Bellmore Herald 02-26-2026

Using their hands to signal leadership

Reinhard Rising Star Leaders demonstrated Leadership Principles using hand signals at Winthrop Avenue School. Story, additional photo, Page 6.

Nurse practitioner turns donated supplies into lifeline for those in need

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

After returning home from a medical mission overseas, Sophia Specht found that the donations she had gathered kept coming — long after her suitcases were unpacked.

Rather than let the supplies sit unused, the Bellmore nurse practitioner turned them into a grassroots medical supply closet, Neighbors Promoting Equity Medical Trading, that now helps Long Island families access equipment they might otherwise struggle to afford Specht, a Bellmore resident since 1995, began the effort in 2023 following her first mission trip to Kenya, where she collected roughly 370

pounds of donated medical supplies through a local social media appeal.

“The support was ridiculous,” she said. “People were cleaning out medicine chests, saying, ‘My grandfather passed away, we don’t know what to do with these.’”

Specht’s path to the project was shaped by years in health care. She worked as a paramedic in New York City before becoming a nurse in 2012 and later a nurse practitioner at Glen Cove Hospital.

Her experience moving between underserved neighborhoods in Brooklyn and more affluent communities on Long Island highlighted stark differences in access to care, she said, fueling a

DEADLINE MARCH 31ST

Blizzard blankets the South Shore Schools closed Monday and Tuesday

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Residents of Bellmore and Merrick spent Mondaay night and Tuesday digging out after a late-winter blizzard dropped more than a foot of snow across the South Shore, blanketing roads, forcing school closings and keeping municipal crews working around the clock.

TReports from local officials and weather observers placed snowfall totals between 15 and 17 inches in both communities, with higher drifts in open areas, driven by strong winds. Snow tapered off on Monday night, allowing highway and sanitation crews to shift from plowing to widening travel lanes and clearing intersections.

rates intensified and visibility dropped.

Major thoroughfares — including Merrick Road, Sunrise Highway and Bellmore Avenue — were among the first to be cleared, with neighborhood streets addressed as conditions improved. By Monday afternoon, most main roads were passable, though high snowbanks narrowed lanes and reduced available parking on residential blocks.

he roads looked rough early on, but the plows were out nonestop.

DAViD FiGUERoA Merrick

Nassau County officials issued travel advisories at the height of the storm, urging residents to stay off the roads so plows could operate safely. County Executive Bruce Blakeman described conditions as hazardous, particularly overnight on Sunday, as snowfall

Sanitation and highway crews continued salting operations Monday to prevent refreezing, as temperatures remained below freezing. Officials said that extended shifts would continue to address icy patches and clear catch basins ahead of a potential midweek melt.

Utility companies such as PSEG reported only scattered outages in the Bellmore-Merrick area, largely caused by snow-laden branches brushing power lines. Service was restored quickly in most cases, and no widespread disruptions

Continued on page 2

Blizzard leaves upwards of 17 inches of snow

were reported.

School districts and libraries across the area closed Monday because of hazardous travel conditions. Late on Monday, after consultations with area school leaders, Blakeman announced that most schools in the county would remain closed on Tuesday, saying, “Putting students, parents and teachers in jeopardy would not be advisable.”

“Allowing additional time will enable plowing operations to continue

and provide families the opportunity to safely clear driveways, sidewalks, and bus stops,” Blakeman added in a news release.

Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, enabling state and local agencies to coordinate resources. Despite periods of blizzard conditions overnight on Sunday, however, the South Shore avoided the coastal flooding that often accompanies major winter storms.

For residents, the aftermath was equal parts routine and relief. “It’s a

lot of work, but the neighborhood really comes together after a storm like this,” said Bellmore homeowner Lisa Martinez, who spent Monday morning wanting to get a head start of the shoveling, shoveled her driveway with neighbors.

In Merrick, resident David Figueroa said the storm was disruptive but manageable. “The roads looked rough early on, but the plows were out nonstop,” he said of Monday’s conditions. “By the afternoon you could see things getting back to normal.”

Schools were closed monday and tuesday due to the snowfall that started early monday morning.

WILD WEDNESDAYS

Bellmore-merrick residents saw between 15 to 17 inches of snow.

Celebrating and learning the Lunar New Year

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Students at Chatterton School welcomed the Lunar New Year with music, movement and lessons on culture during a recent assembly organized by parent volunteers, transforming the school auditorium into a space for both celebration and learning.

The program introduced children to the traditions and symbolism of the holiday, which is observed across many Asian cultures and marks the start of the lunar calendar. Often associated with themes of renewal, family and good fortune, Lunar New Year has roots dating back more than 3,000 years to agrarian societies that celebrated the end of winter and the beginning of a new planting season. Over time, the observance blended seasonal rituals with folklore, including the legend of the monster Nian, which villagers drove away using loud noises, bright colors and lanterns — traditions that live on today through decorations, drumming and festive performances. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the holiday’s date shifts each year, typically falling between late January and mid-February, and similar celebrations are observed across Asia.

Against that historical backdrop, the Chatterton assembly aimed to bring those traditions to life for students in an age-appropriate way. Teacher Cinnamon Green said the program reinforced lessons already underway in the classroom while helping students see how cultural traditions connect communities.

“The event aligned closely with our kindergarten social studies curriculum, which focuses on understanding diverse traditions and how cultural celebrations help build a shared community identity,” Green said. “This collaborative effort among our kindergarten and third grade teams, alongside our families, created an engaging and inclusive learning experience that celebrated diversity, respect, and unity within our school.”

A highlight of the morning was an energetic lion dance performed by students from Townsend Harris High School. Accompanied by rhythmic drumming, the performers maneuvered the colorful costumes across the stage, captivating the audience and illustrating how the dance is traditionally used to bring luck and chase away negative energy. Afterward, younger students eagerly lined up for photos with the lions, extending the experience beyond the performance itself.

The celebration also included the distribution of red envelopes, a cherished custom symbolizing prosperity and wellwishes for the year ahead. For many students, the gesture offered a tangible connection to the traditions they had just

learned about.

“This experience extended beyond a classroom read-aloud and provided students with a meaningful opportunity to learn about cultural traditions through the lion dance, red envelopes, and presentations on symbolism and customs,” Green added.

Principal Dana Bermas said the event reflected the school’s commitment to inclusivity and community partnership. She thanked the Hom and Lin families for helping organize the program and sharing their traditions with students.

“Their efforts helped foster cultural understanding, inclusivity, and celebration within our school community,” Bermas said.

The Challah bake elevate the Conversation

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As expected in any parking lot — in any suburban temple in America on a snowy Sunday morning —there is a lineup of SUVs parked in a row, stickered with children’s camp and university logos. I pull up to a spot that is available, cut the engine and the lights, pull up the emergency break.

Armed with five pounds of flour and a kitchen apron, I exit my car and enter Temple B’nai Torah of Wantagh, New York’s community room (known as the “Kiddish Lounge”) where forty people will converge at tables with candy-colored mixing bowls as they get ready to make dough for Challah bread.

am instructed, keep on blending and kneading and punching the dough, grateful my hands, post-surgery, have no aches or complaints.

In short, though I’ve eaten it many times, I have only made Challah three times in my life, all within group settings established for a fundraiser or a few hours of bonding.

One time, given directions to freeze the extra dough before baking I tried this method to disastrous results. Another time, while learning the process we were gifted not just the food, but fresh white aprons from the leader’s daughter’s past Bat Mitzvah.

It is a whimsically presented morning event hosted by a young woman who not only had the ingredients at the ready, but the symbolic explanation for each one. I spark to the idea of yeast (rising to God) and water (life sustaining), recollect the importance of flour (sustenance) and eggs (life affirming), learn the significance of oil (“anoint” or “be blessed with oil”) and salt (critical vs. kindness) and get an easy answer when it came to the sugar (sweetness). We are treated to an understanding of the biblical importance and responsibility of baking Challah and then the participants get right to it – bubbling yeast and all.

There is bread envy in the room, people who relive the baking skills of grandmothers, mothers and daughtersin-law with the determination to mix up something amazing themselves out of respect and admiration. There is talk of raisins, chocolate chips, and cinnamon — reminiscent of Kosher bakeries gone by.

When others around our table talk of their cooking skills, I can listen but not contribute. I am not the cook in my home; in fact, it is my husband and son who handle the meals while I gratefully tackle the prep and clean up. So, I do as I

But what works here at this moment, is the kinship for creation, common interests and something homemade of our own hands and hearts.

I discover more is not less, but more is more when it comes to covering my braided raw dough with plastic wrap. I figure out a way to carry two trays, two aluminum pans, an empty bowl and my belongings in one trip to the trunk of my car. (Yeah, it’s a compact SUV.) But more than this, I appreciate that the moment is vastly different and immeasurably rewarding compared to scrolling social media and retrieving text messages.

Despite a few burnt offerings, the roughly four loaves of Challah (or their Challah roll equivalents) make it safely out of my oven, thanks to the generous assistance of the Lev gentlemen awaiting me at home. And the day’s bonus? Sharing some bread with our neighbors and yes, the house smelling incredible and inviting for days.

A contributing writer to the Herald since 2012, Lauren Lev is a direct marketing/ advertising executive who teaches marketing fundamentals as well as advertising and marketing communications courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology and SUNY Old Westbury.

mountsinai.org/southnassau

Leadership is signaled with hand signs

Young students from the Bellmore School District showcased how leadership lessons are taking root in their classrooms during a Feb. 10 board of education meeting at Winthrop Avenue School.

Rising Star Leaders from Reinhard Early Childhood Center demonstrated the district’s Leadership Principles using a series of hand signs — an approach educators say helps make character education accessible and memorable for young learners.

The presentation highlighted Bellmore’s Character Development Program, which weaves leadership concepts into daily instruction and school culture. Principles such as “Begin With the End in Mind” and “Put First Things First” are reinforced through classroom activities and schoolwide initiatives, officials said.

During the meeting, students handed out instruction sheets so audience members could follow along. With confident smiles, the children performed gestures associated with each principle, including pointing to their chests to represent “Be Proactive.”

Administrators said the demonstration illustrated how even the district’s youngest students are learning to understand responsibility, goal-setting and decision-making. The interactive presentation drew applause from trustees, families and staff members in attendance.

District leaders noted that the program is designed to build a shared language around leadership across grade levels, helping students apply the principles both in school and in everyday life.

— Hernesto Galdamez

N. Bellmore district reminds families of deadlines

The North Bellmore Union Free School District is reminding families of transportation eligibility requirements and application deadlines for the upcoming school year.

The district provides bus transportation for resident students in kindergarten through third grade who live more than a half mile and up to 15 miles from their assigned schools. Students in grades four through six are eligible if they live more than one mile and up to 15 miles from their schools. Transportation to a day care provider within the district may be available in certain circumstances.

Parents and guardians with questions are encouraged to contact the district’s Business Office or Transportation Department before April 1, 2026, at 516-992-3000, ext. 3017.

Transportation is also available under the same guidelines for district residents attending private or paro-

chial schools.

To be eligible, parents or guardians must register with the district and submit a written request for transportation by April 1 each year. The district said the deadline allows officials to budget funds for transportation services in September.

A transportation application for nonpublic school students is available on the district’s website at northbellmoreschools.org. Requests should be sent to the Business Office/Transportation Department at 2616 Martin Ave., Bellmore, NY 11710.

Applications for students entering middle school in grades seven and eight or high school in grades nine through 12 are available through the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District website or by calling 516-992-1024.

— Hernesto Galdamez

516-992-3000.

Kennedy’s Mikedis wins county crown

By NICK MONGIOVI sports@liherald.com

Ever since sophomore Peter Mikedis got to the varsity level as a seventh- grade wrestler at Kennedy High School, he’s continued to get better every season, said coach Brian DeGaetano.

After beating third-seeded Henry Jervis of Manhasset by a pin at the 5:24 mark in the Nassau County Division I 165-pound title match on Feb. 15 at Hofstra University’s David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, Mikedis punched his ticket to the state tournament for the second season in a row.

“It’s amazing,” said Mikedis, Kennedy’s first county champion since 2013. “It’s like an insane rush of dopamine. My adrenaline went from the bottom to the top.”

Mikedis entered the county tournament as the weight classes’ No. 1 seed. He faced off against Jervis in the Nassau County dual meet playoffs in the quarterfinals, winning 7-1. Though he’s been to states before,

this was his first county title.

“It was an excellent performance,” DeGaetano said. “The kid [Jervis] wrestled him really tough. Peter really wrestled a flawless match. The strategy going in was to get that first takedown, looking for turns and getting on the bottom. Peter got out right away and got back to his feet. He took him down and then put him right through his back.”

Mikedis proved why he earned the top seed by allowing just four points all weekend and scoring 45 points over the course of all four matches.

In the second round, he beat Evan Vazquez of Plainedge, 15-0 tech fall. In the quarterfinals, he beat Jericho’s Brad Rosenberg, 20-2 tech fall.

In the semis, Mikedis pinned No. 4-seed Mathew Casey of Bethpage in 2:36, to advance to the county finals for a second consecutive season. A year ago, Mikedis was county runner-up at 152 pounds and won one match at states, but history has shown he’s gotten better each season.

“He’s [Mikedis] one of the best allaround wrestlers I’ve ever had and I’ve been here for 32 years,” DeGaetano said. “He has all the tools to be a state champion.”

Mikedis stands at 40-2 this season and 141-28 overall. DeGaetano believes he can make a run in Albany at the state tournament Feb. 27-28 based on the trajectory of his career, he said.

“I really believe he could beat most guys in the state,” DeGaetano said. “We expect him to place high. He’s taken big steps in his technique and his strength and conditioning. This year, we’re thinking he’s going to place high.”

Said Mikedis: “My goal this time is to go to the state finals.”

In addition to Mikedis, four other Cougars earned All-County (top six.) Junior Hendrick Capo was runnerup to Oceanside’s Chace Morris at 144 pounds. Junior Jared Eisenberg took third at 138, and junior Harlan Chugerman was third at 150. Sophomore Jason Brodack finished sixth at 118.

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Here’s where you can celebrate Purim

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Families in the Bellmore-Merrick area will have more than one opportunity to celebrate Purim this year, as both Merrick Jewish Centre and Congregation Beth Ohr plan festive carnivals on March 1, each offering its own lineup of activities for children and families.

At the Merrick Jewish Centre, organizers say the annual carnival will begin at 10:15 a.m. and will feature a range of family-friendly attractions, including a bounce castle, carnival games with prizes, balloon animals, face painting and raffle baskets filled with donated items and local gift certificates. Snacks such as popcorn and cotton candy will also be available.

Holly Sugarman, a Merrick resident who has helped organize the carnival for about four years, said the celebration is designed to give families a fun and welcoming way to mark the holiday together.

“It brings not just congregation members together, but also the community to celebrate a holiday that is fun for children,” Sugarman said.

One of the event’s key features will be a sensory-friendly hour from 9 to 10 a.m., intended for children with special needs. During that time, organizers will reduce noise and other high-stimulation elements to create a more comfortable environment.

The initiative was introduced last year,

inspired in part by the congregation’s Sulam Hebrew school program for children with special needs and a broader effort among volunteers to make the carnival more inclusive, Sugarman said.

“We really felt like we should be more inclusive and offer this opportunity first for kids who need that quiet space but can still have a ton of fun,” she said. Sugarman, who has lived in Merrick

for more than a decade and serves as a leader in the religious school’s parentteacher organization, said the carnival also holds personal meaning. Her parents organized similar Purim celebrations when she was a child, a tradition she now enjoys continuing for the next generation.

“It’s a time for families to be together and to see the joy on the kids’ faces,” she said.

At Congregation Beth Ohr in Bellmore, the annual Mel Polay Purim Carnival begins at 10:30 a.m. and continues a long-standing tradition founded by congregation member Evelyn Porlay after her husband, Mel, died over 20 years ago. The event typically features games, booths, vendors and costumes, creating a festive atmosphere for children and adults alike.

“It’s a great thing for the kids and the adults — they dress up, they play games, and it’s really a lot of fun,” said Laura Silver, the congregation’s office administrator.

Silver said the carnival has been a staple during her more than 10 years with the synagogue and remains an important way to bring families together while honoring the legacy behind the event.

For Silver, the holiday itself represents a broader spirit of joy and connection.

“Purim is all about celebration and food and enjoyment and spirit — just having a good time while remembering the history,” she said.

Purim commemorates the biblical story of Queen Esther and the saving of the Jewish people from persecution in ancient Persia and is traditionally celebrated with festive gatherings, costumes and acts of charity. Local organizers say the carnivals reflect those traditions while giving families multiple opportunities to connect with one another in a relaxed setting.

Happy Birthday, Pokémon!

A Pokémon-themed birthday celebration drew young fans and their families to the North Merrick Public Library on Feb. 20, where children enjoyed games, crafts and themed activities inspired by the long-running franchise.

Library staff led participants through a series of interactive stations, including trivia, card-trading opportunities and a scavenger hunt featuring familiar characters. The event was part of the library’s ongoing youth programming aimed at encouraging social

engagement and literacy through popculture themes.

First introduced in 1996 by Japanese game developer Nintendo, the Pokémon franchise began as a pair of Game Boy titles and quickly expanded into an animated television series, trading card game, movies and merchandise. It remains one of the highest-grossing media franchises in the world and continues to attract new generations of fans nearly three decades later.

— Hernesto Galdamez

State highlights workforce training on L.I.

By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD & CAROLYN JAMES of the Herald

As employers across Long Island struggle to fill open positions, State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon visited Suffolk County Community College’s Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood on Feb. 17 to spotlight workforce training and emphasize child care access as a critical barrier to employment.

“There are many pathways leading to middle-class, family-sustaining jobs right now, and many of them lead through community college programs,” said Edward Bonahue, president of Suffolk County Community College. “An apprenticeship, an industry-recognized certification or license or a two-year degree. Eventually, many of them can also lead to bachelor’s degrees as well, and I appreciate Commissioner Reardon helping to shine a light on these opportunities.”

Reardon toured the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, met with students and educators and highlighted several workforce development and child care initiatives included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed state budget.

Long Island faces ongoing shortages in skilled trades like electrical work, heating and air conditioning, plumbing and advanced manufacturing. Nassau and Suffolk community colleges offer workforce training in those areas, as well as in

health care. And the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center, sponsored by SUNY Farmingdale, offers regional residents tuition-free vocational training.

Officials said the programs help create a pipeline of locally trained workers who can remain in their communities.

Will Testa, owner of Will Testa Remodeling Inc., in Copiague, noted the shortage of workers. “There are not enough people coming in to the workforce who are trained properly,” he said. “The problem is, everyone forces their kids to go to college, which may be good for some, but

it’s not good for everyone, and trade schools are important — it’s the infrastructure of our society.”

What’s important, Testa added, is that this training is designed hard in hand with local employers.

While workforce-training programs are expanding, Reardon said, employment growth also depends on addressing Long Island’s child care shortage.

Reardon, who also co-chairs the state’s Child Care Task Force, said that increasing access to affordable care is essential to strengthening the labor force. The task

force, relaunched in 2023, is developing strategies aimed at universal, high-quality, affordable child care statewide.

“The governor has spoken a lot about this issue, and made it clear that she wants every New Yorker to be able to work at their fullest capacity and desire,” she said. “And that means that we have a responsibility to help them have accessible, affordable child care to do that.”

Child care costs on Long Island are among the highest in the country, second only to Massachusetts. Families typically spend between $15,000 and $24,000 annually per child for full-time, center-based care, according to the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island.

“When you couple that with the high costs of everything else — housing, food, utilities — child care is a tremendous stress on families,” Reardon noted.

Prachi Shah, owner of Kiddie Academy, in Hicksville, said that care providers also face financial pressures. “We are grateful for Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s visit to the Brentwood Campus and her attention to matters affecting our industry,” Shah said.

The Kiddie Academy of Hicksville and Bethpage are independently owned and operated franchise locations that serve 350 children and employ 75 early-childhood educators. “It is essential to keep this discussion going,” Shah said, “and highlight ways the state can better support providers on Long Island.”

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Jean-Pierre encourages civic engagement

By ABBY GIBSON & KUMBA JAGNE Interns

Hempstead native Karine Jean-Pierre, the former press secretary in President Joe Biden’s administration, was the latest guest in Hofstra University’s “Signature Speaker” series.

Jean-Pierre, who served in the White House from May 2022 to January 2025, made history as the first Black and first openly LGBTQ person to be press secretary.

She is a graduate of Kellenberg High, in Uniondale, and Columbia University, and her involvement with Hempstead has not diminished: She gave Hempstead High School’s commencement speech in 2022, and was given the keys to the village by Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. in 2024.

“This is very much home for me,” Jean-Pierre said on Feb. 12. “This is not unfamiliar ground.”

Sister members of her honorary sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Hofstra students, community members and students from 18 area high schools attended the event.

Hempstead High senior Zeydi Guerra, 17, said that Jean-Pierre’s speech left her with more motivation to succeed in her own career. “She’s a Hempstead native,” Guerra said. “I feel like if she can make it, I can definitely do something as well.”

Speaking directly to the high school students, JeanPierre encouraged them to be curious, ambitious and passionate. A common thread through her speech, a panel discussion and an interview with student media was urging people to become involved in politics, even though the options may be imperfect.

“Your civic identity doesn’t begin at 18 — it begins when you start paying attention,” she said. “When you

Karine Jean-Pierre, a Hempstead native and former White House press secretary, spoke as part of Hofstra University’s Signature Speaker series.

notice what feels fair and what doesn’t, who gets heard and who has to jump higher just to be seen.”

Eleanor McKay, of Hempstead, president of the Long Island Cross County Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, said she attended because she recognizes the importance of Jean-Pierre being a Black woman who held a high-profile government position.

“She talked about seeing someone touch President

Obama’s hair, a young [Black] boy, and realize that from the texture he was here and how real it is that he is just like us,” McKay said. “Sometimes it’s not really appreciated, or we don’t understand the magnitude of representation. It impacts us and the next generation.”

Hofstra University President Susan Poser introduced Camryn Bowden, a senior majoring in political science and journalism, who in turn introduced JeanPierre. Poser spoke so glowingly of Bowden’s resumé that Jean-Pierre said she would be working for Bowden one day.

“I had the opportunity to get her to sign my copy of her book ‘Independent,’” Bowden said. “She wrote in the book, ‘I’ll be watching you on the news someday.’ It was, again, just a surreal experience to hear someone who held such a high position of power in the White House say such sweet things.”

Jean-Pierre’s first book was “Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America.” Her most recent, published last October, is “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines.”

She empathized with young people’s feelings of being disconnected from the two-party system. “The two-party system often feels rigid, outdated and unresponsive,” she said. “It forces false choices and limits imagination. Questioning that system is not a failure of citizenship.”

She expressed disdain for the current administration, saying, “This too shall pass.”

“We have to work as a people to make sure that there is people power in this time, that our voices are heard, that we hold powerful people accountable,” Jean-Pierre said. “We are celebrating 250 years of this country, and that is a young democracy. If we don’t fight for it every day, we will lose it.”

STEPPING OUT

Rhythms, rituals and revelry

Carnival is back at Long Island Children’s Museum

By Abbey Salvemini

Let the good times roll when the museum opens its doors to Carnival on Saturday.

As a globally cherished cultural celebration, Carnival honors the unique traditions and diverse identities of the Caribbean and Latin American cultures it touches. Locally, Long Island Children’s Museum transforms into a vibrant street festival for its second annual Carnival — a vibrant showcase of creativity and self-expression — through a blend of music, dance, crafts and interactive programming.

Supported by New York State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, the event highlights the museum’s commitment to creating shared cultural experiences for Long Island families.

“As a woman of Caribbean descent, I am proud to sponsor this event at the Long Island Children’s Museum, an institution that plays a vital role in educating and inspiring our young people,” Solages says. “Events like this remind us, and teach the next generation, that diversity is our strength and that honoring our roots can be both joyful and meaningful.”

American Chamber Ensemble in concert

Hofstra University’s renowned ensemble-in-residence celebrates the legacies of founding clarinetist Naomi Drucker and longtime violist Lois Martin at its upcoming concert. The program — a diverse selection of works by Mendelssohn, Hurlstone, Beach, Dimmler, and Steven Gerber — honors both who were instrumental in shaping ACE’s storied history. In a special tribute to Martin, the ensemble performs Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, a masterpiece known for its prominent viola scoring. Drucker, a revered educator and co-founder, is remembered with David Holsinger’s On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss. In a testament to her impact, f Drucker’s former students, colleagues, and friends join the ensemble on stage for this moving tribute

• Saturday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Admission: $18, $16 65+

• View the LICM events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800

• 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

While the iconic celebrations in Rio de Janeiro and Portau-Prince often steal the spotlight, the museum’s festival dives deeper into the tapestry of the region — from the energetic parades of Barranquilla to the historic traditions of Oruro and Montevideo. They are expressions of heritage and identity, artistic creativity and community spirit that define the joy of marking the changing seasons and the region’s rich tapestry.

Visitors will get a taste of Carnival’s jubilant spirit of throughout the day’s programming.

“We were looking for a festival that embodies the diversity of Long Island,” Aimee Terzulli, the museum’s vice president of program and visitor experience shares. “These cultural festivals are invitations to the community.”

Throughout the day, families can expect a lively mix of music, movement and creative experiences, set against the backdrop of upbeat Caribbean rhythms that create a lively, tropical atmosphere.

The Brazilian Samba Novo troupe, a returning favorite, gets everyone moving to the sounds of Samba and salsa music. The lively dancers and energetic drummers once again entertain the crowd and teach kids some of the dance steps, adding an interactive element to their entertainment. Those towering “Jumbie” stilt walkers, rooted as a symbol of spirit guardians, are also back, bring the magic to life as an iconic part of the Carnival celebration.

“The performances resemble what Carnival would really be like,” Terzulli enthuses.

No Carnival is complete without a massive parade to ring in the holiday. Here everyone gets into the parade spirit during what she describes as “the fantastic float parade.”

Kids can help decorate miniature floats before pulling them through the parade, accompanied by dancers and stilt walkers. And, of course, there’s a Carnival King and Queen involved — chosen from

and celebrate

those in the “crowd” to reinforce the event’s playful, inclusive spirit.

Little faces, big imaginations! From butterflies to bold designs, creativity takes center stage as kids are transformed into works of art.

The museum’s animal ‘residents” even join in the fun, helping families understand how wildlife has historically inspired Carnival imagery and costume design. New craft offerings this year include maraca-making, ribbon stick design and face painting.

However, the day isn’t just about play — it’s about perspective.

“We want everyone to find an entry point,” Terzulli says.

While the event is undeniably festive, education remains a core focus. Museum staff and performers involve conversations about Carnival’s history and meaning throughout the day, helping visitors understand its cultural roots while enjoying it all. Through partnerships with authentic cultural contributors, the museum ensures the history of the experience remains front and center.

“We make sure that when they are making the crafts, there is an exchange of why they are making it,” Turzelli adds.

Of course, no festival is complete without flavor. Families can pause for a “pit stop” to sample sweet and savory treats inspired by various Latin American and Caribbean nations, providing a literal taste of the regions being celebrated.

At its heart, the aim is for families to leave with more than just memories of a fun day. Carnival also reflects the museum’s broader mission of serving as a community gathering place.

“I hope they walk away with a sense of joy about the holiday. I think it’s a beautiful, multicultural event,” Terzulli adds. “We want LICM to be a space where people come to learn about each other.”

Sunday, March 1, 3 p.m. $20, $15 seniors 65+ or students with ID; available at the door. Hofstra University, Monroe Lecture Center, California Ave., Hempstead. For information or reservations, call (631) 242-5684 or (516) 586-3433.

“Don’t stop believin’…

Voyage rocks on with another dynamic tribute to Journey. The popular band takes everyone back to the ‘80s when Journey’s timeless music ruled the airwaves. Hailed by fans and critics alike, the band performs the music with chilling accuracy. Voyage is celebrated for their uncanny ability to recreate the legendary sound, energy and passion of one of rock’s greatest bands. With their blistering guitar solos, lush keyboard arrangements, electrifying stage presence, and stunning harmonies, the band has earned a reputation as the ultimate homage to Journey’s timeless music. Fronted by vocalist Pedro Espada, whose range and tone is acclaimed as rivaling the iconic Steve Perry, he’s backed by a lineup of world-class musicians — Robby Hoffman, Greg Smith, Lance Millard, and Dana Spellman — who bring every note to life with precision and heart. Voyage doesn’t just perform Journey’s greatest hits — they transport audiences back to the height of arena rock glory.

Friday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

Feb 27

Snowman and Cocoa fun

Kids are invited to make snowman crafts and enjoy a hot cocoa at Merrick Library.

• Where: 2279 Merrick Ave.

• Time: 10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m.

• Contact: merricklibrary.org

Sõ Percussion in concert

The Grammy-winning percussionists return to the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center. For 25 years and counting, the quartet has redefined chamber music for the 21st century through an “exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam” (The New Yorker). Their commitment to the creation and amplification of new work have made them a trusted partner for composers, allowing the writing of music that expands the style and capacity of brilliant voices of our time.

• Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or 9516) 877-4000

Family

theater

Long Island Children’s Museum stages “Pete the Cat,” the charming musical based on the book series by Kimberly and James Dean. Life is certainly an adventure for Pete, no matter where he winds up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect pal to help him out. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon; also March 3-5

• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

Read to a dog

Feb

28

Kids ages 4-12 can practice reading skills with your dog at Bellmore Memorial Library.

• Where: 2288 Bedford Ave.

• Time: 10-11 a.m.

• Contact: bellmorelibrary.org

Jessie’s Girl

mar

mar 6

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Molloy University’s CAP21 Musical Theatre students tackle Shakespeare. The bard’s beloved comedy is a magical tale that explores the irrationality of love, desire, friendship, jealousy and magic. When the mortal worlds of four young lovers and a bungling group of amateur actors collide with a feuding fairy kingdom in a mystical forest on a midsummer eve, romantic misadventures ensue, causing chaos that only a bit of fairy magic can sort out.

• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 8 p.m.; also March 7, 2 and 8 p.m.; March 8, 3 p.m.

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus

• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

• Time: 8 p.m.

Drag out that neon once again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back — as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off, on the Paramount stage. The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that “Back To The Eighties” vibe with the latest edition of their popular concert experience. With a lineup including four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as 80s icons, backed by a dynamic band, this is the definitive ‘80s experience. Jessie’s Girl’s primary line-up includes a team of NYC’s top rock and pop vocalists: Jenna O’Gara, Jerome Bell-Bastien, and Mark Rinzel. They are backed by one of the tightest bands in the city comprised of 20+ year veterans of the NYC music scene: Eric Presti on guitar, Drew Mortali on bass, Michael Maenza on drums, and Karlee Bloom on Keys and the Keytar. Each with dozens of credits performing with authentic ‘80s icons who made the music famous to begin with! From the synth-pop glitz of the early MTV era to the power ballads of stadium rock, the band captures the specific magic that defined a generation. Throw on top of that: a load of super-fun choreography, audience participation, props, costumes bubbles, and confetti — and you have a party that audiences don’t want to leave. Their motto: There’s no decade like the Eighties and no party like Back To The Eighties with Jessie’s Girl. Whether you lived through the ‘80s the first time or are just a fan of the timeless anthems, you’ll want to join in the fun.l.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

mar

1Congregation

Beth Ohr Mel Polay Purim Carnival

Beth Ohr Mel Polay welcomes to enjoy games, prizes, snacks, tattoos, bagels with a schmear and more at the annual Purim Carnival.

• Where: CBO Merrick Annex, 2655 Clubhouse Road, Merrick

• Time: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 781-3072

Purim Carnival

Join the Merrick Jewish Centre for its annual Purim Carnival.

• Where: Merrick Jewish Centre, 225 Fox Blvd., Merrick

• Time: 10:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 379-8650

Art Perspectives

Nassau County Museum of Art welcomes acclaimed artist Adam Straus for engaging conversation with noted art critic-writerfilmmaker Amei Wallach. Together, Straus and Wallach discuss his artistic process, share insights from his current and past work, and present images that illuminate the evolution of his practice. Their dialogue offers a unique window into the artist’s creative journey and the broader

role of art in reflecting and responding to our contemporary world. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students (members free). Limited seating, register in advance.

• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

Town E-Cycle Program

Town of Hempstead encourages residents to dispose of older computers and electronics during the E-Cycle opportunity at Newbridge Road Park. Residents may also bring personal paper and confidential documents to be shredded, free of charge (limit file boxes or five paper bags).

• Where: 2600 Newbridge Road, Bellmore

• Time: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Contact: hempsteadny.gov/ 225/e-cycling or call (516) 378-4210

Metropolitan Klezmer

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to dress up and celebrate Purim — costumes encouraged and fun guaranteed! Enjoy a performance by Metropolitan Klezmer on the museum stage. The band brings

eclectic exuberance to Yiddish musical genres from all over the map. Performing vibrant versions of lesser-known gems from wedding dance, trance, folk, swing and tango styles, as well as soundtrack material from vintage Yiddish films, they re-invent tradition with both irreverence and respect. Sing and dance along with us at this interactive family concert! Also make a grogger, the traditional noisemaker used during the telling of the Purim story at a drop-in program, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

$5 with museum admission ($4 members), $10 theater only

• Where: 11 Davis. Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

mar

In-person Zumba

5

Get in shape at North Bellmore Library at in-person Zumba with Desiree Durand. $43.75. Registration required.

• Where: 1551 Newbridge Road

• Time: 10-11 a.m., also March 12 and March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, April 23

• Contact: northbellmorelibrary. org

The all-new circus tour is a nonstop celebration of jaw-dropping acts, world-class performances and memory-making moments. Dance, cheer and celebrate from your seat.

• Where: 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: Various, through March 8

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or ringling.com/circus

7

St. Raphael Parish Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration

St. Raphael Parish hosts a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. Ticket includes dinner, dessert, beer and wine, and entertainment.

• Where: 2341 Washington Ave., Bellmore

• Time: 7 to 11 p.m.

• Contact: Learn more at StRaphaelParish.org mar

Having an event?

Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.

Icons. Insights. Impact.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR FREMONT HOME LOAN TRUST 2005-D, MORTGAGE-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-D, Plaintiff, Against MICHAEL BROWN, et al, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 10/09/2018, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 3/23/2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1855 Madison Avenue, Bellmore, New York 11710, and described as follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Bellmore, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 56 Block L Lot 21 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $992,729.74 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 5261/09 If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.

Louis B. Imbroto, Esq., Referee.

MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 1/16/2026 File Number: 17-300073 CA 158465

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE TO PARENTS OF NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS

Bellmore-Merrick

Central High School District parents are reminded that New York State Law requires a written transportation request annually by April 1st from parents or guardians of students

(Grades 7-12) who plan to attend private or parochial schools. Requests must be submitted prior to April 1, 2026 for the school year beginning September 2026. Transportation application forms for the 2026-2027 school year are available at the Brookside School Security Desk, located at 1260 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, New York 11566 or at the District website under District/Transportation: www.bellmoremerrick.k12.ny.us

All students requesting non-public school transportation who did not previously attend one of our component elementary districts: Bellmore, Merrick, North Bellmore or North Merrick Union Free School Districts or one of the Bellmore Merrick Central High School District’s (BMCHSD) schools, must register with the BMCHSD. On Line Registration information can be found at https://www.bellmoremerrick.k12.ny.us/regis tration 158592

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Town Hall Plaza, One Washington Street, Hempstead, New York on 03/11/2026 at 9:30

A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30

A.M.

146/26. - 151/26. BELLMORE - Andrew Abraido, Variance, lot area occupied, construct 2nd story addition open below attached to dwelling; Variances, lot area occupied, side yard, maintain shed addition attached to dwelling; Maintain pool equipment not permitted in the side yard; Special exception to maintain accessory structure (outdoor kitchen) exceeding

horizontal maximum on all sides; Special exception to maintain 2nd accessory structure (counter with fireplace) exceeding horizontal maximum; Special exception to construct 3rd accessory structure (pergola) higher & larger than permitted, exceeding horizontal maximum on both sides, with lot area occupied and rear yard variances., W/s Lefferts Pl., 749.50’ S/o Frederick Ct., a/k/a 2596 Lefferts Pl. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Bellmore within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 158566

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SPECIAL DISTRICT MEETING OF THE BELLMORE MEMORIAL LIBRARY TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD COUNTY OF NASSAU, NEW YORK

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special District Meeting of the qualified voters of the Bellmore Union Free School District, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, will be held in the Bellmore Memorial Library, 2288 Bedford Avenue, Bellmore, New York, on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. prevailing time, for the purpose of voting, by paper ballot and ballot box, upon the following items: (1) To adopt the Annual Budget of the Bellmore Memorial Library for the fiscal year

2026-2027, and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the School District; and (2) To elect one (1) Trustee to the Bellmore Memorial Library board to fill a five year term commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2031.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that for the purpose of voting at such meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026 the polls will be open between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. prevailing time, and the voting will be held in the Bellmore Memorial Library, 2288 Bedford Avenue, Bellmore, New York; and

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the ensuing year for the Bellmore Memorial Library’s purposes, exclusive of public monies, may be obtained by any resident of the School District during the fourteen (14) days immediately preceding said meeting, except Sunday, from the Library, located at 2288 Bedford Avenue, Bellmore, New York, during regular business hours; and

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of Trustee of the Bellmore Memorial Library shall be filed at the Bellmore U.F.S.D. District Office, 580 Winthrop Avenue, Bellmore, New York not later than 5:00 p.m. prevailing time March 16, 2026. Each petition must be directed to the District Clerk, must be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, and must state the residence of each signer and the name and residence of the candidate; and

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to the provisions of Education Law, personal registration of voters is required, and no person shall be entitled to vote at the meeting whose name does not appear on the register of the School District prepared thereof. All persons who shall have been previously registered for Annual or Special School District Meetings and

who shall have voted at any such Annual or Special Meeting held or conducted at any time within the four (4) calendar years prior to April 16, 2026 shall be entitled to vote at this Special District Meeting. In addition, all those who are registered to vote with the Board of Elections of Nassau County pursuant to Article 5 of Election Law shall be entitled to vote at this Special District Meeting.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that applications for early mail ballots must be completed on a form prescribed by the New York State Board of Elections. Such applications are available on the New York State Board of Election’s website https://www.counsel.ny sed.gov/miscellaneous, by visiting the School District website www.bellmoreschools. org, and at the district clerk’s office 580 Winthrop Ave., Bellmore, NY between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on days when school is in session. Completed applications for early mail ballots must be received at least seven (7) days before the election if the early mail ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter or to his or her designated agent. Early mail ballot applications will not be accepted before March 17, 2026. Early mail voter’s ballots must be received in the district clerk’s office not later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the election in order to be canvassed. A list of all persons to whom early mail ballots have been issued will be available for inspection in the district clerk’s office.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that absentee ballot applications for the Bellmore Memorial Library election and budget vote are to be completed on a form prescribed by the state board of elections by visiting the NYS Education Department’s website, https://www.counsel.ny sed.gov/miscellaneous, the Bellmore UFSD website, (www.bellmoreschools. org), or by contacting the District Clerk by email

(arosenfeld@bellmores chools.org) or phone (516-679-2910). Completed applications must be received at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the applicant, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the applicant or to his or her designated agent. Absentee ballot applications will not be accepted by the District Clerk before March 17, 2026. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots have been issued will be available in the District Clerk’s office on each of the five days prior to the election except Sunday, and by appointment only from 9:00 to 12:00 noon on the Saturday prior to the election.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the Bellmore Memorial Library may request an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk by email (arosenfeld@bellmores chools.org) or phone (516-679-2910). In such request, the military voter may indicate his/her preference for receiving the application by mail, fax or email. A military voter must return the original military ballot application by mail to the Office District Clerk at Bellmore Memorial Library. Military ballot applications received in accordance with the foregoing will be processed in the same manner as a nonmilitary ballot application under Section 2018-b of the Education Law. The application for a military ballot should include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the military ballot by mail, fax or email.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a military voter’s original military ballot must be returned by mail to the District Clerk, 580 Winthrop Avenue, Bellmore, New York Military ballots shall be canvassed if they are received by the District Clerk: (1) before the close of the polls of election day and showing a cancellation mark of the U.S. postal service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated

endorsement of receipt by another agency of the U.S. government; or (2) not later than 5:00 p.m. on election day and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election; and

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a qualified voter whose ability to appear personally at the polling place is substantially impaired by reason of permanent illness or physical disability and whose registration record has been marked “permanently disabled” by the Board of Elections pursuant to the provisions of the Election Law, shall be entitled to receive an absentee ballot pursuant to the provisions of the Education Law without making separate application for such absentee ballot.

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public information hearing will be held at the Bellmore Memorial Library, Bellmore, New York on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. for the purpose of discussion of the expenditure of funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BELLMORE MEMORIAL LIBRARY Angela Rosenfeld, District Clerk DATED: February 2026 BELLMORE, NEW YORK 158588

To Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232

LEGAL NOTICE AVISO DE LA REUNIÓN ESPECIAL DE DISTRITO DE LA BIBLIOTECA CONMEMORATIVA DE BELLMORE CIUDAD DE HEMPSTEAD CONDADO DE NASSAU (NUEVA YORK) POR LA PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que una Reunión Especial del Distrito de los votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Libre de Bellmore Union, Ciudad de Hempstead, Condado de Nassau, Nueva York, se llevará a cabo en la Biblioteca Memorial, 2288 Bedford Avenue, Nueva York, jueves 16 de abril de 2026 a la 1:00 p.m. hora prevaleciente, con el propósito de votar, por boleta de papel y urna, sobre los siguientes artículos:

(1) Adoptar el Presupuesto Anual de la Biblioteca Bellmore Memorial para el año fiscal 2026-2027, y autorizar que la porción requerida de la misma se recaude mediante impuestos sobre la propiedad imponible del Distrito Escolar; y (2) Elegir un (1) Fideicomisario para la junta de la Biblioteca Bellmore Memorial por un período de cinco años período que comienza el 1 de julio de 2026 y finaliza el 30 de junio de 2031. POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL de que, con el fin de votar en dicha reunión el jueves 16 de abril de 2026, las urnas estarán abiertas entre las horas de la 1:00 p.m. y las 8:00 p.m., hora prevaleciente, y la votación se llevará a cabo en la Biblioteca Bellmore Memorial, 2288 Bedford Avenue, Nueva York; Bellmore; y POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL, que cualquier residente del Distrito Escolar puede obtener una copia de la declaración de la cantidad de dinero que se requerirá para el año siguiente para los propósitos de la Biblioteca Bellmore Memorial, excluyendo los fondos públicos, durante los catorce (14) días inmediatamente anteriores a dicha reunión, excepto el domingo, de la Biblioteca, ubicado en 2288 Bedford Avenue, Bellmore, New York, durante el horario comercial habitual; y POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL de que las peticiones de nominación de candidatos para el cargo de Fideicomisario de la Biblioteca Conmemorativa de Bellmore se presentarán en la Oficina del Distrito de U.F.S.D., 580 Winthrop Avenue, Nueva York a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m., hora prevaleciente del 16 de marzo de 2026. Cada petición debe ser dirigida al Secretario del Distrito, debe estar firmada por al menos veinticinco (25) votantes calificados del Distrito, y debe declarar la residencia de cada firmante y el nombre y residencia del candidato; y POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL de que, de conformidad con las disposiciones de la Ley de Educación,

Public Notices

se requiere el registro personal de los votantes, y ninguna persona tendrá derecho a votar en la reunión cuyo nombre no aparezca en el registro del Distrito Escolar preparado por la misma. Todas las personas que se hayan registrado previamente para las Reuniones Anuales o Especiales del Distrito Escolar y que hayan votado en cualquier Reunión

Anual o Especial celebrada o realizada en cualquier momento dentro de los cuatro (4) años calendario anteriores al 16 de abril de 2026 tendrán derecho a votar en esta Reunión Especial del Distrito. Además, todos aquellos que estén registrados para votar con la Junta Electoral del Condado de Nassau de conformidad con el Artículo 5 de la Ley Electoral tendrán derecho a votar en esta Reunión Especial del Distrito.

POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL de que las solicitudes de boletas anticipadas por correo deben completarse en un formulario prescrito por la Junta Electoral del Estado de Nueva York. Dichas solicitudes están disponibles en el sitio web de la Junta Electoral del Estado de Nueva York, https://www.counsel.ny sed.gov/miscellaneous, visitando el sitio web del Distrito Escolar www.bellmoreschools. org, y en la oficina del secretario del distrito 580 Winthrop Ave., Bellmore, NY entre las 9:00 a.m. y las 3:00 p.m. en los días en que la escuela está en sesión. Las solicitudes completas para boletas anticipadas por correo deben recibirse al menos siete (7) días antes de la elección si la boleta anticipada por correo se va a enviar por correo al votante, o el día antes de la elección si la boleta se va a entregar personalmente al

votante o a su agente designado. Las solicitudes de boleta electoral anticipada por correo no se aceptarán antes del 17 de marzo de 2026. Las boletas de voto anticipado por correo deben recibirse en la oficina del secretario del distrito a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. el día de la elección para poder ser escrutadas. Una lista de todas las personas a las que se han emitido boletas anticipadas por correo estará disponible para su inspección en la oficina del secretario del distrito.

SE NOTIFICA ADEMÁS que las solicitudes de boletas de voto en ausencia para la elección de la Biblioteca Bellmore Memorial y la votación presupuestaria deben completarse en un formulario prescrito por la junta electoral estatal visitando el sitio web del Departamento de Educación del Estado de Nueva York https://www.counsel.ny sed.gov/miscellaneous, el sitio web de Bellmore UFSD, (www.bellmoreschools. org), o comunicándose con el Secretario del Distrito por correo electrónico (arosenfeld@bellmores chools.org) o por teléfono \(516-679-2910). Las solicitudes completadas deben recibirse al menos siete (7) días antes de la elección si la boleta se va a enviar por correo al solicitante, o el día antes de la elección si la boleta se va a entregar personalmente al solicitante o a su agente designado. Las solicitudes de boletas de voto en ausencia no serán aceptadas por el Secretario del Distrito antes del 17 de marzo de 2026. Una lista de todas las personas a las que se han emitido boletas de voto en ausencia estará disponible en la oficina del Secretario del

Distrito en cada uno de los cinco días anteriores a la elección, excepto el domingo, y solo con cita previa de 9:00 a 12:00 del mediodía el sábado anterior a la elección. ADEMÁS, SE DA AVISO de que los votantes militares que son votantes calificados de la Biblioteca Conmemorativa de Bellmore pueden solicitar una solicitud para una boleta militar del Secretario del Distrito por correo electrónico (arosenfeld@bellmores chools.org) o por teléfono (516-679-2910). En dicha solicitud, el votante militar puede indicar su preferencia por recibir la solicitud por correo, fax o correo electrónico. Un votante militar debe devolver la solicitud original de boleta militar por correo al Secretario de la Oficina del Distrito en la Biblioteca Bellmore Memorial. Las solicitudes de boletas militares recibidas de acuerdo con lo anterior se procesarán de la misma manera que una solicitud de boleta no militar bajo la Sección 2018-b de la Ley de Educación. La solicitud de una boleta militar debe incluir la preferencia del votante militar para recibir la boleta militar por correo, fax o correo electrónico.

POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL, que la boleta militar original de un votante military deben devolverse por correo al Secretario del Distrito, 580 Winthrop Avenue, Bellmore, Nueva York Las boletas militares serán examinadas si son recibidas por el Secretario del Distrito: (1) antes del cierre de las urnas del día de las elecciones y mostrando una marca de cancelación del servicio postal de los EE. UU. o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o mostrando un endoso

fechado de recepción por otra agencia del gobierno de los EE. UU.; o (2) a más tardar a las 5:00 p.m. del día de las elecciones y firmada y fechada por el votante militar y un testigo del mismo, con una fecha que se determine que no es posterior al día anterior a la elección; y

POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL de que un votante calificado cuya capacidad para comparecer personalmente en el lugar de votación se ve sustancialmente afectada por razón de enfermedad permanente o discapacidad física y cuyo registro de registro ha sido marcado como “discapacitado permanentemente” por la Junta Electoral de conformidad con las disposiciones de la Ley Electoral, tendrá derecho a recibir una boleta de voto en ausencia de conformidad con las disposiciones de la Ley de Educación sin hacer una solicitud por separado para dicha boleta de voto en ausencia.

POR LA PRESENTE SE DA AVISO ADICIONAL de que se llevará a cabo una audiencia de información pública en la Biblioteca Bellmore Memorial, New York, el miercoles 8 de abril de 2026 a las 6:00 p.m. con el propósito de discutir el gasto de fondos para el año fiscal 2026-2027.

POR ORDEN DEL PATRONATO BIBLIOTECA

CONMEMORATIVA DE BELLMORE Angela Rosenfeld, Secretaria de Distrito FECHA: February 2026 BELLMORE, NUEVA YORK 158590

Medical supply closet grows from grassroots effort

passion for health equity.

“I saw the disparities between the haves and have-nots,” Specht said. “Issues about affordability, accessibility and insurance were always there.”

She has since completed six medical missions across three countries but said those experiences inspired her to focus closer to home.

What started as supplies stored in her home quickly expanded into a storage unit as donations increased. Today, the effort redistributes items ranging from hospital beds and wheelchairs to wound-care materials and incontinence supplies — the latter among the most requested.

and

practitioner turned donated medical supplies into a grassroots medical supply closet, neighbors promoting equity medical trading, that now helps Long island families access equipment they might otherwise struggle to afford.

Much of the outreach happens through word of mouth and social media, with Specht often personally coordinating deliveries. In some cases, she and her family have transported and assembled equipment for patients, including a hospice patient whose insurance coverage for a hospital bed had ended.

“We never charge anything,” she said, noting that optional donations help cover gas and storage costs.

Specht collaborates with other regional groups, including Connor’s Closet, Social Brain Medical Outreach in Suffolk County and the Long Island Trading Post, to connect resources across Nassau and Suffolk counties.

While Long Island is often associated with affluence, Specht said the need is widespread and not always visible. Many families face barriers beyond cost, including language differences, limited health literacy and difficulty navigating insurance systems.

“There are the haves and the have-

nots, and the line can be blurred,” she said. “A lot of it is just accessibility.”

Her goal is to expand into a larger space and involve volunteers, including high school and nursing students, to expose them to the realities of community health needs.

Beyond patient support, Specht sees the initiative as an environmental effort. Reusing equipment keeps usable items out of landfills and challenges what she called a “disposable society.”

“We’re trying to fill gaps focusing on accessibility, affordability and sustainability,” she said.

Specht hopes increased awareness will help the project reach more families and donors, ensuring that unused medical supplies find a second life — and someone in need gets the help they require.

For more information, visit npemt. org to learn how to donate.

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What makes a basement a basement?‘finished’

Q. I have a basement with a bathroom and nothing else except a washer and dryer, back to back, with the sink and toilet on the other side of the wall. Everything else is unfinished, and I bought it this way. I was recently told that I need to have a permit for a finished basement or I have to remove the bathroom. I don’t want either of those options, but I’m being told I will be issued a violation, because the building department sent me a notice about this. I consulted an architect, who started to explain all the rules, but I need a second opinion. What should I do if I just want the bathroom and don’t want to finish everything else?

A. Sorry to disappoint you, but your building department has interpreted that your bathroom in a basement is leading to habitable use, meaning that the basement is more than just a place to store boxes and other household items. The same is true of basements that have a fireplace or a mattress-and-night-table setup. Even occasional use by a houseguest puts you in the category of a “finished” basement.

What the consultant architect may have told you is that you’ll either have to remove the bathroom, with a permit for the demolition (since your building department knows about the condition) and a separate plumbing permit to have the capping of pipes inspected, or you’ll need a lot of other items, at greater expense. Your spaces will need to meet the ceiling height requirement of 80 inches from floor to finished ceiling, or anything constricting someone from walking around, such as a steam pipe or built soffit. If you don’t have 80 inches (6 feet 8 inches), then the rest of what you do will also be important to evaluate, since your plans and application paperwork will be on hold until the requirement is appealed through a separate codeappeal process, and more paperwork will need to be submitted to the state for a code compliance variance. This means you will have to request to vary or be allowed an exception after evaluation by a review board at the state level.

Either way, a finished basement will require a second means to escape in an emergency. This can be accomplished with a larger window, with an opening no higher than 44 inches from the floor and at least 5.7 square feet of clear opening, a minimum of 24 inches in height and 20 inches in width. A window that is only 20 inches by 24 inches would not meet the requirement, however. Those are just minimums for each dimension.

The escape well has to be a minimum of 9 square feet of outside floor area, and must at least have a ladder for climbing up and away. You could also have a door and stairwell, with proper drainage, at even greater expense. There’s more, so wait until next week.

are encouraged to send questions to

with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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OpiniOns Stephen Miller’s politics of sabotage

Every administration has its ideologues. Every president has advisers who translate impulse into policy. But once in a while, a single figure emerges whose real work is not governance but sabotage — the deliberate narrowing of civic life.

In Donald Trump’s White House, that figure is Stephen Miller.

Miller is often described as the architect of Trump’s immigration agenda.

That may be true, but it’s incomplete. Immigration is simply the most visible stage on which Miller operates. The deeper project is broader and more corrosive: a politics designed to make Americans afraid — not only of immigrants, but of one another, and of acting freely in public life.

Miller’s real architecture isn’t just about who gets in. It’s about what kind of country we become.

The through-line is intimidation. The point isn’t merely enforcement but atmosphere: to show that the state can reach into your life suddenly, harshly,

without apology. To make people think twice before speaking, gathering, helping or dissenting. To shrink civic space until citizenship itself begins to feel conditional. In such a climate, obedience becomes the safest form of participation, and democracy begins to feel like a risk.

That’s why Miller matters. He isn’t simply a policy adviser. He is both symptom and accelerant — a product of a political sickness and one of its most effective carriers. The sickness is the belief that democracy is too messy, pluralism too dangerous, compassion too soft. Miller gives that belief bureaucratic form.

idone profound damage. And once that atmosphere is established, the most vulnerable are always the first to suffer the worst of it.

n a Millershaped America, protest would be treated as menace.

Miller’s defenders characterize him as “tough.” But toughness isn’t the same as callousness. A serious country can enforce laws without turning the machinery of government into an engine of humiliation. Miller’s politics depend on a story: that America is perpetually under siege, that outsiders are threats, that pluralism is weakness, that empathy is naïveté.

tions would be staffed by loyalty, not expertise; protest would be treated as menace; law would be less a shield than a club; and citizenship would be a conditional permit, not a shared inheritance. It’s tempting, and comforting, to say, “The Constitution will save us.” It won’t. Constitutions don’t rescue republics by themselves. They are frameworks, not force fields. They depend on officials who honor them, courts that enforce them, legislators who defend their authority, and citizens who refuse to be intimidated into silence.

It’s not a secret that his fingerprints are on some of the harshest immigration measures of the last decade, including family separation at the southern border — a policy widely condemned because it treats children not as human beings, but as instruments of deterrence. Whatever you believe about border control, using suffering as a message is a show of cruelty, not strength. But the deeper lesson is about power. A government that can make ordinary people afraid — afraid to speak, gather, help or dissent — has already

Civil rights organizations have raised alarms for years about Miller’s proximity to white nationalist rhetoric. The Southern Poverty Law Center took the extraordinary step of listing him in its extremist files. That is not a marginal controversy; it goes to the moral and ideological foundations of the policies he designs. Whether you accept every charge or not, the pattern is difficult to miss: Miller’s governing worldview is built on suspicion — of difference, of openness, of the very idea of a shared civic “we.”

In a Miller-shaped America, the safest posture would be silence; institu-

The danger of Stephen Miller’s politics is that they treat laws not as a restraint but as an instrument — something to stretch, weaponize and exhaust until rights feel theoretical and the public stops believing that resistance matters.

So the question isn’t whether the Constitution can save us. The question is whether Americans will still insist on the constitutional order itself: limits on power, equal citizenship, lawful process, and a public life in which fear isn’t the organizing principle.

Miller’s project runs in the other direction. And if it succeeds, no piece of parchment will protect us.

Michael Blitz is professor emeritus of interdisciplinary studies at the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

The challenge of celebrating Black History Month

On Feb. 5, not long after Black History Month began, President Trump’s Truth Social account posted a video depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. In response to criticism from Republicans, the video was removed the next day, but with no apology from the president.

That’s the immediate context in which Black History Month takes place, but it’s been an entire year since the last celebration of this month, during which the Trump administration has advanced white supremacy and moved aggressively to undermine America’s longstanding commitment to diversity.

The administration’s support for white supremacy isn’t new. In November 2019, in Trump’s first term, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights called for the firing of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, stating, “Stephen Miller represents white supremacy, violent extremism, and hate — all ideologies that are antithetical to

the fundamental values that guide our democracy. Allowing him to remain a White House advisor is a betrayal of our national ideals of justice, inclusion, and fairness.”

Yet in the second Trump administration, Miller has even more power. As Ashley Parker, of the Atlantic, told NPR recently, “He’s incredibly powerful. Steve Bannon and other people jokingly call him the prime minister.”

Miller is perhaps best known, as NPR reports, as “a chief architect of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.”

The Trump government has undermined our country’s commitment to diversity.

That crackdown has generated intense public opposition due to the killings in Minneapolis of two American citizens with no criminal records by ICE officers. Because ICE is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it ironically shares the department’s mission to “safeguard the American people.” That irony is not lost on Americans, and the public response to those two deaths has echoed the outcry after the 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.

The irony of the administration continues, as the White House acts to ensure that America’s schools instill, in the words of Executive Order 14190, “a

patriotic admiration for our incredible Nation and the values for which we stand” — while detaining children through ICE crackdowns at accelerating rates. As MS NOW reports, “Recent independent analysis by the Marshall Project shows that the number of children held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement has skyrocketed in Trump’s second term — from an average of about 25 children detained per day during the final 16 months of Biden’s presidency to about 170 children per day under Trump.” On some days, the analysis found, “ICE held 400 children or more.”

What values, exactly, are those detained children learning at the hands of the administration? What values are all children learning as they witness detentions of other children, day care workers and young parents? These are actions of cruelty, not respect for human life and liberty. They are acts of lawlessness, not patriotism.

Now the administration proposes to change the way we vote in America. As The New York Times reports, “President Trump has repeatedly suggested that he wants the Republican-led federal government to ‘nationalize,’ or ‘take over,’

the running of elections.” His allies in Congress are simultaneously advancing legislation — the Make Elections Great Again, or MEGA, Act — that would make voting more difficult. These proposals completely ignore the fact that elections in the United States are free and fair.

As the Brennan Center for Justice writes, “In 2025, a new threat to free and fair elections emerged: the federal government. Since day one of his second term, the Trump administration has attempted to rewrite election rules to burden voters and usurp control of election systems, targeted and threatened election officials and others who keep elections free and fair, supported people who undermine election administration, and retreated from the federal government’s role of protecting voters and the electoral process.”

Nationalizing state elections is blatantly unconstitutional, and the legislative actions would make voting more difficult. That is exactly what this White House and its allies want to achieve.

As Black History Month continues, and in the months and years ahead, ERASE Racism will be championing inclusiveness, fairness and justice for all.

Elaine Gross is founder and president emerita of ERASE Racism, a regional civil rights organization based on Long Island.

opinions Another baseball season full of hope

The arrival of spring training, and the anticipation of another baseball season, brings back great memories. My earliest baseball memories date back to the early 1950s and the Brooklyn Dodgers, the famed “Boys of Summer,” in what is now regarded as the sport’s Golden Age. Baseball was the unquestioned national pastime, and New York’s Yankees, Dodgers and Giants were the dominant teams. From 1947 to 1956, the Yankees won eight league pennants, the Dodgers six and the Giants two.

For nine of those 10 seasons, at least one World Series teams was from New York, and for eight years, both teams were. That was a true monopoly of excellence.

The Dodgers teams of my youth included such Hall of Famer players as Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and Gil Hodges. There was nothing better than sitting in the stands at Ebbets Field, watching these stars excel. (Tickets for bleacher seats cost 75 cents!) As mighty as the

Dodgers were, however, the Yankees, led by legendary stars like Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford, prevailed in five of the teams’ six World Series encounters.

And then, in 1957, Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley announced the unthinkable: He would move the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles the following year, and the Giants would go to San Francisco. My childhood had come to a crashing halt. National League baseball would be gone from New York.

JMy final goodbye to the Dodgers would come on Sept. 22, 1957, when I went to their final home day game at Ebbets Field. Brooklyn beat the Phillies, 7-3, and Duke Snider hit two home runs, but that was small consolation. Dodgers baseball in New York, and my years of sports innocence, were behind me. National League baseball didn’t return to New York until the Mets arrived in 1962. They were an expansion team, which meant they were composed of players others teams didn’t want. There were some rough, lean years, but to Mets fans, it didn’t matter. They rallied behind the team, and after seven seasons, and many losses, the 1969 Mira-

cle Mets, led by their manager, Dodgers legend Gil Hodges, won the World Series in a never-to-be-forgotten triumph over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles.

ust one example: thousands of area kids looking forward to Little League.

The Mets captured the Series again in 1986, defeating the Red Sox in a memorable seven-game struggle. There have been several good runs since then that fell just short, including a World Series defeat to Kansas City in 2015 and, most recently, a League Championship Series loss to the Dodgers in 2024. Now the Mets face the 2026 season having decided to go forward without their all-time leading home run hitter, Pete Alonso, and star relief pitcher Edwin Diaz, as well as proven veterans Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. Their core four are gone. For Mets fans, spring training will be filled with questions and unknown answers.

I know that baseball has changed dramatically since years ago. There are almost twice as many teams now as there were then; players move from team to team, season to season; and teams regularly play inter-league games. As well, the Super Bowl has surpassed the World Series in public attention, and sports such as hockey and bas-

ketball crowd the calendar, playing well into the baseball season.

But still, that sense of anticipation remains. There is something about the fresh spring air and the crack of the bat that brings our attention back to the baseball diamond. The distances from the pitcher’s mound to home plate, and between the bases, remain the same, as do ball and strike counts. And, especially on Long Island, many thousands of kids are looking forward to playing Little League baseball in a new season, when, as always, their parents and grandparents will be in the stands, cheering them on. They’ll create new memories that, in years to come, they’ll pass on to their children and grandchildren.

No matter the rule changes or league realignments, baseball will remain unchanged as an essential component of the American fabric. Almost 75 years ago, the renowned cultural historian Jacques Barzun famously proclaimed, “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball.” That is as true today as it was then, and I believe it will be true for generations to come.

Play ball!

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

Ed Ra’s new post is good for Long Island

Having spent 23 years of my life in the State Assembly, I keep close contact with members and monitor the progress of significant legislation. I make it a point to call individual members to encourage them to take action on proposals that are good for Long Island. Which is why I was thrilled that Republican Assemblyman Ed Ra was chosen as minority leader earlier this month, in a unanimous vote.

Living as a bipartisan person, I have been supportive of Ra in his many roles as an elected official. During his 10 years in office he has been a proactive legislator, proposing laws focusing affordability, antisemitism, workforce development and controlling state costs. I was especially pleased when he became the ranking minority member of the Ways and Means Committee.

I had the good fortune to chair that

committee for 10-plus years, and have great respect for committee members who pay attention to pending laws and ask questions. Ra has been a diligent member of the committee, and he has kept the majority members on their toes. Ways and Means is the most important committee in the Assembly, and it desperately needs members who keep an eye on the 7,000plus bills that are sent to it each year.

He’s worked hard to become the Assembly’s Republican minority leader.

Ra is the third Assembly member from Long Island in my career who has held the title of minority leader. The late Assembly members Perry B. Duryea and Jack Kingston also held that job. Duryea eventually became the speaker, and holding the minority post was a springboard to the top job. I know for a fact that Ra didn’t get the leadership job without a lot of preparation, forging coalitions to win the support of the minority caucus.

I doubt that even the Republican leaders on Long Island fully understand what it took for Ra to get his new job. Over the years he has taken on all of the

thankless jobs that most members do not covet. He has been involved in reviewing all of the bills that affect the Island, and for a few years he acted as the Republican floor leader, organizing debates on bills advanced by the majority. It’s the job of minority members to craft credible arguments opposing majority legislation.

There’s a separate issue that most of the Albany establishment doesn’t understand. The Assembly’s Republican membership is dominated by upstate legislators. They tend to be anti-downstate, and want all of the key jobs for their delegation. If you talk to an upstate Republican member, don’t be surprised if he or she is anti-Long Island. They are jealous of the attention Long Island gets, and many think negatively about the downstate region in general.

When the previous minority leader, Will Barclay, an upstater, announced that he wouldn’t seek re-election this year, the upstaters immediately began to caucus to support one of their own to

keep the job in their region. At the same time, Ra had to move quickly to win a majority of the conference. That backroom stuff happens in any type of legislative body, and it takes political smarts to pull it off.

Why make a fuss about the election of an assemblyman who’s in the minority party? We’re a very big island, with multiple needs and demands. We need all the voices we can get to speak out for the bi-county area. New York City legislators have a strong voice on a variety of issues, and the Island has to fight for recognition when the dollars are being disbursed and laws are passing that help other areas of the state.

Last year I wrote a column singling out Democratic Assemblywoman Mickey Solages and Ra for their hard work in Albany. I was pleased then and now that Ra has advanced in his party leadership. Solages is a rising star in the Democratic Party, and I’m happy that Ra is now a part of the four-way leadership.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.

Long Island students need news literacy

on Long Island, where school boards debate curriculum priorities and districts navigate tight budgets, one subject can no longer be treated as optional: media literacy.

Across Nassau and Suffolk counties, students scroll through a relentless stream of headlines, commentary and viral content, frequently without formal instruction on how to tell the difference between verified reporting and misinformation.

In an era when misinformation travels faster than facts and algorithms reward outrage over accuracy, the future of journalism and civic trust hinges on what young people understand about news.

A November 2025 study from the News Literacy Project makes the stakes unmistakably clear: Teenagers are not rejecting journalism outright, but they are struggling to distinguish it from everything else crowding their feeds.

The nationwide study builds on a troubling News Literacy Project 2024 finding that 45 percent of teens believed journalists harmed democracy. But the new research goes further, examining not just skepticism but the roots of distrust — and the confusion at its core.

Teens often lump professional reporting, partisan commentary and outright online misinformation into a single category: “news.” When everything looks the same, nothing earns trust.

However, there is a mandate for action. An overwhelming 94 percent of teens said news or media literacy should

be part of their education. They are not tuning out because they don’t care. They are asking for help.

The problem is access. Only 39 percent of students reported receiving any media literacy instruction during the prior school year. More than six in 10 teens are left to decode a complex information ecosystem by themselves. They scroll through algorithm-driven headlines, influencer commentary masquerading as reporting and viral misinformation engineered for emotional impact — often without being taught how to verify a claim or evaluate a source.

That gap isn’t just an educational oversight. It is a civic vulnerability.

According to Donnell Probst, executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education, the most effective time to teach these skills is early, before beliefs harden and misinformation calcifies into identity.

Encouragingly, instruction works. Students who had lessons in media literacy were more likely to seek out news, and reported higher levels of trust in journalists. This is measurable impact backed by research.

Long Island school districts should take note.

Across Nassau and Suffolk counties, some schools offer journalism electives or student newspapers. Others offer none. According to a 2022 survey by Baruch College, 73 percent of New York City public schools lacked student newspapers — with access concentrated in private and selective schools. The same inequities often surface on Long Island,

where opportunities vary widely by district.

The decline of school newspapers and journalism classes compounds the media literacy crisis. These programs teach students what real journalism requires: cultivating sources, verifying facts, and asking tough follow-up questions.

If we want a generation that values journalism, we must first ensure that it understands journalism. This isn’t a “kids these days” problem. It is a larger one — and it is also a business imperative for local news organizations across Long Island. If the next generation cannot differentiate between a reported investigation and a viral conspiracy thread, it will not subscribe to, support or defend professional journalism.

Doubling down on media literacy in school curriculums is no longer optional. It should be embedded across grade levels, integrated into English and social studies classes and reinforced through experiential learning like student newsrooms. Policymakers should treat media literacy as foundational civic infrastructure, not a niche elective.

News organizations on Long Island must also step forward and partner with schools, open newsrooms, support media literacy initiatives and provide mentorship and transparency about how reporting is done.

The answer isn’t louder defenses of journalism, but deeper public understanding — teaching media literacy so people can recognize misinformation and think critically for themselves.

When public education becomes a business

If you turn on a local radio station, chances are you’ll hear a commercial for a new and upcoming charter school in the area. These schools are being promoted as a new and improved alternative to our current public schools. As they continue to spread across Long Island, we, the taxpaying community members, need to ask these questions: Why the sudden influx?

And who is benefiting financially from these charter schools?

While public schools across the Island are currently facing tight budgets, staffing shortages and increasing numbers of students with greater needs, how can we take money slated for these students and schools to line someone else’s pocket? It’s time for the community to question where the tax dollars that we voted to send to our public schools are actually going. Don’t we deserve transparency and accountability for every one of those dollars?

Charter schools promote themselves

as public schools, since they’re funded by taxpayers and families don’t pay outof-pocket tuition. But unlike public schools, these institutions aren’t watched over by elected boards of education. Who approves a charter school budget? In public schools, budgets are presented to the community over the course of several board meetings. Community members then have an opportunity to question the spending plans and ultimately vote to accept or reject them.

As charter schools continue to spread, taxpayers should be asking questions.

On the other hand, charter schools receive money directly from public schools. They are able to spend money without being accountable to the community that provides them with these funds. Their budgets are never presented to their communities, and the local school districts are unable to see where the money is going. Their spending isn’t approved by voters, and communities can’t monitor how their tax money is being spent. This lack of transparency allows public money to be spent without any accountability or oversight.

Many of the charter schools that are popping up across Long Island are run

by private management companies, real estate firms and vendors who profit from public funds. These companies often aren’t even local. They don’t have any vested interest in the community. They look at the school as a business where they don’t educate all children, but rather essentially hand-pick the students they want.

Students with special needs, or for whom English is a second language, or who have behavioral problems or learning difficulties, are often sent out of charter schools and back to public schools — which open their doors to them and welcome them. They educate every student who walks through those doors, regardless of their need. Public schools also absorb the full cost of educating them. When funding is redirected from public schools to charter schools, districts are often forced to cut programs, increase class sizes and delay crucial building repairs.

And when it comes to buildings, have you noticed how structures at charter schools can seem to be constructed overnight? This doesn’t happen because charter school administrations are more efficient. It happens because while

public schools are required to disclose contractors’ bids on capital projects, charter schools can erect a building, add an extension or do major renovations with no bidding, no approval and, once again, no community oversight. If these are publicly funded improvements using taxpayers’ dollars, shouldn’t we all be held to the same standards? This raises more questions about transparency, accountability and equality.

This isn’t about opposing school choice. It’s about making sure that public education doesn’t become a moneymaker for big business rather than an organization to educate our students. The message here is about fiscal and educational transparency. If charter schools really claim to serve the public, then shouldn’t we see how our tax dollars are being spent?

When school budgets are created, we, the taxpayers, should have a voice in the process. That money we provide should go toward educational programs for classrooms, and books and resources for children. The budgets we approve should support learning. Our tax dollars belong with the children, not in a corporation’s pocket.

Alison Chaplar, of Massapequa, is a longtime public school educator, a mother and a community advocate.

Your opinion Matters

Your opinion Matters

Your opinion Matters

The strength of our community comes from open dialogue.

The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.

We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.

The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.

Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com

Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com

Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com

Be heard. Be part of the conversation.

Be heard. Be part of the conversation.

Be heard. Be part of the conversation.