WANTAGH
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IS IT TIME FOR A HEARING CHECK-UP?
An extended look at Homecoming Page 3 VOL. 74 NO. 41
OCTOBER 8 - 14, 2026
Wantagh school district plans major bond vote for December Wantagh school district voters will decide in December whether to approve a $69.85 million bond referendum that would reshape athletic facilities, expand universal pre-kindergarten, overhaul the district auditorium and add new music spaces at Wantagh High School. The Board of Education adopted the proposal at its Sept. 24 meeting, setting a Dec. 1 vote on a package that Superintendent John McNamara said represents the next phase of the district’s long-term facilities work. “We’re just finishing up a round of work” from the district’s previous bond, McNamara said. “The focus of this bond was really taking the other portions of our facilities to the next level.” The district’s previous bond, approved in 2022, focused heavily on infrastructure,
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Wantagh residents will vote on a proposed $69.85 million school bond, focusing on extracurricular spaces and and expanding classroom capacity, on Dec. 1.
By HUNTER FENOLLOL
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including windows, classroom heating and cooling systems, cafeterias and bathrooms. McNamara said the new proposal shifts the emphasis toward extracurricular spaces, athletics and expanding classroom capacity. One of the significant additions would be six universal pre-K classrooms at Wantagh Elementary School. The roughly 7,100-square-foot addition is expected to cost about $5.12 million. The district currently has nine UPK spaces, but McNamara said some will eventually need to return to other classroom uses. The new classrooms would allow the district to offer roughly 10 to 11 UPK classes each year, enough to meet demand. The district currently serves about 160 UPK students, McNamara said, while a typical grade level has about 200 students. “Ultimately, we will no longer need to do a lottery system for our UPK program,” he CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
There’s no place like Wantagh and Seaford — but you don’t need us to tell you that. These communities are defined by pride, connection, and a long list of reasons residents are happy to call them home. Want to spend the day outside? From the beaches and boardwalk at Jones Beach to the trails, fields and waterways around Cedar Creek, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the outdoors in Wantagh and Seaford. Looking for something to do? There’s always an event on the calendar, from community festivals and concerts to holiday celebrations, parades and local traditions that bring neighbors together year round. And speaking of schools — Wantagh and Seaford have plenty to be proud of. With dedicated teachers, strong academic and extracurricular programs, and students who shine in the classroom, on the playing field and on the stage, education remains at the heart of both communities and a source of local pride. This week’s Wantagh Herald and Seaford Herald are being mailed to every home, and include our annual Wantagh & Seaford Community Guide. Inside you’ll find the places, people, schools, organi-
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zations and events that help make these communities such great places to live, work and raise a family. If you’re not a subscriber, we hope this week’s edition persuades you to become one. Each week, in these pages and online, we cover the stories that matter most — from important local decisions to the everyday moments that bring the community together — and bring you the local news you can’t find anywhere else. To keep quality local journalism strong in Wantagh and Seaford, subscribe today at LIHerald.com/subscribe or call (516) 569-4000, ext. 7. You can also support our work with a one-time or recurring donation at LIHerald.com/donate. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you for your continued support. If you’re new to the Wantagh or Seaford Herald, welcome — our mission is to cover all the news of your neighborhood, from schools to sports, from houses of worship to acts of kindness, and everything in between. Enjoy the paper — and thanks for reading! Hunter Fenollol, Reporter
Bond would fund athletic, arts, pre-K improvements CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
said. The addition also would allow students to attend UPK at the elementary school they would later attend for kindergarten through fifth grade. The bond also would make a major investment in the district’s performing arts facilities. An approximately 6,000-square-foot music wing addition at the high school would provide a dedicated band room of more than 2,000 square feet and a new chorus space. The $8.05 million project also would allow the district to reclaim space behind the auditorium stage that was converted into a band room years ago. That would give the high school’s drama program room for dressing areas, set construction and prop storage, amenities it currently lacks. “We have an outstanding fine and performing arts program, great, great music program,” McNamara said. “And our current auditorium is dated and needs to be renovated.” The $5.8 million auditorium renovation would affect more than just high school performers. The auditorium is the district’s only such space and is used for concerts, drama productions, awards ceremonies and moving-up ceremonies for students throughout the district.
“It’s really a space that’s very widely used,” McNamara said. “It’s in use daily for various functions.” Athletics make up the largest portion of the proposal, with $38.02 million earmarked for improvements at the secondary campus and Forest Lake Elementary School. The work includes varsity fields and a new athletic building at the high school, improvements to the Forest Lake fields and additional parking there, along with improvements at Mandalay Elementary School. More than 60 percent of Wantagh students in grades seven through 12 participate in at least one sports season, McNamara said. The district’s layout is part of the reason for the athletic investment. Wantagh Middle School and Wantagh High School share a secondary campus, meaning the district effectively has one major athletic complex serving both schools. McNamara envisions the renovated Forest Lake fields, a short walk from the middle school across the footbridge, as a junior varsity and middle school athletic complex, while varsity competition would remain centered at the high school. The proposal also includes elementary playground improvements, plumbing and window replacements, paving and curb work, security upgrades, fenc-
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hese projects address critical facility needs while creating enhanced learning environments and opportunities that will benefit Wantagh students for years to come. JENNIFER PERFETTI President, Board of Education ing and gates, bathroom renovations, a new maintenance building at the middle school and a new comfort station at Forest Lake. The district’s capital improvements committee, formed in January and led by McNamara, included community members, administrators, the district architect, construction manager and facilities director. The group visited every district facility before presenting recommendations to the board. If voters approve the bond, McNamara said the district hopes to begin some work as early as July 2027. Playground and athletic field projects could begin that summer, with the fields expected to be ready for the spring 2028
season. The auditorium renovation would begin in July 2027, with an anticipated reopening in January 2028. The new band, chorus and UPK spaces would take longer, with the district targeting September 2028 openings. A separate proposition on the Dec. 1 ballot would ask voters to authorize up to $1.3 million from the district’s existing Capital Reserve Fund for completion of the middle school window project and HVAC upgrades at the high school. That money is separate from the $69.85 million bond. “The proposed bond represents a significant investment in our students, schools and community,” Board of Education President Jennifer Perfetti said in a statement. “These projects address critical facility needs while creating enhanced learning environments and opportunities that will benefit Wantagh students for years to come.” The bond and capital reserve propositions will be decided Dec. 1 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Mandalay, Wantagh and Forest Lake elementary schools. Voters who are not registered can do so through Nov. 25 at the district administration building, 3301 Beltagh Ave., during regular District Clerk office hours. A special registration day will be held Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026 Photos Courtesy Wantagh School District
The Wantagh High School football team ran out onto the field for their homecoming matchup against Glen Cove on Oct. 3, ending in a 49-0 victory for the Warriors.
Homecoming victory for the Wantagh Warriors The marching band performed in the parade as it traveled up Wantagh Avenue.
By Hunter Fenollol hfenollol@liherald.com
There was plenty to cheer about for fans of the Wantagh Warriors on Oct. 3, from a lively parade, to rousing performances from the cheerleaders and marching bands to a thrilling victory for the varsity football team. Students, parents and community members lined Wantagh Avenue for the annual homecoming parade which featured the board of education and administration, Homecoming court, class floats, PTA representatives, community organizations and much more. Director of Guidance Christopher Nyberg was the grand marshal. The crowd then made their way to the bleachers, which filled up for Wantagh’s game against Glen Cove. The cheers were almost nonstop as the Warriors put the ball in the end zone seven times for a 49-0 victory to improve to 4-0 on the season. Halftime featured the crowning of homecoming king and queen, Tommy Dillon and Emma Bush. Rounding out the homecoming court were Bobby Friedman, Dylan Loveland, Camryn Mitchell and Ella Perfetti. Students were asked to choose a king and queen based on someone who possesses kindness, leadership and respect, in addition to being involved in both school and community activities. The seniors, with their Super Mario Broth-
ers design, were announced as the winners of this year’s homecoming float contest with a “video games” theme. A high-energy performance from the varsity cheerleaders was then followed by the marching band show, “Throwback Radio.” The band was led by drum majors Ricky Boyko, Peyton Burlew and Sean Tinoco, along with flag captains Ariana Chavez and Leia Gallegos, and dance captains Halle Hzrich and Elena Radoslovich.
Giselle Jefts, left, and Charlotte Heron showcased the first place senior homecoming parade float based on the theme, “video games.”
Tommy Dillon and Emma Bush were crowned homecoming king and queen.
OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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We want our deck back
Q. We have a large deck that finally needs to be repaired, and some parts replaced. It is wood with some steel beams, and we wanted to do the boards that look like wood but are made from plastics and supposedly last longer. We looked at several brands and aren’t sure what is best, but it probably doesn’t matter now. The prices came in very high for the work, and each contractor we have spoken to said we were only going to save money if we use all wood, including the beams. The beams are steel, as we understand, since they extend farther without as many columns. The funny thing is that we were replacing the wood because it started rotting and twisting after 15 years, bad enough that we don’t feel comfortable using the deck — it’s on our second floor, which is why we want onte eeper fewer columns, so we can continue to use the ground level as an outdoor dining space. What can you recommend that we do? The cost makes it impossible to move forward, and we really want our deck back. Ask The Architect
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A. I like to quote the oil filter commercial we used to hear all the time: “You can pay me now or pay me later.” In this case, you can spend the money on the less-costly wood, and then spend more money on re-treating the wood and repairs. As for the steel beams being replaced, it should be understood that steel is more compact for its strength, and the equivalent ability to span longer distances with wood requires much more wood, and it will more than likely be taller, meaning the beams will extend lower. The synthetic decking materials are a much better choice, and the ones that are recycled resin-based, without the wood component parts in their composition, are at the top of the list of low maintenance, deterioration and replacement that you have with wood mixtures and wood deck materials. I have seen the difference many times over the years, including the landing deck in my own yard. I originally built it out of cedar, which was supposed to be resistant to insects and, if stained properly, would last a long time, or so I thought. After just four years, the wood posts and the properly stained decking had become distorted with warping, twisting and some end rotting. I replaced the materials with synthetic decking and rails, and after 26 years, it’s still in great condition. This problem of not factoring in the cost of maintenance, accessibility and the increase in material costs over time has often led to much greater expense in the life of buildings. You have to question yourself as to which is more affordable, the continued maintenance or initial cost. Remember that the people you are speaking to will do either system, wood or synthetic, because for them it’s a current job that they will leave behind and that you have to live with. Good luck! © 2026 Monte Leeper. Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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Prenuptial Agreements component is a schedule whereby each party sets out a list of their separate property, i.e. what they owned prior to entering into the marriage. The agreement then sets out the division of property in the event of divorce as well as the inheritance rights between the parties. While prenups often provide that neither party will inherit from the other, it is not unusual for the parties to partially waive those provisions after a few years and execute a will or trust leaving assets to the spouse despite the prenup. Other ways to leave assets to the spouse are by making some assets joint or naming the spouse as beneficiary on IRA’s, investments, bank accounts, annuities or insurance policies. The prenup may also contain a “sunset provision” that it expires after a set number of years. For younger people, who do not have significant assets but may receive a substantial inheritance, the Inheritance Protection Trust is preferable since the intended spouse need not be involved, no disclosure of assets is required, and the assets pass by blood, instead of by marriage, at death.
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Seaford man arrested after police find suspected heroin allegedly found Coyle in posA 47-year-old Seaford man session of 70 glassine envewas arrested after Nassau County police said he was lopes containing a white found with 70 glassine envepowdery substance believed lopes containing a white to be heroin. He was arrested powdery substance believed without incident, according to be heroin while riding an to police. E-bike on a sidewalk in SeaCoyle was charged with ford. reckless or uncontrolled According to the Nassau operation of a bicycle, crimiCounty Police Department’s nal possession of a conSeventh Squad, Bureau of trolled substance in the sevSpecial Operations officers enth degree, two counts of observed Thomas Coyle, of THOMAS COYLE criminal possession of a conJohn Lane in Seaford, riding trolled substance in the third an E-bike westbound on the degree and a vehicle and trafsidewalk along Merrick Road at about fic law violation. 3:18 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. He was arraigned Friday, Oct. 2, at Officers activated their emergency First District Court in Hempstead. lights and stopped Coyle near Merrick Road and Seaford Avenue, police said. — Hunter Fenollol During the investigation, officers
PETIT LARCENY
On Sept. 25 at 2:29 p.m., Christopher Yu Jin Na, 36, of Ronkonkoma, and Jessica Rodriguez, 47, of Baldwin, were arrested for shoplifting at Target, 3850 Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown, according to police. Police said Sursattie Jagmohan-Beer, 52, of Baldwin, was arrested Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. for shoplifting at HomeGoods, 1030 Old Country Road in East Garden City.
Protecting Your Future
Prenuptial agreements (“prenups”) are contracts entered into by a couple before marriage setting out the rights of the parties in the event of divorce or death. Less common is the postnuptial agreement, with similar terms, but executed by the parties after marriage. Who signs these types of agreements and why? Often couples marrying for the second or more time will have children and/or substantial assets at the time of remarriage. They may wish to insure that all or some of their assets go to their children and not to the new spouse, who may have children and assets of their own. Even with a will which leaves everything to one’s children, without a prenup the surviving spouse is legally entitled to claim about onethird of the deceased spouse’s estate. Having been married before, these couples know that sometimes things do not work out and wish to simplify matters in the event of a divorce, including whether or not alimony will be payable. In the prenup there must be full disclosure of each other’s assets so that each party knows what they are giving up. A necessary
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PROPERTY DAMAGE
On Oct. 4, police and fire department units made forced entry into Home Goods on North Village Avenue in Rockville Center in order to investigate a fire sprinkler activation, damaging a rear door.
ASSAULT
On Oct. 3, a Rosedale resident reported that he was assaulted by four men outside the Tap Room on North Village Avenue earlier that morning. An Elmont man was arrested for an assault that occurred on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 1:45 p.m. in Elmont. According to a Nassau County Police Department release, officers responded to a residence on Empire St. for a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers were informed that a verbal argument had occurred between the defendant, Faheem Winstead, 31, and two female victims.
LEAVING THE SCENE
On Oct. 1, a Rockville Centre resident reported that his vehicle was struck and damaged while it was parked in Parking Field #2.
People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.
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THE LANNIN EISENHOWER PARK | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026, 6:30 PM Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Spectacular Soirée!
Featuring a selection of fine wines and spirits, an extended cocktail hour (no formal sit-down dinner) with a wide array of hors d’oeuvres, premium seafood selections, prime cuts of beef, as well as an assortment of international dishes (and a Kosher food station). Entertainment will also include a live DJ, dancing, and a mentalist.
Masters of Ceremonies: News 12 personalities Erin Colton and Joe Arena
Book your reservation online at bringinghearthome.org, or call the Mount Sinai South Nassau Development Department at 516-377-5360.
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
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Generals battling in top conference By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com
DYLAN PARCHMENT HEWLETT Senior FOOTBALL IT WAS A RECORD-SETTING performance for Parchment Sept. 28 as the Bulldogs rolled to a 40-13 victory over Carle Place in a Nassau Conference III?IV crossover matchup. He set a program single-game record with five touchdowns, finishing with 252 yards on only 12 carries. His scoring runs covered 63, 29, 45, 65 and 6 yards as Hewlett upped its record to 2-1. In the opener, he scored four touchdowns on the ground in a 29-22 win over Division.
GAMES TO WATCH Friday, Oct. 9 Football: Carey at Calhoun ..................................3 p.m. Football: Baldwin at Jericho.................................6 p.m. Field Hockey: Sewanhaka at Baldwin ..................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: Wantagh at North Shore..................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: Oceanside at MacArthur .................5 p.m. Girls Soccer: Kennedy at East Meadow ...............5 p.m. Girls Volleyball: Malverne at West Hemp...............5 p.m. Boys Soccer: North Shore at Seaford ..................5 p.m. Football: Malverne at Island Trees........................6 p.m. Football: Sewanhaka at Hewlett ..........................6 p.m. Football: Floral Park at Lynbrook .........................6 p.m. Football: Elmont at Plainedge.........................6:30 p.m. Football: Freeport at Farmingdale ...................6:30 p.m. Football: North Shore at ERock/WHemp......... 6:30 p.m Girls Spccer: Plainedge at Lynbrook ...............7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 10 Girls Soccer: Elmont at Uniondale .....................10 a.m. Girls Soccer: South Side at Carey......................10 a.m. Field Hockey: Garden City at Clarke ...................10 a.m. Football: Garden City at Mepham ...................1:30 p.m. Football: Kennedy at V.S. Central ....................1:30 p.m. Football: Long Beach at New Hyde Park .........1:30 p.m. Football: Lawrence at V.S. South .....................1:30 p.m. Football: Oceanside at Massapequa ...................2 p.m.
Give knee pain a red card.
The MacArthur girls soccer team has held its own so far tackling a grueling schedule while also battling the injury bug. T h e Gen eral s ent ered October at 3-2-2 in Conference AAA/AA-1 despite being without some key players for much of the schedule taking on the top programs in Nassau County. MacArthur enters the home stretch of the regular season in position to obtain a top four seed a bye for the Class AA playoffs. “We right now would be the three seed in the playoffs if it was to start today, but we’ve got more work to do,” said fifth-year coach Steve Costello. “We’re in a pretty good spot.” MacArthur closed September with a winning record despite losing senior center back Katelynn Paulich to a possible season-ending ankle injury in a 0-0 tie against Carey on Sept. 23. With the absence of Pauliuch, a reigning All Conference defender, Costello moved Emily Squicciarini from outside back to center back with Adriana Clancy taking over Squicciarini’s spot. Squicciarini and Clancy are part of a strong defensive unit that has held opponents to one goal or less in six matches and recorded four clean sheets. The backline also includes seniors Giana Winkler, Abigail Zazulka and Alexa Coppola, a veteran defensive midfielder who leads the conference in assists with seven. “She is really good at cor-
Media Origin Inc./Herald
Senior Gianna Winkler is part of a strong defensive unit that’s kept MacArthur competitive in every game in Nassau’s premier conference. ner kicks and she’s a very defensive-minded player,” Costello said of Coppola.
“She’s done a really good job for us.” Junior goalkeeper Lyla
Curtin has helped anchor the defense with four shutouts including six saves in a season-opening 1-0 win against Calhoun on Sept. 1. The offense has been led largely by senior forward Gina Iannuzzi, who has four goals including two in a 3-1 win against Syosset on Sept. 9. Freshman forward Kat Maris has also had a strong offensive season with three goals and an assist. MacArthur is coming off a 3-0 non-league win at Manhasset last Saturday that featured two second-half goals from senior midfielder Ava Kelly and a first half tally by Iannuzzi. Curtin preserved the Generals’ fourth clean sheet of the season with six saves and backup goalie Gianna Bove also recorded one stop off the bench. The Generals will host two-time defending county champion Oceanside Friday at 5 p.m. before visiting Long Beach on Columbus Day for a 10:30 a.m. kickoff. MacArthur concludes the regular season under the lights at home on Oct. 15 against Bethpage at 7 p.m. Costello said the rigorous schedule in Conference I will force the team to raise its game and should serve as solid preparation for the upcoming Class AA playoffs where MacArthur will seek its first county crown since 2022. “We have to continue to understand that League 1 requires you to be physical, fast and focused,” Costello said. “We’ve done a pretty good job of that so far and we just need to continue to do that.”
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516.536.2800 | orlincohen.com 1358735
OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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JOB FAIR
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2026
Freeport Recreation Center • 130 East Merrick Road • Freeport 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.- Open early to Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. - General Admission
Employers at the event include:
Cox Fleet • Dignity Home Care • Risewell Community Services • Council for Airport Opportunity EPIC LONG ISLAND • New York State Police • The Center for Developmental Disabilities Options for Community Living • U.S. Air & Space Force • Total Orthopedics Spine and Sports Medicine LLC. QSAC • Roto-Rooter • NY Army National Guard • AHRC Nassau • Fresia/Seviroli Foods LLC Fire Department, City of New York (FDNY) - Office of Recruitment & Retention Winston Staffing • NYPD Recruitment Section • Tiegerman School • Doyle Security Services ACLD- Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities CP Nassau • Club Demonstration Services • Schivo Medical Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County Inc. New York State Department of Civil Service • and more!!!
BRING SEVERAL COPIES OF YOUR RESUME! For more information, please call (516) 485-5000, ext. 1100 Co-hosted by:
Mayor Robert T. Kennedy Freeport Village
Registrants will receive an invite via email to attend a pre-event online workshop to prepare for the Job Fair.
John
Ferretti Supervisor
Town of Hempstead Department of Occupational Resources
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To register, please visit:
www.hempsteadworks.com/jobfair
Council Members Dorothy L. Goosby • Dennis Dunne, Sr. • Thomas E. Muscarella Melissa Miller • Laura A. Ryder • Christopher R. Schneider
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Visit our website: www.HempsteadWorks.com
Kate Murray Town Clerk
Jeanine C. Driscoll Receiver of Taxes
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OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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Storm floods bay side, Jones Beach Theater The water has always been part of the appeal of a concert at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theater. Last week, it came inside. The rare late-September nor’easter sent floodwaters through the orchestra seating area of the Wantagh amphitheater, down its aisleways and into the promenade, flooding restrooms, concessions and other areas of the venue as coastal waters rose art Jones Beach. The flooding forced the cancellation of the scheduled Logic and G-Eazy concert on Sept. 30, but park officials said that the damage came as the concert season was winding down, and should not affect next year’s schedule. “The orchestra seating area completely flooded and [water] went down the aisleways and flooded the promenade, concessions and bathrooms,” said George Gorman, regional director for the Long Island region of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Jones Beach State Park Director Jeffrey Mason said the water not only climbed the steps into the promenade, but also flowed through the open aisleways that lead from the orchestra area to the back of the amphitheater. That offers a glimpse into how quickly coastal flooding can move through a large outdoor venue. “It actually just went through the aisleways,” Mason said. “It went through the aisleways onto the promenade.” Live Nation, which maintains the theater, pumped out the water and was assessing the damage. Gorman said there would be no impact on the venue’s 2027 season. The theater, however, was only one area of the state park that was affected by the storm. The most significant damage was concentrated on the bay side, officials said, where storm-driven water and erosion damaged three
Hunter Fenollol/Herald
The Northwell at Jones Beach Theater sits alongside Zach’s Bay during a summer concert. During last weekend’s nor’easter, floodwaters rose through the theater’s orchestra seating area and traveled through the aisleways into the promenade, flooding concessions, bathrooms and other areas of the venue. fishing piers at Field 10 and portions of the boat basin area. And a section of the multi-use path near the boat basin collapsed because of erosion, and remains closed. Two of the three damaged fishing piers have already been repaired and reopened, and the third was expected to reopen within days, Gorman said. A fourth pier has remained closed since a previous storm caused structural damage to its pilings. Engineers were evaluating the more extensive erosion near the boat basin and the fourth fishing pier. No cost estimates or completion dates had been released at press
time. The storm also showed where the park’s preparations worked. Before the storm, crews built a 6- to 8-foot-high sand berm along the oceanfront. High water reached the seawall in other locations, but the berm held, and kept floodwaters out of the park’s Central Mall, officials said. “Our preparations and planning worked well,” Gorman said. Mason said the park also used erosion-control fencing and sandbags around buildings as part of its preparations. That contrast — a heavily flooded concert venue on the bay side and a protected Central Mall on the oceanfront — illustrates the complicated nature of protecting a park surrounded by water. Jones Beach is situated on a barrier island, where coastal facilities are particularly vulnerable to flooding, according to Rima Taher, a civil and structural engineer and a senior university lecturer at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. As well, barrier islands’ higher water tables limit how much additional water the ground can absorb. Flooding can also do damage that is not immediately visible. Saltwater can contribute to corrosion, while floodwaters can damage electrical equipment, plumbing and other systems. Engineers inspecting a flooded facility must evaluate not only visible damage but foundations, structural elements and other potential hazards before determining whether it is safe to reopen. At Jones Beach, however, the focus is now on cleaning up, repairing what can be repaired and determining what needs a longer-term solution. The park’s oceanfront facilities are once again operating largely without major restrictions, Gorman said. At the theater, the cleanup is now in Live Nation’s hands, with the company expected to develop a repair plan and submit it to the state parks office for approval and assistance as needed.
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hfenollol@liherald.com
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
By HUNTER FENOLLOL
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OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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Taking steps for a future without Alzheimer’s By JULIA GILLEGO jgillego@liherald.com
Families, caregivers and advocates gathered at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow on Oct. 4 for the Nassau Walk to End Alzheimer’s, raising awareness and funds for research, care and sup‑ port programs. 1,200 people participated in this year’s walk, and over $396,000 was raised to support care and programs for the Alzheim‑ er’s Association. “The funds raised will help fuel disease ALYSSA RAMIREZ research while Nassau Walk to End also providing Alzheimer’s, Vice critical care and chair support to indi‑ viduals and fam‑ ilies affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia,” Tinamaria Hardekopf, the senior direc‑ tor of development for the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter said. Organized by the Alzheimer’s Associ‑ ation Long Island Chapter, the annual event brought together people with dif‑ ferent connections to the disease. More than 426,000 New Yorkers are living with Alzheimer’s, including an estimat‑ ed 61,800 Long Island residents age 65 and older, according to the association. “This is a pivotal moment in the fight against Alzheimer’s,” Hardekopf told the Herald before the walk. “With new treatments and proven lifestyle habits that support brain health, there is real hope. Together, we can build a brain‑healthy future and help end this disease.” For Armando D’Accordo, an associa‑ tion board member and executive event co‑chair, the walk honors his late moth‑ er, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. “For me, the walk to End Alzheimer’s is a group hug that represents love, remembrance, and hope for a cure,” D’Accordo said. “I walk for the people who have been affected and for the fami‑ lies who stand beside them. I walk for those that deserved to be remembered for who they were, not how they were affected.” During the walk’s Promise Garden ceremony, participants held flowers whose colors represented their connec‑ tions to Alzheimer’s, including living with the disease, caring for someone, remembering a loved one or supporting the cause. “When you’re at the event and every‑ one kind of holds up their flower one by one, then you can see how everyone is affected by this in some way or anoth‑ er,” Alyssa Ramirez, the walk’s execu‑ tive event vice chair, said. Ramirez walks for her grandmother who is living with dementia. “Walk to End Alzheimer’s gives me the opportunity to honor my grand‑ mother, while supporting my family, raising awareness and helping create a
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veryone is affected by this in some way or another.
Stu Goldman/Herald photos
1,200 walkers passed through the entrance of the Nassau Walk to End Alzheimer’s tunnel in Eisenhower Park on Oct. 4. Families held up flowers, representing their connection to Alzheimer’s or other dementia diseases.
Members of Molloy University’s softball team participated in this year’s walk. future where no family has to experi‑ ence the heartbreak of Alzheimer’s,” she said. “I walk for her and for every‑ one whose lives have been touched by this disease.” For D’Accordo, the gathering repre‑ sented one thing: hope.
“Hope for a future without Alzheim‑ er’s,” he said. Donations are accepted through Dec. 31. To donate, visit Act.ALZ.org/Nassau. Additional reporting by Jordan Vallone
Team NYU Langone Health Geriatrics’ walkers Jessica Mangiardo, Ida Gofberg and Jennifer Brown.
Town unveils tax-freeze spending proposal jgillego@liherald.com
Town of Hempstead Supervisor John Ferretti unveiled a proposed $591.7 million budget for 2027 that he said would freeze town taxes while maintaining municipal services, funding infrastructure improvements and preserving a $5 million tax cut enacted earlier this year. The proposal follows a 2026 budget that reduced general fund taxes by 18 percent. Ferretti noted that the proposed tax-freeze budget comes as Hempstead faces rising costs, including the overall 3.4 percent increase in the consumer price index over the past year. Other increases have also impacted the town, such as a 23 percent increase in utility costs and pension costs rising 10 percent over the past two years. “It is on us as elected leaders to demand accountability, boost efficiency, and ensure smart budgeting within governmental operations,” Ferretti said on Sept. 30. “Families should not be left to shoulder burdens that should be addressed through responsible governance.” The proposed budget aims to maintain all town services and programs while addressing rising operating costs, public safety needs and infrastructure improvements. Ferretti said that it prioritizes affordability for residents amid rising living expenses across New York.
Courtesy Town of Hempstead
Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti, center, unveiled a nearly $592 million budget for 2027, noting that it maintains all of the town’s programs and services. Brian Devine, the town’s communications director, said the tentative budget projects the use of $30 million in reserves. Devine emphasized that the figure is only a projection, and that the final amount would not be known until the town closes its books for 2027. “It is entirely possible that the town will use no reserves at all in our 2027 budget due to strong fiscally conservative management,” he said. Devine pointed to the town’s most recent audited financial statements for
the 2025 budget as an example. That spending plan projected $22.9 million in reserve use, but the town ended the year with a $20 million surplus. Joseph Scianablo, the Democratic candidate challenging Ferretti for supervisor, released an analysis of the proposed budget, identifying what he described as concerns with projected revenue, fund transfers and reserve use. Scianablo said he identified $26.75 million in miscellaneous revenue, an increase of $24.25 million from 2026, a
$17 million part-town transfer to the Highway Department and proposed use of fund balances that need further explanation. “Without reliable, recurring revenue, today’s tax freeze can become tomorrow’s tax hike,” he said, adding that if elected, he would require documented revenue sources, realistic cost estimates and a multiyear financial plan. Scianablo also said he would protect essential services while reviewing contracts and spending for savings, pursuing outside funding through a proposed Grant Capture Unit and prioritizing preventive maintenance. He called for greater transparency through quarterly budget updates and clearer explanations of revenue and fund-balance use. While Scianablo outlined his plans to preserve essential services, the town currently provides a wide range of services to residents, including sanitation, water, highway maintenance, parks and senior enrichment programs. Town spending accounts for about four cents of every property tax dollar. For residents living in incorporated villages, the town’s share is even lower, less than one cent per dollar. The proposed spending plan would also maintain a municipal workforce at its lowest level in more than a decade. “The 2027 tax-freeze budget keeps more of your money where it belongs,” Ferretti said.
Veterans Day
WITH HONOR & GRATITUDE
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO OUR VETERANS ON VETERANS DAY!
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Your Sacrifice. Our Pride. Our Gratitude. Forever in our hearts.
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Space is limited. Reserve your tribute today. CONTACT US TO PLACE YOUR TRIBUTE AD. Please Call 516-569-4000 Ext 268
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
By JULIA GILLEGO
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WHAT’S NEWS IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
HERALD SCHOOLS
Photos courtesy of Levittown Public Schools t
The homecoming ceremony included recognition of the Class of 2027 members of the Generals varsity football, cheer and kickline teams.
MacArthur High School celebrates homecoming By HUNTER FENOLLOL
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hfenollol@liherald.com
n Oct. 2, Levittown’s MacArthur High School welcomed students, families, alumni and community members for a memorable homecoming celebration, bringing together Generals past, present and future for a day filled with school pride, tradition and excitement. The festivities began with a spirited homecoming parade that kicked off at Gardiners Avenue Elementary School and proceeded to MacArthur High School. Led by central office administrators, board of education members and the MacArthur marching band, student representatives from various teams and clubs marched alongside staff and future Generals from across the district. Families and community members lined the route, celebrating the pride and unity that make homecoming a cherished annual tradition. The Jonas E. Salk Middle School marching band brought the parade to a spirited close as participants made their way toward the field. Following the parade, the MacArthur High School marching band performed the National Anthem, setting the stage for the remainder of the celebration. Senior recognition ceremonies honored student participants for their dedication and contributions to their teams and the school community, while the introduction of the Homecoming Court culminated with the crowning of Lorenzo Rojas and Adrianna Vargas as Homecoming King and Queen.
Scenes from the MacArthur High School homecoming parade on Oct. 2.
The MacArthur High School Generals on the field during their homecoming game on Oct. 2. Despite increasingly rainy conditions, the celebration continued uninterrupted. The MacArthur High School Cheer and Kickline teams energized the crowd with outstanding halftime performances.
The “MacArthur General” greets young athletes during the homecoming opening ceremony.
On the field, the varsity football team delivered an exciting homecoming matchup, keeping fans engaged and adding to the enthusiasm that defined the event. From the parade through the
final whistle, MacArthur’s homecoming served as a celebration of school spirit, community connection and the traditions that continue to unite Generals throughout Levittown.
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WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
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OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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STEPPING OUT A blast from the ‘80s
Courtesy Gabriella Spiegel
Courtesy Austin Colbert
Suburban kid, theatrical force: Joe Iconis thrives in the spotlight.
Two worlds, one voice Joe Iconis reconncts with his roots in an intimate showcase of his music and singular stage presence
By Iris Wiener
J
oe Iconis returns to Long Island for a dynamic homecoming. The Tony-nominated writer, performer and Garden City native is set to perform his solo concert, “Joe Iconis: Live on Long Island,” on Oct. 16-17. He’ll bring the songs, stories and theatrical sensibility that have defined his career to East Rockaway’s Strongbox Theater. For the writer behind Broadway’s “Be More Chill,” the occasion is both a long-overdue local debut and an opportunity to reconnect with the place that helped shape the songwriter and performer he would become. “I can’t believe it has taken me this long,” Iconis says of bringing an entire concert of his own material back here. Although he has made occasional appearances in the area, including debuting a new musical in Babylon, he had never performed a proper solo concert on his home turf. The opportunity came together almost spontaneously after he became aware of the new Strongbox Theater and he knew it would be a good fit. The significance of performing on Long Island goes beyond geography. “Long Island is just kind of baked into who I am as a person,” Iconis says. Growing up in Garden City, which he calls “the ultimate suburban area,” he was surrounded by a large Italian family and the particular social dynamics of suburban life. Those experiences, he says, helped shape both his worldview and the people who populate his writing in musicals such as “The Black Suits” and “Love in Hate Nation.” “I write a lot about suburban characters and suburban ennui, as well as people who feel just outside of something,” Iconis relates. For him, that feeling is particularly connected to “being just outside of the city, so close that you can touch it, but not quite there.” The proximity to Manhattan was another formative part of his childhood. Iconis was able
to see theater frequently and became fascinated by the city and its creative energy. At the same time, he came to recognize that Long Island could feel like its own universe. That tension between the familiar world of the suburbs and Courtesy Stephanie Wessels the seemingly limitless possibilities of New York became part of Iconis’ artistic DNA. Yet the younger Iconis might never have imagined that he would one day be performing his own songs in front of an audience. “He would blush!” Iconis says when asked what his aspiring songwriter self from Garden City would think of his current career. “I was never someone who identified as a performer.” As a child, he participated in theater because it was a way to be a part of the environment he loved, but remembers being terrified onstage.Eventually his songwriting pushed him toward performing. “I became a performer out of necessity when I got to grad school. “It was like, ‘I’m writing these songs, I have to be able to perform the songs, so I should try to get better at doing that.’” Developing his craft as a writer also helped him find greater confidence as a performer, which is regularly exhibited at popular concerts at 54 Below and around the U.S. “Finding my voice allowed me to start feeling comfortable in my own body and I started getting comfortable on stage,” he says. The Strongbox concert will offer audiences a glimpse at what is next for Iconis. He is currently writing an original musical inspired by Robert Altman, set in one weekend in the New York theater world in 1982. Other projects include “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical,” which has already been presented in several locations and is now moving toward New York. The exchange of energy between himself and his live audiences has also given Iconis the unusual experience of learning that his work has affected people he has never met. “It’s so strange to me to think that there are people whom I don’t know, who listen to my stuff and it does something for them,” he says. Iconis wants his concerts to appeal not only to theater devotees, but to people who may not consider themselves musical-theater fans. “I hope that the evening opens people up to different ideas to what musical theater can be and what it is,” he says. The thought of returning home carries a certain vulnerability for an artist who has spent so much of his career writing about outsiders and people searching for where they belong. “My artistic home feels like it’s New York City,” he says. “I can’t escape it.” But Long Island remains an essential part of that story. “[Both places] are different parts of me.” Now those two worlds will meet on a Long Island stage. And perhaps, for two nights, the distance between Long Island and the city that inspired so much of his work will disappear entirely. Visit strongboxtheater.com to purchase tickets for Joe Iconis: Live on Long Island.
Tease that hair, dig out the neon and get ready to party like it’s 1985. Jessie’s Girl is back with their wildly entertaining “Back to the Eighties” concert experience — a high-energy blast of pop, rock and pure ‘80s nostalgia. The New York City-based band features top rock and pop musicians and four powerhouse vocalists who transform into the era’s biggest icons, complete with signature looks, choreography and plenty of attitude. Expect hits from the decade’s biggest stars, delivered with the kind of over-the-top production that makes Jessie’s Girl a concert — and a party — rolled into one. Add audience participation, colorful costumes, props, bubbles and a blizzard of confetti, and you’ve got an all-out throwback celebration that keeps the crowd singing, dancing and reaching for those neon leg warmers.
Friday, Oct 9, 8 p.m. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.
Melissa Errico The Broadway star and acclaimed jazz vocalist Melissa Errico brings her celebrated album “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” to the stage with longtime collaborator pianist Tedd Firth, bassist David Finck and drummer Eric Halvorson. “I thought I was making an album of old songs,” she says.”Then the songs began telling me what they were really about: all the ingenious ways we reach for someone we love. I’ve spent my life finding stories inside music. This evening brings together Cole Porter’s wit, Duke Ellington’s tenderness and Joni Mitchell’s wondering heart, with laughter, longing and a beautiful illusions along the way.”
Friday, Oct 9, 8 p.m. $86, $79, $67. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington.
OCT
9
‘When It Happens to You’
Adelphi University Performing Arts Center welcomes acclaimed English actresses Amanda Abbington (Sherlock) and Rosie Day (Outlander) in a staging of Tawni O’Dell’s play based on her memoir. It captures the unquantifiable damage her daughter suffered following a brutal sexual assault. Blending humor with unflinching honesty, the play explores the question: “How does a normal, happy family recover from a trauma of this size and scale?” The production has received rave reviews off-Broadway and in London. This is a very special production that is not to be missed. Proceeds from this show benefit a charitable organization supporting survivors of sexual assault and violence. • Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City • Time: 7:30 p.m. • Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or call (516) 877-4000
OCT
10
Taylor Swift Tribute Concert
Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series welcomes Let Sing Taylor, a Taylor Swift tribute. The band brings the communal experience of celebrating Taylor’s music in a live setting to Swifties near and far. So, let the games begin! Get ready to sport your Taylorinspired attire and sing your hearts out.
• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow • Time: 6 p.m. • Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200
OCT
11
Double, Double Toil and Trouble
Long Island Children’s Museum is ready for spooky season. Families can get in the spirit by brewing up a magical potion bottle to take home at the drop-in program. For ages 3+.
CALENDAR OCT
18
The Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee hosts its third annual Oktoberfest, bringing the Seaford community together for an afternoon of food, music and festivities. With an open bar and buffet, live music, raffles, an auction, and more. The event is open to the community and organizers hope to continue building it as an annual gathering for Seaford alumni and residents. Proceeds support the Seaford High School 9/11 Memorial Fund. $65 per person, $35 for guests ages 6 to 21 who will not be drinking, and free for children 5 and younger.
OCT
20
• Where: Mulcahy’s, 3232 Railroad Ave., Wantagh • Contact: Lynda Schachner, lschachner@seaford911.org
Daughtry 20 Years Unplugged
Experience Daughtry’s catalogue in a stripped-back acoustic setting, reframing the songs that have soundtracked arenas, rock radio milestones, and some of the most defining moments of the band’s career. The band’s music takes on a different meaning in more raw and immediate space, where the weight of a lyric, the scrape of a guitar string, and the quiet before a chorus can hit as hard as the full-band impact. Their lastest tour follows the release of “Shock To The System,” the complete edition of Daughtry’s two-part project via Big Machine Rock. The collection brings together “Shock To The System” (Part One) “Shock To The System” (Part Two) along with additional live recordings that capture the force and connection of the band’s latest era. Across tracks including “Artificial,” “Pieces,” “The Bottom,” and “Antidote,” Daughtry continue to channel grief, change, confrontation, and selfreclamation into some of their heaviest and most emotionally direct work to date. For an artist whose songs have always lived at the intersection of power and vulnerability, 20 Years Unplugged sees Daughtry • Where: The Paramount, 370 strip down some of their biggest and most meaningful tracks, distilling them to their New York Ave., Huntington purest form and bringing fans closer to the songs, the stories, and the unmistakable • Time: 8 p.m. voice that have carried the band from one of the biggest rock debuts of the century • Contact: ticketmaster.com through two decades of connection, evolution, and success. or paramountny.com faculty members, former students and current ACE student winner Roberto Oquendo. They’ll present works by Bernstein, contemporary composer Paul Basler, Amy Beach, Florence Price, Stephen Foster and others. Special guests are soprano Tammy Hensrud, the Sayville Chorale, Karen DiMartino conducting, cellist Deborah Sepe and Roberto Oquendo, French horn. Free; donations are gratefully received.
bingo with prizes, progressive games, and refreshments every Wednesday and Thursday.
• Where: Helene Fortunoff Theater, Monroe Lecture Center, California Ave., Hempstead • Time: 3 p.m. • Contact: (631) 242-5684 or (516) 586-3433
OCT
OCT
14
Family Halloween Movie
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City • Time: 1-3 p.m. • Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
Join Snoopy and the Peanuts gang for the family classic, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” at Seaford Library. No registration required.
American Chamber Ensemble in concert
• Where: 2234 Jackson Ave., Seaford • Time: 1:15-1:45 p.m. • Contact: seafordlibrary.org
The acclaimed American Chamber Ensemble, celebrating its 61st Anniversary, returns to Hofstra University. The program includes music for various combinations of piano, clarinet and strings, with performances by ACE core members,
Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee Oktoberfest
Bingo at Temple B’Nai Torah Temple B’nai Torah hosts weekly
• Where: 2900 Jerusalem Ave., Wantagh • Time: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thursdays, 7:15-10 p.m. • Contact: (516) 221-2370
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Stargazers
Game time
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
OCT
16
Annual Country Fair
Old Westbury Gardens invites everyone to join members of the Astronomical Society of Long Island for an evening of guided stargazing and nighttime skywatching. Learn about the stars, planets, and seasonal constellations visible overhead while experienced observers help you navigate the night sky through telescopes and shared knowledge. Gates open 30 minutes before observing begins, allowing guests time to settle in and take in the twilight transition before the sky comes alive. Bring your curiosity and enjoy a relaxed, awe-filled evening under the stars. Free with admission.
Christ Lutheran Church hosts its 30th annual Country Fair, featuring two days of shopping, food and community activities. Visitors can browse raffle baskets, Christmas gifts and décor, boutique accessories and costume jewelry, while refreshments will be available at the church café. The fair also includes the annual “Cookie Walk” on Saturday, a “Tool Time” table and sale, and deals at the church’s thrift shop. Proceeds will support the church’s ministries as well as the Interfaith Nutrition Network, Lutheran Disaster Relief, Tunnel to Towers Foundation and USO. Held rain or shine.
• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury • Time: 8:15-10 p.m. • Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
• Where: Christ Lutheran Church, 3384 Island Road, Wantagh • Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., also Oct. 17 • Contact: (516) 221-3286 or church@clcwantagh.org
OCT
20
Boating certification course
The Jones Beach Power Squadron offers a free New York Statecertified America’s Boating Course (ABC) at Wantagh Park. Open to boaters and anyone interested in learning more about safe and responsible boating. • Where: 1 King Road, Wantagh • Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m., also Oct. 27, Nov. 3, Nov.10. • Contact: P/C Ed Figueroa, AP-ACN, at (516) 816-4919 or capted36@gmail.com for registration and more
NOV 27th Annual Long Island Jolson Festival
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Society President Jan Hernstat invites all to participate in the annual tribute to Al Jolson, rescheduled. With Ed Greenbaum’s unique outtakes from “The Jolson Story, Noah Diamond as Grouch Marx, comedian Jeff Greenberg, with Tony Babino’s “The Heart of Al Jolson, and more. Tickets are $54.95.
• Where: Lambrou’s Catering Hall, 4073 Austin Blvd., Island Park • Time: 10- a.m.-4 p.m. • Contact: Jan Hernstat at (516) 678-3524
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.
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
Your Neighborhood
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Seaford Middle School earns global recognition hfenollol@liherald.com
On a recent Monday morning at Seaford Middle School, Principal Dr. Raphael Morey asked a group of sixth graders to do something deceptively simple: count to 15. The catch? Only one student could say each number. If two students spoke at the same time, they had to start over. The exercise, part of the school’s new advisory program, was designed to teach students how to listen, make eye contact and recognize nonverbal cues — skills Morey sees as essential to building a school community. The program is one example of why the Association for Middle Level Education named Seaford Middle School a 2026 School of Distinction, one of 39 schools internationally to receive the designation this year. The recognition followed an extensive process that included schoolwide assessments, student and staff surveys, continuous improvement planning and a virtual site visit with administrators, teachers, students, parents and support staff. For Morey, the honor was an external confirmation of the work happening inside the school. “When we first learned about the School of Distinction accolade, it was when we went to the AMLE annual conference last year,” Morey said. “Each session we were like, ‘Oh, we do that.’” The school’s advisory model was developed in part through that process. Students now meet every Monday morning for 25 minutes in groups of roughly four to nine students with a trusted adult. They will remain with the same advisor from sixth through eighth grade. Each session begins with an emotional check-in before students participate in a community-building activity and a lesson focused on academic or life skills.
Courtesy Seaford School District
Seaford Middle School Principal Raphael Morey, Assistant Principal Joseph Polite and students are proud to receive the AMLE School of Distinction Award for 2026. Morey said his sixth graders initially were reluctant to speak with one another because many came from different elementary schools. By their third meeting, he saw a noticeable change. “They’re talkative, they’re making eye contact, they’re comfortable with each other, they’re helping each other,” he said. The program reflects what Morey calls the school’s “family of learning” philosophy. “Middle school takes a family,” he said. “It takes every single person to be thoroughly invested in their kids.” Morey said the goal is to create a place where students
know they have adults and peers they can turn to while navigating the academic, social and emotional challenges of middle school. “If you walk through, it’s a middle school,” Morey said. “But what you don’t get unless you sit and actually allow yourself to hear how teachers and students interact with each other is the true community that has been established.” Seaford will be recognized at AMLE’s annual conference in Nashville in November, where Morey and members of the school community will also present a workshop on shared leadership and continuous improvement.
Broadway Comes to Babylon! Join us for a spectacular lineup of Broadway-caliber productions.
Sept 17th - Oct 25th 2026
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ON Our Children’s Theatre
Photo: Chad Griffith
ON Our Main Stage
Photo: Cha Chad Griffith Griffit
OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
By HUNTER FENOLLOL
NOV 12th - JAN 3rd 2027
SEpt 26th - OCT 25th 2026
NOV 21st - Jan 3rd 2027
Tickets on Sale Now!
argyletheatre.com | 631.230.3500 | 34 w. mai n st. babylo n , ny 1 1702
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HERALD
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION of Becca’s Bookkeeping Services LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/09/2026 Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 3016 Home Street, Wantagh, NY 11793. Purpose: any lawful act. 162020 LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Deborah Slade; Donald Slade, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 8, 2015, and amended on September 12, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM, premises known as 960 Barrie Avenue, Wantagh, NY 11793-1702. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being at Wantagh, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 51 Block 280 Lot 0036. Approximate amount of judgment $458,503.17 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 002092/2014. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Richard M. Langone, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: September 10, 2026 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2831 162454 LEGAL NOTICE REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR SG MORTGAGE SECURITIES BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-FRE2, Plaintiff against - SUZANNE M. BRADY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant
BRADY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on March 15, 2019. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on the 20th day of October, 2026 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Wantagh, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York. Premises known as 3677 Smith Street, Wantagh, NY 11793. (SBL#: 57-89-105) Approximate amount of lien $614,197.89 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 010340/2015. Michael Joseph Sepe, Esq., Referee. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832 Dated: August 19, 2026 During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale. 162295
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners of the WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, on the 28th day of September 2026, subject to permissive referendum as provided for by the General Municipal law. An extract of the
Municipal law. An extract of the resolution is as follows: The Wantagh Fire District has by appropriate resolution established and maintains a certain capital reserve fund, established pursuant to Section 6(g) of the General Municipal Law, in an account for deposit of said Capital Reserve Fund entitled, "The Wantagh Fire District, Section 6(g) General Municipal "Wantagh Fire District, Section 6(g) General Municipal Building and Grounds Capital Reserve Fund " in local banks; in which account is sufficient funds to accomplish the purposes herein after set forth, namely, the Station 7 Parking Lot Replacement Capital Project (labor, material, inspection and delivery), including incidental expenses, advertising, and attorney's fees, in order to maintain the efficiency of the Wantagh Fire District in the discharge of their duties in preserving the lives and property of the residents of the Community and the said project is deemed in the best interest of the residents of the Wantagh Fire District. The resolution further provides that there be transferred from the present "Wantagh Fire District, Section 6(g) General Municipal Building and Grounds Capital Reserve Fund" of the Wantagh Fire District a sum not to exceed One-Hundred Sixty-Five Thousand ($165,000.00) dollars and the District Treasurer is authorized to effect such transfer from time to time as necessary for the project. This resolution is subject to a permissive resolution and shall not take effect until thirty (30) days, as provided by the General Municipal Law. Dated: September 28, 2026 By order of The Board of Fire Commissioner Brendan J. Narell Superintendent NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT ANNUAL BUDGET FOR 2027 WHEREAS, on the 24th day of August, 2026, pursuant to Section 105 of the Town Law and Section 181 of the Town Law the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Wantagh Fire District confirmed that the
Wantagh Fire District confirmed that the Annual Fire District Budget Hearing will be conducted with reference to the Annual Fire District Budget for fiscal year 2027 on October 19th, 2026 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Fire District Office located at 2045 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York, and WHEREAS, the Board of Fire Commissioners is required to adopt a proposed budget at least 21 days before October 19th, 2026 so that it is available for public inspection prior to the budget hearing. NOW, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Wantagh Fire District has adopted a proposed Annual Fire District Budget for 2027 as of this date for purposes of discussion and review at the Budget Hearing to be held on October 19th, 2026. A copy of the proposed budget is available at the office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Hempstead and at the office of the Wantagh Fire District Secretary at 2045 Wantagh Avenue where it may be inspected by any interested person during office hours 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In addition, copies of the proposed budget are posted on the fire district's website, www.WantaghFD.com and will be available on the night of the said hearing. NOW, therefore, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Wantagh Fire District will hold the Annual Fire District Budget Hearing to be conducted with reference to the Annual Fire District Budget for fiscal year 2027 on October 19th, 2026 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Fire District Office located at 2045 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the aforesaid budget will be presented to the residents and taxpayers of the Wantagh Fire District and to the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Wantagh Fire District, for their respective consideration at this public hearing and for the purpose of considering the said resolution and hearing all persons interested in the subject concerning the same on October 19th, 2026 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICES
Courtesy Metro
Seniors in the Town of Hempstead can shop for free produce at an upcoming market on Oct. 9 at the Sands at Lido Beach.
Shop for local produce at free farmers market The Town of Hempstead, in partnership with Long Island Cares and PSEG Long Island, will host a Farmers Market for seniors on Oct. 9 at the Sands at Lido Beach. Hempstead’s Town Council said the market will provide senior citizens, ages 55 and older, with free, locally grown fresh produce. “Long Island Cares and the Harry Chapin Food Bank have been a leader in tackling food insecurity, addressing the root causes of hunger and feeding people in need for over 45 years,” Town Supervisor John Ferretti said. “We’re proud to partner with them on a program that will connect our town’s seniors with farmfresh produce.” “Long Island Cares is proud to join the Town of Hempstead and PSEG Long Island to serve Hempstead seniors,” Robert LaBarbera, Long Island Cares’ vice president for procurement & supply chain oversight said. “We all have had a longtime commitment to serving seniors and Long Island Cares is always ready to provide them with the most nutritious foods available.” The Free Farmers Market for Seniors will be held outdoors, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Supporting our senior residents and helping them thrive is a key part of PSEG
Long Island’s effort to improve the communities where we live and work,” said Michael Presti, PSEG Long Island’s director of Customer Experience and Marketing. “We are proud to partner with Long Island Cares and the Town of Hempstead to provide Hempstead seniors with healthy, fresh produce at this brand-new event.” The Sands at Lido Beach is at 710 Lido Boulevard, Lido Beach. For more information, residents can call Long Island Cares at (631) 582-3663 or email outreachCCE@licares.org. “Through the Department of Senior Enrichment, the Town of Hempstead has provided our Town’s senior citizens with a plethora of activities, transportation to our senior centers and programs, as well as outreach services throughout the year,” Ferretti said. “Whether it is the senior flu vaccine program, a special birthday celebration at a local senior center or the popular senior summer beach program at Lido Beach, we are here to help residents live their golden age years to their fullest. I thank Long Island Cares and PSEG Long Island for collaborating to bring this free farmers market to the Town of Hempstead.” —Jordan Vallone
HERALD
PUBLIC NOTICES 19th, 2026 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Wantagh Fire District Office located at 2045 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York.
Wantagh, New York. This notice is being publicized and posted in accordance with the provisions of Public Officers Law and the
Officers Law and the Town Law of the State of New York by order of the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Wantagh Fire District.
Wantagh Fire District. Dated: September 28th, 2026 Brendan J. Narell Superintendent Wantagh Fire District
18
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MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/ warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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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
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PART TIME & Full Time. The awardwinning 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
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 PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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21
opinions
R
ecently I had the chance to attend a tribute to Howie Rose at CitiField, honoring his almost four decades as the iconic voice of the Mets. Rosemary and I have enjoyed a friendship with Rose and his wife, Barbara, over the years, and Howie invited us to the ceremony. Being a loving grandmother, Rosemary deferred to our grandson Jack, who’s a dedicated Mets — and Howie Rose — fan. Rose is a great guy who represents the very best of what New York baseball should be all about. Baseball games have always been a great outlet for me, a place to relax and enjoy rooting for my favorite team, in good years and bad. When I was a kid growing up in Queens, that team was the Brooklyn Dodgers, and those seasons were all good, until they weren’t. When team owner Walter O’Malley hijacked the Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1957, it left a
A
glaring void among many New York neighborhood-type fans who could never identify with the pinstriped Yankees. That void was filled beyond expectations when the Mets came into being in 1962, and quickly developed a devoted fan base. I attended countless games at Shea Stadium, and Rose personified that new breed of fan, who lived and died with the Mets. His dream was to be an announcer for the Mets. When he achieved that goal, first as a pregame broadcaster and then as a knowledgeable, highly skilled play-by-play announcer, he was still very much the neighborhood guy, the enthusiastic fan from the upper deck. He truly was the voice of the Mets. Rose’s declaration “Put it in the books!” after every Mets win has become part of New York baseball lore. He was also a longtime announcer for the NHL’s Rangers and Islanders. His cry “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!” after Stephane Matteau’s double-overtime, sudden-death goal against the Philadel-
T
phia Flyers won the Eastern Conference Championship for the Rangers in 1994, is also part of New York sports history. After all his years behind the microphone and his successful recovery from major cancer surgery, Rose announced that he would retire at the end of this season. To pay tribute to him, the Mets designated Sept. 20 Howie Rose Day at CitiField, and planned to honor him in a pregame ceremony on the field. It turned out to be the Mets’ last home game, and the final Mets game Rose would announce. Unfortunately, the day was dark and rainy, which forced the cancellation of the pregame festivities. The Mets decided to reschedule the ceremony on next season’s Opening Day weekend, but went ahead with an indoor celebration for Rose and his invited guests in the owner’s suite on the 20th. That was a win-win for Howie, Barbara and their two very accomplished daughters, Alyssa and Chelsea, because so many friends and notable people attended to show their strong friendship for him. Among the many in attendance were
he voice of the Mets, still the neighborhood guy, has put ’em in the books.
Art Shamsky and Cleon Jones, from the 1969 World Series champion Miracle Mets; Ron Darling, Lee Mazzilli and Howard Johnson, from the 1986 championship team; John Franco, from the 2000 National League champion squad; Terry Collins, from the 2015 National League champs; former New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, now the Mets’ senior vice president for security; and Mets owner Steve Cohen. It was baseball and New York at its best. No one spoke about themselves. It was all about Rose, his love of baseball and the fans and how he is such a lasting part of baseball, and New York. It was an honor to be there. What has always impressed me the most about Rose is his genuineness. Whenever Rosemary and I went to dinner with Howie and Barbara, we had no advance thought of what we would discuss that evening, but we would end up talking into the night, being among the last to leave wherever we were. Thank you, Howie and Barbara. You’re great friends. Put it in the books! Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
The Republicans keep dropping easy passes
s we approach the November elections, a lot of words have popped into my mind. One of them is foolish, and another is stupid. I can easily apply those words to what has happened in politics that has made so many people angry. The gripes come from both sides of the aisle. But there’s a sports term that best describes what the Trump administration has been doing. Those words are unforced error. In football, if a receiver simply drops a pass, that’s an unforced error. In politics, it means a selfinflicted wound that could easily have been avoided. Come Nov. 3, I think those words will best define what will happen and why it will happen. While it’s true that the party in power tends to lose off-year elections, there have been too many unforced errors that will hurt the Republican Party. In 1992, James Carville, then a strategist in Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, came up with the now famous
catch phrase “It’s the economy, stupid,” which cost President George H.W. Bush his job. Decades later, it did the same to President Joe Biden, who told America that things were just fine and the country was in good shape. And now President Trump calls affordability a “hoax,” which everyone, including his most loyal supporters, knows isn’t true. The war against Iran was supposed to last a few days, and is now in its seventh month. I think if I had been a fly on the wall when the decision was made to start bombing Iran, I might have heard the generals warn Trump that doing so would have more downsides than upsides. I love America, but the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan didn’t go well, and a fight with a crazy enemy like Iran was a big gamble. The proof of how badly it’s gone is the sky-high price of gasoline and, especially, diesel fuel. The blockage of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has created a worldwide fuel shortage that has been costly for American consumers and damaged our credibility. It is noble to go after any enemy that
i
sponsors terrorism, but this “little excursion,” as Trump once described our latest war, has badly damaged the party in power. The next unforced error is the tariff war. I know the president loves tariffs, but using them to pick on our friends and help our enemies is bad politics. Why fight with Canada when you could end the war in Ukraine with high tariffs on Russia? The president can deny it all he wants, but consumers are paying for tariffs on almost every item on store shelves, and the price increases are hurting people big time. Every president has the right to pick whomever he wants to be in his cabinet. Trump has made quite a few controversial appointments, but none have been more costly to him than Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and “War Department” Secretary Pete Hegseth. Kennedy has caused the administration a great deal of grief with his anti-vaccine policies. As of last week, there had been 3,659 confirmed measles cases in the United States this year. That marks the highest annual case count in the U.S. since mea-
’s been one unforced error for another for the party, with big losses looming Nov. 3.
sles was declared eliminated in 2000. Kennedy has denied all of the press claims about a measles epidemic, and chooses advisers based on their antimeasles policies. Hegseth has made many enemies for the administration with his firing of a number of career military officials. In many of those cases, the ousted officials were women or Black. His handling of the issues aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has alienated countless members of the military. There have been reports of at least eight suicide attempts by members of the ship’s crew because it was deployed far longer than normal. Sadly, for those elected officials who have performed well in office, one unforced error after another will make it more difficult to get voter support. There’s no doubt, however, that the state of the economy is the biggest of all of the administration’s errors, and it’s highly likely that, once again, James Carville will be proven right on Nov. 3. Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
Joining the crowd that honored the Mets’ Howie Rose
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Herald editorial
WANTAGH
OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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Storm warning: Long Island should take stock
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wo weeks ago, a storm with no name sat off our coast for three days and reminded us how little it takes. It was a September nor’easter, the kind of system older Long Islanders might once have shrugged off as just a wet, windy weekend. This one sent wind gusts past 80 miles per hour in Montauk and pushed as much as two feet of water into coastal streets with a near-fullmoon tide. Freeport residents raced to move their vehicles before high tide, and some Long Islanders paddled kayaks down roads they normally drive to work. The Long Beach Branch of the LIRR went dark. Nearly 112,000 residents lost power at some point. And we got off easy. The storm stayed offshore. If it had tracked a few dozen miles closer, we would be writing a very different editorial. Some things went right, and they deserve recognition. Anyone who lived through Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020 remembers hundreds of thousands of households in the dark and an outagereporting system that collapsed when people needed it most. This time, PSEG had more than 850 workers in the field, plus nearly 300 brought in from off the island. Most customers had power restored in short order. Village crews, volunteer firefighters and highway departments worked
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through the night clearing roads and pumping streets. Those men and women earned our thanks. A fall storm that never made landfall is yet another wakeup call to the South Shore’s vulnerabilities that we have known about since Hurricane Sandy: low-lying roads that flood with every strong tide, storm drains that back up instead of draining, aging bulkheads, and a single rail branch that cuts off a barrier-island city whenever Reynolds Channel rises. Which brings us to our elected officials. In the days after a storm, Long Island’s politicians are everywhere: touring flooded streets, standing beside downed trees, promising action. Their concern is real. But the photo opportunity is the easy part. The money that would have kept those streets dry is won or lost months earlier, in budget negotiations in Albany, in committee rooms in Washington, and in the unglamorous back-and-forth with federal agencies over which projects get funded first. That’s where our representatives need to be fighting, all year long. Resilience funding doesn’t go to the region that suffered most. It goes to the region whose delegation shows up, makes the case relentlessly and doesn’t let the issue drop when the skies clear. Long Island’s members of Congress, state legislators and county officials should treat flood mitigation, drainage,
bulkhead replacement and grid hardening as a standing priority, not a talking point that surfaces every time the water rises and fades once it recedes. Voters can hold them to it. With Election Day weeks away, candidates for Congress, the State Legislature and local office will be knocking on doors and filling mailboxes. Ask them, specifically, what they plan to do about flooding and the power grid. Which projects will they fight for? How will they get them funded? What have they already delivered? A candidate who can answer in detail has been doing the work. One who can only talk about the last storm probably hasn’t. Long Islanders would like to see results on the ground: raised roadways and upgraded drainage in the neighborhoods that flood first, bulkheads that are replaced before they fail, and hardened transit infrastructure that doesn’t shut down every time the tide runs high. Local governments have homework, too. Residents shouldn’t learn that their street floods by finding their car underwater. The next storm may have a name. It may track closer to shore, or arrive when the moon and tides line up worse. The nor’easter gave us a warning at a relatively low price. Our leaders’ job is to make sure we heeded that warning, and that work starts now, in the quiet months, long before anyone needs a kayak.
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opinions
here’s something remarkable happening in New York and across the American economy: Entrepreneurship is booming, and artificial intelligence is driving it. A recent Gusto survey found that 60 percent of founders used A.I. to start their businesses last year, and 50 percent said it made the process significantly faster or cheaper. That’s monumental for New York’s Black community, where new technology is helping clear economic hurdles that have held back Black entrepreneurship. Our community has long struggled against barriers to the capital, resources, technology and opportunity needed to grow. A.I. is changing that equation, paving the way to economic independence and wealth creation for historically underrepresented Black entrepreneurs. New York should embrace that opportunity wholeheartedly. Starting a business once required major upfront investment: a location, staff, a website and cash on hand to fund it. Today an entrepreneur can use A.I. to help develop a website, market a product and handle logistics, all while work-
ing from home. Despite claims that A.I. will hollow out New York’s workplaces, it is instead making it possible for more people to become entrepreneurs, and helping small businesses accomplish more with fewer resources. As Entrepreneur recently reported, applications from one-person firms increased by more than 20 percent between early 2025 and mid-2026, as A.I.-powered tools increasingly allow individuals to accomplish work that once required entire teams. The priority shouldn’t be undoing that progress. It should be making sure underserved and minority communities have the opportunity to share in it. These benefits aren’t limited to startups; A.I. is a genuinely powerful tool for our neighborhood businesses, too. Whether you’re a restaurant owner, a contractor, a retailer or the head of a community nonprofit, the technology can help manage customers, analyze budgets and streamline operations. A.I. helps level the playing field, making capabilities once reserved for giant corporations available to the smallest storefronts and startups. Small businesses are already putting these tools to good use. A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey found
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that A.I. adoption among small and medium-sized businesses has more than doubled since 2023. The tech is helping people become more efficient and develop new capabilities — and the more widely available innovative A.I. tools become, the better off small businesses, operating on tight margins or with limited access to capital, will be. Black entrepreneurs are already recognizing that potential. Recent research from the Urban Institute found that Black-owned businesses are more likely to use or test A.I., and more likely to view the technology as “highly important” to their companies. Researchers also noted that A.I. adoption could “increase the productivity of small businesses and significantly cut costs, improving competitiveness and reducing barriers to entry.” Nonetheless, we should not assume that these benefits will reach every neighborhood equally. If access to A.I. tools, training and capital becomes uneven, our communities could miss one of the greatest economic opportunities of this generation. We can’t let that happen. New York must embrace A.I. innovation and ensure that no one misses out on the unique advantages the technology provides. New Yorkers need practical opportunities to build A.I. skills, while
he Urban Institute has found that they’re using it and benefiting from it.
Framework by Tim Baker
A last warm-weather spray-down at the Color Run-A-Thon at Floyd B. Watson Elementary School – Rockville Centre
neighborhood businesses need access to the investment, infrastructure and expertise required to put those tools to work. Our leaders should recognize that widening access to innovation is an economic opportunity, not a threat. The stakes extend beyond our own communities. Countries like China are rapidly closing the gap with the United States on A.I. If we make it harder for American innovators to develop and adopt these tools here at home, competitors like China will be more than happy to fill the void. That’s why city and state officials should focus on making A.I. adoption easier, fostering collaboration and education and removing unnecessary barriers. The more hurdles are erected against A.I. innovation, the fewer opportunities minority-owned businesses will have to get ahead. If, instead, we equip businesses with the A.I. tools they need to grow, local mom-and-pop shops will reap the benefits, and our neighborhoods will thrive. A.I. is already expanding opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and business owners. New York must ensure that every community can participate, compete and flourish in our modern A.I. economy. Phil Andrews is president of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce and founding president of the New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce.
WANTAGH HERALD — OCTOBER 8, 2026
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A.I. is opening new doors for Black entrepreneurs
OCTOBER 8, 2026 — WANTAGH HERALD
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