Issuu

Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown

Friday, May 1, 2020

Vol. 69, No. 18

ROSLYN SCHOOL SCANDAL MINEOLA GROUP AIDS STATE ROLLS OUT FILM GETS HIGH GRADES HOSPITAL STAFF ANTIBODY TESTING PAGES 8

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COVID-19 blows hole in Nassau budget County ready for $261M deficit: Curran BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said she anticipates a budget deficit of $261 million this year.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced last week that county oﬃcials are anticipating a budget deficit of $261 million this year due to the coronavirus, according to a report from the county’s Office of Management and Budget. The county is expected to see a revenue loss of $319.4 million from its $3.55 billion budget this year, the report said. The shortfall is estimated at $261 million due to the county not filling 331 vacant positions that were initially funded in the 2020 budget.

“This is where fiscal discipline is actually on our side,” Curran said about the expected losses. “We can apply the savings we got from being fiscally disciplined last year towards this crisis.” Curran said one of the most significant revenue losses is from an anticipated $136.3 million decline of 10 percent in sales tax receipts. Sales tax receipts, according to Curran, account for more than 40 percent of the county’s revenue. “That 10 percent reduction will be painful — we will feel it,” she said. Continued on Page 29

No fast-track for Nassau reopening BY R OB E RT PELAEZ

ly as May 15, but Nassau County and its neighboring regions may have to wait longer due to variGov. Andrew Cuomo an- ous health indicators. The plan will most likely nounced a phased plan to reYork, since the outbreak downopen the state’s economy as ear- begin throughout upstate New state, which includes Nassau and Suﬀolk Counties, New York City, and Westchester, poses the most “complicated situation,” Cuomo said. “Multi-state coordination is vital there because

the New Jersey, Connecticut, New York City area is basically very intermixed,” Cuomo said. “People are coming and going, they live in one place, they work in the other place. That coordination is important.” Before implementing the plan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires the state and regional hospitalization rates to be in decline for

14 days, according to Cuomo. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said Tuesday that the county is nearing that mark and noted hospitalizations throughout Nassau have declined for the past 13 days. “That means we are one more day away from declining hospitalizations to check that very important box for CDC of Continued on Page 30

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The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

East Williston Board Madoff victims to of Ed lowers tax levy get $378M more Finalized budget accounts for COVID financial impact Efforts continue to recover $18 billion BY R O S E W E L D ON

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EAST WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

The East Williston School District passed their budget with consideration to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. BY E M M A J ON ES The East Williston School District Board of Education adopted a revised budget for the 2020–2021 academic year at a special meeting after factoring in the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the financial state of school districts across New York. The adopted budget allows the district to maintain current class sizes and programs while proceeding with year three of its strategic plan initiatives. The budget increase is 2.27 percent. The board originally presented a budget that included a 2.93 percent increase, amounting to $63.49 million. The board lowered the increase in the proposed tax levy at its April 20 meeting. The district typically receives almost $2 million in state aid, but anticipates receiving nearly

20 percent less this year, said Board President Mark Kamberg. “There is so much that is unknown in regards to what things are going to cost,” said Kamberg. “We don’t know what’s going on with state aid and we don’t know if we’ll have to spend our unspent budget dollars to cover state aid.” The board adjusted its proposed tax levy increase to ease the financial burden on residents. “No matter how you slice it, residents are paying the taxes, and we want to be mindful of that,” Kamberg said. The adopted budget includes a tax levy increase of 1.99 percent, which is well below the allowable tax levy increase under property tax cap law of 4.09 percent. The board initially recommended a tax levy increase of 3.24 percent. “We want to be extremely

mindful of these financial times that we’re in, and that’s why the board is focused right now on doing everything that we can to lower our levy dollars, the dollars that we collect to make the budget,” Kamberg stated. He added that it is important to budget wisely in anticipation of potential unforeseen costs in the fall. “There’s a lot of talk between superintendents in regards to what [learning is] going to look like next year — if we do go back to school [in the fall,” said Kamberg. “Does that mean you’re forced to have smaller class sizes? Does that mean you’re going to have a staggered schedule, where your student body is split in half, with some in the morning and some in the afternoon? We don’t know. Nobody knows, and the problem is we don’t know what our expenses are going to be next year as a result of that.”

More than $378 million will be further distributed to victims of former Roslyn resident Bernard Madoff ’s financial crimes, the Department of Justice has announced. Madoff, 81, who organized the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. financial history and lost $18 billion for investors in his Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities firm, has been held in a federal prison in Butler, N.C., since he pleaded guilty to 11 counts of financial crimes in 2009. The list of his wrongdoings included fraud, money laundering, perjury and theft. The federally run Madoff Victim Fund has began its fifth distribution of approximately $378.5 million in funds forfeited

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Victims of Bernard Madoff, who was behind the largest Ponzi scheme in American history, will see over $378 million distributed by the Department of Justice.

to the U.S. government in connection with Madoff ’s fraud scheme, bringing the total distributed to over $2.7 billion to nearly 38,000 victims worldwide, according to an April 20 statement from the Justice Department. The department said restitutions will be sent to more than 26,000 victims across the globe, bringing their total recovery to 73.65 percent, and will eventually return over $4 billion to victims as compensation for losses they suffered from the collapse of Madoff ’s firm. More than 65,000 petitions have been received from victims in 136 countries, it added. The distribution will not be the last of its kind, according to U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman of the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. “This office continues its efforts to seek justice for victims of history’s largest Ponzi scheme,” Berman said. “But our work is not yet finished, and this extraordinary level of recovery represents this office’s ongoing and tireless commitment to compensating the victims who suffered as a result of Madoff ’s heinous crimes.” In recent months, Madoff, who the Bureau of Prisons confirmed has 18 months to live, has sought a compassionate release from prison due to health issues. Madoff ’s sons, Andrew and Mark, who grew up in Roslyn, were involved in the firm and told the authorities about their father’s crimes in 2008. Both have since died: Andrew in 2014 due to mantle cell lymphoma and Mark in 2010 through suicide by hanging. Their mother Ruth has mostly stayed out of the public eye since her husband’s sentence began.

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WILLISTON TIMES (USPS#685-100) is published weekly by Blank Slate Media LLC, 25 Red Ground Road, Roslyn Heights, NY, 11577, (516) 307-1045. The entire contents of this publication are copyright 2020. All rights reserved. The newspaper will not be liable for errors appearing in any advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Periodicals postage paid at Williston Park, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Williston Times, C/O Blank Slate Media LLC, 25 Red Ground Road, Roslyn Heights, New York, 11577.

The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

Gillen blasts hires and raises amid crisis Former Hempstead Town Supervisor criticized board’s ‘gratuitous’ spending in op-ed BY E M M A J ON ES Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and the town board approved 30 new hires and pay raises in a public board meeting March 31, which has drawn sharp criticism from his predecessor.. Former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen wrote a letter to the editor published in The Island Now last week in which she accused Clavin and board members of “gift[ing] $770,000 in gratuitous promotions, raises and new jobs for party favorites” in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. “As unemployment in New York soars 360 percent and more than 10 million Americans are suddenly jobless with no income or health insurance, the last week of March was Christmastime in Hempstead,” she wrote. “As approximately 450,000 New Yorkers lined up for initial unemployment assistance, Clavin’s cronies, Hempstead GOP club leaders and their kids lined up at town hall to collect unbudgeted raises and promotions. This is not only morally repugnant, it is wildly irresponsible.” Among the promotions was the appointment of Antonio Fanizzi, previously highway maintenance crew chief, to the position of Department of Highways

Deputy Commissioner with a salary of $138,000. Stephen Brown, counsel to the receiver of taxes, got a pay increase to $96,580. The board increased the salary of Paula Gildersleeve, clerk in the Department of Human Resources, to $97,431. Chrisopher Maloney’s title was changed from “park supervisor II” to “park maintenance supervisor,” and he received a pay raise to $122,249. “The overriding consideration in Hempstead Town’s budgeting policies is efficiency and cost effectiveness,” Town of Hempstead spokesman Greg Blower told Blank Slate Media Tuesday. “When he took office, Supervisor Clavin cut $1 million from the supervisor’s payroll and instituted an early retirement program to ensure that the workforce is as lean and PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LEAGUE OF as efficient as possible. To date, these two initiatives have saved the Town over $4 WOMEN VOTERS million and will far outweigh the costs of the small number of replacement hires Hempstead Town Supervisor Don that may become necessary. Clavin and the town board approved “In fact,” he continued, “the administration has been proactive in not placing a series of new hires and salary new individuals, who have been the sub- raises in a meeting on March 31. ject of personnel actions, at this time.” Gillen commented in her letter that “There was no mention of how this no one raised an objection to the new might ultimately harm the unconnected hires and pay increases during the meet- rank-and-file. (The union had no objecing. tion; a leader got a raise!),” she said.

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Labor crew chief Eric Tomeo received a new title and a pay increase to $100,445. A second labor crew chief, Miguel Serrano, was promoted and granted a salary of $91,830. “There has been one exception to this policy due to a requirement of a pending union settlement,” Blower said. Gillen also criticized the board’s vote to reduce Hempstead’s fund balance, which she said is intended to reserve “rainy-day” monies, by more than 50 percent. “Years of Nassau GOP patronage and irresponsible hiring practices, aggravated further by last week’s largess, have created a financial structure where payroll and related costs exceed 60 percent of the town’s budget,” she said. “Couple this with the town’s debt burden, the new fund balance will not be suﬃcient to cover just two months of required payroll and debt service—not to mention utilities and other important expenses.” Blower said that the board will factor the evolving circumstances surrounding the coronavirus into its personnel decisions. “We are focused on community health while we look toward reopening more of our government’s services,” he said.

The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

Ronald McDonald House hits pause BY E M M A J ON ES The Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park, which has strived to provide support to sick or injured children and their families for the past 33 years, announced on Monday that it will temporarily halt in-person services due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Day after day over the last few weeks, I have witnessed the best of humankind — the courage of families with sick children facing yet another challenge; the generosity of volunteers and donors who gave to our meal programs; and the sheer love of the community who dropped off much-needed cleaning supplies so our staff could take care of our House that Love Built,” wrote CEO Matt Campo in an email statement on Monday. “With great sadness but even greater intent to better protect our families and the staff who have worked tirelessly since the pandemic hit, we made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the operations of our Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park,” he said.

The Ronald McDonald House has temporarily closed to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Pictured here, volunteers from Sperry Associates FCU prepared a meal for 85 families staying at the Ronald McDonald House last April. The Ronald McDonald House is the cornerstone program of RMHC New York Metro. Their mission is to “build a community of compassionate care by

creating and supporting programs that directly improve the health and wellbeing of sick children and their families,” their website states. Up until this

week, they have been able to continue providing services for over 30 families struggling to manage medical crises. Campo announced in an email on March 14 that RMH was halting some services in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including volunteer programs, meal and baking programs and family room programs. At the time, they were housing 42 families with children who were being treated nearby. Although RMH is temporarily closed, they will continue to support children undergoing treatment and their families, Campo said. They recently launched a virtual visit program so that patients can connect with their loved ones, and have delivered care packages to children in partnering hospitals. The Ronald McDonald House itself is being temporarily repurposed to provide housing for hospital workers. “This is one of my proudest moments during my tenure with RMHC as we applaud these heroes for sacrificing their own lives, day after day, for ours,” said Campo.

N. Shore senior a Mineola moms unite to finalist in science fair create PPE for workers BY R O S E W E L D ON A student at North Shore High School in Glen Head has been honored by the noted pharmaceutical company Regeneron as a finalist in its 2020 International Science and Engineering Fair. Senior Mary Sotiryadis of Glen Head spent her entire summer in a lab at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhat-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY MORDECHAI

North Shore High School senior Mary Sotiryadis, was named a finalist in the 2020 Regeneron ISEF compeititon.

tan, working on unraveling the role of blood components in patients suﬀering from chronic inflammation. By the end of the summer, Sotiryadis had discovered the major protein responsible for tissue damage during the inflammatory response. Her findings have the potential to lead toward major drug discoveries for disorders such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. In early April, Sotiryadis presented her project virtually in the New York State Science and Engineering Fair’s Biomedical Engineering and Heath Sciences category, and after making it through the first round, was invited to give her presentation before a panel of professional scientists who questioned her on the details of her research and its implications. Ultimately, the student’s work was named a top project in her category and earned her a spot in the international fair, sponsored by Regeneron. Molly Mordechai, North Shore High School’s instructor in science research classes, said she was “extremely proud” of the accomplishment. “[Sotiryadis] is an intelligent and hardworking student who truly deserves this recognition,” Mordechai said in a statement. “North Shore High School is very proud of Mary’s success and we are all very excited to see what is in store for her next.” Continued on Page 30

BY E M M A JONES A group of volunteers in Mineola is organizing the production and distribution of personal protective equipment for health-care and other essential workers on the

front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The group, Operation PPE Mineola, has so far distributed more than 2,900 pieces of PPE, including face masks, head bands, head covers, visors and elastic catchers. The group’s founder,

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDA RAMOS

Operation PPE Mineola has so far distributed more than 2,900 pieces of personal protective equipment.

Miriam Shelvin, came up with the idea in late March. Shelvin, a school nurse at Plainedge High School, initially consulted her friends Terry Galan and Michelle Resigno about the possibility of forming a volunteer group that would produce and distribute face masks. “I messaged Terry and Michelle because I was hearing from my friends on the front lines they were running out of PPE,” said Shelvin. “They were told they can use bandanas and cloth coverings. I thought maybe our drama mamas could come together and sew masks to help our local nurse moms at the very least.” Operation PPE Mineola had its first request for bouﬀant hair covers March 26. A day later they began developing ideas for making visors using report covers, foam and headbands. Continued on Page 30

The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

St. Aidan School: Thriving During COVID-19

St. Aidan School’s motto “Together in Learning, Together in Christ” means more today than ever. Having just completed week 6 of remote learning after closing on Friday, March 13th in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are adjusting to being together via distance learning, a new normal for everyone. It is incredible to see how this unprecedented situation which demands isolation and the learning of new technologies has brought our school community closer together.

Our administration and faculty were quick to prepare the students for the unknown as they organized supplies and sent home materials in preparation for what lay ahead. These educators did not miss a beat and had remote learning in place on Tuesday, March 17th. Since then, they have been connecting daily with their students keeping them immersed in learning, on track and engaged in the curriculum through Google classroom, Zoom and other personalized methods. Our families and students have also made a seamless transition to this challenge as many parents continue working from home and simultaneously assist their children with their schoolwork. Students receive instruction in the core subject areas as well as all their special subjects including Spanish, Art, Physical Education, Library, Music, Academic Intervention and Resource Room. The heart of St. Aidan School is our deep Catholic faith which continues to guide us and strengthen our school community throughout this crisis. Every morning at 8 AM, families receive an email from Principal Julie O’Connell which includes a video link for daily prayers offered by members of the faculty and students. Beginning each day with

Morning Prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance have provided a way for parents to keep the children’s faith formation consistent and bring a familiar touch of school into the home. St. Aidan School is blessed to have the support and guidance of our pastor, Fr. Adrian McHugh, who checks in regularly with students and families by participating in Zoom classes, sending YouTube videos and daily liturgies. We honor our essential workers through our Facebook page, thanking the many parents and alumni who are risking their lives to fight COVID-19 on the front lines. These heroes include nurses, doctors, police officers, firefighters, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, hospital technicians, food service workers and members of the armed forces. We are also circulating a Small Business & Services Directory which lists contact information for local businesses operating during the crisis. This will give all members of the St. Aidan School and parish family an opportunity to patronize these small businesses and offer financial support during this difficult time. We will continue to work together as a school and parish community to educate our children, support one another, and pray for the safety of all. We are committed to remain “Together in Learning, Together in Christ.”

ST. AIDAN SCHOOL 70 years of excellence in education

510/525 Willis Avenue Williston Park www.staidanschool.org 516-746-6585 ext. 202 or 302

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

Cuomo order allows pharmacies to test 5K locations around the state to help state increase number of coronavirus exams daily BY R OB E RT PELAEZ CUOMO ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER FOR PHARMACEUTICAL TESTING Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order Saturday that permits pharmacists to conduct diagnostic testing for the coronavirus. The executive order will allow a network of more than 5,000 pharmacists throughout the state to be used as testing locations. Cuomo said this action will also enable the state to build a collection network to meet laboratory testing capacity and increase overall testing. “As we’re increasing the capacity of the labs… now we need more collection mechanisms or more places to collect the testing data so they can send it to the labs,” Cuomo said. “We’re going to authorize all the independent pharmacists in the state to be collection sites for testing.” Some of the larger, national pharmacist chains throughout the state have already been conducting diagnostic tests. Cuomo said his “educated guess” was that independent pharmacists would comply to be a diagnostic testing facility.

CHART BY ROBERT PELAEZ

A total of 3,566 North Shore residents had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Monday, according to figures provided by the Nassau County Department of Health. “If your local drugstore could become a testing site, you could go to your drugstore and get tested that would quickly ramp up our testing capacity,” Cuomo said. The state as of Saturday was conducting an average of 20,000 diagnostic and antibody tests per day, he said. After meeting with the

federal government earlier in the day, Cuomo said oﬃcials hope to increase the testing number to 40,000 tests per day. “I hope the federal government and the other governors follow that template because it’s a template that makes sense,” Cuomo said. Cuomo spoke on the division of

responsibility between the federal and state governments, and how it is being utilized in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. “Basically the states take responsibility for the labs in their state and getting those labs functioning,” Cuomo said. “We regulate those labs and the federal government

will take on the responsibility of making sure the national manufacturers have the tests, the reagents, the vials, the swabs, all the equipment the manufacturers need to send to our labs.” Cuomo said New York is conducting the most tests per capita in the world. “We know that testing is a key component of reopening the economy and getting to a new normal, and New York state is already doing more tests per capita than any state or country,” Cuomo said. After outlining the executive order during his Saturday briefing, Cuomo announced the expansion of testing criteria throughout the state. The expanded criteria will enable first responders and healthcare workers to be tested, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not. “Since we now have more collection sites, more testing capacity, we can open up the eligibility for those tests,” Cuomo said. “First responders, healthcare workers, and essential employees have been carrying the load and have been subjected to the public all during this crisis.” Continued on Page 38

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

“Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi ... Fighting for New York in Washington” —NY-1, April 20, 2020 I have been fighting hard for New York and, along with my colleagues, I’ve helped deliver aid and PPE’s to local hospitals and frontline workers, and helped secure billions of dollars for individuals, small businesses, testing and research. I will continue to fight: ! To make banks help smaller-small businesses, not just big-small businesses ! For more funding for New York State, local governments and hospitals based upon rate of infection ! To dramatically increase testing and contact tracing so we can re-open our economy ! For massive infrastructure investment targeted to Nassau, Suffolk and Queens ! To repeal the state and local tax (SALT) cap

SuozziForCongress.com

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

‘Bad Education’ earns high marks Former superintendent criticized new movie about Roslyn schools’ 2004 embezzlement scandal BY R O S E W E L D ON

“Bad Education,” the film about the Roslyn School District’s 2004 embezzlement scandal, may have received acclaim on its April 25 premiere, but its harshest criticisms come from the film’s subject, former Roslyn Superintendent Frank Tassone, over his portrayal in the script. The film stars Hugh Jackman as Tassone, who during his 12-year term was found guilty of embezzling $11.2 million of the Roslyn district’s money with his colleagues, including then-Assistant Superintendent for Business Pamela Gluckin, played in the movie by Allison Janney. “Bad Education,” which was written and co-produced by Roslyn alumnus Mike Makowsky, had earned a positive reception from critics even before cable network HBO bought it in a landmark deal at the Toronto International Film Festival late last year. David Ehrlich of Indiewire praised the film at its TIFF premiere, dubbing it a “diabolically smart American crime story” and calling Jackman’s portrayal of Tassone “brilliant.” Closer to the film’s setting, Newsday’s Rafer Guzman gave the movie three out of four stars.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HBO AND WIKICELEB

Hugh Jackman, left, as former Roslyn Superintendent Frank Tassone in “Bad Education,” and the real Tassone, right, in an undated photo. “If you remember this scandal, or if you feel a little twinge of schadenfreude when any privileged community gets egg on its face, you’ll find much to savor in ‘Bad Education,'” Guzman wrote. “Though not the searing social critique it might have been, it’s a smart, sharp drama set against a Venn diagram of wealth, education and corruption — all hot-button issues of the moment, especially in the wake of the Huﬀman-

Loughlin college admissions scandal. For Long Islanders, in particular, this is a must-watch.” Film review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a “Certified Fresh” rating, with 93 percent of critics reviewing it positively. Tassone had pleaded guilty to firstand second-degree grand larceny, was sentenced in 2006 to four to 12 years in prison, and was given an early release

in 2010. As recently as last year, he received a six-figure pension, as he did in prison. He was highly regarded as the superintendent of the Roslyn school district, ranked No. 4 in the country and known for sending many graduates to Ivy League schools. In a phone call Tuesday night, Tassone referred to statements he made in his appearances on the April 21 and April 28 episodes of the Coach Mike podcast, hosted by author Mike Bayer. The latter episode had Tassone discussing the film itself. Tassone told Bayer that he “couldn’t sleep” the night after he watched the premiere on HBO and described it as a “diﬃcult” journey. “For it to come all back 20 years later, it brought back feelings that were hurtful and that were warranted in many respects, so it was a challenging time to watch the movie,” Tassone said on the podcast. The former superintendent did say that some scenes in the film were “true and good,” including meeting with younger students for feedback, going to national conferences and being “positive with all the parents and all the students.” Continued on Page 31

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

Herricks High ranked No. 46 in New York BY R O S E W E L D ON Schools from districts in Great Neck, Port Washington, Manhasset, Roslyn and Herricks have been named among the top 100 high schools in New York, according to a new list from US News & World Report. The list’s highest-placing North Shore school was Manhasset Secondary School at No. 23, followed by Great Neck South High School in Lake Success at No. 26. Great Neck is the most represented North Shore area on the list, with two of the district’s nine schools scoring spots. The rankings are determined through categories such as college readiness as exemplified by Advanced Placement exams, math and reading scores on state assessments, college curriculum breadth and graduation rate. Topping the list is Townsend Harris High School, a public magnet high school for the humanities in Flushing, Queens. These were the North Shore schools listed: 23. Manhasset Secondary School — Manhasset school district 26. Great Neck South High School, Lake Success — Great Neck school district

38. North Shore Senior High School, Glen Head — North Shore School District 42. Roslyn High School — Roslyn school district 46. Herricks High School, New Hyde Park — Herricks school district 60. Great Neck North High School — Great Neck school district 64. Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School, Port Washington — Port Washington school district

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MANHASSET SCHOOL DISTRICT

Manhasset Secondary School ranks the highest of any North Shore school on US News & World Report’s list of New York’s top 100 high schools.

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10 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

Minority communities hit hardest Hempstead, Freeport and Elmont lead Nassau County in reported coronavirus cases BY E M M A JONES

The racial segregation of Nassau County communities is reflected in coronavirus statistics, experts say. “We’re talking about systems of oppression that have been in place forever, and they’re huge, they’re at every single crossroads, in every sphere of society,” Susan Gottehrer, director of the Nassau County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, told Blank Slate Media. “Barriers are set up everywhere. The COVID response is mirroring those barriers, and we need to call attention to them, and we need to teach people what they are, and we need to change them.” County Executive Laura Curran has said that Hempstead and Freeport are the hardest hit communities. Curran’s oﬃce reported last Friday that it does not yet have data on the ethnicities of those who have been tested.

The social conditions of minority communities in Nassau County make residents more vulnerable to coronavirus, experts say. “If you look at the number of positive cases, for example, even though the data are not presented by race or ethnicity, we know that the biggest numbers of positive cases are in Hempstead, Freeport, and Elmont, which because of the racial residential segregation in Nassau County are majority minority communities,” said Martine Hackett, associate professor in the master of Public Health and Community Health programs at Hofstra University.

In the Village of Hempstead, which had 1,734 positive cases as of Tuesday (31 cases per 1,000 residents), 95 percent of the population is either black or Hispanic, according to 2018 census data. Bordering villages have had lower numbers of positive cases: in Garden City, for example, where 92 percent of residents are white, there are currently 199 cases, or eight cases per 1,000 residents. “The main factor that contributes to why minor-

ity communities are disproportionately aﬀected is the history of the treatment of minorities in Nassau County,” said Hackett. “Nassau County was created as a racially residentially segregated area.” When Levittown was built over 70 years ago, for example, only caucasians could purchase a home there, Hackett explained. “There are pretty clear dots that you can connect between racial residential segregation and the housing that is associated with that, jobs, education, and how those social factors influence the health outcomes of the people who live within those communities,” she said. The majority of essential workers in Nassau County are people of color, Hackett noted. “The first piece would be to acknowledge this in a way that is meaningful on the same level that we acknowledge nurses and physicians that are working within the hospital system. The second

way would be. . .really to just talk to them. Do they have what they need? How are they able to get to their jobs? Are they able to protect themselves? What else do they need?” The ACLU’s Gottehrer said, “We need to make sure that we are valuing the work of people in these jobs. We need to make sure they have access to paid sick leave so that they don’t choose to go to work out of financial necessity.” Hackett emphasized it was important to ask essential workers what they need in order to protect themselves from the virus. Gottehrer explained that beyond employment, social factors that aﬀect health include housing and transportation. In lower-income communities that have significant minority populations, living spaces are often smaller and closer together, which makes social distancing diﬃcult. In many cases, residents do not own cars, and therefore have

to ride public transportation and put themselves at greater risk of infection. Hackett also stressed that social conditions shape the health conditions that disproportionately aﬀect black people, such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and asthma. “The evidence is pretty clear that the presence of those diseases are influenced by what surrounds you,” Hackett said. “There’s a phrase, ‘Your zip code matters more than your genetic code.’ There’s a lot of research that recognizes the influence that zip code has on health outcomes more than just individual behaviors.” Both Hackett and Gottehrer said the first step to slow the spread in minority communities is to make the public aware of the inequities of the virus’ spread and fatality rate. “[I]f we don’t know that this is an issue, then we won’t be able to address it,” said Hackett. “I think that even Continued on Page 38

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

To those who run toward the danger so we can stay safe. Thank you. Help support our #HealthcareHeroes at Northwell.edu/Heroes

12 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

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The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

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14 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

Opinion

OUR VIEWS

Slow and steady reopening needed

he reasons cited by demonstrators in Albany last week calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to immediately lift stay-at-home restrictions issued to combat the coronavirus pandemic are real. They have lost jobs and need to pay bills. And help has been slow in coming from an overwhelmed state Labor Department charged with processing unemployment claims. The same can be said for business owners who face lost revenue and even potential ruin. The plight of small business owners has been made worse by the federal government’s bungled rollout of programs intended to help them and banks’ favoring their large customers. The economic shock of the coronavirus and the Trump Administration’s incompetent response has been staggering. More than 26 million people have been forced to file for unemployment in recent weeks. Economic activity has tumbled. Notwithstanding this agony, now is not the time to forget the painful lessons learned over the last few months and move too quickly in lifting the restrictions that have helped reduce the spread of the virus. It may feel like it was years ago, but the first reported case of COVID-19 in New York state was March 1 and the first death occurred March 17 — less than two months ago. Since then a reported 292,000 people have been infected in New York state and at least 17,303 have died. Nassau Health Commissioner Lawrence Eisenstein recently warned that opening the county prematurely could lead to a spike in new cases and, in turn, risk over-

whelming the hospitals. Again. “We need to get our economy, especially our small businesses, up and running and get everyone back to work, but we have to do it safely,” Eisenstein said. Cuomo has wisely mapped out a measured, phased plan to ease restrictions in conjunction with neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut, based on guidance from the CDC beginning May 15. The first phase would be to reopen low-risk construction and manufacturing businesses in parts of the state that have experienced a 14-day decline in the COVID-19 hospitalization rate. The second phase would be to open certain industries based on priority and risk level, with priority given to businesses that are considered “more essential” and with inherent low risks of infection for workers and customers. The reopening plan is expected to start in Upstate New York. County Executive Laura Curran said Monday that Nassau was “within striking distance” based on positive hospitalization trends. But hospitalization trends are not the only metric needed for a reopening and Cuomo has said he will take a regional approach that will include Nassau with Suﬀolk and New York City. On Tuesday, for the 12th straight day, Nassau saw a decline in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations to 1,462, a 40 percent drop since the county’s high watermark and 1,000 less than just two weeks ago. But this downturn took place under the stay-at-home restrictions. What happens when the restrictions are lifted? Cuomo’s plan wisely calls for a two-week waiting period between the first two phases to give time to

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monitor the eﬀect. An antibody survey recently completed by the state showed that 14.4 percent of the population of Long Island had been infected by coronavirus. Even assuming that all those infected are now immune — something strongly believed but not yet proved — that means 85 percent of the population is still susceptible. The spread of the virus can be contained by social distancing — staying six feet apart — and the wearing of masks and gloves. A study released this week showed that wearing masks can significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus. But state oﬃcials say the real keys to taming the coronavirus outbreak and safely lifting stay-athome restrictions are wide-scale testing for the infection, tracing and then isolating those found infected. Otherwise we are flying blind. This was the original sin of the Trump Administration — failing to mobilize an aggressive testing program early before the coronavirus spread while downplaying its danger. And it’s a sin that continues to this day. Epidemiologists say that if the U.S. shutdown had taken place two weeks earlier, 90 percent of the deaths would have been pre-

vented as well as the collapse of the economy. Cuomo, like other governors filling the leadership void left by the federal government’s abdication of responsibility, announced last week that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will recruit and train a medical “tracing army” to slow the spread of the disease. The tracers would seek to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus and support them while they isolate. The state has been testing about 20,000 people daily at hospitals, drive-thru testing centers and other venues. Cuomo said he would like the testing to be increased to 40,000 a day by mid-May. Even that, according to many scientists, is far less than is needed. Cuomo took a large step toward his goal of 40,000 tests when he reached an agreement with President Trump last week under which the federal government will coordinate the supply chain of testing materials and the state will focus on having laboratories conduct the tests. This was a major breakthrough for the state and, perhaps, the country since the Trump Administration has resisted taking responsibility for the supply chain of materials needed to conduct testing such as swabs,

REPORTERS Rose Weldon, Robert Pelaez, Emma Jones

vials, and chemical reagents. Cuomo then announced Saturday he was signing an executive order authorizing all of the state’s roughly 5,000 pharmacies to conduct coronavirus tests as a part of an eﬀort to reach a larger number of people. “If your local drugstore can now become a collection site, people can go to their local drugstore,” Cuomo said. “Since we now have more collection sites, more testing capacity, we can open up the eligibility for those tests.” Cuomo also said the state would expand testing criteria to include all first responders, healthcare workers and essential employees, allowing those individuals to be tested even if they do not have symptoms. That still leaves out a lot of people. And it will be those people who truly determine how quickly the economy can really get moving. Recent polls show that 80 percent or more of the public supports stay-at-home measures that include keeping schools closed. And if people do not feel safe, it will not matter what the government policy is: They won’t shop or return to the oﬃce. Hopefully, a slow and steady approach will persuade them. And saves lives in the process.

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

KREMER’S CORNER

Cuomo is king of the hill

e are living in turbulent times and pay little attention to the unseen trends in the political world. But while we weren’t looking, Andrew Cuomo has become the most powerful New York governor in the past 75 years. Is that a problem? No. it’s just a fact of life that will impact on the state’s operations for many years to come. The last governor who was able to use his powers freely was Nelson Rockefeller. During his tenure, his power was not in the law books. It was based on his strong support from the Legislature because of his close relationships with the leadership. Even though he was a staunch Republican, the thenDemocratic Speaker Anthony Travia, delivered anything Rockefeller wanted. The current accumulation of strong governmental power by Gov. Cuomo didn’t happen overnight. Most of it goes back to the time when George Pataki

was governor. At that time, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver didn’t like the Pataki budget and decided to challenge his power. Once upon a time the state budget could be late and be passed after April 1. So the legislature had its traditional powers. The Silver challenge to Pataki resulted in a court decision that basically said that if no legislative budget was adopted by April 1, the governor would be able to propose his own budget and the legislature couldn’t amend or modify it. That basically castrated the legislature’s powers once April 1 came and went. In short, the legislators lost all power if the budget was late. A few years later, under Gov. David Paterson, the legislature again challenged the governor’s budget powers and lost their battle. Those cases helped cement the powers that Andrew Cuomo now enjoys. For all of my years in Albany, the adopted state budget was a

JERRY KREMER Kremer’s Corner

numbers document. It provided funds for all of the state agencies and there were no non-fiscal issues in the document. But Andrew Cuomo was a well-schooled student of state aﬀairs dating back to the days when his father, Mario Cuomo, was governor. Young Andrew Cuomo paid great attention to the budget process and the skirmishes that his father had with legislative leaders. Once Andrew became gov-

ernor, he started testing the legislature by adding items to the budget that had nothing to do with budget numbers. He would insert such proposals as the legalization of marijuana and ethics proposals that unsettled the legislative leaders. A number of those ideas fell by the wayside, but quite a few passed because when the legislature votes on the budget it is all or nothing. As a current example, the recently passed state budget made major reforms to the state’s bail laws. After bail reform was passed, there was a loud outcry from law enforcement that the 2019 law was too lenient and alleged oﬀenders of serious crimes were getting out of jail with no bail. Much to the displeasure of some Assembly members, the budget was adopted. Legalization of pot was also in the proposed budget but the virus attack sidelined that issue for another day. The extraordinary powers of

Mr. Cuomo have been cemented by the current battle with the coronavirus. State revenues are plunging and that throws the state’s budget into a free fall. With dramatic drops in sales and income taxes, the budget is no longer a one-year document. Under the budget adopted a few weeks ago, the governor now has the power to make major cuts in programs after a periodic review. Absent some fresh federal dollars, big cuts are coming and only the governor can make them. Gov. Cuomo has a few years left in his current term and no doubt will seek re-election and have no problem winning. So for the next six-plus years, he will be able to freely exercise every power given him under the state’s constitution and will benefit greatly from all of the diﬀerent powers that he inherited. To paraphrase Willie Nelson’s well-known song, Andrew Cuomo is the king of the hill.

A LOOK ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

What if you had all the time in the world?

ow many things have you ever said you would do when you had enough time? “I’m going to organize and label all the family photos.” “I’m going to memorize all of the Periodic Table of Elements.” “I’m going to finally finish reading Beowulf…The Canterbury Tales…The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.” But now that we have nothing but time, how’s that going? Or, as a friend of mine put it the other day, “How’s your little Shakespeare project coming along?” “Um,” I replied. “I did get started, but I got stuck.” “Stuck?” “Well, there was this line in the middle of the first play I read, The Tempest: ‘Blow, winds and crack your cheeks…’. It reminded me of John Mortimer’s stories about ‘Rumpole of the Bailey’ which, I realized, are really a lot more fun to read. So I switched over to them, instead.” It turns out that I probably learned more Shakespeare from Rumpole than I ever did

from my high school English classes. He quotes a lot of it, in the course of defending London’s accused at The Old Bailey, London’s criminal court. It was also Rumpole who formulated the phrase “She Who Must Be Obeyed” for Hilda, his wife, with whom he lives in more or less perpetual truce. Rumpole is obese; he is probably an alcoholic; and he is the sort of elderly gent who is likely to have crumbs or cigar ash somewhere on his rumpled waistcoat. But he lives to do ferocious battle on behalf of London’s underdogs…and watching him work, in these stories, is always a treat. “But why mystery stories, Judy? Why not, at least, some higher literature?” If you’re looking for literature, you can’t do better than Dorothy Sayers, who wrote about the exploits of Lord Peter Wimsey and the mystery novelist he falls for, Harriet Vane. Sayers’ language, and scenes of Britain between World Wars, could not be topped until she left the field altogether, choosing to write Christian theologi-

JUDY EPSTEIN

A Look on the Lighter Side cal texts, instead. I’m not sure why I gravitate to detective stories. Perhaps it’s because at least they have solutions — unlike everything else we are dealing with these days. I especially like the kind that are known somewhat disparagingly as “cozies.” There is nothing wrong with feeling cozy! Indeed, it’s like reunion week when I read an Agatha Christie mystery. Luckily, there are so many to choose from! (And for the record, I have suc-

cumbed to the convenience of getting a book on my computer or phone, when I don’t have it already on my bookshelf.) I especially enjoy the tales where Christie’s amateur sleuth, Miss Marple, puts all the professionals to shame. How does she do it? Her grown nephew thinks it’s because “Aunt Jane’s mind is like a sink” — meaning, she expects the worst of people. She is rarely disappointed. Margery Allingham is another favorite of mine. Her main character, Albert Campion, is also rumored to have some royal connection, and might also be some kind of spy — but mostly he solves murders in 1930’s England. One of my favorite Allingham novels is “Traitor’s Purse,” which is set in 1939 with the threat of Nazi invasion looming large over the story. It comforted me to read, and reread, this story in the days after 9/11. Josephine Tey’s “The Daughter of Time,” remains a brilliant re-examination of England’s much-maligned King Richard III. Her other works are just as good; I like them for the

depth of character and interesting scenes as much as for the clever plots. These have just the right ratio of mayhem-to-comfort for me. I keep a stack of them on my bedside table because “bedtime reading” is the highest grade I give out. I once got a valuable tip from someone I met at a writers’ conference. “The best book for bedtime reading,” she told me, “is one you have read already. That way, suspense about the ending won’t be keeping you up.” “But that’s not all,” she said. “It also must be suﬃciently engaging, with great characters or setting — or else so well written — that you enjoy re-reading it for its own sake.” In other words, you’re in it more for the journey than the destination. That way, wherever you are when you fall asleep holding the book, it’s all good. It’s like falling asleep in the company of trusted friends. Whatever fits that bill for you: Sweet dreams!

16 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

E A R T H M AT T E R S

Tending our gardens for the sake of the bees

e celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day last week. It was not the boisterous outdoor aﬀair many people wanted. People stayed inside and participated in a wide range of activities digitally. And many took steps to improve their relationship to the natural world. Good for you if you are planning a garden, starting a compost pile, and changing daily practices to reduce waste (like using cloth napkins instead of paper), and for everything else we all are doing to protect and preserve our natural resources. As the days get warmer and more and more people turn their attention outdoors and to yard care, I encourage everyone to take steps to protect our water, land, health and environment. That is, to stop using neonicotinoids and take steps to support legislation banning the use of these insecticides in this country. Neonicotinoids are a systemic agricultural insecticide resembling nicotine. They are widely used in agricultural and residential environments because of their ability to target several pests. But this comes at a tremendous cost. Neonicotinoids persist in the soil, leach into the environment,

are highly water-soluble and pose a grave threat to the health and survivability of non-target organisms such as pollinators. Neonicotinoids are dangerous to pollinators because when applied directly to seeds (an option making this insecticide more desirable than ones that are sprayed on plants), the chemicals are taken up by all parts of the plant as it grows. When pollinators contact the pollen and nectar of the plant, they also consume the insecticide. The consequences for pollinators like wild bees, bumblebees and honeybees include increased mortality, impaired learning and memory, impaired/ altered foraging, reduced colony growth, reduced honey production, reduced feeding and increased infection. But it’s not just bees that are impacted. Butterflies, mayflies, dragonflies, amphipods, waterborn insects and insect invertebrates like earthworms are also disappearing because of neonicotinoids. A decline in populations of pollinators threatens the existence of many crops people are dependent on for food and income. Crops like coﬀee, apples, almonds, tomatoes and cocoa are just a few reliant on pollination.

LYNN CAPUANO Earth Matters According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations pollinators aﬀect 35 percent of the world’s crop production. Two-thirds of the crop plants providing the world with food rely on pollination which not only enables the production of the food but also impacts the variety and quality of the food. Additionally, pollinators increase the output of 87 of the leading food crops worldwide, plus many plant-derived medicines. However, it’s not just pollinators threatened by the widespread use of neonicotinoids. Last fall the National Geographic reported a likely global impact on aquatic systems. A study in Japan comparing

data from a lake from a decade prior to the use of neonicotinoids and a decade after the use of neonicotinoids showed that the insecticide seeps into aquatic ecosystems and disrupts fisheries, resulting in a reduction in their output. Specifically, the population of tiny organisms at the bottom of the food web declined by 83 percent in the 12 years following the introduction of neonicotinoids. Consequently, populations of larger species like smelt and eel, reliant on the tiny organisms for food, collapsed. The insecticide enters waterways through runoﬀ and contaminates lakes and streams around the world impacting aquatic life and drinking water. A Fish and Wildlife Service study of New York and Pennsylvania waters showed levels of neonicotinoids in aquatic invertebrates at levels in excess of at least one toxicity benchmark for aquatic invertebrates. More research is being done to determine the consequence of these levels. Other studies show migrating songbirds and white-tailed deer are harmed by neonicotinoid use with weight loss and birth defects respectively. Flowers and grass neighboring plants

treated with the insecticide show levels sometimes higher than the plants where it was applied. The European Union banned the use of neonicotinoids in 2018 following the 2013 suspension of use. Unlike the United States, the EU follows the precautionary principle when regulating chemicals. A manufacturer must prove its products safety before allowing it to return to the market. In contrast in the U.S., a product needs to be proven unsafe to remove it from the market. As a consumer, though you do not need to use an unsafe product. Avoid the use of any insecticide containing acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, or thiamethoxam or labeled as systemic, another indication it is a neonicotinoid-based insecticide. Additionally, take proactive steps to encourage pollinators by planting wildflowers and other pollinator-friendly plants and use non-chemical methods of pest control. As we say, every day is earth day, so let’s start the next 50 years oﬀ right, with earth-friendly yards and gardens. Refer to: https://www.nrcs. usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTM AT E R I A L S / p u b l i c a t i o n s / nypmctn11164.pdf).

F R O M T H E D E S K O F S TAT E A S S E M B LY M A N E D W A R D R A

Let’s help our small businesses, their workers

he eﬀorts of our essential workers during the last several weeks have been nothing short of heroic. Grocery clerks and pharmacy employees, law enforcement oﬃcials and first responders, and especially our doctors, nurses and healthcare workers have delivered for us when we’ve needed them most. We can’t possibly thank them enough. In the coming weeks and months, more and more New Yorkers will join them in the workforce as we plan to ease emergency restrictions and move to re-start our economy.

We need to help our small businesses now so they can hit the ground running when we reopen our region again. Late last month, Democrats and Republicans in Washington put aside partisan issues and political diﬀerences to pass a sprawling stimulus plan to begin to stabilize an economy in crisis. In the coming days, both houses of Congress are expected to authorize an additional $450 billion package to help small business owners keep their employees on their payrolls. It’s the sort of bipartisan cooperation citizens should ex-

CORRECTION Dr. Gayle Berg was incorrectly identified in a story last week. She is a licensed psychologist practicing in Roslyn Heights.

EDWARD RA

State Assemblyman pect, particularly in the face of an unprecedented public health crisis. Our Assembly Republican Conference is hopeful that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will join our eﬀort to deliver a similarly cooperative state-level investment. Our “Jump-Start New York” initia-

tive would provide small businesses with zero-interest loans, access to emergency capital and relief from crippling regulations and costly fees. Whenever you unveil a policy proposal, the first question you’re likely to field is “how will you pay for it?” It’s even more prescient at a time when our economic standstill has slashed state revenues. The answer is simple. It’s about priorities. We’re repurposing existing tax credits, budgetary allocations and state settlement funds. We think it’s more important to invest in restaurants, small manufacturers and farms than provide corporate welfare for Hollywood film studios. Instead of allowing the Regional Economic Development Councils to lavish politically connected firms with state con-

tracts, we’d rather repurpose them into small business recovery hubs. And instead of allowing any of our state’s unclaimed settlement funds to be wasted on political campaigns or television ads for the governor’s economic development programs, we’d rather provide capital to small-business owners who want to stay afloat and keep their neighbors on the payroll. We know we’ll continue to have political disagreements with Democrats in the Senate and Assembly. That doesn’t mean we can’t come together during a moment of crisis to protect middleclass New Yorkers from a catastrophe they didn’t create and from economic suﬀering they don’t deserve. State Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square)

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

Pandemic, global threads and education

he COVID-19 Pandemic has driven most people – including me – into forced distancing. While the physical gaps also impose social separations, that does not need to be our situation. Gov. Cuomo stays in touch with his TV briefings, and he sends daily summary email reports. Each one contains what he describes as a “deep breath moment.” Cuomo and other perspicacious leaders understand that it is not too early to call on Americans to begin to visualize and plan for a “new normal.” This is an audacious summons to improve our nation as well as making global progress. But the pace of these coronavirus infections, the hospitalizations, deaths, and grief make it difficult for all of us to start thinking about tomorrow. However, the authors I discussed in my previous column (all published before the pandemic) provide civic paths for American citizens to develop a reach that is local and global. In our neighborhood, Scott Reich, a graduate of The Wheatley High School in Old Westbury, powerfully reminds us of the

ways John F. Kennedy summoned Americans to build better connections at home and abroad. (“The Power of Citizenship: Why John F. Kennedy Matters to a New Generation”). Reich shares with another Long Island-reared historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin (“Leadership”), the conclusion that Kennedy was outstanding because of a trifecta of virtues: his capacity for growth, his expansion of empathy and his sense of history. [Is anyone capable of applying those essential virtues to the current inhabitant of the people’s White House?] Max Boot, a life-long conservative analyst wrote early in 2020 that Donald Trump was the worst president in modern American history. Recently, Boot said he needed to revise his view and to evaluate Trump “as the worst president in all of American history.” By highlighting Kennedy’s views and actions on “the power of citizenship,” Scott Reich provides a template for action during any era, but particularly in troubled times. Like Goodwin and other leading historians, Reich shows that Kennedy could acknowledge mistakes and that he could improve

MICHAEL D’INNOCENZO Out of Left Field his leadership because of that analytical honesty (Does Trump indicate his errors and learn from them? One of his favorite words is “perfect” – which he usually applies to himself). JFK learned from errors and crises in the Bay of Pigs failure and from the Cuban Missile Crisis. Unlike Mr. Trump who claims greatness, but does not “take responsibility” for his conduct, Kennedy followed the 1962 Cuban crisis with several initiatives, all of which contributed to building “global threads.” JFK’s leadership encouraged our citizens more constructively to

relate to the Soviet Union and to other nations. The 1962 process and aftermath are too significant to be briefly summarized here. Suﬃce it to note that JFK initiated a limited test ban treaty, a “hotline” for better communications, and connecting “threads” with economic and cultural exchanges. Because of those and other initiatives, the Cold War and the danger of nuclear weapons became less ominous. In a famous foreign policy speech, Kennedy said that the U.S. was not omnipotent, that there was not an American solution for every global issue. While it might not be in our power, he averred, “to make the world safe for democracy,” we could help make it “safe for diversity.” Our “New Generation,” Reich’s focus, can especially take encouragement from Kennedy (particularly during this Pandemic) by recognizing that all of our lives are connected (Dr. King’s continuing theme). When Kennedy had early problems with Khrushchev and the Soviet leader erected the Berlin Wall, JFK went to Germany. Instead of attacking the

U.S.S.R. and Khrushchev, JFK used an aﬃrmative approach. Inperson, before vast crowds, with millions watching on TV, he said: “Ich bin ein Berliner.” Could there be a clearer way of looking beyond narrow nationalism to build shared human rights associations? Of course, very early in his Presidency, JFK called for a “Peace Corps” where Americans could tap their democratic and innovative heritage to oﬀer assistance “with” (not to) others. Kennedy’s Peace Corps inspired LBJ to take American citizenship to another level with VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). In both the JFK and LBJ cases Americans were called on to demonstrate that their threads of social and political connections could span a continent and a globe. I will have a future column to consider the vast experiences and recommendations of the late Harold Saunders (“Politics Is About Relationship”). Hal Saunders, an adviser to several Presidents and director of International Programs at the Kettering Foundation, leaves key paradigms for creative citizenship and the building of global threads.

FROM THE DESK OF MICHAEL HYNES

Changing the purposes of schooling

t’s amazing how quickly we go from one way of life to another in the blink of an eye. It happens in an instant. One day we live our life a certain way and the next day it is turned upside down. This global pandemic has historically changed our economy, way of life, use of technology and how we physically interact with each other. All within a few months. Millions of parents have suddenly found themselves responsible for overseeing their children’s education from home. This is a formidable challenge to be facing on top of all of the other stresses due to the pandemic. My hope is that our parents, educators and policymakers will finally realize how important school is and why it must evolve once our children resume going back to school in September. Now is the time for our school leaders to generate a new compelling philosophy of education and an innovative architecture for a just and humane school system. We must refocus our energy

on a foundation built on a sense of purpose, forging relationships and maximizing the potential and talents of all children. Let’s take advantage of the possibility that our nation’s attention can shift 180 degrees, from obsessing over test scores and accountability to an entirely diﬀerent paradigm of physical, mental, and emotional well-being for students and staﬀ. It is our collective responsibility to foster engaging and meaningful environments when educating our children in the new era of a post-pandemic education. As the great philosopher John Dewey stated over one hundred years ago, “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.” The first sentence in the 2018 World Bank Group’s Flagship Report- Learning: To Realize Education’s Promise states, “Schooling is not the same as learning.” I couldn’t agree more. The report continues to speak about that as a society, we must learn to realize education’s promise. Now is

MICHAEL HYNES PW School District Superintendent this the time to revolutionize this antiquated system built on old structures and ideologies. I recommend we change the purpose of schooling to the following core values: Emphasize well-being: Make child and teacher well-being a top priority in all schools, as engines of learning and system eﬃciency. Upgrade testing and other assessments: Stop the standardized testing of children in grades 3-8, and “opt-up” to higher-quality as-

sessments by classroom teachers. Eliminate the ranking and sorting of children based on standardized testing. Train students in selfassessment, and require only one comprehensive testing period to graduate from high school. Invest resources fairly: Fund schools equitably on the basis of need. Provide small class sizes. Boost learning through physical activity: Give children multiple outdoor free-play recess breaks throughout the school day to boost their well-being and performance. We observed schools in Finland that give children four 15-minute free-play breaks a day. Change the focus: Create an emotional atmosphere and physical environment of warmth, comfort and safety so that children are happy and eager to come to school. Teach not just basic skills, but also arts, crafts, music, civics, ethics, home economics and life skills. Make homework eﬃcient: Reduce the homework load in elementary and middle schools to no more than 30 minutes per night,

and make it responsibility-based rather than stress-based. Trust educators and children: Give them professional respect, creative freedom and autonomy, including the ability to experiment, take manageable risks and fail in the pursuit of success. Improve, expand and destigmatize vocational and technical education: Encourage more students to attend schools in which they can acquire valuable career/ trade skills. In short, if we learn anything at all from this pandemic, we should clearly recognize that we need our teachers more than ever before. It’s imperative that schools focus on a balanced approach to education, one that embraces physical, emotional, cognitive and social growth. We have an enormous amount of work to do, but our children deserve nothing less. Michael Hynes is superintendent of the Port Washington School District

18 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

OUR TOWN

Films: The prescient predictors of the future

rescience means having the power to foresee the future and apparently some have this power to

predict. These are our modern-day prophets, our filmmakers. How else can one explain the making of a film like “Contagion” way back in 2011. The film was about how a virus that started in Asia from a bat, rapidly spread globally thanks to air travel and how there was mass panic, the collapse of social order and how the public health and scientific response was largely ineffective. Let us spend a few moments exploring the way some writers and directors have been prescient and focused upon the three global crises that are upon us. Given the fact the fact that the first of these events is upon us, it appears wise to take all three apocalyptic scenarios more seriously. 1: The crisis of pandemics. “Contagion” (2011) directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow is one of a number of post-apocalyptic films about a pandemic virus spread by humans. Other films include “World War Z” (2013) starring Brad Pitt and “I am Legend” (2007) starring Will Smith. In fact, most zombie films are about infections being spread by

humans. If you take a look at the consultants that are used by these film directors you can see that members of the scientific community have been worried about pandemic events like this for years. As far back as 1976, Laurie Garrett was worried that the medical community were focusing exclusively on heart disease and cancer assuming that antibiotics and vaccines put an end to infectious threats. She was trained in immunology and became a writer and her best-selling book “The Coming Plague” (1994) traced pandemics such as Legionnaires Disease, HIV, and AIDS and she warned that the big one was coming. Well, it appears that the big one has arrived. So that means that 45 years ago Garrett realized that something was coming and it was not going to be pretty. And when Steven Soderbergh decided to take this threat seriously he got together with writer Scott Burns and used Laurie Garret along with Lawrence Brilliant and a few from WHO and made an ultra- realistic and extremely prescient film about what we now face every day. 2: The crisis of artificial intelligence. If films like “Contagion” and “World War Z” were predictive of our current COVID pandemic then it’s not a stretch to say that other blockbusters may be equally cor-

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

rect in predicting the global crisis presented by Artificial Intelligence. The first serious film about the dangerous power of computers was seen in the Stanley Kubrick masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey” ( 1968.) About midway through the film it becomes clear that HAL 9000, the computer with a genial personality, unfortunately, has a mind of his own and slowly does away with the human staﬀ aboard the spacecraft. This was the first of many films addressing the imminent crisis humans face as they must deal with the exponentially expanding intelligence within computers. Other films that have expressed this worry and conflict include George Lucas THX 1138, the “Terminator” films with Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Minority Report” with Tom Cruise, and “The Matrix” series featuring Keanu Reeves. They all picture a post-apocalyptic

world that has been destroyed and taken over by computer machines. And lest you think these scenarios all come out of the minds of fanciful science fiction writers let us refer to Ray Kurzweil’s book “The Age of Spiritual Machines” published in 1999. Kurzweil is an MIT trained inventor, consultant to Google and entrepreneur whose previous books have all once again been unnervingly prescient. In “The Age of Spiritual Machines” Kurzweil predicts that unquestionably computers are the next step in evolution and that their intelligence will soon outpace ours. He predicts that the first foray into this new war will be that computers will demand legal status and that they will obtain this status which will give them rights to exist. And that’s only the beginning. 3: Catastrophic climatic changes. In the futuristic Steven Spielberg film “AI: Artificial Intelligence” (2001) the world of the 22nd century has been decimated by rising sea levels thanks to global warming and this has reduced the earth’s population. Mecha’s, or humanoid robots are manufactured and enlisted to keep people company and do servile as well as sexual tasks. The film ends far into the future when the surface of the globe is covered in ice. The film “The Day After To-

morrow” was written and directed by Roland Emmerich and released in 2004. It was about extreme weather events that usher in global cooling and a new ice age. He based his film on the non-fiction book by Bell and Strieber called “The Coming Global Superstorm.” The film “Interstellar” was released in 2014, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Mathew McConaughey. It was about the year 2067 where the world had become uninhabitable thanks to dust storms and humanity’s existence was threatened. Every day we hear about global warming and climate destabilization. These films extend this issue into inevitable and unnerving outcomes. When referring to the crisis of pandemics, computer intelligence or climate change scientists use the quaint phrase “It’s not a question of if this will happen but more a question of when it will happen.” I now begin to see that these blockbuster films grapple with the crisis before us but in addition, they are saying “hey folks, get ready. This stuﬀ is coming.” Who would have guessed that blockbuster movies turn out to be the most prescient enterprise we have. It appears that directors hire genius scientists and actually listen to what they have to say. This all gives film watching a whole new meaning for me.

KIDS F IRST

Checking the coronavirus box score As a child growing up in New Jersey in the 1950s and ’60s, one of my favorite things to do when school let out for the year was to get up, ride my bike to the candy store, meet up with friends, pick up a newspaper and check out the baseball box scores from the previous night’s games. I liked reading about my favorite players. I’d check their batting averages, earned run averages, runs batted in, stolen bases and home runs. I cannot fully imagine what it is like to be a kid today, at a time when school let out for the first time I can ever recall, for reasons other than the school year coming to its natural ending. Rather, it came to an abrupt end for reasons of health, safety, life and death. That’s a lot for a kid to handle. The end of school was always bittersweet for me. I was happy

and relieved to get a break from the daily routine, and sad to say goodbye until September. It was a ritual that was a normal part of growing up. It was also a far cry from leaving with no decent goodbye and no baseball or box scores to look forward to; and only an inescapable sense of incomprehensible dread. Riding one’s bike to a store of any kind today requires, in addition to a helmet, wearing a mask and gloves and staying six feet apart from everybody else, including your best pals. As for box scores, the only one you can find in print or on social media these days is a list of states, cities, towns and villages and the corresponding number infected and dead. Our children left school unceremoniously amid a global pan-

ANDREW MALEKOFF Kids First

demic. Whether they say it in so many words or express it through their behavior, don’t lose sight of the fact they are experiencing loss and are grieving all that has been taken from them. Our kids fear for the future. And, you don’t have to say a word for them to see how this is aﬀecting

you and how you are managing your own stress and uncertainty. Although keeping routines at home can help, to whatever extent our kids experienced a sense of normalcy in their lives, their lives are no longer the same. If there was tension in your home before the shutdown, it has likely intensified. Where there were little or no fears about mortality, they may now be pervasive. Loss is a key theme; the loss of normalcy, a sense of safety and hope. What to do? Try your best to be attuned to and manage your own anxiety. Remain calm. Don’t force, but encourage your children to express their feelings. How? By striving to be a good listener. Do your best to provide them with honest and accurate feedback and information. Be reassuring and hopeful. Limit media exposure (box scores included). And, finally,

don’t hesitate to seek outside professional help, which is now widely available by phone and video conferencing. If there is an opportunity, model and encourage kindness wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself. To paraphrase Mother Teresa, acts of kindness may seem simple, but their echoes are endless and hopeful. Andrew Malekoﬀ is the executive director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the leading children’s mental health agency on Long Island. The Guidance Center is seeing new and existing clients via telephone and video during the COVID-19 crisis. To make an appointment, call (516) 626-1971. Visit www.northshorechildguidance.org for more information. Letters Continued on Page 26

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We appreciate all the sacrifices you are making!

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24 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

PW group creates anti-trafficking ads PSAs educate public on how to spot recruiters; kids at increased risk during pandemic BY E M M A J ON ES While quarantining at home helps prevent the spread of coronavirus, this period of isolation also means that children across the United States are at heightened risk of abuse, exploitation and sex trafficking. Four Port Washington residents have teamed up to create a series of multimedia public service announcements to educate children, teens and parents about the signs of sex trafficking. The PSAs, called “Once Upon a Crime” and launched through the Selah Way Foundation, are the collaborative effort of Andrea Martone, director of communications for the Selah Way Foundation, an arm of the anti-sex trafficking organization Selah Freedom; Dr. Susan Small-Weil, psychologist and co-founder of Seiden Advertisement; Laura Leigh Carroll, an actor who did the voice over for the PSA radio spots; and David Gelb, a producer at Brooklyn-based Dreambear Productions. Martone, Carroll and Gelb grew up in Port Washington and attended the local schools. The series launched last week across television, radio, print and billboards. Lamar Outdoor Advertising even offered to post the print ad series on its billboards for free, Martone said. The PSAs are retellings of classic fairy tales and reveal how “Romeos” manipulate

girls by preying on their desires and insecurities, Martone said. “Once Upon a Crime” talks about how these kids are lured, and they’re promised anything, and then they get addicted to drugs, and you know what the rest is,” she said. She pointed out that sex trafficking victims are often people who were abused as children. “People in our society think that if you are recruited into the sex trafficking industry, that it’s because [you] want to,” said Martone. “But the fact is that it’s absolutely the opposite: these girls are groomed, they’ve been sexually abused since [they were] kids.” “So it’s likely that they’re going to meet some guy, and he’s going to promise her the world, and he’s going to give her drugs, and he’s going to have a relationship with her,” she said. “But inevitably it turns into her being beholden to him, and him seeing her as a commodity.” Girls in small towns across Long Island and around the country often get sucked into trafficking through drug addiction, particularly to oxycontin, Martone said. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, children and teens are spending more time online. “These kids [sex trafficking victims] are being recruited through the internet,” Mar-

tone said. The recruiters are not whom one would expect. “The recruiters are girls, 16, 17, who are being paid to recruit these girls,” she said, explaining that they invite their victims to parties and make promises in order to lure them in. Children in abusive households are also particularly at risk right now, Martone said. While they are in school, they can talk to teachers or counselors. Now they have nowhere to turn. Beyond educating themselves via the “Once Upon a Crime” PSAs, parents and teens can sign up for the Selah Way Foundation’s online program called Sex, Lies, and Media. Prior to the coronavirus crisis, trained teachers traveled to school districts and presented the program in person. Now that schools are shut down, Selah Way has made Sex, Lies, and Media available online. So far 350 parents and children have participated in the virtual program, Martone said. Selah Way recently successfully lobbied for a law requiring Florida public schools to educate students about recognizing the signs of child abuse and sex traﬃcking recruitment. California currently is the only other state with such a law. Martone said Selah Way managed to get a bill in front of Congress that would extend

this requirement to every state in the nation. The bill was supposed to pass Jan. 1, she said, but the coronavirus pandemic has pushed it back. “When things settle down we expect this to pass, and if it does, it will mandate every school in America to have this curriculum, just like California and Florida,” she said. Selah Way also recently entered into a partnership with Global Strategic Operatives. It is providing $500,000 to train healthcare workers on how to spot the signs of sex trafficking, Martone said. “Eighty-eight percent of sex trafficking victims seek medical care, but healthcare workers often do not realize what’s going on because of a lack of training to recognize the signs and symptoms,” she said. The initiative, which includes trainings led by trafficking survivors, just launched at Northwell Health in Manhasset. “It’s up to the hospital workers to spot these signs [such as bruises or STDs] and then they can call us or the police and get the girls out of the hospital,” Martone said. “We cannot do this alone,” she said. “We have to have help from teachers and from parents and from healthcare workers. Everybody has to work in tandem.” Martone added, “This is not an epidemic that’s going to go away anytime soon. The greatest thing we can do right now is raise significant awareness.”

Two Queens men Nassau faces rocky arrested in car thefts 2nd rollout of PPP BY R O S E WELDON The Nassau County Police Department arrested two men in Queens last week for multiple grand larcenies across the county, with a third fleeing after allegedly hitting a detective with his car. Detectives said in a statement that Matthew Garcia, 21, of Queens and Rafael Ramirez, 35, of the Bronx were arrested late April 21 in a series of suspected car thefts related to a possible burglary ring. Detectives from the department’s burglary pattern team assigned to the auto theft unit were investigating a stolen car ring, which led them to Corona in Queens. “During this investigation, [the team] observed a stolen 2018 BMW X5,” the department said. “The vehicle stopped at a BP gas station located near the

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

Matthew Garcia intersection of the Horace Harding Expressway and 99th Street and detectives attempted to arrest the three male subjects inside the vehicle.” The third subject, whom police identified as Jorge Alvarez, was operating the BMW, and intentionally struck one of the arresting detectives before crashing into a nearby police vehicle, the Nassau Police Department said.

The three suspects then left the vehicle and fled on foot, police said. Garcia and Ramirez were found a short time later, but Alvarez was not located. The detective who was struck by the car suﬀered multiple injuries, including a broken leg, and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Garcia is charged with six total counts of grand larceny as well as resisting arrest and was arraigned April 23, police said. He is scheduled to return to court for similar charges May 28 in a separate incident involving a stolen Land Rover in Roslyn Estates. Ramirez is charged with two counts of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and resisting arrest and will be arraigned when medically practical, according to police.

BY E M M A J ON ES Under the second phase of the Paycheck Protection Program that launched Monday, $12 million is earmarked for loans to minority-owned small businesses in Nassau County, oﬃcials said. But so far the rollout of this next installment, intended to help small businesses

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The second phase of the small business loan program administered by the SBA had a rocky start on Monday.

aﬀected by the coronavirus crisis, has been rife with confusion and technical problems. The initial launch of PPP—part of the $2 trillion stimulus package that the federal government passed March 27— was rocky, with small businesses across Nassau County and the United States reporting diﬃculties submitting a loan application. The funding ran out within less than two weeks of the program’s launch, leaving countless business owners and employees in Nassau feeling stranded as some large publicly traded companies walked away with loans. Under the second phase $310 billion is available for loans, which small business owners can use to cover payroll, benefits, rent and mortgage. Within that amount, $12 million has been set aside for Nassau’s small business community. Once the Small Business Administration announced that the program had reopened Monday, banks rushed to submit loan applications that they had received from businesses after the initial funding ran out. Many reported that they were unable to get into the online application system. Continued on Page 28

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

Nassau to extend school tax deadline Cuomo issues executive order allowing county to give taxpayers until June 1 to submit BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth also requested the state issue Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an execu- an executive order to delay property tax paytive order that allows Nassau County to de- ments. The Towns of Hempstead and Oyster lay the deadline for second-half of 2019-20 school district taxes without interest or pen- Bay reiterated the call for an executive order, Curran said, which means every township in alties on Monday. Curran said Cuomo’s executive order Nassau County is now on board with a plan authorizes the county to enact a one-time for the extension of the deadline. “Along with assisting the Town in this extension of the deadline from May 11 to June of this year due to the coronavirus pan- particular request, County Executive Curran has worked tirelessly to ensure that the residemic. “In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s dents of Nassau County have the resources executive order, I have issued a Nassau they need and deserve,” Bosworth said. “I County executive order to oﬃcially enact would like to sincerely thank her for the the extension, thereby waiving any interest leadership she has demonstrated throughand penalties until June 1, 2020,” Curran out this public health crisis.” Kyle Strober is the executive director for said. “This eﬀort will provide some temporary relief for Nassau’s taxpayers, while we the Association For a Better Long Island, a wait for possible assistance from the federal leading regional economic development advocacy group. government.” Strober called the property tax extenAs of now, Curran said, too many taxpayers are uncertain about the state of the sion “essential” to the island’s response to economy and their livelihoods, and tout- the pandemic. As executive and legislative branches ed the importance of filing an extension negotiate the best path forward, it is importhroughout the pandemic. Curran said the relief will provide a tant to recognize that this action will create “much needed temporary relief” for taxpay- a modest but important relief valve for property owners, especially businesses where ers during this pandemic.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Gov. Andrew Cuomo every added day could mean the diﬀerence between survival or failure,” Strober said. “We are encouraged by today’s announcement and urge all due speed in reaching a consensus.” The association’s president, Kevin Law, echoed Stober’s remarks and touted Curran’s eﬀorts to prioritize local businesses and families throughout the pandemic. “While we are hopeful and pushing for aid from the federal government, any step

that can be taken now to add some relief should be taken,” Law said. “I thank County Executive Laura Curran for advocating on behalf of our hard-hit communities.” Earlier on Monday, the Nassau County Legislature unanimously voted to extend the deadline for filing property taxes without interest or penalties until June 10. “Officials at every level of government should be looking for ways to ease crushing financial burdens on residents and businesses as they struggle to deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak,” Presiding Officer Rich Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) said. “With thousands of residents out of work and many businesses shuttered or having their operations drastically reduced, this extension will provide additional time to pay their property taxes without being hit with interest and penalties.” Curran was also appointed by Cuomo to serve on the state’s Reimagine New York Task Force. According to officials, the task force consists of leaders dedicated to not just reopening the state’s economy, but reimagining and improving on already existing state policies to make businesses and transportation better than they were before the pandemic.

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READERS WRITE

Gov needs to not rely President Trump’s solely on ‘experts’ failure to lead

ear Senator Kaplan: It is clear that the threat of the virus is diminishing. Most people are exercising caution and it seems unlikely that there will be a significant spike once the restrictions are generally lifted. The lockdown has caused a lot of collateraldamage. The longer it continues, the greater the danger of harm. People are not getting other kinds of medical care. Busi-

nesses are folding. Tenants are threatening rent strikes. Government oﬃcials have an obligation to broadly consider the public’s interests and not simply rely on “experts.” Maintaining the “Pause” without a clear and predictable ending is an abuse of power. Robert Spitalnick Kings Point

Earth Day can be a new beginning

n April 22, 1970 Earth Day was born, a tangible statement of the growing support for protection of our environment. Today it is celebrated every year in 193 countries around the world. Fifty years ago today, the golden anniversary of that first celebration, I often wonder why people fight so hard to ignore the lessons it has to teach. Patrick Moynihan the senator from New York once said: “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” Many in our country have the ability to “adjust” to the results of climate change. They fly away from an approaching storm,

have insurance to fix its damage, but clearly you can’t distance yourself forever. No amount of denial or money will insulate you from the forces of nature as evidenced by the Pandemic caused by Covid-19 I created this image of a virus 1,000 times smaller than a spec of sand engulfing our world. The smallest bit of nature overrunning our whole planet. It is hard to deny how dependent we are on one another, on scientists and on the world community working together. Earth Day 2020 can be a new beginning. Jay Beber Flower Hills

o hear Donald Trump’s daily blatherings, otherwise known as White House briefings, one might not get from his buoyant and uninformative stream of consciousness that about 35,000 Americans have died in the last month of COVID-19. There is no hint of anguish to his shpiel. Any moments of empathy are over-shadowed by self-congratulatory recitations of his alleged accomplishments, liberally sprinkled wi8th the word “incredible.” In fact, the public health tragedy in which this country finds itself is in no small part due to grand-scale Presidential abdication of responsibility. President Trump was warned by two previous administrations about the possibility of a pandemic. From the Obama administration came a strategy for addressing such a calamity. Donald Trump ignored these warnings; he proceeded to eliminate the global health security program, responsible for dealing with pandemics. When the World Health Organization, which has saved untold numbers of lives, oﬀered testing kits for COVID-19, Donald Trump rejected the oﬀeR. Instead, he opted for Center for Disease Control kits, which turned out to be defective. At the same time, he was describing COVID-19 as ”the latest hoax.” But his most serious failing has been his unwillingness to institute national, low- or no cost testing for the virus, followed by contact tracing (finding with which people those testing positive had recent contact), and isolat-

ing those who were positive. First, he said, anyone who needed a test could receive one. When that proved quickly false, he decided testing was not a Presidential responsibility after all. He also could have begun a national Marshall plan, by using the Defense Production Act to manufacture, procure, and distribute vitally need medical supplies. Now we have medical providers who are testing positive, more than 1500 on the staﬀ of Northwell for example. During the campaign, President Trump said: ” Only I can fix it.” In a way, he’s correct; only the President can institute a national, coordinated program designed to reduce the death rate and the spread of this virus. But now that he’s facing a crisis, responsibility for fixing it is suddenly “up to the governors.” He no longer is interested in “fixing it.” He is impervious to the cries of nurses who have called out loudly and repeatedly for personal protective equipment. Which leads me to say that by contrast to the stunning lack of leadership and absence of enlightened policymaking on the part of the President, I want to oﬀer a shout out and deep gratitude to the nurses and other medical providers in this country. They have gone to war against a killer virus, often at mortal risk to themselves, often without requisite armor. We are in their debt. President Trump, wake up. Rev. Ben Bortin Port Washington

Trump rules the world as a king would “Ladies and gentlemen. It is my pleasure to present the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. President Trump. Will you say a few words?” “A few words, you ask? I never say a few words. You want a few words? Okay. How about “Crooked” or “Heartless” as in “Crooked or Heartless Hillary.” How about “Sleepy” and I don’t have to tell you who that belongs to. To show that I’m an equal opportunity insulter, how about “Lyin Ted” or “Little Marco”? And one of my favorites is “Slimeball James Comey.” “You want more words? How about crazy, dumb, sloppy, creepy, wacky, liddle, and the word that applies to so many democrats, nasty failure.” “Thank you, Mr. President.” “Hey lackey. I’m not through. Remember. I’m the most powerful person on earth. Hell! Maybe even the universe. I can do whatever I want. And the people love me.

“I’m their leader. Look at the good, no, great times I brought them with the economy and then when the coronavirus hit, who else dealt with it so magnificently. I really should be crowned King Donald. With the whole world aﬀected, we only had 25,000 who died. “The original prediction was in the tens of millions. Please. No applause. If you like, you can bow. Now I’ve got to get you out of this current financial mess. “First, let’s get the economy moving. I know the greedy capitalists want me to open up the economy, but against my better judgment, I have to agree with them. Do you know why? Since we’re doing such a good job with the coronavirus, the hospital beds are opening up, meaning there’s now room for more. “Therefore, when the people go back to work and some get affected, there’ll be hospital beds available for them. Hell. It’ll only be a small percentage. And you know what? Just like when the pandemic

was in full swing, I’ll visit so many in the hospital. I know I’ll be risking my life, but the president must lead the way. “Let me now talk about the states who were most aﬀected by the coronavirus, states like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California. There’ll all Democratic states. Maybe God had his reasons. They all spent so much money dealing with it, you know supporting their people and their hospitals. Billions they spent and now there’ll all broke or near broke. Tell you what I’m gonna do. You all have my best wishes. “Turning to something more important. Do you know that I don’t get my mail on time? Do you know how many businesses get an overflow of mail? Do you know how much it cost to run the postal system? I’ve been proposing to privatize it and since I showed how eﬀectively I dealt with the coronavirus, I will start the transition tomorrow. I won’t forget about the millions of

postal workers who will lose their jobs. I will arrange for all of them to get a two weeks severance package. Maybe I’ll start the bidding tomorrow to see what private company will take it over? “Regarding all the other people who I’ll be putting back to work, since I, I mean we, the federal government will need money to support all our programs including the one that will generate the funds to build a presidential palace. Therefore, I will issue a proclamation to reduce the payroll taxes because when people have more take-home pay and corporations more available money, both will spend and allow us to get back on our feet faster. Isn’t that clear? You want more details? Ask my advisory board of economists. Some even have degrees. “Payroll taxes include Social Security. Between you and me, who needs social security. It’s just another major expense. Eventually, I plan to dissolve social security

totally and reallocate the funds to build soup kitchens. If the majority of people don’t have to worry about buying food, think how much money they will have to spend and help turn our economy around. “And lastly, I will issue an order to dissolve each and every state. Who needs borders when we are one country and we all can get along peacefully? My ideas are so great and let me give you one more bottom line. I plan on having the largest and grandest event that our country and the world will ever see. “My plan is to have the coronation of King of all Kings, me, Donald the First, thus setting up a line that all my children and grandchildren will follow. Forget about ‘God Save The Queen.” “I now proclaim, ‘I, the king will become God and save the world!” “Now I am finished. Where are my slaves?” Alvin Goldberg Great Neck

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

READERS WRITE

Cuomo self-promotes, dodges responsibility

he following is in response to the April 22, 2020 Kremer’s Corner: “Cuomo is king of the hill.” Before anointing Cuomo king Mr. Kremer should read the following quotes: “Several years ago, after learning that the Empire State’s stockpile of medical equipment had 16,000 fewer ventilators than the 18,000 New Yorkers would need in a severe pandemic, state publichealth leaders came to a fork in the road. They could have chosen to buy more ventilators to back up the supplies hospitals maintain. ¬Instead, the health commissioner, Howard Zucker, assembled a task force for rationing the ventilators they already had. In 2015, that task force came

up with rules that will be imposed when ventilators run short. Patients assigned a red code will have highest access, and other patients will be assigned green, yellow or blue (the worst), ¬depending on a “triage oﬃcer’s” decision. In truth, a death oﬃcer. Let’s not sugar-coat it. It won’t be up to your own doctor. In 2015, the state could have purchased the additional 16,000 needed ventilators for $36,000 apiece or a total of $576 million. It’s a lot of money, but in hindsight, spending half a percent of the budget to prepare for pandemic was the right thing to do.” Guess who was Governor in 2015? https://nypost. com/2020/04/20/cuomo-didntknow-coronavirus-patients-are-be-

ing-sent-back-to-nursing-homes/ “New York’s health commissioner on Monday defended a directive that requires nursing homes to readmit residents who’ve tested positive for the coronavirus — as Gov. Andrew Cuomo revealed he didn’t know the policy was in place. Cuomo was asked about the state’s policy on admitting or readmitting to nursing homes people who’d tested positive for COVID-19. “That’s a good question, I don’t know,” the governor said. Cuomo’s startling admission came days after the state revealed last week that at least 3,316 people in nursing homes and adult care facilities had died of coronavirus at their residences or in hospitals across the state.

That tally — which oﬃcials have said is likely an undercount — included at least 2,056 deaths in New York City. Updated statistics released Monday afternoon increased the death toll to 3,448 as of Sunday, with 2,105 in the Big Apple.” h t t p s : / / w w w. n p r. org/2020/04/22/841463120/innew-york-nursing-homes-deathcomes-to-facilities-with-more-people-of-color “There’s one thing that distinguishes the nursing homes in New York that have reported patient deaths from COVID-19. According to an NPR analysis, they are far more likely to be made up of people of color. NPR looked at 78 nursing homes in New York in which six or more residents have died of CO-

VID-19. In one facility, 55 people have died as of April 20. Ten others report 30 or more deaths. Seven of the 11 nursing homes with the highest number of deaths reported that 46 percent or more of their residents are “nonwhite.” Most of these “non-white” residents are black and Latin. At one facility, the Franklin Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Queens, which reported 45 deaths, 80 percent of the residents are a minority, including 47 percent who are Asian.” In conclusion, based on Gov. Cuomo’s style of self-promotion and deportment, I believe the title of dictator, not King is more befitting. Walter J. Jaworski New Hyde Park

9/11 resilience amid 2020’s harsh new reality

n September 11, 2001, I worked six blocks from the World Trade Center. I felt the impact of both airplanes. It was nothing like we had seen in our lifetimes. I walked down 21 flights of stairs to a gorgeous fall day on Bowling Green. I will never forget 100 stories of concrete and drywall falling to the ground with a thunderlike sound piercing blue sky into darkness. We ran onto a Staten Island Ferry boat and left Manhattan Island for the outer borough. I returned to Mineola the following day when the bridges re-opened and my co-worker drove each of us to our destinations. National pride united us. We knew the enemy. And we vanquished them over time. Oddly enough, as I look back over these nearly 20 years, fond memories remain amidst the disaster. The remaining children’s sized life jackets we took as we stepped aboard the vessel (as if we were sinking and these tiny rubber duck like floats would save us). The atypical appetizers we had as we watched the tragedy of the day unfold (the only food our newly minted American host had on hand) the barbeque we had that night from a charcoal grill left behind by the previous owners (which immediately introduced our host to picnic culture). We sipped adult beverages on the deck as we watched the ashes rise across the river like a campfire. Calls made to loved

ones who were uncertain of our whereabouts (on a landline phone), the pictures we took of six-foot-plus men in pajama gear (from the wardrobe of a five-foot eight-inch host)…the kinship we share each year via email like a birthday card with the adorning ‘good night‘ photo (despite the fact we have all gone different ways). A friendship that will never be broken. And the knowledge we lost no one close to us. We were in this together and we all got through it. Most important from that day are the perspectives of my children. They were 7, 10 and 13 years of age at the time. They had been to my office before. They knew the proximity to the Trade Center. My eldest daughter left a poignant voice mail from the school office looking for me that, to this day, I wish I could have saved. My middle son missed his sports. My youngest son missed all kinds of television. But in the grand scheme of things, they never captured the sheer gravity of the situation. And after all these years, they are relatively unphased by the most formidable attack on this nation’s soil. It is a history lesson to that generation. Unless they were victims of a tragic loss. The resilience of children. God Bless Them. Until now…. It is mid-April 2020, and for all I know, I work and live six feet from an invisible enemy. It has no known end or solu-

tion. It is called a pandemic and it is nothing we have witnessed in our lifetimes. No matter the day we wake up or the season we are amongst — it exists. There is no way to flee it and no sound to warn us. The roads and human traﬃc are desolate and will continue to be for some time. We wear masks and gloves for our safety that makes us a society in disguise. We are told to “stay at home”, “social distance,” “learn remotely” and “isolate.” These are terms that will now become part of the worldwide vocabulary. Sound familiar? While we salute everyone on the “front lines” with thanks, national pride is mixed. We know the enemy but we seem divided. Maybe we need to roll back the clock and remember how to act. It is too early to envision fond memories. We lost three thousand souls on 9/11. The current count is 10,000 and climbing. We are hoarding household supplies. Worrying about paychecks. Preparing budgets to pay rent, mortgages, utilities and other necessities, if we can. Will we ever again shake hands or hug one another as a natural greeting?

We are city versus city, state versus city, state versus state, state versus Federal Government and playing partisan politics… in an election year. There are uplifting stories balanced by confusion. This too will pass like the silence of commercial airplanes that existed then and now. The drone of military fighter planes that dotted the night sky after 9/11 are replaced by the engine hum of a Navy medical ship and the tools of Army Engineers constructing field hospitals. Most important this day are the perspectives of my children. They are 26, 28 and 31 years of age now. They know the proximity of the virus and have all “sheltered in place.” They use all forms of technology to bond as siblings. They fear, without verbalizing, for their parents and grandmother. And know eventually someone they know will perish. This is no history lesson. They have become the voice of reason as they attempt to go about their normal lives. The resilience as children is gone. The gravity as adults has arrived. And they feel the weight. Will they be able to bear it? I am an optimist

and say yes…just when, and for how long, we don’t know. There are analogies we hopefully look forward to…Pete Alonso re-creating a Mike Piazza moment, Donald Trump with his megaphone surrounded by first responders and Andrew Cuomo starring as a modern-day Rudy Giuliani nursing the state back to economic health. This will happen. Maybe not in 30 days, maybe not for 18 months. But it will be vanquished. We know the enemy. These are the two greatest tragedies in modern American history. Will they be compared — each in their own way? Yes. We rebounded from the first and I have every ounce of faith the same result awaits us. We ultimately take our queues from children who are responding positively. This time it will take the resilience of all mankind. The harsh reality is we are all in this together and we will get through it. God Bless America. Tom Winters Mineola Letters Continued on Page 36

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28 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

Business&RealEstate

Effect of COVID-19 on real estate uncertain What brought the U.S. to be so unprepared for Covid-19 Novel Corona virus and what will be its effect on real estate in the future? We are all experiencing the severity and long-lasting damage that the Covid-19 Coronavirus is having and as of April 28 has caused one million U.S. citizens to have been infected and 58,000 to die as well as the detrimental damage that it has inflicted on our economy. The long term and future effects can only be pondered and guessed about for we have no track record to be able to reliably rely upon, but just maybe AI (artificial intelligence) will make some determinations about what the long term results will be but the prognosis looks quite dim for the foreseeable future. It would be very challenging and difficult even to look back at the 1918-19 Spanish influenza pandemic from the H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States, due to the fact that we had no cure or any type of vaccine to combat the outbreaks and infections. However, today, you would think that we would be more proactive and ready to effectively combat the coronavirus; but it is very evident that although warned many times over the last 20 years by a multitude of medical professionals and scientists about these types of potential killer viruses,

most government officials consistently turned a deaf ear and passed on it. The Obama-Biden Administration set up the White House National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Bio-defense to prepare for future pandemics like COVID-19; so after careful researching (Reuters March 25, 2019 article) it wasn’t totally eliminated but supposedly streamlined due to inefficiencies and possibly cost overruns; but the pandemic response team was disbanded and diluted, but not totally eliminated and some team members were reassigned to roles that included pandemic response. But the previous watchdogs specifically set up, designed, specialized, and dedicated in global pandemics and diseases was gone! However, the current administration still wasn’t paying attention or listening to all the warnings going back to December 2019! Now that we are in the middle of this most critical pandemic, I am questioning and researching to ascertain if anyone has an idea or thoughts as to how many businesses and jobs will be lost at the end of this global calamity that will assuredly have an effect on real estate. We have consistently become “Monday morning quarterbacks” performing at the last minute and doing band-aid fixes instead of preparing in advance for what needs to be done before the sky falls on us, which is what has happened. As of today, 26 million have applied for unemployment benefits and all of the $379 billion from the stimulus package (Coronavirus

PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act) had been snatched up in a heartbeat by the larger corporations(although some have returned the money) because of the lack of any oversight whatsoever as the President eliminated many of the Inspector Generals. An article was written on April 1 in The Economic Policy Institute by David Cooper and Julia Wolfe stated and I quote, “The latest Goldman Sachs fore-cast predicts a 9 percent contraction for the first quarter of this year and a 34 percent contraction in the second quarter. This large drop in GDP is consistent with 19.8 million jobs lost by July, bringing unemployment rates across the country into the mid-teens. These figures might just be too low and as of today April 28, I am guessing that millions more will have been furloughed as almost all restaurants, warehouses and even law firms have laid oﬀ most of their employees as well as energy sector workers too. We are currently in a recession

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and are now heading or are already in a Depression based on the sheer numbers of unemployed people. Where is the stimulus bailout for those who live from paycheck to paycheck? Wasn’t the stimulus monies designed for those employees of smaller to midsize businesses that represent 50-plus percent of our economy and front line workers many of whom keep our food supply chains to continually function and not for the publicly traded conglomerates? Workers in many food processing plants work shoulder to shoulder. Tyson foods poultry in its’ Georgia with 4 dead and Smithfield Food processing pork in Sioux Falls, South Dakota division had 500 infections before it was finally shut down. Where were the workers’ protective equipment and why weren’t safety measures in place? More important, of some of the most important people to be infected, healthcare workers had 10-20 percent of the cases! The long term and future effects can only be pondered and guessed about for we have no track record to be able to rely on from past history. It would be very challenging and diﬃcult even to look back at the 1918-19 Spanish Flu pandemic from the H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. T he number of deaths was estimated to be about 60 million and 675 thousand died in the U.S. Now that we are in the middle

Nassau faces rocky 2nd rollout of PPP Continued from Page 24

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of this most critical and deadly pandemic how will we save the multitude of businesses that will surely fold as well as hundreds of thousands to possibly millions of jobs that will be lost forever? From my observations and my professional opinion is that they should have split the stimulus bailout so that 50 percent should have been paid out from the bottom up of lowest-paid workers and small businesses and the other half from the top down but no publicly traded companies, with superior balance sheets and more than adequate cash in the bank to make it through this recession or probable depression. The 64,000 question how long will it be until we can determine how many businesses and jobs will have failed and who will have the wherewithal to purchase and what will the overall demand be for homes, investment and commercial real estate? The future looks bleak and will surely provide us the answers, but we must step up to the plate and solve this existential crisis to survive! We will be doing a Podcast next Thursday, May 7 at 1 p.m. with Derek Kamm our mortgage broker. We will be discussing Covid-19 and its eﬀects on real estate today and into the future. Here is the link to register to join our GoToWebinar to tune in to be more informed as to what we think will be happening! Don’t be left out register today! Here is the link to join us: https://lnkd.in/e_p6f7J

“Our member banks across the country are deeply frustrated at their inability to access @SBAGov’s e–Tran system,” tweeted Rob Nichols, president of the American Banker Association, Monday. “We have raised these issues at the highest levels. Until they are resolved, #AmericasBanks will not be able to help more struggling small businesses.” The SBA said in a statement that it hadcreated a mechanism intentionally slowing the pace of applications that any given lender was submitting at one time. Around midday Monday, the SBA lowered the number of applications that banks could submit from 15,000 to 5,000.

The SBA announced Monday that the system was not open to individuals. Those who had already submitted an application to their bank and had it approved were assured that their application would go through. SBA head Jovita Carranza tweeted Monday that the agency had approved 10,000 loans within the first five hours. The Consumer Bankers Association warned that the program is likely to run out of funding again in about four days, according to CNBC. The New York State Common Retirement Fund is providing $50 million to supplement the PPP loans.Pursuit, an Albanybased private lender formerly called New York Business Development Corp, will be administering the loans.

The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

Curran braces for $261M budget deficit Continued from Page 1 Curran said more than half of the government’s expenses are to pay the county employees. Action has already been taken to deal with the projected deficit, according to Curran. Figures provided by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority show the county’s deficit had been declining since a previous high of $189.2 million in 2014. The chairman for the Finance Authority, Adam Barsky, told Newsday, “It’s good that the county is trying to assess the financial impact that the COVID response is having on county finances and it’s encouraging to see that they’re trying to put a plan together to address it.” The county is projected to receive in excess of $66 million less in recreation fees, mortgage recording, and tax map verification; $31.5 million less in fines and fees like red-light tickets; and $31 million less in state aid. A memo was issued, Curran said, to all department and agency heads throughout the county government to identify cost-saving opportunities. She has touted the work of the county government’s department heads throughout the pandemic. “I want to make clear that as our county employees have stood by us in this diﬃcult time, I will now stand by them,” Curran said. “Our team has done an incredible job of responding to this crisis, and we will continue to have their back.” Curran announced an imme-

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said she anticipates a budget deficit of $261 million this year. diate freeze placed on hiring and non-essential purchases along with a “thorough review” of all the contracts the county maintains with other entities. Curran provided residents with a more comprehensive overview of Nassau County’s current state in the midst of the coronavi-

rus pandemic. As of Tuesday, the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in Nassau County had reached 35,085, according to figures provided by the state’s Department of Health. Of that number, a total of 1,647 Nassau residents had died as a result of the coronavirus.

A total of 1,462 residents had been admitted into hospitals due to the coronavirus, 423 of whom currently reside in intensive care units. The figures also show 341 people remained on ventilators, a decrease of 11 from the previous day. Curran highlighted some of

the county’s eﬀorts in response to the pandemic, which include activating the county’s medical reserve corps of more than 1,000 volunteers, conducting virtual meetings with the county’s economic advisory council to keep track of the status of the impact on local businesses, partnering with health clinics to increase viral testing in the hardest hit minority areas, shutting down schools with the help of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, distributing and procuring personal protective equipment for first responders, and more. “In this uncharted territory, Nassau County led the way. We followed the data and listened to the experts and with the help of all Nassau’s residents, we successfully controlled the spread of the virus,” Curran said. “This wasn’t easy, and it’s come at a high cost. We now find ourselves in an extraordinary situation with mounting challenges.” Curran, who also was appointed to the governor’s Reimagine New York Task Force, said she will continue to press congressional representatives such as Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Peter King (R-Seaford) to advocate for revenue recovery for local governments. “We will do all we can to bounce back, but we need state and federal support to replace lost revenue,” Curran said. “I will continue to do all in my power to advocate for robust recovery aid, and I won’t rest until Nassau County gets the federal funds we need.”

F R O M T H E D E S K O F M AY O R PA U L E H R B A R

Support front lines workers; pool reopening iffy At 7 p.m., each Tuesday, all Nassau County Fire Departments are activating their sirens to honor health care workers, first responders and all essential workers, mandated to work during the COVID-19 crisis. I ask all residents to come out by their front door and clap, make noise, bang pot lids, etc., to recognize those individuals. Also, every night, a number of residents are doing this. I encourage all to participate, if not each night, at least on Tuesdays. We have many residents and/or their families who are working in the healthcare industry, law enforcement, government and other essential services. Please show your appreciation and ask your family and

neighbors to do likewise. Remember to “social distance” during this activity. There have been a number of questions raised regarding the opening of the Roger Fay Williston Park Pool this summer, in light of the statewide lockdown. At this point in time, a decision cannot be made on a village level, as the governor is the only one, at this time, who can dictate the opening of pools. While the village waits for direction, plans are being put in place in anticipation that the pool will be opened. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, it had been decided that the pool would open for the weekend prior to Father’s Day weekend and then open full time on

PAUL EHRBAR

Williston Park Mayor Father’s Day weekend. As it stands now, there are three possibilities: Pool opens on Father’s Day weekend, opens later, which would lead to a shortened season, or not open at all. Once the appropriate in-

formation is obtained and a decision made, the Village will inform residents. I am hopeful that we can open in mid-June, as usual, but time will tell. Village Hall remains closed to the public; however, reduced staﬀ is there daily, to ensure village operations continue to function. As has been happening since the “lockdown,” any resident who has questions or concerns, can contact village staﬀ at 516746-2193 during regular business hours(8 a.m.-4 p.m.). The water department remains functional and the sanitation schedule is unchanged. However, for those involved with “spring cleaning” please spread large amounts of trash over two or three scheduled

pickup days. Please continue to reach out to those living alone, especially seniors, to make sure they are alright or if they may need assistance. If any resident is aware of someone in need, please reach out to me on my cell phone (516-941-8463). Although we all have heard this many times, I want to reiterate the following: Follow the guidelines, wear a mask when in public and not able to “social distance,” continue social distancing, wash your hands and avoid touching your face. Drivers be aware of those out walking, jogging and riding bikes. Stop at stop signs and drive carefully to help protect all.

30 The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

No fast-track for Nassau reopening Continued from Page 1 protocols for phase one of reopening,” Curran said. While the federal government defers judgment to state governors, Cuomo believes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were correct in their guidelines. “I think the CDC guidance is right,” Cuomo said. “So we’re monitoring the hospitalization rate. We’re monitoring the regional hospitalization rates. We said in this state, it’s a very diverse state.” The first phase of the plan, according to Cuomo, will include opening construction and manufacturing functions with low risk, so long as the health trends continue to comply with medical guidelines. Phase two, he said, is a more indepth look at each business on a case-bycase analysis, and finding the best ways for them to reopen. He said oﬃcials will determine a business’ essential service to the community, the risks of reopening, and the importance of its reopening. “In phase two, when we get there, we need businesses to do that analysis,” Cuomo said. “They have to think about how they’re going to reopen with this ‘new normal.’” Cuomo said business owners must analyze the precautions and safeguards that will need to be potentially addressed for each individual business. Two weeks must pass before the next

part of the plan is implemented, Cuomo said, in order to eﬀectively monitor its impact. He said two weeks cover the incubation period of the virus. Though the decrease in hospitalizations bodes well for the county, other figures show that Nassau and other downstate regions will not initiate the reopening plan. Nassau’s Deputy County Executive for Economic Development Evlyn Tsimis said a total of 88,768 county residents had been tested for the coronavirus as of Tuesday. Of that number, 35,085 had tested positive, including 1,647 who have suﬀered coronavirus-related deaths. “The second box that we’ve got to check is making sure that we have a downward trajectory of the number of people who are testing positive,” Curran said. “Third box to check [will be] ramped-up testing.”

Each region must have at least 30 percent of hospital beds and intensive care units available after elective surgeries resume. Regions must also have a plan for isolation facilities, which are rooms for those who test positive for the virus and cannot self-isolate. Regions must also implement testing procedures that prioritize those who are symptomatic or came into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus, Cuomo said. Regions must also utilize collected data to track and trace the spread of the virus. Tracing is one of the key parts of the plan to reopen the state safely and eﬃciently, he said. Each region must have 30 contact traces for every 100,000 people. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Cuomo last Wednesday and said Bloomberg Philanthropies PHOTO BY KAREN RUBIN

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order on Saturday that permits 5,000 pharmacists throughout the state to conduct COVID-19 diagnostic testing. On Tuesday, Cuomo went more into detail of what needs to be done to properly incorporate the plan beginning with securing health care capacity throughout the state.

had committed $10.5 million in technical and organizational support to execute tracing throughout the state. The tracing program, according to oﬃcials, will be a vital resource to moni-

tor best practices and used as a model for immediate neighboring states such as New Jersey and Connecticut, and potentially, throughout the nation. “We’re all eager to begin loosening restrictions on our daily lives and our economy,” Bloomberg said. “But in order to do that as safely as possible, we first have to put in place systems to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus and support them as they isolate.” Cuomo said coordinating testing and tracing throughout the state’s regions will aid in determining when schools and transportation systems can safely reopen. The governor stressed the importance of remaining “smart” when the state does ultimately begin to reopen. “We can’t now negate everything that we accomplished,” Cuomo said. “We have to do the opposite. We have to take this experience and we have to learn and grow from the experience.” Curran was appointed to the governor’s Reimagine New York Task Force, a group of state leaders dedicated to reimagining and improving state policies and enhance how businesses and transportation function. “I will work with our business, community, and education leaders, and we will recalibrate, we will recover, and Nassau County will emerge stronger than ever,” Curran said.

N. Shore senior a Regeneron science fair finalist Continued from Page 4 The spot at the fair, which is run by the Society for Science and the Public, makes Sotiryadis one of approximately 1,800 students who have advanced from their regional fairs in over 75 diﬀerent countries or territories throughout the

globe. Nearly $5 million in prize money is awarded every year to the top 600 teams and individuals, including a top prize of $75,000. Special awards are also distributed for scholarships, summer internships, scientific trips or equipment. The customary all-expense-paid trip

to Anaheim, Calif., for the fair, originally scheduled in May, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Regeneron opted against postponing it to a future date or holding a virtual fair, though prizes will be awarded to the students. Sotiryadis is awaiting news of her

awarded amount. “I have not only had the opportunity to explore a new and exciting field of science, but have also learned a lot about myself and how to work hard and be responsible,” Sotiryadis said in a statement.

Mineola moms band together to create PPE Continued from Page 4 The volunteers reached out to a resident at NYU Winthrop Hospital, who told the group what equipment was most needed. Shelvin then put out calls for sewing volunteers and donations in community

Facebook groups and received a barrage of responses. “The response for volunteers and donations of materials was overwhelming,” Shelvin said. “A friend and local Mineola mom put me in contact with a lady in Oceanside, Cynthia, who headed up a

group named New York COVID-19 Mask Cover Project. She donated 30 yards of fabric and 200 yards of elastic to get us started.” Operation PPE Mineola continued to grow throughout April, expanding its production and distribution operations.

The group currently has over 100 active volunteers. Shelvin and Galan received a thank-you letter from state Sen. Anna M. Kaplan, while Assemblyman Ed Ra recognized Operation PPE Mineola’s work on Twitter.

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Roslyn school scandal film rated highly Continued from Page 8 “I always tried to meet their needs and do my best that I could do, and the movie presents that at the beginning,” Tassone said. He contended that about “40 to 50 percent” of the film was true. Of the scenes Tassone said were “untrue,” he mentioned ones that depicted his personal relationships and singled out one involving his late wife as among the most concerning. “I think there were a lot of implications, or at least I felt that [it was portrayed that] I didn’t have a wonderful marriage or that I didn’t love her very much,” Tassone said. “I almost felt it was disrespectful to her.” The film shows Tassone in a relationship with one man living in Manhattan while having an aﬀair with another man in Las Vegas. Tassone said on the podcast that at the time depicted, his relationship with his partner was “open” and that he “did not keep secrets” from his partner. He added that the person he met in Vegas was not a former student as it was portrayed in the film, a change that “bothered [him] terribly.” “I have never, ever in my 36 years in education had a relationship with a student in school or some-

one who had graduated,” Tassone said. “Now, did I have a relationship at that time? Yes, and [my partner] knew about it. But never with a former student.” Tassone did agree with one frequent praise of the film, saying that Jackman did a “very good job portraying me,” also noting that Jackman had defended him in an interview on the “Today Show.” He also said on the podcast that he had paid back the $2.2 million he owed. “I’m working on trying to forgive myself for what I did, because I know I caused terrible turmoil,” Tassone said over the phone Tuesday. “Even though I spent time in prison and gave full restitution, I’m still not at peace, because I know I betrayed the Roslyn community.” Rebekah Rombom, the student who originally broke the story of Gluckin’s dismissal in the the Hilltop Beacon school newspaper, was thanked in the film’s end credits. Rombom did not comment for this story. The Roslyn School District, which said in 2018 that it had not had any input on the film and that the production would not be shooting scenes on school property, has not yet issued a statement on the film.

32 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, May 1, 2020

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READERS WRITE

Biden, Sanders eye estate tax increases

s Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders continued battling for the liberal party’s nomination for the 2020 election, both candidates promised to change how Americans are taxed. One notable diﬀerence they promise we’ll see? Estate tax increases. Social justice issues and personal freedoms often dominate conversations during election season. But changes to the tax code have big eﬀects on everyone, from the wealthy, who pay more into the system, to the poor, whose government benefits are funded by taxes.

Current tax on step-up in basis Thanks to a bill passed in 2017, there is an estate and gift tax exemption of $11.58 million per individual in 2020. After the $11.58 million, estate tax increases are at 40%. Beyond this exemption, there is a loophole in the tax provision that makes it painless for heirs to receive assets upon the death of their loved one. This loophole is called the “step-up in basis.” The step-up in basis allows heirs to avoid paying capital gains taxes on their inheri-

tances. If someone holds assets that have appreciated in value over time, and leaves those assets to an heir, the heir inherits these at the “stepped-up basis,” or current market value. The heir then only pays capital gains if they allow the assets to appreciate before selling. Biden and Sanders promise to scrap old system Both Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders had promised to make changes to the way estates are taxed. Biden would begin taxing unrealized appreciation of assets passed on at death, scrap-

ping the current system of allowing a step-up in basis. He would also tax appreciation on assets given as gifts while the giver is alive, and would raise the capital gains tax for households earning over $1 million. Sanders’ system involved a tiered system for taxing the estates of the very wealthy. At the bottom of his bracket are estates valued between $3.5 million and $10 million, which would be taxed at 45%. At the top of his bracket are estates valued at a billion or more, which would be taxed at 77%. Both candidates aim to

create a slightly more even playing field for Americans, preventing massive generational wealth from passing hands tax-free. Either candidate would need to pass these changes through Congress, which could be diﬃcult if the liberal party does not control both chambers. Kim Tucker Campo Old Westbury Original source: https:// liberals.com/2020/04/24/ liberal-candidates-eye-estate-taxincreases

VIEW POINT

For Trump, COVID-19 is win-win-win

he coronavirus pandemic is a win-win-win for Trump, particularly as disease and death rates disproportionately attack Democratic strongholds – urban areas, people of color, frontline workers driving buses and trains, manning grocery stores and delivery trucks working for minimum wage who Trump terms “losers,” volunteers at pantry kitchens, people already aﬄicted with medical issues largely because of unequal access to health care, people on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid who Trump portrays as parasites. Congress may be doling out trillions but will save billions when these people make an earlier than otherwise exit. And those trillions? They are his personal, political war chest, to be used to extort support from desperate governors seeing their state budgets bankrupted and looking at having to layoﬀ public (union) workers like teachers, police and public works, while the Biden supporters, desperate for enough money to pay for rent and food, will be unlikely to be able to fund the expensive TV commercials that COVID-era political campaigning will require. And, the coronavirus pandemic shuts down campaigning for rivals even as Trump takes over what should be nonpolitical, nonpartisan, purely factbased press briefings and turns them into campaign rallies,

bashing opponents, critics, the press. How he loves the ratings, better than finale of “The Bachelor” – from which to spread propaganda and lies while taking on the mantle of a leader, but one who rather than instilling confidence and trust, helping people over their anxieties, fears, sorrow and pain and unifying the nation to combat this “invisible enemy,” foments hatred, division, competition like a reality TV show. He dismisses how he deceives about the dangers of the disease calling himself a “cheerleader” but cheerleads protests, notably, against Democratic governors, undermining their ability to rally the civic support and sacrifice crucial to defeat the virus. He scores big with his antigovernment base (interestingly, they typically support states’ rights over federal). But then he can blame governors for the economic devastation because they prolonged the shutdown; at the same time, if and when they do open the valve to economic activity and the COVID-19 numbers resurge, he can blame the governors who had the responsibility for making the decision to reopen. Winwin. If forcing states to reopen prematurely causes an even more deadly second wave come the fall, well that’s a win-win, too – he expects that the next wave will again hit urban Dem-

KAREN RUBIN View Point

ocrats worse than rural Republicans. Trump is using the pandemic crisis to push pet policies that are red meat for his base: immigration, EPA rollbacks, abortion. At the same time, he has been doing everything possible to make sure there isn’t widespread testing –because it would show just how far and wide the disease has spread, when he insisted when there were 15 cases, he was in control, the number would soon be down to zero, and that the disease would go away, as if by magic, at the beginning of April when the weather got warmer. The actual count of the coronavirus, he fears, would be a measure of his ineptitude, as if his failed leadership were not enough. He gets to declare a national emergency, not to fight the disease but rather to evade oversight. He expects declaring him-

self a “wartime president” will get patriotic Americans to rally around, and enable him to tamp down criticism as unpatriotic. Besides declaring he had “total authority” to force states to reopen on his say-so, now he has declared he has the power to “adjourn” both houses of Congress in order to make recess appointments. Trump no doubt is looking to the dictators he so admires – Putin of Russia, Viktor Orban of Hungary, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of Thailand, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel – who have used the pandemic as an excuse to solidify power, jail journalists, and evade oversight – and plotting how he can do it here. His eye is on the election. No doubt he is testing the waters to see if he can declare martial law and either cancel the election altogether, delay it and sow confusion, or use National Guard to intimidate people from voting, shutting polling sites and making the lines so long (already six and eight hours long), people can’t bear it, especially in urban areas (suburban areas rarely have lines). Trump knows he only has to steal (win) a few battleground states – it doesn’t matter if he loses California, New York, Illinois by 20-80 and only gets 42 percent of the popular vote (the percentage he got in 2016), if he picks up three battleground states, he can (again) steal the Electoral College.

And that figures into his attacks on the U.S. Postal Service. Trump sees attacking the USPS as a win-win-win because not only does he get to undermine mail-in voting, in addition to forcing its collapse and privatization, he gets to attack his nemesis, Jeﬀ Bezos who owns Amazon but also the Washington Post. Finally, COVID-19 is a win for Trump because he gets to avoid any responsibility for the decline in the economy when he boasts he alone has produced the greatest economy in human history. The sudden, complete shutdown has, of course, resulted in levels of unemployment and lost GDP already approaching the Great Depression in only a matter of weeks, but Trump, whose sole claim for reelection hinged on the record unemployment and stock market (401Ks!), was looking at a softening in the historically-long economic expansion (thanks Obama!), constantly haranguing Fed Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates suﬃcient to give the economy an added goosing to get him to Election Day. Now he has the excuse of all excuses for the weak economy. COVID-19 is a win-win-win for Trump who famously told supporters in 2016 they would win so much, they would get sick of winning. (Yes, this is sarcasm.)

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The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

TTHANKK YOU!

WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND STANDING OVATIONS TO ALL OF THE DEDICATED ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND COMMUNITY HEROES IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE, THAT ARE KEEPING ALL OF US SAFE AND FUNCTIONING. WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND WE STAND WITH YOU.

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Cuomo order allows pharmacies to test for virus Continued from Page 6 Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced Saturday the county saw its 11th consecutive day of declining hospitalizations. The number of hospitalized patients fell by 119 to 1,659 people, according to figures from the state’s Department of Health. The number of patients admitted to intensive care units and those on ventilators also continues to fall, Curran said. Curran announced that 40 more Nassau County residents suﬀered coronavirus-related deaths as of Saturday, which brought the total to 1,558. “Not a day goes by I don’t hear about a family member of a friend or an acquaintance of a colleague who is succumbing to COVID-19,” Curran said. Cuomo also announced an increase in antibody testing throughout the state, which indicates whether someone has been infected with the coronavirus, even if they no longer carry the virus itself. Antibody testing for health care workers at Bellevue Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital Center, Montefiore Medical Center and SUNY Downstate Medical Center was scheduled for Saturday, Cuomo said, and there will be “significant antibody testing” of NYPD oﬃcers, state police troopers and Metropolitan Transportation Authority employees. BREAKING DOWN NORTH SHORE NUMBERS As of Monday evening, more than 3,500 North Shore residents had tested positive for the coronavirus, according to figures provided by the Nassau County Department of Health, The statistics, broken down by community on the county’s interactive map, were

the most up-to-date figures available as of Wednesday morning. Last week, the confirmed number of coronavirus cases throughout North Shore communities was 2,956. That number increased by 610 over the week, for a grand total of 3,566 confirmed cases. According to the map, the New Hyde Park area has a total of 1,414 confirmed cases of the virus. North New Hyde Park, just south of Manhasset Hills and Lake Success is the area with the most confirmed cases at 380, throughout the areas accounted for. The New Hyde Park area is surrounded by other municipalities hit even harder by the virus, such as Elmont’s 1,056 cases and Franklin Square’s 660 cases. The same can be said for the Willistons and Mineola, which had the second-most confirmed cases, with 981. Mineola and Garden City combined for a total of 490 confirmed cases, right around half of the area’s total. The surrounding areas include Westbury with 409 cases, Uniondale with 924 cases, and Hempstead with 1,764, the most cases in one village throughout the county. Port Washington residents could argue that residing on a peninsula is the key to lower infections, with just 384 of the North Shore’s 3,500 cases. Of that total, 179 are from town-governed areas and 77 from Manorhaven. Those who live on Great Neck’s peninsula, on the other hand, may not agree with that claim, as 665 had tested positive for the virus. The centralized villages, such as the Village of Great Neck and Great Neck Plaza, account for 321 of the area’s confirmed cases. Kings Point ranks third in the area’s con-

firmed cases with 86. While Manhasset, 422 confirmed cases, has closer proximity to areas with more positive cases, Roslyn, 581 confirmed cases, has two villages with more than 100. Roslyn Heights and the Village of Roslyn combined for 219 of the area’s 518 confirmed cases. A majority of Roslyn’s cases came from municipalities that stretch into several areas such as North Hills, 85, Flower Hill, 66, and Herricks, 69. The town-governed parts of Manhasset, 102 confirmed cases, along with North Hills, Flower Hill, and Herricks, made up a majority of the area’s cases. The villages of Munsey Park, Plandome, Plandome Manor, and Plandome Heights accounted for 51. The six areas increased by an average of just over 81 confirmed cases from last week. AN INSIGHT ON ANTIBODY TESTING According to figures provided by the state’s Department of Health, Long Island has a 14 percent coronavirus infection reading, based on a survey of 7,500 New York residents. The survey, conducted by the state DOH, showed the infection rates of major regions throughout New York after 7,500 antibody tests were conducted over the past week. The survey developed a baseline infection rate after testing people at grocery stores and other box stores over five days in 19 counties and 40 localities throughout New York, oﬃcials said. “It means these are people who were infected and developed the antibodies to fight the infection,” Cuomo said following the results of the preliminary study. “So they were infected three weeks ago, four weeks ago, five weeks ago, six weeks ago, but they had the virus, they developed the antibodies and

they are now quote, unquote recovered.” Anthony Santella, associate professor of public health at Hofstra University, spoke about his experience getting tested at his local Stop and Shop with close to 150 others. According to Santella, the test consisted of a series of general personal and health questions, followed by a finger prick. The blood from the prick is transferred onto a sheet to be sent to the lab, and the person who got tested receives a piece of paper with a code number that corresponds with their test. “The test seemed like they were the same ones used for newborn screenings,” Santella said. “The health oﬃcials told me I would get an email or text within three days with my result.” Santella said he did not get a response for three days, but after reaching out to the DOH, he received his negative reading. Though Santella found no diﬃculties with the test or finding out results, he said the behavior of people awaiting their tests was a slight cause for concern. “I saw a lot of really ugly behavior from people,” Santella said. “People were calling each other unpleasant names, yelling, and some were getting other people confused as to what testing this was for.” Santella said it is important to follow the scientific method when anticipating a potential vaccine for the virus. According to Santella, it takes an average of 10-15 years for the Food and Drug Administration to properly roll out a vaccine concept to the public. “You take that, and now tell people we want something rolled out in 12-18 months, it’s something I am a bit skeptical about,” he said. “We wish that money could solve it, but what we really need is time.”

Minorities in Nassau hit hardest by COVID-19 Continued from Page 10 people within these communities certainly might assume that this is the case, but having those data is paramount to be able to even figure out what the next steps are.” The information should be available on county websites so that the public can easily access it, Hackett said. “The more information everybody has, the better oﬀ we’re all going to be. There needs to be transparency around all of the statistics,” said Gottehrer. “The question is always: Is it that they have the information and they’re not sharing it, or is it that they’re not collecting it? If you’re not collecting the information, then you’re not going to know. And if you’re not collecting the information then you shouldn’t be governing.” Nassau County oﬃcials announced last week that they were ramping up testing in hard-hit minority communities. Curran said the coronavirus pandemic has exposed preexisting disparities. County-funded outdoor testing sites opened in Hempstead and Freeport last Wednesday. A third will open this week in Elmont. “My team and I have been focused on scaling up viral testing, that’s the testing to say whether or not if you have the virus, in the hardest-hit areas,” Curran said at a press briefing last Friday. Hackett commented that although the new testing sites will benefit these commu-

nities, Nassau County was slow to provide walk-in testing. Prior to last Wednesday, “the problem was people had to actually go inside the clinic, which puts them more at risk, and then they had to actually become patients,” said Gottehrer. “And people who are distrustful of the government aren’t going to do that.” Hackett echoed this sentiment. “I think there’s a lot of distrust from the black community specifically with county systems overall in Nassau County,” she said. “And I think that just throwing a tent up there. . .isn’t sufficient to have people trust, because that trust has been breached in the past.” Gottehrer added that the first testing site that opened in Nassau County located at Jones Beach was difficult to reach for residents of the most severely affected areas that do not have cars. “I think it’s important to have these testing sites closer to where people live,” Curran acknowledged. “Not everyone can get to Jones Beach or has healthcare.” Making testing more widely available will only benefit the more disadvantaged communities if it is accessible, both Gottehrer and Hackett said. “We need to make sure people have better access [to health care]—during COVID, and before and after COVID,” said Gottehrer. “I also hear a lot of experts on TV saying things like, ‘You have to go see your doc-

tor,’” Gottehrer said. “There are assumptions. What if I don’t have a doctor? People of privilege don’t take these things into account when they say things.” There also needs to be more proactive testing in order to stop the spread, Hackett added. It is necessary to make information on testing accessible in a host of different languages as well, Gottehrer said. Hackett and Gottehrer stressed that it is crucial for officials to bring residents of affected communities into the conversation. Elected officials must be in close contact with advocates on the ground, Gottehrer said. By opening this line of communication, the county will be able to react more quickly when problems emerge within communities. “As the county executive is looking to be able to plan for the reopening of Nassau County, the stakeholders within these communities need to be brought into that planning process,” Hackett said. She pointed out that it is becoming increasingly clear that the spread of coronavirus within a particular community inevitably impacts surrounding communities as well. “This is not something you can draw lines around,” Hackett said. “You can’t draw lines around Hempstead or Freeport and not have it affect Garden City, for example, or other adjacent communities. In order for Nassau County as a whole to be able to move forward toward reopening, we need to work

together, and in this case specifically additional resources need to be placed within the communities that are the most highly impacted.” Gottehrer said it is crucial not only to aid affected communities, but to make positions of power accessible to residents of those communities. “As long as we continue to have leaders who are not of affected communities, when you have leaders who are coming from white privileged backgrounds, they’re less likely to think of these things,” she said. “Part of the solution to all this structurally is to empower people who are from affected communities to become political leaders, and for them to have the opportunity to do that. There’s a lot of barriers that have to be removed. It’s the very structures of society that are set up on Long Island that keep neighborhoods segregated and underserved that are now being replicated in the coronavirus response. And that’s part of what’s creating all of this.” Hackett said Nassau County needs to take this opportunity to build trust within communities of color, which is not something that the county has a history of. “I look forward to seeing what Nassau County proposes,” she said. “I hope [Curran] is able to bring forward the needs that are specific to communities of color in Nassau County, because. . .if there’s one thing we all recognize, it’s that we’re connected, and so we ignore each other at our own peril.”

The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

OPEN FOR BUSINESS ift Buy a G")*+#) ($ !"#$%&' family r anothe eed in n

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Delivery through: FAMILY MEAL #1 - $26 One 18” Pizza with choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad Plus a 2 liter bottle of soda

FAMILY MEAL #2 - $32 TWO 18” Pizzas with choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad Plus a 2 liter bottle of soda

FAMILY MEAL #3 - $32

One 18” Pizza One order of Penne alla Vodka with choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad Plus a 2 liter bottle of soda

*Family Meals are Pickup / Curbside only...Toppings not included*

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CATER OPTION #2 - $95

-Choose one salad option, one appetizer option, and one hot tray option 1/2 Tray of Mixed Green Salad, Caesar Salad or Chopped Salad AND 1/2 Tray Pinwheels, Buffalo Wings, Tomato/Mozzarella or Antipasto AND 1/2 Tray of Penne ala Vodka, Chicken Parmigiana, or Eggplant Rollatini - Plus a 2 liter bottle of soda *Orders Must be Picked Up by 5:00pm. Please Give 2 Hours Advanced Notice for Family Catering Plans*

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To Be Used In The Dining Room When We Reopen

For curbside pickup just call (516) 294-6565 and place your order. Let us know the make and model car you are in, the license plate number, and we’ll deliver right to your car!

40 The Williston Times, Friday, May 1, 2020

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516-739-2747

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