Let’s Sing Taylor, a Taylor Swift cover group, hit the stage in Eisenhower Park, drawing hundreds of fans. Lennon Bowling, 7, and Layla O’Brien, 6, were excited to see the superstar come to life at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre. Story, more photos, Page 10.
by CHArles sHAW cshaw@liherald.com
Once a month at the Levittown Public Library, members of the League of Women Voters of East Nassau meet to fill the community in on timely civic issues and provide information on voter registration, empowering residents to actively participate in the democratic process.
The league is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to protecting and expanding voting rights while empowering voters through education and advocacy. At its August meeting, the East Nassau chapter — which represents East Meadow, Wantagh, Seaford, Bellmore, Freeport,
Levittown and Merrick — focused on the league’s background and its work in the community.
According to members, the league does not take positions on or endorse political candidates. Instead, it provides information through candidate forums and advocates for voter registration and turnout. The organization also supports positions related to health, education and environmental issues
“It’s a very democratic association,” member Dania Smith said, “and underneath it all is the concept of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Past meetings of the East Nassau chapter have included presentations on a variety of top-
by JosepH D’AlessANDro jdalessandro@liherald.com
The Kiwanis Club of East Meadow gathered backpacks, notebooks, folders, and other school supplies and delivered them to the East Meadow Union Free School District on Aug. 26.
The club has served underprivileged community members for 74 years. The nonprofit, part of the larger international organization, helps children by providing them and their parents with supplies that improve their quality of life.
Wing back to the community that you serve and to the children in need.”
Past President Jennifer Reinhardt, who was involved in founding this annual event, said the Kiwanis “gives children tools they need in which to learn and grow.”
e’ve received an overwhelming amount of donations.
JeNNifer reiNHArDt
Past President, East Meadow Kiwanis Club
The club also has programs that offer help for extracurricular activities, over the summer and during the school year.
“There’s nothing more rewarding — nothing,” said Diane Krug, a distinguished past president of the Kiwanis Club. “I’ve been a member for quite some time and served as a president a few years back. The bottom line is that there’s nothing more rewarding than giv-
“It was kind of born out of the pandemic,” she said. “We had been delivering food all summer to the school district to help support those in need. It seemed like a natural progression as children started school that we could help support them in that way as well as help make their best start.”
Other organizations have generously donated to Kiwanis’ cause, including the East Meadow Fire Department, the New York Islanders, as well as two local businesses, Coldwell Banker American Homes and Club Pilates.
Reinhardt thanked the East Meadow School District for making the donation program a
Continued on page 14
By LUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has announced the formation of a new specialized strategic response team, set to be deployed across the county, which he said would provide an added layer of security and help keep communities safe.
“Our new strategic response team will be equipped with people who are experienced, who will be privy to intelligence and information on a real-time basis,” Blakeman said, “to make sure that they have the information they need to make sure that our communities are safe.”
The 40-person team will be rolled out as the school year begins, with members working closely with county schools and colleges to identify potential threats and ensure the safety of students, teachers and faculty.
“They will be able to travel and have the flexibility to go to places where they are needed,” Blakeman said at a news conference on Aug. 27 at the Nassau County Police Department Center for Training and Intelligence, alongside Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, county Council of School Superintendents President Marie Testa and Legislators Samantha Goetz, Thomas McKevitt and Rose Marie Walker.
The team will receive weekly intelligence briefings, according to Blakeman, who added that drones would also be used to monitor schools and communities. While he said that the unit’s initial purpose is the monitoring of schools, its responsibilities could expand to handling large public gatherings, such as concerts and protest, as well as increased crime activity.
The new response team will serve as another arm
Thomas L. Kearns
County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced a new police response team at the NCPD Center for Training and Intelligence on Aug. 27, along with a $1.4 million investment in cameras equipped with artificial intelligence.
of one of the largest police departments in the state. The NCPD currently has the largest mounted unit on the East Coast outside New York City, and fully staffed K-9 and motorcycle units, alongside 84 tactical officers. And the department will be adding 10 members to its Emergency Service Unit, according to the county executive’s office.
Blakeman detailed another county initiative, a $1.4 million investment in 100 license-plate-reading cameras equipped with artificial intelligence that will be purchased with asset forfeiture funds. The technology, Blakeman said, will help the department recover license plate information on cars in Nassau County with greater efficiency.
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“If there is a white car that has a golden retriever hanging out the window,” he said, “that AI will get us every car that is white with a golden retriever hanging out the window.”
Ryder praised both initiatives, arguing that they demonstrate the lengths the county will go to “protect your kids,” and “make sure that they’re safe.”
Testa, the North Bellmore School District superintendent, said that the updated security measures introduced in schools are something that she and the council of superintendents “respect, appreciate and admire.”
“We have kept students safe together,” she said. “We have kept students happy to come to school together.”
Walkers completed a half-mile loop on Aug. 23 for the inaugural Veterans Valor Walk, hosted by State Sen. Steve Rhoads office in Eisenhower Park.
Community members laced up their sneakers and wore their patriotic colors at Eisenhower Park on Aug. 23 for the inaugural Veterans Valor Walk, hosted by State Sen. Steve Rhoads.
The half-mile walk around Salisbury Lake was designed to honor the sacrifices of local veterans while also supporting those in need. Participants were encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations, which were collected for the Vet Mart food pantry in Nassau County, located behind Nassau University Medical Center.
Following the walk, registered participants gathered for a complimentary bagel breakfast and refreshments. The event offered neighbors an opportunity to come together in a show of unity, gratitude, and service to ensure no veteran in the community goes hungry.
Participants were asked to bring a nonperishable food item to be donated to the Vet Mart food pantry in
Please join attorney Michael Ettinger for a live webinar, “Four Advantages of Using Trusts,” on Wednesday September 10 at 6:30 p.m. Register in advance at trustlaw.com
We all know the road to you know where is paved with good intentions. Nowhere is this more true than leaving a vacation or beach home for the children to share after the parents have passed. We have often advised that if they are all happy and get along well this might very well lead to the end of those good feelings and relationships.
Inevitably, some will do more work on the premises than others, some will use the premises more than others, there will be disagreements as to maintenance and repairs. Some may never visit or use it at all.
Initially, all expenses tend to be shared equally, since all are equal owners. The foregoing issues, however, will quickly arise and then it will often be difficult or impossible to determine what each child’s fair share of the expenses should be. The one living across the country who never visits may insist that they be “bought out” or, if that’s unaffordable to the others, that the house be sold so that they can get their share.
Sooner or later, one of the siblings dies and
their share goes to a sister-in-law or brother-in-law who may remarry and bring a stranger into the shared arrangement. Or let’s say an owner of onethird of the house dies, and now their share goes to their four children. How is that going to work?
Vacation homes are an excellent example of why good estate planning is often more social work than legal work. In these cases we anticipate the problems and spend the time to figure out who wants and uses the home and perhaps leave it to those children only and compensate the others with money or other assets. If they all use and enjoy the home, we sometimes require that it be held jointly with the right of survivorship, allowing the last of the joint owners to decide who to leave it to.
While the possibilities are endless, each case should be looked at and thought through so as to keep harmony in the family by preempting any potential conflicts. Otherwise, it’s often a case of the old adage that “ no good deed goes unpunished”.
A Roosevelt man was arrested following an incident that occurred on Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in East Meadow.
According to Nassau County police detectives, officers responded to Nassau University Medical Center at 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, where a 66-yearold registered nurse was caring for Roderick Essix, 62, of Roosevelt. Essix became combative and punched the woman in the left side of her face with a
closed fist, causing substantial pain and minor bruising. When officers arrived, Essix was taken into custody without further incident. The victim was evaluated and treated by hospital staff at the scene. Essix is charged with second-degree assault. He was released on an appearance ticket.
–Jordan Vallone
The Special Victims Squad reports the arrest of a Glen Cove man in connection with an incident that began on April 1, 2016, and continued until March 9, 2020, in Westbury.
According to detectives, Jose Rodriguez, 49, of Glen Cove was employed at a daycare center in Westbury when he inappropriately touched a 10-year-old boy. The abuse continued until the victim was 13. On Aug. 11, 2025, Rodriguez entered a Dunkin’ Donuts where the victim now works. After Rodriguez left, the victim notified police. Rodriguez
was arrested on Aug. 25, 2025, in front of 202 Glen Cove Ave. without incident. Rodriguez is charged with first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child. He will be arraigned Aug. 26, 2025, at First District Court, 99 Main St., Hempstead.
Detectives ask that anyone who may have been a victim contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers or the Special Victims Squad at (516) 573-4022. All calls will remain anonymous.
■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/eastmeadow
E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions:
By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com
The Hofstra men’s soccer team is aiming for the program’s fifth straight conference title and sending its longtime head coach out a winner.
Richard Nuttall announced just before kickoff of the 2025 campaign this would mark his last fall leading the Hofstra sidelines. Nuttall has elevated Hofstra into a powerhouse during his 37 years leading the sidelines with eight NCAA Tournament appearances and led the Pride to a fourth straight Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) championship in 2024.
“Sometimes it’s just the right time,” said Nuttall, who will leave the program to associate head coach Stephen Roche, who was named head coach in waiting last year, and longtime assistant Shaun Foster. “My two assistants are great people and they’re ready to go.”
Hofstra entered Nuttall’s final season ranked 23rd in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll on heels of a 14-5-2 2024 campaign in which it earned the seven seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Pride’s historic season ended in heartbreaking fashion with a 2-1 second round loss to Vermont, who proceeded to go on a Cinderella run to win the national championship.
After a season-opening 2-1 loss to Bucknell on Aug. 21, Hofstra rebounded three days later with a 2-0 home victory against local Big East foe St. John’s on the strength of goals from seniors Laurie Goddard and Daniel Burko.
Nuttall said Goddard and Burko will play key roles in directing the offense this season on a squad that graduated much of last year’s starting lineup. Goddard, a midfielder from London, was named the Preseason CAA Player of the Year after tallying nine goals and five assists last season. Burko, a Norway native, transferred to Hofstra from Syracuse and will play a striker role with the Pride at forward.
Senior midfielder Aleksei Armas has
also factored into the offense early this season registering an assist on a goal from Goddard in the season-opening loss to Bucknell. The Floral Park High School product entered Hofstra last fall after playing two seasons at Adelphi University.
The backline is anchored by senior defender Gabriel Pacheco, a Brazil native who was named Honorable Mention Preseason All-CAA. The defense
held St. John’s to just two shots on goal in the Pride’s shutout of the Red Storm Aug. 24.
Senior goalkeeper Sean Bohan recorded two saves in the St. John’s clean sheet. The Dublin, Ireland native is patrolling the Pride net after playing the last two seasons at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa where he recorded a program record 20 shutouts.
“He’s got such a great presence about
him and we just named him a captain,” Nuttall said of Bohan. “He’s a vocal leader and gets people organized.”
Nuttall’s two other goalies on the roster are from Hofstra’s backyard in Gino Cervoni, an Elmont native and Carey High School alum, and freshman Aidan GaNunHear from Garden City South, a Chaminade product.
Hofstra’s next home match is scheduled for Sept. 13 against Long Island rival Stony Brook in its CAA home opener at 7 p.m. The Pride will then face Monmouth at home for another Saturday evening conference match on Sept. 20 before hosting Columbia on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.
The Pride were picked to finish first in the CAA’s North Division, which also features Monmouth, Drexel, Northeastern and Stony Brook. The top three finishers will advance to the CAA Tournament with a chance to add to Nuttall’s championship resume and claim the league’s automatic bid into the NCAAs.
knee
ics. At a May program, attorney Christine Quigley walked attendees through the scope and limits of the First Amendment, explaining protections for speech, religion and the press as well as the often-overlooked right to petition the government. Last September, legal scholar Wilfred Codrington offered a detailed look at the Electoral College, tracing its origins, how it functions today and why swing states have such outsized influence in presidential elections.
“We do more than voter registration,” league member Carol Bergman said. “We have meetings on the environment. We have meetings on different types of voting. We’ve had the Police Department.”
At its meetings, the group also regularly focuses on history and the people who helped shape it. In April, Gordon Parks Middle School social studies teacher Howard Rosenberg gave a presentation on women of World War II, spotlighting Virginia Hall, a decorated Allied spy; Carolyn Ferriday, a philanthropist who supported Holocaust survivors; and Ruby Bradley, an Army nurse who endured years as a prisoner of war. Rosenberg highlighted the courage of women whose contributions are often left out of textbooks.
Last month, members set up a booth at Jones Beach Theater during a performance by pop singer Cyndi Lauper. Members handed out brochures about the league’s mission, offered information on voter registration and spoke with concertgoers about issues like immigration and how executive presidential decisions affect the country.
“The crowd was pleasant,” league member Peggy Stein recalled. “We talked about voter registration and what we do.”
On Aug. 5, members attended Freeport’s third annual National Night Out at Bishop Frank O. White
at its august meeting, the League of Women Voters of east nassau highlighted the organization’s work and touched on topics covered at past meetings, including civic education and voter engagement.
Memorial Park, spoke with attendees — particularly young adults — about voting and distributed voter registration forms.
The league also helps with voter services at the county level, taking on tasks like monitoring school board elections. Members train volunteers to serve as moderators and timekeepers, ensuring that elections run smoothly, fairly and in accordance with the rules.
At the East Nassau Chapter’s next meeting, scheduled for Sept. 10, Levittown School District Superintendent Todd Winch will be the guest speaker. He will discuss a state law passed last September that requires every school district to include a non-voting student
representative on its Board of Education.
In October, the League plans to host candidate meetings for upcoming county and town elections, to be followed by a post-election discussion at its November meeting. Future meeting topics are expected to include book discussions, environmental issues and human trafficking on Long Island.
“We’re educating people about what you’re voting on, where you’re voting and why you should be voting,” Stein said. “You can’t complain if you’re not doing your part. And your part is to be informed and to vote.”
For more information, visit LWVEastNassau.org.
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO, JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO & RENEE DELORENZO of Herald Community Newspapers
Fourth in a series on housing on Long Island.
Communities across Long Island often fall into one of two camps: those in favor of new developments, and those against.
For some residents, the common refrain is “Not in my backyard!” — disapproving of the construction of new residential and commercial projects near where they live. The would-be neighbors of these developments are directly affected by their construction in the short term, and often see lifestyle changes for years to come.
Marge Congello, president of the Central Bellmore Homeowners Association, disapproved of recent plans to develop an apartment building on Bedford Avenue in Bellmore. After attending a public event reviewing the proposal, she described the project as “too robust.”
“Am I against apartment buildings? No, but I think that there’s becoming an influx of them in Nassau County,” Congello said. “The builder wants to make money, the developer wants to make money, and then they go live somewhere else. They’re not living in my backyard.
“Our main priority is maintaining and improving the quality of life here in Uniondale and all of Nassau County,” Jacobs said.
Another housing program Jacobs regarded with skepticism was accessory dwelling units — an initiative spearheaded by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2024 state budget talks to add extensions to existing homes to create more — and less expensive — living spaces.
“ADUs — the vast majority of people that I speak with are totally against it,” Jacobs said. “With ADUs, they come with more people, more cars.”
While accessory units may not be a welcome solution, Jacobs acknowledges a need for housing on Long Island. “I do believe that there should be some affordable housing,” she said. “We want to retain our children and our grandchildren. We want them to stay here.”
the flip side . . .
“There were lots of issues,” she added of the Bedford Avenue proposal. “There’s the traffic congestion that comes along with the overdevelopment. There’s the overburdening of utilities that comes along — the overburdening of schools and emergency services.”
Congello cited the loss of green space to new real estate developments as a major cause for concern, describing it as a type of urbanization that disrupts Nassau and Suffolk counties’ way of life.
“You can’t go and change the zoning in a residential area to allow an apartment building and then ‘save our suburbs,’” she said. “You can’t have both.”
Congello has been a member of Bellmore’s homeowners’ association for 25 years, serving as “the eyes and the ears for the local residents,” she said.
“We’re here to protect the quality of life that we feel very strongly about, not to hurt any businesses,” she said. “It’s definitely not about stopping growth, but it’s maintaining both.”
Congello’s criticisms of overdevelopment extend beyond apartment projects. She was a prominent voice of the Say No to the Casino movement, which opposed plans by Las Vegas Sands to build a casino resort in Uniondale. She worked with Pearl Jacobs, president of the Nostrand Gardens Civic Association, who shares similar concerns about overdevelopment.
Other community activists disagree, welcoming new projects with open arms as YIMBYs — “Yes, in my backyard!”
According to Hunter Gross, vice president of the Hempstead Housing Coalition, combating the NIMBY movement remains a challenge. When towns hold meetings on housing projects — such as apartment buildings with affordable units — the key demographic those projects aim to serve is usually underrepresented, Gross noted. Instead, he said, the attendees are often homeowners, many of them older than the group that would benefit most.
New York state’s 2025 Nassau County Rent Guidelines Board explanatory statement — compiled by the state’s Home and Community Renewal agency — reports that 81.9 percent of homes in the county are owner-occupied, and 18.1 percent are renter-occupied in the county.
“You’re always going to have people who show up who don’t have valid concerns about the project,” Gross said. “It creates this sentiment that every single person is objecting to a housing project.
“Oftentimes, elected officials listen to the loudest people in the room,” he continued. “I don’t think economic development and housing policy should be dictated by the small minority of people.”
The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports that about 40 percent of people in need of affordable housing are in the workforce, with 42 percent working more than 40 hours a week. As well, 33 percent of extremely-lowincome households are seniors, and 18 percent are people with disabilities.
The dynamic often becomes one of “ladder-pulling,” when homeowners block opportunities for those trying to enter the market, Gross said.
He recalled an older man at a Sayville
The real estate development firm Economic Development Strategies submitted to a third round of community feedback on plans to build a new apartment building on Bedford Avenue in Bellmore on April 2. Bill Bonesso addressed would-be neighbors, answering questions and getting feedback.
public hearing saying that he had worked multiple jobs to afford living on Long Island. Gross responded that he also juggles more than two jobs, but structural issues like wages failing to keep pace with inflation leave younger workers at a disadvantage.
“It has nothing to do with you working hard enough,” he said.
Gross also noted that homes bought decades ago would be unaffordable for those same buyers today. In a 2024 survey conducted by the real estate brokerage Redfin, nearly 40 percent of homeowners said they could not afford their homes if they were purchasing them now. Redfin cited population growth, housing shortages and rising mortgage rates as explanations, adding that the median home sale price has doubled in the past decade.
“If we truly care about our communities on Long Island, I think it’s time to say that we’re not going to close the gates,” Gross said. “We’re not a gated community, and we can ensure that people can afford to live here.”
In communities across Long Island, new housing developments often spark debate, as they try to balance the need for growth with residents’ desire to preserve the neighborhood character.
In Lynbrook, that tension was visible with the opening of the Langdon, a sixstory apartment building at Broadway and Langdon Place that added 201 rental units to the village. While some residents raised concerns about traffic, crowding and other changes to the community, others, including local business leaders and many residents, viewed the project as an opportunity for revitaliza-
tion.
Polly Talbott, a former president and the current executive director of the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce, lives in the village and has seen the transition firsthand. Her dual perspective as resident and chamber leader informs her view of the YIMBY approach. While construction created temporary disruptions, the project was thoughtfully executed, Talbott said, and recent improvements, including updated streets and parking, have already enhanced the surrounding area.
“It will help our village to flourish,” she said. “I think it’s inspiring to see our community embracing it. We understand that people, some people, have a hard time with it, but it is a great opportunity for young people to find a home here, and it will bring just life and vitality to our streets.”
The project included 20 affordable apartments designated for households earning up to 80 percent of the area median income — six studios, 11 onebedroom apartments and three two-bedroom units, with monthly rents ranging from $2,212 to $3,147.
Asked about the cultural resistance often associated with NIMBYism, Talbott acknowledged that some residents worry about overpopulation or losing the village’s small-town character, sometimes expressed as a fear of “turning Long Island into the city.” From her perspective, these concerns are understandable but overstated. She emphasized that Lynbrook continues to offer green spaces, parks and community amenities, and that adding housing does not diminish the village’s character; rather, it strengthens it by welcoming
new residents who are invested in the community.
“Are we going to put one on every corner? No, we’re not,” Talbott said. “We can’t stop change. We can’t stop progress. And I think we’ve done it tastefully.”
Affordable housing and rental options are also critical in the broader context of Long Island’s housing crisis. With the rising cost of homeownership, apartment complexes like the Langdon provide alternatives for young professionals and families who would otherwise be priced out.
While NIMBY resistance often focuses on perceived disruptions, housing developments are increasingly seen as necessary to ensure that communities remain vibrant, inclusive and economically sustainable.
Bob Barker, president of the Locustwood Gotham Civic Association, in Elmont, said he believes that building affordable housing — or changing zoning laws to allow it — could help solve a nagging issue in some neighborhoods vacant houses.
“There are a lot of unoccupied buildings that are causing a blight in the community,” Barker said. “Let’s get rid of these zombie homes. Let’s get rid of these structures that have been there for years that are boarded up and look tacky.”
Barker argues, would benefit the community twofold: It would create more options for young people or families in need of affordable housing while eliminating properties that are poorly maintained and increasingly dilapidated. The economic benefits, Barker added, could also help towns attract new residents, generate more property tax revenue and boost local businesses.
And, he said, renovating existing homes to create accessory dwelling units could create jobs for local contractors.
“You want people to say, ‘You know what? This is a great program,’” Barker said.
But, he cautioned, community input is essential in determining what kinds of affordable housing make sense — whether apartments or smaller homes that can be converted into multi-family rentals.
NIMBY (Not In My Backyard)
■ Oppose apartment projects as too extensive
■ Cite traffic, utility strain, crowded schools, and loss of green space
■ Fear suburban character will be lost
■ Skeptical of accessory dwelling units
■ Support quality of life over rapid growth
then ‘save our suburbs.’
Marge CoNgeLLo President, Central Bellmore Homeowners Association
Best Neighborhood, a website that tracks real estate data, reports that the average vacancy rate in Nassau County is roughly 6 percent.
Converting vacant homes into affordable housing,
“These are things you have to look at in terms of how best the community agrees with it,” Barker said. “The community should play a vital part in what kind of structures and buildings are built.”
And, he stressed, just because current laws may limit development doesn’t mean they can’t be changed. As the community evolves over the years, laws need to reflect that change, and existing ones may not truly benefit the community.
“You can make amendments to the laws to make them better,” Barker said. “Progress is about change, and the only way you can do that is by amending the laws. We have to be proactive, and not reactive.”
YIMBY (Yes, In My Backyard)
■ Welcome new housing, including affordable units
■ Say opponents dominate public hearings while younger renters are absent
■ Argue that housing shortages and rising costs price out new residents
■ View projects like the Langdon, in Lynbrook, as revitalization
■ Advocate reusing vacant “zombie homes” as affordable housing
Nassau County residents — and Long Islanders from all over — didn’t have to travel far to listen to the music of Taylor Swift.
The pop and musical icon spent over a year dazzling audiences worldwide on her Eras Tour, but on Aug. 21 in Eisenhower Park, fans got to experience her stardom through the cover group, Let’s Sing Taylor.
Let’s Sing Taylor is a live band experience that serves as a tribute to Swift’s music. The group delivers lively and faithful covers of Swift’s extensive catalog, providing fans — known as Swifties — with an immersive and communal experience celebrating her work. The group has been performing at various venues across the country, bringing the magic of Swift’s songs to life with energetic performances that resonate with her audience.
The concert was part of Nassau County’s summer concert series at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre. Fans came dressed head-to-toe in outfits representing all of Swift’s “eras” — symbolizing her different albums and musical styles throughout the years.
Whether fans were there to sing along to her classic country hits or dance to her pop repertoire, there was something for everyone to enjoy. For more on the cover group, and to catch their next show close to home, visit LetsSingTaylor.com.
–Jordan Vallone
By NIKO SCARLATOS sports@liherald.com
The iconic Welsh soccer club Wrexham AFC (Association Football Club) touched down in Massapequa, bringing with it a wave of excitement, skill, and inspiration during a two-week youth soccer camp that captivated young players and families from across Long Island beginning Aug. 18 at John J. Burns Park.
The camp, hosted by the Massapequa Soccer Club, was made possible through the combined efforts of the Massapequa Soccer Club, the Long Island Junior Soccer League, the American Soccer Club, and the Town of Oyster Bay. According to Paul Bigilin, director of coaching for Massapequa Soccer Club, the collaboration with Wrexham was a dream come true for the local soccer community.
“We were able to connect with Wrexham and collaborate to hold a camp here for two weeks in August,” said Bigilin. Wrexham AFC is co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The camp was a huge hit, drawing young soccer enthusiasts from Long Island and beyond. Kids not only had the chance to learn the game from toplevel coaches but also to connect with fellow players in a positive, high-energy environment.
“It has been very well received by the parents,” Bigilin said. “We’ve had kids from all over Long Island coming to participate in this camp. As the director of coaching for a community-based club, just to provide this experience and opportunity for the kids is amazing. It’s life-changing for these kids to see professionals on TV and now being able to train with coaches from Wrexham is fantastic.”
One of those kids is Charlotte Rismiller, an 8-year-old Massapequa resident who enthusiastically shared her favorite parts of the camp: “My favorite part is how fun the drills are. They are teaching us cool moves and they’re really good coaches,” she added. “This camp is very fun and we will totally come back again next year.”
Her brother, Noah, 9, echoed the excitement: “My favorite part is making new friends and learning new moves. I saw my sister playing soccer and it looked fun so I wanted to play too.”
For the coaches from Wrexham AFC, the camp was just as rewarding. Josh Evans, one of the visiting coaches, emphasized the value of cultural exchange and building connections through sport.
“I think it’s experiencing different cultures that makes this cool,” Evans said. “I’ve done this for many years now and working with different children and different age groups never gets old. We’re trying to make it educational
Wrexham coach Josh Evans spoke to kids
at Massapequa’s John J. Burns Park.
while also having fun at the same time. We are running and teaching drills for all different aspects of the game.”
Parents, too, have been impressed by the professionalism and passion brought by the Wrexham team. Roman Seltenreich, a father from Farmingdale, praised the camp’s atmosphere and impact on his children.
“It’s awesome! They really look like they live and breed soccer,” Seltenreich said. “Both my kids [Lillian, 9, and Charles, 6] have learned so much from the coaches while also having a great time. I’m definitely going to be talking this up to other parents. Every kid that plays soccer should be participating in this camp.”
Looking ahead, Bigilin hopes this inaugural partnership is just the beginning of a lasting relationship between Massapequa and Wrexham.
“We’d like to create a relationship, especially here for the community of Massapequa, where we would continue to host Wrexham AFC coaches for camps, and then have the opportunity to send Massapequa players, coaches and families over to Wales to experience the soccer culture they live over there,” Bigilin said.
‘We will never forget,’ read a popular sticker following the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Twenty-four years later, we continue to honor those in the East Meadow and Salisbury communities who lost their lives on that infamous day. We continue to heal, grieve and find hope for the future, while remembering an unforgettable day.
The following 12 people will be remembered as fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, and brothers who grew up here, lived here as adults or served in our local fire department.
success.
“We work with the school district to offer support to students as they start school,” Reinhardt said explained. “Kids look forward to going back to school and starting a new year. It’s great we were able to support that.”
This year’s drive continues a trend of receiving more donations than ever before, reaching beyond backpacks to include all kinds of school supplies. The high volume of donations led to distribution happening a week early to give schools time to organize.
“Our community members were able to donate back-to-school supplies that are needed by students as they start the school year,” Reinhardt said. “We’ve received an overwhelming amount of donations, which is really wonderful. We also welcome anyone who would like to support us to come down to a meeting or reach out to us directly.”
The club collected everything from backpacks to pencils, glue and staplers throughout the summer and sorted them into boxes that will be distributed
among district schools. All of the material is taken to the Salisbury center before distribution.
President-Elect Donna Goldstein produced a wish-list of school supplies for donors to provide for students, which worked off specific requests from each facility in the East Meadow School District.
“It’s all about the children and our community benefiting,” she said. “Our membership is comprised of lots of people who live in East Meadow. We have all ages, all you know, nationalities, we really are just a group of people who enjoy doing things to benefit our community and especially the children.
“I enjoy it, I do,” she continued. “I was very involved in the PTA before, but the Kiwanis is definitely a new way for me to get that out.”
The club has several events this fall that will bring the community holiday spirit with its Thanksgiving food drive and toy.
To learn more about the Kiwanis Club and upcoming events, visit EastMeadowKiwanis.org.
By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com
On the floor of the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University on Aug. 23, the atmosphere was quiet and simultaneously busy — like a golf tournament. Volunteers picked up their uniforms and credentials, while organizers moved briskly, helping them with size changes.
More than 4,300 volunteers, from 46 states — including over 2,700 from New York — and 28 countries will play a pivotal role in the historic Ryder Cup competition Sept. 23 to 28. The biennial showdown between the United States and Europe will take place on Bethpage State Park’s famed Black Course in Farmingdale — the first time the prestigious event has been held in New York.
Kasey Minnigan, who manages volunteer operations for the Ryder Cup through the PGA of America, said the event simply wouldn’t be happening without the thousands of people who signed up to help.
“We are just so excited to be a part of it,” said Minnigan, a Rockville Centre resident who grew up playing golf in Frisco, Texas, where the PGA is headquartered. “We get to give (the volunteers) access to the event for all six days, and they will be provided with two uniform shirts, a jacket, a headwear item and, most importantly, our credential.”
Minnigan, who captained golf teams in both high school, in Frisco, and college, at St. Francis, in Brooklyn, said that each volunteer becomes an ambassador for the event, whether on or off shift.
“We have shifts that cover up to 30 committees — from accessibility shuttles to the shops to on the course — every little thing is covered by volunteers,” she said. “The event would not be possible without them. When they’re on property during non-scheduled shift times, we ask that they wear their headwear so they can be easily noticed and able to step in if we need them.”
The merchandise tent — the largest the park has ever had for a golf event — will be manned by 1,200 volunteers, and there will be 1,300 marshals (also volunteers) stationed on the rope lines of Bethpage Black. Course marshals are tasked with crowd control, managing the pace of play and maintaining safety on the course.
“They are the backbone of this event,” Minnigan said of the volunteers. “We are just so grateful that they are excited to be a part of it.”
For many, the motivation to volunteer was simple: to experience world-class golf from just feet away. Sara Blau, a native of Brookville who now works for Citibank in Manhattan, said the bank offered slots to employees, and she jumped at the chance.
“I thought it would be a really cool opportunity for me to see the tournament up close,” Blau said. “I’m personally trying to get into golf more, taking lessons. I thought this would be a good opportunity for the start of my golf career.”
She said she sees golf as both a sport and a business tool. “It’s a lifelong sport, a great way to network, to take out clients,” she said. “And it’s just a lot of fun.”
For Andres Diez of Austin, Texas, the Ryder Cup will be a new volunteer experience, though he helped out at a Formula One race in his home state.
“I started playing as a kid, then took a hiatus,” he said. “It’s a great sport, especially playing with your friends in the summer. It’s a really nice way to ground yourself. You’re outdoors, it’s amazing. I love golf.”
Diez, a University of Texas graduate, said he was especially excited to see Scottie Scheffler — a fellow Longhorn who happens to be the top-ranked golfer in the world — lead Team USA.
“Honestly I think it’s worth it,” Diez said of the time and expense of traveling to New York.
Other volunteers are veterans of past tournaments at Bethpage. Diane and
Mark Wojcik, of upstate Troy, volunteered at the 2019 PGA Championship — also contested on Bethpage Black — and signed up for the Ryder Cup.
“We really enjoyed it, we had a great time, it was a great experience and we wanted to do it again,” Diane said.
She will work at the entry gates checking credentials, while her husband will serve as a marshal on the fourth hole — one of his favorites to play on the Black Course.
“It’s a lot longer than the courses that I usually play, and a lot more difficult, with the sand traps and the fescue,”
Mark said of the course’s tufted grass.
“It’s not what we’re used to. But that’s what makes it so special.”
“What I’m really excited about is just meeting new people,” his wife added.
“We’ve got Europe coming over, USA, I just think the whole experience is going to be amazing.”
The couple rented a recreational vehicle site near Bethpage for the week.
“After we win,” Mark joked, “the party is at our RV camp.”
For Hicksville resident Jonathan Gotto, this Ryder Cup has personal meaning. His father-in-law, Judge John Marks, who died in April 2024, first encouraged him to volunteer for the PGA tournament in 2019.
“He’s the reason that a lot of us are here,” Gotto said. “He was the guy who would call you up and say, ‘Hey, what are you doing? We’re doing the Ryder Cup in September.’”
Gotto admits that he’s not much of a golfer. “The best thing I have in my bag is a machete to find my ball after I tee off,” he said, adding that his fondest memory was of serving as a flagman for tee shots in 2019.
“I actually had goose bumps because it was one of the coolest experiences,” he said. “(John) Daly was teeing off, I’m standing right next to him shaking, hoping I didn’t mess it up. I’ve got photos of Tiger (Woods), (Phil) Mickelson walking right next to me. It’s just amazing.”
This year, Gotto will serve as a marshal on holes 4 and 11. “It’s a great week to see some of the pros,” he said. “It’s just amazing to be part of it.”
The Ryder Cup is one of the few sporting events in which volunteers can be part of the action without swinging a club. For Long Islanders, it’s also a chance to showcase their home course to the world.
Bethpage Black has built a reputation as one of the most demanding layouts in golf, with a sign at the first tee warning that it is “extremely difficult” and recommended only for highly skilled players. Previous major tournaments there drew enormous, raucous galleries, something both players and volunteers expect again.
And for many, the reward will be what Blau called “seeing the tournament up close and personal” — an experience no TV broadcast could match.
By JORDAN VALLONE
jvallone@liherald.com
September is packed with excitement at the East Meadow Public Library, with events ranging from chilling tales and literary fun to deep dives into American history and laugh-out-loud comedy. Whether you’re a book lover, a history buff, or just in need of a good laugh, there’s something on the calendar for everyone this month.
Sept. 10 — It Came from the Radio with Mark Torres
Fans of horror, fantasy, and all things spooky won’t want to miss this in-person program featuring “It Came from the Radio,” the official show of Big Apple Con. Hosted by Mark Torres, the program dives into the worlds of independent writers, artists, and filmmakers. Special guest author John Collins — whose debut novella “The Leeds Point Horror” has captivated readers — will share insights into his writing, influences, and current projects. Attendees can also enter a free raffle for a signed copy of his latest book, making this a must for horror fans and aspiring writers alike.
For those interested in history, government, or civic engagement, this monthly class is a perfect fit. Led by James Coll, an adjunct professor of American and Constitutional history at Nassau Community College, the program explores the foundations and ongoing relevance of the U.S. Constitution. Coll, who has written extensively for publications such as Politico, The Hill, and Newsday, brings a depth of knowledge and engaging perspective to the discussion. Attendees will leave with a greater appreciation of the Constitution’s impact on American life today, while also gaining tools to think critically about current events through a constitutional lens.
Sept. 29 — Laughs at the Library with Marc Brier
Close out the month with a night of humor as East Meadow’s own comic phenom, Marc Brier, returns to the library with a troupe of Long Island comedians. Known for his sharp wit and quick delivery, Brier has earned recognition as Best Comic on Long Island by Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s Best of Long Island contest. His showcase promises high-energy sets and relatable laughs perfect for an evening out with friends. With comedy being called the best medicine, this event offers the perfect cure for the midweek blues — no prescription required, just a seat at the library and a readiness to laugh.
By Karen Bloom
Labor Day may have come and gone, but there are still opportunities to fire up that grill to savor summer’s waning days before we head into apple picking, pumpkins and all those harvest season delights around the corner.
When it comes to entertaining outdoors, easy yet flavorful dishes that spotlight the season’s bounty can keep prep time to a minimum. Plus, they’re sure to please guests’ palates.
Skirt Steak with Roasted Corn Salad
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
In a large bowl, combine chipotle pepper sauce, cumin and garlic; add skirt steaks. Toss to mix well; cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat grill to high. Grill skirt steak about 5 minutes, or until of desired doneness, turning once. To serve, plate steak with corn salad.
Corn Salad
• 4 ears corn on the cob, shucked
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
To prepare corn salad: Preheat grill to medium. Grill corn about 5 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until tender-crisp. When cool enough to handle, cut corn from cob. In medium bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, basil, lime juice, olive oil, chipotle pepper sauce to taste, and salt; toss to mix well.
Hoisin Garlic Drumsticks with Tomato-Corn Salad
Legendary rock band Foreigner visits Tilles Center for a special one-nightonly benefit concert, hosted by original lead singer Lou Gramm. Hear special acoustic renditions of the band’s biggest hits such as “Cold As Ice,” “Juke Box Hero”, “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Hot Blooded,” and more in a rare and intimate unplugged format. The concert celebrates the band’s groundbreaking collaboration with Tilles Center LIU Post Theatre Company to develop and stage “Feels Like The First Time — The Foreigner Musical.”All proceeds from the evening will support the production and LIU and Tilles Center’s New Works Initiative. This exciting new production is to be directed directed by Broadway icon Adam Pascal (“Rent,””Aida,” “Cabaret,”, “Chicago,”, “Something Rotten!” ) slated to premiere in April 2026. Pascal also performs with Foreigner in what is sure to be a truly memorable event.
• 8 chicken drumsticks, about 2 pounds total
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup hoisin garlic sauce or hoisin barbecue
sauce
• 3 ears corn
• 1 pound tomatoes, cut into small dice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Thinly sliced basil leaves, for garnish
Season drumsticks with salt and pepper, and rub with about 1/3 cup hoisin sauce, reserving rest for basting.
Marinate at least 30 minutes, up to four hours.
As chicken is marinating, prepare grill for both direct (medium-high heat) and indirect cooking. Discard used marinade.
Grill chicken, starting with skin side down, about 8-10 minutes, keeping lid closed as much as possible and turning chicken once or twice.
Move to indirect heat, cover grill and continue to cook for another 25-35 minutes until juices run clear and an internal temperature of 165∫F has been reached, basting with extra sauce occasionally in last 10 minutes of cooking.
To make salad, boil corn if needed for about 2-3 minutes, then cut kernels off cob.
Toss with tomatoes and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in basil. Serve salad and drumsticks together.
Mediterranean Vegetables
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (seasoned)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus extra, to taste
• 1 tablespoon, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
• 1 cup fresh zucchini, sliced into 1 3/4-inch long, 1/4-inch thick planks
• 1 cup fresh green pepper strips
• 1 cup fresh red pepper strips
• 8 fresh stalks asparagus, slicing off 1/4 inch from bottom of stalk
• 1 fresh portobello mushroom, sliced into 1/2- inch squares
• 1 cup fresh eggplant, diced into 1/2-inch squares
Heat grill to 375 F.
In large bowl, mix together rice vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic to create marinade.
Clean vegetables then place them in marinade in small batches. Toss to coat then place in foil pouch. Pour remaining marinade over vegetables and seal pouch.
Bake in oven or over indirect heat on grill 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste, after removing pouch from heat.
Chef’s tip: Open pouch after 20 minutes of cooking and allow vegetables to crisp slightly under direct heat for remaining 5 minutes.
Friday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
Maren Morris brings “The Dreamsicle Tour” to the Paramount stage with special guest Jade LeMac. Morris has broken boundaries, smashed records and affirmed herself as a dynamic vocalist, prolific songwriter and showstopping performer. Her catalog encompasses a trio of acclaimed albums, namely “Hero” (2016), “Girl” (2019), and “Humble Quest” (2022). She’s the rare force of nature equally suited to collaborating with Zedd on the 6x-platinum “The Middle” or duetting with everyone from Taylor Swift, Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crow to Teddy Swims and Hozier. She entered a bold new era with the release of her “Intermission” EP in August, which features the MUNA-produced and playful single “Push Me Over.” Maren promises to be unapologetically herself — and it shows in this music and in what is next to come.
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m. $114.25, $92, $71.75, $65.25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
On Exhibit
Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “At Play,” surveys artists’ perennial fascination with entertainment in all forms. Framing this topic between the nineteenth century Belle Époque and today, the exhibit includes works by Pablo Picasso, Reginald Marsh, Everett Shinn, and Max Beckmann among many others. The works are gathered to represent a wide range of expressions, from entertainmentrelated activities to the fascinating personalities involved. It encompasses dance, music, theater, movies, circus, boating, and beach scenes, along with horseracing and various sports, both active and passive Also featured are archival items from The Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, including costumes by Marc Chagall for Die Zauberflöte, vintage fashion items by such designers as Alfred Shaheen, and iconic costumes from the Folies-Bergère in Paris. On view until Nov. 9.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: Ongoing
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
Roseanne Frank, a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, holds a weekly workshop at East Meadow Public Library. Adults aspiring to write and illustrate a picture book won’t want to miss this.
•Where: 1886 Front St., East Meadow
•Time: 11 a.m., Fridays, through Oct. 10
•Contact: eastmeadow.info
6
Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens for the next storybook adventure. Stroll the gardens and enjoy a telling of Allison Sweet Grant’s “Leif and the Fall.” With a take-home craft. For ages 3-5. Storybook Strolls start at the Beech Tree (next to Westbury House), and end at the Thatched Cottage.
•Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
•Time: 10:30-11:30 a.m.
•Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
Lecture. Experience the museum’s exhibition “At Play: Artists & Entertainment” through a lively and informative presentation. Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Registration not required. First come, first seated.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: 1 p.m., also Oct. 23
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
19
Parti-gras at the park
Poison frontman Bret Michaels and former Eagles member Don Felder bring their spirited concert to Eisenhower Park. Rock on to fan favorite tunes.
•Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
•Time: 7 p.m.
•Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
After over 40 years performing, it is time to shine on again with The Australian Pink Floyd Show. Be there when the band returns from Down Under to the Paramount stage. The seminal album Wish You Were Here is performed in its entirety, including all nine parts of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” along with more of Pink Floyd’s greatest hits from The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. See what critics have acclaimed as “the gold standard” of tribute acts with stunning special effects that re-create Pink Floyd’s legendary stage shows. The band delivers a memorable experience. — with colorful lighting and video, pinpoint lasers, gargantuan inflatables and flawless live sound that was the benchmark of Pink Floyd shows. Replicating music from every phase of Pink Floyd’s journey, this tour reinforces the band’s dedication to the heritage of Barrett, Waters, Gilmour, Wright & Mason. With songs that mean so much to Pink Floyd fans everywhere, this is an unforgettable tribute to an iconic band’s classic album. $105.25, $88, $77.75, $66.25, $55.75.
Join John Grande when he visits Nassau County Museum of Art. The New Yorkbased artist reflects upon modern and contemporary culture with his constructed paintings, sculptures, and murals while carefully utilizing techniques and traditions as far-reaching those of Old Master painters, 19th-century artists to 20thcentury advertising and Pop Art. His subjects are diverse, often readily recognizable and at times quite humorous: from glamorous Hollywood stars to the art world itself and the grittier subjects of street art. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students, members free. Limited seating. Registration required.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: 3 p.m.
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
•Time: 6:30 p.m.
•Contact: (516) 571-4044
The Water Lantern Festival returns to Eisenhower Park.
•Where: Eisenhower Park, East Meadow
•Time: 3:30-7:30 p.m.
•Contact: WaterLanternFestival.com
In concert
SEPT
14
Eisenhower Park welcomes country singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde. She delivers tales of broken hearts and the honky-tonk life.
•Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
•Time: 6 p.m.
•Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
SEPT 15
Fall Festival East Meadow Chamber of Commerce invites all for a weekend of carnival rides, food, music, and more.
•Where: Eisenhower Park, Field 2
•Time: 6-10 p.m. (rides only);
•Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
•Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
Sept. 16, 6-11 p.m. (rides only); Sept. 17, noon-11 p.m.; Sept. 18, noon-7 p.m.
•Contact: EastMeadowChamber. com
SEPT
17
‘Ceaselessly into the past: ‘The Great Gatsby Tour and Talk’ Explore Sands Point Preserve’s Hempstead House, one of the grand Gold Coast mansions that provided the inspirational backdrop for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” on a guide tour. Then, instructors from The Story Round lead a table discussion on the novel’s lasting impact on the North Shore and Port Washington. $25, $20 members.
•Where: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point
•Time: 6:30-8 p.m.
•Contact: sandspointpreserveco nservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901
The Sparrows are back at Old Westbury Gardens, during Gatsby at the Gardens weekend. After four sold-out productions the Sparrows return with an all new vaudeville revue. Enjoy highenergy jazz, show-stopping choreography, and cheeky comedy of the 1920s. $40. Limited availability. Reservations required.
•Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
•Time: 7 p.m.
•Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
SEPT
24
Noontime concert
Pop by Eisenhower Park for an afternoon performance with Risky Business. Enjoy tunes ranging from Motown to rock and more.
•Where: Eisenhower Park, Field 1
•Time: Noon-2 p.m.
•Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
Having an event?
SEPT
18
‘Brown Bag’ Art Conversation
Join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular Brown Bag
Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY. NAME: Your Tax Wiz, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 06/03/25. NY Office
location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:1559 Spring St, East Meadow, NY 11554
Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity 154836
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION
(“FANNIE MAE”), A CORPORATION
ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, -againstROBERT DYCKMAN, 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 December 16, 2014, wherein FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION (“FANNIE MAE”), A CORPORATION ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is the Plaintiff and ROBERT DYCKMAN, 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 September 15, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1939 LINCOLN AVENUE, EAST MEADOW, NY 11554; and the following tax map identification: 50-536-20. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN EAST MEADOW, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND
STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 011136/2013. Jane P. Shrenkel, 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. 155077
LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU. FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION (“FANNIE MAE”), A CORPORATION ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff -againstADRIANNE EDMUNDHENRY, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated May 15, 2025 and entered on June 18, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY September 19, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Westbury, Town of North Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the easterly side of Talbot Drive, distant 67.81 feet
Southerly, as measured along the Easterly side of Talbot Drive from the Southwesterly end of a curve connecting the southeasterly side of Franklin Street with the Easterly side of Talbot Drive; being a plot 100 feet by 76 feet by 100 feet by 76 feet.
Section: 11 Block: 397 Lot: 6
Said premises known as 5 TALBOT DRIVE, WESTBURY, NY 11590
Approximate amount of lien $588,124.25 plus interest & costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Index Number 020702/2009.
EVETTE C. ENNIS, ESQ., Referee
David A. Gallo & Associates LLP
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 47 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhasset, NY 11030 File# 7254.725 {* EAST MEAD*} 155198
LEGAL NOTICE Formation of BIG FOODIES LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/5/2025. Office loc.: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The address SSNY shall mail process to Taniya Dewan, 155 Tremont St., Westbury, NY 11590. Purpose: Any lawful activity 155283
LEGAL NOTICE Formation of LIL FOODIES LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/5/2025. Office loc.: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The address SSNY shall mail process to Taniya Dewan, 155 Tremont St., Westbury, NY 11590. Purpose: Any lawful activity. 155281
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. RICHARD NESSIM, et al, Defts. Index #610844/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Jan. 3, 2025, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on September 30, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. premises k/a Section 45, Block 174, Lot 19. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. The foreclosure sale will be held, “rain or shine.”
HOWARD COLTON, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY 11021. #102346 155361
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 fifth day of August 2025, 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, Station 4 HVAC Replacement 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 Thousand ($100,000) 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 resolution and shall not take effect until thirty (30) days, as provided by the General Municipal Law.
Dated: August 25th 2025 By order of The Board of Fire Commissioner Brendan J. Narell Superintendent 155521
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 fifth day of August 2025, 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, Station 1 & 2 Roof Replacement 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 Four Hundred Thousand ($400,000) 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 resolution and shall not take effect until thirty (30) days, as provided by the General Municipal Law.
Dated: August 25th 2025 By order of The Board of Fire Commissioner Brendan J. Narell Superintendent 155522 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 fifth day of August 2025, 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, Station 6 Shop Roof Replacement 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 Twenty-Five Thousand ($125,000) dollars. 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 (30) days, as provided by the General Municipal Law.
Dated: August 25th
2025
By order of The Board of Fire Commissioner Brendan J. Narell Superintendent 155523
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 09/10/2025 at 9:30 A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals: THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. 464/25. EAST MEADOW - Lordes Mortel & Marlon Enriquez, Renewal of grant to maintain 6’ high stockade fence larger than pool installation area., S/s Fourth St., 180’ W/o Franklin Ave., a/k/a 2220 Fourth St. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in East Meadow within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on
the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it.
155498
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 16th day of September, 2025, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE and REPEAL “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following locations:
BALDWIN STEELE BOULEVARD (TH 399/25) South Side - NO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 230 feet west of the west curbline of Eastern Boulevard, west for a distance of 80 feet.
BELLMORE MARION STREET (TH 364/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Bedford Place, east for a distance of 25 feet.
ELMONT LINCOLN STREET (TH 258(B)/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the south curbline of Rosalind Avenue, south for a distance of 30 feet.
ROSALIND AVENUE (TH 258(B)/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Lincoln Street, east for a distance of 30 feet.
ROSALIND AVENUE (TH 258(B)/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Lincoln Street, east for a distance of 30 feet.
ROSALIND AVENUE (TH 258(B)/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Lincoln Street, west for a distance of 30 feet.
ROSALIND AVENUE (TH 258(B)/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the west curbline of Lincoln Street, west for a distance of 30 feet.
FRANKLIN SQUARE
POLK AVENUE (TH
387/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the west curbline of Lincoln Street, west for a distance of 30 feet.
POLK AVENUE (TH
387/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Lincoln Street, west for a distance of 35 feet.
INWOOD
LINCOLN STREET (TH 387/25) West SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Polk Avenue, north for a distance of 30 feet.
BAYVIEW AVENUE (TH 172(B)/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Harris Avenue, west for a distance of 30 feet.
BAYVIEW AVENUE (TH 172(B)/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Harris Avenue, east for a distance of 30 feet.
MERRICK
ELSIE AVENUE (TH 363/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the west curbline of Jefferson Street, west for a distance of 35 feet.
JEFFERSON STREET (TH 363/25) East Side - NO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the south curbline of Elsie Avenue, south for a distance of 40 feet.
POINT LOOKOUT
LIDO BOULEVARD (TH 405/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Bellmore Avenue, west for a distance of 67 feet.
LIDO BOULEVARD (TH 405/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the west curbline of Cedarhurst Avenue, west for a distance of 25 feet.
LIDO BOULEVARD (TH 405/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Bellmore Avenue, east for a distance of 28 feet.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
CLINTON AVENUE (TH 381/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Woodfield Road, west for a distance of 28 feet.
CLINTON AVENUE (TH 381/25) West SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the north curbline of Clinton Avenue, north for a distance of 40 feet.
UNIONDALE
MERILLON STREET (TH 374/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Newbridge Road, east for a distance 53 feet.
MERILLON STREET (TH 374/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Merillon Street, north for a distance 30 feet.
(NR) VALLEY STREAM HOMMEL STREET (TH 395/25) West SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting from the north curbline of Oliver Avenue, north for a distance of 92 feet.
WESTBURY
STEWART AVENUE (TH 390/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the east curbline of Lincoln Court, east for a distance of 45 feet.
STEWART AVENUE (TH 390/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Lincoln Court, west for a distance of 35 feet.
WEST HEMPSTEAD
WOODLAWN ROAD (TH 367/25) East SideNO STOPPING ANYTIME - starting at a point 25 feet south of the south curbline of Hempstead Avenue, south for a distance of 90 feet.
WOODLAWN ROAD (TH 367/25) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 115 feet south of the south curbline of Hempstead Avenue, south for a distance of 208 feet.
COOLIDGE STREET (TH 356/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from
the East curbline of Langley Avenue, east for a distance of 34 feet.
WILSON STREET (TH 356/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the south curbline of Langley Avenue, south for a distance of 30 feet.
WILSON STREET (TH 356/25) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Langley Avenue, north for a distance of 30 feet.
WILSON STREET (TH 356/25) West SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the south curbline of Langley Avenue, south for a distance of 30 feet.
WILSON STREET (TH 356/25) West SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Langley Avenue, north for a distance of 30 feet.
LANGLEY AVENUE (TH 356/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Wilson Street, east for a distance of 30 feet.
LANGLEY AVENUE (TH 356/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the east curbline of Wilson Street, east for a distance of 30 feet.
LANGLEY AVENUE (TH 356/25) North SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Wilson Street, west for a distance of 30 feet.
LANGLEY AVENUE (TH 356/25) South SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the west curbline of Wilson Street, west for a distance of 30 feet. ALSO, to REPEAL from Section 202-1
“PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” from the following locations: WEST HEMPSTEAD
WOODLAWN ROAD (TH 125/98) East SideNO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting at the south curbline of
Hempstead Avenue, south for a distance of 65 feet.
(Adopted 10/20/98)
WOODLAWN ROAD (TH 495/04) East SideNO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 175 feet south of the south curbline of Hempstead Avenue, south for a distance of 146 feet.
(Adopted 12/14/04)
ALL PERSONS
INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.
Dated: September 3, 2025
Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETT
Supervisor
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 155507
PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…
To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE Notice
Please take notice the Wantagh Fire District of the Town of Hempstead County of Nassau, New York, has changed the date of 2026 Budget Hearing and their regular meeting for October 2025. The original date of October 14th 2025 was published in error. The 2026 Budget Hearing will now be held on Monday, October 20th 2025 at 7:00pm. The October 2025 meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners will follow at 8:00pm. Both events will take place at the District Administrative building located at 2045 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York By order of The Wantagh Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners Brendan J. Narell Superintendent Dated: August 155520
The weather looked promising and the after-game fireworks were scheduled. So we went online and bought same day tickets to the Long Island Ducks based in Central Islip, a baseball team that plays in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
I know (but don’t entirely know) there is a logical connection between Long Island and the duck as a species which is why I can’t help but laugh and cringe at the same time when they play teams like the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, the Gastonia Ghost Peppers or the Charleston Dirty Birds. Amazingly the Ducks are celebrating their 25th anniversary and we have been attendees to the games during various stages of the team’s and our lives.
sus national brands. It’s one of the few places where a birthday announcement on the score board costs nothing, so one year we went with “Howard 12” — not exactly my husband’s age, but his day of birth.
There was the time we ran fundraisers with our temple’s “Family Club” and extended ticket purchases to other friends as part of a day outing. It was a lot of work, but satisfying as we offered raffle chances with every admission — prizes donated by a variety of companies. Or the time when the Boy Scouts presented the colors and our son met Buddy Harrelson on the field.
One year, our temple’s adult choir got to sing the Star Spangled Banner with two of their participants using American Sign Language to communicate with the crowd. And the best was when my husband played a game for the crowd between innings and by ignoring a fan with all the wrong answers won a supermarket gift card.
The game and vibe is family-friendly and the billboards in the outfield promote local schools and businesses ver-
In short, this year’s spontaneous decision to see a game resulted in pretty good seats on a perfect-weather night. We dined on Dole Whip, soft pretzels and Cracker Jacks. And all of that was as perfectly great while fully decked out in our Ducks teeshirts complete with quakers around our necks (Ducks fans know what I mean). Our plain colored baseball caps, built over the years with the team’s commemorative moments are covered with anniversary pins and patches. We have pins shaped like players’ jerseys (complete with their retired numbers), even Atlantic League championship patches (the Ducks have won it all four times in 25 years).
The aforementioned cap is always like wearing nostalgia on my head while simultaneously remembering the good times in my mind. Sure you root for the home team, but with a quarter of a century behind them, I can’t help spending the first few innings cheering them on while thinking of all the time spent and memories made sitting in the field level seats.
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.
The East Meadow School District welcomed its new teaching staff during the annual new teacher orientation program Aug. 27-28.
Superintendent of Schools Kenneth Rosner and central administration staff greeted the teachers and welcomed them to the district. Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Administration Anthony Russo also explained the district’s policies and procedures.
Director of Music and Art Kelly Nixon and Director of Literacy and
Funded Programs Frank Lukasik led a bus tour of the district’s nine buildings. They educated the group about each building while sharing the district’s history and pointing out several well-known places around East Meadow. Nixon also distributed gift bags and school merchandise to all of the new staff members.
The district welcomed its newest staff members and wished them the best of luck.
–Jordan Vallone
Q. We are in contract for a house we were lucky to find. The price is right, fortunately, but we think it has some problems, mostly legal. The basement has a bathroom but is otherwise unfinished, except for the walls on either side of the stairs and a closet underneath. The sellers are selling as-is, so we want to just handle it later, but is this going to be a problem?
A. The answers are yes and no. In all of the selling cycles I’ve witnessed, issues seem to be mostly based on what the market is like, rather than the reality that it’s always best to have everything legally wrapped up before the closing. I’ve noticed that when there are fewer properties to sell, real estate and lending businesses tend to be less concerned with permits and more concerned with cash flow. Close now and worry about the open issues later.
It’s just like during the coronavirus pandemic, when prices climbed because there were fewer buyers of products, food and services, but the bills still had to be paid. The federal government sent out funds to help businesses survive.
You faced possibly overlooking the legality and absorbing considerable expenses later, when you decide to take care of issues or are forced to at the next sale, when banks have more foreclosures on their books and must make certain the properties they are selling are legal.
All the professionals helping you through the closing are doing their job, but I’m not certain they know how expensive the permit process can be for you. When I sit with clients for the first time, I look at their records and compare them with their property, becoming the “bad guy” for pointing out that the proposed work will now have to include these open items, complicating the cost and the process. This happens weekly. There is often a glut of permit applications for old issues.
Knowing that you really want this house, you’ll have to face the fact that building officials look at your property from a position of safety, and can easily require you to legalize the finished basement, even with only a few finished walls. In the beginning sections of the state code, building officials are given authority to interpret the regulations. You definitely would need to have plans for the basement, to show the bathroom and a plumbing permit as well as an electrical inspection and building permit.
In most jurisdictions, the plans examiners have leaned toward saying that even one or a few finished walls — like the bathroom, closet and stairway walls — constitute a finished basement. In that case, you would also need to have a second way to escape, by either adding a taller window and a 9-square-foot escape well or a door and stairs on an outside wall, so you could exit from the main basement room. I have watched the cost of doing just this rise from $3,000 to over $12,000. Good luck!
in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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Besides the excellent education I was fortunate to receive at Notre Dame Law School, and the interesting people I had the opportunity to meet, and the lasting friendships I forged during those years, there was the added benefit of watching up close as the Fighting Irish won the 1966 college football national championship. As an IrishCatholic kid from Sunnyside, Queens, that was as good as it could get. In Catholic neighborhoods in those days, Notre Dame football personified IrishAmerica’s acceptance into the American mainstream. Beginning in the 1920s and continuing through the mid-1950s, Notre Dame won more national championships and had more All-Americans than any other college football team. But by the time I got there, the famed Golden Dome had lost its luster. During eight long seasons under three head coaches from 1956 to 1963, Notre Dame lost more games than it won. The prevailing wisdom was that its academic standards precluded it from becoming a major college football power again.
TThen, in 1964, Notre Dame hired Ara Parseghian as its head coach. The “Era of Ara” had begun. In 1964 and ’65, the Irish were back in the Top 10, and in 1966 they won it all, clinching the national championship with a 51-0 victory over longtime rival Southern California, led by such luminaries as Heisman Trophy finalist and All-American quarterback Terry Hanratty, eventual four-time Super Bowl champion Rocky Bleier and future NFL Hall of Famer Alan Page.
A less-heralded but vital member of that championship team was substitute quarterback Coley O’Brien, who would have been the starter on almost any other college team. Stricken with diabetes halfway into the 1966 season, O’Brien hadn’t played for four weeks when, in the second-to-last game of the season against Michigan State, he was suddenly called into action to replace Hanratty, who’d suffered a fractured shoulder with the Irish losing 10-0. O’Brien played brilliantly to lead two scoring drives, and Notre Dame tied Michigan State and preserved its unbeaten record.
ship-clinching victory over USC.
After his college career, O’Brien attended Notre Dame Law School and became a successful attorney in Washington, D.C. When I chaired the House Homeland Security Committee, he served as a committee counsel. I was proud to call him my friend, and it meant a lot when he, Hanratty, Bleier and other members of the 1966 team would come to my district to campaign for me.
he ‘student athlete’ has become a hired gun, and school loyalty is traded for big bucks.
O’Brien died several weeks ago. Reflecting on his life and career got me thinking about how much the whole concept of college football has been altered, in many instances not for the better. The attraction of the game was that it wasn’t professional. There was the appeal of watching young athletes competing for their schools, cheered on by an often fanatical fan base. And there were the bitter rivalries: Notre Dame-Michigan State, AlabamaGeorgia, Michigan-Ohio State.
IThe following week, despite the fact that four starting players were sidelined with injuries, O’Brien led Notre Dame to the resounding, national champion-
Sure, some of it was mythical. There were recruiting violations. Some athletes were given academic shortcuts. But there was so much that was genuine. Hanratty might be on the cover of Time magazine or Sports Illustrated but then be seen on campus, eating in the same dining hall and trudging to the
same classes as other students. That world of college football — school loyalty, amateurism and tradition — barely exists anymore. Now paid for their name, image and likeness, recruited players can go to the highest bidder for millions of dollars. And they can opt out of the following season and the season after that by entering the “transfer portal,” again able to go to the highest bidder. (Years ago, Minnesota was sanctioned by the NCAA when the coach gave a player $100 to fly home for his father’s funeral.) So you can have a fiveyear senior suddenly playing starting quarterback for a team whose campus he has never set foot on and will be leaving at season’s end. Players can even go back and forth from one team to the other in succeeding seasons. The “student athlete” becomes hired gun. School spirit and loyalty are traded for big bucks.
Sure, there will still be pageantry and marching bands, and I’ll still be watching on Saturdays. But it won’t be the same. What I will always have, though, is the lasting memory of what Coley O’Brien and his 1966 national championship teammates meant to their many fans, and to college football. Go, Irish!
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
’ve been thinking about President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which Congress passed in July. Recently Trump stated that it was time to call the legislation something else. But what do you call a bill that is highly unpopular with the public and is set to do much damage?
Shakespeare said it best in “Romeo and Juliet,” when he wrote, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” So Shakespeare might have agreed that no matter what you call this bill, it will have the same impact on the American public.
To begin with, when you pass a thousand-page piece of legislation, it will have good parts and bad parts. Members of the majority party in Congress are forced to vote for the entire bill, and they don’t have the luxury of stripping out the bad from the good. So they have to live with the results.
A poll last month by the Pew Research Center found that 46 percent of the country disapproved of the law, and just 32 percent approved of it, with 23 percent saying they weren’t sure. It seems obvious that calling it something else won’t change the public’s feelings about it.
Why is the bill so broadly unpopular? Much of the publicity about it prior to its passage was negative. Almost every part of it got people’s attention, and those who opposed it were much more vocal than its supporters. Perhaps most important, it was clear that millions of people who are now eligible for health care were going to be knocked off the eligibility rolls.
costs for families, and raise premiums for employer-sponsored plans.
N o matter what the president calls his signature legislation, it’s not popular.
In the lead-up to the passage of the bill, supporters in the House of Representatives portrayed it as being aimed at eliminating “waste, fraud and abuse.” There is no doubt that there are some Medicaid participants who should be disqualified, but the vast majority of people in the program are worthy recipients. Supporters of the legislation claimed that no person in the program who was currently employed would lose their coverage, but that is not true. Because states will get less federal revenue, they will be forced to drop qualified people from the Medicaid rolls.
the United States experience food insecurity, meaning they have limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Most SNAP recipients go to work every day, but don’t earn enough to feed their loved ones. The SNAP program provides the help they need.
Historically, the Republican Party has favored letting the states run assistance programs and keeping Washington out of it. But the Big Beautiful Bill cuts federal allocations to the states, and leaves them to decide who should participate in federal programs. The net result is that the states will be the bad guys when it comes to doling out assistance funding.
The law will cut more than $1 trillion in Medicaid funding, and it’s estimated that more than 10 million people will lose their health coverage by 2034, including seniors, children and people with disabilities. States with high poverty rates are particularly at risk, because they rely on federal funding to maintain Medicaid and related programs. The loss of coverage will increase medical
For years, the more conservative members of the House expressed their opposition to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, on the grounds that it was too progressive and costly. They got their wish in the new bill, which would, by some estimates, cut federal spending on the program by more than $200 billion over 10 years. It’s worth noting that nearly 50 million people of all ages in
In the next few months, at the insistence of the president, there will be efforts to change the conversation about what is in the bill. Even though many of its provisions take effect after next year’s midterm elections, however, many millions of Americans are firmly opposed to it, and no amount of slicing, dicing and finessing of the contents will make them change their minds.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. Comments about this column? jkremer@ liherald.com.
Next Thursday will be the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Remembrance ceremonies will take place across Long Island. They serve as more than solemn commemorations — they are living reminders of the strength and resilience that define us as New Yorkers, and as Long Islanders.
Nearly 3,000 lives were lost on that day in 2001, and among them were hundreds of men and women who called Long Island home. Nearly every area community lost someone: a parent who kissed her children goodbye at dawn before catching a train to Manhattan, a firefighter who answered the alarm, a neighbor who never made it home from his office in one of the twin towers.
Names etched in memorials — usually near a piece of steel from the towers — are not simply markers of history. They are reminders that the victims were our neighbors, classmates, teammates and friends. And attending remembrance ceremonies is not mere ritual. It is an act of collective will — a promise that those lives will never be reduced to a statistic. When communities gather at candlelight vigils, at town memorials and at firehouses, they reaffirm the values that carried us through the aftermath: sacrifice, unity and perse-
To the Editor:
verance.
The shared experience of loss binds us, within and across different communities. And each ceremony, whether on a village green or in a community park, serves as a bridge between past and present — between those who remember that day vividly and those who were not yet born.
It is vital that younger generations come to understand why we gather. Students returning to school this year were not alive on Sept. 11, 2001. For them, the images of collapsing towers are history lessons, not lived memory. Yet the lessons of that day — the bravery of first responders, the resilience of families, the unity of strangers who became helpers — are timeless. Attending these ceremonies ensures that young people see remembrance as a civic responsibility.
For the firefighters of Nassau County who still gather in uniform, and for the police officers, EMTs and volunteers who rushed to the site of the attacks from Long Island, the ceremonies are also about recognizing the continuing toll in the decades since: More than 4,350 additional people have died after suffering long-term health problems, such as cancers and respiratory illnesses, linked to the toxic environment at the World Trade Center site. That number grows
United Way of Long Island’s Young Professionals Network hosted its Summer Social at Blue Point Brewery on Aug. 7, gathering more than 200 neighbors for an evening of networking, entertainment and purpose.
Thanks to the generosity of attendees, the event raised over $20,000 and collected several boxes of school supplies for United Way’s Stuff-A-Bus initiative, which delivers backpacks and essentials to elementary students across Long Island.
Now in its 17th year, Stuff-A-Bus helps ensure that children from underserved communities step into classroom confident and ready to learn. Funds from the Summer Social will be used to purchase supplies for the coming school year — investments that make an immediate, tangible difference.
“The donations we’ve received through the StuffA-Bus initiative have made a profound impact on our school community,” Hannah McCarthy, assistant principal at Laurel Park Elementary School, in Brentwood, said. “Each year, our teachers share supply lists with families, but we know that many students arrive with only a few items, or sometimes none at all. Thanks to these donations, our staff can confidently ensure that every child has the tools they need to succeed from day one.”
McCarthy recalled a student living in a shelter
every year, and we cannot forget the need to provide health care and other resources to those heroes and their families, too.
When we gather to pay tribute, we do more than keep memory alive — we look to the future. “Never Forget” isn’t just a slogan or a rallying cry. It implores us to take seriously the responsibility of building stronger, more compassionate communities by bonding with our neighbors, supporting local volunteers, and ensuring that the ideals of service and unity overcome fear and division.
Long Islanders have always known what it means to come together in times of crisis. The outpouring of support after Sept. 11 — food drives, blood donations, and neighbors taking care of one another’s children — showed us our best selves. At our many memorials, we honor not only those we lost, but also the spirit of community that helped carry us forward.
Next Thursday, let’s recommit ourselves to remembrance. Attendance isn’t just symbolic. It is a living act of devotion to the people we lost, the families who still grieve, and the generations who must carry the hard lessons of a dark day forward.
Long Island’s promise is simple, but profound: We will never forget.
who arrived carrying supplies in her arms after losing her backpack — which her family couldn’t replace. Thanks to Stuff-A-Bus, the school provided a brand new backpack in the child’s favorite color. That small act, made possible by community support, is the kind of dignity and hope this initiative delivers every day.
This year’s Summer Social succeeded through the dedication of event cochairs Justin Merk, of FourLeaf Federal Credit Union; Lauren Grasso, of Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.; Brendan Bateman, of Flushing Bank; the Young Professionals Network committee, and generous sponsors. Attendees enjoyed craft brews, live entertainment
every 10 years, the U.S. Census is taken, and states redraw their congressional and legislative districts. In theory, this process is supposed to ensure fair representation as populations shift. In practice, it often becomes an exercise in gerrymandering — manipulating maps so politicians choose their voters rather than ensuring that voters choose their representatives.
New Yorkers know this history all too well. For decades, Albany insiders from both parties have used redistricting to entrench power. Districts were often bizarrely shaped, stitched together more to preserve political advantage than to accurately reflect the communities living in them. Voters recognized the abuse, and in 2014 they overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment creating the Independent Redistricting Commission, a bipartisan body designed to ensure a fair and transparent process for redrawing legislative and congressional districts. For the first time, both majority and minority parties had equal seats at the table.
Just seven years later, in 2021, voters were asked to weaken those safeguards with a constitutional amendment that would have made it easier to gerrymander districts. New Yorkers rejected it, and they were right to. In 2022, Democratic lawmakers advanced maps that were so blatantly partisan that one congressional district stretched from Suffolk County all the way up to Westchester. That sprawling 3rd District was engineered purely for political gain.
new Yorkers must defend the Independent Redistricting Commission.
Now Gov. Kathy Hochul is forcefully talking about “war” on the IRC, with the intent of dismantling the system New Yorkers voted for. She points to what is happening in Texas, as if bad behavior elsewhere justifies bad behavior here. But as we know, New York has already walked this road long before Texas, California, Ohio and Missouri catapulted the issue onto the trending pages. When the courts struck down Albany’s unconstitutional maps in the last redistricting cycle, it was the IRC’s bipartisan plan that offered a fairer alternative. Instead of respecting that process, Democratic leaders ignored it and rammed through their own version.
Across the country, we’ve seen what happens when gerrymandering wins
and raffles, and made connections with young professionals committed to making a difference.
Thank you, Long Island, for showing up for our students.
out. Elections become less competitive. Politicians become less accountable. Voters stop believing that their voices matter. In Connecticut, for example, more than 40 percent of voters supported a Republican for president, yet the state has zero Republican representatives in Congress. Illinois is another example, where partisan maps have locked in incumbents and undermined meaningful representation. That is the future New York risks if we abandon the safeguards currently in place.
Gerrymandering breaks up neighborhoods, discourages civic engagement and ultimately deepens political divides. When voters feel powerless, participation drops and local concerns fall by the wayside. New York already leads the nation in population loss because of high taxes, a crushing cost of living and an adversarial business climate. If maps are carved up to protect politicians instead of communities, even more families will decide they’ve had enough and leave.
Democracy only works if power flows upward from the people to their elected officials, not the other way around. Two wrongs don’t make a right, a principle even children under-
tourism generated $945 million in state and local taxes last year. Without that revenue, the average Long Island household would face nearly $1,000 more in annual taxes.
stand, but one our governor is determined to disregard. She presents her actions as well-intentioned, as if bending the rules is somehow for the public good. She hopes the electorate will somehow forget her previous attempts to undermine and ignore the independent process put in place. Accepting gerrymandering here because it happens elsewhere surrenders the principles that protect our democracy.
That’s not what New Yorkers voted for. They voted for the Independent Redistricting Commission in 2014. They rejected efforts to weaken it in 2021. And they deserve leaders who will defend it, not wage war against it. For Democratic leadership to now use Texas as a cover story while undermining the system New Yorkers demanded is the height of hypocrisy.
The IRC is a critical defense, but it is not foolproof. We should seek to strengthen it, not weaken it, as my Democratic colleagues seem hell-bent on doing. I reject the notion that undermining democratic processes is somehow a means to protect democracy. If we sit silent, this very rhetoric justifying gerrymandering will gain traction, and efforts to manipulate power will take hold here.
Ed Ra, of Franklin Square, represents the 19th Assembly District and is the ranking Republican member of the Assembly Ways & Means Committee.
Framework by Tim Baker
To the Editor:
THERESA REGNANTE President and CEO, United Way of Long
Island
Long Island has long been known for its beaches, wineries and charming downtowns, but new data confirms what residents and visitors alike already know: Our region is thriving as a premier travel destination. For the third consecutive year, tourism on Long Island has broken records, with travelers spending $7.9 billion in 2024 — an impressive 3.8 percent increase over 2023.
This surge in tourism is more than a point of pride; it is a vital driver of our local economy. According to the recently released state Tourism Economics report, visitor spending supported 78,418 jobs in 2024, up from 76,227 in 2023.
From restaurant servers and hotel staff to retail clerks and tour operators, these are real, local jobs that sustain families and strengthen our communities. In addition,
The benefits ripple across the economy. Food and beverage spending alone accounted for 36 percent of all tourism dollars, while lodging comprised another 21 percent. Retail and service stations saw $1.2 billion in visitor spending. Suffolk County, in particular led the way, experiencing a 7 percent increase in tourism spending, while Nassau County’s numbers held steady, with only a slight decline. Overall, Suffolk now makes up nearly 60 percent of Long Island’s tourism tax base.
This remarkable growth did not happen by chance. It is the result of tireless efforts by Discover Long Island, whose leadership and innovative marketing strategies continue to attract visitors year-round. Looking ahead, the region is well positioned to keep building momentum, with major international events like this year’s Ryder Cup and next year’s U.S. Open drawing global attention.
Tourism is more than visitors coming and going — it is an investment in our quality of life, our small businesses and our future. Long Islanders should take pride in this achievement and continue supporting efforts that keep our region shining on the national stage.
MITCH PALLY, INTERIM PRESIDENT/CEO SHARON WYMAN, COO Discover Long Island
THE LANNIN EISENHOWER PARK | SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2025, 6:30 PM | DINNER & DANCING
Join us to celebrate the work of Mount Sinai South Nassau and support the expansion and advancement of Mount Sinai South Nassau’s cardiac services on the South Shore.
Enjoy a delightful culinary experience with dinner, a live 10-piece band, and dancing.
Your contributions—no matter the amount—will have a meaningful impact in helping us reach our overall goal of “Bringing Heart Home.”
