MANHASSET TIMES 2024_05_17

Manhasset to vote on $111M budget

School ballot features 3 newcomers vying for 2 ed board trustee seats

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Manhasset residents will head to the polls Tuesday to vote in the Manhasset School District election, which features a slate of new trustee candidates and the district’s $111.3 million budget.

Manhasset Board of Education Vice President Jill Pullano and Trustee Erin Royce are not seeking re-election to the board this May, with three newcomers joining the race for the two open board member seats.

Running for the two seats on the board are Eileen Bauer, Marianna Bruno and Maria Pescatore.

Voters can vote for any two of the three candidates or write-in candidates.

The two board seats are for a threeyear term, which would begin on July 1 and end on June 30, 2027.

Efforts to solicit comment from the two exiting board members and the three candidates were unavailing.

Both Pullano and Royce, who are longtime parents in the district, were elected to the board in 2021 when they defeated challenger Frank Bua and the 15-year-incumbent trustee Carlo Prinzo.

Newcomer Bauer serves as Halloween Committee Co-chair for the Manhasset SCA Middle School Parent

Council. No other information on Bauer was available.

Bruno is a medical professional with a background in pharmacy, public health, health policy and management. She has four children in the school district, according to her campaign page. Background information on Bruno also came fromthe Manhasset School Community Association website.

She has served as class representative for multiple years and currently is the representative for fifth grade. She is also the chair of the SCA’s Fall Luncheon Committee.

According to Bruno’s election website, she is campaigning on maintaining academic excellence and transparency, being a voice for students, parents and teachers, fostering community spirit and engagement, and fiscal responsibility.

“Education is a key to success in life and is an integral component to help communities thrive. When students’ educational needs are supported at multiple levels, it strengthens the entire community,” Bruno wrote on her campaign website. “Maintaining and elevating areas for academic and extracurricular excellence in the Manhasset schools at all grade levels is vitally important to prepare our students to meet the increasing demands of the future.”

Continued on Page 37

Manhasset ed board votes to cut 14 jobs

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Manhasset Board of Education voted Tuesday night to eliminate 14 teaching assistant positions as part of its adopted 2024-2025 budget. The district adopted a $111,286,207 budget on April 16, encompassing a 3.3% budget-tobudget increase and a 2.68% tax increase. It is set to face a community

vote on May 21.

“The budget has been very challenging to formulate,” Passi said.

“And the reason that it was challenging to formulate is because we

Continued on Page 44

ALADDIN JR.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MANAHASSET SCHOOLS

The Manhasset Secondary School middle school theatre program performs Aladdin Jr.

Port voters to decide on tax cap override

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Port Washington residents will head to the polls Tuesday to vote in the school district’s election, with a ballot featuring three Board of Education incumbents facing off against five challengers vying for their seats.

Board of Education President Adam Smith, Trustee Adam Block and Trustee Nanette Melkonian are all running to be re-elected for another three-year term.

Challenging the three incumbents are Sandra Alvarez, Michael Bitalvo, Teodora Choolfaian, Joseph Delerme and Beth Weisburd.

The three positions are for a three-year term on the school district’s board that will expire on June 30, 2027.

Voters can vote for any of the three candidates.

The ballot also features the district’s 2024-2025 school budget of $194.5M with a 4.55% tax increase that exceeds the tax cap by 1.16%. This requires a 60% approval vote to pass.

If the budget does not capture a 60% vote of approval Tuesday, a second vote will be held on June 18.

For the second vote, three budget options can be presented: the original budget with the 4.55% tax increase, a budget with a 3.39% tax increase that doesn’t exceed the tax cap or a budget with a zero % tax increase.

While nearly all candidates have expressed their support for the budget, excluding Choolfaian who did not say whether she did, all the challengers have criticized the board and the district for poor financial planning and not advocating strongly enough for additional aid.

The ballot also includes a proposition that would authorize the district to use $4,055,000 from its capital reserve fund for district-wide improvements to its incoming electrical service.

Community members can vote for three trustees, the budget and the use of the capital reserve funds from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday in the Weber Middle School All Purpose Room.

Adam Smith

Smith, who has lived in Port for the past 12 years, works for a New York-based real estate investment and development firm. He also served on the board of Temple Beth Israel in Port Washington

He and his wife have three children who attend district schools.

Smith was elected to the board in 2021, alongside Block and Melkonian.

Continued on Page 38

TO REACH US

Herricks to vote on $141M budget

7 candidates vy for 2 ed board seats

BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

Herricks district residents are heading to the polls on May 21 to vote on seven candidates vying for two board of education seats and a $141 million budget that includes the cost of child sex abuse claims.

For one seat, Incumbent Trustee Brian Hassan is running for re-election against Maria Bono, who has been active on PTAs.

Newcomers Ravinder Ratra, Surendra Gupta, Shaheda Quraishi, Eric Lo and Russell Stuart are running for the seat left vacant by Trustee Nancy Feinstein, who is stepping down from the board after serving for 12 years.

An issue top of mind for candidates and residents alike is the cost of lawsuits filed against the Herricks district under the 2019 Child Victims Act, a law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for child sex abuse survivors.

Some 21 lawsuits against Herricks were filed by former students who claimed they were abused between 1973 and 1991 by then-school psychologist Vincent Festa.

In the cases that went to trial,

plaintiffs alleged that the district ignored initial reports of abusein the 1980s, thus permitting the abuse to ensue.

The district has paid $1.1 million to settle four of the 21 claims thus far. The board on Thursday approved the payment of up to $35 million in bonds to settle the remaining 17 claims against the district.

Hassan has lived in Albertson since 1977 and serves as the Albertson water commissioner. All three of his children graduated from the Herricks district. If re-elected, this will be his 13th year on the board.

Hassan told Blank Slate Media his main goal in handling the cost of multiple child sex abuse lawsuits against the district is to avoid piercing the tax cap.

He said working as a trustee is his way of giving back to the community.

“In my opinion, you’re obligated to give back,” Hassan said. “I’m a firm believer in people have either time or money, but they should not be obligated to give both. I don’t have a lot of money, so I would rather give back my time to the community.”

Continued on Page 45

Herzlich 516-307-1045 x215 • therzlich@theisland360.com Manhasset Times: Cameryn Oakes 516-307-1045 x214 • coakes@theisland360.com

Roslyn Times: Taylor Herzlich 516-307-1045 x215 • therzlich@theisland360.com

Williston Times: Taylor Herzlich 516-307-1045 x215 • therzlich@theisland360.com

Port Washington Times: Cameryn Oakes 516-307-1045 x214 • coakes@theisland360.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATES

Pictured in clockwise order, starting from the top left corner, Port Washington Trustees Adam Block and Nanette Melkonian, President Adam Smith, Joe Delerme, Michael Bitalvo, Sandra Alvarez, Teodora Choolfaian, Beth Weisburd.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATES

From left to right: Brian Hassan, Maria Bono, Ravinder Ratra, Surendra Gupta, Shaheda Quraishi and Eric Lo.

Herricks OKs $35M for abuse claims

School district bond would cover settlement of 17 remaining Child Victims Act lawsuits

BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

The Herricks Board of Education approved payment of up to $35 million in bonds to settle 17 child sex abuse claims against the district at a meeting Thursday night.

The district has paid more than $1 million thus far to settle four of the 21 total sex abuse claims against the district.

One case against the district is still on trial, Assistant Superintendent for Business Lisa Rutkoske said. Herricks won one case in March when the district was found not negligible in the first Child Victims Act case against a Long Island school district to go to trial.

With the pending $35 million settlement of the 17 remaining claims, all cases against the district except one will be closed, Rutkoske said.

The 2019 Child Victims Act extended the statute of limitations for survivors of child sex abuse. The temporary law, which was in effect through 2021, allowed survivors more time to press criminal charges against offenders and more time to file a claim for money damages.

Prior to the act, child sex abuse survivors had between one and five years to bring a civil lawsuit against their abuser, with that one- to five-

Herricks High School.

year period starting once the victim turned 18.

a sex offender. He was later charged with a registered sex offender violation after failing to register his email addresses and service providers. He died in 2011 at 82.

The Herricks board adopted a 2024-2025 budget in April of $141,710,364 with a tax levy increase of 2.38%, which is within the state tax cap. Sinanis said the average tax levy increase over the past seven years was 1.78%.

The proposed budget-to-budget increase is 5.2% or $6,990,394.

The larger-than-usual increase is due in part to the cost of settling these CVA claims, board members said in April. Without the costs allocated toward pending claims and legal fees, the 2024-2025 budget increase would be 3.25%, which is much more comparable to other district budget-tobudget increases, Superintendent Tony Sinanis said.

The 21 lawsuits against Herricks were filed by former students who claimed they were abused between 1973 and 1991 by then-school psychologist Vincent Festa. In the cases that went to trial, plaintiffs alleged that the district ignored initial reports of abuse in the 1980s, thus permitting the abuse to ensue.

Sport Psychology

In the case that Herricks won, attorney Jeffrey Herman, who represented anonymous plaintiff J.G., said knowledge of Festa’s alleged abuse was so rampant that he was widely referred to in school as “Festa the Molester.” During the trial, the dis-

trict conceded that Festa did sexually abuse the plaintiff, but denied that school officials permitted his actions.

Festa was arrested in 1993 after he was accused of sexually abusing six teenage boys in his Ronkonkoma neighborhood.

He was sentenced to five years of probation and required to register as

The district had an original state aid projection of $27 million when the board adopted the proposed 20242025 budget. State aid will provide around 20% of total district revenues in the 2024-2025 budget, according to the administration.

Rutkoske said the district will receive $100,000 more in state aid under the recently ap-

Continued

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PHOTO COURTESY OF HERRICKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Port ed board candidates talk school budget

Most candidates express support but challengers say poor financial decisions made

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Challengers running for the Port Washington Board of Education offered ideas and solutions to aid in the district’s stressed financial climate, some criticizing the board’s prior actions, during a candidate forum Wednesday.

But incumbent responses were mixed, with some acknowledging the financial history and a need to promote funding advocacy and others defending the district’s financial planning and decision.

Seven of the eight candidates running for the three seats on the Port Washington Board of Education joined via Zoom a candidate forum hosted by AGATE – a district Home School Association that advocates for advanced learners.

The full forum can be watched on AGATE’s Facebook page.

Participating were challengers Sandra Alvarez, Michael Bitalvo, Teodora Choolfaian and Joe Delerme, and incumbents Trustee Adam Block, Trustee Nanette Melkonian and President Adam Smith.

Challenger Elizabeth Weisburd, a former trustee, was unable to attend due to a conflicting commitment.

A cause for concern cited by many of the challengers was the school district’s finances and budgeting.

The Board of Education adopted a $194.5M budget with a 4.55% tax increase that exceeds the tax cap by 1.16%. This requires a 60% approval vote to pass.

“I believe that good education costs money and I’m OK with that,” Block said.

All the candidates said they supported the school budget, except Choolfaian who did not say explicitly whether she did or did not.

Choolfaian said the current Board of Education and administration have failed the community through a lack of advocacy for greater state aid.

“It appears that the current board and administration found themselves at a $5.3 million deficit as a surprise,” Choolfaian said. “Well, many other districts on Long Island – Herricks, Great Neck, Manhasset, Roslyn – had already predicted that and were preparing for it for a good year.”

But blame for the school budget problem

Paul D. Schreiber High School.

should not land on the board, Alvarez said, because it is a product of the financial climate.

Alvarez said the alternative to supporting the current budget – a contingency budget –would encompass cuts that negatively affect all students and employees.

Bitalvo said he supports the budget as it is the best option for all the students in the district, but said alternative funds need to be sought in the future and expenditures tightened.

Block described the last few years as “living under a halo” due to the influx of funds in response to the pandemic. Now that those are drying up and state aid funds are threatened to drop, Block said advocacy for additional funds and seeking alternative revenues needs to be expanded.

Delerme described the past years’ funds as a “sugar rush” that aided in expanding district programs, but now that rush is fading and he said approaching a cliff.

“It’s like driving a Porsche potentially into a wall,” Delerme said.

Delerme said advocacy for additional state aid needs to be sought to prevent this.

But Smith disagreed that the funds were a sugar rush and said there were no surprises in

aid due to prolonged discussions and plans.

“Many school districts are facing the same fiscal cliff that we are, but Port Washington has gone with a responsible budget that has a combination of raising revenue, significantly reducing expenses and very targeted and responsible use of reserves,” Smith said. “So we have done the trifecta of balancing this budget.”

As well as commenting on the budget, candidates also discussed the successes of the board and the ideas they bring.

Smith said that upon joining the board with Block and Melkonian, a positive shift occurred in the school district’s operations.

“We really have re-oriented this district away from a philosophy of adequacy and towards a philosophy of excellence,” Smith said.

Upon joining the board, Smith said he and his other two board members running for reelection called for initiatives to bolster graduation rates. He said graduation rates have since increased by 3% and risen by about 10% for disabled students.

“That is because excellence means excellence for everybody,” Smith said.

Smith said that collaboration among the board members and with school administrators

and employees has led to growth across the district.

“I am confident that what we’ve created and what we’ve started is just the beginning because the foundations are laid and I know over the next three years we can deliver a lot more,” Smith said.

Successes Block pointed to were consolidating conference days, establishing a vision and mission statement with a strategic plan, creating after-school programs and bolstering transparency. Looking forward, he said he is seeking greater consistency across classrooms.

For Melkonian, this included professional development, creating consistency across classrooms, implementing proposed initiatives in the pupil personnel audit for students with disabilities and furthering mental health support.

“We’ve only just begun and we’ve got much more to go,” Melkonian said.

Board improvements Alvarez noted included board representation for special needs and marginalized students. She said advocacy for these student groups has been a pursuit of hers.

“Representation has to change because there have been times where I’m the first one to speak up at a board meeting when I would hope that one of the trustees would have spoken up first for me,” Alvarez said. “What if I missed a meeting?”

Choolfaian said she has observed lower academic results in reading, writing and math for younger students, something she attributed to educational losses during the pandemic. She said this inspired her bid for school board trustee.

“I have saved all the work of my current seventh grader and I compare it to what my current third grader and what my current first grader are doing, and I see a very noticeable drop in first of all the level the kids are expected to know at their age in terms of what is presented to them,” Choolfaian.

Delerme said a main focus of his campaign is to provide all students with the resources they need to succeed and flourish in the school district and beyond, with a focus on students in need.

“Being a community builder, I want to be able to provide those opportunities to our community,” Delerme said.

Plandome firefighters aid in Port house blaze

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Eight fire departments rushed to extinguish a fire in Manorhaven Saturday night, with two of the occupants suffering minor burns.

Port Washington Fire Chief Matthew Kerin said the department was notified of a fire on Saturday morning at Manorhaven’s Linwood Road North around 7:30 p.m.

Kerin said ex-Chief Geoffrey Cole was the first at the scene and observed the two-story house “fully involved with fire.” The residents had already evacuated the home.

Two of the individuals who evacuated received minor burns and were transported to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment. He said the homeowner was also treated at the scene and transported to St. Francis Hospital but did not say the nature of his potential injuries.

Due to the intensity of the fire and its quick spread, Kerin said firefighters were limited from

entering the house and had to fight the blaze from outside. The fire resulted in the entire home being consumed in fire, and later, the second floor collapsed.

Kerin said seven local fire departments aided the Port Washington Fire Department in extinguishing the fire, and three fire departments assisted in making calls around the town amid the emergency.

The departments that responded were the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company, Roslyn Highlands Volunteer Fire Company, Roslyn Rescue, Plandome Fire Department, Williston Park Fire Department, Glenwood H&L, E&H, Co.,Inc, City of Glen Cove EMS, Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corp, Nassau County Police Emergency Ambulance Bureau, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Fire CommunicationsFIRECOM, Nassau County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Nassau County Police Arson Bomb Squad.

The Port Washington Fire Department is proposing a cost recovery program, the first time patients’ insurance would be billed for the department’s emergency medical service.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

PHOTO BY CAMERYN OAKES

Port Parking District capital projects OK’d

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Town of North Hempstead Board authorized pursuing capital improvements for the Port Washington Parking District, including the authorization to consider issuing bonds for the projects in the future.

The improvements include the upgrade from oil to gas for the parking district’s facilities, a new vehicle, building renovations and HVAC enhancements.

The total expenses for the projects are capped at $272,741. This is broken down into $23,741 for the gas conversion, $184,000 for a new vehicle, $35,000 for renovations and $30,000 for HVAC.

Deputy Supervisor Joseph Scalero said these projects are 3 1/2 years in the making.

He called this a “relatively small authorization.”

Scalero said the board’s action only authorized the bonds but did not issue any bonds. The board would have to vote to issue these bonds at a later date if the project is continued.

“This is strictly a financing thing,” Scalero said.

Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte said

that just because the board voted to authorize the projects and the associated bonds does not guarantee that the project will be carried out nor bonds issued.

Scalero said the cost estimates proposed are not concrete and can be changed, but the vote established the maximum costs for these projects.

A new authorization would need to be made if the project expenses surpass the amount approved Tuesday morning.

Dalimonte said the town’s Purchasing Department would ensure no superfluous expenses are made on the project, which Scalero affirmed.

Port Washington resident Alan Tankoos asked if any studies had been done in association with the project to explore other options to improve the parking district’s facilities.

A member of the Department of Public Works was not present at the meeting to explain the project.

Scalero described this as a starting point for the project and further actions would be taken to continue the project in the future.

Port Washington resident Jeff Rosenberg asked how this would increase residents’ taxes,

Continued on Page 38

PHOTO BY CAMERYN OAKES

A resident address the North Hempstead board at its public hearing Tuesday Morning.

THE JONES FUND FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE POOR 2024 GRANT PROGRAM

NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY (NOFA)

The Trustees of the Jones Fund for the Support of the Poor are requesting applications for its 2024 Grant Program from eligible and qualified IRC 501(c)(3) approved charitable organizations to further its mission of affording support to the poor, in the form of food, shelter, clothing and warmth, and providing support for educational programs striving to prevent the transmission of generational poverty among the underserved and underprivileged, exclusively in the Towns of North Hempstead, New York and Oyster Bay, New York as intended by the Last Will and Testament of Samuel Jones dated February 23, 1836, and as approved by the Trustees of the Jones Fund for the Support of the Poor. Program funds for the 2024 grant year will be in the form of grants totaling up to the maximum amount of $150,000.00, collectively, or such greater amount, if any, as may be determined by the Trustees of the Jones Fund for the Support of the Poor, in their sole and absolute discretion. This and any future grant program offered by the Jones Fund for the Support of the Poor is and shall be subject to the availability of funds and resources. Program funds will be awarded on a competitive basis.

All applications must be received by the Trustees of the Jones Fund for the Support of the Poor at PO Box 350, Jericho, New York 11753 or by email at TheJonesFund1836@gmail.com on or before June 30, 2024. Interested applicants can obtain further information and application packages by calling James McGahan or Dina Selearis at 516-681-3100 or sending an email to TheJonesFund1836@gmail.com.

Dems claim ‘militia’ being trained in secret

BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

Nassau County Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) said she received multiple reports that the special deputy sheriffs sought out by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman have been secretly training at night at

the county police academy in Garden City. DeRiggi-Whitton, joined by a group of Democratic legislators, demanded transparency from Blakeman on the suspected night training sessions. She said she had asked the executive for clarification multiple times to no avail.

PHOTO BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

Nassau County Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton speaks in front of the Nassau County Police Academy surrounded by Legislators Carrié Solages, Seth Koslow, Scott Davis and Siela Bynoe.

T:12.45"

B:12.45"

Port teacher takes a child-centered approach

My Spectrum School’s Jason D’Agostino fosters lessons around students’ natural curiousities

BY CAMERYN OAKES

One of Jason D’Agostino’s preschool students recently expressed a strong fear of bees, a natural response to an insect that commonly afflicts pain with its stinging capabilities.

Rather than consoling the child and brushing it off as a simple comment, D’Agostino took the moment as an opportunity to teach his students about the importance of bees, as well as many other insects in our natural environment, to diminish the children’s instinctual fears.

On Friday morning, square patches of artificial grass adorned with insects encased in acrylic and mini magnifying glasses were placed upon the students’ tables at My Spectrum School in Manorhaven.

“It’s inviting you to come and look, explore, touch, feel, get engaged with it,” D’Agostino said.

Next to the insect activity were books filled with insect pictures. Students could then also flip through these books and mark the pages they found of interest, which D’Agostino would check to create later lessons on the children’s bug questions.

As D’Agostino spoke about his engagement with his class of about 10 students, it was clear the close bond he had formed with each one of them.

“That’s the child-centered approach,” D’Agostino said.

D’Agostino’s education model is formed around the school’s students, what he called “inquiry-driven, process-based” learning.

“Everything starts off with a phenomenon, some type of prompt, some type of provocation,” D’Agostino said.

My Spectrum School director and teacher Jason D’Agostino flips through a student’s workbook.

It’s this approach that earned him the honor of being named the best teacher in Nassau County by Blank Slate Media in 2023.

D’Agostino said the award came to him as a surprise. As one averse to the spotlight, he said the honor reflected the success of his students more than his role as the teacher.

“To me, that’s more rewarding than an award,” D’Agostino said.

D’Agostino is the director as well as a teacher at My Spectrum School, an early childhood preschool that aims to foster a love of learning and develop children’s natural gifts to reach their full potential.

Along with D’Agostino, the school also won five other awards in the competition, including Best Preschool and Best Private School.

On Friday morning, the school and its three teachers were also presented citations from North Hempstead Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte for Provider Appreciation Day.

D’Agostino received his bachelor’s in psychology from Adelphi University and a master’s in early childhood education from Long Island University.

He described his teacher style as based on a number of sources, including psychologist Je-

rome Bruner, LIU associate professor in early childhood education Efleda P. Tolentino, the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education and various schools of thought.

The Reggio Emilia approach is based upon a child’s natural curiosity that fosters deeper connections between students, teachers, families and the community through a child’s active engagement with their classroom environment. Teachers then observe their students’ interests in development to adapt their teaching to their students.

His students ages 3 to 5 have a natural curiosity, D’Agostino said, due to a plethora of new experiences for them.

“So you want to create an environment that gives them the opportunities to engage their curiosity and explore new things, new concepts new ideas, new phenomenons,” D’Agostino said. “And that’s really the crux of what we do here.”

D’Agostino’s teaching methodology for his students is based on the four E’s: Embark, Explore, Engage and Elaborate. A fifth E – Evaluate – is then D’Agostino’s role.

The learning process begins with an embarkment, or a concept or idea that the student is curious about. D’Agostino said the purpose is to draw in the young child’s interest.

Everything starts with a question at My Spectrum School, D’Agostino said, and from there the learning process begins.

Even the layout of the classroom is an extension of the school’s teaching model.

The classroom is designed with the intent to invite the children into different areas of learning and a diverse range of subjects.

Along the walls are signs reading “engineering” and “science” and “library,” creating desig-

Continued on Page 37

Ex-G.N. urologist convicted of sexual abuse

BY CAMERYN OAKES

A former Great Neck urologist was found guilty Wednesday on federal charges of sexually abusing five minors and two adults after prosecutors presented evidence showing he utilized his medical position to commit the abuse.

Dr. Darius Paduch, 56, worked at Northwell Health in Great Neck and Lake Success from 2019 until his arrest and subsequent termination in April 2023. He previously was employed at Weill Cornell Medicine in Manhattan for 16 years.

“As a unanimous jury has just found, Darius A. Paduch leveraged his position of trust as a medical doctor for his own perverse gratification,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. “For years, patients seeking needed medical care, many of them children, left his office as victims.”

Paduch was convicted on six counts of inducement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity and five counts of inducing a minor to engage in sex.

He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 19.

Paduch’s lawyer, Michael Baldassare, told Newsday in a statement that Paduch has maintained his innocence and an appeal will be filed.

Hundreds of ex-patients, including minors at the time of the alleged offenses, have named him as a predator, which has resulted in several civil lawsuits in tandem with the federal conviction.

The federal conviction involves abuse that occurred from about 2007 to 2019, yet the multiple

A former urologist employed at Northwell Health in Great Neck and Lake Success was found guilty last week of sexual abuse against patients.

lawsuits claim it spanned more than two decades.

The lawsuits are being presented by multiple “John Does,” with one lawsuit including 58 anonymous minors and adults alleging abuse.

One lawsuit states the alleged abuse is “almost indescribable,” but that Paduch “digitallyraped, fondled, groped, ogled, masturbated, objectified, and sodomized patients with both his ungloved hands as well as phallic shaped sex toys.”

Some victims are alleging that the abuse

was ongoing over multiple years, with one stating it occurred over five years while his patient, according to court documents. This victim was also a minor during the five years of alleged abuse.

“For nearly two decades, Defendant Darius A. Paduch pretended to practice medicine in the field of urology, while instead engaging in a career of racketeering, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and sex-trafficking of both minors and adults,” one lawsuit states. “During this

time, defendant Darius A. Paduch acted as a disgusting, sadistic and perverted sexual predator who used his esteemed and trusted position with “corporate defendants” to sexually groom, exploit, abuse, rape, molest, fondle, sodomize, and commit various acts of physical, verbal, and sexual assault and battery on thousands of patients, including the plaintiffs herein, all under the pretense of providing legitimate, medically necessary, medical care. [sic]”

Another lawsuit states the victim experienced “severe emotional and psychological distress, humiliation, fright, dissociation, anger, depression, anxiety, a severe shock to his nervous system, physical pain and mental anguish, and emotional and psychological damage,” due to the alleged abuse.

The suits also are being brought forward against the hospitals, accusing them of negligence. One suit says Weill Cornell Medicine was aware or should have been aware of the alleged abuse that was occurring.

One lawsuit alleges the medical centers and their associated organizations – including Northwell Health – conspired with Paduch to shield the alleged abuse and sexual assault.

Allegations contend other healthcare employees were present in the room during some instances of abuse yet did not do anything to stop it.

The lawsuits contend that multiple victims had reported the alleged abuse to the hospitals before his arrest.

PHOTO BY CAMERYN OAKES

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWELL HEALTH

Antisemitic lawn signs found in NHP

BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

Two antisemitic signs, one reading “From the River to the Sea, F— Israel & Jews,” were spotted on a front lawn in New Hyde Park and reported by a community member to StopAntisemitism in the evening of May 7.

The signage was located on Old Courthouse Road outside an upscale home, according to a photo of the signs posted by StopAntisemitism on Twitter.

“We’ve never seen anything quite like this in the area,” Liora Rez, founder and executive director of watchdog organization StopAntisemitism, said.

She said there are no other reported New Hyde Park incidents in the StopAntisemitism database.

An employee in the Nassau County Police Department Public Information Office said there was no relevant information available in the database. Efforts to reach the public information supervisor for more details were unavailing.

“From the river to the sea” is a controversial phrase with a much-debated meaning, often used in recent times during pro-Palestinian protests.

It refers to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which includes Israel. Some proIsrael voices have labeled this slogan an antisemitic one that calls for the destruction of the state of Israel, while

“It was like the band-aid was just ripped off [after Oct. 7] and the floodgates just opened.”

— Liora Rez EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STOPANTISEMITISM

some pro-Palestinian voices have said this phrase is a call for peace and equality.

The second lawn sign is split in half vertically. The left side reads “Jew” with blue and white coloring and the right side reads “Hindu” with

Two antisemitic signs on a front lawn in New Hyde Park.

Sewanhaka decries ‘offensive’ lesson

BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

There was not an empty seat to be found at a Sewanhaka Central High School District board meeting Wednesday night when dozens of Palestinian and Muslim community members spoke out against what they called an offensive history lesson about IsraeliPalestinian relations taught by Deirdre McIntyre at Sewanhaka High School on May 2.

The teacher reportedly used a document in a history lesson that prompted students to role play as an Israeli and a Palestinian by using a script. Community members said the script included factual inaccuracies and Islamophobic stereotypes.

Speakers read quotes from the script that incorrectly conflated Arabs and Palestinians, used the word “terrorist” toward Arabs, claimed Palestinians as a whole are trying to build an army and more.

Interim Superintendent

Thomas Dolan agreed that the lesson did not fairly portray

Residents, students and alumni in the audience at a Sewanhaka Central High School District board meeting Wednesday night.

the relations between Israel and Palestinians but said it was intended to show where there was common ground.

“It’s imbalanced. There is an imbalance in this document. I do need to quote from it because there was a direction for this. There was a purpose for this,” Dolan said. “‘What do we have in common to speak

about?’ The answer. ‘A great deal.’ I said it in the parking lot to some of you. We are far more alike than we are different. That was the message the teacher wanted to get to.”

Dolan said McIntyre has not returned to the school since she taught the lesson in a 10thgrade global history class.

orange, white and green coloring. Much of the writing on this sign is illegible, though it does clearly include a curse word.

Reported antisemitic incidents have spiked in recent months according to Rez, who said her organization has seen a 1500% increase in reported incidents since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Rez listed multiple incidents of verbal and physical attacks on Jewish people and bomb threats against temples that have occurred on Long Island just since that October attack.

“It was like the band-aid was just ripped off [after Oct. 7] and the floodgates just opened,” Rez said.

That is why Rez said community members must report any incidents of antisemitism in their own neighborhoods. Often, only the most “grotesque” hate crimes are reported, Rez said, which allows other incidents to be swept under the rug. The business founder said community members often fear retribution, which is why her organization guarantees confidentiality.

Schechter School adds planters for protection

BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

The Schechter School of Long Island has added large planters around the perimeter of the building as a preventative safety measure in case a driver decides to smash their car into the building, Associate Head of School Ofra Hiltzik said.

She said the planters are not a reaction to the current political climate.

The empty planters were funded by a grant that the school applied for through its security company, Global Operations Security Services Inc., in response to the firm’s recommendation, she said.

While Hiltzik said the security company has not dealt with an incident of someone driving their car into a school building, it is a security measure taken by private Jewish schools and temples worldwide.

“If you would walk around temples, other day schools in the tri-state area, you would see that those planters are there,” Hiltzik said.

The head of school clarified that the planters are not a reaction to the Israeli-Palestinian war.

“This work was an ongoing project for three years. I know that it will come across like, oh, my God, this is because of [Hamas’ attack on] Oct. 7,” Hiltzik said. “No. No. This is not reactive to that.”

Rather, she said, the timing of these planters is coincidental and due to the recent grant approval. The Mineola school district approved the planters’ installation and has been

New planters installed around the perimeter of the Schechter School.

involved throughout the process, she said.

The sizable planters will soon be filled with soil and flowers and will look “very friendly” since they are not meant to act as a deterrent, Hiltzik said.

The head of school said there have been no recent hate messages or incidents against the Schechter School. She emphasized how wonderful it has been working with the surrounding community in Williston Park.

“This is our 16th or 17th year in the neighborhood and the neighborhood, the neighbors, the stores around, St. Aidan’s … we do great programs with them,” Hiltzik said, citing the strong fabric of the community.

SCREENCAP BY TAYLOR HERZLICH, COURTESY OF @STOPANTISEMITES TWITTER

PHOTO BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

PHOTO BY TAYLOR HERZLICH

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OUR VIEWS Editorial Cartoon Opinion

It’s a good time to be a lawyer in Nassau

On the bright side, this is a good time to be a lawyer in Nassau County.

At least if you work for Nassau’s three towns and the county government. Or do work for them.

Taxpayers, who will have to foot the bills for these lawyers, may not be so happy with the sheer volume of litigation brought in recent months by or against Nassau County and the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay.

It is true that there are legitimate reasons for governments to sue or be sued in the course of doing business.

But there seem to be more than several instances in which legal actions were the result of poor policies or just plain politics.

One instance is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s controversial sports ban on transgender women and girls, which barred them from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity at about 100 county-run facilities.

A state judge on Friday evening struck down Nassau’s ban, finding that Blakeman had acted beyond his authority in enacting the executive order.

In issuing the ban in February, Blakeman had cited concerns about transgender women gaining an unfair advantage in athletic competitions but failed to name a single instance of that happening in Nassau County. This was noted in the judge’s decision

Democrats said the transgender ban was cruel and potentially dangerous to transgender youth, who report alarmingly high rates of depression. But some Republicans appeared to see transgender sports bans as a winning political issue.

The Republican County executive said last week he is not ready to give up after the state judge struck down the transgender ban — even while criticizing New York’s courts in a manner similar to that of a certain Republican presidential candidate.

The decision, Blakeman said in a statement, displayed a “lack of courage from a judge who didn’t want to decide the case on its merits.”

“Nassau County will appeal without much faith in the Appellate Division applying the law without far left doctrine being used to undermine women’s sports,”

he said of the state court’s decision.

Blakeman had earlier unsuccessfully sued state Attorney General Letitia James in federal court after she issued a statement urging the county to rescind its ban, which she described as “transphobic and blatantly illegal.”

A federal judge wrote in April that she found the county’s claims based on the equal protection rights of women and girls to be “unpersuasive” and ruled against the county’s effort to prevent James from filing a court challenge.

Last week, county Legislature Democrats also blasted their Republican counterparts for approving a $750,000 contract with a special counsel to defend Nassau in several lawsuits challenging a wide range of fees that have been used by the county to avoid raising taxes.

The fees include a $150 charge for red-light violations – despite a state law limiting the fine to $50 – and fees related to property liens.

In March 2020, a Nassau State Supreme Court justice wrote that a $355 tax map verification fee was an “unlawful and unconstitutional tax” on Nassau County deed filers.

In April 2023, a four-justice panel of the State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, unanimously affirmed the lower court’s ruling.

“The fees imposed were excessive and improper, as they were exacted for general revenue purposes and not tied to the county’s obligation to maintain its property registry,” the court ruled.

Blakeman filed an emergency order at the time asking the Legislature to reduce the fee to $270, which was approved in a party-line vote.

Democrats have pushed unsuccessfully to kill the fee.

The county is also embroiled in litigation with Hofstra University over a 99year lease agreement with Nassau that would permit Las Vegas Sands to develop a $4 billion casino and entertainment project at the site of the Nassau Coliseum property in Uniondale.

In April 2023, Hofstra sued Nassau, claiming that the county violated the state’s open meetings and environmental laws and that Nassau County and Sands did not follow proper protocol in their approval process.

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In November 2023, a state judge invalidated Nassau County’s approval of a 99-year lease agreement for the project. In February 2024, another judge ruled that Sands lacks a valid lease for the Coliseum and its surrounding land.

Nassau announced in April it will rework the lease agreement in the face of opposition by Hofstra.

A month ago Blakeman continued with his legal efforts, filing a lawsuit against Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state, challenging a new law that moves most local elections to even-numbered years, beginning in 2026.

Under a bill that Hochul, a Democrat, signed into law in December, most town and county elections in New York will move from odd to even years. Races for governor, president, and Congress are held in even years.

The lawsuit by Blakeman, a Republican, and the GOP-controlled Nassau County Legislature argues that the state violated its constitution in enacting the new law and seeks to block it from taking effect.

The county lawsuit dovetails with a campaign against the law by Republicans statewide who argue that voters will ignore local issues when county and town elections occur with federal and state contests.

Democrats say local elections should coincide with gubernatorial and presidential contests when turnout is highest. Democrats historically have better turnout during gubernatorial and, particularly, presidential years.

The three towns—North Hempstead, Hempstead, and Oyster Bay—are Repub-

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lican-controlled and have recently joined the county in the lawsuit.

Last week, Town of North Hempstead residents overwhelmingly spoke out against the litigation, which they called a political move, a mishandling of taxpayers’ money, and a sacrifice of democratic processes for partisanship.

“It is inconceivable to me that there could be some members of this board, as well as our supervisor, who support such a frivolous and costly agenda item when it is your primary responsibility to protect the hardworking, middle-class families that call North Hempstead home,” resident Scott Wolff said.

Wolff has a point, but the measure passed along party lines.

We would be more sympathetic to the Republicans’ call for a greater focus on local elections if so many of their candidates didn’t avoid interviews about the position they were running for with papers like ours.

But the towns are not just following the leads of Blakeman and Nassau County.

The Town of Hempstead filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in an effort to halt the MTA’s incoming New York City congestion pricing model, making Hempstead the first Long Island town to initiate legal action against the plan.

MTA officials said congestion pricing is set to hit commuters on June 30. Car drivers can expect a $15 charge to enter Manhattan at 61st Street and below, truck drivers can expect a $24 to $36 charge depending on their vehicle size, and motorcycle drivers can expect a $7.50 charge.

The program is intended to reduce

traffic and improve air quality in New York City, as well as generate revenue for the MTA.

Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, who called the plan a “money grab” by the MTA that would not improve services, said the town had hired attorneys “to seek an injunction to stop this program.”

But Clavin’s criticism contradicts his and other Republican town supervisors’ frequent demand for local control when the state has sought to to increase housing in Nassau County to address New York’s housing crisis.

What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander.

The Town of North Hempstead also signaled in February that it would not take action to avoid a legal fight when Republican councilmembers rejected expansion plans for the Hillside Islamic Center in New Hyde Park.

Religious institutions are protected in building houses of worship by a federal law passed by Congress after a pattern of discrimination was found in applications by minority religions.

But this did not dissuade town Republicans

“Sometimes the Town Board has to turn around and say ‘you know what? We’re going to get sued over it and we’re going to get brought into court, I’m going to stick up for my constituents first,’” said Republican Councilmember Ed Scott at the time.

North Hempstead also hired an outside law firm after the Islamic center filed a lawsuit against the town.

Is this the best use of taxpayer money? We don’t think so.

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Who writes better, men or women?

I recently read the essay “Total Eclipse” by Annie Dillard about the 1979 eclipse. It was mesmerizing, magical, and profound and I began to wonder why I haven’t read a comparable piece about the 2024 eclipse we all were so excited about just a few weeks ago?

I seriously doubt that there will be an essay written about this year’s eclipse that even comes close to the way Annie Dillard handled the 1979 eclipse. Here’s a sample of her writing:

“I had seen a partial eclipse in 1970. It bears almost no relationship to a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him or flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane.”

Her writing reminded me of other great female writers like Joan Didion, Gertrude Stein and Virginia Wolfe. And I began to wonder who are better writers, men or women. It might be fun to compare the two sides, kind of like the World Series but without the uniforms, knuckle balls or bats. So let’s pick five players on each side and see what happens.

On the women’s side we have Annie Dillard, Joan Didion, Gertrude Stein to bat 1st, 2nd, 3rd in the line up with Virginia Wolfe in the clean-up spot. And on the mound will be Mary Shelly as pitcher. On the men’s side let’s put Tom Wolfe, Donald Barthelme, David Foster Wallace and E.B. White with T.S. Elliot pitching.

First up are the women. Annie Dillard bats first. I have already told you about Annie. Another line from her essay goes like this: “I turned back to the sun. It was going. The sun was going,

and the world was wrong. The grasses were wrong.” Or the description of the seedy hotel she was staying in: “The hotel lobby was a dark, derelict room, narrow as a corridor, and seemingly without air.” Not a bad at bat, let’s give her a single.

Next up is Joan Didion, a part of the New Journalism school of writing where they would get involved with their subjects for extended periods of time and then publish long form essays about the experience. She wrote “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” and “The White Album” both about the social, drug and sexual revolutions that took place in America back in the late 1960s.

She was brave enough to talk about her nervous breakdown induced by the insanity of San Francisco’s HaightAshbury flower children. Let’s give her a walk. So now we have a man (or, in this case, women) on first and second with no outs.

Next up is Gertrude Stein, whose 1935 essay “What are Master-pieces and Why Are There So Few of Them” tells you everything you want to know about the subject of genius. However her style is so obtuse that it verges on the incomprehensible. Gertrude strikes out swinging. Now there are still two women on and only one out.

Batting cleanup is Virginia Wolfe. T.S. Elliot throws her a 95 mile an hour fast ball right down the middle, which she hits for a three-run home run, clearing the bases with one swing. Anyone who has read her feminist treatise “A Room of One’s Own” will agree.

The score is 3-0 and now it’s the men’s turn to get up.

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

First at bat is Tom Wolfe author of “A Man in Full,” “The Right Stuff,” “I Am Charlotte Simmons,” and “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.” This is one intimidating batter and Mary Shelley tries to pitch around him. He gets a walk.

Next up is Donald Barthelme, master of the post-modern short story. Mary Shelly does not have a clue as to how to pitch to him, and furthermore doesn’t like his look with that odd beard.

She is so distracted by his strange appearance and his ironic demeanor that she walks him in four pitches. Man on first and second with no outs.

Next up is David Foster Wallace, the guy who Gourmet Magazine sent to write about the Lobster Festival in Maine and returns with a 40-page essay on the ethics of killing lobsters.

David Foster Wallace is the guy whose footnotes were often longer than his text and who was arguably the best writer in America until he killed himself. In his at bat he struck out looking. You

see David Foster Wallace was an overthinker.

The cleanup batter was E.B. White, the genius who wrote “Charlotte’s Web” and my favorite essay of all time “The Ring of Time.” No one can pitch past E.B. and he hits an out-of-the-park home run on the first pitch which ties the game at 3 all.

The game goes on and both pitchers go on to shut out the other team and the game is eventually called in inning 13 due to darkness. Mary Shelley, the writer of “Frankenstein,” pitched masterfully, giving up only one hit, that home run to E. B. White. T.S. Eliot, the man who wrote “The Waste Land,” was overheard saying “April may be the cruelest month but baseball is the cruelest sport. I pitch a two hitter and I look like a bum.”

It is hard to say after seeing this World Series of writers which sex is better at writing.

The women writers all write with

clarity and compassion and sensitivity and seem to be in touch with the current zeitgeist of the time. Virginia Wolfe wrote of London in the early 20th century with all its upper-class stuffiness and tradition. Didion wrote about the insanity of the Sixties in America.

The men I mentioned were also in tune with the times and masters of their craft like Tom Wolfe writing about Miami of the 1990s in “Back To Blood” or David Foster Wallace making a state fair in the Midwest actually sound interesting.

Who can say which sex is better at this game of words? All I know is that I am happy that I have read every one of these masters and have learned plenty from them all. And let’s give the MVP to Mary Shelley for pitching so beautifully, for writing one of the most influential novels of all time and for being credited with starting the science fiction genre in literature.

Gov. Hochul’s ‘Big Ugly’ budget, part 2

In my last column, I noted that Gov. Hochul’s $237 billion spending plan—which is up 35% since 2019—is unsustainable due to anemic economic growth.

The state’s economy, which grew by only 0.7% last year vs. 2.5% nationally, is not expected to grow much this year and the state’s monstrous $16 billion structural deficit will escalate.

Adding to the bleak economic picture is the never-ending exodus of Wall Street firms to Florida, which unlike New York does not have a state income tax or estate tax.

The New York Post reported May 8 that “160 Wall Street firms have moved out of the Big Apple in recent years—56 of which took their business to Florida, sucking a whopping $1 trillion in financial assets under management out of Manhattan.” That shift, according to Bloomberg News, “has paved the way for a ‘Wall Street South.’” Financial moguls who ditched New York included Carl Ichan and hedge fund giant Paul Singer of El-

liott Management. While New York’s commercial real estate 20% vacancy rate is at an all-time high, Florida’s office rentals are booming, particularly in Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton.

If the wealthiest continue to rush to the exit doors, New York’s income tax collection will take a major hit. Why? Because 1% of households—76,000 out of 7,600,000— pay nearly 50% of the state’s total income tax revenue.

Think about it. If another 10,000 to 15,000 of those households move out in the next couple of years, New York will be in even deeper financial trouble.

Its tax base will be shattered.

The state’s share of Medicaid costs, which have spiraled from $22 billion in 2021 to $36 billion in 2023, is budgeted to increase by only $900 million. However, estimated costs in recent budgets have consistently been wrong. And there is no reason to think that this budget year will be any different. Cost overruns will fur-

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On The Right

ther exacerbate the structural deficit.

(To cover themselves, Albany pols buried in the budget a new $4 billion tax on Managed Care Organization health insurance plans.)

There’s more bad budget news. The resurrection of the 421-a tax break, that incentivizes the construction of new apartment rentals, is a shadow of its former self.

To keep that item in the budget, the governor surrendered to the radical leftists in her party.

The new program has two flaws that will be construction project killers.

First, it significantly lowers the income threshold for eligible tenants of “affordable” apartments in any new development. This policy will make it more difficult for new housing projects to be profitable.

Next, according to Two Trees Management, a major apartment building developer, the program imposes “certain wages that are consistently higher than the past, whether with union or non-union labor.” Newsday, stating the program increases wages and benefits to be at least $40 per hour, called it a “boon for unions.”

Real estate journalist Steve Cuozzo at the Post has reported “that the misbegotten measure has killed plans for River Ring, a $1 billion four-acre complex on Brooklyn’s East River Waterfront” that was to be built by developer Two Trees management.

The budget’s “Squatter” law is more hype than substance.

The Empire Center’s Cam Macdonald, in an analysis titled “A Squatter ‘Fix’ That May Fix Squat,” concluded, “The new provision that makes it certain in statute that squatters are not tenants may reduce confusion about the rights of persons who occupy property for more than 30 days. And such clarification may give property owners greater confidence to enlist assistance from police in self-help evictions, but it didn’t change the rights they already had prior to this month.”

In other words, Macdonald wrote, “property owners unwilling or unable to use self-help must endure the same expenses and delays in eviction proceedings that a clearer definition of squatting does not help.”

So, despite all the claims by Hochul and her legislative confreres that they passed a responsible budget, it appears it is another “smoke and mirrors” plan that panders to special interests while increasing spending, taxes, and pork.

PHOTO BY TOM FERRARO

EARTH MATTERS

American Wetlands Month a time to celebrate

There are lots of negative associations with wetlands from our vocabulary (swamped, bogged down) to the image of muddy, mosquito-ridden, out-of- the-way places mainly good for discrete dumping of bodies.

There are many descriptives for this type of environment: swamp, marsh, fen, bog, slough, mire, swale. Wetlands became the preferred term in 1953 when first used in a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report.

Though wetlands only account for 6% of land surface in the nation, they are super productive, containing 40% of the world’s biodiversity. Wetlands are diverse and can be found on the margins of freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.

Brackish wetlands are at the point where freshwater meets salt, like where streams run into bays and harbors along our shoreline and the mangrove wetlands of the South. Saltwater wetlands directly face the ocean and absorb the brunt of tidal action.

Each kind of wetland hosts plants and animals specially evolved for that habitat and climate.

In the United State, 95% of wetlands are freshwater, unless you live along the seaside or on an island, where those numbers can be reversed locally.

Wetlands are also one of the most

threatened habitats, as humans have been filling them for hundreds of years.

The USFWS recently released its sixth report on the status of wetlands in the U.S. (2009-2019) and it makes depressing reading. Wetland loss increased by more than 50% since the previous study with more than 221,000 acres lost, mostly by being filled.

Another type of loss of wetland is the change from vegetated to mudflats or being drowned into ponds or lakes.

According to the USFWS, wetlands provide these environmental benefits; Improve water quality – Often described as the “kidneys” of watersheds, wetlands are able to filter and trap pollutants, excess nutrients and sediment.

• Protect against flooding and stabilize shorelines – Wetlands act as a buffer that absorbs the energy and excess water from waves and storms, reducing flood damage to inland areas. Their vegetation and root systems also help prevent erosion.

• Recharge groundwater supply – If a wetland is connected to a groundwater system, it can help provide water when stream flows or lake levels are low. This helps maintain the water supply for drinking water and irrigation as well as for wildlife and plants.

• Sequester carbon – Wetlands capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

JENNIFER WILSON-PINES Earth Matters

and store it in soil and plants, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

• Peatlands, for example, cover only about 3 percent of the Earth’s surface but store approximately twice the amount of carbon than the entirety of the world’s forests.

• Recreation opportunities – Healthy wetlands provide myriad opportunities to connect with nature, whether through photography, fishing, wildlife watching, boating, hunting, or hiking.

Though over half of wetlands in the U.S. have been lost in the last 200 years, things did begin to turn early in the last

century. Protection of wetlands began in 1934 when Congress passed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, which started the purchase and preservation of wetlands. In 1986, the Emergency Wetland Resources Act was adopted. Portions of the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act also protect wetlands.

In New York, the Tidal Wetlands Act was adopted by the state in 1973. In 2017, the DEC published Tidal Wetlands Guidance Document for Living Shoreline Techniques to “encourage appropriate use of living shorelines in place of hardened approaches for erosion control, because living shorelines offer greater habitat and ecological value than hardened shorelines and revetments.”

In 1975 the New York State Legislature passed the Freshwater Wetlands Act, which covers most of the wetlands in the state. Its purpose is “declared to be the public policy of the state to preserve, protect and conserve freshwater wetlands, and the benefits derived therefrom, to prevent the despoliation and destruction of freshwater wetlands, and to regulate use and development of such wetlands to secure the natural benefits of freshwater wetland, consistent with the general welfare and beneficial economic, social, and agricultural development of the state.”

In 2023 that protection was expanded to cover an additional million acres of

smaller wetlands.

Despite their importance to diversity and protective functions, wetlands are still overlooked. On Long Island we are lucky to have many types of wetlands protecting our shorelines and waters. They are extra important here because of their ability to filter water both recharging our sole source aquifer and removing contaminants before they flow into the bays and Long Island Sound. They also serve as natural buffers to the tidal storm surges as well as important habitats to a huge variety of plants and animals. Wetlands are something to celebrate and protect even if you don’t want to go tromping in the mud.

USA tumbles from Top 20 of ‘Happiest Nations’

The dictator wannabe insurrectionist Donald Trump, whose entire political modus operandi is based on fomenting hate, violence and terror, can’t understand why only migrants from “s—hole” countries are desperate to come to the USA, but few are clamoring to emigrate from “nice” countries like Denmark, Switzerland or Finland.

In fact, for these “nice” countries, which have universal health care (the U.S. is the only one out of 33 industrialized nations without it), paid parental leave and affordable child care, prescription drugs at a fraction of what Americans pay, gun control, clean energy, women’s rights and affordable college, the United States is the “s—hole” country.

The USA tumbled out of the Top 20 in the 2024 World Happiness Report for the first-time in the report’s 12-year history – falling from 15th to 23rd, just a year ago.

That’s despite record employment (the longest stretch of unemployment below 4% since the 1960s), rising wages (exceeding inflation), the first time in decades that people can choose to quit a dead-end job for a better one, and the fact the U.S. economy is growing twice as fast as in any other G7 country this year. And for the first time in generations, we have a president who is not only committed to policies that bring economic, environmental, social, political and criminal justice for all, but is implementing them.

In fact, even though the answer to that perennial election year question, “Are

you better off than four years ago?” is an unqualified “yes” (when COVID was killing 1,000 people a week and 30 million lost their jobs and were in fear of losing their homes as well), holistically people do not feel better off and feel their world view is shaky.

“Do you know what the 22 countries ranked ahead of the U.S. in happiness all have in common?,” Melanie Darrigo quipped on Threads. “Universal healthcare. Turns out people are happier when they don’t have to choose between food and seeing a doctor.’

Republicans call the things that make people in other countries happy “Communism” and are chomping at the bit to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and repeal the Affordable Care Act. They also want to reverse the bulk of Biden’s investments in clean energy infrastructure and environmental protection regulations, rolling back limits on credit card fees and junk fees and making the wealthiest pay their fair share of taxes, so they can make permanent Trump’s $2 trillion taxgiveaway to the richest individuals and corporations.

It doesn’t help that the Doomsday Clock is now at 90 seconds to midnight — the closest ever to apocalypse, that the Earth is still warming, oceans are overheating, supersized climate disasters are more frequent, bringing death, destruction, flood, famine, drought.

Or that wherever you look, authoritarian wannabes are succeeding at replacing the Rule of Law, democracy and international order with the medieval “golden

all the progress so hard won through the entire 20th century –- all the things that have made our lives better, made us feel optimistic about the future. They are actually passing laws to repeal Biden’s climate actions, Obama’s Affordable Health Care. They have put the kibosh on affirmative action (that was the practical, moral alternative to paying reparations to correct centuries of systemic racism) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion). They even want to reverse laws that protect election workers from intimidation and harassment.

mise. Traveling to learn about how other people live was considered a value.

Somehow hate speech has become the pinnacle of “free speech.” We have disintegrated into banning books and banning history, replacing critical thinking with banning critical race theory, and retreating back into the isolationist nonsense of “American Exceptionalism” while demeaning “globalism” as “elitist” (whatever that means).

rule:” Might Makes Right.

And yet when you examine the primary sources of the high anxiety — political violence, gun violence, lost reproductive freedom, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, a resurgence of violent protests — what do these things have in common? They are actually all choices. All human-caused. All manufactured, if you will, calculated to make people anxious, vulnerable, fearful, feeling out of control, expanding the gap between haves and have-nots. These threats are calculated to make the public look to an authoritarian who promises to wave a wand and make everything better. Except that we’ve seen what Fascism looks like and feels like, and only have to be reminded of it.

Republicans are on a tear to reverse

There is a sense that there is no justice, no fairness in the universe, that evil is triumphing over what is good and decent. You can’t feel secure in any of the rights won, as 170 million American women have discovered, or policies implemented. There is a national malaise, even depression, increased anxiety and fear, and people feel literally off-balance as the country, if not the world, seems to have gone off-kilter. A little Alice in Wonderland. A lot Orwell.

People were happier when our culture since the 1960s had been making progress , moving toward a Golden Age of inclusivity and acceptance, of collaboration and community. We used to speak of “political correctness.” We used to have companies and colleges with active diversity programs. We used to have a government which compromised to find consensus and, yes, forged progress.

We had achieved a decent level of openness to ideas and communication, of opening perspectives and vistas, of appreciation for other cultures, of compro-

What we are witnessing is a cultural sea change, as if the rushing tide of progress is being reversed just as we were so close to achieving what we claim are our ideals.

While Republican candidate and dictator wannabe Trump promises retribution, carnage, and to end democracy and the Rule of Law, President Biden loves to recount how he responded to the Chinese premier who asked him to define the United States in one word: “Possibilities.”

And how Biden loves to end his speeches saying, “I’ve never been more optimistic about our future. We just have to remember who we are — with patience and fortitude, with one heart. We are the United States of America, for God’s sake. There is nothing beyond our capacity if we act together and decently with one another. We’re the only nation in the world that’s come out of every crisis stronger than we went into that crisis. That was true yesterday and it’s true today, and I guarantee you will be true tomorrow.”

Biden’s task is to get the nation back on that track.

VIEW POINT KAREN RUBIN

PHOTO BY JENNIFER WILSON PINES

Oceanside Marine Nature Study area

These are our students now out there protesting

Campus protests dominate the news, with many commentators offering views on the protests. Now it is my turn.

The protesters are our students. Soon after the war began in response to the horrific Hamas attack on Israel, they exercised their rights to free speech and assembly to mount peaceful protests to advocate for a ceasefire, a return of hostages and negotiations for a sustainable peace.

And they wanted the United States to broker it, just as it brokered the Good Friday accords between Northern Ireland’s political parties and the British and Irish governments.

In reaction to peaceful protests and civil disobedience, campus leaders called in militarized riot squads. Our students have seen besieged people on both sides betrayed and slaughtered.

They, and I, wonder why it is that when we show sympathy toward the people of Gaza, we are deemed antisemitic? Why can’t we hold two thoughts in mind at the same time: support for the people of Israel even as we criticize their government? After all, we can criticize our government without being unpatriotic.

We want our students to be informed, to question assertions and challenge assumptions., To know that words matter, actions have consequences. They also must know that

their assertions and assumptions will be tested and their actions judged. This is the mark of an inquisitive mind. Our responses should not be to berate, bully and beat them. Instead, we should work to de-escalate the situation. We should use the tools of community activists to promote dialogue and negotiation.

We want our students to be compassionate, to think globally and to think for themselves, even in groups. We want them to promote democratic ideals, informed citizenship, and to believe in peaceful resolutions to disputes, whether personal or political. We adults should model these behaviors.

We should engage our students and educate them. The institutions where protests are moderate seem to be the places where students are taken seriously and where the faculty and administration work together to take advantage of a “teachable moment.” This moment begs for history lessons on the 2,000 years of Jewish peoples being exiled from their homes and the 1948 displacement of Palestinians by Western governments. These are histories that affect beliefs and influence actions today.

We teach about human rights and preach justice for all. Doesn’t this include Palestinians as well as Israelis? Those who define antisemitism as any criticism of Israeli policy create a

ROBERT A. SCOTT, Ph.D. My Turn

“straw man.” After all, sympathy for Palestinians is not the same as support for Hamas.

Police actions at Columbia University, UCLA and elsewhere have incited sympathetic protests around the country. The media’s focus on 30or so elite campuses has distorted the public’s knowledge of what is happening at the 4,000 other institutions of higher education.

These reports in turn inspire nonstudent actors to join the fray, a not unusual outcome. It also is probable that the right-wing, circus-like Congressional hearings have exacerbated tensions on campus and fostered misinformation. I wonder why these same zealots called the Jan. 6 insur-

rection a peaceful march instead of what it was.

The student demands vary, but the primary goal is to stop the killing. Many also want divestment from companies that provide weapons for enforcing the occupation of Palestine, disclosure of university investments and affiliations that support the war in Gaza, a boycott of relations with Israeli universities while the universities in Gaza are being destroyed, and the demilitarizing of university research.

These demands should be engaged. We need to acknowledge legitimate questions. Each “demand” is an assertion grounded in assumptions. Some assumptions can be rebutted with evidence, but providing evidence requires engagement. This is the start of the teachable moment. Engage the assertion and examine the evidence. We have seen some universities do so and end protests.

In our book, “Letters to Students: The Meaning of a College Education,” Dr. Drew Bogner and I discuss the importance of critical thinking and a knowledge of history. We say that the basics of a college education are learning to question, i.e. examining what came before whether in politics or engineering; imagination, i.e., learning from the arts, literature, and music how to consider life in new ways; compassion, i.e., putting one-

FROM THE DESK OF ARNOLD W. DRUCKER

self in another’s shoes and acting on their behalf; and reflection, i.e., wondering what we can learn from experiences of all types.

Unfortunately, there are politicians who want to control what is taught and how. Their brethren are banning books and attempting to substitute political criteria for professional judgment. What lessons do these actions convey to students?

Of course, the protesters need to know the difference between peaceful protest, civil disobedience, and unlawful behavior. Isn’t it our responsibility to teach them? Shouldn’t we have common sense rules about protests that specify time, place and behavior restrictions and are applied uniformly? Given the history of student protests, shouldn’t we have these rules in place to protect free speech, safety and the freedom to study?

These are our students. We owe it to them to listen. Shouldn’t we say that we recognize the humanitarian crisis and want peace, with hostages released and the restoration of healthcare, food supplies, shelter, and schools? Maybe all of us will learn from the dialogue.

Dr. Robert A. Scott, President Emeritus, Adelphi University; Co-Author, with Dr. Drew Bogner, “Letters to Students: The Meaning of a College Degree,” Rowman & Ltttlefield, forthcoming, 2024.

Include Nassau residents in rail discount program

For so many reasons, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board’s April 30 enactment of a discount program for New York City monthly rail tickets that excludes Nassau and Suffolk residents is extremely disappointing — especially amid the advent of congestion pricing and its fiscal impact upon Nassau County households.

As a lifelong resident of Plainview and the representative of the Nassau County Legislature’s 16th District for the last eight years, I am keenly aware of the extent that residents in my district rely upon Long Island Rail Road train service to commute to and from work in the five boroughs each and every day.

Moreover, as a policymaker, I am cognizant of the environmental benefits associated with increased mass transit use and the positive fiscal impact that greater ridership would generate for the MTA and our county.

Considering those clear benefits for our county and our greater region, Nassau and Suffolk’s exclusion from this incentive program makes little sense.

Furthermore, it strikes me as a missed opportunity to extend a gesture of goodwill to Long Islanders in an atmosphere rife with palpable frustration regarding the implementation of congestion pricing.

Imagine the frustration of a commuter residing minutes from the Queens

border in Elmont upon their discovery that they will be paying more to ride the train to Manhattan than someone up the block in New York City simply because of an arbitrary line on a map dividing municipalities!

State lawmakers now have a responsibility to address this glaring omission.

As stated in an April 30 news release announcing the five-boroughs incentive initiative, “the programs are funded by the Outer Borough Transportation Account, created in 2018 by the New York State Legislature to provide $50 million per year to improve transportation in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island in association with congestion pricing.”

The MTA must now work with state officials to identify resources that can be swiftly applied toward funding a comparable discount initiative for the benefit of Nassau and Suffolk County commuters.

A strong and comprehensive commitment to mass transit will yield tremendous benefits for our future, but out entire region must be included to maximize those opportunities. It now behooves New York State to act and correct the glaring and illogical inequities that currently exist.

Arnold W. Drucker, of Plainview, is the Nassau County Legislature’s Deputy Minority Leader. He has represented the Legislature’s 16th District since December 2016.

READERS

I support Nanette Melkonian for ed board trustee

Ihave known Nanette since our now 23-year-olds were in preschool.

We connected over our shared passion for public education, both believing that every child deserves an appropriate education that meets their individual needs while challenging them to be the very best students they can be.

top of the issues facing our schools in these rapidly changing times.

Nan is extremely knowledgeable about education and New York State regulations and takes the time to continue learning so she can stay on

She understands that these are not ordinary times, and for the sake of our kid’s futures, we must be extraordinary in how and what curriculum we deliver.

Acceptance, inclusion, tolerance are not just words to Nan, it is how she lives. Nan really listens and makes sure community members feel heard, always advocating for what is best for our kids.

Nan is a true leader with a heart

of gold. I am proud to support her and to call her my friend. Please join me in voting for Nanette Melkonian for board of education trustee on May 21.

Suzanne Hershkowitz Port Washington

ARNOLD W. DRUCKER Nassau County Legislator

The truth must be told about democracy in America

Iread today, in one of your publications, with a good deal of disgust, the lie that Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy.

Was he that threat in his first term? No! The biggest threats to our democracy are the stolen elections of 2020 and 2022! This is the truth, and [Prsident Joe] Biden be-

lieves that he can do it again. That man lies to us constantly. Yesterday, he told an audience that the inflation rate was 9% percent when he took office.

It was actually 1.4%. How can you support such an evil liar?

Why I am running for school trustee in Great Neck

My name is Steven Chen. I am a proud father of two boys who are attending the Great Neck Public Schools. I was appointed as a Trustee of the Great Neck Board of Education in September of 2023. I am running for the same position to serve for the next three years.

I immigrated to the United States from China when I was 10 years old. Growing up, I attended public primary and secondary schools around the TriState area. As a product of public education, I believe in the value and virtues it provides. Many families move to Great Neck precisely because of the topnotch school system we currently enjoy. This system wasn’t built overnight, it is the culmination of many decades of hard work and dedication by previous school board members, school administrators, teachers and staff and most importantly, the residents of Great Neck. For most of us, the home we live in is the singular most valuable asset we possess, and be-

cause of the school system we have, this investment grows in value year after year. The Great Neck Public Schools system is the crown jewel of the peninsula. We must cherish it, maintain it and let it flourish even more.

Since my family and I moved to Great Neck 12 years ago, I have been very involved in the community. I have served as the Committee Chair, the Cub Master and other leadership roles in our local Cub Scouts Pack 178. Currently, I am also serving as the Co-President of the Great Neck Chinese Association. Community service provides me with the satisfaction of knowing that I have done something good, and it is something that I have been doing since I was a “Candy Striper” at a hospital when I was 16 years old. I believe community service is a building block for a diverse and yet close-knit community. It is the avenue where we can teach our children to be less self-centered, to have empathy, to treat others with

kindness and to help those in need. With the common goal of doing good, we can all come together to build a better Great Neck.

Like all of you who have experienced the era of COVID and witnessed the continuing political divide on so many issues, I too wish our community could be more united and have less divisions among neighbors. I believe the way we can achieve that is by listening to each other and being respectful of one’s opinions whether we agree or not. Being open-minded and a good listener are prerequisites for one to be a good communicator and a community builder. With that approach, I hope to gain your trust and partnership in serving our school district.

As a trustee, I constantly remind myself of the importance of fiduciary duties not only to our children’s education but also to our taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. With a public accounting background, I am equipped with the proper knowledge to understand

our district’s financial standing. The Great Neck Public Schools district is in a very fortunate position where we enjoy our AAA credit ratings from rating agencies. Just like many other institutions, financial prudence is a fundamental pillar of sustainability. We must maximize the utilization of our assets and provide the best education for our children. With our current administration team, I am confident that we have the right leadership in place to further enhance our long-term financial stability.

It is my hope that all registered voters residing in the Great Neck Public Schools district will come out to vote for me and my colleague Grant Toch on Tuesday, May 21st from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Please check the school website https://www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/ Page/4901 for your voting location.

How can the MTA spend $15 billion in 6 months?

Even with congestion pricing starting by June 30, there is no way the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be able to advertise, award and issue a Notice to Proceed to contractors representing $15 billion worth of projects within the following six months.

There are also billions in other ongoing capital projects plus billions more not yet underway whose work will be carried over into the next $51 billion or more 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan. There may not be enough resources to integrate the implementation of $15 billion or more carryover congestion-pricing-funded projects from

the $51 billion 2020-2024 Five Year Capital Plan, billions more in ongoing non-congestion-pricingfunded projects with those in the first and second year of the upcoming $51 billion plus 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan.

The MTA lacks sufficient procurement, project managers, engineers, legal, and force account employees, along with track outage availability to proceed with all these projects in the same time frame. Billions of capital improvement projects will be delayed. Costs will increase due to inflation and other factors as time goes by.

The upcoming $51 billion plus 2025-2029 Five Year Capital Plan is due to be released in October

Biden is a historic mistake

Dear President Biden, you, sir, are a disgrace and an embarrassment to a once great country.

You will forever be remembered for your betrayal of an ally you will soon regret losing.

Dear my brothers and sisters in the diaspora, if you vote for this man, your grandchildren will one day have to live with the shame of having a grandparent who betrayed his/ her people.

Biden has today taken off the gloves and blatantly rewarded the barbaric Jew-hating terrorists who murdered, raped, and mutilated innocent Jews.

Shameful.

Today, I am embarrassed to be an American, words I truly never thought I’d write.

As sad as this is for Israel and the Jewish people, it’s infinitely worse for America. Want to know why?

Open a history book. When an empire comes after the Jews, it is the beginning of the end for that empire.

So, Mr. Biden, prepare to meet your Babylonian and Assyrian friends.

Today, you made a historic mistake

Bill Spitalnick Roslyn

and adopted on or before Jan. 1, 2025. This should include a master integrated resource loaded schedule for how the billions in carryover capital projects will proceed with billions more in the new five-year capital program. MTA Board members, elected officials, city, state and federal funding agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration, commuters, taxpayers, transit advocacy groups and transit reporters need to see this critical information.

It is the only way we can determine if the MTA is up to meeting the challenge..New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli just released his “Annual Update:Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Debt Profile Report” covering May 2024 to

May 2025. His report confirms what I’ve been saying all along about the MTA’s problems with both advancing previous and current ongoing Five Year Capital Programs, increases in long-term debt and growing annual debt service payments.

Larry Penner Great Neck

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.

Ask you to support me as trustee

Fellow residents of Great Neck, my name is Grant Toch and I am declaring my intention to run for re-election as Trustee of the Board of Education for the Great Neck Public School District. I have had the privilege to serve our community on the Great Neck Board of Education for the last three years, two of which I served as Trustee and, this current year, as Vice President.

We have had many accomplishments during my three years on the Board of Education. We successfully selected our new Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for Business Affairs. We also successfully negotiated contracts with the Great Neck Teachers Association and almost all other bargaining units. Even more, we passed two fiscally responsible budgets within the property tax cap limitation while continuing to invest in the academic and athletic programming our families demand and the social and emotional support our students need.

With these hires and contract negotia-

tions complete, my focus will be on making sure we continue to invest in the programs all of our students require to develop the talents and emotional well-being needed to succeed in our increasingly competitive world. I will also work to make sure the experiences our students have are similar throughout our schools.

I will also continue to focus on increasing the transparency we provide to our community. This includes simplifying our website to make information more accessible, providing community members access to more information, continuing to meet with community members to listen to their experiences and enhancing our communication efforts overall.

I say all this from the backdrop of a parent who has been involved in our community for many years prior to and during my Board of Education experience. Prior to my election to the Board of Education, I served 12 years on the United Parent Teacher Council, where I was a member and Chairperson of the Budget Committee, a member of the Legislative Com-

mittee, and served on its executive board for 6 years. For 2 years I also served on the Board of Education Financial Advisory Committee. Elsewhere in the community, I have been a parent leader for youth sports teams and serve currently as a member of the board and finance committee for Temple Beth-El. I ask that you support my candidacy so that I may continue the work required to enhance and maximize the opportunities provided to all of our students, ensure that the resources required by our teachers are adequately met and provide the oversight necessary so that the school district can thoughtfully and transparently address its financial responsibilities and plans for its future. As a parent with children in our schools and active in our community, I am committed to the success of the Great Neck Public School District.

Respectfully submitted, Grant Toch

Milton Brody Roslyn Heights

Steven Chen Great Neck

Business&RealEstate

Foreclosure can be a daunting, stressful

Not being able to pay your mortgage is an experience that 95,349 families and individuals throughout the U.S. have been dealing with in the foreclosure filings during the first quarter of 2024 according to ATTOM.COM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data.

This is a 3% increase from the previous quarter, but down less than 1% from a year ago. However, March 2024 showed 32,878 U.S. foreclosure filings up 3% from the previous month but down less than 1% from the previous month and 10% less from a year ago.

Those major metro areas with populations of 200,000 or more that had the largest numbers of foreclosure starts in the first quarter including NYC, NY (with 4,404 starts), Houston, Texas, (with 2,977 starts), Chicago, Illinois(2,867 starts), Los Angeles, Ca.(2398 foreclosure starts), and Miami, Fl.(2319 foreclosure starts). The highest foreclosure rates were in Delaware, New Jersey, and South Carolina.

Some may not be aware of other ways to keep foreclosure from happening or at least to stave off the process, providing enough time to recoup and recover and to do what is necessary to increase their incomes with a 2nd or 3rd job or side hustle and stabilize their situation.

I do understand that it is by far a very stressful and worrisome event and it’s not easy to deal with when having to confront what to do and in which direction to

head. Losing one’s home is life-changing, but taking a positive attitude and doing what is necessary will hopefully allow you to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The first thing one should do is sit down, try to relax, clear your head, and create a plan (as I always say if you “fail to plan, you will plan to fail”).

I am sure you would prefer to stay in your home and not have to move, as this has been your familiar space, whether short or long term and feel most comfortable to continue living in your own home.

As I mentioned, finding and securing new and additional income should be one of the first steps in being able to continue paying your mortgage. However, simultaneously, communicating with your lender should be tantamount in finding solutions to be able to stay put.

You will need to ask a loan representative if a modification of your loan can be considered with a lower interest rate and/or payments. If this is possible, the bank will most likely add the unpaid interest and whatever principle is owed to the back end of your mortgage. Most important try to make sure you ask for the name and I.D., extension, or direct number of the person that you initially converse with.

This should be the go-to individual that you want to always speak with. Developing a bit of rapport will be most

helpful in your situation, as they are human too and may have dealt with the same situation on a personal level as you, as well as with others who are experiencing the same circumstances.

I have assisted several people, by interceding in the negotiations with the homeowner providing me authorization to speak on their behalf.

The timing and approach will be crucial in allowing you more time to strategize and work out your plan. However, you should have an idea going forward in advance of getting behind in your payments.

Keep in mind when you are 3-4 pay-

ments behind, you will now be in lis pens, heading towards foreclosure. Your credit will be impacted once you are in this position. You must have constant communication with your bank and especially since that one representative with whom you have begun to build rapport and somewhat of a relationship.

From my experience in dealing with foreclosures, sometimes it is a long road to remedying and rectifying your mortgage issues. Luckily in NYS, I have seen some homeowners stay in pre-foreclosure for up to 7 years; sometimes saving so much money, that they are almost able to pay cash for another residence, depending on where they live.

This isn’t a normal occurrence but can sometimes happen. Having a qualified attorney to assist you will provide the extra cushion of time to hopefully get your finances in order and stave off foreclosure.

Following this path and contemplating what to do but not see any way out, then selling would be the most logical path to pursue; while you are still in control of your home and hopefully have a good amount of equity that you will be able to take with you.

Don’t procrastinate for you should have a timeline to know when will be the most advantageous time to sell by getting a Realtor to assist you. In some ways, time is somewhat on your side, but don’t wait too long.

Your bank would rather not foreclose on you, as it is a costly undertaking, as much as $50,000 plus and if you are being represented by an attorney, it could cost you $300-$500 per hour; unless a flat fee is discussed and negotiated.

It is in your best interest as well as the bank’s to somehow and someway to discuss, negotiate, and formulate a way to keep you in your home. If possible, working out a lower rate and/or monthly payments could be the solution.

You need to take the right attitude in conveying your commitment to agree to a solution and begin making your payments.

Lastly, during the process, stay in touch with your lender and make sure you return all calls. This will bode well in doing what is required and necessary, as it will show your lender that you are taking full responsibility in needing and wanting to stay in your home. I wish all who are having financial issues good luck.

If you need any advice or a consultation, feel free to reach out to me at anytime.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. 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.Comor via https://WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com

MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (MFA)

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.

Sandwire advises and implements robust cybersecurity services to shield SMBs from harm. MFA is but one arrow in our quiver.

PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

Robert J. Mitchell CPA, EA

Theresa Hornberger CPA

Marvin Goodman CPA, (ret)

24 Exeter St. Williston Park, NY 11596 www.pfcmitchell.com - Bob@Pfcmitchell.com

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READERS

Dr. Quraishi for Herricks board

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Car Accidents

Construction

t is with great pleasure I wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Shaheda Quraishi for the upcoming School Board election. I have had the privilege of working with Dr. Quraishi for over 12 years and can firmly attest to her exceptional leadership,communication and analytical skills.

She is a caring professional and extremely skilled pain management physician for Northwell Health since 2007 and assistant professor at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University.

Dr. Quraishi is the clinical director for the Department of Pain Management and responsible for high-quality patient care, performance improvement initiates,developing policies, staff education and management. Her strong leadership helps streamline our business strategies and supports our organization’s success.

Accidents • Trip/Slip and Falls • Train/Subway Accidents • Medical Negligence Claims • Workplace Injuries Appellate Practice: • Civil Appeals - Motion and Post-Trial

John Lavelle, Williston Park Resident, Parishioner, St. Aidan’s Graduate (‘93) and Proud SAS Parent 630 Willis Avenue Williston Park, NY 11596 516-325-1175

John.Lavelle@LavelleInjuryFirm.com

Dr. Quraishi is extremely passionate about the Herricks students because she was one. She has been a Herricks resident for most of her life and graduated in1995 from Herricks High School top of her class (valedictorian). She is the mother of three amazing children who all attend Herricks schools and she is deeply committed to the children, parents, and schools in Herricks.

She is highly motivated and has proven herself to be a strong community supporter with her involvement in the Health and Safety Committee during the pandemic, lead coach for the Girls on the Run in 2019/2020 and head couch for Let Me Run in 2022.

Dr. Quraishi has served on the Herricks PTA for many yearsand is currently on the executive board of Denton and Herricks Middle School.

As a Herricks resident for over 25 years, I am extremely confident Dr. Shaheda Quraishi would provide us with strong leadership and the best possible education for our students. She is strongly committed to continue the tradition of excellence in Herricks.

Diane Lennon Gioia Herricks

Stop after-school stealing in suburbs

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It’s 3:00 p.m. Do you know where your teenagers are?

Since when is stealing from neighborhood stores an acceptable after-school activity? Parents, these are the same suburban stores you shop in. These are the stores your neighbors shop in. Do you have sufficient insight into the activities your kids are engaged in after swiping your American Express card for their daily burger and fries lunch accompanied by a black-and-white shake?

Since when is “stealing for kicks” an acceptable after-school activity? We’re not talking about low budget items like candy or cookies but stealing off store shelves just for the sake of stealing. Well-to-do kids from local families seem to know they can get away with it. They show no fear and they show no remorse. Their strategy? They show up en masse surrounding the store aisles. They sit cross-legged on the floor in the back of the aisles and refuse to budge. They trash talk mentally disabled store employees. Some teens anyway. Certainly, not yours.

Clean-cut kids, with chiseled grins and boyish smiles are stealing. The pretty girls, too. Parents, please open your eyes and open a dialogue with your teens. Otherwise, the next wake-up call you receive may be from a police officer after they’ve handcuffed your son or daughter. Yes, the girls are guilty of this behavior, too, according to local merchants.

And if you still aren’t inclined to act, consider how you will explain a police record or community service on an elite college application. Some things in life can’t be fixed even with excellent SAT scores.

Judy Shore Rosenthal Great Neck

Cathleen P. Russo, CPA PC

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WWW.THEISLAND360.COM

U.S. Navy Blue Angels to return on 20th anniversary

Bethpage Federal Credit Union and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation have announced the final performer line-up for the much-anticipated 20th Anniversary Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach, taking place on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, 2024, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m..

The United States Navy Blue Angels, which headlined the very first Bethpage Air Show back in 2004, will return to Long Island to headline the 20th Anniversary show. This will be the Blue Angels’ 10th headliner performance for what has grown into one of the most respected air shows in the country.

“The Bethpage Air Show symbolizes the credit union’s roots and is a testament to Long Island’s history in aviation. It is a true collaboration and we are honored to continue to support and help produce this extraordinary show,” said Linda Armyn, president and CEO, Bethpage Federal Credit Union.

In 2004, New York State Parks invited Bethpage to be the title sponsor of the show, recognizing the credit union was founded by employees of Grumman Aerospace.

The Blue Angels also have strong ties to Long Island, flying Grumman Hellcats, built on Long Island for the team’s 1946 inaugural flight. The team then went on to fly other Grumman aircraft including the Bearcat, Cougar and Tiger, one of which, now proudly hangs at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.

Military performers joining the Blue Angels include the United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo Team, and the U.S. Navy F-35C Demo Team.

Civilian performers Mike Goulian, North America’s most decorated aerobatic pilot; the world-famous Skytypers; Warbird Thunder Airshows; Farmingdale State College Flying Rams; Long Island’s own David Windmiller and the American Airpower Museum Warbirds.

“2024 is a very special year for us. Not only are we celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Bethpage Air Show, but we are also celebrating the 95th anniversary of Jones Beach State Park and the 100th anniversary of New York State Parks and the Long Island State Park Commission,” said George Gorman, regional director, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation. “Spectators are in for a real treat!”

To help celebrate the 20th-anniversary show, organizers are giving away 30,000 commemorative U.S. Navy Blue Angels signed posters to fans attending the practice show on Friday, May 24, and the weekend show on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26th.

The show will also feature other celebratory elements throughout the holiday weekend including a special, 15 ft x 20ft, anniversary cake weigh-

ing in at 1000 pounds, which fans will be able to enjoy on Friday, following an 11:00 am Jones Beach Press Conference.

“The show brings park visitors together to pay tribute to our nation’s great military and the pilots who serve and protect Americans, as well as our honored veterans. I would like to thank our sponsors, our volunteers, as well as federal, state, and local agencies for helping the show become a treasured Long Island tradition,” continued Gorman.

Returning again for the 2024 show is the Bethpage Air Show Mobile App. Text ‘Airshow’ to 516-842-4400 to download the app for performer and sponsor information, a site map, helpful FAQs to help prepare you for the show, and more to come. Available now on the App Store and Google Play.

The Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach is one of the largest, most respected and most popular air shows in the country. Over 240,000 fans attended the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach in

2022 when the Blue Angels last performed during a stormy weekend show. Last year, over 419,000 fans attended.

The Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach is sponsored by Bethpage Federal Credit Union; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Newsday, WABC-TV Channel 7; Natural Heritage Trust; Connoisseur Media Long Island; Catholic Health, Jones Beach Brewery; Rallye Motor Company; PSEG Long Island; News 12 Long Island; The Foundation for Long Island State Parks; Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum; Stop & Shop; and New York Islanders. The show can be heard in its entirety on WHLI 1100 AM and 104.7 FM.

The Bethpage Air Show is free to the public, but the standard $10.00 vehicle use fee will be collected each day upon entry to the State Park.

For 2024 NYS Empire Pass Card holders, there is no vehicle use fee charge.

Available for $80, the 2024 Season Empire

Pass is a wallet-sized scannable card that can be shared within a household and not assigned to a specific vehicle. The Empire Pass Card provides unlimited vehicle access to most facilities operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 2024 Season Empire Pass Cards are available for purchase at any Long Island State Park beginning April 1, 2024, and can be utilized immediately and are effective until December 31, 2024 to enjoy the forests, the seashores and the lakefronts of New York State’s parks through all of New York’s beautiful seasons. For up-to-date information about this year’s show, please visit www.bethpageairshow.com or https://www.facebook.com/BethpageAirShow/, or contact the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Regional Office, Recreation Department at 631/321-3510.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels

The wreck of The Prince Maurice 1657

On the night of March 8, 1657, as a Nor’easter raged, a Dutch ship, The Prince Maurice , slammed into the coast of Fire Island.

Aboard were 129 souls – passengers, crew and Dutch West India Company soldiers. Ashore were Indigenous people on their coastal night watch, listening to the ship crash against the shoal.

May 30 - June 2, 2024

Thursday 5 PM - 10 PM

Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, noted: “We are delighted to support projects that push the boundaries of history, culture, and the digital world.

The New Amsterdam History Center’s integration of 3D models, original documents, Encyclopedia, and maps is an entirely new way to experience the past.”

Until now, the story of this dramatic Long Island shipwreck and rescue has been known only to a handful of historians. But the rescue on an ice-laden beach has been part of Indigenous history for 400 years.

Friday 5 PM - 11 PM

Sunday 12 PM - 8 PM Sponsored By

Saturday 12 PM - 11 PM

Herricks Community Center 999 Herricks Road New Hyde Park, NY

DISCOUNTED ADVANCE SALES

Now, thanks to a grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the New Amsterdam History Center’s groundbreaking Mapping Early New York project has combined old-fashioned research and new technology, including AI, and a new window on history has opened wide for children, their parents, historians, map nerds, and computer gamers.

One of four presentations will be made at the Port Washington Public Library on Friday, May 17, 7:00 — 8:30 P.M.

Kathryn Curran, executive director of the

RADULT IDES

Sold Online or at the Community Center Main Office

$25 Vouchers for One-Day Bracelets

Save Up To $15 If Purchased In Advance If Purchased at Carnival on Thursday and $40 Friday - Sunday

HERRICKS CARNIVAL

Scan QR Code to Purchase Tickets Online All Advance Voucher Sales Begin Monday, 5/13 and End Thursday, 5/30 - 5 pm

“This project follows in the footsteps of our recent 3D Model created for the NewYork Historical Society’s installation New York Before New York: The Castello Plan , on view March 15 – July 14, 2024″, said Esme E. Berg, executive director. “We are delighted to bring it to Long Island on May 16, 17 and 18, when members of NAHC’s research team will be in Southampton, Port Washington and Shelter Island to off er lively, richly illustrated presentations including interactive maps and 3-D models.”

Presenters: Toya Dubin, Mapping Early NY Project Director & Drew Shuptar-Rayvis, Algonkian Historical Consultant

Admission is free of charge; space is limited. Reservations are required.

MAY 30 - JUNE 2, 2024

Thursday 5 PM - 10 PM

Friday 5 PM - 11 PM

Saturday 12 PM - 11 PM

DISCOUNTED ADVANCE SALES

Sold Online or at the Community Center Main Office $25 Vouchers for One-Day Bracelets

Vouchers Available for Purchase In-Person at the Herrick's Community Center Main Office on the Following Dates and Times: Monday 5/13 – Friday 5/17 9 AM – 2 PM Monday 5/20 – Friday 5/24 9 AM – 2 PM Tuesday 5/28 9 AM – 2 PM, Wednesday 5/29 from 9-2 and Thursday 5/30 from 9-5

SAVE UP TO $15 IF PURCHASED IN ADVANCE $35 If Purchased at Carnival on Thursday and $40 Friday - Sunday

Sunday 12 PM - 8 PM

Herricks Community Center 999 Herricks Road New Hyde Park, NY

QR CODE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE All Advance Voucher Sales Begin Monday, 5/13 and End Thursday, 5/30 - 5 pm

* 50% OF ADVANCE SALES BENEFITS THE HCF * For more information call 516 742-1926

ATM available during Carnival Houurs

Vouchers Available for Purchase In-Person at the Herrick’s Community Center Main Office on the Following Dates and Times: Monday 5/13 – Friday 5/17 9 AM – 2 PM Monday 5/20 – Friday 5/24 9 AM – 2 PM Tuesday 5/28 9 AM – 2 PM, Wednesday 5/29 from 9-2 and Thursday 5/30 from 9-5

Four Seasons returns to Sands Pt. Preserve

The Four Seasons in Music returns to Sands Point Preserve on May 19 at 5 p.m. with “A Tour de France.”

The Preserve’s historic mansions and waterfront grounds are the backdrop for this unique chamber music series, created by series artistic director Kathryn Lockwood.

Each concert features music and poetry inspired by the time of year and themes of romance and resilience. Internationally renowned musicians present captivating performances with repertoire.

The May 19 concert celebrates both the French Fete des Voisins – an evening get-together with neighbors and friends for a moment of conviviality – and Fete des Meres, extending Mother’s Day festivities. Come feast your ears with French composers, old and new, when duo Jalal (Kathryn Lockwood, Viola and Yousif Sheronick, Percussion) is joined by violinists Deborah Buck and Min-Young Kim, cellist Caroline Stinson, and soprano Abigail Brodnick.

The spring program includes music by Gabriel Fauré, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Claude Debussy, Edith Piaf and many more.

The concerts are followed by themed receptions – a time to mingle with the artists, friends, and concertgoers.

Tickets are $45 for members and $56 for non-members and include all fees.

Temple Beth Sholom Brings Broadway to Roslyn JUNE 3, 2024 AT 7:30 PM

CELEBRATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND JEWISH HISTORY

Soul to Soul follows the experiences of the African-American and Jewish communities, and their paths to America’s promise of freedom — overcoming segregation, prejudice and economic hardship. The concert portrays stirring songs in Yiddish and in English (English supertitles will be provided), culminating in a high-energy collection of music, celebrating the historic partnership of these two communities during the Civil Rights Era. Featured performers include: Lisa Fishman (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish), renowned Cantor Magda Fishman (Senior Cantor at B’nai Torah Congregation); Broadway veteran Elmore James (Disney’s Beauty and The Beast on Broadway and Big River); and, Tony Perry (Shpiel! Shpiel! Shpiel!). The musical ensemble includes Dmitri Zisl Slepovitch, Brian Glassman and Matt Temkin, with musical direction by Zalmen Mlotek. Special presentation by Cantor Ofer Barnoy.

Teach a child according to his way; even when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6).

Temple Beth Sholom is committed to quality education and to meet both the physical and cognitive needs of our students. Become a Sponsor, Buy a Ticket, Make a Donation Support Temple Beth Sholom’s Inclusion Program Register at www.tbsroslyn.org/event/soul-to-soul

Lisa Fishman Magda Fishman Elmore James Tony Perry

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANDS POINT PRESERVE

The Four Seasons in Music brings ‘A tour de France’ to Sands Point Preserve.

Making friends at every age is possible

BY LISA STERN

“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”

– John Lennon

While John Lennon’s life was tragically cut short at a young age, he had lived long enough to understand the importance of community and a positive outlook on our health and life.

Loneliness and social isolation have become serious health concerns. Nearly half of U.S. adults report that they sometimes or always feel alone. 35% of older adults report being socially isolated.

According to a new study, the physical effects of social isolation and loneliness are equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Other health concerns include depression, cognitive decline, and compromised cardiovascular and immune functions.

The message is clear — no matter our age, we need the company of others for optimal physical and mental health.

Earlier in life, we formed relationships more easily, meeting people at work, in the neighborhood, and through our children. Over the years, friend and family networks start to fray. People move, change jobs, retire. Our children chart their own path. We lose people dear to us.

While change is inevitable, loneliness is not. Whatever your personality and activity level, there are many opportunities and tools that connect seniors to family, friends and new acquaintances.

Family & Children’s Association’s Senior Division assists Nassau County older adults with an overall wellness approach to help cope with

Stern, assistant vice president, Senior and Adult Services, Family & Children’s Association

and mitigate social isolation. These activities and opportunities have applications across the entire senior community.

To help foster companionship, we first encourage healthy eating habits and appropriate physical activity.

Sharing a meal or exercising with a neighbor or friend is a great way to meet both of these goals. There are meal programs for people who find cooking or shopping physically difficult. Everything else feels a bit easier when you feel the best you can. It’s also important to treat technology as a friend, not a foe.

While technology can be intimidating, it can

Family Care Connections, LLC

also be a life changer, particularly if your mobility is limited. It allows you to connect virtually with families, friends, and other means of support and community.

Where to get technology training? FCA’s Smart Van visits libraries and community centers across Nassau County to familiarize patrons with the basics of technology and help them get started. Training includes instruction on internet safety and recognizing scammers.

Many local libraries also provide basic computer classes that open the doorway to audiobooks, movies, podcasts, and other digitally delivered materials that can be accessed from your home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your library is also a wonderful resource for in-person and virtual meetings.

Learning to manage technology can also be a lifesaver. In one instance, FCA taught an 80-year-old client to use her cell phone, helping her to connect with a friend in Nevada. During one such call, the client sensed that her friend was ill. Feeling empowered and tech-savvy, she called 911 and convinced the dispatcher to give her a 911 number specific to Nevada. Her friend quickly received lifesaving emergency medical treatment. While a cross-country emergency call is not the norm, being able to use a cell phone with confidence can help in a crisis closer to home.

Resources

Through a grant from the NYS and Nassau County Office for the Aging, FCA has also been able to provide certain clients with a voice-operated, artificial intelligence care companion, ElliQ.

ElliQ provides easy to use companionship, health and wellness support, and entertainment

options that help seniors remain independent and safer in their homes. It learns the user’s routine and provides medication and other reminders. ElliQ is widely available to the general public as a subscription service.

Dorot’s University Without Walls is an online program that provides a wide variety of virtual classes, including exercise, art, music, instruction, and support. A mobile device or computer can connect the user to classes via an internet link and alerts users when a class is about to begin.

FCA’s Friendly Visiting Program and AmeriCorps Senior Community Assistance Program connect volunteers with homebound seniors who could benefit from a visit. The goal of the program is to reduce social isolation and loneliness and to engage senior volunteers in their community.

Volunteers provide companionship, respite, technology education and chore services in the home or an outside meeting place. While this is largely a volunteer program, certain eligible volunteers may earn a stipend through the AmeriCorps Senior Demonstration Program that funds the initiative.

Volunteering is an excellent way to meet people, provide structure and purpose and connect people with individuals and communities. Whether you want to help people in need or work on behalf of a cause, there’s a volunteering job for you.

What you choose to do is up to you. Overall, it’s about staying connected.

Lisa R. Stern is the assistant vice president of Senior and Adult Services at the Family & Children’s Association in Garden City.

PHOTO BY FCA

Lisa R.

Eyebrows for men and women over 50

BY OLGA LUCIA

Eyebrows play a crucial role in facial expression and aesthetics, particularly for individuals over 50.

As we age, our facial features can become less pronounced, leading to a “fading effect”.

Maintaining well-defined eyebrows is essential as they frame the face and enhance its overall appearance. Moreover, eyebrows are integral to conveying emotions; their movement can significantly alter one’s expressive capacity.

Therefore, attention to eyebrows is not merely about vanity, creating a younger look but also about preserving the clarity of our emotional expressions.

One of the fantastic options for those over 50 looking to redefine their facial aesthetics is professional eyebrow shaping, to enhance the natural features and creating a subtle lifting of the face.

Micropigmentation offers a solution to redefine and accentuate the eyebrows. It’s an excellent way to restore definition to brows that have thinned with age, ensuring a natural youthful appearance.

Micropigmentation, also known as permanent cosmetics or dermal pigmentation or tattooing, is a procedure that involves implanting pigment into the dermal layer of the skin, can be used to enhance the eyes, lip, and eyebrows.

Mimicking hairs on the eyebrows, to improve the appearance its particularly beneficial for individuals over 50 who may have lost definition in their eye-

brows due to thinning and hair lost.

Micropigmentation, can create a natural subtle enhancement, fuller look providing long lasting results and reducing the need for daily eyebrow makeup application. This is perfect for those with busy lifestyles, or those with motor skills compromised (like arthritis, Muscular Dystrophy, hand tremors, osteoarthritis, etc.), or vision impairments (cataracts, macular degeneration, macular dystrophy, etc.) that make applying conventional make-up challenging.

Micropigmentation procedure typically takes about 1 to2 hours to complete. This is a meticulous process that requires precision to achieve a natural look, the time of the procedure depends on the complexity of the desired look, extent of the hair loss, and the practitioner experience.

The cost can vary widely depending on the practitioner’s expertise, geographical location, quality of the pigment, quality of the instruments used, etc. This is a great investment considering the longevity quality of results, es well as the savings in time and makeup products. Overtime and the daily convenience it provide, many find a worthwhile expense.

Micropigmentation of the eyebrows involves consultation, to design and discuss the proper shape, color and placement of the eyebrows.

Everyone is unique therefore is very important to consider facial features, skin tone, skin type and texture, hair color, personality, etc. To create the appropriate

shape is very important to sketch the eyebrows before micropigmentation.

Immediately after the Micropigmentation, the color will show a little darker, and the eyebrows slightly swollen, for few days.

The initial healing phase will take between 7 to 14 days. This time depends on the health of each individual, also if they follow proper aftercare instructions. During those days is normal to experience some light scabbing, that sloughs off by itself between 5-7 days.

Post-micropigmentation care is crucial for ensuring the best possible healing and final appearance. It’s important to avoid direct sunlight, as UV rays can alter the pigment’s color and impede the healing process.

Wearing protective hats or visors is a good alternative for outdoor activities. Similarly, high-pressure water can disrupt the delicate healing skin, so gentle showers are advisable.

Pools and whirlpools pose a risk of infection and can also cause the pigment to fade, so they should be avoided. Facials and the application of chemicals or soaps can irritate the treated area, potentially leading to suboptimal results.

Planning your micropigmentation appointment should take into account any upcoming events or travel plans, as the treated area typically requires about two weeks to heal adequately. After this period, the pigmentation will settle into a natural, softer appearance, enhancing your features for those special occasions.

10 questions to help find your retirement lifestyle

BY ELISSA GARGONE

One of the most important decisions we make at every stage of adult life is where we are going to live.

Whether it’s our first apartment, the home where we raise a family, or a relocation for work, where we live plays an outsized role in determining how we will live. Retirement presents us with that decision once more, and with it the chance to explore new avenues of opportunity, meet new people and enjoy a variety of what life has to offer.

Where you live in retirement will, in many ways, dictate your access to the activities that will enhance these years of your life.

Determining the right retirement living situation for you starts with asking the right questions and carefully considering your personal needs and desires. For many of us, it can be hard to imagine a new phase of life that isn’t dictated by getting up and going to work.

The optimal time to begin the planning process is while you’re still working. You’ll want to avoid the all-too-common mistake of failing to plan, whether it’s having no plan, waiting too long to make a plan, or thinking that you don’t need a plan.

You don’t want to be pressed to make a choice when you unexpectedly have a need. There are what can seem like a dizzying array of options out there. The more you learn about the options, the easier your decision will be.

While this hesitation may stem from our uncertainty about the future, one thing is certain. We all age, and our needs will change as we do. It’s better to be proactive than reactive. It’s not unlike starting a business.

This is the business of your life and you’re planning to meet your needs now and in the future.

Here are 10 questions that can get you started in the process.

1. What do I want my future to look like?

2. What do I want to continue to do?

3. What do I not want to do?

4. What can’t I do?

5. What will I not be able to do?

6. What kinds of activities interest me?

7. Where do I want to be— near family, in my familiar community? City, country, suburbs?

8. What kind of people do I want to be with?

9. What amenities would I like?

10. How much space do I need?

Look around the house and ask: what do I want, and what can I do without? It’s critical to be realistic with your answers.

Consider, for example, your current state of health. If you or your spouse have health issues now, it’s more than likely that you will have greater health concerns in ten years. You must be honest about the barriers to things you want to do now and how you will manage those challenges later in life.

A retirement home is an option for some, but be sure to look beyond the real estate to the services—health care, shopping, activities, and transportation that come with it or are nearby.

The services will be important as you age. A 55-plus community that suits your lifestyle in your 60s may not have the services to support you after age 75 or 80.

Popular options include lifecare retirement communities like Jefferson’s Ferry that enable residents to age in place, with independent living, rehabilitation, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory support facilities available on one site with the peace of mind that comes with a full spectrum of onsite senior health services at predictable rates; others include assisted living facilities that offer private rooms and apartments; independent living senior living communities; condominiums and shared space with family members, to name a few.

Socialization is at the top of the list for successful aging. Engaging with others—our friends, family, service people and caregivers help us thrive. Having more time to do the things you like and enjoy the company of old and new friends and family is a wonderful gift.

Elissa Gargone is vice president of Sales and Marketing at Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community in S. Setauket, New York.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFERSON’S FERRY LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY

Elissa Gargone

Fri 5/17

The Lovin Spoonful @ Boulton Center

For The Performing Arts Bayshore NY @ 8pm / $50

The Lovin Spoonful with Seven Billboard Top 10 hits from the 1960s in‐cluding "Summer In The City", "Do You Beleive In Magic", "Day Dream" & "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" Boulton Center For The Performing Arts, 37 West Main Street, Bay Shore. boxof�ce@boul toncenter.org, 631-9691101

Annie Get Your Gun presented by the Herricks Players @ 8pm / $22-$30

The Herricks Players proudly announce their upcoming pro‐duction of the beloved musical

"Annie Get Your Gun," running from May 10-19 at the Herricks Community Center, 999 Her‐ricks Rd, New Hyde Park. Her‐ricks Community Center, 999 Herricks Road, New Hyde Park. herricksplayers@gmail.com, 516-742-1926

Wonderous Stories & Half Step @ 8pm / $38.30-$71.10

The Space at Westbury Theater, Westbury

JALC: Internationally Ellington with the Future of Jazz Orchestra @ 8pm / $42

The fruits of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s educa‐tional mission will be on display with Interna‐tionally Ellington. Tilles Center, LIU Post Col‐lege, 720 Northern Boulevard, Greenvale

Sat 5/18

Jewelry Making Workshop: Wire Earrings Workshop with Ross Barbera Saturday, May 18, 10am-1pm @ 10am / $81-$90

Jewelry Making Workshop: Wire Earrings Workshop with Ross Barbera Saturday, May 18, 10am-1pm Adults and Teens 16+ Location: The Manes Art Education Center $81 members | $90 non-members The Manes Education Center at Nassau County Museum of Art, One Museum Drive, Roslyn. events@nassaumuseum.org, 516-484-9337

Bethune/Height Recognition Program's 50th Anniversary Gala @ 12pm / $125

Celebrate 50 years of empow‐erment at the NYS Bethune/ Height Recognition Program's 50th Anniversary Gala. Join us for an inspiring afternoon

featuring keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Gwendolyn Elizabeth Boyd

Leonard's Palazzo, 555 North‐ern Boulevard, Great Neck. ncn wnysbhrp2022@gmail.com, 516-387-2227

Category3: Porch FestLong Beach @ 2pm

Rock N Roll Avenue, 128 W Penn St, Long Beach

Annie Get Your Gun presented by the Herricks Players @ 8pm / $22-$30

The Herricks Players proudly announce their upcoming pro‐duction of the beloved musical "Annie Get Your Gun," running from May 10-19 at the Herricks Community Center, 999 Her‐ricks Rd, New Hyde Park. Her‐ricks Community Center, 999 Herricks Road, New Hyde Park. herricksplayers@gmail.com, 516-742-1926

Sun 5/19

LSLF Ride/Walk For Research

@ 8:30am / $25-$40

Enjoy a bike ride through Port Washing‐ton and raise money fort cancer research at the same time during the ninth annual Lauri Strauss Leukemia Foundation Ride for Research BikeTour/ BayWalk. Port Wash‐ington. LSFLF@ LSLF.com, 516-7671418

The Beat Lives On 5K Run/Walk @ 10:30am / $30 Venetian Shores Park, 801 Granada Parkway, Lindenhurst. events@elitefeats.com

DIYnosaur Terrarium Workshop @ 1pm https://cstl.org/diynosaur-ter‐rarium-workshop/ 1450 Tangle‐wood Rd, 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. helpdesk@cstl.org, 516-7640045

Live at Five Presents ScienceStock Music Festival @ 1pm / $15

Brought to you by Live at Five and the Science Museum of Long Is‐land! A perfect fusion of the vibrant energy of live music with the won‐ders of the natural world and scienti�c dis‐covery. Science Mu‐seum of Long Island, 1526 North Plandome Road, Manhasset. liveat �ve@smli.org, 516-6279400

“The Servants of the Gilded Age” by Esther Crain @ 3pm / Free Step into the world of the ser‐vants during New York's Gilded Age as author Esther Crain dis‐cusses her second book, "The Gilded Age in New York, 18701910." Trinity Episcopal Church, 1579 Northern Boulevard, Roslyn. info@roslynland marks.org, 516-625-4363

Annie Get Your Gun presented by the Herricks Players @ 3pm / $22-$30

The Herricks Players proudly announce their upcoming pro‐duction of the beloved musical "Annie Get Your Gun," running from May 10-19 at the Herricks Community Center, 999 Her‐ricks Rd, New Hyde Park. Her‐ricks Community Center, 999 Herricks Road, New Hyde Park. herricksplayers@gmail.com, 516-742-1926

Thursday May 23rd

Levittown Carnival

@ 5pm

May 23rd - May 27th

2999 Hempstead Tpke, 2999 Hempstead Turnpike, Levittown. 866-666-3247

Enjoy midway fun for the whole family over Memorial Day weekend at this annual event sponsored by the Levittown Chamber of Com‐merce, featuring thrilling rides and games for all ages and favorite fair food. Admission and parking are free.

Mon 5/20

Beach Volleyball Training for Juniors at Long Beach: Sponsored by Orlin & Cohen Sports Medicine @ 6pm

May 20th - Jul 31st

This program’s goal is to teach basic volleyball skills in a noncompetitive environment. Play‐ers will be broken up by skill level. Ages are used as a start‐ing point to break players into groups, but 1 Laurelton Blvd, 1 Laurelton Boulevard, Long Beach. eevb@optonline.net, 631-355-1293

Gold Coast Cinema Se‐ries: Who Is Stan Smith? @ 7pm / $16

A lyrical and emotional journey, charting the extraordinary life of tennis superstar Stan Smith. Manhasset Cinemas, 430 Plan‐dome Road, Manhasset. info@ goldcoastarts.org, 516-8292570

Flip Circus @ 7:30pm Circus Vazquez - Walt Whitman Shops, Huntington Station

5/21

School Board Elec‐tion and Budget Vote @ 6am

School Board Election and Budget Vote Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School, 52 Campus Drive, Port Washington. president.LWVPWM@ gmail.com

School Budget and Board Elections @ 7am

School Board Election and Budget Vote Manhasset Sec‐ondary School, 200 Memorial Place, Manhasset. presi dent.LWVPWM@gmail.com, 516-883-1297

Wed 5/22

Red, White & Blue Paint and Sip @ 7pm / $45 Patriotic Paint & Sip! Get ready for another Paint & Sip with Risa of Soul Work Sisters on May 22nd - Right before Memorial Day weekend! Garvies Point Brewery & Restaurant, 45 Herb Hill Road, Glen Cove. risa@soulworksis ters.com, 917-450-4434

Thu 5/23

Merrick Train Station Carnival @ 5pm May 23rd - May 27th There's something for everyone at this familyfun annual event, from thrilling rides and games for all ages to fair food for every ap‐petite. Free admission. Visit the website for savings on rides Mer‐rick. 866-666-3247

New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky @ 7pm / $20-$1100 Barclays Center, Brooklyn

Fri 5/24

The Benderz @ 10pm The Inn, 943 W Beech St, Long Beach

Calendar information is pro‐vided by event organizers. All events are subject to change or cancellation. This publica‐tion is not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this calendar.

powered by

COME NETWORK WITH NASSAU COUNTY’S

BUSINESS LEADERS 2024 HONOREES

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2024 • 6PM LEONARD’S PALAZZO OF GREAT NECK

Jean-Marie Addeo Levantini

Senior Director, Ambulatory Care Garden City NYU Langone Health

Dr. Neva Alexander CEO/Founder Nevalliance Co-Director Ascend Long Island

Phil Andrews President Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce

Bob Bernard, Sr. Senior Vice President, Debt & Equity Northmarq

Adam Boll

Senior Vice President, Strategic Business Initiatives Northwell Health

Jerome J. Bost

Director of External Affairs IBEW Local 1049

Lisa Burch, MPH CEO/President EPIC Family of Human Services

John Burke

Global Head of Business & Professional Services Citi Commercial Bank

Dr. Martin Cantor Director Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy

Dr. Maria P. Conzatti President Nassau Community College

Armando D’Accordo President CMIT Solutions

Roy DiMarco President RGD Marketing

Dr. James Dolan Executive Director CEC Health Care

Jose Dominguez CEO American Red Cross Long Island

Robbie Donno Co-Founder Gift of Life International

George Duffy Executive Director/CEO SCOPE Education Services

Andrea Elder-Howell Vice President, Legal Services PSEG Long Island

Cherly Fajardo

Senior Vice President ExpanseFT

Sari Friedman, Esq. Senior Partner Friedman & Friedman PLLC Attorneys at Law

Thomas Garry

Managing Partner Harris Beach PLLC

Louis Grassi CEO Grassi Advisors

Jeffrey M. Kimmel

Managing Partner & CEO Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro, LLP

Adam Koblenz

Member and Partner

Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano PLLC

Howard Kroplick

Co-President/Chairman of the Executive Committee Roslyn Landmark Society

Maqsood A. Malik

President & CEO M&J Engineering P.C.

Nancy Marie-Thérèse Manigat, MBA, LCSW COO

CN Guidance & Counseling Services

Edna Mashaal Founder, Managing Partner Edna Mashaal Realty

David P. McKelvey Tax Partner Marcum LLP

Vinny Muldoon Owner Old World Quality Corp.

Michael Pfaff President/Chief Business Officer Long Island Ducks

Michael Recco President & CEO Friends For Life Home Care

Michael Reed CEO Elite Construction of NY

Michael Rosenblutt President/CEO Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation

Josephine Savastano Chief Banking Officer New York Valley National Bank

Frank Scalese CEO Blue Ocean Wealth Solutions

Jeffrey Schwartzberg Co-Founder/Managing Principal Premier Commercial Real Estate

Sheldon Shrenkel CEO/ Executive Director Nassau County Industrial Development Agency

Howard M. Stein Managing Partner Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP

Linda Stuurman President Last Hope Rescue

Katie Swanson Executive Director Bethany House

Sherry Tucker CEO WellLife Network

Luis Vasquez President Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Devon Zappasodi, MSW Director PFY, A Division of Long Island Crisis Center

•

Dems claim secret ‘militia’ training

Continued from Page 6

“The county executive is deliberately obscuring the specifics of this militia training,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “The bottom line is it’s just absolutely the wrong approach to take. If you are training people, it should be out in the open.”

A spokesman for Blakeman did not confirm or deny to Blank Slate Media whether special deputy sheriff training has begun, but News12 reported that seven Nassau residents have completed their deputy training.

“Democratic legislators who consistently support pro-criminal policies that make us less safe continue to denigrate law enforcement retirees and military veterans who are willing to donate their valuable time as an added level of protection in the event of an extreme emergency,” Blakeman told Blank Slate Media in a statement.

The group of Democratic legislators pushed for details on how thorough the special deputy sheriff training is, citing a risk to taxpayers.

“If these deputies are not trained to the level of, for instance, our police who endure a five-month rigorous program, and something God forbid ever went wrong, it would be the taxpayers’ money that would have to go out to cover any type of lawsuit,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “We will be liable as taxpayers.”

The legislators questioned the cost of the program itself, including how much the deputy sheriffs are being paid – that is, if they are receiving a salary at all.

Legislator Seth Koslow, who represents parts of Freeport and Merrick, said the special deputy sheriffs must be paid if they

are being trained or it is a violation of the law. On the flip side, if the sheriffs are being paid more than $3 an hour, Blakeman is required to face the Legislature to request more money for payment, which he has not done, Koslow said.

“Either [Blakeman is] making people train for free and using them as labor without payment, or he’s paying them more than he is entitled to pay them,” Koslow said. “Either way, he is violating the law.”

The Democratic legislators said they have received complaints from their constituents, who are fearful of the proposed program.

“These mothers in my community are coming to me, like Elizabeth Forbes, who has two sons, two young black men, who are concerned about the details of this plan,” said Legislator Carrié Solages, who represents Elmont and Valley Stream. “If individuals who have no training, no bias training, are gonna be armed under the collar of law and do something against someone, that would be irreversible.”

Nassau County resident Sabine Margolis is behind a digital petition demanding that Blakeman halt the creation of the citizen sheriff program. The petition has received more than 2,500 signatures.

When Margolis questioned legislators Mazi Melesa Pilip and Scott Strauss on the sheriff program at a civic meeting in April, Strauss mentioned a similar program run “successfully” in Westchester County.

The exact Westchester program Strauss was referring to is unclear. One possibility is the Public Safety Emergency Force, a specialized reserve unit made up of part-time deputy sheriffs.

All members of the PSEF are“duly sworn peace officers”who often assist with traffic and crowd control at special events, like street fairs and fireworks celebrations, and have worked with the Westchester County Police in the past during the Sept. 11 attacks, hurricanes, power outages and presidential, vice-presidential and papal visits, according to the Westchester government website.

Members of the PSEF have “full police powers” while on duty and all volunteer members are provided with a county-issued firearm, according to the website.

Democratic legislators have repeatedly said the sheriff program is unnecessary due to countywide safety under the Nassau County Police Department.

Nassau County is rated thesafest county in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report.

And the Police Department is well-funded. In Nassau, 971 county workers earned more than $200,000 in 2022, with 942 of these 971 highest paid employees working for police or corrections, according to Newsday.

But Blakeman seeks to expand county law enforcement bybringing in emergency special deputy sheriffsto be on call for county-wide emergencies.

A Nassau County ad with a March 31 application deadline called for county property or business owners, specifically former law enforcement and military veterans, to apply to the emergency sheriff position. Blakeman has not yet disclosed how many individuals applied to the program.

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are running for the two open seats on the Manhasset Board of Education.

Manhasset to vote on $111M budget

Continued from Page 1

Pescatore serves as the 11th-grade cochair for the Manhasset SCA High School Parent Council. She is also the Spirit Fundraiser Committee co-chair and Sixth-Grade Promo Party Committeeco-chair for the SCA’s Munsey Park Parent Council.

The three candidates will participate in a forum hosted by the Port Washington–Manhasset League of Women Voters on

Wednesday. The forum will be hosted in the Community Room at the Manhasset Public Library and begin at 7 p.m.

Alongside the two trustee seats on the ballot will also be a proposition to approve the district’s budget of $111,286,207, a 3.3% increase from its current budget. Included in the budget is also a 2.68% tax levy increase, which falls within the district’s allowable tax levy cap.

The budget includes more than a dozen staff cuts, primarily of teaching assistants. This has brought pushback from students, parents and teaching assistants who have advocated for their necessity.

Eligible voters can vote for the two trustees and the school district’s budget on Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.

Sewanhaka decries ‘offensive’ lesson

Continued from Page 10

He announced that the teacher would be returning to instruction Thursday morning with a co-teacher and he would provide the board with an update on her lessons Friday.

Speakers thanked Sewanhaka High School principal Nichole Allen for her swift response to the lesson, speaking directly with concerned students and sending a letter to Sewanhaka school parents.

The head of the history department also retaught the lesson to the 10th grade global history class on Israeli-Palestinian relations, the board said.

More than 10 residents, students and alumni addressed the superintendent and board members at a podium, their comments lasting about an hour.

Some speakers were passionate. Some were solemn and shed tears at lives lost during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“The first thing that came to my mind was: What was she thinking? What was she thinking? How could any teacher who we entrust our children to in their right mind think that a lesson like this would be acceptable to students, 10th graders?” Farhana Islam, a district parent and pharmacist, said. “This is a really egregious error that needs to be taken extremely seriously…

hopefully [we] can send our kids to school and not have to worry that somebody is gonna call them a terrorist, which has happened.”

Some speakers acknowledged the work that has already been done by district administration to foster a more inclusive environment, like providing prayer rooms for Muslim students in every high school building and expanding their Halal food selection.

One resident, who said she immigrated to the United States from Palestine 14 years ago as part of a “dream,” spoke at the podium with her 15-year-old daughter nearby to help translate.

“My family, I’m losing it. I’m losing them,” the resident said as she started to cry. “I’m not opening TV for my kids. No need to show what happened because always everything now scary.”

Her daughter stepped up to the podium next.

“She’s trying to say that she has children, little children, and she’s hiding what’s going on in Palestine from them because I’m 15 and I can’t even sleep because of what’s going on in Palestine,” the daughter said, “and the fact that it’s spreading to school and then spreading to the children and then the children are misunderstood about the whole real situation, it’s putting us [at] risk.”

Community members demanded that staff members be re-trained, and not just with general sensitivity training, but specific lessons on Palestinian and Muslim inclusivity.

“We are a very diverse community in Elmont itself. Nearly ¼ of the student body is Asian and we feel that currently…the school staff perhaps it doesn’t reflect the diversity of the student body, which is okay if there can be measures of sensitivity training [and] discussions,” said another district parent whose children attend Elmont Memorial High School.

Dolan said the district provides extensive sensitivity training and resources to school staff and this training will continue. The superintendent emphasized how grateful he was to see such a large crowd in the audience and encouraged community members to continue to attend board meetings and speak out, since he said the school board is as direct as democracy gets.

“We want to be that approachable person who creates an environment of safety, and again, I’m going to ask you for some help with that. Tell us how we can do better,” Dolan said.

Dolan ended the meeting the same way many speakers began their comments: by saying “As-salaam alaikum,” an Arabic greeting commonly used by Muslims that means “Peace be upon you.”

Continued from Page 3

proved state budget than under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s initial proposal. The assistant superintendent for business said the administration has not made changes to the budget due to the slight bump in aid.

The state Legislature adopted the 20242025 $237 billion state budget nearly three weeks late in April.

The budget included an additional $1.3 billion in school aid and the restoration of the foundation aid Hold Harmless policy, which ensures schools’ foundation aid does not decrease from the year before.

The budget adoption came after months of pushback from school administrators.

Many districts across North Shore Nassau County lamented the eradication of Hold Harmless, saying the change in aid and high insurance and pension costs produced tight budgets with higher tax levies. At previous meetings, Herricks board members and administration said they were pleased with their state aid.

Residents can vote on the budget on May 21.

Herricks OKs $35M to settle suits Port pre-K teacher honored

Continued from Page 9

nated spaces around the room for the children to explore different subjects. Strewn between each subject area are collections of tables intentionally placed in a communal area so children are encouraged to explore different spaces.

“It’s meant to invite the children over to see what’s going on,” D’Agostino said. “And that leads into the learning module.”

Everyday begins with this morning meeting, where D’Agostino talks with his students about their lives.

“And if anything pops up that creates interest among the group, I take that and form a mini theme around that,” D’Agostino said.

Without being told, the students immediately gathered at their desks organized in a U-shape, facing a projected screen and surrounding a communal rug at the beginning of their school day early Friday morning.

Multiple students shot their hands up to take turns reading the phrase “Today is Friday, May 10, 2024” off the screen.

As the children began their day of learning, giggles could be heard during their correct answers to each question, with a playful banter exchanged between them and their teacher.

“We’re like a little family,” D’Agostino said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MANHASSET SCHOOL DISTRICT

Three newcomers with involvement in the district’s SCA

Eight vie for three Port ed board seats

Continued from Page 2

Achievements Smith said he was proud of during his tenure include the establishment of the CTE and Twilight programs, which he said have aided in increasing graduation rates as well as the establishment of after-school programs and the full funding of the integrated coteaching program for special education.

“I think that we’ve just been moving in the general direction of excellence that I campaigned on, and I think with another three years we can take it to the next level,” Smith said.

Looking forward, Smith said if re-elected he wants to continue the school district’s offerings in antisemitism education, develop consistency between classrooms and schools, modernize transportation and upgrade facilities.

Adam Block

Block is a professor of public health at New York Medical College. Block has a Ph.D in health economics from Harvard University and worked for five years on ObamaCare and five years in private practice for health plans and hospital systems.

He also operates his business, Charm Economics, which builds financial models for digital health startups.

Block and his wife are both graduates of Schreiber High School and moved back to Port Washington in 2016. They have three children attending district schools.

He said he is “action-oriented” and has pushed the district to make strides and developments quickly.

“I think one of the things that I do well on the board is provide some urgency,” Block said in an interview with Blank Slate Media. “Which basically means, we’re not going to do this in three years, we’re going to do it soon – within the next year or so.”

The accomplishments Block highlighted included the establishment of the Twilight Program and after-school programs at the elementary schools.

Block has been working on changing the homework policy for the recommended number of minutes of work for the first time in more than 20 years and is seeking to bring that policy to implementation if elected to another term.

Nanette Melkonian

Melkonian and her husband Matt moved to the area in 2000, with all three of their children passing through the Port Washington school district. She has spent time as an elementary, secondary and post-secondary special education teacher.

Melkonian said the philosophy that drives her actions on the board stems from two questions: What are we doing well and where can

we grow?

An accomplishment Melkonian noted was the pupil personnel services audit to analyze services for students with disabilities and identify areas where further development is needed. She said she wants to work to implement those initiatives now identified if re-elected.

Priorities that Melkonian identified are the further growth in professional development for teachers and fostering safe and supportive climates on campus for students. She said strides have been made in these areas but looks to continue their progress if re-elected.

“These initiatives have all begun and they’re in their infancy in a lot of ways, and I’d like to really help bring that progress along as an educator myself and as a person who has had three children go through the entire K-12 system,” Melkonian said. “I really understand the long view of our students’ experience here and can really bring some insights to the conversation.”

Sandra Alvarez

Alvarez is a lifelong resident of Port Washington who runs a private youth athletics company on Long Island. She is also the co-president of the school district’s Special Education Parent Teacher Association, treasurer for Parents Council and has served on various school committees.

She said she began attending Board of Education meetings three years ago after struggling to find adequate after-school programs for her child. In attending these meetings, she said she was introduced to a diverse array of concerns from other parents.

Alvarez said she is running for the Board of Education to increase community representation on the board and stress the importance of inclusivity.

“The Board of Education is responsible for setting the district’s direction with performancebased goals,” Alvarez wrote in an email to Blank Slate Media. “However, performance-based goals vary significantly among students. I firmly believe that the Board of Education should be a true reflection of our entire community, consistently prioritizing the needs of every student, responsibly.”

She said while programs the incumbent candidates highlighted have been beneficial, they are vulnerable to cuts. Alvarez said she is running to preserve those programs, which she said are not adequately funded under the adopted budget.

“Discussions around budget cuts are difficult, needed this year. The important part is how are those discussions being conducted,” Alvarez wrote in an email.

Michael Bitalvo

Bitalvo, who moved to Port Washington in

2016, is a writer and stay-at-home dad of two children in the school district.

He previously served on the Parent Resource Center’s board, is a current member of Residents Forward’s Board of Directors and is the co-president of the South Salem Home School Association.

Already working within the school district, Bitalvo highlighted his efforts in aiding the district’s transition to in-person learning after the pandemic.

Being present in the district’s operations, Bitalvo said he has the perspective of seeing what the Board of Education implements and the impacts at its schools. Taking these perspectives, he said he can see where actions can be taken even further.

He said the district is at a tipping point, facing financial hardships, and believes that he is equipped to aid the district in moving forward and addressing these challenges.

To achieve this, Bitalvo said he aims to work as a collective with the board and “leave no stone unturned” when seeking solutions to problems.

“It’s about making this district as good as any other district anywhere,” Bitalvo said.

Teodora Choolfaian

Choolfaian, a nine-year resident of Port Washington, was born and raised in Bulgaria. She has three children enrolled in the Port Washington School District.

Choolfaian said in an email to Blank Slate that she chose to run because the district is in a “fiscal crisis” as it opts to increase taxes by 4.55%.

“Administrative bloat and questionable decisions have gotten us here,” Choolfaian wrote in an email to Blank Slate Media. “This is unsustainable and it is also possibly dishonest to the parents and taxpayers of the district. It is also unfair. Not everyone can afford this tax hike.”

If elected, Choolfaian said her priority would be restoring educational excellence while maintaining “financial wholesomeness.” She said this would be achieved through better contractual negotiations, securing multiple project bids and closely analyzing expenses.

“I will plan for the future in a way that helps our community thrive and not the opposite,” Choolfaian wrote.

Choolfaian identified multiple issues in the district, including failure to educate younger students in reading and writing, a drop in the state standard ranking on academic excellence, administrative bloat, inefficient administrative restructuring, a lack of accountability, expensive programming, and a complete disregard for sustainable financial planning.

Town OKs capital improvement projects

Continued from Page 5

but Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said she could not provide an answer since a final project cost amount has not been determined and the board has not approved any project expenditures.

The board also amended its zoning laws to approve the establishment of firehouses in residential zoning district AAA, which is permitted in the other residential zones of AA and A.

Dalimonte said this would only affect West Shore Road in Port Washington, where Fire Department obtained 12 acres of land but was not zoned for firehouses.

The councilmember said they now have

the ability to build a firehouse on that land, but only if they seek to in the future.

In other news, the board also opted to establish various new traffic signs and zones, as well as amend its fire protection agreements with the Albertson Fire Department and the Roslyn Fire Companies.

A “No Stopping” restriction was established from 9 p.m. through 8 a.m. on the east side of Central Avenue starting south of First Street in Garden City Park.

The signs were requested after residents requested a solution to stop a neighboring autobody shop from parking cars along their streets which sometimes blocked driveways and were in various states of repair.

Councilmember Dennis Walsh said the town’s traffic engineer proposed the restriction on overnight parking as a solution to resolve the issue.

The board also established a school speed zone and a westbound full stop on Dogwood Avenue at the intersection with School Drive in Albertson.

The town amended its agreements with the two fire companies to reflect an alignment with their adopted budgets.

The North Hempstead Board will convene again at 7 p.m. on June 4 for its next public meeting.

Joseph Delerme

Delerme is a practicing lawyer of more than 12 years who works as a business affairs executive and in-house attorney for Tombras, a marketing and advertising agency. He and his wife have three children, with two in district schools and the third still an infant.

He is also a board member at the Parent Resource Center in Port Washington, a trustee at the Science Museum of Long Island and cofounder of the Port Washington Hispanic Heritage Celebration: Fiesta in the Park

While Delerme was not raised in Port and did not attend its schools, he said he has a different experience that makes him a “fair arbiter” in making objective decisions for the district. He said this is beneficial in balancing the desires of all the stakeholders.

“I want to see children succeed in the same way that I succeeded and they deserve that, they deserve to be successful,” Delerme said. “If you empower them regardless of their background, religion, socioeconomic status … they can achieve full potential.”

Three issues Delerme’s campaign is advocating for are smaller class sizes, safe buildings and transportation, and stronger advocacy for more state funding.

Delerme said he would also like to expand transparency, accountability and accessibility of the district, which he said has improved recently but could be developed further.

“The parents of our community deserve to know what’s going on and shouldn’t have to dig deep down or only when there is a budget vote [to] have that information,” Delerme said.

Beth Weisburd

Weisburd, a 27-year resident of Port Washington, was a behavioral therapist for children with autism and is the captain lieutenant of the Port Washington Fire Medic Co. #1. Her children all graduated from Schreiber High School, with her youngest graduating in 2020.

Weisburd served on the Port Washington Board of Education from 2015 until 2021 when she and her fellow two board members were ousted by Block, Melkonian and Smith.

While on the board, Weisburd said she worked to inform the Port Washington community on how state funding was impacting their school district and engaged the community in its campaign “Port’s Fair Share of the Pie” to advocate for greater state funds, and was an advocate for funds at the state and federal level.

She criticized the board’s financial planning and lack of funding advocacy, saying many members did not foresee the upcoming financial issues through aspects like the continuation of programs established on one-time grant funding.

“But they should have been saying that there was a potential for [a tax cap override] back in July,” Weisburd said. “And we should have been educating the community as to the fact that all of these programs, which are incredibly beneficial to students and particularly important due to the learning losses for some of these students during COVID, that we provide these extra services so we really do need to continue them because those learning losses have not yet been made up.”

If elected to the board once again, Weisburd said she would want to combat the issue of changing state aid by bolstering the board’s advocacy at the state level, holding conversations with the community so they are informed more wholly and beginning the budgeting process in July.

“I believe I need to come back to this school board because I do believe my knowledge of the budget, the financial processes from the district level right on to the federal level is just a critical piece that none of the people who ran against us three years ago have picked up and the work isn’t getting done and despite some other board members trying to do the work I just think it’s just been a lot of roadblocks from people who see the job differently,” Weisburd said. “And lots of people do see the job differently.”

READERS WRITE

Kerpen endorses Smith for Port school board

As a former Port Washington Board of Education trustee and chair of the Budget Committee, it is imperative to speak out in support of candidates who exhibit the necessary qualities to effectively serve our community and its students.

In this light, I wholeheartedly endorse current Board President Adam Smith for reelection to the board of education.

When assessing candidates for the board of education, it’s essential to ensure they possess a comprehensive understanding of the board’s role.

While advocating for all students is fundamental, and Adam Smith would not have received the endorsement of the Port Washington Teachers Association if he didn’t, a trustee must also demonstrate proficiency in financial matters.

The adoption of a fiscally responsible budget is the board’s paramount responsibility, balancing the needs of all students with those of taxpayers.

Adam Smith exemplifies the qualities required for this position.

His commitment to financial oversight,

exemplified by his service on the Budget and Audit committees and later as president for two years, sets him apart. I have witnessed Adam’s dedication firsthand.

His ability to delve into the intricacies of the budget process and ask probing questions underscores his commitment to transparency and accountability.

Adam’s understanding of the audit process and its implications for our community’s financial well-being is exemplary.

A successful audit not only ensures fiscal responsibility but also enhances our district’s credit rating, ultimately benefiting taxpayers by reducing borrowing costs and extending the value of our tax dollars.

I urge voters to consider Adam Smith’s proven track record in budgeting, audit, and oversight. His continued participation will undoubtedly keep our board of education on track for continued success, ensuring the best outcomes for our students and community.

Kerpen Former Board of Education Trustee, Port Washington

Dave

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“William, you were always my hero. I wanted to be just like you, but I didn't play football or basketball like 'The Will', just didn't have your touch. I enjoyed watching you and was always proud to be your brother. Never does a day go by that I do not think of you. What would it be like to be able to call you. I have told my daughters about you letting me drive Mom and Dad’s new car around Tarboro although I was only 14 years old. October 2, 1970, Daddy’s birthday and the day that changed my life. You were my hero before Nam and you are still and one day I hope to walk with you again. I Love you. Mike”

‘Bunky’ Reid Park Pool opening in ‘24 North Hempstead Beach Park parking sticker registration

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board have announced the dates and fees for Martin “Bunky” Reid Park Pool for the upcoming summer season.

“The warm days of summer are nearly upon us, and residents can soon begin visiting our community pools daily,” Town Supervisor DeSena said. “Membership offers families a ton of great amenities and our pools are also a great place for seniors to socialize and stay active. I encourage everyone to join and be sure to take advantage of the early bird registration discount.”

Martin “Bunky” Reid Park

The pool opens daily, Saturday, June 22 – Monday, September 2, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

No Fees – Residents Only

For all pool facilities, food is not permitted on pool deck, but in designated areas only. No outside food deliveries are allowed in this facility.

The Town is also seeking staff to join the North Hempstead team at its aquatic facilities. Lifeguard positions offer a competitive salary, starting at $18 an hour and are available throughout the summer.

For more information or to apply for lifeguard or attendant positions, please contact the Town of North Hempstead Parks Department by email, Parks@northhempsteadny. gov, or by calling the Tully Park front desk at (516) 739-3055 or (516) 7398055. Those interested can also visit Tully Park at 1801 Evergreen Avenue, New Hyde Park, 11040 to pick up an application.

PedalShare bike share program back

Town of North Hempstead Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte is proud to announce the return of PedalShare, the popular bike share program, in Port Washington.

Councilmember Dalimonte brought forward the agreement with PedalShare Inc., which was unanimously approved during a town board meeting in September 2021.

“I am so excited to welcome PedalShare back to Port Washington,” said Dalimonte. “This incredible program helps promote ecofriendly transportation while allowing residents and visitors to discover all that our wonderful community has to offer.”

PedalShare is a bike share pro-

gram on Long Island with more than 200 bikes and 50 stations. As part of the program here in North Hempstead, stations are located at Town Dock, Manorhaven Beach Park, and the Port Washington Long Island Rail Road Station. PedalShare maintains the bikes, and the program is offered at no cost to the Town.

Bikes can be accessed using the PedalShare App which is available for smartphones. Rentals cost $4 per hour, $35 per day, or $59 annually. For more information on PedalShare, please visit: www.ridepedalshare.com

Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte encourages residents to grab a PedalShare bike this summer.

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board have announced the dates and fees for North Hempstead Beach Park for the upcoming summer season.

“This beach is one of North Hempstead’s gems so as the weather warms up, we want our residents to come pay us a visit,” said DeSena. “It’s 34 acres of sandy shore, a boat ramp, a fishing pier and even basketball and shuffleboard courts. It’s everything you need for a quick getaway in your own backyard.”

Registration for North Hempstead Beach Park’s annual parking stickers takes place on the following dates:

Monday, May 20, 2024- Friday, May 24, 9 a.m.-5:00 pm at the Recreation Office

Sunday, May 26, 2024- Sept. 2, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. at the Gate

Driver’s license and car registration are required to purchase an annual sticker. Staff will secure the sticker on the designated vehicle.

Annual parking stickers are open to all Nassau County

residents. Pricing is as follows:

$50 for Nassau County Residents

$25 for volunteer firefighters, veterans, and residents with disabilities

Annual boat ramp permits will be available to all Nassau County residents for $65, and $40 for volunteer firefighters, veterans, and residents with disabilities.

Daily admission fees for North Hempstead Beach Park are as follows:

Nassau County residents: $10 credit card, $15 cash Nonresidents: $18 credit card, $20 cash

Single Bus: $100 credit card or cash

Boat Ramp access for Nassau County Residents: $17 credit card or cash

Boat Ramp access for Nonresidents: $30 credit card or cash

Lifeguards will be on duty at North Hempstead Beach Park daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The park is located at 175 West Shore Road in Port Washington.

Whitney Pond Park pool opening for summer of 2024

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board have announced the dates and fees for Whitney Pond Park Pool’s upcoming summer season.

“The warm days of summer are nearly upon us, and residents can soon begin visiting our community pools daily,” DeSena said. “Membership offers families a ton of great amenities and our pools are also a great place for seniors to socialize and stay active. I encourage everyone to join and be sure to take advantage of the early bird registration discount.”

The pool opens daily, Saturday, June 22 – Friday, Aug. 16, from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m.

Pre-season registration is open from June 17 through June 21, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Membership: Family: $100

Couple: $80

Individual: $50

Youth: $45

Senior: $35

Senior Couple: $45

Disable/Volunteer/Veteran: $35

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran Family: $85

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran Couple: $45

Nanny: $45

Daily Fees (Residents):

Adult: $8

Teen: $6

Child: $5

Senior: $4

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran: $4

Daily Fees (Guests and Non-Residents):

Adult: $12

Teen: $9

Child: $7

Senior: $5

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran: $5

Income-qualified residents are eligible for reduced pool fees at Whitney Pond Park, including 60% off facility membership. For more information about eligibility requirements and to obtain an application, please visit www.northhempsteadny.gov/reducedfee.

For all pool facilities, food is not permitted on pool deck, but in designated areas only. No outside food deliveries are allowed in this facility.

The town is also seeking staff to join the North Hempstead team at its aquatic facilities. Lifeguard positions offer a competitive salary, starting at $18 an hour, and are available throughout the summer.

For more information or to apply for lifeguard or attendant positions, please contact the Town of North Hempstead Parks Department by email, Parks@northhempsteadny.gov, or by calling the Tully Park front desk at (516) 739-3055 or (516) 739-8055. Those interested can also visit Tully Park at 1801 Evergreen Avenue, New Hyde Park, 11040 to pick up an application.

Program to fight hunger, climate change

ReWild Long Island is accepting applications for youth internships and community service opportunities at sites located in the Town of North Hempstead, NY for its fourth summer.

The 2024 Summer Program to Fight Hunger and Climate Change includes volunteer work from late June to October in organic vegetable harvesting, regenerative food production, sustainable landscaping, pollinator garden design, and composting.

Locations and partner organizations include the Greentree Foundation, Guggenheim Preserve, Plant-A-Row Helen Keller National Center Garden, Sands Point Preserve, Science Museum of Long Island, Town of North Hempsted Beach Park, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Shelter Rock, and more. These hands-on activities encourage teenagers to connect with the ecosystem.

Furthermore, ReWild offers students the unique opportunity to engage with local environmentalists, gaining insights into community-driven environmental activism that will help them discover future initiatives.

ReWild welcomes high school students and rising freshmen to apply. Applications are open until the program fills and can be found at ReWildLongIsland.org/SummerProgram. Interviews begin the week of May 20.

While the program is quite flexible, student volunteers are required to work a minimum of 30 hours (including training). Student interns are required to work a minimum of 60 hours (including training) and will receive a stipend of $300 at the conclusion of the program. All participants earn community service hours, among other lasting experiences. Apply to ReWild Long Island and make a difference in your community’s sustainability.

North Hempstead Town Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte encourages residents to grab a PedalShare bike this summer.

Clinton G. Martin Park pool opening for 2024

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board have announced the dates and fees for Clinton G. Martin Park Pool for the upcoming summer season.

“The warm days of summer are nearly upon us, and residents can soon begin visiting our community pools daily,” Town Supervisor DeSena said. “Membership offers families a ton of great amenities and our pools are also a great place for seniors to socialize and stay active. I encourage everyone to join and be sure to take advantage of the early bird registration discount.”

Clinton G. Martin Park:

Open to Special Park District Residents Only

The pool is open daily from Saturday, June 15 – Friday, August 16, from 11 a.m. through 8 p.m.

And Saturday, Aug. 17 – Monday, Sept. 2, from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m.

Registration is open now through Friday, June 14. Hours include:

Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Early Bird pricing ends June 8.

From Saturday, June 15 through Friday, August 16 residents can register from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; beginning Saturday, August 17 through Monday, September 2 residents can register from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All registration must be done in person at the pool. Cash payment will not be accepted. No registration will be available on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Early Bird and Regular Fees:

Family: Early Bird $215; Regular rate $248

Couple: Early Bird $182; Regular rate $210

Individual: Early Bird $115; regular rate $132

Youth: Early Bird $100; Regular rate $112

Senior (60+): Early Bird $50; Regular rate $60

Senior Couple: Early Bird $100; Regular rate $112

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran: Early Bird $82; Regular rate $94

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran Family: Early Bird $187; Regular rate $215

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran Couple: Early Bird $154; Regular rate $177

Nanny: Early Bird $100; Regular rate $112

Daily District Resident Fees:

Adult: $11

Teen: $8

Child: $7

Senior: $6

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran: $6

Non-Resident Guest: $14

For all pool facilities, food is not permitted on pool deck, but in designated areas only. No outside food deliveries are allowed in this facility.

The Town is also seeking staff to join the North Hempstead team at its aquatic facilities. Lifeguard positions offer a competitive salary, starting at $18 an hour and are available throughout the summer. For more information or to apply for lifeguard or attendant positions, please contact the Town of North Hempstead Parks Department by email, Parks@northhempsteadny.gov, or by calling the Tully Park front desk at (516) 739-3055 or (516) 7398055. Those interested can also visit Tully Park at 1801 Evergreen Avenue, New Hyde Park, 11040 to pick up an application.

Manorhaven Beach Park pool opening for 2024

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board have announced the pool dates and fees for the upcoming summer season.

This includes the outdoor pool facilities located at Clinton G. Martin Park, Manorhaven Beach Park, Martin “Bunky” Reid Park, and Whitney Pond Park which will be open to Town residents.

“The warm days of summer are nearly upon us, and residents can soon begin visiting our community pools daily,” Town Supervisor DeSena said. “Membership offers families a ton of great amenities and our pools are also a great place for seniors to socialize and stay active. I encourage everyone to join and be sure to take advantage of the early bird registration discount.”

Manorhaven Beach Park

The pool is open daily from Saturday, June 15, through Friday, August 16, 11 a.m. through 8 p.m.

And Saturday, August 17 – Monday, September 2, 11 a.m. through 7 p.m.

Pre-Season registration takes place from May 1 through Friday, June 14, with Early Bird pricing ending on June 8. Hours include: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

From Saturday, June 15, through Friday, August 16, residents can register from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; beginning Saturday, August 17, through Monday, September 2, residents can register from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early Bird registration ends June 8. All registration must be done in person at the pool. No registration will be available on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Early Bird and Regular Fees:

Family: Early Bird $280; Regular rate $322

Couple: Early Bird $230; Regular rate $265

Individual: Early Bird $145; Regular rate $167

Youth: Early Bird $100; Regular rate $115

Senior: Early Bird $50; Regular rate $60

Senior Couple: Early Bird $100; Regular rate $115

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran: Early Bird $85; Regular rate $98

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran Family: Early Bird $255; Regular rate $294

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran Couple: Early Bird $205; Regular rate $236

Nanny: Early Bird $130; Regular rate $150

Daily Fees:

Adult: $11

Teen: $8

Temple Judea’s rabbi gets honorary doctorate

Temple Judea Rabbi Todd Chizner recently received an honorary doctorate from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in recognition of his 25 years of service as clergy.

“I cannot adequately describe the extraordinary blessing and privilege of these 25 years,” Chizner said. “I am overwhelmed every time I pause and think about all that I have experienced, all that I have learned, and especially all the people who have been part of this journey.

To help celebrate the recognition, Cantor Deborah Jacobson led children from the religious school to honor Chizner with songs and readings.

Child: $7

Senior: $6

Disabled/Volunteer/Veteran: $6

Guest: $14 (All guests must be accompanied by a member.)

Income-qualified residents are eligible for reduced fees to the pool at Manorhaven Beach Park. This includes 60% off facility membership. To learn about eligibility requirements and to obtain an application, please visit: www.northhempsteadny.gov/reducedfee for more information.

For all pool facilities, food is not permitted on pool deck, but in designated areas only. No outside food deliveries are allowed in this facility.

The Town is also seeking staff to join the North Hempstead team at its aquatic facilities. Lifeguard positions offer a competitive salary, starting at $18 an hour and are available throughout the summer.

For more information or to apply for lifeguard or attendant positions, please contact the Town of North Hempstead Parks Department by email, Parks@northhempsteadny.gov, or by calling the Tully Park front desk at (516) 739-3055 or (516) 739-8055. Those interested can also visit Tully Park at 1801 Evergreen Avenue, New Hyde Park, 11040 to pick up an application.

2024 Shrink Wrap Recycling Program called a success

North Hempstead Town Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte is proud to announce that her shrink wrap recycling program was a success.

The town ultimately collected 6.37 tons, or 12,740 pounds, of shrink-wrap material, an increase of over 5,000 pounds from the inaugural year of the program.

The program was hosted throughout the month of April at Manorhaven Beach Park and spearheaded by Dalimonte.

“I am exceedingly thrilled with the results of North Hempstead’s second shrink wrap recycling program,” said Dalimonte. “I am always working to innovate the ways in which the Town of North Hempstead can protect our environment from pollution, and I am glad that our residents were able to find this program useful.”

The program allowed boaters and Town residents to recycle their shrink-wrap materials, helping to reduce waste and protect the environment by providing a convenient and environmentally friendly way to dispose of this material.

Polyethylene, LDPE, can be pelletized and then reused to manufacture a variety of materials, including lawn edging, plastic lumber, carpet, and shrink wrap.

The Manhasset Board of Education voted to remove 14 teaching assistant positions from the district as part of its staff cuts under the 20214-2025 budget.

Manhasset votes to cut 14 positions

had immense pressure created by increased costs in employee healthcare with back-to-back enormous increases in health insurance premiums, pension costs and a significant increase in the cost of out-of-district special ed placements.”

Passi said cost increases of this nature would typically be mitigated by staff retirements, which the district did not see at the rate needed to avoid the cuts.

More than $1 million needed to be cut from the budget to comply with the tax cap. This was achieved through staff reductions, he said.

The district opted to remove 13.45 full-time equivalent positions.

staff and faculty, with 12.85 full-time equivalent support staff being removed.

Teaching assistant positions across the district are being eliminated, including 10 fewer full-time equivalent elementary special education teaching assistants.

One administrator was added to the district’s staff for the secondary school to help with the school administration’s workload and assist the assistant principal.

Passi said while staff cuts are being made, staffing efficiencies are also being made to achieve smaller class sizes. This includes bringing teachers who have been on special assignments back to the schools.

compensation constitutes 50% of the budget, while benefits are the other 25%.

Benefits are increasing by 36% from the prior year, amounting to 1.18% of the district’s budget increase. Compensation is increasing by 20%, or 0.66% of the budget increase.

The district’s cost for special education students placed out of the district has increased as well. This includes an 11.38% increase in the cost of contract therapy.

About 90% of the district’s budget is funded by property taxes, with state aid contributing 5% of the district’s revenues and the fund balance 1%. The remaining 4% of revenues are categorized as “other.”

Despite initial proposals that decreased the district’s foundation aid, it was ultimately restored within the final state budget.

Passi said that while this is true, they did not receive the previously guaranteed minimum 3% increase in state aid, which will be made up for by additional use of the district’s fund balance in the budget.

In other news, the district welcomed Rebecca Chowske, an incoming assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and personnel who will begin at the start of the school year.

The board of education approved the hiring of Chowske at its meeting Tuesday night.

Chowske joined the district in 2017 as the director of English, reading and libraries. Passi said her work so far has been in developing the district’s broadcast journalism program and leading initiatives to remodel the elementary reading and writing curriculum.

Donald Gately, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and personnel,will leave the district at the end of the school year.

“Dr. Gately is a visible presence in each of our schools and at countless school events, and we are grateful to have had his educational leadership and expertise over the last two years,” Passi said. “And we appreciate greatly the work he has done on behalf of the district and we wish Dr. Gately continued success in all of his future endeavors.”

The staffing cuts are split between support

The district proposed guidelines for el-

ementary school classroom sizes, which were reviewed by a board of education subcommittee.

The guidelines range from class sizes of 21 students for kindergarten up to 26 students in grades five through six.

Passi said the subcommittee found the classsize guidelines reasonable but that class sizes should remain below when possible.

He said that all elementary classrooms will follow those guidelines next school year, within the budget’s abilities.

One of the district’s main financial stressors was employee compensation and benefits increases.

Compensation and benefits comprise 75% of the district’s budget expenses. In other words, Continued from Page 1

Multiple projects are also underway in the district, with the board approving multiple bids for them.

This includes a $1,431,356 bid for phase three of the Munsey Park Elementary School capital project for site reconstruction and a $4,070,000 bid for electrical reconstruction and fire alarm reconstruction

Passi said the site reconstruction bid was $400,000 under budget, but the fire alarms and electrical reconstruction were $500,000 over budget.

He said the $100,000 will be “neutralized” by the contingency budget for greater expenses due to supply change, creating no impact on the budget.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Herricks heads to the polls on Tuesday

Continued from Page 2

If re-elected, Hassan said he hopes to continue his work on finalizing a $25 million bond for capital improvements to the district. He said he is also focused on fostering a holistic approach to education by implementing additional mental health programs for students and hiring additional school counselors.

“I’ve been on the board for 12 years. We’ve accomplished a tremendous amount in the last 12 years,” Hassan said. “If people are happy with the way things have changed for the district over the last 12 years, the academic standards that we’ve presented for the district, then vote for me. If people want a change or are not happy with the way things are going, then vote another way.”

Bono said she is ready to see some changes on the board.

The former New York City school teacher has lived in Albertson for 22 years. She has three children who have graduated from the district and one who is currently a 10th grader.

Bono said that if elected trustee, one of her goals is to mitigate traffic issues around the schools, especially the middle school. However, she said her main goal is to spark change amongst the board of education itself.

“I also feel it’s important that people on the board, that there’s a turnaround and new blood,” Bono said. “Currently, we have five members that have been there for 12 years, plus. And none of them have children on the board and I think that’s important as well in order to be relevant and be able to connect with the community.”

Bono later acknowledged that she misspoke and one member has been there for only seven years.

Bono said her biggest concern for the district is keeping the tax levy increase under the tax cap.

She said she is happy with the current proposed budget and the way the administration is handling Child Victims Act costs. She said she does not want to see major changes in how the board handles the budget and programming.

Bono said she has been extremely involved in the district for 20 years, including acting as the president of nearly every district PTA at some point.

“I think my reputation and my work that I’ve put into the district speaks for itself. Everyone who knows me knows that I’ve given 110% to Herricks since the minute I walked into the school district,” Bono said. “I have extremely close relationships with the administration, the teachers, the parents. My reach is very far.”

Meanwhile, five new candidates are competing for the remaining seat on the board.

Ravinder Ratra is a business analyst who has lived in Albertson for 25 years. He has two sons who graduated from the district in 2006 and 2010. He comes from a family of educators – his mother and brother are teachers and his sister is a school principal.

He said his biggest priority as a trustee would be to keep the district budget and tax levy as low as possible. He said the administration is wasting available resources in the community.

For example, he said, the board had a contract last year with a company to improve the Herricks image and branding. Ratra said this was an unnecessary expense.

He said his second priority would be to improve the district rating, which he thinks is lagging. He would do this by trying to get ahead of trends, such as artificial intelligence, which he would encourage to be implemented in classrooms.

When it comes to the budget, Ratra said he did not want to go into the details of how the district is handling lawsuit costs because they are unavoidable and better left to legal experts. He said he does not want to pierce the tax cap as a trustee but would consider it if necessary for programming.

“I came here in this country with $22…and it is time for me to give back,” said Ratra, who volunteers with various Albertson civic associations. “My motive is only to help people.”

Gupta is a North Hills resident who graduated from the Herricks district. He has a 12th grader in the district and a son who graduated from Herricks in 2018 and now serves as a naval officer.

Gupta runs two family-owned children’s education centers with his wife in New Hyde Park and Hicksville called Smart Brain International. He said they have been successfully running the business for 21 years and understand education is not a “one-path type of approach,” but often more nuanced.

The resident said his biggest concern for the district is intolerance toward diverse students and families. He said he has heard negative comments from community members about changes in the neighborhood when it comes to increased diversity.

While Gupta acknowledged that addressing these tolerance issues is not an overnight fix, he said he wants to create an environment where people begin talking about diversity more often and encourage small group conversations to take place.

Regarding the district’s proposed budget and

how the administration is handling costs due to child sex abuse lawsuits filed under the Child Victims Act, Gupta said he would need to take a closer look at the budget before sharing his opinions.

If elected, he said he would not be averse to piercing the tax cap during his tenure as trustee, but there would need to be solid justification for doing so.

Gupta said he enjoys serving the district, and this trustee position is another way to continue that volunteer work. The North Hills resident is a firefighter and EMT in Albertson. His older son, who is now a naval officer, was also a firefighter and EMT, and his 17-year-old son in high school is a firefighter.

“It’s been a very long time being in this district and I know a lot of other people have moved out. I stayed and I love this place,” Gupta said. “I love the schools and I think it’s done wonders for my own children and it’s just something that I want to make sure that other people have that opportunity.”

Quraishi is a lifelong Nassau County resident. She is no stranger to the district, having lived in the Herricks district for nearly 40 years. She has three children in the Herricks district: one in elementary school, one in middle school and one in high school.

“As a physician from Northwell, I am uniquely poised to help facilitate [the partnership between Northwell and Herricks],” Quraishi said. “The mental health needs of our students is also a very, very big concern and I want to make sure we’re providing all the resources that we can to help our kids be the best that they can be.”

If elected, she said her goals include increasing the number of security guards for students’ safety and security, improving cybersecurity efforts, and improving the district’s partnership with Northwell.

The physician also works as an assistant professor at the Hofstra School of Medicine. She said education is her favorite part of her job.

She said her biggest concern for the district is growing enrollment, a financial stressor that she would hope to combat by maximizing state aid and federal grants.

Quraishi said she supports the board’s adopted 2024-2025 budget and believes the board is handling lawsuit costs well.

Lo has been a Williston Park resident for six years. While Lo works as a financial adviser, his wife owns a coffee shop in Williston Park, where he said local parents often come in and speak about their experience as district parents. The cou-

COMMUNITY NEWS

ple has two young children in the Herricks district.

If elected, his goals include improving school facilities, especially at the middle school, replacing outdated sports uniforms, lending his financial background to budget conversations, improving communication efforts between the board and district parents and better supporting district-wide sports and arts programs. He said he wants to be a conduit for these district parents and their concerns.

“I do have two very young children in the district so we are going to have a number of years here,” Lo said. “Being in a position that we do have this establishment within the community, it allows us to really listen to a lot of the local parents all around, not just our elementary school, but elsewhere. The middle and high school.”

Lo said some of his biggest concerns for the district include CVA costs and student access to social media. Lo said he thinks the board is doing a good job of handling lawsuit costs. He said he worries about cyberbullying and the spread of misinformation online among students.

“I think residents should vote for me because…I am here for the long haul,” Lo said. “I want to improve the experience for our students and, of course, hopefully the teachers as well.”

Efforts to reach Stuart were unavailing.

An issue top of mind for candidates is the large year-to-year increase included in the proposed budget.

Herricks School District board membersadopted a proposed 2024-2025 budgetof $141,710,364, which represents a 5.2% increase from the 20232024 budget of $134,719,970.

The proposed tax levy increase is 2.38%, which is within the state tax cap. Superintendent Tony Sinanis said the district’s average tax levy over the past seven years was 1.78%.

Board members said the larger-than-usual budget increase was due in part to the cost of settling child sex abuse claims against the district filed under the Child Victims Act.

When the board adopted the proposed 20242025 budget, the district’s original state aid projection was $27 million. According to the administration, state aid will provide around 20% of total district revenues in the 2024-2025 budget.

Rutkoske said the district will receive $100,000 more in state aid under the recently approved state budget than under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s initial proposal. The assistant superintendent for business said the administration has not made changes to the budget due to the slight bump in aid.

Residents will vote on the budget and elect two trustees on May 21 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Herricks Community Center, 999 Herricks Rd., New Hyde Park.

Legislation banning open carry of long guns proposed

Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris and state Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting the open carry of what are known as “long guns,” such as shotguns and rifles. Exceptions would be made for legitimate uses such as hunting.

“New York remains a leader in tackling the issue of gun violence,” said Gianaris. “Reasonable restrictions on the open carry of long guns will not only make people feel safer, but prevent injury and improve public safety.”

“Banning the open carry of rifles and shotguns is a common-sense and necessary step to safeguard public safety and prevent potential escalation of violence in our communities. New Yorkers should not have to wonder whether the person openly carrying a gun next to them in public is a good guy with

a gun or a bad guy with a gun,” said Sillitti.

Based on the most recent publicly available data, approximately 2,000 deaths annually result from rifle and shotgun-related injuries.

Research suggests that the open carry of rifles and shotguns in public spaces increases aggressive and violent behaviors.

According to the Giffords Law Center, openly carrying guns in public can quickly escalate arguments into fatal incidents, intimidate and suppress the First Amendment rights of others, and create confusion for law enforcement responding to shootings.

“As the open carry of firearms becomes a go-to tool of dangerous extremists, today’s bill to prohibit the open carry of rifles and shotguns is a lifesaving piece of legislation that can further protect New Yorkers from

gun violence and preserve our democracy,” said Barry Graubart, a volunteer with the New York chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Research demonstrates that the open carry of firearms can make it more likely that disagreement will become violent conflict, making this measure critical to keeping our communities safe. We’re grateful to Senator Gianaris and Assembly Member Sillitti for introducing this measure and continuing to put the safety of our communities and our democracy first, and we’re excited to fight for it to get passed through the legislature.”

Identical legislation has been passed in California, Connecticut, Florida, and Illinois, and Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia have also restricted the open carry of long guns.

State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti

SCORING WITH GOLF

Port’s Bryce Katty trades the ice for fairway, possible title

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

The two sports seem to be extremely different, like night and day, cold and hot, the New York Knicks and boring playoff games.

Growing up in Port Washington, Bryce Karty had two passions: golf and hockey.

One is a game filled with passion and intensity, with hitting, shooting, and passing, while opponents try to hook, hold, and trip to slow you down.

The other is a leisurely game where the only opponent is the course, and manners and decorum are extremely important.

When he turned 13, Karty felt like it was time to make a choice: Which one to really dedicate himself to and get serious about.

He chose the outdoor sport.

“I just thought about it and felt like I could go further in golf, so I stopped playing hockey and really started practicing golf a lot more,” Karty said. “I still love hockey but golf is where I wanted to be.”

While Karty is thrilled by the New York Rangers playoff run and once dreamed of being Adam Fox or Artemiy Panarin, his choice of sport seems to have paid off.

One of the top golfers in Nassau County, the junior at Schreiber High, is aiming for the boy’s individual title at next week’s county championships on May 21 after coming so close to winning last year.

Karty placed second to Wheatley’s Joseph Dolezal at counties last year while helping Port Washington win both the county and Long Island championships as its No.2 golfer.

Karty then went to state and shot an 81 on the famously difficult Black Course at Bethpage State Park in the L.I. championship, the best mark of any golfer there.

Finally, Karty qualified for state and finished 37th in the state, shooting a 161. If he qualifies for states this season, he could be the first Port Washington player to make states three straight years.

“His knowledge of the game, his course management, is really great,” said Port Washington coach Mike Killoran. “He’s always working on his swing, analyzing what has gone wrong. He’s a real student of the sport.”

Karty’s love of golf started at age five when his grandpa George took him to

Harbor Links in Port Washington. Almost immediately, Karty was able to watch other golfers’ swings and replicate them.

“My grandpa tells me that he’d show me how to swing, point to someone else swinging on the range, and I would then do it well,” Karty recalled. “I always had pretty good hand-eye coordination.”

Despite neither of his parents playing golf, Karty continued to learn and play. Hockey was his main sport; he competed on the Long Island Gulls travel team and loved it.

But golf was the stronger pull, partly because of the unpredictability and challenge of the game.

“You can always shoot lower and better,” Karty said. “One day you can be hitting it perfectly, then the next day you think you’re doing everything the same way, and you’re playing badly. I love the challenge of it.”

The mental part of the sport is even more difficult.

“Everything on the golf course is internal; you can’t scream or yell or throw stuff,” Karty said. “The whole sport is between your ears, so you have to figure out how to control your emotions. You let it out in your head.”

Karty said his rule on being upset or happy about a shot is “to take five seconds and then let it go.”

“You just have to pick up your mental game and get right back at it,” Karty said. “There’s so much downtime in golf when you’re walking or preparing. It’s so important to be mentally ready when you’re going to hit a shot.”

Karty’s strengths on the course aren’t just his driving and putting; he’s also constantly helping his teammates, Killoran said.

“Bryce always has a drill ready to go to help the other kids, something that will improve them a little bit,” Killoran said. “He’s like having another coach.”

Karty’s goals, besides getting back to states this year, include playing Division I college golf, and he said he’s already heard from some coaches.

A lot depends on how he finishes this season and how he performs in summer tournaments.

“I just want to keep getting better and hopefully do better at states this year,” he said. “All the time I spent chipping and putting and practicing, hopefully, will pay off, and hopefully, we can win the team championship again, too.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARTY FAMILY

Port Washington junior Bryce Karty, one of the top golfers in Nassau, is aiming for a county title next week.

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