Williston Park 2023_03_10

VENUE WELCOMES RISING STARS

Kaiman to run, Nicollelo won’t seek re-election

Lurvey to run for town’s receiver of taxes on Dems’ N. Hempstead ticket

BY BRANDON DUFFY AND ROBERT PELAEZ

Former North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, a Democrat, announced he will run for his old seat on Tuesday while Nassau County Legislative Majority Leader Rich Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) said he will not be running for re-election.

Kaiman told Blank Slate Media that North Hempstead Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey, also a Democrat, is running for the post of town receiver of taxes this November on a Dem Party ticket that features incumbent Councilmembers Peter Zuckerman and Mariann Dalimonte and newcomer Christine Liu.

Kaiman, a Great Neck resident, currently serves as Suffolk’s deputy county executive, a position he has held since 2017. The Suffolk executive, Steve Bellone, has served in his current role since 2012 and is term-limited from running for the position again in this year’s elections.

Kaiman was also a candidate for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, where he finished second in the August Democratic primary behind Robert Zimmerman, who was defeated by Republican George Santos in the general election.

“I’m looking at this as moving forward and applying what I am and what I have become to this new world of local government. which has evolved over the years since I was last town supervisor,” Kaiman told Blank Slate Media. “It’s about coming into this with fresh eyes and we have a really good team of people with experience on this ticket.”

Nicolello, 63, told Newsday Monday that being a legislator has been “a long commitment and it takes its toll on a family.” The long-serving legislator lauded the Nassau GOP for having a “a lot of talent” as it looks someone to succeed him..

After serving in Nassau County for nearly three decades, Nicolello has served the previous six years as the Republican leader. Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport) reflected on his time working with his Republican counterpart, expressing his respect for Nicolello.

“While we have had disagreements along the way, I will always be grateful that these debates never undermined our friendship and the mutual respect that we have for each other,” Abrahams said in a statement. “I join my colleagues in wishing him and his family only the best in the years to come.”

Continued on Page 34

LUCK O’ THE IRISH

Pols slam Hochul plan for state say in zoning

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Nassau County officials stood outside the Port Washington LIRR station Thursday, calling for “local control, not Hochul control” in response to the gov-

ernor’s proposed plan to address New York’s housing shortage.

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph

Saladino headlined the slew of elected officials present at the press conference to call on the state Legislature to oppose the proposed legislation they believe targets Long Island’s suburban lifestyle.

Continued on Page 35

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHEN TAKACS

The Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens held their annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday, March 5.

N. Hempstead changes Harbor Links agreement

Some residents blast 26 additional private events

Harlem Wizards score $35,000 for Herricks

Proceeds going to graduating seniors

BY BRANDON DUFFY

A sold-out fundraiser Saturday at Herricks High School featuring the Harlem Wizards raised approximately $35,000 for graduating seniors this year.

The event, organized by the Herricks District Council of PTAs, featured teams of staf and admin playing against the Wizards, who entertained through basketball since 1962, raising over $3 million for schools and nonprofts.

“It takes a village to put on an event like this,” said Madeline Svitack, president of the council of PTAs Executive Committee.

The event raised money for the Herricks PTA Scholarship Fund, which provides an award to graduating members of this upcoming class.

toos and concessions, among other things.

“The teachers were competitive, but they did not get the win” Svitack joked. “The Wizards did a great job Saturday of getting the crowd involved, keeping it fun and making it great.”

For over 60 years the PTA has granted scholarships and specifcally held a fundraiser with the Wizards for a few years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Saturday was the frst inperson event after collecting donations and sponsorships online in the past few years.

“Thank you to all the Herricks PTAs who not only sponsored the event but provided the volunteers to make it successful,” Svitack said.

BY BRANDON DUFFY

The North Hempstead Town Board during a special meeting Wednesday morning passed a resolution to add 26 private outings to Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington, drawing criticism from some users of the public course.

Private outings at Harbor Links, and how many there should be, have been a topic of concern since last summer.

Port Washington’s Jack Genicof, a golfer who brought up issues with the course last year, disagreed with the board’s decision to hold the vote on short notice.

“Twenty-six outings take up almost an entire month of the season,” Genicof said. “I think it’s absolutely shameful that I receive an email Monday afternoon that you are voting Wednesday morning for this proposal. You should have just told us last year you don’t care about what we think and we would have gone elsewhere.”

The vote passed 5-1, with Democrat Mariann Dalimonte the only

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opponent of the resolution, saying she wished to continue the vote and wanted more time to discuss the matter with residents and golf offcials.

Republicans Dennis Walsh, David Adhami and Supervisor JenniferDeSena voted for the resolution along with Dems Peter Zuckerman and Veronica Lurvey. Democrat Robert Troiano was not present during the meeting.

The board in December extended the management contract with Harbor Links, a taxpayer-funded course, for one year which included a provision that limited the number of private outings to once a week on Mondays. Under that resolution, any additional outings would have to be approved by the Town Board.

James Viras, general manager at Harbor Links, said the outings that happen on Mondays run from the second week of April to October for approximately 22 outings.

He went on to say that the proposal includes at least two outings per week, four weeks with three outings and outings would be held

on six Fridays of the year. Viras added that the senior rate would be extended to Fridays this season, making a round of golf $57 instead of $81 and outings that start at 1p.m. or later would allow residents to play that morning.

Eleven of the outings are slated to start at 1 p.m. or later. An 18-hole round of golf takes approximately 4 1/2 hours, according to the United States Golf Association.

“Last year and in years past we would have weeks where there were fve events a week,” Viras said. “We were almost in essence closed to the public for an entire week. I think going from fve to two is a reasonable request and I feel like a lot of people would be very happy with that.”

Genicof told the board in July the course was partially closed to the public on 66 of the 109 weekdays from May 1 to Sept. 30 — or 61% of the time.

Under the new schedule, there will be 48 outings this upcoming season. In 2022, there were at least 60 golf outings.

Continued on Page 34

To be considered for the award, students must be on the high school parent-teacher-student association and submit an application which is then considered by a committee of representatives from each of the district’s PTA units.

Along with playing teams from each school in the district, the Wizards provided some entertainment of their own while students volunteered to help with rafes, face-painting, tat-

Sponsors for the event included Taecole Tae Kwon Do, Westbury Dental Spa, Herricks Muslim Families, Herricks High School PTSA, Herricks Community Fund, Herricks Middle School PTA, Sherwin Williams, Crescent Apothecary, Opa Grille, Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home, Island Plastic Surgery, The Hannah Kroner School of Dance, Premium Supermarket, Schneider Architectural Works, Farine Baking Company, Center Street PTA, Denton Avenue PTA, Searingtown PTA and Herricks SEPTA.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD

An aerial view of Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HERRICKS COUNCIL OF PTAS

Herricks staff and administrators played against the Harlem Wizards Saturday at Herricks High School.

Ethics committee opens Santos probe

House group will investigate parts of congressman’s 2022 3rd District campaign

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

The House Ethics Committee launched a formal investigation into Republican Rep. George Santos last week and will scrutinize his most recent congressional campaign, ofcials announced.

The committee said in a statement they unanimously voted to establish a subcommittee tasked with investigating aspects of Santos’ most recent bid for the House. The committee will determine if the embattled representative failed to properly disclose information and statements to Congress, engaged in sexual misconduct with someone seeking employment in his D.C. ofce and violated potential federal confict of interest laws.

Santos’ ofcial congressional Twitter account said the newly elected representative “is fully cooperating” in the investigation, but the congressman would not comment on the matter. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last month anticipated the investigation would be launched into Santos and said he expected a myriad of questions surrounding him to be answered.

The ethics probe follows federal and local resolutions calling for Santos to be ousted from his position in Washington. Democratic U.S. Reps. Ritchie Torres, Dan Goldman, Robert Garcia, Becca

Balint and Eric Sorensen submitted a resolution to expel Santos from serving in Congress last month.

“Enough is enough: My colleagues and I are introducing legislation to expel George Santos from the United States Congress,” Torres previously tweeted. “If Kevin McCarthy refuses to hold George Santos accountable, then we will.”

Torres and Goldman, both New York Democrats, also fled a complaint against Santoswith the House Ethics Committee before the expulsion resolution for allegedly violating the Ethics in Government Act, saying the Republican must be held accountable for deceiving voters and Congress.

The Ethics in Government Act, ofcials said, was created to “preserve and promote the integrity of public ofcials and institutions,” which Torres and Goldman said they believe Santos has failed to adhere to. The two described fnancial reports submitted in 2020 and 2022 as “sparse and perplexing” in the complaint.

A resolution submitted by Town of North Hempstead Democratic Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey that also called for Santos’ expulsion from Congress was passed during a public meeting several weeks ago by a 6-1 vote. North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena presented a resolution for Santos to resign,

which passed unanimously.

Republican Councilmember David Adhami said he agreed with the general intent of Lurvey’s resolution but disagreed with its verbiage before voting no, saying there’s information included just to trigger people and it was poorly written.

DeSena motioned to amend the resolution to remove any mention of her name, saying doing so makes it a politi-

A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT FOR LONG ISLAND

Sands, the world leader in developing integrated resorts, is proposing a multi-billion-dollar investment at the current site of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This groundbreaking, world-class hospitality and entertainment project will be transformational for the Long Island economy, creating thousands of quality union jobs and generating millions of dollars in tax revenue.

cal and personal attack, which was voted down 4-3 along party lines. The supervisor endorsed Santos during his congressional campaign and has since changed her tune following the unearthing of Santos’ personal, professional and fnancial track record.

The Campaign Legal Center, a nonproft organization that aims to advance democracy through the law, questioned the newly elected congressman’s in-

fux of wealth after he reported a salary of $55,000 in 2020, which rose to $750,000 in 2022 and $1 million to $5 million in dividends.

The organization also called the congressman’s $705,000 loan to his campaign into question, claiming he falsifed reports on nearly 40 expenditure flings under $200.

The center fled the complaint with the Federal Election Commission and the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice in January.

The FBI is also currently investigating Santos’ role in allegedly scamming a homeless, disabled veteran out of thousands of dollars that would have been used to care for the man’s service dog.

Richard Osthof said he met Santos, who introduced himself as Anthony Devolder, in 2016 while living in a tent on the side of a New Jersey highway.

Osthof’s service dog, Sapphire, was sufering from a life-threatening stomach tumor, treatment for which would cost $3,000, the veteran told Patch.

A veterinary technician told Osthof to use Friends of Pets United, a pet charity headed up by Santos under the Anthony Devolder alias.

Osthof said he never saw any of the funds after a GoFundMe was set up and subsequently deleted once it got close to hitting the $3,000 goal.

A HISTORIC

OPPORTUNITY FOR LONG ISLAND BUSINESSES

Sands is committed to developing long-term partnerships with local businesses. For Long Island-based manufacturers, distributors, wholesale suppliers and other companies servicing the hospitality and entertainment industries, the Sands project will be an unprecedented opportunity to grow your business and be part of what will surely become an iconic centerpiece of the Long Island landscape.

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

George Santos celebrating his victory in the state’s 3rd Congressional District election.

D’Esposito takes aim at Santos in two bills

BY BRANDON DUFFY

U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park), who has called for Congressman George Santos to resign, introduced two bills Tuesday that would prevent members of Congress from financially profiting off breaking election laws.

D’Esposito, who represents the state’s 4th Congressional District next to Santos’ district, said he and his office plan to help out with constituents of the 3rd District as Santos undergoes investigations.

Santos, after being elected to the state’s 3rd Congressional District in November, has come under intense scrutiny for embellishing parts of his resume. The House Ethics Committee launched a formal investigation last week into his most recent campaign, officials announced.

Esposito’s No Fame for Fraud Resolution and No Fortune for Fraud Acts would bar any current or former members of Congress who were indicted or found guilty of violating the Federal Election Act of 1971 or lost their congressional pension through other violations to financially profit from their transgressions.

The legislation would prevent members who fall under the parameters of the bills to take compensation for biographies or media appearances based off their crimes, among other things.

“I am committed to advancing good, accountable government here in our nation’s capital, and that includes preventing elected officials who broke the public’s trust from profiting from their misdeeds,” D’Esposito said in a statement about the bill clearly aimed at Santos.

The Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit organization that aims to advance democracy through the law, questioned the newly elected congressman’s influx of wealth after he report-

ed a salary of $55,000 in 2020, which rose to $750,000 in 2022 and $1 million to $5 million in dividends.

The organization also called the congressman’s $705,000 loan to his campaign into question, claiming he falsified reports on nearly 40 expenditure filings under $200.

The center filed the complaint with the Federal Election Commission and the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice in January.

“Con artists, liars, and fabulists who lied their way into Congress should not be able to monetize their lies, and this legislative package would ensure they are unable to do so,” Esposito said. “I spent the greater part of my career keeping criminals off the streets of New York, and now I want to keep fraudsters out of the halls of Congress.”

The FBI is also currently investigating Santos’ role in allegedly scamming a homeless, disabled veteran out of thousands of dollars that would have been used to care for the man’s service dog.

Other Congressional freshmen from the state, including U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Marcus Molinaro, Nick Langworthy and Brandon Williams, co-sponsored the bill.

“No member, of any political party, should be able to profit off their crimes, lies, indictments, or fraud. Liars and cheats should not reap any reward from their deception,” LaLota said.

“I ran on restoring transparency and accountability to our government because I believe that our constituents should be able to trust their representatives and know that we are fighting for them every day. Helping make our country a better, safer, and more prosperous place, not trying to land a deal with Netflix.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, of Island Park.

Blakeman backs tax freeze in speech

County executive also stresses need

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman backed his decision to freeze Nassau’s tax roll, discussed the necessary requirements for the Las Vegas Sands’ casino proposal and lauded other initiatives his administration conducted this year during Wednesday’s State of the County address.

Blakeman, a harsh critic of his predecessor Laura Curran’s decision to freeze the county’s tax rolls when running for election in 2021, defended his stance to do so again based on data from the ofce of Comptroller Elaine Phillips.

Phillips, in January, released a report of her yearlong audit of the 20202021 reassessment on the county’s approximately 386,000 residential and 37,000 commercial properties, saying the reassessment relied on “fawed data.”

“Because of the volatile housing market caused by nationwide infation, rising interest rates and the phase-in negotiated by my predecessor, which does not expire for another year, I felt it would be unreasonable to burden our taxpayers with a reassessment of the whole county again,” Blakeman said during his address.

Nassau began to freeze tax rolls

for

community support to pass potential casino project

Cove) issued a rebuttal to Blakeman’s address, claiming that the Majority Caucus has not called a meeting of the legislature’s assessment committee, which was established in 2020.

The legislator criticized Blakeman for not taking action on lingering issues, including hundreds of homeowners still receiving erroneous tax bills.

“While I truly understand the complexity of this issue, promises must be backed with action,” DeRiggi-Whitton said in her rebuttal. “Holding a public hearing of the Assessment Committee would be an important frst step.”

Blakeman also spoke more on the Sands’ proposed casino and entertainment venue at the site of the Nassau Coliseum and the surrounding 80 acres of property known as the Nassau Hub.

Sands Vice Presidents Ron Reese and David Paterson, the former New York governor, said the company’s plan includes a casino, hotel, a live performance venue, restaurants and a spa.

in 2008, a practice that was continued by former Executive Ed Mangano for eight years before Curran lifted it in 2018. During that period, thousands of residents fled grievances on the value of their homes, winning reduced assessments and shifting the tax burden onto others who did not challenge

their assessments.

A Newsday report from 2019 showed some $2.7 billion in property taxes were shifted over the eight years and people who did not challenge their property taxes were assessed at a level 29.2% greater than those who did.

Philips, in her report, said the Department of Assessment was not fxing property information and data weaknesses before the reassessment. The comptroller’s report did not dispute the overall accuracy of the program.

Nassau County Democratic Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen

Sands Vice Presidents Ron Reese said the hotel will be at least 800 rooms, the live performance venue will have a 5,000-7,500 seat capacity and there will be roughly 400,000 square feet of “corporate meeting facilities” to go along with other amenities.

Continued on Page 38

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAREN RUBIN/NEWS-PHOTOS-FEATURES.COM

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman delivers his State of the County address.

Rapper arraigned for shooting at mansion

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Brooklyn-based rapper who is alleged to have committed the July shooting that injured three people at a private pool party at the Mansion at Glen Cove was arraigned Friday on weapon possession, assault and other charges, according to a press release from the Nassau County District Attorney’s Ofce.

Remy Marshall, also known as Fetty Luciano, allegedly got into a verbal argument with an attendee at the July 10 private pool party and attempted to “pistol whip” the individual in the head, resulting in the frearm discharging and shooting three other attendees with a single bullet.

One victim was struck in the shoulder, and the other two were shot in the leg and elbow. All three were treated at a local hospital and released.

“This defendant allegedly brought a loaded gun into a crowded private event and, during an altercation, discharged the weapon and struck three victims,” District Attorney Anne

Donnelly stated in a press release. “Thankfully, the defendant’s alleged reckless actions did not cause life-threatening injuries to the victims and no one else was hurt. I thank the Glen Cove Police Department for their work apprehending this defendant leading to today’s indictment.”

Marshall was arrested on July 21 in Glen Cove by the Glen Cove Police Department.

He is allegedly a member of the GS9 group, a New York City-based hip-hop collective of rappers including Bobby Shmurda.

Marshall was arraigned on charges of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, three counts of assault in the second degree, attempted assault in the second degree, three counts of assault in the third degree and reckless endangerment in the second degree.

Marshall pleaded not guilty. His bail continues to be set at $200,000 cash, $400,000 bond or $2 million partially secured bond at 10%.

His next court date is set for March 31. If he is convicted of the top charge, he faces a potential maximum of 15 years in prison.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Remy Marshall, also known as Fetty Luciano, was arraigned Friday for an alleged shooting at the Mansion at Glen Cove in July. He faces charges including weapon possession and assault.

North Hempstead maintains highest possible bond rating

BY BRANDON DUFFY

North Hempstead has maintained its Aaa bond rating for the 13th year in a row, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

The organization cited stable fnancial operations, healthy reserve levels and

a strong economic profle for the town while lauding its conservative fscal management. Credit strengths also included the town’s large tax base with high income and local employment opportunities.

The rating specifcally reference’s the town’s $21.7 million in Series A Public Improvement Serial Bonds and $396,000

in Series B bonds.

Series A bonds provide fnancing for various capital projects and Series B bonds will fnance bond anticipation notes to fund litigation.

“The stable outlook refects the town’s conservative fscal management practices, which will support continued healthy operating performance and maintenance of a strong fnancial position,” Moody’s said in a release.

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, in a statement, said the highest possible rating refects town ofcials’ dedication.

“I am extremely proud that the Town has once again received a Aaa bond rating from Moody’s,” DeSena said. “This rating is the thirteenth consecutive afrmation of the Town’s Aaa Bond rating, and is indicative of the hard work, dedication, and discipline throughout budget season.

The Aaa rating is the highest a Town can achieve and will produce signifcant savings in the long run. I’m pleased that the Town was able to accomplish this while also unanimously passing a 5% tax cut in this year’s budget.”

Moody’s said an increase in long-term liabilities and the “signifcant” decline in reserves or liquidity are factors that can lead to downgrading the current rating.

Planning for life with one less landfill on L.I.

BY ANNABEL HOFMANN

Some 14 million pounds of municipal waste are generated each day on Long Island, and every week residents put their garbage bins on the curb so that trash can disappear.

With the expected closure of the Brookhaven Landfll in 2024, Long Island’s waste has one less place to go. The landfll currently accepts about 1.2 million tons of trash per year, and when it closes, about 60,000 trucks will be needed to handle the excess waste, according to a report from Winters Bros. Waste Systems – a Long Island-based waste management company.

“The fact that the Brookhaven Landfll is going to close isn’t a crisis,” said Will Flower, senior vice president of Winters Bros. It is only a problem if the government, private sector and regulatory bodies are unable to devise

Sport Psychology

a method of handling the trash, he explained.

“If we don’t plan for the management of solid waste, it just isn’t going to go away by itself,” Flower said. “There has to be a system in place to properly manage society’s waste. And that system is, in fact, very complex.”

Winters Bros. released a report called The State of Waste to introduce a plan that would allow this complex system to work as smoothly as possible even after the closure of the Brookhaven Landfll. It outlined 14 recommendations that would work in conjunction to deal with Long Island’s waste crisis.

“There is no silver bullet to the management of solid waste. There is no one single solution,” Flower said. “Instead, there’s this complex system that needs to be strengthened to ensure that we’re pulling all the levers

Continued on Page 38

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE Moody’s Investors Service assigned North Hempstead an Aaa bond rating, the highest allowed.

Venus Williams joins firm begun in Roslyn

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Topspin Consumer Partners, a private equity frm focused on the consumer sector that originated in Roslyn Heights as a venture capital frm, appointed tennis champion Venus Williams as its newest operating partner.

Topspin, now based in Mamaroneck, N.Y., partners with company owners to assist in growth tactics such as marketing and brand strategies and operational infrastructure.

The frm partners with companies including Japonesque, JD Beauty and MISSION, which is co-owned by Venus William’s sister Serena Williams and Dwyane Wade.

While Williams has won seven Grand Slam titles, fve Wimbledon championships and four Olympic gold medals, she also has launched multiple businesses, including V Starr, a commercial and residential design frm, and EleVen by Venus Williams, an activewear and lifestyle brand.

“Venus is not only one of the greatest athletes of all time, but she is also an established entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist,” Leigh Randall, managing partner of Topspin, said. “Having had the pleasure of getting to know Venus for some time through our Operating Partner, Josh Shaw, who has worked closely with Venus and her family for over a decade, all of us at Topspin have been impressed by her strong business acumen, competitive spirit, wellness expertise, and vast professional network.”

He added, “She will serve as an invaluable resource for our portfolio companies, and we look forward to working with her to identify new and exciting investment opportunities.”

In this position, Williams will work with

Topspin’s portfolio companies to “broaden marketing strategies, gain brand exposure and identify innovative ways of enhancing value, as well as help source new investment opportunities,” according to a March 1 press release from Topspin.

“What resonated with me most about Topspin was the team’s deep understanding of

Report finds 61 abuse cases at academy

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

The United States Merchant Marine Academy, located in Kings Point, reported 61 instances of alleged sexual assault, harassment, stalking and relationship violence since 2019 in a 23page report released last week.

A total of 26 alleged sexual assault incidents and 35 sexual or gender-based harassment, stalking or relationship violence incidents occurred over the past three years, as of Dec. 15, the academy said.

A total of six alleged assaults occurred during the 2019-20 school year, with nine reported the following year, six the year after and fve so far in the 2022-23 school year, according to the report. Ofcials reported four alleged harassment, stalking or violence incidents in 2019-20, with six reported the year after, 15 the following year and 10 so far in the 2022-23 school year.

Female midshipmen were the survivors of 20 sexual assaults during the 3-1/2-year analysis. Female midshipmen were also survivors of 22 of the alleged harassment, stalking or violence incidents, according to the report.

Additionally, there were 13 “restricted” and 22 “unrestricted” reports, with one case being transferred to the FBI to probe and two individuals leaving the academy, according to the report.

“Restricted” reports indicate the incident

consumer investing and genuine desire to help entrepreneurs and visionaries reach their full potential,” Williams said in the release. “I’ve learned so much about navigating the competitive consumer landscape from my own ventures, and strongly believe this is the perfect opportunity for me to leverage my expertise to add value – whether it be helping the frm’s

portfolio companies improve their marketing eforts or identifying up-and-coming businesses to partner with.”

Williams graduated in 2015 from Indiana University East with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and in 2007 from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with an Associate of Science in Fashion Design.

Three rob $24,000 in Versace goods: Police

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Three people stole over $24,000 of handbags from the Versace store at the Americana Manhasset last week, according to the Nassau County Police Department.

A man and two women entered the Versace store just before 4 p.m. on Feb. 28, grabbed a variety of bags valued at more than $24,000 and fled the store, police said. The trio left the premises in a 2019 Nissan Altima with a New Jersey license plate.

The man is described by police as being 5’5” with a medium build and wore a gray sweatshirt, blank pants, black sneakers and a surgical mask, officials said.

surgical mask. The second woman was described as 5’5” with a medium build wearing a long, black winter jacket, rainboots and a surgical mask.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, last year, issued a warning to criminals from New Jersey and other areas to stay out of Nassau, citing out-of-state residents wanting to commit crimes in affluent areas.

Ryder and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman criticized New York’s bail reform and Raise the Age laws, saying they are putting the safety of New Yorkers at risk during a July press conference.

was disclosed to a sexual assault response coordinator or victim advocate, though no ofcial investigation was requested, ofcials said. “Unrestricted” reports resulted in an administrative investigation and provided the victim with an opportunity to notify law enforcement.

A pair of female U.S. Merchant Marine Academy midshipmen fled complaints against shipping giant Maersk in 2022, alleging the company did not sufciently protect them from sexual assault and harassment while working on its ships.

Continued on Page 35

One woman was also described as 5’5” with a medium build wearing a black shirt and pants, a denim jack, a gray hat and a

Officials did not disclose the estimated age of the trio who allegedly robbed the Versace store. Efforts to reach police for further comment were unavailing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Venus Williams, four-time Olympic gold medal winner, will join Topspin Consumer Partners as an operating partner.

PHOTO BY JANELLE CLAUSEN

United States Merchant Marine cadets.

Albertson Roslyn Hgts. GOP Club

Our monthly meeting will be March 15th, 2023 starting 7PM at the Williston American Legion, Post 144, 730 Willis Ave., Williston Park, NY 11596.

Note new address!

Special Guest Speaker

Elevator access to lower level from the south side parking area!

www.theisland360.com

Mineola schools nominating petitions

Nominating Petitions

Effective Monday, March 13th, nominating petitions for the Board of Education may be picked up during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the District Clerk’s Office at the Mineola Synergy Building, 2400 Jericho Turnpike, Garden City Park. These petitions are required in order for a candidate’s name to appear on the voting machine ballot. Please note that this year, a petition must be signed by at least 25 qualified voters (a qualified voter is a resident of the district qualified to vote, not necessarily registered). In addition, each petition must include the full name and residence of the

candidate on each page before a qualified voter signs the petition.

Candidates for office of the Board of Education run at large (the candidate receiving the most votes win). The terms of office begin July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026. Dr. Margaret Ballantyne’s and Mr. Patrick Talty’s terms of office will expire June 30, 2023.

Please file your petition in the District Clerk’s office, located at 2400 Jericho Turnpike, Garden City Park, NY, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 17, 2023.

If you need further information, please contact Linda Spagnola at 237-2032.

Peticiones de nominación

Efectivo, el 13 de marzo, se pueden recoger las peticiones de nominación para la Junta de Educación entre las 8:30 a.m. y 3:30 p.m. en la Oficina del Secretario del Distrito en Mineola Synergy Building. Estas peticiones son necesarias para que el nombre de un candidato aparezca en la cédula electoral de la máquina de votación. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que este año, una petición debe ser firmada por al menos 25 votantes calificados (un elector habilitado es un residente del distrito calificado para votar, no necesariamente registrado). Además, cada petición debe incluir el nombre completo y residencia del candidato en cada página antes de que un elector

habilitado firme la petición.

Los candidatos para un cargo en la Junta de Educación postulan a un cargo mayor (el candidato que obtenga la mayor cantidad de votos ganará). La duración del cargo empieza el 1 de julio de 2023 al 30 de junio de 2026. El mandato de Dr. Margaret Ballantyne and Mr. Patrick Talty terminará el 30 de junio de 2023.

Por favor, presente su petición en la oficina de la Secretaria del Distrito, ubicada en 2400 Jericho Turnpike, Garden City Park, Nueva York, a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. del lunes, 17 de abril de 2022.

Si necesita mayor información, comuníquese con Linda Spagnola al 237-2032.

Upcoming events at the Williston Park Library

From the Director

Are you new to Williston Park? Don’t forget to apply for a library card. Just bring proof of residence in the village such as an updated driver’s license, credit card statement or any bill sent by the Village. Staff will be happy to help you.

If you’ve borrowed a museum pass, we ask that it be returned in the library by 10 a.m. on the due date to ensure timely pick up for the next patron on the waiting list. If you wish to return the pass prior to the due date and the library is closed, please put in the book drop. We appreciate your cooperation.

The library is distributing Covid-19 self-test kits while supplies last.

New titles added to the collection:

So Long, Chester Wheeler—Catherine Ryan Hyde

Code 6—James Grippando

House of Wolves—James Patterson

Seamstress of Sardinia—Bianca Pitzorno

Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood—Jessica Grose

Just the Nicest Couple—Mary Kubica

Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon—

Kate Andersen Brower

8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go—

Jay Shetty

Lady Whistledown Strikes Back—Julia Quinn

Backup Plan—Jill Shalvis

House at the End of the World—Dean Koontz

Adult Programs

Reiki Circle—Thursdays—March 16; April 6 & 20—6 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. $10 p/person, p/session. Call the library (742-1820), email willistonparkprograms@

gmail.com or stop by the library to register.

First Time Homebuyer Workshop—Tuesday—March 14—

6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. A senior mortgage loan offi cer and realtor will guide you through the process of home ownership. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Medicare Basics with Joy Poupko—Tuesday—March 21—

5:30 p.m. in the Library. Fundamentals including Part A, B, C, & D. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Ceramic Mushroom Lantern Craft—Wednesday—April 5—6 p.m. in the Library. $20 material fee. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Book Discussion—Wednesday—April 5—7 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall and via Zoom. Copies of Personal Librarian will be available at the Circulation Desk. https:// adelphiuniversity.zoom.us/j/96885670102?pwd=VGtSYnky

UW9acVJyV0tyNUtUZnMyZz09 Meeting ID: 968 8567 0102 Passcode: WPBookClub or just call1-929-205-6099on your phoneand it will ask for the meeting id and password above.

Downton Abbey Teatime with Chef Barbara Sheridan— Wednesday—May 3—6 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. Menu to be announced. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gamil.com to register.

Bracelet Workshop—Wednesday—May 10—6 p.m. in the Library for ages 16+. $12 material fee. Per the vendor, limited to 12 participants. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Children’s Programs

Story Time for Tots—Tuesdays—March 7, 14, 21, 28; April 4; April 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30—11-11:45 a.m. in the li-

brary for children ages 1-4 with a parent or caregiver. Call the library (742-1820), email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com or ask at the Circulation Desk to register. Maximum of 15 children. No walk-ins!

STEM Lego: Mario Day—Wednesday—March 8—4-5 p.m. in the Children’s Room. Per vendor, limited to 12 children Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@ gmail.com to register.

Let’s Groove Music Class—Thursday—March 23—3 p.m. in the Children’s Room for ages 6 months-4 years old for a fun-fi lled music and movement class. Limited to 20 children . Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@ gmail.com to register.

Spring Forest Sculpture Craft with Doris Benter—Thursday—April 6—11 a.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall for children ages 5+ (3-5 years old with adult assistance). Per the vendor, limited to 20 participants. Call the library (7421820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Mad Science Workshop—Under Pressure—Tuesday—April 11—11 a.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall for grades 1-6. See the science behind aerodynamics and the properties of air. Per the vendor—Limited to 18 participants. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Minecraft—Two Part Series—Thursday & Friday—April 13 & 14—1-3 p.m. in the Library for children ages 7+. Join in games & challenges in Big Bad Wolf and Jack & the Beanstalk. Per vendor, limited to 15 participants. You must bring your own device compatible with Minecraft. Call the library (7421820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Faux Stained Glass Suncatcher—Friday—April 21—4-5 p.m. in the Library for children ages 7+. Call the Library (7421820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

OUR VIEWS Editorial Cartoon

Lower the gangplank in Nassau County

North Hempstead Democrats joined with town Republicans and the Nassau GOP last week to oppose eforts to address New York’s housing crisis.

A shortage of housing, estimated at 800,000 units, has caused rents and housing prices to soar on Long Island, preventing middle-class families, single young professionals and aging residents among others from fnding places to live at reasonable prices.

If they are successful, the many critics of a plan presented by Gov. Kathy Hochul would also make it more difcult for businesses to hire employees and deprive downtown districts their best hope of flling empty storefronts in a world now dominated by malls and online shopping.

The ofcials didn’t actually say they opposed additional housing.

They said they objected to Hochul’s call for a 3% increase in housing units over three years, the possibility of the state stepping in if the 3% goal was not met and the use of transit-oriented developments to achieve that objective.

“Gov. Hochul’s housing plans will food our communities with thousands of apartments and high-density zoning, turning our suburbs into overcrowded urban centers,” North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said in advance of a gathering of town and county ofcials in Port Washington last week.

That is nonsense.

In 2020, there were 78,822 households in North Hempstead.

To reach Hochul’s 3% goal, another 2,364 housing units would have to be built in North Hempstead over three years – 788 a year.

Is that really fooding “our communities with thousands of apartments and high-density zoning, turning our suburbs into overcrowded urban centers” as DeSena said? No.

Or a threat to Nassau’s “suburban aesthetic” with “our lush, quiet and peaceful tree-lined streets” as the town board — Democrats and Republicans — said in a letter to Hochul? Of course, not.

The ofcials are right that Hochul’s plan would potentially remove some control from local ofcials.

Local governments could choose how

the 3% goal was met, but if they did not make “good-faith eforts to grow when proposed housing is languishing for no legitimate reason, the state will implement a fast-track approval process,” Hochul said.

This seems reasonable and is actually little diferent from the 2% tax cap imposed on local governments by the state under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Under the tax cap, villages, towns and schools cannot raise the tax levy from one year to the next by an amount set by the state, around 2%, unless the budget receives 60% of the vote.

The state tax cap ties ofcials’ hands but was enthusiastically supported by local ofcials unable to resist the temptation to spend more.

Hochul’s housing plan addresses the decades-long failure of local ofcials – especially in places like Nassau County — to permit more homes to be built.

“Hochul has noted the state has created 1.2 million jobs in the past decade but built only 400,000 new housing units,” Newsday reported. “More than half of renters statewide pay 30% or more of their income toward rent. On Long Island, home prices set records last summer, while the number of homes for sale remains close to the lowest it has been in at least 20 years.”

From 1950 to 1970, Nassau County’s population grew from 672,765 to 1.43 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But since 1970, Nassau’s population has declined by 32,306.

This did not happen by accident. Nassau County has some of the most restrictive zoning laws in the country.

This helps explain why New York leads the nation in population loss with about 180,000 leaving the state in 2022.

State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, a Republican, said during the 2022 gubernatorial campaign “the greatest threat to New York State and our future viability is the loss of human capital.”

He and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, (R-Long Island), attributed the exodus to high taxes, increasing government regulation and spiking crime rates.

But does anyone not believe high housing costs and the sheer lack of places to live had nothing to do with it?

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North Hempstead’s population has followed a similar pattern as the county. It increased from 142,613 to 235,087 in 1970. Since then in the past 52 years, the population of the town has grown by less than 3,000 to 237,639.

And among 32 counties in New York City and its suburbs, Sufolk ranked 32nd and Nassau ranked 31st in the number of housing permits issued from 2010 to 2020, according to a Regional Plan Association report last year.

Hochul’s housing plan focuses on building transit-oriented developments near train stations – a plan that has been used successfully across the world, including Nassau County in such places as Mineola and Farmingdale.

Its advocates include developers, urban planners and elected ofcials.

“These state-of-the-art residences will create much-needed workforce and commuter housing for Nassau County’s young professionals and provide muchneeded afordable housing that will allow the community’s senior population to live out their golden years in Nassau County,” then Nassau County Executive Mangano said in helping to fnance transit-oriented developments in Mineola in 2012. “This project, close to Mineola’s downtown shops and restaurants and Central Nassau’s dense concentration of employers, retail and cultural venues, will generate economic activity throughout Nassau County.”

Will such developments increase housing density?

Yes. Around train stations. The state has supported this approach in recent years with the Third Track and East Side Access projects at a cost of $14 billion. Residents can use the LIRR to commute to their jobs without a car.

And if developments with a combination of retail and residential units cannot be built around train stations, where exactly can the housing be built?

Are transit-orient projects a threat to the suburban dream?

Just the opposite is true if you consider the health of downtown business districts that once served as community centers as part of that dream.

DeSena was among a number of public ofcials who attended a discussion hosted last week by Destination Great Neck, a grass-roots group flling the leadership void in Great Neck by trying to develop a plan to revitalize the business district.

Residents at the meeting lamented the empty storefronts and aging buildings in the once-vibrant business district stretching nearly two miles from Great Neck Plaza to the Village of Great Neck.

Town ofcials, unsurprisingly, played little part since villages are responsible for zoning most business districts actually.

And town ofcials, who are so vocal about Hochul’s plan, have routinely steered clear of playing a role in village zoning decisions, especially in Great Neck.

But when asked whether they would support developing a plan to rezone busi-

ness districts to permit developments with a mixture of retail stores and apartments as experts recommend, town ofcials say they prefer to review proposals on a case-by-case basis.

This is tantamount to placing a large sign on the Long Island Expressway saying that developers are not welcome.

Most developers faced with the expense and uncertainty of seeking a variance to local zoning laws to build a mixed-use project will say no thank you. They want to see the property rezoned in advance and even better, a plan for the property around them as well.

That the entire North Hempstead Town Board – both Democrats and Republicans — signed the letter to Hochul tells you where most residents stand on the issue. And the unwillingness of town ofcials to challenge the status quo.

It is true that existing homeowners beneft from the shortage of housing in Nassau in the form of higher home values.

But vibrant downtown Main Streets where residents can congregate is also part of the suburban dream.

So is a place where young couples can aford a frst home, empty nesters can downsize close to where they raised their children, children can return to communities in which they grew up and businesses have a strong talent pool from which to hire.

Hochul’s plan ofers that future. Long Island needs to lift the gangplank and let people in to make that happen.

In E. Palestine it’s déjà vu all over again

The Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, is the latest ecological nightmare plaguing the inhabitants of a growing number of American towns. My ears perked up listening to teacher and mom Courtney Newman speak out in her hometown during a nationally televised town hall meeting on Feb. 22.

Just to refresh, East Palestine is a predominantly white, working class village of 5,000 residents, situated close to the Pennsylvania border. The train derailment was reportedly triggered by a severely overheated wheel bearing, further compromised by insufcient safety sensors and procedures to prevent disaster. Eleven of the 38 derailed cars contained vinyl chloride, a hazardous chemical that poses an increased risk of blood, liver, brain and lung cancer, among other serious health risks.

Norfolk Southern implemented a controlled release of the containers carrying vinyl chloride to lessen the risk of scattering shrapnel from an explosion. This entailed burning the designated tankers’ chemicals, releasing fumes that can be lethal if inhaled. A fve-day evacuation was ordered Feb. 6 before proceeding.

At the town hall, after her return home, Courtney Newman said her son was experiencing health issues that included an unprecedented succession of

bloody noses. “I took him to the pediatrician on Friday,” said an exasperated Newman. “I was told they had no guidance from the CDC, the Health Department – there was nothing they could do.”

Other residents reported chemical odors silently seeping into their homes, permeating clothing, mattresses and more. Still others complained of headaches, nausea, rashes and conjunctivitis.

Listening to the residents’ testimony, my mind leapt to Flint, Mich., and Jackson, Miss. — two American cities that were poisoned in the last decade.

The water crisis in Flint was made public in April 2014 when in a cost-cutting measure the drinking water supply from Detroit’s system was switched to the Flint River. When vital treatment and testing of the water was not carried through, troubling health issues emerged.

It has now been more than six months since Jackson, Miss.’s water system failed, depriving more than 170,000 people of water to drink, wash or fush toilets. Although Jackson’s fragile pipe system is being replaced, many residents believe they will have to rely on bottled water indefnitely.

To paraphrase one of Yogi Berra’s memorable quips: In East Palestine it’s like déjà vu all over again.

What folks like Courtney Newman

are being told by government ofcials simply does not match up with what they see with their own eyes and feel in their guts. There are troubling symptoms of physical disease and a bubbling stew of stress, confusion, anxiety, fear, trauma, anger and terror, all of which signal risk for long-term mental health problems, especially if left unaddressed.

Many residents of East Palestine, as their predecessors in Flint and Jackson, are not confdent that they are getting straight answers from government offcials regarding the potential short and long term impacts of toxins in the air and water, and especially as it afects their children. They don’t know who to

trust.

They have observed dogs, cats and chickens falling ill. Among the dead wildlife surveyed in the immediate aftermath of the chemical release, Ohio’s Department of Natural Resource found that an estimated 43,785 aquatic animals died.

On Feb. 24, environmental activist Erin Brockovich, who blew the whistle on Pacifc Gas and Electric Company in 1993 for groundwater contamination in Hinkley, Calif., told an audience of 2,000 at East Palestine High School, “I can’t tell you how many communities feel that these moments are the biggest gaslight of their life.”

Meanwhile, if the parents of East Palestine are aware of the Flint and Jackson disasters, they must be wondering if their children with still-developing brains may sustain cognitive impairments that could last a lifetime. Wouldn’t you?

Residents pointed out that aside from the possibility of sustaining longterm health problems, when they step outside and smell chemicals that they didn’t smell before, regardless of any positive safety reports from government, it impacts on their quality of life and reduces property values.

After a disaster most families would prefer to hear painful truths and next steps, as opposed to disingenuous mixed messaging and platitudes

shrouded in politics that tiptoe around people’s lived realities.

Thinking back to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack and collapse of the Twin Towers in NYC, people were misinformed when were told it was safe to be near the World Trade Center site. Years later many who worked the site or lived nearby developed cancer and other diseases due to toxic exposure.

Even closer to home in Bethpage, aerospace pioneer Grumman knew for decades, dating back to the 1970s, that harmful chemicals were contaminating area groundwater. They concealed critical information from the public that could have put an end to what Newsday referred to as “Long Island’s most intractable environmental crisis.”

If I was living with young children in a poisoned town, beyond feeling a pervasive sense of dread, I believe I would have to contain feelings of murderous rage, especially if I thought I was receiving half-truths or none at all. A sticker on my ofce wall says it best, “When government lies, democracy dies.”

While health ofcials in East Palestine announced that it is now safe for community members to return home, breathe the air and use tap water, residents remain suspicious and not sure what to believe or where to go. For good reason.

Governor Hochul’s unsustainable budget

In Albany, budget theatrics between the governor and the state Legislature commence every February.

There is always plenty of public weeping and moaning and gnashing of teeth by both sides in the mad rush to negotiate an acceptable spending plan that both the executive and legislative branches agree on by April 1 when the new fscal year begins.

Here’s a brief description of how the process generally works: The governor in both the State of the State address and in the budgetary message paints a dire picture of the state’s fnances.

The statements contain dreary economic projections, particularly during a recession.

Fearing rising unemployment and declining economic activity (particularly on Wall Street), the governor lowballs the revenue expected from taxes and fees.

To eliminate a projected defcit the governor calls for reducing bloated bureaucracies and cutting programs, including aid to education and Medicaid.

To share the pain, the governor

announces cuts in the executive budget.

Then there are all the fscal gimmicks employed to lessen the fscal blow. These include raids on surplus funds, one-shot revenues, and putting of payments of various invoices until the following fscal year.

No sooner is the ink dry on the governor’s proposal, Progressives bellyache that the cuts and layofs are excessive, and the revenue estimates are too conservative.

As the deadline approaches both sides buckle down and do serious negotiating behind closed doors.

While the governor has the upper hand in the negotiations to get in an on-time budget — that means compromise.

“When you compromise and both sides are unhappy,” Gov. Mario Cuomo once quipped. “That’s a budget.”

And then, after numerous latenight meetings and plenty of public posturing, old-fashioned horse trading, and outright buy-ofs of individual legislators with pork barrel projects for their district, the Legislature passes a budget.

But that is not the way it’s working this year. It’s not the Hochul approach.

Instead of warning legislators that fscal restraint is necessary because there is a looming recession, that federal one-shot COVID relief money has been exhausted, that record high taxes are driving top earners to Florida, that it will take at least three more years to reach pre-COVID employment levels,

and then calling for spending cuts and tax relief—Hochul did the opposite.

The governor called for more spending to be paid by raiding reserve funds and increasing various taxes.

The budget the governor proposed is a record-breaking $227 billion, up $7 billion.

Apparently, the governor is not concerned that her reckless spending is not sustainable.

This despite the fact that Hochul’s own fnancial plan projects $20 billion in cumulative defcits between 2025 and 2027.

Another misnomer—the governor’s budget assumes top earners will stay in New York.

In recent years the state has lost over 10% of people earning over $750,000 a year. That’s $21 billion of lost taxable income.

Experts are projecting that this trend will continue. Thus, considering 2% of top earners pay 51% of state income taxes, if 100,000 more move out, New York’s tax base will be wrecked.

To pay of teacher and healthcare unions that supported Hochul

last year, school aid will go up at least 9.8%—despite declining enrollment—and Medicaid will increase 9.3%.

Here’s a few other ludicrous items buried in the budget: a 70% increase ($700 million) in tax credits for the movie and television industry.

A $455 million “loan” to the moribund New York Racing Association. Additional pension benefts for state employees and additional health care benefts for undocumented migrants.

There’s also Hochul’s budgetary line item to ban the selling of gas stoves by 2030.

And let’s not forget that Hochul’s proposal is only the frst step in the annual Albany kabuki dance. Gov. Hochul has proven to be a weak negotiator and I expect legislators will bully her into agreeing to a lot more spending.

The net result, the Empire Center for Public Policy rightly predicts, “it’s sure to be the same as years past: pushing New York further down the road of higher taxes, failing taxpayers and setting back the state’s long-term fscal health.”

The world, and that includes America, has become increasingly polarized. This is a dynamic that every sentient American is aware of. This state of polarization is demonstrated in the red state vs. blue state political climate. In bygone days of the 1980s and 1990s we had the politics of personality and were wary that personalities dictated our presidential choices.

Kennedy, Carter, Reagan and Clinton were all charmers and the politics of personality seemed to rule the day. But slowly, a new form of politics took over and now in these halcyon days of the 21st century, politics plays out in terms of red state vs. blue states, Republicans vs. Democrats but in a rigid and primitive manner which forecloses any thoughts of reasonable dialogue.

In psychological terms this attitude is called “splitting” and is a primitive, immature defense defned as the inability to hold opposing thoughts, feelings or beliefs in the mind at one time. Splitting is thought of as blackand-white thinking and is the defning character trait of borderline personality disorder. One hundred years

ago the psychoanalytic community was faced with the neurotic personality and treating guilt. By the 1950s the nation psychologically regressed into a more narcissistic dynamic with many patients displaying grandiosity, self-centeredness and the disappearance of guilt.

Today we see a deeper regression into primitive borderline traits with splitting, anger and volatility. These traits have been expressed with school shootings, mass shootings and culminated in the Jan 6 attempted takeover of the Capitol Building. There is much proof that a widespread regression has occurred in the nation if not the world. The question is why has this regression taken place.

To understand why a nation regresses we can explore why patients regress. They will regress if they are overwhelmed with anxiety or if they have lost faith with those in authority. Both these conditions have occurred in America.

Anxiety is widespread now for two major reasons. First of all, the unrelenting food of increasingly complex information that the computer age has presented is overwhelming and

produces anxiety on a daily basis. As an example, I am regularly faced with a helpless anxiety when once again something happens to my computer and a Skype session with a patient is interrupted. I am usually clueless has to why this happened or what to do about it.

Or take yesterday for another example. My heating system is run by some advanced looking thermostat and it decided to go blank and stop working. This means I lost control of my heating system in my ofce.

EARTH MATTERS

After one hour of tech support from the thermostat company, my heat still does not work. The magical mysterious world of computers causes lots of anxiety in every one.

The second reason for this regression into polarized red vs. blue split thinking relates to how we now view our leaders. The nation’s most signifcant authority fgure is our president.

Kennedy’s assassination produced a profound loss that the nation has yet to recover from. Then came Watergate, which was another watershed moment in American history because it marked the ascension of the media and investigative journalism and the demolition of authority.

Watergate toppled Richard Nixon, but he was merely the frst president to be destroyed and this was followed by the media demolishing President Ford as a bufoon. Clinton was impeached, Bush was marginalized and fnally Trump was impeached. All this damage to the ofce of the president means that citizens no longer are able to look up to or idealize their leaders.

This produces a regression into a more primitive psychological state of mind where we see splitting, hatred,

and volatility. As we become destabilized psychologically we simplify our thoughts and attitudes. We have now arrived at this red state/blue state polarized mentality, which does not allow for any dialogue other than “I’m good and you’re not.”

I see some evidence that as the next presidential election process gets under way there is more civility and eforts towards reason and reconciliation among the hopeful candidates. But it is yet to be seen how long that attitude lasts and whether it will be replaced by further polarization, anger, misinformation and lack of debate. Time will tell.

All great writers coin phrases that last. Charles Dickens began his “Tale of Two Cities” with the lines: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” Dickens was writing about the French Revolution of 1775, but these lines apply to today as well. We live in times of trouble and times of turmoil.

And surprisingly, the enemy now appears to be within our own borders. Are you a Republican or a Democrat? Are you a friend or an enemy?

Red states, blue states, hatred in America Living with coyotes in Nassau County

For 11 long days (and nights) Charlie was lost. He was unable to think clearly or fgure out how to fnd his way back home. His human mom, Christine, tripped while walking him and with that he got startled into fight response and ran away with the harness and leash attached.

Thanks to his wild roots he knew how to survive. Domesticity was relatively new to him since he was adopted in 2022. His human family with the help of expert trackers from the non-proft Long Island Lost Dog Search and Rescue searched for him with surveillance cameras, drones and all means possible.

It was heartwarming to see the Sands Point and Port Washington community get together to help Charlie fnd his home again. At any point of the day (and even at night) you’d see both pedestrians and slowmoving vehicles in the area where he was last seen, looking for Charlie. Social media helped us all stay up to speed on his latest sighting.

Part of the tracker’s strategy was to set up camera traps at feeding stations. These cameras detect body heat and capture images of animals approaching the food set out as bait. Charlie showed up at one of the feeding stations, but alarmingly for his owners, so did coyotes and foxes. The coyotes were at least twice his size.

Not to risk food aggression, the trackers pulled the food as bait and

tried another trick. It was the trail of Christine’s dirty laundry that helped him fnd his way back home. Charlie came to his senses, he caught a whif of his human caretaker’s scent and snapped out of fight mode. His fantastic sense of smell brought him back safe and sound.

Charlie’s safe return is encouraging in so many ways. It was heartwarming to witness how the community collectively joined in on the search. His return is a reminder that no matter how lost we may feel, it’s OK to stay hopeful. Sometimes things do work out. What’s also comforting about his safe return is the afrmation that the Eastern Coyote in our bioregion seemingly had no interest in eating our pets.

They must have access to enough racoons, rabbits, squirrels, rats and other small rodents, as they showed no interest in Charlie as a food source. At the height of their mating season, mid February, this particular coyote pair showed no sign of aggression and shared their territory with Charlie and foxes as documented by the cameras.

The natural colonization of coyotes on Long Island has been documented for at least a decade. In the last 100 years they’ve successfully expanded their territory from the West to include all of the mainland. They’re smart and adaptable, they’ve escaped decades of attempts to exterminate them and they have now settled permanently in Nassau, so

HILDUR PALSDOTTIR Earth Matters

we better take proper precautions. If we modify our behaviors, we can prevent human/pet-coyote conficts. Co-existence with them requires that we give them enough space to roam and conserve what’s left of wild lands. They’re visiting our neighborhoods because there are very few places left for wild creatures. Humans are responsible for driving coyote expansion with habitat fragmentation and removal of their predators.

We’re also responsible for most conficts. We must never feed wildlife. Intentionally or inadvertently feeding coyotes will habituate them out of their wary wildness and the result is a bold, aggressive and even dangerous animal. So please secure your garbage bins and compost.

Wild coyotes are resourceful and opportunistic omnivores. In the wild they’ll eat fruit, vegetables, small animals and carcasses. The biggest mistake people make is to start feeding the wild coyote because they look like dogs. They only have 10% dog DNA, while the rest is 25% wolf and 65% Western Coyote. Do not try to befriend this wild animal. Habituated coyotes will bite the hand that feeds them.

A wild coyote is skittish and you’ll never know that they’re living right under your nose. This time of year they do tend to howl and bark in a way that makes people nervous. But no worries, it’s how they communicate to fnd each other. They are territorial and the monogamous couple will claim quite a large area as their hunting grounds. They don’t form packs like wolves, but rather live in well-defned family structures with one alpha couple.

In places where coyotes are persecuted, their social systems are disrupted and instead of a dominant alpha male and female, more members of the family start breeding and they quickly multiply, appearing more like a pack. This explains how quickly they bounce back from an attack.

If a coyote looks too comfortable and is making themselves known to you, or even walking towards you, then you must make loud noises, spray water at them, fash lights, and even throw something (like a stick) towards them (not at them) to make

sure they know you are the larger animal and they should stay away. On your evening (dog) walks, bring pennies or pebbles in a soda can, a loud whistle, or some other noisemaker. Never run away from a coyote.

If you’re worried about small pets in your backyard, your fence should be at least 8 feet and you can install bright lights to deter coyotes. Cats need to be indoors and dogs on a leash while walking. Stick to the trails. The worst encounters happen if a dog gets in between mates or pups and parents. Coyotes are very loyal and protective of their family.

If you have a problem coyote in your neighborhood, there are experts who can help rewild habituated coyotes. You can call Frank Vincenti at the Wild Dog Foundation; he has invested decades in managing coyotehuman interactions. Please know that hazing is a proven and efective way to rewild a coyote.

Also know, you’re more likely to be killed by an errant golf ball or fying champagne cork. If you take proper precautions, it’s very unlikely that this animal will attack you. We should all be more concerned about increased car trafc in this region.

Aggressive behaviors should be reported immediately to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Remember, it’s illegal to hunt coyotes here in Nassau. It’s also proven inefective at eliminating their spread. Our best bet is to learn to live with them.

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

Red states launch hot war against women

March is Women’s History Month, but what year exactly? 1950? 1850? And on International Women’s Day, March 8, how exactly does the United States fare vs. the rest of the world? Some 28 nations have now had a woman as their head of state – the best we have summoned is vice president, speaker of the House, 12 women governors serving at the same time, four U.S. Supreme Court justices, and a smattering of women CEOs of major corporations. Progress? Some might say so, but it’s precisely because of the progress women have made since 1972 — the Roe v. Wade decision and gender discrimination legislation that followed — that there is such an aggressive, punitive, violent backlash to strip away the very rights that made progress possible.

As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said at her 1993 Senate confrmation hearing, “The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her well-being and dignity. … When government controls that decision for her, she is being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.”

We’re fghting that battle all over again.

And the war on women has turned into a hot war as a federal appeals court struck down a 30-year-old law that barred people under domestic violence restraining orders from owning guns – putting all Red Flag

laws at risk.

This defes the epidemic of gun violence against women and children (gun violence now is the leading cause of death among children). In fact, when an abusive partner has access to a gun, a domestic violence victim is fve times more likely to be killed. Over half of the killings of American women are related to intimate partner violence. The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.

There is truth to the statement that in the United States a gun has more rights than a woman. So do rapists and abusers.

The decision also puts truth to the lie that the anti-abortion crusade is “pro-life” – indeed, maternal mortality is expected to increase by 24 percent from the United States’ already woefully high levels for a “modern” industrialized country because of the abortion bans triggered by the radical ideologues on the Supreme Court.

South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh wasn’t given the death penalty for shooting to death his wife and son, but some states are making abortion a capital crime and even indicting women who miscarry for homicide. Florida and Texas are proposing to track women’s cell phones to keep them from traveling out of state to seek reproductive care; young athletes must report their menstrual cycle. In Texas, each member of the rapist’s family can sue a woman and her

KAREN RUBIN View Point

doctors for terminating a pregnancy for statutory damages not less than $20,000; vigilantes are incentivized to individually sue anyone who assists a woman terminate a pregnancy. One in fve pregnancies result in miscarriage and those women need the same procedure to save their lives that technically is “abortion.” But now, even women sufering an ectopic pregnancy, bleeding profusely, or carrying a fetus that is not viable or has actually died, are forced to be at death’s door before they can receive care. And then their doctors would have to wage an “afrmative defense” – proving they were justifed to render medical care – to avoid prosecution that could cost them their professional license, monetary damages, and prison.

“Our rights are eroding at an alarming and grotesque speed – the forced birth movement landed with a vengeance,” declared Joy Ann Reid on MSNBC. “Draconian laws are designed to punish rape and incest survivors — cruelty so profound that women and girls will sufer untold harm.”

Beyond the substantial and scary risks to health and life are how the new laws tether a woman to her rapist, her abuser, fnancially, emotionally, legally – perpetuating the cruelty and control over her.

The Biden administration has attempted to ofer some of-ramps in the face of 24 states passing abortion bans taking away reproductive rights from 30 million women. Biden signed a Presidential Memorandum to safeguard access to reproductive care, including easing access to medication abortion, help ensure women can receive emergency medical care, protect patients’ privacy and access to accurate information about their reproductive rights, and combat discrimination in the health care system.

A key element of the Biden administration’s efort was to approve major retail pharmacies such as Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS to dispense medication to protect abortion access and reduce maternal mortality. Medication – not surgery – was already the method used in 54 percent of all abortions prior to the Dobbs decision overturning a woman’s reproductive rights.

Now you have an anti-abortion group bringing suit against the FDA for having authorized the use of mifepristone, despite the fact the drug has been used safely (sends fewer people to the ER than Tylenol or Viagra) for 20 years and administered to 5 million women. If the radical rightwing Texas judge rules to rescind the FDA’s approval, mifepristone would not just be banned nationwide — 40 million women would be under that thumb.

And Republican attorneys general already have issued letters to the major pharmacies threatening legal action if they dispense the abortion medication. Walgreens has already caved- essentially spitting on Biden’s executive order.

But how on earth does this group even have standing? How can they show they were harmed vs. the 40 million women whose lives would be upended by losing bodily autonomy and control over their own health, their future and their family? And how come Big Pharma hasn’t reacted to this brazen attack on its industry? Could you imagine if Viagra were challenged? Each and every one of these retailers that refuses to provide abortion medication should be boycotted.

It is important to recognize who is on the side of women and who isn’t. President Biden called on Congress to pass a federal law restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade so all women in every state have the right to choose.

N. Hempstead letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul

We are writing to you concerning the New York Housing Compact which you discussed during your State of the State speech. We certainly agree with the premise that there is a housing crisis, and we applaud your eforts to increase housing opportunities for younger residents and lower-income residents across Long Island and throughout New York State. However, we must urge you to reconsider some aspects of your proposal – most notably the 3% new home growth over three years and transit-oriented local rezoning mandates. These prospective

changes may serve to restrict our resources and constrain our ability to be good stewards of our local environment.

It is fundamentally essential that we, as local ofcials, maintain the ability to represent our residents. Local governments must maintain a certain level of autonomy when it comes to appropriately preserving the suburban aesthetic of their communities. We are hopeful you will make appropriate modifcations that allow for that. Our residents deserve to have a seat at the table, as they always have, and we are concerned that this new initiative, as

currently constituted, may hinder our ability to work proactively and collaboratively with them.

The Town of North Hempstead has been and will continue to be a shining example of what local government can do to improve and increase afordable housing for residents. Year after year, we have proven to be dedicated to modernizing the communities within the North Hempstead Housing Authority, and, whenever possible, adding units to increase accessibility for seniors or low-income residents like we did recently by building the Homestead Senior

Apartments in Westbury. We look forward to continuing to work with the residents of the Town, and with you, to ensure that future progress and development

Jennifer DeSena, Supervisor Robrert Troiano, Council Member Peter Zuckerman, Council Member Dennis Walsh, Council Member Veronica Lurvey, Council Member David Adhami, Council Member Mariann Dalimonte, Council Member

Heights, NY 11577.

Rep. Santos must face full measure of the law

Isn’t it time that the immediate world ends the fxating on the absurdity of the lies and extravagances, too many to mention, that George Santos has heaped upon ratio-

nal minded souls of all political persuasions?

Let us now seriously focus on the criminality of this psychopath, and press even more strongly on le-

gitimate charges to remove this blight from ofce. Let politics work in more productive ways than just to garnish more votes. Our elected ofcials, regardless of self need or party, must

observe their true responsibility, and that is to serve all the people. We are talking about due process and justice and not politics.

Legality of the law must start to

take priority or else what is this society all about?

Bruce Funk Great Neck

Most profitable corporations should pay fair share

These days, prices are rising, from food to household goods to drugs to rents, especially for middle income families. Even with what seemed to be good salaries, it’s hard to keep up. The government too is running at a defcit, so much so that certain parties want to cut or do away with Social Security and Medicare. “Entitlements”, as the Republicans call it, even though we the people have paid in to these funds ever since we began working. They claim the government’s defcit is out of control and cuts must be made in order for our country to survive.

I wonder how many of our Republican congressional representatives really understand what the average individuals or families are going through. When was the last time these

representatives took a trip to the local supermarket? Can they relate to the rest of us? How? By taking away our Social Security? They must be kidding or do they really not give a damn about us.

If not us, who do they really care about? How about the corporations, the giant corporations, the ones they are beholden to for the monies that they contribute to their cause. How is it when so many of us are hurting, these giant corporations are reporting record profts. Did you know that 466 United States corporations had profts of one billion dollars or more this past year. Apple made over $120 billion. Microsoft, Alphabet and Exxon Mobil had profts over $70 billion. The combined profts of these 466 corporations exceeded 2.6 trillion dollars.

That’s trillion dollars! But what about the 251 United States corporations who only had profts between 500 million and 999 million dollars? Their combined income exceeded $175 billion.

With such profts, what more could these U.S. companies ask for? They probably didn’t even have to ask. With Trump in the White House. the maximum corporate tax rate was cut from 35% to 21%. Some of these corporations even have a lower tax rate and quite a few paid no taxes at all. With prices for virtually everything going up, these corporations not only made record profts but they got a tax reduction from 35% to 21%. Why am I repeating that fact? Because back in the 1960’s, do you know the income tax rates that corporations had

to pay on their profts? On the frst $25,000 in proft, their tax rate was 22%. Income over that $25,000 was taxed at 48%. To repeat, 48%!Now, in 2023, it is these giant corporations who are making out like bandits and we the people have to worry about losing our Social Security benefts.

To close the government’s defcits, the solution is to increase the corporate tax rate to more reasonable levels. Without worrying about defcits, the funding of Social Security will be fne.

But what can we do about those within this group of giant corporations who pay little or no tax, to ensure that they pay their fair share? The answer is to have them pay an alternative tax based upon the company’s net worth. This is one of the alternative methods

that New York State uses to calculate the corporate tax due to the state. Currently under consideration, to ensure that Social Security is adequately funded, is to increase the maximum taxable earnings base from the current $160,200 to a higher cap on Social Security payroll contributions, of course matched by the employer.

The bottom line: The most proftable corporations should pay their fair share of income taxes.

Note: The source regarding profts of United States corporations for 2022 — “CompaniesMarketCap.com” — Companies ranked by earnings.”

Alvin Goldberg Great Neck

Demystifying our country’s national debt

Continuing our discussion on the national debt, we can look at how to reduce it. There are a few points to keep in mind discussing this, and the frst thing is to know what debt actually is.

The debt is the sum of all unpaid taxes from all revenue sources. Personal, corporate, tarifs, fees and other revenues comprise this sum. The debt is the sum of all previous defcits in past fscal years. As important as the debt in nominal (dollar) terms is the debt level expressed as a percent of GDP.

The reason the debt has been allowed to reach these levels is due to policy, especially since 2001, when President Bush executed two ruinous tax acts. Add in the

loss in revenue due to the 2001 recession, Mr. Bush then proceeded to execute two wars a half world away without even the formality of budgeting for them, much less paying for them.

This teed up the coup de grace the administration engineered when the 2008 fnancial crisis hit. This is where government can learn a lesson as to how to manage its fscal afairs. The crisis tanked federal revenues. Again, nothing is more ruinous to revenues than a recession, and this one was one for the ages. But the government faces a dilemma during these episodes because it has no choice but to increase spending to support a foundering economy, unless you prefer food riots and Hoovervilles. So while less is com-

ing in, government has no choice but to spend more.

Your debt “crisis” then morphs into a permanent state because no one has the courage to raise taxes once these episodes are over to replace the expended funds. In my previous piece, I likened this to dropping a baton several times in a foot race. Unless there’s some way to “double time” it back in the race and catch up, the debt level never gets back to where it was before the crisis started.

This triggers the criticism that “government spending is out of control.” This is hardly the case. Tax policy is simply structured to fail. It’s designed to produce more debt and create a pretext for destructive policies.

When it comes to increasing revenues, there are a million ways to skin a cat. Tax policy has been heavily skewed to beneft the wealthy and corporate interests. If you want to see economic equilibrium restored to a sensible level, here are a few ideas.

One is to phase out the mortgage interest deduction. This may have made sense once, but all we’re doing is needlessly infating the cost of existing housing and making it even more unafordable. That’s pretty bad policy. The banks and the National Association of Realtors will scream bloody murder, because higher prices mean higher profts on mortgages and commissions. But it’s not productive and eliminating it might encourage a

wiser use of personal debt. Since renters can’t take advantage of it, one might say it’s manifestly unjust. Losses to the Treasury are estimated to be between $70 billion to $175 billion.

We tax labor at three times the rate of capital, and the wealthier the earner, the more beneft is accrued to them. I would advocate a modest increase in the capital gains rate from 15% to 20%. When the market is rallying, capital gains do capture a sizable amount of revenue.

An upward shift in the top marginal rate is both warranted and necessary.

The corporate tax policy passed under the previous administration should be scrapped. Contrary to the woeful ignorance of the American voter, American corporations did not pay a 38% tax rate. The efective rate the largest corporations paid was well under 20%, and now it’s down to 9%. There was a global minimum tax of 15% passed by the OECD. Joe Manchin blocked our ascension to the agreement.

One of the biggest grifts fying under the radar is the abuse of the 501(c)3 tax shelter. The American taxpayer is foating the costs and outrageous salaries of thousands of organizations that are of little public beneft. Pro tip: if the CEO is earning over a million dollars a year, chances are they shouldn’t qualify as a (sic) “non proft” and the rules need to be tightened.

The key to debt control is to eliminate the defcit on a sequential annual basis. Tipping revenue growth in a more positive trend will achieve this goal.

Donald Davret Roslyn

Santos opposition takes a partisan turn

Having received many inquiries containing alternating praise and anger, I want to set the record straight regarding the “Concerned Citizens of CD3” group whose ostensible goal is the resignation or removal of George Santos from Congress.

Shortly after The New York Times expose (which I believe, knowing the Times, was purposefully withheld until after the election to cause more widespread, partisan political damage), I was contacted by one Jody Kass, who was involved with this group’s formation. She described and assured me that the group formed was “utterly non-parti-

san” and concerned only with getting rid of Santos.

For my part, as an institutionalist who spent my first career in government working with Ed Koch, Tom Manton, Claire Shulman, Al D’Amato and George Pataki in significant posts, I deem myself an “institutionalist” outraged by this greatest fraud in the history of the U.S. Congress.

I gave advice and made media appearances in support of his removal. Two weeks ago, I discovered that the group was partnering with MoveOn. org, which is a hard-left, anti-Israel, antisemitic organization. (For leftist readers of this publication turning “red” at this moment: ANY group which

targets ONLY Israel with critiques more applicable to other nations is inherently antisemitic).

I warned Ms. Kass that if she proceeded in any action with MoveOn and other hard-left, hyperpartisan groups, that the subsequent partisan nature of the protests will result in lengthening the time that CD3 will remain “unrepresented” and only token representation, if any, will remain in her group.

Ergo, the CD3 group, instead of “hanging together” now hangs itself. They will not be totally responsible — but they will bear partial responsibility — for Santos’s outrageous, persistent “resolve.”

He now will remain until he is either sufficiently charged by the House Ethics Committee — and/or removed by the Justice Department, from his office — in handcuffs.

Concerned Citizens of CD3 is now (or maybe was from the outset) a partisan group which furthers political division locally as we await the day we can vote for a vetted candidate to represent our district.

They have “lost the plot.”

Jeff Wiesenfeld Great Neck

N. Hempstead, Harbor Links shortchange golfers

On the afternoon of Feb. 27, 2023, I received an email that the Town of North Hempstead had “fast tracked” an important piece of legislation that would affect all golfers who play at Harbor Links. In June and July last year, several of my fellow golfers addressed the Town of North Hempstead Council members with our concerns about the excessive number of outings that closed the golf course to the public. In addition to every Monday, almost all weeks had a second outing, many had a third, and a few weeks even had four and five outings (yes, Monday through Friday; the golf course was closed for a full week).

The Town Board promised to look into this and in December voted on a resolution to restrict outings to Mondays only. This welcomed resolution was to

be short-lived, as there was soon talk that golf course management was going to petition the Town Board to allow for additional outings. The now infamous email then arrives on Feb. 27, stating that the Town Board is being asked to approve 26 additional outings (Tuesdays through Fridays), in addition to the already agreed upon 20-22 Monday outings.

This vote had been originally scheduled for Tuesday, March 14, at the Town’s regularly scheduled meeting. Mysteriously, however, this topic was moved as part of another agenda, to Wednesday morning, March 1, at 10 a.m., when most residents would be unable to attend. This matter was also never posted on the Town website as an item on the meeting’s agenda.

In 2022, golf outings occurred from April

through the end of October. In 2023, outings begin May 1 and continue through the first week of October. Every week except two have two outings occurring and during five weeks there are three outings scheduled.

What will happen if and when an outing gets rained out? Will another weekday disappear from public access at a later date? The Town claims that on many of these outing days the golf course will be open to the public prior to the outing. That is wishful thinking. If a round of golf takes 4 1/2 hours and an outing begins at 12, you would have to start play no later than 7.30 am. And if the round runs late, will you be asked to leave the course early to accommodate the outing? This early morning option would allow maybe 16-20 golfers to play before the course

is closed for its private event. Not exactly a generous policy for the public access.

The Town Board did not afford its residents the chance to be properly heard on this matter; in fact they buried it so as to discourage debate and discussion. The Council members believe the approved resolution is a fair compromise. Fair for what and whom? For there to be a compromise, two sides should be participating. What was not a fair compromise was shutting out the residents from allowing them to be properly heard.

Jack Genicoff Port Washington

Willie Nile with Special Guest James Maddock

“A man who embodies the true spirit of rock n’ roll.” - The London Times 4/1/23

Tom Rush & Loudon Wainwright III

Story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues. 6/2/23

The Weight Band featuring members of The Band & Levon Helm Band 6/10/23

Iris DeMent “[Infamous Angel is] one of the greatest country albums of all time” - Rolling Stone 6/9/23

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

IT’S STILL SHOWTIME AT MY FATHERS PLACE

BY ANNABEL HOFMANN

“It’s showtime,” is how Michael “Eppy” Epstein always introduces a band.

Over 50 years of storied history and three locations, Epstein, owner of My Father’s Place, now in Glen Cove, has not given up his goal of finding and breaking the next hit band.

Although times have changed drastically since the club first opened in 1971, My Father’s Place is working to continue bringing fantastic live music to Long Island.

“I don’t want to be like every other club doing cover bands and tribute bands,” he said. “I’d rather find young talent that has original music and let them do what they call a recital, you

know, have them come and play for us. Even if it’s 50 people; I’d rather have 50 people than 100 people [if they’re] doing original music.”

In its original location on Bryant Avenue in Roslyn, My Father’s Place was known for giving up-and-coming artists a stage that would allow them to become the stars of today.

Artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, U2 and many more have graced the stage of My Father’s Place.

The club closed in 1987 and didn’t reopen again until 2018, in a new location – the Roslyn Hotel. Although they had built Epstein’s “dream club” there, the pandemic and operational disputes forced them to close in 2020.

Since 2022, Epstein and My Father’s Place

has been presenting shows at The Metropolitan in Glen Cove.

Despite a 35-year hiatus, My Father’s Place remains a hugely influential music venue in the area.

“We are the best, legendary, still open, original nightclub on Long Island. Even though the location has changed from place to place,” Epstein said.

Epstein highlighted a fundamental difference between when the original club opened and today – dining and live music don’t come together as often as they used to.

“Every table and chair face the stage because it’s a supper club,” Epstein said. “I know people your age don’t know about that. You just stand

there, jump around until you get too tired, but what we want everyone to do is stop jumping for a while and sit and watch the band. And after you know their music, then we’ll take the tables and chairs away and they can jump around.”

But My Father’s Place is working to remind audiences of the virtues of live music

“Things are going a little bit at a time, one step at a time. We’re getting more people to realize that we’re there,” Epstein said. “If the more people can notice what we’re doing, because, you know, the acts speak for themselves. All I’m really doing is, I’m booking an act, and people come to see the act; they don’t come to see me.”

Epstein reminisced on the days when My Father’s Place was partnered with radio station WLIR-FM to broadcast acts who would go on to become some of the biggest names in music.

“Everyone would come in their jeans and T shirts, have a Dr. Pepper and we’d sit on the floor of the studio, and you’d hear the bands that will in the future be selling out the Nassau Coliseum and the Garden,” Epstein said.

In today’s digitally-oriented world, people don’t listen to the radio as much.

“How to get people to know [we’re here] aside from the internet, it’s very frustrating to me,” Epstein said. “I miss radio very badly.”

But on a positive note, “more and more people are realizing that we are still in business,” he added.

My Father’s Place has bands booked through June, and tickets can be found on their website.

Epstein is particularly excited for I’m particularly excited to for The Screaming Orphans – a band of four Irish sisters.

“It’s like musical comedy, and they seem to be a lot of fun,” he said. “I don’t have a favorite. I love all kinds of music,” Epstein made sure to clarify.

Epstein concluded by emphasizing that he is looking for original music, not cover bands to perform at My Father’s Place.

“If there’s someone in Nassau, Suffolk, and they want to come and play their music, because most of these clubs will not allow you to do original music,” Epstein said. “We are the opposite. And we’ve always been that way.”

Maybe the next Madonna lives right here on Long Island.

Billy Cobham, a drumming great, has performed at My Father’s Place.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DAN KELLACHAN

Peter Asher, best known for being one half of Peter & Gordon, has played at My Father’s Place several times.

Story of a haven from the holocaust Exploring the Human Spirit

The Great Neck Library is hosting a lecture named A haven from the holocaust: Washington Heights and the Jews of Europe by Dr. Linda F. Burghardt on March 16 at 2:00 p.m. at our Main Library, 159 Bayview Ave. in Great Neck.

Throughout the Holocaust, thousands of refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe sought healing and hope in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, making it home to the world’s largest German-Jewish community in

the aftermath of the war.

What did Washington Heights offer them, and how did this iconic community help them become Americans?

Join us for a presentation about this unique neighborhood, one that offered the German and Austrian Jews and the other survivors who followed later the strength and resilience to overcome their inestimable loss.

Burghardt is the scholar-in-residence at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center in Glen Cove and a journalist and author from Great Neck.

She worked as a freelance reporter for The New York Times for twenty years and is the author of three non-fiction books. Her articles and essays have appeared in newspapers across the U.S., and she has lectured to both national and international audiences on a variety of topics.

She holds a Ph.D. from LIU Post and is the daughter of Holocaust survivors from Vienna.

For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 4668055 or email adultprogramming@ greatnecklibrary.org.

The critically acclaimed American Chamber Ensemble, celebrating its 57th Anniversary, will perform Exploring the Human Spirit – Part 2 on Sunday, March 12 at 3 p.m. at Hofstra University’s Helene Fortunoff Theater in Monroe Lecture Center on California Avenue in Hempstead, presented by the University Music Department.

At this event, ACE will pay tribute to two musical icons, Stanley Drucker, legendary clarinetist and frequent guest artist with the American Chamber Ensemble and Herbert Deutsch, codeveloper of the Moog synthesizer and beloved former professor and chair of the Hofstra music department.

Composers to be performed in-

clude Clara and Robert Schumann, Haydn, Glinka, Wilson. Gershwin and Deutsch.

Performers will include violinists

Eriko Sato and Deborah Wong, violist Lois Martin, cellist Chris Finckel, pianist Marilyn Lehman and clarinetist Mindy Dragovich. Very special guests will be soprano Tammy Hensrud and percussionist James Dragovich.

Tickets, available at the door, will be $20 general admission; $15 senior citizen (over 65) or matriculated nonHofstra student with ID. For ticket information, call 516-586-3433.

Directed by Marilyn Lehman, assisted by Mindy Dragovich, ACE was founded in 1965 by pianist Blanche

Abram and clarinetist Naomi Drucker. In residence at Hofstra University, the ensemble explores the great chamber music literature for piano, strings, woodwinds and voice and presents performances featuring world-class artists. ACE consists of the finest freelance musicians in the New York area and has been cited by critics for their superb presentations of chamber masterworks. Their latest CDs on Elysium are American Clarinet Treasures, featuring core members of ACE performing works by George Kleinsinger, Virgil Thomson, Daniel Gregory Mason, Elliott Carter, Douglas Moore and Gary Schocker, with guest artist Stanley Drucker and The American Chamber Ensemble Plays Peter Schickele, which features five of this modern master’s most important chamber works.

For the latest American Chamber Ensemble concert listings, updates and information, log on to http://americanchamberensemble.com/. Follow ACE on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-ChamberEnsemble/150032171984.

ACE’s concert season is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, as well as by individual contributions.

For more information about the American Chamber Ensemble, call Jeffrey James Arts Consulting at 516-5863433 or email them at jamesarts@att. net.

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Hrs: Tues., Wed., Fri. & Sat. 10-5, Thurs 10-5:30. Closed Sun. & Mon.

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The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks

FILM SCREENING

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2023 | 4 PM | FREE

featuring Q&A with director

YORUBA RICHEN

Reception with Ms. Richen will follow

Based on the bestselling biography by Jeanne Theoharis

Appropriate for adults and youth aged 13+. Childcare and a special children’s programs including a story, game, and craft available. No charge. Registration encouraged. Donations for a local food pantry welcome.

uucsr.org/23RP

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uucsr.org | 516.627.6560

IGNIS ANGELICS PRESENTS:

FAMOUS SONGS OF IRELAND AND ITALY MOST HEAVENLY CHOIR, SOLOISTS & ORCHESTRA

GREG MERCER

Former Tenor, San Francisco And NY MET. Opera

DANIEL MAIMONE

Guest Italian Tenor

TERRENCE PURTELL

Guest Organist from our Lady of Mercy

Featuring: Angel Choir, Bells & Children Choirs

REAGAN STONE

Soprano NYC Broadway and Cabaret Soloist

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The Como Brothers @ 7pm FIRE ISLAND VINES (FIV), 17 E Main St, Bay Shore

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Screaming Orphans at My Father's Place @ 7pm My Father's Place, 3 Pratt Blvd, Glen Cove

Sarah Hart and Steve Angrisano In Concert @ 7pm St Rose of Lima R.C. Church, 2 Bayview Ave, Massapequa

New York Riptide vs Philadelphia Wings @ 7:30am / $22

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Gov. Hochul’s housing plan opens discussion

Iread Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena’s letter entitled “Gov. Hochul is wrong on housing plan” in the March 3 edition of the Manhasset Times. I view her concern as worthy and clearly elucidated. However, on the other hand, it is not linked to a solid solution.

I am a homeowner and have lived in Nassau County since 1989. Consequently, I share, to an extent, her view that the Hochul Plan may serve as an entre to the construction of “ high rises in our backyards.” Aside from that, I have neither seen nor heard of the Hochul Plan’s capacity for addressing issues regarding vehicular trafc density, provi-

sion of additional gas, water, sewage, septic systems, electric power as well as impact on schools, let alone retail shopping & quality of life. While I rest somewhat assured that the governor will address these in the immediate future, the sooner an efcient, well-tailored campaign, well-discussed via a solid spirit of bipartisanship, gets underway the better.

Aside from discussions that are both time bound and measurable in terms of results, I caution that afordable residential housing falls short in Nassau and Sufolk Counties. Commercial acreage around sites such as the Sears buildings in Hicks-

ville and Lake Success; empty ofce buildings along the Oyster Bay branch of the LIRR as well as the Macy’s acreage in Manhasset Valley would be prime candidates for residential expansion and growth.

I also caution against our municipal leaders jumping into their foxholes and sniping at each other ad nauseum. It is bad enough that Nassau is riddled with a parade of municipalities which resemble the 100 midgets popping out of the Volkswagen. Each bears its own agenda, its own priorities. Such a foxhole mentality strikes me as apparent with Supervisor DeSena’s statement that somehow the Hochul Plan will saddle us to the “ will of faceless

Albany bureaucrats with no accountability to our communities ”

Ugh. Really. Housing is a statewide issue throughout all 62 counties of New York. The issue will present to New Yorkers and Long Islanders an opportunity for statewide discussion and networking that is unique to New York, a linchpin of the American economy. Solutions can be reached with meaningful discussion and compromise, something that I want to see from our political leaders.

Brian Kilgannon Carle Place

Food for thought for Manorhaven’s waterfront

Back in December 26, 2019, while I was still a trustee for the Village of Manorhaven, I prepared an information packet relating to the B.O.L.D. for Mixed Use Live/ Work Apartments — Chapter 155.20.1 of our Village Code.

I had disseminated this information to the mayor and trustees, of which one of those trustees is now the mayor of Manorhaven, regarding any future use of this B.O.L.D. law. I strongly believe, according to the actual Public Hearing Minutes from that April 7, 2005, meeting that the B.O.L.D. section was designed for apartments over existing buildings not new buildings along the C-1 Zone or other Zones. Comments from that Public Meeting as well as Chapter 155.20.lD(l) specifcally mentions Manorhaven Blvd. and Sintsink Drive East

pertaining to the various zones.

I sincerely hope that our Village Board will take the time and efort to look over this B.O.L.D. section to get a clear view of exactly what purpose there was for this section in our zoning laws. Please keep in mind that any building request along our waterfront properties should be cleared with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as well as the Nassau County Department of Health for waterfront construction as well as required testing of the soil and groundwater for possible contamination from past industrial uses (i.e. iron works, boat yard/ marinas, etc.).

Chapter 155.20.1((3) mentions “any existing industrial uses and any uses where toxic chemicals are stored shall not be permitted as part of

the B.O.L.D.” Recent environmental site testing at 22 Sagamore Hill Drive as well as 5 Sagamore Hill Drive in past years has exposed unacceptable higher levels of tetrachloroethene in the groundwater samples taken. The property at 12-20 Matinecock Ave. has been used as a marina/boat yard for about 50 years and may possibly have similar contaminants in the soil/groundwater from toxic fuids and chemicals used over the years in this type of business.

B.O.L.D. was designed to allow studio or onebedroom apartments above stores on Manorhaven Blvd. and Sintsink Drive East (Ch. 155.20. lD(l)). The reason for this law was to allow businesses to add second story apartments above their existing building rather than taking down existing structures. Our Village Board cannot and should

not allow any more building along our wonderful waterfront that has been continually disappearing over recent years.

They need to adhere to Section G(l) of B.O.L.D. that states “All proposed new projects using B.O.L.D. shall be subject to site plan review procedures before the Board of Trustees. The Architectural Review Board shall act as a consulting review agency.” Both of these boards, and possibly the Board of Zoning Appeals need to roll up their sleeves and explore all the pertinent aspects of B.O.L.D. Chapter 155.20.1 of our Village Code to protect what is left of the waterfront we love.

Ken Kraft Manorhaven Trustee 2016-2020

N. Hempstead reneges on golf course agreement

Iam concerned about the ethics of the Town of North Hempstead Council and their handling of certain issues involving Harbor Links Golf Course and the manager of the golf course, Century Golf (an outsourced company that manages the course for Town of North Hempstead.

Over the past number of years, there has been a growing concern by the TNH residents over the increased number of private golf outings (65 in 2022) that efectively shut down the course for the residents for the day. In some cases, there have been up to four outings a week. Last summer, a group of concerned citizens spoke with Century

Golf and were informed that Century Golf booked these outings with the approval of TNH. After hearing this, a number of us met with the Parks commissioner and subsequently the Town Council to voice our concerns.

In December 2022, the Town Council passed a resolution limiting these outings going forward to Mondays only, similar to the way most private clubs run outings at their facilities. We relied on the good faith of both Century Golf and the Town Council to uphold the terms of that resolution. Apparently, Century Golf subsequently asked for permission to add additional outings this year and

that matter was put on the agenda for the regular meeting of the Town Council scheduled for March 14.

Then on Feb. 27, citizens learned (without any public notice) that the Council called a special meeting for the morning of March 1. The purpose of the meeting was to vote and approve 26 additional outings on top of the already scheduled Monday outings. Residents who work during the day and who wanted to attend the meeting were likely be unable to do so on such short notice.

The Council hierarchy knew that they would encounter less or no resistance at all if fewer resi-

dents were able to attend. And, as predicted, the Town Council reneged on the commitment it made and the resolution it passed less than three months earlier with no regard for the taxpayers who support the Harbor Links facility.

There are enough unethical people in government today. We don’t need them in our town. I hope the voters will remember these actions when the councilmembers are up for election again in November.

Cliford Lewisohn East Hills

Waiting for release of MTA fare evasion study

Last year, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber promised to make public a report on fare evasion. In 2022, the MTA lost $500 million in revenue to deadbeats who refused to pay their fare. In conjunction with the study, MTA ofcials said they would conduct discussions with all fve NYC district attorneys on the impact of some who previously publicly committed to reduce or eliminate prosecuting those

who were found not paying their fare.

Law-abiding taxpayers and honest commuters who pay should not have to tolerate this theft of service. Gov. Kathy Hochul promised to conduct the most transparent administration in the history of state government. This commitment was also supposed to extend to the MTA. In the meantime, the MTA once again went hat in hand to Albany looking for several billion dollars in addition to

billions more in annual state assistance to deal with the current multibillion-dollar, multi-year shortfall. A signifcant reduction in fare evasion during 2023 could raise several hundred million more in revenue. Lieber has refused to commit to a future date for release of this critical report. Making public this report is vital for taxpayers, riders, transit advocates, funding agencies and elected ofcials to understand how the MTA will

go forward in dealing with fare evasion.

Larry Penner Great Neck

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

Business&RealEstate

Good communication lets you close deal

It’s has become a tougher market out there for sellers and especially for buyers. Despite critically low inventory and very high interest rates, the demand is still there. Buyers and sellers must now think outside the box to create a win/win situation for all parties. This takes quite a lot of strategizing and planning to make this happen and to come to a successful result.

Everyone must be on the same page all the way through the process and communication becomes tantamount so the left hand will always know what the right hand is doing. Doesn’t that make sense? It sure does, as we are generally dealing with the most expensive asset that you will possess and eventually sell in your lifetime. Throwing caution to the wind is not advisable and being prudent and smart will become the mainstay in your mindset as you proceed with your purchase and sale.

We have succeeded in fguring out some very creative ways to enable a purchaser to buy and a seller to sell in this current high interest rate environment. If you truly want to sell and purchase, then a com-

mon ground strategy will have to be established in the beginning. Catering to the needs and wants of those involved in your transaction can be challenging and many times stressful if everyone doesn’t agree.

The way to avoid problems is to be very transparent and providing the required disclosure is of utmost importance, especially in today’s chaotic, stressful, scattered, unnerving, unforgiving, bellicose, argumentative and divisive atmosphere. Many times it can appear one or more people, e.g. buyers, sellers, home inspectors, lawyers etc., always want to take advantage of a situation and to be the winner. This isn’t a very smart path to consider and actually works against the grain of a win/win plan, causing animosity, distrust and a lost deal. There will never be a winner when cooperation is not shared among all, so everyone can become a winner. Most do want to be deal makers, but then again there are those who are deal breakers.

I just had a successful agreed and accepted deal on a home because the other two agents had buyers who hired home inspectors that

scared them of on some items found during the inspection. This could have been potentially resolved if there was proper communication with the agents, buyers, inspectors and the seller. I blame their agents for this unfortunate result as they weren’t very good intermediaries since we are the conduits between the group of professionals and the other agents.

Maybe it was the lack of understanding of the issues and how to

convey and explain the information to keep their potential deal from imploding. Our job is to be excellent listeners and at the same time perform as top notch negotiators. Knowing what to say and also how to say it becomes crucial and many times critical to whether a transaction can come to a happy ending for all involved.

Unfortunately, not everyone has a sufcient and above average command of the English language, let alone the proper understanding of how to negotiate, focus on the needs of their clients, while at the same time communicating with the potential seven to nine individual professionals who are involved in the sale. We always practice and convey to our agents my copyrighted saying S.A.C.E.D.S.: Show, Advise and Consult our clients, through our concerted Eforts, Disciplined actions and the Sacrifce of our valuable time. By learning, absorbing and implementing this simple concept and thought process we are able to execute and carry out our services in the most professional fashion.

The links below are clickable

The “Internet of Things” and Smart Clothing

online to donate (if you are a subscriber or become one, go to: Subscription Ofers to provide to a friend or business associate) and go online to read my 350+ archived columns: Philip A Raices

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Continue to Donate to the Ukrainian Crisis and save a life or the Donate to The Ukranian Relief Fund

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Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certifed International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S) as well as the new “Green Industry” Certifcation for eco-friendly construction and upgrades. For a “FREE” 15-minute consultation, value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com or via https://WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com

You’ve probably heard of the Internet of things, but thought, “what does it mean to me?” To answer that exciting question, let’s first understand the term itself:

The Internet of things (IoT) is the interconnection, via the internet, of computing devices into everyday objects giving them the ability to send and receive data.

We already monitor our home security via smart camera devices and troubleshoot appliance repairs by connecting directly to technical support. But there are even cooler IoT applications in the works!

“Soon, the Internet of Things will meet Gucci in the form of smart clothing. For example, swimwear can include UV sensors to prevent overexposure to harmful radiation. Smart footwear may improve your running technique or monitor the mobility of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Manufacturers might embed haptic feedback into textiles to correct your posture or improve your yoga pose. And don’t forget the accessories, such as the Ray-Ban Stories smart sunglasses (that provide a window to social media when the user is otherwise offline).” -

William Diggin, Accenture

Let Sandwire Technology Group show your small business that the future is NOW.

PHILIP A. RAICES

Real Estate Watch

Manhasset girls win county championship

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

There have been tears aplenty the last two times the Manhasset girls basketball team played Lynbrook in the Nassau County Class A playofs.

Last season, the Indians were crying tears of sadness after they were stunned in the quarterfnal round, as the top seed fell by 11 points.

Saturday at the David S. Mack Center at Hofstra University, the tears were for a very diferent reason: they were joyous and tinged with relief.

Led by the best career game by senior Ali McIntyre, and a fantastic fourth quarter, Manhasset captured its frst county title since 1993, pulling away from Lynbrook for a 53-28 win.

The Indians (23-1) got 12 points and 14 rebounds from co-captain McIntyre, while junior Mia LoPinto had 12 and senior leading scorer Caitlin Barrett chipped in 11, as Manhasset led from the opening tip.

Manhasset will now face Sufolk County champ Shoreham-Wading River on March 11 at 2 p.m. at Farmingdale State.

“Before practice in our gym I would point to that banner, the one

that showed the 1993 county championship,” head coach Lauren Sadeh said. “From Day 1, that was the goal, and I’m so proud of these girls for all the work they put in to do it. So happy and so relieved.”

“I honestly didn’t believe it would really happen, even when I looked at the scoreboard at the end of the game,” McIntyre said. “It feels so amazing to fnally achieve this.”

Top-seeded Manhasset survived a 41-39 win in the semifnals against Bethpage, and fgured to be out for revenge against the Owls, who cruised in their previous game to reach the fnals.

And certainly, Manhasset would be out for revenge against Lynbrook, but Sadeh said that wasn’t the case.

“It wasn’t mentioned at all, not one time,” Sadeh said. “There was no revenge talk. I kept telling them they deserved to be here, they’d earned the No.1 seed, and to go out and play like they belong here.”

A very strong frst quarter from Manhasset left them with a 19-13 advantage, and while Lynbrook got within four points at halftime (2420) and within one, 30-29 late in the third quarter, the Indians held the lead

throughout.

The fnal push that gave Manhasset a cushion came from McIntyre, the center. With the score 34-29, she sank two straight jumpers to push the edge to 38-29.

“I wasn’t sure I should shoot it but I fgured why not, I was open,” McIntyre

said. “And then on the second one I felt like, well, I made the last one. It felt really good.”

Nicoletta Tsiamis (11 points) sank a driving layup to put the Indians ahead, 42-35, and then Barrett, the leading scorer who’s going to Duke on a lacrosse scholarship next fall, sank

seven of eight free throws in the fnal two minutes to salt the game away.

Free throw shooting was big for Manhasset Saturday; a trouble spot in the past, it made 17 of 25 overall.

And it was a dominant 19-9 fourth quarter for the Indians that allowed them to move on.

“We knew they were going to focus a ton on Caitlin and Mia,” Sadeh said. “We knew everyone had to step up and not just look to Caitlin; I was really happy to see us step up.”

With the win secured, Manhasset now looks to go even further. If it’s able to defeat Shoreham Wading-River, it would advance to the state tournament upstate in Troy, on March 17-18.

“We’re so excited to put up another banner and we defnitely don’t want to stop now,” McIntyre said. “This was our frst goal but we love playing together so much, we don’t want to stop now.”

“There was defnitely a lot of pressure on us, being the 1 seed two years in a row, to get through and win,” said Sadeh, whose assistant coach, Chuck Collyer, was the head coach of that ’93 team that won the county crown. “Now I feel like the kids are hungry for more, and let’s see how far we can go.”

Manhasset boys fall in county title game

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

The run had to end sometime, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow for the Manhasset boys basketball team.

For two years they’d won nearly every time they walked onto the court. A county title, a Long Island championship, and a state title completed a dream season of 2021-22, and this season the Indians dominated all comers, losing just once in 23 games.

But Saturday night at Hofstra’s David Mack Center, a hungrier, more aggressive team knocked Manhasset of its throne.

With a near-perfect second half, South Side wrested the Class A Nassau County title away from Manhasset, pulling away for a 57-46 victory, ending Manhasset’s season.

“Losing is part of the game,” Manhasset head coach George Bruns said. “Really, I think they just out-physicaled us. They beat us up. When we got on the boards, we didn’t really take advantage. We had some shots early that went in and out.”

“They were hungrier and want-

ed it more, after last year,” said Manhasset senior James Notias. “They played harder and better than us.”

South Side entered the game having won 22 consecutive contests after losing its season opener, and came out like it had something to prove to the state champs.

Manhasset (22-2) had a tough time getting any ofense going in the frst quarter, with senior leader, guard Liam Connor held scoreless in the opening frame.

The Cyclones raced out to a 16-6 frst quarter lead, as the Indians looked completely out of sync, and the hundreds of South Side fans cheered uproariously.

“We’ve had games like this, a few times this year, where we fell behind and it took us a while to settle down,” Bruns said.

Manhasset beat South Side by 23 points in last season’s semis en route to the state championship, and fnally started to settle down in the second quarter.

Instead of settling for long jump shots, Manhasset started getting the ball inside against the Cyclones’ 2-3 zone defense. Connor sank his frst feld goal with 3:25 left in second

quarter, capping a 12-2 Manhasset run that got them back within 18-16.

At halftime it felt like a completely diferent game, with the Indians getting more loose balls and trailing by just a point, 23-22.

“We were the happier team at halftime because we started hitting the middle more on the zone, and getting the ball down low,” Notias said. “We felt like, down 1, we were right where we needed to be.”

Manhasset took the lead on a Connor drive 28-27 midway through the third quarter, but that was as good as it would get. The Indians had won nearly all their games by double-digits this season, with only two of their 22 victories had come by fewer than 10 points in 2022-23.

So perhaps playing in a tight game Saturday was unfamiliar for Manhasset. As the second half wore on the frustration built, as South Side started to pull away.

“I think defnitely it was a factor,” Notias said about the lack of close games. “The competition we played throughout the season was a little weaker. But we still had our chances tonight.”

A 6-0 spurt late in the third quarter gave South Side a 37-30

lead, and Manhasset looked gassed. The physical defense of the Cyclones seemed to be taking a toll, and the Indians sank only two 3-pointers for the game.

In the fourth period, the Cyclones continued their 14-2 spurt as forward Josh Garelle muscled inside for layup that pushed the edge to 41-30 with 6:16 left, and Manhasset couldn’t get closer than eight points for the rest of the game.

Liam Connor fnished with 15 points and fve assists to lead Manhasset, while Notias added 14 points and fve rebounds.

Liam Buckley had 7 points and nine rebounds as well for Manhasset.

And so a two-year run that put Manhasset basketball back on the map came to an end. In the hallway outside the arena, the Indians players hugged and consoled each other, looking around at a group that accomplished so much.

“Manhasset hasn’t been known for basketball, at all,” Notias said. “We’re lacrosse, lacrosse, lacrosse. But I defnitely feel like this group has made a big impact, making Manhasset basketball be known.”

PHOTO BY SIXTO SANCHEZ

Manhasset’s Liam Buckley drives in for a shot against South Side during Saturday’s Class A championship game at Hofstra University.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SECTION VIII ATHLETICS VIA TWITTER

The Manhasset Girls Basketball team celebrating their championship win.

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Kaiman to run, Nicolello won’t Town changes Harbor Links deal

Continued from Page 1

Nassau GOP spokesman Mike Deery told Newsday that the party is considering several options to succeed Nicolello on the board after his term expires this fall. An announcement, he said, will be coming “soon.”

Nicolello’s 9th Legislative District includes New Hyde Park, Garden City Park, Mineola, Williston Park, Albertson, Roslyn Estates, Munsey Park and Plandome.

North Hempstead is currently run by Jennifer DeSena, a registered Democrat who caucuses with Republicans and is up for re-election this year.

Before working as deputy executive, Kaiman served as the head of NIFA, a state oversight board that controls Nassau County’s finances.

He also served as an adviser to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the Superstorm Sandy recovery effort. Prior to being elected supervisor, he was a Nassau County District Court judge for three years.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with many state and local officials over the last six years that gave me a great perspective on seeing how other communities throughout the state engage on local issues,” Kaiman said.

Lurvey, the councilwoman who has represented the town’s 4th Councilmanic District since 2019, is running for the town’s receiver of taxes.Charles Berman, a Democrat who has been in the role since 2010, is not seeking re-election.

Christine Liu, a community liaison for state Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington), will be running on the Democrat ticket for the seat left vacant by Lurvey, who is no longer a resident of the 4th District after new redistricting maps were finalized last year.

Zuckerman, a Democrat who has represented the town’s 2nd Councilmanic District since 2014, is running for re-election.

Dalimonte, a fellow Democrat who has represented the town’s 6th district since 2020, is also seeking re-election.

Continued from Page 2

Supervisor Jennifer Desena said the special meeting was called for a different public hearing held that same day involving contracts with local fire departments. She said arranging the vote for March 1 allows the organizations looking to host events at the course a head start in planning.

“We have many charitable organizations in the Town of North Hempstead and this can be their only event all year,” DeSena said. “I said we were going to work with the operator to manage the outings so that it’s fair to our residents, but we cannot completely shut our eyes to what has been the use of the course for many years.”

Members from the New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce, which holds an annual golf outing at the course, said the organizations looking to have outings are also taxpayers.

“I do think we need to scale it back, but not just back to Mondays only,” past President Ralph Ventura said. “That would hurt a lot of these nonprofits.”

Built in 1998, Harbor Links is owned by the Town of North Hempstead and operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management.

It features an 18-hole championship course, nine-hole executive course that is not closed off to the public during private events, a driving range, pro shop, athletic fields and a full-service banquet hall and restaurant.

Since at least 2013, the town has had a management agreement with the golf course, according to a financial and operational review released in 2016.

The dates approved for private golf outings include May 2, 3, 11, 19, 24, June 1, 8, 13, 16, 22, 27, July 13, 14, 21, 27, Aug. 3, 15, 23, 29, Sept. 7, 12, 20, 21, 27, 29 and Oct. 6.

Pols slam plan for state say in zoning

Continued from Page 1

Local governments would have three years to rezone areas within a half mile of Metropolitan Transportation Authority rail stations, including the Long Island Rail Road, under the proposed housing plan.

“Gov. Hochul’s housing plan will food our communities with thousands of apartments and high-density zoning, turning our neighborhoods into overcrowded urban centers,” DeSena said. “This proposal will negatively impact the environment, trafc, emergency services, utilities, and will result in packed classrooms in our schools.”

If the proposed legislation were to pass, Clavin said, the state would have control of zoning for 29 miles of area in Nassau County within a half mile of its 58 train stations. Recent villages and local municipalities, he said, have approved transit-oriented developments without direct state interference and it should remain that way.

“This is a key example of governing from a distance,” Clavin continued. “Gov. Kathy Hochul does not know what is best for Long Island and is openly infringing on municipal control of zoning regulations. This is an assault on the suburbs.”

Hochul unveiled her plan to build 800,000 new homes over the next decade to address the state’s housing shortage in January. Included in the New York Housing Compact are local participation requirements and incentives to achieve housing growth along with requiring municipalities with MTA stations to rezone for higherdensity residential development.

Hempstead ofcials estimated that more than 14,000 additional housing units would be established in Nassau County as a result of Hochul’s proposed legislation. Nassau and Suffolk counties, under the plan, would be required to grow housing stock by 3% every three years along with downstate areas such as Westchester and Putnam Counties, while upstate New York would be required to grow by 1%.

Data from the 2020 Census showed there were more than 78,000 households in North

Hempstead. A total of 2,364 housing units would have to be constructed in the town over the next three years to meet Hochul’s 3% goal.

Nassau’s population has also decreased by more than 32,000 since 1970, with 1.35 million residents reported in the 2020 Census. DeSena and the six North Hempstead councilmembers sent a letter to Hochul in January urging the governor to have local ofcials maintain control of zoning the areas they were directly elected to govern.

“It is fundamentally essential that we, as local ofcials, maintain the ability to represent our residents,” ofcials said in the letter. “Local governments must maintain a certain level of autonomy when it comes to appropriately preserving the suburban aesthetic of their communities.”

In 2022, Hochul rolled out a $25 billion, fve-year housing plan aimed at creating and preserving 100,000 afordable homes throughout New York, 10,000 of which would have sup-

port services for vulnerable populations.

Hochul also called last year for changing zoning laws for Accessory Dwelling Units, which include basements, attics and garages, but it was criticized by Long Island ofcials.

Proponents of the legislation have claimed establishing ADUs could help senior citizens on fxed incomes remain in their homes, enable younger people to aford homes and be a new source of income for homeowners who live in high-cost areas.

Academy report details 61 assaults, harassments

Continued from Page 11

The complaints were fled in the Nassau County Supreme Court’s Torts-Other Negligence Court. Maersk Line Ltd. was listed as the defendant in both complaints and both midshipmen are seeking back pay, front pay, compensatory damages, punitive damages and payment for all attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses.

One of the complaints was fled by Hope Hicks, who previously detailed her accounts of alleged sexual assault under the alias “Midshipmen-X.” Hicks was a 19-year-old virgin at the time of the incident when she was allegedly assaulted by the 60-year-old supervisor, whose name was also not disclosed in her account. The supervisor who raped her, she said, made derogatory comments about her and other women on the ship.

“He was creepy, made romantic passes at me and made crude and demeaning comments about me in front of other members of the engine department,” Hicks said in the account. “It was a difcult work environment, to say the least, and not what I had expected Sea Year to be like.”

After around 50 days at sea, the ship pulled into a Middle East port where the ofcers purchased “a lot of alcohol,” according to Hicks. She said she was pressured to drink alcohol by older men and supervisors on the ship.

Hicks said her male sea partner enjoyed drinking and she felt additional pressure to ft in, despite not having had any alcohol prior to arriving at the academy. As she continued drinking, the cadet said, her sea partner became sick and was taken back to his room.

Hicks said she blacked out shortly after taking another eight to 10 shots of alcohol. The next morning, she woke up naked in her bed with a massive hangover and noticed blood on her sheets.

“I knew immediately that I had been raped,” she said. “I was a virgin and had been saving myself, and as soon as I woke up I could feel that I was very sore and knew exactly what had happened.”

Hicks said she knew at least fve women out of the 50 in her class who were raped during their Sea Year.

In November, Hicks announced that her litigation against Maersk had been resolved, though she echoed her call for change at the helm.

“The leadership of [Maersk] has expressed the need for change,” Hicks said in November. “The changes that MLL has proposed are an important frst step, but there is still a lot of work to be done in the maritime industry.”

“We want to be absolutely clear that the events Ms. Hicks describes are unacceptable,” Maersk CEO William Woodhour said last year. “No matter who and where you are, those who work with us

must feel safe and protected in our work environment.”

The other complaint, fled by an anonymous midshipman under the name, Midshipman-Y, was also settled several weeks later.

Midshipman-Y, in the complaint, said she endured unwanted sexual touching and advances along with sexualized jokes. Her experience was so harmful to her that she said she began to sleep in the bathroom clutching a knife. The bathroom, she said, was the only door that could not be unlocked by other crew members who had master keys.

Midshipman-Y’s direct supervisor, the chief mate, allegedly treated her worse than other male counterparts, constantly belittling her and made her do tasks outside of her job description, according to the complaint.

The chief mate’s alleged discriminatory behavior became too much for her to deal with, she said, amid fear the harassment would continue until she was eventually raped. The midshipman requested an emergency evacuation. Maersk’s designated person ashore allegedly told her “this can’t keep happening,” once she informed them of her evacuation request.

The midshipman said she endured panic attacks and sufered “debilitating emotional distress” as a result of the harassment and ultimately took a leave of absence from the academy.

After Hicks’ allegations were publicized, the academy suspended its Sea Year program. The program, which dates back to 1942, has a sea period of 135 days for sophomores and 265 days for juniors. Midshipmen earn roughly $1,000 a month during their time at sea, working on commercial vessels and becoming educated on labor relations in the ocean shipping industry, according to the academy’s website.

At least nine of the alleged sexual assaults occurred while the cadets were on sea duty, according to the report.

In the report, ofcials said the academy has implemented new policies and procedures in its Sea Year program “to ensure that cadet safety is always prioritized and that barriers to reporting are eliminated. Training materials to prevent sexual assaults and harassment from occurring, ofcials said, have been enhanced and include topics, such as bystander intervention, that were not previously addressed in the current training materials used.

The academy also added a Victim Advocate/ Prevention Educator and a new Sexual Assault Response Coordinator to help prevent those incidents and combat them efectively if they do occur, ofcials said. The academy is in the process of fnding a frm to provide trauma-informed investigators to probe into alleged assault and harassment cases that did not have an ofcial report fled.

PHOTO BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena speaks at the Port Washington LIRR station.

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Blakeman backs tax freeze

Continued from Page 6

Other details, such as the fate of the longstanding Nassau Coliseum, have yet to be decided on.

Blakeman went more in-depth on what would warrant approval for the Sands’ proposal.

“It must be world-class with a luxury hotel and entertainment component…it must bring significant revenue to the county and surrounding areas, including construction and permanent jobs… and it must have the support of the community,” Blakeman said. “We will continue to explore this possibility and we’ll keep county residents informed throughout the process.”

Patterson told Blank Slate Media last month the company has a self-imposed April 1 deadline to have the application completed and be ready to go before the state.

Incentivizing Nassau residents and outsiders to patronize local businesses, Blakeman said, is something his administration wants to do more of this year.

“To keep costs low, especially for our seniors, veterans and young people, my administration is focused on expanding the tax base, driving local economic activity and bring some and bringing some of the biggest and most prestigious companies in the world,” he said.

Blakeman also lauded the work of the Nassau County Police Department for working to combat the increased catalytic converter thefts this year. Blakeman said police have seized thousands of catalytic converters, stolen for their precious metals, and $7 million from an organized crime ring.

The county executive also said he was pleased to agree on a new contract with Nassau’s Police Benevolent Association last month.

The $170 million agreement will run retroactively from Jan. 1, 2018 until July 1, 2026 and increase the top base pay for officers from $122,000 to $141,000. The agreement will also increase the starting pay for new officers from $35,000 to

$37,333.

“I was proud to work with PBA President Tommy Shevlin to approve a new contract for the PBA that adequately that adequately compensates police officers for their service while protecting taxpayers’ wallets,” Blakeman said.

The contract also increases pay by 15% during the duration and includes nearly $6,500 in stipends for officers with six years of service and $3,750 stipends for those with 15 years of service, according to legislative documents. It was approved by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority two weeks ago.

Both Blakeman and DeRiggi-Whitton expressed their concerns about drug epidemics, mainly fentanyl, though the two presented different ways to combat it in Nassau County.

Blakeman urged federal officials to crack down on the United States border patrol, noting that the approved county budget includes $15 million to address the local issue per year over the next four years.

“I have met with far too many parents who have lost loved ones to the disease of addiction,” Blakeman said. “It has to stop and that starts with securing our border while we work.”

DeRiggi-Whitton implored Blakeman to provide the necessary financial aid to families and other organizations to mitigate the number of deaths caused by drugs and opioids each year.

“Two recommendations are one, more long-term care options beyond standard 28-day programs traditionally offered by treatment centers; and two, better access to mental health care counseling,” the legislator said.

DeRiggi-Whitton also urged Blakeman to address other issues the minority caucus views as important, such as banning the littering of cannabis, forming a public committee to figure out the spending of Nassau’s $300 million in American Rescue Plan aid and developing an in-house team of cybersecurity experts.

Continued from Page 10

and using every tool in the toolbox in an attempt to reduce the amount of waste that we all generate.”

One of the highest priority recommendations in the report is to reduce waste output to begin with.

“Nothing would make me happier if our garbage trucks didn’t have to go up and down the street every day to pick up trash,” Flower said. “They’ll probably have to go up and down the street every day to pick up recyclables, but I’m OK with that.”

Along with advocating for zero waste practices, Winters Bros. is supporting and pushing for legislation in the New York state government to encourage increased recycling.

Two measures of particular interest include minimum content

legislation and revising the bottle bill. Minimum content legislation would require manufacturers to use no less than a designated amount of recycled material in their packaging or their products.

The bottle bill was passed in the 1980s as a way to reduce litter, and now it’s out of date and “antiquated,” Flower explained. Winters Bros.’ State of Waste report recommends increasing the bottle deposit cost to 10 cents per bottle and including wine and spirit bottles, which are not currently covered in the program.

Another priority defined in the report is investing in the infrastructure needed to transport waste off the island. Garbage trucks produce large amounts of emissions and increase traffic on the highways, so Winters Bros. recommends expanding rail infrastructure to allow for a low-carbon option of transporting the waste.

With infrastructure comes the discussion of environmental justice and how the placement of the necessary railways and transfer stations would affect the surrounding area and its citizens.

“When you talk about the infrastructure, you have to also start looking at these issues of environmental justice to make sure you’re putting these facilities in an area which doesn’t create a burden on anyone,” Flower said. “And when I say anyone, I don’t care if you’re Black, white or purple, these facilities shouldn’t burden anyone.”

He also recognized that many of the solutions require publicprivate partnership, which can be difficult to achieve.

“It’s easy to write recommendations. And it’s easy to advocate for recommendations,” Flower said. “The actual execution of these recommendations is always the heavy lift, and it certainly does require cooperation.”

Yet, he felt hopeful that it could be done to handle the closure of the Brookhaven Landfill and still continue providing efficient waste management.

“Over the past 20 years, I think municipalities and regulators and the private sector, along with planners and units of local government, have done a much better job working together to create this system where services are provided,” Flower said.

“Nobody really thinks about [waste management] because it just goes to this place called ‘away,’ and and our job is to ensure that that we continue to have a place to go to that is cost effective and environmentally sound,” he concluded. “It’s a challenge that can be overcome, but it requires a whole lot of moving parts, and that’s what we spend our days working on.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY WINTER BROS.

Andy Foundation donates to Guidance Center

North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, the leading not-for-proft children’s mental health agency on Long Island, is pleased to announce that The Andy Foundation, a Garden City-based nonproft, dedicated to helping children less fortunate than most, has donated $10,000 to support its mission.

“There is such a tremendous need now for supporting mental health services for young people, especially since the pandemic caused such isolation, fear and sadness,” said Jill Palmeri, the founder of The Andy Foundation. “Our mission is helping children in need, and the lifesaving work of the Guidance Center is something we are proud to support.”

Kathy Rivera, executive director/CEO of the Guidance Center, expressed gratitude for The Andy Foundation’s generous donation.

“We never turn anyone away for inability to pay, so we count on the support of the local com-

munity, foundations and other funding sources to make sure we are here for everyone who needs us,” Rivera said. “Kids and teens are experiencing rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thinking at levels that are higher than ever before, and because of caring people like Jill and her team, these young people will get the help they desperately need and deserve.”

The Andy Foundation, which was formed in 2004 to honor the memory of Andrew Palmeri, focuses on helping children less fortunate than most. If you would like to support The foundation you can do so by donating or shopping at The Andy Foundation Yard Sale Shop, located at 195 Herricks Road, Garden City Park. The store is flled with vintage and gently used items and it is stafed by a team of dedicated volunteers. All proceeds from the store go to furthering the mission of The Andy Foundation.

The Guidance Center, which is celebrating its

70th anniversary this year and has ofces in Roslyn Heights, Manhasset and Westbury, is dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional wellbeing of children (from birth to age 24) and their families. The organization’s highly trained staf of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals lead the way in diagnosis, treatment, prevention and advocacy. The Guidance Center helps children and families address issues such as depression and anxiety; suicidal thinking; developmental delays; bullying; teen pregnancy; sexual abuse; drug and alcohol use; trauma; and family crises stemming from illness, death and divorce.

For more information on the Andy Foundation, visit www.theandyfoundation.org or email info@ theandyfoundation.org. To learn more about the Guidance Center, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org or call 516-626-1971.

FCA to honor businesswoman Leah Fisher

In celebration of Women’s History Month, FCA, one of Long Island’s largest human services agencies, will hold its second annual Long Island Women in Philanthropy breakfast and fashion show Thursday, March 30 at The Mansion at Oyster Bay.

The festivities will run from 9:00 a.m. until noon. In addition to honoring the vision of its founding mothers, FCA will recognize the work of present day philanthropist and activist Leah Fisher, senior vice president at Arbor Realty Trust Inc.

“It would be near impossible for FCA to do the important work we do without the support of philanthropic-minded women,” said FCA President and CEO Jefrey L. Reynolds. “Fortunately, we experience the philanthropic ideal every day among our volunteers and donors, as well as the many women who come to work each day at FCA. These women are all present and future heroes,

striving to help each other achieve their potential and strengthen themselves and others in our community. With this event, we are looking to inspire the next generation of women to help FCA continue to grow and serve the Long Island community.”

FCA’s original orphanage, the Temporary Home for Children, was spearheaded in 1884 by Louisa Lee Schuyler (a great granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton, one of our country’s founding fathers) and a group of like-minded women committed to the welfare of vulnerable children.

Today, FCA has six divisions that provide a wide range of services to Long Islanders of all ages.

These predominantly women-led divisions include Addiction Prevention, Treatment & Recovery; Children’s Mental Health and Wellness; Prevention and Community Engagement; Family Support; Residential Care; and Senior & Adult

Services. Each of these six divisions will be represented in the fashion show by client and volunteer models whose lives have been positively impacted by FCA programs.

Fisher is a heroine and champion of women in her own right. In addition to the work she does managing projects within the Corporate Legal department of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., Fisher is one of the founding members of ‘Conversations For Change,’ a podcast that explores social activism through challenging conversations.

Topics are selected based on overt areas of strife and inequity, current events, and what the women experience in everyday life.

Conversations for Change was conceived by a group of young women, budding social activists, led by Fisher and her mother, Susan Fisher, who felt frustrated with the snail’s pace of social progress, and wanted to created a platform for

women’s voices to be heard. The podcast @convoforchange is widely available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and other platforms.

The Women in Philanthropy event will be held on Thursday, March 30 at The Mansion at Oyster Bay in Woodbury from 9 am-12 pm. Immediately following the program, FCA will host a Women’s Market featuring a variety of products from local, women-owned businesses.

Fashions will be provided by FCA’s fashion show partner Altar’d State, located at the Roosevelt Field mall. Hair and makeup designs will be provided by students in Sewanhaka High School’s cosmetology department, a partner in the event.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact Paige O’Brien, vice president of Strategic Advancement and chief development ofcer at 516- 746.0350 x 4320, PObrien@fcali.org or visit www.fcali.org/events.

Northwell donates supplies to Turkey and Syria

Standing with medical providers of Turkish and Syrian descent, Michael J. Dowling, Northwell Health’s president and CEO, announced that the heath system is sending 22 palettes of needed medical and disaster relief supplies to the devastated regions after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Feb. 6 claimed more than 48,000 lives and left millions displaced.

With Reyhan Ozgur, consul general of the Republic of Turkey, on hand at Northwell’s Integrated Distribution Center in Bethpage, this announcement comes a day shy of the one-year anniversary of Northwell sending humanitarian relief supplies in support of health providers in Ukraine at the start of a war waged by Russian forces.

“We’re all part of one global family,” Dowling said. “And when there’s one part of the family in severe distress, we as a health care organization have to be concerned about people in other parts of the world.”

As with Ukraine relief, Northwell is working with longstanding partner Medshare to transport supplies from New York into the afected regions. In addition, Northwell’s Center for Global Health is networking with local leaders on the ground to fund relief eforts where they’ll make the greatest impact.

“We are gathering specialized supplies that are difcult to procure locally, things like dialysis kits, trauma supplies that are now already strained in Europe because of the war in Ukraine,” said Dr. Eric Cioe Peña, director of the CGH, who is helping spearhead these eforts.

Disaster relief eforts in Turkey and Syria have been continually plagued by high-magnitude aftershocks in already devastated areas, with the most recent 5.6 magnitude Monday, compounding the crisis.

Northwell has once again aligned with international relief partners, such as Médecins Sans Frontières – more commonly known in the U.S. as Doctors Without Borders– to provide direct medical care to survivors and people in need of basic care. The Northwell Health Turkey-Syria relief fund was also created to bring direct equitable fnancial support to the disaster areas.

This was welcomed news to Abit Soylu, a paramedic with Northwell’s Center for Emergency Medical Services, whose family lives in Turkey. Soylu lost his cousin and her son when their home collapsed in the initial quake.

“It’s hard for me because I’m not there, and I’m heartbroken here not being able to help them,” he said. “It took fve days for them to fnd them in the rubble.”

Soylu was joined by Amen Alhadi, a fight paramedic with Helicopter Emergency Medical Services who has family in Syria and Dr. Anas Sawas, an emergency medicine physician at Mather Hospital in Port Jeferson, who spoke about the limited humanitarian access into Syria from the civil war, now strained by the earthquake.

Also at the event were Dr. Onat Akina Northwell pathologist with family in Turkey, and Dr. Banu Ayguna pediatric oncologist at Cohen Children’s Medi-

cal Center. The two discussed the medical risks children face in that region due to the lack of access to care and clean water. Scabies and cholera can spread quickly and other illness from lack of vaccinations.

“Aside from losing their homes, their schools, their friends, some of them are unfortunately orphans,” Dr. Aygun said. “The physical scars are very big, but the psychological scars are much deeper.”

“We’re a culturally dynamic health system,” Dr. Cioe Peña said. “Like in Ukraine, working with MSF and our teammates that hail from these regions will

help us build sustainable relationships to get materials and funds to the right place and care for more people.”

In the weeks that followed the invasion of Ukraine, Northwell Health deployed its integrated telehealth service to provide 24/7 assistance to health care providers to consult and ofer guidance on civilian and military patient care. The program has provided more than 350 consults to clinicians caring for patients of blast injury and gunfre, to women with perinatal care needs and patients awaiting organ transplant.

Northwell looks to deploy this same strategy in Turkey and Syria and ofer 24/7 access to complement medical care there.

“When we launched this program, we quickly realized that using this as a peer-to-peer platform ofered the most beneft and impact to the medical community in Ukraine,” Cioe Peña said.

“We have an obligation and responsibility. It’s part of the culture of Northwell: Any time anyone is in trouble – whether it’s domestic or overseas –we do our best to help,” Dowling said. “If we have the ability and the resources to help – and we obviously have the will – then we should help. That’s why we’re in the health care business. We can’t always be looking internal; we have to look external. It’s something we’ve always done, it’s something we always do.”

To donate and support the Northwell Health CGH Turkey/Relief fund visit: https://support.northwell.edu/center-for-global-health

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NORTHWELL HEALTH

Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling, along with the consul general of the Republic of Turkey, Reyhan Ozgur, stand next to medical supplies earmarked for Turkey and Syria.

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King visits SUNY O. Westbury

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. recently visited SUNY Old Westbury as part of his ongoing tour of SUNY’s 64 campuses that began at the start of his tenure at SUNY in January. During his visit, Chancellor King had the opportunity to tour campus, and meet with students, faculty and staf to learn more about the College.

Unique to his visit to Old Westbury, King participated in a panel discussion on “The Importance of Teaching Black History” along with

President Tim Sams and Danielle Lee of the English Department. The three shared their thoughts and experiences with Black History Month, why it’s important to be taught in schools, and how students can learn more about antiracism and allyship.

In addition to sharing personal stories about his enslaved great grandparents, and an uncle that was a Tuskegee Airman but couldn’t fnd an accounting job post-World War II, King explained why teaching both the progress and the struggles of black

history prevents history repeating itself.

“The fear for me in the movement against teaching African American history and teaching the truth about the hard parts of our history is that it can undermine the progress of the Civil Rights era and set us back decades. Control of the narrative of our history shapes our politics profoundly,” said King.

King plans to return to Old Westbury to help celebrate the inauguration of Sams in April 2023.

Surgicial robot take center stage at Hofstra

About 15% of surgical procedures performed in the United States today are done robotically, but with rapid advances in medical technology, robotics will likely dominate the future of surgery. Recognizing this growing trend, the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell is bringing state-of-the-art robotics into the hands of its students early into their medical school careers.

During a presentation held at the Zucker School of Medicine Feb. 22, second-year medical students demonstrated their robotic surgical skills using the da Vinci Surgical System manufactured by Intuitive. The exercise is part of the standardized nine-week Surgical Skills Training Course that until now was reserved only for doctors in their later years of residency. The program is the newest addition to the school’s cutting-edge undergraduate medical curriculum, helping to prepare future surgeons for tomorrow’s operating rooms.

“We never believed that memorizing concepts and facts in huge lecture halls was the best way to learn and prepare for being a doctor – our students learn by doing,” said Dr. David Battinelli, dean of the Zucker School of Medicine and executive vice president and physician-in-chief of Northwell Health.

“We are fortunate to have a partner in Northwell Health, New York state’s largest health system,” he said. “By leveraging Northwell’s extensive resources, technology and expertise, we can provide students with an exceptional medical education that includes unique learning experiences, such as the advanced Surgical Skills Training Course and state-of-the-art robotics that we are now providing students in their second year of medical school.”

In March, the Zucker School of Medicine will celebrate 15 years since its establishment through an equal partnership between Hofstra University and Northwell Health. The school welcomed its frst class in 2011 and, since then, has challenged the traditional model for training future physicians, which typically separates the basic sciences from clinical learning.

The school’s curriculum pushes the boundaries of conventional undergraduate medical education by integrating patient care and medical sciences and immersing students in both throughout their education. The school was the frst in the nation to train students to become Emergency Medical Technicians beginning on their frst day of medical school. The SSTC is another example of how the school disrupts the status quo by exposing its students early on to

concepts and technologies they can expect to encounter further in their training.

“This course has introduced me to techniques and ideas that I might not be expected to practice or understand until I’m a surgical resident, but having the early exposure, I am more confdent in my ability to develop these skills to a level required of me as a resident or attending surgeon,” said second-year medical student Christopher Copeland. He admits the skills he learned as a kid playing video games have been useful in accomplishing the training exercises on the da Vinci robot.

“The robot is not something I’m intimidated by – I view the training modules as games: having fun while also developing the rudimentary skills important for safely operating with a robot.”

The military, in a joint efort with the Stanford Research Institute, frst developed robot-assisted surgery in the late 1980s. The da Vinci Surgical System became the frst robotic device approved by the FDA in 2000. Today, the da Vinci system is an innovative, state-of-the-art advanced instrumentation. The robot works as an extension of a skilled surgeon by replicating the surgeon’s hand movements in real-time and aiding with greater visualization, enhanced dexterity and greater precision. Besides honing the fne motor skills needed to manipulate da Vinci’s tentacle-like arms, the training has helped the students to better communicate and work together.

“Surgery is a team sport,” said Harrison Labban, a member of the Class of 2025, who plans to pursue a surgery residency after graduation. “Over the past nine weeks, I’ve learned to communicate more efciently with other surgical team members and become more comfortable in my role as a medical student in the operating room.”

During the robotic skills demonstration, Labban assisted classmate Alexis Benjamin, who sat at the surgeon’s console viewing a 3D image of the “patient,” in this case, a small six-inch round disc with colorful spikes. Benjamin’s task was to manipulate da Vinci’s hand controls, which correspond to the surgical instruments on the ends of the robot’s arms, to pick up and place tiny rubber rings on each of the spikes. The job may look simple, but Benjamin said it takes precision, fne motor skills and dexterity to succeed.

“I have the ability for wrist articulation between the instruments that you wouldn’t be able to do by hand, laparoscopically,” explainedBenjamin, detail-

ing the advantages the da Vinci robot provides. “This has been a unique experience and will prepare me better for the future.”

Being exposed to the SSTC early on in medical school has also helped students like Amanda Haye solidify their decision to pursue a medical career in surgery.

“It’s been wonderful to have time set aside each week to explore our surgical interests and to be mentored by some of the most experienced professionals in the feld at Northwell,” said Haye. “It’s been the highlight of my career so far as a medical student, and I can’t thank everyone enough.”

Today, robotic surgery is recognized as the next generation of minimally invasive surgery, particularly for bariatric, colonic and advanced foregut procedures. Studies have shown that robotic-assisted surgery has fewer complications, minimal scarring, less blood loss and a quicker recovery for the patient than open surgery.

“At Northwell, we do 11,000 robotic procedures per year and that’s only growing, and there are technological advantages rather than open-hand surger-

ies,” explained Dr. Gene Coppa, chairman, and Dr. John D. Mountain, professor of surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine, and chairman of surgery at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital.

“In medicine and, more specifcally, surgery, technology is something we all look forward to. It became obvious that the earlier our trainees are exposed to these technologies, the better it is in the long term,” Mountain said.

Recognizing the benefts of advanced surgical training for undergraduate students, Coppa worked with other proponents, including Dr. Lee Richstone, professor of urology at the Zucker School of Medicine and chairmanof urology for Lenox Hill Hospital; Dr. Gainosuke Sugiyama, professor of surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine and chairman of surgery for Long Island Jewish Valley Stream; and Dr. Louis R. Kavoussi, Wald Baum-Gardner professor of urology at the Zucker School of Medicine and chair and senior vice president of urology for Northwell Health. They were instrumental in bringing the SSTC and the da Vinci Surgical System to the medical school.

“We are one of the frst medical schools, if not the frst, in the country to train undergraduate medical students in surgical and robotic skills, and it’s not too soon to do so,” explained Kavoussi, who heads up Northwell’s Smith Institute for Urology. “I liken it to playing in the NFL; you don’t wake up one day and step onto a football feld to become the quarterback – it takes years of practice; that’s what we’re doing here, exposing our future surgeons to the ‘playing feld’ early on in the process.”

The students couldn’t agree more. In demonstrating their grasp of the robotic surgical techniques and concepts, they proved that the SSTC came at the right time in their medical education.

The da Vinci surgical robot takes center stage at the Zucker School of Medicine. Pictured left to right Dr. David Battinelli, dean of the Zucker School of Medicine, with second-year med students Harrison Labban, Amanda Haye, Lauren Milley, Alexis Benjamin, Christopher Copeland, and Dr. Brian Pinard, assistant professor of science education.

“I think it’s incredible that we can leverage such a vast network of resources from Northwell to add to our cutting-edge curriculum and not only introduce students to clinical settings early on but now provide practical, hands-on surgical experience at such an early stage in our training,” said Lauren Milley, agreeing with her fellow students’ sentiments. “It’s been incredible to be part of an organization that invests in its students, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”

The sea spikes exercise involves using the robot’s arms to place tiny bands on tiny rubber spikes.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. at “The Importance of Teaching Black History”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

Sports

Port boys fall short in title game

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

They were trying to do something no Port Washington boys basketball team had done since 1947. It had been 76 years since a county title was won by Schreiber High, and for a while Saturday night at Hofstra’s David S. Mack Center, it looked like the drought would fnally end.

But underneath a barrage of missed free throws and missed opportunities, the Vikings just could not fnish the job. Baldwin, the defending champs of Nassau Class AA made more clutch plays down the stretch and hung on for a 45-39 win in the Class AA county fnal.

“They just made one or two more plays than we did, it was right there for us and our kids are just crushed we couldn’t get it done,” said Port Washington coach Sean Dooley, as his red-eyed players slowly walked out of the locker room for the last time this season. “These were two good ofensive teams, and they made a few more plays at the end to beat us.”

It was not a pretty ofensive game by any means, as each basket felt like a miracle, with both

teams digging hard on defense and shooters from both teams having trouble with the larger arena backdrop and, also, the nerves of playing for a title and a place in local history.

Just like the frst two games between the two rivals this season, which were both won by the Bruins by a total of nine points, this one was close throughout.

Neither ofense could get into any kind of fow, with the 19-16 halftime score illustrating just how difcult it was to get points.

The Vikings (17-6) played much of the frst half without senior point guard and leader Camren Welker, who picked up two quick fouls in the opening quarter and sat for most of the second period.

“We’ve had times this season where we had guys in foul trouble and other people stepped up, and they did that tonight,” Dooley said. “But Cam is such a big part of our team so its tough when he’s out.”

Still, with hundreds of Port fans cheering every positive play by the blue and white, the Vikings hung in, and had a chance in the third quarter to pull away at times.

After an electrifying driving layup by Welker (12 points to lead his team), Port Washington led, 26-22 with two minutes left in the third, and it felt like one or two more baskets by the Vikings might’ve just given them an insurmountable lead.

“I’m so proud of Cam,” Dooley said. “He’s come so far since his freshman year. He comes and works his butt of, and I’m so happy he got a chance to playin this environment and show a big crowd how good he really is.

But Baldwin (21-2) hung in and clawed their way back, keeping the game in striking distance.

“We had a few turnovers and a few bad shots but Baldwin is very very tough,” Dooley said. “That defense tonight that they played was a lot stronger than the frst two times we played them. They were really good.”

In the fourth quarter, neither team could leave the other behind, and that’s where missed free throws really damaged Port Washington. The Vikings missed the front end of 1-and-1’s three straight times, en route to nine missed foul shots on the night when they went 7-for-16 from the line.

But with Baldwin up 35-32, sophomore Kenny

Daly hit a huge 3-pointer from the left side to tie the game with 1:30 left.

The crowd went wild and it looked like maybe, just maybe, the streak that’s lasted three quarters of a century would fnally end.

But Baldwin’s Jaylen Brown answered with a tough 3-pointer from the left corner, with two defenders on him, to push the Bruins back up 38-35, and Port Washington could never come back from that.

Trevor Amalftano, the junior who has been the Vikings’ leading scorer all season, was held to nine points by the hounding Bruins defense.

For the Vikings, reaching the fnal meant going one step further than last year, and they’ll return almost every key player for next season.

But that was little consolation for the devastated players after the game. Coming SO close to history hurt a lot.

“I’m so proud of everything these kids accomplished, and yes this was a big step in getting experience in this environment for our kids,” Dooley said. “But yeah, to get this close, these kids are taking it hard.”

PHOTO BY JAMES MAGUIRE/SKYBOX IMAGES

Port Washington senior Camren Welker (5) takes a shot during the Class AA finals at Hofstra Saturday.

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