MANHASSET TIMES 2024_07_12

G.N., Herricks join social media lawsuit

Allege that companies have been harmful to student mental health

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Great Neck and Herricks school districts are suing Facebook and other social media platforms, alleging they harm students’ mental health due to their platflorms’ addictive qualities.

The lawsuit alleges that the social media platforms are “addictive and dangerous” and have caused school districts “serious financial and resource disruptions,” according to Newsday.

The money sought in the lawsuit would be to offset costs for additional mental health professionals to adapt lesson plans about social media harms and to investigate online threats, according to Newsday.

Newsday initially reported a group of 11 Long Island school districts joining the suit on Saturday, which include Great Neck. Herricks announced at its meeting Monday morning they, too, would be joining.

The two school districts are joining about 1,000 other districts locally and nationwide in the suit. Newsday reported that more than two dozen more Long Island school districts also plan to join.

The other Long Island School districts are Brentwood, Bellmore-Merrick, East Islip, Islip, Jericho, Kings Park, North Merrick, Port Jefferson, South Huntington and Westbury, ac-

cording to Newsday.

Herricks Superintendent Tony Sinanis said the board opted to join as a plaintiff in the lawsuit after the law firm Frantz Law Group, APLC and Ingerman Smith, LLP, which is leading the lawsuit, reached out.

Frantz Law Group is spearheading the nationwide lawsuit against Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube and other social media companies.

Efforts to solicit comment from the Great Neck Public Schools were unavailing.

The lawsuit alleges that social media companies have caused a rise in mental health issues in students, such as anxiety, depression and thoughts of self harm. These effects then adversely affect their success in school.

The school districts have filed individual complaints as part of a consolidated multidistrict federal lawsuit with parents and state governments as well. The suits were filed in California federal court.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James filed a similar suit in October 2023, alongside 32 other states.

The effects of social media on adolescents have been in the public eye over the past year.

About three weeks ago, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for

Continued on Page 36

BLANK SLATE SELLS TO SCHNEPS

FIREWORKS OVER NORTH HILLS

COURTESY OF

The Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department sit atop the fire truck to get a view of the North Hills Country Club fireworks display.

Town leads petition against FAA, air traffic

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Town of North Hempstead is leading a county-wide petition against the Federal Aviation Administration over low-flying planes, excessive air traffic noise and pollution in a joint petition with the Town of Hempstead.

“Many neighbors ask me when we’re finally going to do something about the inescapable nuisance of airplane noise. I’m happy to report that time is now,”

North Hempstead Supervisor Jeniffer DeSena said. “We are fed up with our outdoor gatherings with family and friends being ruined. This summer should be the last in which we keep looking up and shouting over each other. It’s time to hold the FAA accountable for their negligence.”

The towns are threatening a lawsuit if the aviation administration fails to respond within 90 days.

The petition is on behalf of

the two towns’ residents who have repeatedly reported the issues of low-flying planes, loud air traffic noise, air pollution and other airplane-related disturbances.

The issue has plagued communities for over a decade, with many local villages seeking out solutions and asking for help from their elected representatives. Residents have cited a negative effect on their quality of life at many of these local meetings.

Continued on Page 37

Herricks selects Chin as new ed board prez

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Herricks Board of Education selected Juleigh Chin as its newest president, replacing Jim Gounaris who will now assume the vice president seat.

The appointments were unanimouswith the full board applauding for Chin. Both were then sworn into their offices.

Gounaris was appointed as president in 2022 and will conclude after two years in the seat.

The Herricks School District also swore in one of its two new Board of Education trustees Monday morning.

Trustee Shaheda Quraishi took the oath to assume her position on the Board of Education. Trustee Maria Bono was not present at the meet-

ing Monday morning.

“I’m just excited to be here,” Quraishi said.

Bono, a former teacher and active PTA member, defeated former Trustee Brian Hassan with 63% of the vote. Quraishi, a Northwell physician, defeated five challengers for seats on the Herricks BOE.

The oath of office was also renewed for Superintendent Tony Sinanis and the district clerk.

The Board of Education also opted to enter a class-action lawsuit against various social media companies, something multiple other Long Island school districts and others nationwide are joining.

Sinanis said the board opted to join as a plaintiff in the lawsuit after the law firm Frantz Law Group, APLC

and Ingerman Smith, LLP, which is leading the lawsuit, reached out.

The board also held a public hearing for a pending district-wide safety plan. The district is assembling a team to draft the plan.

Revisions include a bus driver and bus monitors on the district safety teams, parents notified of lockdown drills and more detailed floor plans for the school building plans. Floor plans would not be included in the district-wide plan as it is a public document and the clerk said it could cause safety issues.

The plan will be adopted by Sept. 1 before the school year begins.

The plan is available to be viewed on the district’s website.

The board’s next meeting will be held on Aug. 8 at 6 p.m.

Town, LIRR to study new track

DeSena said first step to restore service

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Town of North Hempstead entered into an agreement with the Long Island Rail Road Tuesday night to consider building an additional track at the Port Washington Train Station to improve train service reliability and frequency.

North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said that under the memorandum of understanding, the Long Island Rail Road would study adding a track to increase service along the Port Washington Branch. She called this memorandum a first step.

“The whole point of what we’re doing is restoring service, bring something back,” DeSena said.

The memorandum will also include a study of the parking lot.

Town Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte said the town attorney informed the board that the memorandum of understanding is not a binding contract but rather an interest in negotiating future agreements for the project.

One resident asked if the memorandum would represent the Long

Island Rail Road’s commitment to expanding service along the line, citing examples of alleged failed promises from them in the past.

Dalimonte said she and the supervisor had expressed those concerns to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which oversees the Long Island Rail Road. She said they asked them to ensure that services would be expanded, but they said they could not guarantee it.

The board voted unanimously to enter into the memorandum of understanding. Councilmember Christine Liu was not present at the meeting because she had surgery earlier in the day.

DeSena said she has fought to restore express service after it was reduced when trains began running to Grand Central Madison in February 2023.

The supervisor recalled a conversation with the Long Island Rail Road president, who explained that warnings for diminished services were given 10 years ago when the LIRR considered work that did not go forward.

“And so here we are,” DeSena said.

TO REACH US

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

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF HERRICKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Herricks High School.

PHOTO BY ADAM LIDGETT

$15M allocated for village projects

Seven local municipalities written in first draft for federal spending bill, includes special districts

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Rep. Tom Suozzi announced more than a dozen local village and district projects in the Third Congressional District have been included in the first draft of the federal 2025 spending bill, which includes upgrades to pump stations, addressing shoreline erosion and sewer upgrades.

“Today we are seeing the first good news in Congress’s bipartisan funding process: more than $15 million has been set aside to come back to New York’s Third Congressional District. Today’s announcement is the first step in what will be a long process and I will continue fighting to bring more of our tax dollars back home,” Suozzi wrote in a press release.

Of the 15 local municipalities and organizations included in the spending bill, seven are in the Town of North Hempstead. A total of $6,354,000 will be awarded to these seven municipalities and special districts.

This includes the villages of Baxter Estates, Flower Hill, Manorhaven, Sands Point and Williston Park, as well as the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District and the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District.

The largest chunk of money being awarded to a project is $1,105,800, which is drafted to go to Manorhaven, Sands Point, Williston Park, and the two water districts.

The appropriations for these projects are not final in what Suozzi called the first step.

The funds allotted for the Village of

Manorhaven would go toward rehabilitating its 60-year-old sewer system – aiding in preventing sewer failure and upholding environmental health.

Suozzi said this project is important due to the village’s connection to Manhasset Bay and the Long Island Sound.

“The project’s importance to the local community cannot be understated, as a system failure could cause a significant decline in the environmental health of the surrounding soil and groundwater due to leaks or breakage in addition to affecting nearby waterbodies and sewer service to Environmental Justice area residents,” Suozzi said in the press release.

The Village of Sands Point would use these funds to construct a Granular Activated Carbon treatment plant for pre- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAS, at two of its wells. These are synthetic chemicals that are commonly found in water sources and may lead to health issues.

The project also includes the construction of a GAC building/housing, related GAC improvements, well pump replacements, the redrilling of a well and the drilling of another well.

The Village of Williston Park would use these funds for improvements to its Well 4 Facility. This would upgrade its utility and equipment infrastructure as well as address issues of drinking water contaminants.

The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District is slated to use these funds for improvements to its Steamboat Pump Station. This

Rep. Tom Suozzi announced that $15 million municipal infrastructure projects in the 3rd Congressional Districtr have been included in the first draft of the federal 2025 spending bill.

includes more reliable alarm systems, energyefficient pumps and reducing structures that obstruct residents’ views of the neighboring park.

The funds potentially going to the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District

would be for upgrading wastewater pump stations.

The two pump stations that would be upgraded are the district’s highest flow capacity stations. These stations handle about 70% of the district’s area flow with a capacity of three million gallons a day.

The Village of Baxter Estates is drafted to receive $745,000 to address shoreline erosion and stabilize the segment of Shore Road abutting Manhasset Bay.

According to a press release from Suozzi, the erosion is causing failing gabion units, deterioration of the sidewalk, soil loss and vegetation and environmental losses. He said this is not only diminishing the natural environment but may also cause the heavily trafficked road to collapse.

The Village of Flower is initially slated to receive $80,000 for a sewer study on the feasibility of connecting homes to the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District sewer system. This is considered a first step in its project.

Long Island University School of Veterinary Medicine, although not in the Town of North Hempstead, is initially slated to receive $1 million for its mobile spay, neuter and vaccinate services for feral and stray cats.

The mobile clinics would also conduct outreach to low-income and veteran communities and provide trap-neuter-release, or TNR, training for veterinarians.

Suozzi said this will aid in the overpopulation of stray and feral cats in the area, as well as prevent diseases.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF TOM SUOZZI

Troiano accuses Mignardi of GOP favoritism

Communications director spoke during public comment to support Walsh in argument

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Town of North Hempstead Councilmember Robert Troiano accused the town’s communications officer, Umberto Mignardi, of favoritism Tuesday night after he spoke during public comment in defense of Councilmember Dennis Walsh.

Councilmember David Adhami, a Republican, denounced Troiano’s conduct during the interaction with Mignardi.

“What just happened up here was not conducive to encouraging town employees to come up either as town employees or in their private citizen capacity to come here and speak,” Adhami said. “I think when they get up here to speak, I don’t care who it is, there’s plenty of people I disagree with. But freedom of speech is not about protecting the speech that you agree with, it’s about protecting the speech that you disagree with.”

Troiano, a Democrat, and Walsh, a Republican, clashed over a resolution for a Manhasset Bay cleanup, with Walsh raising his voice after Troiano interrupted him.

Walsh and Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, a Republican, questioned the cost of the bay cleanup, saying it was a common question for most projects. Troiano said the Republican councilmembers only question the cost for projects in District 6, which is represented by Democratic councilmember Mariann Dalimonte. Walsh disagreed, but Dalimonte agreed with Troiano.

Mignardi, who was hired by the Republicandominated board, criticized Troiano for comparing it to another project with a cost estimate not finalized, saying that Dalimonte could provide the costs for the bay cleanup from last year. He defended Walsh’s question about the project’s cost.

Dalimonte mentioned Mignardi’s role as an employee, but he said he can also speak as a resident. Mignardi clarified that he was speaking as

a resident, not an employee.

Troiano said it is “very unusual” for a town employee to make an argument to the board not for the purpose of offering their expertise. He provided examples including a public works commissioner speaking on the details of a project.

Mignardi apologized but said he didn’t think it was unusual. He said he felt harassed by Troiano’s questioning of his involvement in the town government.

Mignardi compared his public comment to that of residents who were previously criticized by town Republicans as being political operatives and defended by Democrats on the board. Such instances have happened multiple times at town meetings.

Troiano said he is not against Mignardi speaking as a resident, but said it can be problematic for him to express comments of favoritism for councilmembers when his role is to serve the whole board.

Mignardi denied accusations he was expressing favoritism and said he was acting out of due diligence.

The board unanimously approved the project.

Troiano, joined by Dalimonte, also questioned the town’s hiring of a new lobbying and grant service firm.

Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP was approved unanimously by the town board as its newest hired lobbying and grant services firm but came under scrutiny over a communication issue and partisanship.

Dalimonte said the firm was previously with the town before it hired its last lobbying firm, Sustainable Strategies.

Dalimonte said the agenda had originally stated a different resolution, with the bid for lobbying to be awarded to Davidoff Hutcher & Citron but the bid for grant services to remain with Sustainable Strategies.

Continued on Page 37

Town OKs $32M bond for Port police HQ

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Town of North Hempstead approved a $32 million bond for the construction of Port Washington Police District’s new headquarters despite multiple residents criticizing the project.

Port Washington Police Chief Robert Del Muro said the headquarters is a much-needed update to meet the growing needs of the police district.

“A new facility will provide us with modern infrastructure and technology for a 21st-century police district,” Del Muro said.

Del Muro said the current headquarters is overcrowded, has a shortage of offices, insufficient spaces for female officers and inadequate storage space. The new facility would provide for those needs.

“The Port Washington Police District is seeking bond approval for a new headquarters facility because our current one is deficient in numerous areas and has been for decades,” Del Muro said.

The town board unanimously approved the police district’s $32 million bond.

The bond would only apply to Port Washington Police District residents and the police district estimated would cost the average-valued household $150.70 a year.

The police district is unable to

issue its own bonds but can do so through the town or a private company. The police district’s counsel said bonding through a private company would yield a higher cost to taxpayers than through the town.

One resident presented a petition signed by more than 200 people from the Police Department’s area of service calling for a referendum to be held on the bond. This would allow police district residents to directly vote on the bond.

Town attorney Richard Nicolello said that a referendum is not re-

quired nor permitted under New York State local finance law. He said it would not be an appropriate subject for spending money.

A majority of residents who spoke Tuesday night expressed their opposition to the new headquarters and the bond being voted on.

Concerns expressed by residents included the high cost, its location on Main Street, its scope and the preservation of trees.

“I’m trying to just understand and comprehend how something like that could be allowed when

countless mom-and-pop shops are denied to even open up. That could really bring the town up,” one resident said of the headquarters on Main Street. “It just is absurd to me.”

Police Commissioner Sean McCarthy said having the headquarters on Main Street is a great location that will tie in with the other public buildings like the post office and the library.

“I think it affords a terrific look and it would greatly improve the quality of life and make police services available, not just 9-1-1- services [but] police walk-in services available due to its proximity to the train station and its proximity to the vital part of Main Street where most of us live,” McCarthy said.

Port Washington resident Robert Mann argued against the need for a larger facility and called for a multi-year plan to be presented and reviewed by the community.

“I don’t understand how Port Washington, this small town, is turning into a police state where this is the beacon in the middle of town,” one resident said.

Some residents did express their support for the new headquarters, including Port resident Steve Catrone, who called it a “win-win” for the town. He praised the police district for listening to resident concerns and working to accommodate them.

DeSena said the building decisions were made by the police district and its commissioners, which had been presented to the community for input at the Police Department’s information sessions in May and June.

Input included a call for a traffic study, Del Muro said, which the police district conducted despite not being required to.

The property for the new headquarters has multiple mature trees. McCarthy said the district plans to preserve as many as possible.

McCarthy said multiple residents and local organizations joined the police district members on a tour of the property to identify which trees and natural vegetation to preserve. He said building plans are being adapted to do so.

The decision on the new headquarters was made by the police district’s administration, including its elected commissioners.

Multiple residents said no commissioners have run for election on the platform of advancing a new headquarters. McCarthy set the record straight and said that he had, which was reported by Blank Slate Media.

Police Commissioner JB Meyer said he, too, ran for election in 2023 with the intent to advance the district’s new headquarters plan.

PHOTO BY KARINA KOVAC

North Hempstead Town Hall in Manhasset.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PORT WASHINGTON POLICE

Port Washington Police Department headquarters on Port Washington Boulevard.

Albertson harpist awarded scholarship

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Recent Herricks graduate Jocelyn Chiu’s music career began at the age of 3 as a way for her mother to fill the toddler’s natural 4 a.m. wake-up time. Now 15 years later, Chiu’s early hour dedications have paid off as she has won a scholarship from the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame and pursues a future in music.

Chiu, an Albertson resident, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame for her skills as a harpist.

“We are thrilled to award these scholarships to such talented and dedicated young musicians,” Tom Needham, LIMEHOF’s Educational Programs Director, said. “Supporting the next generation of music students as they embark on their college journeys is at the heart of our mission. These scholarships not only recognize their hard work and passion but also reinforce our commitment to nurturing musical talent and education within our community. We can’t wait to see what these young people will accomplish in their musical careers.”

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization promoting the music of Long Island, Queens and Brooklyn. The organization has inducted more than 130 members into its Hall of Fame, conducts education programs and awards scholarships and honors to students and educators.

Chiu was recognized among a class of nine other students from across Long Island – the largest singular awarded class since the program began.

Students apply directly for the scholarships in a process which is reviewed and judged by the Hall of Fame’s Education Committee.

Along with Long Island students, Brooklyn and Queens students are also welcome to apply. The 2024 awards received a record number of applicants seeking out the scholarships.

Chiu’s introduction to playing instruments began in those early morning hours with the violin but pivoted six years later.

At the age of nine, Chiu’s mother told her to begin learning a new instrument. Thinking of one of the hardest instruments to find a teacher locally, Chiu chose the harp.

Just a few weeks later, Chiu was in the living room of her new harp teacher where she fell in love with the instrument.

Chiu is the principal harpist at the Grammy Award-winning New York Youth Symphony and Resident Harpist at Herricks High School.

She is a 2024 graduate of Herricks High School, where she served as Executive Board Student Council president and vice president of DECA.

Chiu will be attending Northwestern University, where she will major in harp performance and economics.

Blending into Chiu’s music is also a desire to share it with others.

In playing an uncommon instrument, Chiu found a lack of accessibility for other young musicians seeking to learn the harp. To address this, Chiu founded Hello Harp, a sevenweek festival where she taught 12 elementaryage students for free. The festival ended with a recital at the Searingtown Library.

Chiu also sought to share her music at NYU Langone Winthrop, where she performed for hospital staff, families and babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the hospital lobby.

Her music has been featured in multiple original recorded pieces by young composers.

Vinny Muldoon

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LONG ISLAND MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT HALL OF FAME

Jocelyn Chiu of Albertson won a scholarship from the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Blank Slate sells to Schneps Media

Schneps Media has acquired Blank Slate Media, publisher of Great Neck News, Manhasset Times, Roslyn Times, Williston Times, Port Washington Times, New Hyde Park Herald Courier andtheisland360.com.

The titles competed directly with Anton Media Group, which Schneps Media recently acquired. The combined entity will dominate Nassau County by providing greater reach and more robust coverage of each neighborhood.

Steven Blank, Blank Slate Media’s owner, will take on the title of publisher and editor of the combined division.

“We are pleased to have Steve Blank leading the new division,” said Josh Schneps, CoPublisher and CEO of Schneps Media. “We are grateful to serve such outstanding communities and bring together two excellent teams to form what is now the most dominant coverage of Nassau County. It adds to our Long Island media including The Long Island Press, Fire Island & Great South Bay News, Dan’s Papers, Behind The Hedges, Noticia LI, The Bethpage Best of Long Island and Long Island Family.”

“Long Island has flourishing communities that we are devoted to covering,” said Victoria Schneps, Co-Publisher and President. “As the

neighborhoods continue to evolve and grow, so do we. Our motto is, ‘We’re All About You!’”

Blank said he is excited to be part of a growing company that has developed products complimentary to our print publications.

“Schneps Media offers a great model to sustain local media companies in 2024,” Blank said. “I am very happy to be part of the team.”

Prior to forming Blank Slate Media, Steve Blank was the owner and publisher of The TimesLedger community newspaper group in Queens County. He sold the group to News Corp in 2009 and is now under the ownership of Schneps Media as part of their Queens media division.

Blank spent 10 years as a daily newspaper reporter and editor, finishing on the special projects team of the Kansas City Star.

“We are confident that this acquisition and merger of teams will allow us to provide the best news and reach to the readers and advertisers we serve,” Josh Schneps said.

Readers can expect to see changes in your local newspapers and website as well as email newsletters and social media channels, he said. For news tips, advertising inquiries or subscriptions please call 516-747-8282.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLANK SLATE MEDIA

Slate Media’s owner Steven Blank will take on

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Meet Guy. He’s a local small business owner, rock bassist, and fan of LEDs. It didn’t hurt that he got $5,900 in rebates to replace his store’s old lighting with energy-efficient fixtures.* He says his store and his guitars look great in the new LED glow. And, with the monthly energy cost savings, he couldn’t be happier.

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OUR VIEWS Editorial Cartoon

Restric social media, cell phone use now

Great Neck and 10 other Long Island school districts took a good first step last week by suing Facebook and other leading social media companies to address mental health problems among students.

The school districts, which have been joined by the Herricks School District, allege the platforms have caused them “serious financial and resource disruptions.”

This includes added costs of employing mental health professionals, adapting lesson plans to educate children on alleged harm caused by social media and investigating online threats to school communities.

The districts want the social media platforms to cover the cost of the harm they have allegedly caused.

State Attorney General Letitia James and attorneys general from 32 other states filed similar suits in October 2023.

They alleged the companies created addictive features that have negatively affected young people’s mental health.

And two weeks ago, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for a cigarette-style label on social media platforms warning they are “associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.”

Murthy said in an op-ed in The New York Times that the mental health crisis among young people is an “emergency – and social media has emerged as an important contributor.”

The average daily use among adolescents of social media, he said, was 4.8 hours while studies showed that those spending more than three hours a day face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Vivek cited tobacco warning labels as evidence that a surgeon general’s warning label would prompt parents to limit or monitor their children’s social media use.

Congress should act immediately to approve the warning labels.

There is bipartisan support in Congress to make social media safer.

Still, we all know that Congress has hardly been reliable in passing meaningful legislation these days, especially when the other side has as much money as social media companies.

So, we shouldn’t count on them to respond.

That makes it the responsibility of parents to limit or monitor their children’s social media use—warning labels or no warning labels.

The social media platforms deny that they are harming adolescents.

Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, have denied the allegations of school districts.

Snapchat and Google, which also owns YouTube, both say social media actually helps adolescents.

But then again, the tobacco industry denied the harmful effects of cigarettes for decades – during which time millions of Americans died.

The school districts and their lawyers also express concern about the misinformation and disinformation available on social media –something that is a crisis for adults as well.

They also call for strong safeguards to protect how social media companies obtain students’ personal information and track their internet activity. This, too, applies to adults.

Social media companies gather and make money from users’ data that exceeds what totalitarian governments could only dream of decades ago.

Another campaign aimed at helping students that Long Island school districts should adopt—restricting cellphone use in schools—would help the fight against social mediarelated problems.

The words cell phone is misleading since many “cell phones” are smartphones that are, in reality, computers and camera phones wrapped into one convenient package.

They are devices that provide ac -

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cess to social media programs.

One-third of public K-12 teachers say that students being distracted by cell phones is a “major problem,” according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center last year.

And the older the students are, the worse the problem.

By high school, 72% of teachers said phones were a major problem.

David Banks, the chancellor of New York City Public Schools, recently said he and Mayor Eric Adams plan to ban the use of phones as early as January.

“They’re not just a distraction. Kids are fully addicted now to phones,” Banks said in an interviewwith local Fox affiliate WNYW. “And many parents will understand this because even when kids are not in school, it’s very hard to get them to even talk to each other anymore. They’re buried in their phones 20 hours out of the day.”

A Common Sense Media analysis of a small group of adolescents found they received nearly 240 cell phone notifications daily, a fourth of them during school.

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Stateline reported that in a survey in 37 states and Alberta, Canada, the average respondent college spent 19% of their class time on a smart device for non-class use.

New York’s plan to ban cell phones follows the Los Angeles Unified School District’s decision earlier this month to ban student cell phone and social media use starting next year.

Other school districts around the country have already acted with some requiring students to leave their phones in lockers and others to store them in pouches that cannot be accessed until the end of the day.

Three states recently passed laws banning or restricting cell phone use in schools. Florida was the first to do so in 2023.

Some allow students to use their phones during lunch and between classrooms, while others ban any use in school buildings.

We’ll leave the particulars to state legislators and the governor, but New York should develop its own plan to restrict the use of cell

Stacy Shaughnessy, Melissa Spitalnick, Barbara Kaplan, Bill Lucano, Angela Shirian

ART DIRECTOR

Yvonne Farley

phones in school.

As should school districts in Nassau County.

The surgeon general endorsed making classroom learning a phonefree experience.

He also called for parents to create phone-free zones around bedtime, meals and social gatherings. And to wait until middle school to allow access to social media.

Murty noted at the end of his New York Times op-ed that FAA grounded about 170 planes when a door plug came off one Boeing 737 Max 9 while the plane was in the air and a massive recall of dairy products was conducted because of a listeria contamination that claimed two lives.

He asked why we are not responding that quickly to something impacting students’ lives across the country.

Good question.

Parents, school districts and state legislators should respond as quickly to the threat cell phones and social media now pose to kids on Long Island.

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Sweet Baby James Taylor at Tanglewood

Its summertime which means vacation time. Life in suburbia can be stressed, exhausting, aggravating and often purposeless. Vacations are our last hope for renewal, recovery, rest, recreation, and meaning.

Surprisingly, vacations are a relatively new concept. Until recently, the term vacation was only reserved for the rich who would spend time in the Adirondack mountains. The idea of vacations was popularized by William Murray, the Boston preacher who wrote the book “Adventures in the Wilderness” in the 1860’s. He suggested that the stress of city life was unhealthy and felt that spending time in nature was an excellent antidote. Who would argue with this kind of logic?

Suburban Long Island in the summer brings forth sounds of cars rushing by at 60 MPH. This elicits the need for the sounds of babbling brooks, cool nights and mountain air in some lovely New England village in Vermont or Massachusetts.

As I researched this year’s summer’s trip I came across Tanglewood Music Festival and noticed that the renowned singer/songwriter James Taylor was playing at Tanglewood on July Fourth. Tanglewood Music Festival is located in Lenox, Massachusetts which is only about a three hour trip from Nassau

County. I had heard of Canyon Ranch, the wellness and health spa which was also in Lenox and my decision was made.

The ride up to Lenox was easy enough and after settling in to Canyon Ranch we were escorted to Tanglewood by their shuttle bus. Tanglewood Music Festival was now so wildly popular, that the country roads could no longer accommodate the traffic heading to see James Taylor and the shuttle took the back roads.

Sweet Baby James played to a sell out crowd of 15, 000 adoring fans and the basic vibe of the concert was pure love. James Taylor is now a confident singer/songwriter in full possession of his rich voice, and he now has an easy charm with the audience. He is one of the most successful recording artists in history so he can afford to hire the elite of the music industry who served as backup vocalists, pianists, drummers, sax players and guitarists. James Taylor has penned such classics as “Fire and Rain” “Shower the People:, “Carolina on my Mind”, “Mexico”, and “Sweet Baby James.”

Hanna Segal, the famed psychoanalytic writer known for her analysis of artists, said the truly authentic artists have the ability to face the inner demons of their past and come back to us to sing about it. Taylors’ anguished past, his heroin addiction and his extended hospital-

DR. TOM FERRARO

Our Town

ization at Austin Riggs Psychiatric Center are all well documented. His pain and his ability to survive it through music support Segal’s theory about artistic motivation based upon a lost and pained childhood. Phyllis Greenacre treated many artists as well and she concluded that the greatest artists are deeply motivated to provide a gift to the world. And anyone who was lucky enough to see James Taylor at Tanglewood could not help but feel the gift he gives to the world and the profound love James Taylor has for his audience. One of his last songs was “Shower the People” with these familiar lyrics: “Shower the people you love with love,

Show them the way that you feel. Things are going to turn out fine if we only will.” And the way his back up singer Arnold McCuller finished this song brought the crowd to its feet.

And if that was not enough we also had our renewal and wellness experience at Canyon Ranch to look forward to. There are a mind boggling number of experiences to be had at Canyon Ranch, a wellness center set on 120 manicured acres. Its central building is the Bellefontaine Mansion and other newer buildings which house the spa, the swimming pools, the tennis courts and the hotel rooms.

Every hour there is a chance to get health and performance coaching, mind and spirit work, nutritional classes, mind and body work, sleep clinics, sports medicine, tarot readings, massage, swim classes and ancient tea rituals . We were there for a short period and somehow I lost five pounds without trying to do so. The dinner series was orchestrated by the Michelin award winning Columbian Chef Juanma Barrientos and his staff.

My favorite workshop was run by Lisa Avnet and focused on the way people hold emotions in their bodies and how to release these emotions.

We ask much of our vacations. We all hope for rest and relaxation , fun and spiritual meaning as well. I think the

town of Lenox, Massachusetts, the green lawns of Tanglewood, the rolling hills of the Berkshires and all the experts at Canyon Ranch delivered.

But now its Monday and its back to work. As I drove onto the parkway and faced all those speeding angry motorists once again, I began humming a song which goes like this:

“In my mind I’m gone to Lenox, Mass.,

Can’t you just feel the sunshine,

And can’t you just see that impish smile on the face of Sweet Baby James.”

Thank you James Taylor and thank you Canyon Ranch.

Summer 2024 reading for political junkies

Here are books I recommend political junkies read while vacationing:

“The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century” by Ben Steil.

At the 1944 Democratic Convention that renominated Franklin Roosevelt for a fourth term, party bosses had the good sense to convince the ailing president to dump his vice president, Henry Wallace, in favor of Sen. Harry Truman.

Steil, in his meticulously researched work, argues it was a good decision because Wallace was a dupe of Stalin and was surrounded by Soviet agents and assets.

As vice president, Wallace “toured a Potemkin Siberia, guided by undercover Soviet security and intelligence officials who hid labor camps and concealed prisoners. He then wrote a book together with an American NKGB source hailing the region’s renaissance under Bolshevik leadership…Running for president in 1948, he colluded with Stalin to undermine his government’s foreign policy, allowing the dictator to edit his most important election speech.”

Hats off to old-time political boss-

es.

“Ascent To Power: How Truman Emerged from Roosevelt’s Shadow and Remade the World” by David L. Roll.

Roll, the author of the best onevolume biography of General George C. Marshall, vividly describes why FDR made the right choice of Truman at the 1944 convention.

After serving only 82 days as VP, Truman inherited the office of president totally unprepared by his predecessor. Roll’s work, which covers the years 1944 to 1948, describes Truman’s struggles to emerge as a president in his own right.

“Yet, from a relatively unknown Missouri senator to the most powerful man on Earth,” Roll concludes, Truman’s legacy transcends his “come-from-behind campaign in the fall of 1948, his courageous civil rights advocacy, and his role in liberating millions from militarist governments and brutal occupations, [his] decisions during these pivotal years changed the course of the world in ways so significant we live with them today.”

“True Believer: Hubert Humphrey’s Quest for a More Just Ameri-

In the 1960s, Humphrey was a victim of the budding New Left’s radical orthodoxy that now dominates the Democratic Party.

“Mansfield and Dirksen: Bipartisan Giants of the Senate” by Marc C. Johnson.

Yes, there was indeed a time in our own recent history when members of both political parties believed it their duty to govern. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, senators rose above ideological and geographical differences and reached bipartisan consensus on the pressing issues of the day.

The story of that era is described in historian Mark Johnson’s excellent new book.

pass landmark legislation he needed overwhelming GOP support, often ceded to Dirksen’s needs and publicly gave him credit.

If Republicans should win control of Congress this fall, I recommend they read Johnson’s book to learn how to govern.

“Morning After the Revolution: Dispatches from the Wrong Side of History” by Nellie Bowles.

ca” by James Traub.

This is a fine, readable biography of a truly decent man, and one of the last genuine 20th century liberals.

“For Humphrey, as for such writers and thinkers as Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Reinhold Niebuhr, and Lionel Trilling, liberalism meant faith in the individual, openness to debate, optimism about man’s prospects .” Humphrey also understood that to govern one had to seek consensus by compromising.

During the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, the flamboyant Republican leader, Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksen of Illinois, and the mild-mannered Democratic Majority Leader, Sen. Michael Mansfield of Montana, worked together to pass legislation including civil and voting rights laws and Medicaid.

Dirksen was no pushover. In negotiations, he made it clear what it would take his GOP caucus to sign on to bills. Mansfield, knowing that to

Bowles, a journalist at The New Press, is a committed Progressive. But during COVID-19, when the Black Lives Matter movement blossomed on the political landscape, she began to sense a significant change on the left. Old-time liberals were being washed away by the New Progressives whose politics were “built on the idea that people are profoundly good, denatured only by capitalism, by colonialism, and whiteness and heteronormativity.” The New Progressives, she concluded, “were leading a political movement that went mad.”

Readers will find Bowles work, which is a collection of dispatches on the ideological excesses of the New Progressives, painful, comical, and insightful.

Happy summer reading.

PHOTO BY TOM FERRARO

The incomparable music of James Taylor in Lenox, Mass.

EARTH MATTERS

Heat waves raise bar in climate change response

Temperatures are soaring into dangerous triple digits in the U.S. this summer, with close to 130 degrees Fahrenheit reported in Death Valley, California this weekend. Alarmingly, the cost of summer cooling has grown steadily from an average of $476 in 2014 to a now predicted $719 from June through September, according to a recent report by Center for Energy Poverty and Climate and the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.

A growing number of Americans are dealing with higher energy costs to cool their homes. This added financial burden is particularly hard on low-income families. People in poverty now face the impossible choice between feeding their families or cooling their homes that otherwise become dangerously hot. In many places, the homeless will have to depend on access to cooling shelters to survive this summer.

It’s easy to feel powerless over a warming climate. But please know there are important steps you can make to improve energy affordability and curb the climate crisis at the same

time. To prevent further warming we must reduce the emissions from fossil fuels that are contributing to climate change and raising the cost of living.

Clean energy homes are less expensive to operate than homes powered by oil and gas and allow you to avoid unpleasant surprises from fluctuating gas and oil prices that are subject to geopolitical stressors. If you’re retrofitting, renovating or upgrading your home, look into heat pump technology and solar panels. For the moment, we can certainly rely on the sun.

If the cost or feasibility of installing residential solar panels is prohibitive, consider Community Distributed Generation, often called “community solar.” There are several options here on Long Island. Community solar makes clean energy available to both renters and homeowners without actually installing the panels on their roof. These large scale solar projects offer incremental savings, but most importantly your consciousness will be clear from pollution as you power your daily needs. You can find a list of community solar developers through the PSEG-

HILDUR PALSDOTTIR

Earth Matters

Long Island website. Ultimately electrification is the answer to our energy needs. A common argument I hear when I bring up electrification is that it isn’t realistic. Some say the grid can’t handle it. The answer to that is simple and two-fold. First, we’ve got to be smarter about the way we use (and waste) energy. A behavioral change will be required for us to accommodate the energy needs

of a growing human population. And second, we must invest in and expand upon the electrification infrastructure, including transmission, battery storage solutions and charging stations.

Most importantly, energy efficiency must accompany electrification. Virtually every reputable appliance manufacturer now offers energy saving models. If you’re replacing appliances look for the ENERGY STAR® rating. You can replace your gas appliances with electric options such as induction stoves, heat pump dryers, and heat pump water heaters. Your entire HVAC system can now be based entirely on either air source or ground source heat pumps.

The best part about electrification is the cost savings inherent to a clean energy economy. It’s simply less costly to power your needs with renewables instead of fossil fuels. Once the investment is made in clean energy technology, operation is stable and you’ll be rewarded with cost savings on your monthly energy bill. Instead of being locked into the rising price of polluting gas and oil in a perpetually warm-

ing climate, you can rely on low cost operation of clean energy options that curb this crisis.

Here’s what you can do today to join the clean energy revolution:

1. Get a FREE home energy assessment. Licensed professionals inspect your home for gaps and leakage and suggest how to insulate and seal your home.

2. Invest in programmable smart thermostats. You can purchase these through the PSEG-LI website. Set your air conditioner to be off when you’re away from the house.

3. Federal and state tax credits, deductions and rebates are available for qualifying home improvements. Consult with PSEG-LI for details on market rate improvements. Reach out to the Long Island Clean Energy Hub for free consultation, especially if you qualify for low-to-middle income support.

4. Don’t be fooled. Natural gas is not clean energy. It is a fossil fuel. Every step of the way, from fracking to household use, natural gas pollutes the environment and contributes to warming.

Continued on Page 26

Imperial Supremes anoint a king, destroy democracy

It is such a horrifically cruel irony that just in time for the 248th celebration of July 4th independence from tyranny that the imperial Supremes obliterated the foundation, the keystone to democracy in bestowing kingly power on a president without concern for criminal accountability.

With that ruling, they overturned the essence of “Rule of Law,” “Equal Justice under Law,” “No One is Above the Law,” – effectively obliterating the notion of democracy and “all are created equal.”

“In every use of presidential power, the president is now king, above the law,” said Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her dissent.

But they did more – just days before, they destroyed the remaining pillars in ending checks-and-balances and the notion of three co-equal branches of government, abrogating for the court an imperial authority over all – what the Congress produces, what the executive branch can do. At the same time, the court determined that Congress has no oversight over its ethics – making a mockery of their oath and rule that any justice should recuse when reasonably believed to have conflict of interest or “skin in game,” and in fact, by narrowing the notion of “public corruption,” the Supremes (Clarence Thomas having accepted $4 million and counting in gifts and favors) sought to inoculate themselves against their own obscenely corrupt practices.

In effect, the Imperial Supremes said President Trump could assassinate his rival without repercussion (since his political party would never actually impeach and remove him), mount a

military coup, shoot asylum seekers and protesters. But in overturning the 1984 Chevron rule, which deferred to the experts and professionals in federal agencies, President Biden cannot mandate wearing a mask on an airplane during a deadly pandemic, cannot relieve student debt, cannot issue a carbon standard to mitigate against the climate and public health crisis or cannot ban bump stocks responsible for the worst gun massacre in U.S. history.

The Imperial Supremes don’t actually believe in the Declaration’s “all men are created equal.” Nor do they actually believe in the “We the people,” of the Constitution, in consistently ruling in favor of corporations and billionaires over actual people.

And, of course, there is no “immunity” – least of all “presidential immunity” – in the Constitution. Just the opposite because the Founders were most fearful of a president becoming a king, a tyrant, a dictator – exactly what the Supremes have now laid the groundwork for. That’s what made the United States different at the time – to be led by someone elected by the people to a term of office, who peacefully transferred that power afterward.

It ignores the “equal rights” and” equal protection” provisions of the Constitution, turning women’s reproductive freedom into a matter for the states – effectively dividing the country into slave or free and creating a new Underground Railroad for care – but overturns a 100year old New York State gun control law, saying the state (or locality) has no right to protect its people.

It lays the groundwork for a dictator wannabe like Trump to implement

state legislatures could not override the popular vote and choose their own presidential electors. But that was 2020. Since then the Imperial Supremes have reached new heights of arrogance and shamelessness in furtherance of a political agenda.

the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. By obstructing the very trials that would establish whether Trump violated the plain language of the 14th Amendment and would be barred from taking office he may well be elected to, the Supremes have eliminated the mechanism to determine his eligibility. Leave it up to Congress? Well, Congress impeached Trump for insurrection and the Jan. 6th Select Committee found Trump incited deadly insurrection, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and used multi-pronged schemes to defraud and deny the American people their chosen leader. A Colorado court also adjudicated Trump an insurrectionist, ruling him ineligible to run for the office he was barred from holding. Some claim that this court has proved itself not to be acting solely to protect their dear leader, the dictator wannabe Trump, because of their rulings in 2020, notably that (Republican)

Bush v. Gore in 2000 is when the Imperial court realized they basically could do what they want, “interpreting” the Constitution and law to achieve their aim. It followed with Citizens United in 2010, overturning centuries of precedent to rule that cash is speech and give corporations and billionaires more power over election outcomes than individuals. Then with Dobbs in 2022, they realized they could sweep away 50 years of precedent and for the first time in American history withdraw a right and get away with it.

The late Supreme Court Justice Gregory Scalia might have said that “one-person, one vote” isn’t specified in the Constitution when he anointed Bush president in 2000, nor is there an explicit “right to abortion,” but you know what else isn’t in the Constitution? “Gun.” “Corporation.” “God”. “Political Party.”

Indeed, the Founding Fathers presciently feared parties would undermine democracy. Instead, the Imperial Supremes have granted unlimited ability for political parties to deny certain groups their rights and to gerrymander – effectively overturning the letter and spirit of the Voting Rights Act and any pretense at “one person, one vote.” What else isn’t in the Constitution? The Supreme Court’s power to overturn law or make law or policy. The ability to rule any action by Congress or the

Executive Branch “unconstitutional” was assumed in 1803 in the Marbury v. Madison. So much for the BS of “originalism,” “textualism,” “history” and ”precedent” and the lie that the Constitution is set in stone (like the 10 Commandments) and not a living document that has been amended 27 times (the 28th, the Equal Rights Amendment, should have been recognized as ratified).

In fact, the only reference to the Supreme Court in the Constitution gives the Congress the authority to organize it – so much for the Imperial Supremes to wall themselves from congressional oversight.

In the blink of an eye, the Imperial Supremes remade government and diminished democracy, undoing the progress toward a “more perfect union” so hard fought over 248 years.

Here’s my question: Since the Imperial Supremes have discarded centuries of precedent, law, and the plain language of the Constitution when it suits, why are their rulings credible or enforceable now?

Their abuse of their office screams out for court reform: term limits (18 years) staggered so that every president gets to make appointments; expand the court to 13 to match the number of circuit courts (especially since they have made themselves the final say on every federal rule and regulation) and then require a random selection of nine to rule on each case, with stronger, enforceable rules for recusal; pass an enforceable ethics code. Impeach corrupt justices.

As Justice Sotomayor said, “With fear for our democracy, I dissent.”

VIEW POINT

KAREN RUBIN View Point

Long Islanders must answer the wake-up call

The latest hi-tech generation of mobile technology utilized by internet companies, cell phone carriers, and other technology providers is the 5th Generation (5G) wireless network known as WiFi.

This technology is touted as providing faster internet and streaming services, better cell phone coverage, and vibrant, “smart cities.” The 5G technology enables many appliances and a multitude of devices to be hooked up to one control unit, supposedly reducing commute times and energy usage, and improving safety, courtesy of smart grid “efficiencies.”

Unlike the 4th Generation (4G) preceding it that relies on huge 90-foot cell towers with about a dozen or so antenna ports each — the new 5G system uses “smart cell” facilities, each with up to 100 antenna ports.

The 5G technology is up to 100 times faster than 4G technology, capable of supporting over a billion devices, relying primarily on the bandwidth of the millimeter wave (MMW), which is between 30 GHz and 300 GHz.

High frequency waves like the MMWs have a much shorter wavelength that can’t travel far. They don’t travel well through buildings, causing interference with their signal. “Smart” buildings are constructed with glass to compensate for this, replacing what would have been brick and concrete.

So 5G utilizes smaller cell stations (beam-forming technology) that will scramble/unscramble and direct packets of data (this is how information is sent through WiFi) on a no interference path

back to us, the users.

How can this be done? By putting wireless antennas on every lamp post, utility pole, and possibly on homes, schools, libraries, and commercial buildings throughout entire neighborhoods, towns and cities. A relay aerial station is placed approximately every 984 feet or less.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization, has declared radio-frequency radiation from cell phones a Group 2B possible carcinogen.

Research conducted by the National Toxicology Program, a program initiated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as far back as 1978, included two separate studies that revealed exposure to the type of radiation emitted by 2G and 3G cell phones could cause heart tumors, DNA damage, and tumors in the brain, prostate, liver and pancreas. With 5G technology many more concerns are raised.

Research by Dr. Yael Stein and colleagues of Hebrew University of Jerusalem has revealed that sweat glands concentrate MMWs in human skin, acting as an antenna, which is sensed as heat waves, or physical pain to humans.

These waves can penetrate one to two millimeters of human skin tissue and also can be absorbed by the surface layers of the eye’s cornea. In a 2016 letter to the FCC in opposition to 5G technology, Stein wrote of 5G: “Harming and changing our environment and is a disaster waiting to happen.”

According to the Journal of Applied

GARY FELDMAN

The Real Deal

Microbiology and Biotechnology, MMWs can cause changes in the properties, growth and activity of many varieties of bacteria including E. coli, greatly affecting the gut.

These changes occur due to the extremely high frequencies and intensity that 5Gs give off, causing interference with cells in the body and bacteria. Thereby, this technology could further worsen the problems with antibioticresistant bacteria that already plague us worldwide.

Serious environmental issues are connected to 5G technology, particularly since MMWs are absorbed by both plants and rain. Rainwater can become irradiated, affecting plants and trees. These waves invoke a stress protein in plants. Those plants affected could compromise their safety if they are a food source.

Thousands of peer-reviews world-

wide concur that pulse-modulated microwave radiation can cause cancers, DNA damage, infertility, blood-brain barrier damage, and more. Even low levels of non-ionizing radiation have been linked to various health problems in birds, and butterfly and bee pollinators.

In an open letter to the Global Union Against Radiation Deployment from Space, an international coalition against global WiFi from space, it is stated that “Flooding the Planet with microwave radiation” (satellites that give us communication for cell phones, laptop computers, etc.) is a “violation of human rights.”

Space-based microwave radiation threatens the planet with radio-frequency radiation without informed individual consent or an option for individual avoidance.

There has been heavy lobbying via the federal and state levels for some years now, for the purpose of enabling telecom companies to have easier access for implementation of 5G technology — simply with no strings attached.

In September 2018 the FCC issued a Declaratory Ruling and Third Report and Order that became effective on Jan. 14, 2019, to remove certain state and local regulatory barriers that inhibit the deployment of 5G infrastructure, giving the telecom companies carte blanche.

New provisions will override any authority of the municipalities, instead granting authority to the information tech companies to decide cell tower locations on utility poles, streetlights, arenas, schools, college campuses and more.

Exposure to 5G is involuntary. Once installed in our neighborhoods, you sim-

ply won’t have a choice to opt out. This is outlaying one of the greatest threats to public health, all the while 5G is being bulldozed throughout our communities.

The technocrats know how much the population loves high technology. But for the few cognitive individuals still among us, you will take vivid notice and have an issue with a telecom company installing a 5G cell facility outside your home, office, or your child’s school.

The fact remains that installing 5G antennas on millions of utility poles and lamp posts throughout the U.S. threatens untold health consequences and loss of autonomy to all in its path.

Cities and counties across the nation are filing lawsuits to challenge the FCC on 5G Network deployment. In many of our own Long Island communities, litigation is ongoing, with residents fighting against unregulated cell towers.

To name one victory, in August 2022, in a landmark legal decision, the community of Flower Hill won out over a wireless company’s federal lawsuit after the Village denied permits for 18 small cell wireless antennas.

5G wireless technology is now being wildly deployed in the entire United States — without the public’s acceptance, approval, or consent — all accomplished with genius technology.

Gary Feldman, innovator in the nutritional supplement retail industry, is a health writer,nutrition educator and lecturer, and instructor in the Port Washington Union Free SchoolDistrict Continuing Education program. Queens Library Green Initiative. New York State Assembly Citation. Great Neck Patch Local Hero.

Happy 60th birthday to Long Island public transportation

Many remember late President Lyndon Johnson for succeeding President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963.Many remember President Lyndon B. Johnson for his domestic Great Society Program, which included Civil Rights, Medicare, Medicaid, the War on Poverty, Public Broadcasting, and our role as a friend of Israel. There was also other foreign policy, most notably the Vietnam War. Few remember his other landmark legislation. This was the foundation for federal financial support of public transportation.

July, 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of federal government support for public transportation. The success of public transportation can be traced back to one of Johnson’s greatest accomplishments, which continues benefiting many Americans today. On July 9, 1964 he signed the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 into law. Subsequently this has resulted in the investment over time of several hundred billion dollars into public transportation. Millions of Americans

today on a daily basis utilize various public transportation alternatives. They include local and express bus, ferry, paratransit, commuter van, jitney, light rail, subway and commuter rail services. All of these systems use less fuel and move far more people than conventional single occupancy vehicles. Most of these systems are funded with your tax dollars, thanks to President Johnson.

Today we have the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its various operating agencies, including NYC Transit subway, bus and Staten Island Railway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, MTA Bus along with Nassau Inter County’s Express bus system.

Chartered by the State Legislature in 1965 as the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority, it was created to purchase and operate the bankrupt LIRR. The MCTA changed its name to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1968 when it took over operations of the NYC Transit Authority. In 1953 the old NYC Board of Transportation passed on control of the municipal

subway system, including all its assets to the newly created NYC Transit Authority.

In Nassau County, we have Nassau Inter County Express bus and City of Long Beach bus systems. In 1973, Nassau County purchased equipment, routes and some facilities of numerous private bus operators, most of which were experiencing financial difficulties. These private bus operators included Bee Line, Rockville Center Bus Corporation, Utility Lines, Schenck Transportation, Inc., Hempstead Bus Corporation, Jerusalem Avenue Bus Lines, Universal Auto Bus, Roosevelt Bus Lines, Stage Coach Lines, Hendrickson Bus Corporation and others. Nassau County followed up that same year, entering into a lease and operating agreement with the MTA to continue providing local bus service. This resulted in creation of the Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority. MSBA was followed by Long Island Bus and as of Jan. 1, 2012 Nassau Inter County Express. Many of the same routes operated by MSBA. LI Bus and NICE can be traced back to the various private bus operators.

Suffolk County has Suffolk County Bus and Town of Huntington Area Rapid Transit (HART)Bus. There is also New Jersey Transit, Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) subway, NYC Departments of Transportation Staten Island Ferry and Economic Development Corporation private ferries.

Using MTA Metro or OMNY Cards provides free transfers between the subway and bus. This has eliminated the old two-fare zones making public transportation an even better bargain. Purchasing a monthly LIRR or MTA subway/bus pass reduces the cost per ride and provides virtually unlimited trips. Employers can offer transit checks, which help subsidizes a portion of the costs. Utilize this and reap the benefits. It supports a cleaner environment.

Many companies allow employees to telecommute and work from home. Others use alternative work schedules, which afford staff the ability to avoid rush hour gridlock. This saves travel time and can improve mileage per gallon. Join a car or van pool to share the costs of commuting.

The ability to travel from home

to workplace, school, shopping, entertainment, medical, library etc. is a factor when moving to a new neighborhood. Economically successful communities are not 100% dependent on automobiles as the sole means of mobility. Seniors, students, low- and middle-income people need these transportation alternatives. Investment in public transportation today contributes to economic growth, employment and a stronger economy. Dollar for dollar, it is one of the best investments we can make.

What better way to honor the late President Johnson and all that has been achieved these past 60 years in public transportation by continuing to fund the federal Highway Trust Fund and Mass Transit Account. Happy Birthday!

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.

They say Frost fought with his editor over a comma—for what could mythic Oxford know of February in Vermont?

I say it’s good he insisted, but only

Stopping Between Clauses

because his crime of punctuation tugs at the harp strings of my imagination and suddenly I am peering into that sublime and silent wood,wondering at all the beauty in what I can-

not see.

That’s the curious thing about commas:intention makes all the difference. The question it frames in elementary grammar is how to be

A close miss with COVID shows need for caution

Last week, I was feeling like I was coming down with a summer cold. Coughing, a fever, etc.

My daughter, being a genius, suggested I test myself for COVID. I felt a grim sense of nostalgia sticking that swab up my nose. A return to the bad old days. Usually, you wait a few minutes for that second pink “positive” bar to show up on the test. This one popped up in 30 seconds.

So, I just followed the advice I found: get rest, drink fluids, take fever reducers, and the like.

Around 2 a.m., I got up to get a round of cough medicine, and upon standing up, it seems my bronchial tubes collapsed and I could not get air into my lungs. I gasped for air as hard as I could to no avail, and I realized I was being asphyxiated.

I thought of two things: now I know what a ventilator is for, and this is one crappy way to die. I struggled to breathe, and my efforts were all for naught. I felt like a trapped animal, completely helpless.

I found the couch and once I was horizontal, I got immediate relief. I was breathing again. My God, that was close.

I spent the night in the ER.

I came home with a box of Paxlovid, and I thought about what I had escaped. And then I thought of the million who hadn’t.

I thought how unbearable their suffering must have been from going through days of what I experienced in less than a minute. How merciful death must have been compared to heaving and gasping in futility for air, hours on end without relief.

I thought how the country witnessed their passing, and it seems it isn’t even a footnote in our history. A million souls, gone, and no sense of reckoning or remorse. Stalin was right.

And I thought about the ghouls who downplayed the danger, including our own leader of the Western World, who suggested ultraviolet light and horse paste as viable treatments. And this being America, millions believed him. And some helped spread the message.

There were the five “conservative” radio talk show hosts who told people not to take the vaccine, don’t mask up, and who died from the virus.

No telling how many listeners they took with them. I’m sure the replacements in their time slots

are no less dedicated to the spreading of ignorance.

There was the Georgia police captain who pushed horse dewormer on his Facebook page, told people where to get it, and when Facebook banned him, he protested he was being censored.

He died of COVID too, leaving a wife, three children and eight grandchildren.

As the Independent reported, “The drug (Ivermectin) has exploded in popularity among conservatives and anti-vaccine advocates, who see it as a viable alternative to taking the FDA approved coronavirus vaccines.

Fox News personalities including Laura Ingraham, Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity have also promoted the drug to their viewers despite its risks.”

In the sane version of America that existed before the Murdoch Press obliterated it, these vultures would have been shamed out of society in disgrace.

Then there is our own George Marlin. I spend a fair amount of time interacting on social media, and I think I run with a pretty smart crew. A well-known economist asked “What are

the most dangerous threats to America right now? Fascism? World War 3? Climate change? Economic collapse?”

A former policy maker answered: “Long term? The monetization of distrust and institutional degradation. “

That effort has succeeded beyond its wildest aspirations. And it killed a lot of people. And given a chance, it may also blow up the American Experiment.

It’s funny how politics has bisected even common-sense health precautions.

Who would believe that even a quack drug could have its own political affiliation? But it shows how pernicious the rot in our national polity has become. And just how emblematic the quackery is of so many other things.

In any case, be careful. There is a new variant out there and it is highly transmissible. I suspect I caught it from being at a Broadway matinee in a packed theatre a few days before.

Don’t tempt fate. Every day is a gift.

Donald Davret Morristown

EPA and the heart of the matter about accountability

It’s easy to say that EPA (or OSHA, FDA, NIOSH) is not proactive enough in tracking, investigating, remediating, and preventing harm or pollution. And does not have enough enforcement and forward-reaching abilities.

I agree.

The EPA was not established to be proactive in the ways we might want. Those were later cobbled add-ons. The EPA was created on December 2, 1970, by President Nixon’s executive order.

Nixon faced tanking popularity due to a failing Vietnam War, and following Watergate was threatened with multiple investigations. He correctly saw environmental issues as expedient popular issues and sought to improve ratings.

There was no national response to mitigate impacts from polluted air and killer smog (Pittsburgh, Loss Angelas, NY, NJ, all major cities).

Polluted waters were harming and killing vegetation and people. Destruction of the Everglades. Mines and toxic dumps caught fire.

Chemicals seeped into water supplies, schools, and residences (New York’s Love Canal). There was no way to manage pesticides killing eagles and birds (DDT—Rachel Carlson’s “Silent Spring” in 1962). Etc.

Nixon couldn’t get his EPA bill passed through Congress so he created EPA by executive order.

EPA was an after-thought, after-the-fact administrative means to address these things. States had few or no effective laws or authority (what, regulate industry?).

Landfills, if regulated, mostly dealt with aesthetics. Can they be seen and do they smell? Preventing radionuclides and chemical waste? Nope.

That all came later. EPA was cobbled together from over a dozen federal programs transferred to EPA.

https://www.epa.gov/archive/epa/aboutepa/epas-origins-duties-transferred-epa-other-federal-agencies.html

https://www.epa.gov/history/origins-epa By the end of 1971, it was clear more needed to be done; 5,700 people worked for EPA.

Ever since, powerful forces have targeted the EPA and its programs from every quarter: corporate, industrial, political, and libertarian.

They seek to restrict programs and even “wind down” the EPA under the political rubric of socalled government overreach and a bloated administrative state.

One very effective way to hobble EPA and federal programs is restricting funding.

Dollar for dollar EPA’s budget hasn’t increased with inflation for decades.

EPA’s budget in 1995 was $7,240,887,000 with 17,508 staff.

EPA’s budget in 2023 was $10,135,433,000 with 15,115 staff.

The dollar has lost 51% of its value since 1995.

EPA’s 2010 budget = $10,297864,000 with 17,278 staff

That says it all.

Budgets consider both parties, even allegedly EPA-favorable parties and presidents. Politicians pay lip service.

After the 2008 market crash, as part of the “Sequester” Law, which Obama signed stating he “really didn’t want to,” my EPA salary was cut 6% (yet banks, Wall Street firms, and brokers received public monies that covered bonuses… ). We got zero increases for three years.

Government workers are easy political targets, despite the fact that I spent thousands of unpaid hours preparing for ongoing lawsuits plus my regular duties, weekends, evenings, and holidays,

despite civil service regulations.

Work needed to get done, and we were always understaffed—you do what you gotta do.

“Doing more with less” mantras are popular spin but very bad ways to run a technically based and consumer-focused government. Bad ways to run the country.

As my recent essay noted, we know companies always challenged EPA decisions and programs in court. Challenges are frequent and often quite successful.

For another, a Supreme Court adhering to socalled original textualism might rule along with the fact that the EPA was created by executive order, not by law. As we know, executive orders change with administrations. Here, one day, poof, gone another.

Fortunately, the EPA is named in subsequent Laws as an agent for implementing specific functions, but it still does not exist as a stand-alone law per se; no such EPA law was ever passed.

This is part of its problem: a complicated matter of legality, pretzel logic, function, and authority.

In truth, completely “winding down” EPA through courts would be messy, but its various functions could be divvied among other programs, and much might be done away with.

Of course, a draconian court-imposed measure may be political suicide, though with courts apparently readily willing to curb EPA authority, it may not be necessary.

Why risk that mess when many recent negative rulings involve major national environmental Laws: the Clean Water Act (several rulings post2016), the Clean Air Act, and aspects of other Laws and programs, including the major Chevron ruling that could impact over 17,000 prior EPA rulings. Environmental rulings are not well reported.

Traditional news venues have many priorities and, in all fairness, environmental cases are highly technical and complicated. News outlets can’t adequately keep up with all that’s going on and don’t have the expertise or resources for broad coverage. They barely monitor a few major cases.

OSHA is another example. OSHA oversees worker protections across the country and includes added whistle-blower protection. It was created by Nixon in 1971 through law.

OSHA’s budget has not adjusted for inflation since that time. OSHA’s 1971 budget was $200 million. In 1996 $264 million. In 2023 $632 million.

It took OSHA 45 years to finalize a regulation lowering the allowable exposure limit of silica dust, which causes silicosis and lung cancer, in 2016.

We can go down the list of underfunded programs and gaps in adequate protections. You won’t find the information on Meta, Tiktoc, Snap Chat, or anything else.

Nor, for the most part, from major news outlets, let alone local papers, all of which are closing, losing readers and advertising dollars. None have the investigative resources they used to. All are floundering across the country.

We can agree on democracy, and freedom is not free. These examples further the typical understanding. It’s about how things work, which includes more than military or police priorities and funding, encompassing the very fabric of this great country.

Stephen Cipot Garden City Park

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

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Branford Marsalis, quarter to help kick off all-day event July 20

The first ever Tilles Jazz Fest comes to life July 20, in a one-day outdoor and indoor event hosted on the beautiful Long Island University Post campus on July 20.

Nine concerts will take place from 1 pm to 10 pm, including a traditional New Orleans style “second line” parade around the festival grounds. Produced by Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, the festival features eight of the hottest established and rising stars in jazz, including headliner Branford Marsalis and his Quartet, Long Islander Matt Wilson and his Good Trouble project, Hempstead native Brandee Younger, and more celebrated artists.

Student ensembles from Long Island University, Sea Cliff, and two area high schools will also perform. Attendees are encouraged to picnic on the lawn and enjoy food trucks and fun activities throughout the day.

Nine professional concerts will take place throughout the day and into the evening on four stages across the verdant Long Island University Post campus.

Two outdoor venues include the Dime Mainstage on the Great Lawn, and the charming and idyllic Rose Garden

Intimate performances will be held inside the historic Winnick House, the original home of American breakfast cereal inventor Charles William Post, and his daughter Marjorie Merriweather Post. The final show of the evening will take place indoors at Tilles Center’s Krasnoff Theater Gates open at noon on July 20, with the first performance starting at 1 pm, and additional shows throughout the day.

Seating for all daytime events is general admission, and attendees are invited to bring picnics, blankets, and chairs.

Daytime festivities include food trucks such as Green Street Eatery, and Demi’s Spot Food Truck; local artisans and vendors, including Rosie’s Vintage selling vinyl albums and vintage goods; and an “instrument pet-

ting zoo” perfect for kids.

In partnership with Nassau County Tourism, a limited number of ticket packages including a free express bus to and from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Columbus Circle home in New York City will be made available.

Departure times from NYC and Tilles Center will be timed for day pass and evening show attendance. To take advantage, patrons must reserve bus tickets by purchasing packages online or through the box office.

Tilles Center’s executive and artistic director, Tom Dunn, remarked, “We’re thrilled to unveil this first-ever and first-annual landmark event. In collaboration with our friends at Jazz at Lincoln Center, we’re set to transform the beautiful LIU Post campus into a vibrant hub of music and fun on July 20. It promises to be an unforgettable day for our entire com-

munity to celebrate summer with the joy of live jazz.”

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Georgina Javor, vice president concerts and touring, said, “We’re so pleased to extend our long-standing collaboration with Tilles Center to create this exciting new event, and the lineup of artists are a who’s who of established and upcoming talent.”

Participating artists include: NEA Jazz Master, Grammy Award winner, and Tony nominee Branford Marsalis and his Quartet headline at 7:30 pm in Tilles Center’s Krasnoff Theatre. Known for his versatility across genres, compositions, and commitment to education, mentorship, and community, Marsalis leads on tenor and soprano sax, with pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Justin Faulkner rounding out the

group.

After more than three decades of minimal personnel changes, including a stint as house band on The Tonight Show, the ensemble is revered for its unique interpretation of both original compositions and jazz and popular classics.

Matt Wilson’s Good Trouble, a special project comprised of a stellar team of jazz musicians featuring Tia Fuller, Dawn Clement, Mimi Jones, and Jeff Lederer. Wilson formerly served as a faculty member at LIU and curated the Jazz on Stage series at Tilles Center.

He is also the recipient of many awards and accolades and has performed with a veritable who’s who of jazz greats. Matt’s group can be found on the Dime Mainstage at 3 pm.

Innovative harpist and Hempstead native Brandee Younger was named winner of DownBeat Critics Poll in the category of “Rising Star” harpist and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition, making history as the first black woman to be nominated in that category. Younger plays in the Rose Garden at 4 pm.

Rising star pianist Sean Mason is a Juilliard graduate and recently released his debut album “The Southern Suite” in October 2023. Noted for his unique voice steeped in the sound of the South, he brings his eponymous Sean Mason Quartet to the Dime Mainstage at 5 pm.

Lyrical and swinging trombonist Mariel Bildsten has earned global distinction through her performances with classic and modern jazz greats.

Her arrangements and originals celebrate the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and more. Mariel appears in Winnick House at 4 pm and will also lead a jazz second line across the campus at 5:45 pm.

Young jazz vibraphonist Jalen Baker has received accolades including outstanding soloist at two festivals and was named as a member of the Chicago Next Gen Allstars by the Chicago Jazz Institute.

His album “This is Me. This is Us.” was chosen as the #4 Best Jazz Debut in 2021. The Jalen Baker Duo plays at 2 pm in the Winnick House.

Georgia Heers is a vocalist and composer, and a graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory, and The Juilliard School.

Her voice has taken her to many legendary venues across New York, including Dizzy’s Minton’s Playhouse, Smalls and many others. Georgia will perform at 1 pm on the Dime Mainstage.

Student ensembles will also be on hand, including two LIU groups, the LIU Jazz Sharks and LIU Jazz Combo greeting guests from 12:15 – 1:15 pm at both Tilles Center entrances, Monter and Castagna Plazas.

Two area schools, Harborfields High School Jazz Band, and The Elmont Global Jazz Orchestra, will perform in the Rose Garden at 2 pm.

Sea Cliff ’s own North Shore Jazz Quartet, inclusive of current conservatory and high school students, will perform at 6:30 pm at Tilles Center’s outdoor Castagna plaza.

Tickets are on sale now. Day passes, all-event passes, and evening only tickets are available with ticket prices beginning at $20.

Tilles Center members and subscribers save 10% off regular adult ticket prices. Tickets can be purchased online at tillescenter.org or ticketmaster.com, in-person at Tilles Center’s Tantleff Box Office or by telephone at 516.299.3100.

The box office, located at 720 Northern Blvd. (Route 25A) in Brookville is open Monday to Friday from 1 to 6 p.m.

Fees are associated with all orders, and there are no refunds. The event will be held rain or shine, with alternate indoor venues as needed in case of inclement weather.

Tilles Jazz Fest is sponsored by Sandy and Eric Krasnoff, Catholic Health, and Dime Community Bank. With additional support provided by Lisa and Brian Land and Jessica Brassler and George Kakoulides. Media partnership is provided by WBGO.

Branford Marsalis

Whitney biennial presented by Thomas Germano

Professor Thomas Germano will be presenting a visual lecture about the current 2024 Whitney Biennial, an exhibition of contemporary American art organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.

The lecture will take place at the Station Branch, 26 Great Neck Road, 2nd Level, Great Neck, on Friday, July 12 at 2:00 p.m.

The Whitney Biennial—a showcase of what’s new in American art—is on view at the Whitney Museum for its eighty-first installment through August 11.

Introduced in 1932 by the Museum’s founder, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, the Biennial charts developments in art of the United States and is the longest-running exhibition of its kind. To date, more than 3,600 influential and innovative artists have participated in a Whitney Biennial or Annual.

No registration is required. First come first seated. For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 or email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary. org.

Four Seasons in Music returns to Sands Point

The Four Seasons in Music series returns to Sands Point Preserve on Sunday, July 14 at 3 p.m. at Hempstead House, a former Guggenheim mansion.

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

silience.

Internationally renowned musicians present captivating performances with repertoire that can range from the Baroque era to today’s culturally diverse composers.

Africa, and Singapore.

The concert features duoJalal, the Preserve’s ensemble-in-residence, with Lockwood on viola and Yousif Sheronick, who brings unique skills as a classicaland world-percussionist.

Try something new this weekend...The Roslyn Hotel!

Join us for an intimate Supper Club experiencepresenting an array of musical talent including international, national and local musicians. www.myfathersplace.com

Experience a culinary world tour with globally inspired flavors, the freshest ingredients and world class service. www.atlasroslyn.com

Each concert features music and poetry, inspired by the time of year and themes of romance and re-

As the July 14 concert celebrates England’s influences, the music of iconic British composers Edward Elgar and Benjamin Britten will share the stage with composers from Commonwealth countries that, including Australia, South

They are again joined by violinists Deborah Buck and Min-Young Kim, and cellist Caroline Stinson for the Preserve’s very own BBC Proms – London’s summer season of concerts in the Royal Albert Hall.

A Four Seasons event wouldn’t be complete without a themed reception. so stay for a spot of tea following the performance. It’s a time to mingle with the artists, friends, and concertgoers within the beautiful Hempstead House.

Tickets are $45 for members and $56 for nonmembers and include fees and parking. For tickets, and more information, please visit sandspointpreserveconservancy.org/events/2024four-seasons-in-music/

Summer Promenade Nights in Great Neck Plaza

Entertainment by Gotcha Covered featuring David Lamm

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANDS POINT PRESERVE CONSERVANCY

The Four Seasons in Music series returns to Sands Point Preserve

A Blank Slate Media Special Section July 12, 2024

Combatting misdiagnosis, delayed cancer diagnosis

BY JEFFREY M. KIMMEL

In the battle against cancer, timely and accurate diagnosis is critical. Unfortunately, misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are all too common, leading to severe consequences for patients and their families.

Since July is Medical Malpractice Awareness Month, it’s important to raise awareness of these issues. Awareness can help prevent future misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis.

Misdiagnosis occurs when a medical professional fails to correctly identify a patient’s condition.

On the other hand, delayed diagnosis involves a significant delay in reaching a correct diagnosis. When either occurs, precious time is lost, allowing the cancer to progress unchecked, reducing the chances of successful treatment.

The consequences of both instances can be devastating.

Patients may endure unnecessary pain and suffering, undergo unnecessary treatments, or miss out on potentially life-saving interventions. Families are left

to cope with the emotional and financial burdens, often feeling betrayed by a system that failed to protect their loved ones.

When misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis leads to harm, victims have legal options. Individuals harmed could be eligible to pursue compensation, including damages for pain and suffering, lost income, medical expenses, and wrongful death.

Despite these challenges, here are some steps you can take to minimize risks and advocate for your health:

Be Proactive with Healthcare: Attend regular check-ups and screenings as your healthcare provider recommends. Early detection is key in successfully treating most types of cancer.

Communicate Effectively: Clearly communicate any symptoms or concerns you may have to your healthcare provider. Describe your symptoms thoroughly, including when they started, how they’ve progressed, and any factors that may exacerbate or alleviate them.

Seek Second Opinions: If you’re uncertain about a diagnosis or treatment plan, don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion from another qualified healthcare professional. Different perspectives can provide valuable insights and ensure thorough consideration of all options.

Keep Records: Maintain organized records of your medical history, including test results, treatments, and medications. This information can help facilitate communication between healthcare providers and ensure continuity of care.

Follow Up: If you’re awaiting test results or diagnostic procedures, follow up with your healthcare provider as needed to ensure timely communication and resolution. Don’t hesitate to inquire about the status of your tests or next steps in your care plan.

Be Persistent: If you feel that your concerns are not being adequately addressed or if you’re experiencing persistent symptoms that are not being properly evaluated, advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or request further evaluation if necessary.

Waterproof permanent cosmetics for summer

BY OLGA LUCIA

Waterproof permanent cosmetics offer a revolutionary way to maintain beauty effortlessly throughout the summer.

Advanced micropigmentation techniques enhance your natural beauty and provide a worry-free solution for beach days, poolside lounging, and outdoor adventures to look beautiful without the need to touch up your makeup or concerns about your makeup smearing.

Perfectly shaped eyebrows, lips, and defined eyes instill confidence throughout the season.

The convenience of waterproof makeup, resilient against heat, humidity and water, allows for enjoying the perfect summer.

Micropigmentation involves implanting pigment into the dermal layer of the skin to enhance facial features. It reshapes eyebrows, fills gaps, and frames the eye for a youthful appearance, even camouflaging scars to mimic natural eyebrow hair. This technique boosts confidence during the hot, humid summer months.

Permanent cosmetics, also known as micropigmentation or dermal pigmentation, are used to accentuate the eyes, considered the windows of the soul, by creating a beautiful almond shape with strategically placed pigment. They offer a fuller lash look for those desiring subtlety.

The versatility of the application on the upper, lower, or both eyelids caters to individual preferences and needs. Customizable thickness and shapes accommodate personal tastes and personalities, proving invaluable for active individuals and athletes who wish to look the best at all times, especially during sports activities.

Permanent eyeliners offer a convenient solution for individuals engaged in activities

where traditional makeup may not endure, such as golf, biking, running, and various fitness routines.

It is particularly advantageous for those over 40 or 50 years old who experience presbyopia (a condition when near vision becomes difficult, therefore, needs a prescription to read and see clear close objects), making the daily application of eyeliner challenging.

Additionally, it serves as a beneficial alternative to those individuals with eye impairments like macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as those who wear contact lenses, suffer from dry or watery eyes, are allergic to conventional makeup, or have sensitivities to eyelash extensions.

The procedure involves micropigmentation, which must only be performed by a certified, highly skilled professional experienced in ensuring safety and achieving the desired aesthetic outcome.

I applied a topical numbing cream to desensitize the area and minimize the discomfort during the procedure.

Post-procedure care is crucial; slight swelling can be managed with cold compresses. Immediately after the procedure, the eyelids will be slightly swollen, and it is recommended that you avoid strenuous activities, gardening, and direct water pressure on the treated area for at least 48 hours afterward.

After a week, and once healing is complete, one can safely resume summer activities, including swimming and sunbathing in moderation, with the added convenience of smudge-free eyeliner. It’s important to note that new mascara should be used after the area has fully healed to prevent any risk of infection.

Jeffrey M. Kimmel

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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 eyebrows 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

Real Relationships. Real Warmth. Real Care.

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.

The Annual Summer Concert

JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, July 11, 2024 | 7 pm

The Quadrangle at Nassau Community College | One Education Drive, Garden City, NY 11530

The Nassau Community College Foundation cordially invites you to celebrate summer with a concert on the Quadrangle featuring the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra.

Enjoy an unforgettable evening outdoors as our community’s premiere orchestra performs music from Broadway, beloved television shows and blockbuster movies.

General Admission is free but gifts and special seating are reserved for “Friends of Nassau” who contribute to the NCC Fund for Educational Opportunities which provides student scholarships, faculty development grants and supports Nassau Community College campus enhancements.

To register online visit nccsummerconcert.com

MERCER MUSEUM & FONTHILL CASTLE

Megan Euell Summer Plein Air Workshop (3 weeks)

@ 10am / $205

Jul 12th - Jul 26th

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

Dan Reardon

@ 5pm

The Clubhouse, 134 Clubhouse Rd, Bellmore

Jimmy Shaka: Butera'sWoodbury @ 6pm

Butera's - Woodbury, 7903 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury

Chris Tedesco: Caracas on the Boardwalk with Big Squid @ 6pm

Caracas Arepa Bar (Summer Only), 106-01 Shore Front Pkwy, Queens

Dizzy After Midnight @ 6pm

Lily Flanagan's Pub, 345 Deer Park Ave #2360, Babylon

Jason Aldean's Highway Desperado Tour 2024 @ 7pm

Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, 895 Bay Pkwy, Wantagh

Lauren Jaimes @ 7pm Lilly's of Long Beach, 954 W Beech St, Long Beach

Clare Bowen @ 7pm

Governor's @ The Brokerage Comedy Club, 2797 Merrick Rd, Bellmore

Dave Pettigrew: An evening of worship with davepettigrew @ 7pm East Meadow Benevo‐lent Hall, 170 Maple Ave, East Meadow

The 90's Band @ 7pm Salt Shack, 100 Ocean Pkwy, Babylon

New York Mets vs. Colorado Rockies @ 7:10pm Citi Field, Flushing

J.D. Leonard: Tanner Park Bandshell - Baby‐lon, NY - Babylon, NY @ 7:30pm Tanner Park Bandshell - Baby‐lon, NY, Babylon

The Disco Nights @ 8pm / $20-$45 The Paramount, Huntington

The 44th Annual Long Beach Biathlon @ 9:30am / $35 1 Riverside Blvd, Long Beach. events@elitefeats.com

Wild Child - Tribute to the Doors @ 8pm / $15-$30

The Paramount, Huntington

Deep Roots Farmers Market Glen Cove @ 9am

Opening Day of the Deep Roots Farmers Market in Glen Cove

Saturday, June 1st, 9AM-1PM. Garvies Point Park, 100 Garvies Point Road, Glen Cove. info@deeprootsfarmers market.com, 516-3185487

AWAKEN ( A Tribute to YES ) @ 8pm

Boulton Center For The Per‐forming Arts, 37 W Main St, Bay Shore

Misty Mountain Returns to Eisenhower Park! @ 8pm Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

CVC Annual Family Fun 5K Run & One Mile Walk @ 9am / Free-Free Baldwin Harbor Park, 3232 Grand Avenue, Baldwin

The Watermelon 5KEast Meadow @ 9:30am / $30 Eisenhower Park - Field 2, 1899 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow. events@elite feats.com

Great Neck Farmers Market @ 10am

Shop small and shop local at the Great Neck Farmers Market Fire‐�ghters Park, 30 Grace Avenue, Great Neck. info@deeprootsfarmers market.com, 516-3185487

Sunday Jul 14th

SCW Cultural Arts at Emanuel presents "A Band Called Honalee," Tribute to Peter, Paul & Mary

@ 3pm / $25

Temple Emanuel of Great Neck, 150 Hicks Lane, Great Neck. missy150@optimum.net, 516-482-5701

“A Band Called Honalee” is a tribute to the music of Peter, Paul & Mary, and their friends in the folk movement of the 1960s.

New York's Finest a tribute to Sting & The Police: North hempstead Summer Concert Series @ 12pm

North Hempstead summer con‐cert series, North hempstead

Graztopia Live@Sand City South @ 2pm

Sand City Brewing, 150 S Well‐wood Ave, Lindenhurst

GOLD DUST WOMAN

Music on the Bay @ 2pm

Katch at Venetian Shores, 850 Venetian Blvd, Lindenhurst

Rhapsody in Blue at 100 @ 3pm / $26.85-$55.95 Tilles Center Concert Hall, Brookville

THE HARRY CHAPIN BAND AND WILL SING FOR FOOD

Sunday July 14, 2024 at Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, N @ 6pm FREE CONCERT TO HELP HUNGRY LONG ISLANDERS Harry Chapin Lakeside The‐atre, Park Boulevard, East Meadow

Mon 7/15

NHP1 - Elite Hockey Skills

@ 12pm / $695

Jul 15th - Jul 19th

Iceland-NY, 3345 Hillside Ave, New Hyde Park. 416-451-9258

Basketball Camp (Coed) SESSION II

@ 6pm / $130 Jul 15th - Jul 19th

Herricks HS Gym, 100 Shelter Rock Rd, New Hyde Park

Emily Henry In Concert: The Love Is Real Tour (Merrick) @ 6:30pm House Concert, Merrick

Girls Just Want to Have Fun! @ 7pm / $41

Gold Coast Cinema Series Film Event & Fun(draiser)! Manhas‐set Cinemas, 430 Plandome Road, Manhasset. info@gold coastarts.org, 516-829-2570

Mark Hummel @ 7:30pm Charlotte’s Speakeasy, 294 Main St, Farmingdale

200 Illustration @ 2:30pm / $275 Jul 16th - Jul 19th

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

Uncaged: Zac Brown Tribute @ 8pm

John J Burns Park, 4990 Mer‐rick Rd, Massapequa Park

Foo Fighters - Every‐thing Or Nothing At All @ 5:30pm / $39.50-$179.50 Citi Field, Queens

Third Eye Blind with Special Guest Yellowcard - Summer Gods Tour 2024 @ 6:30pm / $39.75-$119.75 Northwell at Jones Beach The‐ater, Wantagh

The Side Cars Band "A Tribute to The Cars": Town of North Hempstead Beach Park Concert Series @ 7pm North Hempstead Beach Park, 175 W Shore Rd, Port Washing‐ton

Bonjourney Concert on the Floral Park Library Lawn @ 7pm Live, free Bonjourney concert Floral Park Public Library, 17 Caroline Pl, Floral Park.

lsartini@nassaulibrary.org, 516326-6330

Bye Bye Birdie @ 7:30pm The Argyle Theatre at Babylon Village, Babylon

Nate Charlie Music @ 8pm Crabtree's NY & Main, 330 New York Ave, Huntington

THE CREAM OF CLAPTON BAND Pre‐sent 24 Nights Revisited @ 8pm / $24.50-$49.50 The Paramount, Huntington

Fri 7/19

The Whiskey Crows Live @ 7pm South Huntington Public Li‐brary, 145 Pidgeon Hill Rd, Huntington Station

Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Jersey Shore BlueClaws @ 7pm Maimonides Park, Brooklyn

Andy Pitz, Comedian: Boulton Center Comedy Night @ 8pm

Boulton Center For The Per‐forming Arts, 37 W Main St, Bay Shore

Eddie Seville: My Father's Place - DUO @ 8pm

My Father's Place at The Roslyn Hotel, 3 Pratt Blvd., Glen Cove

MIKE DELGUIDICE: The Residency Continues @ 8pm / $20-$60 The Paramount, Huntington

NYCFC II vs Philadelphia Union II @ 8:30pm / $10-$15 Belson Stadium, Jamaica

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.

What can be done to prevent King Donald Trump the First?

As if the Biden debacle at his debate with Donald Trump wasn’t enough, the recent decision by the Supreme Court in Trump v. United States just added to the troubles of the Democratic Party. The Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution. The nature of presidential power entitles a former president to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority. He is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his “official acts” or “official conduct.”

The decision almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what a president can do. As long as actions are “official,” they’ll be immune from criminal prosecution for the rest of their lives and almost anything that a president does within the executive branch is characterized as an “official act.” This ruling effectively places presidents above the law by giving them a free pass to engage in criminal acts without criminal accountability.

It means that if Trump is elected president on November 5, 2024, and assumes power on Jan. 20, 2025, he’ll be able to do whatever he wants to do. That could even include assassinating a political rival, defined as an “official act,” and or go after anyone else who offended him in any way. He can also eliminate departments and bring in supporters who will do whatever he wants them to do. He will have unlimited power. The United States will no longer be a democracy. Democracy will be destroyed, replaced by an autocracy, a government controlled by one person with this absolute power. The president or rather “king” will be above the law. Can you imagine King Donald Trump the First, with such absolute power?

Is there anything that can be done to prevent such a catastrophe, considering that there will not be much time to do it? Factually, the Supreme Court’s ruling replaced a president with a king, one with absolute power. “Praise the Lord and long live King Joseph Biden the First,” who will

have plenty of official acts to do. He no longer will he have to propose them. He is king! He is the law.

The first thing King Biden the First must do is to lock Donald Trump up for crimes committed, the four he has been charged with: business fraud in New York, keeping classified documents, election interference in Fulton County, Ga., and scheme to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power in the 2020 presidential election. For good measure, Trump should be charged with treason for consorting with Russia and its leader, Putin. From a business point of view, Trump during his presidency had to be generating revenues by taking bribes.

Second: Jail two Supreme Court justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, for accepting bribes. That’s on the record.

Third: Throw Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts off the bench, impeach him for dereliction of duties for allowing Trump v. United States to succeed.

Fourth: Appoint three Supreme Court Justices, including one as Chief Justice.

Fifth: Jail anyone who tries to overthrow democracy.

Sixth: Overturn Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and reinstate Roe v. Wade.

Seventh: Reinstate the original decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. And, after the victorious Nov. 5, 2024 election, overturn Trump v. United States and allow democracy to return to the United States.

As for Trump, he should be put into a work release program that allows a prisoner, sufficiently monitored, to go outside the prison and work at a place of employment, perhaps with a New York City Housing Authority maintenance crew, returning to prison when his shift is complete. Enough of Trump and politics. I’d rather get back to the dull life called everyday living.

No justification for Port Washington Police District HQ

Port Washington police do a terrific job— professional and timely. We are lucky as a community to have their support, along with the volunteer fire department and fire medics.

Since 1995, we’ve been residents, and the police district has said it needs a new facility. Today, we have the same facility and the same idea that we need a new facility. We have more police, more administrators, and a bigger budget.

That said, the district policing footprint hasn’t gotten any bigger over the years. There are greater mandates and responsibilities, school coverage, for example, and there may be more in the years ahead. Increased use of technology should be used to maintain safety, project power and deterrence.

The department has stated that its ability to respond to existing and large-scale future development within its coverage area is a non-issue. None of this justifies the proposed expanded facility.

Without a comprehensive, publicly agreed, long-term year plan for how district policing will be accomplished, however, and without discussion of whether consolidation of police district coverage makes sense now or in the future, the district

has yet to make a legitimate business case for a new, wider-scope, three times larger, $40 million facility, one that dwarfs the size and cost of recently built Nassau County olice precinct facilities.

Just because the district wants it is not an acceptable answer.

Before it became the current police station, the same location hosted a larger, two-story building.

We have seen many proposals to increase the size and scope of facilities at that location, to build up, down, and back. We have also seen proposals for other locations.

The issue of where logistically, are police facilities best located, and any plans, should be debated publicly and agreed, in advance of any commitment. Until four years ago, they were. Not so today.

In industry, when you want to invest multi-billions of dollars in equipment, to be acquired and operated over a full economic lifetime, you need a business case and strategic and operating plans to justify that spending.

You need due diligence, agreed forecasts of demand, network scope, operating costs, maintenance support costs, staffing requirements, and so

on.

A diligent top management and a board of directors exercising proper oversight, representing stakeholders as fiduciaries, expect a well-documented plan and an investment projected to produce acceptable returns over its lifetime.

They don’t just trust the plan, the numbers, or the people producing them, they question them, and they test them. ‘What if?’

Taxpayers expect the same level of diligence and oversight from the police district, elected commissioners, and Town Council. Is there public and district agreement on a policing plan, on finances, and on facilities requirements? No.

No current commissioner ran, or was elected, based on a platform to build, spend, and tax. Several who did were voted out. Commissioners are not properly representing taxpayers’ fiduciary interests.

Continuously soliciting community and taxpayer involvement in these decisions is essential. We don’t need a PR firm or an A&E firm to paint pretty pictures of insider-decided opinions, which is what the district has done.

We need community involvement to avoid

fresh, self-inflicted wounds and the need for taxpayer bail-outs like Derby Road.

We can all understand the need for transaction confidentiality, but not scores of ‘executive sessions’ as a means of keeping the public from the facts, shielding decision makers from the result of a failure to publicly plan, or for poor planning and results.

Public input to consider and agree on plans, in advance of commitments, is necessary. We are nowhere near the starting line, let alone the finish of such discussions.

Bottom line: there is no justification for a new, $40 million Port Washington Police District headquarters.

The proposed $32 million construction bond request deserves to be rejected by the North Hempstead Town Council and sent back to the drawing board for legitimate public input to a legitimate business case, wherever that leads. Until then, it is time to press pause on any further spending, and to publicly plan for no-cost exit options.

Heat waves raise bar in climate change response

Continued from Page 14

5. Purchase Electric Vehicle (EV) if you can. Recent advances in solid state batteries promise that the combustion engine is soon a relic of the past. The EV industry aims for true recyclability of their products. Municipalities need to invest in EV charging stations as the automobile industry is changing rapidly.

6. Make sure you invest in ENERGY STAR® appliances if you’re looking to replace old ones. ENERGY STAR refrigerators are up to 40%

more efficient than older conventional models. Set the refrigerator temperatures at 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer temperature to 5 degrees Fahrenheit and refrain from excess opening and closing.

7. ENERGY STAR® dishwashers use less energy and are more efficient than conventional models. Look for models that use less hot water. You can even save water compared to hand washing dishes. Same goes for your laundry, with ENERGY STAR® washing machines you’ll

be happy with cold water wash. Air drying remains most energy efficient for drying your clothes, but I assure you the energy saving heat pump dryers are your next best bet. Efficiently operating at low temperatures they’re gentler on your clothes.

Our future depends on how we relate to the five Es: Energy, electrification, emissions, environment and elections. We need energy to power our needs. We must electrify everything to lower emissions. Our environment is in des-

perate need of leaders who care about reducing pollution. We must elect leaders who care about the environment. We need access to more state and federal funding to create more energy-efficient homes, especially for the low income population. The Biden-Harris government is on the right track with the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 now investing in an equitable clean energy transition. We need even stronger motivation and investment for renewable energy to benefit all.

Alvin Goldberg Great Neck

Robert Mann Port Washington

Business&RealEstate

How is Nassau County real estate market?

Year over year the real estate market has done fairly well considering the average selling price, which as of June 2024 was $1,042,353. The average median selling price was $801,000, which means half of the homes sold above and half sold below the median sale price.

The average original listing price was $1,053,617. The median original listing price was $799,000. We had 2.6 months of residential inventory as of June 2024 (the number of months it would take to sell all the listed available homes). Comparing year over year, active residential inventory as of June 2024 was up a slight 0.57%. The absorption time was down 21.63%. However, contracts were off 16.02% and the number of closed sales was up 7.57 percent.

The number of residential units was at a high of 1,284 units in May 2024 and a low of 707 units in November 2023. In June 2023 the number of available units was 1,141 compared with 1,121 units in June 2024.

The number of condos and coops varies depending on what month you are looking at. In July 2023 the number of available condo and coop units was 181 and fluctuated from a low of 117 in December 2023 to a high of 214 in May 2024. The number of available units usually increases in January and escalates through May during the selling season. However, as of June inventory of both classes of condos and coops increased consistently in

2024 except in March where it was down 1.80%.

For most of 2023, inventory was down as buyers gobbled up what they could and absorption time varied from 3.3 months in July 2023 to a low of 1.8 months in March 2024. As of June 2024, the absorption rate was 2.7 months. There were 122 contracts in July 2023 with a low of 105 in December 2023 and then increased. As of June 2024 there there were 161 contracts. There is a direct correlation with the time of year, the number of units available, and the number of contracts. Last winter was milder than normal with less than 6 inches of snow, which allowed more buyers to purchase and sellers to sell.

Historically normal inventory has been 6-7 months, so we are still way below the typical and ordinary threshold. When the market imploded in 2008, we had an oversupply of 11 months and prices were severely impacted due to the reduced demand. To stimulate the economy the Fed funds rate (the overnight rate at which banks lend to each other) was reduced to 0.25% until 2015, when the rate began increasing. Currently, mortgage rates for the top tier of borrowers having 750+ credit scores can be secured in the low 6% range.

Prices are still strong due to the severe shortage of homes. There is still quite a lot of money out there, especially from those paying outright for their purchase, searching for their next place to call home and investment properties. If it makes sense in

sumers to consider visiting your place is critical in getting the highest price within a quicker time frame. It starts with attracting as many eyeballs as possible on the internet and local weekly papers. Pricing at or slightly below the market will create a stronger feeding frenzy. Once emotion sets in, price sometimes can be pushed to the sidelines and becomes less relevant as a potential bidding war can occur.

several days a week, which my daughter experienced.

the brain, it will make cents in one’s pocketbook. Regardless of the interest rates, it’s an amazing time for those who need or want to sell, downsize, or upgrade and cash in and take the money and run to the bank.

I have noticed sellers, who have accumulated a lot of appreciation and are financing their next purchase, are utilizing much larger downpayment or if downsizing, paying cash for their purchase. So the higher interest rates aren’t a major concern in those situations. My most recent contract has my buyers putting down almost 50% for their purchase.

Pricing your home to entice more con-

Demand fluctuates depending on the time of the year. There are still more purchasers than available homes. In my 42-plus years in the real estate industry, I have never experienced the craziness of the market today on Long Island. Cycles occur where prices go up when there is inadequate supply and then level off and come down based on excessive inventory beyond what would be considered normal. It’s basic supply-demand economics.

The pandemic has caused the normal averages and statistics to be thrown out the window, however. The normal market was drastically altered as people exited large cities to get as far away from people and Covid-19 as possible. This created a demand that was not typical. More people began permanently working at home as companies shut down. The fashion in which real estate was purchased also changed as more needed office space at home and it became a crucial facet of decision-making. Slowly the working environment morphed into a hybrid atmosphere as some had to go back to work

Until the supply of homes becomes more normalized, which could take 5-10 years, my professional opinion is that only a huge surge in foreclosures, much higher rates, or a long-contracted catastrophic event will slow this market. However, current foreclosures did increase in the first quarter of 2024; 32,878 in March for a drop of less than 1% from the previous month and a 10% decline from 2023 as per ATTOM, a property data provider. Foreclosure starts increased nationwide by 2%, spiking in New Hampshire, Illinois, and Florida. However, Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Florida are the top four foreclosure states in 2024. There was a 7% increase in bank repossessions from the previous quarter but a notable 20% decline compared to a year ago.

There is talk about a potential rate cut in September as layoffs increase and job creation has slowed. However, the jury is out as to whether or not this will occur. If it does, then the last quarter of 2024 might be an excellent time to consider selling and purchasing.

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

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Evening with ex-Olympic torchbearer

Nominated by friends as an inspiration, Mindy Alpert was an Olympic Torchbearer for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics — an honor that Mindy says is one of the greatest highlights of her life.

Come hear her story, learn about the ceremony, and ask questions!

The event is at the Main Library at 159 Bayview Ave. in, Great Neck on Monday, July 15 at 6:30 p.m.

No registration is required. Open to teens and adults. First come first seated. For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 or email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary.org.

The persecution of modern art

Dictators of both the left and the right persecuted modern art in the early 20th century.

The final part of this 3-part series, Art Under the Dictators and Under the Democrat, as we explore the reasons for both its unpopularity with the demagogues and its eventual triumph in America during the postwar period.

The U. S. government subsidized art under the Works Progress Administration during the 1930s, but unlike the government-sponsored art of the Stalinist state or Hitler’s Nazi government, subject-matter and style were not dictated or officially prescribed.

The result was the political radicalization of artists under the influence of the Mexican muralists, the formation of the Artists’ Union, the John Reed Clubs and the American Artists’ Congress.

But with the postwar rise of abstract art and the anti-communist hysteria of the early 1950s, much of this heritage was lost or forgotten.

Presenter Dennis Raverty is a speaker, author and art historian who for decades has delighted audiences with lively presentations at libraries, churches, synagogues, hostels and business lunches on a variety of topics in the history of art, from the Italian Renaissance to the Harlem Renaissance.

His articles and criticism have appeared in Art Journal, Art in America, The International Review of African American Art, Art Criticism, The New Art Examiner, Prospects: An Annual of American Studies, Source: Notes in the History of Art, and Art Papers,where he was a contributing editor.

He authored four entries for the most recent edition of the Grove Encyclopedia of American Art,published by Oxford University Press (2011).

Art under Roosevelt during the Great Depression lecture will be at the Main Library Community Room at 159 Bayview Ave., in Great Neck on Tuesday, July 16, at 2:00 p.m.

Registration is not required. First come, first seated. For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 or email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary.org.

“The Street” by Jack Levine

COMMUNITY NEWS

Plandome Manor mayor pick for NYCOM exec committee

Village of Plandome Manor Mayor Barbara Donno has been appointed to the executive committee of the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials NYCOM President Mayor RuthAnn Loveless of the Village of Hamilton made the selection. The executive committee governs the Conference of Mayors and establishes its overall policies.

In announcing the appointment, Loveless said, “Mayor Donno’s extensive experience as a local leader and her commitment to and involvement in NYCOM over the years will make her a tremendous asset to the executive committee and our entire association.

I look forward to working with her to implement our statewide agenda.”

“In addition to playing a critical role as the legislative advocate for cities and villages, NYCOM provides extensive professional training for elected and appointed officials and works diligently on our behalf,” said Donno. “I am grateful to have the opportunity to lead these efforts as a member of the executive committee, and I thank Mayor Loveless for the appointment.”

Donno’s civic engagement began

long before her mayoral tenure, with nine years on the Manhasset School District Board of Education — four as its president. Now, in her 17th year as mayor of Plandome Manor, Donno has significantly improved the village’s financial stability and quality of life while maintaining strict fiscal disci-

pline to protect the interests of taxpayers.

As mayor, she also serves on NYCOM’s Finance Policy Committee and Women’s Advisory Committee, actively participates as a board member of the Port Washington-Manhasset Office of Emergency Management, and is a liaison to the Greater Manhasset Civic Association.

She previously served as president of the Nassau County Village Officials Association and continues to contribute as a member of their executive board. Additionally, Donno is on the board of the Long Island Regional Planning Council, is involved with the Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund, a non-profit supporting Army Rangers and their families, is a member of the Manhasset Rotary Club, and a former board member of the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.

She is currently the director of Government Affairs for state Sen. Jack M. Martins where she acts as a liaison to local government officials, ensuring effective communication and coordination between the state and local entities.

Village of Plandome Mayor Barbara Donno

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3 Day Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Never Known to Fail) Oh Most Beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven. Blessed Mother of the Son of God; Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. Oh Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee (say three times). Holy Mary I place this pryer in your hands (say three times). Say this prayer for 3 consecutive days, and then you must publish it when your wish is granted. (MAK)

NOVENA TO THE BLESSED MOTHER

Oh Most Beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven. Oh, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity Oh Star of the Sea, help me herein and show me here you are my Mother. Oh Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee (say three times). Holy Mary I place this cause in your hands (say three times). Amen. This prayer is never known to fail and is to be said for 3 consecutive days. In Gratitude (M.T.F.)

MARKETPLACE

EMPLOYMENT HELP WANTED

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Drucker backs opponents of Blakeman trans ban

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) joined with transgender rights advocates outside the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building on Saturday, June 29.

The rally occurred on the eve of the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising – an

event widely considered the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

There, civil liberty advocates, parents of transgender youth, and LGBTQ+ community members and their allies protested the Blakeman administration and Republican legislative majority’s approval of a measure that prohibits the leasing of county parks facilities to any team that permits transgender female athletes to participate on women’s sports teams – an action that has been denounced by New York State Attorney General Letitia James as “blatantly illegal.”

Deputy Minority Leader Drucker addresses protestors on Saturday, June 29.

“County Executive Blakeman and the Republican Majority on the Legislature passed a law that is repugnant, unconscionable, and downright disgusting. As my colleagues on the Minority Caucus expressed our outage at this illegal effort, we were emboldened, inspired, and empowered by all of you,” Drucker told protestors. “I have every confidence that, with the enshrinement of GENDA in New York State law, this unfounded, patently illegal will be overturned.”

“The bill that passed on June 24 is the sentiment of narrow and closed-minded people who can never accept the basic human rights notion that the freedom to live our individual, unencumbered lives is undeniable and worth of every ounce of our fiber to preserve it,” Drucker continued. “I implore you to take pen to paper or fingers to keyboard keys and contact every Legislator you can think of to let them know that you are watching, the world is watching – and history is watching.”

Hispanic chamber to honor Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews

President of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Connie Pinilla, was pleased to announce this past weekend that Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, a distinguished community leader, former Glen Cove councilman, and founding member of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, will be honored with the leadership award at the chamber’s upcoming Latin Fiesta Business Expo.

The event will occur on July 18 at the Sea Cliff Yacht Club at 42 The Boulevard, in Sea Cliff, starting at 6 pm. In addition to the awards ceremony, the event will include music, entertainment, dancing, raffles, and vendor tables featuring area businesses.

Stevenson-Mathews, a freelance communications professional and speech coach, has a long history of service and leadership in the community.

In addition to having served the people of Glen Cove as a city councilman and his extensive experience in arts administration, he is also the founder of three non-profit organizations: an acclaimed theatre company in Dallas, Texas, known for its premieres and innovative programming of opera and musical theatre; The Flora Macdonald Legacy Foundation in North Carolina, dedicated to preserving a historic building; and, most recently, the Tribute and Honor Foundation based in Glen Cove.

The latter organization honors veterans and veteran supporters from across Long Island and, with the help and support of the community, raised close to $50,000 to help rebuild VFW Post 347 following a devastating fire.

The foundation has also honored nearly 20 veterans and veteran supporters through its annual awards ceremony, held in February each year, and has supported initiatives such

as the Glen Cove Library’s VetNOW program, which provides critical resources for veterans.

“Gaitley’s unwavering dedication to serving our community and his ability to inspire and mobilize others are truly remarkable,” said Connie Pinilla, president of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“His contributions and leadership skills have made a lasting impact on countless lives, and we are honored to recognize him with the North Shore Hispanic Chamber’s Leadership Award.”

Stevenson-Mathews has also served the North Shore Hispanic Chamber as a founding board member and second vice president. He is actively involved with several other organizations, serving on the boards of the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce, SAGE Foundation, and Glen Cove EOC and as a trustee of

Former Councilman and community leader Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, will receive Leadership Award at upcoming Latin Fiesta Business Expo.

Loggia Glen Cove #1016 Sons of Daughters of Italy.

He is on the advisory boards of the Morgan Park Summer Music Festival and AgeFriendly Glen Cove, a lifetime member of the North Shore Historical Museum, an associate member of Calvary AME Church, where he sings in the choir, a founding member of NOSH Delivers, and recently invited to become a community ambassador for the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.“We were delighted to invite Gaitley to become one of our Community Ambassadors, and we were pleased, though not surprised, to learn of the Community Leadership Award he will be receiving from the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,” said Jolanta Zamecka, vice chair of the board of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center. “I have personally witnessed Gaitley’s creativity and leadership in a recent collaborative project with HMTC, the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and the Long Island Concert Orchestra. I greatly appreciated the talent and outstanding support he brought to our initiative, and I find his deep engagement with various communities across Long Island both impressive and inspirational. He leads with the respect he has earned from the many communities he serves.”The leadership award will be presented during the Latin Fiesta Business Expo, celebrating Hispanic culture and business excellence. The event will feature networking opportunities, cultural performances, and a showcase of local businesses.

For more information about the event, including opportunities to purchase tickets, secure a vendor table, or become a sponsor, visit the chamber’s official Facebook page by clicking HERE, calling 516-521-8274, or emailing cpinilla@nshchamber.org.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NORTH SHORE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE OF DEPUTY MINORITY LEADER ARNOLD W. DRUCKER

SPRING HIGHLIGHTS

Just 1 state crown but many sports achievements in 2024

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

The spring sports season officially ended in June, and as usual there were no shortage of fantastic performances, by individuals and teams.

While no area team won a state title this spring, quite a few Long Island championships were won, and one individual state crown.

Here’s Blank Slate Media’s look back at the spring high school sports year:

Baseball: The Wheatley School graduated its top two outstanding players in 2023 in team leaders Dylan Rosenberg and Brian McCleary. But any thoughts the Wildcats would take a step back were erased emphatically.

Led by the dominant starting pitching of Connor Quinn (who had an ERA of less than 1 this season) and balanced hitting throughout the lineup, Wheatley captured the Class B championship over Oyster Bay, then went on to defeat Suffolk champ Babylon, 3-1.

That victory, Wheatley’s second LIC in four years, advanced the Wildcats to the Class B regionals, where they were defeated by Spackenkill (of Duchess County), 8-3.

Port Washington baseball also had a stirring playoff run, upsetting six-time defending champ Massapequa in a best of three series in the Class AAA semifinals.

Unfortunately the Vikings were then beaten by Farmingdale in the best of three final series. Mineola went the furthest of the local teams in Class A, reaching the semifinals.

Badminton: The Great Neck South girls badminton dynasty rolled on with no roadblocks this spring. Coach Allison Gottfried’s squad dominated the regular season, going undefeated, then beat rival Jericho, 5-2, for the Rebels’ fourth straight county crown.

Led by first singles player Kayla Wu, who won her third straight Nassau individual title, Great Neck South crushed Ward Melville to win its third Long Island championship in a row.

Boys Golf: The Wheatley School’s Jojo Dolezal had been gunning for a state championship for as long as he could remember.

The two-time Nassau individual champ had come close, but this spring he emphatically closed the deal. Taking the lead after the first day of the two-round event at Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira, Dolezal rallied from a deficit on Day 2 and hit a miraculous shot on the 18th hole, forcing a playoff.

He then won on the second playoff hole to win the state crown in his senior year.

In team golf competition, the Manhasset squad enjoyed a remarkable season, winning the Nassau and Long Island titles, the second area school to do so in as many years (Port Washington pulled off the feat in 2023). Coach Mike Tarnowski’s group won their first LIC since 2018, led by a group of upperclassmen and two seventh-grade starters.

Softball: The Manhasset girls enjoyed a surprising undefeated regular season this spring, led by power hitting infielder Gianna

Cerrone (13 homers), but were upset in the first round of the Class AA playoffs. Herricks reached the quarterfinals in AA as well before losing to MacArthur.

Boys Tennis: There was a new local champ when it came to the Nassau County individual tournament. Herricks’ Samarth Deepudass, in his first season playing high school tennis, captured the county singles crown, beating Roslyn’s Ethan Solop in a three-set thriller.

Both Deepudass and Solop reached the state tournament’s quarterfinals at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, but both were defeated in that round.

In the state team tournament, Port Washington fell to Syosset in the semifinals, while Herricks was beaten by Roslyn, 4-3.

Roslyn then faced perennial rival Syosset in the county finals, and Syosset was able to snare a 5-2 win, before going on to win the state team title.

Boys Lacrosse: It was a very unusual year for two-time defending state champion Manhasset. Coach Keith Cromwell’s group, moving up

to Class B from Class C, suffered more than its usual share of regular season losses, but came on strong toward the end of the season.

Manhasset (now going without a traditional nickname, simply known as “Set”) played a fantastic defensive game in beating fellow state champ Garden City, 6-5, in a scintillating semi at Hofstra.

Two days later Manhasset battled South Side but couldn’t quite repeat as county champs, with South Side squeaking out a 12-10 win. The Cyclones would go on to win the state title.

Port Washington reached the semis in class A before losing to nemesis Farmingdale.

Girls Lacrosse: Manhasset was looking to get back to the top of the state mountain after a title in 2022, but once again lost a thriller at the end. Led by new coach Jackie Williams, who took over for Meghan Clarke just a few weeks before the season started, top-seeded Manhasset overcame a slew of injuries and advanced to the finals of Class C before falling to Wantagh, 11-10.

The Port Washington girls fell to Mass-

apequa, 10-8, in the Class A semifinals. Track and Field: Finally, it was another strong spring for area track and field athletes. At the state meet in Syracuse on June 8-9, Manhasset’s Kate Voelker finished fourth in the high jump competition, despite having only tried the event for the first time a few weeks earlier.Roslyn’s Zach Davidson had another outstanding pole vault performance, finishing third, to go along with his third-place finish at the indoor meet in the winter.

Manhasset’s boys 4×800 relay team just missed a state title, finishing second to Saratoga Springs by less than a second in an eight-minute race, while Great Neck South’s Isabella Spagnoli came in fifth in the steeplechase.

Port Washington’s Samantha Benson-Tyler continued to show she’s one of the best high school racewalkers in America, winning the USA Track and Field national youth outdoor championships in the 3,000 meter racewalk in 15:24.07.

The Wheatley baseball team.

Continued from Page 1

Congress to implement a social media warning comparable to those on cigarette packaging.

In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on the correlation between social media and youth mental health.

According to the U.S. surgeon general, up to 95% of adolescents ages 13–17 reported using a social media platform. More than a third said they use social media “almost constantly.”

The U.S. surgeon general wrote in the advisory that research indicates “a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.” He said that additional research is still needed to determine if it is safe for them.

Recommendations by the U.S. surgeon general include developing age-appropriate health and safety standards, a higher standard of data privacy for children and adolescents, policies that limit their usage and call for social media companies to share health impact data.

Frantz Law Group also led the class action lawsuit for schools against JUUL Labs, a popular e-cigarette brand, which resulted in a $1.2 billion settlement.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Great Neck and Herricks school districts have joined a nationwide lawsuit against social media companies due to alleged harmful mental health effects on students.

Troiano accuses Mignardi of GOP favoritism

Continued from Page 4

DeSena said Sustainable Strategies submitted a bid, which was not the lowest, and later withdrew it.

Dalimonte said she was not given notice of this change and expressed concern. She asked for further communication on changes of this matter, which Troiano agreed with.

Nicolello said Davidoff Hutcher & Citron is one of the most prominent lobbying firms on Long Island with a presence in Albany. He said the last firm hired had a strong presence in Washington, D.C., but not so much in the state government.

Troiano criticized the selection, saying that it is known as a Republican firm, which may make lobbying in a Democrat-dominated state government more difficult. DeSena disagreed and said firms have members of both parties, which Ni-

colello agreed with.

The town also entered into an intermunicipal agreement with Nassau County for school bus stop cameras. The vote was unanimous.

The town originally entered an agreement with the bus camera company in September 2022 but it was paused over legal issues.

BusPatrol America installs AI hardware on the sides of school buses which detects when cars illegally pass a bus while children cross the street. Drivers are then issued violations.

“The bottom line is we are trying to prevent tragedies,” DeSena said.

Troiano said no final agreement has been presented, which he asked for before voting. He also questioned the $18 fee for each violation to Nassau County, which is due in part to the town not having its own justice court to hear cases.

Nicolello said the agreement is similar to that of the Town of Hempstead.

The board also unanimously OK’d an agreement with Nassau County to fund and execute a sidewalk and roadway improvement project on Westbury Avenue. The county is agreeing to contribute at least $2,750,000. DeSena said federal COVID-19 relief funds will be used to fund it.

Carle Place Civic Association Vice President Kristin Biggin praised the project, saying its been long awaited. She asked that the civic association and residents be included as the town considers plans going forward.

“We’re just looking for Westbury Avenue to be beautiful once again,” Biggins said.

Troiano said that while he and residents are happy, he said he wished to have been included in the conversations leading up to the project as its

representing councilmember.

The board approved a new tax law amendment that will require banks, lending institutions, financial institutions, title insurance companies or abstract companies or their agents to pay a $10 fee when they request a duplicate tax bill. This fee would also included if these same entities do not include the original bill in their payment.

Receiver of Taxes Mary Jo Collins said it will not impact individual residents. Individuals can still request their tax bill for free.

Collins said the purpose of the fee is to help offset the cost of materials and hopefully deter requests. She said it is consistent with other towns’ policies.

“We’re not looking to make money, we’re not going to make a lot of money on this at all,” Collins said.

Town leads petition against FAA, air traffic

Continued from Page 1

“Our town’s residents deserve better,” said DeSena. “The FAA has a responsibility to seriously explore a fairer distribution of flight paths. We can no longer absorb the brunt of this.”

The petition demands that the Federal Aviation Administration conduct a study on the issue and look into alternative air routes to diminish these effects.

Local officials called for a new environmental review, saying the last one was conducted in 2017 and flights have only increased since then.

An environmental review is required under the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, and officials called the lack of one since 2017 negligence by the Federal Aviation Administration.

In a press release, the Town of North Hempstead called the Fourth of July holiday one of the busiest travel periods. It estimated that residents in areas like Roslyn would experience one plane flying over their home every 90 seconds on a common flight path to the JFK International Airport.

This specific flight path also shows planes at 3,000 feet from Roslyn and dropping below 2,000 feet above some neighborhoods before arriving at the airport, according to the town.

In petitioning for a change, other local elected officials joined the two town supervisors in support. This included District 7 State Sen. Jack Martins (R–Old Westbury).

“I’ve been fighting this fight for nearly 15 years and it’s only getting worse,” Martins said. “I can tell you that the FAA has a long history of ignoring our community’s pleas for assistance. They don’t want to study the issue because they’re afraid of the consequences. They’d rather keep our families at risk and willfully close their eyes to the problem than pursue meaningful solutions.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD

Pictured from left to right, state Sen. Jack Martins and Townvouncilmember Edward Scott joined North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena in announcing a petition against the FAA.