present when it
would be easier to step back.
On Long Island, as in communities everywhere, the strength of a place is not defined only by its resources. It is shaped by the choices people make for one another. A neighbor who notices. A volunteer who gives time. A simple act that affirms that another person matters. These moments may seem small. They are not. They are the difference between a community that functions and a community that lives up to its responsibility. Passover has long carried a simple but demanding idea: that freedom is not only something we receive, but something we are responsible to extend. Not in grand, dramatic ways, but in quiet,
consistent ones. A conversation that restores dignity. An hour that eases someone’s burden. A choice to act with care, even when no one is watching.
There is an old teaching that a community is measured not by what it claims to value, but by how it treats the people who depend on it most. In a time when public conversation often emphasizes division, this season offers a different direction. It reminds us that we are not only individuals sharing space, but neighbors with a shared responsibility. We share streets. We share institutions. We share a future shaped not only by decisions made at the top, but by the choices made between us.
Passover is a Jewish holiday, but its message speaks to anyone who believes that responsibility matters, to anyone who understands that dignity must be protected, that community must be sustained, and that no one moves forward alone.
As this season arrives, there is an opportunity not only to remember a story, but to live its meaning. To notice more. To step forward more. To carry one another in ways that turn distance into connection. Because in the end, communities are not sustained by what we say we value. They are sustained by what we are willing to do for one another. If we take responsibility for one another, communities endure. If we do not, nothing else will be enough. Happy Passover!
Rabbi Moshe P. Weisblum, PhD is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Tikvah in Wantagh.
SPONSORED CONTENT
news brief
Learn how to boat safe this summer
As Hempstead Town begins to thaw from a frigid, snow-filled winter, officials are reminding residents that boating season will soon return — and with it a statewide requirement for safety certification.
Supervisor John Ferretti said boaters preparing to launch their vessels this spring and summer must comply with New York state law requiring operators to complete a recognized safe boating course by 2026. To help residents meet the requirement, the Town of Hempstead will offer additional certification classes.
The next Town of Hempstead Boater Safety Course will take place over three sessions on Thursdays, March 12, 19 and 26, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the town’s Conservation and Waterways building, located at 1401 Lido Blvd. in Point Lookout. Participants must attend all three sessions to receive certification. The classes will be administered by the Town of Hempstead Bay Constables.
Under state law, once boaters obtain certification, they must keep proof of completion on board their vessel while operating it. Residents interested in registering for the course can contact the Town Bay Constables at (516) 897-4100.
—Jordan Vallone
Offshore Wind Is Already Working for Long Island
By Tara Jones
Off the coast of Long Island, a new chapter in the region’s energy future is already spinning.
The South Fork Wind project — the first utility-scale offshore wind farm serving New York — is now delivering electricity to the East End, demonstrating that offshore wind is no longer theoretical. It’s operating infrastructure.
The project represents more than a milestone. For energy planners and policymakers, it is proof that offshore wind can play a critical role in solving one of the biggest challenges facing downstate New York: how to replace aging power plants while meeting growing electricity demand and keeping costs low for customers.
Meeting demand at its highest
According to an Aurora Energy Research study, they found that offshore wind generation could have saved New York ratepayers about $77 million during a single winter month. Because the price of the
energy that the wind farms produce are set at a single, stable rate for 25 to 30 years, there is no cost for the “fuel”.
Carrie Meek Gallagher, CEO of LIPA, also highlighted how South Fork Wind delivers particularly strong energy generation during the colder months, which means that when demand spikes, offshore wind can meet the demand when it is needed most.
Creating local jobs that stay on Long Island
John Durso, president of the Long Island Federation of Labor, said clean energy investment is creating opportunities that extend far beyond the construction phase.
Offshore wind projects require a highly trained workforce — from electricians and ironworkers to marine crews and engineers — and unions have been preparing workers through apprenticeship programs
that can take years to complete.
In turn, those good-paying union jobs and careers support families and help keep spending local.
The takeaway on offshore wind Long Island no longer has to debate offshore wind in the abstract, supporters say. It is already here and generating power, proving that cleaner energy, affordable energy, and local economic growth can go hand in hand.
As Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, pointed out, South Fork Wind coming online has also dispelled many of the environmental concerns around offshore wind.
R abbi M oshe P. W eisblu M
Offshore wind turbine foundation components being held at the Port of Coeymans, ready to be shipped down the Hudson for installation. (Credit: Orsted)
Mike Dunphy brought Irish hospitality to Wantagh
true sense of hospitality. Mike understood that serving others is the center of any community. He lived that belief every day.”
The spirit of Irish culture runs deep in Wantagh. The community’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, created by the Wantagh Chamber of Commerce, draws an estimated 50,000 spectators, and is followed by a block party featuring live entertainment, food and drinks in downtown Wantagh, near the Long Island Rail Road station. In 2023 Dunphy was selected to lead the parade as its grand marshal, and reflected on the impact his chosen community had on him and his family.
“The Wantagh Inn has allowed me to serve the community, and raise my family,” he said in March 2023. “I’ve watched babies grow up, I’ve seen spouses meet and get married. I often think back to where I left. I could never have imagined going out of Ireland. What a place America, and the American dream, has been to me.”
In a Facebook post, the Wantagh chamber stated that Dunphy was “more than the owner of the Wantagh Inn.”
“He was a cornerstone and pillar of our community,” the message read. “A quiet giver, a generous soul, and someone who never sought recognition but gave endlessly to those around him. His kindness spoke volumes, not through words, but through actions that touched so many lives.”
The chamber echoed Dunphy’s own sentiments — that moving to the United States had given him everything he could have dreamed of accomplishing.
“He loved Wantagh and he loved America — he appreciated and supported our first responders, veterans, and our entire community,” the chamber stated. “Wantagh has lost a true legend, but his spirit will live
michael dunphy, owner of the Wantagh inn, died last month at 84. He is remembered in the community for his kindness, generosity and hospitality — characteristics that have defined the inn since it opened in the 1980s.
on in every act of kindness, every shared story, and every moment of community he helped create.”
The Wantagh Preservation Society, which operates the Wantagh Museum at the site of the community’s Victorian-era train station, said that Dunphy was a supporter of the society’s efforts, and played an instrumental role in restoring its Jamaica Parlor Car, a train car from 1912, used on what would become the Long Island Rail Road.
Nassau County Legislator Kayla Knight, a Wantagh native, said that Dunphy “embodied the spirt of Wantagh through his generosity, quiet leadership, and unwavering support for our neighbors, first responders, and veterans.”
“He represented the pride, tradition, and sense of community that makes Wantagh so special,” Knight said. “His impact will be felt for generations through the lives he touched and the community he helped build.”
State Sen. Steve Rhoads, a longtime member of the Wantagh Fire Department, said that Dunphy and his wife “built something special” when they opened the Wantagh Inn, turning the establishment into a place where “friends gathered, stories were shared, and neighbors became family.”
The inn itself shared a message on its Facebook page, stating simply that Dunphy “was an amazing man, member of the community and leader whose presence will be sorely missed, and memory will be fondly cherished.”
Dunphy is survived by his wife, his children and 10 grandchildren. The Charles J. O’Shea Funeral Home, in Wantagh, hosted a wake on March 23, and he was remembered at a Mass on March 24 at St. Frances de Chantal R.C. Church, and interred at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale. The Wantagh Inn was closed in observance of the funeral services.
with a citation in recognition of the honor.
Herald file photos
michael dunphy was the grand marshal of the Wantagh St. patrick’s day parade in 2023. above, State Sen. Steve rhoads, right, presented him
STEPPING OUT
From sketchbooks to the spotlight
Young artists stand out in ‘Long Island’s Best’
By Abbey Salvemini
Fresh talent is in full bloom this spring at Heckscher Museum of Art. For three decades, the Heckscher Museum of Art has served as a prestigious launchpad for the next generation of visual storytellers. “Long Island’s Best” is back, marking its 30th anniversary as it spotlights emerging high school artists throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties, now through May 3.
As the only juried exhibition of its kind on Long Island, this program offers high schoolers the rare distinction of seeing their work hanging in a professional museum and memorialized in a full-color commemorative catalog. The selection process is famously rigorous: For the 2026 season, 84 finalists were curated from over 400 submissions representing 63 schools across Nassau and Suffolk. Tasked with this challenge were jurors Meredith Brown, Ph.D., the museum’s consulting curator of contemporary art, and guest juror Aaron Feltman — an accomplished artist and a proud Long Island’s Best alumnus.
“It is never an easy process,” says Brown, who explained that the strongest pieces combine technical skill with originality and meaningful themes.
This year’s exhibition included an unusually high number of sculptures — more than in any previous “Long Island’s Best” exhibitions — that reflect both the students’ ambition and influenced by the recent exhibition “Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History.”
“I was surprised by the number of sculptural submissions,” Brown adds. “Sculpture is tricky, and many schools don’t have the resources, but these students took the challenge on and produced really compelling work.”
Among standout pieces is Luminous Harvest, a ceramic sculpture by Lyla Pinto, a senior at Long Beach High School, which earned fourth place and the Stan Brodsky Award. Inspired by painter Darragh Park’s “To Here/From Here,” Pinto created a tree-like form composed of branches holding symbolic fruit and candles.
“I was drawn to Park’s artwork because it seemed alive, as though the forms are changing and expanding rather than remaining still,” she explains. “The handcrafted fruits represent abundance, sustenance and the various attributes each branch offers. I made seven branches because the number seven represents completeness and balance, suggesting a full cycle of growth rather than a single moment. Like Park, I wanted to convey a sense of natural rhythm through organic shapes as demonstrated in the abundance and repetitious organic greenery.”
For Director of Education Joy Weiner — whose program leadership is being honored at a “30th Birthday Bash” on April 18 — the most rewarding aspect of her involvement is observing students experience the thrill of having their work displayed in a museum.
“Just watching their faces as they show their parents how special this opportunity is, that’s one of the happiest memories every year,” she relates.
“Long Island’s Best” has evolved considerably since its early years.
“Years ago, there were landscapes, still lifes and portraits. That was pretty much what you got,” Weiner
Lyla Pinto: Lyla Pinto’s ceramic sculpture “Luminous Harvest, was awarded Fourth Place and honored with the Stan Brodsky Scholarship Award.
• Now through May 3
• Open Thursday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
• Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington
• Visit Heckscher.org or call (631) 380-3230 for information on related programming
adds. “Over the years, the different kinds of materials became something that students were interested in exploring. And they’re also much more aware of the world around them, tackling social issues, personal experiences and big-picture ideas through their art.”
While the program certainly sharpens their technical craft, its true value lies in instilling the professional rigor required of a working artist. It also underscores the lasting influence of arts education, with many alumni pursuing careers in art, design, filmmaking, and teaching.
“The whole process from beginning to end involves meeting deadlines, working with teachers, creating the work and writing about it,” Weiner says. “That’s very important as they continue in their careers, to not only create a work of art but to be able to speak about it and share it with others.”
Looking ahead, both Brown and Weiner encourage students to embrace the process, even if their work isn’t selected.
“Sharing your work is a powerful experience. It helps students grow as artists and lets others engage with their vision.” Weiner adds.“Even if your piece isn’t chosen, you learn something about yourself and your art. And when people connect with your work, it’s a truly rewarding experience.”
Teachers, Long Island’s Best alumni and the community are all invited to the stylish “Birthday Bash” celebrating this momentous milestone. Alumni and local artists will contribute works for a fundraiser, underscoring the lasting influence of “Long Island’s Best” throughout the region. The gathering includes an opportunity to meet students and hear firsthand how the program shaped their creative journeys.
“I’ve been privileged to watch the growth of Long Island’s Best,” Weiner says. “I have seen elementary school students eventually become LI Best finalists, have watched students’ progress to becoming Long Island Biennial artists as professionals; and have been lucky to work with students who now teach art in our community, inspiring the next generation.”
This milestone exhibit not only celebrates the talent of today’s students but also emphasizes the enduring value of arts education in shaping Long Island’s creative future. It’s an opportunity to explore a wide variety of media and themes while experiencing the fresh perspectives and voices of the next generation of artists, gaining insight into how young people interpret the world around them through art.
Dan Soder
Come chill with stand-up comedian Dan Soder! Get ready for a night of sharp, laugh-out-loud comedy when he takes the stage on The Golden Retriever of Comedy tour. Known for his quick wit and effortlessly relatable storytelling, Soder has built a devoted following. His credits include ”Not Special” on Comedy Central, a standout turn on Netflix’s The Standups” and his acclaimed HBO special “Son of a Gary.”Fans have also embraced his hit YouTube special, “Dan Soder: On The Road,” a laugh-packed set filled with smart, surprising takes on relationships, growing up and everything in between. Offstage, Soder hosts the popular podcast Soder and was a longtime co-host of SiriusXM’s The Bonfire from 2015 to 2023. Many will also recognize him from his role as Dudley “Mafee” on Billions. With his easygoing charm and razor-sharp observations, Soder delivers comedy that feels both down-to-earth and unexpectedly insightful.
Saturday, April 4, 7 and 9 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
‘…how I wish you were here’
Wish You Were Here celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here,” acclaimed as one of the greatest albums of all time and cited by Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright and guitarist David Gilmour as their favorite album. The band continues its 30-year tradition of combining sight and sound to capture the mood, emotions, and intensity of the Floydian theatrical concert experience — in a spectacular tribute of music, performers, lighting, video, lasers and inflatables — all performed without backing or click tracks. The veteran 10-piece musical ensemble features seven vocalists and a Floydian stage production — sound effects and vintage videos, flying inflatables, theatrical vignettes with props, and a sensational light show with moving lasers, rolling fog and state-of-the-art intelligent lighting — all produced with a fan’s obsession for detail.
Thursday, April 9, 7:30 p.m. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
Photos courtey Heckscher Museum
Tiffany Yam, of John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore, contributed “Encased,” using colored pencil on illustration board.
Your Neighborhood CALENDAR
APR
3
Family theater
Long Island Children’s Museum stages
“Pete the Cat,” the charming musical based on the book series by Kimberly and James Dean. Life is certainly an adventure for Pete, no matter where he winds up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect pal to help him out. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; also April 6-9
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Seasonal Sprouts: Artful Explorers
Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens, now open for the 2026 season, to xplore creativity in nature during this one-hour guided program through the gardens and at the barn at Orchard Hill. Children will observe colors, textures, and patterns in the landscape, play artinspired games, and create a simple hands-on art project using natural inspiration. Meet at the Beech Tree. Registration required. $22 adult, $20 seniors 62+ (member discounts available).
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: 11 a.m.-noon
• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
APR
4
Mike DelGuidice
Local favorite Mike DelGuidice returns to the Paramount stage with his popular residency, delivering the high-energy, feel-good performances that have made him a hometown standout. Backed by his powerhouse band, DelGuidice brings the music of his idol, Billy Joel, to life with passion and precision, celebrating decades of iconic hits in a rousing, crowd-pleasing show. A multi-instrumentalist who grew up immersed in music, DelGuidice’s deep knowledge of Joel’s catalog ultimately led to sharing the stage with the Piano Man himself, touring around the world. Alongside beloved classics, he weaves in his own original songs, showcasing the songwriting that has earned him a devoted following. His releases include My Street, Miller Place and Mask Production, and his track “Ordinary Guy” was featured as the theme for Kevin Can Wait starring Kevin James. Whether performing on stage or connecting with fans through his “Live on the Porch” series, which brought audiences together during the pandemic, DelGuidice continues to share his love of music in ways that resonate far beyond the Long Island community.
part in a reading of the classic Peter Rabbit tale, “The Great Big Easter Egg Hunt.” Afterward join in an exciting egg hunt in the Cottage Garden! Perfect for children ages 3-6. Up to 12 eggs per child may be redeemed for prizes; eggs are empty. Registration required. $22 adult, $20 seniors 62+ (member discounts available).
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
• Time: 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m.
Mobile Shredding/ Electronic Recyling
Recycle your electronics and shred all your excess paper safely and securely, hosted by Wantagh Public Library (outside). Limited to 3 boxes (standard size storage box) or 3 bags (paper or clear plastic) per person. No registration required.
• Where: 3285 Park Ave., Wantagh
• Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Contact: wantaghlibrary.org
Great Big Easter Egg Hunt
Old Westbury Gardens welcomes families for some Easter fun. Take
• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333
Building Homes for Heroes 5K
Building Homes for Heroes holds its second annual 5K in Eisenhower Park.
• Where: Eisenhower Park, Field 2
• When: 8 a.m.
• Contact: Register at Events.EliteFeats. com/26honoringheroes
Light-Art Collaboration
Families are invited to Long Island Children’s Museum to illuminate their imagination and inspire creativity. In this educator-led, hands-on workshop, APR
8
participants are introduced to the history and process of lantern making while creating their own unique drawing. In collaboration with LuminoCity, participants’ 2-D artwork will be submitted for a chance to have it brought to life as a 3-D light sculpture featured on display at the 2026 LuminoCity Festival. Free limited ticket with museum admission, available at the Box Office on the day of the workshop.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11-noon and 3-4 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
Family movie
Seaford Public Library welcomes families to a showing of the Disney/Pixar classic “Finding Nemo.” When Nemo is captured, his dad sets off on an ocean adventure to bring him home in this heartwarming Pixar favorite. No registration required.
• Where: 2234 Jackson Ave., Seaford
• Time: 1:15-3 p.m.
• Contact: seafordlibrary.org
Bingo at Temple B’Nai
Torah
Temple B’nai Torah hosts weekly bingo with prizes, progressive
Room at The Milleridge Inn. Tickets are $125 and include dinner, drinks and the show; advance purchase is required. Raffles and a 50/50 drawing will also be held.
• Where: 585 N. Broadway, Jericho
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: thesarahgracefoundation.org
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.
• Time: 8 p.m., also Apr 11
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
games, and refreshments every Wednesday and Thursday.
Play Mah Jongg and Canasta every Thursday at Congregation Beth Tikvah. Snacks and drinks are provided. $5 contribution.
• Where: 3710 Woodbine Ave., Wantagh
• Time: Noon-4 p.m.
• Contact: mahjonggCBT@ yahoo.com or (516) 785-2445
APR
10
‘An Evening of Magic’ fundraiser
The Sarah Grace Foundation for Children With Cancer
hosts its annual “An Evening of Magic” gala dinner. Awardwinning magician Will Fern brings high-energy entertainment, including strolling magic and mind reading, to benefit children with cancer. The dinner fundraiser takes place in the Philodendrum
‘Dog Sees God’ Hofstra University’s Department of Drama and Dance presents Bert V. Royal’s edgy comedy. The unauthorized continuation of the Peanuts comic strip, reimagines its characters as teenagers dealing with various contemporary issues including, identity, substance abuse, and relationships. When CB’s dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. His best friend is too burnt out to provide any coherent speculation; his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has recently been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to give him any sort of solace. Drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that’s both haunting and hopeful. $15 general admission, $10 for seniors and Hofstra alumni.
• Where: Hofstra’s Joan and Donald Schaeffer Black Box Theater, Joseph G. Shapiro Family Hall, Hempstead
• Time: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; also April 12, 2 p.m.; April 16-April 19
• Contact: hofstra. universitytickets.com
APR
15
Seaford BOE meets Seaford Board of Education holds its next monthly meeting.
• Where: 1590 Washington Ave., Seaford
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 592-4000
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.
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE AND ELECTION OF THE WANTAGH UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT WANTAGH, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing of the qualified voters of the WANTAGH UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, Nassau County, Wantagh, New York will be held in the Senior High School, Wantagh, New York, in said school district on May 7, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. prevailing time, for the transaction of business as authorized by the Education Law, including the following items:
1. To present to the voters a detailed statement (proposed budget) of the amount of money which will be required for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
2. To discuss all the items hereinafter set forth to be voted upon by voting machines at the Budget Vote and Election to be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting pursuant to Education Law of the State of New York and acts amendatory thereto.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a copy of a detailed statement in writing of the amount of money which will be required for the 2026/27 school year for school purposes (the proposed budget) will be made available, upon request, to any resident of the District between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, beginning April 30, 2026, except Saturday, Sunday or holidays, at the office of the Assistant Superintendent for Business, Administration Building, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, at each school house in the District, at school district offices, on the District’s website at www.wantaghschools. org, and at the Wantagh Public Library.
AND FURTHER NOTICE
IS HEREBY GIVEN, that said Budget Vote and Election will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00
p.m., prevailing time, in the Three (3) Election Districts, described below, at which time the polls will be opened to vote by voting machine upon the following items:
1. To adopt the annual budget of the School District for the fiscal year 2026/27 and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the District.
2. Shall the Board of Education be authorized pursuant to Section 3651 of the Education Law to expend an amount not to exceed One Million Seven Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars ($1,740,000) (including accrued interest) from the Capital Reserve Fund established by voters of the School District at the annual meeting held on May 21, 2024 (“Reserve Funds”) for the following projects: rooftop HVAC unit replacement at the Wantagh High School auditorium, patrial roof replacement at Wantagh High School, and the purchase and installation of field lighting for the Wantagh High School turf field, all of the foregoing to include site improvements, furnishings, equipment, apparatus, machinery, demolition and other incidental work or improvements required in connection therewith, and to expend from the Reserve Funds therefor, including preliminary costs and costs incidental thereto an amount not to exceed the total estimated cost of One Million Seven Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars ($1,740,000) (including accrued interest); such costs of the components of the capital improvements/ projects may be reallocated among such components/projects as the Board of Education shall determine to be in the best interest of the District.
3. Shall the Board of Education of the Wantagh Union Free School District be authorized to sell the parcel, real property, school building, and other structures thereon, situated at 1865 Beech Street, Wantagh, New York located in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, and collectively designated on the Nassau County Land
and Tax Map as Section 56, Block 462, Lot 68, Section 57, Block 058, Lot 01, Section 63, Block 167, Lot 28, Section 63, Block 172, Lot 27, and Section 63, Block 169, Lot 29 to Brah Property Owners Inc. at a price at or about One Million Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($1,075,000), subject to adjustments in accordance with the Purchase and Sale Agreement; as more fully described in a legal description on file in the Office of the Assistant Superintendent for Business; which sale shall be on substantially the terms and conditions set forth in a Purchase and Sale Agreement, on file in the Office of the Assistant Superintendent for Business.
4. To elect two (2) members of the Board of Education for a three-year term commencing July 1, 2026 and expiring on June 30, 2029.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Section 495 of the Real Property Tax Law, the School District is required to attach to its proposed budget an exemption report. Said exemption report, which will also become part of the final budget, will show how much of the total assessed value on the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation, list every type of exemption granted, identified by statutory authority, and show: (a) the cumulative impact of each type of exemption expressed either as a dollar amount of assessed value or as a percentage of the total assessed value on the roll; (b) the cumulative amount expected to be received from recipients of each type of exemption as payments in lieu of taxes or other payments for municipal services; and (c) the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. The exemption report shall be posted on any bulletin board maintained by the District for public notices and on any website maintained by the District.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education shall be filed with the Clerk of said School District at her office
in the Administration Building, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, not later than April 20, 2026, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., prevailing time. Vacancies on the Board of Education are not considered separate, specific offices; candidates run at large. Nominating petitions shall not describe any specific vacancy upon the Board for which the candidate is nominated; must be directed to the Clerk of the District; must be signed by at least forty-five (45) qualified voters of the District (representing the greater of twentyfive (25) qualified voters or 2% of the number of voters who voted in the previous annual election); must state the name and residence of each signer, and, must state the name and residence of the candidate.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that personal registration of voters is required either pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law or pursuant to Article 5 of the Election Law. If a voter has heretofore registered pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law and has voted at an annual or special district meeting within the last four (4) calendar years, he or she is eligible to vote at this election. If a voter is registered and eligible to vote under Article 5 of the Election Law, he or she is also eligible to vote at this election. All other persons who wish to vote must register.
Registration shall be conducted for the purpose of registering all qualified voters of the District pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law through Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, on all regular days during which the office of the District Clerk is in operation, located in the Administration Building, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such register, provided that at such time he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of said District Clerk to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the register is prepared. The Board of Registration will also meet for the purpose of registering all qualified
voters of the District pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law on Saturday, May 9, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 pm., at the Administration Building, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, to add any additional names to the Register to be used at the aforesaid election, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such Register, provided that at such meeting of the Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of said Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the register is prepared. The last day to register shall be Thursday, May 14, 2026. The register so prepared pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law will be filed in the Office of the District Clerk, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, and will be open for inspection by any qualified voter of the District beginning on Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., prevailing time, on weekdays, and each day prior to the day set for the election, except Sunday, and on Saturday, May 16, 2026 between the hours of 9:00 a.m., and 12:00 p.m., and at the polling place(s) on the day of the vote.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the Wantagh Union Free School District by requesting and returning a registration application to the District Clerk in person, by mail to 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, by email to mcguigane@ wantaghschools.org or fax sent to (516) 7654154. The request for the registration application may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the registration application by either mail, fax or email. Military voter registration application forms must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 23, 2026.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the Wantagh Union Free School District, may
request an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk in person, by mail to 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, by email to mcguigane@ wantaghschools.org, or fax sent to (516) 765-4154. In such request, the military voter may indicate their preference for receiving the application by mail, fax or email. A military voter must return the original military ballot application by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk at 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793. In order for a military voter to be issued a military ballot, a valid military ballot application must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., on April 23, 2026. Military ballot applications received in accordance with the foregoing will be processed in the same manner as a non-military ballot application under Section 2018-a of the Education Law. The application for military ballot may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the military ballot by mail, fax, or email.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a military voter’s original military ballot must be returned by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk at 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793. Military ballots shall be canvassed if they are received by the District Clerk before the close of polls on May 19, 2026 showing a cancellation mark of the United States Postal Service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States Government; or received not later than 5:00 p.m. on May 19, 2026 and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to §2014 of the Education Law of the State of New York, the Board of Registration will meet on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., prevailing time, at each of the three (3) separate
election districts to prepare the Register of the School District to be used at the Budget Vote and Election to be held in 2027, and any special district meetings that may be held after the preparation of said Register, at which time any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed on such Register provided that at such meeting of said Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of such Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at the school election for which said Register is prepared, or any special district meeting held after May 19, 2026.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for absentee and early mail ballots will be obtainable during school business hours from the District Clerk. Completed applications may not be received by the District Clerk earlier than April 20, 2026, and must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter or to the agent named in the absentee or early mail ballot application. Absentee and early mail ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
A list of persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued, and a list of all persons to whom early mail voter’s ballots shall have been issued, will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the office of the District Clerk on and after Thursday, May 14, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays prior to the day set for the annual election and on May 19, 2026, the day set for the election. Any qualified voter may, upon examination of such lists, file a written challenge of the qualifications as a voter of any person whose name appears on such lists, stating the reasons for such challenge. Any such written challenge shall be transmitted by the District Clerk or a designee of the Board of Education to the inspectors of election on election day.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that any referenda or propositions to amend the budget, or otherwise to be submitted for voting at said election, must be filed with the District Clerk of the Board of Education at the Administration Building, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793, on or before April 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., prevailing time, except that referenda or propositions required by law to be included in the notice of the annual meeting must be filed with the District Clerk on or before March 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.; must be typed or printed in the English language; must be directed to the Clerk of the School District; must be signed by at least one hundred eleven (111) qualified voters of the District (representing the greater of 25 or 5% of the number of voters who voted in the previous annual election); and must legibly state the name of each signer. However, the School Board will not entertain any petition to place before the voters any proposition the purpose of which is not within the powers of the voters to determine, which is unlawful or any proposition which fails to include a specific appropriation where the expenditure of monies is required by the proposition, or where other valid reason exists for excluding the proposition from the ballot.
SCHOOL ELECTION DISTRICTS
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that Election Districts have been established in the School District. The boundaries of the Election Districts, as adopted by resolution of the Board of Education, and the place in each election district for voting shall be as follows:
ELECTION DISTRICT NO. 1 - All voters who reside south of Sunrise Highway vote at the Mandalay Elementary School, 2667 Bayview Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793.
ELECTION DISTRICT NO. 2 - All voters who reside north of Sunrise Highway and East of Wantagh Parkway vote at the Wantagh Elementary School, 1765 Beech Street Wantagh,
April 2, 2026 —
Public Notices
New York 11793.
ELECTION DISTRICT
NO. 3 - All voters who reside north of Sunrise Highway and West of Wantagh Parkway, vote at the Forest Lake Elementary School, 3100 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793.
Dated: Wantagh, New York March 26, 2026
By Order of the BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE WANTAGH UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Wantagh, New York
Elaine McGuigan, District Clerk 159210
LEGAL NOTICE
AVISO DE AUDIENCIA
PÚBLICA, VOTACIÓN PRESUPUESTARIA Y ELECCIÓN
DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR LIBRE DE WANTAGH UNION WANTAGH, CONDADO DE NASSAU, NUEVA YORK
SE EMITE NOTIFICACIÓN DE QUE SE CELEBRARÁ UNA AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA DE LOS VOTANTES CUALIFICADOS DEL DISTRITO ESCOLAR LIBRE DE LA UNIÓN DE WANTAGH, Condado de Nassau, Wantagh, Nueva York, en la Escuela Secundaria de Wantagh, Nueva York, en dicho distrito escolar, el 7 de mayo de 2026, a las 20:00 horas, para la transacción de negocios según lo autorizado por la Ley de Educación, incluyendo los siguientes elementos:
1. Presentar a los votantes una declaración detallada (propuesta de presupuesto) sobre la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el año fiscal 2026-27.
2. Debatir todos los puntos que a continuación se exponen a votación por las máquinas de votación en la Votación Presupuestaria y Elección que se celebrará el martes 19 de mayo de 2026.
3. Realizar otros asuntos que debidamente se presenten ante la reunión conforme a la Ley de Educación del Estado de Nueva York y actos enmiendos a la misma.
Y SE DA UN AVISO
ADICIONAL de que una copia de una declaración detallada por escrito sobre la
cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el curso escolar 2026/27 para fines escolares (el presupuesto propuesto) estará disponible, previa solicitud, para cualquier residente del Distrito entre las 8:00 a.m. y las 4:00 p.m., en el horario vigente, a partir del 30 de abril de 2026, excepto sábados, domingos o festivos, en la oficina del Subsuperintendente de Negocios, Edificio de Administración, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793, en cada escuela del Distrito, en las oficinas del distrito escolar, en la página web del Distrito en www.wantaghschools. org y en la Biblioteca Pública de Wantagh.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que dicha votación presupuestaria y elección se celebrarán el martes 19 de mayo de 2026, entre las 7:00 y las 21:00 horas, hora vigente, en los tres (3) distritos electorales descritos a continuación, momento en el que las urnas se abrirán a votación mediante máquina de votación sobre los siguientes puntos:
1. Adoptar el presupuesto anual del Distrito Escolar para el año fiscal 2026/27 y autorizar que la parte requerida del mismo se recaude, mediante impuestos, sobre la propiedad sujeta a impuestos del Distrito.
2. ¿Deberá autorizar a la Junta de Educación conforme a la Sección 3651 de la Ley de Educación a gastar una cantidad que no exceda un millón setecientos cuarenta mil dólares (1,740,000 dólares) (incluidos los intereses acumulados) del Fondo de Reserva de Capital establecido por los votantes del distrito escolar en la reunión anual celebrada el 21 de mayo de 2024 (“Fondos de Reserva”) para los siguientes proyectos: sustitución de la unidad HVAC en la azotea del auditorio del Instituto Wantagh, sustitución patrial del tejado en el Instituto Wantagh y la compra y la instalación de iluminación para el campo de césped del instituto Wantagh, incluyendo todas las mejoras del lugar, mobiliario, equipo, aparatos, maquinaria, demolición y otros trabajos o mejoras incidentales necesarias en relación con ello, y que se gastarán de
los Fondos de Reserva para ello, incluyendo los costes preliminares y los gastos anexos, una cantidad que no exceda el coste total estimado de un millón setecientos cuarenta mil dólares (1,740,000 dólares) (incluyendo acumulados interés); los costes de los componentes de las mejoras de capital/ proyectos podrán reasignarse entre aquellos componentes/ proyectos que la Junta de Educación determine que son en el mejor interés del Distrito.
3. ¿Se autorizará a la Junta de Educación del Distrito Escolar Libre de Wantagh Union a vender la parcela, la propiedad inmobiliaria, el edificio escolar y otras estructuras en la que se encuentran en el 1865 de Beech Street, Wantagh, Nueva York, situada en el municipio de Hempstead, condado de Nassau, Estado de Nueva York, y designada colectivamente en el Mapa de Tierras e Impuestos del Condado de Nassau como Sección 56, Bloque 462, Lote 68, Sección 57, Bloque 058, Lote 01, Sección 63, Bloque 167, Lote 28, Secciónno 63, Bloque 172, Lote 27, y Sección 63, Bloque 169, Lote 29 a Brah Property Owners Inc. a un precio de aproximadamente un millón setenta y cinco toneladas de dólares (1,075,000 dólares), sujeto a ajustes conforme al Acuerdo de Compra y Venta; según se describe más detalladamente en un documento legal de despensasescapón archivado en la Oficina del Subsuperintendente de Negocioss; cuya venta se realizará en sustancia los términos y condiciones establecidos en una Compra y Acuerdo de Compra, archivada en la Oficinadel Subsuperintendentede Negocios.
4. Elegir dos (2) miembros de la Junta de Educación para un mandato de tres años que comienza el 1 de julio de 2026 y expira el 30 de junio de 2029.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que, conforme a la Sección 495 de la Ley del Impuesto sobre la Propiedad Inmobiliaria, el Distrito Escolar está obligado a adjuntar a su presupuesto propuesto un informe de exención. Dicho informe de exención, que también formará
parte del presupuesto final, mostrará cuánto del valor total tasado en el registro final de evaluación utilizado en el proceso presupuestario está exento de impuestos, listará todos los tipos de exenciones concedidas identificadas por la autoridad legal y mostrará: (a) el impacto acumulativo de cada tipo de exención expresado ya sea como una cantidad en dólares de valor impuesto o como un porcentaje del valor total registrado en el registro; (b) la cantidad acumulada que se espera recibir de los beneficiarios de cada tipo de exención como pagos en lugar de impuestos u otros pagos por servicios municipales; y (c) el impacto acumulativo de todas las exenciones concedidas. El informe de exención se publicará en cualquier tablón de anuncios mantenido por el Distrito para los avisos públicos y en cualquier sitio web gestionado por el Distrito.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que las peticiones que nominen candidatos para el cargo de miembro de la Junta de Educación deberán presentarse ante la Secretaria de dicho distrito escolar en su oficina en el Edificio de Administración, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793, a más tardar el 20 de abril de 2026, entre las 8:00 a.m. y las 5:00 p.m., Prevaleciendo. Las vacantes en la Junta de Educación no se consideran cargos separados o específicos; los candidatos se presentan en la categoría de votos libres. Las peticiones de nominación no describirán ninguna vacante específica en la Junta para la que el candidato sea nominado; debe ser dirigido al Secretario del Distrito; deben estar firmados por al menos cuarenta y cinco (45) votantes cualificados del Distrito (representando la mayoría de los veinticinco (25) votantes cualificados o el 2% del número de votantes que votaron en la elección anual anterior); debe indicar el nombre y la residencia de cada firmante, y debe indicar el nombre y la residencia del candidato.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que el registro personal de votantes es obligatorio de acuerdo con el §2014
de la Ley de Educación o conforme al artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral. Si un votante se ha registrado hasta ahora conforme a la §2014 de la Ley de Educación y ha votado en una reunión anual o extraordinaria de distrito en los últimos cuatro (4) años naturales, es elegible para votar en estas elecciones. Si un votante está registrado y es elegible para votar según el Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral, también es elegible para votar en estas elecciones. Todas las demás personas que deseen votar deben registrarse.
El registro se realizará con el fin de registrar a todos los votantes cualificados del Distrito conforme a la §2014 de la Ley de Educación hasta el jueves 14 de mayo de 2026, entre las 8:00 a.m. y las 4:00 p.m., hora vigente, en todos los días ordinarios en que la oficina del Secretario del Distrito esté en funcionamiento, ubicada en el Edificio de Administración, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793, momento en el que cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se incluya en dicho registro, siempre que en ese momento se sepa o se demuestre que tiene derecho a votar en la elección para la que se prepare el registro. La Junta de Registro también se reunirá con el propósito de registrar a todos los votantes cualificados del Distrito conforme a la §2014 de la Ley de Educación el sábado 9 de mayo de 2026, entre las 9:00 a.m. y la 1:00 pm, en el Edificio de Administración, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793, para añadir cualquier nombre adicional al Registro que se utilice en dicha elección, en ese momento, cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se incluya en dicho Registro, siempre que en dicha reunión de la Junta de Registro se sepa o se demuestre a satisfacción de dicha Junta de Registro que tiene derecho a votar en la elección para la que se prepare el registro. El último día para registrarse será el jueves 14 de mayo de 2026. El registro así preparado conforme al §2014 de la Ley de Educación se archivará en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito, 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793, y
estará abierto para inspección por cualquier votante cualificado del Distrito a partir del jueves 14 de mayo de 2026, entre las 9:00 a.m. y la 1:00 p.m. en horario predominante, entre semana y cada día anterior al día fijado para la elección, excepto el domingo, y el sábado 16 de mayo de 2026 entre las 9:00 a.m. y las 12:00 p.m., y en el/los colegio(s) de votación el día de la votación.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que los votantes militares que no estén actualmente registrados pueden solicitar registrarse como votantes cualificados en el Distrito Escolar Libre de Wantagh Union solicitando y enviando una solicitud de registro al Secretario del Distrito en persona, por correo postal a 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793, por correo electrónico a mcguigane@ wantaghschools.org o por fax enviado al (516) 765-4154. La solicitud de registro puede incluir la preferencia del votante militar para recibir la solicitud de registro por correo, fax o correo electrónico. Los formularios de solicitud de registro de votantes militares deben recibirse en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 17:00 horas del 23 de abril de 2026.
Y SE DA UN AVISO
ADICIONAL de que los votantes militares que sean votantes cualificados del Distrito Escolar Libre de Wantagh Union podrán solicitar personalmente al secretario del distrito una solicitud de voto militar, por correo postal a 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793, por correo electrónico a mcguigane@ wantaghschools.org, o por fax enviado al (516) 765-4154. En dicha solicitud, el votante militar puede indicar su preferencia por recibir la solicitud por correo, fax o correo electrónico. Un votante militar debe devolver la solicitud original de la papeleta militar por correo o en persona a la oficina del Secretario del Distrito en 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793. Para que un votante militar reciba una papeleta militar, debe recibirse una solicitud válida de papeleta militar en la oficina del Secretario
del Distrito a más tardar a las 17:00 horas del 23 de abril de 2026. Las solicitudes de papeleta militar recibidas conforme a lo anterior se tramitarán de la misma manera que una solicitud de papeleta no militar conforme a la Sección 2018-a de la Ley de Educación. La solicitud de la papeleta militar puede incluir la preferencia del votante militar para recibir la papeleta militar por correo, fax o correo electrónico.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que la papeleta militar original de un votante militar debe ser devolta por correo o en persona a la oficina del Secretario del Distrito en 3301 Beltagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nueva York 11793. Las papeletas militares deberán ser consultadas si el Secretario del Distrito las recibe antes del cierre de las urnas el 19 de mayo de 2026 mostrando una marca de cancelación del Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o un endoso fechado de recepción por parte de otra agencia del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos; o recibido no más tarde de las 17:00 horas del 19 de mayo de 2026 y firmado y fechado por el votante militar y un testigo, con una fecha que se determina no posterior al día anterior a las elecciones.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que, conforme a la §2014 de la Ley de Educación del Estado de Nueva York, la Junta de Registro se reunirá el martes 19 de mayo de 2026, entre las 7:00 a.m. y las 9:00 p.m., hora vigente, en cada uno de los tres (3) distritos electorales separados para preparar el Registro del Distrito Escolar que se utilizará en la votación presupuestaria y la elección que se celebrarán en 2027, y cualquier reunión especial de distrito que pueda celebrarse después de la preparación de dicho Registro, en la que cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se incluya en dicho Registro, siempre que en dicha reunión de dicha Junta de Registro se sepa o se demuestre a satisfacción de dicha Junta de Registro que tiene derecho a voto en la elección escolar para la que dicho
Registro esté preparada, o cualquier reunión especial de distrito celebrada después del 19 de mayo de 2026.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que las solicitudes para votos por correo anticipado y por correo estarán disponibles durante el horario laboral escolar a través del Secretario del Distrito. Las solicitudes completadas no pueden ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito antes del 20 de abril de 2026, y deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito al menos siete (7) días antes de la elección si la papeleta se enviará por correo al votante, o el día antes de la elección, si la papeleta debe entregarse personalmente al votante o al agente nombrado en la solicitud de voto por correo anticipado o por correo. Las papeletas por correo y por correo anticipado deben ser recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito a más tardar a las 17:00 horas, hora vigente, del martes 19 de mayo de 2026.
Una lista de personas a quienes se hayan emitido papeletas de voto por correo, y una lista de todas las personas a quienes se hayan emitido papeletas anticipadas de votantes por correo, estará disponible para su inspección para votantes cualificados del Distrito en la oficina del Secretario del Distrito a partir del jueves 14 de mayo de 2026, entre las 9:00 a.m. y las 5:00 p.m. los días laborables antes del día fijado para las elecciones anuales y el 19 de mayo de 2026, día fijado para la elección. Cualquier votante cualificado podrá, tras examinar dichas listas, presentar una impugnación por escrito de las cualificaciones como votante de cualquier persona cuyo nombre aparezca en dichas listas, exponiendo los motivos de dicha impugnación. Cualquier impugnación escrita será transmitida por el Secretario del Distrito o por un representante de la Junta de Educación a los inspectores de elecciones el día de la elección.
Y SE DA UN AVISO ADICIONAL de que cualquier referendo o propuesta para enmendar el presupuesto, o que se someta a votación
LWAN4-4
Public Notices
east on Regal Lane and Cordwood Lane to Arlington Drive; thence southeast to Town Line; thence south to Southern State Parkway; west along Parkway to point of beginning. Beginning at south side of Southern State Parkway and west side of Town Line; south on Town Line to Jerusalem Avenue; thence west to Wantagh Avenue; thence north to Southern State Parkway; thence east to point of beginning.
ELECTION DISTRICT #3LEVITTOWN MEMORIAL EDUCATION CENTER
Beginning at east side of Wantagh Parkway and south side of Hempstead Turnpike; east on Hempstead Turnpike to Silver Lane; thence south to Forge Lane; thence east to Cotton Lane; thence southeasterly to Wantagh Avenue; then south to Grey Lane; thence west to Swan Lane; then southwesterly to Slate Lane; then south to Gardiners Avenue, thence north to Prairie Lane; thence west to Center Lane; thence north to Chase Lane; thence west to Wantagh Parkway Line; north along Line to point of beginning.
ELECTION DISTRICT #4DIVISION AVENUE HIGH SCHOOL
Beginning at north side of Hempstead Turnpike and west side of Jerusalem Avenue; west on Hempstead Turnpike to District Boundary Line at Wantagh State Parkway; thence northeast to northerly border of School District; east on Boundary Line (Flamingo Rd., Magpie Lane, Blacksmith Rd) to Jerusalem Avenue; thence south to point of beginning.
Dated: Levittown, New York March 2026 BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
LEVITTOWN UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK 159201
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
NASSAU COUNTY
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR SPECIALTY
UNDERWRITING AND RESIDENTIAL FINANCE
TRUST MORTGAGE
LOAN ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES
2007-BC1, Plaintiff against FRANK A. CLAYTON, et al Defendant(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC, 420 Lexington Avenue,Suite 840, New York, NY 10170.
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered July 3, 2023, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 13, 2026 at 3:00 PM. Premises known as 3698 Bridle Path, Bethpage, New York 11714. Sec 46 Block 489 Lot 8. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of N.Y. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $773,004.64 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 003171/2017. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”
For sale information, please contact XOME at www.Xome.com or call (844)400-9633. Lynn PosterZimmerman, Esq., Referee File # 21-06966NY 158829
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY CHRISTIANA TRUST AS CUSTODIAN FOR GSRAN-Z LLC, Plaintiff against JOHN D. DEMAILLE, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Hersko & Ehrenreich P.C., 555 Willow Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516, (516) 942-4216. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered February 11, 2026, I will sell at
public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 28, 2026 at 3:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being, and identified on the land and tax map of the County of Nassau in the State of New York. Premises known as 1701 Cornelius Ave., Wantagh, NY 11793. Sec 56 Block 267 Lot 196. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $23,043.25 plus interest, fees, and costs and Attorney fees. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 606860/2023. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF THE TRUMAN 2021 SC9 TITLE TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST MATTHEW CLANCY, ALLISON CLANCY AKA ALLISON M. MUGNO AKA ALLISON MUGNO, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 7, 2024, 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 April 23, 2026 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 520 Ann Lane, Wantagh, NY 11793. All that certain plot
piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Wantagh, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 51 Block: 504 Lot: 21. Approximate amount of judgment $360,363.69 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #617649/2022. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee Tromberg, Miller, Morris & Partners, PLLC 39 Broadway, Suite 1840 New York, NY 10006 25-000638 89187 159037
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
LOCAL LAW NO. 31-2026
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 24th day of March 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 31-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 31-2026, to amend Section 197-13 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “TRAFFIC REGULATIONS IN THE VICINITY OF SCHOOLS” at various locations. Dated: March 24, 2026 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
JOHN FERRETTI
Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 159253
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Town Hall Plaza, One
News brief
‘Supercharging’ businesses with Sen. Rhoads
State Sen. Steve Rhoads hosted a “Supercharging Small Businesses with AI” workshop on March 19, bringing together local entrepreneurs, business owners and community leaders for an evening focused on innovation, efficiency and growth.
Held at the East Meadow Fire Department headquarters, the workshop was presented in partnership with the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce, the Nassau County Office of Minority Affairs and the Long Island Small Business Development Center.
The event drew a strong turnout, with small-business owners eager to explore how artificial intelligence can help them operate more efficiently and stay competitive in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace. Attendees received hands-on guidance on using AI to streamline administrative tasks, strengthen marketing strategies, enhance financial analysis and save time. They also learned how to craft effective prompts, safeguard sensitive data through responsible AI use, implement AI-driven marketing and SEO strategies, plan social media content in minutes, create visuals and develop standard operating procedures with AI support.
“This workshop was about giving our small businesses real tools they can use right away,” Rhoads said. “The response from the community was incredibly positive. Whether business owners are just getting their feet wet with AI or have fully embraced the technology, this program offered something for everyone — from practical tips for beginners to advanced strategies for those already
integrating AI into their operations. It was rewarding to see people leave with actionable skills they can implement immediately to grow their businesses.”
Participants engaged in interactive demonstrations and left with strategies they could implement to strengthen their operations and expand their reach. Many attendees highlighted the value of learning how to integrate AI into everyday business functions without needing advanced technical expertise.
“AI is no longer a luxury for small businesses — it’s a powerful, accessible tool that helps owners save time, make stronger decisions and stay competitive in a rapidly changing market,” said Brandon DeFeo, a business adviser at the Long Island Small Business Development Center at Farmingdale State College. “The goal of the SBDC, and of the Supercharging Small Business program, is to empower entrepreneurs with the knowledge and support they need to confidently embrace these technologies and use them to grow.”
The event also provided an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to network, share ideas and connect with regional business support organizations committed to helping them thrive.
Rhoads said he remains committed to supporting small businesses by providing resources, education and opportunities that foster long-term economic growth across the community.
—Jordan Vallone
Public Notices
Washington Street, Hempstead, New York on 04/15/2026 at 9:30
A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:
THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30 A.M.
188/26. LEVITTOWNEileen Alejandro, Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd Kitchen)., S/E cor. Wisdom La. & Shelter La., a/k/a 1 Wisdom La. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550.
This notice is only for new cases in Levittown within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different
hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals
The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo
Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it.
159244
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN
ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. HARRY LAGONIKOS A/K/A HARILAOS I. LAGONIKOS A/K/A HARRY J. LAGONIKOS, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on March 22, 2023, an Order Amending JFS and Extending Time to Conduct the Foreclosure Sale, entered on January 17, 2025, and an Order Extending Sale Deadline and Other Relief entered on February 26, 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 May 5, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 2957 Curtis Place, Wantagh, NY 11793. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being At Bellmore, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 56, Block 411 and Lot 442. Approximate amount of judgment is $461,899.42 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 609058/2018. Mark Ricciardi, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 231006-1 159277
EMPLOYMENT
Help Wanted
Building Maintenance
Assistant and Porter needed for Management Co. in Long Beach Experience Preferred Email: humanresoures5771 @gmail.com or Call: (212) 873-7575
CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE
Full Time/Part Time
Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multi-task, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. Salary Range is $17 per hour to $20 per hour.
For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: circulationassociate@liherald.com
DENTAL ASSISTANT
CHAIR SIDE F/T Lynbrook Office, Immediate Opening. Looking for Experienced Individual Email Resume nylaserendo@gmail.com Call 516-599-7111
DRIVERS WANTED
Full Time and Part Time Positions Available!
Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239
DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome! $22 - $27/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778 Email: info@bellautoschool.com
EDITOR/REPORTER
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT
Inside Sales
Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
OUTSIDE SALES
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $35,360 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
$20 - $25 Per Hour Must Be Available On Weekends April - June 516-902-6258 Randy@LISNYC.com PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for
Old Woodmere Beauty
MCan we use a local architect for work on a home in Boston?
Q. We own a home in Boston that needs a lot of work, and were wondering what to do about hiring an architect. We want to hire one who is familiar with the area, the codes and the building department, because we understand they are very strict there. We have a local friend who’s an architect, and he has gotten his “reciprocal” license in Massachusetts. How do you think we should handle this? Should we work with our friend, Zoom with a local architect or have them try to work together?
A. This is not an uncommon problem, but it’s all based on communication, as is most of what we deal with in our daily lives. It’s best to weigh the issues of how the communication will work, including the making of the plans, which are also the basis for your project and the most important communication tool.
Ronnie.Gerber@elliman.com Douglas Elliman 2300
Over the years I’ve seen where clients didn’t take the planning process seriously, thinking, and even saying, that they just want to get the permit to start the work. That approach generally leads to failure, with either the owner not getting what they want or causing problems along the way. For example, many people assume that the plans are a suggestion, a kind of open guide to the approximate outcome, and that they will just handle changes for what they really wanted during construction.
One recent client, who didn’t last very long, was in another city and, being in the medical field, said we could do Zoom meetings like they do in tele-health. Conversations fell apart immediately, because the building has major structural deterioration, and on my first walk-through, I had to order column supports to be installed immediately where collapse was imminent. The owner was told this, and that, at the very least, building plans would be absolutely necessary, detailing the exact remedy. But in order to prepare the structural plans, measuring of the building areas contributing loads and further investigation were necessary. The owner got very upset, because his contractor was ready to go and just needed to know what to do.
Having made medical appointments over the years to get one test in a particular hospital, and then shuttling to another site for another test, I realized this client just didn’t get it. His profession required all kinds of very specific testing, and his perception was that mine did not. Buildings are custom. They’re not kits. There are many ways that buildings, even homes, can fail, and we always want to prevent leaking, movement and subsequent damage, in addition to wanting to make the spaces function and be attractive. I would recommend working with your friend, and having him develop an agreement and relationship with the local professional who knows the area best, if possible. Otherwise I would work with the local professional, but arrange for in-person meetings. With issues and questions that happen during construction, you want a good team of people you can trust. Good luck!
(balsa
and
included. $20. 516-643-3623 DRESSER WOOD: W34" D18 1/2" H 30" Walnut, 3 Drawers, Good. $40 S. Freeport 516-279-7696
TOP, WHITE wrought iron outdoor table, 4 chairs/cushions, $99. Merrick, 516-650-4942
SONY HT-MT300 TV Sound Bar. Still in box. $90. text 516-647-1999.
WEBER GENESIS OUTDOOR gas grill, working condition, $75. Merrick, 516-650-4942
Finds $100-$350
SOFA: LOVE SEAT/ Pull Out Bed, Chocate Brown, Never Used. $350.00. Leave message 516-643-3623
SERVICES
Cable/TV/Wiring
Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 OnDemand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069
Cleaning Services
WENDY'S CLEANING SERVICES INC. Commercial/Residential. We Specialize In Houses, Apartments, Offices, Airbnb & More. Good References. Free Estimates. Call/Text Wendy 516-406-5375 Or Email wencruzpa@gmail.com
Electricians
E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC.
All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.
Handyman
PAINTING & HANDYMAN SERVICE
Tired of calling a contractor & they don't call back? I will call you back the same day! 917-822-0225 Ricky Specializing in carpentry, bathrooms, kitchens, sheetrock, flooring, electric, plumbing. Over 25 yrs exp.Lic/Ins H3805150000
Home Improvement
BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-833-807-0159
DO YOU KNOW what's in your water? Leaf Home Water Solutions offers FREE water testing and whole home water treatment systems that can be installed in as little one day. 15% off your entire purchase. Plus 10% senior & military discounts. Restrictions apply. Schedule your FREE test today. Call 1-866-247-5728
Home Improvement
PREPARE FOR POWER outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-877-516-1160 today to schedule a free quote. It's not just a generator. It's a power move.
PREPARE FOR POWER outages with Briggs & Stratton® PowerProtect(TM) standby generators - the most powerful home standby generators available. Industry-leading comprehensive warranty - 7 years ($849 value.) Proudly made in the U.S.A. Call Briggs & Stratton 1-888-605-1496
SAFE STEP. NORTH America's #1 WalkIn Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-855-916-5473
Miscellaneous
GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391
Power Washing
POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: Houses, Fences, Concrete/ Brick, Decks/Sealing. ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641
Services
AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-833-880-7679
INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don't Accept the insurance company's first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-833-323-0318. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider.
PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833-549-0598 Have zip code of property ready when calling!
Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells
LAWN SPRINKLERS
Installed & Serviced. Repairs, Installations, Upgrades. EARLY SPRING SPECIALS! FREE WIFI TIMER ($550 Value) w/Any New Sprinkler System Installation Completed by 4/15/26. Satisfying Customers For Over 44 Years. Licensed & Insured. COUNTY IRRIGATION 515-255-9595 www.countyirrigation.com
Telephone Services
CONSUMER CELLULAR - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682
DIRECTV- All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Directv and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Health & Fitness
ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-833-661-4172
ATTENTION: VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-833-641-6397
AUTOMOBILE & MARINE
Autos Wanted
AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277
DONATE YOUR CAR today, running or not. Support Patriotic Hearts for our Veterans and their Families! Free fast pickup. Max tax deduction. Se habla
Nassau County’s success story continues
With my second term as county executive underway, I’m proud to say that Nassau County’s future is bright. Like my first term, these coming years will be defined by a strong commitment to public safety, excellent economic growth that increases affordability for our residents, and expanded opportunities for business owners that will benefit everyone.
Growing our economy remains a top focus for my administration. After canceling a $150 million tax hike in my first year in office, I have not raised taxes for four consecutive years — a promise that I will keep in this year’s budget. Through smart financial management, we have earned an unprecedented seven bond upgrades and have been cited by Democratic State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli as a county with no fiscal stress. Our local businesses are thriving, with minority- and women-owned business certifications increasing by 40 percent last year alone — a number I hope to
Araise even higher in 2026 and beyond.
Positive economic activity lets us invest in initiatives that matter to residents. We’ve restored local historical sites like the Roslyn Grist Mill, invested in cultural centers like the Joysetta and Julius Pearse African American Museum, in Hempstead, and upgraded local community hubs like Centennial Park, in Roosevelt. These are testaments to how a well-run government can provide for all of its residents.
since taking office, with more to come. We opened the state-of-the-art Harry Singh Bolla Police Training Village to give all of our officers, new and old, cutting-edge training to ensure that Nassau County remains a leader in public safety.
We’re focused on public safety, economic growth and business opportunities.
I’m proud to report that Nassau County remains the safest county in the United States, a distinction we owe to the courageous men and women of the Nassau County Police Department, the Corrections Department, the Probation Department, the Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s Office. These dedicated professionals — along with emergency services personnel like our firefighters, EMS workers and fire marshals — work tirelessly for our security, and we cannot thank them enough.
My administration recognizes the importance of investing in public safety efforts. I’ve authorized the hiring of 600 new police and corrections officers
During my time in office, our emergency services staff has also grown, with more than 1,000 residents signing up to become volunteer firefighters. This year’s budget will expand the number of fire marshals and dispatchers, ensuring that we are prepared for anything that comes our way.
The good news is that our initiatives are already paying off. Major crimes have fallen by more than 10 percent in the past year, with huge declines in serious crimes like murder, rape, assault and robbery. In 2025 our police executed the largest drug bust and gang takedown in county history. Major investments in our battle to alleviate the opioid crisis led to a drop of more than 16 percent in overdose deaths last year. These results speak for themselves, and show that our policies are working.
My administration has also taken steps to protect our religious freedoms.
I recently signed a new law that prevents protesters from targeting churches, synagogues and mosques. Nassau County will always stand for the safety and rights of everyone who practices their religion here.
Our stance on immigration enforcement remains firm: Nassau County is not a sanctuary county. Collaborating with our federal partners has helped us remove dangerous and illegal criminals from our streets — many of whom come from known gangs like MS-13, the 18th Street Gang and the Trinitarios. I want to reiterate that all of our enforcement actions are targeted at criminals, not honest and hardworking people who enrich our communities. My administration is continuing to work on a guest-worker program to support law-abiding immigrants, many of whom are pillars of our business community.
Even as we continue to build on our successes, I know that there’s a lot of work ahead to keep us moving in the right direction, but my commitment to making Nassau County the safest, most affordable and healthiest place to live, work and raise a family remains strong. Thank you for helping to make us the best place to live in all of New York.
Bruce Blakeman is the Nassau County executive.
The privilege, and responsibility, of a free press
s deputy managing editor of Herald Community Newspapers, I am privileged to work alongside a staff of honest and creative reporters and editors who deliver the local news that you’re used to receiving. They embody what it means to be a strong journalist, acting with integrity and passion, which is reflected in every story we write and share with the communities that we love to cover.
The ethos I’m describing embodies the pillars of American journalism — a press that thrives on freedom and a drive to seek the truth and report it.
Many of my former colleagues — my good friends — have moved on from their time with the Herald to apply that passion in other media circuits, delivering more, albeit different, news to readers close to home and nationally, too. In a media climate so polarized, where it may feel difficult to decipher right from wrong and the truth from exaggerations, it’s important to remember that we are privileged to live in a
country where we can ask questions. We can challenge what we’re told. We can yearn for more than what appears in black and white.
A few weeks ago, I attended the 2026
Marie Colvin Distinguished Lecture at Stony Brook University, hosted by the school’s Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting. The center was established in memory of Colvin, a fearless war correspondent who was raised on Long Island and died on the front lines of the Syrian civil war in 2012.
T his work matters, and we must never take our freedoms for granted.
The featured speaker was Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian politician and journalist who was arrested in Moscow in 2022 and sentenced to 25 years in prison for “high treason” for opposing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kara-Murza spent over two years in prison, including 11 months in solitary confinement. His release in 2024 was orchestrated by the Biden administration, and part of the largest prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia since the Cold War.
For the writing he completed while in prison, Kara-Murza was awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.
He was the type of speaker who drew you in from the start, painting a bleak
picture of what it’s like to be a journalist in Russia, a place where independent media voices have been not only silenced but directly targeted for telling the truth. He named fellow writers — many of them friends — who were killed by the Russian government. Kara-Murza himself has survived two suspected poisonings in the past decade, marked for his relentless, fearless, truthful reporting. His opening thoughts captivated me. “There’s nothing dictatorships hate more than the truth,” he said, “and the first targets in that quest for absolute power are usually, almost always, independent media voices.”
In Russia, the press is never protected. In the U.S., by contrast, federal courts usually appear committed to upholding the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech. Just two weeks ago, federal courts ruled that the Pentagon’s newly implemented press policy, which bars news outlets from reporting information not officially sanctioned for release, is a violation of the amendment. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman wrote in his ruling that it was “more important than ever that the public have access to information from a variety of perspec-
tives about what the government is doing.” That, in essence, makes good journalism possible.
Kara-Murza made it clear that a democracy thrives only when its people put forth the effort to sustain it. He invoked Ben Franklin’s reminder that the United States was founded as “a republic, if you can keep it”— which resonates with renewed urgency.
I became a journalist because I love to write. I’m committed to upholding the values I believe in so strongly. Like my Herald colleagues, I love telling your stories, and I love diving into the important topics I believe you, our readers, deserve to know about.
I can’t say that I’m as courageous as Vladimir Kara-Murza, who embodies everything journalists should hope to be — fearless, principled, and unwavering in the pursuit of truth. But his story reminds me why this work matters, and why we must never take our freedoms for granted. Every day that we can report honestly, ask challenging questions, and share your stories is a privilege — one I never intend to lose sight of.
Jordan Vallone, the deputy managing editor of Herald Community Newspapers, is a graduate student in Stony Brook University’s School of Communications and Journalism. Comments? jvallone@liherald.com.
oFFiCe
2 Endo Boulevard
Garden City, NY 11530
Phone: (516) 569-4000
Fax: (516) 569-4942
Web: www.liherald.com
E-mail: wantagheditor@liherald.com
oFFiCiAL
HERALD
Smart housing reform needs local trust
New York’s housing crisis is undeniable. Rents are high, supply is tight and too many families are struggling to find a place to call home.
In response, Albany is advancing proposals like the REVIVE Act alongside Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Let Them Build agenda — efforts designed to cut red tape and accelerate development.
The goal is right. The challenge is getting the approach right, too. At the heart of the debate is a familiar tension: how to build faster without sacrificing thoughtful planning and public trust.
It’s not just about process; it’s about trust. Residents are more likely to support new housing when they believe their voices are heard. Developers are more likely to invest when rules are consistent. And elected officials are more effective when they can balance urgency with accountability.
Supporters of reform make a compelling case. New York’s development process is notoriously slow and expensive. Reviews under the State Environmental Quality Review Act can stretch timelines by years, even for projects that ultimately pose little or no environmental risk.
According to state data, projects can take up to 56 percent longer to start compared with other states, and cost up to $45,000 per unit on Long Island. Those costs are usually passed on to renters and buyers. In a state where affordability is already a crisis, those inefficiencies matter.
The REVIVE Act seeks to address this by targeting underused commercial properties — shopping centers, office
letters
Keeping things in numerical perspective in the Middle East
To the Editor:
parks and large parking lots — and encouraging their conversion into housing. In concept, this is smart policy. Repurposing dormant or declining properties into vibrant residential communities can ease the housing shortage while revitalizing local economies.
But the concerns raised by local officials and residents are just as valid. Critics argue that the legislation could sideline local zoning authority, limit public hearings and reduce meaningful community input.
The inclusion of a “deemed approved” provision — allowing projects to move forward automatically if municipalities fail to act within an expedited timeline — is a flashpoint.
One side says projects would move forward without public hearings or meaningful community input. That might overstate the case, but it isn’t entirely off base. The proposal appears to compress timelines and shift leverage away from local governments. If those timelines are too tight, or if municipalities lack the resources to review complex proposals quickly, the result could be approvals by default rather than by design.
And what about the timeline itself? That remains a critical detail. Without clear and reasonable deadlines, “expedited” can quickly become “unworkable.” Municipal boards might need additional support to operate on stateimposed clocks. If they are rushed, oversight suffers. If they miss deadlines, community members may feel that decisions are being made for them, not with them.
Yet it would be a mistake to dismiss
With all the rhetoric being bandied about over the war in the Middle East, I would like to add something that rarely seems to enter into the discussion. That is the size of the various sides. My source is the 2025 World Almanac.
Israel has an area of approximately 8,470 square miles, which is about the size of the state of New Jersey. The West Bank and Gaza have a combined area of about 2,402 square miles, which is about the size of the city of Detroit and the state of Delaware.
The area of Israel’s near neighbors — Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon — is just over 1.3 million square miles, or about one-third the size of the United States.
The population of Israel is just over 9.4 million. The population of the West Bank and Gaza is just
the need for reform altogether. Doing nothing is not an option. The current system is too slow, too costly and too unpredictable. Developers face uncertainty and communities can miss opportunities.
The answer lies not in choosing sides, but in combining the best ideas from both. New York should streamline environmental review for projects that consistently demonstrate minimal impact, particularly those on previously developed sites. It should set clear, enforceable timelines for decisions.
Those timelines, however, must be realistic, and paired with resources, training and technical assistance for local governments. The state’s proposal to modernize permitting and create a “permitting academy” is a step in the right direction.
At the same time, local decision-making must be preserved. Communities deserve a voice in shaping their neighborhoods, especially when it comes to density, infrastructure and quality of life. Public hearings should not be eliminated, but they can be made more efficient and focused.
If “deemed approved” provisions are included, they must come with safeguards: flexibility for municipalities acting in good faith, transparency in the review process and mechanisms to ensure that projects meet clear standards before moving forward.
New York doesn’t need a rushed solution. It needs a smart one. Albany has an opportunity to get this right. By blending efficiency with oversight, and speed with community input, lawmakers can craft a housing policy that works for all.
Why I sued the state over youth mental health
For years, my son cody and I were known in court papers only by our initials. Today I am using my full name — as a Long Island mother, a family peer advocate and one of the formerly anonymous plaintiffs in c.K. v. McDonald. I joined this class action lawsuit to challenge new york state’s widespread failure to provide mental health services to children on Medicaid.
In January, a federal judge approved a settlement, and the state agreed to dramatically improve access to these services. It’s a measure of justice, but it is incomplete without investments in the struggling nonprofit providers who deliver this vital care to kids like cody.
cody needed help almost from the moment he entered this world. I worked as an early childhood educator, and I recognized the signs. By age 3, he was diagnosed with ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder and severe social anxiety; at 4 he was psychiatrically hospitalized. He struggled to function in school. From ages 10 to 12 he was in a residential treatment center, where he finally
Letters
under 5.4 million. The population of Israel’s near neighbors is 188.2 million. As a reference, the population of the United States is nearly 342 million.
There are rights and wrongs on both sides, but the constant drive to destroy Israel is not the correct solution to these issues.
LAwrence Levy Rockville Centre
Your opinion Matters
The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.
Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com Be heard. Be part of the conversation.
began to thrive. In 2019 cody was discharged and came home. He was supposed to receive home- and community-based mental health services to give him the tools to re-integrate. He was entitled to at-home therapy to manage his emotions, as well as crisis respite services — an alternative to hospitalization to provide stability during crises.
He received care through Medicaid, its access guaranteed by federal law. But the reality was different: Providers changed constantly, programs had waitlists and services disappeared without explanation.
wcate, I saw the chronic understaffing, the underfunding, and the burnout.
e can’t afford to continue neglecting the services our children need.
without consistent, medically necessary services, cody couldn’t handle the transition to home, and while lingering on waitlists, he had his first suicide attempt.
All the while, I was working inside the system. I took a job with wellLife network, a nonprofit mental health provider, as a supervisor of communitybased services and a family peer advocate. These advocates are an indispensable component of our behavioral health system. we provide care as parents of children with mental health issues. As such, we are trusted messengers when offering services like skill development. But working as an advo-
I knew that the system was failing, even as my family lived it personally. And we aren’t alone. Across the state, three in four Medicaid-eligible children who need outpatient behavioral health services are not receiving them. The disparities are similar on Long Island, and grow worse the closer you look. eighty-five percent of Medicaid-eligible children in our area are not receiving the outpatient clinical services they need, and nearly 500 more practitioners are needed to fill the gap.
without an investment for providers to expand services, children will lose out on programs that stabilize them before a crisis lands them in the hospital, or in handcuffs. we cannot afford to continue neglecting these services. Medicaid reimbursement rates for them have stagnated, even as costs have risen. nonprofit providers can’t pay competitive wages. Staff leave, caseloads grow, and some programs stop offering Medicaid services altogether.
I joined that lawsuit because I was fed up with a broken system. Alongside three other families, we charged that new york was violating Medicaid law by failing to provide required communi-
Framework by Tim Baker
ty-based services. As part of the settlement, new york must review long-inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates to improve services. But the settlement gives the state a yearslong runway, and families can’t wait for reform.
If new york is serious about meeting both its legal and moral responsibilities, lawmakers must act this budget season. Providers across the state are calling for a $200 million investment to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for children’s behavioral health services.
Unfortunately, the governor’s and the State Senate’s proposed budgets do not include new resources. The Assembly did include $20 million to improve reimbursement rates, but that is far short of the support that is needed.
without investment, the promises in the settlement risk becoming hollow. It may be too late to give my son back the years he lost, but it doesn’t have to be too late for others.
every child on Long Island and across the state deserves timely mental health care in their home and community. The settlement made clear that new york falls short. now our lawmakers must make the investment necessary to turn that legal victory into real change for families like mine.
Christina Hauptman is a family peer advocate and a New York state peer specialist on the Intensive and Sustained Engagement Team at Hands Across Long Island.
Cutting loose at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in front of St. Agnes Cathedral — Rockville Centre
APRIL 16 • 10AM-12:30PM
759 LONG ISLAND AVE,
FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle
Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers
Take advantage of on-site health screenings
Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences
Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A
Win raffles, prizes, and giveaways
Snack station for all
*Boxed lunches for first 150 attendees
All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.
MAE CAIME FOUNDER, AMAEZING MIDLIFE & BEYOND
EXPERT PANEL + Q&A
RAFFLE DRAWINGS MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN
Register for this FREE event: Deerpark.eventbrite.com or email lcreem@LIHerald.com or call 516.569.4000 x243
