Great Neck 2023_04_07

SANTOS ATTENDS TRUMP RALLY

Police probing online threat against South Administration

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Nassau police are investigating an online threat made against Great Neck South High School in a group chat over the weekend, officials announced Sunday.

Great Neck School District Superintendent Teresa Prendergast, in an email to the community Sunday, said a student in the group chat “immediately reported” the threat to the Nassau County Police Department, although the specifics of the threat had not been disclosed as of Tuesday.

“Please be assured that the safety of our students and staff is our top priority and that any threat of violence is taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated,” Prendergast said in the email. “I commend the student who brought this incident to the attention of their parents and for their immediate action in contacting the police.”

Prendergast also said the building administration and the school district’s security “conducted a thorough search” of the building Sunday and that the school had increased patrols from the Nassau and Lake Success po-

lice departments Monday.

Efforts to reach officials from the Nassau County Police Department for an update on the investigation were unavailing.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder announced the launch of an Overwatch program on Friday, which assigns additional officers to patrol high-profile areas such as schools, places of worship and shopping centers.

The Nassau County Police Department will send out teams of four police officers and a supervisor who will spend an equal amount of time in each of the four quadrants Nassau is broken down into under the initiative. The program is designed so that police can be present within 15 minutes of any location in Nassau County, without interrupting the department’s usual response times to crimes or incidents.

The Overwatch teams will be “traveling at or below the speed limit” with their lights on to make their presence felt in the county, according to Blakeman.

Town approves

for Plandome sewer work

BY BRANDON DUFFY

The North Hempstead Town Board Tuesday night unanimously voted to allocate $3.1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds

$3.1M

to the Manhasset sewer project and appointed Kristen Schwaner as the town’s comptroller for the remainder of the year.

The vote on the sewer funds comes after months of delays in

which town Democrats called for answers about the project, including the legality of using the federal money for the sewers.

“Never in my lifetime did I think

Continued on Page 40

conducts ‘thorough search’ of high school on Monday

PHOTO BY KAREN RUBIN/NEWS-PHOTOS-FEATURES.COM

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers his ‘Florida Blueprint’ at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Saturday. See story on page 12.

Shi calls safety, education priorities

G.N. ed board trustee launches re-election campaign

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Great Neck Board of Education

Trustee Jef Shi has announced he is running for re-election so he can continue to contribute to the safety and education of all district students.

Shi, who is running for a third term on the board, told Blank Slate Media Friday that making students feel comfortable to pursue academic excellence is his main priority if reelected in May.

“Most of all, from my immigrant perspective, making sure all students feel welcome and safe in the school settings is number one for me,” Shi said in a phone interview.

Having the district reiterating that intolerance and bullying are not welcome in Great Neck, he said, will set an example for students to learn acceptance of one another.

Both of Shi’s parents being educators in China, he said, allowed him to get early insight into what it meant to aid in students’ academic and extracurricular success.

Now, after serving six years on the board, Shi said he wants to continue to help the district grow in a variety of ways and that his knowledge of the system and passion to give back to the community makes him the ideal candidate.

“I love Great Neck, I’ve lived here for a long time and I want to help support the community,” Shi said. “I strongly believe we need new people or lifelong residents to support the school district.”

Shi, who works for the New York City Department of Information Technology & Communications, has lived in Great Neck for the past 11 years and has a daughter attending Great Neck South High School.

Touting Great Neck’s status as one of the best school districts in the nation, Shi stressed the importance of fnding the best superintendent to lead the school district, following the retirement announcement of current Superintendent Teresa Prendergast in January.

“We will hire the highest quality individual, but I do think that the most important thing is for a superintendent to understand our community

G.N. proposes

$272.4M budget $11M, 4.2% more than current year

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

The Great Neck School District proposed a $272.4 million budget for the 2023-24 school year last week, marking a 4.2% increase over the current budget with a projected tax levy increase of 3.09%.

The tentative budget is nearly $11 million more than the current $261.4 million budget adopted by the board last year. The tax levy, proposed at 3.09%, is below the 8% rate of infation last year, according to John O’Keefe, the district’s assistant superintendent for Business.

“Obviously, always budgeting within our means and staying within the tax cap limits are priorities for us,” O’Keefe said during the budget presentation Wednesday.

The board will make another budget presentation and adopt a budget April 18, with the public scheduled to vote on the budget May 16.

The Great Neck School District proposed a $272.4M budget for the 2023-24 school year last week.

and have an efective way to communicate with our teachers, administrators, students and community members at large,” Shi said.

Shi also helped launch a demographic study the district is currently conducting to track the enrollment of school-age children on the peninsula.

With more multi-family apartment complexes and housing units being proposed in Great Neck’s villages, he said, it is imperative the district stay on top of population trends and be prepared to accommodate them.

“All of a sudden we’re seeing these new developments come to Great Neck, which I think is healthy,” Shi said. “As a community, we need to grow over time, but there’s a concern whether that growth is sustainable and what impact it will have on our public schools.”

When asked about the school district’s community and if national divisiveness is being felt on a more local scale, Shi said, while the school

district remains viewpoint neutral in its curriculum, empowering students with the proper knowledge of every community’s contribution to society is vital.

The board, Shi said, has asked administrators tasked with curriculum development to look into Asian American Pacifc Islander education.

“I do feel optimistic about the future because the younger generations will be equipped with this knowledge,” Shi said. “Our kids are prepared to deal with situations.”

Shi lauded the support the community has shown the district since he began serving on the board in 2017, mentioning that residents are being charged for quality education and overall school experience.

Getting the maximum out of what taxpayers spend each year while remaining fscally responsible, Shi said, is something he hopes to continue for the next three years.

Some of the key expenditures that drive the near $11 million increase from the 2022-23 budget include an additional $4 million for medical and dental insurance, nearly $3 million of higher instructional resources and almost $1 million for transportation contracts.

The budget anticipates replacing the 12 teachers retiring at the end of this year and hiring one fulltime social worker, six full-time elementary school stafers and four full-time secondary school stafers. A variety of security enhancements including electronic door access controls and transportation improvements such as GPS tracking software were also outlined in the budget presentation.

While ofcials said they are awaiting the fnalized state aid projections before adopting a budget, O’Keefe broke down the anticipated

$1.9 million increase in Foundation Aid funds from the government. Highlights include $658,000 being allocated for 2,000 iPads with cases, $729,000 for six elementary school stafers and two secondary school stafers, along with $322,000 for employee benefts.

Additionally, another $6.4 million will be allocated to the district’s capital projects, the same amount as last year. Projects that the district will be undertaking this year include the repaving of the North High School parking lot, the extension of JFK’s teacher resource center and a renovation of South Middle School’s lacrosse and softball felds, along with a variety of other building upgrades to the seven other schools.

The school district will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget May 3 at South Middle School following the budget adoption.

CORRECTION

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Sue Tabakin 516-307-1045 x206 stabakin@theisland360.com

: Steven Blank 516-307-1045 x201 sblank@theisland360.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Deborah Flynn 516-307-1045 x218

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF SHI

Great Neck Board of Education Trustee Jeff Shi.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK SCHOOL DISTRICT

The address for Boy Scout Troop 10 was incorrectly listed in the Guide to Great Neck. The correct address is The ManhassetLakeville Fire Department, 25 Prospect Street, Great Neck.

Nassau unveils crime-fighting program

20 police officers to be stationed at all times in 4 sectors of county near high-profile areas

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

A new method of policing is coming to Nassau County following recent acts of violence on a local and national scale, county officials announced Friday.

A total of 20 police officers in patrol vehicles will be deployed on a daily basis in Nassau County to prevent potential crimes from occurring at places of worship, schools and other high-profile areas, officials said.

The initiative, known as the Overwatch program, divides Nassau into four quadrants and will go into effect Saturday, following test runs Thursday and Friday, according to Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.

The department, Ryder said, will send out teams of four police officers and a supervisor and will spend an equal amount of time in each quadrant. Each quadrant will have the same number of representatives surveilling the same amount of time, he said.

“This is spending equal time throughout our critical infrastructure to protect those that come to pray, protect those that go to school and protect those that are at any kind of major event,” Ryder said outside the Mineola Police Department Friday.

Overwatch teams will be “travel-

ing at or below the speed limit” with their lights on, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.

“We want them to be out there, we want them to be seen,” Blakeman said.

“They will roam through these areas with their lights on and they will

act as a presence,” Ryder said. “Constant and irregular patrol is how we offset what the bad guy is thinking.”

Officers who participate in the program, officials said, will be taken out of their respective precincts, but they stressed overtime costs will not be increasing. High-crime areas, Ryder

said, will receive the same amount of vigilance from the program as others in Nassau.

The program, according to Blakeman, is designed so that usual response times to crimes or incidents will remain intact, having police present within 15 minutes of any location

in Nassau.

The initiative comes during Ramadan, ahead of other springtime religious holidays, and following the stabbing of a 13-year-old Lindenhurst Middle School student and the fatal shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville last week.

Blakeman said the Overwatch program sends a message to county residents and those looking at Nassau as a place to carry out crimes.

“This is not a place where it’s going to be opportune for you to commit a crime,” Blakeman said. “To our residents and our business visitors and our guests, this is a safe county and we’re going to keep it safe. We’re on the offensive and we’re going to be proactive.”

The county executive also cited cashless bail and raise-the-age laws as reasons Nassau should be more proactive with its policing, touting the work the county’s uniformed officers do to protect residents.

“There are laws that were promulgated in Albany that I believe made us less safe,” Blakeman said. “It is very important that our departments stay on the cutting edge of policing, using technology personnel, engineering, every tool we have necessary and especially intelligence.”

Continued on Page 40

SOOMEKH TEAM President’s Circle Award

RICCOBONO Leading Edge Award

THE ANDEE GREIFF TEAM Leading Edge Award

PHOTO BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announces the county’s Overwatch program Friday.

Mr. Liu goes to Washington for Scripps

Great Neck sixth-grader wins regional spelling bee, will represent Long Island in D.C.

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Great Neck North Middle School sixth-grader Brian Liu said his mother, Shutting Peng, told him to “enjoy and have fun” participating in the ScholarSkills Long Island Spelling Bee.

The advice clearly worked for Liu, 11, after defeating the 47 other spellers at Half Hollow Hills High School in Dix Hills March 24 and becoming Long Island’s representative at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., next month.

While some may choose to bask in the glow of victory and soak up every minute of stardom they can, Liu said the local praise can be a bit much at times, but appreciates everyone cheering him on.

“It feels good to be representing Long Island for the National Spelling Bee, but sometimes when I get too much attention, it feels kind of awkward,” Liu told Blank Slate Media Tuesday. “I want to thank [everyone] for their support and encouragement.”

Before making it to the ScholarSkills Long Island Spelling Bee, Liu had to ace Great Neck North Middle School’s own spelling bee in January. The competition featured 43 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students who participated. It took Liu 10 rounds to win the competition and realize he might have some spelling talent.

“After the school round, I realized I was actually

pretty good at spelling and so I started to study harder,” Liu said.

Liu said he spent hours studying thousands of words from a book provided to each of the spellers. He clinched the victory by spelling “bolognese,” which has dual defnitions and pronunciations.

One of the most difcult words, he said, was “tokonoma,” a decorative space for displaying fowers and ornaments in a Japanese-style room. Spelling out the word on his fnger, he said, helped him realize he needed to use an ‘o’ rather than an ‘i’.

Studying words with prefxes and sufxes of Latin and Greek origins, he said, helped him claim victory in the Long Island Spelling Bee against students hailing from Nassau, Sufolk and Westchester counties.

Rounding out the top three was Aadita Prajapati, a seventh-grade student at Willets Road School in Roslyn Heights who came in second and Zara Anand, a ffth-grade student at Jefrey Ratner-Robert Seaman Elementary School in Jericho, who came in third.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee will begin May 30 and run until June 1.

G.N. native’s tasty pies win ‘Chopped’ title

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Rob Cervoni, co-owner of Long Island’s frst Roman-style pizzeria Taglio at 85 Mineola Blvd. in Mineola, won $10,000 during a pizza-centric episode of Food Network’s “Chopped” last week.

Cervoni, a Great Neck native who now lives in Franklin Square, beat out three other pizza chefs for the episode’s top prize on the March 28 episode. He said he plans to use the winnings to create a scholarship fund for future pizza makers, or pizzaiolos.

“There’s been a massive boom in business. We had on Friday night a three-hour wait for pizza,” Cervoni said. “The entire community of Long Island has really come out, shown their support and welcomed me with open arms.”

Pizza al taglio, or pizza “by the cut,” has been gaining popularity across the nation, characterized by the dough’s airiness and its staple technique of being cut with scissors instead of sliced with a pizza cutter. The pizza’s airy dough can be attributed to its high hydration and at least a 72-hour fermentation process.

A 2006 Great Neck South High School alum, Cervoni previously ran a 16 Handles frozen yogurt franchise for eight years before deciding to open up Taglio in 2018 after multiple trips to Rome and his grandfather’s hometown of Boville Ernica in the province of Frosinone.

“I didn’t want to be like everybody else on Long Island,” Cervoni said about beginning his pizza venture. “I traveled through Italy and got inspiration from Roman-style pizza and I decided that’s what I’m going to do.”

The fufy pizza is cut with scissors to apply equal pressure on the top and bottom of the slice so as to not fatten the dough. The longer fermentation makes Roman-style pizza easier to digest than its Neopolitan counterpart.

Gabriele Bonci brought the pizza style to the United States, opening his frst location, Bonci, in Chicago.

With his winnings, Cervoni said he is going to fund the training of young pizza makers interested in bringing Roman-style pizza to their areas.

“When I go to diferent expositions, I meet young and hungry pizza makers that are super passionate,” Cervoni said. “This is to help them if they can’t get the proper training and equipment and I will put them in contact with a mentor to teach them like I had.”

Recognition started to come shortly after Taglio opened when Cervoni was named one of Pizza Today magazine’s seven Rising Stars of the Pizzeria Industry in 2022.

Cervoni said he was recruited by the producers on the show last year and after a series of online interviews flmed his episode from the network’s Manhattan studios in October.

Cervoni said Taglio, which is located next to both the Mineola LIRR station and NYU Langone, had good support from the local community but since the episode aired has gained interest from other residential areas.

“It was hard to break through at frst because it was so diferent at the time being the frst and only Roman-style pizzeria,” Cervoni said. “‘Chopped’ brought Roman style to the forefront and people are trying it, which is all that I ask. Come try it and be the judge for yourself.”

ROB CERVONI OF TAGLIO PIZZA IN MINEOLA. CREDIT Rob Cervoni of Taglio Pizza in Mineola.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GREAT NECK NORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL Great Neck North Middle School’s Brian Liu.

Santos briefly backs Trump in Manhattan

Embattled Republican congressman gets unfriendly welcome and word of a primary challenger

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Embattled U.S. Rep. George Santos traveled to Manhattan Tuesday to support former President Donald Trump ahead of his arraignment, while another GOP candidate announced he will challenge Santos for the state’s 3rd Congressional District seat in 2024.

The 3rd District representative, who faces a slew of investigations into his personal, professional and financial background, joined the crowd of roughly 1,000, including fellow GOP U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, outside Manhattan Criminal Court. Santos told NBC News his message to the former president is “stay strong” and “the people are with him.”

Santos left after a brief appearance in Manhattan where reporters and media outlets flocked around the congressman. He told NBC he would not be returning to the event because the media presence made it “unbearable” for him to stay.

“I came to support the president, but I’ve decided to leave,” Santos told an NBC reporter. “You guys win. Look at that, you should be so proud of yourself.”

Santos notably attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 where Trump spoke in a prelude to the violence that engulfed the Capitol.

Trump arrived in New York City for his arraignment Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to 34 Class E felony charges of falsifying business records. The charges stem from a $130,000 payment Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, made in

George Santos celebrating his victory in the state’s 3rd Congressional District election.

2016 to adult film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her keeping quiet about an alleged affair she had with Trump and a $150,000 payment to Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed she also had an affair with the former president in 2006.

Trump has denied the alleged encounters with the two women took place.

As Santos continues to face a myriad of allegations, he now has a Republican challenger in the 2024 primary election. Kellen Curry, a former vice president at J.P. Morgan and an Afghanistan war

veteran, launched his campaign against Santos Monday.

Curry, in a statement, said heightening accountability in Washington through ethics reforms, making Long Island more affordable and strengthening national defense are some of his main priorities.

“I come from a family of public servants so I am excited to be running for Congress and re-entering public service once again,” Curry said. “I look forward to working with the residents of New York’s 3rd Congressional District who have been enduring

an absence of leadership in Washington since January 2023.”

Curry completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan and currently serves in the Air Force Reserves, according to his campaign website. After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2009, Curry was on active duty for eight years, delivering cybersecurity technology to the military.

Curry has an MBA from the George Washington University School of Business and an Master’s of Science in Sports Business. He most recently served as a vice president for J.P. Morgan’s Corporate and Investment Banking Division from 2019-2023.

Efforts to reach a Santos representative for official comment were unavailing.

Santos, in a letter to the Federal Election Commission last month, said he will be running for reelection in 2024, despite GOP groups including the Nassau County Republican Committee saying they will not back him going forward.

Contributions have been made to DevolderSantos for Congress, which has been designated as the embattled congressman’s campaign finance committee.

The House Ethics Committee launched a formal investigation into Santos earlier this year and will scrutinize his most recent congressional campaign, officials announced.

The committee will determine if the admitted liar failed to properly disclose information and statements to Congress, engaged in sexual misconduct with someone seeking employment in his D.C. office and violated potential federal conflict of interest laws.

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

Blank Slate earns 6 statewide awards

Wins 1st place for editorial page, overall design, advertising, classifieds; cited for news coverage

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Blank Slate Media’s newspapers won six awards at the New York Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest this weekend for their editorial page, advertising, design and reporting.

The company’s six newspapers received firstplace honors for its editorial page, which judges called “smart, literary and an overall fun read,” while the Roslyn Times also earned the top spot for Overall Design Excellence.

The New York Press Association represents all weekly and small daily newspapers in New York State.

Editor and Publisher Steven Blank said the awards reflect the talent and hard work of the entire Blank Slate team while commending the readers themselves for its editorial page recognition.

“Voting is based on not only the quality of the editorial and the columnists, but the letters that we receive from our readers,” Blank said. “This is an award in which our readers share credit. The quality of our letters is really exceptional. We have a very engaged and informed group of people who are reading and commenting on issues with a wide diversity of opinions they express very well.”

Blank Slate Media and a letter it received from a Great Neck resident were featured by The Washington Post in a 2020 article about the state of opinion sections in local newspapers.

Art director Yvonne Farley, who has worked at Blank Slate since 2016, earned first place for Best Advertising Campaign and second place in Division 2 for Best House Advertisement Campaign.

Farley’s work was praised for standout images and eye-catching visuals.

“I am honored to be recognized among so many talented individuals and I am proud to be part of such a motivated, hardworking and dedicated team at Blank Slate Media,” Farley said in a statement.

Fellow layout editor Lorens Rawlings-Morris,

a seven-year veteran of the company, earned first place in the contest’s Best Classified Advertising Campaign, winning praise for organizing sections and sub-categories that were easy on the eyes, judges said.

“I was pleasantly shocked. I didn’t realize that the classified section was a category that was con-

sidered, so it’s very nice to be recognized,” RawlingsMorris said.

Reporter Robert Pelaez, who primarily covers the Great Neck and Manhasset areas, also earned an honorable mention award for Best Freedom of Information-based story for his work on village notices for agendas prior to meetings and covering crime statistics in Nassau County.

“I appreciate the recognition from NYPA on my pieces. It’s indicative of the hard work I and the rest of our dedicated reporters do on a daily basis. The hope is to turn that honorable mention into awardwinning articles going forward,” Pelaez said. “I also want to congratulate Yvonne Farley, Lorens Morris, Steve Blank and the rest of the Blank Slate Media staff for their respective awards, resulting in the company’s best performance in the annual competition.”

The 90 points in the contest from the six awards are the best results Blank Slate Media has had in the history of the company. For first-place winners 20 points are awarded, while 10 points and three points are awarded for second and third place, respectively.

The point total was tied for the most among groups in Nassau County, equaling The Herald newspapers, which is published by Richner Communications.

The 50 points Blank Slate received for advertising categories tied for second-highest in the state, behind only The Post-Standard, which serves Syracuse and other communities in Central New York.

Continued on Page 28

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ISLAND 360 ARCHIVES

Blank Slate Media earned a company-high 90 points in the New York Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Residents of New York’s 3rd Congressional District called on Republican U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito to co-sponsor legislation to expel U.S. Rep. George Santos from ofce in a letter sent to the congressman Friday.

Concerned Citizens of NY-03, a nonpartisan, ad hoc group of Santos constituents, implored D’Esposito to co-sponsor a resolution introduced by House Democrats in February calling for the embattled congressman’s resignation. The group cited D’Esposito’s previous criticism of his fellow Republican congressman in the letter.

“Aren’t you tired of being demeaned by having Santos as your colleague?” the letter states. “Saying you want this criminal expelled is merely ‘lip service’ if you don’t actually take the action of cosponsoring [the resolution] and collaborate with your colleagues to pressure” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to oust Santos.

Immediate eforts to reach D’Esposito or a representative from his ofce regarding the letter were unavailing.

D’Esposito, a Republican representing New York’s 4th Congressional District, was elected to the House in November, fipping a seat previously held by Democrat Kathleen Rice. He previously said his ofce plans to help out the constituents of the 3rd District as multiple investigations into Santos continue.

D’Esposito was one of many Nassau-based Republicans who called for Santos to step down from ofce after lies the congressman made about his personal, professional and fnancial background were unearthed earlier this year. He was also quoted saying his Republican counterpart is “a stain on the institution.”

“It has become clear that Congressman George Santos’ many hurtful lies and mistruths surrounding his history have irreparably broken the trust of the residents he is sworn to

serve,” D’Esposito said in January. “For his betrayal of the public’s trust, I call on Congressman George Santos to resign.”

D’Esposito also introduced a pair of bills in March that would prevent members of Congress from fnancially profting of breaking election laws aimed at Santos.

The No Fame for Fraud Resolution and No Fortune for Fraud Acts would bar any current or former members of Congress who were indicted or found guilty of violating the Federal Election Act of 1971 or lost their congressional pension through other violations to fnancially proft from their transgressions.

The legislation would prevent members who fall under the parameters of the bills to take compensation for biographies or media appearances based on their crimes, among other things.

“I am committed to advancing good, accountable government here in our nation’s capital, and that includes preventing elected ofcials who broke the public’s trust from profting from their misdeeds,” D’Esposito said in a statement about the bill.

The Campaign Legal Center, a nonproft organization that aims to advance democracy through the law, questioned the newly elected congressman’s infux of wealth after he reported a salary of $55,000 in 2020, which rose to $750,000 in 2022 and $1 million to $5 million in dividends.

The organization also called the congressman’s $705,000 loan to his campaign into question, claiming he falsifed reports on nearly 40 expenditure flings under $200.

The center fled the complaint with the Federal Election Commission and the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice in January.

“Con artists, liars, and fabulists who lied their way into Congress should not be able to monetize their lies, and this legislative package would ensure they are unable to do so,” D’Esposito said. “I spent the greater part of my career keeping criminals of the streets of New York, and now I want to keep fraudsters out of the halls of Congress.”

The FBI is also currently investigating Santos’ role in allegedly scamming a homeless, disabled veteran out of thousands of dollars that would have been used to care for the man’s service dog.

Calls for D’Esposito to back Santos expulsion Hain Celestial leaves Lake Success HQ

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Hain Celestial, the international organic and natural products organization with brands such as Terra, Sensible Portions, Celestial Seasonings, The Greek Gods and more, departed from its Lake Success headquarters Friday.

Company ofcials told Newsday the “shift to hybrid work over the past three years” led them to leave the 86,100-square-foot facility at 1111 Marcus Ave. in Lake Success.

“We decided to explore a HQ space that is right-sized for our needs,” the company told the newspaper.

Eforts to reach a Hain Celestial representative for comment on the matter were unavailing.

Hain Celestial was granted a 16-year freeze

Nicholas Center hits home run with Yanks

on its property taxes by the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency in 2012 after moving its headquarters from Melville to Lake Success. The company was scheduled to pay just shy of $400,000 to the county each year under a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement, according to agency documents.

“We’d love for them to stay in Nassau County,” Nassau County Industrial Development Agency Chairman Richard Kessel said in an email to Blank Slate Media. “They are a great company. We’re continuing to talk to them.”

Agency ofcials told Newsday it is unclear what impact Hain Celestial’s move would have on the county. Hain Celestial has received more than $1.9 million in tax breaks as a result of the agreement with the agency.

The agreement between Hain Celestial and the agency requires them to stay in the Lake Success facility through 2029, according to agency documents. Ofcials did not say whether or not Hain will have to continue making its annual payments-in-lieu-of-taxes.

The company did not disclose to Newsday how many employees were working in the Lake Success building at the time of their departure from Nassau County, though the company’s 2022 annual report showed a decrease in employment and profts.

Hain Celestial, the international organic and natural product company, left its Lake Success headquarters on Friday, according to a Newsday report.

The agreement between the company and the Industrial Development Agency said Hain would create 50 new jobs to pay on average more than $130,000 per year. After having more than 250 Long Island employees over a decade ago, Hain Celestial had 239 local employees by

Continued on Page 40

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Nicholas Center is participating in a fundraiser with the New York Yankees for World Autism Day at their Sunday game, with every ticket sold using the center’s promo code donating $5 to the center.

The Nicholas Center is a Port Washington-

based organization that supports individuals with autism. Director of Development Lee Anne Vetrone said that the center was invited by the Yankees organization to participate in the fundraiser for World Autism Day at the stadium.

April is Autism Awareness Month, which Vetrone also referred to as Autism Acceptance

Continued on Page 41

PHOTO FROM THE ISLAND 360 ARCHIVES

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito represents the state’s 4th Congressional District.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEE ANNE VETRONE

A participant with the Nicholas Center attending the Yankees game Sunday, which held a special event for World Autism Day.

Thank

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DeSantis downplays Trump charges in Nassau

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of former President Donald Trump “flimsy” at a speaking event from the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale Saturday Night.

DeSantis, who could run against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was making one of many stops promoting his book, “The Courage to Be Free,” and discussing the Florida Blueprint, which event organizers described as a model for the rest of the nation.

“This guy is all about politics,” DeSantis said of Bragg to applause from hundreds in the crowd. “He has an agenda. That is not the rule of law.”

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 federal offenses related to falsifying business records during his Manhattan arraignment Tuesday afternoon.

DeSantis has not officially announced his candidacy for president, but multiple polls show him in second place behind Trump among Republicans.

The event opened with Nassau County Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo and Executive Bruce Blakeman, who touted Nassau’s success since his administration began, before former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) welcomed DeSantis to the stage.

A group of Trump supporters gathered outside the venue holding “Honk for Trump” signs on the side of Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, among other flags. Another group of anti-De-

Santis protesters was also present but gathered at a distance from the pro-Trump group.

When DeSantis began his nearly 45-minute speech, at least one Trump supporter shouting “Trump” multiple times was removed from the venue by security.

The 44-year-old Republican opened his speech by enumerating his gubernatorial accomplishments. After winning the 2018 gubernatorial campaign by less than a 1% margin against Democrat Andrew Gillum, he won re-election in 2022 by nearly 20 points.

“The free state of Florida was really the promised land for many people over these last three or four years,” DeSantis said. “We lead the country in net-in migration, we are the fastest growing state in the country, we lead the nation in new business formations, we’re No. 1 amongst large states in GDP growth and we’re No. 1 in education freedom.”

DeSantis was also very critical of President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party as a whole, saying President Biden is “weak, floundering and being controlled by the leftist elements of the Democratic Party.”

“What we have shown is if you exhibit bold leadership, if you have a strong agenda, you can beat the left and we beat them,” DeSantis said.

Many current and former Long Island GOP officials were present in the audience for the large turnout of over 500 people, including former U.S. Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park) of the state’s 4th District, U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amtiyville), and former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato.

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks from the Cradle of Aviation Museum Saturday night.

OUR VIEWS Editorial Cartoon

Preserve local papers in N.Y.

The total number of New York State daily newspapers declined from 62 to 54 between 2004 and 2019, while the number of weekly newspapers plunged from 439 to 249, according to the Rebuild Local News Coalition.

This is part of a national trend.

The United States has lost a quarter of its newspapers since 2005 and is losing two a week (almost all weekly newspapers) on average, according to a report from Northwestern University’s Medill School.

In all 2,500 American newspapers have disappeared since 2005.

The picture is even worse when you consider the number of daily newspapers that now publish less than six times a week and the number of daily and weekly newspapers that have reduced reporting positions.

True, the impact is not being felt evenly. Some areas of New York State and other parts of the country have now become news deserts with no newspapers to report on the community.

Other places, like Long Island, have lost fewer publications. But in almost all cases the number of reporters has declined.

Should you care?

Newspapers are private businesses and like others are expected to face free-market challenges where there are winners and losers.

But newspapers are not like most other private businesses. They also serve a public purpose. That is why what they do is protected by the very frst amendment to the Constitution.

And studies show that without a credible source of news, voter participation declines, corruption increases and residents end up paying more in taxes.

Cities where newspapers closed up shop have seen increases in government costs as a result of the lack of scrutiny over local deals, accord-

ing to researchers who tracked the decline of local news outlets between 1996 and 2015.

Disruptions in local news coverage are soon followed by higher long-term borrowing costs. Costs for bonds can rise as much as 11 basis points after the closure of a local newspaper, according to Bloomberg News.

The news deserts also appear to be behind the rise in partisanship.

A 2020 study by Pew Research Center found Americans who mainly get their news on social media are less likely to get the facts right about the coronavirus and politics, and more likely to hear unproven claims.

Fewer reporters also mean less coverage of school board meetings, community activities and whether or not Nassau Congressman George Santos ever graduated from college.

The frst questions about Santos were raised by a local weekly newspaper, the Locust Valley Leader, followed by more extensive coverage in The New York Times and then nearly daily revelations in other newspapers, including ours.

Neither Santos’ Democratic opponent nor the Nassau County Republican Party, which was supposed to have vetted him — twice — brought these facts to the public’s attention.

Just this weekend, Blank Slate Media reporter Robert Pelaez earned a well-deserved award for using the Freedom of Information law to get information on Nassau County’s crime rate and the notice villages give to residents about upcoming meetings.

If not for Pelaez, Nassau taxpayers would have had to wait longer for the crime statistics – if they received them at all.

But help for the industry may be on the way in New York.

The state Legislature has proposed legislation titled the Local

BLANK SLATE MEDIA LLC

22 Planting Field Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577

Phone: 516-307-1045

E-mail: hblank@theisland360.com

EDITOR

AND PUBLISHER Steven Blank

MANAGER Holly Blank

Journalism Sustainabiliy Act that would provide $150 million in tax credits over the next fve years to news organizations based on the number of journalists they employ.

The money is intended to serve as a bridge for news organizations to transition to new media. And a way to maintain and even grow the coverage of local communities such as ours on the North Shore. Is this a handout?

Well, government regularly subsidizes industries, including agriculture and energy. The federal government still gives tax breaks for drilling for oil and growing food.

It also pays for research that benefts pharmaceutical companies and most recently agreed to cover the deposits for wealthy people and corporations with more than $250,000 in Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

The alternative, it was said, was a run on banks that would take down many small and medium-sized fnan-

cial institutions.

Even large tech giants such as Google, Facebook and Twitter are protected by federal laws that say they are not publishers like newspapers so they are not responsible for libel or slander by those who are posting on their sites.

Newspapers are responsible. They need to make certain thatwhat appears in their publications is accurate. Or face fnancial and legal consequences.

The tech giants, which receive an increasingly large share of advertising revenue, also get to boost their audience with news stories produced by newspapers without paying for them. Talk about an uneven playing feld.

Closer to home, this year’s state budget includes $700 million in flming tax credits every year through 2034, many times more than what newspapers would receive over the next fve years.

So the Local Journalism Sustain-

Robert Pelaez, Brandon Duffy, Cameryn Oakes

Karen Rubin

EXECUTIVES Stacy Shaughnessy, Melissa Spitalnick, Wendy Kates, Barbara Kaplan, Renee Giordani

DIRECTOR Yvonne Farley

ability Act may be considered a bailout.

But it would be fairer to consider the money as an investment and newspapers something akin to a utility essential to the operation of communities, large and small.

Newspapers, particularly weekly newspapers, serve many purposes.

They are a way for businesses to cost-efectively reach their audience. A town square for residents to express their opinions. A way to relay news from a trusted source. A safeguard against waste and corruption in government.

Newspapers are also a solution to the growing disinformation and polarization tearing the country apart.

If you want to preserve and even strengthen newspapers’ ability to serve your community, you can do something about it.

Tell your state representatives that the industry is worth an investment by the state. Now. Before it is too late.

When neighbors inform on neighbors

Masha Moskaleva is a 13-yearold girl living in Russia. In April 2022 she completed an assignment for her sixthgrade art class to draw a picture showing support for the Russian military in Ukraine. Masha, who marches to the beat of her own drum, chose instead to draw a picture in support of Ukraine.

Her picture shows a woman, dressed in yellow and blue, defending her child from advancing Russian missiles. The drawing includes a Ukrainian fag and the phrases: “Glory to Ukraine” and “No to war.”

Masha’s art teacher brought her drawing to the principal, who then notifed the authorities. The Federal Security Service (formerly KGB) showed up and her father, Alexey Moskalev, was arrested. He was charged with “discrediting” the Russian army for posting anti-war sentiment on social media, a violation of Russia’s wartime censorship laws punishable by up to three years in prison. While he denied the charges, Mr. Moskalev was placed under house arrest. Masha was taken to a foster care facility and later to a state children’s rehabilitation center, which is essentially an orphanage.

Can you imagine this happening in an American classroom? No teach-

able moment, no classroom discussion, nothing except: “Go directly to jail; do not pass go.”

Masha’s is a story about censorship and community surveillance. Community enforcement of draconian censorship laws against children and families is not surprising in a totalitarian regime ruled by a war criminal. “Authoritarian societies depend on people ratting each other out for activities that were recently legal—and it’s already happening in the U.S.,” reports Thor Benson for Wired magazine.

Censorship has sharply increased in America. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a campaign against “woke indoctrination” in public schools, especially as it relates to race and gender. Teachers who violate Florida’s censorship laws face suspension, as well as revocation of their teaching licenses.Apparently, the DeSantis censorship virus has spread to private schools as well.

On March 23, the principal of a Tallahassee, FL charter school was pushed to resign after three parents complained about an art history lesson in which a teacher showed her sixth-grade art class a photo of Michelangelo’s iconic statue of David, which was sculpted in the early 1500s and currently resides in the Accademia Gallery of Florence,

Italy.

In Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin set up a tip line for parents to report teachers who are teaching content believed to be “divisive.” Opportunities to surveil and report neighbors and colleagues don’t end at the school house door.

When the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back women’s reproductive rights in 2022, they kick-started a cottage industry for bounty hunters. The state of Texas passed a law (Senate Bill 8) authorizing private citizens to sue doctors, nurses, family, friends, livery

drivers or anyone else who “aids or abets” an abortion after six weeks. The law essentially deputizes private citizens to enforce the abortion ban by suing “ofenders” in exchange for a cash bounty.

“If successful, the law instructs courts to award plaintifs [bounty hunters] at least $10,000 in damages from defendants,” reports Emma Bowman for NPR. As for anyone who is reported and found guilty of performing an abortion, it is now a felony punishable by up to life in prison in Texas. By engaging bounty hunters, the state has abdicated its role in enforcing the law and is relying on neighbors to inform on neighbors.

The Texas bounty bill, versions of which have been adopted into law in Idaho and Oklahoma, will continue to have continuing, serious and long-term efects. For example, an Idaho hospital, Bonner General Health, just shuttered its maternity ward. Hospital ofcials issued a news release stating that its most highly respected physicians are leaving as “the Idaho Legislature continues to introduce and pass bills that criminalize physicians for medical care nationally recognized as the standard of care.”

The latest update on Masha is

that she will remain in state custody in Russia until her father’s legal status is fnalized. He was sentenced to two years in prison on March 28, but not before he fed from house arrest. He was later apprehended in Minsk, according to Meduza, an online international publication that develops stories from sources in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Beyond Masha, “approximately 544 children have been detained in some form or other for making antiwar or pro-Ukrainian statements since Russia invaded Ukraine,” according to a March 12 report that appeared in the Jerusalem Post. Is it too far-fetched to imagine a day when American children who express dissent against government policies are informed on, detained and removed from their homes?

“One of the cores of democracy is neighborhood trust,” cautioned John Hopkins Professor Consuelo Amat. “You need to trust others in your society and in your community for democracy to work,” she added.

At the end of the Constitutional Convention in September 1787, a woman asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got — a republic or a monarchy?” Dr. Franklin replied, “A republic if you can keep it.”

Albany shenanigans on rent regulations

Albany pols are peddling fawed minimum wage and rent control proposals. Here’s the lowdown:

Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes to peg the minimum wage—which is presently $15 an hour in New York City and $14.15 upstate—to infation. The extremists in her party prefer to increase it to at least $20 an hour.

If either get their way, the very people they hope to help will be hurt.

When encumbered with increased payroll costs, small business owners always lay of hourly workers. The hardest hit: teenagers working part time or in entry-level jobs.

Democrats fail to grasp that neighborhood entrepreneurs who survived the ill-advised COVID shutdown are still struggling.

Let’s not forget that during the pandemic over 10,000 small businesses permanently shut their doors on Long Island. This, in turn, led to a commercial real estate crisis— storefront vacancies hit 50%.

Empty stores cause real estate values to decline and property tax revenues to drop.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams proposed budget projects commercial real estate taxes will be down at least $1 billion. Experts expect that number to grow.

Imposing a $20 minimum wage will push up unemployment, force more businesses to close and escalate vacancy rates.

Another ludicrous Democratic Socialist proposal: universal rent control that would place in New York City, for example, over 2 million more apartments under the thumb of government bureaucrats.

Back in 1943, the federal government put New York under war-time rent controls. That interference in the real estate market was to be a temporary measure.

In 1950 Federal controls were lifted, but New York—unlike all other major cities—kept controls in place.

“As a result,” housing expert William Tucker reported “[New York] City essentially missed the post-war boom in housing construction.

Not only did rent control discourage investment in new multi-family housing projects, it also encouraged landlords to defer maintenance and led many to just

walk away from unproftable properties. In the 1970s, more than 250,000 apartments were abandoned in New York City. Tucker observed that “in no other city except New York has housing been lost during a shortage.” By 1993, the largest owner of rundown buildings was the city.

Rent control has also discouraged

tenants from moving because they do not want to give up their below-market rents. New York University’s Furman Center has determined “that rent-regulated tenants remain in their units three times as long as those in non-regulated units.”

Yet, despite the awful history of rent control, Socialist Democrats continue to pursue anti-apartment ownership legislation.

In 2019, they passed the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act that limited the ability of landlords to raise rents to recover the cost of building repairs and increases in property taxes and heating fuel costs.

Three years after that law took efect there were about 60,000 vacant rent-stabilized apartments in New York City. And more than half of them were “under or awaiting renovation.”

Most of those renovations are years in the making because landlords can’t afford to make the repairs.

Another unintended consequence of the 2019 Protection Act: Many apartment buildings are defned by creditors as “underwater” because rental income is not enough to cover mortgage payments and

operating costs.

To make matters worse a so-called “eviction prevention” bill has been introduced in the state Legislature. Buried in the document is language that would subject market-rate apartment buildings to rent control.

Under the plan The Wall Street Journal has reported, rent “would be effectively capped at 3% or 1.5 times the Consumer Price Index in the region, whichever is higher. If landlords raise rent above this rate, they couldn’t evict tenants who refuse to pay.”

If this becomes law, landlords will defer maintenance and eventually walk away from buildings.

A coalition of homeowner associations has called the legislation, “an ideologically driven pursuit by far-left socialists that does nothing to address the housing supply shortage and would, in fact, make an apartment impossibly expensive for new renters.”

Imposing proven unsound minimum wage and rent control regulations will only exasperate New York’s woes. Hopefully, cooler heads prevail in Albany and these dangerous proposals are bottled up.

Cyborg vs. columnist. Who writes better?

Ihave been hearing that the robot “Chat GPT” will write a fascinating and creative paper of any length and can do so in about 4 seconds. Since I fnd myself in the writing business, why not test this out? Why not ask “Chat GPT” to write an essay on something and compare it to an essay I would write about the same subject. Sounds like fun to me.

I gave “Chat GPT” a request to “Write a 350-word essay on the current American zeitgeist.” It took the “Chat GPT” about 3 seconds to write it. It took me 2 ½ hours to write mine.

Let’s see my version frst.

‘THE GREAT AMERICAN ZEITGEIST’ BY TOM FERRARO

Zeitgeist is defned as “the general intellectual, moral and cultural climate of an era.” Now in fairness, I must admit that I have written about the American zeitgeist in the past so perhaps I have a head start on the robot, but in fairness to me “Mr. Chat GPT” has been fathered by an endless number of super-nerds from MIT and Harvard, plus guys like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman, so let’s say it’s a fair fght.

In my opinion, the best image of the American zeitgeist would be a photograph of Donald Trump, eating a McDonald’s hamburger while watching “The Terminator” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton.

That way we could see the moral compass in America, our rampant obsession with consumption of garbage and the dangers of cyborgs, all in one photo. Maybe I can ask Gregory Crewdson, the great photographer from Yale, to take the photo.

I am already sensing that the computer essay is going to be better than mine since I seem to be rambling and joking, so let’s get back to the project. The American zeitgeist has rapidly changed, and we have little choice but to hang on for dear life. American historian Henry Adams predicted all this back in 1904 with his essay “A Law of Acceleration,” which warned that technological advancement would be like a racing comet and could not be stopped out of concern for humanity.

Warnings such as that of Henry Adams do little to stop the advance of human ingenuity and creativity. As recently as last week, Sam Altman, the genius who runs “OpenAI,” openly equivocated as to whether he felt artifcial intelligence would lead mankind to nirvana or to its death. Altman likes to use interesting quotes from Robert Oppenheimer, the guy who ran the Manhattan Project and the father of the Hydrogen Bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

We now live in a world entranced by social media, TV and computers and have lost our sense of community and

human connectivity. We see the rise of school shootings, road rage, psychosomatic illnesses, distrust, paranoia, anomie and political divisiveness. The incessant exposure to fast-paced technologies destroys our human nature. Take driving as an example. A car will get you there faster, but you see nothing along the way. Constant exposure to computers, cars, and other “time-saving devices” results in four things. It makes us fat, lazy, overcompetitive and angry. As Henry Adams said in 1904, it matters not whether technological advances are good for mankind or not. Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” warned that whatever we create, we must live with.

EARTH MATTERS

So now let’s see how “Chat GTP” describes the American zeitgeist.

‘THE GREAT AMERICAN ZEITGEIST’ BY THE ROBOT ‘CHAT GTP’

“The term ‘zeitgeist’ is often used to refer to the cultural, intellectual, and social climate of a particular era or time period. In the United States, the zeitgeist of the 21st century has been shaped by a number of factors, including technological advancements, changing demographics, and political polarization.

One of the defning features of the American zeitgeist in recent years has been the rapid pace of technological change. New technologies, such as smartphones and social media platforms, have transformed our communication and social interactions, allowing us to connect with others in ways that were once unimaginable. However, these same technologies have also raised concerns about privacy, online harassment, and the spread of disinformation.

Another factor shaping the American zeitgeist is the changing racial and ethnic makeup of the country. The United States is becoming more diverse than ever before, with people of color projected to make up a majority of the population within the next few decades. This demographic shift has sparked important conversations about inclusion, civil rights, and social justice.

At the same time, however, political polarization and divisiveness have also become defning features of the 21st century American zeitgeist. In recent years, the country has become more politically divided than at any time in recent memory with heated debates over issues like immigration, healthcare and gun control. This polarization has been fueled by the rise of social media and the increased reliance on partisan news sources.

Overall, the zeitgeist of 21st-century America is characterized by rapid technological change, increasing diversity, and political polarization. While these trends have brought many benefts, they have also created new challenges and tensions that will need to be addressed if the country is to move forward in a positive direction.”

WHO WINS; ME OR THE CYBORG?

Kudos to the robot. Its essay was well written, organized, easy to follow and extremely comprehensive. It touched upon diversity, whereas I didn’t. I think my tone was more a bit more human, slightly funnier and I made more literary allusions. And I emphasized the dangers of computers, but the robot seemed to ignore that point, which only goes to show that computers are like people. They use defense mechanisms like denial, projection and displacement. Even computers need to hide from the truth.

Plastic pollution threatens our health

I’m a big fan of recycling. For years I was “wish-cycling” plastic, or wishing my plastic garbage was recyclable. I carefully washed the containers and threw everything marked with the recycling symbol into the recycling bin. Then one day I received a mailer from my town and my entire world was upended with the realization that only #1 and #2 plastics are actually processed by our town’s recycling facility.

As an aspirational environmentalist, all of my consumer habits were quickly put in question. Devastated, I started researching plastic. Immobilized by the pandemic, I audited an online course on Plastic Pollution ofered at Bennington College by Judith Enck, a former EPA regional administrator and founder of Beyond Plastics, which is dedicated to the overwhelming task of fghting plastic pollution. In this class, I discovered more than I ever wanted to know about plastic.

Please know that just because the barely visible chasing arrow is marked on your container, that doesn’t mean the product is recyclable. The only types of post-consumer plastic for which there are markets are marked #1 and #2 and these products are typically downcycled into fbers for feece jackets and car-

pets. A plastic bottle is rarely recycled into another bottle. It’s cheaper to make virgin plastic. Contrary to the industry’s claims, plastic simply is not recyclable. In fact, less than 6% of plastics in the U.S. are repurposed by recycling facilities. Keep in mind that paper, aluminum and glass have excellent recyclability rates.

The main problem with plastic is that we are using a non-recyclable, synthetic product that lasts forever for single use only. Plastics are piling up in the biosphere and pose an unregulated health hazard for all of life. Thousands of chemical additives give plastics the many magical properties designers and engineers have enjoyed for decades. Many of these additives are unfortunately well-known carcinogens, neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors. Still, all plastics are presumed innocent until otherwise proven. This is very diferent from the pharmaceutical industry that must prove the safety of drugs and vaccines prior to sale.

Each year new products are released without any testing for toxicity and 40% of plastics are for single-use packaging, many of them for food. Some 500 billion plastic bottles are sold each year. And now the industry is proposing “chemical recycling” as a solution to the plastic crisis; that’s

HILDUR PALSDOTTIR Earth Matters

a fancy term for burning plastics in a process that creates pollution.

Plastic manufacturing, use and disposal introduce potential threats to human health at every stage of the product’s life cycle. Plastics don’t break down, but rather break up into tiny pieces. These microplastics are now being internalized by us. Conservative estimates suggest that every year we’re eating, drinking and inhaling between 74,000 to 121,000 microplastic particles per year.

Plastic water bottles contain an especially high number of particulates. And please don’t microwave

food in plastic containers. You’ll never know the harmful chemicals you digest with your dinner. It’s especially concerning that in 2021 a team of Italian scientists discovered that plastics are crossing into human placenta and are present in the fetus at birth. Infant neurodevelopmental pathways are particularly sensitive.

The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health warns in a sobering report published in March 2023 that plastics are a threat to human and planetary health. They estimate “that in 2015 the health-related costs of plastic production exceeded $250 billion globally, and that in the U.S. alone the health costs of disease, disability and premature death caused by three plastic chemicals alone exceeded $920 billion.”

Since the 1950s, over 8 billion tons of plastics have been produced, that’s equal to one ton per person alive today. More than half of plastics ever made were manufactured in the last 15 years. Fossil fuel industries are pivoting toward even more plastic production now that climateconscious consumers are transitioning away from natural gas, coal and oil and toward renewables.

And the 230-fold increase in global plastic production since 1950 is

projected to triple by 2050. Oceana, the global ocean conservation group, reported that Amazon.com generated 709 million pounds of plastic packaging waste in 2021, an 18% increase over the 2020’s estimate of 599 million pounds of plastic waste. We must stop this trend. The plastic pollution problem is recent and there’s no doubt we caused it. And, yes, it’s up to us to curb this crisis.

The market’s failure to scale up recycling to meet production rates demands stronger regulation on the manufacturing side. We can all participate in the personal, behavioral, societal and legislative changes needed to reduce unnecessary plastic pollution. Visit https://www.beyondplastics.org/act to learn how you can help end plastic pollution.

We need to pause non-essential plastic production until we understand the impact these synthetics are having on human health. We need bans on certain single-use plastics, reduction in the complexity and toxicity of plastics, better Bottle Bills & improved Extended Producer Responsibility and for the Break Free From Plastics Bill to be approved. Join Beyond Plastics and learn how you can be part of the nationwide movement to curb the plastic pollution crisis.

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

American Jews right to stand with protesters

American Jews’ support for Israel is being tested by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s hard-right rulers.

“Israel is no longer a star in the American fag?” says an indignant rightwing cabinet member, defant over President Biden’s cautionary tone concerning Netanyahu’s authoritarian moves to take over the judiciary and end checks and balances.

Netanyahu (in an eerily similar predicament to Trump) is acting to protect himself from prosecution while the right wing is seizing power to overrule the Supreme Court’s pesky interference to declare its theocratic actions unconstitutional. This has brought out the most signifcant anti-government protests across Israel probably in its history.

The reaction is rich, considering it has been the United States that has protected, fnanced, and defended Israel when the tiny nation has stood all alone in the world. And hypocritical, considering how Netanyahu repeatedly showed his contempt for Obama, openly supported Trump, and (at the invitation of Republicans), addressed Congress to demand the U.S. cease negotiating the joint nuclear deal with Iran. (Trump immediately withdrew, prompting renewed nuclear activity by Iran).

Perhaps Israel is emboldened by its Abraham Accord treaties with Arab neighbors previously pledged to its destruction.

Saudi Arabia, reportedly negotiating to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, is making it conditional on a civilian nuclear program

and security assurances from President Biden, a steep price for an agreement long sought by Israel.

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has just renewed relations with Iran, Israel’s mortal enemy which is also in league with Russia. So fgure.

The authoritarian move by Netanyahu gives ammunition to those who want to break US’s strong, expensive, and up until now, unwavering support for Israel at a time when antisemitism is rising, sympathy and support for Israel is waning and proPalestinian factions are becoming more powerful.

It puts American Jews in the Trump MAGA camp if they continue to support Netanyahu’s far-right regime- ironic because of the blatant antisemitism that underlies the Trump cult.

This isn’t a recent conundrum – it has been building since Trump consciously divided American Jews into liberal and right-wing camps, even suggesting “how could American Jews be Democrats” (if he actually knew or cared about the values that are central to Judaism he wouldn’t ask).

But he scored undying support among conservative and orthodox (right-wing) American Jews by moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In clips aired on the Unholy podcast, reported in Vanity Fair, Trump went on a lengthy rant about how American Jews aren’t loyal enough to Israel, invoking a longtime antisemitic trope about Jewish people and allegiances to other countries.

Speaking to journalist Barak Ravid , Trump said, “There’s people in this country that are Jewish that

KAREN RUBIN View Point

no longer love Israel. I’ll tell you the Evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country. It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress and today I think it’s the exact opposite, and I think [Barack] Obama and [Joe] Biden did that. And yet in the election, they still get a lot of votes from Jewish people…which tells you that the Jewish people, and I’ve said this for a long time, the Jewish people in the United States either don’t like Israel or don’t care about Israel. I mean, you look at The New York Times , The New York Times hates Israel, hates them, and they’re Jewish people that run The New York Times, I mean the Sulzberger family.”

But it is very much the artifcial, manufactured quandary that Americans are put into, along with the rightwing’s appropriation of the fag and what is a “patriot” when in fact, the values that are being defended by “liberal” Americans and “liberal” American Jews are foundational to

READERS WRITE

both the United States and Israel.

And for the longest time, Israel could count on American support, when a scant 1% of the population is actually Jewish, because the tiny nation could hold itself out as the only true democracy in the Middle East, as vital an ally to the United States as the United States to Israel.

But American Jews do have a role to play. Israel is very much dependent upon American support, and support from American Jews – fnancially, politically and militarily and diplomatically. It will be harder to counter the growing proPalestinian faction in Congress and the United Nations if American Jews are given cause to waver in their support.

That is what is being challenged now, and why it is very dangerous for Israel to be seen by Americans as abandoning democracy, even as they hope to retain the support of White Christo Fascist MAGA Republicans.

New York Times’ reporting, U.S.Israel Tensions Over Judicial Overhaul, garnered hundreds of comments like this:“Israel has extremely powerful advocates in the United States. We give Israel too much attention, money and political power. It’s time to cut them of and let them make do on their own. After all, ‘Israel would make its own decisions’.”

“Does Netanyahu understand, or care, that he is alienating American secular Jews who have long been the backbone of Israel’s support in the U.S.?”

In December, Abraham Foxman, the former longtime head of the Anti-Defamation League, told The Jerusalem Post, “I never thought that I would reach that point where

I would say that my support of Israel is conditional. I don’t think that it’s a horrifc condition to say: ‘I love Israel and I want to love Israel as a Jewish and democratic state that respects pluralism. If Israel ceases to be an open democracy, I won’t be able to support it.”

“It’s not one thing. It’s a whole package of things, which is bringing us back to the Middle Ages,” Foxman, a Holocaust survivor, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “So it’s undermining democracy in terms of the legal system. It’s cutting back on human or equal rights for all whether it’s LGBT or whether it’s the Conservative movement or the Reform movement.

That realization – of losing the support of Biden and American Jews — has factored in Netanyahu’s call to delay the decision until after Passover and “invite compromise” on his judicial overhaul.

But this could be the same delay ploy that Trump uses over and over –delay and distract. And the parallels to American politics are profound.

Passover is a celebration of one of the rare victories in the 5783-year history of the Jewish people.

It recalls our 400 years of enslavement in Egypt, freedom, and is foundational to the values we share, our empathy for others who are oppressed, victimized, terrorized, displaced and dispossessed.

The two key concepts from Passover are: “Let my people go” and “You were strangers in a strange land.”

Indeed, American Jews defend Israel by standing with Israelis to protect democracy against authoritarianism.

Why I am seeking re-elex to G.N. ed board

This is Jef Shi and I have been your trustee in the Great Neck Public Schools for the past six years. I am seeking re-election for a third term on May 16th. My wife and I have been living in Great Neck for eleven years and our daughter currently attends Great Neck South High School. Great Neck is the best place for us to live with welcoming neighbors, easy access to everything and the best school district on Long Island.

As your Trustee for the past six years, I had the good fortune to meet many of you and hear your opinions pertaining to our school district. I have learned so much about balancing the many needs of our children, parents, teachers and staf to preserve and protect the environment of excellence that we as a community have built for our children. I fnd great value in the work of the many advisory committees that we have formed and

myriad school events that I have attended.

Our Great Neck public school district, with its very humble beginnings two hundred years ago, consistently ranks as a top school district on Long Island. Our reputation has made our community a beacon for families who fock to our town to give their children the best opportunity. Our students continue to earn numerous accolades from academia to performing arts to sports and go on to fnd success beyond this foundation. At this time, we must not take this excellence for granted. We are in a moment of transition as we search for a new superintendent to lead our district. It is imperative that we conduct this search from a place of deep knowledge and institutional experience to ensure we hire a superintendent whose skills and understanding of how to build educational excellence align with our very high stan-

dards. I have valuable experience to apply to this search and to the host of complex issues our schools face every day.

While I appreciate the importance of investing in our district, I also understand that we must be fscally prudent and cognizant of the price tag it creates. To address this, as Trustee, I have helped implement additional checks and balances on business operations. I have engaged in commissioning a demographic study to plan for increased enrollment amid a wave of new construction on the peninsula to accommodate new students in the most cost-efective way possible. Additionally, aware of frightening trends in our nation, I have worked towards strengthening school safety for our children.

I want to thank you all for putting your confdence in me and giving a new immigrant like myself an opportunity to serve and contribute. Our acts of kind-

ness towards each other and our collaboration among ourselves are what made America the best nation of the world. As an immigrant, I understand the importance of hearing the many voices and perspectives that make up Great Neck and it is always my goal to represent all of the district’s children, to attend to all of their strengths and all of their needs. I will be there for all of our children through thick and thin.

I moved here so my daughter could beneft from this great institution. As your Trustee, I will draw on my experience to steer the Great Neck School District through this transitional time and advocate for an exceptional program that sets the standard for public education. Please vote for Jef Shi for Board of Education Trustee on May 16.

Jef Shi Great Neck

READERS WRITE

One summer I participated in an archeology survey along the route of proposed sanitary sewer lines. My university received a grant to conduct the survey on the south shore of Long Island.

The 1966 National Historic Preservation Act required surveys for projects receiving federal funds, to identify and help preserve cultural and historic resources. Being skilled I made 6$/hr., minimum wage and work study paid 2$. This I considered progress.

Making Progress Keep our weekly papers alive

Hard to believe, sewers were not wide-spread in the 70s. Progress generally meant development, but people were becoming concerned with protecting groundwater and surface water which were fast being polluted, and with improving bay and ocean water by reducing the pollution that resulted in large fsh killing algal blooms. The goals tend to confict.

The federal government provided funds to promote sewers and treatment plants as infrastructure projects, jurisdictions had to “opt in,” similar to how things are now. Many didn’t. People did not want to pay subsequent operation and maintenance recurring costs and taxes. Many did not consider sewers worthy progress.

As it is, 70% of Sufolk’s population are still on point source cesspools, leaching felds, septic systems; 10% of Nassau’s north shore population the same.

I later ran into similar logic working for the USEPA. People with wells in rural areas often did not want to be connected to public water, even at no cost when wells were polluted. They did not want to pay for what they received “free” and argued (rightly?) waterlines encouraged development. So we installed point of entry treatment systems (POETS) on many houses, and constructed water lines to the rest. We planned for POET maintenance and lab tests lasting decades, whereas constructing the waterlines was a one-time expense. A mixed bag. Not ideal but we considered it progress. Neither the DOJ nor management wanted to get embroiled in messy takings and seizures of people’s wells— time and resource consuming “big brother” PR imbroglios.

Getting back to the sewer line survey, we only found fragments. Not unusual because sewers were in the middle of streets that were of course greatly disturbed, not undeveloped areas.

Indian structures were made of natural materials above ground that quickly decomposed when abandoned. Had the survey occurred prior to development would have been a diferent story. Before there was progress. After all, Indians fourished here—plentiful resources,

small and large game, fsh, shellfsh, birds, eggs… Paradise?

As it was, I preferred working an unpaid weekend excavation of what had been an Indian camp in a wooded area overlooking a beautiful harbor. A woodland age camp was discovered by property owners who saw a few quartz fakes and pottery shards, and had the foresight to alert my university and let us excavate—I remember their lovely white clapboard house overlooked the water.

Indians built permanent settlements in the sheltered interior away from exposed shores, so it was a fair-weather summer camp of maybe several related families that moved to the coast for the plentiful sunlight and fsh. Over several seasons.

I wasn’t frst to notice, another student uncovered the small carefully placed bundle of bones two feet deep. A dog burial. Not a pet, per say, a loyal companion cherished for guarding camp, giving warning, fushing out game, protecting children—comfort and security.

Progress for them meant day to day, one day at a time— practical and reverential. Feeling the steady rustling wilderness, the warm sun and still dark night before lives were wrapped in tears, disease and abundant death stripped bones clean. That summer I realized I didn’t want to be a professor, my anthropology degree was otherwise not fruitful, so I completed a second major in geology, another love, though in this case lured by graduates who worked in oil and gas for lucrative salaries and benefts like company credit cards, cars and club memberships. Those were the days, after the Arab oil embargo bit down hard.

Recently I tried to locate the Indian camp on Google by identifying the house of the one property owner. All was swept clean, replaced by large, squared dwellings, tennis courts, manicured lawns, swimming pools, garages. I guess that’s progress. Now so much harder to say.

All the beauty in the world does not completely erase the trauma of history.

I digressed. So I digress, life is like that. Today is clear and blue, neither history nor memory— for a change. I consider that progress, however limited.

Stephen Cipot Happy Geologists Day, the frst Sunday in April each year

Passage of the New York Local Journalism Sustainability Act by the state Legislature led by state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins so it can be signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul is important to assure the survival of local neighborhood journalism. Most communities are down to one local daily or weekly newspaper. Newspapers have to deal with increasing costs for newsprint, delivery and distribution along with reduced advertising revenues and competition from the internet and other news information sources. Daily newspapers concentrate on international, Washington, Albany, business and Major League sports stories. They have few reporters covering local neighborhood news. Weekly newspapers fll the void for coverage of local community news.

I’m grateful that you have aforded me the opportunity to express my views via letters to the editor along with others who may have different opinions on the issues of the day.

Albany needs to join us in supporting weekly community newspapers. Readers patronize advertisers; they provide the revenues to help keep them in business. Let us hope there continues to be room for everyone, including the Great Neck News, Manhasset Times, Port Washington Times, Roslyn Times, New Hyde Park Herald Courier and Williston Times.

Larry Penner Faithful Reader and Letters to the Editor Contributor for Decades Great Neck

Challenging Ferraro on Freud’s popularity

Dr. Tom Ferraro uses cognitive-behavioral therapy as a foil in his accounting for the apparent rise in popularity of Freudian Psychoanalysis. His characterization of CBT is riven with inaccuracies, beginning with the grossly simplistic depiction of the approach as being a “quick fx” to the notion that therapists in this theoretical orientation dispense tired bromides such as recommending that one merely have more positive thoughts. These are profoundly inaccurate, and any well-trained CBT practitioner is actually deeply concerned with the environmental and historical forces in one’s life

that led to their need for therapy, and that merely thinking “good thoughts” is insufcient for wellness.

Instead, CBT recognizes that all behaviors and emotions are adaptive, and thus the challenges that brings someone to therapy often emerged for good reason. The task in CBT is therefore to identify the various current, as well as personal historical, causes and work to systematically address these. Doing so can sometimes be far more efcient than psychoanalysis, but it is nevertheless time consuming and hardly a “quick fx.”

There is an alternative and simplistic expla-

nation for the apparent rise in the popularity of psychoanalysis that Dr. Ferraro does not entertain. Over the past three years, demand for mental health care has exploded. Every single mental health worker I know is felding high volumes of calls from people seeking treatment. Indeed, surveys have shown that the average person seeking mental health care has to call at least thirty (yes, 30!) providers before fnding someone who might have a wait list or can work with them in a reasonable time frame. It is therefore just as possible that psychoanalytic therapists are busier due to high volume of clients in need rather than

a sudden change of heart by the public toward long-term non-directive treatment.

Dean McKay, PhD, ABPP Port

Washington

The writer is a Professor of Psychology at Fordham University, Board Certifed in Clinical and Cognitive-Behavioral Psychology in the American Board of Professional Psychology, Past President (2014) of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) and Past President (2018) of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology.

Rep. Santos needs more than a slap on the wrist

It’s as if the name Santos was like a passing cloud in the sky. Here is a blight and travesty to our society and to those people who hold representation of our community and district dear, and now he is discussing running again in 2024.

When he should have already been expelled by the national electeds months ago, his criminality is like yesterday’s news. Not even a mention in this weeks paper. Where is this country going if laws are not obeyed and criminals not brought to pay for their crimes?

I don’t even have to go higher on the political list. But this worm seems to squeeze through every crack and the cloud has almost gone. We cannot continually look the other way. We are becoming a country of break the law and just get a slap on the wrist. Where is the

moral strength, so that we can ALL take pride in our system

Bruce Funk Great Neck

Letters Continued on Page 37

Blakeman bashes Bragg for indictment

Calls charges against Trump ‘political and malicious prosecution’ five days before filings

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman called the indictment of former U.S. President Donald Trump “political and malicious prosecution,” lashing out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Friday.

Bragg, who was elected to the position in November 2021, brought charges against Trump, who was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury Thursday. The historic indictment, the first against a former United States president, includes 34 Class E felony charges of falsifying business records.

Trump arrived in New York City for his arraignment Tuesday after flying in from his Florida residence, according to multiple outlets. The former president pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday.

Blakeman, the former Nassau County liaison under the Trump administration, said the indictment against the former president is an example of political interference in criminal justice matters.

“I’m not surprised,” Blakeman said about the indictment Friday. “Alvin Bragg has a political agenda.”

Trump, in a statement last week, called the indictment “political per-

secution” and said it would have an adverse impact on Democrats running in the 2024 general election.

“Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is a disgrace,” Trump said in a statement Thursday. “Rather than stop-

ping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he’s doing Joe Biden’s dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on.”

The charges stem from a

$130,000 payment Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, made in 2016 to adult film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her keeping quiet about an alleged affair she had with Trump. The former president has de-

nied the allegations of the affair.

In 2018 Cohen admitted he transferred money to Daniels less than two weeks before the election in which Trump defeated Hillary Clinton. Cohen previously said the Trump Organization paid him $420,000 over the course of several months following his payments to Daniels.

Joe Tacopina, Trump’s defense lawyer, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity last week that the former president was “shocked” when he found out about the indictment and that he is “ready to fight.”

“Today the rule of law in the United States died,” Tacopina told Hannity.

Blakeman said that if he were to rush an indictment of a political enemy to Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly, she would “throw me out of her office.”

“I would assume that most district attorneys would do the same thing,” Blakeman said. “They’re not supposed to make decisions based on politics. It’s supposed to be on the law and in this circumstance, every legal scholar that I’ve seen on every media outlet has said pretty much that it’s novel, it’s new and it’s unprecedented.”

Do you or someone you love have symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease?

Marvin

Do you or someone you love have symptoms of early

Do you or someone you love have symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease?

early Alzheimer’s disease

If you or someone you love is increasingly becoming forgetful, experience difficulties in planning and problems solving, or gets lost in familiar places, these could be signs of early Alzheimer’s disease

Contact us today to find out more about the evoke/evoke+ clinical studies.

disease?

Consider participating in the study, if:

4

You (may) have early Alzheimer’s disease.

If you or someone you love is increasingly becoming forgetful, experience difficulties in planning and problems solving, or gets lost in familiar places, these could be signs of early Alzheimer’s disease

Contact us today to find out more about the evoke/evoke+ clinical studies.

Consider participating in the study, if:

4

You are between 55 and 85 years old.

You (may) have early Alzheimer’s disease.

Consider participating in the study, if:

You (may) have early Alzheimer’s disease.

You are between 55 and 85 years old.

You have a study partner (a next of kin or someone you have a close relationship to), who is willing to take part in the study and share

You are between 55 and 85 years old.

You have a study partner (a next of kin or someone you have a close relationship to), who is willing to take part in the study and share information about you

You have a study partner (a next of kin or someone you have a close relationship to), who is willing to take part in the study and share information about you

Contact us today to find out more about the evoke/evoke+ clinical studies.

The study doctor will explain any potential risks to you and describe the study procedures before you decide whether to join the study.

The study doctor will explain any potential risks to you and describe the study procedures before you decide whether to join the study.

To find out more about participating in the evoke and evoke+ studies, contact :

To find out more about participating in the evoke and evoke+ studies, contact :

If eligible, you will be one of over 3500 participants globally on this 3-year journey and will receive comprehensive health care, which includes regular clinic visits, health checks and medical testing. You will get access to expert guidance and facilities during the study.

If eligible, you will be one of over 3500 participants globally on this 3-year journey and will receive comprehensive health care, which includes regular clinic visits, health checks and medical testing. You will get access to expert guidance and facilities during the study.

If eligible, you will be one of over 3500 participants globally on this 3-year journey and will receive comprehensive health care, which includes regular clinic visits, health checks and medical testing. You will get access to expert guidance and facilities during the study.

PHOTO BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman speaks to reporters on Friday.

Kessel departing as Nassau IDA chair

With two seats vacant, board expected to consider replacement at meeting on April 27

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Nassau County Industrial Development Agency Chairman

Richard Kessel said during Thursday’s board meeting it would be his last since the agency will hold an election later this month to find his successor.

“I am very fortunate to have worked with great board members both now and in the past,” Kessel said at the end of the March 30 night meeting at the Nassau County Legislative Chambers in Mineola. “One of the great things I can say is that we accomplished a lot and that’s a wonderful thing.”

Kessel, 72, was appointed to the board by then-Nassau County Executive Laura Curran in 2018 and supported by Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, he said. The chairman thanked both executives, developers and unions he had worked with as head of the agency.

The IDA, which promotes business growth and grants tax breaks to development projects, will have two openings on its seven-member board by the next April 27 meeting. Board members are appointed by the county exec-

utive and approved by the county Legislature for the volunteer, noncompensated positions.

IDA board members will vote for John Coumatos, Reginald Spinello, Victor LaGreca and William Rockensies for chairman. Board Member Raymond Pinto was recently elected secretary.

Kessel, a Democrat, served as president and CEO of the New York Power Authority, the largest state public power utility in the United States, for nearly three years from October 2008 to Sep-

tember 2011.

Prior to the NYPA, Kessel served two terms as chairman of the Long Island Power Authority from 1989 to 1995 and 1997 to 2006.

Kessel was also the executive director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board from 1984 to 1985 and trustee for Nassau County Community College from 1981 to 2000.

The chairman said at the meeting he does not plan on leaving public service, but he’ll “see what happens going forward.”

Of the remaining board members who can be elected chairman, Coumatos owns Bethpagebased B.K. Sweeney’s Parkside Tavern and has been on the board since 2012.

Spinello is a former Glen Cove mayor, IDA and Community Development Agency chairman who has served since April 2022. LaGreca is currently the president of Local 298 AFL — CIO and has been a board member since June 2022.

Rockensies is the director of the construction services division at H2M Architects and has served on the board since April 2022.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS

Richard Kessel, chairman of the Nassau IDA.

“One of the great things I can say is that we accomplished a lot and that’s a wonderful thing.”

RICHARD KESSEL NASSAU COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY CHAIRMAN

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

EMPHASIS ON INTIMACY

BY ANNABEL HOFMANN

New York Community Bank Theatre at Westbury, also known as the Westbury Music Fair, offers a unique entertainment experience through its theatre-in-the-round setup.

“Unlike any other theater, there are 2,800 seats that sit around the stage, and the stage rotates for a majority of the shows,” explained Adam Citron, general manager of NYCB Theatre at Westbury.

This configuration means that more of the audience has front-row seats, and it allows for a more immersive entertainment experience. Additionally, the acoustics bounce off the walls instead of just projecting outwards, creating a surround-sound effect.

Citron said this combination makes the experience of watching a show at NYCB Theatre very different than it would be in the classic theater setup.

“It does have an intimate, watching the show, viewing a show in your living room sort of feel,” he explained.

The venue – operated and programmed by LiveNation – hosts “a unique talent pool,” from musical artists to comics to a psychic medium that will be performing in May.

Citron told me that comedy series are one of his favorite types of events to experience at the theater.

“It’s interesting to watch a comic work a stage and have somebody behind them when they’re talking to people to the side,” he explained.

But that’s not all the venue has to offer.

“We’ve been branching out, too; we’ve done boxing and wrestling. And we’ve been actually talking about possibly doing some sort of MMA, or ultimate fighting, because I think it would stage pretty well in the round like that.”

Citron also explained that the smaller capacity makes it a great venue for up-andcoming artists as well as the more famous acts that have graced the stage.

“It’s a great proving ground for artists on the way up,” he said. “It’s something that has always created sort of a launch pad for an artist, and we’re looking for those next artists to come through and hopefully they’ll wind up playing larger stages like, you know, Northwell Health Jones Beach Theater or PNC Bank Arts center.”

The theatre-in-the-round setup means that some shows and acts have to change how

they do things.

“The tours have to definitely sort of morph their show to playing in the round vs. a conventional sort of proscenium setup,” he said.

But once they experience it, Citron explained, viewers and performers alike truly enjoy the venue.

“The artists have come offstage and go, ‘Wow, that was pretty cool. I want to come back here and do something in the round [again],’” he said.

The summertime offers expanded opportunities for the theater, and Citron said he

was excited about the warmer months.

“We can leverage the outside property of the venue where we’ve got sort of patio decks and outside spaces,” he said. “The world’s been cooped up for two or three years inside, so it’s nice that we can get outside and leverage those spaces as well.”

NYCB Theatre, in some capacity, has been around since 1956. It began as the Westbury Music Fair: a circus tent erected in the summer months to host shows such as its inaugural event “The King and I” and other musical theater.

“Over the course of the decades and

years, the venue’s gone through some different iterations: where a rooftop was put over and permanent seats were put in,” Citron said. “Now it’s sort of getting into the 21st century with the Wi-Fi, the internet, all the digital TVs and all the comforts that you and I are used to seeing.”

This long history is part of what makes NYCB Theatre so special, according to Citron.

“It’s where, you know, our parents and our grandparents sort of grew up, and now I’m seeing a lot of people my age taking their children there,” he said. “There’s a sense of ownership, and it’s an iconic venue.”

PHOTO BY MARK SCHOEN

NYCB Theatre at Westbury provides an immersive theater-in-the-round entertainment experience.

Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem

Buster Keaton’s g enius presented by Wolff

Buster Keaton is one of the three giants of silent comedy (along with Charles Chaplin and Harold Lloyd) and is an icon in the world of comedy.

This presentation will address his triumphs and the tragedies that lead to his fall a few years after the advent of sound. And it was not his voice that wrecked his sound career, but his personal life coupled with a business decision!

Despite that, he continued to work in film and television until his death. Some of Buster’s funniest moments will be screened with this lecture and they are still amazing to this day!

Memorabilia display and period music also included in the presentation. Open to all!

The program will be held at the Great Neck Library, 159 Bayview Avenue, Great Neck, on Monday, April 10 at 12:00 p.m. in the Main Library Community Room. Registration is required and can be completed online at www.greatnecklibrary. org, in-person, or via phone.

For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 or email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary.org.

Marvin

with Elie Wiesel on Holocaust Day

Kalb’s talk

A virtual Holocaust remembrance ceremony will be held on Sunday, April 16, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. and the public is invited to participate.

Marvin Kalb, legendary journalist, and acclaimed author had the honor and privilege of interviewing Elie Wiesel multiple times. He will reflect on the life and teachings of Elie Wiesel: writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor in a talk titled“Lessons Learned for our World Today.”

The remembrance ceremony will also include:

Survivor testimony by Goldie Schwartz: Remembering the Holocaust

Choral selections by the Nassau Lower Voices of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra

Candle lighting ceremony: 6 Candles representing the 6 million Jewish Victims and 1 additional candle representing the 5 Million other

victims RSVP using the registration link: https:// tinyurl.com/2023ShoahProgram

Once you register you will receive an email with the link for the program

Partnering organizations are:

Congregation Shaaray Shalom, Jewish Community Relations Council of Long Island3GNY Descendants of Holocaust Survivors · American Jewish Committee — Long Island Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC · Marion and Aaron Gural JCC Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County · Sid Jacobson JCC · The Jewish Post Malverne Jewish Center · Mid-Island Y JCC · Nassau County Commission on Human Rights Simon Wiesenthal Center · StandWithUs · Suffolk Y JCC · United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Valley Stream Jewish Center · Voices for Truth and Humanity

Buster Keaton

IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND! IT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!

MORE UNBUBBLIEVABLE MORE UNBUBBLIEVABLE THAN EVER! THAN EVER!

Fri 4/07

Sat 4/08

Manhasset. corellana@ SMLI.org, 516-564-2274

Editor's Voice

Sunday Apr 9th

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street

Band 2023 Tour

@ 7:30pm / $59.50-$399.50

SMLI EGGcellent

Experiments Holiday Workshop

@ 10am / $80-$90

Spring is here and what better way to celebrate than with a workshop devoted to eggs! Meet our egg-laying animals, compete in our famous egg drop challenge, and more! It's sure to be eggciting! Science Museum of Long Is‐land, 1526 North Plan‐dome Road, Manhas‐set. corellana@ SMLI.org, 516-564-2274

Animal Week @ 10am / $15

Apr 8th - Apr 16th

Meet and greet our special guest animals. 1450 Tanglewood Rd, 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. helpdesk@cstl.org, 516-764-0045

Barnyard Egg Hunt @ 11am / $15

Bring your baskets for a farmwide scavenger hunt, enjoy Bunny Hop dancing and out‐door kids's games, and take photos with Whiskers the Bunny. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens. hello@ queensfarm.org, 718-347-3276

ZBTB - Zac Brown

Tribute Band @ 8pm / $15

Mulcahy's Pub and Concert Hall, 3232 Railroad Avenue, Wantagh

Dinosaur Egg Hunt

@ 10am / $12

Apr 7th - Apr 8th

Join the hunt for Di‐nosaur Egg surprises. 1450 Tanglewood Rd, 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. helpdesk@cstl.org, 516764-0045

SMLI Spring in to Sci‐ence Holiday Workshop @ 10am / $80-$90

Prepare for a botanical bonanza as we uncover the exciting world of plants at this Holiday Workshop! Dissect plants and learn all about their different parts and how they function. Learn about edible Science Museum of Long Island, 1526 North Plandome Road,

SMLI Geology ROCKS! Holiday Workshop

@ 10am / $80-$90

What's the difference between a rock and a mineral? How do geologists identify them in the �eld? Answer these questions and more in a day �lled with ex‐cavations, rock hunts, and other geological exp Science Museum of Long Island, 1526 North Plandome Road, Man‐hasset. corellana@SMLI.org, 516-564-2274

202 Materials & Techniques in Drawing & Painting (10 wks), 3 hours @ 10am / $500

Apr 11th - Jun 27th

The Long Island Academy of Fine Art, 14 Glen Street, SUITE 305, Glen Cove. 516-590-4324

Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles @ 7pm / $29.50

NYCB Theatre at West‐bury, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury

UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Belmont ParkLong Island

Through �ve decades, Bruce Springsteen has served as a cultural phenomenon, a brittle and dark acoustic storyteller, a folk revivalist, a new Dylan, a working-class hero, "rock 'n roll future," a force for political and social change, an eloquent songwriter and unabashed party-rocker, a live performer of legendary energies and a prodigy and preacher of the "majesty, the mystery and the ministry of rock ‘n roll."

Hicks Nurseries and the Rise (and Fall) of the Gold Coast Estates @ 7pm / $15

Learn about Hicks Nurseries as it grew and changed over time from its founding in 1853, in unison with the changes that were happening in Westbury and across Long Island – as the area turned from Quak Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury. tickets@oldwestburygar dens.org, 516-333-0048

Fri 4/14

GROSS! Holiday

Workshop

@ 10am / $80-$90

Burp machines, stinky gases, and gooey con‐coctions are just a few of the projects we'll make in this day all about yucky science!

Science Museum of Long Island, 1526 North Plandome Road, Manhasset. corellana@ SMLI.org, 516-5642274

Spring Break on the Farm @ 10am / $35-$95

Apr 12th - Apr 14th Spring Break on the Farm will have kids buzzing around our historic grounds as they achieve STEM learning objec‐tives and learn all about ecol‐ogy, sustainability, and life on the farm. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens. hello@ queensfarm.org, 718-347-3276

Alan Agdern: Creat‐ing Great Images @ 7:30pm

Please join the Photog‐raphy Club of Long Is‐land (PCLI) at the Port Washington Public Li‐brary on Wednesday, April 12 at 7:30pm for a presentation on Creat‐ing Great Images by photographer Alan Agdern. Port Washing‐ton Public Library, 1 Li‐brary Drive, Port Wash‐ington. susantiffen@hot mail.com, 516-680-2711

Thu 4/13

SMLI Pirates of Manhasset Bay Holiday Workshop @ 10am / $80-$90 Venture to the Bay in this orien‐teering- and marine-themed day! We’ll learn how to use a compass and other orienteering methods, explore the beach, and search for treasure! Sci‐ence Museum of Long Island, 1526 North Plandome Road, Manhasset. corellana@ SMLI.org, 516-564-2274

Brubeck Brothers Quartet at Tilles

Center

@ 7:30pm

Tilles Center - Krasnoff Theater, 720 Northern Blvd, Brookville

SMLI SMLI

Planeteers Holiday Workshop @ 10am / $80-$90

Learn all about conser‐vation and small ways we can each help pre‐serve our planet in this Holiday Workshop. Sci‐ence Museum of Long Island, 1526 North Plandome Road, Man‐hasset. corellana@ SMLI.org, 516-5642274

Dudley Music @ 7pm Brixx & Barley, 152 W Park Ave, Long Beach

Tim Dillon Live @ 7pm / $35-$75

The Paramount, 370 New York Ave, Huntington

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo @ 8pm / $59.50$159.50

The Paramount, 370 New York Ave, Hunting‐ton

Teddy Kumpel and Nome Sane? @ Still Partners

@ 8pm

Still Partners, 225 Sea Cliff Ave, Sea Cliff

Limon Dance Company @ 8pm / $32-$62

Tilles Center Concert Hall, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville

YES - Epics & Classics

Featuring Jon Anderson @ 8pm / $59-$175

The Space at Westbury The‐ater, 250 Post Avenue, West‐bury

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Town seeks cut in greeehouse emissions

BY BRANDON DUFFY

In March North Hempstead unanimously voted to adopt a Climate Action Plan, which includes a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%.

The plan, developed in collaboration with the Town’s Climate Smart Communities Task Force, focuses on decreasing energy use, shifting to clean, renewable energy, transportation and feet, resiliency, adaptation and natural solutions and materials and waste management.

“The Town of North Hempstead recognizes the detrimental impacts of climate change on our residents and the natural environment, including sea level rise, more intense weather and fooding, higher temperatures, and more frequent droughts,” Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said in a statement. “We are always looking for ways

to implement policies to reduce the Town’s carbon footprint in its own operations, as well as to assist community members in their sustainability eforts through education, legislation, and other measures. The Climate Action Plan will go a long way towards guiding such changes in the future.”

Staf from all Town departments and the Department of Planning and Environmental Protection will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the plan. Oversight efforts include tracking and monitoring progress toward emission reduction goals, identifying proposed changes in policy, education and engagement, among other things.

At their Feb. 7 meeting, the Town Board unanimously approved a resolution to authorize the expedited review for solar installations and electric vehicle charging stations.

The commitment to electric ve-

hicle charging stations falls in line with the town’s previous investment in going green. In the 2023 capital plan

approved in January, about $330,000 is committed to buying more electric vehicles and installing charging sta-

tions, among other items.

“With this step we lay the foundation of an ongoing and collective process that demonstrates we are committed to engaging local government, residents, businesses, community stakeholders and the public on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the active role we can play in reducing the impacts of climate change,” said Council Member Veronica Lurvey.

“This is an important step towards achieving New York State Climate Smart Communities Certifcation,” said Council Member Mariann Dalimonte. “Completion of the measures and projects outlined in this Municipal Operations Climate Action Plan will help the Town reach our greenhouse gas reduction goals and make our communities more resilient.”

More information on the town’s Climate Action Plan can be found online.

Viscardi faces cuts under Hochul proposal

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing in her 2023-24 budget a $2 million cut in funding for the 4201 specialized schools for students who are deaf, blind or physically disabled, which if enacted would be a blow to The Henry Viscardi School, Head of School Angelo Zegarelli said.

The Henry Viscardi School in Albertson is a New York State 4201 school that provides tailored education for students with physical disabilities or medical challenges.

The school ofers students a traditional learning environment with the added advantages of ramps, elevators, medical services and assistive technology. Zegarelli said the school is a “fully accessible environment,” which is uncommon to fnd even to smaller degrees at public schools.

“As much as I really adore many of our public schools, and they do the best they can, the issue is that they can’t support our students the way we can,” Zegarelli said.

He said the Henry Viscardi School is a resource to school districts, supporting students from nearly every Long Island school district and various districts throughout the state.

The Henry Viscardi School is the only one of its kind in the state, Zegarelli said, making its service even more important for students with physical disabilities and medical challenges throughout New York State.

“We’re such a resource for school districts,” Zegarelli said. “We really provide a service that truthfully other

Blank Slate wins six state awards

Continued from Page 9

school districts can’t. We’re a choice for parents, we’re a resource for school districts and without us, the unfortunate result is that our students wouldn’t get the education that they’re entitled to. And that’s the bottom line.”

Hochul’s executive budget for school aid proposes a $2 million decrease for 4201 schools, down 1.85% from the prior year. This would reduce their general funding from $107.9 million to $105.9 million.

The proposed $105.9 million would go toward the costs associated with eight private schools for the deaf, two private schools for the blind and the Henry Viscardi School This includes $93.7 million in base funding for the state’s share of costs for tuition and maintenance for the schools and $12.20 million in additional funding.

According to the executive budget, about 1,200 students attend these schools. Zegarelli said about 170 students are enrolled at the Henry Viscardi School.

He estimated Henry Viscardi would experience about $200,000-$250,000 in budget losses under the executive

budget.

If the school loses this funding, Zegarelli said it would “debilitate or restrict” Henry Viscardi from providing the services it currently ofers. This could mean after-school activities being canceled or certain specialized classes being diminished.

He said this also further exacerbates the staf salary disparity between his school and other local public schools, which have the resources to offer higher pay. If stafng has to be cut, Zegarelli said that could trickle down to the students and reduce the number of children they can provide for at their school.

Zegarelli said that during his six years as head of the school, this has never been an issue.

The New York State Assembly majority also presents a budget proposal in response to the governor’s, which they passed as one house on March 16. The Assembly proposes restoring the $2 million for the 4201 schools and providing an additional $10 million. This would bump up the funding for 4201 schools to $118 million.

“[This is] what we really wanted from the beginning,” Zegarelli said. “When you look at what the governor says, yes, she’s increasing funding to public schools almost 10%, and yet schools like ours [she’s] threatening to cut it.”

The Assembly’s budget proposal also includes a restoration of $3 million to fve 4201 schools, including $903,000 for the Henry Viscardi School.

Zegarelli said that over 60 state legislators, from both sides of the aisle, have provided great support to the 4201 schools and have posted videos to express it.

“The amazing support we have from the state Legislature, and all the representatives, has been amazing on our behalf,” Zegarelli said.

Zegarelli said he is confdent that the governor’s budget cut won’t happen, but it is something he needs to take seriously in the event that it does.

The fnal budget will be decided between Hochul, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. The three parties had until April 1, to decide on the budget specifcs, but no fnal budget has been presented yet.

It is not known when New York State’s fnal budget will be presented.

Zegarelli and the Henry Viscardi School participated in 4201 Lobby Day on Feb. 5-6 in Albany where school representatives and superintendents spoke to legislators to make them aware of their schools and their priorities.

He said the Henry Viscardi School and all other 4201 schools are appreciative of the support from the state legislators.

Zegarelli said staf and other community members have also taken their own time to reach out to legislators and the governor’s ofce to make sure the school’s voice is heard and they receive the funding they need. He said this has been galvanizing for the school and their community.

“The outreach and the amount of advocacy has really been outstanding with getting our voice heard,” Zegarelli said. “We’ve got our voice out and I’m hoping in the end that the governor and her team truly see, and I’m hoping that there was just something that didn’t add up or some kind of mistake that we’re going to be able to rectify.”

One of the aspects of Henry Viscardi that Zegarelli said is important for students is the school’s culture. He said it is valuable for students with disabilities to “have the choice to go to school where [they’re] not the only one” and are alike their peers.

“You fnd that they learn, they feel comfortable in their own skin and they learn better,” Zegarelli said. “In 22 years, I’ve seen that time and time again where a child comes and they may be having some difculty in the school system for whatever reason, but more importantly they don’t have the feeling of belonging, and that’s what we provide.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE

The North Hempstead Town Board recently approved a resolution creating their Climate Action Plan in March.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGELO ZEGARELLI

A student learning at the Henry Viscardi School using assistive technology. Blank Slate Media began operation in 2010 with the purchase of three newspapers — the Great Neck News, New Hyde Park Herald Courier and

the Williston Times. The company ultimately grew to six newspapers with the opening of the Manhasset Times, Roslyn Times and Port Washington Times.

Business&RealEstate

Real estate agents should dress for success

It has come to my attention lately that people are utilizing diferent fashions when dressing and going out to do business. The pandemic has truly made a drastic and in some ways a quasi-permanent change in one’s perception as to what is appropriate and not appropriate to wear. The impression that this may make on your current and future clients could have a signifcant and grave impact on your earnings.

Since so many are conducting business from their home ofce, dress codes have gone out the window. Now that almost everyone is out and about once again, I have noticed more and more that people in many industries have been more relaxed and laid back when it comes to how they are dressing and also their general hygiene, especially during business hours.

I may not be totally correct, but from my personal perceptions, observations, and experiences since 2020 through today, I have seen less dressing up and more dressing down. I am not criticizing anyone for the way they are dressing, but it appears to me that there is less concern or worry about how one looks overall. I see people who don’t shave regularly, wearing wrinkled and sometimes soiled pants and shirts. I also see the trend of ripped pants as a style and fashion statement

and that is obviously a personal choice. I even have a pair of ripped jeans, too, but I choose the moment and environment that I feel is suitable to wear them.

Business still dictates to a certain degree an acceptable dress code that will provide you with an optimistic and successful look in the eyes of your customers. A full 90 percent of the battle is to gain the acceptance of your clients and the need and want for them to like and continue to do business with you. In business people generally don’t get a second chance at a frst impression, so dressing properly is the way that will provide and leave your clients with the best possible impression. This, in turn, can aid in the elevation of your potential future income.

I have seen agents with old, tired, and worn-out clothing that needs to be replaced and upgraded. Even their hair is not properly styled or at best combed and their beards are not trimmed. Don’t get me wrong, as these occurrences and instances aren’t the norm. Most agents are dressed well, especially the women, whose tastes and styles are usually impeccable. So without their shopping skills, our current economy would be even worse and really be in the pits!

It is really important to look in the mirror every day and ask yourself, “Would I buy from me if I were the client?” I hate

to say this, but there are times when I have met some agents and noticed that their breath, let alone the way they were dressed, was truly unbecoming and repulsive and I had to take a step back or pivot to the side a bit so I wasn’t hit with the stale and absurdly foul air. I wanted to say something, but out of consideration and sympathy for all involved, I didn’t, but wanted to fnish the showing ASAP!

I wondered whether they could have made a small efort to brush their hair and teeth, let alone foss on a regular basis. It never ceases to amaze me how

there are business people who go out in the world so unprepared to meet their most important entities, their sellers, investors, purchasers, and renters without the foggiest thought of what they project or look like to others. Everyone needs to dress for success and learn to elevate their incomes in 2023 and beyond.

Just as a side note, we have a real estate sitcom that my good friend, professional comedian, and business associate and partner Rick Allen wrote based on my 42 years of real-life real estate experiences and research. We are in the process of gearing up to produce the show in the near future. It has an extremely hilarious character named “stinky Bob” as well as others who keep you laughing.

It will be one of the funniest shows ever as I am hoping to team up with my frst cousin Chuck Lorre, consummate producer and the “King of Sitcoms” of “Young Sheldon,” Mom,” “Bob Loves Abishola,” “2 ½ Men,” “The Kominsky Method” on Netfix and so many more hilarious shows over the last 30 years. Over the next several months, I’ll keep you posted as to our progress and we’ll keep our fngers crossed for our endeavor and the success in reaching millions having everyone laughing once again and putting smiles on their faces!

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Philip A. Raices is the Pres/CEO/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certifed International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S) as well as the new “Green Industry” Certifcation for eco-friendly construction and upgrades. For a “FREE” 15-minute consultation, value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com or via https://WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas or suggestions on future columns with your name, email, and cell number and he will call or email you back.

Most likely, you are already using MFA. If you’ve received an email that sends you a code to enter, or a text message that dings to alert you to take action, that is MFA. The common thread is they require additional proof of identity, beyond the log-in, when accessing sensitive information.

With cybercrime now exploding, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) must be proactive to protect their critical data. This includes access to their networks, accounting systems and operational systems, hosted both locally and in the cloud. Every SMB has its own considerations. Some need email encryption, most need secure VPNs to support remote workers.

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PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

Make Nassau carbon neutral by 2035: Lafazan

Nassau County Legislator Joshua A. Lafazan (D – Woodbury) joined with members of the Legislature’s Minority Caucus and advocates from the Citizens Campaign for the Environment to unveil legislation that would require Nassau County to become carbon neutrality in its municipal operations by Jan. 1, 2035.

Legislator Lafazan’s proposal, which was fled on Feb. 15, would require the county to create and deliver a carbon neutrality action plan to the legislature no later than Dec. 1, 2024 and provide triennial updates to the legislature, starting on Dec. 31, 2024, outlining the county’s progress toward achieving carbon neutrality. The county executive would be further empowered to seek state and federal grants and to create a local carbon neutrality advisory panel to aid in this efort.

Because Legislator Lafazan’s proposal is strictly focused upon municipal operations, there will be no new mandates for individual Nassau County homeowners, but they will reap the rewards of cleaner air, water and green spaces. Passing Lafazan’s proposal will also make Nassau County a Climate Smart Community and open the door to state and federal grants to pay for the carbon-fghting upgrades.

“Our exposure to climate change is a constant threat to our homes, our communities, our infrastructure, our drinking water and our collective safety,” Lafazan said. “Local governments are on the front lines of this crisis, and we have an opportunity to transform our community — making it healthier, more prosperous and more equitable through our carbon neu-

trality plan. The actions that we take now will protect Long Island for generation after generation to come, and I call upon County Executive Blakeman and my colleagues in the legislature to pass this bill and make Nassau County the cleanest and greenest municipality in the state of New York.”

While New York state has already passed

laws to mandate the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050, Legislator Lafazan is seeking to implement a more aggressive timetable for Nassau County to address the heightened future risk of negative climate impacts upon our region.

According to a recent Moody’s report, Long Island ranks fourth among major Ameri-

can population centers for its exposure to the physical and economic risks of climate change. The report states that Long Island is especially vulnerable to warming temperatures, extreme weather, sea level rise and “water stress,” which is based upon an elevated risk of droughts stemming from the Long Island region’s reliance upon a sole-source aquifer for potable water. Specifc to New York, statistics indicate that New York’s average temperature has increased by 3 degrees since 1970 and is projected to increase by another 3 degrees in the decades ahead. Winters in New York are warming at a rate three times faster than summers; and sea levels in the Long Island Sound are raising at a rate three to four times greater than the global average. Amidst these alarming developments, hundred-year storms such as Superstorm Sandy have been devastating communities with much greater frequency.

“Last week, the United Nations released their sixth report on climate change, and the news wasn’t good. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said we need to act in this decade and take bold action to reduce carbon emissions to just try to stem the tide of climate change impacts,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “When local government leads the way, it acts as a beacon and a pathway for others to follow. That’s why this bill is important, and we are thankful that there are leaders in county government that understand the impact of climate change and the need to act.”

Children’s classes starting at Sands Pt. Preserve

Children’s classes are beginning at Sands Point Preserve! In Spring of 2023, classes are held outdoors in diverse environments across the Preserve’s beautiful grounds and in the Outdoor Classroom.

Weekly classes of just eight to twelve children ages 15 months through 14 years foster lifelong connections between art, science, wellness, and the environment.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Nature Discovery with the Parent Resource Center

Children age 15 – 36 months and their adults explore the natural world through active play and circle time, engaging the fve senses. Spring classes begin March 29! Register with PRC!

Art with Sandrine Gold

Our youngest artists will explore painting, clay sculpting, and collage, inspired by nature’s abundant resources. Older students will view the natural world through the lenses of wellknown artists from around the world, who were inspired by nature.

Outdoor Nature Exploration

Preschool – Early Elementary with Tracy Strianese

Upper Elementary -Middle School with Hildur Palsdottir

Outdoor nature immersion classes will lead students on a discovery of the natural wonders of the Preserve and its varied environments. These classes are held entirely outdoors in Winter and Spring.

STEAM Discovery

Children will explore a variety of scientifc, technological, and engineering concepts through hands-on experiments, building proj-

ects, and artistic crafts. Inquiry-based classes will utilize the natural landscape of the Preserve for project materials and age-appropriate discussions.

Yoga

Elementary and Middle School with Yoga Life of Port Washington

Children discover the many benefts of Yoga in fun and imaginative ways – they learn to incorporate wellness concepts and practices now and for the future. Classes will resume in Spring, schedule TBD.

SPRING CLASS SCHEDULE

OUTDOOR DISCOVERY ZONE: Register with PARENT RESOURCE CENTER

Age 15 – 36 Months, Wednesdays 9:30 –10:15 am and 10:30 – 11:15, Dates: March 29 – May 31 (no class 4/12)

ART IN NATURE

Ages 3-5 –CLASS FULL, Thursdays 2:15 –3:00 pm, Dates: April 20 – June 1

Grades K-1, Thursdays 3:30 – 4:15 pm,

Dates: April 20 – June 1

Grades 2-5, Thursdays 4:30 – 5:15, Dates: April 20 – June 1

OUTDOOR NATURE EXPLORATION

Ages 3-5 Section I, Wednesdays 2:15 –3:00, Dates: April 19 – May 31, Rain Dates: June 7, 14

Ages 3-5 Section II, Thursdays 2:30 – 3:15,

Dates: April 20 – June 1, Rain Dates: June 8, 15

Grades K-2 Section I, Wednesdays 3:45 –4:30 pm, Dates: April 19 – May 31, Rain Dates: June 7, 14

Grades K-2 Section II –CLASS FULL, Fridays 3:45 – 4:30 pm, Dates: April 21 – June 9 (no class 5/26), Rain Dates: June 16

Grades 3-5, Wednesdays 4:40 – 5:25 pm,

Dates: April 19 – May 31, Rain Dates: June 7, 14

Grades 6-9, Thursdays 4:00 – 5:00 pm,

Dates: April 20 – June 1, Rain Dates: June 8, 15

STEAM DISCOVERY

Ages 3-5, Fridays 2:15 – 3:00 pm, Dates: April 21 – June 9 (no class 5/26)

Grades K-2, Fridays 3:40 – 4:25 pm, Dates: April 21 – June 9 (no class 5/26)

Grades 3-5, Fridays 4:40 – 5:25 pm, Dates: April 21 – June 9 (no class 5/26)

YOGA: Yoga Life at Sands Point Preserve: Visit Yoga Life’s website for schedule and to register.

To register and for more information, contact Education Director Tracy Strianese (516.570.2185).

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATOR JOSHUA A. LAFAZAN

Nassau County Legislator Lafazan and Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, pictured at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building on Tuesday, March 28.

PHOTO IS COURTESY OF SANDS POINT PRESERVE CONSERVANCY

Children enjoy the outdoor classroom at Sands Point Preserve.

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nassau COMMUNITY CLASSIFIEDS

▼ EMPLOYMENT, SITUATION WANTED, CAREER TRAINING, MARKETPLACE

To Place Your Ad Call

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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.

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• Williston Times • New Hyde Park Herald Courier • Manhasset Times

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Jericho Syosset News Journal

Syosset Advance

EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED

ERRANDS RUNNER NEEDED

MINEOLA Minimal, flexible hours. Food shopping, medication pickup, etc. Call Jeff 516-782-4990

LAW OFFICE Administrative

Assistants Clerks Busy Hicksville Law

Firm seeking detailed oriented individuals with strong interpersonal & organizational skills. Computer proficient. Comfortable and professional work environment. Full & Part-time positions available. Reply to: awobig@marcotelaw.com

SITUATION WANTED

ELDER CARE/COMPANION Expe-

rienced Ukranian woman seeks Elder Care/Companion position for Live In/ Live Out. References available. Call 516-741-6347 or 516-508-1760

MARKETPLACE

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!

MARKETPLACE

CONFERENCE ROOM TABLE & CHAIRS FOR SALE SYOSSET PUBLIC

LIBRARY 17 year old Dark Cherry Conference Table and Chair Set. Particleboard table measures: 12’L x 3.5’W x 2.5’has light damage. 12 Gold/ Red Upholstered Chairs w/casters & arms. Sold as is. Offers accepted by email only until noon, April 14 at: spladministration@syossetlibrary.org Offers must include: name, phone number & amount. The library reserves the right to reject any offer.Payment accepted by cash or money order only.

A.T. STEWART EXCHANGE CONSIG MENT SHOP 516-746-8900 AntiquesFurniture-Jewelry-Silver-Mirrors-LampsArtwork Come to Consign & Stay to Shop Visit.... Our Shop 109 Eleventh St. Garden City Mon-Fri 10-4 (Wed till 6) Saturday 12-4 Shop Our Online Store ATStewartExchange.org 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

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

TOP CASH PAID: ESTATE CONTENTS ALL OBJECTS OF ARTJEWELRY, ETC. Please call 718-598-3045 or 516-270-2128 www.antiqueassets.com

TAG SALE

INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY

JORDAN Thursday, April 13, 2023 9:30 a.m. 37 Boylston Road Garden City, NY 11530 Public sale selling furniture, art supplies, clothing, sectional, toys, kitchen, decorative, linens, garage items and more...Visit www.invitedsales.com for pictures & details!!

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

APARTMENT FOR RENT

GARDEN CITY BORDER APARTMENT. NO BROKER FEE. Huge, bright 1BR, 1 bath apt. $1,785 + electric. Gated parking. Laundry room, air conditioning, hardwood floors. Near LIRR. www.gcbapts.com Voice or text: 516-524-6965

ROOM FOR RENT

Room for rent in Mineola Includes Refrigerator, cable tv, microwave, a/c. No smoking. Private entrance. Street parking. $725/month. One month security. Call 516-747-3463 or 516-554-4835

OFFICE SPACE

GARDEN CITY PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE FOR SUBLET IN LAW FIRM SUITE 1305 Franklin Ave, Third Floor Suite 3 to 4 windowed offices and 2 to 3 Admin Asst. workstations available. Shared reception area and kitchenette, use of conference rooms and copier included. Walk to LIRR Mineola station, courts, government buildings and GC downtown. Ideal for attorneys, accountants, insurance agents. Available May 1st Contact Michael Sparacino: michael.sparacino@brosnanlaw.com

VACATION RENTAL

SOUTH JAMESPORT Newly renovated Ranch on quiet street. 3 BR, 2 Baths on Peconic Bay. WiFi, Central Air, all amenities. Single family, no pets, no smoking $3,500/week. Call 516-456-8808

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

ATTORNEY

STEPHANIE A. D’ANGELO, ESQ. Elder Law, Wills & Trusts Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122 www.dangelolawassociates.com

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

AQUATEC LAWN SPRINKLERS SPRING TURN ONS Backflow Device Tests Free Estimates Installation Service /Repairs Joe Barbato 516-775-1199

CHIMNEY KING ENT. INC. FREE ESTIMATES Stainless steel liners cleaning & repair specialists. Masonry specialist. FULLY licensed & insured. NYC NASSAU SUFFOLK 516-766-1666 or 631-225-2600 Since 1982 chimneykinginc.com

HANDYMAN Careful & Reliable Serving GARDEN CITY and surrounding area since 2003 Repairs & Installations of all types Carpentry, Moldings, Lighting and More 35-yr Nassau Resident References Lic#170101 Phone/Text Friendly Frank: 516-238-2112 Email: Frankcav@optonline.net

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PAULIE THE ROOFER STOPPING LEAKSIS MY SPECIALTY! Slate & Tile Specialists All types of Roofing Local References Licensed & Insured 516-621-3869

Money Matters

READERS WRITE

Many in the community have raised questions about the management of Harbor Links and the relationship of its manager, Century Golf, with the officials representing the Town of North Hempstead. To some, the overly cozy relationship has made it impossible to determine whether the purpose of Harbor Links is to provide a site at which the taxpaying public can enjoy the golf course or whether the function of the course is to provide profits sufficient to subsidize other TONH ventures and further enrich Century Golf.

From the latest shenanigans engaged in by our TONH representatives, it appears that profit is the overriding objective. Just last year, Harbor Links was closed to the public on more than 60 weekdays, on average about 2 1/2 days each week. During some weeks, the course actually was closed to the public on every weekday.

Because we believed this policy was misguided, some of us explained our concerns at TONH Board meetings last summer. We were told that the board would look into the matter.

On Dec. 15, 2022, the Town Board adopted a specific policy to allow outings only on Mondays. This specifically recognized the longstanding TONH policy at Harbor Links, which allowed for closures only on Mondays.

In announcing this decision, Supervisor Jennifer DeSena stated that: “We did hear tremendous feedback from the community that a public golf course was being paid (for) by tax dollars should not be having private outings multiple times a week, so we are going to

bring this back to one outing a week and this is something that (about which) we will be in close contact with (Century Golf).” We were very happy that our concerns were addressed so directly.

However, something was going on behind the scenes. How do I know this? Because after the March 1 meeting, I learned that management at Harbor Links had been working on a proposal to add more outings since January. Though this proposal was ready for presentation at the January (and February) meetings, they were told to sit tight.

Back on Dec. 19, Blank Slate Media reported a new agreement with the management company limited how often the Town’s Harbor Links Golf Course course could close to the public for private outings after resident complaints. The one-day-per-week rule was a temporary compromise until the contract could be renegotiated in 2023.

Maybe the Town wanted this news flash to fade. At some unknown point, it was decided that an item would be added to the March 14 TONH meeting agenda requesting the addition of outings at Harbor Links. TONH meeting agendas are, typically, available to the public for review in advance of the meeting. But then it mysteriously became a part of an emergency meeting scheduled for Wed., March 1, at 10 a.m. as an addition to the main topic of addressing the funding needs of local fire departments.

The addition of golf outings at Harbor Links was not publicized in advance of this spe-

cial meeting—in fact, only because we received an email on Feb. 27—barely 36 hours before the meeting— did we even find out that there was a plan to approve closing Harbor Links for an additional 26 days for outings. Neither the date/time of this meeting nor the lack of notice was a coincidence; the supervisor’s office clearly did not want the public to discover that the TONH was seeking to reverse, in relative privacy, a decision the TONH Board made less than three months earlier.

Just as clearly, the supervisor’s office did not want to hear any other complaints; otherwise this non-emergency could have been addressed at the normal March 14 board meeting. What was an approved plan of 22 Monday outings from Dec. 15 was going to grow to 48 outings on multiple weekdays: two outings practically every week, five weeks of three outings, as well as closing six different Fridays for these private events. The addition of a senior discount on Fridays was a lame attempt to appease an already distrusting group of residents and taxpayers.

The process of notifying many organizations that they would be unable to hold their outings at Harbor Links should have begun on Dec. 16, 2022. Going from 64 to 22 outings is a dramatic change, but one that the board voted to approve unanimously and was blessed by those involved in the 2023 budget, who stated that a decrease in outings would not result in a budgetary shortfall, and that Century Golf had agreed to the once-a-week limitation for the duration of their one year extended contract.

At this March 1 meeting, Supervisor DeSena made an impassioned plea that charitable organizations relied on us for their annual fund-raisers and how could we tell them now to look elsewhere? Why weren’t many of these organizations told in December to look elsewhere? And if being charitable is a mission of the Town, why did management make their initial selection of who should stay and who should go by choosing the largest revenue producers?

Once again, the facts belie Supervisor DeSena’s position. Information we have received from the TONH itself indicate that fewer than one third of these additional outings are for the benefit of charitable organizations. To make matters worse, since this March 1 meeting, Century Golf added another four outings (three non-Monday) by simply asking the supervisor’s office for permission. No other board member was consulted. These three outings have since been removed from the calendar after we notified board members of this egregious action.

Last summer I was told by Century Golf, ‘if the Town does not want us to schedule outings, we won’t schedule outings. We will do what the Town tells us.” Closing the golf course so often is an insult to the taxpayers who paid for the construction of Harbor Links. If you are a golfer and find this offensive, come to the April 11 Town meeting. If you can’t speak at the meeting, at least show your displeasure.

Jack Genicoff

Town of North Hempstead does it again Sport Psychology

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Port Washington

Northwell among most innovative: Fortune

Northwell Health has been named one of America’s Most Innovative Companies 2023 by Fortune. New York state’s largest health care provider and private employer is one of just 300 companies nationwide to make the list. The award is presented by Fortune and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. Recipients were chosen based on evaluations about their innovation culture, as well as product and process innovation. Statista compiled scores based on surveys done by employees, as well as outside experts.

“Innovation is part of who we are at Northwell,” said Michael Dowling, president and chief executive officer of Northwell. “The COVID-19 pandemic proved that our team is ready to meet whatever challenges arise. We are always looking for new treatments and methods of care to give our patients the best results possible.”

Northwell ranked 202nd on the list overall, which evaluated companies based on three categories: product innovation, process innovation and innovation culture.

Northwell Health was on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, conducting thousands of clinical trials at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, innovating lab testing for the disease and being instrumental in getting employee and community vaccina-

A researcher works at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, a member of Northwell Health.

tion programs running throughout the region.

Innovation abounds at Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, which received multimillion

dollar grants in 2022 to study and map the vagus nerve. The Feinstein Institutes are the global home of scientific research into bioelectric medicine, which combines molecular medicine, neuro-

science and biomedical engineering. The research is used to develop new devices to help treat disease and injury.

“Innovation is a team sport at Northwell. Our core strength comes

from the curiosity and ingenuity of our 83,000 team members,” said Jason Naidich, Northwell’s senior vice president and chief innovation officer. “There is a role for everyone – whether in process improvement, clinical care redesign, research or development of digital technology and medical devices.”

Being named one of the most innovative companies in America is the latest in a long line of accolades for Northwell. Last year, Northwell was named both one of the Best Workplaces in Healthcare and one of the Best Companies to Work For by Fortune. It ranked third on Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Northwell was also the No. 1 health system in the Best Workplaces in New York 2022 list by Great Places to Work.

Northwell is a national leader in LGBTQ inclusiveness, according to 2022 Healthcare Equality Index, was recognized on the 2022 PEOPLE Companies that Care list and has been rated the No. 1 health system for diversity in the country three years running by DiversityInc. Most recently, Northwell was named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2023 by Ethisphere.

To see the full list of Fortune’s Most Innovative Companies 2023, go to: https://fortune.com/ranking/americas-most-innovative-companies/2023/ search/

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NORTHWELL HEALTH

Sephardic Shabbat at Temple Beth-El

To broaden the cultural experience of its members and the greater North Shore Jewish community, Temple Beth-El of Great Neck will commemorate Maimouna and Shab-e Sal—the moment when Moroccan and Persian Jews mark the end of Passover and the return of hametz (leavened products)—with Sephardic melodies and a dessert reception on Friday, April 14, at 7 p.m.

In recent years, TBE has been more inclusive of Jews whose customs and identity originate beyond the Ashkenazi (European) tradition. TBE’s Cantor Adam Davis recently organized a Nowruz (Persian New Year) event at the synagogue, and last year he arranged a Maimouna celebration at the end of Pesach, the Moroccan sister holiday to Shab-e Sal (Night of the Year), when hametz can once again be eaten.

“Having celebrated a 600-year-old Sephardic Torah, we’ve sought to be more inclusive of Miz-

rahi (North African and Middle Eastern) Jews, whose presence is increasingly felt in our congregation and is already an important part of our surrounding community,” said Cantor Davis.

To mark these occasions, TBE will hold a special Erev Shabbat service featuring celebratory Sephardic melodies led by Cantor Davis and backed by the Koby Hayon Trio. As we welcome back the hametz, a delicious dessert reception with Middle Eastern treats will follow services. To participate, scan the QR code below or visit http:// bit.ly/3McaPxy. RSVPs are requested but not required. For more information or to register, call 516-487-0900.

Temple Beth-El is Great Neck’s oldest synagogue, serving the community for more than 90 years. Learn more by visiting www.tbegreatneck. org, calling 516-487-0900 or emailing info@ tbegreatneck.org.

Upcoming events at Great Neck schools

Great Neck Public Schools Superintendent Search: community focus group scheduled for April 24

The Great Neck Board of Education has engaged District Wise Search Consultants to conduct its search for the next Superintendent of Schools following the retirement of Dr. Teresa Prendergast, efective July 2023.

The trustees of the Great Neck Board of Education value deeply the input of the community and its stakeholders. All stakeholders are invited to share their thoughts during a community focus group, hosted by District Wise, and conducted without the presence of the Board of Education. Community input, on an anonymous basis, will be placed into a report sent to the Board of Education to help defne the profle for the candidate ultimately chosen to be the next Superintendent.

The community focus group has been scheduled for Monday, April 24, 2023, at 7 p.m. in the South High School Library. Those unable to attend in-person may join the meeting remotely, at the same time, via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found on the district website at https://www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/suptsearch2023.

For those unable to attend the meeting, or those who prefer to provide their suggestions and opinions privately, the consultants have established a confdential e-mail address: gnsupsearch@districtwisesearch.com. This address will accept emails until April 28.

Absentee ballots for annual school district election & budget vote

Applications for absentee ballots for the 2023–24 School District Election and Budget Vote will be accepted by the Great Neck Public Schools District Clerk starting Monday, April 17, 2023. Qualifed registered voters can obtain applications for absentee ballots by contacting the Ofce of the District Clerk on school days from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (516-441-4007).

Residents who are qualifed voters and whose registration records have been marked “permanently disabled” by the Board of Elections will automatically receive absentee ballots.

Completed absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16.

In-person voting for this year’s election will take place on Tuesday, May 16, from 7 a.m.–10 p.m. at E.M. Baker School, Lakeville School, Saddle Rock School, and South High School. District residents can check their registration status and polling location by visiting www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/voting.

The School District Election and Budget Vote on May 16 will be for the proposed 2023–24 budget and for two Board of Education trustee positions. For more information, please call the District Clerk at (516) 441-4007.

North High hosts student-athlete leadership conference

On March 24, North High School welcomed student-athletes from more than 20 high schools for the 2023 Nassau County High School Principals’ Association Athletic Leadership Conference. North High was pleased to host this year’s event, which was coordinated in partnership with Section VIII, Positive Coaches Alliance, Nassau Ofcials’ Association, and GNPS Director of Physical Edu-

cation, Health and Athletics David Zawatson.

This year’s conference focused on cultivating empathy in sports and improving spectator behavior. The half-day event featured a keynote address, panel discussions, and breakout sessions to empower student leaders to support a positive experience for athletes, coaches, ofcials, and spectators.

Student representatives from the North High Athletic Leadership Club who attended the conference were seniors Danit Kashi and Jared Kimiabakhsh, sophomores Evan Lavian and Nava Sedaghat, and ninth grader Emma Lavian, along with the club’s faculty advisor, Jennifer Nastri, and North High’s athletic director, Mitch Braun.

In addition to hosting the conference, representatives from North High were involved with various aspects of the program: North High Principal Dr. Dan Holtzman and Mr. Zawatson delivered a welcoming address; North High school psychologist/boys soccer coach Dr. Anton Berzins served as a panelist; and members of the North High Athletic Leadership Club assisted with event check-in.

“We have been ofering this opportunity for many years and it was great to have everyonehere with us at North High to engage in important conversations on leadership and their infuence on spectators at all contests at the respective schools,” said Dr. Holtzman.

The Nassau County High School Principals’ Association Athletic Leadership Conference celebrates, supports, and encourages positive student leadership throughout area high schools. This annual conference provides an opportunity for student team leaders to meet their counterparts from other high schools and share ideas about the meaning and signifcance of leadership on and of the feld.

North High representatives attend youth wellness summit

On March 28, student and faculty representatives from Great Neck North High School attended the Nassau County Youth Wellness Summit, sponsored by the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS). Twenty-fve high schools participated in this fullday event in Merrick, which included workshops designed for sophomores and juniors aimed at developing self-care, coping, and communication skills, as well as connecting peers in need to a trusted adult.

Members of the North High Active Minds Club attended the event with faculty from the school’s mental health team to learn strategies that they could bring back to the North High student body. North High’s participants were juniors Lauren Itzhak, Clara Goldman, and Lillian Wu; sophomores Talia Elyaho, Isabelle Ku, and Jimmy Li; school psychologist Dr. David Cheng; and school social worker Oana Scholl.

This is the third year that North High has participated in the Youth Wellness Summit to promote and support student wellness. The goal of the Summit is to instill methods and practices for wellness and mental health that will help enrich students’ lives and transform their abilities for problem-solving, goal-setting, leadership, and well-being.

Rebel robotics wins top awards at FIRST Regionals; advances to world championship

Great Neck South High Robotics Team #2638, known as “Rebel Robotics,” won prestigious team and individual awards at the FIRST SBPLI Regional #1 competition at Hofstra University on March 22-23, earning the team a trip to the FIRST World Championship in Houston, TX in April.

The highest award that Rebel Robotics received was the Engineering Inspiration Award, which celebrates the team’s outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within their school and community. This award automatically qualifes the team to advance to this year’s FIRST World Championships in Houston, with the $5,000 entrance fee paid for by NASA.

Rebel Robotics was also presented with the Excellence in Engineering Award for the arm, wrist, and claw mechanism on their robot, which showcased the team’s ability to conceptualize, develop, and implement an efective engineering solution that is functional and practical.

Additionally, three individual team members were presented with awards for their outstanding work in support of STEM initiatives, mentorship, and teamwork.

Team member Shaan Merchant was announced as a Dean’s List Award Finalist, which recognizes student leaders who increase awareness for FIRST and its mission while achieving personal technical expertise and accomplishment. As a regional Finalist, Shaan is eligible to be one of the ten Deans List Award Winners at the national level.

Team member Sophia Gal was named a Safety Star, which celebrates participants who go above and beyond to promote a culture of safety.

Team mentor Ellen Dressner was announced as the regional winner of the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (WFFA). The Woodie Flowers Award, named after the engineering education pioneer and distinguished advisor to FIRST, recognizes an individual who excels at motivating students through communication while also challenging students to be clear and succinct in their own communications.

Ms. Dressner is a long-time supporter of Rebel Robotics and serves as a team non-engineering mentor (NEMO). She was nominated for this prestigious award by the students of Rebel Robotics.

On the frst day of competition, Team #2638’s robot achieved a third-place fnish in an alliance with a team from Taiwan. The week prior, Rebel Robotics welcomed their alliance partners to New York, helped them reassemble their robot, and hosted the team members for dinner. On the second day of competition, the Rebel Robotics fnished in fourth place on the competition feld.

Faculty advisors for Rebel Robotics Team #2638 are John Motchkavitz, South High business/technology department chair, and Matthew Corrigan, business/technology teacher.

The Koby Hayon Trio will perform with Cantor Adam Davis at Temple Beth-El’s special service featuring Sephardic melodies.

Town OKs $3.1M for Plandome sewer work

Continued from Page 1

I would see this happen,” said Lynn King, a property owner on Plandome. “It’s not the miracle on 34th Street, but I’m calling it the miracle on Plandome Road.”

The $3.1 million allocation is based on cost estimates of $1.76 allocated for up to 88 property owners at approximately $20,000 per connection, $1 million for town facilities to connect to the sewer line and $334,000 for miscellaneous expenses, according to a press release from Democrat Council Member Veronica Lurvey.

State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington) secured a grant in April 2022 of $5 million to help fund the project.

“The approval of these ARPA funds has gone on long enough,” said Barbara Donno, mayor of Plandome Manor.

Donno read a letter of support for the project signed by 13 North Shore mayors, including herself.

The villages include Baxter Estates, East Hills, Flower Hill, Kensington, Kings Point, Manorhaven, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome, Plandome Manor, Saddle Rock, Sands Point and Thomaston.

“Allocating these funds will send a strong message to our businesses in downtown Manhasset that we actually care about their future and their livelihoods,” DeSema, a Republican, said. “We’re prepared to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to complete this project.”

DeSena was critical of Town Democrats, saying their decisions to block or postpone the vote since January was just to stall out the project.

Lurvey responded that allocating

the funds would have been reckless without proper due diligence, which was echoed by fellow Democrats Peter Zuckerman and Mariann Dalimonte.

“We simply had some unanswered questions and the bulk of those questions have now been answered,” Lurvey said. “We can move forward knowing that the allocation is legal and as this process progresses, we will remain focused on how we can best assist the Manhasset community on this initiative. Let me be clear, the ultimate goal is to help everyone get hooked up to the sewers on Plandome.”

Talks over funding for the project have come up often during oftentense Town Board meetings this year.

Businesses along Plandome Road in Manhasset have repeatedly complained about the high cost of maintaining private septic tanks with some saying pumps have to be examined on a weekly basis.

Businesses and restaurants along Plandome Road can pay as much as $50,000 to $70,000 annually to pump their septic tanks, they said. Some have also said they pay more than $500,000 a year to maintain their systems.

North Hempstead received $10,114,021.27 total in ARPA money, which was received in two installments in the summers of 2021 and 2022.

Since then the Town Board voted to allocate $2 million for sidewalks on Westbury Avenue in Westbury and $446,000 for the Port Washington Public Parking District, after it was found that the district lost revenue in 2021 due to decreased commuter activity from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Town Democrats also voted to authorize the town’s director of purchasing to issue a request for a proposal of a grant program for the project, which would provide a consultant to create and administer the grant program.

No costs are associated with authorizing the request, otherwise known as an RFP, but town board members agreed to meet with the chamber at their request to discuss the proper mechanisms on how to move forward with the money.

DeSena and Republican board members advocated for keeping the

operation within the town, not with a third-party.

Schwaner’s appointment flls a position that has been left vacant since January 2021. Paul Wood, director of fnance for Supervisor Jennifer DeSena’s ofce, had been serving as the acting comptroller over the past nine months.

Lurvey said in a statement Schwaner is a great ft for the role and was the candidate she and DeSena both agreed on after a long bipartisan selection process.

“We believe we are hiring the right candidate for the job,” Lurvey

said. “Kristen Schwaner is a great ft for this role and I am confdent she will excel in her duties.”

The new comptroller will serve until at least Dec. 31 of this year, when the original two-year term ends, and will earn a salary of $160,000. Schwaner, a Hofstra University graduate, has over 15 years in fnance and accounting and currently works as a V.P. of fnance with Hauppauge-based SightGrowthPartners. She previously worked for New York-Presbyterian and Ernst & Young, among others.

Nassau unveils crime-fighting program

Continued from Page 3

Major crimes increased by 41% in Nassau County in 2022, headlined by a 43% increase in grand larcenies and a 35% increase in burglaries, according to a Newsday report earlier this year.

Nassau reported 7,394 major crimes in 2022, an increase from the 5,230 reported by the department in 2021.

The list of major crimes includes murder, rape, criminal sexual acts, sexual abuse, grand larceny, commercial robberies, other robberies, assault felonies,

residential burglaries, other burglaries and stolen vehicles.

The 41% rise in Nassau crimes compared to a 15% increase in Sufolk County, according to Newsday’s report. New York City recently reported a 22% jump in major crimes for 2022 tempered

by a year-end drop. Previous reports on crime statistics in Nassau conducted by Blank Slate Media compared fgures from Jan. 1- Oct. 10 in 2021 and 2022.

The 2021 year-end major crime statistics were obtained by Blank Slate

Media under a Freedom of Information Law request submitted to the Nassau County Police Department. The 2022 major crime statistics through Oct. 10 on the department websites were the most up-to-date fgures published as of Tuesday.

Hain Celestial leaves Lake Success HQ

Continued from Page 10

the end of 2021, according to a report fled by the agency.

There were 3,078 Hain Celestial worldwide employees as of June 30, a fgure which had decreased from more than 4,200 worldwide employees in 2020, according to the report. Hain Celestial’s net sales decreased by 5% to $454

million in its second fscal quarter of 2023 compared to the same time last year, according to a company report.

The company’s proft decreased from $31 million to $11 million during the same period of time, according to the report analyzing the second quarter, which ended in December 2022.

Hain’s stocks had taken a hit when it re-

vealed its accounting practices were under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission in February 2017, as well as a months-long delay in releasing its fnancial reports.

Hain Celestial ofcials said they informed the SEC in August 2016 of the company’s delay in the fling of the periodic fnancial reports

and the performance of an independent review conducted by an audit committee, according to a previous fling.

The SEC ultimately determined that Hain Celestial “lacked sufcient policies and procedures to ensure the incentives were properly documented and accounted for,” according to a 2018 fling.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Plandome Road in Manhasset

Nicholas Center hits home run with Yanks

Month. She said events for Autism Awareness Month are great initiatives to show the need to include individuals with autism in all facets of life, community and work.

Individuals can purchase tickets online and use the Nicholas Center’s promo code “TNCNY.” The frst 1,000 tickets purchased will come with an exclusive Yankees hat with the team’s logo merged with the Autism Puzzle Piece logo. Every ticket includes one free hot dog and drink.

Vetrone said the money raised through this fundraiser hosted by the Yankees will go towards promoting the center’s programming and mission, which is to “revolutionize the way autistic adults learn, live and work.”

The Nicholas Center provides a multitude of programs, including vocational training and job support, community inclusion, home and community-based services and virtual program-

ming for its participants.

Through its program for vocational training and job support, the center is able to assist its participants in employment opportunities. Vetrone said this is important as adults with autism are underemployed and experience high unemployment rates.

One of the center’s participants interned at a SoBol, an acai cafe, with support from The Nicholas Center and was recently ofered a fulltime job at the store.

Vetrone said that this is an example of “the dream” The Nicholas Center strives for in promoting independence for adults with autism and it is supported in part through programs such as the fundraiser at Yankee Stadium.

“She feels great about herself,” Vetrone said about the center’s participant who was recently employed. “She feels accomplished and confdent and that’s the goal.”

While the programs provided by The Nicholas Center beneft its participants, Vetrone said many of their programs also beneft the broader community by including their participants in community work. One such program is Port Provides, powered by The Nicholas Center, which is a food bank delivery program that provides food and essential items to community members in need.

She said this has been a benefcial program as it provides for community members who are underserved and who are underemployed.

“We strive to bring much more awareness and much more attention to specifcally what we do, which is to fold [individuals with autism] into the fabric of the community where we live and work,” Vetrone said.

Vetrone added that many individuals with autism experience under-engagement, meaning they can be disconnected from their communi-

ties. Programming to combat this is another initiative of The Nicholas Center.

“We all want to be in community and in connection with our neighbors,” Vetrone said. “The Nicholas Center brings individuals together to form those vital connections and friendships that continue outside of our walls. That’s really, really important and makes everybody feel fulflled as a person.”

While the month of April is dedicated to autism awareness and acceptance, Vetrone said that it really is an initiative for the entire year.

“It shouldn’t just be April where we celebrate autism acceptance,” Vetrone said.

The Nicholas Center is hosting more fundraisers during the year for community members to participate in, Vetrone said. Community members interested in participating can fnd additional information on the center’s website.

FLAG FOOTBALL Roslyn High School learning lessons of its new girls sport

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

The word confused all of them.

The brand-new Roslyn girls fag football team was trying to process all this new information head coach Steve Formichelli was throwing at them in the frst few days of practice.

Much of it they sorta kinda understood, or pretended they did.

But this word? They had no idea. And he kept yelling it.

“He was saying ‘blitz, blitz, blitz’ and we were looking at him like ‘what are you talking about?'” junior Amanda Gerber said, laughing. “None of us knew what it was. I love coach but he kept throwing it at us and we all were very confused. Finally we told him he had to explain it.”

It’s a whole new world and a whole new spring sport at Roslyn High, where along with 24 other Long Island schools, girls fag football is making its debut in 2023.

Thanks to an initiative from the NFL and the New York Jets, there are now 41 girls fag teams on the Island,

and Roslyn was one of the schools selected to debut this year.

They’re led by Formichelli, an assistant coach for the tackle football team, and a group of 18 students who are suddenly dealing with bumps and bruises from a sport most have just started playing.

“I don’t even know how I’m walking right now,” said senior running back Masha Bogatyryova. “My hamstring hurts, my groin, my ankles are busted.

“But it’s awesome. Having so much fun.”

The Bulldogs, who play their games at nearby Harbor Hill Elementary, have gone 1-2-1 in their frst four games, and Formichelli said he’s been surprised at how well the girls have picked up the game.

“The frst few days of practice there was a lot of explaining to do, about how plays are run and diferent formations and that kind of thing,” Formichelli said. “But some of them had played youth fag football, and a lot of it is just sending them the rules and plays and they pick it up quickly.”

The feld is 80 yards long and 40 yards wide in girls high school fag football, with seven players on each side on the feld at once.

Roslyn’s skill position players include Gerber, who’s become the quarterback, along with freshman

Regan Glick (“she catches everything we throw her, she’s amazing,” Gerber said) and Bogatyryova at running back, who has scored touchdowns but has yet to fgure out how to properly celebrate.

“I don’t have a good touchdown dance yet, but it’s on my to-do list,” she said with a laugh. “Scoring touchdowns does feel awesome, though.”

For many of the new Roslyn players, deciding to join the team came either from a longtime interest in trying the sport, or feeling like it would be fun to try something new.

“I didn’t like any of the other spring sports options, so this seemed like a good idea,” said freshman Lily Topel, who plays safety on defense. “The girls were immediately really nice and fun to be with, and the game are intense and great.

“There’s a lot of trash talk going on out there on the feld, which I didn’t expect,” Topel added. “But it’s great.”

Gerber, who said a big theme of the team is “woman empowerment”

said that other students at school were at frst surprised a team had been formed, but when Roslyn won its frst game, people were excited.

“It was our frst football win in years so people were into it,” Gerber said.

Formichelli said that with the sport’s growth is coming state recognition: This year there will be Nassau and Sufolk county championship games, and next year New York will have ofcial state champions in fag football.

For its inaugural year, Formichelli said the goal is to have the kids learn the rules and have fun, while fguring out which position suits them best.

“We’ve only been doing this a few weeks but we’ve come a long way in just a few weeks,” Formichelli said. “Kids are fnding their niche and really getting the hang of it.

“And we’ve had a bunch of kids in school ask about how they can get involved for next year. There’s a real buzz about the team.”

PHOTO BY ROSLYN H.S.

Roslyn High School senior Masha Bogatyryova (in white) running for yardage during a recent flag football game.

“I don’t have a good touchdown dance yet, but it’s on my todo list.“Scoring touchdowns does feel awesome, though.”

MASHA BOGATYRYOVA SENIOR RUNNING BACK

Shed the Meds event on April 23 Beth Sholom commemoration

The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District (GNWPCD) is proud to announce that it is once again hosting its biannual “Shed the Meds” event on Sunday, April 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at its headquarters at 236 East Shore Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 via the Vista Hill Road entrance. The GNWPCD encourages the community to take advantage of its contactless drive-thru event, which provides residents with an opportunity to safely dispose of unused and expired medications as well as sharps. Before arriving at the event, residents should be sure to separate their medications and sharps to ensure their safe disposal.

“The steady growth in community involvement in our Shed the Meds event every six months is very exciting,” said GNWPCD Commissioner Patty Katz. “The importance of the safe disposal of their unused medications and sharps in order to prevent them from contaminating our natural environment is clearly a point that resonates within our residents. The fact that we have collected more than two tons of these harmful materials since 2017 is astounding, and this could not have

been done without the faithful cooperation of the Great Neck community.”

This year, the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District has partnered with Reach Out America, the Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition, the Nassau County Police Department and the Great Neck North High School Key Club. Due to the community’s continued participation and enthusiasm surrounding this event, the District has been able to collect more than 4,000 pounds of pharmaceutical waste and sharps over the last seven years.

“While pharmaceutical take back events are held throughout Long Island, our District’s Shed the Meds event is one of very few places in the area where medical sharps can be safely disposed of,” said GNWPCD Chairman Jerry Landsberg. “It is a privilege to be able to provide our community with this service and we are excited to see our residents take advantage of it.”

For additional information and updates about the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District, please visit www.gnwpcd.net or call the ofce at 516-482-0238.

Relatives of Temple Beth Sholom’s cantor and educational director will share their stories at the synagogue’s Yom HaShoah Day Commemoration on Monday, April 17, at 7 P.M.

During this year’s Holocaust Commemoration program, Cantor Ofer Barnoy’s mother, Esther Barnoy, and Educational Director Sharon Solomon’s mother, Sarah Baruch, will each share their family’s story, along with Dr. Nathan Baruch, Sharon Solomon’s father, who has been a Lt Colonel in the Israel Defense Forces.

Esther Barnoy was an eight-yearold child and Sarah Baruch was an infant when they were forced out of their homes by Nazi troops, and their families continued living in danger before they could begin their struggle after the war ended to start new lives in Israel.

Survivors and their families are invited to light a candle during the candle-lighting ceremony.

Please call the synagogue ofce at 516-621-2288 to reserve-in-advance if you’d like to participate.

The program will be presented in-person and on livestream. It is free and open to the community. Art projects created by the 7th grade Religious School students will be featured.

Temple Beth Sholom is located at 401 Roslyn Road in Roslyn Heights.

Great Neck North High holds table tennis titles

Great Neck North High School held its 7th Annual Table Tennis Invitational on Sunday, March 26. Despite a two-year pause due to the pandemic, the interest in Table Tennis, aka Ping Pong, continues to grow. The event attracted over 80 participants from 26 different schools!

The North High gym was transformed into a table tennis area with 12 tables aligned in 2 rows. With official barriers surrounding the arena and music in the background, the excitement of fun and competition filled the room. The morning session commenced at 9 am and began with team competitions and elementary school singles.

Amy Ford, the table tennis club and team adviser for North HS has been a part of this tournament since its inception. She recalls when Great Neck schools were the first on Long Island to have table tennis clubs/teams. Now, “the number of schools that send teams to compete has grown and the level of competition has increased dramatically”. Ms. Ford adds that “we practice and scrimmage other teams through the winter season to qualify to compete in the regionals and hope to make it to the Nationals.” Ms. Ford was thrilled to see how well the young players could play and will continue to extend the invitation to first graders for future tournaments.

Four teams competed in the

High School Division with Brooklyn Tech grabbing 1st place and John Jay HS coming in 2nd place. Middle school teams came from as far as Middletown, NY (Northern Academy), Queens, NY (Ryan MS) and New York City (ESMS) but it came down to Great Neck North MS and Great Neck South MS to duke it out for first place. The games were

close but SMS earned the title. Mr. Joseph Bonaventura is the adviser/ coach of SMS and was so proud of his team. He said that there is a lot of interest in table tennis where “over 40 kids tried out for a 10-person team.” Both SMS and NMS Teams now qualify for the National competition to be held in Princeton, NJ on May 28.

Twenty-seven kids from 11 different elementary schools participated. Six Long Island schools and 5 NYC schools were represented. The youngest player was a 5-yearold boy, Moataz El-Mallah, from PS 195. The kids competed in a Round Robin format with two players advancing to the next round. Rina Xin from AP Willets was awarded

1st place for the Elementary School Beginners Division and Brady Shin from Lakeville Elementary came in 2nd. Evan Chiu from Cantiague Elementary was awarded 1st place for the Elementary School Advanced Division and Jacob Yu from Munsey Park came in 2nd.

The afternoon session hosted secondary school students in two categories, beginners and advanced. “The skill level of the participants has increased in the past few years” comments Thomas Hu, CEO of AYTTO (American Youth Table Tennis Organization). “This clearly tells us that people enjoy the sport and the schools should accommodate the growing interest of the students and help develop table tennis into a varsity sport as NYC public schools did.” Ryan Cheng from NMS came in 1st place for Secondary School Beginners Division and Tai Abrams from Schreiber HS came in 2nd. For the Secondary School Advanced Division, the competition was extremely fierce. From the semi-finals to finals, all the matches went to the full 5 games and deuces. At the end, Nathan Zhong from North MS came in 2nd place and Nicholas Kui from South HS came in 1st, defending his title for two years in a row. With a total of two team and three single wins, Great Neck wraps up another successful table tennis tournament!

PHOTO PROVIDED BY TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM Nathan Baruch

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLEN CHEN

Great Neck North High School’s table tennis arena.