Issuu

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

Friday, August 14, 2020

Vol. 69, No. 33

LIVING 50+

DRIVE TO SAVE HILDEBRANDT’S

STATE CERTIFIES SUOZZI RACE 6 WEEKS LATER

PAGES 21-28

PAGE 2

PAGE 7

A week later, some still have no electricity PSEG LI blasted for response failures BY R O S E W E L D ON

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin stands in front of PSEG Long Island headquarters Monday, saying ratepayers and taxpayers should not have to bear the cost of the power company’s incompetent response to Tropical Storm Isaias.

“Before the major storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders, the electric company promised that they were prepared,” Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) wrote in a letter to her constituents Aug. 7. “Then, the website for reporting power outages crashed and the phone lines jammed, text messages and apps fared little better, trees tangled in electrical wires blocked major thoroughfares days later and the company couldn’t track what traﬃc lights were

still out.” DeRiggi-Whitton wrote. “Are we talking about Superstorm Sandy in 2012 – or Tropical Storm Isaias just a few days ago?” Over a week after winds from Tropical Storm Isaias rocked Long Island for under three hours, thousands of PSEG Long Island customers remained without power, and state oﬃcials were launching probes into the utility’s perceived ineﬀective response in terms of preparedness and communications, said by some to rival the Long Island Power Authority’s response to Superstorm Sandy. Continued on Page 34

4 N. Shore districts breached deadline: gov In a statement issued with a plan by this Friday, they can’t But the Manhasset and Mineset, New Hyde Park-Garden City BY Park, Mineola and Garden City ola districts said they had submit- the list on Monday, Cuomo said open,” Cuomo said in a statement. ROBERT PELAEZ The governor said that the disA N D R O S E W E L D O N school districts are among 107 in ted their plans, and the other two the districts’ in-person plans will

the state that have not submitted The oﬃce of Gov. Andrew models for in-person learning that Cuomo claims that the Manhas- were due July 31.

districts have posted their plans online. Cuomo announced on Friday that school districts throughout the state will be permitted to open their doors for in-person education beginning in late August or early September.

be due Friday, with districts that fail to meet the deadline unable to provide in-person learning this year. “There are 107 school districts that have not submitted their plan – for those 107 school districts, how they didn’t submit a plan is beyond me. If they don’t submit

tricts, like all districts in the state, are required to complete three to five public sessions with parents and teachers, and post their plans for remote learning, testing and tracing on their website by Aug. 21 to be in compliance with standards established by the state. Continued on Page 35

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The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

Hope rises for keeping Old Westbury Hildebrandt’s open mayor to retire 11K sign petition to save iconic Williston Park eatery

E.W. native has served village 38 years

BY R O S E W E L D ON

More than 10,000 people have signed a petition to save Hildebrandt’s, the 93-year-old Williston Park luncheonette that announced its closure last week. On the heels of renewed hope for the beloved spot, the restaurant’s operators said they are looking into having the building named a landmark. Hildebrandt’s owners said last week in a now-removed a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page that it would “no longer be in business within the next few months.” The closing was said to be due to the building’s landlord deciding to sell it, and the new owners “creating something diﬀerent.” It was explicitly stated that the closure was “unrelated to COVID-19.” Now, the restaurant’s managers said in a Facebook post that they are looking at ways to have the building named a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. “With whatever time we may have we are working to make Hildebrandt’s a landmark so even when the building is sold, it will ALWAYS remain our beloved place,” the Facebook post read. The shop reported in another Facebook post that the original buyer who intended to close the shop has “backed out of the deal,” though the building as a whole remains for sale. Andrew Cronson, 23, of Manhasset created the Change.org petition, which over 10,000 people have signed. “Considering that the new owners will be completely redoing the building, there is a very high chance that both the Hildebrandt’s business and the historic structure will be lost for good,” Cronson wrote in a statement that accompanying the petition. “Despite being next to the East Williston Village Historic District, the site itself was never evaluated or listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

After spending 38 years serving the Village of Old Westbury, Mayor Fred Carillo says he will not be running for another term of office. Over nearly four decades, Carillo has served as a member of the village’s Architectural Review Board and the Planning Board, and as a trustee, deputy mayor, and, since 2008, as mayor. “I’m really proud to have served the village for so long,” Carillo said. He added that his proudest moments in public service include being the first village to have the New York Department of Transportation enter into a memorandum of understanding to preserve the vegetation and limit any construction or improvements between the roadbed of the Long Island Expressway and its service roads, as well as arranging for free pickup of branches for residents following Superstorm Sandy in 2012, at a cost to the village of $2 million. “That was worth every penny,” Carillo said.

PHOTO BY JANELLE CLAUSEN

The management of Hildebrandt’s says that the luncheonette’s closure is now up in the air. It is also not landmarked locally with the Town of North Hempstead which would have provided protection from any inappropriate exterior alterations. Lacking an appointed historian for the Town of North Hempstead for nearly a year, it is up to the community to be that critical advocate for preservation. Ideally, it would also be important if they do close permanently that the site be documented and any ephemera be donated to an archival repository where it can be retained.” First opened by Henry Hildebrandt in the late 1920s, the restaurant was sold to Alma Steﬀens in the 1950s. Steﬀens then sold it to Helen Baum in 1974, and Baum sold it to Alfred and Joanne Strano in 1975. The Stranos later sold it to their daughter Susan, who owned and operated it with her husband, Bryan Acosta, from 2007 until her death in 2015. Since then, Acosta has kept the store going with his and Susan’s daughter, Hunter.

Films like the Naomi Wattsstarring “The Book of Henry” and, most notably, Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” have used the shop’s frozen-in-time interiors to evoke a cozy soda fountain aesthetic. In 2011, the restaurant was featured on the Food Network program “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” with manager Tom Bauman showing host and chef Guy Fieri a process of making butter pecan ice cream. Former owner Joanne Strano also appeared, making sauce and fried mozzarella with the chef. Fieri praised the location as “timeless.” The restaurant said in a subsequent Facebook post on Saturday that while the owners “do not know if [they] will remain open,” they were grateful for the outpouring of support in recent days. “We are doing our absolute best,” the post read. “We want to keep this business for the love and memories built around it.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GARDEN CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Old Westbury Mayor Fred Carillo won’t be running for another term in September after 38 years in public service with the village.

Altogether, though, he’s proud to have worked with “really helpful and collaborative” people on the Board of Trustees. “We have a really good, collaborative team of support,” Carillo said. “Everyone likes each other and we all want to do the best we can for the residents, because you really have to serve.” In addition to serving as mayor of Old Westbury, he owns, builds with and manages Carco Builders Corp., a Jericho-based commercial real estate development company with properties in Nassau County, Suﬀolk County, Brooklyn and Queens. As a result of the over 30 years he has spent in construction, the Garden City Chamber of Commerce named him Businessperson of the Year in 2020. Twenty-five of those properties will take up the majority of Carillo’s time once he leaves oﬃce, he said. “I’ve got employees with me for close to 30 years,” Carillo said. “I treat them well, and they love coming to work. They’ve often said they’d rather come to work instead of stay home!” Carillo, 77, said he grew up in East Williston and graduated from the East Williston school district, as did his wife of nearly 54 years, Marie, and his two children. Carillo also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Husson University in Bangor, Maine, and is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. In his spare time, he is a “proud grandfather” of six, as well as an avid golfer at the Wheatley Hills Golf Club in East Williston, where he served three terms as president. In the Sept. 15 elections, Trustee Edward Novick is running unopposed to succeed Carillo as mayor. Carillo said he supports Novick’s candidacy, and he may stay on as a consultant to the village. “I believe in community service, I really do,” Carillo said.

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The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

Port making fourth run at 19th District Slams Ra for not distancing himself from Trump, says 2020 is different environment BY E LL I OT W E L D Gary B. Port, a lawyer and retired Army lieutenant colonel, is running for the state Assembly in the 19th District for the fourth time. He lost the first three races, but this time, he said, is diﬀerent because of the district’s demographic changes and the importance of the election. “This is the most important election since 1860,” Port, a Democrat, said. Getting as many Trump supporters out of oﬃce as possible is vital in Port’s mind. “Anyone who is a Republican and isn’t speaking against him has to go down,” he said. Port said the Republican incumbent, Assemblyman Ed Ra of Franklin Square, was unwilling to speak out against President Donald Trump. Since there is a global pandemic going on, and the state and Nassau County face fiscal deficits, Port asked why Ra was not lobbying Trump and the federal government for assistance. “Why isn’t he saying to the president that our people are dying?” Port said. “I haven’t heard jack from him.”

Port criticized Ra for writing opinion pieces in local news outlets criticizing Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s handling of schools. Port said Cuomo has done his best under the circumstances to make a plan to safely open schools and “bring people together.” Ra told Blank Slate Media that he does not agree with Port’s characterization of him. “Like nearly all Americans, I want Republicans and Democrats in Washington to put partisan differences aside and deliver a substantial aid package that makes school districts and local governments whole,” Ra said. “My opponent thinks that being a state representative means lobbing demands at the White House. I take my job more seriously than that.” Ra also said he has distributed personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer and meals to frontline workers in the district. Ra has beaten Port three times, in 2012, 2014 and 2016. In the most recent of those elections, Ra received 61 percent of the vote to Port’s 38 percent. In 2014, the gap was wider, with Ra receiving 69 percent of the vote to Port’s 31, ac-

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARY B. PORT

Gary B. Port is running for state Assembly for the fourth time. cording to Ballotpedia. Port claims that the partisan gap in the district has narrowed since then. He said it now contains roughly 30,000 Democrats, 35,000 Republicans and 24,000 independents. Port is passionate about issues such as aﬀordability, which he said he believes will worsen with the pandemic and economic recession. He sees a need to change some of the economic factors of the county.

He said special districts and unfunded mandates are putting stress on municipal governments. He said special districts should be consolidated to alleviate the problem. The 19th District take in parts of all three towns in Nassau County. It stretches as far north as Glen Head and covers parts of Old Westbury as well as most of Williston Park, Mineola, Garden City and West Hempstead. Port also said school districts

take up huge amounts of money. One reason for that, he said, is administrators’ large salaries. “By the time you’re done with administrators you’ve got a million dollars in the school budget,” Port said. He supports putting a cap on school administrators’ salaries, an opinion he acknowledged is probably not popular. In a news release announcing Port’s intention to run, he pledged to work with the state Legislature to “combat the crushing financial burdens Long Islanders are facing such as debt from student loans.” Port said taxes in the county are too high. He said he worries that the solution that communities come up with to fill the fiscal hole left by the pandemic is going to be to raise taxes even more and put more pressure on middle- and working-class people. A better approach, Port said, is to create an equitable tax structure. He said he doesn’t believe taxing billionaires excessively is the solution either. If that happens, he said he thinks the ultra-rich will simply leave the area. Continued on Page 35

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The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

E.W. teachers oppose reopening plan Association prez Meryl Fordin says district not prepared for in-person schooling BY E LL I OT W E L D The president of the East Williston Teachers Association expressed strong opposition to the district’s reopening plan at a Board of Education meeting last Wednesday. “We are vehemently opposed to it,” said Meryl Fordin, reading a prepared statement. “I cannot understand how you think this plan is safe or responsible when nowhere in New York State at this time is there 100 percent occupancy in any location. Not at restaurants, not at stores, not at a house of worship, not even at the beach.” Fordin, who teaches gym at North Side School, said she had reached out to the state Department of Education to review the district’s reopening plan and said the teachers were not consulted in the making of it. She also raised concerns about a section of the reopening plan that outlines how often the school will be cleaned and disinfected, asking the board for more specifics about who would do these tasks and how. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday gave local school districts the right to decide whether to hold in-classroom learning full time, a mix of in-class-

PHOTO BY REBECCA ANZEL

East Williston school board President Mark Kamberg (pictured in 2017) said the district is following state guidance on reopening schools. room and remote learning or just remote learning after conducting three virtual meetings with parents and another meeting just with teachers. Board of Education President Mark Kamberg said at Wednesday’s meeting he heard and acknowledged Fordin’s

concerns but that the governor has put out clear guidance on bringing students back. “The governor has really given guidance that we are going back to school. The state, at a 0.9 infection rate, his guidance is clear until it’s not.

At such a low rate, his intention is to send students back and if we don’t do it now, when are we going to do it? That direction is pretty clear from the governor,” Kamberg said. “As for this district, your comments are not correct. They’re simply not correct. You’ve heard the guidance, you’ve heard the questions answered and we’ll continue to answer the questions in regards to our protocols, in regards to our procedures, in regards to how we’re managing it and in regards to our extra space which, from what we’ve heard, is set up in all of our buildings.” Superintendent Elaine Kanas said the cleaning protocols about which Fordin expressed concerns are being developed by building staff and are currently being discussed with the custodial staff. Fordin is not alone among educators in her concerns. A poll conducted by National Public Radio and Ipsos found that 82 percent of K-12 teachers nationally are concerned about returning to inperson classes and two-thirds prefer teaching primarily remotely at this time.

The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

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The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

3 village elections set for Sept. 15 East Williston, Williston Park, Mineola have a total of seven candidates running for trustee and justice BY E LL I OT W E L D Candidates for village trustee are running unopposed in elections in East Williston, Williston Park and Mineola on Sept. 15.

The elections were originally scheduled for March 18, but were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Voters will have an option to request an absentee ballot. In East Williston, two trustee spots are

up for grabs, with the candidates running unopposed. One is Trustee James Lark, who joined the board in October. The other is Anthony Gallo, running on the Community Party line. Village Justice Joseph Sperber will not

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF EAST WILLISTON

The East Williston Board of Trustees will hold its election Sept .15.

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seek re-election. Two candidates are running to replace him: Emil Samuels of the Community Party and Mitchell Flachner of the Integrity Party. Voting will take place in Village Hall. Mayor Bonnie Parente said absentee ballots will be available for those who are “unavailable or unable to vote in person.” She said if the governor directs villages to hold elections in some other manner, the village staﬀ will make adjustments to do so. Two Williston Park trustees are up for re-election and both are unopposed. The two, William Carr and Mike Uttaro, joined the board in 2012. A village oﬃcial said voting will take place at Village Hall from noon to 9 p.m. and that voter turnout is expected to be low enough that it will not create a problem with crowd limits. Absentee ballots can be applied for. Mineola has two trustees up for reelection, both running unopposed: Paul Periera, who joined the board in 2008, and Paul Cusato, who joined in 2004. Both are graduates of Mineola High School. Village Clerk Joe Scalero said the Village Community Center will be the voting station, and absentee ballots can be submitted up to Election Day.

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

State election board certifies vote

6 weeks after June 23 primary, officials finally declare congressional victors BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z The state Board of Elections has released the certified results for primary races held on June 23, nearly two months after the election. The final results showed that U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Republican Douglas Tuman won the primary races for the 3rd and 4th congressional districts, respectively. In June, Gov. Andrew Cuomo extended the deadline to submit absentee ballots for the Congressional primary races until the day of the election on June 23. To be counted, the absentee ballots for the primary had to be postmarked by June 23, state oﬃcials said. The state Board of Elections posted the certified results on Aug. 5, after adding results from the New York City races, highlighted by more than 84,000 ballots being invalidated or not counted, according to the results. The city’s Board of Elections received 403,103 mail-in ballots, but the certified results showed that 318,995 were counted. The 84,108 that were not counted made up 21 percent of the total submitted. According to a report from the New York Post, roughly 30,000 mail-in ballots

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATES

U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), left, won the 3rd district Democratic primary and Town of Hempstead Engineering Commissioner Douglas Tuman, right, won the fourth Republican congressional primary. were invalidated in Brooklyn. Arthur Schwartz, a Manhattan-based attorney who represented one of Suozzi’s primary opponents, Melanie D’Arrigo, in a case against another opponent, Michael Weinstock, regarding petitions during the height of the pandemic, told the Post that the invalidation rate was “astounding” and “very troubling.” Eﬀorts to reach a representative from

the state Board of Elections for comment were unavailing. Judge Analisa Torres ruled on Aug. 3 that all mail-in votes throughout the state that were received up to two days after the election must be counted as long as they were postmarked by the June 23 election date. John Conklin, a representative from the state Board of Elections, said in an

email to Just the News that Torres’ ruling had not been enforced as of this past weekend, and that the Board of Elections is appealing the decision. “If we lose the appeal then all aﬀected boards will have to conduct additional canvassing for absentee ballots received on June 24th and 25th without a postmark,” Conklin told Just the News. “The local boards would then submit amended certifications of their primary results.” Conklin also told the outlet that the outcomes in the races are not expected to change. The only aspect of the 3rd and 4th congressional district races that changed since July was the total number of votes submitted. Suozzi won in the 3rd Congressional District primary race over D’Arrigo and Weinstock. According to the results, Suozzi received 36,811 votes, D’Arrigo received 14,269 votes and Weinstock received 4,283 votes. Of the 57,684 ballots cast, 1,790 were blank and 436 were void. The district includes Manhasset, Roslyn, Port Washington, Great Neck and Floral Park, among other areas, and stretches from Whitestone, Queens, to Kings Park in Suﬀolk County. Continued on Page 42

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Curran backs plan to close budget gap New strategy avoids additional borrowing from Nassau Interim Finance Authority BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

The administration of Nassau County Executive Laura Curran on Monday defended a new financial plan to close a $384 million budget shortfall due to the coronavirus pandemic that avoids a state control board refinancing county debt. The county faces a deficit of $384 million in the 2020 fiscal year and $364 million in the 2021 fiscal year due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the county’s multiyear financial plan released two weeks ago. The new strategy announced on Monday avoids additional borrowing by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority in the 2020 fiscal year and will not extend the current date of expiration of the finance authority’s debt or extend the length of its control period over the county, according to county oﬃcials. Nassau’s deputy county executive for finance, Raymond Orlando, and Budget Director Andrew Persich answered questions from the county Legislature’s Budget Committee on Monday, after being subpoenaed on Aug. 3. The hearing took place in the legislative chamber, where questions regarding how the county could restructure its looming debt were asked by Presiding Oﬃcer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park), committee Chairman Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence), Leg-

would provide to the county in order to remain financially afloat. Nicolello has expressed concerns over the long-term involvement of the finance authority in overseeing county finances. “The administration has refused for months to provide us with an analysis of these options, but has instead sought to ram through a refinancing plan that will burden residents with hundreds of millions in debt service and bureaucratic costs through 2051,” Nicolello said. According to figures provided by Maurice Chalmers, director of Nassau County’s Office of Legislative Budget Review, the averPHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS age annual increase of the county’s expenses for the Nassau Interim Finance Authority from 2008 to 2019 was 8.7 percent. Nassau County legislators held a hearing with representatives from the If that same average is applied for the administration of Nassau County Executive Laura Curran regarding ways to next 30 years of Nassau Interim Finance handle a $384 million budget shortfall. Authority expenses, the county will spend a islator Ellen Birnbaum (D-Great Neck) and aging the county’s budget using NIFA in such total of more than $257 million, according a way, if possible, to not go beyond its exist- to the figures. With no escalation from the Legislator John Ferretti Jr. (R-Levittown). Questions were also asked about the ing existence currently,” Orlando said. “We county’s 2020 $2 million allocations for exdates when tentative plans were sent, and to believe as you do that we should return the penses, it would be a total of $60 million. County officials announced last week whom, since the beginning of the pandemic. ultimate financial decision-making back to While several dates of submission were un- the county’s elected officials, the county ex- that programs to close the budget gap have been prepared that rely on the finance auclear, Orlando said, the Curran administra- ecutive and this Legislature.” Orlando also expressed concerns regard- thority to refinance $75 million of existing tion shares the goals of finding the most efficient and cost-effective ways to quash the ing the costs of the finance authority’s future county debt in the fiscal year 2020 and aninvolvement restructuring debt but touted other $210 million next fiscal year. county’s debt. Continued on Page 32 “We share your goal of effectively man- the “flexibility” that using the organization

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

AG James files Hempstead awards $8M in suit against NRA CARES funds to colleges BY R OB E RT PELAEZ New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit to dissolve the National Rifle Association and accused senior executives of diverting millions in funds from charitable branches of the organization for their personal use. The suit charges the organization as a whole along with Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, Chief Financial Oﬃcer Wilson Phillips, Executive Director of General Operations Joshua Powell and Corporate Secretary John Frazer with contributing to the loss of more than $64 million over three years. “The NRA’s influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets,” James said. “The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse, which is why, today, we seek to dissolve the NRA, because no organization is above the law.” LaPierre, who has served as

the organization’s executive vice president for nearly 30 years, is accused by James of setting up a $17 million post-employment consultant contract for himself without board approval, among other things. James said LaPierre spent “hundreds of thousands of dollars” of charitable NRA assets for private plane trips for himself and his family, including at least eight trips to the Bahamas costing more than $500,000 and an all-expenses-paid safari in Africa. LaPierre is also accused of spending more than $3.6 million in luxury black car services over the past two years and receiving more than $1.2 million in expense reimbursements, including gifts for family members, travel expenses, and memberships at a variety of hotels and clubs. Phillips, who retired from his position in 2018, is accused in the suit of falsifying information on financial disclosure forms and setting up a deal worth more than $1 million for his girlfriend. Before retiring, Phillips allegedly Continued on Page 32

BY E LL I OT W E L D Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin announced last Tuesday that the town is awarding $8 million in CARES funds to four colleges in the town. Hofstra, Molloy College, Adelphi and Nassau Community College will receive $2 million apiece. Clavin said the colleges, which have plans to welcome back students for the fall semester, contacted the town asking for resources to implement COVID-19 testing, personal protective equipment and shields to go between students. “Nassau Community College is proud to serve the county and all the communities within. As a part of SUNY, we rely on the contribution of funds from our county and state to continue o provide our NCC students with a high-quality education at an aﬀordable tuition,” NCC president Dr. Jermaine F. Williams said. The other colleges expressed similar gratitude.

PHOTO BY TOM MCCARTHY

Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, pictured in 2019, announced the town is giving CARES funds to four area colleges. “This grant is vital to Hofstra University’s eﬀorts to keep our community safe and healthy,” Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz said. Clavin said the funds are only to be spent on COVIDrelated expenses and all the colleges will have to submit

receipts of expenditures to the town. The town has also retained a law firm in Washington, D.C., that will further review the colleges’ spending of CARES funds. Colleges’ plans to bring back students in the fall have become controversial nationally. Clavin said he supports the decision to bring students back, as long as it is done with safety measures in place. “I support them coming back,” Clavin said. “These institutions put together a plan to safeguard the students, faculty and the workforce. I’m a firm believer that if you do it right, if you have plans set forth, we can be successful in opening the colleges and schools in a safe manner.” If further funds are needed to keep the safety measures in place, Clavin said he would consider giving more CARES funds to the colleges at some point. “We’ll continue using these funds for the betterment of all entities,” he said.

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10 The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

Study says Nassau colleges in danger Hofstra, Adelphi and LIU dispute claim that COVID-19 threatens them financially BY E LL I OT W E L D Hofstra, Adelphi and Long Island University are listed as potentially facing extreme financial challenges due to COVID-19 in a study published by NYU professor Scott Galloway. All three dispute the findings and insist they will not succumb to financial struggle. According to Galloway, colleges become vulnerable to financial burden when they have a low endowment per student and high reliance on international students, who generally pay full tuition. All three colleges have an endowment per student well below the average of $153,967. The professor, who has spoken on the business side of higher education to outlets such as CNN, made it clear he does not think colleges should hold any in-person classes during the novel coronavirus pandemic. He said most colleges are probably doing so out of fears they won’t survive the lowered revenues of going purely online for a full semester. Galloway said the schools

PHOTO COURTESY OF LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY

A study says Long Island University Post will struggle financially in the coming year, an assertion its staff disputes. most at risk face a “sodium pentothal cocktail of high admit rates, high tuition, low endowments, dependence on international students, and weak brand equity.” According to Galloway, many colleges are going to need taxpayer dollars and creativity to stay alive. “Per current plans, hundreds of colleges will perish,” Galloway wrote in the post. Galloway acknowledges that his study “should not be taken as peer-reviewed or final.”

This is an admission that Adelphi Vice President of Communications Kristin Cappezza pointed to as a reason that Galloway’s claims are not accurate. “We were incredibly disappointed in the recklessness that Galloway showed in releasing that,” Cappezza told Blank Slate Media. “We have thrived for 125 years and we plan to thrive for 125 more.” Cappezza said Galloway’s data is flawed and she is confident Adel-

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phi will navigate the COVID-19 storm. Adelphi plans to bring students back to campus dorms for the fall semester and hold some inperson classes. Students will have the option to take all their classes remotely if they don’t feel comfortable with that. Galloway lists Adelphi as having an international student population of 3 percent and an endowment per full-time student of $28,738. The average percentage of international students is 6 percent. Galloway’s study cites these numbers as being taken from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Hofstra took similar issue with Galloway’s article. A representative of the university cited high financial ratings from Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s. “This so-called study is irresponsible in terms of any comments about Hofstra University,” the university said in an email. “Our most recent Middle States reaccreditation, completed in 2018, states ‘the culture at Hofstra now seems to equip the school to

Manhassset Lord & Taylor to stay open BY R O S E W E L D ON Fashion retailer Lord & Taylor, one of the oldest of its kind in America, may have filed for bankruptcy, but its two locations on the North Shore will remain open. The 194-year-old company and its parent company, the France-based Le Tote, filed for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond on Aug. 2. Bankruptcy rumors had surrounded Lord & Taylor since it closed its 11-story flagship Manhattan store on Fifth Avenue

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weather economic and enrollment challenges in the Northeast better than most peers – and to enable the University to continue to flourish in coming years.’” Hofstra has put plans on its website to welcome back students to in-person classes and living on campus in the fall. Its endowment per full-time student is $65,527 and its student body is 5 percent international. Long Island University Post does not agree with Galloway’s findings either; it also cited accolades received from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, Princeton Review and Forbes. “Long Island University’s unprecedented success and emergence as a national teaching and research institution leads to the opposite conclusion of the professor’s prediction,” a spokesperson said. LIU Post’s percentage of international students was significantly higher than the average, at 16 percent. Its endowment per full-time student is $27,350. The chart, published with an accompanying blog post by GalloContinued on Page 35

PHOTO COURTESY OF LORD & TAYLOR

While Lord & Taylor has filed for bankruptcy, its locations in Manhasset, pictured, and Garden City will remain open.

in 2019. Le Tote says it is seeking a buyer for the remaining stores. While the company’s future is mostly uncertain, the Lord & Taylor locations in Garden City and Manhasset have not been slated for closure. USA Today reported Monday that the only Long Island location of the chain to close would be in Suﬀolk County, at the Bay Shore Mall on Sunrise Highway. Its remaining store on the island, a tenant at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, will stay open with the ones in Garden City and Manhasset. The two North Shore locations had previously undergone major renovation projects, first announced in 2016. The Garden City location received an enhanced spa room and additions to its top-floor cafe, completed in 2016, and the Manhasset location received a 38,000-square-foot expansion and additional parking, opening the new developments in late 2018. Le Tote had its first-day hearing in the bankruptcy trial on Aug. 3, and will next appear in court for its final hearing on first-day motions on Aug. 27. A bid procedures hearing is planned for the same day, and a disclosure statement hearing will take place on Sept. 14.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Ben’s ‘struggling’ to remain open: owner BY R O S E W E L D ON The owner of a popular delicatessen chain has run an advertisement stating that his restaurants are “struggling to remain in business” due to the coronavirus pandemic and asking for support. Ronald “Ronnie” Dragoon, the CEO and founder of Ben’s Kosher Deli Restaurant and Caterers, wrote the sentiment in a letter as part of an advertisement for the company in Newsday last week. “My heart goes out to everyone during these unprecedented times, especially those who have suﬀered devastating family losses, health issues or financial challenges,” Dragoon wrote. “Ben’s is no exception. Like most restaurants, we are struggling to remain in business.” Dragoon continued that any purchase would “make a diﬀerence in saving one of New York’s remaining kosher delis.” “To ensure that Ben’s will still be here when the worst of these times are over, we need your help,” Dragoon wrote. “Please add takeout from Ben’s to your weekly meals, visit us for indoor or outdoor dining, or take advantage of our delivery and takeout deli service.” First opened in a since-closed location in Baldwin Harbor in 1972 and named after Dragoon’s father, Ben’s now has two locations on the North Shore or in its surrounding areas, one in Wheatley Plaza in Greenvale and another in Country Glen Center in Carle Place. Other restaurants in the chain are located in Woodbury; Bayside, Queens; Man-

hattan; Scarsdale, Westchester County; and Boca Raton, Florida. The Bayside location is open for takeout and outdoor dining, while the Manhattan location is open only for takeout. Dragoon, 71, announced his retirement in February but put oﬀ the plans once the pandemic hit. The owner closed his letter by reflecting that he had seen three generations of New Yorkers since the restaurant’s founding 48 years ago. “Ben’s needs your support now,” Dragoon wrote. “Thank you for your time and future consideration.”

Suit accuses Rallye Motors of cheating BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Rallye Motors, a luxury car dealership with locations throughout Long Island, is facing a class-action lawsuit that accuses the company of charging customers for labor and repairs to vehicles that were not performed. The lawsuit was filed in State Supreme Court in Mineola on Monday on behalf of Salvatore Stile, an international shipping executive who resides on the North Shore. Stile said his 2015 Mercedes Benz S50 was repaired at Rallye Collision Center in Carle Place in 2016. According to Stile, the cost for repair was more than $20,000, which was largely paid by his insurer. The initial estimate of the repair of $20,808.15 included $14,260 for parts and $4,270 for labor, according to Stile. The final invoice, however, listed $4,142 for parts and charged $10,107 for labor, according to the suit. Ultimately, the suit states, Stile paid a $1,000 deductible and

!"#$%!&'()*+( ,&,-"#&' Successful businessman turned outstanding humanitarian

PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM, COURTESY OF BEN’S KOSHER DELI

Ronnie Dragoon, the owner of Ben’s Kosher Deli, serves up food in one of his locations. In a letter included in an advertisement last week, Dragoon said his restaurants were “struggling to remain in business.”

his insurance carrier paid the remaining $19,808.15. Stile told Newsday that the safety aspect of the alleged scam was quite troubling. “It was a pure profit play,” Stile said. “It was profit over safety. My family was driving in an unsafe car. They could have been in jeopardy.” Eﬀorts to reach Stile for further comment were unavailing. Seventeen additional unnamed customers with claims of false advertising, breach of warranty and violating the state’s general business and motor vehicle laws are also included in the lawsuit. Established in 1958, Rallye is marketed as Long Island’s largest luxury car dealership and the fifth largest in the United States. The suit names Rally Motors LLC, Rallye Motors Holding LLC, owner and CEO Juliana Terian, and other related entities as defendants. Continued on Page 20

CHOTALAL (PETER) BHEDDAH

11/24/1934 — 7/22/2020

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12 The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

Herricks ed board emphasizes safety BY JA N E LL E CL AUSEN Herricks school district oﬃcials discussed plans for reopening schools on Monday night, suggesting they will not compromise the health, safety or education of their students. Superintendent Fino Celano said there will be many changes, including diﬀerent classroom setups, the temporary elimination of in-person after-school activities, and health and safety protocols “more stringent” than current federal guidelines. “We will work together to provide a top quality education to Herricks students as we always have,” Celano said. “The challenges in front of us mean that things need to change.” While confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths have continued rising nationwide, the rate of new cases and fatalities significantly dropped in Nassau County and New York state since the virus peaked in April. Elizabeth Guercin, the assistant superintendent for instruc-

tion, said secondary students will be divided into two cohorts and follow a hybrid schedule of remote learning and in-person instruction. Elementary school students will return to school full-time based on schedules determined by building administrators. There will also be staggered student arrivals, options for fully remote learning, and daily access to classrooms for those with special needs, Guercin said. The schedules will be built to allow for flexibility with students and teachers, she said. “It’s not a perfect schedule, but it’s certainly a schedule that tries to address the many concerns that we have for our students,” Guercin said. Dina Maggiacomo, the assistant superintendent for human resources, emphasized the importance of hygiene, social distancing, training and health checks. Desks will be spaced six feet apart, masks must be worn at all times, and staﬀ members will be trained to look out for COVID-19 systems, teach proper hand and

SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE

The Herricks Board of Education and school administrators discussed the district’s reopening plans on Monday night. respiratory hygiene, and how to use face masks, Maggiacomo said. Having some classes outdoors and windows and doors open are also encouraged. “It’s very important that we don’t forget these rules: wear a mask, wash your hands, and keep six feet social distance,” Maggiacomo said. The campuses will be closed down to where only essential visitors, such as those connected with educational programs, will

be allowed in after a screening. Appointments must be approved. All other meetings, Maggiacomo said, will take place virtually over Google Meets. Students and staﬀ members also need to fill out surveys and are encouraged to submit a temperature check from home before coming to school, she said. In the event of a possible coronavirus case, procedures call for an adult to go home immediately. A child, situated in a quar-

antine room with an adult, would be picked up by a parent. Both are advised to contact a health care provider and get tested. A response team would begin the process of contact tracing, using the logs kept in every oﬃce and room, and ask people questions about mask wearing, conversation time and social distancing, Maggiacomo said. The district would work with the Department of Health to figure out if a class needs to be quarantined, she said, and a guidance letter would go out to families whose children might have been exposed. If there is a positive case, everyone would be removed from a classroom. The room would be closed down for 24 hours and then cleaned extensively by custodial staﬀ before anyone is allowed back in. Masks or other personal protective equipment will be made available to anyone who wants them, Maggiacomo also noted. The district’s meeting can be found on the district website or via YouTube.

Doomchin found ‘not responsible’ for stabbing BY R OB E RT PELAEZ Acting State Supreme Court Justice Robert Bogle ruled on Wednesday that Great Neck native Faye Doomchin “was not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect” for fatally stabbing a British tourist in 2018, according to Newsday. The 68-year-old Doomchin was charged with second-degree murder after she stabbed Denise Webster on Aug. 13, 2018, in her Great Neck home. The two women, who met for the first time that day, had had lunch out. The defense did not dispute that Doomchin carried out the stabbing, but said she was not criminally responsible because of mental disease. Eﬀorts to reach oﬃcials for comment on a potential course of action for Doomchin were unavailing. “This was the right verdict,” Doomchin’s attorney Robert Gottlieb told Newsday. “It reflected the true meaning of justice.” “We respect the judge’s verdict,” Nassau District Attorney spokeswoman Miriam Sholder told Newsday. “This case was a horrific tragedy, and our thoughts remain with Ms. Webster’s family.” The murder case was Long Island’s first criminal trial since the coronavirus pandemic forced court

PHOTO BY JANELLE CLAUSEN

Faye Doomchin of Great Neck was found “not responsible by reason of mental disease” for fatally stabbing a woman in 2018, according to Newsday. closures in March, according to officials. Bogle said he believed the case was the first time a “hybrid criminal trial” that combined virtual and in-person testimonies took place in New York. Oﬃcials said the use of virtual technology could also break further ground in the legal world. On July 14, according to multiple reports, Doomchin listened via Skype to a psychologist testify about how she told him “the devil” was “jumping around from person to person” before she stabbed Webster, a 61-year-old tourist from England. According to Newsday, Gottlieb said during his closing argu-

ment, “There was no rational reason for Faye to have stabbed her,” referring to Webster. “Faye set out to destroy evil … the devil that she perceived to be right there in her living room.” Prosecutor Martin Meany, according to Newsday, countered that Doomchin was aware that what she was doing was wrong when she thrust a kitchen knife into Webster’s stomach. “There’s a diﬀerence between being strange and getting away with murder,” Meaney said. “And I submit to you, Judge, that’s what the defense is trying to do in this case – get away with murder.” According to multiple reports,

Bogle donned a face mask while presiding in a jury-less trial. On July 13, according to Newsday, Doomchin was present in court wearing a mask and face shield while sitting next to her attorney. Doomchin wore a jail uniform the next day while she listened via Skype to testimony from forensic psychologist Chuck Denison and prosecution witness Mitchell Kessler, Newsday reported. Dr. Jeremy Colley, a forensic psychiatrist who testified for the prosecution, concluded Doomchin suffered from bipolar disorder, but was not in the midst of a “delusional episode” at the time of the 2018 killing, according to Newsday. According to Denison, Doomchin told him during a psychological exam, “I remember just attacking,” Newsday reported. Denison also contested Colley’s claim and said Doomchin was “in the throes of a psychotic episode” two years ago. Efforts to reach Gottlieb and court officials for comment were unavailing. In an August 2018 arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Jared Rosenblatt said that Doomchin, who was brought out in handcuffs, had said she’d made a “terrible mistake,” she “meant to do a good thing,” and that “God should strike me dead.” But, Rosenblatt said, the stabbing was likely motivated by

“some sort of jealousy” because a male friend – not identified in court – was paying too much attention to someone “evil” in Doomchin’s eyes. Rosenblatt also referred to a 1999 case in which Doomchin stabbed a woman twice in the back with a 10-inch kitchen knife in a “place of business” and recommended that, given the seriousness of the current case, Doomchin remain in custody. Gottlieb said in that prior case his client, a recently retired legal secretary who has lived in Great Neck for 20 years, had always returned for court dates. That case ultimately showed Doomchin had schizoaﬀective disorder and that she was not responsible for the stabbing, Gottlieb said. In addition to her regular treatment with a Great Neckbased psychiatrist, Gottlieb said Doomchin received outpatient psychiatric treatment for 10 years. That treatment was discontinued in 2011 after a finding from doctors, Gottlieb said, but Doomchin made sure to continue seeing her psychiatrist and take a number of medications in recognition of her illness. According to Newsday, Doomchin’s husband, Michael, testified that his wife had coped with mental illness dating back more than three decades, before they were married.

The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

2 people 2 dead in LIE crash in NHP hurt in Mineola crash BY E LL I OT W E L D

BY E LL I OT WELD The Nassau County Police Department is investigating a three-car accident last Wednesday in Mineola that left at least two people, including a 2-year-old boy, with “extensive traumatic injuries.” A news release from the department said a 29-year-old female driving a 2019 Nissan Sentra was traveling east on Old Country Road and collided head-on with a 2019 Jeep Cherokee Latitude that was traveling west being

driven by a 28-year-old female. This caused a third car to be struck, a Chevrolet Equinox being driven by a 41-year-old male with three female occupants ages 35, 6 and 3. The driver of the Sentra and her 2-year-old son sustained serious injuries and were transported to an area hospital. Both of the other drivers suﬀered minor injuries. Oﬃcials said they could not give information on the cause of the crash, but that is being investigated.

Two people died last Thursday when their pickup truck rear-ended a tractor-trailer on the Long Island Expressway and the vehicle ignited, trapping them inside. The accident occurred in the vicinity of Exit 34, which leads to New

Hyde Park Road in New Hyde Park, according to the police. The victims’ identities are “pending as the investigation continues,” police said. The fire was extinguished and the remains were transported to the medical examiner’s oﬃce. No other injuries were reported.

Oﬃcials said it is unknown what caused the truck to ignite and that more information will be released as it becomes known. The Nassau County Police Department homicide squad responded to the accident along with the county fire marshal around 3 p.m. last Thursday.

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Opinion

OUR VIEWS

School plans face a harsh reality

hen former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was at his terrifying best, he was asked about an opponent’s strategy at an upcoming fight. Tyson famously responded, “Everybody has a plan until they get hit.” This is something for Nassau County school districts to keep in mind as they finalize plans for reopening in the fall. Which is not to say that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement on Friday that schools across New York could reopen for in-person instruction this fall was not welcome news. Doctors and educators say that learning in school is an important part of a child’s social and educational development. Remote learning, even if improved by districts this fall, is not as eﬀective as having a teacher in a room with children. In-classroom instruction also allows parents to trade the job of parenting full time, which does not pay, for one in the workplace which does. Most Long Island families cannot aﬀord a loss of income without government assistance that is no longer there. The burden of caring and educating children at home has fallen particularly hard on women, who even in 2020 are usually the parent who stays at home with the children when in-person learning is stopped. The fact that Cuomo can greenlight in-person learning is also a big achievement for New York. Most public school students in the countrywill start the school year remotely due to rising rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths. And many schools that are opening are in states where their governor is following President Trump’s bad advice, including his

unsupported claim that children are “virtually immune” to COVID-19. As are many of Trump’s claims, this too is false. It also ignores the fact that children are not the only people in schools. Teachers, schools aides, cafeteria workers, administrators and others also work there — many at an age considered most susceptible to COVID-19. Children, as school superintendent of the Los Angeles school district said, are petri dishes for diseases that can be carried home to siblings, parents and grandparents. At least 97,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks of July, according to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association. There are also reports of an increasing number of children hospitalized due to COVID-19. Schools in New York, once the epicenter of the virus is this country, can now plan for in-person instruction based on its low rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths. Those districts had been required by the governor before his announcement Friday to develop options for in-classroom learning full time, virtual learning full time and a hybrid model split between in-classroom and virtual learning. District-run task forces made up of parents, teachers, administrators and Board of Education trustees worked for weeks to develop such plans across the North Shore. For which they deserve our praise and gratitude. This is a task with literally lifeand-death consequences. Whether the 124 school districts on Long Island should be tasked with developing such a plan for its 430,000 students while New York City develops one for its 1.1 million students may be a question

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for another day. But it does seem strange that adjacent districts could have totally diﬀerent plans across Long Island. Under this system, students from Manhasset attending Schreiber High School could, in theory, go to school full time while students from Manhasset attending Manhasset High School could be home learning virtually full time. And can we really expect each district to actually devise the best plan for each district? But that’s the system we have. “The local district has to come up with a plan, and they have to deal with the parents and teachers,” Cuomo said. “There’s a significant level of anxiety and concern.” Cuomo has wisely set basic ground rules for schools. They include limiting school openings to districts in a region where the average rate of positive coronavirus tests is below 5 percent over a two-week period. As of Wednesday, Nassau County was below 0.9 percent. The final plans developed by school districts are also subject to review by the state Education Department and the state Health Department. All school districts are also required to hold three virtual meetings with parents and one with teachers. Which is a little bit odd. Why have parents — some of whom have been strongly advocating for in-person learning — discuss their support for in-person learning at

virtual meetings? The least they can do is hold the meetings in-person — following protocols for masks and social distancing. If holding three in-person public meetings is too dangerous, how can children be expected to attend classes in-person for an entire day or even half a day? Teachers’ unions have said many teachers and parents have anxiety about local school district opening plans that have been submitted to the state. The New York State United Teachers union issued a press release Friday following the governor’s announcement saying its more than 600,000 members were concerned about “the lack of guidance on specific procedures for closure, testing and contact tracing in the event of a COVID-19 case in school.” Teachers older than 65 and those with pre-existing conditions are eligible for medical exemptions that will allow them to work from home. Cuomo has acknowledged that in-classroom instruction is not guaranteed — even if a district’s plan is approved. “If the teachers don’t come back, then you really can’t open the schools,” he said. “If the parents don’t send their students, then you’re really not opening the schools.” Israel’s experience with COVID-19 oﬀers a “be-careful-of-what-

REPORTERS Rose Weldon, Robert Pelaez, Elliot Weld

you-wish-for” warning for supporters of in-person learning. At a time when Israel’s low infection rate was earning the country high marks for its handling of the virus, it invited the student body back to school in late May. “Within days, infections were reported at a Jersusalem high school, which quickly mushroomed into the largest outbreak in a single school in Israel, possibly the world,” The New York Times reported. The virus spread to the students’ homes and then to other schools and neighborhoods, ultimately infecting hundreds of students, teachers and relatives. Other outbreaks followed, resulting in tens of thousands of students being quarantined. Similar stories have been reported at schools in this country. The common denominator has been schools not having suﬃciently strong protocols, not following them or both. The lesson learned is that safely reopening schools requires smaller classes, mask-wearing, keeping desks six feet apart and providing proper ventilation. Of course, plans on Long Island could be dramatically altered if there is a second wave of COVID-19 infections in the fall as predicted by many scientists in combination with the flu. So perhaps the most important thing we need to now figure out is what happens, like one of Mike Tyson’s opponents, when we get hit.

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ON THE RIGHT

DiNapoli waves flag on NYC revenue loss

n early August, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a 43-page analysis of New York City’s economic and fiscal trends. His perceptive report should be read by every local official facing an operating budget deficit. Here’s an overview of DiNapoli’s findings: Two months after Gov. Cuomo ordered the shutdown of the New York City economy, 940,000 workers lost their jobs. The city’s unemployment rate, which hit an all-time low in February of 3.4%, had skyrocketed to 20.4 percent by June. The hardest hit: bars, restaurants and hotels. That sector lost 304,000 jobs by the end of April. Retail lost over 90,000 jobs. Those sector losses explain why the highest unemployment is among minorities and young people living in the Bronx. Unemployment in that borough has hit 24.7 percent. The DiNapoli report goes on to describe the shutdown’s devastating impact on the city’s fiscal condition.

In June, the city estimated that its two-year revenue loss will be at least $9.6 billion—and that’s a low-ball number. Those estimates do not factor in money that may not arrive from Albany. If the state does not benefit from a new COVID-19 relief bill, the city could lose up to $3 billion in aid. Urging the mayor to face fiscal realities, DiNapoli concludes his report with these words: “Given the size of the budget risks outlined in this report … the Oﬃce of the State Comptroller urges the city to prepare additional actions to balance the budget.” What actions has Mayor de Blasio taken to balance the city’s budget? So far, it has been mostly fiscal sleight of hand. He has raided trust fund reserves to the tune of $1.3 billion. The total drawn down could hit $4.1 billion. The city has also reduced its reserve for collective-bargaining agreements by $1.6 billion. (This is a dubious reduction, considering de Blasio’s history of giving away the store to non-police

GEORGE J. MARLIN On The Right unions.) Since de Blasio took oﬃce, the city workforce — the largest of any municipality in the nation — has grown by 24,000 bureaucrats for a total of 325,000. The mayor’s latest plan assumes the number of employees will drop by a paltry 3,656. Most of those, no doubt, will be police and school principals retiring because they are disgusted with the mayor’s inept crisis leadership. Instead of cutting out the lard in the city’s bureaucracies to balance his budget de Blasio wants to

raise taxes on the wealthy. Prior to the pandemic, 1 percent of the city’s 4 million households—that’s 40,000—paid 50 percent of the city’s income tax. However, since March, scores of residents living in the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods have fled to their weekend homes in Long Island, upstate, Connecticut and even Vermont. Gov. Cuomo, realizing the city is losing revenue, has been urging them to come back. But Cuomo has conceded that his pleas have been falling on deaf ears. Many have said to him that if they stay in their vacation homes, “I pay a lower income tax, because [I] don’t pay the New York City surcharge.” The governor rightly dismissed raising taxes on the rich because he knows that even if a few thousand of the city’s wealthiest households pull up stakes, the city’s tax collections will crumble. De Blasio rejected the governor’s position saying: “To the point about the folks out in the Hamptons, I have to be very clear about this. We do not make deci-

sions based on the wealthy few …. That’s not how it works around here anymore.” The delusional mayor went on to say that the wealthy can afford to pay more in taxes and that many of them would be happy to do so. During de Blasio’s reign, expenditures have increased by over $20 billion —3 times the rate of inflation. And the mayor’s spending spree was funded by tax revenues from the top 1 percent. De Blasio is incapable of grasping that the city is dependent on revenues from the wealthy because middle-class jobs have declined significantly in recent decades, and lower-income folks if they are lucky enough to be employed, pay little in local taxes. De Blasio and regional oﬃcials better heed DiNapoli’s warnings and find ways to do more with less. But if they fail to right-size government and raise taxes on the well-oﬀ, they will alienate the very people who have the financial resources to pack up and quit New York.

A LOOK ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Brushing away some seeds of discord

owadays, even just taking in the mail can be a heartstopping adventure. How many days must I let an oﬃcial-looking letter sit before it’s safe to handle? On the other hand, if I don’t open it right away, what might go wrong? Packages are even worse. We got one last week and neither my husband nor I could remember having ordered anything that hadn’t already arrived. The day it came my husband stood quite a while on the porch, staring at it. “Well, what does it say on the label?” I finally asked him. “Who is it from?”“It’s from ‘Fulfillment Center,’ ” he replied. “So tell me — do you feel fulfilled? Never mind, don’t answer that. But I just can’t think what this might be.” “Me neither. Maybe it’s some magic seeds from China.” Because just when you think this year can’t get any weirder, you have to worry about mysterious seeds being sent, un-requested, all over the United States — apparently from China. And the U.S. Department of

Agriculture has issued some very scary bulletins, saying if you get these mystery seeds, don’t plant them; don’t even touch them. They might harbor a plant disease. They might be dangerous hybrids. They might even be poisoned! I don’t understand the fuss. I know we’re not on the best of terms with China these days, but what could a few little seeds do to us? It’s not as if they were magical dragon’s teeth, which if planted result in soldiers springing up from the earth, ready for combat — right? My husband has a diﬀerent theory. “I think the worst thing they could do to us would be to send us seeds for kudzu. Soon after that, we’d all be covered in vines, unable to move.” “Sounds relaxing,” I said. According to some reports, the seeds might be part of a scam, inexplicably called “brushing,” which involves somebody somehow writing fake reviews to “game” that part of a distributor’s system. I don’t see how it helps any vendor’s rating to have hundreds of people saying “Get these things

JUDY EPSTEIN

A Look on the Lighter Side the hell out of my mailbox.” Our mystery box finally turned out to be laundry detergent, ordered so many months ago that we had forgotten all about it. But it triggered a memory for me of a diﬀerent box arriving during an earlier scary time. The smallish box had arrived in my mail, un-asked for, in the fall of 2001. We were all still in the raw days following 9/11. On top of that, just one week later, various places had begun receiving letters

with a mysterious white powder — a powder that in several cases turned out to contain spores of the deadly disease anthrax. True, those seemed mostly to be going to news organizations, but nobody could say for sure what in the world was going on. So here was a small cubeshaped package in our mail. It was addressed to me, by name, but I didn’t recognize the sender, and I hadn’t ordered anything from anywhere. So what could it be? I left it on the porch while I tried to figure it out. As the day wore on, I grew more and more concerned. Who would bother to send a package for no reason? Maybe it was anthrax. Maybe it was a bomb! Should I submerge it in water? I’ve seen them do that with bombs, on TV, but sometimes, the package is rigged to explode if you simply move it, so what should I do? I called my husband, still at work, and demanded that he come home to help me manage this crisis.

He humored me, bringing along a magnifying glass to help him scrutinize the package. After more than 10 minutes, we were none the wiser. Suddenly, I lost patience. I took a broom and with all my strength, I swatted the thing out onto the steps. We heard a little cracking noise, then nothing. No puﬀ of spores. Certainly no explosion. When we finally unwrapped it (of course, I made my husband do that), what did this parcel turn out to be? It was a Christmas tree ornament, delivered with “Our very best holiday wishes” by that infamous terrorist organization, Habitat for Humanity. Or rather, that’s what it would have been if I hadn’t successfully smashed it. So here’s a word of warning to all you Chinese mystery seeds. I’ve got my fighting broom all oiled up and ready, and I’m not afraid to use it. You want to talk about a “Brushing” scam? I’ve got one right here, waiting for you!

16 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

Greek life can support college freshmen

any colleges, including Hofstra University where I teach, have adjusted their schedules and much else because of the pandemic. For Hofstra and others the semester begins this month and will conclude at Thanksgiving in order to reduce travel for students. They will return for the second semester in January. I have been highly impressed by the careful, thoughtful planning for the fall by Hofstra’s administrators and faculty and by the positivity of students who have been part of the discourse. Even before millionaire professional athletes began opting out of playing for their teams, I made a reluctant decision — with the support of the university — to postpone my courses until fall 2021. Because I am now an emeritus professor, I have fewer courses, usually in specialized areas approved by my department. This fall I had an excellent early enrollment in one of my favorite courses: “History and Media.” For this start of my 61st year at Hofstra, I was also slated to team-teach “Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies.”

But, given my age and health history, several doctors said I was a high virus risk, that it would be prudent to resume teaching when a vaccine is available, I am far from alone in needing to make adjustments because of Covid-19. Still, I have a let-down feeling knowing I will miss a semester of teaching and especially, the camaraderie of colleagues and students. Pondering these developments caused me to recall the start of my own college education. Over my many decades of teaching I always felt a special concern about beginning freshmen. The start of college life, especially while living away from your home, is one of life’s major transitions. Under the best of circumstances, teenagers need to deal with time management challenges and developing new friendships. Associating with other teens can be a delight, but too often we assume that it takes place easily and comfortably. When I began my freshman year at Union College, I did not know a single person at the campus. Although I had been a gregarious person and a leader at my high school, I felt anxiety about getting to know and befriending new peo-

MICHAEL D’INNOCENZO Out of Left Field ple, all the more so because they represented such a range of backgrounds compared to the small ethnic community where I grew up, There are activities and organizations that help build relationships of encouragement and support; among them are fraternities and sororities, but they were literally Greek to me when I started in 1953. Coming from an immigrant family, I had never heard of fraternities at colleges. Indeed, no one from my extended family had graduated from high school. I was the first to do that and the first to go to college. Building relationship bonds can take time, and with all of my

previous gregariousness, I felt lonely for the first time in my life at college. I believe that loneliness is a continuing concern for people of all ages, but especially for youth who are on their own for the first time. Such normal adjustments have now become complicated by fears and uncertainties created by the pandemic. A few recent publication headlines illustrate this: “Stress Test: Pandemic taking a mental toll on college students.” Also: “Unsettledness surrounds us;” and “Adolescent isolation Increases during Covid-19 lockdown;” more comprehensively: “America Is a coalition of the worried.” Attending college has eﬀectively been described “as a time out of time” – a period of years for emerging adults when they can learn much about themselves and about the world. Those journeys of discovery can be joyous, but we should remember that personal and group support systems are central to positive advances. As a teacher, I always tried to be especially attentive to beginning freshmen, seeking ways to assist them and aﬃrm them. Of course, teachers want to do that with all students, but new beginnings are special.

One of my major support systems in 1953 came from Union’s fraternities (as I recall there were 18 of them). With a freshmen class of 300, the frats were not exclusive. Most newcomers, like me, had no idea about the rushing and bidding process. The number of bids for membership that one received became something of a status symbol. However, we did not know that the fraternities had done research about us before we reached campus to refine their list for recruitment. Colleges like Union, with so many fraternities wooing freshmen (often from the first weeks on campus), had the positive eﬀect of making one feel welcomed, with a prospect of close ties with brothers. A bit more than a week ago, The New York Times had this page one story: “On Campus, a rejection of Greek life.” In my next column, I will explore the benefits and limitations of fraternities, including my own experiences of protest when in 1955, my prominent national fraternity tried to prevent its nearly 100 chapters from following the example of Kenyon College, the first Beta chapter to pledge a Black student.

E A R T H M AT T E R S

Work with ocean to fight climate change

umans have caused irreversible changes to the biosphere, which is why we talk of the Anthropocene — a geological epoch marked by mankind. With extreme weather events, record heat, glaciers melting and sea levels rising, there’s no denying that climate change is here. Water sets the stage for life on Earth and our relationship with water will dictate our future. With rising CO2 levels our waters are turning sour. One hundred years of human waste, warming waters, invasive species and overfishing have damaged Long Island’s coastal ecosystem and as a result the once thriving shellfishing culture has suffered tremendously. Human behavior (inefficient sewage treatment, stormwater runoff and excess fertilizers) sheds excess nitrogen and phosphorus into the bay, encouraging the growth of harmful algae blooms (HABs) that suffocate underwater greenery and marine organisms, making it impossible for aquatic life to breathe. These “dead zones” are threatening what used to be a vibrant waterfront. How to accommodate millions of humans, while still maintaining

a thriving coastal community? Regenerative seaweed and seashell farming wake up the ocean optimist in me. We can turn to aquatic life (oysters, clams and kelp) to help us with bio-extraction, as long as we help them. Long Island has a long history of supporting oyster aquaculture that has the well-known benefit of cleaning our waters as shellfish feed on micro-algae. In New York and Connecticut marine scientists and progressive, sustainable ocean farmers are leading the way with restorative projects aimed at bio-remediating polluted waters and reviving “dead zones.” Sustainable seaweed and shellfish farming methods actively restore waters by extracting excess nutrients and capturing carbon. An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. Termed “Sequoia of the sea,” kelp soaks up five times more carbon than land plants and reduces acidification of the ocean. Bioextraction initiatives have successfully been launched by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Long Island Sound Study in partnership with the New York state-funded Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan. Suﬀolk County’s Cornell Cooperative Extension

HILDUR PALSDOTTIR Earth Matters

leads in New York state with innovations and training in aquaculture methods since 1991. Importantly, they foster an educational handson connection with their coastal communities. CCE Marine Program Director, Chris Pickerell, says in Cornell Chronicles: “It’s important to engage the public in the whole process, so they understand how this works. It fosters a sense of stewardship, and that’s really important to us.” To bolster these types of efforts, in 2017 Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo promised a total of $10.4 million to help restore the native

shellfish population on Long Island – The Shellfish Restoration Initiative — with the aim of improving water quality as well as bolstering the coastal economy. Half of this grant has enabled CCE to build the largest shellfish hatchery in New York state. They most recently caused a big splash in bio-remediation by seeding 179 million shellfish in Long Island’s coastal waters as leaders of this initiative. After the hatchery, shellfish are grown in nurseries that are designed as floating upweller systems (FLUPSYs) to grow juvenile clams quickly, while volunteers help clean, sort and wash the clams and keep predators away. For bioextraction to be successful, New York needs to support the aquaculture industry. Program consultant to LINAP David Berg suggests that “one way to achieve that is by considering some form of credit to shellfish and seaweed growers for the ‘ecosystem services’ they provide by cultivating these marine organisms.” Farming seaweed and shellfish causes a ripple eﬀect of goodness felt throughout the coastal ecosystem. In healthy oxygenated waters native eelgrass has the opportu-

nity to take root again and recreate marine habitats for other species of aquatic life. Connecting land and sea, biodiversity is restored in healthy wetlands, with water fowl returning and migratory birds fed. Climate resiliency is defined by our ability to adapt to changing times. If you’ve read “Drawdown: The most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming” (Ed. Paul Hawken), you’ll find that there are many ingenious ways to adapt to changing times. It starts with new thinking. We shouldn’t think of us as saving the ocean, instead we should look to collaborate with marine organisms and in that process collectively save us all. “If done eﬀectively, ocean crop farming could also become a sustainable tool to help fight the effects of climate change whilst also addressing the emerging nutrition and water scarcity crisis Products from seaweed have now been identified as a critical input for a range of new industries, such as food supplements, fertilizers, medication as well as a more sustainable packaging alternative to plastics.” (Ocean Crops: Is This The Next Frontier For Agriculture? Nishan Degnarain, Forbes July 29th 2020).

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

OUR TOWN

Goddess of glass more than meets the eye

iven the apparent dangers of travel in this time of COVID, the immediate question is why bother traveling at all. International travel has always been expensive, time consuming, requiring intense planning, pain tolerance and great patience and now travel can actually kill you so the question is ‘why bother?” The answer is that you get to see the three glories: history, beauty and craftsmanship. Seeing Notre-Dame is a good example. They began work on Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in 1160 and it took a team of skilled and devoted artisans, craftsman and engineers the next 100 years to complete the work. Notre-Dame remains one of the most beautiful structures in the world. To see those glorious rose stained glass windows which measure 33 feet in diameter is to be introduced to God. Victor Hugo’s published “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” in 1831 in order to awaken Paris to the value of this cathedral which had fallen into disrepair.Notre-Dame is so well crafted, so historic and so breathtakingly beautiful that it continues to attract travelers from all over the world. The closer you get to the cathedral by foot you begin to notice that the sidewalks are filled travelers from all nations with everyone walking in the same direction and all with a look of excitement and high expectation as they anticipate

the great and glorious vision of perfect craftsmanship. But the French do not have a monopoly on craftsmanship. A visit to the Villa d’Este Hotel in Lake Como, Italy provides the same aesthetic thrills. This villa was built by artisans in the 16th century for Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio and continues to attract guests like Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Ralph Lauren, Michael Douglas and Robert Deniro. Part of the charm of staying in the world’s foremost luxury hotel is in the crafted gardens, sculptures and even a 100 step garden stairway with tiny waterfalls on the side of every step. What I slowly concluded after seeing such finely crafted and historic beauty is that I ought to be able to approximate this kind of aesthetic in my own home. Why not? Sure I’m not as rich as a cardinal but I’m not poor either. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. So I began to hunt down a craftsperson here on Long island to add some luster to my home. Over time I have had gardens built in my backyard but also longed to have stained glass windows installed like the ones designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in his masterpiece Fallingwater, the home he created for Edgar Kaufmann near Pittsburgh. I found some free time during the recent quarantine and my research led me to the Italian-Amer-

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

ican artist Rita Riccardi, known as ‘The Goddess of Glass.” Rita was trained at Pratt Institute, founded Glass Impressions of New York back in 1987 and has has been busy ever since catering to interior designers, contractors, home owners, churches, corporations and consulates. I explained to her that I wanted the eight windows that were facing my backyard to be converted to stained glass with some kind of geometric design similar to those wonderful Frank Lloyd Wright windows. You see four of them in the photo above. Rita explained a brief history of stained glass, a craft which began with the Romans 2,000 years ago but gained prominence during medieval times in monasteries and cathedrals. Recently stained glass design has regained its former popularity thanks to Louis Comfort Tiﬀany and

Frank Lloyd Wright. She said the method of manufacture has not changed much in two hundred years requiring the mixing of certain oxides during the mixing of the glass. She is required to roll out the molten glass treated with some kind of oxide, cut it into small pieces and fit it into a hand designed lead frame. This takes patience, engineering skill and craftsmanship. Each of the four windows you see took about ten hours each to make. Of course this is why the art of craftsmanship is fading away and why architecture has lost its power and its magic. The only building of any real significance or beauty on Long Island is the Endo Building in Garden City, designed by Paul Rudolph in the ‘new brutalism” style.

One of the few good things to come out of these COVID times was that I had a chance to add some beauty to my modest home thanks to the fine art ability and the craftsmanship of “The Goddess of Glass. “It’s always diﬃcult to determine the exact value of something beautiful, rare and special. It will certainly cost you a small fortune to see Notre-Dame or the Villa d’Este Hotel but it will cost you far less for some stained glass windows. And now I have a touch of Paris, a hint of the Villa d’Este on Lake Como and a reminder of the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright here to gaze upon each morning when I arise from my sleep. Thank you very much Rita. Ms. Riccardi can be reached at (718) 389-5841 or at glassimpressionscorp.com.

The magic of stained glass.

VIEW POINT

Republicans using tricks to steal election

lection Day is now less than three months away, but voting actually begins in just about one month. Eﬀectively, then the window to protect voting rights is fast closing from unprecedented voter suppression, foreign interference, and hacking (which would have been addressed by three bills passed by the Democratically-controlled House but blocked by Senate Majority Leader). And Trump and the Republicans seem just fine with that. The $4 billion that Democrats sought to protect voting from Russian and other foreign meddling with agitprop and outright hacking into the porous voting machines, the $25 billion to bolster the U.S. Postal Service which is anticipated to have to handle a tsunami of mail-in-ballots amid the COVID-19 health emergency? Republicans are doing what

they are great at: running out the clock (a favorite metaphor) to where no amount of money will help and they will be free to double down on the voter suppression tactics that have worked so well, including gerrymandering, Voter ID (while blocking the means to obtain ID and register), obstructing access to polls and the ballot, purging legitimate voters. Instead, Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee have taken to the courts dozens of times, as part of a $20 million eﬀort to challenge voting rules (rights). Trump is actually suing to prevent Nevada from sending absentee ballots to all registered voters, even though five (Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah) conduct their elections entirely by mail. So if Trump targets only some, doesn’t that fall under violating Equal Protection (14th amendment), not to

KAREN RUBIN View Point

mention the 15th amendment and Voting Rights Act? The pandemic has already given Trump and the Republicans a perceived advantage – after all, the reason Jared Kushner was not interested in nationalizing PPE supplies and testing was because the epidemic was centered in Blue States, cities and communities of

color — two-thirds of the hospitalized and two thirds of the dead are likely Democrats. The ultimate voter suppression: 160,000 dead with another 100,000 expected to die by Election Day. Well, Trump squeaked through with 77,000 more votes across three states to “win” the Electoral College with only 42 percent of the popular vote, 3 million fewer votes than Hillary Clinton. Trump has made it clear that he plans to double-down on the dirty tricks that got him to squeak out a “win” in the Electoral College in 2016 – but now, he is in charge of the levers of all that power. COVID-19 has given Trump two new weapons: undermining the US Post Oﬃce to not only delay mailing ballots to and from voters (now he is actually looking into an Executive Order that would direct the Postal Service to not deliver certain ballots to voters and issu-

ing a ban on counting mail-in-ballots, otherwise known as “absentee ballots” beyond Election Day); and evictions and foreclosures that threaten 30 to 40 million people. Remember how Republicans challenged the vote of displaced Hurricane Katrina voters? Even here in New York State, the Republicans challenged the right of college students to vote at their campus (You moved dormitory rooms! You received their Christmas cards at your childhood home!). Trump has shown himself willing to politicize the military and the National Guard for his own political benefit – in Lafayette Square, in Portland – and it is not inconceivable that he would declare some kind of martial law, as he has already threatened to send his Stormtroopers into cities that happen to have Democratic mayors. Continued on Page 43

18 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

KIDS F IRST

When my father fought Nazis in America

was born and raised in the 1950s in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in the South Ward of New Jersey’s largest city Newark. Decades earlier, after Hitler rose to power in 1933, Newark also became a center of Nazi activity and a base of operation for the German American Bund, once known as the Friends of New Germany. The Bundists dressed like brown shirts and at their peak, there were 25,000 of them.

Isadore Malekoff War Department Card I.D. 1941, property of Andrew Malekoff

told me the story, was that When did I first learn my father was loosely asabout this? From my unsociated with a group that cle, the unoﬃcial family an infamous local ganghistorian. But he didn’t ster organized to disrupt provide all this detail. He only suggested it in a stoanti-Semitic meetings ry he told me about my held by the Bund. father, his oldest brother. As my uncle told it to It wasn’t until later that I me, “They would throw filled in the blanks. stink bombs into the I was curious, but I meeting hall in Irvington didn’t do much to further and then when the Nazis validate the story he told ANDREW MALEKOFF ran outside they would me. That is, not until I knock the hell out of Kids First read the Philip Roth novel them.” “The Plot Against AmeriFinally, I decided to ca,” which debuted as an look into this, not expectHBO miniseries in March. ing to find much. To my surprise found a It turns out that Philip Roth grew up in few detailed articles on the subject. the same neighborhood that I did, only 18 One of them appeared in theForwardyears earlier. Needless to say, the setting of just this past March 15th. The author, P.J. his book was most evocative as the place Grisar wrote: “the Minutemen patrolled where I spent most of my childhood years. Nazi meetings. Famously, they gassed out In the novel, Roth imagines how a the Schwabbenhalle, a German auditoriJewish family living in that neighborhood, um, near Irvington [which bordered Newmight have dealt with a national threat ark] with stench bombs and fought with similar to what European Jews confronted the fleeing Friends of New Germany on the in the 1930s. Which leads me back to my street outside.” uncle’s story about my dad. My father was a Minuteman? Who My father had been a well-known high were the Minutemen? school athlete (football and basketball) in As Grisar reported: “The “Minutemen,” the mid-1930s, often featured in the local were a group of Jewish boxers and gangnewspapers: theNewark Star Ledgerand- sters [who] broke up meetings and rallies Newark Evening News. of the Friends of New Germany and its sucMy grandmother, a Russian immigrant, cessor group, the Bund, ready to strike Nasaved a treasure trove of the news clippings zis with bats, crowbars and stink bombs if about his athletic exploits. the rhetoric turned anti-Semitic. What I hadn’t known until my uncle When things got violent and arrests

were made, [they] were typically charged only withdisorderly conductorcreating a disturbance. I learned that they took the name from the Revolutionary War Minutemen, whose name signified their readiness to fight the British at a minute’s notice. “Newark’s Jewish Minutemen wanted to emulate them in their fight against the Nazis,” observed Robert Rockaway in a 2018 report on the group. When my uncle first told me the story, it was almost in passing and it seemed to blend in with all the others he told to me. But, this one started with “I don’t think you have any idea how tough your father was….” By today’s standards, I suppose my father might have been labeled a terrorist. And, depending on who was in power, he would have been either applauded or dragged oﬀ the street by unidentified troops wearing camouflage and thrown into an unmarked car. A few years after his time with the Minutemen, my father enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 22 (see photo of his War Department I.D. card), where he raised his Nazi-resistance to another level. His two younger brothers joined him soon thereafter. He served for five years from 19411945. Nazis in America? Yes, it can happen here. Some might say it already has. Andrew Malekoﬀ lives in Long Beach, New York. He is a licensed clinical social worker and author of the textbook Group Work with Adolescents: Principles and Practice, now in its 3rd edition

F R O M T H E D E S K O F D E L I A D e R I G G I - W H I T TO N

PSEG-LI must answer for Isaias failures

efore the major storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders, the electric company promised that it was prepared. Then, the website for reporting power outages crashed and the phone lines jammed, text messages and apps fared little better, trees tangled in electrical wires blocked major thoroughfares days later and the company couldn’t track what traﬃc lights were still out. Are we talking about Superstorm Sandy in 2012 — or Tropical Storm Isaias just a few days ago? In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias, my oﬃce has received numerous calls and emails from frustrated residents who feel ignored by PSEG-LI. During my 14 years as an

elected oﬃcial, I have witnessed first-hand what a Herculean task it is to respond to a regional natural disaster. Storms like Isaias renew my tremendous gratitude for the frontline work crews and employees whose tireless eﬀorts help get us back on our feet amidst extremely challenging and perilous circumstances. In my opinion, however, PSEGLI’s management has left much to be desired throughout this process, especially when you consider that Isaias was considerably smaller, weaker, and faster-moving than the historic behemoth that was Sandy. Beyond the obvious frustration of being without power for days on end, business owners who were already reeling from the pandemic were dealt another costly blow.

DELIA DeRIGGI-WHITTON Nassau County Legislator

Many restaurateurs were faced with yet another loss of thousands of dollars — this time, from spoiled food — when they can least aﬀord it. Nursing homes and assisted-

living facilities struggled to care for our most vulnerable residents — our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, spouses and friends — during a global pandemic amidst a sweltering summer. Residents who rely upon electrical medical devices for treatment were placed in unacceptable peril. And, when several of Glen Cove’s water wells lost power, the city was forced to implement urgent water restrictions so that potable water was available for residents and first responders. I believe this must serve as a wake-up call for all of us. I support the eﬀorts of any agency with jurisdiction — New York State’s Public Service Commission; LIPA; and New York State Attorney General Letitia James, to name a few — to investigate so that the errors PSEG-

LI made during Tropical Storm Isaias are not repeated. The Nassau County Legislature’s Superstorm Sandy Committee will explore this topic during its next meeting, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Aug. 17. I encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback with me before then. Our experience with Tropical Storm Isaias illustrates the challenges presented when a monopoly is the sole provider of a service that is central to our daily lives. PSEG-LI, LIPA and outside investigators must quickly determine what went wrong and make immediate corrections to prepare for the remainder of what meteorologists say will be a very active hurricane season. Letters Continued on Page 29

For the latest news, visit us at w w w.theislandnow.com

The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

SALUTES ALL THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO HAVE TIRELESSLY GIVEN OF THEMSELVES

MINEOLA STRONG AND PROUD See our facebook page for daily updates

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Rallye Motors sued over alleged repair claims

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

A lawsuit was filed against Rallye Motors on Monday, claiming the collision center cheated customers on repairs.

Continued from Page 11 Efforts to reach Rallye officials for comment were unavailing. The suit also claims that Stile and other affected parties were financially harmed by the value of their cars subsequently declining and being charged with higher premiums and deductibles for insurance coverage. Attorney Jeffrey K. Brown of Leeds Brown Law PC, who filed the lawsuit, said in a news release that potential damages could total hundreds of millions of dollars. Brown said he attempted to

bring the alleged scheme to Rallye’s attention, but received no response. “Rallye violated that trust of countless consumers who came to its body shop to get their cars repaired,” Brown said. “I don’t believe these customers realized what was happening.” Brown also said his firm began investigating Rallye’s practices roughly one year ago after being alerted to them by a whistleblower. According to the news release, that whistleblower intends to file a separate whistleblower suit within 60 days.

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Healthy eating options for seniors “Let food be thy medicine” is a quote attributed to Hippocrates, the ancient scholar considered to be the father of modern medicine. The saying relates to the notion that what people put in their bodies can heal and/or prevent certain conditions.

a problem among the aging due to factors like lack of variety in diet and reduced food intake. Eating a variety of foods can provide all of the nutrients people need to stay healthy as they get older. Certain foods may be particularly helpful.

For seniors with medicine cabinets full of over-the-counter and prescription medications, the idea of relying predominantly on food to promote optimal health may be tempting, and various foods can be particularly useful to the 50-and-over demographic.

· Brain-friendly foods: Foods such as avocado, leafy vegetables, sunflower seeds, blueberries, and salmon are good sources of vitamin E, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients that may help ward off dementias like Alzheimer’s disease, advises Sonas Home Health Care.

According to the World Health Organization, poor diet is a major contributor to many of the diseases that affect older people. Poor diet has been connected to the development of diabetes, and degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis also may be linked to the foods ones eat. The National Council for Aging Care says micronutrient deficiency is often

· Anti-inflammatory foods: Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent inflammation that can cause cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Aging.com says foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, should be consumed at least twice per week.

· Fruits and vegetables: Fresh, canned or frozen produce tend to be high in micronutrients, including a variety of important vitamins that are essential for all components of health. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises eating dark green vegetables, such as leafy greens or broccoli, and orange vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes.

the gastrointestinal tract thicken and digestive contractions that push waste along may slow down and become fewer. Foods rich in fiber can promote proper digestion by moving food through the digestive tract mor easily. High-fiber foods also may help naturally reduce blood cholesterol levels.

· Energy-boosters: Choose whole grains that can provide sustained energy by way of healthy carbohydrates over processed grains.

· High-iron foods: Without enough iron in the body, a person may feel tired and lethargic from a reduced production of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood from the lungs to the rest of the body. A lack of oxygen in body tissues from anemia can be serious, says the National Council for Aging Care. Tofu, spinach, lentils, pumpkin seeds, and fortified breads and cereals are high in iron.

· Bone-friendly foods: Calciumrich foods, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, can prevent calcium from being leached from the bones, which contributes to conditions like osteoporosis. · Digestive system-friendly foods: The digestive system slows down as the body ages, as the walls of

Smart food choices can help seniors live long and healthy lives.

A Blank Slate Media Special Section • August 14, 2020

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22 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Fight the fear of financial planning COVID-19 pandemic teaches us of need to prepare for the unexpected in our lives BY D O U G AU G E N T H A L E R One of the great lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic is the lesson of planning. Pandemics are an unlikely event, but we knew another would come someday. Yet, we failed to plan. We are now paying the price for that failure, but imagine how much better, how much easier this could have been if we had a plan to deal with it. The same is true for retirement planning. Retirement is a very likely event, but many of us still fail to plan. For those still far from retirement, it is easy to put it oﬀ for another day. What they don’t understand is that the most valuable dollars are those invested the earliest! For others, the fear of bad news stops them from planning at all, leaving their financial future to chance. Those fears are natural, they are real, but pushing past those fears is critical to retire-

ment success. The last thing you want is to find out that you aren’t ready for retirement just as you are about to retire. Better to know where you stand while there is time to fix whatever issues there may be, and if things look good, maybe you can retire a little early! If you do not have a financial plan, there is no better time than now. We suggest that your “plan for your plan” and in our view, here is how to get started on the right foot. Deal with a professional. There is plenty of DIY retirement advice available, most of it (save more, spend less) is very good advice, but it isn’t a plan. A plan is a detailed analysis of the condition of your retirement savings; your expected retirement spending, and the probability of success. CFP (Certified Financial Planner) professionals are trained in this process. Anyone can call themselves a financial planner, but only CFP professionals are held to rigorous professional and

ethical standards. You can find local CFPs at cfp.net.Look for a fiduciary. Acting as a fiduciary requires that an advisor always act in the client’s best interests. Why is that important? Because not all financial advisors are fiduciaries. Always ask any advisor or financial planner if he or she can serve as a fiduciary. Establish a relationship. Seek out a qualified person with whom you can or do have a “trusted” relationship. It allows you both to openly discuss all aspects of a plan without reservation. Do not be afraid to interview several CFPs to gain more perspective and gauge for a personal fit. A financial plan is an on-going, living process and document, not a “oneshot deal”. Circumstances will inevitably change, which may require modifications to your plan. The highest value is in the professional relationship that allows your plan to “grow along with you”. Having that relationship allows you to discuss the unpleasant aspects of a plan without reservation be-

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cause you are not talking to a stranger. The Planner’s job is to serve as a financial coach. Don’t settle for less.Your plan should be thorough. A plan will be based on all your financial assets, including your retirement savings, your desired retirement income and expected spending. The plan produces an expected annual return and looks at the probability of success. Make sure your plan includes “what if” scenarios” as a stress test. What if inflation picks up? What if my expected expenses are higher than I projected? What happens if my projected investment returns are not attainable due to market conditions? This helps to avoid unwelcome surprises and allows the investor to be more confident in their ability to achieve their plan regardless of these unknowns. The sooner you start, the better. Climbing a long, modest incline is easier than climbing a short steep hill. The same is true with your finances. No matter your age, the earlier you start,

the easier the climb. Every day that you delay your plan, the steeper the hill becomes. Your situation may seem so simple that it may not seem worthy of professional attention, but it is. Whether it is your existing financial advisor or accountant, or it is a new person or firm, these steps will serve as a solid foundation for developing your financial plan. You will be glad you did. Doug Augenthaler, CFP®, CFA® is chief portfolio strategist and financial advisor at Palumbo Wealth Management, a registered investment advisor. Advisory services are only oﬀered to clients or prospective clients where PWM and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice and it should not be relied on as such. For additional information, please visit www.palumbowm. com

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Preplanning a funeral is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. Whether it is for you or a loved one, the first step is obtaining all the necessary information to make an informed decision. More and more people are choosing to preplan/prepay their funeral and burial expenses. In doing so, they recognize that it is smart financial planning and provides great emotional relief for themselves and their loved ones. Prepaying your funeral will allow you to make your own funeral plans, but, more importantly, preplanning will spare surviving relatives and loved ones from the emotional burden of having to make decisions at a time of great stress and grief. The most common questions people ask when they are considering preplanning their funeral arrangements are:

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Did you know?

hose poised to begin a health regimen that includes probiotics would be wise to also educate themselves about the closely named, yet vastly different, “prebiotics” that are also beneficial to health. Prebiotics are to probiotics what fertilizer is to a vegetable garden. Prebiotics are essentially a special type of soluble fiber that is used by the beneficial bacteria as fuel, advises the prebiotic supplement company Prebiotin. Examples of good sources of prebiotics include bananas, onions,

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garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, apple skins, beans, and chicory root. The prebiotic fiber moves through the small intestine undigested and fermented until it reaches the large intestine. Once there, beneficial bacteria break it down and use it as food. Thusly, the prebiotics can then multiply readily and improve the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. Eating prebiotic foods can fuel the process, but many probiotic supplements now have a combination formula that includes prebiotics in the recipe.

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24 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Lowering the risk for seniors of falling Each year 3 million older adults seek treatment at the hospital after a fall. More than 27,000 of them will die as a result of their fall injuries, and many more will experience disabilities that lead to a loss of independence. Falls are a major public health problem, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while the eﬀects of a fall can be life-changing and life-threatening for seniors, the fear of falling also is a serious threat. “Sometimes after they’ve fallen or have been told by their doctor that they are at high risk of falling, older adults will decide it’s best to avoid physical activity,” said Gregg Balbera, President of Right at Home Nassau Suﬀolk. “This leads to loss of stamina and muscle strength … which, in turn, increases their fall risk all the more!” Balbera has found that sometimes families inadvertently play a part in this downward cycle. They urge their loved one to take it easy, always hovering and fretting. Instead, they should help their loved one reduce the risk of fall injury. Fortunately, there are sciencebased steps older adults can take: Talk to the doctor about your risk factors. Do you have health conditions such as arthritis, vision loss, osteoporosis or memory loss which raise the risk of falls?

What can you do to lower the risk? Be open with your doctor about your fall history. The CDC reports half of seniors injured in a fall don’t tell their doctor about it—but they should. Falling just once doubles the chance of falling again. Keeping quiet about it could mean missing out on some valuable fall prevention advice. Get enough exercise, and the right kind. Ask your doctor to “prescribe” an exercise program for you, which will likely include activities to strengthen muscles, build endurance, increase flexibility and improve balance. There’s an exercise program for almost everyone, no matter their abilities. Gyms, senior centers and recreation centers oﬀer senior exercise classes, though these days, exercises you can do at home may be more practical. Dancing, gardening and house cleaning also provide a workout. Seek help for balance problems. Some falls are caused by disorders of the vestibular system, located in our inner ear, which is important for our sense of balance. These disorders often can be treated. We also can improve our balance abilities. Ask your doctor about a balance class, with special exercises and activities such as tai chi that actually improve proprioception—our sense of position. The wrong shoes also can aﬀect our

balance and stability, so have them properly fitted. Conduct a fall-prevention home inspection. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recently reminded seniors that it’s a great time to give their homes a safety inspection—because these days, we are likely spending most of our time at home! “Look around for hazards,” says Balbera. “Remove clutter that could trip you up. Improve lighting throughout the house, and add grab bars in the bathroom and other key areas. And be sure there’s a clear path to walk through the house.” Have your medications reviewed. The drugs we take help us manage health conditions that raise our risk of falls. And yet, either alone or combined with other drugs, many prescription and overthe-counter medications can cause dangerous side eﬀects, such as dizziness, confusion and drowsiness. Bring a list of all the medications you take to your doctor or pharmacist and report any side eﬀects when starting a new drug. Have regular vision and hearing exams. Not surprisingly, vision loss is a top risk factor for falls. In some cases, vision can be improved with eyeglasses. Keep your prescription up to date, and if you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, ask your doctor if a second

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pair with single-vision lenses might be safer for walking. Balbera notes, “Our ears also provide a lot of important information about the environment around us that can help us avoid falling, so if you have hearing aids, use them.” Eat a fall-fighting diet. Getting the right nutrients promotes muscle and bone strength. Calcium, protein and vitamin D intake are particularly important. Eating well also helps maintain a healthy weight. Talk to your doctor about an eating plan that’s right for you. Be frank about your alcohol intake too. Drinking too much ups the fall risk quite a bit. Use walking aids properly. Canes, walkers and other mobility devices help many older adults maintain their stability and avoid falls while walking. However, it’s important to use these devices correctly. A physical therapist or other professional can recommend an appropriate device, make sure it is properly fitted, and train you in its safe use. Avoid distracted walking. Many falls happen when seniors aren’t fully aware of their surroundings. Balbera shared an interesting observation: “Today, the main culprit might be your smartphone. There’s a stereotype of a young person walking along while texting, even in intersections.

But experts tell us older adults are doing it, too! Even talking on the phone while walking can distract us. Stop to make that call, or wait until later.” Add home care to your fall prevention strategy. For many families, hiring professional inhome care is a way to achieve the above goals. Balbera reports that Right at Home caregivers remove clutter, supervise exercise, provide transportation to healthcare appointments, pick up prescriptions, and provide appropriate care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory loss. Today many fall prevention classes and activities are taking place via videoconferencing. The caregiver can help with that, too! “Seniors who might hesitate to be active gain an extra measure of confidence when a professional caregiver is at hand—a great way to break the cycle of falls and fear,” says Balbera. “Family, too, are more confident knowing their loved one has help nearby.” Submitted by Gregg Balbera, president of Right at Home of Nassau Suﬀolk. Right at Home created a Fall Prevention Guide to help family caregivers assess an older adult’s home for fall risks and to make changes to reduce risk. Download the guide at rightathome.net.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

“When NYU Winthrop’s TAVR team replaced my heart valve, they gave me my life back.”

For John Elliott, sailing is living. He’s been on the water for most of his 90-plus years. In all three theaters during World War 2, as a merchant seaman, and for the last 70 years sailing out of the Rockaway Point Yacht Club. But recently John was so fatigued and short of breath, he could only walk a few steps. His aortic valve was failing. His daughter, a nurse, told John about a valve replacement procedure called TAVR. She took him to NYU Winthrop Hospital, part of NYU Langone Health. With some of the country’s highest quality TAVR programs on Long Island and in Manhattan, NYU Langone Health is a leader in this procedure. They replaced John’s valve through an artery in his leg. In no time at all, he was back to sailing off Breezy Point. If you suffer from aortic stenosis, you may be a candidate for TAVR. To learn more, call 1-866-WINTHROP or visit nyulangone.org/tavr.

259 First Street, Mineola, New York 11501 • 1.866.WINTHROP • nyuwinthrop.org 259 First Street, Mineola, New York 11501 • 1.866.WINTHROP • nyuwinthrop.org

26 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Emergency preparedness tips for seniors N

atural disasters can strike at any time, and when they do, the damage is often considerable. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, between 2005 and 2014 natural disasters caused $1.4 trillion in damage across the globe, affecting 1.7 billion people along the way. Various preventive measures can protect people and their homes from the potentially devastating impact of natural disasters. For example, oceanfront communities may be able to decrease property damage by exacting certain measures, such as building homes on stilts. Another way to prevent tragedy related to natural disasters is to develop an emergency preparedness plan before the next storm strikes. That’s important for everyone, but especially so for seniors, many of whom live with mobility issues that can compromise their ability to escape the eye of oncoming storms. In recognition of the potential problems seniors face when natural disasters strike, the American Red Cross offers the following tips to seniors and

their families so aging men and women can make it through such situations safe and sound. · Make arrangements to contact loved ones. Prior to an emergency, seniors and their support network should make arrangements to make immediate contact once a disaster strikes. Determine who will make initial contact and how that contact will be made (i.e., via phone, text message, social media, etc.), as well as who will be responsible for providing assistance if necessary. Such a plan lets everyone within the support network know their precise responsibilities, which limits confusion in the sometimes hectic hours and days after disaster strikes. · Exchange keys. Make sure everyone in the support network has keys to seniors’ homes. In so doing, support networks are increasing the chances that someone will be able to reach potentially vulnerable seniors if the primary contacts are incapable of doing so. · Let others know where emergency supplies are kept. Everyone should have emergency supplies in their homes. Seniors should not take it for granted that such

supplies can be easily found if they become incapacitated during a storm. Make sure such information can be easily accessed during a storm by emailing it to your support network and/or posting the information in a convenient location in your home, such as on the refrigerator. · Share your evacuation plans. In the wake of recent disasters, many communities that did not previously feel vulnerable to natural disasters have devised evacuation plans for residents. Seniors should share these plans with their support networks. Doing so makes it easier for relatives to find you if you must evacuate your home before help arrives. · Share important medical information. Seniors should share medical information, such as healthcare providers and a list of the medications they’re taking. This can make things easier for emergency responders to successfully treat people who become incapacitated during storms. Emergency preparedness strategies save lives. More information about how seniors can prepare for emergencies is available at www.redcross.org.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

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OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS CREATE

OUTSTANDING COMMUNITIES The dedication, compassion, and strength that The Bristal team displays daily is evident – especially to those who choose to call The Bristal home, as well as their families. The happiness and well-being of residents means everything to us, so their heartfelt appreciation is both powerful and motivating. We’re proud to share their sentiments for the outstanding individuals who make The Bristal such a special place.

On behalf of my mother and our family - thank you. You chose to be caring, to bring a smile with you every day, to try to get a laugh out of the residents and to make them comfortable. Whatever your role has been in the community, we thank you for continuing to keep their home a safe place to ride out this terrible pandemic. Stay safe!

– Caroline P. (family member) For a list of all locations in the tri-state area, visit: THEBRISTAL.COM AN ENGEL BURMAN COMMUNITY

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

F RO M T H E D ES K O F A R N O L D W. D RU C K E R

Enshrine protections for transgender residents

n Monday, Aug. 3, I voted in favor of an amendment to Nassau County’s Human Rights Law which ensures that Nassau County residents are protected from discrimination based on certain visible characteristics or traits, such as “natural hair texture” and “protective hairstyles.” This is a good piece of legislation, and I am glad it was adopted unanimously. However, I cannot help but feel that the action we took was incomplete. During the debate on this measure, I urged the majority to finally act upon my proposal to further amend the Human Rights Law and make it unambiguously clear that transgender and gender non-conforming Nassau residents are protected. Nearly a decade ago, my

predecessor Judy Jacobs first carried this legislation; since that time, state legislation has been enacted to mandate equal treatment under the law for transgender New Yorkers. Despite numerous opportunities, the Legislature persists in its inaction. Majority lawmakers have used the passage of state legislation as part of their argument against updating the human rights law locally. The actions of this Legislature reveal this to be an unjust double standard. Consider the fact that Section 292 of the New York State Human Rights Law was amended last year to prohibit discrimination by expanding the definition of race to include “traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair

ARNOLD W. DRUCKER Nassau County Legislator

texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists. Yet, we acted on August 3 to amend our human rights law to address similar discrimination. Furthermore, it is an established practice of this Legislature to make certain protections

explicit under County law, notwithstanding the existence of similar protections under state or federal law. Why was the bill we approved on August 3, worthwhile and honorable as it is, held to a diﬀerent standard by this Legislature than one for transgender people? The challenges faced by transgender Nassau County and New York residents have not abated. Transgender people experience elevated levels of poverty, housing discrimination, workplace bias and a risk of suicide and mental health challenges as compared to the general population. They are also frequently the target of fatal violence. According to the Human Rights Campaign, advocates

tracked no fewer than 27 violent deaths of transgender or gender non-conforming Americans in 2019. Many were Black transgender women. At least 21 transgender people have been killed in America this year alone. It is painfully clear now in 2020 that gender identity and racial equity are inseparable. I believe that enshrining county-level protections stemming from gender identity in our Human Rights Law is not only morally and legally correct, but consistent with the practices of this Legislature. Our transgender community is under attack as we speak, and we have a duty to stand with them — just as we seek to do with other marginalized groups. It is literally the least we can do.

READERS WRITE

Virus jeopardizes Port Authority master plan

ort Authority of New York & New Jersey Executive Director Rick Cotton was less than candid when he said that “the Port Authority has asked Congress for a $3 billion bailout to make up for revenue losses and to allow its ambitious capital construction plan to continue. If the funding isn’t approved, except for projects under construction, such as Terminal One at Newark and the building of new terminals at LaGuardia airports, the rest are on the chopping block.” He went on to say that the pandemic has endangered the agency’s blueprint for the future. “The historic $37 billion capital plan will be revised. We will revise the scope and schedule of every other major project. Proj-

ects to rebuild and expand the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, extend the PATH line to Newark Airport, expand PATH stations to run longer trains and replace Newark airport’s aging monorail with a new AirTrain could be in jeopardy,” What he neglected to mention was that two of his projects already were in jeopardy long before COVID-19. In 2014, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the cost for the LaGuardia Air Train was $450 million with a completion date of 2019. The Port Authority has budgeted $2.05 billion of funding within the $37 billion 2017 — 2026 Ten Year Capital Plan for the LaGuardia Air Train. This doesn’t include several hundred million more which is necessary

PSEG LI not up to the job The incompetence of PSEG LI at restoring power is only exceeded by their incompetence at communications. Bob Kleinman Port Washington

to relocate the NYC Transit Casey Stangel Bus Depot. There is no funding within the MTA $51 billion 2020 — 2024 to pay for this cost. The Federal Aviation Administration will not issue a environmental NEPA finding until 2021. Who can predict the final cost and completion date? There was always only $3.5 billion allocated toward the $10 billion new Port Authority Midtown Manhattan Bus Terminal. This project has carried a $6.5 billion shortfall for years. Earlier this year, the Port Authority abandoned plans to build a new 42nd Street Bus Terminal using eminent domain to acquire adjacent property, but instead proposed building a new terminal 100 percent within the existing foot print. This still may never happen. The approved Port Authority 2017 — 2026 Ten Year $37 billion Capital Plan provided only $3.5 billion toward construction of the new $10 billion 42nd Street PA Bus Terminal. Initiation of another planning study for $70 million was just the first down payment. How many more years will it take to complete this study, environmental review process, preliminary along with final design and engineering? It is wishful thinking that the Port Authority can count on $6.5 billion in future federal funding to make up the diﬀer-

ence. Don’t be surprised in waiting until the next Port Authority ten-year 2027 — 2036 Capital Plan before a complete $10 billion or more funding package is in place. This is necessary to support awarding construction contracts. Remember that the project has never advanced beyond the environmental review process. There has never been a final determination to rebuild at the existing site or relocate to the Javits Convention Center. Nobody knows if the Port Authority has talked to the Federal Transit Administration about potential funding down the road. No one can predict the final cost and completion date. In December, Cuomo celebrated the $1.5 billion Javits Convention Center expansion being on the path to completion on time and within budget. One of the two concepts proposed by the Port Authority is to build a new bus facility under the Javits Convention Center. This was previously proposed by the New York Regional Planning Association. It would replace the existing 42nd Street Bus Terminal. This would have an adverse impact on the ongoing $1.5 billion new improvements currently under way. Costs for construction modifications to lower levels of the existing Javits Convention Cen-

ter and a new ventilation system to accommodate NJ Transit and intercity buses could increase overall costs by a billion or more above the current $10 billion. The subway connections at this location, which commuters count on, are not as plentiful as what is available at the present Port Authority Bus Terminal location. How much would it cost to extend the Lincoln Tunnel & modify the West Side Highway to build at this location? How could the Javits facility be modified to accommodate larger buses, space for riders to wait by departure gates and be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act? Cotton reminds me of Chicken Little who said “the sky is falling.” Larry Penner Great Neck (Larry Penner — transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked 31 years for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Oﬃce. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for the MTA, NYC Transit bus and subway, Staten Island Rail Road, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, MTA Bus, New Jersey Transit along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ).

30 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

READERS WRITE

Current G.N. Plaza PSEG accountable administration obsolete for grid failure

ewsday’s article of Aug. 10 reported 46,000 Long Island customers remained without power. Some 400,000 were initially impacted by the Aug. 4 storm. While we are all rightly outraged and focused on the massive lingering issues that actually go back to Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, there are several problems that must be addressed pertaining to the health and safety aspects of power outages, as well as to the viability of Long Island business. An often-overlooked problem, however, is how solar installation companies operating on Long Island are contractually restricted by PSEG, and prohibited from configuring residential/business solar systems from providing power for their own use when PSEG’s power grid is interrupted or inoperative. This I relearned from a neighbor whom I mistakenly lauded for having the use of his solar power during the recent outage. I was reminded that I previously said the same, but I just filed it away and forgot because I don’t have a solar system. Solar power generated by residential/ business systems are only set up to deliver power one way, into PSEG’s grid, while the resident/business receives a credit for the generated power and subsequently purchases power supplied by PSEG from its grid. I submit PSEG has abused this arrangement far too long. At the very minimum, when PSEG’s grid goes down in an area, impacted homeowners and businesses must be allowed to use the solar power generated by their systems to run critical systems, such as lights, refrigerator, heating, etc.. This is not merely an inconvenience, when PSEG’s grid is down the solar power that could otherwise be generated should be put to good use. The wasted potential gets us nowhere helpful or useful. Until large capacity battery systems are developed and economical for home and business use, the current setup is a one-way trip in no one’s best interest but PSEG’s. This arrangement also discourages customers who want to install a solar system to safeguard against power outages. Utilities contend the current setup protects worker safety. During a power outage solar systems automatically shut down so they don’t power the grid when workers are repairing the grid. This is good since worker safety is paramount. Solar systems have detectors which sense when power is coming from the grid. When the grid power is down they automatically shut solar systems down, too. But the same automatic fail-safe breaker system that is tripped for a grid outage with minor re-configuring can prevent an inadvertent leak of solar generated power back into the grid until grid power is restored. This is old technology similar to how house circuit breakers work. Solar systems can be configured to safely provide a home or business with electricity during an outage, and, importantly, prevent back-flow

into the grid.(Note 1). And can’t multiple backup circuit breakers be utilized, as well? This is not rocket science. Electrical operations are often engineered to have multiple backup safety systems. To give explain the personal health and safety impact of the recent outage, my wife and I help care for a 99-year-old uncle who is recovering from a major operation. His power went out during the storm; it only came back on more than three days later. Though our house was largely unaffected by the outage, we don’t have the equipment or setup to provide the constant intensive care the uncle needed, thus he was housebound without electric, refrigerator, hot water— his stove is also electric. During this time, we and others who diligently tried were unable to reach PSEG’s mislabeled “help number” by phone, PSEG’s website was often unavailable, and when it was available had confusing and constantly changing information that proved to be unreliable. When the power grid fails everyone’s health and safety is negatively affected. So too is business. It is time to not only hammer out the serious concerns regarding PSEG’s preparedness, customer service, and the gaps in its power supply. The hammering must include allowing PSEG’s residential and business solar contracts the ability to configure these solar systems for their own use during power outages as a viable option. Additionally, PSEG’s reason doesn’t hold up because building codes require that electrical work be completed by certified professionals, which is nothing different. Isn’t this something that certified electrical engineers and installers do, by ensuring regulations and plans are followed, the quality of work is up to spec, and safety is paramount? Of course, and why there is a permit process to begin with. Now might also be a good time to revive another age old power play. LI’s prior and current power companies have all been allowed to sidestep not having to bury at least critical major power lines. My knowledge begins with LILCO in the ’60s, when burring key lines would have been easier and much less disruptive. Yet for the public’s largesse the company dodged the matter, then subsequently pushed its Shoreham nuclear power plant debacle that drained billions of dollars from LI’s economy for years. Alas, LILCO’s CEO and investors were made whole. One thing at a time, it must remain a hard lesson lived and relearned for another time. Stephen Cipot Garden City Park The author is a retired scientist and project manager formerly with the U.S.E.P.A. Note 1: The exceptions are when a solar system is equipped with energy storage, or one that is not grid-tied or solely an off-grid system.

ost people would not keep clothing for 25 years; it goes out of style. Most people wouldn’t keep a car for 25 years; it develops expensive repair problems and becomes obsolete. Nobody keeps leftovers for too long; they might make you sick if you eat them. But yet, we have kept the present Great Neck Plaza administration for more than a quarter of a century; and let me tell you that it is out of style, obsolete and way past its expiration date. We’re tired of “my way or the highway” governing; we don’t want a new mayor from an old administration who has dropped the ball on everything he was tasked to do—such as the promised residential parking garage under the post oﬃce, which was approved by the government. Ted Rosen even acknowledged in this newspaper that there is a terrible parking problem in the Welwyn/ Shoreward area; but he chose then, and still chooses now, not to do anything about it. The entire current Village administration also hasn’t cared enough to relieve the residents in the Welwyn/ Shoreward area of their horrific parking problem, choosing instead to exacerbate it. They have willfully ignored the violations of a business which encourages its large number of employees to park,

without consequence from the Village, for 12-hour stretches in 3-hour non-resident parking spaces, leaving residents with no place to park. We’re tired of seeing the “For Rent” signs on Middle Neck Road that have been growing in number since long before COVID 19. It’s time to stop the downward spiral of our Great Neck Plaza business district which will become a Deadwood City ghost town if left in the hands of the incumbents who continue to ignore the issues. It’s time to rejuvenate and clean house in Great Neck Plaza, and the Katz mayoral team will do the job. They will bring fresh ideas and fresh faces to our Village government. Unlike the unresponsive present administration, Leonard Katz’s team will listen to all their constituents and will be sympathetic as well as empathetic to their needs—as opposed to the present administration which is just plain pathetic! On September 15th, please write in your votes for Leonard Katz for mayor of Great Neck Plaza and Marnie Ives and Robert Farajollah for trustees. The people of Great Neck Plaza deserve a gourmet feast, not leftovers! Leo Pfeifer Great Neck Plaza

Kaplan’s office listened when I lost power

ike many I lost electric and found PSEG lacking in their response. They were unreachable and the text they sent with the restoration date was the same for everyone. More frustrating for me is that the homes across the street and down the block never seem to lose power. My home was supposed to be put on the medical list after Sandy, since my son is an insulin-dependent diabetic. It was not. I called Anna Kaplan’s oﬃce and was surprised they answered the phone and listened. They said they would try to help. They called back to check on progress. They told me to go to Willis Avenue to pick up free water and ice from 9-5. On Friday morning I arrived at 9:15. The truck was unloading at 9:20. The extremely rude personnel there said they could not distribute till 10 a.m. I sat there among a long line of cars watching ice melt in 80 degrees. I am sure the last car received nothing more than a bag of water. I have never seen such stupidity.

My electricity returned on Friday at 12:30 p.m., not on Saturday at 11 p.m. as stated in the text. I heard many went beyond that day. Mrs. Kaplan’s office helped me and I am grateful. But more than that it was nice to hear a human caring voice from her staff. I honestly believe they tried to do everything they could to get me up and running. PSEG tells you to go online. How do you do that when you have no electric or internet? Insulin like many other medications is supposed to be refrigerated not on ice.. With the heat we had to spend a night in a hotel. The town of North Hempstead needs to check on the trees as many that fell were town trees on the sidewalk. After Sandy there should have been lessons learned. We elect people to speak for us. I would like to thank Kaplan’s office for doing just that. Jerylan Zacarese New Hyde Park

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

READERS WRITE

If it’s not supporters’ ignorance, what is it?

s they say in baseball, “I calls ’em as I sees ’em.” One particular Trump supporter who writes letters to this newspaper is not ignorant because she is aware of the facts — but, unfortunately, when she misinterprets such information, there is a word that best describes such condition. Please fill in the missing word. For example, she writes; “Democrats support anarchy.” By definition, anarchy is a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority. In reality, the opposite is true. The Democrats want governmental authority. As for Trump, his objectives are to have complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism. Trump is achieving such objectives by attempting to take away voting privileges, suppressing protests, promoting nationalism, opposing much of racial equality while applauding racists and even Neo-Nazis, attacking those who

criticize him and regimenting business to favor his followers. Is that the American way? By definition, do you know what it is? It’s called fascism. You can look it up. That same Trump supporter writes about everything except the coronavirus, you know that thing that has resulted in the death of over 162,000 Americans and infected over 5 million. Forget economics for now. If we die, it won’t matter. A plan must be developed to deal with this pandemic. “Leave it alone. It will go away by itself.” “It is what it is.” These are Trump’s responses? Due to his inaction, Trump is responsible for at least half the 162,000 deaths and that number will grow. Giving Trump the benefit of the doubt, let’s say it took him two months to realize the severity of the pandemic. Thus, for the first 80,000 deaths, he can be held blameless. However, as the president of the United States, due to his inaction or negligence, he must be held accountable and liable for the 80,000 plus deaths since that time. With his constant use of the words “tremendous” and “great”,

we must put him on the same list with such “tremendous” individuals as Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Putin plus the Middle East and South American dictators, as the “greatest” mass murderers over the last one hundred years. Instead of the White House, San Quentin or Alcatraz would be a more appropriate home address. You want reality? He should be charged with mass murders. Based on projections by our medical and scientific communities, by December the deaths due to the coronavirus will exceed 300,000. Let this Trump supporter take her fake news about anarchy and Black Lives Matter, to name but two, and stick ’em up your, for the sake of civility, nose. And to top all that, Trump and the Republicans, to show their support of the working people who are currently out of work, totaling in excess of 30 million, tare balking that the additional $600 in federal weekly unemployment, when added to the various state unemployment amounts, gives these people more than they would currently

be earning. Factually, the group of such unemployed workers who would fall into that category is very small. Republicans also complain that many of such recipients are merely putting that money into savings accounts. Nothing wrong with that since projections show that many rainy days lie ahead. One question should be asked of these Republican members of the Senate and the House. When was the last time that they needed money to survive? At least they have their rich benefactors to count on, in exchange, of course, for something. Charity does begin at home or rather in the House and Senate of favored Republicans. As for Trump’s four presidential executive orders to break the congressional logjam, the truth is in the details and may I suggest you read them for laughs. But working people are not in the mood for laughs. Regarding the cost to help so many unemployed Americans survive, the Republicans refuse to spend the extra trillions of dollars needed to help get us through this

pandemic situation by citing the massive deficit it would create. Here’s a fact. Reversing the previous 2018 federal tax cut that overwhelmingly favored the wealthy individuals and the largest corporations would easily cover such deficit and help our fellow Americans who are in such desperate need. As the Republicans believe, but do not say, “who cares about compassion? Let them eat saﬀron and caviar,” while we the people will share in eating you know what. Aside from compassion or lack thereof, it is basic to see the diﬀerence between ignorance and stupidity. The latter supports lies and a morally corrupt character. Welcome to the world of Trump. Beware of the signs. They all spell “DANGER” and will result in the end of the American way of life. Concluding on an optimistic note, the fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years despite not having brains gives hope to many people. Alvin H. Goldberg Great Neck

Pro-police rallies support systemic racism

n your Aug. 7 piece, “Thank you to cops without the politics,” Lakeville Estates Civic Association President Bill Cutrone claimed that he felt the

“Back the Blue” rally held in Eisenhower Park last month was tainted by “politics” and that he strived to organize an alternate event without such distractions to

honor local police. Of course, what Cutrone likely meant was that the organizers and attendees of the Eisenhower Park rally gave the game away

and said the quiet parts out loud. The Eisenhower Park organizers invited Ted Nugent, who has an unfortunate habit of referring to Black individuals as “sub-

human,” to headline the event. (He infamously called President Barack Obama a “subhuman mongrel” in 2014 and used simiContinued on Page 44

Revive Great Neck Plaza with my platform

grew up in Brooklyn and had always heard of Great Neck as the best place to live on Long Island. I moved here in the early ’70s and was thrilled to take my children to the parks, playgrounds, library story hours and I also enjoyed shopping and just looking into the many unique storefronts that lined our main street. Today it’s diﬀerent. No longer are we proud of our main thoroughfare. Even before the advent of the Coronavirus epidemic, we had so many empty storefronts with “for rent” and “closed” signs in their windows. The current Celender/Rosen administration, after being in power for several decades, has brought us to this sorry state of aﬀairs by the policies and procedures they have promulgated. As residents, we expect a certain level of services and we agree to be taxed so that these services can be provided to us. However,

as stores close, we lose the tax money they pay into the village so we have to pay higher taxes to meet the budget deficit the vacant stores created. My team and I want to put a stop to this. We have endured this long enough and now it’s necessary to make a change. We need real revitalization! We want to remove incentive overburdening regulation so businesses can once again either come to Great Neck or promote and expand their current operations. We need business tax monies now and once in oﬃce, we will work with the Town of North Hempstead and Nassau County to assure that time is not wasted while waiting unnecessarily for permits to be approved. We will actively seek out specialty shops, small chain stores, and bring back the sense of personal service that is unavailable on the internet. We will also cooperate closely with the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce as well

as more fully utilizing the talent and resources of the Business Improvement District organization to encourage and develop outreach promotional programs to grow a business, old and new. We want more open communication with our fellow residents and will encourage them to connect with us in the village hall either by a special ‘residents only hot-line’ or via email. We will listen and respond to all of our residents and follow through on their positive suggestions to improve our village. Unlike my opponent, I believe that we do have a parking problem for both residents and shoppers and I will work hard to find creative solutions to improve this situation. I will personally visit other villages on the island which have successfully solved this problem and we can pick the best of their plans to implement in the Plaza. Builders and commercial property

owners bring to the table years of experience in creating thriving business areas and we intend to reach out to them to solicit their ideas and suggestions. Pedestrian safety is another major concern and we intend to confer with law enforcement from the town and county officials to explore possibilities where we can mitigate traffic congestion and accidents throughout the Plaza, and especially Middle Neck Road. We also believe that we have a treasure trove of experience and talent in Great Neck and we will welcome input from all those people to assist us in our efforts. There is also the issue of someone being in a position of authority too long and losing touch with the changing times. We will re-implement term limits because new people, new perspectives, and new ideas are critical to keeping the positive allure of the Plaza up-to-date and at the forefront of a positive qual-

ity of life for all our residents. I am excited at the chance to revive the plaza, a place I have called home for almost two decades. I’ve lived here long enough to see successful businesses and how amazing the Plaza can be for our residents. I have the will, creative energy and drive to make change happen. I’m running because I want to participate in the eﬀorts to revitalize this area and work with the community to do so. To find out more about how we will positively change our village, call us at 660-3701 or visit our website, www.revivegreatneckplaza.com. Vote for my team, Leonard Katz for mayor, Marnie Ives, and Robert Farajollah for trustees to Revive Great Neck Plaza on Sept. 15. Leonard Katz Village of Great Neck Plaza Letters Continued on Page 36

32 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Business&RealEstate

Cryptocurrency has role in housing market The current Covid-19 pandemic started with the first diagnosed case in Washington State on Jan. 20, 2020, and was confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So we are approaching almost seven months of the ever-increasing pandemic with higher infection rates in a multitude of other states outside of New York, especially those in the Carolina’s Georgia, Florida, Texas, and California. I am not sure how we can more effectively monitor and control those people coming in and at the same time maintain our extremely low infection rate of less than 1 percent that Gov. Cuomo and the public have diligently and successfully mastered, enabling our economy to begin reopening back in May. Although the authorities pulled over 320 cars by our tunnels the other week, it’s a start but how many thousands of cars were not stopped, allowing in those who might be infected, especially those who are asymptomatic and don’t know even know it. Only time will tell over the next month or two how this will affect our local population. As of this writing, there are over 30 million still unemployed, while Congress cannot seem to agree on a non-partisan plan to provide the much-needed monies to keep those above water who can least afford to be out of work. The $600 additional monies that were previously (now expired) provided to those who are not working is

one of the sticking points especially with those in Congress who say it is the motivation to not go back to work (I have spoken to countless individuals and I believe the majority would rather go back to work). Moreover, monies to continue to fund small businesses, restaurants and the U.S. Post Oﬃce are other areas of disagreement causing a stalemate. The real dilemma is that Washington should have (and didn’t) set up a coordinated and organized national testing and tracing program as well as a PPE (personal protection equipment) distribution system. The necessary guidance and setting an example for the public wasn’t initiated back when more people would have realized how life-saving wearing masks would have been, no matter how uncomfortable, to assist in keeping people from infecting others and potential deaths. Some say it is their constitutional right to wear or not to wear a mask, but at the same time is it your right to cause others to get sick and potentially die? I do not think so! Our ignorant population who really could care less is the main reason for the critical increase in infections that are occurring all around the United States. It’s very ironic that we have laws against drinking and driving, speeding and other practices that obviously were enacted to protect the public’s health and well-being, right? So how many more people have to die until Washington enacts an

PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

executive order to be adhered to with the assistance of our governors and local mayors so we really can make a concerted dent in Covid-19? I know, it’s politics and it’s not about improving the health of our population. Eventually, some well-tested vaccines will be produced and will hopefully be 90-plus percent eﬀective to protect the public as long as people feel safe and comfortable in agreeing to be inoculated. The point of the previous information is to bring attention and to understand where we are in this pandemic and the instability of our economy and what is happening behind the scenes. Various forms of alternative cryptocurrencies and bitcoins have been around for 10-plus years and the question is what eﬀect they will have on our current monetary system going forward in relation to real estate and business. There continues to be a growing divide between the

haves and the have-nots and how our fiat currency could potentially be greatly aﬀected in the future. Fiat currencies do not last forever. While we have all these unemployed people, restaurants closed or partially open and barely making it, as well as other highly impacted businesses teetering on possible bankruptcy, keeping them above water becomes tantamount to the survival of our economy and our currency as we know it. The real crucial issue is the government must continue to print trillions more dollars for a second stimulus package and how it could dilute our currency, potentially causing a hyperinflationary situation and thereby decreasing its value. Compared to the downturn in 2008, the Fed has printed twice as much currency and may end up issuing more than 3 times as much to buoy the money markets and our economy. So now our national debt as of 7/31/20 is an unimaginable $26.5 trillion. However, for now, the cost of borrowing is extremely low, but If one-day rates increase, the cost of our borrowing would be catastrophically higher. It would mean one would need more dollars to buy a particular commodity, including real estate. However, currently due to extremely low inventory and historically low-interest rates, strong demand and prices still increasing, the silver lining is that our national real estate market is doing well. What has come into play the last number of years is the bitcoin

and cryptocurrencies. Something has been changing with respect to how industries are getting into and starting to use these currencies in their businesses. Some believe it is a fantasy currency and will not replace our current currency and will eventually go away. However, many banks and major investment houses and other large companies have a stake in this new industry. As of August 2020, the most expensive cryptocurrencies worldwide were Bitcoin, Maker, Ethereum, and Bitcoin Cash. Bitcoin continued to outpace other currencies, with one coin valued at $11,278 U.S. dollars (but almost reached $18,000 in 2017). The second most expensive virtual currency, Maker, could be purchased for $601 U.S. dollars. Come back next week for Part Two on the cryptocurrency being used to purchase real estate in the United States. Philip A. Raices is the owner/ Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas and suggestions on future columns with your name, email, and cell number and he will call or email you back. For a consultation, he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions or concerns.

State AG James sues NRA Curran backs new county debt plan

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against the NRA that accuses senior executives of misappropriating funds.

Continued from Page 9 obtained a $1.8 million contract for monthly consulting services for the incoming treasurer, despite the current treasurer knowing nothing about the contract, the suit states. Powell, who was LaPierre’s chief of staﬀ before his termination for allegedly misappropriating NRA funds during his threeand-a-half-year tenure, received “substantial salary increases almost immediately after starting his position,” according to the suit. Just more than two years into his position, the suit states, Powell’s original salary of $250,000 more than tripled to $800,000. Frazer, who was chosen by LaPierre to serve as general

counsel, also served as the organization’s corporate secretary. According to the suit, Frazer, on numerous occasions failed to adhere to board governance procedures and enforce compliance with the organization’s conflict of interest policies. “This is an unconstitutional, premeditated attack aiming to dismantle and destroy the NRA – the fiercest defender of America’s freedom at the ballot box for decades,” LaPierre said in a statement responding to the lawsuit. “The NRA is well governed, financially solvent, and committed to good governance. We’re ready for the fight. Bring it on.” James said any criminal findings will be referred to the Manhattan district attorney’s oﬃce.

Continued from Page 8 “In the absence of federal aid, we must forge ahead and strategize for 2021 and beyond, to ensure essential services are protected today and for future generations,” Curran said. “We must work together, as we did through the long spring months of COVID quarantine, to get the County back on our strong financial path leading us out of NIFA’s control.” The new plan will also allow Nassau to push for and “best utilize” any potential state and local aid the federal government may provide. Curran, a Democrat, has been active in calling on the fed-

eral government to push for increased aid to municipalities since the pandemic began. “While Washington has failed to take real action and support local governments, financially crippled from the impact of COVID-19, I am urging the support of our Legislature on this creative financial plan as it is the best bet to maintain a balanced budget in 2020,” Curran said. “We will not settle for Washington’s failure to negotiate a solution to support devastated counties like Nassau and I am calling on our federal partners to renew their eﬀorts now.”

The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

Recent Real Estate Sales in the

Willistons

59 Broad Street, Williston Park

133 Prospect Street, Williston Park

5 bd, 3 ba, 2,508 sqft, Sold on: 2/26/20, Sold Price: $536,800 Type: Single Family, Schools: Mineola

3 bd, 2 ba, 1,965 sqft, Sold on: 3/25/20, Sold Price: $858,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Herricks

33 Cushing Avenue, Williston Park

41 Pembroke Street, Williston Park

3 bd, 3 ba, 1,575 sqft, Sold on: 6/8/20, Sold Price: $775,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Herricks

4 bd, 2 ba, 1,420 sqft, Sold on: 4/26/20, Sold Price: $724,900 Type: Single Family, Schools: Herricks

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

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34 The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

PSEG under fire for Isaias response Continued from Page 1 THOUSANDS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY PSEG initially said on Aug. 6 that the storm affected approximately 440,000 customers across Long Island, but walked back its claim in a statement on Wednesday, claiming the actual figure was 420,000 affected. About 15,528 customers remained without power as of Wednesday morning. “Due to the large number of crews from other utilities brought into our service area before Tropical Storm Isaias, power restoration is progressing faster than can be displayed on the outage map,” a statement said. “The map will fluctuate as we refine the data.” PSEG also said that while it “experienced issues with our communications systems, at no time did these challenges impact restoration efforts.” The power map originally stated that most of the North Shore would see its power return by either Aug. 7 or Aug. 8, but many in those areas still remained without electricity this week. East Hills Mayor Michael Koblenz expressed his frustration in an email to his village. Approximately 1,455 PSEG customers were affected in East Hills, with 223 outages reported. “While there has been a partial restoration of some areas of the village, PSEG’s response to Hurricane Isaias has been completely deficient,” Koblenz said. “I have been talking with PSEG’s management and other governmental leaders to have our power restored at the earliest point in time.” In Flower Hill, 817 PSEG customers were affected, and 234 outages were reported. Mayor Brian Herrington wrote in a letter to residents on Aug. 6 that he too was “frustrated” with the company’s response. “Like you, I am frustrated with PSEG’s response and the fact that restoration times have been pushed back,” Herrington wrote. “I would encourage everyone to prepare for restoration times to take longer than PSEG has communicated, possibly even taking into the weekend in some cases. As we continue to get more definitive information we will update you on power restoration. I have been in touch with [County Executive Laura Curran], the Town of North Hempstead and our local mayors, and we will continue to advocate on our residents’ behalf.” Herrington later joined the Port Washington Peninsula Mayors Association, comprising the mayors of Flower Hill, Baxter Estates, Manorhaven, Munsey Park,

PHOTO COURTESY OF PSEG

PSEG Long Island is being criticized by public officials for its perceived ineffective response to Tropical Storm Isaias. Plandome, Plandome Heights, Port Washington North and Sands Point, in writing a letter to PSEG President and CEO Daniel Eichorn and LIPA CEO Thomas Falcone on Aug. 10. In total, 4,220 residents in those villages, plus an additional 3,745 in Port’s unincorporated areas, lost electricity during or following the storm. “We village mayors are contacting you collectively representing various parts of Manhasset, Port Washington, and Roslyn to demand immediate deployment of additional resources into our communities,” the letter read. “Our residents and our teams have patiently tried to work cooperatively with little to no operational support. Our communities continue to manage serious public health situations presented by downed lines, COVID-19, and residents now not having power for six days. The continued delaying of restoration times and lack of operational support is unacceptable.” The letter noted that the crews on the ground and the municipal representative teams were “professional” over the course of the recovery. “Our villages have cleared the roads and done all the things we needed to do to assist LIPA and PSEG with recovery, but we are not seeing the same support from your operational teams,” the letter read. “The frontline workers are doing their best to get the job done but it is clear to us that more help is needed to immediately address the safety and electrical restoration needs of our communities and all of Long Island.” Over 5,200 PSEG customers were aﬀected in the Great Neck

villages. Kensington Mayor Susan Lopartin said in an email to her village’s residents that PSEG was “unable to clarify the timeline any further.” “Many homes in the village lost power, and I’ve been speaking with PSEG routinely to obtain information about restoration,” Lopatkin said. “My municipal contact at PSEG has told me that they expect power to be fully restored at the latest within a week, but hopefully sooner. Unfortunately, PSEG is unable to clarify the timeline any further with respect to the Village of Kensington. I will of course continue to work with PSEG to expedite the restoration.” Koblenz later announced that he wrote a letter to state Sens. Jim Gaughran (D-Northport), Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck), Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach), Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown) and John Brooks (D-Seaford) supporting their efforts to launch an investigation into PSEG and other utilities that were not effective during the storm, and offered to testify. “We have no doubt that unfortunately extreme weather will occur repeatedly in the future,” Koblenz said. “Our utility must be able to respond to emergencies rapidly and effectively. PSE&G was ill-prepared and ill-equipped to respond to the current challenge.” Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, who had called for an investigation into PSEG’s response and compared its ineffectiveness to LIPA during Superstorm Sandy immediately following the storm, called PSEG incompetent in a statement on Monday. “PSEGLI’s performance in

the areas of communications and energy restoration in the wake of Tropical Storm Isaias was characterized by gross incompetence,” Clavin said. “Claims by PSEG that it is not liable for customers’ damage and reimbursement claims because Tropical Storm Isaias was an ‘Act of God’ are questionable, at best.” Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth issued a statement invoking the same 2012 event. “While the storm came and went quickly, its impact on our community was not dissimilar to the destruction wrought by Superstorm Sandy in 2012,” Bosworth wrote. “We are grateful that there were no reports of losses of life, and our Town crews are working diligently to ensure the continued safety of our residents.” Bosworth also said that the town’s total recovery “is expected to take several weeks.” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said at a news conference on Thursday that she was dissatisfied with the utility’s response. “I know many residents are still without power,” Curran said. “PSEG’s Dan Eichorn has been out there talking about how they take responsibility, they’ve said that it’s unacceptable and they’re going to look to see what happened.” In recent days, Curran suggested that the public utility reimburse residents and businesses that have endured unacceptable power outages lasting over 24 hours, as well as refund ratepayers for their last month’s utility bill. Curran then called upon PSEG leaders to announce plans

for a “post recovery review” that would include examining communications protocols and devising a backup plan. “You’ve got to have a plan B and a plan C,” Curran said. “And a repeat of those mistakes is unacceptable.” INVESTIGATIONS BEGIN, LEGISLATION INTRODUCED Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed the state’s Department of Public Service to launch an investigation into the responses of many utilities, including PSEG, to “determine the causes of their failures.” “We know that severe weather is our new reality and the reckless disregard by utility companies to adequately plan for tropical storm Isaias left tens of thousands of customers in the dark, literally and figuratively,” Cuomo said. “Their performance was unacceptable. The large volume of outages and the utilities’ failure to communicate with customers in real time proves they did not live up to their legal obligations. The fact that many customers still do not know when their power will be restored makes it even more unacceptable. The worst of this situation was avoidable, and it cannot happen again.” State Attorney General Letitia James wrote in a letter to PSEG dated Aug. 6 that she would open a probe into the response to “determine whether violations of state law have occurred.” The state Senate will also hold hearings on the matter, scheduled for the week of Aug. 17, and to be co-chaired by Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach). In the same legislative body, state Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck) announced Monday that she had introduced a package of legislation to reform the way utility companies respond in emergency situations, including prioritizing critical emergency services, keeping cellular networks running, creating a discount on a consumer’s bill proportionate to the amount of the time the customer was without service, and more accountability for fixing downed power lines, among other things. “PSEG LI, Verizon, and Altice have completely failed Long Island, and left us without electricity and critical communications services for an entire week following a storm that didn’t even reach hurricane status,” Kaplan said in a statement. “Moving forward, it’s clear we need to put in strict guard rails and consumer protections to ensure that these companies are prepared for the next storm, so that we never go through hell like this again.”

The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

4 N. Shore districts breached deadline: gov Continued from Page 1 The Mineola, Manhasset, New Hyde Park-Garden City Park and Garden City schools all have their plans displayed online. Mineola Superintendent Michael Nagler disputed the claim that his district did not submit the plans, telling Blank Slate Media in an email that the district submitted its plan on July 17 and received a receipt. A further statement from Nagler noted that the plans have been posted online since July 31. “From when we closed in March right through today, the Mineola Union Free School District has understood that the process of reopening would involve extensive community outreach,” Nagler said. “Our district has employed several means of engaging our community stakeholders in conversation about how to reopen safely. We have conducted five parent surveys and held multiple virtual meetings for both our parents and our staﬀ. We did so before Gov. Cuomo announced Friday that school districts were required to do so. We are thankful for working for such a supportive community and our plans reflect their input.” A media representative for the Manhasset school district said that the district had submitted its plans. Rich Azzopardi, a senior adviser to the governor, stood by the list’s validity in a statement issued Monday afternoon. “The list of districts that didn’t file a plan with the state Depart-

ment of Health is accurate,” Azzopardi said. “Despite clear guidance provided to these schools, which included a link to the [Department of Health] portal, some districts in follow-up calls said they filed with the State Education Department – which is not an executive agency – but didn’t file with DOH. Others filled out an aﬃrmation certifying that they would be abiding by the state’s reopening guidance, but didn’t actually submit their plan, something many of these districts are now rectifying.” Eﬀorts to reach the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park and Garden City school districts for comment were unavailing. Cuomo said he made the decision to reopen schools based on the state’s low rate of infection but he could take further action if the rate rises. “Every region is well below our COVID infection limit, therefore all school districts are authorized to open,” Cuomo tweeted. “If the infection rate spikes, the guidance will change accordingly.” Cuomo said each school district in the state will have flexibility on what specific plan they choose to roll out after holding three virtual sessions with parents on how testing, contact tracing and remote learning will be implemented. While teachers are welcome to join those sessions, Cuomo said, a separate virtual meeting must be held strictly for teachers to address their questions and concerns. “I have been deluged with calls from parents and teachers,”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday that schools in New York would be “fully reopening” as early as late August. Cuomo said. “There is a significant level of anxiety and concern among them.” Cuomo said each district must have plans for both in-classroom and remote learning as well as testing, and contact tracing on its website by Friday. “Remote learning can be quite unequal depending on the circumstances,” Cuomo said. Each school district, Cuomo said, is granted flexibility on how to operate testing and contact tracing but stressed the need for constant monitoring of the health and well-being of students, teachers and staﬀ. “If a student tests positive in a class, what is the contact tracing for that?” he asked. “Do you test

the class? How can you contain it if someone gets it? These are the questions each district must provide answers for.” Cuomo said school districts can also use local government or health departments to aid in testing. When asked if there was statewide oversight that could be provided for each district, Cuomo spoke on the circumstantial differences that impede the state’s ability to implement an overarching mandate or law. “There is no one size fits all here,” Cuomo said. “All of the 750 school districts throughout the state are very different.” The one mandate that Cuomo said will be remain is the daily rate of infections. If that rate exceeds 5 percent over a 14-day average, then state officials will reconvene on further instructions. As of Wednesday, the infection rate based on testing throughout New York was 1 percent. Cuomo touted the state’s low infection rate and the general compliance with social distancing, wearing face masks and other health mandates. “We have the best infection situation in the county. If any state can do it, we can do it,” Cuomo said. “We are bringing the same intelligence here as we did with the economic reopening. Allowing flexibility while keeping the public informed and safe.” All districts on the North Shore are requiring students, staff, and faculty to wear face masks

and have a temperature below 100 degrees Fahrenheit before they can attend classes. The districts are also taking precautions should a need for contact tracing arise due to an outbreak of the virus at a school. In Nassau County, a total of 43,655 people had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday morning, and 2,195 people had died from it, according to county figures. “Just because I say the infection rate is low, that’s not going to cause a parent to send the child back to school,” Cuomo said last week. “Just because the school district says we have a safe plan, I’m telling you it’s not going to work. They have to feel comfortable which means they have to be part of the process. We have to have a dialogue.” President Donald Trump has made his stance on reopening the schools clear and concise. “OPEN THE SCHOOLS!!!” he tweeted last week. A school district in Georgia was a cautionary tale about the dangers of reopening. More than 900 students and staﬀ members in the Cherokee County School District were ordered to quarantine as of Tuesday morning after 59 students and staﬀ members tested positive for COVID-19, The Washington Post reported. School Superintendent Brian V. Hightower said in a message to the community on Tuesday that Etowah High School would be shut until Aug. 31.

Disputed study says county colleges in danger Continued from Page 10 way, an author and business professor at New York University, listed around 450 colleges and their resilience to the COVID-19 economic disaster. The study showed the three universities do not have much resilience. Since international students generally pay full tuition and don’t usually qualify for financial aid, if a

university is financially dependent on students from other countries, Galloway said this may be a diﬃcult year, since many international students may decide not to return next semester. Colleges were predicted to either thrive, survive, struggle or face significant challenges. In Galloway’s article, he said that 56 percent of American universities plan

to hold in-person classes in the fall and he made it clear he doesn’t think that is safe in all cases. But, he said, the ones that are forging ahead with in-person classes may feel they don’t have a choice since the financial circumstances are so dire. “Why are administrators putting the lives of faculty, staﬀ, students and our broader populace

at risk? The ugly truth is many college presidents believe they have no choice,” Galloway said. “College is an expensive operation with a relatively inflexible cost structure.” The pandemic has already claimed a few colleges. Among those are MacMurray College in Illinois, which shuttered after the spring semester after a 174-year

run. Marlboro College of Marlboro, Vermont, a small and nonconforming college with an enrollment of under 200, said it will close and is giving its endowment to Emerson College. Marlboro was listed under “struggle” in Galloway’s study with 3 percent of its students being international and a $268,712 endowment per student.

Port running for Assembly seat for fourth time Continued from Page 3 “You don’t want to just raise them on every group you can. There’s got to be class equity. At the same time, you can’t just raise them on the billionaires so much that they leave,” Port said. On police reform, Port said some of the issues brought up

by recent national protests have been what police have been talking about for years. Port said even before the protests he had known police oﬃcers who said they don’t feel equipped to deal with people suﬀering from mental health ailments and some domestic incidents. “They’re not equipped for

it. You became a police oﬃcer and you end up having to do something else,” Port said. Port would like to see municipalities reallocate resources so police don’t have to be a catchall for every incident. He said social workers that are more suited for mental health situations could be a better re-

sponse. Port said he would like to see a separate department for traﬃc enforcement as well. Port served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve for 28 years and achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel. He is a founding member of the law firm Port and Sava, which practices divorce and commercial law. He

has also done legal work for veterans in the area. He was an assistant professor at Hofstra and helped set up a clinic that provides free legal services to veterans in need. In particular, Port has assisted veterans suﬀering from posttraumatic stress disorder and substance disorders.

36 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

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Trump acts on COVID-19 relief because he cares

resident Donald Trump steps up to the plate and did what had to be done. Many Americans are hurting economically from the eﬀects of the COVID-19 virus. Now due to the impasse in Congress, both the Democrats and Republicans could not agree on the best way and how much needed to be spent to help the American people. Meanwhile millions of Americans are hurt-

ing. Therefore, President Trump signed four executive orders to provide emergency economic coronavirus relief to all Americans. Well, at least we have a president that had the gonad and the intestinal fortitude to help the American people. In my opinion, President Trump has hit a home run for America. Here is a president who cares! Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose

Great Neck Plaza — village of obstruction

am writing this letter because all the obstructions that exist in the Village of Great Neck Plaza make it unnavigable. The other day I was exiting the railroad lot on Shoreward Drive and a car got stuck in front of the traffic circle. In order to pass the disabled car, I had to go on the slab of concrete in the middle of the street and possibly damage my car. If you want to pass the Andrew Hotel and a car is illegally parked, you again have to go over a concrete slab in the middle of the street. The worst scenario is when you leave the strip of stores on Welwyn Road and have to make a left to go past the post office and then make a right onto Shoreward Drive. You can’t make the right until the car that is traveling towards the traffic circle goes first, because the bike lane markings and the narrowness of the road make it difficult to remain on the correct side of the road. Shoreward Drive by the

post oﬃce is a head-on accident waiting to happen. These projects, and others accomplished by the Celender/Rosen administration, created these hazards, thereby leaving a legacy of obstruction to all the people who go to this part of Great Neck. This shows that far more careful study is needed, including greater input from residents, before projects of such magnitude are initiated. Unfortunately, this administration has never shown any interest in listening to input from its constituents. It’s time for new blood in Great Neck Plaza. It is really important to cast your write-in votes—either in person or by absentee ballot— for Leonard Katz for mayor and Marnie Ives and Robert Farajollah for trustees on Sept. 15th. They will do what is right. Marlene Friedman Great Neck Letters Continued on Page 39

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Call RICHIE: 917-553-8008 delgadothebestcleaning@gmail.com

DEEP CLEANING EXPERTS

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Design & Construction ! Renovations Interior & Exterior

! Waterfalls ! Concrete ! Steps ! Retaining Walls ! Patios ! Brick ! Driveways ! Interior & Exterior Painting Licensed & Insured FREE ESTIMATES! ! Bathrooms ! Crown Molding ! Door & Window Installation ! Deck Staining ! Pressure Washing www.joveldeluxe.com

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HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 @jacks_custom_framing jackmccullough@me.com

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COMPUTER REPAIR

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

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HOME IMPROVEMENT

ISA

HOME IMPROVEMENT New Construction & Conversions, Dormers, Extensions, Mason Work, Stone, Kitchens, Windows, Siding, Decks, Porticos, Baths, Basements, Carpentry Work

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38 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

BUYERâ€™S GUIDE â–¼ HOME IMPROVEMENT

15-YEAR RESIDENTIAL WARRANTY

NOT EPOXY Ä‘ 4X STRONGER THAN EPOXY Ä‘ 1 DAY INSTALLATION Ä‘ WONâ€™T CHIP OR PEEL Ä‘ EASY TO CLEAN Ä‘ INDOOR/OUTDOOR

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CONCRETE COATINGS

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

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ROOFING

GRACE ROOFING Est. 1977

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Lic./Ins.â€¢ Local References

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Dumpsters to meet your home cleaning or renovation needs

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Kitchens â€¢ Bathrooms Clean-Ups â€¢ Attics Basements Flood/Fire

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MOVING & STORAGE INC.

Long Island and New York State Specialists

ALL PHASES OF RUBBISH REMOVAL & DEMOLITION

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JUNK REMOVAL

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JUNK REMOVAL

Ä‘ GARAGE FLOORS Ä‘ LAUNDRY ROOMS Ä‘Æ« Æ«Ä‘Æ« Æ« Ä‘ RECREATION ROOMS Ä‘ BASEMENTS Ä‘ SERVICE AREAS Ä‘ OFFICES Ä‘ SCHOOLS Ä‘Æ« Æ«Ä‘ RESTROOMS Ä‘ PRODUCTION AREAS Ä‘ VETERINARY CLINICS

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MOVING

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MASONRY

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PAINTING

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

BUYER’S GUIDE ▼ TREE SERVICE

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WINDOW TREATMENTS

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READERS WRITE

Ives buoys Katz campaign

saw in last week’s paper that Marnie Ives has joined mayoral candidate Leonard Katz’s ticket as a candidate for trustee on his Revive Great Neck Plaza party ticket. I think it says a lot about Katz, being joined by a long-term Plaza resident who is also a town merchant. This is a wellbalanced ticket that, I’m sure, he can be justly proud of.

The Katz team has all the ingredients to fix our problems, i.e., caring concern for residents and businesses, executive experience, business experience, and the desire, drive, and proven competence to successfully get the job done. We need leaders who will work hard, listen to and understand our concerns, and address our real needs. The Katz team will re-

store and revitalize Great Neck Plaza. I say write-in your votes for new strong leadership in Great Neck Plaza. Vote by absentee ballot, or in person on Sept. 15, for Leonard Katz for mayor and Marnie Ives and Robert Farajollah for trustees. Neal Botvinik Village of Great Neck Plaza

Dems have gone anti-Semitic

n 1984, David S. Wyman, a professor of history at Amherst College, published The Abandonment of the Jews: America and the Holocaust 1941–1945, in which he documented the degree to which leftist icons like President Franklin Delano Roosevelt were presented with irrefutable evidence of Jewish genocide and did nothing to stop the mass murder of 6 million Jews in Hitler’s Europe. Jewish leaders who were given an “audience” with FDR implored him, beseeched him to intervene in this unprecedented annihilation, and showed him graphic evidence of Jews being herded into asphyxiating cattle cars on their way to concentration camps, Jewish infants and children being ripped from the arms of their parents, Jews clawing at the walls of gas chambers until their last gasping deaths. But FDR did nothing! If there is blood on the hands of any politician in the last thousand years, it is on the hands of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

And yet, leftist American Jews — to this day — celebrate his presidency. Now we know why, thanks to a few honest historians, among them Rafael Medoﬀ who wrote “The Jews Should Keep Quiet: Franklin D. Roosevelt,” Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, and the Holocaust and “The Deafening Silence: American Jewish Leaders and the Holocaust,” and Lucy Dawidowicz who wrote “The War Against the Jews: 1933-1945.” Why? Because to leftists like FDR and his toadying adherents, nothing on earth took precedence over actualizing their political agenda, which was — and remains to this day -total government control over the immensely stupid masses, the deplorables, the people who don’t understand the imperative of handing over their destinies to the Regressive powers-that-be. Today, less than three months from a presidential election, the Democrat Party — long hailed as a stalwart friend of Israel and the Jewish people — has

gone full-bore anti-Semitic. Writers Jeﬀ Ballabon and Bruce Abramson say that Biden’s 2020 presidential platform treats “Jews and Israel as pariahs, uniquely worthy of discriminatory treatment. It makes a mockery of Israel as a sovereign state and an American ally. It directly aligns the Biden campaign — and the entire Party — with Israel’s mortal enemies.” Yoo Hoo, Jewish Democrats, it is long overdue for you to wake up and smell the now-contaminated coﬀee. A vote for Joe Biden is a full-on endorsement of the poisonous Jewhatred that has commandeered the Democrat Party and told you — meaning all Jews, including left-wingers — that they hate you personally and they hate Israel so much that they share the identical mission of the mullahs in Iran to literally exterminate the only Jewish state in existence. Your choice. Joan Swirsky Great Neck

Trump no pillar of law & order

s Swirsky claims that Trump and the Republican party stand for law and order. Let’s list some examples of Trump and his Republican enablers disregard for the law. Trump sought and received help from a foreign, adversarial government - Russia - during the 2016 campaign. Trump paid hush money to Stormy Daniels during the campaign and failed to report it as campaign spending. Trump issued a ban on Muslim travelers which was blocked by the courts as an illegal infringement of religious freedom. Trump separated refugee children from their parents at the southern border. A judge ordered all the hundreds of families be reunited but the Trump administration has refused to comply. Trump again sought help from a foreign power - Ukraine - in the 2020 election, for which he was impeached. The Republican controlled senate refused to hear new evidence or testi-

mony at his trial. Trump illegally profits oﬀ his oﬃce, in violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, by conducting government business at his private country clubs. Trump pardons convicted criminals, as long as they praise him and keep their mouth’s shut about his criminal actions. Trump praises dictators the world over. He doesn’t say a word about violent repression of free speech in Hong Kong or anywhere else but he disrespects our democratic allies. Trump routinely attacks the free press. Trump practices nepotism- giving unprecedented access and power to his daughter and son-in-law. Trump and his enablers defy lawful congressional subpoena. Trump does not utter a word of reproach to Putin for paying bounties to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan but follows Putin’s orders to remove U.S. troops from Germany.

Trump and his henchmen dispatch unidentified troops to states that don’t want or need them, to foment violence and chaos on American streets. Trump appoints cabinet oﬃcials who don’t believe in the work of their departments. He installs a postmaster general to sabotage the Post Oﬃce and thereby suppress the vote on Nov. 3. Trump’s Attorney General William Barr has said he will violate Justice Departmewnt practice and release the politically-motivated Durham report before the election. Both Trump and Barr have said they may not accept the election result. These are your great law abiding Americans, Ms Swirsky. They rank right up there with Bolsinaro in Brazil, Xi in China, Putin in Russia, Modi in India and Duterte in the Philippines- dictators and demagogues all. Lee Parker Roslyn Letters Continued on Page 44

nassau

40 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

COMMUNITY CLASSIFIEDS To advertise here call:516.307.1045

▼ EMPLOYMENT To Place Your Ad Call

EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED

NOW HIRING HHA’s

Phone:

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Deadlines

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

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

Substitute positions available in the Great Neck Public Schools.

Duties include preparing & serving food, cleaning, and related duties as directed. Walking, standing, moving heavy objects, and working in walk-in refrigerator/freezer required. Must be able to follow written and verbal directions. • $15.00/hour. Minimum 3-hour work day. School calendar. District Wide. Not eligible for benefits. • For information call Food & Nutrition Office at

516-441-4090

PHYSICIAN’S OFFICE FLORAL PARK MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST P/T 3 Days/Week needed. Pior Med-Tech experience preferred. Good phone & patient skills required. Multitasking a plus. Email resume: EVADUPPS@GMAIL. COM PHONE: 516-488-1414

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

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ADOPTION Family oriented single woman looking to welcome a child into her life. Any ethnicity welcome, expenses paid. Please call 347-470-5228 or my attorney 800-582-3678

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347–444–0960 ANNOUNCEMENTS BOY SCOUT COMPENSATION FUNDAnyone that was inappropriately touched by a Scout leader deserves justice and financial compensation! Victims may be eligible for a significant cash settlement. Time to file is limited. Call Now! 844-587-2494 GET DIRECTV ! ONLY $35/month. 155 Channels & 1000s of Shows/ Movies on Demand (w/SELECT All Included Package). PLUS Stream on UP to FIVE Screens Simultaneously at No Additional Cost. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918 Recently Diagnosed w/Lung Cancer or Mesothelioma? Exposed to Asbestos Pre-1080 at Work or Navy? You may be entitled to a significant cash award! Smoking history ok! 888-912-3150

COVID-19 Coronavirus testing is available by appointment in our Floral Park facility Mon., Wed. Thurs. at Floral Park MD across from Lady of Victory Church in the village square. Please call (516)488-1414

NOVENAS/PRAYERS PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN Oh Most Beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine of Splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin assist me in this necessity. Oh Star of the Sea help me and show herein you are my Mother. Oh Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth I humbly beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. Oh show me herein you are my Mother. Oh Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to Thee (three times). Oh Holy Mary I place this cause in your hands. Holy Spirit, you who solve all problems, light all roads so that I can attain my goal, you who gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me and that in all instances in my life you are with me, I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things as you confirm once again that i never want to be separated from you in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy toward me and mine. EAW

looking for P/T Office Assistant

Small office in Roslyn, flexible hours, computer skills required, Excel, Word, good organizational skills, purchasing. Please email resume to buildcocorp@gmail.com or call

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FOOD SERVICE HELPER

JOB OPPORTUNITY:$18.50 P/H NYC$16 P/H LI$13.50 P/H UPSTATE NYH. CDPAP Caregiver Hourly Pay Rate! Under NYS CDPAP Medicaid program you can hire your family or friends for your care. Phone: 347-713-3553

Construction Company

MARKETPLACE A.T. STEWART EXCHANGE CONSIGNMENT SHOP 516-7468900 Antiques-Furniture-JewelrySilver-Mirrors-Lamps-Artwork Come to Consign & Stay to Shop Visit.... Our Shop 109 Eleventh St. Garden City Our Website tgchs.org Our Online Store stores.myresaleweb.com/at-stewart-exchange Items to Consign? Email photos (with sizing info) to: store@atstewartexchange.org All proceeds benefit The Garden City Historical Society Like us on Facebook & Instagram INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN is doing VIRTUAL TAG SALES and ONLINE AUCTIONS now! Sell the contents of an entire house or sell just a few things! You can host your own sale on invitedsales.com and Facebook and Instagram or we can do it for you. We can photograph, advertise and handle the winning pickups for you within a week! Don’t worry about your closing date, we can get your house ready on time! We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress. Contact info@ invitedsales.com for more information or call 516-279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information. Visit us at www. invitedsales.com for a listing of our upcoming Virtual Tag Sales and Weekly Auctions!

WANTED TO BUY Freon Wanted: We pay CA$H for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-361-0601 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com

Visit us online: www.theIslandnow.com/classifieds

MAINTENANCE Immediate Opening

SACRED HEART ACADEMY has openings in our maintenance dept.

For prompt interview call Director of Facilities & Security Jim Augello 516-483-7383, ext 247 or email:Jaugello@sacredheartacademyli.org

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

PETS

PET SERVICES A GARDEN CITY ANIMAL LOVER doesn’t want to leave your precious pooch or fantastic feline alone all day. I’m reliable, dependable and will walk and feed your pet while you work or travel. Please call Cheryl at 516-971-3242

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

AUTOS WANTED

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516-997-5736 AUTO BUYERS! We visit you. Highest cash paid. Or donate, tax deduct + cash. DMV#1303199. Please call Luke 516-VAN-CARS OR 516-297-2277 Drive out Breast Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup 24hr response Tax deductionEasy to do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

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APARTMENT FOR RENT

OUT OF TOWN REAL ESTATE

GARDEN CITY SOUTH Spacious & bright 3 BR Apartment in legal two family home: very large L-shaped LR/DR, EIK w/granite counters and new d/w, oven range and microwave! Shared laundry room in basement with new appliances. Oversized property w/ driveway parking (2 vehicles per apt). Professionally landscaped backyard with in ground sprinkler system, new large patio, BBQ and white fencing for privacy. Available on/before Sept 1st. $3200/month + electric. No broker fee. No smoking or pets. 1-year lease with option to move out with 60-day notice. Additional finished basement space (office, etc) and 2nd bathroom available for extra fee. Responsible tenants only. References, Background Check and Credit Checks required. Call or Text Nick: 516-770-8229

JAMESPORT ENCHANTING NORTH FORK BOUTIQUE VINEYARD & WINERY Delight yourself sitting & sipping in your backyard. Established turnkey tasting room with European flair covered patio & outdoor seating. Be a part of the entire process from the fruit on the vine to the earthy & fragrant wine making adventure. To experience Diliberto Winery & Tasting Room is to indulge in the essence of the North Fork. Converted Historic Barn. Everything you dreamed of! $1,995,000 COLONY REALTY631-722-5800

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

GARDEN CITY SOUTH: Newly renovated studio apartment, safe neighborhood. Suitable for one. Light filled and airy. Granite Kitchen. Air conditioning. Walk to Adelphi, LIRR. Near food, laundry, all. No pets, no smoking, no party animals. $1850 + utilities. Call 516-385-4830

JAMESPORT North Fork Vail Corwin Circa 1910 Cedar Farmhouse located in the heart of wine country on country lane with preserved farm views. Completely renovated and updated move in ready! Grand Living Room, Formal Dining Room, Family Size Eat In Country Kitchen, Family Room, 4 Bedrooms and 2 Baths. New natural gas heating system. Rocking chair front porch. Fenced yard with large rear deck and room for a pool! $869,000 COLONY REALTY 631-722-5800

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VACATION RENTAL

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of full/partial week rentals. Call for FREE color Brochure. Holiday Real Estate, Inc. 1-800-638-2102 Online reservations: www.holidayoc. com. $50 discountnew rentals. Code: “WelcomeBack” (Expires 2020-09-01)

SERVICES JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING We can frame anything! Quality Care & Workmanship Thousands of frames to choose from!! Over 30 years in business! 92 Covert Ave, Stewart Manor 516-775-9495

ATTORNEY STEPHANIE A. D’ANGELO, ESQ. Elder Law, Wills & Trusts Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/ Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 5 1 6 - 2 2 2 - 1 1 2 2 www.dangelolawassociates.com

HANDYMAN Careful & Reliable Covid-19 Conscious and Safe Serving GARDEN CITY and surrounding area since 2003 Repairs & Installations of all types Carpentry, Moldings, Lighting and More 35-yr Nassau Resident References Phone /Text Friendly Frank: 516-238-2112 Email: Frankcav@optonline.net JOVEL DELUXE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Interior & Exterior Renovations Interior & Exterior Painting Door & Window Installation Retaining Walls, Patios, Driveways Deck Staining Pressure Washing Free Estimates www.joveldeluxe. com 631-926-3773 LAMPS FIXED $65 In home service. Handy Howard. 646-996-7628 LITO CONSTRUCTION Retaining Walls, Concrete Work, Brick Work, Foundations, Sidewalks, Bathrooms, Floor Tiles, Stoops, Blacktop Retouching, Blacktop Painting. Demolition. Licensed & Insured. Call 516-376-9365 or 516-435-7007 Please leave message MADE IN THE SHADE CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Draperies Top Brands at Discount Prices! Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli.com 516-426-2890 MASONRY All types of stonework Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps. Free Estimates Fully Licensed & Insured #H2219010000 Boceski Masonry Louie 516-850-4886 PAULIE THE ROOFER STOPPING LEAKSIS MY SPECIALTY! Slate & Tile Specialists All types of Roofing Local References Licensed & Insured 516-621-3869

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Primary results come almost 2 months late Continued from Page 7 Suozzi declared victory on July 17, when he said his campaign had received nearly 70 percent of the vote in the entire district at that point. “I am overwhelmed by the support I received in this record-high turnout primary,” Suozzi said in a statement. “With coronavirus, it was challenging to vote, but people came out in droves. I am honored that nearly 70 percent of Democrats said they want me to keep fighting for them. There is so much work to do.” In the 4th Congressional District,

Republican Douglas Tuman defeated Cindy Grosz and will take on incumbent Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) in November’s general election. According to the state figures, Tuman received 10,898 votes while Grosz received 4,292. Of the 15,938 ballots cast, 153 were ruled blank and 359 were ruled void. The district is situated in central and southern Nassau County, including Floral Park, Garden City, Hempstead, Mineola, Carle Place, New Hyde Park and Westbury. Eﬀorts to reach either candidate for comment were unavailing.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

Republicans use dirty tricks to steal election Continued from Page 17 Trump, who consistently projects onto others the criminal activity he commits, is already accusing Democrats of election fraud and says “that’s the only way they can win, by stealing the election.” Yet even in plain sight, it is clear that it what Trump and the Republicans are doing: Inviting foreign interference: Instead of asking, ‘Russia, are you listening?’, he’s on the phone directly with Putin. Even Trump’s own intelligence apparatus is saying that Russia is aggressively meddling in the election (and will never say whether Putin will go as far as flipping a few e-votes since have already demonstrated an ability to hack into election rolls). Remember when Trump, the only time he actually grinned, turned to Putin, and said, “Don’t meddle” after being prodded by reporters? What do you suppose he has said in the many, many conversations that have gone unreported? Certainly not warning Putin to stop paying bounties to kill US soldiers. Trump already demonstrated how he would use taxpayer-funded military aid to extort Ukraine; seems to be using trade as bargaining chips for other countries’ assistance, like China, and arms deals to Saudi Arabia.

Setting up a straw candidate to peel away Black voters: Republicans are paying for, and using their own attorneys to stand up Kanye West in battleground states, a cynical tactic that assumes African-American voters are too stupid to realize the sham. But with Jill Stein on the ballot to take votes from Clinton, Trump won Wisconsin by just 23,000 votes. Pray that the post mortem to America’s 2020 election is not what Joe Biden said about Belarus’s election: “Democracies are built on the simple concept that citizens have a right to elect their leaders and have a say in their country’s future. “After a presidential election marred by electoral fraud, citizens peacefully protesting to demand an accurate vote count are now being met with riot police using stun grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets. The regime has cut internet access, arrested protesters and independent journalists, and tried to muzzle foreign observers. These are not the actions of a political leader confident that he has won a fairly conducted election. But thanks to brave citizens — journalists, activists, and ordinary people documenting these extraordinary events — we know the truth about the assaults on democracy being committed by the regime,” Biden stated.

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READERS WRITE

The eviction crisis is an election crisis

e all know the 2020 election is the most important election of our lifetime. Throw in a global pandemic where over 150,000 Americans have lost their lives due to gross incompetence coupled with skyrocketing cases across the country and it becomes the most important election in the history of our country. Congress has passed several stimulus bills in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. While some Americans received a small amount of financial assistance, billions (trillions?) of dollars were allocated to businesses under the guise of restarting the economy. Except the economy hasn’t restarted. Unemployment rates are the highest since the Great Depression and continue to climb each month the United States bat-

tles a virus the Trump administration chose not to fight. Our government didn’t think twice about bailing out lobbyists, oil companies and airlines but hotly debates whether supplying unemployment insurance equal to a living wage or recurring stimulus to allow people to stay home and safe is feasible. Many Americans are outraged and ready to channel their rage into the ballot box this fall. There is legitimate concern regarding exercising our constitutional right to vote while maintaining social distancing and keeping poll workers safe. Unsurprisingly, the conversation has shifted toward a safe alternative, demanding increased funding for mail-in voting as well as funding the United States Post Oﬃce. The HEROES Act proposed

$3.6 billion dollars to fund mail-in voting and $25 billion to fund the postal service, but Congressional Republicans are strongly against it. While House Democrats were right to include these provisions in order for Americans to vote safely in the HEROES Act, there is a glaring hole in this plan—voters will not vote by mail if they have no address to receive a ballot. The eﬃcacy of political mailers and postcards to help “get out the vote,” even becomes questionable if the very voters they are designed to persuade won’t be living at their addresses to receive them. If Democrats are expecting record turnout in 2020 to oust the man responsible for the botched response to Coronavirus, then they better start negotiating an extension on the (now expired) moratorium on evictions.

It is estimated that over 20 million Americans are at risk of losing their homes due to the pandemic. Lawmakers know that evictions will disproportionally aﬀect communities of color and contribute to an already out of control infection rate. With Congress in a stalemate over the expanded unemployment benefit of $600 per week, an amount already too little for many families, evictions are expected to skyrocket. It has long been thought that high voter turnout helps elect Democrats. It is increasingly likely that the majority of voters will vote via absentee ballot in the fall. In states that expanded absentee voting in the June primaries, voter turnout well surpassed 2016 levels. If experts are predicting over 20 million people will lose their homes, there will be no

address to send a ballot and will leave many votes on the table. If Congress cannot get it together to protect people, perhaps they will if it endangers their seats in November. For once, the self-interests of our elected oﬃcials align with the best interests of those they represent. Our country’s eviction crisis will disenfranchise millions of voters at a moment in our history when every vote is critical. Call on your members of Congress to fight for protections for those who are struggling during one of the most dangerous periods in our lifetime. Melanie D’Arrigo Port Washington D’Arrigo is an activist, healthcare advocate and former Democratic Congressional candidate from New York’s 3rd District.

G.N. schools flunk communication, endanger kids

n response to two recent articles by Robert Pelaez, “Cuomo set to rule on school openings” and “School district submits reopening plan to state” on the front page of the Aug. 7 edition of the Great Neck News, it is important to note that Great Neck School District is experiencing an absolute failure to communicate and our children are going to pay the price for this hapless approach. I share this observation as a longtime supporter of our school system, someone who spent two years serving on the Board of Education’s Citizen Advisory Committee, and as someone who has long been involved in the community as the former president of the Gold Coast Arts Center. Parents are begging for information about what the district has planned for the fall, and yet, each communication from the superintendent and the Board of Educa-

tion offers nothing more than a graciously defiant “we know better than you” approach. As Gov. Cuomo notes, “he trusts parents more than any other affected stakeholder,” so why doesn’t the Great Neck School District? As a parent of three children who attended two different schools in the district last year, I can attest that Great Neck’s approach to remote learning was dreadful at best (at worst, outright malpractice.). By failing to address the foundational problems of the last school year and by failing to engage those affected in the community – and regardless of whether or not our school buildings reopen – the Great Neck School District, and those empowered to lead it, will fail our children. My frustration is not about schools opening in person; rather, it is entirely based on what level

of education our children (not just mine) will receive going forward. Though the circumstances (COVID-19) of the current moment remain out of our control, as parents we are well justified to petition the district to do better, to do more, and to communicate about contingency plans that should have been in place long ago. Given the facts that the school board serves at the pleasure of the community and the district is in the business of educating our children, as a parent I must ask why are we allowing a small few to squander the educational opportunities we sought for our children when we chose to live here? In deciding parent voices don’t need to be heard as part of the reopening process, the Board of Education has signified to the community that this moment is like all others – that the business of the school district is the business

of the Board of Education and they always know best. That leaves me to wonder if Great Neck Schools will miraculously deliver a best-in-class approach in the fall? Or will they falter again if a full remote only option is forced upon this community, just as it was in the spring? Only time will tell. Nonetheless, one thing is certain. Parent apathy must wane and the board and superintendent must be held accountable. I understand the level of responsibility that rests on Superintendent Prendergast and the administration, as well as the members of the Board of Education. However, each of them also has a responsibility to do better by our children. I implore Superintendent Prendergast and members of the Board of Education not to waste this moment. If they do, I am certain the community will remember

the burden of dysfunctional governance and ineﬀectual management that has been placed on us and our children. Superintendent Prendergast and members of the Board of Education: please communicate your intentions, share your concerns, encourage parent engagement, and stop acting as if this situation is only yours to address. Tell us what you’ve done to ready our schools for the various learning scenarios that remain possible. Tell us what resources and professional development training you have provided over the summer to better equip our educators for remote learning. And please, tell us how you plan to improve student monitoring to ensure their needs are met and their successes are ensured. Michael S. Glickman Great Neck

Pro-police rallies support systemic racism Continued from Page 31 lar racist language on Facebook as recently as July 25.) They also invited U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins to speak, despite the fact that he resigned from the Opelousas Police Department in 2007 after striking a suspect in custody and lying about it to investigators. (In 2016, Higgins told Louisiana newspaper The IND he did lie about the incident, but resigned for other reasons and not because disciplinary action, including a demotion, was pending.) While both Nugent and Hig-

gins eventually pulled out of the physical event (they still addressed supporters online), this was a loudand-clear signal that the Eisenhower Park rally wasn’t some benign attempt to boost police morale and, instead, was a defiant middle finger in the face of Americans demanding racial justice and equity. While Cutrone suggests that his subsequent parade was an attempt to strip away any political controversy or partisanship and just show appreciation for police, this is nonsense. If your response to Black Americans demanding equal

treatment by police is to throw a parade for the police, the message is the same. On a related note, state Assemblyman Ed Ra should be ashamed of himself. In your Aug. 7 piece, “Effort to protect cops under hate crime laws,” Elliot Weld reported that Ra had introduced a bill that would make police officers a protected class under the state’s hatecrime statutes. Firstly, no occupation, police officer or otherwise, should be included in any hate-crime statute. An occupation is a choice. The col-

or of one’s skin in immutable. Secondly, there are already enhanced penalties for assaulting or committing other violent crimes against police oﬃcers in New York State. If Ra believed these penalties were not severe enough, he could have introduced a bill making such penalties more severe. Instead, Ra has introduced what is essentially a “Blue Lives Matter” bill, implying that police oﬃcers face the same level of persecution as traditionally marginalized groups of Americans. This demeans real victims of

hate crimes, and is, once again, designed not to honor or protect police, but merely to antagonize their critics and distract from the grievances of those facing systemic violence and discrimination. It’s unfortunate Ra has chosen to spend his time in oﬃce exacerbating the cracks in our society, rather than working to repair them. History will not remember him kindly. Matthew Zeidman New Hyde Park

The Williston Times, Friday, August 14, 2020

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Upcoming at the Mineola Library ADULT PROGRAMS IN AUGUST Zoom Zumba with Kristen Fonte. Participate in the fun fitness routine that combines Latin and international music with dance moves. Saturday, August 15, 10:00 a.m. Zoom meeting ID: 886 1623 1306 Passcode: 064676 Saturday, August 22, 10:00 a.m. Zoom meeting ID: 841 2198 9767 Passcode: 125302 Saturday, August 29, 10:00 a.m. Zoom meeting ID: 840 3919 2937 Passcode: 759728 Thursday, August 20, 6:30 p.m. Health Care Proxies & Living Wills with Attorney Adam D’Antonio (via Zoom) Registration required! Mr. D’Antonio will present an informational session that will highlight the importance of being prepared for medical emergencies by having health care proxies and living wills in place. Please register at mineolaprograms@nassaulibrary.org and receive the Zoom meeting information. Monday, August 24, 6:30 p.m. Streaming vs. Cable: Which is Right For You (via GoToMeeting)Presented by Sharper Training Solutions via GoToMeeting With the Internet, there are many other ways to access TV or mov-

ies other than through a cable provider. Learn about streaming services, devices, and subscription fees. Use the following link into any web browser, then click “Join via the Web”: https://www.gotomeet.me/KarenColavolpe/tt—mineola—streaming-vs-cable Thursday, August 27, 2:00 p.m. The Artistry of Gene Kelly (via Zoom) This program will be presented by Richard Knox, via Zoom. Gene Kelly’s 40-year career on Broadway and in Hollywood made him one of the 20th century’s most beloved performers. Let’s re-live his scenes from films such as Brigadoon, Singin’ in the Rain, and On The Town. Zoom Meeting ID: 897 3366 5844. Passcode: 346319 CHILDREN’S & TEEN PROGRAMS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 17 Tuesday, August 18, 2:00 p.m. Lunch and a Movie! Join Ms. Kaye on our teen Discord server to watch an afternoon flick. The movie of choice will be decided by our teens currently on the server. To join our Discord server, send an email to kspurrell@nassaulibrary.org Wednesday, August 19, 11:00 a.m. The One & Only Ivan Trivia Challenge (via Facebook)How much do you know about

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the book or the movie, “The One and Only Ivan,” by Katherine Applegate? Test your knowledge by taking the trivia challenge created by Miss Vivian the Librarian, which will be posted on the library’s Facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/MineolaLibrary/ Wednesday, August 19, 4:00 p.m. Ages 3-5 years old. Class size: 12. Mythical Creatures with Stemtastic Science. During this class we will learn how dragons make fire, create a rainbow in a bowl and observe one in your own home. We’ll also make a unicorn horn and learn how’s it’s used to clean dirty water. Materials needed prior to the start of this class: food coloring, shallow bowl with small amount of milk, toothpicks, small bowl, construction paper, scissors, tape, dish soap, straw, shallow bowl with pepper or other floating

herb, flashlight, two clear glasses of water, and white paper. Please email childrensmineola@nassaulibrary.org, or call, starting August 12 to register for and to receive the secure Zoom link and password. You must provide us with a valid email since the Zoom invitation will be sent to that email. You must include the names and ages of the children you wish to register in the email. Registration closes 30 minutes before the start of class. Zoom invitations will be sent out the day before the event. Please do not share the invitation. Be sure to have the Zoom app downloaded onto your device before the start of class. Thursday, August 20, 11:00 a.m. Summer Science: Up!: Fizzy Inflator. Learn how to make a “Fizzy Inflator” with Miss Vivian the Librarian, using a bottle and fizzy liquids to inflate an empty bal-

loon or rubber glove. The instructions will be posted on the Mineola Library Facebook page at: https:// www.facebook.com/MineolaLibrary/ Friday, August 21, 10:00 a.m. Join Miss Margaret Ann every Friday for virtual songs & stories from our flannel board collection on the Library’s Facebook page. The link to the video will be posted directly to the page. https://www.facebook. com/MineolaLibrary/ Friday, August 21, 11:00 a.m. Virtual Crafta-Long: Ocean in a Bottle. Join Ms. Meredith on the library’s Facebook page where she will show you how to create your own ocean in a bottle. No sign up is required. The video will be posted directly to the Library’s Facebook page where you can access it at any time! https://www.facebook. com/MineolaLibrary/

46 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 14, 2020

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