Issuu

Serving Great Neck, G.N. Plaza, G.N. Estates, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston

Friday, August 21, 2020

Vol. 95, No. 34

FALL HOME G.N. MAN CHARGED WITH SUOZZI, RICE & DESIGN ASSAULTING OFFICER BLAST USPS CUTS PAGES 23-27

PAGE 10

DOUBLE TROUBLE

PAGE 6

Cuomo greenlights reopening of gyms New York reaches new low for daily infection rate BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that gyms throughout New York are permitted to reopen at 33 percent capacity as early as Monday. Protocols that will be enforced for every facility include wearing a mask at all times, social distancing of six feet, cleaning and disinfection supplies available for patron use at all times, and classes by appointment or reservation only. The gyms must also use air filters with a designated eﬃciency. Cuomo said on Monday

that local elected officials have the option to delay the reopening of the facilities until Sept. 2 to provide local health officials time to conduct inspections. Officials are also permitted to delay the resumption of indoor fitness classes beyond Sept. 2. “The localities have a role here. They have to inspect the gyms before they open or within two weeks of their opening to make sure they’re meeting all the requirements,” Cuomo said. “The local elected will make the decision in a jurisdiction and the local health departments must inspect before or within

two weeks to make sure the guidelines are in place.” Martine Hackett, an associate professor of health professions at Hofstra University, said she believes Cuomo made the right decision to open the gyms but anticipates future closures of facilities for several reasons. “We know from a public health perspective, physical activity is a huge positive,” Hackett said in a phone interview. “So on one hand, reopening the gyms is a great step. On the other hand, gyms also represent one of the biggest chalContinued on Page 35

G.N. Plaza featured in new downtown initiative PHOTO COURTESY OF ARGYRIS ARGITAKOS

Great Neck brothers Georgious and Argyrios Stergiopoulos participated and placed in the 2020 Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympic Games in early August. See story on page 11.

Curran, Kessel introduce mobile app to aid small businesses BY R OB E RT PELAEZ Long Island officials presented another initiative to aid downtowns ranging from Great Neck to Farmingdale while many continue to have difficulties navigating the ripple effects of the coronavirus

pandemic. The initiative is called the Downtown Travel Pass, a free, contactless phone application that sends its users oﬀers and promotional codes for some of Nassau’s downtown areas that were greatly impacted by the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus.

Residents are able to sign up for free, contactless mobile oﬀerings by visiting www.discoverlongisland.com/deals. A link is sent to the participant’s mobile phone, which opens a “virtual passport” and directs the participant to add an icon to the home screen, easily acContinued on Page 45

For the latest news visit us at www.theislandnow.com D on’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Theislandnow and Facebook at facebo ok.com/theislandnow

The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

VGN public dominates Officials demand meeting on proposals answers from PSEG Bral addresses allegations of ‘shady dealing’ in village Company promises reimbursements BY R O S E W E L D ON

RENDERING BY KEN LEE

Village of Great Neck resident Ken Lee presented a new rendering of a proposed multifamily dwelling unit at 777 Middle Neck Road on Tuesday night. BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z A majority of the Village of Great Neck’s Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday was spent discussing the development of a multifamily dwelling unit at 777 Middle Neck Road and resolutions that allowed Mayor Pedram Bral to authorize the sale of property at 263-267 East Shore Road to Villadom On the Bay LLC. Plans for a multifamily dwelling unit on the location have been presented to the board and the public for nearly a year. The most recent proposal from the developer, Lions Group NYC, along with Newman Design and a traﬃc study conducted by Cameron Engineering, would feature nine one-bedroom apartments, 31 two-bedroom apartments, four three-bedroom units, and 79 parking spaces on the first floor. The agenda item in the discussion during the meeting, held via Zoom, was to declare the Village of Great Neck as the lead agency for the tentative development, not approving the plans presented by attorney Paul Bloom of Harras, Bloom

and Archer LLP. Declaring the village as the lead agency would allow the plans to be submitted to the Nassau County Planning Commission for any potential comments, modifications and approval before they are sent back to the village for final approval. Village Attorney Peter Bee made it clear that the agenda item was solely to declare the village as the project’s lead agency and it would not be a vote on the finalized plans. Gutheil Lane resident and architect Ken Lee has been adamant about prioritizing the well-being and safety of fellow Gutheil residents for almost a year. On Tuesday night, Lee presented a proposal that caught the attention of Bral and the board. Lee said one of the main concerns Gutheil residents have is the potential influx of traﬃc and parked cars that would be unsafe and congest an already narrow road, which eventually turns into a cul de sac, with an entrance on Gutheil. Lee’s proposal uses a curb cut oﬀ Middle Neck Road directly next to the Department

of Public Works building which leads to a ramp down to the parking garage. Lee also proposed a traﬃc light on Middle Neck Road that would be shared by the tentative dwelling and the Department of Public Works to alleviate traffic flow for Gutheil residents to exit as well. Rebecca Goldberg, transportation director at Cameron Engineering, said that access to the site is required by the Nassau County Department of Public Works to be on the residential road rather than Middle Neck Road. Bral, however, commended Lee on his proposal and decided to table the resolution for another meeting and said he was encouraged by the great progress being made on the project. “I thank you for this concept,” Bral said to Lee. “I apologize to the applicant and Mr. Bloom for the delay, but I think we are making headways here and I don’t want to waste the opportunity to improve this project.” “I like the idea,” Trustee Continued on Page 34

Even as PSEG Long Island announced that it would reimburse customers who lost electricity during Tropical Storm Isaias for spoiled perishables, elected oﬃcials are still displeased with the company’s response and lack of communication during its aftermath. The company, which estimates that some 420,000 customers lost power during or following the storm, announced on Monday that it would reimburse residential customers up to $250 and commercial customers up to $5,000 for food spoilage or medication expiration if their service was interrupted for 72 hours or longer between Aug. 4 and Aug. 12 due to the storm. Residential customers will be asked to include an itemized list for food spoilage claims less than $150. Anything more than $150 must include an itemized list and proof of loss, which can include receipts, canceled checks or pictures of spoiled items. For prescription medication that spoiled due to lack of refrigeration, customers must supply an itemized list and a proof of loss in the form of a prescription label or pharmacy receipt. Commercial customers applying for reimbursement must supply an itemized list of spoiled food and proof of loss, including

inventory lists and bank statements. The company said that customers can apply for reimbursement online until Sept. 16, and that it will take up to 60 days to go through. East Hills Mayor Michael Koblenz, who had advocated for reimbursement following the storm, expressed satisfaction in a statement. “We are glad that our efforts, along with so many others, proved successful,” he said. On the same day the company announced the reimbursement program, its leaders appeared before the Nassau County Legislature’s Superstorm Sandy committee in a hearing on the response to Isaias. PSEG CEO Daniel Eichorn began his opening statement by acknowledging that the response “did not meet expectations.” “Unfortunately, the Isaias restoration process did not meet our customers’ expectations, it didn’t meet your expectations, nor ours,” Eichorn said. “You are entitled to answers to your questions. What I would hope is that you could appreciate our singular focus has been restoring service to our customers. Now that that has been accomplished, we have turned our attention to getting answers to your questions – answers that PSEG-LI, LIPA and you Continued on Page 35

PHOTO COURTESY OF DELIA DERIGGI-WHITTON’S OFFICE

Nassau County Legislators Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove), Joshua Lafazan (I-Syosset), and Debra Mulé (DFreeport) questions representatives of PSEG Long Island at a hearing on Monday.

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The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

Colleges prep for new teaching methods Hofstra, Adelphi, LIU Post among those adapting to virtual classrooms and new tech BY E LL I OT W E L D Hofstra’s Alan Singer is preparing to teach three courses in the fall via a hybrid learning model. Equipped with cameras and online tools, Singer said, Hofstra’s faculty underwent hours of orientation over the summer to learn how to use Blackboard and other educational software to teach students, even if they can’t attend class in person. He expects that could be his go-to teaching method for a while. “Having synchronous classes where everybody signs in, I think that will be with us for a long time,” he said. Singer is a professor of teaching and the director of the social studies education program at Hofstra University. It is one of the colleges in Nassau County that will welcome students back to inperson learning in the next few weeks. Many universities around the county have opted to keep classes online while the country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. About a third of the students in each of Singer’s classes opted to attend classes only online. Those who are in class will have to wear a mask at all times and classrooms will be configured to hold about 30 percent of their normal capac-

ity, according to the school’s website. Living on campus at Hofstra is going to look diﬀerent as well. Everyone in a residence hall has to wear a mask and keep a six-foot distance except in his or her own room. Students will not be allowed to visit each other’s rooms, even if they live in the same building. Campus residents will be assigned to use only one sink and shower for the entire semester. Lounges and kitchens will have occupancy limits. The plan was developed in partnership with Northwell Health. Singer said his concerns about the coming semester are similar to those that are being echoed all over the country: that young people gathering in close quarters will trigger a local surge in novel coronavirus cases. “Hofstra is prepared but a lot of it depends on the responsibility of young people to take precautions,” Singer said. Adelphi University is also going with a hybrid learning approach as it begins classes on Aug. 31. The school broke classes down into categories that have various levels of in-person learning, according to Kristen Capezza, vice president of communications at Adelphi. Classes that require labs or involve the performing arts will be given more time

Adelphi University is among the colleges in Nassau County that will restart in-person classes later this month. for in-person interaction. Students may opt to take classes fully online if they wish. Capezza said all students will take a COVID test before returning to campus and periodic testing will occur on campus. No visitors will be allowed in residence halls and students will be limited to two people to help them move in.

Capezza said isolation rooms have been set aside on campus in case a student has to self-isolate. In the spring, the school converted roughly 1,000 classes to a purely online format in two weeks when the pandemic first broke out. Capezza said the teaching staﬀ has undergone seminars over Continued on Page 35

The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

Americana suspect pleads not guilty Yuri Oluh charged with two felonies in connection with shooting outside shopping center BY R O S E W E L D ON

A Queens man has been charged with two felonies in connection with a shooting outside the Americana Manhasset shopping center last month. Yuri Oluh, 21, of Jamaica was arrested on July 25 after a verbal argument with “an unknown male black suspect” in front of 1980 Northern Blvd., recognized as the luxury mall’s address, led to the unknown suspect pulling out a weapon and discharging several rounds at Oluh, who was not struck. Shortly after the incident, Oluh, who had been found by police with a loaded silver handgun, was charged by the Nassau County district attorney’s office with criminal possession of a loaded weapon and criminal possession of a defaced firearm, but federal prosecutors have now taken on the case. At the federal courthouse in Central Islip on Aug. 7, Oluh pleaded not guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and being in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, according to court records. Court papers said that U.S. Magistrate Steven Locke ordered Oluh detained. He will return to court on Sept. 9. The prosecution is led by James P. McDonald for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District in New York, and he is assisted by Michael Maffei of the office’s Criminal Division. Oluh is being defended by public defender Tracey E. Gaffney of the Federal Defenders of New York, based in Central Islip. The suspect who discharged the shots remains unknown and has not yet been caught.

PHOTO VIA PORT WASHINGTON LIFE

Police on the scene at the Americana Manhasset following a report of shots fired. Yuri Oluh, a Queens man connected to the shooting, has been charged with felonies by federal prosecutors related to the incident.

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The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Suozzi, Rice push USPS legislation Congress members seek $25B in emergency funding, prohibition of changes to operations BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

U.S. Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) pledged their support to the U.S. Postal Service and called upon Congress to pass legislation that would provide the service with $25 billion of emergency funding. Both members of Congress have attached their names to legislation proposed and co-sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-New York City) that would prohibit the Postal Service from implementing operational changes. The Heroes Act, which would provide the Postal Service with $25 billion to oﬀset financial losses from the coronavirus pandemic, still remains idle in the Senate, Suozzi noted. The two Long Island Democrats held their respective news conferences on Monday and Tuesday, both joined by representatives of postal unions. While their locations diﬀered, Suozzi and Rice both spoke on the importance of the Postal Service at a time when people across the nation are becoming more dependent on mail-in election ballots, and on obtaining prescriptions through the mail. “Undermining and starving the USPS from much-needed funding will

lack of motivation to provide aid to the Postal Service. The changes that Postmaster General Louis Dejoy has made in the Postal Service since assuming the position on June 15 and his ties to the Trump campaign were also a topic of discussion. Since 2016, according to Federal Election Commission records, DeJoy has contributed more than $1.2 million to the Trump campaign. DeJoy has contributed almost $1.3 million to the Republican Party, according to The New York Times. Since taking over as postmaster general in June, DeJoy has implemented changes to the Postal Service headlined by dismantling and removing mail-sorting machines from facilities PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CONGRESSMAN’S OFFICE throughout the nation and eliminating employee overtime. U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) pressed for legislation to protect the Kevin Tabarus, president of the National Mail Handlers Union Local United States Postal Service during a Monday press conference. 300, said: “Never has the White House “The president’s plan to dismantle played politics with the Postal Service have collateral damage that will impact more than mail-in ballots,” Suozzi the Postal Service proves he does not for political gain. Never has a postsaid. “We need an urgent call to arms care about seniors, veterans, or anyone master general tried to ruin the Postal to break through all the noise and fo- else who relies on its services for es- Service. Mail is being delayed and we cus on protecting not only the security sential deliveries,” Rice said. “He only are grateful for Congressman Suozzi’s of our elections, but the integrity and cares about himself and his own re- attention with this urgent matter durreliability of the United States Postal election chances.” ing these unprecedented times in postal Both members of Congress were history.” Service. Lives, livelihoods and our devocal about President Donald Trump’s mocracy are at stake.” Continued on Page 46

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

“When NYU Winthrop’s TAVR team replaced my heart valve, they gave me my life back.”

For John Elliott, sailing is living. He’s been on the water for most of his 90-plus years. In all three theaters during World War 2, as a merchant seaman, and for the last 70 years sailing out of the Rockaway Point Yacht Club. But recently John was so fatigued and short of breath, he could only walk a few steps. His aortic valve was failing. His daughter, a nurse, told John about a valve replacement procedure called TAVR. She took him to NYU Winthrop Hospital, part of NYU Langone Health. With some of the country’s highest quality TAVR programs on Long Island and in Manhattan, NYU Langone Health is a leader in this procedure. They replaced John’s valve through an artery in his leg. In no time at all, he was back to sailing off Breezy Point. If you suffer from aortic stenosis, you may be a candidate for TAVR. To learn more, call 1-866-WINTHROP or visit nyulangone.org/tavr.

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Dems seek redistricting commission Legislation seeks to eliminate partisan gerrymandering of county Legislature districts BY R OB E RT PELAEZ

Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport) and fellow members of the minority caucus proposed changes to legislative districts throughout the county by creating a redistricting commission. The proposed nine-member commission would be tasked with reordering the 19 districts of the county Legislature to make them geographically compact and more contiguous. According to the proposal, three members of the commission would be picked by the leader of the Legislature’s majority, three would be chosen by the minority leader and three would be agreed upon by both sides. The committee, Abrahams said, would preserve the boundaries of cities, towns and incorporated villages. “The creation of an independent redistricting commission will liberate Nassau County voters from decades of election districts which exist primarily to advance the political interests of

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEGISLATOR ABRAHAM’S OFFICE

County Democratic legislators gathered to propose an independent commission for Nassau’s 19 districts. entrenched machine politicians over the interests of the people,” Abrahams said. As of now, redistricting is delegated to an 11-member board made up of five voting members from each party, with the last member being a nonvoting chair-

person picked by the county executive. Abrahams said the current map ensured that around 95 percent of incumbent politicians have been re-elected since 1995. If the Legislature passes the proposed measure, the new map

would go into eﬀect for the 2023 election cycle and would be redrawn every 10 years afterward. The proposal would also require the commission to solicit public input on the map it ultimately creates. A draft of the map would have to be released no later than

September 2022, and the finalized map would need to be certified at least a year before the 2023 general election. The proposal would also have rules for appointing a “special master” to conduct the redistricting if the commission does not meet its deadline or if the maps are rejected by a court. The measure would not allow for partisan politics to play a part in redistricting by requiring a mandatory public referendum to approve any operational changes. According to a news release from the Legislature’s minority caucus, new district lines would promote equal representation and protect the “sanctity of residents’ voting right, irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion, or socioeconomic status.” Last Wednesday, Abrahams urged Presiding Oﬃcer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) to show his support in creating a nine-member independent redistricting commission. The announcement comes amid the 2020 census. Continued on Page 46

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

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G.N. man charged with assaulting officer 23-year-old Kevin Rodriguez allegedly kicked, spat on cops before his arrest: officials BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

A Great Neck man was charged with assaulting a police officer after officers responded to a fight outside the Baker Hill Tavern on Middle Neck Road early Saturday morning, according to the county police. Officials said 23-year-old Kevin Rodriguez, of 88 Middle Neck Road, approached officers who responded to a disturbance outside the tavern at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday. Rodriguez began to yell at the responding officers, at which point the officers ordered Rodriguez to disperse on several occasions, according to the police report. Rodriguez refused to adhere to the officers’ requests, according to the report, and approached an officer while flaring his arms in “an aggressive manner.” Officials said Rodriguez was then placed under arrest and subsequently spat onto

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

A Great Neck man was charged with assaulting a police officer outside the Baker Hill Tavern early Saturday morning.

an officer’s face. Rodriguez then allegedly kicked another officer in the head while being placed in a police ambulance. He was then transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment. Two officers were also transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, according to the report. Officials said Rodriguez was charged with assaulting a police officer, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, disorderly conduct, two second-degree harassment charges and resisting arrest. Rodriguez was arraigned in Mineola on Sunday, according to the report, but efforts to reach a court official to learn the status of the arraignment were unavailing. Efforts to reach a representative from the Baker Hill Tavern for comment were also unavailing.

Roslyn man helped scam lotto winners: feds BY R O S E W E L D ON A Roslyn man is among those indicted, along with a self-proclaimed “lottery lawyer,” for allegedly attempting to defraud lottery winners of over $107 million, the U.S. attorney’s office of the Eastern District of New York said Tuesday. The Roslyn man, Frangesco “Frankie” Russo, 38, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, conspiracy to commit extortionate extension of credit and extortionate extension of credit. He pleaded not guilty on all charges. Also indicted in the case are Christopher Chierchio of Staten Island, whom court documents claim to be a “soldier” in the Genovese crime family and the controller of an entity called Chrch Group; Jason Kurland of Dix Hills, a partner with law firm Rivkin Radler who calls himself “the lottery lawyer” and specializes in clients who have won the lottery; and Francis Smookler of Dix Hills, a former securities broker who allegedly worked with Russo. The three men have also pleaded not guilty. The office claims that the four men defrauded three of Kurland’s clients, unnamed in the court documents, who had won a $1.5 billion Mega Millions lottery, a $245 million Powerball jackpot and a $150 million jackpot, respectively. “The [victims] each paid Kurland and his law firm hundreds of thousands of dollars, in part so that he could advise them on how to safely invest their money,” the office said in the statement. “After gaining their trust with primarily traditional investments, Kurland steered his clients to invest in various entities and business deals controlled and directed by Russo, Smookler and Chierchio, and received

kickbacks in return – which Kurland failed to disclose to his clients.” The victims would then receive portions of their own funds as “interest payments,” while millions of dollars they gave to Kurland were allegedly used to support the defendants’ lavish lifestyles, including private jets, expensive vacations and luxury vehicles including two yachts. Almost $80 million was determined to have been lost. “The funds that the defendants actually invested in various entities and deals were, in large part, eventually lost,” the office said. Russo is further accused of attempting to extort Gregory Altieri, a jewelry merchant, after he and Smookler invested some of the victims’ money with his business and gave Altieri a $250,000 “street loan.” In recorded conversations, the authorities said, Russo and Smookler threatened Altieri shortly after he lost most of the invested money. On one call, Russo compared himself to a mob-affiliated character in “Uncut Gems,” a movie that ends with the indebted diamond dealer, played by Adam Sandler, shot dead by that character. Later, Russo allegedly directly threatened Altieri in a phone call with Smookler on the line. “They’re gonna pop your head off in front of your [obscenity] kids,” a court document quotes Russo as saying. Further, the document says that Russo later claimed that “they” were coming for Altieri’s family, and that “if this is being recorded, I don’t want any part of this.” When Altieri pressed on what would happen to his family, Russo allegedly said, “They’re going to make you watch as they rip your son’s teeth out of his mouth, watch, they’re going to do worse things to your wife.” Russo’s address was not listed in court

documents, but a Roslyn Harbor address at 720 Motts Cove Road North was mentioned as being the subject of criminal forfeiture, along with several other properties allegedly bought with the scheme’s funds.

They’re going to make

you watch as they rip your son’s teeth out of his mouth, watch, they’re going to do worse things to your wife. Frankie Russo to Gregory Altieri ACCORDING TO THE D.A.’S OFFICE

The real estate website Zillow indicates that the property was sold in November for $1.7 million and is now listed as being worth $2.2 million. Seth DuCharme, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., assistant directorin-charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York field oﬃce, announced the arrests and charges. “Defendant Kurland allegedly violated the law and his oath as a lawyer when he allowed co-conspirators to pillage his clients’ bank accounts for their own enrichment,” DuCharme said. “In addition, Russo and Smookler allegedly threatened to torture an individual’s wife and children. The defendants callously thought they could line their pockets with lottery winnings without consequence, but today their luck ran out.” “Lottery winners can’t believe their luck when they win millions of dollars, and the men we arrested this morning allegedly used that euphoric feeling to their advantage,” said Sweeney. “The FBI New

York discovered how these victims were persuaded to put large chunks of their cash into investments that benefited the defendants. Rather than try their luck at the lottery, these men resorted to defrauding the victims to get rich, but their gamble didn’t pay oﬀ.” Rivkin and Radler’s direction of communications and marketing, Laurie Bloom, told Blank Slate Media in a statement that the firm had terminated its relationship with Kurland. “We were taken by complete surprise by the allegations against Mr. Kurland,” Bloom said. “The firm has no role in nor knowledge of the criminal activities described. We were contacted today by the US Attorney’s oﬃce and are cooperating in their investigation.” DuCharme and attorneys Andrey Spektor and Lindsay K. Gerdes also signed a letter to Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom requesting permanent orders of detention against Russo and Smookler, and suggesting the detention of Chierchio and Kurland. The defense’s representation has been announced as Telemachus Kasulis of the Manhattan-based firm Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello for Kurland, the Manhattan-based Tom Harvey of the firm Harvey and Hackett and Gerald McMahon for Chierchio, the Garden City-based Kevin Keating for Smookler, and Joseph Conway and Robert LaRusso, both of the Mineolabased LaRusso, Conway and Bartling law firm, for Russo. Following their arraignment on Tuesday, Kurland is free on a $1 million bond, Chierichio is free on a $3 million bond, and Smookler is free on a $2.5 million bond. Bloom approved a $2 million bond for Russo, which the government appealed in a hearing on Wednesday.

The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

COMMUNITY NEWS

Great Neck brothers place in junior olympics The Stergiopoulos brothers, Georgios (age 12: rising 7th Grade Student North Middle School) and Argyrios (age 8: rising 3rd Grade Student at JFK Elementary School), who reside with their parents, Drs. Sotirios and Matina Stergiopoulos, in Great Neck, Long Island New York have always been very active young boys. Both play basketball in their respective age groups at their school parish teams, Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church of Port Washington, and for St. Aloysius of Great Neck’s CYO basketball team. However, all their activities ceased for them and everyone else when, in mid- March, New York State mandated a quarantine and lock-down of all schools due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Seeking ways to keep his boys active, their father started talking to them about the Olympian sports of Discus Throwing and Shot Put. Their father, in his high school and undergraduate years, was an avid athlete and in fact played on the Track & Field team at State University of NY-Stony Brook. The boys were immediately captivated and thus commenced their journey of daily rigorous workouts. As these activities were not team sports there wasn’t any restriction and they were able to train at the North MS track. Day in

and day out enthusiastically they practiced and trained with their father as their personal coach pushing them to their limits. Later they would also have the virtual coaching of Nicholas Scarvelis, an Olympian from the Greek National Team at Rio 2016 and current Shotput Greek National Record holder. Inquisitive as the young boys are, they wanted to know more about these sports. Of course, Discuss Throwing was one of the original Hellenic sports from thousands

of years before which was later adopted, along with Shot Put, into the modern-day Olympics. Suddenly, a goal was instilled in these boys; someday they would compete in the Olympics! As the pandemic restrictions eased and after a four-month routine of daily training and practice, their supportive parents decided they would give them a taste of real competition by enrolling them in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) West Coast Junior

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARGYRIS ARGITAKOS

Argyrios Stergiopoulos represented Great Neck at the AAU Junior Olympics.

Olympics held in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 9th. Wearing their Hellenic blue and white colors, the boys went full tilt competing in their respective age groups. Georgios came in 2nd place in Discus Throwing and 3rd place in Shot Put while Argyrios was able to win 1st place in Shot Put! Having qualified during this competition, the boys were now ready for national competitions. Their parents registered them in the 2020 AAU Junior Olympics Games held Aug. 5-9 at Satellite Beach, Florida. With athletes participating from throughout the entire U.S.A. This was a much more challenging competition. Both boys successfully attained All-American status with nation-wide rankings; Georgios came in 3rd place in Discus Throwing and 5th place in Shot Put while Argyrios achieved 2nd place in the Shot Put! While in the winner’s circle Argyrios, during an interview by a national sports channel, was asked about his ultimate goal, boldly and with pride, his answer was, “to become an Olympian representing Greece!” (https://www.milesplit.com/videos/447606) Submitted by Argyris Argitakos

Happening at the Great Neck Library Go to the Events listings on the Library’s website at greatnecklibrary.org for more information. For certain events that require registration, any further meeting info will be released by the date of the event for registered users. Check your email before joining the event. You may join Zoom events by going to zoom.us, and enter the program’s Meeting ID and Password. Programs are held online live on Zoom unless specified. Open to all. No Zoom account required. Saturday. August 22 9:00 AM — 2:25 p.m. Fairytale Scavenger Hunt @ Home The Three Billy Goats Gruﬃs this week’s scavenger hunt:https:// forms.gle/d6ExyZRHR8kogpVGA 5:00 — 6:00 p.m. Play Reading. For teens in grades 7+jrobinson@greatnecklibrary.org 8:00 — 9:00 p.m. Improv Live. For teens in grades 7+bweil@greatnecklibrary.org Sunday. August 23 9:00 AM — 9:00 p.m. Digital Escape Room. A digital escape room will be shared inspired by a classic fairy tale.childrens@ greatnecklibrary.org Monday, August 24 2:00 — 2:30 p.m. Fairy Tale Read Aloud. Every weekday listen to a classic fairy tale brought to life through the voices of your favorite children’s librarians. If you miss the live reading, the sessions will be recorded and made available.childrens@greatnecklibrary.org 2:00 — 3:00 p.m. Parents Panel. Join Library staﬀ and local Children’s Services providers for an interactive Zoom Panel for parents to pose questions regarding their child’s

health and development. Have a question for the panel or a particular service provider you would like to learn from? Email questions and recommendations to childrens@ greatnecklibrary.orghttps://us02web.zoom. us/webinar/register/WN_omru1vyTS3ywoA7mdtgGA Zoom Meeting ID:836 4772 0003 Password: parent 3:00 — 3:45 p.m. Explore Drawing. Ages 6 to 10. Draw some of your favorite fairy tale elements to Imagine Your Story.Zoom Meeting ID: 981 9500 2276 Password:drawing 4:30 — 5:30 p.m. Let’s Draw Dogs. For teens in grades 7+Celebrate Dog Day and get artsy drawing canines.lsweeney@greatnecklibrary.org 7:00 — 7:30 p.m. Animals Trivia. Join Librarians Justin and Kat. Trivia will take place in Zoom using Kahoot. Meeting ID:922 5118 9376 Password: 365355 Tuesday, August 25 1:00 — 2:00 p.m. Coding Club for Young Adults. Work primarily with Scratch and Python and possibly other software. An all-ages program but recommended for those who already have some experience with 3D design. Zoom Meeting ID: 985 8612 0665 Password: Codestemlab@greatnecklibrary.org 4:00 — 5:15 p.m. 5th & 6th graders only. Jr. Levels Board Games. Play virtual board games together using boardgamearena.com. Make a free account in advance to participate.jlagasse@greatnecklibrary.org 7:00 — 7:45 p.m. Book Club: Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan. Join Librarian Justin. Book is available through Hoopla. Zoom Meeting ID: 965 7588 2832 Password: 044826

7:00 — 8:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Special Meeting. Meeting link:https:// gnlskype.my.webex.com/gnlskype.my/j. php?MTID=m215864a54dddc98cf34a2 9872a87c78c Meeting number: 163 445 7360Password:tnM87MEUdP5 (86687638 from phones) Join by phone +1-650-2155226 United States Toll Wednesday, August 26 10:00 — 11:00 a.m. 3D Design Club. All ages, basic experience with 3D design. Zoom Meeting ID: 996 8961 8438 Password: Tinkercadstemlab@greatnecklibrary. org 11:30 AM — 12:30 p.m. All ages but best for 8+Web Design Club. Email STEMLab@greatnecklibrary.org to have access to the Google Classroom. Zoom Meeting ID: 910 3073 2103 Password: WebDesign 3:30 — 4:15 p.m. Sticks in the Stacks. Join Mina and Jamie and help crochet and knit for a cause. Zoom Meeting ID: 939 9484 5012 Password: sticks 4:00 — 4:45 p.m. Summertime STEAM. Join children’s librarian Judy S. for an activity, experiment or craft that brings STEAM into Fairytales. Zoom ID:867 9687 4155 Password: steamchildrens@greatnecklibrary.org 5:00 — 6:00 p.m. Teens in grades 7+. Ukulele. Learn chords, melodies, and songs. mfisher@greatnecklibrary.org 7:00 — 7:30 p.m. Pajama Storytime. Read, sing, and rhyme our way to sleep. LIVE on the Great Neck Library’s Facebook page. You can also join at zoom.us Meeting ID:821 7503 1623 Password: nightchildrens@greatnecklibrary.org

Thursday, August 27 10:00 — 11:00 a.m. Animation Club. All Ages but recommended for 8 and older. Younger learners may need parental assistance. Work primarily on the mobile device app Flip-A-Clip, but you can also just use a pad and paper. Zoom Meeting ID: 969 0404 7580 Password: Animationstemlab@greatnecklibrary.org 1:00 — 2:00 p.m. Adult Virtual STEM Lab Club. Adults (18+) Work primarily with technology and programming that is available across multiple devices and is free. Recommended to have two devices, one that can run our program and one to try out the craft. Zoom Meeting ID: 965 9328 3278 Password: Maker18stemlab@greatnecklibrary.org 8:00 — 9:30 p.m. Virtual Project Runway. Teens in grades 7+Fashion Design. Draw virtual looks.jrobinson@greatnecklibrary.org Friday, August 28 10:00 — 11:00 a.m. Coding Club Jr. Recommended for ages 8+. Learn the basics. Excellent for beginners. Email STEMLab@ greatnecklibrary.org so we can get in touch with you about any necessary information. Zoom Meeting ID: 995 5495 3991 Password: CodingClub 12:00 p.m. Friday Film Discussion. Watch CBGB (2013, R, 1 hr. 42 mins., Drama, Music) at your leisure. Join media staﬀ and fellow patrons in a Zoom discussion of the film. Streaming free on Hoopla with your Great Neck library card, and on Prime Video with subscription. Meeting ID: 623 987 3994 Passcode: films

12 The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

READERS WRITE

Pedestrian safety a casualty in G.N. Plaza

ne of the big problems in the Village of Great Neck Plaza is pedestrian safety. Although the current administration has said that pedestrian safety has been a primary

concern, they have done nothing but give the problem lip service. By forming and then disbanding ineﬀectual committees that did nothing to solve the problem, the current administration has

been responsible for allowing the casualty rate to hit catastrophic heights. How many more pedestrians will have to be maimed or killed before something is done to pre-

vent these disasters? The Katz team will make this issue a priority. With proper management in the village, it can be done. Don’t become a casualty.

Don’t become a statistic. For your safety’s sake, write in your vote for the Katz team on September 15. Gerald Marcus Great Neck

Time to clean house in Great Neck Plaza

t was with great interest that I read Marlene Friedman’s Aug. 14 letter in which she called Great Neck Plaza “the village of obstruction”—a truly appropriate moniker. Ms. Friedman made it very clear that the current administration has left a lot to be desired in their “supposed” infrastructure improvements—aka obstructions—leaving drivers in the Plaza with an inability to navigate the very heavily trafficked areas near the train station and the post office. During the Celender/Rosen regime, obstruction in the Plaza has run rampant. Let’s begin with the Barstow Road roundabout, where under the guise of “traffic calming,” the obstruction of drivers’ vantage points by large plantings has caused many dozens of accidents—several of which have come close to killing pedestrians

by taking out the fencing around the sidewalks. This same administration has obstructed the safety of pedestrians in the village by creating an “in name only” Pedestrian Safety Committee. When the committee clearly identified many spots that were dangerous to pedestrians, the group was quickly disbanded by the administration because they had no intention of acting on the committee’s recommendations. The current administration has also obstructed the safety of those who used to enjoy walking in the village. While ignoring constituents’ objections, they installed dangerous brick sidewalks, which expand and contract during extreme hot and cold weather, leaving protruding and irregular bricks just waiting for someone to trip. Many of the large number of

seniors in the Plaza now cannot and will not walk in town for fear of tripping and falling on those dangerous bricks. Although many requests for repairs to the bricks have been made, the dangerous obstructions remain and grow larger every day. The same administration has obstructed the building of a sorely needed residential garage underneath the post oﬃce by refusing to honor the agreement with the post oﬃce to go forward with the project. It should be noted that Ted Rosen was the point person on the project, and like so many other projects, he dropped the ball and didn’t finish the job because he doesn’t care about the needs of his constituents. Our once prosperous business district has been obstructed from thriving, largely due to oppressive regulations and laborious red tape

imposed by the current administration. How do we know that? Just look at all the “for rent” signs in the closed stores that line the streets of Middle Neck Road and the adjacent streets. And don’t let them tell you that COVID 19 is the cause of our dying business district; the downward spiral of businesses in the Plaza has been worsening continuously for as long as Celender and Rosen have been in oﬃce. The saddest part is that they really do not care enough to take the time and/or trouble to substantially help our merchants. The staged photo op that appeared in this paper of trustee Pam Marksheid pretending to show interest by visiting a few stores or the administration inviting merchants to a press conference where they pretend to listen to their needs— but have no intention of acting on

them—won’t cut it. The fact that Marnie Ives, owner of Kron Chocolatier, is running for trustee on Leonard Katz’s mayoral ticket certainly should send a loud and clear message about why the village’s obstructive behavior has contributed to the demise of so many businesses in the Plaza. It’s time to clear the obstructions in Great Neck Plaza by electing a new administration. On Sept. 15, please come to the Village Hall at Gussack Plaza—or request an absentee ballot prior to the election—and write in your votes for Leonard Katz for mayor and Marnie Ives and Robert Farajolla for trustees. They are the team that will revive Great Neck Plaza! Muriel Pfeifer Village of Great Neck Plaza

Katz slams current Great Neck Plaza leaders

t’s hard to believe that it will be six months since our village election was canceled by Gov. Cuomo. So much has happened in our lives and so much has not happened by the current Plaza administration. You might ask, “Where are they now?” but the real question is “Where have they been for the last two decades?” Nothing has changed for them. They have been unchallenged at the ballot box for so long that their attitude seems to be “Why do anything because we will get re-elected anyway.” Well, we want to change that. Both Marnie Ives and Robert Farajollah have joined with me to create a team that in a write-in campaign will bring to the Plaza an administration that has a real sense of understanding and reassurance to all the residents of the Plaza. We will work to protect and enhance our property values. We will listen to all ourconstituents’ concerns and act to meet their needs. Our residents have real needs and issues that cry out to

be addressed, i.e., stores leaving our village due to an administration seeking to micro-manage through overburdensome regulation, inadequate parking, lack of pedestrian safety, and a lack of true transparency. Where is the leadership from our current administration? I have heard so manyresidents complain that their issues fall on deaf ears. How often have we heardpoliticians brag about their many years of service yet all they’ve done is fill aseat. How many votes by the board have not been 5-0? Where are the newinitiatives? Fulfilling my responsibilities as chairman of the Legislative Action Committee ofthe Great Neck Chamber of Commerce, I’ve been at almost all of the boardmeetings since early 2019. Many times, I’ve been the only member of thecommunity other than applicants sitting in the audience. I found it disheartening listening to the myriad discussions over seemingly minorissues that focus on what will be on the menu of a prospective restaura-

teurlooking to establish a business in our Village or the color or the size and style ofthe typeface of an awning being installed by a new retailer looking to promoteawareness of the new business. I’d report back to the Chamber and would listen to all the complaints frommembers about the do-nothing Plaza administration. Finally, in November 2019, Idecided to seek the oﬃce of mayor so I could eﬀect positive changes in a villagethat has begun to seem more like a ghost town than the thriving place I moved toin 1971. The current longtime deputy major expects to be anointed as a successor to our longtime mayor simply because he has been on the government payroll since 1985. This includes a taxpayer fully funded health plan and pension plan, to which our village makes contributions that are higher than the national average – all for a part-time paid employee. For years, the deputy mayor has championed policies that have worked againstimproving

the village and have caused an erosion in the reputation of Great Neck as a prime shopping destination. Empty stores mean fewer commercial taxes collected, so there’s a looming real estate crisis that will aﬀect the value of every co-op and home in the community, and that was well before the advent of the COVID-19 epidemic. The deputy mayor has offered nothing in the way of new ideas, plans, neededchange or any specific policies. Stating that his primary concern is the safety ofresidents, he has failed to act to address the reality that this community suﬀersfrom one of the highest rates of pedestrian and vehicular accidents, more thanmost other communities in the state of New York. A letter to the editor in this paper pointed out that he said that the Maple Drivegarage hours were unrestricted after 8 p.m., but the hours are posted as two-hourmetered parking 9-6. In an interview with this paper, he said that Plaza parking was not a problem. Where has he been?

Is 35 years of his hypotheticalexperience not enough time to address his supposed concerns? He hasn’t yethad a chance to do something? I have the will, organizational experience, creative energy and drive to see thatpositive change will happen in the Plaza once I and my team are elected. We willput in the time and work hard for you and represent your interests. To find out more about us and our plans and ideas, join us on Zoom via an online Town Hall meeting every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7-8 p.m. Just visit our website, revivegreatneckplaza.com, for the link to the event. Remember to vote for change in September. Come to the Village Hall and let yourvoice be heard. Write in your vote for my team, Leonard Katz for mayor, MarnieIves and Robert Farajollah for trustees, to Revive Great Neck Plaza on September15th. Leonard Katz Village of Great Neck Plaza

The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

READERS WRITE

No place for people to park in G.N. Plaza

’ve lived in Great Neck Plaza for 14 years. I have a beautiful, large apartment. Although I do not own or drive a car, I cannot get anyone to visit me due to the lack

of available parking in the Welwyn/Shoreward neighborhood. This illustrates how the lack of parking aﬀects everyone—even those of us without cars. The current Celender/

Rosen administration has ignored residents’ requests for help with lack of parking because they do not care about the needs of their constituents. We need to elect a new mayor who

will do something about this. His name is Leonard Katz. He and his team will make needed changes in our Village. Write in your votes for Leonard Katz for mayor and Marnie

Ives and Robert Farajollah for trustees on Sept. 15th. Dorothy Candela Great Neck Plaza

In support of Ted Rosen for G.N. Plaza mayor

served as a local newspaper editor in Great Neck for over 30 years. During that time I attended almost every Village of Great Neck Plaza board of trustees bi-monthly meeting and special interest meetings. I had the privilege of getting to know all of the mayors, deputy mayors and trustees. In 1985 I had the privilege of watching as a new trustee came on board and quickly my admiration and trust in Ted Rosen began to grow. I was certainly not surprised when he was chosen as Mayor Jean Celender’s deputy mayor and I watched with growing admiration as the team quickly took charge of the “heart” of the peninsula and insured excite-

ment and growth. As always, a large, diverse and busy business and residential area presented issues and challenges but I never worried that the Celender/Rosen team would falter. And I was delighted to see the continued growth. Of course, there are always major issues but the current pandemic presents even greater challenges. With strong leadership and a constant vigil, the Plaza board of trustees has met this challenge. Businesses still grow and flourish and as Ted Rosen strongly meets the personal challenge of inexperienced opposing candidates, my belief in our well known successful business district continues to flour-

ish.

It is certainly not a mistake that the Plaza board continues to receive awards for one of the more vibrant downtowns on Long Island. And, surely, a great thank you goes to the village’s board — a board that will continue to shine under Ted Rosen’s leadership. Over the many years, I served as a local editor, I became more and more aware of the overwhelming importance of experience in leadership and in government. Ted Rosen has that experience and that over-whelming desire to lead and protect his village and the legacy of Great Neck as a whole. Many times I have seen inexperienced candidates run for

election — men and women who never attended board meetings (until they suddenly decided to run for oﬃce) and really had no knowledge of local government and the laws that govern us all. Those challenging Ted Rosen and long-time trustee Pamela Marksheid are just such people. The challengers have not even been able to sustain candidates nor to properly make their challenge. I am not a Village of Great Neck Plaza resident, but I am a “Great Neck as a whole” resident for over 45 years and a constant observer of all of the villages, so I really do know that an election in each village is of major importance to each and

every one of us. This is not the time to let inexperience try to take command of our lives. We need strong, experienced leadership in our community, especially at a time like this. We need Ted Rosen and his team to help lead us all through these challenging times. Ted Rosen is experienced, dedicated and hard-working as well as compassionate and caring. I put my trust and my faith for the future in Ted Rosen. Vote for a bright future! Vote for the Rosen team on September 15. Wendy Karpel Kreitzman Great Neck

G.N. Plaza needs experience, not rhetoric

have been a resident of the Village of Great Neck Plaza for over 20 years. While I did not grow up in the Village, after graduating from law school, I decided to make Great Neck my home. For me a home is more than the four walls of my apartment, it is the community surrounding me. After moving to the Village, I made the decision to become involved in my community. I’ve attended almost every Board of Trustees meetings for the past 10 years. Recognizing my commitment to the village, I was asked to join the Historic Preservation Commission. I was only too happy to join. After serving on this Board, I was asked to join the Zoning Board of Appeals. Today, I am chairman of the Zoning Board and am proud of the contributions the board has made. During this time, I also became involved in my Co-Op, eventually running to be a board member. Today I am the president of my co-op and could not be happier to help improve the quality of life for all residents. My co-op is the largest in the village with

150 apartments and 29 stores. We have a bright future ahead of us. I am writing this letter because I am deeply troubled by Mr. Katz’ recent letter to the paper appealing for a drastic change in the local government. Firstly, I want the community to understand that to have experienced individuals represent you, the residents of the village is vitally important. We have relationships with other local, county and state oﬃcials that can and do help us when needed. Secondly, many improvements have been made within the village to help protect pedestrians, traﬃc congestion and improve the quality of our lives. These improvements have been made while maintaining the strong fiscal stability of the community. Finally, while there are store vacancies in the downtown, Ted Rosen, Pam Marksheid and I have made it a priority to fill these stores with viable businesses that will succeed for many years to come. While Mr. Katz may have a catchy slogan and send letters to the paper every week, I think the village needs to understand why

inexperienced leaders, like Mr. Katz and his running mates, will lead to our downfall. Firstly, Mr. Katz has only been attending board meetings since he decided to run for mayor. Mr. Farajollah has never attended a Board of Trustees meeting. The newest addition to the team, Marnie Ives, attended her first meeting last week. How can we think about electing people to our local government when they have never attended a Board of Trustees meeting? Secondly, Mr. Katz and his team are running as “write-in” candidates. You may ask why? Simple, Mr. Katz and his running mates did not follow the rules established by the Nassau County Board of Elections. The Nassau County Board of Election reviewed all petitions and signatures. While the Rosen, Marksheid and DeLuccia team met these requirements, every signature from Mr. Katz’s team was held invalid. Please feel free to reach out to the Nassau County Board of Elections for more information. What’s most upsetting is that rather than

take responsibility for his actions, Mr. Katz blamed his invalidated petitions on the village clerk, Pat O’Byrne. Rather than blame an integral, highly competent employee of the village, it was your inexperience and failure to follow rules that caused your situation. In his most recent letter, Mr. Katz accuses the village of not being more proactive in helping businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. When in fact, one of the trustees personally visited almost every store and asked how the village could help them during this pandemic. Rather than recognize and commend these actions, Mr. Katz accuses her of grandstanding. Perhaps a better example of grandstanding would be Mr. Katz suddenly visiting the 2 Atria’s on Valentine’s Day with roses and a photographer. In his letter, Mr. Katz refers to the Celender/Rosen administration. Mr. Katz, after many years of dedicated service to the village, Mayor Celender is retiring. There will be a new mayor and a new trustee. Please be as-

sured, the Rosen, Marksheid and DeLuccia ticket will bring new and innovative solutions and improvements to the Village. Finally, Mr. Katz indicates in his letter that the village is not taking enough initiative to clean up the train station. Unfortunately, the inexperienced Mr. Katz may not know that the train station (serving the entire peninsula) is operated and maintained by the MTA and not the Village of Great Neck Plaza. I’m appealing to all of the voters in the Village of Great Neck Plaza, do not let the inexperienced team of Katz, Ives and Farajollah decide the future of our Village. Other than a catchy slogan, what do they have to oﬀer? Complaints? No solutions? Inexperience? We need experienced leaders like Ted Rosen, Pam Marksheid and myself, Michael DeLuccia, to run our village and continue to implement new strategies that will make the Plaza into an even better place to live. Michael DeLuccia Village of Great Neck Plaza

14 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Opinion

OUR VIEWS

Don’t aid Trump in suppressing vote

e know why President Trump is opposing the Democrats’ call for $3.6 billion in election aid to states and a $25 billion emergency bailout for the U.S. Postal Service. He doesn’t want Democrats to expand mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic because he thinks that the more people who vote on Nov. 3, the less likely it is for him to win reelection. How do we know this? Trump told us. “Now they need that money in order to make the post oﬃce work, so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” the president said of the Democrats in an interview with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo last Thursday, “Now, if we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting, they just can’t have it,” he added. Trump later claimed without evidence that USPS’s enlarged role in the November election would perpetrate “one of the greatest frauds in history.” Not everyone agrees that suppressing mail-in voting during a pandemic that has so far claimed the lives of more than 170,000Americans will aid Trump. The Republican Party usually does better with write-in votes than Democrats and the GOP plans to spend tens of millions in this election. But Trump’s repeated attacks against mail-in voting may actually tip the scales to the Democrats. Trump’s assault on free and fair elections — which is to say our democracy — is being aided by his recent appointment of Louis DeJoy, a Republican mega-donor, as postmaster general. In the name of modernizing the post oﬃce, DeJoy has cut overtime to postal workers, barred second trips by carriers to prevent mail delays and

eliminated 671 machines used to sort mail quickly. The result was a warning to 44 states by the postal service that it might not be able to meet their deadlines for delivering last-minute mail-in ballots. The collateral damage from these cutbacks has been delays in the delivery of medicine, paychecks, Social Security checks, payments to small businesses and other essential items. You know, the little stuff. The opposition from Democrats and a handful of Republicans has been fierce. The inspector general for the post office has started an investigation, Democrats in Congress are calling for a criminal investigation, state attorneys general are eyeing violations of state election laws and the House Democrats are returning to Washington to investigate and propose laws to safeguards. The move to suppress the vote by Trump and his allies is an extreme extension of Republican efforts across the country in recent years. Many in the GOP appear to believe that the only way to win is to cheat. And they very well may be right. What we don’t understand is why Gov. Cuomo and a state Legislature controlled by fellow Democrats are cooperating, intentionally or not. New York is only one of seven states in the country that requires voters to provide an excuse beyond COVID-19 fears to cast their votes by mail, according to a report in the Washington Post. The others are five Southern states and Indiana, home of Vice President Mike Pence. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have already made changes to their laws to aid mail-in voting. Five states already vote almost exclusively by mailMany states are mailing ballots to every registered voter. Still, others are mailing an application to vote by mail to every registered voter.

BLANK SLATE MEDIA LLC

25 Red Ground Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 Phone: 516-307-1045 • Fax: 516-307-1046 E-mail: hblank@theislandnow.com EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Steven Blank OFFICE MANAGER Holly Blank

Editorial Cartoon

But not New York. Which is strange. Earlier in the year, Cuomo cleared the way for all New Yorkers to cast absentee ballots in the June 23 primary elections due to the coronavirus. “New Yorkers shouldn’t have to choose between their health and their civic duty,” Cuomo tweeted after his announcement. So what’s changed? Yes, New York has seen a dramatic drop in coronavirus infections and deaths that places it among the national success stories. But that was the result of a financially devastating shutdown and a strict adherence to wearing masks and social distancing. And schools across the state are now planning to reopen in the fall — at a time that doctors and scientists fear may see a second wave of the coronavirus accompanied by the flu. Do we really want to require millions of New Yorkers to visit polling places in a presidential election in which a record number of people are expected to vote? One reason may be history. New York state for many years had some of the most restrictive election laws in the country. It had no early voting, held federal and state primary elections on diﬀerent days and had a loophole for LLCs that allowed companies to contribute virtually unlimited amounts to candidates. That ended in January after Democrats gained control of the state Senate. The Legislature in January approved early voting, synchronized federal and state primary elections, eliminated the LLC loophole and enacted

REPORTERS Rose Weldon, Robert Pelaez, Elliot Weld

other measures. This moved the state from the very bottom of the barrel to somewhere closer to the middle. Another reason may be New York’s election boards, run by the Republican and Democratic parties, which use them as dumping grounds for the party faithful — not the best and the brightest. It’s time their operations were turned over to professionals. And then there was the state’s handling of the June primaries.In the Washington Post’s words, it was an “election disaster.” The state Board of Elections did not certify the results of those races until last week — a month and a half after the primary election. During that time, thousands of mail-in ballots may have been tossed out for minor issues: Voters who taped their envelopes shut, who forgot to sign the envelopes or whose envelopes never got postmarked were liable to have their ballots thrown out. The state Legislature voted last month on a package of election reforms. One would allow ballots that lack postmarks to be counted as long as they arrive by the day after Election Day. Another would require election officials to contact voters whose ballots are marked for disqualification, allowing them to confirm their identities and have their votes count. But no change in the state’s policy of not allowing write-ins for coronavirus fears. No mailing of ballots to all registered voters. Not even a mailing of applications to all registered voters. That would be too expensive? How about using the money state leg-

islators spend on campaign mailings masquerading as keeping constituents up to date on their activities? Has anyone received a mailer on the New York laws that restrict voting? Keep in mind that even with New York’s restrictive laws the number of ballot requests is still expected to spike. Also, keep in mind mail-in voting will not be just for the presidential campaign but for congressional, state Senate and state Assembly races as well. To handle these properly will require the acquisition of a large number of specialized envelopes and paper, additional staff and perhaps machines needed to open, sort and tabulate postal ballots and verify signatures. This staff needs to be trained and voters need to be educated in the process. All of which requires money, money that Trump is doing all he can to prevent states from receiving. But that is no reason not to make these changes. The governor and the Legislature should also extend the right to mail in ballots to everyone — whether the voter has a reason or not. They should purchase secure drop boxes to permit voters to cast their ballots in a secure way even if the post office continues to sabotage the mail. And Attorney General Letitia James should join other state attorneys general in opposing the post office’s attempt to rig the election. The president and his fellow Republicans are doing all they can to suppress the vote. The governor and the state Legislature shouldn’t help them.

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

KREMER’S CORNER

Trump wanted a lioness and got a lion

hey say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In politics, it depends on who is saying it. If it’s President Trump, being a woman, beautiful or not doesn’t matter. He calls all women “nasty.” If a female reporter asks a piercing question at a presidential press conference his response is that she was nasty. Within a few hours of the selection of Kamala Harris as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, all the president could say was she was “nasty.” There may be two dozen words to describe Sen. Harris but the word nasty doesn’t apply. Webster’s dictionary defines nasty as “disgusting, filthy, physically repugnant and someone guilty of using nasty language.” Kamala Harris is by almost all objective standards, smart, probative, intelligent, informed, strong, decent, authoritative, bold, warm, commanding, feisty, light-hearted, attractive and just plain nice. During the coming campaign, her Republican detrac-

tors will describe her as “too ambitious, cunning, mean-spirited, pushy, overly aggressive” and many more adjectives that are used when a woman tries to break any type of glass ceiling. But the tougher the rhetoric gets, the more I am convinced that her addition to the Democratic ticket was the best choice that Vice President Biden could have made and one that will make a big difference in November. If you watched Sen. Harris at various congressional hearings you had to admire her piercing questions to Senator Jeff Sessions and judicial candidate Brett Kavanaugh. Asking Sessions about his contacts with Russian officials during the campaign isn’t exactly nasty. Asking Justice Kavanaugh if he can name any laws that deal with men’s bodies isn’t exactly reckless. In both instances, the two men were flustered and unable to give a stock answer. By any measure, Sen. Harris has been a model legislator. She attends Congressional

JERRY KREMER Kremer’s Corner

hearings and asks key questions. She does her homework and shows it at negotiations on important legislation. She is a vigorous fighter for her state and takes positions on controversial subjects, even if they are unpopular at home. Her colleagues on both sides of the aisle consider her smart and avoid engaging her directly on some issues for fear she will outshine them. There are many fine members of Congress but by all standards, she is a cut above most of them. During the next few

months, the Republican Party will try to define her in ways that just don’t fit. She isn’t a “leftist,” unless you think being in favor of Medicare for All, is some form of a left-wing conspiracy. She isn’t “soft on crime” and her record as a district attorney and attorney feneral is proof that she has been a strong defender of the laws. And she is not in favor of defunding law enforcement. She is well informed on national security issues having been an active member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. But she is now in the middle of the political arena and you can expect her to be attacked from every angle possible. She will be met with meanspirited attacks about her Indian and Jamaican heritage. They will go after her Jewish husband and seek ways to undermine his professionalism. They will whisper about her single life and the fact that at one time she dated former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.

Once you are in the national spotlight your opponents will throw everything at you but the kitchen sink. But here is a message to the opposition. Kamala Harris is not just a “safe” candidate. She can handle herself in tough times and knows how to respond to attacks with vigor. She is fast on her feet and will do well with the media. She will make mistakes like all candidates but will recover quickly. She will slice and dice Vice President Mike Pence at their only debate. She will fiercely defend Joe Biden from unfair attacks. I get a great sense of satisfaction watching President Trump attack Kamala Harris with the same old party playbook, unable to pierce her steely presence. The two other women picked for this role in the past, Geraldine Ferraro and Sara Palin, never brought to the game what Kamala Harris brings. So let the games begin. Joe Biden made the right choice at the right time.

A LOOK ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Spigots tell you a lot about another country

ow that traveling across an ocean feels just as impossible as landing oneself on the moon, I am taking out my old photo albums and remembering trips from years gone by. You can learn many things on a trip abroad. But they are seldom the things you were hoping for or even expecting to learn. One thing I learned, after a four-star trip around England, is what a waste of money all the expensive restaurants were. Oh, the chefs had worked hard, producing Continental delicacies, and everything seemed quite lovely. But as soon as our ferry landed in Belgium, and we had inhaled our first batch of pommes frites, something was crystal clear to my husband and me. “Why did we waste all that time in England!” I moaned, stuﬃng my face. “Not to mention all the money!” my husband agreed. Something I knew I was dying for in England was a sink that would let you mix

hot and cold water together in one spigot. For no clear reason, and whether in a fancy London hotel, a castle in Scotland or a cottage in Wales — everywhere made you choose whether you would rinse soap oﬀ each hand with ice or with fire. After two weeks of “Why? Why? Why make us do this?” — finally, I was thrilled to find a McDonald’s in Edinburgh, Scotland, whose Ladies’ Room sported just one spigot. “At last!” I cried, heaving a sigh of homesick relief. But strangely, relief was still out of reach. There was something odd about the water there, too — too hot on one side of the single stream, too cold on the other. Upon closer examination (which involved delicately shoving my face most of the way into the sink), I saw that there were still two separate channels delivering water — only side by side, inside what looked like a single fixture. “Just like two nostrils in a nose!” I explained

JUDY EPSTEIN

A Look on the Lighter Side to my husband as we returned to our car. “Who would do such a thing? And why? Why would anyone go to all that trouble just to leave it still uncomfortable?” Finally, we found someone who explained that the hot and cold water supplies were under diﬀerent pressures, so that if they were allowed to mix at any point, one of them would try to force its way up the other. Sounds unlawful to say the least.

But at least I had learned something, even if I still hated the result. There was never any explanation for their cooking, however. A trip to Japan taught me the importance of language and math skills. Neither I nor the friend I was traveling with spoke Japanese, so when it was my turn to book the next place, I asked the hotel concierge for help. Picking a quaint-looking “ryokan,” or inn, from one of my guidebooks, I asked him to make the call. Halfway through the call, my helper covered the phone’s mouthpiece and asked me a question: One night would be so-and-so many yen; was that acceptable? I did the math in my head, and came up with the answer: $50 American dollars a night. In 1978 that was not a crazy price. Was he afraid I had picked somewhere too cheap? Still, the picture looked good. So I said, “Yes, that’s perfect,” and he

made the booking. The place was beautiful, all sliding screens and dark polished wood, with a hostess all our own who somehow conveyed — without a word of English — that we were supposed to change out of street clothes and shoes, in the foyer of our private suite, before dinner. She pantomimed how every bit of the beautifully served meal was edible, even the flower decorations, and showed us how to maneuver our chopsticks to capture it all.Then we changed into special slippers and robes for the steaming hot immersion bath that was all our own. After opening out an amazingly comfortable futon bed for us, she disappeared. The next morning, we finally saw the bill. “Five HUNDRED dollars?” my friend managed to squeak. “For one night?” What could I say? That’s when I learned that mental division is not in my skill set!

16 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

E A R T H M AT T E R S

Long Island groundwater about to get pricey

t the risk of sounding like a joke, let me be the first to share with you that the Department of Energy this week proposed rolling back eﬃciency standards for shower heads— which were passed in 1992 in response to severe droughts— following President Trump’s dissatisfaction with water pressure while bathing. As one can imagine, any increase in water use adds pressure to our already-stressed environment, but the timing is of particular note: He did so in the height of summer, while three entire U.S. states (Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico) are in the midst of a drought. Nassau County itself is currently in a “drought watch,” the first of four levels of state drought advisories (“watch,” “warning,” “emergency” and “disaster”), as determined by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Rainfall in our area is 6 inches below typical

rainfall at this time of year. According to the DEC’s website, during a “drought watch” there are no statewide mandatory water use restrictions in place, but residents are strongly encouraged to voluntarily conserve water. And just as the globe is warming year over year, and weeks are passing like this recent one where much of New England had temperatures that were 2-4 degrees above normal, we need to re-examine the old and new normal: The old normal was when we used as much water as we wanted because there was an endless supply. And because water was cheap, excessive water use was a way of life. The new normal is drastically diﬀerent. Residents of Long Island need to join the movement to greatly reduce water use where we live. WHY WE MUST CHANGE? According to Water For Long Island, a non-profit concerned

FRANCINE FURTADO Earth Matters about our local drinking water conditions, Long Island has historically had some of the cheapest drinking water in the United States. Why? Because the groundwater we used was very clean and easy to reach; just drill a well anywhere and you hit water. It did not require much treatment and it did not need to be piped very far to get it to homes and businesses. Today clean” groundwater

is hard to find and most drinking water must be treated to remove dangerous chemicals before it is sent to you for all your water needs. Treating groundwater adds to the cost of drinking water. Across the United States, water costs have gone up significantly. Water prices have risen as much as 80 percent in parts of the country. There are concerns that “millions of ordinary Americans are facing rising and unaﬀordable bills for running water,” according to The Guardian newspaper (June 23, 2020). Research by The Guardian found that rising bills are not just hurting the poorest, but also increasingly average working Americans. Increasing the price of water has been a traditional way to promote water conservation. Thus, it is no surprise that personal water use has been on the decline around the country for several decades. But not on Long Island.

THE PRICE OF WATER ON LONG ISLAND IS ABOUT TO GET EXPENSIVE Due to new treatment rules, where 1,4-dioxane, PFOS and PFOA are found in the drinking water water suppliers must install and operate highly expensive new treatment systems. These costs will be passed along to customers at levels reaching hundreds of millions of dollars for Long Islanders, plus the cost of operation. This trend has already started. The Suﬀolk County Water Authority has now added a flat fee of $80 per year to all customers in addition to their bills for actual water use. This fee is intended to fund new treatment systems to purify drinking water and make it drinkable. Other water suppliers will likely follow. THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF HIGH WATER USE The excessive use of water on Long Island has other impacts beyond just water. The water supply industry is Continued on Page 46

ALL THINGS POLITICAL

PSEG LI isn’t only problem with power grid

ropical Storm Isaias wreaked havoc over 1000 miles of the eastern seaboard, Aug. 2-4, leaving a trail of destruction from Florida to Boston in its wake. On Long Island, the storm caused much more damage than expected, especially in Nassau County. At one point, more than 440,000 of PSEG’s 1.2 million customers were without power.In my driveway, a tree limb became a projectile, crushing the roof of my car. Across the street, a large branch took down power lines, while an uprooted tree rested on top of a family vehicle. A few doors down, power lines and a telephone pole were strewn across a driveway. A block away, a large tree fell perfectly across the road, rendering it impassable. What a mess!Since COVID-19 began, Long Islanders have been doing their best to work from home, but you can’t get much accomplished without power, especially without Wi-Fi. The frustration from everyone I’ve spoken to about the loss of power is palpable, and most every elected oﬃcial from village trustees to the Governor are railing against PSEG (and other utilities in other parts of the state) in bi-partisan

unison. There are unanimous calls for hearings, and everyone is placing blame on PSEG’s leadership, including LIPA with a chorus of criticism: “How could this happen again, after Hurricane Sandy?”After Hurricane Sandy, there was talk of burying all power lines underground. Great idea, however, nobody wanted to pay costs ranging from roughly $1 million a mile in suburban neighborhoods to about $8 million a mile for 69,000-volt lines. Our electric costs are already among the highest in the nation, so there was little appetite for proactive long-term investment to harden Long Island’s power infrastructure at a cost of multiple billions of dollars.Telephone pole use started in the mid-19th century when Samuel Morse started connecting communities by wire to transmit messages via “Morse Code.” Unfortunately, telephone pole technology hasn’t changed much in 170 years. In fact, any attempts to modernize telephone poles locally, by adding stronger and higher steel poles to Long Island communities, have been met with fierce opposition, because they were unsightly. If installed, most higher steel telephone poles would have been

ADAM HABER All Things Political above the tree line, and therefore impervious to Tropical Storm Isaias.Once the storm was over, I hopped on my bicycle for a 15-mile ride, to see firsthand what PSEG was doing to remedy the situation. On almost every block, there were power lines and telephone poles damaged or destroyed. But what I found was encouraging, because PSEG and tree trimming trucks were everywhere. On one short stretch of road oﬀ Northern Boulevard, I counted two dozen vehicles, with every worker fully engaged in their job. PSEG called in 2,500 personnel before the storm to work round the clock to remedy the situation and had a

total of 6000 workers in the field a few days later.In comparison to its peers, PSEG is doing much better than New England power provider, Eversource. PSEG and Eversource have roughly the same number of customers, 1.2 million. Eversource had roughly 500,000 outages, and they’ve been much slower bringing accounts back online.Some Long Island residents were without power for up to nine days. It’s a major inconvenience, but understandable considering the incredible amount of damage done by the storm. Expecting power at 100 percent capacity within 24 hours of a storm like this, with aging transmission lines and old school telephone poles, is completely unrealistic.That said, what PSEG can do immediately to improve customer relations is to update communication with their customers. Accurate and regularly updated websites and apps, along with text messages with up to the moment information, if customers sign up for it, would be a good start. It’s frustrating to not to know when you can expect power to be turned back on.Nothing will change going forward without a multi-billion-dollar investment to harden Long Island’s power infrastructure and major annual tree

trimming. Something similar will also happen in the near future to Long Island’s sewage treatment plants, which are also in woeful need of modernization. You can be assured politicians will be raving mad and pointing fingers when it does.For now, as oceans warm and hurricanes become a more common occurrence, these types of power outages will continue with increasing frequency. The 2020 Hurricane season has already broken records, and there will likely be more than 25 named storms this year. This has never happened before, and there is no system in place to name the 26th storm, or any after that.Because upcoming power outages are inevitable, we all need to be good citizens, who regularly check on our elderly and infirm neighbors. In the meantime, PSEG with admitted communication failures, performed a Herculean eﬀort to restore power, while juggling adverse circumstances and antiquated delivery systems. Unfortunately, as long as local politicians lack the political will to pay for major utility upgrades, Long Islanders will remain in the eye of the storm.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

OUR TOWN

In showing soul, enjoying beauty, eyes have it

he last time I actually saw someone’s face was in mid-March. Since then it’s been nothing but eyes and blue masks. Since the eyes are the windows to the soul, I ought not to complain. However as a psychoanalyst, I can assure you it isn’t quite as easy to read a person’s mood through the mask. It serves as another line of psychological defense and patients already have plenty of defenses to begin with. Since we have little choice in the matter let us spend a moment discussing eyes. Songwriters have long been mesmerized by eyes. Van Morrison’s sweet “Brown Eyed Girl,” Kim Carnes’ sexy “Bette Davis Eyes,” and the elegiac lament of Bob Dylan’s “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” all refer to the power of a female’s eyes. And we all know who “Old Blue Eyes” refers to. Business folks also understand the power of the eyes when they use the phrase “don’t blink.” This refers to the power to stare someone down during a negotiation.

Sports uses many references to the eyes. “The eye of the tiger” refers to the strength and fortitude of an athlete when in the heat of battle. Mike Tyson used the strategy of constantly staring at his opponents before the bell rang as a way of intimidating them. I recall having one of my interns meet and interview the famous jockey Angel Cordero and during the interview Cordero remarked, “This kid is going to go places.” When I asked him why, he said, “You can always tell a winner. It’s in the eyes.” This is, of course, a big part of reading body language in animals which great jockey are expert at. When I was a kid, I would travel to Kentucky with my father as he investigated potential yearling horse purchases. He would always make a comment on the look of alertness in the horse’s eyes as an indicator of health, intelligence and power. Visual analytics is a new field in sport psychology and a standard procedure used by sport psychologists, including myself, is to teach

DR. TOM FERRARO

the mother, they are empowered to do more and to feel confident and well loved. But of all the aspects of vision the finest is in the eyes’ ability to appreciate that which is beautiful. To be able to gaze upon sights like the Eiﬀel Tower in Paris, Red Rock Country of Sedona or “The Lonesome Pines” on the shoreline of the Monterey Peninsula is to find peace and ultimate mean-

ing in life. If you are not inclined to travel, however, just go outside this evening about 20 minutes before the sun sets and look up. You will see shades of pink and red and yellow and orange in the sky and if that does not please your soul, you’re out of luck, my friend. And so with a wink of the eye let me say: “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

Our Town

the athlete to internalize the visualize target they are looking at. This triggers the use of their right cortex, slows down heart rate, enhances performance and at the same time tends to suppress all unnecessary verbal and neurotic dialogue. Maybe the most important use of the eyes is between mother and infant. “The glint in the mother’s eye” is a key theoretical concept in psychoanalytic literature since it refers to the mother’s natural love of the child and her way of mirroring the child’s achievements. When the child observes this glint from

“The eyes are that which understand beauty”

VIEW POINT

Trump cripples USPS to sabotage mail-in vote

resident Trump thinks that if he describes the high crimes and misdemeanors out loud and commits them in the open, no one will hold him accountable for the wrongdoings. And so far, that has really worked for him, with Republicans refusing to make him responsible, saying it is up to the voters (wink, wink). Which brings us now to the US Postal Service. Trump said out loud that he will cripple, even shut down the US Postal Service in order to prevent election ballots from being delivered and posted in time in order to make universal mail-in-voting impossible (as an option on top of in-person) to mitigate against the public health threat of the coronavirus. Doesn’t it strike anyone odd that three months before Election Day, the post oﬃce informed 46 states not to expect ballots to be received in a timely way? You would think that management that cared would instead work out procedures to insure ballots would be expeditiously delivered. But without notice, explanation or rule-making,

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a mega-donor to Trump and the Republicans with no actual postal experience, ordered 671 sorting machines removed, each one costing $1 million, each one capable of processing 30,000 pieces of mail each hour. It has long been a goal of Republicans to privatize the postal service – making it a cash cow for investors as Internet providers have become. And to make that happen in 2006, the Republicans required the USPS to pre-fund 75 years of pension – something no other agency or even company has had to do (yet when private companies go bankrupt, taxpayers pick up the tab for pensions). The post oﬃce, funded entirely by revenues (not taxes) and enjoying 91 percent approval from the public, is now $69 billion in the red. Trump’s aversion to the USPS was magnified because of his grudge against Jeﬀ Bezos (who owns the Washington Post) and Amazon (the source of Bezos’ wealth and power). But the USPS was founded as one of the earliest institutions in the nation by Ben Franklin as essential to uniting the former

KAREN RUBIN View Point

colonies as well as promoting citizenship and commerce, and even enshrined it in the Constitution. It was designed as a “service,” not a for-profit “business.” It receives no taxpayer funding (until COVID) but is capped by Congress in what it can charge and what it can do. It costs just 55 cents to mail a letter from New York to Hawaii; the minimum cost for FedEx is $25. High proportions of seniors and 80 percent of veterans depend on the mail to deliver lifesaving prescription medications, Social Security and pension checks, and pay credit card bills,

and especially now with the pandemic, to get deliveries of mail order. DeJoy proves to be the 2020 version of Wally O’Dell, the CEO of Diebold voting machines, who in 2004 when e-voting predominated, pledged to deliver Ohio, crucial for re-election, to Bush, and miraculously, he did! But in 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic making in-person voting so risky, 50 percent of the 165 million votes cast may well be by absentee (mail-in) ballot, up from 25 percent in 2016. DeJoy has an extraordinary opportunity to decide which ballots get delivered in a timely way and which just manage to fall oﬀ a truck. Trump calculates he only needs to upset a mere who-wouldmiss-them 23,000 votes in five battleground state to take the Electoral College. As Michelle Obama noted in her DNC speech, in one crucial battleground state in 2016, it only took two votes per precinct to take that state’s electoral votes. Trump and Dejoy are perpetrating an outright lie that the USPS cannot accommodate that volume of mail. But each day,

the USPS handles 181 MILLION pieces of mail (500 million letters a day during Christmas). So suggesting that the mail-in vote cannot be accommodated is intended to discourage people from voting by mail, so they will also be afraid of voting in person. Here’s a concern: DeJoy may be cowered (all Trump’s corrupt moneybags fold like wet noodles) with the uproar over his criminal behavior to stop removing collection boxes or sorting machines, but that doesn’t stop him from selectively, strategically disrupting mail service in Democratic-leaning neighborhoods. And is he restoring what he already removed? Among DeJoy’s policies to sabotage the election, he has said that absentee ballots will no longer be given the highest priority of first-class mail, meaning they are set aside like those advertising circulars. This is at the same time as Trump is trying to use executive orders to ban counting absentee ballots received after Election Day, even if they were postmarked in a timely way. Get it? Continued on Page 29

18 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

READERS WRITE

Congress has the power over post office

quote: “Article 1 Section 8 of The United States Constitution (emphasis mine) The Congress SHALL have power . to establish post oﬃces and post

roads.” The power to regulate or manage the USPS does not rest with ANY President, least of all one who would manipulate and mismanage same for political advantage. The Current Oc-

cupant of the White House, who shall remain nameless, has publicly and explicitly stated that this is his precise intention. This CO would have himself as nothing less than the authoritarian

strongman of a fascist banana republic (where ONLY HE gets a second helping of bananas), a truly SAD state of aﬀairs. Eric Cashdan Sands Point

Health commish plays down PPE shortage

s reported, Dr. Howard Zucker, New York’s health commissioner, spoke during a virtual state legislative hearing on the impact of COVID-19. He told lawmakers that reports about lack of protective gear weren’t facts. Now, why were nurses wearing garbage bags in photographs sent out to the media, at the beginning of the COVID-19

pandemic? This was a statement that they needed PPEs. Now these doctors, nurses and other medical personnel are on the front lines trying to save lives, and need to be protective. Added to that many people have died including some doctors, nurses and other medical technicians. These brave souls gave their lives saving lives. As such they deserved the PPE at the start of the pan-

demic, although they have it now. The question in my mind is who is telling the truth? In my opinion, I believe these dedicated nurses are telling the truth. There seems to be a coverup on the highest level of government. Let me point out that in New York there were 32,857 deaths, the largest in the country. I am appalled and distressed if there

was wrongdoing during this pandemic. So many lives had been lost and maybe could have been prevented. Let me also mention my wife and myself have just been tested for the COVID-19, the results came back we are negative, thank God. Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose

Fair housing poses threat to Nassau lifestyle

our Aug. 7 editorial “The Suburban Lifestyle Dream” was an unfair and biased representation of the very real dangers to suburban living of the recently rescinded Aﬃrmative Furthering Fair Housing, a regulation put into eﬀect by the ObamaBiden administration, and one which is certain to be reinstated if Biden and Harris win the national election. AFFH, like so

many Trojan horses (“we have to pass it to find out what’s in it”) was never passed by Congress, but was a regulation put into law by Obama’s pen. It gives the federal government unprecedented powers to rule over local governments to an extent the average suburban resident is largely unaware of. Leaving aside the usual Democratic Party-media complex rhetoric you indulge in, (charges of racism used to cloak a radical

agenda) the AFFH (Aﬃrmatively Furthering Fair Housing is the Orwellian name attached to it) permits the federal government to use the threat of withholding federal transportation funding and other block grants to eliminate single-family housing. Single-family zoning suburban living is a cornerstone of the middleclass dream. The reality of AFFH is that it furthers massive federal over-reach, not fair housing. Your

editorial disingenuously argues that since AFFH under ObamaBiden didn’t aﬀect Nassau County too badly, it must not be dangerous. Yet one need only look a short distance north to see how Westchester County was threatened and succumbed to the all powerful federal government in a settlement which cost the taxpayers of Westchester tens of millions as they were forced to build low-cost housing. Middle-class

homeowners of all races are facing a stealth threat to their way of existence in single-family homes which they worked and saved hard to pay for, only to be taken away under the guise of “aﬀordable housing.” So, too, is the federalist plan form of freedom for local government laid down by our founding fathers. Peter Verdirame Port Washington

Port superintendent’s words not comforting

ear Dr. Michael Hynes: There are 124 separate school districts on Long Island, which means that there are probably at least 120 diﬀerent superintendents of schools employed on the Island. I think that it’s terrific that out of that considerable number, that you were picked by Newsday to give your thoughts about the reopening of schools in September, in a safe and healthy manner, for both students and teachers (today’s article, “Educators: Teachers worry about plans to keep them

safe,” Page A16). Your close relationship with Newsday obviously reflects well on our school district. However, I sense that you didn’t first clear what you said to Newsday, with the president of our school board, the rest of our school board and then with some high-level administrators in our school district like our building principals and assistant principals. And as a result of your not first clearing what you had to say to the newspaper, you may now be heavily stomped on by the school oﬃcials just mentioned, especially

by the president of our school board and by a few of our more militant school board members. You are quoted in the article as saying, “…….the district has provided plans for social distancing, mask-wearing and hand washing, but that schools will have to adjust on the fly. To say (that) we have all the answers would be an untrue statement. Can we reopen? I think that we can, but the question becomes when we do, what are we learning and adjusting and modifying as we go forward? We need to think outside of the box. The box

LETTERS POLICY Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten, and those longer than 750 words may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters must include the writer’s name and phone number for verification. Anonymously sent letters will not be printed. Letters must be received by Monday noon to appear in the next week’s paper. All letters become the property of Blank Slate Media LLC and may be republished in any format. Letters can be e-mailed to news@theislandnow.com or mailed to Blank Slate Media, 25 Red Ground Road, East Hills, NY 11577.

is gone.” The reopening of schools in September involves putting our children at great risk. And teachers in the schools will also be put at great risk. The coronavirus is airborne and adheres to almost any surface. The few “preventative measures” that you mentioned in the article and any others that our school district may implement, like the constant sanitizing of school buildings, classrooms, school desks, chairs and other school equipment, cannot guarantee, in the least, that children attending reopened schools won’t contract the virus at school. However, our board of education and many of our district’s administrators are no making “rock solid” strong eﬀorts to convince our community and its parents of school-age children, that all steps will be taken by September to pro-

vide our children with safe and healthy schools. You, on the other hand, have just told our community and its parents that the reopening of schools is actually an experiment because you indicate that we really don’t know what will develop as children attend class. Our board of education, on the other hand, wants as few parents as possible, to opt not to send their child back into a reopened school. Your message in today’s Newsday creates doubts for parents, whereas our school board wants parents to have no doubts about sending their child back into reopened school. If you’re stomped on, don’t be surprised. Joel Katz Port Washington Leters Continued on Page 28

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

County faces $340M deficit: report Nassau comptroller calls loss of revenue related to COVID-19 pandemic ‘daunting’ BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Nassau County Comptroller Jack Schnirman’s midyear financial report estimated that the county will end the fiscal year with an operating deficit of more than $340 million, underscoring the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The report provided projections for the 2020 fiscal year compared with the 2020 adopted budget based on the first six months of the year, according to a news release from the comptroller’s oﬃce last week. Along with the looming $340.4 million deficit, Schnirman reported, the county faces an unassigned fund balance deficit of $227.1 million. The unassigned fund balance represents funds that have not yet been allocated or restricted to specific purposes throughout the county’s general fund, according to the report. Last year’s unassigned fund balance of $112.2 million was a “significant improvement” compared with the county’s 2017 negative unassigned fund balance of $68.8 million, Schnirman said. A negative unassigned fund balance, according to the report, represents the overspending of the fund balance, rendering municipalities unable to fund “governmental obligations” owed at the end of each fiscal year.

PHOTO BY REBECCA KLAR

County Comptroller Jack Schnirman called Nassau’s fiscal outlook “daunting” in presenting mid-year report. “Our report and analysis show the daunting COVID-reality of the County’s fiscal position in 2020,” Schnirman said. “The improvement in the county’s total unassigned fund balance was primarily the result of improved 2019 results over the prior year mainly due to higher sales tax revenue and lower expenditures re-

sulting from salary and fringe costs. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdown, the positive gain that the County experienced in 2019 may potentially be erased in 2020.” Factors that drove the improvement included higher sales tax revenues from a robust pre-COVID Long Island economy,

according to a July report from the comptroller’s office. Sales tax collections grew 3.5 percent in 2019, and total revenues grew by $47.7 million. Spending on personnel costs fell, and off-track betting revenue rose due to video lottery terminal receipts of $15 million. Following the onset of COVID-19, the comptroller’s office said, it conducted an analysis of the impact on county revenues, modeling low, moderate and high impacts that projected sales tax declines from 12 to 28 percent. With sales tax as the county’s largest revenue source, and without revenue assistance from the federal government, the impacts of COVID-19 will likely erase the significant progress of the past two years, Schnirman said. The office will be placing its full report online. Sales tax receipts, according to Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, account for more than 40 percent of the county’s revenue. Along with sales tax revenue, other potential shortfalls projected in the report include $65.3 million in departmental revenue, $52 million as a result of a lack of state aid and $43 million from fines and forfeitures, including lower public safety, red light camera, and other traffic and parking violations. Continued on Page 36

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20 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Canvas and virtual meeting apps to connect and learn. While in-class lessons provide the socialization and one-onone interaction that can be vital for students' academic success, there are many different reasons why virtual instruction can be a key component of learning models as well. When virtual learning is used in conjunction with traditional teaching, students may have a more wellrounded experience. Here are some potential benefits that may unfold as more data is collected.

The benefits of a new approach to learning for students

he validity of the adage "necessity is the mother of invention" was on full display during the COVID-19 outbreak. People quickly had to learn to adapt to a new way of life, including an educational system that was transformed dramatically by social distancing guidelines.

More than 76 million students are enrolled in United States schools, per the latest Census Bureau information. In 2018, 2.12 million students were in Canadian postsecondary institutions alone. In a matter of days, millions of students who once attended classes in-person

were forced to transition to virtual learning instruction. The process showed just how flexible learning systems can be, and how virtual instruction may become more than an emergency protocol in the future. Schools utilized systems like Google Classroom,

· Pace: Virtual learning affords students the chance to work on lessons at a pace that fits their individual needs. Students can go back and re-read or re-work problems until they're satisfied they have learned their lesson. Lessons can be slowed down or sped up depending on proficiency, creating a customized educational experience. · No more weather days. Many school districts include snow or extreme weather days into their calendars, adding on extra days at the end of school

year to meet the specified number of educational days. Remote learning can take over in these times and keep school districts from having to pad calendars. · Convenience: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high schools start at 8:30 a.m. or later to provide students the best chance to get the amount of sleep they need. Still, most adolescents currently start school before 8:30 a.m. Remote learning enables students to complete their assignments when it works best for them. This may help them get more sleep, too. · Apps: Learning apps are a new wave of educational tools that have helped buoy virtual instruction. Primary school students or those with individual education plans may benefit the most from reinforced app skills that match their learning pace in fun ways. Virtual home instruction may become a large part of the educational landscape even after it's no longer a social distancing necessity.

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he outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 left no aspect of life untouched, and education was no exception. The short-term effects of stay-at-home measures were felt immediately by millions of students across the globe. But there will be long-term effects, too, and one of the first such long-term dominoes to fall was the relaxation of SAT requirements for aspiring college students. As stay-at-home measures lasted longer than many people initially anticipated, high school students learned that SAT and SAT subject tests were being canceled. The Princeton Review® noted in late May that the College Board added a new test date for September after the June tests were canceled. However, many schools have dropped the SAT and ACT requirement for fall 2021 admissions. The University of California, which includes nine different schools in its system, suspended the requirement for students applying for fall 2021 in early April, and many schools followed suit in the ensuing months. As prospective high school seniors prepare for their final year of high school and begin thinking about where they want to apply for college, they should work with their guidance counselors to determine just what is required of them during the admissions process

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Recommended tech for students

hopping for school supplies once entailed stocking up on pens, pads and notebooks. Students today still buy many of the same items, though they also now stock up on electronics.

Technology and education now go hand-in-hand. For students to find success both in and out of the classroom, the right tech can make all the difference.

· High-speed internet: Connectivity is key in a digitally driven world. Students need access to the internet for homework, lectures, email, entertainment, and much more. The faster your internet speed the better. According to the resource HighSpeedInternet.com, streaming videos on a single device or web browsing requires between five and 40 Mbps. Downloading large files or using multiple devices simultaneously requires high speeds. When accessing the internet via smartphones, make sure your plan has unlimited data or provides enough data to ensure interruptions do not occur.

· Laptop or notebook computer: Laptops and notebook devices are similar in that both offer many types of software preloaded that a student will need. The devices seem interchangeable, but there are some differences. Laptops are generally larger than sleek, light notebooks. Notebooks are sized to fit easily into backpacks. Notebooks tend to have minimal features, including less RAM capacity and slower speeds, helping to keep their costs down. Some notebooks may have very small amounts of hard drive storage space, requiring users to purchase external storage devices. · Headphones: Most schools now require students to have their own

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dedicated pair of earbuds or over-theear headphones so that work conducted on a computer does not disturb others also working on their own devices. Headphones also can make it easier to hear and comprehend videos and other digital lessons while doing homework. · Chargers/battery packs: Devices must maintain power to help kids learn. Students can benefit from having a backup charger or battery pack to maintain functionality on their devices.

· Storage and charging base: Keeping electronics neat and accessible for the family may mean rethinking countertop or other storage spaces. Charging stations hold multiple devices and allow them to charge simultaneously. · Touchscreen pen: Many notebook and laptop computers have touchscreens that respond to pens/styluses and make drawing or writing on the screen more detailed. · Printer/scanner: While many schools have adopted paperless formats, there may come a time when printing an assignment or report is necessary. A quality ink-jet printer can fit the bill. A scanner to scan photos or documents also makes it easier to complete assignments.

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22 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Lafazan mental health bill approved Curran signs legislation for committee to study alternative policing approaches BY R O S E W E L D ON

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran signed legislation last Wednesday, introduced by Legislators Siela A. Bynoe (D-Westbury) and Joshua Lafazan (I-Syosset), to direct the county to convene a committee to study alternative approaches to mental health responses and intervention by law enforcement. Passed unanimously by the Nassau County Legislature on Aug. 3, the bill will study the police response in mental health cases, and explore creating a mental health unit with the Nassau Police Department, according to Lafazan. The committee, which will be cochaired by Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and Department of Human Services Commissioner Carolyn McCummings, will convene its first meeting within 30 days and is to issue a report to Curran and the Legislature within six months of enactment. Potential recommendations include PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE but are not limited to creating a mental health unit within the Nassau County Nassau County Executive Laura Curran signs legislation sponsored by Police Department; establishing protoLegislator Siela Bynoe and Legislator Josh Lafazan to study alternative ap- cols for co-deploying mental and behavproaches to mental health-related interventions by the Nassau County Police ioral health professionals and non-law enforcement personnel to mental or beDepartment. havioral health-related police calls, and

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conducting a nationwide review of best practices in alternative approaches to mental health crisis intervention. “Disturbing video footage from a recent arrest in Far Rockaway and the fatal outcomes of police interventions in Oceanside and East Northport vividly illustrates why it is so important to ensure that we are taking every possible step to optimally equip Nassau County police officers to excel in their responses to mental health crisis calls,” Bynoe said in a statement. “The Legislature’s action is a step toward fulfilling this mandate, and I am grateful for the support of our colleagues for empowering stakeholders to engage with this essential issue.” “Efforts that promote the study of new ideas and foster an environment that encourages an ongoing exploration of best practices in policing are bound to be advantageous for Nassau County residents and the officers entrusted with serving and protecting them,” Lafazan said in a statement. “I applaud my colleagues in the Nassau County Legislature for voting in favor of this proposal and clearing the way for collaborative and exhaustive exploration of approaches for keeping our communities safe and protecting our most vulnerable citizens.”

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24 FALL HOME â€˘ Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Secrets to making your home look like you hired a design pro

hoto spreads in home design magazines can be awe-inspiring. Quite often homeowners wish they could lift the looks right off the pages of magazines and transform their own homes into picture-perfect retreats.

It takes an eye for design to pull a room together â€” even with inspiration â€” and make it both functional and attractive. While hiring an interior designer is one way to go, homeowners can use some of the tricks and techniques the designers employ to do a remarkably good job of improving the interiors of their homes without such help.

Embrace texture The colors used in a home can add impact, but designers often utilize various textures to create aesthetic appeal. A single color scheme can be enhanced by various fabrics. Consider a leather sofa made more cozy with chenille pillows next to a rustic side table. Figure out ways to incorporate a few different textures to add depth to the room.

Be careful with color Many high-end homes showcase neutral shades that are enhanced by pops of color. If you like a rich, royal purple, leave room for other colors as well. Add touches of purple in vases, throw pillows and other accessories.

Also, many designers work in shades of three for room colors. There may be one main color for walls, another color for larger accents, such as couches and chairs, and then a third color that pops in accessories such as flowers, pillows and collectibles. These can be any colors, but the most muted tends to be the more abundant shade.

Add a bit of bling Glittery items and metallics can add a touch of luxury feel to any space. A shiny table lamp, mirrors, a sparkling chandelier, and the like are easy ways to produce a high-end feel. Reflective surfaces also will cast light around the room, giving the illusion of a larger space.

Choose a big statement piece Many homeowners make the mistake of filling a room with several small pieces of furniture that only contribute to clutter. Instead, look for a statement piece, which can be a cabinet, armoire or chaise. Mix and match large and small elements for a sense of balance.

Accessorize Finish the room with accessories and flowers. When placing and hanging knickknacks and wall art, odd-numbered groupings often look the most cohesive and interesting. Experiment with different scales and heights for even more dimension.

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26 FALL HOME • Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

How to create a winter-friendly outdoor living space F or many homeowners, the arrival of fall and winter marks an end to time spent lounging and dining al fresco on the patio. But cold air does not necessarily mean patio furniture must be packed up until flowers bloom anew in spring.

In its 2017 Home Design Trends Survey, the American Institute of Architects found that consumers continue to emphasize practical features that expand the functionality of their homes via heavy investment in outdoor living spaces. The survey found that the popularity of outdoor living spaces increased by 72 percent between 2012 and 2017, highlighting just how much homeowners enjoy spending time outdoors. By taking measures to make their outdoor living spaces winterproof, homeowners can enjoy these areas of their homes even more.

Cover your deck. A covered deck may appear to make the space less enjoyable during spring and summer. However, covered decks can protect residents from the sun on especially hot days while also making the space more functional in winter. An overhead shelter on a deck can be outfitted with heaters (and fans to provide a cooling effect in summer) and

allow residents to sit outside and watch snow fall without getting wet.

Plant the right trees. Coniferous trees prevent wind, which can be especially harsh in winter. Homeowners who are unsure about which direction wind typically comes from can consult a landscape architect to determine where to plant the trees to ensure they’re most effective.

Fire up the patio. A firepit or fireplace can warm up an outdoor living area, making such a space warm and cozy even on a cold winter night. A patio with a built-in firepit can cost a pretty penny, but such an addition can withstand winter weather better than a standalone firepit, which might be vulnerable to being tipped over by winter winds.

Install lighting. The sun sets early in winter, so homeowners won’t be able to rely on natural light to illuminate their outdoor living spaces well into the evening like they do in summer. Heat lamps can be used to both warm and illuminate a space, serving dual, budgetfriendly functions.

With the right adjustments, outdoor living spaces can be enjoyed throughout winter.

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READERS WRITE

Flushing transit fixes would aid Nassau riders

any Great Neck and other Nassau County residents ride Nassau Inter County Express (NICE) bus to Main Street Flushing in the morning and return in the evening. There are even more reverse commuters traveling from Flushing to Great Neck and other nearby neighborhoods to jobs as maids, gardeners, grocery clerks, cooks, waiters, oﬃce workers, medical staﬀ and others. Most transfer to the NYC Transit No. 7 Flushing line subway. For the price of a $2.75 Metro Card, they can reach midtown Manhattan. It also provides easy access to Grand Central Terminal rather than wait for the completion of East Side Access which was originally promised to be completed in 2011. When there are periodic disruptions to service on the Port Washington LIRR branch, those of us in the know use this alternative means of transportation. What is missing that would make this trip even more convenient is a new downtown Flushing Queens Intermodal Bus Terminal. There was seed money in the previous New York Metropolitan Transporta-

tion Authority $32 billion 2015-2019 Capital Plan to look into the possibility of the long-forgotten Flushing Bus Terminal, which closed in 1954. It was originally located adjacent to the corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue near the old Woolworth Department store. To date, there is no indication that these dollars have been spent. This need has been previously documented in planning studies going back to the 1960s. Construction of a Flushing intermodal bus terminal could facilitate a smoother transfer between bus and subway. In the early 1960s Flushing Municipal Parking Lot 1 was thought of for the construction of an intermodal bus terminal. This facility would take hundreds of buses oﬀ the surrounding streets, where they discharge and pick up riders. For 56 years, generations of public officials, on a bipartisan basis, have failed to secure any funding necessary to support environmental review, design, engineering and construction of this badly needed transportation improvement. From the 1960s to today, there has been an explosion in the number of commuters riding buses to Flushing and

transferring to the subway. This has been complemented by a huge growth of commercial businesses accompanied by the demolition of homes to support the construction of apartment houses and multi-family homes in the surrounding neighborhood. Just walk in any direction from the corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue in downtown Flushing and see for yourself. Buses traveling to, from and thru downtown Flushing move at slow speeds due to excess traffic not only during rush hour but also off peak. This results in a longer commute for riders and periodic bunching of buses on many routes. Construction of a climate-controlled intermodal bus terminal could assist in improving traffic and pedestrian circulation in and around the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue along with the rest of downtown Flushing. Over 60,000 rush hour NYC Transit No. 7 subway riders and thousands more offpeak would be protected from heat, cold, rain, snow and winds. There could be a smoother transfer between the bus and subway. Opportunities would still be available

for air rights above the bus terminal for parking, joint development of retail, office and/or residential units, including affordable housing. How disappointing that no elected official has ever stepped forward to honor this commitment from decades ago. Diogenes is still looking for any NY MTA board member or public official to add this project to the MTA’s current $51 billion 2020 — 2024 Capital Plan. In the interim, a short-term improvement could be the construction of bus holding lights at bus stops. This would assist riders transferring from subway to bus when a train arrives several minutes after scheduled bus departures. Missing a bus by a minute or two during off-peak hours (when buses operate with longer intervals) is frustrating to riders. Why not also invest in the installation of bus holding lights at another major bus-to-subway transfer connections as well? Larry Penner Great Neck Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office.

Port concerned over 5G antenna radiation (The following letter was written to Verizon executives in response to a letter sent by Verizon to a number of Port Washington residents, explaining why the company is installing 16 new highpowered wireless antennas in neighborhoods in the community, and how their equipment meets federal safety standards.) Our national coalition of more than 150 grassroots organizations is located in the hamlet of Port Washington in the Town of North Hempstead, N.Y., where your contractor ExteNet, working on

your behalf, has successfully sued the Town to force the installation of 16 socalled “small cell” antennas, against the wishes of many residents, and without any public hearing or notification to aﬀected property owners. I am in receipt of a copy of your letter of Aug. 13 which claims that the new antennas are required, in part, to serve “first responders.” We are not aware of any issue with connectivity at any of the proposed small cell installations, or any complaint by first responders about a lack of service. If you

Trump behind rise in anti-Semitism

o think that Joan Swirsky believes that Donald Trump, who proclaimed “there are fine people on both sides” after the Charlottesville tragedy, whose anti-Semitic remarks have been chronicled by his niece, is a better candidate than Joe Biden is terrifying. Ms. Swirsky is correct; we can never forget the Holocaust or dismiss FDR’s lack of intervention to save the Jews of

Europe. But we now face a present danger: the end of democracy and a continuation of the current increase in racism and anti-Semitism if Trump is allowed to have a second term. To quote Ms.Swirsky, “your choice.” Robert Waldman Port Washington

have documentation to support your statement, please provide it. More importantly, your letter goes on to state that all your equipment meets federal exposure safety limits. Be advised that Verizon’s reliance on long-outdated exposure guidelines developed back in the 1980s and adopted in the 1990s by the Federal Communications Commission may not be suﬃcient to legally protect the company in the event of harm caused by constant exposure to RF microwave radiation – the kind of exposure which your new antennas will impose on residents of our community. Indeed, we understand that insurance companies have refused to insure Verizon and other wireless companies against this risk because of its potential for significant financial loss. You should also be aware that the recent decision of the FCC to reaﬃrm its human exposure guidelines is being challenged in federal court for violations of the Administrative Procedures Act, and because of the agency’s flagrant disregard for the large and growing body of scientific and medical research demonstrating clear and unequivocal biological harm from exposures. The $30-million study by the National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health, released in 2018, which found “clear evidence” of increased cancer risk, was conveniently ignored by the Food and Drug Administration in its unsigned report – a re-

port which was then used by the FCC to justify the reaﬃrmation of its old and insuﬃcient exposure guidelines. The fact is that the decades-old notion that non-ionizing radiation is not harmful has now been proven to be false. The question now is what will purveyors of wireless technology like Verizon do to reduce those exposures and protect public health? We expect all companies operating in our community to be good neighbors, to protect the property, privacy, safety and most importantly, health of residents, and not to negatively impact our right to the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of our homes and properties. Whether or not Verizon is fully to blame for the current situation in the Town of North Hempstead is irrelevant. The fact is that the company is widely seen as bullying its way into our community to wrangle profits from its new technology without concern for the impact its actions will have on residents. I urge you in the strongest possible terms not to hide behind the skirts of the FCC and FDA, and instead open a dialogue with members of our community and take a pro-active stance in helping to reduce exposures to the proven harm of RF microwave radiation. Doug Wood Founder and Director Americans for Responsible Technology Port Washington

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

READERS WRITE

!"#$%&'$$()*% Journalists are not +')%,-*.#%/-00-(1 politically tolerant

n 2007, a leftwing journalist named Ezra Klein formed an online group called JournOlist, which consisted of 400 equally leftist journalists, ostensibly to discuss politics but in fact to insult, degrade, vilify, marginalize and generally try to destroy anyone who disagreed with their largely radical points of view. The “O” stood for the man then ascending in the political world who two years later would find himself at the pinnacle of power in the White House. One of JournOlist’s first tasks was to savage any media person––or guest––who questioned Mr. Obama’s viciously anti-American and anti-Semitic pastor of 20 years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Their magic formula was to call anyone who said or wrote anything negative about Obama a “racist.” As if to prove that this kind of liberal intolerance wasn’t a fluke, we now have, according to reporter Andrew Stiles of the conservative Washington Free Beacon, an active campaign involving Democrat Party operatives like Obama handler Valerie Jarrett, liberal activists, and media pundits to declare almost every criticism of Kamala Harris to be oﬀ limits. The long list of words the group say are forbidden for the media to utter include, among others: “ambitious,” “angry,” “unlikeable,” and “unqualified.” Don’t report on the “heritage” of non-white candidates, they were told, and don’t publish

unflattering images. And to anyone who does these sinful things, the self-appointed guardians of the Biden-Harris Censorship Committee are advised to use the magic formula: Cry “racist”––and then throw in “sexist”! Clearly, the Biden-Harris ticket is so vulnerable, indeed fragile, that it cannot withstand legitimate criticism, probing policy and personal questions, and what most of the country continues to cherish as a bedrock American value: Free Speech! These are today’s Democrat “values” — camouflage the ailing and failing and prettify the ambitious, angry, unlikable and unqualified — or else! Yet, laughably, Democrats continue to entertain the conceit that they are tolerant. Joan Swirsky Great Neck (Editor’s Note: Journalists used the private Google Group forum to share views about politics and the news business on an e-mail network where comments were oﬀ the record. Klein shuttered the site in 2010. Some right-wing media outlets saw the chatroom as a conspiracy to support Obama, but the mainstream press said reporters and editors joined the forum to swap opinions about politics and other news in small, confidential conversations.)

VIEW POINT

Trump cripples USPS to sabotage mail-in vote Continued from Page 17 What’s at stake, though, isn’t just Trump, a clear-and-present-danger to the nation and global security, once again squeaking a win by stealing the Electoral College (so far my prediction of 42 percent popular vote is holding up). It’s also Moscow Mitch McConnell winning his election and keeping the Senate majority, possibly retaking control of the House, taking over more state legislators in time to double-down on gerrymandering that enables Republicans to control 55 percent of legislatures with only 45 percent of the vote. And then there is the continued crusade to populate the Supreme Court and the entire judiciary with unqualified, ideological right-wing fanatics who will decide how the rest of us live for the next 50 years. What can be done? The USPS is overseen by a Board of Governors headed by

Robert M. Duncan, a former RNC chairman (five out of six have ties to RNC or Trump). But they still have a fiduciary responsibility, so if the postmaster general is literally conspiring and committing crimes (obstructing election, interfering with mail delivery), they should be prosecuted for breaching fiduciary responsibility and abetting criminal activity. DeJoy should be prosecuted under RICO as part of a criminal conspiracy. As it turns out, DeJoy also has massive conflict-of-interest issues, with some $30 million in investments in USPS competitors. Who should bring suits? Certainly Trump’s consigliere Attorney General William Barr, who sees his role as protecting Trump, will do nothing to protect the rights of Americans. But the state attorneys general can prosecute DeJoy AND Trump. Indeed, at this writing, some 20 states have filed suit.

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25 Red Ground Road Roslyn H Heights, i h NY 111577 Office: (516) 307-1045 Fax: (516) 307-1046 www.theislandnow.com

30 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

COMMUNITY NEWS

3D exoscope used to remove brain tumor on L.I. A neurosurgeon at North Shore University Hospital has performed firstof-its-kind brain tumor surgery on Long Island using Synaptive’s Modus V™ 3D exoscope. The innovative technology is a fully automated, robotic digital microscope that combines advanced optics with 3D visualization, video processing and robotic automation allowing for a more precise excision of brain tumors. Unlike traditional microscopes, Modus V allows all members of the oper-

ating room team to see the magnified surgical field which is displayed on a nearby computer screen at the same time the surgeon is viewing it in 3D. Modus V provides twice the depth of field and more than double the amount of magnification as a conventional operating microscope. The video exoscope provides the clinician with auto-focus and voice-activated control, as well as control of the camera position hands-free so that the surgeon can keep their hands operating

at all times with better visualization and navigation. On Aug. 6, Dr. Michael Schulder, the hospital’s vice chair of neurosurgery and director of the Brain Tumor Center, performed complete resection surgery on a 60-year-old man from Hauppauge, using the new video exoscope. The patient’s glioblastoma brain tumor was located in the right parietal lobe and had grown over several months after prior treatment with radiation and chemotherapy.

“We are constantly looking for innovative and emerging technologies that will allow us to visualize the surgical field with increased magnification and lighting, so we can better remove cancerous cells, leaving healthy tissue unharmed,” said Schulder. “We are excited to have been the first center of Long Island to use the Modus V 3D exoscope. This is the new face of operative neurosurgery, and exoscopic surgery will gradually replace the use of the operating microscope over the next decade.”

Neurosurgeon Michael Schulder, (right) removes a brain tumor using Synaptive’s Modus V 3D exoscope at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

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Call me today for all of your Real Estate needs.

Maureen Polyé

Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker O 516.582.5646 | M 646.239.0769 maureen.polye@elliman.com elliman.com

Because Every “Welcome Home” Moment Should be Extraordinary

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS CREATE

OUTSTANDING COMMUNITIES The dedication, compassion, and strength that The Bristal team displays daily is evident – especially to those who choose to call The Bristal home, as well as their families. The happiness and well-being of residents means everything to us, so their heartfelt appreciation is both powerful and motivating. We’re proud to share their sentiments for the outstanding individuals who make The Bristal such a special place.

We want to thank you for all you do to keep our Mom and all the residents safe! Your dedication and caring is so greatly appreciated at all times, but especially now. With all our love, respect, and admiration

– Nancy W. & Marla K. (family members) For a list of all locations in the tri-state area, visit: THEBRISTAL.COM AN ENGEL BURMAN COMMUNITY

Licensed by the State Department of Health. Eligible for Most Long Term Care Policies.

32 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

Business&RealEstate

Bitcoin playing early role in property sales I discussed the pandemic situation last week and the trillions of dollars that have been and will be printed to keep those of our citizens that currently have no employment and those others who have suddenly become unemployed every week since this catastrophic Covid virus hit the United States. With the continued printing of our currency and the unimaginable trillions of dollars that have and will be added to our national debt, the potential for hyperinflation becomes more and more possible. How will Washington figure out a way to dig us out of this monstrous mountain of debt? The normal path has been to raise taxes, but on whom? The huge lowering of taxes in 2018 by the administration benefiting the high net worth individuals and businesses was a real windfall for those people and entities, but what about everyone else? Who made up the diﬀerence in those lost revenues that the government didn’t receive? I assume everyone else who wasn’t as fortunate in being mega-wealthy and having a favored huge business. Even the reduction in the SALT tax — your local, state, and sales tax deductions to a total maximum of $10,000 — aﬀected mainly the “blue states” with the highest real estate taxes. I believe we are or have reached a point where what’s left of our middle class is facing

inequitable and unfair treatment while at the same time Washington continues to spend more than it takes in. The house of cards is at a tipping point and a massive change or potential failure of our current monetary system. Now this fairly new unregulated non-government currency — the most popular and valuable of which is the Bitcoin (held in what is called an internet digital wallet or any of the other lesser-known cryptocurrency) — is slowly starting to take a very small foothold in the way we are currently doing business now and in the future. It could potentially be an extremely bright future, according to those professionals and experts who believe in this new way of defining how we may pay for goods and services we need and want. As I mentioned in last week’s column, all fiat currencies obtain their value, not from gold or silver as in the past, but from the good faith, credit and stability of the government that is issuing it. However, as things change, they eventually become obsolete as people begin to perceive the inherent value to no longer have the worth and value any more than the paper that it is printed upon. The continued mass printing of our currency could eventually lead us to that latter result. However, there are also those who say it will never happen.

PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

Nevertheless, Bitcoin could potentially replace the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency, but for this to happen, the digital currency would need to make progress in several important areas. Currencies serve as a medium of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account. Right now those new digital currencies have no intrinsic tangible value and are somewhat unregulated and transactions are private for the most part but controlled by a decentralized network with a transparent set of rules. There were some regulations that were enacted in 2013 by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to deter those now and in the future who would use the digital currency for money laundering, drug traﬃcking, and illegal weapons procurement. Also, some

of the negatives are the potential hacking of accounts containing the currencies as well as the crashing of computers that could wipe out your investment. Anytime something new is invented, it always takes time to plan and figure out where the bugs are to streamline systems to protect everyone, especially when you are transforming such an immense and critical system as our currency as well as having the international markets adapt to it. But I feel very positive that it will happen and be transformed over the next five to 10 years because our current government and central bank/ Fed-controlled system allows for unlimited printing of money, which will potentially create our hyperinflation and the devaluing of our current money. From my research and vast amounts of reading, real estate is being bought, sold, and even rented using Bitcoins (Expedia.com now accepts them) to keep gains that have been attained. They will have increased usage and greater impact going forward based on the ease of transacting using this digital currency. High-end property transactions have already occurred in New York and California because those individuals understand the intricacies and the potential value of this up-and-coming digital currency. Investors are also using these

digital currencies to transact their purchase and sale of properties. Unbeknownst to the vast majority of people, these types of exchanges are occurring and will most likely increase in the future. Here are some of the uses and benefits of using digital currencies in real estate: • Privacy when buying property • Easier international and overseas transactions • Liquidity in real estate investing • Reducing the cost of real estate transactions • Avoiding tax on transferring property rights • Gaining attention in the press • Balancing the security of brick and mortar real estate with flexibility of bitcoin Here are some more of the potential risks: • Losses due to hackers • No downside protection and hard collateral • Bad actors and entrepreneurs with no real estate experience • Hyper volatility • Control over currency prices held by very few influencers • Risk of new regulations There is not enough space in this column to really delve into how these transactions function, but it’s no diﬀerent than having a PayPal or debit card account since it is all done virtually. More and more businesses will eventually adapt to using this new digital currency as it becomes more acceptable. One needs to do their own research and reading to begin to understand, learn, and grasp the concepts of how far-reaching this new cryptocurrency phenomenon is and will be in the future. Here is a link to begin some basic understanding: https://www.investopedia. com/ask/answers/100314/whydo-bitcoins-have-value.asp Philip A. Raices is the owner/ Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas and suggestions on future columns with your name, email, and cell number and he will call or email you back. For a consultation, he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate. Com to answer any of your questions or concerns.

The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

Recent Real Estate Sales in

Great Neck

3 Albert Court, Great Neck

68 Plymouth Road, Great Neck

4 bd, 4 ba, 2,572 sqft, Sold on: 6/15/20, Sold Price: $1,275,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Great Neck

3 bd, 2 ba, 1,608 sqft, Sold on: 6/16/20, Sold Price: $845,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Great Neck

36 Meadow Woods Road, Lake Success

24 Pearce Place, Great Neck

2,941 sqft, Sold on: 2/20/20, Sold Price: $928,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Great Neck

3 bd, 2 ba, 1,136 sqft, Sold on: 5/6/20, Sold Price: $885,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Great Neck

Editorâ€™s note: Homes shown here were recently sold in Great Neck by a variety of real estate agencies. This information about the home and the photos were obtained through the Zillow.com. The homes are presented solely based on the fact that they were recently sold in Great Neck and are believed by Blank Slate Media to be of interest to our readers.

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34 The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

Law office burns in Plandome Rd. blaze BY R O S E W E L D ON

A Plandome Road oﬃce was ravaged in a fire on Friday, according to the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department. Shortly after 6 p.m., the department’s companies were alerted to a fire at 47 Plandome Road, which housed the law offices of Marchese and Maynard. Second Deputy Chief Geoﬀrey Weisburd was the first to respond, the department said in a statement, and was advised that a Nassau County police detective was at the scene reporting a building fire with heavy smoke. Engine 8711 and Ladder 8744 arrived within six minutes of the initial call. Four handlines were then stretched and operated at the scene by all five the Fire Department’s companies. Mutual aid was provided at the scene by the Port Washington Fire Department, the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Department

and the Plandome Fire Department, as well as the Nassau County fire marshal’s rehab unit. The fire was placed under control at 7:11 p.m., and all units were released from the scene at 8:16 p.m. by Department Chief William Mazurkiewicz. While two firefighters received care for minor injuries by Manhasset-Lakeville’s ambulance unit, no civilian injuries were reported. The law office of Marchese and Maynard announced on its website that the business had moved to 1129 Northern Blvd., Suite 303. Efforts to reach the office for comment were unavailing. A representative of the Nassau County fire marshal’s office said the incident was under investigation. Efforts to reach the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department for details on the fire’s cause and the extent of the damage were unavailing.

PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK, COURTESY OF THE MANHASSET-LAKEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT

Four fire departments responded to a blaze at a law office on Plandome Road on Friday.

VGN public vocal on proposals Continued from Page 2 Annie Mendelson said. “I think in some ways it can benefit the [Department of Public Works] since they can share that light. I see it as something positive, and I see it as less of a traffic issue.” Trustees Bart Sobel and Steven Hope also said they appreciated Lee’s proposal and agreed with Bral’s decision to table the discussion to a later date. Members of the public also commended Lee’s proposal, and some said they appreciated the tabling of the discussion to take into account how residents can be adversely affected by the proposal. The meeting then shifted to a resolution that allowed Bral to authorize the sale of 263-267 East Shore Road by the village to Villadom On the Bay for $9 million. Bral said the property was presented to more than one group and said only Villadom was interested in purchasing it for $9 million. Villadom, under the contract, is anticipating building senior housing (55+) on the property, according to Bee. Bee clarified that the agenda item was solely giving the mayor authority to authorize the sale of the property to Villadom, not approving any potential plans for senior living or any other structure. Bee also said that according to the contract, if a potential project was ultimately not constructed by the buyer, the sale of the property would be nullified. Residents expressed concern about having a senior living facility with potential ambulances, trucks and residential traffic. Nina Gordon, a 60-year resident of the Great Neck peninsula, said she was concerned about the quality of life and traffic on East Shore Road for the villages of Great Neck and Kings Point. Gordon said she has spent 20 to 30 years working in the field of independent living and nursing homes and said the term “independent living” is a misnomer. “As people age, they are less independent, and a building such as this is going to be a drain on the ambulances,” Gordon said. “I just feel like the idea of independent living is going to bring increased traffic. Most people that move into these places are not cooking for themselves, they have a dining room and a clubhouse.” Gordon referred to North Shore Towers, which is not classified as 55+ living, but has a fair amount of seniors living there, she said. “I’m worried about noise, density, tall building which interfere with the sightlines,” Leslie Feldman, a

village resident, said. “These are very important considerations. You can’t just mine East Shore Road … There’s still a quality of life for people who live in the neighborhood.” Feldman referred to a Waldbaum’s that was across the street from the East Shore Road property “years ago.” The property, according to village resident David Zielenziger, was the site of the now-demolished Village of Great Neck sewer plant along with an adjacent swimming pool property. Sobel disagreed with the idea that a supermarket would make less noise than residential living, citing the amount of traffic from delivery trucks, garbage trucks and patrons that would potentially have an adverse impact on neighboring roads and properties. “The same people are hitting the chat button saying this is going to add to traffic and noise. Residential living is the least impactful to traffic and noise and that has been proven over and over,” Sobel said. “I think what people would prefer is that we leave this property fallow.” Village resident Judy Shore Rosenthal acknowledged some people may not be aware of Villadom, but rather its president, Kris Torkan, and wanted Bral to clarify who specifically would be purchasing the property. “I’ll tell you why we can’t,” Bral said. “It may be Kris Torkan, it may be Kris Torkan with 10 other partners. I don’t know, and that’s why I don’t want to say the names because I don’t know who everyone in that group is if there are other people.” Bral was accused in the chat of not providing other potential buyers, such as the Great Neck Park District, a chance to submit a bid for the property. According to the state’s village law, real property can be sold for fair value if the Board of Trustees declares the property to be a “surplus.” The village is not required to offer its property for sale in any competitive process, and can choose whom it wishes to sell to, according to the law. “In the current situation, the Board of Trustees determined the property to be surplus, the sale price has been determined to be fair, and the Purchaser’s intended purpose of independent senior housing development is one which we believe is in the interests of the village,” Bral said in a statement. Great Neck Parks Commissioner Robert Lincoln said he was not aware of any contact between the two parties, but said, “We would explore any property which might be useful to us.” Bral said one of the advantages of the proposed property is that it would be a taxable property, as op-

posed to something purchased by the park district, which would not be on the tax roll. He also said he was open to ideas for nontaxable development, but was frank about his fiduciary responsibilities as mayor. “I have no problem with projects being tax-exempt,” Bral said. “But [as mayor], I don’t like anything oﬀ the tax roll. When I have an opportunity to bring in tax revenue so it does not go on to negatively impact the taxpayers in the Village of Great Neck, that’s my fiduciary responsibility to look into it.” Village resident Andrea Katz spoke on the importance of having something that enhances the community whether it is on the tax roll or not. “I think we have to have, as a village, a very solid idea of where we’re going and what we’re doing,” Katz said. “When it benefits some people it’s OK if it’s not taxable property. I agree, we want to get the tax benefits, but we’re not very consistent in this village.” Katz, who said her family has owned the West Terrace Road property since 1958, also said in the past several years she has been “embarrassed” to live in the village. “There’s not enough transparency [in this village],” Katz said. “You may not be aware of this mayor, or you may be, but many people in this village believe you may have relationships with these developers. Things feel shady whether they are or not.” “For the record, I have no relationship with any developers financially, emotionally or any other way,” Bral said. “I do believe, and I feel my board and I would like to do the right thing, and do the best thing for the community, the village and surrounding villages.” Bral said he was “oﬀended” by the suggestion of “shady dealings” in regard to development throughout the village over the past few years. “The way we listened to 777 [Middle Neck Road] we are going to listen to this,” Bral said. “How can you say things are shady when we have listened to the neighborhood of Gutheil [regarding 777 Middle Neck Road] for a long time.” “The collective fear for the destruction of the Great Neck community – as a whole – is why 60 residents – an unheard of number for a Zoom BOT meeting – united on line to listen, question and oppose at Public Comment,” Rosenthal said in a statement. The board unanimously approved a motion to declare the execution of the purchase and sale of the property is an unlisted action through the State Environmental Quality Review Act and approved a motion to declare the property a surplus, and authorized Bral to sign the purchase agreement. “I just want to assure the community on West Terrace Road that when the project comes to the floor to be discussed, you will all be heard,” Bral said. West Terrace lies behind the proposed structure. “That was a hefty agenda,” Bral said as he concluded the meeting just after 11 p.m.

The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

Colleges prep for new teaching methods Continued from Page 3 the summer to improve the quality of online education and is confident the school would be able to provide a quality education if forced to convert to distance learning again. Long Island University Post will begin its semester on Sept. 8 and will use the hybrid model as well. “Classrooms have been configured to promote social distancing. LIU community members will be required to practice social distancing while on campus, which includes wearing a face covering. Courses that involve performance, laboratory and clinical experiences will take into consideration unique space requirements and ensure that such courses are conducted with proper COVID-19 proto-

cols in place,” the college said in a statement sent to Blank Slate Media. Move-in dates will be staggered and conducted by appointment to reduce the number of people coming and going at once. Maximum occupancy signs will be placed on buildings and in hallways and bathrooms. Directional signs will be placed to keep walkers moving in one direction. Long Island University representatives said they have a contingency plan in case they have to convert to fully remote learning at some point. At Nassau Community College, a spokesperson said that 93 percent of the school’s classes will be conducted remotely and the rest will have some inperson component if the class requires it, such as classes with labs.

Books at the library will be quarantined for four days after being returned. Reserve textbooks will not be available for the fall semester, according to the school’s reopening plan. The college will not lease campus space for external events “subject to an exception/review process for missioncritical events that can meet physical distancing and other applicable safety standards,” according to the plan. Classes at SUNY Old Westbury will also occur mostly online in the fall. The school’s plan contains a section on “facilities-dependent courses” that allows for some in-person visits to campus for things like labs, studio sessions and proctored exams. Students can contact the university registrar to see if they will have any campus visits in their course

load. Old Westbury will not offer any oncampus student housing in the fall. Students can work with the Office of Residential Life to secure a refund or credit on their housing deposits. Decisions on which dining facilities will be opened on campus are still being made. “Students who may need assistance are directed to area affordable housing organizations for assistance,” said Michael Kinane, vice president of communications at SUNY Old Westbury. “Our main goal is to reduce as much as we can the frequency of visits to campus and the overall population density we experience here to lessen the potential for COVID-19 to spread if present.”

Cuomo greenlights reopening of gyms Continued from Page 1 lenges for maintaining control of the virus. Whether it’s singing, breathing heavily, it is easier for the virus to spread in an enclosed space.” Hackett said she believes the public’s general reaction will be more focused on the positives of reopening the facilities and people should take advantage of the reopening while the weather is warm. “As the seasons change and we get into the fall and winter, it will become increasingly challenging for gyms to maintain their businesses,” Hackett said. “There is a very likely chance for the virus to spread, and then you add the general flu season on top of that. This is probably the best time for people to go to the gym with outdoor classes and maintain social distancing while the rate of infection is generally low.” Members of the public, Hackett said,

may want to start thinking about creative ways to exercise in their homes before the colder seasons or a second wave hit. “If we reach a point where [gyms] have to shut down, we have to think back to the original shutdown in March,” she said. “Everything was in a much more precarious state back then, and we recognize one of the things we have to do is to learn from lessons in the past to maintain our safety. People will have to start thinking creatively now to get physical activity in their routines without going to a gym or other facility.” Gyms were initially slated to be in the fourth phase of reopening, which included media production, professional sports games with no fans, and low-risk indoor and outdoor arts and entertainment. Cuomo announced on June 24 that malls, movie theaters, schools and gyms had not yet been given the green light to reopen by the state.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that gyms throughout the state can reopen at 33 percent capacity on Monday. Cuomo announced on Friday that bowling alleys were able to reopen at 50

percent capacity, with face masks to be worn at all times and every other lane to be closed oﬀ to maintain social distancing. Cuomo referred to the state’s continuously low infection rate as the reason for reopening gyms, fitness facilities and bowling alleys, as the state’s daily positive test rate for the coronavirus was below 1 percent for the 10th consecutive day. “While it’s encouraging that we’ve reached the point where it’s acceptable for them to begin reopening in our communities, this is not the time to forget that the pandemic is ongoing,” he said. “New Yorkers must closely adhere to the guidelines and local health departments are required to strictly enforce them to help ensure gyms and fitness centers reopen safely and protect the public health.” A total of 0.71 percent of Sunday’s coronavirus tests throughout the state came back positive, the lowest daily positivity rate since the beginning of the crisis.

Officials demand answers from PSEG Continued from Page 2 can have confidence that these issues have been identified and addressed. It is in everyone’s best interest that we be given the opportunity to accomplish this now in a focused, methodical and comprehensive manner. Once we have the answers, we will provide them to you.” Following Eichorn’s opening statement, he indicated that during the response, crews were working oﬀ models that didn’t reflect the actual situation. “In this storm, what we found is when our crews were out working, instead of finding one damaged location to restore a neighborhood, it was multiple damage locations,” Eichorn said. “Those models that we were using proved to be much more optimistic than what our crews were seeing in this damage.” Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, a Democrat representing the Glen Cove area, which was the hardest hit area on the North Shore, according to data from PSEG, said “this was not the big storm we’re afraid of getting, and the reaction to it was much more diﬃcult than we would expect.” She added that unlike Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the storm lasted three hours.

“There could be much worse coming, and we just feel the reaction to this one was extremely poor, especially after the anticipation of hearing we were anticipating this storm and we were ready for it,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “We spent millions and millions of dollars on tree trimming, we’re the third highest in the nation for our energy, our electric. It’s not only that we expect more, we’ve been told we should expect more, that we were going to be able to handle this type of thing. This is not a hurricane. It wasn’t close even to Superstorm Sandy.” In the City of Glen Cove, 5,982 customers lost power, while 1,685 were aﬀected in Sea Cliﬀ, 645 in Glenwood Landing and 953 in Glen Head. Legislator Joshua Lafazan (I-Syosset) then discussed the plight of residents at senior housing and how seniors were stranded in their units, sustained spoiled medicine and had no means of communication. “Nothing seemed to happen until the media trucks showed up on Saturday,” Lafazan said, adding that the period from Tuesday to Saturday was “pretty concerning for seniors.” Lafazan also asked when out-of-state crews arrived,

were ready to begin work and enter the field, and why they couldn’t arrive earlier; about vulnerable customers that are not on the “critical customer” life-support equipment and how amending that list could be expedited, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic; about coordination with Verizon and 911 to preserve emergency response systems; about the state of PSEG-LI’s generator stockpile; and about backup generation for cell towers and geographic response strategies. DeRiggi-Whitton said in a statement after the hearing that there was “still no excuse for PSEG-LI’s mismanagement of the response to Tropical Storm Isaias and its continued failure to communicate with local government oﬃcials and customers.” “I am at least thankful that PSEG-LI relented to pressure from County Executive Curran and our state representatives and agreed to reimburse customers for food and prescription medicine that spoiled during extended power outages,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “I can only hope that applying for relief is a more orderly, streamlined and user-friendly process than reporting power outages in the immediate aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias.”

36 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

PROFESSIONAL GUIDE ▼ COMPUTER / TECH SUPPORT ▼

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County losses daunting: study Continued from Page 19 Schnirman outlined potential financial opportunities to mitigate the deficits, including $71 million from payroll and fringe benefit savings as a result of unfilled positions, $30 million in federal aid from the CARES Act, and $15.5 million in projected savings of social services from recipient grants, purchased services and Medicaid. The potential opportunities could reduce the deficit to $124.4 million from $340.4 million, Schnirman reported. On the other hand, according to the report, if a second wave of the coronavirus were to come along and the economy had to be shut down again, the deficit could increase to a whopping $526.8 million. “As we look ahead to the second half of 2020,” Schnirman said, “the looming questions we must ask are: ‘How can we improve the trajectory, how bad can it get, and what if there’s another

shutdown?’ The answers to those questions will drive how large the deficit is at the end of the year.” The county faces a deficit of $384 million in the 2020 fiscal year and $364 million in the 2021 fiscal year due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the county’s multiyear financial plan released two weeks ago. The county’s latest fiscal strategy avoids additional borrowing by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority in the 2020 fiscal year and will not extend the current date of expiration of the finance authority’s debt or extend the length of its control period over the county, according to county officials. Previously county officials said programs to close the budget gap had been prepared that relied on the finance authority to refinance $75 million of existing county debt in the fiscal year 2020 and another $210 million next fiscal year.

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

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38 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

BUYERâ€™S GUIDE â–¼ HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

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40 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

COMMUNITY CLASSIFIEDS To advertise here call:516.307.1045

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Tuesday 11:00am: Classified Advertising Tuesday 1:00pm: Legal Notices/ Name Changes Friday 5:00pm Buyers’s Guide Error Responsibility All ads placed by telephone are read back for verification of copy context. In the event of an error of Blank Slate Media LLC we are not responsible for the first incorrect insertion. We assume no responsiblity for an error in and beyond the cost of the ad. Cancellation Policy Ads must be cancelled the Monday before the first Thursday publication. All cancellations must be received in writing by fax at: 516.307.1046 Any verbal cancellations must be approved by a supervisor. There are no refunds on cancelled advertising. An advertising credit only will be issued.

• Great Neck News • Williston Times • New Hyde Park Herald Courier • Manhasset Times • Roslyn Times • Port Washington Times • Garden City News • Bethpage Newsgram • Jericho Syosset News Journal • Mid Island Times • Syosset Advance

EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED Construction Company

EAST ROCKAWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Seeking Candidates for the Following Positions:

looking for P/T Office Assistant

FULL TIME CLEANER (Nights)

3 pm-11:30 pm Salary in accordance with the East Rockaway Custodial Unit Bargaining Agreement

Small office in Roslyn, flexible hours, computer skills required, Excel, Word, good organizational skills, purchasing. Please email resume to buildcocorp@gmail.com or call

SUBSTITUTE CLEANERS

Salary: $16.00 per hour. District Wide- All Shifts

SUBSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL REGISTERED NURSES

District Wide. Salary: $150 (Daily) Must have Registered Nurse’s License, CPR and AED Certification

SUBSTITUTE AND PART-TIME BUS DRIVERS

(718) 517-0603

Part-Time: $22 per hour Substitute: $20 per hour Candidate must possess a valid NYS driver’s license and must satisfy all requirements of Article 19-A

MAINTENANCE Immediate Opening

SACRED HEART ACADEMY

SUBSTITUTE MONITORS

has openings in our maintenance dept.

District Wide. Salary: $13 per hour

SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AIDES

For prompt interview call Director of Facilities & Security Jim Augello 516-483-7383, ext 247 or email:Jaugello@sacredheartacademyli.org

Salary: $15.00 per hour. Two years’ college required Candidates are to submit a letter of interest with resume and credentials to:

PHYSICIAN’S OFFICE FLORAL PARK MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST P/T 3 Days/Week needed. Pior Med-Tech experience preferred. Good phone & patient skills required. Multitasking a plus. Email resume: EVADUPPS@GMAIL.COM PHONE: 516-488-1414

Ms. Jacqueline A. Scrio

Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations

East Rockaway UFSD 443 Ocean Avenue East Rockaway, NY 11518 (516) 887-8300 Ext. 1-553

FOOD SERVICE HELPER Substitute positions available in the Great Neck Public Schools.

Duties include preparing & serving food, cleaning, and related duties as directed. Walking, standing, moving heavy objects, and working in walk-in refrigerator/freezer required. Must be able to follow written and verbal directions. • $15.00/hour. Minimum 3-hour work day. School calendar. District Wide. Not eligible for benefits. • For information call Food & Nutrition Office at

New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District Seeking

DOOR MONITORS

All Schools for the opening of school 2020-2021

• Part time 2 1/2 hours per day • Monday – Friday • $14.25 per hour Send letter of interest to:

Denise Connolly

516-441-4090

NHP-GCP School District 1950 Hillside Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040 dconnolly@nhp-gcp.org Respond by: August 31, 2020

CARLE PLACE U.F.S.D.

SCHOOL SECURITY PERSONNEL SRO / SECURITY OFFICERS • LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND REQUIRED • RETIREES WELCOME

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EOE

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EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

HELP WANTED

JOB OPPORTUNITY: $18.50 P/H NYC$16 P/H LI$13.50 P/H UPSTATE NYH. CDPAP Caregiver Hourly Pay Rate! Under NYS CDPAP Medicaid program you can hire your family or friends for your care. Phone: 347-713-3553

ORAL SURGERY OFFICE is looking for P/T Receptionist/Insurance Biller. Flexible schedule within the hours of 8:30am-6:30pm, M-F, 2528 hours per week. Must be able to multitask and handle fast paced environment. Please email or fax resume and salary requirements to: vincentdental230@yahoo.com fax: 516-280-7467

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

▼ EMPLOYMENT,CAREER TRAINING, MARKETPLACE, PETS, R.E. EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

MARKETPLACE

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HELP WANTED

INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN is doing VIRTUAL TAG SALES and ONLINE AUCTIONS now! Sell the contents of an entire house or sell just a few things! You can host your own sale on invitedsales.com and Facebook and Instagram or we can do it for you. We can photograph, advertise and handle the winning pickups for you within a week! Don’t worry about your closing date, we can get your house ready on time! We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress. Contact: info@invitedsales.com for more information or call 516-279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information. Visit us at www.invitedsales.com for a listing of our upcoming Virtual Tag Sales and Weekly Auctions!

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ANNOUNCEMENTS Recently Diagnosed w/Lung Cancer or Mesothelioma? Exposed to Asbestos Pre-1080 at Work or Navy? You may be entitled to a significant cash award! Smoking history ok! 888-912-3150 BOY SCOUT COMPENSATION FUNDAnyone that was inappropriately touched by a Scout leader deserves justice and financial compensation! Victims may be eligible for a significant cash settlement. Time to file is limited. Call Now! 844-587-2494

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ANNOUNCEMENTS GET DIRECTV ! ONLY $35/month. 155 Channels & 1000s of Shows/ Movies on Demand (w/SELECT All Included Package). PLUS Stream on UP to FIVE Screens Simultaneously at No Additional Cost. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

EVENTS COVID-19 Coronavirus testing is available by appointment in our Floral Park facility Mon., Wed. Thurs. at Floral Park MD across from Lady of Victory Church in the village square. Please call (516)488-1414

MARKETPLACE A.T. STEWART EXCHANGE CONSIGNMENT SHOP 516-746-8900 Antiques-FurnitureJewelry-Silver-Mirrors-Lamps-Artwork Come to Consign & Stay to Shop Visit.... Our Shop 109 Eleventh St. Garden City Our Website tgchs.org Our Online Store stores. myresaleweb.com/ at-stewartexchange Items to Consign? Email photos (with sizing info) to: store@atstewartexchange.org All proceeds benefit The Garden City Historical Society Like us on Facebook & Instagram

WANTED TO BUY

A GARDEN CITY ANIMAL LOVER doesn’t want to leave your precious pooch or fantastic feline alone all day. I’m reliable, dependable and will walk and feed your pet while you work or travel. Please call Cheryl at 516-971-3242

AUTOMOTIVE

AUTOS WANTED AUTO BUYERS! We visit you. Highest cash paid. Or donate, tax deduct + cash. DMV#1303199. Please call Luke 516-VAN-CARS OR 516-297-2277

JUNK CARS BOUGHT Auto Wrecking Frank & Sons

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FURNITURE BEST OFFER Solid oak tall dresser, Dark walnut armoire, Tortoise shell finish. Book case glass shelves, matching end table, chests, Bombay dresser circ 1930’s. Please call 516-883-1978

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LOOKING TO BUY! Estates, Oriental items, Gold, Silver, Costume Jewelry, Dishes, Flatware, Watches, Clothing, Old Photos, Coins, Stamps, Records, Toys, Action Figures, Comics, Art and Furniture. Immediate Cash Paid Call George 917-775-3048 or 718-386-1104

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TOP CASH PAID: ESTATE CONTENTSALL OBJECTS OF ART JEWELRY, ETC. Please call 718-598-3045 or 516-270-2128 www.antiqueassets.com

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STUDIO, 1 & 2 BEDROOMS RENTS $1,095 - $2,500 INCOME LIMITS & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS APPLY MINIMUM INCOME $36,900 - $86,040 MAXIMUM INCOME $53,220 - $164,580 Subject to unit size, household size & setaside requirements REQUEST AN APPLICATION BY MAIL: Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: CGMR Compliance Partners, PO Box 440, Wading River, NY 11792 CALL: (631) 910-6200 EMAIL: info@cgmrcompliance.com WEBSITE: www.cgmrcompliance.com Duplicate applications may be disqualified. DEADLINE EXTENDED! APPLICATIONS MUST BE POST MARKED BY SEPTEMBER 5, 2020 LATE APPLICATIONS NOT CONSIDERED PUBLIC LOTTERY BROADCAST WWW.CGMRCOMPLIANCE.COM SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 11AM

Tax Foreclosed Real Estate Auction Cattaraugus County • Online Only 75+ parcels available: Lots, Acreage, Homes, Commercial Properties Due to COVID-19 mandates and regulations, this auction will be conducted 100% online.

Online Auction Start: August 22 , 12PM Online Auction Closing Begins: September 8TH, 10AM ND

**Action Required**

To participate in this online only auction, please visit our website and complete the “Online Bidder Registration Packet”. Originals must be received at our office no later than 9/4.

For complete information, visit www.auctionsinternational.com/liveauctions or call 800 -536-1401, Ext. 110 “Selling Surplus Assets 7 Days a Week Online”

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OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of full/partial week rentals. Call for FREE color Brochure. Holiday Real Estate, Inc. 1-800-638-2102

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APARTMENT FOR RENT

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GARDEN CITY SOUTH: Newly renovated studio apartment, safe neighborhood. Suitable for one. Light filled and airy. Granite Kitchen. Air conditioning. Walk to Adelphi, LIRR. Near food, laundry, all. No pets, no smoking, no party animals. $1850 + utilities. Call 516-385-4830

SERVICES JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING We can frame anything! Quality Care & Workmanship Thousands of frames to choose from!! Over 30 years in business! 92 Covert Ave, Stewart Manor 516-775-9495

HOMES FOR RENT GARDEN CITY CENTRAL SECTION Furnished 5 BR, Office, CAC, IG Sprinklers. Close to all, walk to train, town, school. 2 car detached garage. No pets/smoking. Call or Text Mike: 718-419-4603 No Brokers

PRIVACY HEDGES 6ft tall Green Giant Arborvitae, FALL BLOWOUT SALE $79ea. FREE Planting & FREE Fall delivery, Limited Supply! ORDER NOW: 518-536-1367 www.lowcosttreefarm.com

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GARDEN CITY OFFICE SPACE Single interior (non windowed) in clean and well kept 2 story building. Perfect for Covid conscience minded; low traffic: satellite office, therapist, psychologist etc. 9 1/2’ x 12 1/2’, ELEVATOR, security cams, kitchen, all inclusive.$880.00/monthTom 516-877-7410 ext 101

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▼ REAL ESTATE, SERVICES, HOME IMPROVEMENT, CLEANING HOME IMPROVEMENTS

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

MADE IN THE SHADE CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Draperies Top Brands at Discount Prices! Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli.com 516-426-2890

MICHELANGELO PAINTING & WALLPAPER Interior, Exterior, Plaster/Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing. Call: 516-328-7499

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

AQUATEC LAWN SPRINKLERS SPRING TURN ONS Backflow Device Tests Free Estimates Installation Service/Repairs Joe Barbato 516-775-1199 HANDYMAN Careful & Reliable Covid-19 Conscious and Safe Serving GARDEN CITY and surrounding area since 2003 Repairs & Installations of all types Carpentry, Moldings, Lighting and More 35-yr Nassau Resident References Phone/Text Friendly Frank: 516-238-2112 Email: Frankcav@optonline.net

MASONRY All types of stonework Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps. Free Estimates Fully Licensed & Insured #H2219010000 Boceski Masonry Louie 516-850-4886 PAULIE THE ROOFER STOPPING LEAKS IS MY SPECIALTY! Slate & Tile Specialists All types of Roofing Local References Licensed & Insured 516-621-3869

JOVEL DELUXE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Interior & Exterior Renovations Interior & Exterior Painting Door & Window Installation Retaining Walls, Patios, Driveways Deck Staining Pressure Washing Free Estimates www.joveldeluxe. com 631-926-3773

Stay in your home longer with an American Standard Walk In Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-844-286-6771or visit www.walkintubquote.com/newyork

LAMPS FIXED $65 In home service. Handy Howard. 646-996-7628 LITO CONSTRUCTION Retaining Walls, Concrete Work, Brick Work, Foundations, Sidewalks, Bathrooms, Floor Tiles, Stoops, Blacktop Retouching, Blacktop Painting. Demolition. Licensed & Insured. Call 516-376-9365 or 516-435-7007 Please leave message

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ATTENTION BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LAB (BNL) (1947-Present) FAMILIES AND WORKERS: Did you file a claim after you or a loved one developed an illness or condition after working at BNL? Was your claim denied? We may be able to obtain Lifetime Healthcare and up to $400,000 in Compensation for you. We assist with initial claims, dose reconstructions, appeals, impairment ratings, wage loss, health care and home care. For more information, call Attorney Hugh Stephens at (716) 208-3525. No CompensationNo Fee 2495 Main St., Suite 442, Buffalo, NY 14214

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A & J MOVING & STORAGE: Established 1971. Long Island and New York State specialists. Residential, Commercial, Piano & Organ experts. Boxes available. Free estimates. www.ajmoving .com 516741-2657 114 Jericho Tpk, Mineola NYDOT# 10405

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Parker manager honored by Hospital Fund Parker Jewish Institute is pleased to announce that Parker at Your Door Clinical Operations Manager, Bonita Waites, a licensed practical nurse, was recently presented with a United Hospital Fund’s Tribute to Excellence Award. The awards program, which this year was held virtually, recognized extraordinary personal leadership to improve quality of care, patient safety and patient experience. United Hospital Fund selected honorees by their hospital or long-term care organization for their vision and accomplishment. As the clinical operations manager, Waites was honored for spearheading a chronic care manage-

ment program serving frail, elderly and chronically ill patients. Waites proved instrumental in providing team-based, around-the-clock care management services, helping to prevent frequent emergency room visits and hospitalizations. The United Hospital Fund recognition comes at a time when Parker at Your Door, which provides quality and convenient at-home medical care for older adults, is expanding to Brooklyn. The program already serves patients who live in Nassau, Suﬀolk and Queens counties. In her role as clinical operations manager, Waites helped Parker at Your Door boost the health of older adults through a patient-centered

care plan that is tailored to the patient’s specific needs, choices and values. Under Waites’ leadership, this program improved overall outcomes for patients, including an increase in patient and family satisfaction, and a decrease in costly and stressful emergency room visits and hospitalizations. “It’s these kinds of initiatives that allow New York’s growing older population to maintain their health and prevent a medical crisis,” said Michael N. Rosenblut, Parker’s president and CEO. “This program is helping community members age in place – safely and comfortably.”

Bonita Waites

Temple Beth Sholom Sisterhood event The Temple Beth Sholom Sisterhood of Roslyn Heights will hold a “Let’s Wrap Up Summer” socially-distant back-

yard event on Aug. 26 at 5:30 p.m. The event will feature individually-wrapped dairy appe-

tizers, wrap sandwiches, wine coolers and dessert from Bagel Boss for $26. Prospective members and

current members are welcome. Please respond to learn the event location to Sisterhood@ tbsroslyn.org or call and leave

a message for Rose Gole Warshavsky or Natalie Postelnek at 516-621-2288.

Guidance Center grant aids kids’ mental health North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is pleased to announce that the nonprofit organization received a Community Development Block Grant from Nassau County for $147,500 to support its work serving Long Island’s communities during the pandemic crisis. “During this most troubling

and stressful time for so many families of all backgrounds, we are grateful to Nassau County for awarding us a Community Development Block Grant COVID grant,” said Andrew Malekoﬀ, executive director of the Guidance Center. “It could not have come at a better time. We are seeing an increase in young peo-

ple who are experiencing depression and anxiety, are at risk for suicide and other self-harming behaviors, and cannot aﬀord to be placed on a waiting list. This funding supports our ability to oﬀer a rapid response and quality mental health care for all families who need us regardless of their ability to pay.”

Nassau County distributed nearly $2.5 million in federal CDBG-COVID funding to 12 nonprofit partners and nine municipalities across Nassau County to provide mental health and substance abuse services, youth and senior services, and health, safety, and accessibility upgrades for local community centers.

North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the leading children’s mental health agency on Long Island, is seeing new and existing clients via telephone and video during the COVID-19 crisis. To make an appointment, call (516) 626-1971. Visit www. northshorechildguidance.org for more information.

N.S. University Hospital photo contest open to all Love taking photos? Grab your camera, because it’s time to enter the 2020 Auxiliary of North Shore University Hospital’s annual photo contest. This year, the judges are looking for photographs that

evoke warm and positive sentiments in hopes of providing a soothing environment for the hospital’s patients and their loved ones. The top three finishers will receive a complimentary print of their work,

and their signed and titled photographs will be displayed at NSUH. Photo submissions cost $5 each and must be received by November 30th. Only 5×7 and 8×10 color prints will be

accepted. All proceeds will go towards NSUH’s patient programs. For more information regarding oﬃcial rules and entry forms, go to: https://i.emlfiles4.com/

cmpdoc/6/9/9/8/7/1/ files/50773_updated-photocontest-003.pdf?dmi=3U44,1 5WVN,40MIFF,44NPJ,1 You can also call Volunteer Services at 516-562-4947.

CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK.COM/THEISLANDNOW AND TWITTER: @THE ISLANDNOW

y Friday, g The Great Neck News, August 21, 2020

Nassau officials introduce app to aid downtown areas Continued from Page 1 cessible at any time. A participant ready to redeem a pass hands the phone over at the checkout counter to access a deal, promotion or special offer. The new free mobile travel pass was designed to boost economic recovery efforts in the region through incentivized marketing efforts ranging from small businesses to general attractions. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran joined with her Suffolk counterpart, Steve Bellone, Nassau Industrial Development Agency Chairman Richard Kessel and other business development leaders on Long Island last Thursday to make the announcement. “Embracing and growing Nassau’s vibrant, walkable downtown communities near transit and housing has been a priority of my administration since day one,” Curran said. “Following our COVID-19 frontline response, my priority focused on boosting the recovery of our small businesses and revival of these once bustling, beloved Main Street communities – the heartbeat of our local economy. “The small businesses that make up our charming downtowns are the lifeblood of our communities and a top priority during these unprecedented times,” Kessel said. “We are excited to collaborate with Discover Long Island to launch this new Downtown Deals Travel Pass that will provide an economic boost to our local businesses.” Discover Long Island President and CEO Kristen Jarnigan touted the support the organization received from both county IDAs and said the aid provided to the hospitality industry throughout Long Island was vital. “The $6.1 billion hospitality industry has been the hardest hit industry in our region as a result of COVID-19 and the small businesses in our downtowns need immediate assistance to drive economic recovery,” Jarnigan said. “We are grateful to Nassau and Suffolk County IDAs for their partnership in supporting this new mobile Downtown Deals Travel Pass and we encourage our residents and visitors to utilize this digitized platform to explore the endless hidden gems in the vibrant downtowns that are the fabric of our community.” The first group of downtowns listed on the website includes Great Neck, Rockville Centre, Greenport,

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and IDA Chairman Richard Kessel introduced a new mobile initiative to aid the county’s downtowns and small businesses. Farmingdale, Huntington and Patchogue. Oﬃcials said more than 100 local businesses are expected to be included within the virtual passport, with more potentially on the way.

The small businesses

that make up our charming downtowns are the lifeblood of our communities and a top priority during these unprecedented times. Richard Kessel

Nassau Industrial DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, CHAIRMAN

Curran has been trying to aid small businesses and downtown areas, opening main streets for outdoor dining in early June, after the first phase of reopening began. The open streets program created a fast track for municipalities to get approval from the county to close county-operated roads so restaurants can provide outdoor dining and increase curbside pickup options. In September, before the pandemic, Curran introduced funding for transit-oriented development projects for qualified municipalities

throughout Nassau. The funding was part of the federal Community Development Block Grant program received by the county each year, according to a news release from Curran’s oﬃce, and is meant to “support project costs and promote development that maximizes the amount of residential, business, and public open space within walking distance of public transportation.” The county allocated $1 million for the initiative and intended to fund at least three projects before the pandemic hit. The maximum award for a municipality would total $400,000. “I want to encourage businesses and residents to sign up for the new free Downtown Deals Travel Pass and explore downtown districts throughout Long Island,” Curran said. “Not only will you find fantastic ways to enjoy a staycation but you will be supporting the businesses that employ so many of our neighbors, family, and friends.” Curran stressed the importance of supporting local businesses throughout the county, especially with the looming $384 million debt Nassau faces this year due to the pandemic. A report conducted by Nassau County Comptroller Jack Schnirman in late June anticipated the county’s sales tax revenue could decrease by as much as $417 million this year, and more than $601 million in 2021 if a second wave of the virus were to hit.

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46 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 21, 2020

County Dems call for Suozzi, Rice push redistricting commish for bills to aid USPS Continued from Page 8 “It is difficult to understand why in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, fiscal crisis, and with thousands of residents still without power after the recent storm, the minority chooses to focus their energy on changing the county’s redistricting process,” Republican spokesperson Christopher Boyle said in a statement. Republicans currently hold an 11-8 majority in the county Legislature. “We need a system in place where that changes, where we’re constantly evolving and we’re constantly bringing in new people into the process, and the elections are fair and people are accountable,” Abrahams said. “And if you don’t do the job of your legislative district then you couldn’t rely on this [current] map to get you into office.” Jeffrey Wice, a New York Law School adjunct professor, supported the measure

to prevent gerrymandering throughout the county. “Independent redistricting commissions help develop plans outside the Legislature and can help prevent the kind of gerrymandering that the public rejects,” Wice said. “The criteria in this legislation will strengthen Nassau’s ability to enact legislative districts that better reflect communities.” “As Nassau County and the nation continue to engage with the most urgent civil rights debate of our generation, we are reminded that the most fundamental of all civil rights is the sanctity of the right to vote,” Abrahams said. “This is a bill that will restore full voting rights in Nassau and ensure that all communities will have a meaningful voice in elections. This means that their voices will also be heard by government oﬃcials who make the crucial decisions that aﬀect their lives.”

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Continued from Page 6 The National Mail Handlers Union Local 300 represents approximately 5,200 mail handlers throughout the New York City area, including Long Island, and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. Peter Furgiuele, president of the Long Island American Postal Workers Union, said employees of the Postal Service have been shown “a total lack of respect” from DeJoy since he assumed his post. “His first order of business was to remove a total 671 sorting machines from Postal Distribution Centers throughout the country, and order a stop to overtime,” Furgiuele said. “These actions alone have caused tremendous backlog of mail nationwide, and to compound the problem, many post offices are now closing for lunch which directly affects revenue.” Furgiuele said he and other postal workers took a “personal offense” to Trump referring to the Postal Service as “a joke” in April. Trump has freqently attacked mail-in voting, which he has called “catastrophic.” “The U.S. Post Office (System) has been failing for many decades,” Trump tweeted on Monday. “We simply want to

MAKE THE POST OFFICE GREAT AGAIN, while at the same time saving billions of dollars a year for American Taxpayers. Dems don’t have a clue!” “The House will vote on legislation in the coming days to rebuke the President’s plan, and I will continue to oppose any eﬀorts to undermine or delegitimize the Postal Service,” Rice said. “We will not let the president get away with this assault on one of our democracy’s most important institutions.” Rice said DeJoy voluntarily agreed to testify about the changes before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Aug. 24, of which Maloney is the chairwoman. Former Postmaster General Megan Brennan warned in Washington last week that the Postal Service is anticipating a loss of $13 billion in revenue this year. Brennan also said the system is facing a loss of another $54 billion over the longer term due to the coronavirus. She discussed the expected revenue losses with the House Oversight and Reform Committee on April 9. Brennan told lawmakers that the agency would need $25 billion in federal grants to cover the revenue already lost because of the pandemic.

E A R T H M AT T E R S

L.I. groundwater about to get pricey Continued from Page 16 the largest single energy consumption sector on Long Island during the summer. The 300 percent to 400 percent increase in water use in the summer drives the dramatic increase in energy use, too. Power companies must build suﬃcient electricity capacity to meet peak summer energy demand that is partly driven by high energy use by water suppliers for pumping and treating water. The high water use in the summer is almost entirely due to outdoor water use — lawn and gardening irrigation, and pools. All the extra water pumped has to be treated and thus water suppliers must build extra treatment systems just to handle summer water demand. Ironically, little of this very expensive water is used for drinking; most of it is used on grass, landscapes and gardens, parks and outdoor recreation activities. None of this water goes back into the aquifers. High water use impacts both our water bills and energy bills.

Environmentally high demand for water promotes a depletion of groundwater, a loss of stream flow and declining pond levels, the spread of pollution in the aquifers and saltwater intrusion along the coasts. HOW CAN EVERY LONG ISLANDER DO THEIR PART TO CONSERVE WATER?— Use less water outdoors. Decide to use less water on your lawns. Plant smaller areas that need watering. Transition to diﬀerent plants and grasses (native and drought-tolerant) for your landscaping and lawns.— Don’t waste water indoors or outdoors. Fix leaks, dripping faucets and running toilets.— Make water conservation a way of life.— Read your water bills (to know how much water you consume) and work to bring down the amount of water you use by at least 15 percent.— And vote in November. One wouldn’t think this would be a way to conserve water, but if we intend to keep protecting our natural resources, then in 2020, yes- this has now been added to the list.

The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

COMMUNITY NEWS

Guidelines for reduced-price meals outlined The Great Neck Public Schools recently announced a free and reduced-price meal policy for Great Neck Public School area school children. Local school oﬃcials have adopted family eligibility criteria to assist them in determining eligibility. SNAP/TANF/FDPIR Households: Households that currently include children who receive the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) but who are not found during the Direct Certification Matching Process (DCMP), or households that currently receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) must complete an application listing the child’s name, a valid SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR case number and the signature of an adult household member. Eligibility for free meal benefits based on participation in SNAP, TANF or FDPIR is extended to all children in the household. When known to the School Food Authority, households will be notified of their children’s eligibility for free meals based on their participation in the SNAP, TANF or the FDPIR programs. No application is necessary if the household was notified by the SFA their children have been directly certified. If the household is not sure if their children have been directly certified, the household should contact the school. Other Source Categorical Eligibility: When known to the School Food Authority, households will be notified of any child’s eligibility for free meals based on the individual child’s designation as Other Source Categorically Eligible, as defined by law. Children are determined Other Source Categorically Eligible if they are Homeless, Migrant, Runaway, A foster child, or Enrolled in Head Start or an eligible pre-kindergarten program. If children or households receive benefits under Assistance Programs or Other Source Categorically Eligible Programs and are not listed on the notice of eligibility and are not notified by the School Food Authority of their free meal benefits, the parent or guardian should contact the school or should submit an income application. Other Households: Households with income the same or below the amounts listed above for family size may be eligible for and are urged to apply for free and/or reduced-price meals (or free milk). They may do so

by completing the application sent home with the letter to parents. One application for all children in the household should be submitted. Additional copies are available at the principal’s oﬃce in each school. Applications may be submitted any time during the school year to James Gounaris, Director of Food & Nutrition. Please contact Mr. Gounaris at (516) 441-4090 with any questions regarding the application process. Households notified of their children’s eligibility must contact the School Food Authority if they choose to decline the free meal benefits. Households may apply for benefits at any time throughout the school year. Children of parents or guardians who become unemployed or experience a financial hardship mid-year may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals or free milk at any point during the school year. For up to 30 operating days into the new school year (or until a new eligibility determination is made, whichever comes first) an individual child’s free or reduced-price eligibility status from the previous year will continue within the same SFA. When the carryover period ends, unless the household is notified that their children are directly certified or the household submits an application that is approved, the children’s meals must be claimed at the paid rate. Though encouraged to do so, the SFA is not required to send a reminder or a notice of expired eligibility. The information provided on the application will be confidential and will be used for determining eligibility. The names and eligibility status of participants may also be used for the allocation of funds to federal education programs such as Title I and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), State health or State education programs, provided the State agency or local education agency administers the programs, and for federal, state or local means-tested nutrition programs with eligibility standards comparable to the NSLP. Eligibility information may also be released to programs authorized under the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) or the Child Nutrition Act (CNA). The release of information to any program or entity not specifically authorized by the NSLA will require a written consent statement from the parent or guardian. The School Food Authority

does, however, have the right to verify at any time during the school year the information on the application. If a parent does not give the school this information, the child/children will no longer be able to receive free or reduced-price meals (free milk). Foster children are eligible for free meal benefits. A separate application for a foster child is no longer necessary. Foster children may be listed on the application as a member of the family where they reside. Applications must include the foster child’s name and personal use income. Under the provisions of the policy, the designated official will review applications and determine eligibility. If a parent is dissatisfied with the ruling of the designated official, he/she may make a request either orally or in writing for a hearing to appeal the decision. Dr. Teresa Prendergast, Superintendent of Schools, whose address is 345 Lakeville Rd., Great Neck, NY 11020 has been designated as the Hearing Official. Hearing procedures are outlined in the policy. However, prior to initiating the hearing procedure, the parent or School Food Authority may request a conference to provide an opportunity for the parent and official to discuss the situation, present information, and obtain an explanation of the data submitted in the application or the decisions rendered. The request for a conference shall not in any way prejudice or diminish the right to

a fair hearing. Only complete applications can be approved. This includes complete and accurate information regarding the SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR case number; the names of all household members; on an income application, the last four digits of the social security number of the person who signs the form or an indication that the adult does not have one, and the amount and source of income received by each household member. In addition, the parent or guardian must sign the application form, certifying the information is true and correct. Beginning July 1, 2019, students in New York State that are approved for reduced price meals will receive breakfast and lunch meals at no charge. Nondiscrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, oﬃces, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities

who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/ complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA oﬃce, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 6329992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Oﬃce of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 202509410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@ usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

CHART COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT

Great Neck school officials adopted family eligibility criteria to assist them in determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals.

48 The Great Neck News, Friday, August 21, 2020

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