Issuu

Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park

Friday, March 12, 2021

Vol. 70, No. 11

N E W H Y D E PA R K

NON-PROFITS TOWN HALL FOCUS PAGE 7

G.N. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DIES

CALLS FOR CUOMO TO RESIGN INCREASE

PAGE 2

PAGE 6

George Blatti charged with 5 murder counts

HERRICKS HOOPS

Ex-doctor’s prescriptions led to death of F.P. man among others BY R O S E W E L D ON A former doctor has been charged with five counts of murder for prescription practices that led to the deaths of five of his patients between 2016 and 2018, including those of a Port Washington woman and a Floral Park man, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced. The former doctor, George Blatti, 75, pleaded not guilty last Thursday before Judge Fran Ricigliano on five counts of second-degree murder and 11 counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree, the results of a joint investigation by Singas’ oﬃce, the Nassau County Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Blatti was initially arrested on April 18, 2019, and charged with 54 counts that October, including 22 counts of criminal sale of a pre-

scription for a controlled substance, six counts of forgery in the second degree, two counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree, 22 counts of criminal diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions in the fourth degree, and two counts of reckless endangerment in the second degree. A general practitioner first licensed to practice medicine in 1976 who surrendered his medical license in June 2019, Blatti had “no specialized training or accreditation in pain management,” Singas’ office said. “For a time, he maintained a makeshift office in a Franklin Square storefront that was formerly a Radio Shack, with a Radio Shack sign and merchandise racks on the walls,” the office said in a statement. The original indictment from 2019 alleged that Blatti met cusContinued on Page 28

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HERRICKS SCHOOL DISTRICT

Herricks High School senior Sheila O’Mara was one of two Highlanders named on Newsday’s Top 100 girls basketball players on Long Island.

One dead, one seriously hurt in NHP car crash BY R OB E RT PELAEZ A one-car crash in New Hyde Park killed one person and seriously injured another last Friday morning, according

to the Nassau County Police Department. Detectives said a 2008 Chevy Impala struck multiple utility poles while traveling east on Hillside Avenue Friday morning.

The car, according to oﬃcials, came to a stop near the intersection of Hillside Avenue and Devonshire Drive. Photos from the incident show the back of the car elContinued on Page 28

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The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

NHP, F.P. residents Longtime G.N. ed to vote on Tuesday board trustee dies Four vie for two trustee seats in New Hyde Park

Donald Ashkenase was 77 years old BY R OB E RT PELAEZ

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATES

Floral Park Deputy Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald (center) will run unopposed mayor in the upcoming March elections with Trustees Lynn Pombonyo (left) and Frank Chiara (right) also running unopposed for re-election in their respective seats. BY R OB E RT PELAEZ No petitions were filed to challenge candidates of Floral Park’s Citizens Party in Tuesday’s village elections. Oﬃcials said Trustee Kevin Fitzgerald is running unopposed for mayor to succeed Dominick Longobardi, who was first elected as mayor in 2017 and decided not to run again. Trustees Lynn Pombonyo and Frank Chiara are running unopposed for two-year terms. Pombonyo, who was first elected to the board in 2014, served as the superintendent for the Floral Park-Bellerose school district. She also holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Seton Hall University. Chiara, a chief investigator in the Bronx district attorney’s oﬃce, was elected to his first term as a trustee in 2017 and has been a Floral Park resident for 19 years. Fitzgerald was appointed to the village board in 2011 and was made deputy mayor in 2016 after James Rhatigan’s death. He first got involved in vil-

lage government as a member of the Third Track Task Force, fighting the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan for a third Long Island Rail Road track in the mid-2000s. Though a trustee seat will remain vacant with Fitzgerald running for mayor, village officials said, a third trustee seat will not be up for grabs in the coming election and the mayor will appoint someone to that position. Longobardi said stepping down after two terms is a longstanding tradition of the Citizens Party, of which he and Fitzgerald are members. “There are no term limits in the village, but it is a [party] tradition carried on for many years, and it’s just my time to pass the torch,” he said in a phone interview. “Kevin is a great guy and I have all the confidence in the world that he will thrive in the position.” Longobardi touted his staﬀ and the people of Floral Park for their support and eﬀorts to constantly improve the village over the past two terms. “I am absolutely honored,

blessed, and very thankful to be a part of this board for the past 13 years and to also leave as its mayor,” he said. “I also thank the dedicated residents of Floral Park for their ongoing efforts and participation in countless numbers of committees and organizations to help make this village a better place to live every day.” Residents can cast their ballots at the Reliance Fire House at 3 Holland Ave., the Atlantic Avenue Firehouse and the Floral Park Recreation Center at 124 Stewart St. from noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Earlier, Village of New Hyde Park Mayor Lawrence Montreuil announced that he will not seek re-election in the coming election. Montreuil has served as mayor since April 2017 and his term ends March 31. “While it has been my absolute passion and privilege to serve my New Hyde Park neighbors for 30 cumulative years, I plan to shift my attention from the important concerns of my neighbors to matters closer to home,” Montreuil said. Voters will cast ballots for Continued on Page 28

Donald Ashkenase, a financial executive and longtime trustee on the Great Neck Board of Education, died Monday at 77. Ashkenase, who moved to Great Neck in 1979, was first elected to the board in 1982 and was re-elected 12 times. His 39year tenure as trustee was the longest in the school district’s history. He also chaired the board’s Financial Advisory Committee. Ashkenase also served in a number of financial positions, including as chief operating officer and vice president of the Nassau University Medical Center, chief financial officer at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, executive vice president of Montefiore Medical Center and chairman of Healthfirst, which was founded in 1993 to provide low-cost health insurance to people in the New York City area. Efforts to reach a family member for comment were unavailing. “Mr. Ashkenase was a champion for children and his contributions to the District cannot be underestimated,” a statement from the Great Neck school district said. “His support for aca-

demic programs and his continuity of service has benefited generations of Great Neck students, including his own three children and two grandchildren.” Ashkenase was involved in the selection of three Great Neck school superintendents during his tenure: Ronald Friedman, Thomas Dolan and Teresa Prendergast, who has been serving since 2015. Since 1894 there have been 86 trustees, with two serving nonconsecutive terms. Including the current Board of Education, the average time served has been just more than seven years. Of those 86 trustees, only 20 have served 10 years or more and only four have served 20 or more years: John A. Laressy from 1916 to 1940, Barbara Berkowitz from 1992 to present, Lawrence Gross from 1981 to 2017, and Ashkenase from 1982 to 2021. Berkowitz, who is the board president and announced that she will be seeking re-election this year, said Ashkenase’s legacy will live on and touted his dedication to making the children in the school district a constant priority throughout his tenure on the board. “The sudden passing of Continued on Page 36

PHOTO BY JANELLE CLAUSEN

Donald Ashkenase, a longtime member of the Great Neck Board of Education, died on Monday.

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The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

A Manhasset mom’s fight for child safety Bill named after Jacqueline Franchetti’s daughter introduced in state Assembly BY R O S E W E L D ON A lifelong Manhasset resident’s fight for considerations of child safety in Family Court proceedings has reached a new level, with a bill named in her child’s memory being introduced in the state Assembly last month. In the summer of 2016, Jacqueline Franchetti’s daughter Kyra was killed by her father at his home in Fairfax, Virginia, while on an unsupervised, court-sanctioned visit. The sleeping 2-year-old was shot twice in the back before her father set the house on fire and shot himself to death. Franchetti, who had experienced physical and verbal abusive from Kyra’s father and left him when she became pregnant, had been embroiled in a PHOTO COURTESY OF JACQUELINE yearslong custody dispute with him at the FRANCHETTI time. According to Franchetti, Child Protective Services had noted that Kyra’s father had anger and rage issues and “an in- Jacqueline Franchetti of Manhasset ability to care for [Kyra].” On her website, with her daughter Kyra at the Mary she recounts a Family Court judge telling Jane Davies Green in an undated her that the matter at hand was “not a life photo. A bill named after Kyra aimor death situation.” The experience of Kyra’s death drove ing at improving the Family Court Franchetti to ensure that it would never system has been introduced into the happen to another child. New York State Assembly. “We need transparency,” Franchetti said in a recent phone interview. “We ly, we need change.” need accountability. But most importantSince then, Franchetti has founded

Kyra’s Champions and the Kyra Franchetti Foundation, which are focused on pushing legislation to improve the family court system on a state and national level. “I don’t want to see what happened to Kyra happen to someone you know or

I don’t want to see what

happened to Kyra happen to someone you know or love. Jacqueline Franchetti love,” Franchetti said. In 2019, Franchetti assisted in garnering support from Long Island legislators in Congress for the passage of House Resolution 72, which calls for hearings on the practices of family courts, says that evidence of abuse can only be submitted by an approved fee-paid professional and that states should have clear standards for the professionals, among other things. She met with U.S. Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Peter King (R-Seaford), and saw the passage of the resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives in October 2018. In 2019, Franchetti told Kyra’s story in Albany, testifying before members of the Assembly’s Judiciary, Social Services, and Children and Families committees in

a joint hearing. Now, with support from local representatives like Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), and Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D-Manorhaven), the bill, titled Kyra’s Law, has been introduced by Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills). Both Sillitti and Lavine have signed on as co-sponsors. “Tragically, countless children in New York have been injured or murdered at the hands of a parent who is seeking to cause pain and trauma to their intimate partner,” Hevesi wrote in the bill memo outlining the legislation. “Yet courts continue to discount or minimize the risks posed in cases where domestic violence is present, dismissing allegations of domestic violence or child abuse as an attempt by one parent to win custody from the other.” Kyra’s Law would make a child’s health and safety the top priority in child custody cases, rather than a standard regarding acting in “the best interest” of the child. “It’s something that’s common sense, but not happening in practice,” Franchetti said. It would also mandate that judges and other oﬃcials who oversee such cases are annually trained in recognizing child abuse, family violence and trauma; Continued on Page 27

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Cuomo expands vaccination eligibility New Yorkers at least 60 years old permitted to schedule appointments as of Wednesday BY R OB E RT PELAEZ

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that another 500,000 people statewide are eligible to receive coronavirus vaccinations. Cuomo said the initial order of anyone at least 65 years of age being eligible to receive the vaccine would be lowered to 60 starting on Wednesday. Additionally, Cuomo announced that the thousands of vaccination sites throughout the state will be permitted to vaccinate any New Yorker who is eligible to receive the vaccine beginning on March 17. “All sites to simplify the situation can vaccinate anyone who is eligible,” Cuomo said. “So, whether you’re going to countyrun site, city-run site, what they call an FQHC, every site can vaccinate anyone who is eligible.” On Saturday, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced that the Nassau Coliseum will be turned into a mass vaccination site later this month. The announcement came after calls from the Nassau County

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced that the Nassau Coliseum will open as a mass vaccination site sometime this month. Legislature to convert the venue into an inoculation center since January. “We’re focused on continuing to ramp up our capacity for vaccination as more supply is anticipated to arrive in the coming weeks,” Curran said. “All of our residents must have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, and

this iconic site will gives us the ability to deliver the vaccine rapidly.” Legislature Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) said he was pleased to hear the news regarding the Coliseum after calling on state oﬃcials and Curran to create a place where more Nassau resi-

dents can receive their doses. “Long Island has constantly been referred to by the Governor as one of the highest COVID-19 positivity rates in the state,” Nicolello said on Facebook. “This site will allow more Nassau County residents to get the vaccine and begin to lower our positivity rate, and continue to economically recover from the pandemic.” County oﬃcials did not provide a specific date when the Coliseum would begin conducting inoculations, but Curran said it will be “soon.” Once open, it will join Nassau Community College in Garden City and the Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury as Nassau’s third mass vaccination center. Cuomo noted that pharmacies throughout the state are only being permitted to vaccinate people at least 60 years old and teachers. Cuomo said the reason is that it is more diﬃcult for pharmacies to identify different types of workers that are eligible for the vaccine. “They can identify age, because age you can identify by just a driver’s license,” Cuomo

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said. “And President Biden rightfully has made teachers a priority. So, pharmacies will do 60 plus and teachers. We want to get those schools open.” Cuomo also announced on Tuesday that public-facing government and public employees along with essential in-person and public-facing building employees will be eligible to receive the vaccine on March 17. Examples of these employees include child service workers, DMV workers, county clerks, election workers and building service workers. “These are the people who are the everyday heroes who are out there doing their job,” Cuomo said. “They’re putting themselves in a possible position of exposure. They are essential for us to continue operating.” As of Wednesday, more than 176,000 Nassau County residents had completed their vaccine series, with 329,000 receiving at least one dose, according to state figures. Throughout Long Island, more than 241,000 had completed their series, with more than 446,000 receiving at least one shot so far.

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Growing calls for Cuomo to resign Officials criticize governor amid allegations of nursing home deaths, sexual harassment BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

New York’s Senate majority leader is the latest Democratic oﬃcial to call for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign amid investigations into alleged sexual harassment and into the state’s counting of nursing home deaths due to COVID-19. “Every day there is another account that is drawing away from the business of government,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) said in a statement. “New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign.” U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) was one of the first local oﬃcials to call on Cuomo to resign after reports that the state had withheld a full accounting of nursing home deaths and that the governor had been accused of sexual harassment. “The accused is still trying to control this process,” Rice tweeted last week. “The time has come. The Governor must resign.” U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) expressed confidence in Attorney General Letitia James, who is conducting investigations into the matters, and called the allegations “troubling.” “The newest claims of sexual harassment

investigation. “While there were some reactive calls for an inquiry to be conducted by the legislature, I have full confidence in our [Attorney General].” Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) cited the allegations and investigations into Cuomo and his administration as a reason to dismiss a bill extending his emergency powers. “The fact that Democrats would extend the governor’s existing orders indefinitely at a time when he’s under investigation for sexual harassment and obstruction of justice is just unfathomable to me,” Ra said. “We should be doing much more to empower local leaders to make important decisions for the commuPHOTO COURTESY OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE nities they know so well, especially regarding vaccine distribution.” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he should Cuomo, along with top aides in his adhave “prioritized providing more infor- ministration, reportedly withheld last year mation” of coronavirus-related deaths the total number of nursing home patients who died as a result of the coronavirus, acin nursing homes to federal officials. cording to multiple reports. Investigative reports from The Wall by the Governor continue to be deeply troubling and demand an independent and thor- Street Journal and The New York Times cited ough investigation by the Attorney General,” documents and interviews with six people Suozzi said. “It is best to hear from all parties who had “direct knowledge” of discussions in a formal process and then determine what with Cuomo and state health oﬃcials surrounding the numbers. next steps should be taken.” More than 9,000 nursing home residents “New York State’s Attorney General will be responsible for the investigation into the in New York had died from coronavirus, actroubling allegations against Governor Cuo- cording to a draft report last July from the mo,” Lavine said regarding the nursing home state’s Department of Health, according to

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the articles. But Cuomo and some of his top aides, including Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, allegedly urged Health Department officials to omit the total figures so that the report would only show residents who died in a nursing home, rather than including nursing home residents who were transported to a local hospital and died there. According to The Times, the 9,000 figure was dropped. In January, James announced that an investigation into the Health Department revealed coronavirus deaths of nursing home residents had been undercounted. James said in a statement on Jan. 28 that her office had been investigating nursing homes throughout the state “based on allegations of patient neglect and other concerning conduct that may have jeopardized the health and safety of residents and employees,” received as early as March 2020 and numbering more than 900 since November. More than 20 nursing homes were under investigation as a result, according to James. “As the pandemic and our investigations continue, it is imperative that we understand why the residents of nursing homes in New York unnecessarily suffered at such an alarming rate,” James said. “While we cannot bring back the individuals we lost to this crisis, this report seeks to offer transparency that the public deserves and to spur increased action Continued on Page 35

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

Focus on not-for-profits, COVID-19 Blank Slate virtual town hall on Thursday to explore impact on food, mental health, the arts BY R OB E RT PELAEZ Blank Slate Media will host a virtual forum next week on the state of not-for-profit organizations in the age of the coronavirus pandemic. Now more than ever, not-forprofit organizations are facing lost or reduced revenues due to the pandemic. With these agencies facing no shortage of challenges every day, Blank Slate Media Publisher Steven Blank will moderate a conversation with prominent not-forprofit figures Regina Gil, Paule T. Pachter, Jeﬀrey Reynolds and Rebecca Sanin. Gil, recently named one of Blank Slate Media’s Top Business Leaders of Nassau County, is the founder and executive director of the Gold Coast Arts Center, a notfor-profit organization in Great Neck. Now in its 25th year, the center is a dynamic regional cultural organization featuring music, art, dance, dramatic arts and film. Its mission has always been to promote and support the arts through education, exhibition, performance and outreach, which the arts center does through its re-

bers, 200 volunteers and more than 30 programs. Reynolds, who was also named one of Blank Slate Media’s Top Business Leaders in Nassau County, has experience in fortifying not-for-profit organizations through management and securing increased funding. Sanin, another Top Business Leader of Nassau County recipient, is the president/CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, an umbrella organization for the nonprofit sector in the region that advances social justice and equitable human service delivery systems. Prior to this position, she served for five years as an assistant deputy county executive for Suffolk County Blank Slate Media will host a free, virtual forum on the state of not-for-profits during the Executive Steven Bellone and has coronavirus pandemic on March 18 at 7 p.m. extensive experience in the nonnowned School for the Arts, free cial activist Harry Chapin, Long Is- Association. He is a man of many profit and government sector workpublic art gallery, Arts-in-Education land Cares brings together resourc- missions and one vocation: to help ing on critical issues that impact outreach program, year-round film es for the benefit of the hungry and the underserved and the at-risk. community development. Sanin has screening and discussion series and food insecure on Long Island, and Throughout his 25-year career, also taught courses in psychology at annual Gold Coast International provides to the best of its ability for Reynolds has committed his efforts Dowling College, Suffolk CommuFilm Festival, among many other the humanitarian needs of commu- to strengthening not-for-profit or- nity College and Iona College. The free, virtual event will take nities. Pachter also serves on the St. ganizations and creating programs programs. Pachter is chief executive of- Joseph’s College faculty, teaching a that serve vulnerable and often in- place on Thursday at 7 p.m. Those ficer of Long Island Cares Inc., the graduate course on Executive Lead- visible members of the Long Island interested in tuning in can register community. FCA is one of Long on theislandnow.com, or directly Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank. ership and Models of Innovation. Reynolds is the president and Island’s largest health and human join the Zoom event here: https:// Founded by the late singer, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and so- CEO of the Family and Children’s organizations with 340 staff mem- us02web.zoom.us/j/87922230298.

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

House passes $1.9 trillion relief bill

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$246 billion; $350 billion in aid allotted to states and local municipalities; $109 billion for farmers and small businesses; $28 billion for restaurants and live venues; $40 billion for renters and homeowners; $178 billion to help reopen schools; and $171 billion for vaccine development and distribution. The numbers came from a statement from Suozzi, who said during debates on the bill on the House floor that he was speaking in an eﬀort to “set the record straight.” The congressman said that some “friends across the aisle and their enablers on some cable news networks [were continuing] to promote lies” about the plan. “Let’s pass this bill, it’s time to stop the phony-baloney talk points, and get the American people the relief they need,” Suozzi said. The chamber first passed the relief bill on Feb. 27, but was voting again on amendments made when the Senate passed it on March 7, with all of that chamber’s Democrats supporting it and all Republicans opposing it. Among changes made by the Senate are the excising of a $15 minimum wage, lessening the addition to unemployment benefits and changes to the eligibility of those who will Continued on Page 34

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on a 220-211 vote Wednesday afternoon, with Nassau County expected to receive $397.7 million as a result. U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) gave the estimate in a statement, also estimating that the Town of Hempstead would receive $84.3 million, the Town of North Hempstead would receive $25.3 million and the City of Glen Cove would receive $2.9 million. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said Sunday that the county needed the relief. “The coronavirus continues to have devastating health and economic consequences,” Curran said. “Nassau County urgently needs this relief to ensure we have the resources to assist our residents and business community.” Included in the bill, the American Rescue Plan Act, are expansions of tax credits including up to $3,600 per child for the child tax credit, at a cost of $219 billion; per-person stimulus checks of $1,400 totaling $424 billion; a $300 increase to weekly unemployment benefits, costing

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The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

READERS WRITE

An angst for change on Tuesday

illage government works best when its representatives seek opportunities to engage citizen participation on issues that directly affect us,our families, our homes and our neighborhoods. We, the taxpaying public of New Hyde Park Village, learned a lot from that April 19, 2019 public hearing re: the development of the property at 300 So. 12 St. We were reminded how important it is to be informed and engaged. However, we can only do that when elected officials include us in all aspects of the decision-making process, especially regarding proposals that may have a longterm impact on our hometown. Despite ongoing requests by taxpayers to meet with elected officials to work through concerns about these kinds of transformative issues, it didn’t happen. It took close to two years and countless pleas from 600-plus village taxpayers after that public hearing for the NHP Board of Trustees to finally repeal the law that enabled mixed-use development throughout our LIRR corridor. Interestingly, that repeal came just a few short weeks prior to this upcoming village election. Rather than working together since April 2019 to proactively debate our future goals as many residents requested, we wasted two years of valuable time in a holding pattern.

We learned that the board hired ‘outside consultants’ to solicit our input and it chose participants for a “Master Plan Committee.” Those participants were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements that prohibit them from sharing their experiences with other taxpayers. Does that sound like open and transparent government to you? As a result of the LIRR Expansion Project, NHP has lived through quite a tumultuous last few years. It still faces tough challenges moving forward. Residents witness the impacts of an increasingly urbanized Nassau County, deteriorating village infrastructure, a business district that needs our support more than ever before, and over 20-plus years of oneparty rule that may no longer reflect the community it serves. According to their mission statement, the NHP Unity Party’s candidates [Chris Devane for mayor, Madhvi Nijjar for trustee, Art Savarese for trustee, and Timothy Jones for village justice] have invited “the members of our community from every background and profession to join with us to tackle the challenges of the next four years. It is only through the open exchange of opinions and ideas that the best solutions result.” ;https://bit.ly/3o9Bqvw The Unity Party candidates acknowledge that their future success depends on

welcoming new voices to the conversation about our future. By providing us with clear, unbiased facts and a protocol that engages all of us in debate, the hope is we can work together to move our village forward at this critical time. Elections have consequences. After more than 20 years of one-party rule, I believe the Unity Party Team (Row B) deserves the chance to fulfill that pledge – as a team. Even more important, we, the taxpayers, deserve the chance to experience a renewed sense of co-partnership in the future of our hometown. If we split the vote — we also split that vision. I am a lifelong resident of New Hyde Park Village. Not only was I born and raised here, but I also chose to invest my hardearned money here when I purchased my own home in the village 31 years ago. I chose to retire here, as well. My family’s roots are founded in service to this village. I have witnessed the work of several village administrations since the early 1960s, and Iappreciate all those who have worked, past and present, to serve ourcommunity. While I may not have agreed with every outcome over the years, I freely admit our elected oﬃcials consumemanytirelesshours working on our behalf. I have witnessed some spirited elec-

tions, too. Some of the more dynamic contests were inspired by an underlying angst for change — change in response to policies and/or practices that seemingly left too many behind. Of course, change is difficult. It is more than just an exercise in accountability. Incumbents should not perceivespirited competition as a personal affront to their service. Change forces us to challenge the status quo, to evaluate our present course, and when necessary, to set a new course when it better reflects the needs of the community. That is surely nothing new. According to the ideals established by our founding fathers, all elected officials are temporary placeholders who serve at the will of the people. Times have changed since the ’60s. It is time that the model of NHP’s village governance evolves along with those changes, especially when the voting public demands it. I was excited when I met with all the NHP Unity Party’s candidates. Their openpledge to re-engage the community in stewardship is inspiring. I believe it will help to restore the public’s trust in village government,too. I will be voting ROW B in the NHP Village elections on March16. Diane Bentivegna New Hyde Park

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The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

North Shore surpasses 20,000 total virus cases BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z More than 20,000 people on the North Shore have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began a year ago, according to statistics provided by the Nassau County Department of Health on Wednesday. As coronavirus vaccinations continue to be rolled out throughout the county, the North Shore once again saw one of the lowest one-week increases with fewer than 600 new cases in the past week, according to statistics. The area that incorporates the Willistons and Mineola had 4,619 cases as of Wednesday, the most of all analyzed areas. Reflecting the overall decrease in new cases, the Village of Mineola saw fewer than 60 new cases in a week. Mineola’s 1,953 cases and Garden City’s 1,794 cases accounted for more than 3,700 of the 4,619 total cases in the area. The New Hyde Park area accounted for 4,062 of the North Shore’s cases, with North New Hyde Park having the thirdmost confirmed positives, 1,459, out of any analyzed area. The villages of Floral Park, with 1,332 cases, and New Hyde Park, with 929 cases, were also among the top 10 villages or unincorporated

town areas in terms of positive tests, according to Health Department statistics. The Great Neck peninsula again saw an increase of just more than 100 new cases over the past week. The villages of Great Neck, Kings Point and Great Neck Plaza accounted for more than 2,600 total cases. Kings Point hit 696 total cases as of Wednesday. The peninsula accounted for 3,814 cases, according to Health Department figures. The Port Washington area, which surpassed 2,300 total cases this week, saw an increase of fewer than 80 new cases over one week, according to the figures. The town-governed area of Port Washington had 1,124 total cases as of Wednesday, leading the peninsula, and Manorhaven had 694 cases. Municipalities and unincorporated areas that stretch into more than one North Shore area such as Flower Hill, Herricks, Albertson, Garden City Park, Searingtown and North Hills were counted separately and accounted for 2,643 cases, according to county statistics. The Village of Roslyn’s 291 cases appeared comparatively low, but the cases per 1,000 residents, 102.03, is one of the five highest rates in Nassau County, according to Health Department figures. Continued on Page 36

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14 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

Opinion

OUR VIEWS

Cuomo: Should he or shouldn’t he?

uring the height of the pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo soared in popularity across New York and even the country with daily news conferences in which he stressed a fact-based approach to combating the COVID-19 virus mixed with folksy stories of family and friends. Now? The discussion is whether Cuomo should resign, be impeached or await the fate of voters if he runs for a fourth term in 2022. Or whether we should await the results of state Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into the allegations of five women that Cuomo sexually harassed them before deciding. How did Cuomo get here? Two scandals – underreporting the number of nursing home deaths due to COVID-19 and the sexual harassment allegations. Added to the governor’s woes are reports that he created a “toxic” workplace environment going back to the 1990s and downplayed the danger of structural flaws on the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. So what should be done? Some Republicans have been quick to call for Cuomo’s resignation. Others in the GOP have called for impeachment hearings. But it is hard to take their opinions seriously when they supported President Donald Trump for five years after 24 women made credible claims of sexual assault and Trump himself was caught on an “Access Hollywood” recording bragging about his ability to grab women by their private parts due to his fame. The same can said for Republican attacks on Cuomo’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. This hypocrisy doesn’t make

the Republicans wrong, but it just makes it hard to take them seriously. They could, of course, begin fixing that problem by announcing that Joe Biden was elected president in a free and fair election. But Republicans are not alone in calling for Cuomo’s removal from oﬃce. U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, the former Nassau County district attorney, became the highest-ranking Democrat last week to call for Cuomo’s resignation after the story of a third woman alleging sexual harassment was published in The New York Times. State Sen. Rachel May, a Democrat from Syracuse, urged Cuomo and everyone else involved to resign for their role in rewriting a report to obscure the full extent of nursing home deaths. And then Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins declared Sunday that the governor should resign “for the good of the state.” This was followed by a statement from the Assembly speaker, Carl E. Heastie, who questioned the “governor’s ability to continue to lead this state” and suggested that Cuomo had lost his party’s support in the state Capitol. Others counsel patience. Jay Jacobs, the state and Nassau County Democratic chairman, has urged his fellow Democrats to not form an opinion until James completes an investigation of the sexual harassment claims. And on Monday 21 Democratic women in the Assembly said James’ investigation should be allowed to be completed. Cuomo himself was adamant in resisting calls for his resignation, arguing he was elected by the people, not “by politicians.”

BLANK SLATE MEDIA LLC

Editorial Cartoon

“I’m not going to resign because of allegations,” the governor said, calling the notion “anti-democratic” and a violation of the due process clause of the Constitution. “There is no way I resign.” But Cuomo is not exactly being consistent in defense of due process and democracy. Perhaps the best argument for Cuomo to resign came from Cuomo himself after an article appeared in the New Yorker in 2018 on then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, which reported multiple women making serious allegations of assault. “No one is above the law, including New York’s top legal oﬃcer,” Cuomo said in a statement at the time. “I will be asking an appropriate New York district attorney to commence an immediate investigation and proceed as the facts merit. My personal opinion is that, given the damning pattern of facts and

corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as attorney general, and for the good of the oﬃce, he should resign.” Schneiderman resigned a short time later. We will stipulate that a man using a position of power to sexually harass a woman is a serious oﬀense. But not as serious as assaulting a woman, sexually or otherwise. We agree that the two lawyers that James selected to conduct a probe into the sexual harassment allegations should be allowed to go ahead. James has already issued a report that said the state failed to report the deaths of nursing home residents who had died in hospitals and were not previously counted by the state as nursing home deaths. This was confirmed hours later

REPORTERS Rose Weldon, Robert Pelaez

by the state Health Department, which added more than 3,800 deaths to its count of nursing home deaths and raised the total from 12,743 in February to more than 15,000. This did not change the overall number of COVID-19 deaths in New York, but it was important data needed to understand where the disease struck, why and if there was anything that could be done to prevent future fatalities. James’ report also found a number of nursing homes that “failed to comply with critical infection-control policies,” including those that did not isolate residents who had tested positive for the virus or screen employees for it. This raised the question of whether nursing homes followed state requirements and what kind of oversight those homes received from the state Health Department. Continued on Page 35

PRODUCTION MANAGER Rosemarie Palacios

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ARTS EDITOR Ethan Marshall

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Deborah Flynn

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Steven Blank

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Stacy Shaughnessy, Melissa Spitalnick, Wendy Kates, Linda Robinson

OFFICE MANAGER Holly Blank

ART DIRECTOR Jewell Davis

PUBLISHERS OF

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

ON THE RIGHT

GOP’s Zeldin can beat Cuomo in 2022

ew York’s nursing home scandal and allegations of bullying and sexual harassment have seriously injured Gov. Cuomo. However, wounding this ruthless political animal is not enough to push him oﬀ the political stage. Only a federal indictment could kill Cuomo politically. Barring an indictment, I expect the governor to tough it out and, if he survives, to seek what eluded his father: election to a fourth term. If the politically damaged Cuomo does run in 2022, the question is can a Republican challenger beat him? In my judgment, it might just be possible for a well-financed, competent Republican to be elected governor with a plurality of votes. Remember, in times of fiscal and economic crises, even the bluest of states—Massachusetts, Maryland, California—have elected fiscally conservative Republican governors to bail them out. Let’s face it, fiscally, economically and socially New York is a mess. Ever increasing taxes and

spending, the destruction of small businesses, rising crime and declining education standards have angered plenty of voters. And after 12 years in office, there could be “voter Cuomo fatigue.” In 1994, when Mario Cuomo sought a fourth term, Jacob Weisberg predicted in New York Magazine that Cuomo would lose because “there is a deep sense of weariness with Cuomo, a feeling of anger, even betrayal.” That mood opened the door for an “ABC”—Anybody But Cuomo — campaign that elected an unknown and drab Republican state senator, George Elmer Pataki. One Republican who might be able to knock off Andrew Cuomo in 2022 is Congressman Lee Zeldin of Suffolk County. Born and bred on Long Island, Zeldin spent four years in the Army on active duty, served in Iraq and is in the Army Reserves. In his first run for office in 2008, he lost to Democratic Congressman Tim Bishop. Two years later, he was elected to the state Senate. He took on Bishop again in 2014 and won 54 percent to 46 percent.

GEORGE J. MARLIN On The Right A prime target of the Democrats, he beat back well-financed challengers in 2016, 2018, and 2020. As the Republican-Conservative candidate for governor in 2022, Zeldin would fight an uphill battle, but there is a roadmap to victory if everything breaks his way. To win Zeldin must build on the 38 percent statewide Republican-Conservative base votes. Zeldin’s military record and Albany and Washington experience would work in his favor. The fact that he is Jewish could help him make inroads with New York

City’s middle-class Jewish voters disgusted with Gov. Cuomo’s and Mayor De Blasio’s failed policies. Zeldin must carry Long Island. Despite Democratic inroads in recent years, this is doable. If the 700,000 people who voted for Trump from Nassau and Suﬀolk came out, he would carry Long Island. As for New York City: In 2017, the Republican-Conservative mayoral candidate, Nicole Malliotakis, received 27.8 percent of votes cast and in 2020, Trump’s total was 28.9 percent. If Zeldin could maintain that support—that’s a victory. (Pataki was elected statewide in 1994 while receiving 27 percent of the city’s votes.) Zeldin would win upstate as Cuomo’s opponents did in 2014 and 2018. But his margin would have to match the 60 percent level of support Pataki received in 1994. This, too, could be achieved if the pro-fracking, pro-gun, and pro-Trump voters came out in droves. Then there is the battleground county that will decide the election, aﬄuent Westchester. In recent election cycles, Westchester has trended blue. The base GOP

vote of this once red bastion is around 33 percent. To win statewide a Republican must carry Westchester by at least a plurality. Is it possible? Yes, if enough people were sick of paying the highest combined state and local taxes in the nation and were appalled by Cuomo’s mishandling of the COVID pandemic. Finally, there’s the wild card, the Working Families Party. Its members despise Cuomo for not being a socialist and for changing election laws aimed at putting them out of business. Cuomo’s plot failed. WFP’s total votes for Joe Biden hit a record 4.5 percent —twice the amount needed to maintain its spot on the ballot. If the WFP rejected Cuomo and ran a candidate against him, votes cast by disgruntled leftists could hit 5 percent to 6 percent. If that were to happen, Lee Zeldin would need about 47 percent of the vote to win the election. In a Republican political tsunami—similar to 1994 when the elder Cuomo went down—Lee Zeldin could be elected New York’s 57th governor in 2022.

A LOOK ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

A plot twist that came out of nowhere

did my bit for political discourse this week: I ignored it and went to the movies instead. When I say “went,” I don’t mean I went to an actual movie theater. Even if New York State is ready for that, I am not. I mean I left my desk and moved to the living room to watch the latest SpongeBob SquarePants movie, “Sponge on the Run,” on our TV screen. I usually leave all the complicated electronic finagling to my husband, so we did manage to watch the movie the same day I wanted to. There’s no knowing what would have happened if I’d been in charge. We probably would have ended up purchasing home delivery of a new freezer, with still no movie access. Eventually we figured out that “Paramount Plus” used to be CBS All Access and got a trial account. Then we sat back with some snacks and prepared to hate the film. So here’s the good news: It’s quite good. It’s fun, it’s enjoyable,

it can be viewed with the entire family. It kept almost all of the show’s well-known characters, quirks, and voices — including my favorite, Plankton’s computerwife Karen — and did no major damage. (It changed the backstory about when SpongeBob met Sandy Cheeks, but that’s all). That should be a low bar for a film, but too often sadly it’s too much to hope for. But here’s the bad news: It wasn’t great. I wouldn’t put it on the shelf with “Monsters, Inc.” or “Shrek” or even with the original SpongeBob cartoons. Why not? What was missing? My husband pointed out that one obvious loss is SpongeBob’s creator, Stephen Hillenburg, who died from ALS in 2018. The film memorializes him at its conclusion, and I believe they’ve done their best to honor his creations, but I think inevitably some of the good-natured “zany” has been lost. You don’t ask yourself this time things like, “Hey, how can there be a campfire on the bottom of the ocean?”

JUDY EPSTEIN

A Look on the Lighter Side Perhaps SpongeBob’s essential spirit just doesn’t translate to a full-length feature. But I ended up thinking it also had something to do with the plot: namely, that it was too straightforward. Years ago, when I started writing fiction, I devoured books like “Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting,” by Syd Field. Field makes the point that not only is a conflict or quest essential to the structure of a film, but it also re-

quires a twist. The hero’s quest is just the beginning; when he or she finally achieves that goal, it only leads to an even bigger problem or quest — which becomes the meat of the story. When I first encountered this idea, I knew what to think of it: “Ridiculous!” It has only been in the years since, while watching movie after movie after TV show, that I began to admit that maybe this Field fellow had a point. Come to think of it, in “Shrek” the ogre thinks his quest is simply to get his swamp back. It’s only after he is tasked with rescuing a princess — and does so only to find her not completely in sync with the mission — that the story comes alive. In “Monsters, Inc.,” main character Sully thinks his problem is just to beat his competitors in harvesting “scare” from human children. It’s only after an apparently successful session that he finds out a little girl has followed him home, which is when the real adventure begins.

This richer appreciation of plot twists has grown on me while watching episodes of “Monk” through the pandemic. Time and again, Monk is about to lay his hands on the vital piece of evidence proving his theory, convicting the killer. But the corpse has just been cremated or — in one especially aggravating case — the murderer proceeds to swallow the incriminating document in front of Monk. “Grrrrr! WHY does this happen?!” I growl at my husband. “To make you react just like that,” he answers with a laugh. But now I have realized that it forced Monk — and the screenwriter — to get more creative and that the eventual victory is that much more satisfying. That kind of plot twist is what is missing from this SpongeBob movie. And if indeed it turns out to make for better plots, I will have to go back and revise all my drafts of scripts and stories sitting in my bottom desk drawer. There’s a plot twist I never saw coming!

16 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

E A R T H M AT T E R S

Stop cleaning! You’re making things worse

oday we all know the importance of washing our hands to prevent spreading disease. If the ubiquitous signs every winter about washing your hands to prevent the spread of colds and flu have not reached you, certainly the admonition to wash your hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has.What is not as clear though is the benefit of washing, or more accurately cleaning your house, your oﬃce, the subway and every other space we occupy and touch. Early on, our understanding of how COVID-19 spread was limited, but in the last year it has become clear that regular cleaning of surfaces is not key to preventing the spread of the disease, and when done long term can have some very damaging eﬀects. But we are still doing wholesale cleaning of every surface and object we come in contact with. The idea that cleaning could be bad is counter-intuitive. We are a society that is almost obsessive about cleaning. And we talk about cleaning and being clean as though they are easily understood

words. But after listening to Rob Dunn, an applied ecology professor at North Carolina State University, on WGBH and PRX’s Innovation Hub, I am no longer clear on what clean means. I am also not certain I want to pursue cleanliness per se.What I learned seems obvious now that someone explained it to me, but it never would have crossed my mind before. Consider those popular cleaning products that promise to get rid of 99 percent or more of all germs. Ask yourself about the 1 percent or less of germs that are left. What can we say about them and the danger they pose to us?We can say that they are the strongest, most anti-bacterial resistant germs around. They can survive our toughest cleaning products. They are likely able to resist our strongest antibiotics as well. And they have an advantage over all other microbes (a catch-all for beneficial and dangerous microorganisms) in our homes which are relentlessly being attacked by our cleaning. In our eﬀort to clean, we disfavor some species and favor others. The species we disfavor are

LYNN CAPUANO Earth Matters the beneficial ones, and we leave behind the ones the chemicals we spray cannot kill. As a result, we have tipped the balance in favor of the stronger and potentially more dangerous microbes. (And did nothing to protect ourselves from COVID-19 which is a virus, not a bacteria.)The fact is, as professor Dunn explained, our homes are absolutely full of microbes. As soon as we clean a surface, the cleaning solution dries, its eﬀects disappear, and microbes fall from the air and cover that surface again. Though our eﬀorts may be fruitless, they are not without consequences.

Though we cannot eradicate the microbes in our homes, every time we clean, we reduce the diversity of microbial life. The result is that instead of making our homes safer places to be, we are making them incubators for drug-resistant bacteria, and are inviting disease and other health conditions into our lives.We have evolved to live in partnership with the microbes we confronted. As we moved indoors and placed more emphasis on cleanliness, we disrupted that symbiosis by reducing our contact with microbes and instead exposed ourselves to more health issues caused by our immune systems overreacting to our own bodies.Maximum biodiversity in everything indoors and out is significantly better than the alternative. If only because biodiversity means more chances of good microbes being present to control the spread of more dangerous microbes. More biodiversity is a sign of a healthy system, not of a dirty one. According to Dunn, we are setting ourselves on a path to more autoimmune disorders like asthma, multiple sclerosis, allergies and

inflammatory bowel diseases (like Crohn’s) because of our obsession with cleaning. As he stated, “We’re trying to make our houses like hospitals and it’s bad news.”There are things we can do even while we continue to be in our homes for much longer periods than before COVID-19 appeared. We can make and eat fermented foods which may help to maintain healthy gut bacteria, and we can get outside, a welcome alternative especially these days. Let the outdoors in by opening windows and get close and personal with outdoor microbes by gardening. The benefits of getting outside and gardening are many; it is unquestionably time well spent for your health and well-being.We cannot count on rebuilding the microbial systems we destroy with our over-ambitious cleaning eﬀorts. We need to rethink what cleanliness means and recognize the value of microbial biodiversity for all our sakes. Instead of trying to kill all the living things around us we should try to expose ourselves to as many sources of (microbial) life as we can.

VIEW POINT

Cuomo scandal a Greek tragedy for rights leader

’m really sick of every breathless new EXCLUSIVE, which basically recites the same few allegations of sexual “harassment” – unwanted, suggestive, flirtatious remark – but hardly the continuing campaign that one would think “harassment” (or “grooming”) implies. No one has charged Gov. Cuomo with extorting sexual favors, threatening anyone, or physically abusing or raping anyone. A hug and a request for a kiss at a wedding? If Cuomo really thought he was doing something wrong, would he do it in front of everyone? Doesn’t “harassment” imply ongoing abuse? Unless I have missed something, none of the five women have accused him of doing more than making a suggestive remark or a one-time encounter. Yes, women have to be heard, taken seriously, but automatically believed? Does every inappropriate remark or gesture carry the same level of harm? It is curious that the case against Trump’s incitement of insurrection that resulted in five deaths hung largely

on establishing Trump’s “intent” (which was clearly demonstrated, yet he was acquitted). And George Floyd’s accused murderer gets to challenge the degree of murder he is being charged with. And just as rape victims should not be attacked for how they dressed or prior behavior, it is inappropriate to pile on to Cuomo the vendettas of his bullying, hard-elbows style of politics, with politicians taking advantage of the #MeToo movement or trapped on their own moral high ground. More significantly, there should be diﬀerent, appropriate degrees of what is merely “inappropriate” behavior vs. “sexual harassment” and “sexual abuse,” and the appropriate remedies for accountability. Only the most egregious murderers get the death penalty. And even the most egregious murderers have the right to trial. Women’s rights were significantly undermined during Trump and Republican rule and are continuing to be assaulted under a new wave of laws aimed at overturning a woman’s reproductive

KAREN RUBIN View Point

self-determination or ability to vote. This is why it is so ironic – to the point of Greek tragedy – that Cuomo is being torn down by allegations of sexual harassment, when he has been the strongest leader — at the state and national level — for advancing women’s rights with a record of action, not just campaign slogans and wishes. In fact, with women’s reproductive rights under massive assault to chip away or repeal Roe v. Wade entirely, Cuomo in 2019 signed The Reproductive Health

Act into state law and took steps to enshrine the principles of Roe v. Wade into the state Constitution to protect the right to abortion in New York for good. It was a key component of his 2019 Women’s Justice Agenda. Let me refresh your memory: Cuomo pushed to pass the Equal Rights Amendment to add sex as a protected class to Section 11 of Article 1 of the New York State Constitution. His 2019 accomplishments also included pay equity legislation, extending the statute of limitations for rape in the seconddegree and third-degree; insurance coverage for contraceptives, medically necessary abortion services, and fertility treatments; protections for pregnant women and access to telehealth; greater access to in vitro fertilization; programs to reduce maternal mortality and racial disparities and – it seems ironic now — new workplace harassment protections. He advanced the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act to include more meaningful sentence reductions and to encom-

pass crimes committed not only against, but also at the behest of, abusers. Established a new model for domestic violence prevention, including “no strings attached” to receive emergency services like a safe place to shelter and improving the system for delivering services. Outlawed revenge pornography, which prohibited unlawful publication of sexual materials consensually shared when the person had a reasonable expectation that such material would not be disclosed and provided victims with a new ability to remove the images from a website along with money damages for the unlawful publication. Removed gaps in Rape Shield Law Invested in New York’s Child Care Infrastructure In response to the special challenges of COVID-19 in 2020, New York passed groundbreaking policies, including paid sick leave, stepped-up vigilance against domestic violence and eﬀorts to address maternal mortality. Continued on Page 29

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

Long Island awakens from Trump nightmare

hould we be surprised that multitudes of people are reporting bad dreams — worse, nocturnal experiences that are disturbing nightmares? Mental stress for people of all ages has deepened as the pandemic expands into a second year. Magazines and newspapers have proclaimed 2020 in bold headlines as “the worst year of our lives.” In the midst of these continuing travails, there are reports of a shortage of therapists. During a year of astronomical death tolls and hospitalizations without visitors, many folks are understandably struggling with loneliness and grief. Recently, a group of North Shore folks spoke candidly about nighttime terrors – with a number of factors elevating the levels of intense disturbance. The FBI reported that 2020 had “the highest hate-motivated deaths since the ’90s.” TV news reports have graphically shown physical violence and assault on people “who look Asian” (demonized by whom, for what reasons?) Writing in the Jan. 29 issue of

Blank Slate Media, clinical social worker Andrew Malekoﬀ deplored “objects used in the name of hate” during the domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol that took place Jan. 6 whose intent was to overturn the legal presidential election. As we await a commission report on the Jan. 6 insurrection, responsible leaders at the state and national levels are concerned about the expansion of more violence (fortunately, with heightened security the QAnon conspiracy view that Donald Trump would be placed in the presidency on March 4 — by any means necessary — did not transpire). We have major, ongoing, democracy and security problems with QAnon, with its violence and with the people who give it mindless support. It is not surprising that nightmares are haunting many lives; folks are speaking of terrors, summoned by Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth.” To see that powerful play once is never to forget how societies are destroyed, how murder is expanded and how rogues seek to take charge to re-

MICHAEL D’INNOCENZO Out of Left Field press others in the name of their supposed superior goals. As fellow Long Islanders reflected on Wilder’s horrors, their nightmares were intensified by the continuing bombast and assaults from Donald Trump. How could they not be disturbed by him after his CPAC speech, his total lack of remorse for the Jan. 6 terrorism that he launched and by his vow to seek again to shape the direction of American society? It is worth seeing “The Skin of Our Teeth” once – film or play — to develop deep awareness of our

predicament and the perils from inaction. The remarkable analyst and author, Jonathan Schell, who often spoke at Hofstra, properly called his book “The Fate of the Earth.” He argued that it was understandable that most people would avoid thinking about the horrors of a nuclear war (that Physicians for Social Responsibility, with chapters in Great Neck, Roslyn and other North Shore communities, properly labeled “The Final Epidemic” – a scourge that could lead to extinction). Schell contended that we need enough people of courage to enter a “hell of the imagination” so they could graphically understand the horrors of a nuclear war, and thus be motivated to help find ways to control nuclear weapons and work for a more peaceable and just global society. Responding to these views, Martin Luther King, Jr. and his spouse, Coretta Scott King (a member of WILPF, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, founded by Jane Addams), argued that as never before

all of our lives were connected. We could survive together or we were likely to die together. It is not surprising that Dr. King, the Nobel Peace Laureate of 1964, helped set the stage for International Physicians to Prevent Nuclear War (the Long Island PSR chapters, Hofstra UCAM, and the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives were part of the group that received the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize). Now, as more of us are concerned about Trump’s continuing lust for power and his toleration of terrorism (his Big Lie will define his life), perhaps we should update Jonathan Schell’s “The Fate of the Earth” and have a film “FRIGHT” to develop a resolve to survive by “The Skin of Our Teeth” so we can help foster more just, inclusive, empathetic societies around the globe. Despite its nightmarish horrors, “The Skin of Our Teeth” offers better ways forward for civicminded folks who eschew being perpetrators or bystanders, but who are willing to take initiatives as intervenors.

OUR TOWN

The frightening search for lost memory As my father neared the age of 90, he started calling me to ask, “Tommy, who was the second baseman for the Dodgers in 1952?” I would first ask why he needed to know this fact but with irritation he would continue to ask. Of course, I had no clue as to who the baseball player might have been, but soon enough learned that my father was engaged in the serious task of testing his memory to reassure himself that Mr. Alzheimer had not yet arrived. The gradual loss of short and middle-term memory is a natural byproduct of aging, but indeed many families suﬀer the anguish of watching a mother, father or grandparent slip into the haze that is referred to as Alzheimer’s. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s increases with age so at age 65 less than 1 percent will contract it but by age 85 the numbers rise to 11 percent for men and 14 percent for women. There are many artists who have addressed the problems of memory. Marcel Proust was the absolute best at capturing memory with “In Search of Lost Time,” his seven-volume mas-

terpiece which began with his eﬀorts to recapture the memory of having tea and Madeleine cookies with his aunt when he was 9. His manner of rediscovering childhood memories gave birth to an entire field of study in psychology called selective memory. Joan Baez was a master of symbolizing memories, with her song “Diamonds and Rust” about her inability to forget her love aﬀair with folk icon Bob Dylan. Stanley Kubrick directed the 1968 science fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey” where we watch as David Bowman degrades the intelligence of HAL 9000, the spaceship’s supercomputer, by removing its modules one by one. HAL 9000 once had possessed natural language skills, facial recognition ability, lip reading skills, art appreciation and could recognize human emotions, but as Bowman removes its modules gradually HAL finally regresses to childhood and eerily sings the song “Daisy Bell” with the lines “Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do, I’m half-crazy over the love

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

of you.” HAL’s plunge into forgetfulness mimics Alzheimer’s well. The filmmaker Ridley Scott was also good at mining the tragedy of lost memory in the 1982 science fiction classic “Blade Runner.” In a role that came to define his career, Rutger Hauer plays the android Roy Batty, who has only a few moments left to live and as the android dies, he says: “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire oﬀ the shoulder of Orien. I’ve watched C-beams glitter in the dark near Tannhauser Gates. All these moments lost in time, like tears in

rain. Time to die.” This speech which was improvised by Rutger Hauer at the last minute before shooting is a soliloquy on the impermanence of life and man’s inability to achieve immortality. More recently, the 2004 film “The Notebook” by Nick Cassavetes addressed Alzheimer’s more directly. Gena Rowlands and James Garner star in this film shot in a nursing home where Duke, played by Garner, spends his days reading from his notebook to an Alzheimer’s patient named Allie., played by Rowlands. The story flashes back to the actual events being described in the notebook, which are about when they were both young and in love, though Allie does not remember any of that. But what will surely become known as the definitive statement on Alzheimer’s is “The Father,” the 2020 film starring Anthony Hopkins as a man slipping into the confused haze of Alzheimer’s as his devoted daughter played by Olivia Colman does her best to make his decline as painless as possible.

This film is variously heartbreaking, tender, terrifying, humorous and incredibly sad and the final scene will have you crying all the way home. Hopkins and Colman will certainly receive Oscars for their performances and the film itself was a great triumph by demonstrating that only art is able to face down sadness and death. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder due to brain atrophy and is the most common cause of dementia. Symptoms include memory impairment, language disturbance, loss of ability to carry out motor tasks, failure to recognize objects and an inability to live independently. The onset is often seen with memory loss of recent events which the film “The Father” showed brilliantly. Suﬀerers will often repeat questions, misplace objects, get lost, show apathy, withdrawal, distrust, wandering, loss of inhibitions and paranoia. There is a very gradual decline over time and the average duration of illness from onset to death is usually about 10 years. Continued on Page 35

18 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

THE BACK ROAD

And the Golden Blowhard award goes to....

t their annual three-day gathering in Orlando, Florida this past February, the Conservative Political Action Conference rolled out a six-foot gold statue of Donald Trump, a Golden Blowhard wearing stars-andstripes board shorts and flip flops. Although the statue was assembled in Mexico, it was made in China. My first association to the Golden Blowhard was the false idol created by the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. When Moses left for Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments he was gone for so long — 40 days and 40 nights, that the Israelites feared he would not return. Consequently, they turned over their gold jewelry and or-

naments and commissioned the creation of a molten calf. In an act of revolt, they then declared of the Golden Calf, “This is thy god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” Although I am secular in my faith, I did have a bar mitzvah and read from the Torah. My bar mitzvah was held just six months after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 22, 1963. I always remember the two events together because of their temporal proximity and the fact that together they marked convergent rites of passage for me, signifying a coming of age and a loss of innocence. Although I don’t recall a great deal from my readings in the Hebrew scriptures, Psalm 115:8 in the Old Testament

ANDREW MALEKOFF The Back Road

reads that those who make false idols end up like them and so does everyone who trusts in them. Although his partisans paraded in front of the Trump statue at CPAC and used it as a prop for selfies and such, let us be

LETTERS POLICY Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten, and those longer than 750 words may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters must include the writer’s name and phone number for verification. Anonymously sent letters will not be printed. Letters must be received by Monday noon to appear in the next week’s paper. All letters become the property of Blank Slate Media LLC and may be republished in any format. Letters can be e-mailed to news@theislandnow.com or mailed to Blank Slate Media, 22 Planting Field Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577.

clear that the Golden Blowhard is by no means a genuine American leader or the alpha male he pretends to be. He is a poser. As Pulitzer-Prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson explains in her new book “Caste,” “true alphas command authority through their calm oversight of those who depend upon them.” She adds that you know that you are not seeing a true alpha if he must bully or attack those beneath him into submission, imperiling the entire group through his insecurities and lack of courage. At CPAC, Trump doubled down on the big lie that he won the election and called out his enemies by name – the few Republican Congress members who discredited his lies and held him responsible for inciting the terrorist insurrection on the Capitol. He put a target on them for speaking truth to power and interfering with his radical white supremacist agenda. At 13-years-old I never imagined that the assassination of JFK would lead to decades

of conspiracy theories rooted in widespread uncertainty about who really killed him and who was behind it. Yet, some seven decades later, not only are those questions still alive, but many millions of American adults have bought into a new set of conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election. They are fueled by an emperor with no clothes who incited mob violence and assassination threats against members of Congress and his own vicepresident, all in order to fulfill his fantasy of leading a mass uprising that would result in his return to the throne, despite his decisive loss. The Golden Blowhard, America’s modern-day Wizard of Oz, struck the mother lode at CPAC in Orlando when he came to see that the dream of MAGA — the continued promise of fully restoring and securing white supremacy to its traditional pecking order by disenfranchising all others, was still a viable grift. Letters Continued on Page 23

BLANK SLATE MEDIA March 12, 2021

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

NEW PICTURES AT HECKSCHER EXHIBITION T

Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso, Homage Ode: Rachel Ruysch, 2018 Mixed media on paper. Museum Purchase

he Heckscher Museum of Art has acquired new artwork from two leading women artists: Stella Waitzkin and Gabriella Gonzalez Dellosso. “These acquisitions strengthen the Museum’s collection and aﬃrm our commitment to giving a voice do diverse audiences,” said to Curator Karli Wurzelbacher. Stella Waitzkin (1920−2003) began creating art in the 1950s while living in Great Neck, Long Island. She began as abstract expressionist painter but is best known for her sculptures and installations. Waitzkin cast old, leatherbound volumes in resin as single objects that became elements of larger installations, including freestanding shelves, small bookcases, or entire library walls. These pieces of art made her one of only a few female “environment” builders. Waitzin’s constructions are composed almost entirely of books, or other cast objects such as clocks, birds, fruit, or human faces. Waitzkin received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in 1995. The Museum will acquire 16 pieces from the Estate. Gabriela Gonzalez Dollosso is a contemporary figure painter with deep art historical knowledge. The Museum acquired five of the works in her series Homage Odes. The artworks take the form of illuminated manuscripts inspired by historical female artists. A number of Homage Odes ]were part Dellosso’s solo exhibition at the Museum in 2019, A Brush with Herstory, where Dellosso paid tribute to great female painters from the Renaissance through the modern era. Dellosso often melds her own image to that of artists from the past, creating self-portraits conveying the inspiring stories of historical women. “These works allow us to insert these important historical women artists into the narrative that we are already able to tell with the permanent collection,” noted Wurzelbacher. Currently on View Connie Fox: The Sammy’s Beach Series through April 11Wood Gaylor and American Modernism through May 23

20 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

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Temple presents ‘Hallelujah…Bima to Broadway’ Temple Judea of Manhasset is proud to present a spectacular virtual evening of music starring our own Cantor Deborah Jacobson and guest musicians and singers. The one-hour concert on Zoom Webinar will start at 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening, March 21. (Log-in at 7:15 p.m.) Following the concert, guests are invited to stay on and join for a live Q&A. The musical concert will be entertaining for all ages. It will include hit songs from beloved

with five albums, as well as serving as Temple Judea’s esteemed cantor. She has a rich background of experience, musicianship and a wealth of warmth and joy. Temple Judea of Manhasset wishes to thank Carriage House Studios for their wonderful cooperation in helping make the concert an outstanding success. The community is cordially invited to attend this exceptional virtual program. Donations to view the Concert and to receive

Broadway shows intermingled with favorite Israeli and Yiddish songs, film hits and standards. Broadway composers include Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin, and Andrew Lloyd Weber. Produced by Johnny Montagnese, Musical Director is Chris Coogan. Watch for surprise special guest appearances! Deborah Jacobson is a published author, recording artist

the Zoom link begin at the $36 level, with higher levels of donations available and much appreciated. For further information and to make your donation, please contact the Temple oﬃce at (516) 621-8049 or check our website www.temple-judea.com Temple Judea of Manhasset is located at 333 Searingtown Road, Manhasset (exit 36N on LIE). New members are always welcome.

Cantor Deborah Jacobson

‘Still Life in Lodz’ event The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County joins the virtual launch of “Still Life in Lodz,” a new documentary film about what happened to the Jewish residents of this Polish city in the period before, during and after, WWII. Watch the film, which opens on March 12, by streaming it on the Cine-

ma Arts Center of Huntington’s website (use the code LODZ2021 to receive a discount), then join HMTC for our discussion on March 17 with the film’s director, Slawomir Grunberg, one of the film’s writers, Lilka Elbaum, and one of the family members who traces his history in the story, Paul Cellar.

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Home=Happiness, Oasis, Memories, Everything

Anna LoRe

Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker

O 516.627.2800 | M 516.317.1609 anna.lore@elliman.com elliman.com

Let Me Be Your Guide

22 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

READERS WRITE

Reparations for Flower Hill election lacks adequate notice Blacks are not kosher

s a former candidate for Flower Hill mayor whose main objective in running for oﬃce was to shed light on Flower Hill government, on Dec. 1, 2020 I sent an email to Flower Hill Mayor Brian Herrington which requested “in the interests of transparency, [that] the Village … publicize that there are four (4) Trustee seats open” for the March 2021 election. Unfortunately, the mayor ignored my request and never notified village residents of this opportunity to engage in the democratic process, losing the chance at finding talented residents eager to volunteer their time in our village. Instead, the four open trustee seats are being sought unopposed by residents hand-picked by the Mayor and the Flower Hill party. As Mayor Herrington ran on a campaign of transparency and open government, it is disappointing that he has not lived up to his promises. Perhaps most hypocritical is the Mayor’s recent boasting that he increased voting hours to make it easier for residents to vote – but what good is that when he contrives to ensure that Flower Hill residents have no choice at the bal-

lot box? After the “election” is over the new board will get to work on the Flower Hill budget. The board recently acknowledged that taxpayers in Flower Hill are overburdened by oﬀering a resolution to defer required tax payments. Perhaps the board should consider cutting expenses – Flower Hill’s payroll is one of the highest in Nassau County per capita considering the minimal services it provides (garbage pickup is not included as it is a contracted expense and not part of the village salaries). When pension costs, health care and other perks such as employee cell phones are included, Flower Hill taxpayers shoulder a heavy tax burden for minimal services (how many villages in Nassau County have a “village engineer” or a part-time architect earning six figures?) Flower Hill residents only can hope that the budget process is conducted in a more open and transparent manner than the “election” and that some of the budget bloat gets cut. Kate Hirsch Manhasset

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hile you read this letter, the country faces a $28 trillion longterm national debt. It will grow by up to $1.9 trillion more, depending upon the final outcome of the Democrats’ third CARE COVID-19 relief bill. We have more important problems to deal with than proceeding with Washington spending our hard-earned tax dollars to set up a commission to determine if Uncle Sam should pay reparations to decedents of enslaved peoples. Since passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the private sector along with city, state and federal government at all levels have spent trillions under various programs which benefited African-American citizens. This included minority quotas for both employment hiring and admission to college, awarding of contracts to Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, minority business mentoring programs, workplace mentoring programs for promotion to higher positions and others. Every glass ceiling in both the workplace and government was broken years ago. There are African-American CEOs of multibillion-dollar corporations, billionaires and millionaires. We elected Barack Obama

President 13 years ago in 2008. California Sen. Kamala Harris was elected vice president It has been common for decades to find African-American citizens holding senior management positions in government and business. There is now a large, growing and prosperous African-American middle class. My Jewish ancestors did not own any plantations and did not poison any slaves on Hebrew National Salami. They were too busy running away from the Cossacks and the pogroms. Several African-American generations have benefited and grown over the past 56 years since passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It is time to move on rather than go back over 156 years to relitigate the 18611865 Civil War. We have all grown to look beyond the color of a person’s skin, ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or age and accept each person for who they are today. President Biden, Senate Majority leader Schumer and House Speaker Pelosi promised to unite our nation. How is this action going to accomplish that? Larry Penner Great Neck

24 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

READERS WRITE

In support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo

am sitting here in a state of total shock, not believing the turmoil over the “allegations” against Gov. Cuomo. To me it should be called a “tempest in a teapot.” Since when did kissing someone at a wedding become an insult, crime or sexual harassment? And putting a hand on someone’s back is such a sexual move? We hope the investigation shows that Gov. Cuomo comes from a cultural background that is expressive of affection, that he has three daughters with whom he is very close and could even have looked upon these staffers with that reference in mind, and that the discussions he had with these aides took place between them as the rapport that can naturally develop between a boss and close staff over time where personal details are often divulged. And the allegations by Gov. Cuomo’s staff of “unwanted attention” – poor little

ladies who couldn’t simply use their voice at the moment in self-respect to just say NO, and leave it as a lesson learned by a man without the attempt later to pull down an elected oﬃcial chosen by New Yorkers. I feel these women are disingenuously now reporting these “terrible insults” to help execute a political agenda against the governor and to enhance their own image in the media. The sum total finding of the investigation must be that Gov. Cuomo never hurt, raped, or assaulted a single individual. Finally, how is it that ex-President Trump actually abused, violated, and verbally denigrated women in plain sight over many, many years, and there was never any price to pay? Claire Litman Great Neck

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

Business&RealEstate

Will 2021 be the time to purchase? If you are still residing in a rental and are concerned about purchasing a home due to the increase in prices over the last year, you are not alone. The fear of buying into the Nassau real estate market, which has increased by 9 percent, and the Suﬀolk market, which has risen by 23 percent, has made many stop and hesitate and think should I wait until things cool down? It all depends on your specific personal and family situation. Would it be more to your advantage to stay in the rental that you are currently living in or your parents’ or in-laws’ home or still consider buying? From a tax perspective, the rental provides you zero benefits, which you are just providing your landlord each and every month. If you are staying for free somewhere else and just saving more money, you will be missing out on any appreciation that you could gain in 2021 and possibly 2022, when from all that I have researched and read the appreciation should be anywhere from 2.9 percent at the low end up to as much as potentially 10.3 percent.Here is a link that explains and shows the various predictions: https://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/en/2021/03/02/ home-prices-what-happenedin-2020-what-will-happen-thisyear/?a=28598-a5c8d945f1821b-

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690c117ac4508ba040 So unless your money is earning at least those percentages, then this would still be an excellent time to jump into the market. More important, you will be paying taxes on whatever interest you are earning (unless tax-exempt) whereby the higher the tax bracket the less you would be netting. However, some people who have reached out to me to ask questions about purchasing and this has evolved into a discussion about what to buy and what not. The thought to trade oﬀ a singlefamily house for a townhome, condo or co-op was an idea that in the past was not considered. Many want that single-family home with all the privacy and benefits that go along with that type of ownership. But with the incredible escalation in prices in the second half of 2020 those dreams were diluted for many, who got priced out of the market or those who are concerned that we are at the top. Thinking outside the box and considering something else has been something that I have talked about with many families and individuals, depending on the size of the family. People are worried that if prices go down or worse crash over the next few years, they would lose value. At this point in time inventory is at the lowest ever. Interest rates have ticked up

PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

over the last few weeks but are still historically low. We can all get a bit spoiled because everyone wants the lowest rate possible. but even in the 3 percent range, it’s still historically low. More important, even if you are thinking about buying a condo or co-op and prices go down, putting you in either in a break-even or losing position when selling, consider how much more the single-family home that is higher priced would lose in value. So you would save more money as the market value is reduced as you move up into a home. As a hypothetical example, let say you bought a two-bedroom and two-bath co-op for $475,000 in 2021, but being conservative the value increased 3 percent this

year to $489,250 and 2 percent in 2022 to $499,035 and over the following three years prices decreased by 10 percent, reducing its value to $449,135. In this example you would lose approximately $26,000 from your original purchase price of $475,000. On the other hand, if you had bought a home in 2021 for $850,000 and the price went up 3 percent to $875,500 and another 2 percent in 2022 to $893,010 and then went down 10 percent, the loss would be $89,301 in value if you had to sell. When you subtract your loss of $26,000 from the $89,301 that a home lost in value during that time period, purchasing years later would then save you $63,301 as you moved up to a new home. A condo purchase might show even a greater savings as a family moved up to an even higher priced home that would have a greater price reduction. Again, this is just an example and there is no guarantee this will happen, but I have personally experienced this scenario in the past. It stands to reason the higher the value of the property the greater the loss in dollars when there is a reduction in price which will benefit those buyers who would be moving up in the market. At the same time the write-oﬀs of interest on your mortgage and deductible

amount of your maintenance and or real estate taxes if in a condo should decrease your taxable income. Your CPA should be able to advise you as far as the benefits to you in the previous scenario, but from my experience staying in a rental oﬀers no benefit whatsoever unless you are considering moving out of NYS state within a short period of time. For those who are considering buying this year, one must weigh trade-oﬀs to decide what makes sense financially and to consider trading down for now to reap the benefits in a few years when the cycle of price increases adjusts downward. Philip A. Raices is the owner/ Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 39 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). For a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, a value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas or suggestions on future columns with your name, email and cell number and he will call or email you back.

26 The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

Recent Real Estate Sales in

New Hyde Park

11 Superior Road, Floral Park

155 Locust Street, Floral Park

3 bd, 2 ba, Sold on: 12/14/20, Sold Price: $745,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Floral Park-Bellerose

5 bd, 3 ba, Sold on: 12/30/20, Sold Price: $692,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Floral Park-Bellerose

43 Ash Street, Floral Park

520 North 6th Street, New Hyde Park

3 bd, 2 ba, 1,727 sqft, Sold on: 12/8/20, Sold Price: $828,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Floral Park-Bellerose

5 bd, 2 ba, Sold on: 2/2/21, Sold Price: $735,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Sewanhaka

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

Ready for a Change? The Next Move is Yours

We invite you to join our New Hyde Park office. For more information connect with Branch Manager, Christopher Bacchus 516.281.3838 christopher.bacchus@elliman.com elliman.com

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The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

Manhasset honors barber BY R O S E W E L D ON Giuseppe “Joe” Commisso was known to generations of North Shore residents as “Joe the Barber,” a beloved member of the Manhasset community. Now, his name will adorn the street where he cut hair for 40 years. Friends and family of the late Commisso gathered at the intersection of Plandome Road and Orchard Street on Tuesday afternoon to unveil an honorary street sign designating Joe “the Barber” Commisso Road, across from the 495 Plandome Road storefront where he operated for years. A native of Reggio Calabria, Italy, born on Oct. 30, 1933, Commisso emigrated to the United States in 1961, and found work at a barbershop on Plandome Road. He later bought the business with his brother-in-law, and Joseph’s Haircutters formally opened on

April 1, 1980. After four decades with his shop, during which Joseph’s Haircutters gave thousands of haircuts to multiple generations of local residents, Commisso was preparing to step away from the business when he died Jan. 30, 2020, at the age of 86. Following eﬀorts from Commisso’s family, friends and former clients, the Town of North Hempstead voted in recent months to honor him with the honorary street sign. Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey introduced the motion to honor Commisso with the street sign and was on hand to unveil it at the dedication, also speaking of the honor’s relevance in the age of COVID-19. “It’s only now that we’re starting to go back to the hairdresser or to the barber or to the coﬀee shop, and we realize how important those places are to building and maintaining a community,” Lurvey said at the

event. “And that is what Joe did for all of the years.” Town Clerk Wayne Wink said the sign represented not only Commisso, but the smallbusiness owners and community members who had dedicated their lives to serving the downtown areas. “It’s not just about remembering Joe, it’s about remembering everybody who makes the downtowns here, throughout the community, throughout the Town of North Hempstead, because obviously in times like we’ve gone through the last year, downtowns mean more to us than ever,” Wink said. “So to remember Joe is to remember all those people who made this downtown great, and who will make them great again.” Also present, along with Lurvey and Wink, were Commisso’s widow and wife of 58 years, Rosa, and their daughters Rosa Fazzolari and Maria Commisso.

PHOTO BY ROSE WELDON

North Hempstead Town Clerk Wayne Wink and Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey with Joe Commisso’s wife, Rosa, and daughters Rosa and Maria at the unveiling of his honorary street sign on Plandome Road in Manhasset. “I want to thank you all for loving Dad, and for honoring Dad,” Maria Commisso told

those gathered. “Thank you, thank you.”

DA gets injunction against Port company BY R O S E W E L D ON A dietary supplement company based in Port Washington has been barred from manufacturing its products, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York announced last week. The office cited a complaint filed May 23, 2019, alleging that Confidence, USA Inc., a Port-based company that began in the 1970s and produces vitamins and other health supplements, violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act by distributing “adulterated dietary supplements.” “The complaint alleged that inspections conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2016, 2017, and 2018 showed that the defendants repeatedly failed to verify that their finished dietary supplements met product specifications for identity, purity, strength, composition, and contamination limits, and failed to verify the identity of each dietary ingredient used in the manufacture of the supplements,” the office said in a statement. What the supplements were supposedly contaminated with was not disclosed. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York at the request of the FDA, and also names

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

The headquarters of the Port Washington-based dietary supplement company Confidence USA, which has been permanently enjoined from manufacturing product until it complies with FDA requirements. company president Helen Chian and manager Jim Chao. “[The company] made and distributed more than 50 dietary supplements under brand names that include Confidence USA, American Best, USA Natural and The Herbal Store,” the oﬃce said in a statement. “Dietary supplements not prepared, packed and held in conformance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) regulations are adulterated in violation of the FDCA. The FDA issued a warning letter to Confidence USA in 2011 regarding deficiencies with the company’s manufacturing practices, and U.S. Marshals previously seized certain Confidence USA products in connection with a 2012 complaint alleging the products were adulterated.”

As part of an injunction issued by a federal court, the company must cease manufacturing its products and recall any still on the market, and its facilities must undergo a rigorous FDA inspection before the injunction is removed. If the company fails to act on the violations, it will be fined $7,500 for each day the violations continue, an additional $7,500 per day per violation for each counted violation, and an additional sum equal to twice the retail value of any product distributed in violation of the order, the act, or its implementing regulations. “The millions of Americans who take dietary supplements trust that they are unadulterated and meet product specifications under good manufactur-

ing practice regulations,” acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme said in a statement. “The injunctive relief obtained by the United States, in this case, protects consumers by requiring defendants to follow the law and adhere to the regulations in manufacturing and distributing dietary supplements.” “Consumers deserve access to dietary supplements that are manufactured to assure their quality. If a dietary supplement company repeatedly fails to

comply with basic good manufacturing practice requirements, the public cannot trust that their products are what they say they are,” said Judy McMeekin, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory aﬀairs. “The FDA will continue to protect American consumers by taking appropriate actions necessary when companies violate the law.” Eﬀorts to reach Confidence, USA Inc. for comment were unavailing.

A mother’s fight Continued from Page 3 directs oﬃcials to review cases based on peer-reviewed research, such as the Adverse Childhood Experiences study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and forces the court to give attention to the evidence before it, and prevent giving undue weight to claims that one parent is falsely accusing the other as a legal tactic. The bill was introduced Feb. 16, and is currently under review by the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, which Lavine chairs. “This is game-changing legislation that is going to protect children in child custody cases,” Franchetti said. She encourages interested members of the North Shore community to contact oﬃcials to make Kyra’s law a reality. “Our Family Court system is failing our children at epidemic rates,” Franchetti said. “This was an epidemic before the pandemic. Unless we legislate changes, it could be your child, or one that you know and love that could be abused or even murdered because of the failings of our court system. There is hope we can make a change. But I can’t do it alone. I need the community’s support to do this.”

28 The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

Ex-doctor charged with 5 counts of murder Continued from Page 1 tomers at his Franklin Square office through that year, and after he lost access to that space, saw patients in his car, prescribing medications with no examination from the parking lots of the Rockville Centre hotel where he lived and a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts. “The grand jury charged that patients, who were addicted to opioids, went to Blatti with their requests for controlled medications and the defendant allegedly prescribed drugs with no medical history review or exam,” the district attorney’s office said. “He billed insurance and accepted cash. In some cases, he allegedly prescribed opioid painkillers at patients’ request to individuals he had never met or spoken to. Blatti used paper prescriptions pursuant to a waiver issued by the New York State Health Commissioner, allowing him to avoid using the state’s secure electronic prescription system which is generally required, and provides for greater oversight.” “This doctor’s prescription pad was as lethal as any murder weapon,” Singas said. “We allege that Dr. Blatti showed depraved indifference to human life, total disregard for the law, his ethical obligations, and the pleas of his patients and their family members when he prescribed massive quantities of dangerous drugs to victims in the throes of addiction, ultimately killing five patients who entrusted him with their care. “As we continue to battle the epidemic of opioid abuse that has ravaged our communities, this prosecution sends a strong message to any doctor seeking to profit from vulnerable patients’ addiction: we will hold you accountable to the greatest extent the law allows.” Singas said that the Police Department’s asset forfeiture and intelligence unit began an investigation into several opioid overdoses, both fatal and nonfatal, in August 2018. That investigation

revealed that certain individuals had an inordinate number of prescriptions for opioids written by the same physician, Blatti. At that time, the department began working with the DEA’s Long Island office. “Investigators learned that Dr. Blatti had many reasons to know and appreciate the deadly danger in which his actions placed his patients, and that he was aware through his own inquiries that several had died,” the office said. “The indictment alleges that Blatti was undeterred by these deaths, as well as the pleas – and even threats – from patients’ family members demanding he stop fueling their loved ones’ addictions. He allegedly ignored documented overdoses and illicit drug use documented in his patients’ medical records; disregarded stacks of warnings from pharmacies, insurers and Medicaid about excessive opioid prescriptions, and continued to prescribe foreseeably deadly quantities and reckless, toxic combinations of controlled medications to visibly addicted patients even after he was interviewed by the N.Y. Office of Professional Medical Conduct in 2017. “Dr. Blatti allegedly even refused at least three patients’ pleas to stop opioid use, prescribing them more painkillers instead of helping them fight their addictions. As a result, [the DA’s office] presented the case to a grand jury, which returned a bill indicting the defendant for five counts of murder in the second degree.” According to Singas’ office, one of the patients who died under his care was Diane Woodring, 53, from Port Washington, who died on Sept. 11, 2018, of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, alprazolam, mirtazapine and valproic acid, all prescribed by Blatti. The DA’s office said that over a span of four years and one month, she was prescribed

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

Former doctor George Blatti has been charged with the murders of five of his patients, including a Port Washington woman and a Floral Park man, through prescriptions of thousands of opioids. over 18,000 pills in 153 prescriptions, including over 9,300 30-milligram pills of oxycodone. Singas’ oﬃce said that Sean Quigley, 31, a volunteer firefighter from Floral Park, also died under Blatti’s care, having struggled with opioid abuse dating back to at least 2008, and alleged that Blatti was aware of Quigley’s ill health and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but prescribed the opioids anyway. “Though Blatti was allegedly aware of the victim’s addiction, and had treated him with suboxone for five years, he later allegedly fed that addiction, prescribing large quantities of oxycodone following a knee injury in 2014 until his death,” Singas’ oﬃce said. “In 2017, [Quigley] was

suffering from liver failure and retaining water. Quigley had lost approximately 50 lbs. Blatti saw him in the months of June, July, August, September, October and November. On November 21, 2017, despite clear signs of a failing liver, for which he prescribed a diuretic and potassium supplement, Blatti allegedly prescribed 180 oxycodone pills. Given his alleged awareness of Quigley’s liver failure, which significantly increases the risk of overdose, the continued prescription of opioids showed depraved indifference to his life. Quigley died 11 days later, on December 2, 2017, from acute intoxication of oxycodone and oxymorphone.” Overall, the office claims that over a period of three years and four months, Blatti prescribed Quigley over 10,600 pills across 79 prescriptions, with over 7,000 of those pills being oxycodone. The grand jury further indicted Blatti on 11 counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree, determining that Blatti’s prescribing practices were allegedly depraved. The 11 counts relate to the five deceased patients and six living patients. “In my nearly 30-year career as a prosecutor, I have never seen a case of such outrageous disregard for human life by a physician,” Singas said at a news conference last Thursday. “This doctor allegedly ignored warning after warning from visibly addicted patients and continued to prescribe the dangerous drugs that cost his patients their lives.” Senior Assistant District Attorney Melissa Scannell of the Rackets and Enterprise Crime Bureau and Senior Litigation Counsel Stefanie Palma of the Homicide Bureau are prosecuting the case for the county. The defendant is represented by Jeff Groder. Blatti was remanded and is due back in court on March 30. If convicted of the top charges, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison. The indictment will be consolidated with the 2019 indictment.

4 vie for 2 trustee seats 1 dead, 1 seriously hurt in car crash

Continued from Page 2

mayor and two trustee seats on Tuesday, all of which are for four-year terms. Trustee Richard Coppolla will not seek re-election but Trustee Richard Pallisco will run, Montreuil said at a meeting of the village Board of Trustees on Jan. 28. The election has a new local political party throwing its hat in the ring with endorsements from a previous village mayor. Former New Hyde Park Mayor Dan Petruccio, who served from 2001 to 2013, has endorsed the New Hyde Park Unity Party’s slate of candidates.

The candidates are Christopher Devane for mayor, Madhvi Nijjar and Arthur Savarese for the two trustee positions, and Timothy Jones for village justice. Devane served as a village justice from 2003 to 2021. Nijjar is a 20-year resident of the village who works in the mental health and human services fields, teaching others who aspire to work in the same profession. Nijjar earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from John Jay College before receiving a master’s in social work with a major in psychotherapy from Adelphi University.

Savarese works in marketing and sales and has served on the board for and coached local Little League teams, and Jones is a trial attorney for the Scahill Law Group in Bethpage. According to the party’s mission statement on its website, it stands for “the principles of an open, honest, diverse and inclusive form of Village government.” Also running for trustee in the at-large election is Bassam Khoury, who is running on the Common Sense Party line. Residents can cast their ballots at the Marcus Christ Hall at 1420 Jericho Turnpike from noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

Visit us online at w w w.theislandnow.com

Continued from Page 1 evated several feet off the ground while the front had struck a tree. The driver of the car, a 75-year-old Bellerose man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The 76-year-old passenger was transported to a nearby hospital in serious condition. Neither of their names PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS was disclosed. Officials said there did not A car crash on Hillside Avenue appear to be any criminality Friday morning resulted in the related to the incident, but the death of the driver and left the investigation remains ongoing. passenger in serious condiEfforts to reach a representative from the Police Depart- tion, according to the Nassau County Police Department. ment were unavailing.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

Continued from Page 16 And in the early stages of the pandemic, the New York State Council on Women and Girls quickly established two critical COVID-19 task forces on Domestic Violence and Maternal Healthcare to ensure women’s health and safety were prioritized. Out of that came: Improved response to domestic violence by implementing an innovative, survivor-centered service delivery system, including a new 24/7 text and chat line for those experiencing domestic and sexual violence; a housing navigator pilot to enhance housing options for survivors; the creation of a statewide data collection system; new training and resources for those working with incarcerated populations and immigrants; a listening tour to speak directly with survivors regarding their needs; and enhanced communication regarding shelter availability. Addressing maternal mortality: the COVID-19 maternity task force examined the best approach to authorizing and certifying additional dedicated birthing centers in an eﬀort to support pregnant people and reduce the patient load in stressed hospitals amid the ongoing pandemic. Also in 2020: Removal of guns from domestic abusers Elimination of genderbased (“Pink Tax”) pricing discrimination Legalization of gestational surrogacy Protection of family planning and reproductive

health services: New York launched an exclusively state-funded family planning program, necessary since Trump issued regulations that made New York ineligible for federal funding. Pay equity at state and local authorities Equitable distribution of assets on divorce proceedings: Judges must consider domestic violence and its impact in determining equitable distribution of marital property so victims can remain financially secure after leaving their abuser. I am wondering which politician, which elected oﬃcial anywhere in the country has accomplished as much for women’s rights or who will have the will or the skill after Cuomo. And if you are going to reach back 25 years to dredge up every inappropriate remark, gesture or slight, that should be taken into account as well. There also seems to be an ageism factor — Baby Boomer women seem much less upset by these allegations than younger, hypersensitive women who have grown up in a diﬀerent culture. Cuomo (and Biden) are part of that generation’s culture. The #MeToo movement, a power play of its own, has gone too far and given cover or created undue pressure on politicians. But if you take it to its logical end, a more successful man could never initiate a relationship with a woman of more modest means. Think about that and how it would perpetuate classism.

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AntiqueAssets.com

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CLEANING

PLACE YOUR AD

!"#$%&'($)"*+$,+"*-.-/

ADVERTISE WITH US!

Buying and Selling over 40 Years / Member New England Appraisers Association

You’re Just One Phone Call Away From a Clean Home or Office!! Thorough and Professional home and office cleaning at affordable rates. COMMERCIAL and RESIDENTIAL Customized Services • Excellent References Call for a free estimate

Anna Klimas 516-360-8340 Polish cleaning lady

4klimas@gmail.com

CONSTRUCTION

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COMPUTER REPAIR

!"#$%&'())*+&,-%./)(01-% • Screen Fix • Computer Repairs • Onsite Service • Tutoring • VHS to DVD

Chimneykinginc.com

To place your ad, call 516.307.1045 or fax 516.307.1046

DEMOLITION AND JUNK REMOVAL

HOME IMPROVEMENT

COMPLETE JUNK REMOVAL/DEMOLITION

Nehoc’s Organizing & Handyman Services INSURED

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516.472.0500

Call for Idea session or FREE ESTIMATE ANDREW COHEN 631-867-6557 nehoc23@gmail.com

www.ComputerRepairForce.com 33 Great Neck Rd. Ste. #5 2nd Floor, Great Neck Open 7 Days • Patient & Friendly

CUSTOM FRAMING

JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING Over 30 Years in Business We can frame anything! Specializing in: Kitchens • Bathrooms • Basements • Porches BCC$1-%.&D&E"%-#*1-%. Lic. #H18F0780000

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Quality Care & Workmanship Thousands of frames to choose from

516-775-9495 92 Covert Ave., Stewart Manor HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 @jacks_custom_framing jackmccullough@me.com

• We Remove Or Demo Anything & Everything • Entire contents of home and/or office • We clean it up and take it away Residential - Commercial Bonded Insured / Free Estimates

STRONG ARM CONTRACTING, INC.

516-538-1125

PLACE YOUR AD

ADVERTISE WITH US To advertise, call 516.307.1045 or fax 516.307.1046

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

BUYER’S GUIDE ▼ HOME IMPROVEMENT

15-YEAR RESIDENTIAL WARRANTY POLYUREA NOT EPOXY đ 4X STRONGER THAN EPOXY đ NO HOT TIRE PICK-UP! đ WON’T CHIP OR PEEL đ EASY TO CLEAN đ INDOOR/OUTDOOR

ONE DAY FLOORS đ GARAGE FLOORS đ LAUNDRY ROOMS đ PATIOS đ WALKWAYS đ RECREATION ROOMS đ BASEMENTS đ SERVICE AREAS đ OFFICES đ SCHOOLS đ SHOWROOMS đ RESTROOMS đ PRODUCTION AREAS đ VETERINARY CLINICS

516.676.8469 iPaintFloors.com CONCRETE COATINGS

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HOME IMPROVEMENT

ISA

Elegant Touch Remodeling

HOME IMPROVEMENT

FREE ESTIMATES LOU: 516 850-4886

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

DRIVEWAYS & PARKING LOTS RETAINING WALLS FOUNDATIONS DRYWELL WATER DRAINAGE WATER PROOFING

SIDEWALKS PATIOS / PAVERS BRICK / BLOCK BLUE STONE STEPS / STOOPS BELGIUM BLOCK CULTURED STONE

Contracting LLC

MASONRY • PAVING • CONCRETE

FULLY INSURED

LIC: #H2219010000

PAINTING

est. 1978

Interior and Exterior • Plaster/Spackle Light Carpentry • Decorative Moldings Power Washing www.MpaintingCo.com

516-328-7499 Licensed & Insured

WINDOW REPAIRS

631-385-7975

WINDOW REPAIRS & RESTORATIONS

Outdated Hardware • Skylights •Andersen Sashes • New Storm Windows • Wood Windows • Chain/Rope Repairs • Falling Windows • Fogged Panes • Mechanical Repairs • Wood Repairs

ALL BRANDS

WWW.SKYCLEARWINDOW.COM Call Mr. Fagan • 32 Years Experience Lic. # H080600000 Nassau

Deal direct with owner - Serving li over 25 years

• • • •

• Windows • Siding • Decks • Porticos • Baths • Basements • Carpentry Work

All Types of Home Improvements Free Estimates • Free design service extensions • Kitchens dormers • bathrooms decks • siding

631.281.7033

Free Estimates / 516-581-9146 Nass#HO444640000

HOME IMPROVMENT

JUNK REMOVAL

HOME IMPROVEMENT

AMBIANCE

ALL PHASES OF RUBBISH REMOVAL & DEMOLITION

LAMPS FIXED $ 65

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

• Kitchen Installations • Furniture Assembly • Finish Carpentry • Minor Electrical & Plumbing

In Home Service Handy Howard 646-996-7628

28 YEAR GC RESIDENT Lic & Ins H18E2170000

Call BOB 516-741-2154

• Residential • Commercial Construction Sites

Kitchens • Bathrooms Clean-Ups • Attics Basements Flood/Fire

516-541-1557 www.1866WEJUNKIT.com

PAINTING, POWERWASHING

N.Y.D.O.T.#10405

MOVING & STORAGE INC.

Long Island and New York State Specialists

• Residential • Commercial • Piano & Organ Experts • Boxes Available FREE ESTIMATES www.ajmoving.com

516-741-2657

114 Jericho Tpke. Mineola, NY 11501

Licence #H18H2680000

• Suff#HI-61446 • Insured

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• INTERIOR / EXTERIOR • B. Moore Paints • Power Washing • Dustless Sanding Vacuum System • Taping • Spackling • Plaster Removed • New Drywall

516-884-4016 Lic# H0454870000

TREE SERVICE

PAINTING & WALLPAPER

“Quality Construction with a Personal Touch”

• New Construction & Conversions • Dormers • Extensions • Mason Work • Stone • Kitchens

MOVING

MASONRY

516-385-3132 New Hyde Park

HOME IMPROVEMENT

ALL SIZE DUMPSTERS Same Day Service, Fully Insured Bob Cat Service

PLACE YOUR AD

ADVERTISE WITH US To advertise, call 516.307.1045 or fax 516.307.1046

WINDOW TREATMENTS

OLD VILLAGE TREE SERVICE 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE Owner Operated Since 1989 Licensed & Insured

FREE ESTIMATES

Member L.I. Arborist Assoc.

516-466-9220

*CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS TOP BRANDS AT DISCOUNT PRICES* WE BRING THE SHOWROOM TO YOU FREE CONSULTATION

516-426-2890

WWW.MADEINTHESHADENSLI.COM

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

nassau

32 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

COMMUNITY CLASSIFIEDS To advertise here call:516.307.1045

▼ EMPLOYMENT To Place Your Ad Call Phone:

516.307.1045 x 218

Fax:

516.307.1046

e-mail:

DFlynn@theislandnow.com

In Person:

22 Planting Field Road Roslyn Heights, NY 11577

We’re Open:

Mon–Thurs: 9am-5:30pm Fri: 9am-6pm

Deadlines

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

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

EMPLOYMENT

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Looking for an experienced and proactive Office Manager. Small busy and friendly office setting. Payroll, billing, contracts, travel arrangements. Experience a must along with clerical duties. Quick learner and self sufficient a plus. Keep office running smoothly. Williston Park location. Email resumes to: karol1022@htomail.com TEACHER ASSISTANTS Full & Part time. Will train a warm, loving person who loves children. Work in a Nursery School located in Roslyn. Part time hours can be 9am-2pm or 10am-2pm or 12noon6pm. Full time hours can be 8am5pm or 8:30am-5:30pm. All positions are Monday-Friday Please send email expressing interest to: dfgrowingtree@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED CAREGIVER AVAILABLE 24/7 Experienced caregiver available. Will also help with errands, bringing to doctor appts, housekeeping, light meals. Excellent references, licensed driver with own car. Call 631-838-9875

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NASSAU COUNTY NEEDS CERTIFIED HHA’S, COMPANIONS AND HOMEMAKERS. ★★★ HIRING IMMEDIATELY★★★

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“A Special thank you to all the Nurse Aides and all who Save Lives.”

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• Competitive Pay Rate • Flexible Scheduling • All Shifts & Locations available

718-850-3400

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Help Wanted $18.50 P/H NYC$16 P/H LI$13.50 P/H UPSTATE NY! If you need care from your relative, friend or neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as a personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA program. No Certificates needed. Phone: 347-713-3553

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PT ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: 4 DAYS PER WEEK Garden City General Business Law Firm seeks college-educated professional, reliable, proactive individual to work directly with Partner. Candidate must be able to perform a wide range of responsibilities, including but not limited to carrying out administrative duties, handling confidential information, maintaining computer and manual filing systems, drafting business letters, answering phones, communicating with clients and maintaining an organized, efficient working environment. MUST be proficient in all aspects of current law firm technology including OFFICE 365, EXCEL, OUTLOOK, and more. Job Type: Part Time FLEXIBLE Immediate Start Competitive Compensation Email resume to: p.t.assistant@gmail.com

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ASSISTANT PART TIME GARDEN CITY Garden City resident looking for someone to take them on errands, to supermarket, doctor appts, etc. Ideal for stay at home mom during school hours. Flexible times. References a must. Please call 516-741-4065 FOR FIVE COFFEE ROASTERS MANHASSET FULL TIMENIGHT TIME CAFE MANAGER NEEDED 292 Plandome Road, Manhasset, NY 11030. Please email to: info@ forfivecoffee.com

LIST YOUR JOB OPPORTUNITIY HERE. CALL NOW: 516.307.1045

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We will provide you the best caregivers in America. Filipino men and women. Kind, loving and caring at this very difficult time.

Call Gertrude

347–444–0960 LIST YOUR SITUATION WANTED CALL 516.307.1045

SITUATION WANTED COMPANION / CAREGIVER AVAILABLE Honest, Reliable, Friendly, Experienced Polish Woman is available for Companionship with Elderly. Housekeeping, laundry, meals, errands. Speaks English. Has own car. Call or text 516-589-5640

CAREER TRAINING COMPUTER & IT TRAINING program! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Now offering a $10,000 scholarship for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET) TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get trained, certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440 (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

MARKETPLACE PRIVACY HEDGES SPRING BLOW OUT SALE. 5’ Green Giant Arborvitae only $69 each. FREE installation/ FREE delivery. While supplies last! 518-536-1367 www.lowcosttreefarm. com

WANTED TO BUY LOOKING TO BUY! Estates, Oriental items, Gold, Silver, Costume Jewelry, Dishes, Flatware, Watches, Clothing, Old Photos, Coins, Stamps, Records, Toys, Action Figures, Comics, Art and Furniture. Immediate Cash Paid Call George 917-775-3048 or 718-386-1104 TOP CASH PAID: ESTATE CONTENTSALL OBJECTS OF ARTJEWELRY, ETC. Please call 718-598-3045 or 516-270-2128 www.antiqueassets.com

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TAG SALE

EVENTS

ESTATE SALE By Appointment Only Saturday & Sunday March 13 & March 14 10am4pm 47 Orchard Meadow Rd. East Williston, NY Lladros, Hummels, Tables, Chairs, Couches and Much More!!! FOR APPT ONLY CALL 516-978-4247

COVID-19 TESTING AVAILABLE COVID-19 PCR Nasal Swab and /or ANTIBODY testing Mon, Wed & Fri in Floral Park Doctor’s Office without wait or lines. Scheduled by appointment. 516-488-1414

MARKETPLACE A.T. STEWART EXCHANGE CONSIGNMENT SHOP 516-746-8900 Antiques-Furniture-Jewelry-SilverMirrors-Lamps-Artwork Come to Consign & Stay to Shop Visit.... Our Shop 109 Eleventh St. Garden City Tues-Fri 10-4 (Wed till 6) Saturday 12-4 Our Website tgchs.org Our Online Store stores.myresaleweb. com/at-stewart-exchange Items to Consign? Email photos (with sizing info) to: store@atstewartexchange. org All proceeds benefit The Garden City Historical Society Like us on Facebook & Instagram INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN is doing VIRTUAL TAG SALES and ONLINE AUCTIONS now! Sell the contents of an entire house or sell just a few things! You can host your own sale on invitedsales.com and Facebook and Instagram or we can do it for you. We can photograph, advertise and handle the winning pickups for you within a week! Don’t worry about your closing date, we can get your house ready on time! We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress. Contact info@invitedsales.com for more information or call 516-279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information. Visit us at www. invitedsales.com for a listing of our upcoming Virtual Tag Sales and Weekly Auctions! MOVING SALE!! MOVING SOON.... Items for sale include: Upright Piano, Lamps, Tables, Couches, Bed, Desk, Framed Pictures, Books and More. Call 516-416-8677 FOR SALE: Glass Top Dining Table w/6 Chairs & Serving Table Great Condition. Wing Back Chair End Tables Standing Mirror Storage Bench Antique Sewing Machine/Cabinet Writing Desk Wall Pictures. China/Glassware Various Household Items For Appointment Please Call: 516-775-3831 or 516-445-8086

GARDEN CITY INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN Monday, March 15, 2021 9:30 a.m. 5 St. Paul’s Crescent Garden City, NY 11530 Furniture, piano, costume jewelry, wall decor, books, records, outdoor furniture, tools, basement, garage and much more! Only 10 people will be let in the house at a time and sign in that morning. Please bring mask/gloves. Visit www.invitedsales.com for pictures & details!!

AUTOMOTIVE

JUNK CARS BOUGHT Auto Wrecking Frank & Sons

516-997-5736 ***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$ All Years /Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct Ca$h. DMV 10#1303199 Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS 516-297-2277

AUTOS WANTED Drive out Breast Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup 24hr response Tax deductionEasy to do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

VACATION RENTAL ATLANTIS, BAHAMAS TIME SHARE RENTAL July 3-10, 2021 Corner Premium 1BR Unit, Bldg 7 Sleeps 4 On the Atlantis Marina 7 nights, $2,000 Call: 516-742-3176 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of full/partial week rentals. FREE Color Brochure. Holiday Real Estate, Inc: 1-800-6382102. Online reservations: www. holidayoc.com $50 discountnew rentals Code “ToTheBeach2021” (Expires 2021-06-01)

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

▼ REAL ESTATE, SERVICE DIRECTORY VACATION RENTAL SOUTH JAMESPORT SUMMER RENTAL Newly Renovated On Peconic Bay, Sandy Beach 3 BR, 2 Bath, Sleeps 6 All Amenities Single Family No Pets, No Smoking $15,500/month + security Call/ Text 516-456-8808

REAL ESTATE WANTED

HOMES WANTED GARDEN CITY HOME WANTED Retired couple sold GC home. Seek to buy Ranch or Cape Cod home in Garden City. Can pay all cash. Close now Move at your convenience. Principals Only Call : 516-747-1024

SERVICE DIRECTORY

BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels! Free next day installation!CALL 888-508-5313

SERVICE DIRECTORY

JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING We can frame anything! Quality Care & Workmanship Thousands of frames to choose from!! Over 30 years in business! 92 Covert Ave, Stewart Manor 516-775-9495 ATTORNEY STEPHANIE A. D’ANGELO, ESQ. Elder Law, Wills & Trusts Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122 www.dangelolawassociates.com

HOME IMPROVEMENTS AMBIANCE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES *Handyman & Remodeling *Kitchen Installations *Furniture Assembly *Finish Carpentry *Minor Electrical & Plumbing 28 year GC Resident Lic & Ins H18E2170000 Call BOB 516-741-2154

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

FREE ESTIMATES Extensions, Kitchens, Baths, Basements, Carpentry Work, Porticos, Siding, Dormers, Stone, New Construction & Conversions, Mason Work, Stone. Insured. Please Call 516-581-9146

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

FRIENDLY FRANK HANDYMAN Careful & Reliable Covid-19 Conscious and Safe Serving GARDEN CITY and surrounding area since 2003 Repairs & Installations of all types Carpentry, Moldings, Lighting and More 35-yr Nassau Resident References Lic#170101 Phone/ Text Friendly Frank: 516-238-2112 Email: Frankcav@optonline.net KEVIN MURRAY CONSTRUCTION Specializing in Kitchens Bathrooms Basements Porches Additions Renovations Lic#H18F0780000 Office: 516-294-4953 Cell: 516-375-8143 LAMPS FIXED $65 In home service. Handy Howard. 646-996-7628

MASONRY All types of stonework Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps. Free Estimates Fully Licensed & Insured #H2219010000 Boceski Masonry Louie 516-850-4886 THE GENERAC PWRcell a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-888-871-0194

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*To qualify, consumers must request a quote, purchase, install and activate the generator with a participating dealer. Call for a full list of terms and conditions.

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

SERVICES Passion for Seniors. Certified HHAs, Companions & Homemakers. 24 hour care available. Also Nassau locations. Trained in Dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Call 718-850 -3400

CLEANING

HEALTH SERVICES

Deep Cleaning Experts Commercial and Residential Window, Gutters, Power Washing Call Richie 917-553-8008 Email: delgadothebestcleaning@gmail.com

CNA: MALE & FEMALE CAREGIVERS Will provide proof of negative COVID test. Exp w/Dementia, Alzheimers & Parkinson patients. Caring and dependable. Driver references available. Derrick 917-363-8924

SERVICES A & J MOVING & STORAGE: Established 1971. Long Island and New York State specialists. Residential, Commercial, Piano & Organ experts. Boxes available. Free estimates. www.ajmoving .com 516-741-2657 114 Jericho Tpk, Mineola NYDOT# 10405 DISH TV $59.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-800-609-9405 LEAK REPAIRS Plumbing Repairs Bathrooms, Showers, Kitchens 24 HOUR SERVICE Call 516-668-5624

ADD YOUR BUSINESS TO OUR DIRECTORY theislandnow.com/ business-and-servicedirectory/

FAMILY CARE CONNECTIONS, LLC Dr. Ann Marie D’Angelo PMHCNS-BC Doctor of Nursing Practice Advanced Practice Nurse Care Manager Assistance with Aging at Home/Care Coordintion Nursing Home & Assisted Living Placement PRI / Screens / Mini Mental Status Exams Medicaid Eligibility and Apllications 516-248-9323 www.familycareconnections.com 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530

TUTORING MATH TUTORING ON-LINE & F2F ALL MATH (Grade 4First Year College) ACT, SAT, AP, GRE All Placement Tests Very Experienced, specializing in all Private and Public schools, (Chaminade, Kellenberg, Sacred Heart, etc.) Good link with athletes. We offer Math tutoring from experienced and award-winning teachers at very reasonable rates. We offere a choice of on-line 30 minute “homework help” or 55 minute “test prep help”, limited face to face. (masks) Richard 516-567-1512 educationtimeincrgs@outlook.com

DENTAL Insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company.

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34 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

House passes $1.9 Boris Spodek, East trillion relief bill Hills resident, dies COMMUNITY NEWS

Continued from Page 8 receive stimulus checks. New standards for the checks cut oﬀ individuals who earn more than $80,000 a year and married couples earning more than $160,000, regardless of how many children they have. Those earning less than

$75,000 a year and married couples earning less than $150,000 will receive $1,400 per person, including for each child. According to C-SPAN commentary during the vote, President Joe Biden’s press secretary has said that he intends to sign the bill on Friday.

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Boris Spodek, at 88 years of age, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 16 in East Hills. A survivor of the Holocaust, Spodek and his family escaped from their home in Józefów, Poland when the Germans attacked in 1939. Staying intact as a family, they hid in the woods

and crossed into Russia where they stayed until the end of the war. After living in a displaced persons camp in Germany, Spodek and his family came to America in 1951 to start a new life. It was in New York where he met Rose, who was visiting from Cuba. Entranced by her, Boris went to Cuba to bring

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Sport Psychology Dr. Tom Ferraro

has specialized in sport psychology for 20 years and works in the fields of golf, tennis, soccer, baseball, football, wrestling, lacrosse, figure skating, gymnastics, softball, fencing and more. He has helped professional teams, Olympians and elite young athletes learn how to manage the intense pressure of competitive sports. He appears on both TV and radio and has sport psychology columns in 5 different newspapers and has been featured in The New York Times, Wall street Journal and the London Times. Golf Digest includes him in their list of top mental game gurus in America. For a consultation see below: Williston Park Professional Center 2 Hillside Ave, Suite E. Williston Park NY 11596

his love back to America, where they eventually wed on May 15, 1960. A devoted husband married to his wife Rose of 60 years, he went on to raise four daughters, all currently residing in the Long Island area. A talented master electrician, Boris was a 50-plus year member of IBEW Local 3, and created beautiful homes and infrastructure projects across the metropolitan area. Boris, a gentle giant, touched so many lives. He will be remembered for his strength, hard work, warmth, selflessness, dedication to family and friends, kindness, generosity, loyalty, and resilience. He will be missed dearly and his legacy will live on through his beloved family, including his 11 grandchildren. Submitted by family of Boris Spodek

Town celebrates women’s history The Town of North Hempstead will premiere a video celebrating the 2020 Women’s Roll of Honor recipients in recognition of Women’s History Month. Since 1994, North Hempstead has held the Women’s Roll of Honor to acknowledge distinguished women who reside in the Town and have contributed to their community, or who have accomplished a significant achievement through public or private eﬀorts in a volunteer capacity. The 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Town honored recipients in a safe socially distant manner. The program will premiere on Monday, March 1 at 4 p.m. and will continue airing throughout the month of March. In addition to appearing on the Town’s

social media channels, the program will be broadcast on the Town’s award-winning government access television station, North Hempstead TV throughout the month of March. Residents will be able to watch the programs on channel 18 or 63 on Cablevision and channel 46 on Verizon FIOS or by visiting: www.mynhtv.com. Nominations for the 2021 May W. Newburger Women’s Roll of Honor have been extended and will be accepted until Friday, March 12, 2021. Anyone interested in submitting a name for consideration can call North Hempstead’s 311 Call Center or logon to the Town’s website (www.northhempsteadny.gov/roll-of-honor) and download the application form.

(building parallel to E. Williston railroad station)

drtomferraro.com drtferraro@aol.com

(516) 248-7189

www.facebook.com/TheIslandNow

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

Growing calls for Cuomo to resign Continued from Page 6 to protect our most vulnerable residents.” The initial investigations conducted by James’ oﬃce indicated that a larger number of nursing home residents died from the coronavirus than reported by the state’s Department of Health. Based on a survey of 62 nursing homes that found the state undercounted the fatalities there by an average of 56 percent, the data could push the department’s original count of 8,711 coronavirus-related deaths in nursing homes to more than 13,000, according to the report. Investigations also showed that the lack of compliance in nursing homes with infection control protocols put residents at increased risk of harm, and facilities that had lower pre-pandemic staﬃng rating had higher coronavirus-related fatality rates. After the investigation’s preliminary findings were publicized, the state came out with new data that showed an additional 3,800 coronavirus-related deaths of nursing home residents had occurred in

hospitals. The situation escalated when DeRosa told state lawmakers in a private phone conversation that the state delayed providing oﬃcials with updated statistics after former President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice sent an inquiry regarding coronavirus-related deaths in nursing homes. “Basically we froze because then we were in a position where we weren’t sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice or what we give to you guys, what we start saying was going to be used against us,” DeRosa said on the call. DeRosa later clarified her quote to state legislators in a statement. “I was explaining that when we received the DOJ inquiry, we needed to temporarily set aside the Legislature’s request to deal with the federal request first,” she said. “We were comprehensive and transparent in our responses to the DOJ, and then had to immediately focus our resources on the second wave and vaccine rollout.” The findings by The Journal and The Times were the latest

blows to Cuomo’s credibility and popularity throughout the state. Three women, including a pair of Cuomo’s former aides, have accused the governor of sexual harassment or misconduct. The first allegation came from Lindsey Boylan, an employee of the state’s economic development agency beginning in 2015. Boylan said her first encounter with Cuomo occurred at Madison Square Garden to promote a Penn Station expansion project. Boylan said the next day her boss told her Cuomo had a crush on her, which she described as “an uncomfortable but all-too-familiar feeling.” Boylan went on to describe her complaints to friends about how Cuomo allegedly touched her lower back, arms and legs. Cuomo allegedly kissed Boylan on the lips in his Manhattan oﬃce in 2018, when she was promoted to deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser to Cuomo. After that, she said, her fears of going to work each day made her more and more nauseous, and other female senior advisers reportedly “grew hostile” after she be-

gan speaking up for herself. Boylan said she announced her resignation from the state government in an email to staﬀ members on Sept. 26, 2018. “There is a part of me that will never forgive myself for being a victim for so long, for trying to ignore behavior that I knew was wrong,” Boylan said. “The Governor exploited my weaknesses, my desire to do good work and to be respected. I was made to believe this was the world I needed to survive in.” Charlotte Bennett, a former executive assistant and health policy adviser in Cuomo’s administration, told The Times that the governor harassed her during the late spring of last year. The 25-year-old told the newspaper that in June, Cuomo asked her numerous questions regarding her personal life and if age played a role in romantic relationships, along with saying he was “open” to relationships with women in their 20s, around 40 years younger than him. “I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me, and felt horribly uncomfortable and scared,” Bennett told The Times.

“And was wondering how I was going to get out of it and assumed it was the end of my job.” Bennett, who was first hired by the state in 2019, left last fall, according to The Times. Cuomo’s oﬃce claimed Boylan’s accusations were untrue, but James has launched an investigation into the allegations. Cuomo said he expressed good-natured teasing toward his employees but never intended to cause any harm. “I now understand that my interactions may have been insensitive or too personal and that some of my comments, given my position, made others feel in ways I never intended,” Cuomo said. “To be clear I never inappropriately touched anybody and I never propositioned anybody and I never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but these are allegations that New Yorkers deserve answers to.” The third woman, Anna Rauch, said Cuomo made sexual advances during a 2019 wedding, according to multiple reports. The Times posted a picture of Cuomo grabbing Rauch’s face with both of his hands during the event.

Cuomo: Should he or shouldn’t he resign? Continued from Page 14 The report from James, a fellow Democrat, also cast a renewed light on a state directive that ordered nursing homes to accept and readmit patients who had tested positive for COVID-19. As we have said, Cuomo’s unwillingness to release the full data seems damning proof that the governor did make the wrong call. The New York Times added evidence of Cuomo stonewalling on nursing home deaths with a report Friday that his administration had rewritten a report to obscure the full extent of the nursing home deaths. It seems very likely that Cuomo’s actions resulted in the loss of some lives and wrong is wrong. But the loss of lives caused by Cuomo’s actions seems very small when compared with Donald Trump downplaying the coronavirus and leading a campaign against wearing masks and social distanc-

ing – a campaign many Republican governors are following to this day. So we believe the state Legislature’s vote to remove Cuomo’s emergency powers in responding to COVID is the right answer. And then there are the allegations of sexual harassment. They began in a Twitter post in December from Lindsey Boylan, a former economic development aide, who said Cuomo said to her “let’s play strip poker” while on a government aircraft and later claimed he kissed her on the lips in his Manhattan oﬃce. Boylan said she added details to her complaint after state Assemblyman Ron Kim, a Queens Democrat, accused Cuomo of bullying him, including a threat to “destroy” the lawmaker for criticizing the governor’s nursing home policies. Cuomo’s staﬀ called Boylan’s accounts “simply false.” Boylan’s complaint was fol-

lowed by Charlotte Bennett, another ex-aide in her 20s, who told The Times that Cuomo had asked her numerous questions about her sex life, including whether she thought age made a diﬀerence in romantic relationships. Bennett later said in a CBS interview that while working alone with Cuomo he told her he was lonely and looking for a girlfriend. The Times Monday then published an interview with Anna Ruch, who said Cuomo at a wedding touched her bare back, cupped her face with his hands and tried to kiss her unsolicited. She said she turned away and he kissed her on the cheek. Cuomo said he “never made advances” toward Bennett, that he meant to act as a mentor and he didn’t intend to act “in any way that was inappropriate.” On Wednesday, Cuomo apologized for his conduct but insisted

that he had never “touched anyone inappropriately.” “I understand I acted in a way that made some people feel uncomfortable and it was unintentional and I truly and deeply apologize,” he said. Then two additional accounts were published over the weekend by The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. James’ investigation of the allegations by Cuomo’s former aides continues. But we are now four years into the #MeToo Movement focused on men misusing positions of power to have sex with women, so it is hard to understand what Cuomo, a lawyer and former attorney general, would not understand about sexual harassment. This is especially true given Cuomo’s touting his sexual harassment policies that included a requirement that all private business-

es hold sexual harassment training. Cuomo has a strong record of accomplishment in New York, some of which we may owe to what the governor called his “aggressive” style in getting things done on behalf of the public and others call bullying. But bullying eventually carries a price and Cuomo has crossed bright red lines when it comes to sexual harassment and his withholding information if not actively obscuring data on nursing home deaths. Still, the majority of New York voters seem to have had it right in a Quinnipiac University poll published over the weekend that found 55 percent of voters polled said Cuomo should not resign. But 59 percent said they would not like to see him run for re-election in 2022. For the moment, that sounds about right.

A frightening search for lost memory Continued from Page 17 A few of my patients have relatives who are currently suﬀering with Alzheimer’s and I can see their anguish as they are faced with the grim truth that the person they once knew and loved seems to have vacated their bodies. What is helpful is to guide them to discuss their

feelings, to share the load with other family members and to make plans which include finances and nursing home admission. At the beginning and in the middle stages of this disease, there are things that one can do with the family member showing decline such as listening to old music with

them, doing some easy dancing and looking at old family albums. Body language is key so get down to eye level, keep the conversations simple and keep them active by helping them to stretch, walk more and engage in simple tasks around the house like dusting. These things serve to expend energy, so they sleep

better and wander less. We do not have a cure yet. but there are anti-depressants, anxiety control medication and sleep aides that help. A variety of measures reduce the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s including exercising regularly, eating fresh produce and a Mediterra-

nean diet, losing weight, not smoking, attending social events, reading, dancing, playing board games, making art, and playing an instrument. Alzheimer’s is a common problem as people age and I would recommend the things I outlined above and by all means go see “The Father.”

36 The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

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Donald Ashkenase dies N. Shore surpasses Continued from Page 2 Don Ashkenase has left everyone terribly saddened,” Berkowitz said. “Don had an incredibly analytical mind and could speak about the budget in a way that was way over most people’s heads, but above all, he had the biggest heart of anyone I know, and his number one priority was always the children. His kindness and generosity were legendary and he will be missed more than words can express, but his legacy will continue as we strive to live ‘meaningful’ lives.” “Great Neck represents the best of America by virtue of the diversity that exists in this community and we couldn’t be more fortunate,” Ashkenase said after being elected to his 13th term in 2018. “Don’s commitment to non-profit volunteerism and philanthropy was unmatched,” oﬃcials from the Greater New York Hospital Association said in a statement. “We extend

our heartfelt condolences to his wife Karen, his children Jeffrey, Andrew, Debbie and their spouses, and his many friends and colleagues.” According to a news release from Temple Israel, a private graveside funeral was held for Ashkenase on Wednesday. He is survived by his wife, Karen, his children Jeffrey, Andrew and Debbie, and their spouses Robin, Jana and Pedram, respectively. He was also an uncle to Elena and Fritz Tavarez as well as Emilio and Jessie Cintron, and was a grandfather of 12. Ahskenase’s term was set to expire on June 30, but school officials did not provide any immediate information regarding what will happen in the interim. “We are forever grateful for Mr. Ashkenase’s unparalleled service and leadership,” the statement from the school district said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Karen, and the ... families during this difficult time.”

20,000 virus cases

Continued from Page 13 Despite this, the village has seen one of the lowest four-month increases of any analyzed municipality, with fewer than 180 new confirmed cases since Nov. 1, according to county statistics. The village had just seven new cases over the past week. Roslyn Heights had 606 total cases as of Wednesday, and the Village of East Hills had 490. Manhasset, which has remained comparatively low since the beginning of the pandemic, had 1,494 cases, with nearly half coming from town-governed areas. It is the only analyzed area with fewer than 1,500 cases.

A total of 152,646 Nassau County residents had tested positive for the virus as of Wednesday, and 2,956 had died since the pandemic began. More than 440 Nassau residents remained hospitalized due to the virus, with 71 in intensive care units and 47 on ventilators, according to county figures. Throughout New York, more than 1.7 million people had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday, according to state figures. Of that total, 48,000 people had died. In New York City, 759,000 people had contracted the virus, and 29,911 had died.

The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS

Floral Park Board of Trustees March 2 report Department of Public Works – Deputy Mayor Fitzgerald Deputy Mayor Fitzgerald commented that he would like to report on a few quick things. Luckily, the last few weeks have been snowless. The Highway Department is out there filling potholes as a result of all the rain, snow and deicing. I would like to thank them for their hard work. In the next couple of weeks, Spring tree planting will begin so if anyone would like a tree, please call DPW to be placed on the list. The last item is an update on the Floral Park Boulevard road project. In the next two weeks, the drainage piece and then the concrete curb will be done. Hopefully, by mid-April paving will commence and we will wrap it up by the end of April, early May weather permitting. Thank you. Recreation Department — Trustee Pombonyo Our Session II Winter Recreation Programs are underway. Fifteen diﬀerent classes, oﬀered multiple times on our rec schedule, are available for seniors, adults and youth. This session, we have 350 participating in the various fitness, wellness, sports, crafts and environmental classes, so many that our Recreation Department and instructors agreed to add sections to accommodate all who are interested in spending their days and evenings at our rec center, park or Centennial Gardens. In other news, our Tiny Town playground is now open. After a lengthy snow and ice removal process, it’s playtime! Be sure to bring your 2020 pool pass or 2021 resident leisure pass to use at any of our recreation facilities. Village residents may obtain free leisure passes at the pool building or shelter house, on the Village website at fpvillage.org, or by calling 326-6336. Enjoy our Floral Park recreation activities throughout the winter and spring! Conservation Society — Trustee Pombonyo Congratulations to photographers Virginia Trinidad and Juliana Giani who won the Great Backyard Bird Count photo contest held on Valentine’s Day weekend! Virginia represented the 5 to 8 year old group and Juliana entered in the 9 to 13 year old group. Their beautiful photos of our Gardens birds, taken against the snowy backdrop, are posted on the Floral Park Centennial Gardens and Village of Floral Park Facebook pages and the fpvillage.org website Recreation/Centennial Gardens links. Both girls won Tulip Bake Shop gift certificates. With spring coming in eighteen days, the opening of Centennial Gardens will follow during the first full week of April. Stay tuned for details. Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce and Our Businesses — Trustee Pombonyo Work on the reconstruction of our Covert Avenue businesses, devastated by the September 27th fire, is continuing. On February 24th, Floral Park’s Architec-

tural Review Board (ARB) met with the public on zoom. At that meeting, the architect for the property owner of ten of the Covert Avenue businesses, displayed and described drawings of the proposed reconstruction which is very similar to the other businesses on the block. A one-story structure with similar architecture including the front decorative peaks, a partial brick facade, built on the same footprint was proposed. The ARB approved the proposal and oﬀered suggestions (such as varying the peak designs to add variety). Construction drawings for the structure, interior fixtures, utilities, code compliance, etc. will follow. Clean-up of the interior debris will resume when the snow and ice are cleared. The Building Department and DPW are looking into the possibility of other options to the chain-link fencing which now blocks the sidewalk, while providing for pedestrian safety. Inquiries to the Nassau County Department of Transportation, that has Covert Avenue jurisdiction and provided the Village of Floral Park with this original chain-link fencing plan, are now being made. Renee Marcus, Village Superintendent of Buildings, will continue to provide updates regarding the status of reconstruction and the construction fencing. These updates will be posted on the fpvillage. org website, and the Village and Hillcrest Civic Facebook pages. You may also call the Building Department at 516-326-6319 or email FPBuildings@fpvillage.org with specific questions or comments. And, most important, please continue to SHOP AND DINE LOCAL and patronize your favorite Floral Park and Stewart Manor businesses often! Floral Park Fire Department – Trustee Cheng The Fire Department has started their only fundraising campaign of the year. We all have seen their devotion, dedication and bravery throughout this past year. Whether it was answering calls for multiple fires or countless rescue calls during the pandemic, their commitment to service has not wavered. If you are financially able, please consider making a donation to our all-volunteer Fire Department. Third Track & LIRR – Trustee Cheng Bird netting is still scheduled to be installed underneath the newly modified Plainfield Avenue Bridge this month. Intermittent lane closures will be necessary to facilitate this work. Crews are continuing the process of testing the new Floral Park Station elevators to ensure complete functionality and that safety requirements are met. According to the LIRR Expansion Project website & 3TC, the elevators are still expected to be open for public use this winter. Of course, winter ends and Spring begins on March 20, so we will have to wait and see if that prediction comes true. I just hope they don’t mean the winter of 2021 that starts in December. The long awaited sound and retaining wall con-

struction behind the homes on Charles Street is still slated to begin this month. This work will be done from the railroad tracks and will occur on weekends. On the evening of March 19, 3TC is planning to transport a new substation through Floral Park via Tulip and Covert Avenues to New Hyde Park. Seven (7) wide load trucks will make their journey through the Village sometime between 8PM and midnight. The trucks will be escorted by NY State Police and augmented by our own Police Department. The caravan should only take about 15 minutes but we will see some parking on Tulip Avenue curtailed and several streets will be impacted. Library – Trustee Chiara The AARP Tax Assistance Program at our Library is now accepting appointments from our seniors. Following COVID-19 guidelines, the tax aid volunteers will have two brief, low contact meeting with the taxpayers to exchange documents and offer assistance with returns. Appointments will begin on March 9th and continue each Tuesday and Wednesday through April 14th. Residents must call the Library’s Reference Desk for information and to make appointments. Also, at the Library the St. Patrick’s Concert performed by Niamh Hyland will be held virtually on March 14th at 4pm. Patrons should call the Reference Desk to register or they can do so online. Our Library has and continues to do a fantastic job keeping connected to our community. It has been 4 years since Libraries have received additional funds from New York State. Now the Governor has proposed cutting Library Aid. Our Library is asking its patrons to go on the Library home page for a link to voice your support in opposition to these cuts. Any funds the Library receives helps to contribute to the excellent service and the variety of programs that are oﬀered here in the Village. Please consider showing your support to our Library by contacting your State Representatives and encourage them to continue funding to our library and not to make any cuts in this area. Police Department – Trustee Chiara Tomorrow evening, March 3, 2021 at 7pm we will have an open forum to discuss the Draft Documents on the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaboration which was mandated by Executive Order from the Governor. This document was created by a Village Committee that was formed to address this order. The committee consists of members of the Police Dept. Representatives of our Local Government, Religious, Business, and Community Leaders as well as Residents of the Village. The document describes the current policies and practices of our Police Dept. and how they meet the needs of our Village community. It was crafted using the guidelines provided by the State. It has been available online, and hard copies are also available at Village Hall, the Library, and at the Pool Building. A most important

part of this process is Community engagement. So, please consider either sending in comments, questions or recommendations via email at policereform@fpvillage. org and or coming to the forum to discuss the document. This is a great opportunity to learn about the Floral Park Police Dept. and how they protect and most importantly serve our community. The meeting will be held on zoom, and you can find the link on the home page of the Village website.Please make an eﬀort to attend or send comments on this document. We are eager to hear from our community and complete the process by submitting it the Village Board and sending it up to Albany by April 1, 2021. Mayor’s Report – M ayor Longobardi Mayor Longobardi reported that he would like to piggyback on Trustee Chiara’s praise for the Floral Park Police Department (FPPD) as it is designated one of the best police departments in the country. I would like to thank Trustee Chiara, as liaison to the Floral Park Police Department for leading the Community Police Advisory Committee (CPAC) in creating the Floral Park Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative draft report. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their time, energy, opinions, concerns and forward thinking on behalf of our Village. Trustee Frank Chiara did a fantastic job as chair of this committee in guiding and spearheading this process. I also wish to thank Police Commissioner Stephen G. McAllister, Lieutenant William Doherty and Lieutenant Thomas McCarthy for all of their work, not only in creating this document, but their dedication and diligence in maintaining and improving the best police force anywhere. This collaborative process will help us to design what the future of the FPPD could be and the final part of this process is to now seek input from all members of the community. Please review the draft report available on the Village website and email your comments to policereform@ fpvillage.org. The community meeting is scheduled for tomorrow evening, March 3rd via zoom. We welcome your participation and comments. The Village Election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 2021 from noon to 9PM. Please exercise your right to vote. It is soon time to enjoy Spring weather and I encourage all residents to drive slowly through the Village to provide for the safety of all drivers and pedestrians. There has been a recent increase in unnecessary motor vehicle accidents and please be considerate and drive slowly and safely. I would personally like to thank the Floral Park Police Department, Fire Department and Rescue Squad for responding to an emergency call from my family last evening. Our first responders including volunteers were there for us when we truly needed them and their training and experience was evident in their care for my family. Word cannot express the gratitude from the Longobardi family. Thank you.

38 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, March 12, 2021

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The Herald Courier, Friday, March 12, 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS

ATTORNEY William J. Corbett

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