East Meadow Herald 02-05-2026

HERALD east meadow

Jason Thomas/Herald

Ross Schiller, right, was installed as president of the east Meadow Chamber of Commerce for 2026. Schiller, above, with Roxanne Rose, the outgoing president.

E.M. Chamber marks 70 years of growth, success, partnerships

By JoSEpH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com

The East Meadow Chamber of Commerce toasted a year of business growth, community partnerships and new ventures on Jan. 23, celebrating its 70th anniversary while ushering in a new era of leadership.

The milestone event took place during its annual installation of officers and directors at the Coral House in Baldwin, where the chamber recognized some of the community’s most dedicated contributors.

Richie Krug Jr., a past president of the chamber, was honored as its 2026 Man of the Year. Krug, a real estate associate broker

with the RTK Realty Group at Coldwell Banker American Homes, is a lifelong East Meadow resident and longtime community advocate.

The chamber also formally welcomed Ross Schiller as its president for 2026, while reflecting on seven decades of advocacy for East Meadow’s business community.

“This is our 70th year, which is a true milestone,” said Schiller, of Ross L. Schiller & Associates P.C., a local real estate, trust and asset protection legal practice. “The chamber not only looks to the past for guidance, but we look to the future and to all the events the chamber runs throughout the

Continued on page 10

Medicaid scam at NUMC

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

Over a year has passed since former leadership at Nassau University Medical Center filed a lawsuit against New York state, alleging a decadeslong Medicaid scam that deprived the largest safety-net hospital on Long Island of as much of $1 billion in aid. Following a turbulent year at NUMC, in which its board and leadership was ousted and replaced by mostly state appointments, the federal Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating the same reports, according to a Jan. 16 letter sent to Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medical Services within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Rsity Medical Center and its parent public-benefit corporation, the Nassau Health Care Corporation, accused the state of withholding $1.06 billion, plus interest, in Medicaid payments that the hospital said it was entitled to receive.

eports

on this scheme

indicate that the state has engaged in this behavior for more than 20 years

U.S. REp. JAMES CoMER Chair, House Oversight Committee

The alleged Medicaid scheme

In late 2024, Nassau Univer-

According to notice-of-claims documents distributed to reporters at a November 2024 press conference in the lobby of the East Meadow hospital, a disproportionately large share of patients served by NUMC are eligible for Medicaid. NUMC is one of three public hospitals in New York that serve all patients, regardless of their ability to pay for medical care.

Because of the large number of Medicaid patients, the hospital receives federal funding through the Disproportionate Share Hospital program and the Upper Payment Limit program — both

Continued on page 20

things to know: District BonD

Breaking down East Meadow School District’s bond vote

By JORDAN VALLONE

jvallone@liherald.com

Voters in East Meadow will head to the polls on March 5 to decide the fate of a proposed $71.5 million bond aimed at upgrading school facilities across the district. The bond, approved by the Board of Education for a public referendum, would fund a sweeping slate of security, athletic and performing arts improvements touching every building. District officials say the plan is the result of months of study and community input. At its highest cost, the bond would add $31.86 per year to the average homeowner’s tax bill.

What

the bond is — and how it works

The proposed bond is designed to fund largescale capital improvements that cannot be covered through the district’s annual operating budget. While the yearly budget pays for day-to-day expenses like salaries, transportation and supplies, a bond allows the district to borrow money — similar to a mortgage — and repay it over 15 or 30 years with interest. Discussions on the bond began last fall and were informed by a comprehensive building conditions survey at every school. Superintendent Ken Rosner said administrators worked closely with principals, athletic directors, department chairs, tax consultants and bond counsel to identify priorities. Bonds, he noted, are typically used for “big-ticket items” that improve facilities districtwide and are intended to last for decades.

What’s included in the proposal

If approved, the bond would fund security upgrades at every school, including new security vestibules, updated interior door locks and fire alarm systems brought up to code. A major portion of the plan focuses on athletic facilities, with new synthetic-turf fields planned at East Meadow High School, W.T. Clarke middle and high schools, Woodland Middle School and the Salisbury School. Several sites would also receive new bleachers, lighting, restrooms and renovated locker rooms to improve safety and usability. The proposal also includes HVAC and audio-visual upgrades to performing arts centers and renovated playgrounds at each elementary school, including new sensory playgrounds at Bowling Green and Meadowbrook elementary schools for students with special needs.

How to learn more and vote

District officials encourage residents to learn about the proposal ahead of the March 5 vote through a series of community forums and online resources. Two additional public information sessions are scheduled for Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Salisbury School, the district’s administrative headquarters in Westbury. All forums are livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel for residents who cannot attend in person. Board President Jessica Ricco-Simeone has emphasized that academic programs and classroom instruction will remain funded through the district’s regular operating budget, separate from the bond. Polls open on March 5 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with residents asked to vote at their local elementary school. More information is available on the district’s website.

HERALD SCHOOLS

Bowling Green students bring history to life

Following the completion of their social studies unit on the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations, students at Bowling Green Elementary School in East Meadow brought ancient history to life through hands-on research and creativity. Rather than ending the unit with a traditional assessment, students showcased their learning by researching and constructing replicas of traditional artifacts that reflected the daily life, customs and innovations of these early civilizations.

Each class transformed its classroom into a Codex Museum, welcoming classmates, teachers, staff members and visitors to explore the student-made displays. As guests moved from exhibit to exhibit, students explained the significance of their artifacts and shared what they had learned about the Mayan, Aztec and Inca cultures.

The interactive museum experience allowed students to deepen their understanding of ancient civilizations while strengthening research, presentation and critical-thinking skills. Through the project, students demonstrated both academic growth and creativity, turning history lessons into a lively and meaningful experience.

–Jordan Vallone

Each class transformed its classroom into a Codex Museum, welcoming classmates, teachers, staff members and visitors to explore the student-made displays.

Each class at Bowling Green Elementary School in East Meadow hosted a Codex Museum to explore the replicas, daily lives, traditions, and innovations of the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca peoples.

Students showcased their learning by researching and constructing replicas of traditional artifacts that reflected the daily life, customs and innovations of these early civilizations.

Protecting

Attorneys-at-Law

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Book Review: “Feel

by Susan Jeffers

– Part Two

the Fear and Do It Anyway”

The Challah bake elevate the Conversation

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.

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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.

Is there a fee charged for making funeral pre-arrangements?

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Thomas

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.

Staying safe using electric heaters this winter east meadow fire department

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

With recent cold spells and a lot of winter still ahead, the East Meadow Fire Department is reminding the community how to stay safe when operating electric space heaters.

According to a release from the department, many residents may choose to supplement their central heating systems with portable electric space heaters. While these devices are generally safe when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s safety guidelines and instructions, fire experts remind users that heating is the second-leading cause of home fires and the third-leading cause of home fire deaths in the U.S. Two-in-five deaths in space heater fires involve portable electric heaters.

The East Meadow Fire District’s board of commissioners cautions residents and businesses using electric space heaters to follow important safety tips and recommendations, including: purchase a heater with a seal from a qualified testing laboratory; keep the heater at least three-feet from anything that can burn, including people; choose a heater that includes a thermostat and overheat protection; place the heater on a solid, flat surface, not on rugs or carpets; make sure the heater has a auto-shutoff feature that turns it off if it tips over; keep the space heater

our of foot-traffic paths and never block an exit; keep children away from the space heater; plug the heater directly into the wall outlet and never use an extension cord; space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room, leave the house, or go to bed; and test your home’s smoke alarms at least once a month.

“Our number one priority is the safety of the community we serve,” Commissioner Philip Fertitta said. “By following the important safety tips noted above when using a portable electric heater, you can help keep your family safe and prevent most heating fires from happening.”

To report a fire or medical emergency, call the East Meadow Fire Department dispatcher directly at (516) 542-0576.

The East Meadow Fire District covers over 7.5 square miles and includes East Meadow and parts of Levittown and Westbury. The department has 220 volunteers that respond to fires, medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents from five stations throughout the community, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365-days a year. The East Meadow Fire Department is always looking for new members to join their ranks as firefighters or emergency medical personnel; no experience is necessary.

Volunteering provides valuable skills, training and opportunities for personal growth. Benefits include

The East Meadow Fire Department is reminding residents to stay safe this season while using electric heaters.

tax breaks, college scholarships, annual health checkups, life insurance and a service award pension program, all at no cost. For more information on volunteering with the East Meadow Fire Department, visit EastMeadowFD.com or call (516) 542-4565.

spotlight athlete

MIA DISALVO

SOUTH SIDE Senior Gymnastics

A MEMBER OF SOUTH SIDE’S varsity for five seasons, DiSalvo is considered one of the most talented gymnasts in Nassau County. She earned All-County honors on vault in the 202122 campaign and has been All-County in three events (vault, balance beam and floor exercise) in each of the past four seasons. Her career highs are 8.45 on vault, 8.95 on beam and 9.3 on floor. She’s also one of the Cyclones’ captains.

games to watch

Thursday, Feb. 5

Girls Basketball: Sewanhaka at Carey 4:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Manhasset at Elmont 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Roosevelt at Mepham 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Calhoun at Long Beach 6:45 p.m.

Girls Basketball: South Side at Clarke 6:45 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Lawrence at Seaford 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Long Beach at Calhoun 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Clarke at South Side 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: G.N. South at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 6

Boys Basketball: Carey at Sewanhaka 4:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: V.S. North at V.S. South 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Carle Place at West Hemp 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Island Trees at Malverne 6 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Baldwin at Oceanside 6:45 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Lo. Valley at North Shore 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Seaford at Lawrence 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: V.S. North at V.S. South 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 7

Boys Basketball: Hempstead at Freeport 11:45 a.m.

Boys Basketball: Massapequa at Uniondale 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Massapequa at South Side 3 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Oceanside at Baldwin 4 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a winter sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.

HERALD SPORTS

Cronin’s return boosts East Meadow

By DYLAN BUTLER sports@liherald.com

Playing on back-to-back days is a situation no coach is comfortable with, according to East Meadow girls’ basketball head coach Pete Olenik.

But that’s just what his Jets were facing, with a rescheduled game at Herricks tipping off last Friday at 5 p.m., followed by an 11:45 a.m. contest against Plainview-JFK Saturday morning.

With less than 20 hours between games, East Meadow needed a Ventisized boost for the quick turnaround.

Enter Angelina Cronin.

The junior guard, who has been out since the first game of the season due to injury, made her return and provided the necessary spark in the consecutive wins.

“That injection of offense from her is going to be huge headed down the stretch here,” Olenik said.

After scoring 14 points in limited minutes in the 54-36 victory at Herricks, Cronin knocked down three 3-pointers to again score 14 points in the 59-31 win over Plainview-JFK.

“The girls were excited to have her back,” Olenik said. “This is a very closeknit group of girls. They’re very tight on and off the court, they have tremendous chemistry. They’re all very good friends, they’re great kids, and they’re fun to coach and fun to watch. They work so hard.”

East Meadow (10-5, 7-3 Conference AAA) showed no signs of fatigue last Saturday, racing out to a 23-8 lead in the first quarter, playing strong defensively, which led to fastbreak opportunities.

The Jets, though, got away from that in the second quarter, allowing Plainview-JFK to chip away at its deficit from the foul line.

Olenik challenged his squad at halftime to play better on the defensive end, and the Jets took that to heart, outscoring Plainview-JFK, 18-8, in the quarter to win going away.

Kayla Lederer scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Jets. The senior guard, one of the top scorers in Nassau County this year, is an All-County candi-

Ron Manfredi/Herald Senior Kayla Lederer, center, poured in a game-high 25 points last Saturday as the Jets knocked off Plainview, 59-31.

date with “leadership qualities galore,” according to Olenik.

“She’s also probably one of the top five defenders in the county,” he said. “She does it on both ends of the floor.”

Emily Zaradich added eight points in the win. The junior track star shows great poise on the court and provides athleticism and necessary height.

Sophomore Allie Barnwell, who had 10 points against Herricks, added four points in the victory against the Hawks. She was instrumental in stepping into the starting lineup when Cronin was out.

“There’s no ceiling for her. She’s only going to get better,” Olenik said. “She’s produced admirably on both ends of the floor, so I’m proud of her.”

And even though Kate Barnett didn’t score against Plainview-JFK, the junior

guard brings all the intangibles needed to get a win.

“Even when she’s not scoring, she’s doing other things, playing tremendous defense, making the extra pass to get someone open for a shot, being unselfish,” Olenik said. “She didn’t score [Saturday], but we wouldn’t win without her on the court because she does so many other things that make other players better.”

Next up comes a pivotal late-season clash against Syosset on Wednesday, a game that could determine the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage in the postseason.

“I like the way we’re playing right now,” Olenik said. “With Angelina back, I think our tank is up now, and we’re ready for the stretch run.”

AFA Health Screening Day

THURSDAY

February 12 10 AM - 2 PM

AFA Barbara Rabinowitz Education & Resource Center

149 Schleigel Blvd., Amityville

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF:

Memory screenings to help identify early signs of cognitive changes

Blood pressure screenings to support cardiovascular health

Balance screenings to assess fall risk and mobility

Information on other health screenings and resources for older adults

All screenings are free and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointments are required.

Contact the AFA Barbara Rabinowitz Education & Resource Center at 631-223-4000 for more information.

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Long Island’s fragile drinking water system

Experts explain what lies beneath the surface, and detail the threats to our crucial aquifers

By JORDAN VALLONE, WILL SHEELINE & ABIGAIL GRIECO of the Herald Community Newspapers

First installment in a series about water.

On Long Island, we’re not talking enough about water.

From the drops coming out of our taps to the waves breaking along both shores, myriad water-related issues have the potential to impact Long Islanders’ day-to-day lives.

The water system is not a single pipeline or policy, but a web of underground aquifers, aging infrastructure, coastal ecosystems — and policymakers — that together determine who has access to clean, affordable water — and who faces the greatest risk when that system begins to fail.

This series will break down how Long Island’s water system works, from aquifers to coastal bays, and clarify how policy, infrastructure and governance shape access to clean, affordable water. It will also examine the environmental pressures facing that system, from contamination and climate change to the health of bays, fisheries and drinking water supplies.

Through global reports that demonstrate the rapid growth of freshwater use over the past century, and interviews with environmental experts and regional advocates who connect these issues locally, this first installment examines what lies beneath the surface: the water we drink, and how contamination and access may disproportionately affect certain communities.

The sole source beneath Long Island

In order to understand Long Island’s relationship with drinking water, it’s essential to understand where the water comes from. The island relies on aquifers, underground layers of sand, gravel and clay that store billions of gallons of water accumulated over tens of millions of years. More specifically, Long Island relies on three: the Upper Glacial, the Magothy and the Lloyd (as well as a fourth, significantly smaller one, the Jameco).

These aquifers together are designated a single-source aquifer system by the Environmental Protection Agency, which means that “your groundwater supply is provided by an aquifer that serves at least 50 percent of your water needs,” according to Sarah Meyland, a former professor at New York Institute of Technology.

Meyland explained that both Nassau and Suffolk counties rely on this single aquifer system for 100 percent of our freshwater, whether it comes from a tap, shower or sprinkler. While this has meant that Long Islanders have had access to clean, easily accessed drinking water for decades, the aquifers, particularly in Nassau County, have one major downside.

“This aquifer needs to be particularly well protected, because if you damage it,

or if you ruin it, you don’t have any other source of water,” Meyland said. “And that’s exactly the situation Long Island is in. We don’t have a secondary backup source of water.”

Since the federal government began measuring water usage in Long Island’s aquifers in 1900, roughly 5 percent of drinkable water has been consumed or lost due to salinization, the process by which freshwater is turned into saltwater. It occurs in aquifers due to overpumping, as water is taken out faster than it is replaced, causing saltwater from the Long Island Sound and the ocean to fill in the missing volume.

tion of the aquifer system is already nonfunctional, Queens is barely better, and both now get their water from the New York City water system, which pumps freshwater in from upstate. Nassau is well on its way to following them; the difference is there is no municipal entity to bail Nassau out.

as of 2021, the United States withdraws the third-highest amount of freshwater from underground globally, roughly 444.4 billion cubic meters per year.

A key conclusion from the university’s report put the crisis in simple terms: “The world is already in the state of ‘water bankruptcy.’” In many basins and aquifers, long-term overuse and degradation, the report says, means that “hydrological and ecological baselines cannot realistically be restored.”

What areas are more affected?

If Long Island continues on the same path of aquifer depletion without any intervention from state authorities, such as the Department of Environmental Conservation, Meyland said, Nassau County will suffer more than Suffolk within the next 50 years.

“It’s about a third of the size of Suffolk with roughly the same number of people,” she said. “The Town of Brookhaven is the same size as the county of Nassau. So Nassau County will continue to experience saltwater intrusions. That’s going to put pressure on virtually all of the water suppliers along the north and south shore.”

Meyland singled out Long Beach as an area that would likely lose its entire local water supply because of saltwater intrusion to the Lloyd Aquifer, the only aquifer the city draws from.

The vast majority of the used water is consumed by private sprinklers and irrigation systems, many of which are automated to water yards and home gardens. According to Meyland, Long Island has the highest per-capita water use of any community from New York to North Carolina, and the vast majority of that use occurs from spring through fall, when sprinklers turn on and swimming pools fill up.

There is no known way to create new water, or to speed up the natural replenishment process. Desalination plants, which remove salt from water, are becoming more common globally, but they are expensive projects, according to Meyland.

“It’s like a bank account,” Meyland said. “The water, the money coming in, needs to be at least equal to the money going out.”

Water bankruptcy

While a 5 percent loss may seem inconsequential, the real problem is there’s no way to efficiently and cheaply replenish that loss. And the damage is not evenly distributed: The vast majority of the loss takes place in Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau, which have not effectively stewarded their portions of the aquifers.

Suffolk, which has the lowest population density of the four counties, has proactively monitored and managed its water intake and outflow for years, leaving its portion of the aquifers “a system in balance,” as Meyland described it.

She pointed out that Brooklyn’s por-

The issues impacting drinking water supply are not unique to Long Island. According to a report released by the United Nations University last month, the world is entering an “era of global water bankruptcy” — a new, formal definition of a reality for billions of people. The report called for a “fundamental reset” of the global water agenda, as irreversible damage pushes sources of fresh drinking water beyond recovery.

“This report tells an uncomfortable truth: Many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, and many critical water systems are already bankrupt,” said the report’s lead author, Kaveh Madani, the director of the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health.

Numbers published by Our World In Data, a nonprofit publication that uses data to explain global issues like poverty, disease and climate change, showed that

“They will have already been forced to look for other sources of water, whether they make arrangements from New York City, or they make arrangements and buy water from some of their neighboring water suppliers,” Meyland explained. “I’m sure there will be a lot of pressure to desalinate water, but that will be very expensive.”

On the North Shore of Nassau County, she said, areas of the Great Neck and Manhasset peninsula, including Sands Point, are at risk of losing their supplies of water, also due to salinity. And their options are limited, she added, because some of these communities are already piping water from other parts of Long Island.

Water suppliers are aware of the risk the future holds, Meyland said, but it is unfair to put the burden on them to fix the situation. “They are not at fault for what is happening to the water supply for coastal communities,” she said. And water supplies are not only depleting on Long Island, but they are also contaminated.

The Environmental Working Group affiliated with Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for stronger environmental policies in New York and Connecticut, released a report in 2025 showing that a least 189 New York water systems — primarily serving residents of Long Island — detected high levels of toxic so-called “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, in tap water.

The report showed that 702,000 residents in Nassau County and 122,200 resi-

Detailing the threats to L.I.’s drinking water

dents of Suffolk have elevated levels of PFAS in their water supplies. Some particularly vulnerable communities include those serviced by the Lynbrookbased Liberty Utilities, the Water Authority of Western Nassau and the Hempstead Town Water District.

What can be done?

According to Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, geography and land use play a major role in why some Long Island communities experience more severe water quality issues than others.

“The biggest driver for water quality in the marine environment is land activity,” Esposito said, noting that polluted stormwater runoff, fertilizer use and marine debris all flow from developed areas into surrounding bays and waterways.

Highly populated and heavily developed regions — particularly along the South Shore — generate greater amounts of runoff, which carries excess nitrogen from lawn fertilizers, bacteria and debris into nearby bays. That nitrogen fuels algae growth, which depletes oxygen levels and can lead to fish kills and damage to shellfish populations.

Aging infrastructure in some coastal communities continues to pose challenges. Esposito pointed to the Long Beach’s sewage treatment plant, which discharg-

es roughly 5 million gallons of wastewater per day into Nassau County’s Western Bays. While the wastewater is treated, Esposito said the facility is old and in need of major repairs.

The Western Bays have been among the most degraded areas, in part due to decades of treated sewage discharges and runoff from surrounding communities. Marine debris, including plastic bottles, cigarette butts and food packaging, often originates farther inland, and makes its way through tributaries before washing into coastal waters, Esposito said.

On the North Shore, in areas that still rely on septic systems, groundwater contamination presents another challenge, as pollutants can leach directly into aquifers and nearby waterways.

Iresult of years of advocacy and scientific review.

In addition to regulating water systems themselves, Esposito highlighted a first-of-its-kind state law, passed in 2019, that limited the amount of 1,4-dioxane allowed in common household and personal care products. The law was phased in over several years and was fully implemented in 2023, reducing the amount of chemicals entering wastewater systems in the first place.

f you want to protect our waters and public health, sometimes you have to speak out

AdrIenne d’esposIto Executive director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Esposito pointed to several major policy changes that have reshaped how New York addresses water contamination, particularly by emerging chemicals like PFAS and 1,4-dioxane.

She noted that the state now has some of the nation’s strongest drinking water standards for these chemicals — standards that are fully implemented across Long Island’s public water systems, the

Esposito also emphasized the importance of preventing pollution at its source, rather than relying on expensive treatment systems after contamination occurs. Citizens Campaign has spent several years advocating for legislation aimed at reducing packaging waste, a significant contributor to marine debris found in Long Island’s bays and waterways.

One of the most significant steps underway is the long-awaited redirection of treated sewage from the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility, in Bay Park, away from the Western Bays and into the Cedar Creek ocean outfall pipe — a nearly $600 million project more than a decade in the making. The change is expected to dramatically improve

water quality in the Western Bays once the Bay Park Conveyance Project is completed.

At the local and state level, municipalities are also tapping into grant programs designed to reduce stormwater pollution. These initiatives fund upgrades to stormwater systems, filtration devices that remove nitrogen and bacteria before runoff reaches waterways. Environmental organizations, including Citizens Campaign, Operation SPLASH and the Nature Conservancy have played a key role in advocating for these measures through long-term collaboration and public pressure.

Looking ahead, Citizens Campaign plans to launch a new marine debris prevention campaign this spring, focused on public education and outreach, emphasizing that litter discarded anywhere on Long Island can ultimately end up in coastal waters. The organization is also continuing its push in Albany for legislation aimed at reducing packaging waste and monitoring contaminants entering waterways through wastewater systems.

Residents can make a difference, Esposito said, by limiting fertilizer use, properly disposing of trash and supporting redevelopment over construction on green spaces.

“We encourage people to get up, show up and speak up,” she said. “If you want to protect our waters and public health, sometimes you have to speak out.”

Powering Long Island: A History of Resilience and Reinvention

The story of Long Island’s energy infrastructure is one of growth, ambition, missteps and resilience.

From the development of the Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to handle a growing need, to key historical events like

the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant saga and Hurricane Sandy, Long Island’s power grid has a storied history.

The Formation of LILCO

Around 1910, LILCO was created by combining four small Suffolk County utility companies to make improvements on the existing system to deliver electric power.

For much of its history, LILCO focused on

large, centralized fossil-fuel power plants supported by an expanding grid.

Long before the adverse effects of climate change would be felt, the dangerous choice to rely on fossil fuels was evident in the Bay Shore gas explosion in 1919, knocking out power for three days.

Through the 1950s and 60s, negative effects were felt to a greater impact. Most famously the New York smog event of 1966, where air pollution from coal power plants and other sources led to poisonous air quality, severe health impacts and deaths.

While plagued by these negative public health circumstances, this system did meet the energy demand of the day. But, in the 1960s and ‘70s, the development of air conditioning made demand for electric power skyrocket. LILCO’s answer? The Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant.

The Shoreham Nuclear Plant: A Defining Turning Point

The Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant was constructed, but was met with public opposition and significant safety concern studies. The 1979 accident at the Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania amplified these concerns.

Though completed, and still reflected on Long Island ratepayers utility bills, Shoreham never operated commercially, and it became a national symbol of failed centralized energy planning. Ultimately, the plant was decommissioned, leaving Long Islanders with debt—and a lasting skepticism toward large, single-point energy solutions.

Storms, Blackouts and a Grid Under Stress

From 1985’s Hurricane Gloria that knocked out electricity to two-thirds of LILCO’s customers, to the Northeast blackout of 2003 that halted the Long Island Rail Road, to Hurricane Sandy in 2012 where 90 percent of Long Island lost power, to every tropical storm and weather event in between, these natural disasters continued to expose deep flaws in the aging infrastructure. Each event compounded existing wear on the system, accelerating the need for reinforcement, storm hardening, smarter grid design and diversity of energy sources— while costing a premium to do so. These moments also reshaped public expectations: reliability is no longer just about everyday demand, but about resilience under extreme conditions.

From LILCO to Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)

As a result of the Long Island Power Act of 1985, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) was created to assume responsibility for LILCO’s debt, which totaled around $7.3 billion, and the infrastructure. LIPA inherited a vast, but inadequate grid that must be upgraded.

Now, as the AI and data-center revolution demand more and more of our power grid, and new technologies have become available, namely renewables like wind, solar and battery storage, Long Island has the opportunity to transform to a modern, affordable and resilient power grid.

What’s ahead for the Chamber in 2026

year, and our history really helps define who we are.”

Schiller, who has been a chamber member for seven years, is also involved in several local organizations, including the East Meadow Kiwanis Club. He said the year ahead will focus on strengthening ties between businesses and the community.

“It’s going to be a nice year for the chamber,” he said. “We’re looking to do many new things, and one of the important things that I want to do is (focus) on helping our small businesses and helping our local communities. I want to bring that. I want to do even more to bring that all together.”

Among the priorities Schiller outlined are expanded networking opportunities and practical strategies to help businesses survive and thrive in 2026.

“We’re encouraging people to get more involved, and if they need the chamber’s help, to reach out to us,” he said. “I’m trying to model our chamber in a way that we can provide for businesses the things that they need, whether it’s going to be brand new training on technology or AI, introducing people to insurance programs, operating lines of credit, different things that can really help a business.”

In addition to Schiller, this year’s executive board of directors includes Ryan Parkman, first vice president; Maureen Pye, second vice president; Taleen Krug, treasurer; John Priest, secretary; and Roxanne Rose, chairman of the board and outgoing president.

The chamber’s board comprises Kardim Brown, Diane Krug, Mark Papagani, Lawrence Rutigliano, Lyndsey Gallagher, Josh Malament, Kenneth Rosner and Mitchell Skoller.

James Skinner Sr., a past president of the chamber and owner of A&C Pest Management in East Meadow, also addressed the importance of chamber involvement. Skinner, who served as president in 2001, urged more local businesses to join the organization.

“Not every business in East Meadow belongs to the chamber of commerce,” he told the Herald. “It’s unfortunate because they really should … One of the biggest things that I’ve gotten at the chamber of commerce was mentors.

“I had other business members in the community who became longtime friends, who would sit there and be able to ask them a question,” Skinner added. “I think that’s where a lot of people miss out.”

As the Man of the Year honoree, Krug said his involvement with the chamber is rooted in ensuring East Meadow remains a strong place to live and work for future generations.

“I live here, I work here, and I give back here,” he said. “I was born and raised in East Meadow, and I chose to continue to raise my family here. My children are 10 and 8, Christian and Mackenzie — they walk the same elementary school hallways that my wife and I walked as children as well.”

Krug went on to praise the longevity

of the East Meadow business group and its newly installed president.

“Seventy years, holy moly, I’ve only been alive for 38 of them, but that’s a big deal and a true testament to how the community continues to work together to better itself year after year,” he said.

“To have Ross at the helm for year number 70, I couldn’t think of a better person … Listening to Ross over the course of the last few months, the ideas that he has coming down the pipeline are certainly going to bring that to the next level.”

Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow recently honored Krug with a $5,000 grant as part of its Long Island Board of REALTORS, Inc. Spirit Award, with the funds directed to a charity of his choosing.

For more information about the chamber, visit EastMeadowChamber.com.

f

BUSINESS EXPO & WORKSHOPS

‘Pothole Patrol’ will tackle road repairs

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

As winter conditions continue to strain Long Island roadways, Hempstead Town officials are rolling out a new strategy to tackle potholes before they worsen during the busiest repair season of the year.

Town Supervisor John Ferretti announced the launch of the town’s Pothole Patrol during a news conference in Merrick, citing repeated freeze-thaw cycles and heavy traffic as the primary causes of pavement deterioration.

“This is the time of year where potholes form from the constant freezing and melting of rain and snow. They aren’t just an inconvenience — they’re a safety issue,” Ferretti said. “The Pothole Patrol is part of our ongoing commitment to invest in infrastructure and maintain the quality of life enjoyed by our residents. Well-maintained roads protect vehicles, improve safety, and support our local economy.”

The initiative assigns crews to monitor streets daily and respond to reported hazards in an effort to reduce vehicle damage and improve roadway safety.

Four newly hired patrol workers attended the event, and town officials said the program includes two dedicated trucks operating at all times, each staffed by four employees and equipped with

machinery designed to dispense asphalt quickly.

Unlike previous years, when repairs were largely complaint-driven, the new patrol will actively search for potholes

throughout the township. Pothole repairs will be prioritized based on traffic volume, visibility, and proximity to high-use locations such as schools and commercial corridors.

The initiative also introduces a new online reporting portal, developed by the town’s Information Technology Department, that allows residents to submit reports directly to the town. Users may enter an address manually or enable GPS location services on their devices to pinpoint a pothole, and photos can be uploaded to assist repair crews.

“We are relying on residents to be our eyes and ears,” Ferretti added. “By reporting potholes through our online form, they will help us prioritize repairs and respond faster. It’s a convenient way for our community to partner with us in keeping our roads in top-tier shape.”

The system can automatically determine whether a reported road falls under town, county, or state jurisdiction, and it will redirect residents if the pothole is outside town responsibility.

Ferretti addressed concerns that patched potholes may reopen, noting that full repaving cannot be done during winter months. Temporary repairs will continue until spring, when repaving resumes. The town maintains roughly 1,200 miles of roadway, repaving more than 100 miles in 2025 and planning to exceed that in 2026 as part of a 12-year plan to resurface every town road.

Residents can now utilize the reporting form at HempsteadTown.com/PotholePatrol.

Family Court judge sworn in

Hon. Robert Pipia was sworn in as Family Court judge during the Nassau County Courts Judicial Induction Ceremony on Jan. 22, 2026, at the Supreme Court Building in Mineola. Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray, right, greeted Pipia following the ceremony. Also attending was Pipia’s wife, Maggie.

Donnelly begins new term

District Attorney Anne Donnelly was sworn in during an inaugural ceremony in Nassau County. Among those attending were Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jen DeSena and Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joe Saladino.

STEPPING OUT

Big game, big flavor

Score from kickoff to crunch time

By Karen Bloom

It’s the biggest sports day of the year — and a perfect excuse to throw a bash that’s almost as exciting as the game itself. The Super Bowl on Sunday isn’t just about touchdowns, commercials and the halftime show: it’s about friends, fun and food that’s worth a victory dance.

Sure, the game on the big screen is the main event, but let’s be honest — some of the best plays happen around the snack table. Wings, dips, even desserts are all part of the strategy to keep your fans happy (and maybe even sneak a second helping before halftime). When it comes to dessert, fuss-free is the way to go. An array of cookies, brownies and dessert bars will satisfy the sweet tooth. You can take your dessert table to the next level by icing your treats in team colors. Here’s your playbook for scoring big with game-day treats that’ll make your party a championship-worthy hit.

West Bank Wings

No football party is complete without a generous serving of wings. Try these Asianinspired chicken wings, with a spicy Creole twist.

• 3 pounds chicken wing pieces

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice

• 1/4 cup cane syrup or molasses

• 1/4 cup ZATARAIN’S® Creole Mustard

• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• Chopped fresh cilantro

• Sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss chicken wings with oil and Creole Seasoning in large bowl. Arrange wings in single layer on foil-lined large shallow baking pan.

Bake 35 minutes or until wings are cooked through and skin is crisp.

Mix remaining ingredients, except cilantro and sesame seeds, in large skillet. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer about 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced by a third and is a “syrup” consistency. Add wings; toss to coat with sauce. Transfer wings to serving

platter. Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Cajun Buffalo Wings

Here’s another zesty take on the footballwatching favorite.

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wing pieces

• 1/2 cup any flavor Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce

• 1/3 cup ketchup

• 2 tsp. Cajun seasoned spice blend

Bake wings in foil-lined pan at 500 °F on lowest oven rack for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy, turning once.

Mix Buffalo Wings Sauce, ketchup and spice blend.

Toss wings in sauce to coat.

Tip: You may substitute 1/2 cup Red Hot Sauce mixed with 1/3 cup melted butter for the Wings Sauce.

Alternate cooking directions: Deep-fry at 375°F for 10 minutes or broil 6-inches from heat 15 to 20 minutes turning once.

Blazin’ Buffalo Potato Skins

This the ideal game day snack! Seriously, it’s a crowd pleaser.

• 3 pounds small russet potatoes

• Olive oil cooking spray

• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat or regular Monterey Jack cheese

• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

• 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce

• 1/2 cup chopped Blue Diamond Smokehouse

• Almonds

• 1/2 cup light sour cream

• 1/4 cup sliced green onion tops

Preheat oven to 450 F and line baking sheet with foil.

Rinse potatoes and pat dry; pierce with fork or sharp knife. Place in large microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave high for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft when gently squeezed. Remove and let cool slightly.

Cut in half and scoop out potato leaving 1/4inch rim of potato inside skin. Place on prepared baking sheet and spray both sides of potato skins liberally with cooking spray; bake for 15 minutes to crisp.

Billy Stritch and Friends celebrate Judy Garland

Sprinkle equal amounts of cheese into each skin. Stir together chicken and wing sauce and spoon over cheese. Top with almonds and bake for 5 minutes more. Add dollop of sour cream to each and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with and additional wing sauce, if desired. Makes 6-8 servings.

Sweet Chili Meatballs

Round out your lineup with this tasty addition to your game day spread.

• 1 pound lean ground turkey or ground beef

• 1/3 cup Japanese panko crumbs or bread crumbs

• ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

• 3 green onions, chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 12 ounces Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce, divided

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Mix ground meat, panko crumbs, cilantro, green onion, ginger, egg, salt and 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce. Form into one-inch meatballs. Place meatballs on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Put meatballs in slow cooker or Dutch oven to keep warm, pour remaining sweet chili sauce over meatballs. Gently stir to coat meatballs and serve.

Bacon Avocado Dip

Game day requires guacamole. Try a new twist on the must-have dip.

• 1 large avocado, peeled and mashed

• 1/2 tomato, seeded and chopped

• 1/3 cup Blue Diamond Jalapeno Smokehouse

• Almonds, chopped

• 1/4 cup diced red onion

• 3 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• Salt and pepper, to taste

In small bowl, mix all ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips or other favorite dippers, such as carrots, bell peppers and broccoli.

Judy on TV! This concert shines a long-overdue spotlight on a unique chapter of Garland’s legendary career: her 1963–64 CBS television series. It’s a look at Garland’s iconic talent through the lens of her landmark 1963-64 weekly television broadcasts. Renowned entertainer and music director Billy Stritch leads this dazzling tribute that brings together a stellar lineup of jazz and Broadway favorites including acclaimed vocalists Gabrielle Stravelli and Nicolas King. The Judy Garland Show lasted only nine months and the star saw its cancellation as a devastating failure. Stritch sees it much differently, noting that the show’s 26 hours of concert material capture a crucial era of her life and legacy as one of the greatest entertainers of all time. These terrific performers revive the unforgettable music, intimate moments and sheer star power that defined the show.

Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. $58, $48, $38. Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Feel the beat with Step Afrika!

The acclaimed dance company visits Hofstra University with a high-octane performance, Step Afrika! 101. Since its 1994 founding, Step Afrika! has been recognized as a cultural ambassador for this percussive dance tradition rooted in African American communities and historically linked to Black Greek-letter organizations. Their signature style fuses precise footwork and rhythmic movement with contemporary African dance, AfroBeats and popular music, in a powerful celebration of culture and community. Everyone is encouraged to clap, stomp, and join in calland-response moments that make the show feel as communal as it is electric. In keeping with Step Afrika!’s emphasis on service and community, it’s requested to bring non-perishable food items or basic toiletries to benefit the Hofstra Pantry and the Mary Brennan INN.

Sunday, Feb. 8, 3:30-5 p.m. Free admission. John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus, Hempstead. For more information, visit hofstra.edu/academics/culturalcenter or call (516) 463-5669 or email hofculctr@hofstra.edu.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

FEB

5

Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out

Long Island Children’s Museum’s welcomes all to its new exhibit. Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out provides interactive experiences that help visitors learn about the important role emotions, memory and imagination play in our everyday lives. Hands-on and digital experiences focus on the five emotions featured in the film: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear. Kids learn to recognize emotions and explore ways that we express and manage our own emotions. With related activities.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

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

FEB

9

‘So don’t stop me now’

Mystery Book Club

Fans of mystery and thrills can stop by East Meadow Public Library for a meeting of the Mystery Book Club, featuring a discussion of “The Busybody Book Club.”

• Where: 1886 Front St., East Meadow

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: EastMeadow.info

FEB

Narcan Training

U.S. Congressman Anthony D’Esposito hosts a Narcan training. Obtain a Narcan certification and a Narcan kit.

totally tubular.” Based on the mega-hit Adam Sandler movie, this Broadway romance about a heartbroken rock star wannabe finding love again is jam-packed with big laughs, dazzling dance numbers, and a score as bold and electric as the decade itself. From popped collars to power ballads, “The Wedding Singer” feel-good celebration of love and friendship.

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

• Time: 8 p.m.; also Feb. 21, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Feb 22, 3 p.m.

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

Lion Dance

Celebrate Lunar New Year with an authentic Lion Dance presented by Shaolin at East Meadow Public Library. Registration required.

• Where: 1886 Front St., East Meadow

• Time: 2 p.m.

• Contact: EastMeadow.info FEB 22

Art talk

• Time: 8 p.m.

Queen-mania rolls on. Almost Queen returns to the Paramount stage with their homage to the beloved band. They don’t just pay tribute to the legendary band, Almost Queen transports you back in time to experience the magic and essence of Queen themselves. The band — featuring Joseph Russo as Freddie Mercury, Steve Leonard as Brian May, Randy Gregg as John Deacon, and John Cappadona as Roger Taylor — is “guaranteed to blow your mind” with iconic four-part harmonies and expertly executed musical interludes. The band’s authenticity shines through in their impeccable attention to detail and genuine costumes, while their live energy and precision captivates fans of all ages with an unforgettable concert experience. Almost Queen’s concerts are a true testament to the band’s love for Queen’s music. The carefully curated setlist featuring Queen’s best-loved songs, like “Somebody to Love,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Fat Bottomed Girls,” and “Radio Ga Ga,” along with lesser known tracks. And of course, no Queen tribute concert would be complete without classics like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions!” It’s no wonder fans keep coming back for more.

Name That Tune

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

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

FEB

• Where: 2330 Salisbury Park Drive, East Meadow

• Time: 6 p.m.

• Contact: HemspteadNY.gov

10 Book talk

FEB

12

Karine Jean-Pierre, former White House press secretary and senior advisor to President Joseph R. Biden Jr., visits Hofstra University to discuss her two books published last year, “Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America” and “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House Outside the Party Lines.” Copies of both books will be available for purchase, and her talk will be followed by a book signing. Advance registration is required.

• Where: John Cranford Adams Playhouse, Hofstra University South Campus, Hempstead

• Time: 11:15 a.m.- 2:45 p.m.

• Contact: events.hofstra.edu to RSVP

Name That Tune, a beloved event with the Kiwanis, returns.

• Where: 197 East Meadow Ave., East Meadow

• Time: 7-11 p.m.

• Contact: EastMeadowKiwanis.org FEB

Lunar New Year program

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes Chinese Theatre Works to the museum stage. Join in a celebration of the Lunar New Year with an original “budaixi” glove puppet production that features the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac. This year’s show stars the Horse, who presides over a jolly selection of wild puppet skits, dances, popular songs, and well known Chinese sayings that celebrate the wit and wisdom of the zodiac animals. Hao Bang Ah! Horse! A hands-on post show demonstration will make the Chinese bilingual cultural experience accessible to even the youngest audience members. $5, $4 members, $10 theater only.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m..

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

Pete’s Blue Carpet Catwalk

Walk the blue carpet as a VIP to celebrate Long Island Children’s Museum’s premiere performance of Pete the Cat! Dress your best, smile for the paparazzi, and take a picture with Pete! A special youth emcee will be interviewing VIPs on camera. Gain exclusive access to Pete’s Groovy Lounge for refreshments, enjoy the opening day performance of the show and take home a fun swag bag! You’ll even get to meet the cast after the show! For Pete the Cat, life is an adventure no matter where you wind up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. Join Jimmy and Pete on an adventure of friendship, all the way to Paris and back in a VW bus! $16 ($14 members), $20 theater and catwalk experience only.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: Starting at 11:30 a.m.

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

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: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.: also Feb. 18-20

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

‘The Wedding Singer’ Molloy University’s CAP21 Musical Theatre students stage the musical comedy based on the iconic film. The show will have you partying like it’s 1985! Travel back to the outrageous 1980s, when hair was huge, neon ruled fashion and everything MTV was “like, FEB

Nassau County Museum of Art hosts Dee Shapiro, a New York–based artist, is known for her richly detailed paintings exploring geometry, architecture, and place. She discusses works from her City and Landscapes series featured in The Real, Surreal, and Photoreal exhibit, which capture the rhythm and structure of urban and natural environments.. $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

FEB

Bond information session

The East Meadow School District holds an information session about the bond resolution.

• Where: 718 The Plain Road, Westbury

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: EMUFSD.us

an

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE OF COUNTY TREASURER’S SALE OF TAX LIENS ON REAL ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that I shall, commencing on February 17, 2026, sell at public on-line auction the tax liens on real estate herein-after described, unless the owner, mortgagee, occupant of or any other party-ininterest in such real estate shall pay to the County Treasurer by February 12, 2026 the total amount of such unpaid taxes or assessments with the interest, penalties and other expenses and charges, against the property. Such tax liens will be sold at the lowest rate of interest, not exceeding 10 per cent per six month’s period, for which any person or persons shall offer to take the total amount of such unpaid taxes as defined in section 5-37.0 of the Nassau County Administrative Code. Effective with the February 17, 2026 lien sale, Ordinance No. 175-2015 requires a $175.00 per day registration fee for each person who intends to bid at the tax lien sale. Ordinance No. 175-2015 also requires that upon the issuance of the Lien Certificate there is due from the lien buyer a Tax Certificate Issue Fee of $20.00 per lien purchased.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Nassau County Administrative Code at the discretion of the Nassau County Treasurer the auction will be conducted online. Further information concerning the procedures for the auction is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/526/ County-Treasurer

Should the Treasurer determine that an in-person auction shall be held, same will commence on the 17th day of February, 2026 at the Office of The County Treasurer 1 West Street, Mineola or at some other location to be determined by the Treasurer.

The liens are for arrears of School District taxes for the year 2024 - 2025 and/or County, Town, and Special District taxes for the year 2025. The following is a partial listing of the real estate located in school district number(s) 3 in the Town of Hempstead only, upon which tax liens are to be sold, with a brief description of the same by reference to the County Land and Tax Map, the name of the owner or occupant as the same appears on the 2024/2025 tentative assessment roll, and the total amount of such unpaid taxes.

IMPORTANT

THE NAMES OF OWNERS SHOWN ON THIS LIST MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS OWNING THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT. SUCH NAMES HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE 2024/2025 TENTATIVE ASSESSMENT ROLLS AND MAY DIFFER FROM THE NAMES OF THE OWNERS AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. IT MAY ALSO BE THAT SUCH OWNERS ARE NOMINAL ONLY AND ANOTHER PERSON IS ACTUALLY THE BENEFICIAL OWNER.

TOwN OF HEMPSTEAd SCHOOL:3 EAST MEAdOw UFSd

0279UCA01500

INFRANCO ANTHONY 1,928.82

50 E 0067UCA01200 67 CA 120 UNIT 32

ROSMARIN IRA 621.75

50 L 0262UCA03050

CINO MICHAEL & VINCENT JR 2,549.15

50012 00480 48-49

KHANNA SHAM LAL & RADHEY 3,236.02

50044 00230 23-24,133

LI FEN & ZEE CHARLIE 2,579.94

50045 00170 17-18

LUCA ROCCO 19,438.48

50059 00570 57-59

FISHER DANIEL 14,234.63

50068 00360 36-39

DIDDEN DONNA & MCGRATH ROBERT M 4,200.10 50127 00730

SCHIFANO LE L A SCHIFANO, L M 1,806.02 50156 00030

AITKEN STEPHEN 13,707.28 50162 07390 739-741

BERGIN CHARLES & MARGARET 8,121.54 50171 00180 18-20

ANAXAGOROU XENOPHON 11,654.26

50172 00060 6-10

GONDAL SOHAIB RASOOL & INSHAL M 16,421.71 50178 07380

ROE HOWARD Q LIFE ESTATE 5,884.10

50180 00280 28-30,227 1790 HEMPSTEAD TPKE LLC 25,193.02 50181 00110 11-13

SPENCER REALTY I INC 37,099.93

50182 00010 1-8,51-58

PLETENYCKY BOHDAN & BARBARA 500.00

50200 02900 290-291

PLETENYCKY BOHDAN & BARBARA 5,393.37

50200 02920 292-295

MATTHEWS BRIAN & YVETTE 17,231.72

50208 01460

ZHENG TING HUI & ZHUO XIU RONG 6,128.11

50208 01530

CABA ANNA & CABA FRANCISCA & 3,163.49

50213 00040 4-6

MARINO ANIELLO & MARION 18,261.58

50213 00100 10-13

MANTELL ABRAHAM & LIN 6,175.73

50213 00370 37-39

WEESS FRITZ (TRUST) 3,551.87

50219 01080

CASTELLI GUY 4,752.62

50220 00190

ANTHONY MICHELLE & 14,858.21

50223 00800

VALLE JR JOSEPH TRUST 11,689.34

50223 00890

WALTERS MARY 10,199.70

50223 00900

DIDESIDERO JOSEPH & JULIANNE 5,632.90

50229 00080 8-10,12

KAPLITA MICHAEL 2,777.68

50230 00860

DANIEL PAUL & KAREN 4,709.17

50231 00620 62-64

PETROSINI CARMINE 9,322.42

50241 00590

290 EAST MEADOW AVE LLC 27,837.64

50246 00070 7,64-66

BRUNETTI ALFIO G JR 424.17

50254 03980

ZITZMANN ELIZABETH LIFE ESTATE 14,226.15

50321 01210

1927 PARK LLC 3,412.29

50325 00430

BAUER MARTIN & CECILIA 18,134.68

50328 01360

SHARMA AMIT & KUMAR ASHOK 23,406.75

50328 02640

HOEFFNER FAMILY TRUST 2,730.41

50331 02040

IPPOLITO CHERYL 2,274.28

50332 05720

GRUBIN LILLIAN 8,787.02

50340 0509UCA02190 509 CA 219 UNIT 405

FRIEDMAN RICHARD A & OLGA A 2,488.74

50351 00200

PITKIN REALTY LLC 23,641.13

50363 00060

BHATTI TAHIRA 2,242.45

50363 00160

LODISE PETER PAUL & FRANCES 5,231.70

50367 00080

MONTENEGRO MONICA & 4,480.62

50389 00210

PHILLIPS ROGER & KATHRYN

50404 00230

CHOY GEORGE

Public Notices

TERMS OF SALE

Such tax liens shall be sold subject to any and all superior tax liens of sovereignties and other municipalities and to all claims of record which the County may have thereon and subject to the provisions of the Federal and State Soldier’s and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts.

However, such tax liens shall have priority over the County’s Differential Interest Lien, representing the excess, if any, of the interest and penalty borne at the maximum rate over the interest and penalty borne at the rate at which the lien is purchased.

The Purchaser acknowledges that the tax lien(s) sold pursuant to these Terms of Sale may be subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or may become subject to such proceedings which may be commenced during the period in which a lien is held by a successful bidder or the assignee of same, which may modify a Purchaser’s rights with respect to the lien(s) the property securing same. Such bankruptcy proceedings shall not affect the validity of the tax lien. In addition to being subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/ or the Federal and State Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts, said purchaser’s right of foreclosure may be affected by the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), 12 U.S.C. ss 1811 et. seq., with regard to real property under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) receivership.

The County Treasurer reserves the right, without further notice and at any time, to withdraw from sale any of the parcels of land or premises herein listed.

The rate of interest and penalty which any person purchases the tax lien shall be established by his bid. Each purchaser, immediately after the sale thereof, shall pay to the County Treasurer ten percent of the amount from which the tax liens have been sold and the remaining ninety percent within thirty days after such sale. If the purchaser at the tax sale shall fail to pay the remaining ninety percent within ten days after he has been notified by the County Treasurer that the certificates of sale are ready for delivery, then all deposited with the County Treasurer including but not limited to the ten percent theretofore paid by him shall, without further notice or demand, be irrevocably forfeited by the purchaser and shall be retained by the County Treasurer as liquidated damages and the agreement to purchase be of no further effect.

Time is of the essence in this sale. This sale is held pursuant to the Nassau County Administrative Code and interested parties are referred to such Code for additional information as to terms of sale, rights of purchasers, maximum rates of interest and other legal incidents of the sale.

Furthermore, as to the bidding,

1.The bidder(s) agree that they will not work with any other bidder(s) to increase, maintain or stabilize interest rates or collaborate with any other bidder(s) to gain an unfair competitive advantage in the random number generator in the event of a tie bid(s) on a tax certificate. Bidder(s) further agree not to employ any bidding strategy designed to create an unfair competitive advantage in the tiebreaking process in the upcoming tax sale nor work with any other bidder(s) to engage in any bidding strategy that will result in a rotational award of tax certificates.

2.The tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) bid, will be arrived at independently and without direct or indirect consultation, communication or agreement with any other bidder and that the tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) to be bid, have not been disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder, and will not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder prior to the close of bidding. No attempt has been made or will be made to, directly or indirectly, induce any other bidder to refrain from bidding on any tax certificate, to submit complementary bids, or to submit bids at specific interest rates.

3.The bids to be placed by the Bidder will be made in good faith and not pursuant to any direct or indirect, agreement or discussion with, or inducement from, any other bidder to submit a complementary or other noncompetitive bid.

4.If it is determined that the bidder(s) have violated any of these bid requirements then their bid shall be voided and if they were the successful bidder the lien and any deposits made, in connection with, said bid shall be forfeited.

This list includes only tax liens on real estate located in Town of Hempstead. Such other tax liens on real estate are advertised as follows:

TOwn OF HEMpSTEAd

Dist 1001

Dist 1002

Dist 1003

Dist 1004

Dist 1005

Dist 1006

Dist 1007

Dist 1008

Dist 1009

Dist 1010

Dist 1011

Dist 1012

HEMPSTEAD BEACON,

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK TREND

NEW YORK POST

UNIONDALE BEACON

HEMPSTEAD BEACON, NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

UNIONDALE BEACON

EAST MEADOW HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEIGHBOR NEWSPAPERS

NEW YORK POST

BELLMORE HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEIGHBOR NEWSPAPERS

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEIGHBOR NEWSPAPERS

NEW YORK POST

THE NASSAU OBSERVER

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

WANTAGH HERALD CITIZEN

BELLMORE HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

BALDWIN HERALD

HEMPSTEAD BEACON, NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

FREEPORT HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

BALDWIN HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

OCEANSIDE TRIBUNE

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE

Dist 1021

LYNBROOK/EAST ROCKAWAY HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD

ROCKVILLE CENTRE TRIBUNE

Dist 1022

NEW HYDE

Dist 1023

Dist 1024

Dist 1025

Dist 1026

Dist 1027

Dist 1028

Dist 1029

Dist 1030

Dist 1031

Dist 1201

Dist 1205

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

WANTAGH HERALD CITIZEN

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

VALLEY STREAM HERALD

VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE

MERRICK HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NASSAU OBSERVER

MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

LONG BEACH HERALD

LONG BEACH TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

MERRICK HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

VALLEY STREAM HERALD

VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE

ISLAND PARK TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

EAST MEADOW HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

Dist

NEW YORK POST

Dist 1013

Dist 1014

Dist 1015

Dist 1016

Dist 1017

NEW HYDE

Dist 1018

Dist 1019

Dist 1020

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

VALLEY STREAM HERALD

VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE

FIVE TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

FIVE TOWNS TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU HERALD (FIVE TOWNS)

NEW YORK POST

FIVE TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

FIVE TOWNS TRIBUNE

JEWISH STAR

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

FRANKLIN SQ/ELMONT HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

FRANKLIN SQ/ELMONT HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

NEW YORK POST

GARDEN CITY NEWS

GARDEN CITY TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

EAST ROCKAWAY TRIBUNE

LYNBROOK/EAST ROCKAWAY HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

ROCKAWAY JOURNAL

EAST ROCKAWAY TRIBUNE

MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW HYDE PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

NEW YORK POST

TOwn OF nORTH HEMpSTEAd

Dist 2001

Dist 2002

Dist 2003

Dist 2004

Dist 2005

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

MINEOLA WILLISTON TIMES

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

BNH

MANHASSET PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

ROSLYN NEWS TIMES

MANHASSET PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

PORT WASHINGTON NEWS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW HYDE PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

Dist 2006

Dist 2007

NEW YORK POST

MANHASSET PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

PORT WASHINGTON NEWS

GREAT NECK NEWS RECORD

JEWISH STAR

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

Public Notices

Continued from previous page

THE NASSAU OBSERVER

BETHPAGE NEWSGRAM

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

BETHPAGE NEWSGRAM

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SOUTH BAYS NEIGHBOR - BETHPAGE

THE NASSAU OBSERVER Dist 3021

BETHPAGE NEWSGRAM

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SOUTH BAYS NEIGHBOR - BETHPAGE

THE NASSAU OBSERVER Dist 3022

MASSAPEQUA POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SOUTH BAYS NEIGHBOR - FARMINGDALE

THE NASSAU OBSERVER Dist 3023

MASSAPEQUA POST

MID-ISLAND TIMES

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

SOUTH BAYS NEIGHBOR - N. MASSAPEQUA THE NASSAU OBSERVER Dist 3024

GLEN COVE OYSTER BAY RECORD PILOT

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SEA CLIFF - GLEN HEAD HERALD Dist 3203

LONG ISLAND PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, PEAK GARDEN WESTBURY TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. DEIJH, INC., ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 7, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 195 Garden Street, Westbury, NY 11590. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Westbury (outside the Incorporated Village) in the Town of North Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 11, Block 503 and Lot 25.

Approximate amount of judgment is $627,379.58 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 607687/2023.

Brian Carmody, Esq., Referee

Vallely Mitola Ryan PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York

ROSLYN NEWS TIMES Dist 3306

MASSAPEQUA POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NASSAU OBSERVER

City of Glen Cove Dist 4005

GLEN COVE HERALD GAZETTE

GLEN COVE OYSTER BAY RECORD PILOT

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NORTH SHORE LEADER

City of lonG BeaCh Dist 5028

LONG BEACH HERALD

LONG BEACH TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

Nassau County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities.

Upon request, accommodations such as those required by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in all services, programs, activities and public hearings and events conducted by the Treasurer’s Office. Upon request, information can be made available in braille, large print, audio tape other alternative formats. For additional information, please call (516) 571-2090 ext. 13715.

Dated: February 05, 2026 THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER MINEOLA, NEW YORK 1334632

11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff. 157820

LEGAL NOTICE SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS-SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAUCOMPU-LINK CORPORATION, DBA CELINK, Plaintiff,against- DEBORAH STELLA AKA DEBORAH J. STELLA, INDIVIDUALLY, AS TO HER LIFE ESTATE INTEREST AND AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF VINCENT STELLA; VINCENT J. STELLA, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF VINCENT STELLA; ELIZABETH M. GUILFOYLE, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF VINCENT STELLA; JOHN R. STELLA, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF VINCENT STELLA; PATRICE C. STELLA, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF VINCENT STELLA; TONI ANN GENNA, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF VINCENT STELLA; ANY AND ALL KNOWN OR UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE

Levittown, NY 11756. Dated: December 18, 2025 Filed: December 22, 2025 Greenspoon Marder LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Raspreet Bhatia, Esq.1345 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10105 P: (212) 524-5000 F: (212) 524-5050 (No Service by fax) Please respond to Cypress Creek office: Trade Centre South, 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 700 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 P: (888) 491-1120 F: (954) 343-6982 157814

filed Judgment Index No.: 611656/2021. Leslie Feifer, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 157942

Steven M. Feinberg, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 157934

resolution and shall not take effect until thirty (30) days, as provided by the General Municipal Law.

Dated: January 26th 2026

OF VINCENT STELLA; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, DefendantsIndex No. 612031/2025 Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject premises is situated in Nassau County. To the above named DefendantsYOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance upon the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the date of service or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental

Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated November 24, 2025. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME - If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (COMPULINK CORPORATION, DBA CELINK) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Jeffrey A. Goodstein A.J.S.C. Dated: November 24, 2025 Filed: December 8, 2025. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 12 Elmtree Lane,

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR MFRA TRUST 2016-1, -againstVLADIMIR C. PUNTO A/K/A VLADIMIR PUNTO, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on April 28, 2025, wherein WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR MFRA TRUST 2016-1 is the Plaintiff and VLADIMIR C. PUNTO A/K/A VLADIMIR PUNTO, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on February 23, 2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 839 WINTHROP DRIVE, EAST MEADOW, NY 11554; and the following tax map identification: 50-437-24.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDING AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT EAST MEADOW, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR OPTEUM MORTGAGE ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION, ASSETBACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-4, Plaintiff, AGAINST JESUS A. AVELARLEMUS, et al. Defendant(s) Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on December 2, 2025. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM premises known as 629 Oxford Street, Westbury, NY 11590. Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County, and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Westbury, Town of North Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 0011, Block 00219-00 and Lot 00090-00094. Approximate amount of judgment $630,018.13 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #607755/2023.

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners of the WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, on the twenty sixth day of January 2026, subject to permissive referendum as provided for by the General Municipal law. An extract of the resolution is as follows: The WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT has by appropriate resolution established a certain capital reserve fund designated as the Capital Reserve Fund, established pursuant to Section 6(g) of the General Municipal Law, in an account for deposit of said Capital Reserve Fund entitled, “The Wantagh Fire District, Section 6(g) General Municipal Building and Grounds Capital Reserve Fund”; and; in which account is sufficient funds to accomplish the purposes herein after set forth, namely, 2026 Informational Technology Infrastructure Upgrade Capital Project including labor, material, inspection and delivery, incidental expenses, advertising, and attorney’s fees, in order to maintain the efficiency of the Wantagh Fire District in the discharge of their duties in preserving the lives and property of the residents of the community and the said project is deemed in the best interest of the residents of the Wantagh Fire District. The resolution further provides that there be transferred from the present Capital Reserve Fund entitled, “The Wantagh Fire District, Section 6(g) General Municipal Building and Grounds Capital Reserve Fund” of the Wantagh Fire District a sum not to exceed One Hundred and TwentyFour Thousand ($124,000) dollars and the District Treasurer is authorized to effect such transfer from time to time as necessary for the project. This resolution is subject to a permissive

By order of The Board of Fire Commissioner Brendan J. Narell Superintendent 158211

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners of the WANTAGH FIRE DISTRICT, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, on the 26th day of January 2026, subject to permissive referendum as provided for by the General Municipal law.

An extract of the resolution is as follows: The Wantagh Fire District has by appropriate resolution established and maintains a certain capital reserve fund, established pursuant to Section 6(g) of the General Municipal Law, in an account for deposit of said Capital Reserve Fund entitled, “The Wantagh Fire District, Section 6(g) General Municipal “Firematic Equipment and Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund “ in local banks; in which account is sufficient funds to accomplish the purposes herein after set forth, namely, the Shop Equipment Project (labor, material, inspection and delivery), including incidental expenses, advertising, and attorney’s fees, in order to maintain the efficiency of the Wantagh Fire District in the discharge of their duties in preserving the lives and property of the residents of the Community and the said project is deemed in the best interest of the residents of the Wantagh Fire District. The resolution further provides that there be transferred from the present Firematic Equipment and Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund of the Wantagh Fire District a sum not to exceed Fifty Thousand ($50,000.00) dollars and the District Treasurer is authorized to effect such transfer from time to time as necessary for the project. This resolution is subject to a permissive resolution and shall not take effect until thirty

Medicaid fraud claims resurface in letter

Medicaid programs authorized under the Social Security Act. In order to receive payments from the federal government, states — in NUMC’s case, New York — must contribute their assigned share, commonly referred to as the state share or non-federal share, to hospital funding.

Typically, the state share matches the federal contribution.

According to the notice-of-claims documents, in 2024, NUMC was due to receive DSH payments totaling roughly $100.2 million. The federal share of the DSH payments was half of that total, around $50.1 million, which was transferred to the State Department of Health for distribution.

The documents alleged that the state orchestrated a ruse to mislead the federal government by requiring NUMC to front the state’s contractual share of the DSH funds from its own operating account. As a result, NUMC received only half of the DSH payments it was entitled to, because the state required the hospital to fund its own non-federal share.

The hospital alleged that it had been a victim of similar schemes since at least 2001.

Throughout 2025, a restructured board was implemented at the Nassau Health Care Corporation and NUMC, due to provisions that passed in the

an alleged medicaid fraud scheme at nassau university medical Center re-surfaced in a letter by the House oversight Committee. the committee is requesting clarification for how funds from certain federal programs should be distributed.

state’s budget in May. These changes ousted former leadership who brought allegations against the state. Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed a new chairman of the board, Stuart Rabinowitz, a former

Public Notices

(30) days, as provided by the General Municipal Law.

Dated: January 26th 2026

By order of The Board of Fire Commissioner Brendan J. Narell Superintendent 158212

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to N.Y. Constitution Article 9, N.Y. Town Law, and N.Y. Municipal Home Rule Law, as amended, the Hempstead Town Board will hold a public hearing at Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 10th day of February, 2026 at 10:30 in the forenoon of that day, to consider enacting Chapter 153 of the Hempstead Town Code to be entitled “Cat and Dog Litter Registry”. The proposed local law is available at hempsteadny.gov, on the bulletin board at Town Hall as of the publication of this notice, and on file in the Office of the Town

Clerk of the Town of Hempstead, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, where the same may be inspected during office hours.

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: January 27, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158203

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 10-2026

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly

called and held on the 27th day of January 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 10-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 10-2026, to amend Chapter 202 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “REGULATIONS & RESTRICTIONS” to limit parking at various locations.

Dated: January 27, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

JOHN FERRETTI

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158191

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 11-2026

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New

York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 27th day of January 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 11-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 11-2026, to amend Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include & repealing “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations.

Dated: January 27, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

JOHN FERRETTI

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158192

president at Hofstra University. The hospital also welcomed Thomas Stokes as its new chief executive earlier this month.

On Jan. 15, the hospital announced it had received $109.6 million in funding from state leadership.

Letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz

In a Jan. 16 letter to Oz, U.S. Rep. James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, and chair of the House Oversight Committee, said the committee is “investigating reports that the State of New York has been failing to abide by current law and properly match federal Medicaid funds.”

Comer stated that the committee is concerned that the state, and potentially other states, are failing to follow federal law by “misrepresenting the source of the non-federal share that the state is responsible for providing to trigger federal dollars under the Medicaid DSH program.”

Citing articles on the alleged Medicaid scheme by both the Herald and the New York Post, Comer said “reports on this scheme indicate that the state has engaged in this behavior for more than 20 years, costing taxpayers over $1 billion for one hospital alone, Nassau University Medical Center.”

The committee, he said, initiated an investigation in July of last year by sending a letter to Hochul and the state’s Executive Chamber, and has received some, but “nowhere near all” of the requested documents and communications.

Comer wrote that four members of Congress from New York wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. and the Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Stephanie Carlton and “requested clarification on the obligation of states,

What is the Medicaid DSH program?

The Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital, or DSH, program provides supplemental funding to hospitals that serve large numbers of low-income and uninsured patients, helping offset uncompensated care costs.

DSH funding is shared by the federal government and states. States must contribute a nonfederal “state share” to receive matching federal dollars.

Nassau University Medical Center, one of only three public hospitals in New York that treat patients regardless of ability to pay, relies heavily on DSH funds. Federal rules prohibit states from requiring hospitals to finance the state share themselves.

Under previous leadership, NUMC alleged New York violated those rules by forcing the hospital to front the state’s portion of DSH payments, resulting in reduced funding. The U.S. House Oversight Committee is now reviewing whether the state complied with federal Medicaid law.

including New York, to ensure timely and complete DSH payments to NUMC and other eligible hospitals.” They also requested a review of the situation that occurred at NUMC to determine if the state’s actions follow federal statutes and regulations.

Comer requested a briefing to assist in the investigation, as well as the issuing of a “formal clarification regarding the proper sourcing of non-federal share funds for the Medicaid DSH program.”

State’s response

State officials have long said the takeover at NUMC was necessary, citing a storied history of mismanagement that they say put the hospital into financial distress.

A spokesperson for the governor told the New York Post, covering the same matter at the hospital: “NUMC’s previous leadership left the hospital in a deep financial hole because of years of mismanagement and an outright refusal to meet the state’s basic oversight requirements, putting patient care at risk.”

The money provided to the hospital earlier this month, according to a release shared with the Herald, reflects the state’s “recognition of the hospital’s progress under new leadership and its commitment to stabilizing operations while preserving access to essential health care services for Long Island residents.”

OUTSIDE SALES

EDITOR/REPORTER

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time

Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multi-task, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines.

Salary Range is $17 per hour to $20 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: circulationassociate@liherald.com

CLEANER PART-TIME

For The Baldwin Public Library. Up to 17 hours / week; Sundays optional at 2X. For more info. contact rduccilli@baldwinpl.org. Send resume to employment@baldwinpl.org or visit Library to complete an application by 2/12/26.

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome! $22 - $27/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778 Email: info@bellautoschool.com

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

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ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $35,360 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS

FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in

HomesHERALD

A House You'll Call Home

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How do we keep our home livable during renovations?

Q. Do you have any suggestions on how we can guarantee our house won’t be damaged while we have a renovation done? We’re doing a lot of work to add a back family room and a second floor. Our house is a cape that already has a second floor, but we want a full second floor. Everyone we spoke to called it a dormer, but we read your column in which you clarified that a dormer is pushed out through the current roof and a second floor is the whole thing, so we know. We want to stay on the first floor, and even though we’ll get a POD for the driveway, we’re concerned about staying on the first floor. The contractor showed us the plastic curtains he uses, but is there anything else? Our daughter has asthma, and we’re very concerned.

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A. It’s tough to guarantee that dust won’t get in, since there are many ways dust travels and the average home, without any air filtration, usually get dusty, anyway. I have seen countless projects with zippered air curtain separations, sealed at the walls, floors and ceilings — even double curtains separated by 4 feet to create a vestibule, with a fan drawing air to the outside just before people open the first zipper. This is called a negative air method, and the fan should only be turned on when someone is about to enter the vestibule from the clean side, because if the fan is left on, it’s drawing air from the dusty side to the clean side.

Several clients purchased boxes of disposable booties to slip over shoes to keep from tracking in dust and dirt. If you have carpeting or just want to protect your finished floors, it’s best to have the walking paths covered in plywood and heavy plastic. Lift the plastic and fold inward to discard periodically, or vacuum with a brush attachment so as not to suck up the plastic. Also, if the path is highly trafficked, it will tear and may be slippery from the booties and dust, so monitor the surface and how affected it will be.

Sometimes just a smooth fiberboard, without splinters, is best. One client even used a spray bottle to spray the air and then the booties before discarding them in a plastic bag. Unfortunately, some people did not completely understand the air flow issues, and left their exterior windows open in the clean areas, adjacent to where the work was being done, allowing the dust to float in through the windows from outside.

Depending on how much you want to spend, there are elaborate portable units with high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filters that will rid the air of a large amount of dust as well as less-visible matter such as pollen. You may want to consult your child’s doctor for advice about filtered respirators, or whether it’s a good idea for her to be there during the construction at all. Good luck!

© 2026 Monte Leeper

Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, 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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Extremist green policies have made electric rates soar

Anew report issued by our Center for Cost Effective Government confirms that progressive policies implemented by New York’s Legislature designed to tackle climate change have caused energy rates in the state to skyrocket, with few environmental benefits.

In fact, these policies increased electric bills by roughly 50 percent in the six years since their implementation.

In 2019, Albany enacted a sweeping law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, imposing mandates seeking a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It also calls for 100 percent renewable electricity use by 2040.

But recently, New York’s government has been quietly telling the utilities to slow-walk the decommissioning of gasfired power plants. And after the November election, Gov. Kathy Hochul officially retreated from the unrealistic mandate requiring electric heat in new buildings until a lawsuit on the issue concludes.

The state’s progressive policies

included numerous initiatives many now regret, including shutting down nuclear plants; refusing to frack in New York; refusing to approve natural-gas pipelines; requiring all new buildings be heated with electricity; imposing carbon penalties on utilities, passing costs to consumers; and mandating that all cars be electric by 2035.

OIronically, New York’s carbon footprint wound up being worse after passage of this bill, while electric rates soared. Curtailing natural gas had devastating consequences, both economically and environmentally. It was the transition from dirtier coal and oil to cleaner natural gas that dropped U.S. greenhouse emissions by 14 percent from 2005 to 2019, while emissions were increasing worldwide. Rates are slated to increase further, with the New York State Electric & Gas company saying it will charge 23.7 percent more in 2026, while National Grid is seeking increases that could raise bills upstate by $600 a year. And Con Edison is seeking increases that would increase average gas and energy bills more than $150 higher than in 2020. This reduced supply is exacerbated by the enormous energy required for the A.I. revolution. Large companies at the forefront of A.I. innovation put

immense strain on the grid. A.I. data centers are becoming large energy users, outpacing even electric vehicles in their power demand growth.

verly ambitious initiatives have had negative consequences worldwide.

Overly ambitious policy initiatives to shut down traditional power generation and replace it with less-reliable wind and solar energy have resulted in significant negative consequences worldwide. In Germany, an optimistic energy transition plan involved shutting down nuclear plants. In 2011, Germany’s 17 nuclear reactors generated over 33 percent of the country’s electricity. Their shutdown led to a return to fossil fuels. Consequently, greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on foreign energy sources actually increased.

These extreme policies have been mirrored in California, resulting in electric costs that are roughly 50 percent higher than the national average and gasoline costs that are 47 percent above the average.

The typical residential customer in New Jersey, which also promulgated extreme green policies, saw an increase of 17 to 20 percent last year. One resident of Clark, N.J., claimed that her bill rose from $174 in June to over $300 in July — this despite New Jersey’s Public Service Electric & Gas having told her

to expect an increase of 17 percent. Even once-touted wind projects are losing their luster when they come under greater scrutiny. According to NY Energy Ratings, “Developers are looking for a way to pay for the mounting costs of new wind energy projects. They have even asked the [Public Service Commission] to increase New York electric rates.” This is estimated to result in an increase of 4 percent, or $4.67 per month for ratepayers. Some projects are costing double what they were expected to.

Billionaire Bill Gates, who previously sided with the climate doomsday faction, has tempered his position, noting that the trillions of dollars being funneled to climate initiatives could be better spent relieving worldwide poverty. Are you a better person if you pay an arm and a leg for extreme green policies that will have little impact on reducing the carbon footprint decades down the road? Or is it more cost-effective to concentrate those funds on saving lives today, via better health care and economic opportunity, while simultaneously investing in innovations that can provide cheaper, cleaner energy over a rational, gradual period of time?

Steve Levy is president of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm, and has served as Suffolk County executive and as an assemblyman. He can be reached at steve@commonsensestrategies.com.

We can make our school cafeterias safer

in recent years, we’ve seen stories on the news of everyday heroes who have saved the lives of choking children. There have been incidents all over Long Island, from Elmont to East Setauket, yet New York does not currently require cafeteria monitors to be certified in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the Heimlich maneuver.

My new bill, SS6127A, known as Stella’s Law, would correct this oversight. The legislation is named in honor of Stella Tsimis, a teacher’s aide in the Connetquot school district who, in February 2023, saved the life of a 7-year-old boy in the school cafeteria by performing the Heimlich maneuver on him while he

was choking.

Tsimis received the New York State Liberty Medal for saving the boy’s life.

The Liberty Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by New York state, and is presented only for extraordinary, heroic and life-saving acts.

Tsimis’s actions that day highlighted the need for all adult cafeteria monitors in school cafeterias to be trained in and hold current certifications for first aid, CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, to help ensure the safety of the children who eat there. Requiring the First Aid for Choking poster to be displayed in all school eating areas further supports this goal by providing clear, life-saving instructions that can be followed in an emergency.

such posters, but it’s important for teachers, monitors and staff to be able to successfully intervene in an emergency.

s taffs need to be trained in first aid for choking and the Heimlich maneuver.

Many rescuers have learned the Heimlich maneuver in school health classes, workplace training or even from

Stella’s Law would ensure that personnel are trained, and that informative posters showing the Heimlich maneuver are displayed where students are at the greatest risk of choking. The instructional posters help make sure students are not fearful or afraid if a choking emergency occurs, because they understand this life-saving technique.

There are many resources available in your community. Organizations like the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association hold classes to help people be prepared for such emergencies. We hosted our first CPR-Heimlich maneuver training in cooperation with the West Babylon Fire Department on Jan. 24.

In 2024, a Patchogue-Medford math

teacher, Chris Schiefer, came to the rescue of one of his students. Schiefer noticed the student choking on a gumball and quickly went into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and helping to dislodge the obstruction. After making sure the student saw the nurse to confirm he was all right, Schiefer turned the incident into a learning opportunity by teaching his students about the Heimlich maneuver and pointing out a chart on the wall demonstrating how to handle a choking incident.

This was a great effort made by a responsible educator, but we should have standard training in place, as well as step-by-step signage for school staff, so they can be frontline administrators of these life-saving techniques.

Please contact your local school district, state senator or Assembly member and encourage them to support Stella’s Law, and to make our schools safer.

Joseph d’alessandro

Out of practice, but not out of resolve

last week, for the first time in three years, Long Island was forcefully reminded that winter isn’t just a suggestion. The Jan. 25 snowstorm dumped more than a foot of snow, whipped it around with high winds and then sealed it in place with a deep freeze, making it the most significant storm in these parts since Jan. 29, 2022. For a region that had grown used to mild winters and more rain than snow, it was a rude, icy wake-up call.

Within hours, schools and businesses were closed, and familiar streets transformed from wet pavement to skating rinks masquerading as thoroughfares.

Snow shovels were unearthed from garages, boots were rediscovered in the backs of closets and many residents wondered, “Wait, how do we do this again?”

The storm highlighted the dedication of emergency workers and the importance of preparation, but it also revealed something else: After a few relatively snow-free winters, Long Island was a little out of practice.

Emergency crews, plow drivers, sanitation workers, police officers, EMS personnel and other essential workers put in long hours in harsh and dangerous conditions. Their efforts kept major roadways passable and ensured that critical services remained available. These people don’t get snow days, and Long Island is better off because of it.

Elected officials also moved quickly. Roads were treated with pre-storm brine to prevent ice from bonding to

letters

pavement. Hundreds of plows were deployed across towns and villages. Gov. Kathy Hochul sent more than 100 members of the National Guard to assist with snow removal, including on major parkways that thousands of drivers rely on every day.

County Executives Bruce Blakeman and Ed Romaine, in Nassau and Suffolk, respectively, declared states of emergency, helping streamline coordination and resources.

Many residents noticed and appreciated responders’ efforts. Social media was filled with thank-yous to plow drivers and sanitation crews, often described as “the backbone of the operation.” Credit where it’s due: Without their efforts, the storm’s aftermath would have been far worse.

Still, once the snow stopped falling, patience began to melt, unlike the ice. Complaints poured in about side streets that weren’t plowed quickly enough, leaving cars stuck and neighbors frustrated as snow hardened and became virtually unmovable. In some areas, plows managed little more than a single narrow lane, pushing snow into piles that quickly froze into what might as well have been concrete barriers.

The storm’s heavy mix of snow and sleet didn’t help. Parked cars made matters worse. Town officials, including in Oyster Bay, pointed to vehicles left on streets despite parking restrictions as a major obstacle to proper plowing. And then there was the Long Island tradition of shoveling snow into the street

Our foreign policy ‘is heading in the wrong direction’

To the Editor:

I read Peter King’s opinion piece last week, “What did Trump gain by badmouthing Denmark?” about the administration’s various foreign policy accomplishments and failures during the first year of President Trump’s second term. I agree that the approach that’s being taken in regard to Greenland is not wise. Our current treaty with Denmark gives the United States great leeway for the use of Greenland’s territory for U.S. bases in the defense of the U.S. and our NATO allies.

I feel that our foreign policy in general is heading in the wrong direction. The “America First” policy that’s being promoted by the administration is doing great damage to our peaceful relationships around the world. We may have the greatest military in modern history, but we live in a complex world. We need to preserve NATO and make sure that treaties established at the end of World War II remain strong. We need cooperation, not condemnation of friends.

I agree that we need secure and safe borders, and

— illegal, counterproductive and, in Nassau County, potentially a $200 mistake.

All of this slowed cleanup, especially when you consider the scale of the task. The Town of Hempstead alone is responsible for clearing roughly 1,200 miles of roadway. That’s not a quick lap around the block — it’s a marathon in snow boots.

Snow removal is a team sport. Municipalities can plan routes, deploy equipment and send alerts, but residents have to do their part, moving vehicles, following restrictions, staying informed and resisting the urge to dump snow where plows just cleared it.

After three quiet winters, Long Island’s collective snow-day muscle memory had weakened. The key takeaway from Jan. 25 is that the storm exposed gaps while providing a muchneeded refresher. Main roads were cleared. Most neighborhoods were eventually serviced. Emergency operations held up under pressure. With better coordination, clearer communication and stronger public cooperation, the next response can be even smoother. Snowstorms on Long Island are inevitable, and we should be ready for them. If everyone — from county and state governments to towns, villages, businesses and residents — gets back in practice, the next big storm can be met not with surprise and frustration, but with confidence, coordination and maybe even a little less slip-sliding around.

The political distraction industry — and its cost

something’s wrong. It’s hard to put a finger on it. We live in a political world, and something about the way that world slides between the foreground and the background of daily life just seems off — not dramatic, not mysterious, just persistently wrong.

That unease has a source.

Contemporary politics now functions within what can fairly be called a political distraction industry. Large, highprofile controversies generate a media fog that draws our attention toward whatever is loudest or most immediate, while steadily pulling our focus away from decisions that more directly shape our lives.

In any given week, we may be urged to fixate on the latest scandal, to listen to conflicting stories about exploding motorboats off the coast of South America, to dissect executive orders that change little in practice, to scroll through a flood of presidential social media posts, or to follow lawsuits filed theatrically against judges and officials with no realistic chance of success.

Each story is framed as urgent. Each demands our attention. It’s hard to keep up, and it’s harder to see through the fog of information to discern things that may be far more important.

This isn’t an accident. Distraction has become a strategy.

The incentives aren’t difficult to see. Media outlets compete in an overcrowded attention economy. Social media platforms reward speed, outrage and repetition. Political fundraising thrives on alarm. Issues and decisions are boiled down to simplistic either/or choices. Complexity doesn’t travel well. The most consequential changes tend to arrive quietly, already dressed as routine.

w here every problem is a ‘crisis,’ and every disagreement ‘unprecedented.’

scrutiny. Constant conflict fragments potential coalitions. Attention jumps from flare to flare, rarely lingering long enough for consideration of the most basic questions: What has actually changed? Who benefits? What precedent has just been set? Distraction works in part because it enlists us. We share the clips, repost the provocations, argue over headlines designed to provoke argument. It feels like engagement, but reaction isn’t the same as agency, and outrage — however understandable — doesn’t substitute for influence.

chasing.

The result is a loss of perspective. Minor controversies swell into national emergencies, while decisions affecting housing costs, public education, health care access, environmental protections and local governance are made quietly. We debate the tone of a speech while overlooking the budget it obscures. We argue about personalities while the machinery of government is adjusted — often in ways that prove difficult to reverse.

It’s no secret: a distracted public is easier to manage than an attentive one. Constant motion prevents sustained

LeTTers

those who illegally entered our country should be dealt with through our justice system. But I hope that the constant rhetoric we see daily in our news media starts to abate, and that cooler heads prevail. We need the direction of our politics, and our policies, to return to a sense of normalcy.

JErOME I. rOSEn Hewlett

Where have all the plows gone?

Editors’ note: The following letter was sent to the Herald on Jan. 29, after last week’s issues went to press.

To the Editor:

It’s frustrating that nearly five days after the significant snow we had on Jan. 25, our neighborhoods, thoroughfares and side streets are still not cleared. Did the plows come? Yes, they did. Main roads have been cleared. But who’s responsible for the mess left behind along Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Avenue and other highly traveled streets that could certainly benefit from another pass of the plow?

Why are cars forced to park next to huge mounds of snow that haven’t been removed? The plows should still be out there, helping to widen the streets. Instead I’ve seen multiple town highway trucks with plows removed.

An example is Goldenrod Avenue in Franklin Square, which leads to both Washington Street School and H. Frank Carey High School. During school hours, Goldenrod is almost impassable, whether you’re driving north or south, because it

Even our political vocabulary has been thinned by overuse. Everything is a “crisis.” Every disagreement is “unprecedented.” When every day is framed as an emergency, real emergencies become harder to recognize. Fatigue follows. People disengage — not because they don’t care, but because constant alarm is mentally exhausting. There is no need to tune out — but there is a need to slow down. When a story breaks, a few stubborn questions help restore a sense of scale: Does this materially change how power is exercised? Does it affect people’s rights, safety, or economic security? Will it still matter a year from now? If not, it may be worth keeping an eye on — but not

has at least 4 feet of snow sticking out into the street on both sides.

Why are all the corners leading to crosswalks not cleared? This is a safety issue. Are people expected to climb a snow mound to get to businesses on Hempstead Turnpike?

If the curb outside a store is still piled with snow and the crosswalk at the corner of that street isn’t cleared, how are people expected to get to the store? Businesses are clearing their own sidewalks, but it seems that curbs, corners, crosswalks and some bus stops are orphans of the storm.

When talking to the Town of Hempstead Highway Department, I was told they are only responsible for “residential areas.” They did offer to put in a “ticket” to replow Goldenrod Avenue. I was told that the state Department of Transportation is responsible for large thoroughfares like Hempstead Turnpike and Sunrise Highway. I called the DOT, and an employee repeated “from curb to curb” when I asked what snow clearing they were responsible for.

It seems to me that during these storms, the town, as the “first responder” agency, funded by our tax dollars, should do more to make traveling in our community easier — especially since the town isn’t responsible for plowing main thoroughfares. Why can’t they send crews out to dig out street corners and crosswalks when a storm is over? If we’re expected to take our kids to school, go to work and go about our daily lives, we should get better assistance from the town in order to return to our normal routine.

ELIzABETH MUrPHY Franklin Square

The normalization of continuous distraction carries a cost most of us have experienced without quite naming it. The news and social media flood the airwaves with stories and endless commentary about the latest nasty thing the president has said about a celebrity — who insulted whom, who clapped back. Meanwhile, we hear only a sidebar about a court decision that permits the administration to empower ICE agents to arrest U.S. citizens as though they were undocumented immigrants, the decision mentioned only briefly before disappearing from coverage. One story dominates our attention for days; the other slips past almost unnoticed. Again, the imbalance is not accidental.

Distraction isn’t merely noise, but leverage. The point is not to stop us from seeing anything at all, but to keep us looking in the wrong direction long enough for other, potentially more consequential, decisions to settle into place. By the time our attention shifts back, the argument is over, the paperwork is filed and the change is treated as a fact rather than a choice. What is lost is not awareness, but the chance to intervene at the moment when our scrutiny might have made a difference.

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