Franklin Square/Elmont Herald 02-19-2026

HERALD Franklin square/elmont

Howie’s Heart celebrates 2-year anniversary

By HAIlEY FUlMER

hfulmer@liherald.com

Howie’s Heart — a Franklin Square-based nonprofit that inspires children, teens and families to find joy in helping others and spreading kindness — marked its second anniversary with a night of giving back, celebration and reflection on two years of service to the community.

The Franklin Square library held the celebration Thursday, bringing together community members and award recipients who have gone above and beyond as partners in service to Howie’s Heart.

Jennifer Camacho and her siblings, James Conklin and Melissa Cox, founded the organization in honor of their father, Howie, who died at 67 in December of 2021. They transformed his acts of kindness into a mission of their own, dedicating their time to serving the community.

During the event, attendees created heartfelt ValenConTinued on page 17

Federal judge grants relief for Haitians with TPS

By HAIlEY FUlMER hfulmer@liherald.com

After a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke temporary protected status for roughly 350,000 Haitians living in the United States, Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages emphasized that the ruling provides only temporary relief.

“The court case just said that these people have status,” Solages told the Herald. “There is no end date.”

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes cited ongoing social and political instability in Haiti as the reason for her decision.

Solages warned that uncertainty remains for TPS holders and their families.

Temporary protected status must be renewed every 12 to 18 months. Although the protection is temporary, Solages stressed, instability in Haiti has continued. Solages is the first person of Haitian descent to be elected to the Assembly. She emphasized that her office remained committed to ensuring that legal action will be taken if Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violate the rights of U.S. citizens in the 22nd District, which encompasses Elmont and parts of Franklin Square. She also

highlighted organizations such as Little Haiti Brooklyn and the Haitian American Lawyers Association for helping distribute legal information.

Solages said that Reyes ruling has major implications for TPS holders, and warned of potential economic consequences if their protections are removed. She noted that employers have contacted her office about workforce shortages caused by uncertainty surrounding TPS.

“I also have employers reach out to me, because now, number one, they want workers,” Solages said. “There is a shortage in almost every industry that you could think of.”

Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages, Michaelle’s brother, sent a letter to County Executive Bruce Blakeman, urging him to join other area elected officials in supporting an extension of TPS.

On Feb 6, 4 days after Reyes’s decision, Michaelle Solages held a news conference with several other elected officials,

including County Legislators Vivianna Russell and Cynthia Nunez at Bethany French Baptist Church, in Elmont. Russell cited estimates that mass deportation of Haitians if their TPS were revoked could cost taxpayers $88 billion. She said those funds could instead be invested in education, housing

Icons. Insights. Impact.

HERALD SCHOOLS

Sixth grade trio create Zentangle masterpiece

By HAILEY FULMER hfulmer@liherald.com

Sixth graders Rayhan Poyyathuruthy, Justin Sabesan and Andrew Spinelli at John Street School recently unveiled a large-scale Zentangle artwork now displayed in the school’s first-level hallway.

What began as a classroom assignment evolved into an ambitious collaborative project that the students pursued with focus and determination. After studying black-and-white line designs with art teacher Christine Randazzo, the trio was inspired to expand on techniques they previously explored.

“I said, if you guys are doing this, we are going big next year,” said Randazzo.

Taking that encouragement to heart, the students committed to a larger, more detailed piece this school year. Using marker and yarn, they carefully constructed an intricate composition, incorporating their names into the design and embedding subtle details throughout the artwork.

The trio met daily during recess for approximately two months to complete the project. Despite their busy sixthgrade schedules, they remained dedicated to seeing the piece through to completion.

“As intricate as the art design is, they

remained focused to get the finished product,” Randazzo said of her students’ commitment.

Throughout the process, the students brainstormed and sketched ideas on scrap paper before deciding how each section would fit into the overall composition. Randazzo explained that they planned their layouts in advance, determining what would be placed where before committing ink and yarn to the final surface.

One particularly memorable moment came when the students began attaching yarn to the design. Applying glue precisely to thin strands required patience and steady hands.

At one point near the end of the project, the trio faced a creative challenge when they nearly ran out of new pattern ideas. Rather than rush or repeat earlier work, they collaborated to develop fresh designs and complete the piece thoughtfully.

The students said that while they see room for improvement in their work, the experience helped them grow as artists and improve their drawing skills overall.

Randazzo praised their maturity and perseverance, noting that intricate work requires concentration and can be difficult to tackle without the right mindset.

Sewanhaka's students shine in art and music

Student creativity and musicianship took center stage at the 63rd annual Sewanhaka District Music Festival and Art Exhibit, held at Sewanhaka High School on Feb. 5. The celebration brings together performers and artists from all five district schools for an evening highlighting both visual and performing arts.

A total of 186 student musicians earned spots in the festival’s band, chorus and orchestra through auditions. More than 250 student artists from across the district displayed their work in the main lobby and hallways, turning the space into a vibrant gallery of imaginative and expressive pieces.

The evening opened with the District Festival Orchestra, led by guest conductor Hahnsol Kim, performing selections from Romeo and Juliet, themes from Piano Concerto No. 2, “We Are the Champions” and the triumphant finale of Symphony No. 5.

The District Festival Chorus, directed by guest conductor James Ludwig, impressed the audience with performances of “The Cuckoo,” “Wanting Memories,” “Across the Universe” and “Run, Mary, Run.”

The celebration concluded with the District Festival Band, under guest conductor Richard Fields, whose energetic program featured “Summit,” “Russian Sailors Dance,” “Novena” and “The Country Club Stomp.”

Each year, the festival honors an individual whose dedication has left a lasting mark on the district and school communities. This year’s honoree is retired Superintendent of Schools Warren A. Meierdiercks, an Elmont native and Sewanhaka High School graduate whose leadership and commitment have created a meaningful legacy.

–Hailey Fulmer

News briefs

Arrest made in Franklin Square robbery

The NCPD reports the arrest of a Valley Stream man in connection with a robbery that occurred on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at 12 p.m. in Franklin Square.

According to detectives, a light-skinned male, approximately 20 to 25 years old, about 5 feet 4 inches tall with a medium build, entered a 7-Eleven located at 552 Franklin Ave. and proceeded to the refrigerators containing alcoholic beverages. Two employees observed the suspect take three cans of White Claw and place them into his pockets.

involved in the struggle. The suspect forced his way out of the store, and the altercation continued into the parking lot. He then fled northbound on Franklin Avenue on foot.

As the suspect approached the exit, a female employee informed him she was calling 911. The suspect forcibly grabbed the phone from the employee, and a physical altercation ensued. A male employee attempted to assist his co-worker and became

The male employee was treated at the scene by a Nassau County Police ambulance. The investigation remained ongoing.

Following a thorough investigation, detectives arrested Benjamin MendozaColato, 20, of 43 Westend Ave., Valley Stream, on Feb. 15, 2026, in connection with the incident.

Mendoza-Colato is charged with two counts of third-degree robbery and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 15, 2026, at First District Court, 99 Main St., Hempstead.

–Hailey Fulmer

Republicans push energy cost relief plan

On Kindness

State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and members of the Senate Republican Conference unveiled a package of legislation aimed at addressing rising energy costs and offsetting the effects of state energy mandates on New York residents.

The proposal, titled “Affordable Energy, Not Albany Mandates,” is part of the conference’s broader 2026 legislative agenda, “Save New York,” which focuses on affordability, public safety and strengthening the state’s economy.

Conference members noted that New Yorkers face some of the highest energy rates in the nation, with residential electricity rates about 50 percent higher than the national average and rising 7.6 percent over the past year. They also cited increases following passage of the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, saying New York

residents now pay significantly more than neighboring states.

The legislative package aims to provide ratepayer relief, increase cost transparency and repeal mandates supporters say contribute to higher bills.

“Utility bills have become one of the biggest burdens facing our constituents, in part because Albany-driven energy policies continue to drive up costs for working families. Accountability and transparency are crucial,” CanzoneriFitzpatrick said.” My bill, S.5515, would require utilities to clearly show how much of a customer’s monthly bill is tied to measures included in New York’s Climate Action Council (CLCPA) scoping plan. New Yorkers deserve to know exactly what is driving their costs and where their money is going.”

–Hailey Fulmer

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Winter clubs spark learning beyond classroom

Students at Washington Street School spent the winter months exploring new interests and building skills through a variety of afterschool clubs. Activities included Knitting Club, where students created their own hats; Bananagrams Club, centered on the fast-paced word game; and Tennis Club, which introduced beginner techniques and fundamentals.

Across the district, additional opportunities were offered. Students took part in an intramural sports program hosted at John Street School and attended Coding Club sessions at Polk Street School, expanding learning beyond the classroom.

–Hailey

Fulmer

District opens Daily Living Skills Center

The Franklin Square Union Free School District is launching intra-district field trips this school year to its Daily Living Skills Center at John Street School, expanding access to the state-ofthe-art space for all third-grade students.

Designed to resemble a home, the Daily Living Skills Center provides a warm, welcoming environment where students strengthen essential life skills, engage in meaningful group socialization and build social-emotional competencies. The thoughtfully arranged space includes a bedroom, playroom, living room, kitchen and dining area, complete with sensory-friendly furniture and materials that promote comfort and engagement. Seasonal decorations help create an inviting atmosphere throughout the year.

To broaden access and foster inclusivity, the district now welcomes all third graders to participate in the experience. During each visit, students receive a “passport” to track their progress as they rotate through interactive stations focused on practical skills and relationship-building.

In the bedroom station, students practice everyday tasks such as making a bed, folding socks and sorting laundry. In the living room, they take part in a read-aloud of “I Am Yoga” by Susan Verde and participate in guided yoga exercises that promote mindfulness and

self-regulation.

In the kitchen and dining area, students prepare a rice cake dessert before learning how to properly set a table and practice polite mealtime conversation. In the playroom, they strengthen peer connections through a game of Jenga that features getting-to-know-you questions about family, academics, hobbies and emotions.

Each field trip is facilitated by the district’s three social workers: Amanda Scarpinito of John Street School, Christina Pino of Polk Street School and Rosie Carino of Washington Street School. Their guidance ensures a supportive and enriching experience for every student.

“We love opening the doors of the Daily Living Skills Center to classes from across the district,” Director of Pupil Personnel Services Dr. Pamela Taylor said. “Our intra-district field trips are truly meaningful experiences. Welcoming students from different buildings into this shared space, supported by our incredible social workers, is a celebration of community. It fosters connection, understanding and a sense of family that extends far beyond any single school. These moments remind us that we are one district, one family, learning and growing together.

–Hailey Fulmer

A night recognizing local change-makers

tine’s Day cards to be sent to seniors, continuing the organization’s commitment to carrying out acts of generosity.

Howie’s Heart is a recipient of the True Grit Award from A Team Consulting, a Manhattan-based accounting firm that recognizes individuals and organizations strengthening communities. Additionally, Conklin and Camacho did a podcast on 90.3 WHPC this month, where they discussed their nonprofit journey and the relationships they have built along the way.

Some of our greatest teachers are often the youngest among us

Jennifer CamaCho founder, Howie’s Heart

Howie’s Heart also continues to raise awareness for Elias Manolis, a teenager searching for a living kidney donor. Elias, who was born with chronic kidney disease, shared his story during the event.

“Sometimes it’s hard to do other things other kids my age can do,” he said. “But I keep staying strong and hopeful.”

The organization also honored several individuals during its annual awards ceremony, recognizing community partnerships and dedicated volunteers.

Victoria Tiso, owner of Tori T’s Pizzeria in Malverne, received the 2025 Community Partner Award. Tiso supported Howie’s Heart’s vision for its Slice of Pride event last June, which aimed to bring the community together in support of LGBTQ+ neighbors.

Camacho said she learned a great deal from Tiso, stating that “as a business owner, I have learned that success starts with respect.” She added that Tiso, along with another pizzeria, joined forces to donate pizza for the Slice of Pride event, which became the nonprofit’s largest service event to date.

Hazel Suckman, 8, received the Compassionate Ally Award. After attending a Howie’s Heart community service event, she felt inspired to take initiative and founded her own nonprofit, Hazel’s Harmony, to help others better understand her brother and spread autism awareness.

“Some of our greatest teachers are often the youngest among us,” Camacho said.

Emma Scheilding, who dedicates her time creating initiatives to support students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also received the Compassionate Ally Award. After experiencing it herself, she developed strategies to navigate expectations placed on her. She has partnered with Howie’s Heart to help younger students practice mindfulness and organizational skills to uplift and support them.

The Heart of Kindness Award was presented to Valentina Chapman, founder of the platform Let’s Create and Be

Kind, which promotes kindness through artistic outlets. Her arts and crafts service events focus on bringing joy to teenagers battling cancer.

“Valentina’s actions reflect the very spirit of Howie’s Heart,” Camacho said. “That kindness is not just an idea, it is something we practice through every event, every partnership and every moment we choose to show up for one another and for others.”

Erica Parmigiano received the Outstanding Volunteer Award for consistently supporting the nonprofit, assisting with baking, event setup and other

needs. She has been part of Howie’s Heart’s elf team for the past two years, helping spread joy to children with lifethreatening illnesses.

Madison Duckworth also received the Outstanding Volunteer Award. Connecting with Camacho on a personal level, Duckworth continually looks for ways to expand the organization’s impact. She has supported the Holiday Cheer Bus team, helping spread love to children they visit. Camacho described her as someone who reminds her that “leadership is not defined by age, but by heart.”

The Arana family — Anna, Drew,

Maya, Ryan and Gabrielle — received the Family of the Year Award. The family has dedicated time to performing good deeds throughout the community, including delivering food to families on Thanksgiving and helping decorate a home to fulfill a child’s Christmas wish.

“Anna and Drew are raising their children to think of others before themselves,” Camacho said.

Each award was made of wood, honoring Howie’s work as a carpenter. For the nonprofit, the material represents a strong foundation and reflects the meaning behind its mission.

What’s underground comes back around

Undoing the damage: the challenges of managing Long Island’s largest chemical spill

By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN & JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO of the Herald Community Newspapers

Second installment in a series about water.

It’s impossible to discuss Long Island’s groundwater without addressing Northrop Grumman.

The Long Island aeronautics industry was a key asset to the United States armed forces in the last century, testing and manufacturing nearly 30,000 airplanes for the U.S. Navy starting in the 1930s, and later producing the lunar module for Apollo 11’s landing on the moon. For over 50 years, the Northrop Grumman Bethpage Facility and Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant Site was at the center of American defense and innovation — and one of the largest chemical contamination sites in New York.

According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the degreasing agent trichloroethene leaked from NWIRP’s plumbing and dumping sites into the Magothy Aquifer — which provides water to much of Nassau County — creating the Navy Grumman groundwater plume.

tions or captured in granulated carbon, preventing any future leaks.

The DEC’s 2019 Record of Decision was the first formal plan for cleaning up the site. Before then, there were around 10 extraction wells in the affected area. Since the ROD, the number of wells has risen to 26, supported by five watertreatment plants. The aggressive plan to stop the plume’s southward migration was motivated by the DEC’s zero-tolerance attitude toward chemical contamination, Pelton said.

“Groundwater exists in these voids between grains of sand and soils in what we call pore spaces,” Granzen explained. “Water moves in between those pore spaces. When the contaminants get mixed with the groundwater, that causes movement.”

RISING TIDES

“The water districts should not have to address this,” Pelton said. “That’s the primary driver here: removing the TCE from the aquifer system so that we’ve got a better drinking water source.”

The plume is a twomile-by-four-mile body of TCE with the potential to leach into Long Island’s South Shore waters and the Great South Bay, according to Jason Pelton, director of Remedial Bureau D in the DEC’s Division of Environmental Remediation.

“As plumes go, it’s probably the largest in New York state,” Pelton said. “It may be one of the largest in the country.”

Bethpage’s tarnished legacy

Shortly after the plume was identified in 1983, the DEC formed a partnership with both the responsible parties, the Navy and Northrop Grumman, to begin restoration efforts. The two groups operate extraction wells, large structures that siphon water out of the aquifer, filter out TCE, and send the water back underground by way of recharge basins.

“I’ve been very impressed with the Navy and Northrop Grumman’s ability to locate these wells precisely where they need to be, and to see the contaminant numbers that are coming out in these locations,” Kristin Granzen, DEC project manager for the U.S. Navy Bethpage site, said.

The joint cleanup effort processes about 10 million gallons of contaminated water per day, according to DEC documents provided to the Herald. The agency estimates that about 80 percent of the contamination — 276,000 pounds — has been removed from the Magothy Aquifer and destroyed in chemical reac-

The DEC’s goal is to reduce the aquifer’s TCE levels to 5 parts per billion, the groundwater safety standard, though much of the plume’s area is still over 50 ppb, according to DEC map data from May 2025.

“The fact that it’s predominantly TCE makes it a little bit easier,” Pelton added. “The challenge is the magnitude of the contamination … I would say maybe we’re pumping in the interior of the plume for 30 or 40 more years.”

Chemicals linger, at what cost?

While the cleanup continues, the plume’s public health effects have been a topic of endless discussion. Its cleanup is made possible by collaboration with local municipalities, home to the county’s hundreds of monitoring wells collecting data on groundwater. They are a strict quality-control measure assessing whether the water is safe to consume or to use in irrigation.

Kevin Reilly, who oversees the monitoring of the Massapequa Water District as its superintendent, told the Herald that if the chemicals posed no real health risks to the community, there would be no need for the decades-long cleanup effort. The district serves parts of Massapequa, Massapequa Park and North Massapaqua, all areas just south of Bethpage, where the plume originated.

After filtration, there are no risks to residents’ health, the DEC maintains. “I would say the overall health of the aquifer is healthy,” Pelton said. “It’s important that people know that their drinking water is really high quality, and it’s absolutely safe to drink that water.”

According to a chemical profile from the Agency for Toxic Substances and

Courtesy Department of Environmental Conservation this map shows the estimated extent of the navy grumman groundwater plume, which was first identifed in 1983, based on the most recent data from 2025.

Disease Registry, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TCE can be a carcinogen with high exposure, and the state Department of Health conducted an environmental health investigation in Bethpage, finalized in 2013, on whether long-term exposure to contamination from the sites had affected local cancer rates.

According to the department’s report, there was no correlation between the presence of TCE in the aquifer with cancer rates on Long Island. The most commonly diagnosed cancers in the areas affected by the plume were those typically seen most often in adults, and no single rare cancer type appeared more than once. Most diagnoses occurred at ages when cancer is generally most common. There was no indication that the cancers were linked to environmental findings.

The health department continues routine monitoring of drinking water and remediation efforts to protect public health as the cleanup progresses.

At the request of the Bethpage community, the department is revisiting the

2013 study, and its work is expected to be completed by the end of this year. In a written statement, the department told the Herald that the update cannot provide a direct link between cancer cases and environmental exposure, including the plume. Evaluations of environmental exposure can draw some health associations, but they cannot determine causality.

“There is no new threat to public health, and prior exposures have been addressed for more than a decade due to the efforts of New York State,” the statement read. “The Department is currently working on the study and upon completion of the report will announce findings and host a public meeting.”

The race against the spread

The state continues its effort to clean up the plume while keeping the affected communities informed. The DEC facilitates regular community meetings through its Community Participation Working Group, comprising elected officials, agencies, businesses and experts

Saga of Navy-Grumman plume continues

Continued from PreViouS PAGe

that meet on a quarterly basis. The group was established to foster dialogue, improve public understanding, and encourage discussion of the cleanup.

The DEC staff also provides regular project updates at Bethpage Community Council meetings, which are held at the Bethpage Public Library and open to the public.

According to the DEC’s January Groundwater Plume Cleanup Update, public water suppliers treat groundwater using established methods to contain regulated contaminants before they reach homes and businesses. Water is drawn from designated sources, treated to meet all federal and state drinking water standards, and distributed through a network of mains and storage tanks. Throughout the process, water quality is continuously monitored to ensure that it remains safe to drink.

The challenge is the magnitude of the contamination.

Jason PelTon Remedial bureau director, Department of Environmental Conservation

“We work really closely with the water districts in Nassau County,” Pelton said. “Every single day they provide high-quality drinking water that meets all of the New York State Department of Health drinking water requirements.”

The system relies on multiple safeguards to maintain high water quality and protect public health. This approach ensures that if standards are not met, suppliers notify customers and take corrective action, which can include temporarily taking wells out of service.

Negotiations among public water suppliers, the DEC, Northrop Grumman and the Navy have focused on funding the treatment systems used to maintain safe drinking water. The Bethpage Water District, for example, operates treatment systems that are considered among the most advanced in the nation, according to the DEC.

Though it is currently not affected, the Massapequa Water District is just outside the current spread of the plume. “We are not an active part of the cleanup yet,” Reilly said. “We monitor — there’s monitoring wells that we get the data from the Navy and their consultants and the DEC. But we don’t have any contamination in our wells from the Grumman Navy plume at this time.”

Common misconception has led many Long Island residents to believe the entirety of the South Shore has been impacted, which is not the case. Nonetheless, Reilly said, “The plume is migrating and flowing towards our district.”

He explained that while large-scale, permanent systems for treating the underground water are currently under construction, temporary systems have been installed along the leading edge of the plume. They operate on a smaller scale, but they are designed to be mobile, and can be relocated as needed to respond to changing conditions while the permanent treatment infrastructure is being completed.

“The water districts to the north of us are already treating their wells for the contaminants, and they’ve spent millions upon millions of dollars to get these treatment systems in place,” Reilly said. “We haven’t had to do that yet — we’re watching. We don’t want to have to do that, and we’re constantly involved in pushing to get these Navy treatment systems up and running, to treat the groundwater.”

Northrop Grumman did not respond to requests for comment.

the northrop Grumman rW-21 Area Groundwater extraction and treatment

pumped out of the aquifer, before sending it back underground.

Courtesy Northrop Grumman northrop Grumman was a major manufacturer in the aeronautics industry for the u.S. armed forces. Above, airplane parts in of one its factories.

study that shows local governments and corporations working together to protect communities. The plume’s development and spread also show that the consequences of a mistake can be challenging to deal with, and that decades of damage require as much or more time to repair. The DEC’s expertise, Northrop Grumman and the Navy’s willingness to take responsibility, and the help of local water districts, were essential in making the restoration effort possible.

The public can receive updates about the plume cleanup effort at the DEC’s Bethpage Community Council meetings at the Bethpage Public Library, the Navy’s semi-annual Resident Advisory Board meetings online at NAVFAC.Navy.Mil/Divisions/Environmental, and Northrop Grumman’s website, NorthropGrumman.com/Sustainability.

deCeX6 is an early exploration well designed to support the cleanup of the plume. the well, installed in the town of oyster Bay by the State department of environmental Conservation, awaits potential future use if needed.

Performers get together for a group shot, highlighting the past few months of hard work and dedication to put on a memorable

Elmont performs for Black History Month

By HAILEY FULMER hfulmer@liherald.com

Elmont Memorial High School hosted a Black History Month celebration that integrated Black cultural elements into a fashion and talent show, drawing hundreds of attendees in support of student performances.

The show was sponsored by the Spartan Club, a parent organization that raises funds for initiatives such as scholarships, particularly for up-and-coming seniors.

Selene Ferdinand, 13, a pageant title holder and founder of Meera Empowerment, played a key role in the fashion portion of the show. She created looks for both the multicultural and formal wear segments. Ferdinand said the cultural aspect of the show was especially meaningful to her because it allowed her to incorporate traditions and different cultures and present them in ways that connected with the audience.

“Especially since it is Black History Month, being able to bring that culture to the fashion show,” Selene said.

One portion of the fashion show, called the “Bring it to Life” segment, was described by Selene as “bringing mannequins to life.”

The talent segment featured performances by the school dance team, as well as solo and duo acts. Each participant dedicated significant time and effort to prepare for the event.

“They put in so much dedication,” Selene describes the performers as “all so talented”.

Selene’s mother, Savitre Ferdinand, worked backstage during the production. Acting like a “stage mom,” she said she enjoyed collaborating with students and witnessing the strong turnout from the community.

“It gave me joy just to work with the kids,” Ferdinand expressed how she felt helping out with the show. “The result out of it, it was very amazing, and gave me joy.”

The audience responded enthusiastically to the performances. According to Ferdinand, the energy in the room was so high that some students lost their voices from cheering.

“My son came home, lost his voice,” Ferdinand mention how everyone was having so much fun with all the dancing and music.

Corlette Anderson, who has been part of the Spartan Club for the past decade and currently serves as vice president, said the event was previously held in May. However, that timing often conflicted with end-ofyear academic demands. Principal Marya Baker suggested moving the celebration to February in recognition of Black History Month.

One standout performance for Anderson was a song performed by Darlie Fevry, titled “A Change is Yet to Come.”

showed out for some

Anderson recalled hearing Fevry sing in the hallway during auditions.

“I was like who is this, who is this?” Describing the moments realizing how much of a voice that she has, and saddened that she is a senior and will be leaving soon.

With strong attendance, high energy and dedicated student performers, organizers described the event as both meaningful and memorable for the school community.

Nominate a student under 18 for the Sustainability Champion Award to recognize their efforts in driving sustainable change.

Submit a nomination of approximately 100 words or less describing the student’s leadership in promoting sustainability: What motivates them? What impact have they had?

Be sure to include a photo or an example of their work—whether it’s a community garden, an environmental campaign, or a creative solution to a sustainability challenge.

award will be presented at the

of

State Republicans rally around Blakeman

County executive, now the GOP nominee for governor, has plenty to say about Hochul at convention

By Chris ColuCCi, ABig Ail grieCo & AngelinA Zing Ariello of the Herald

After three days of official business, rallying the party faithful and nominating the state Republican slate, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman was front and center at the party’s convention in Garden City last week, and accepted the GOP’s nomination to be its gubernatorial candidate.

If elected, Blakeman would be only the second Long Islander to become governor, 127 years after Teddy Roosevelt did so, and the first Nassau County executive to hold the state’s top office.

Blakeman criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul and pledged to cut income taxes for middle-class families, reduce electricity bills by rolling back stateimposed fees and mandates, and redirect spending he said is being wasted to instead fund schools, infrastructure, hospitals and services for veterans.

“Taxes are soaring, electric bills and insurance premiums keep climbing out of control,” Blakeman said on Feb. 11, the third and final day of the convention. “Crime is rising. Businesses are leaving the state in record numbers. Families and seniors are being priced out of their homes. New York ranks dead last for economic development, and number 45 out of 50 states in the nation for affordability, and it’s all a direct result of Kathy Hochul’s failed policies.”

He vowed to oppose congestion pricing, protect Second Amendment rights and support law enforcement, including keeping violent offenders in prison and revisiting criminal justice policies such as cashless bail and parole standards.

“I will bring the experience, leadership and focus on public safety,” Blakeman said. “We will make you safer in your homes and your communities, and we will continue to fight for your families. I will be governor for all the people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, abilities and lifestyles.”

Upstate Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood was introduced as Blakeman’s running mate, the candidate for lieutenant governor. Hood pledged to support Blakeman and help lead what he described as an effort to fix the state’s pressing problems. A third-term elected sheriff with more than 30 years of law enforcement service, Hood framed his candidacy around public safety and government accountability. He argued that the state has become less safe and more expensive under oneparty rule, criticizing bail laws, antipolice rhetoric and high taxes that he said have hurt communities and driven families and small businesses out of the state.

Hood said that he and Blakeman would stand with law enforcement and crime victims, cut taxes, rein in state spending and work to make New York more affordable.

“That’s the kind of leadership that I’ll bring to the lieutenant governor’s office,” Hood said. “Bruce Blakeman and

the party’s nominee for governor, noted Gov. Kathy Hochul’s “failed policies” on Feb. 11.

I are running to restore common sense.”

Former Gov. George Pataki, New York’s last Republican governor, who served three terms, from 1995 to 2006, offered his support as well, making clear the party’s push to win back the governor’s office.

“I’ve known Bruce for decades,” Pataki said of Blakeman. “He is someone who loves this country and loves this state. He is someone who has dedicated his life to public service to make the lives of others better. And he hasn’t just tried. He has succeeded.”

Delegates also nominated Saritha Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, for attorney general, with 86.3 percent of the vote. She defeated Brooklyn attorney Khurram Dara. Komatireddy emphasized her experience prosecuting terrorism and public corruption, and pledged to focus on public safety.

“I’ve spent my life in public service and public safety,” she said. “New Yorkers are tired of seeing criminals released over and over again while families feel

the office.

unsafe in their own communities.”

The party’s nominee for comptroller, Joseph Hernandez, shared his family’s story of emigrating from Cuba after his father was a political prisoner. He criticized current Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and outlined plans to invest $1 billion in Israeli bonds and launch a proposed $10 billion “Empire Opportunity Fund.”

“I know a communist when I see a communist,” Hernandez said of DiNapoli. “My friends, he is a communist.”

Long Beach Republican Chairman Jim Moriarty pointed to Nassau County as a microcosm of the state.

“In Nassau County, the demographics and all other statistics mirrors the state of New York,” Moriarty said on the second day of the convention. “He’s got tremendous executive experience,” he added of Blakeman. “He’s shown he can win and attract bipartisan support. He’s going to be a tremendous candidate and a great governor.”

Along with Hochul, the Democratic

slate includes incumbents Attorney General Letitia James and DiNapoli, a native Long Islander. The lieutenant governor candidate is Adrienne Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council.

Hochul received a boost in her campaign when current Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado suspended his campaign for governor, deciding not to challenge her in the Democratic primary.

Blakeman is expected to face a challenge in the Republican primary from Libertarian candidate Larry Sharpe. That election is June 23. The general election is on Nov. 3.

Despite Republican support inside the building, Democrats outside made their presence known on Feb. 11.

“We’re here to send a message to our Republicans over in the hotel across the street that we’re not going to stand for electing a man as governor of this state who’s going to kowtow to Donald Trump,” state Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs said.

MARCH 13 • 10AM-12:30PM

EAST MEADOW BETH-EL JEWISH CENTER

1400 Prospect Ave, East Meadow

FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle

Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers

Take advantage of on-site health screenings

Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences

Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A

Win raffles, prizes, and giveaways

Snack station for all

All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.

AGENDA: VISIT EXHIBITORS

10:00AM - 12:30PM

EXPERT PANEL + Q&A 11:30AM - 12:30PM

RAFFLE DRAWINGS*

*must be present to win

Register for this FREE event: RichnerLIVE.com/march.expo

Compiled by Herald Staff

Ariel Borkowsky Farmingdale

Someone paid for my coffee in front of me, and I paid for the person in back of me

Christie Leigh Babirad/Herald

What is one act of kindness you have experienced or given recently?

Joe Mascaro

Merrick

I shoveled my elderly neighbor’s driveway after the snowstorm.

Abbey Salvemini/Herald

Jarrod Murphy

Rockville Centre, age 10

When somebody was being mean to me at recess, my friends invited me to play football with them. Then, when they were feeing sad, I helped them back and let them play with my friends.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Maria DeLuca

Glen Cove

Somebody on the Glen Cove neighbors Facebook created a group for people to come together and ideate on ways they can help homeless people in the area.

Roksana Amid/Herald

Carson Giacopelli

Lynbrook, age 18

A neighbor with dementia didn’t have anybody to help her shovel. So, my family and I showed up to shovel her property for her. No money, it is all part of Lynbrook Cares.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

STEPPING OUT

Hoops, hijinks and history

By Andrew Coen

Acentury after the team’s founding, Harlem Globetrotters storied history comes alive when the latest iteration of the quickfingered hoops stars return here.

The Globetrotters bring their 100 Year Tour to Nassau Coliseum, on Feb. 21, giving fans a chance to see the team’s well-known acrobatic dunks, trick shots and long-range shots up close. This special appearance marks the first time the iconic team — debuting their new 100 Year jerseys — has performed in the arena against longtime rivals, the Washington Generals, since 2017. From gravity-defying dunks to game-changing tricks, everyone will certainly feel the history, the joy, and those “wow” moments in true Globetrotters style.

What started with Curly, Meadowlark, Wilt, and Geese continues on today with Hammer, Torch, Bulldog, Cheese, Jet, Wham, Thunder, TNT — and so many more. Taking inspiration from the fun-loving and awe-inspiring players of the past, today’s Globetrotters stars are ready to wow you on the court and in the crowd

The team is full of a number of talented men and women basketball players who were for various

Guard Lucius

Harlem Globetrotters at 100

courtesy Harlem Globetrotters Andrew “Big Dog” Whitsett, right, a 7’1” forward/finisher, commands attention with his size and presence on the court.

The centennial season’s “5th Quarter” postgame session gives fans some special moments with players.

Wild days in the Bronx

Chazz Palminteri is back on the Paramount stage with his electrifying solo performance of “A Bronx Tale,” the autobiographical one-man show that launched his remarkable career. Riveting and deeply personal, it draws on Palminteri’s bruising Bronx childhood, including the moment — at nine-years-old — when he witnessed a gangland killing that forever shaped his view of the world. Palminteri inhabits 18 vivid haracters, seamlessly shifting between friends, foes and family members to conjure an entire neighborhood with nothing but his voice, physicality and storytelling prowess. First written and performed in 1989, “A Bronx Tale” became a sensation, hailed as one of the most sought-after properties since “Rocky.” The original production paved the way for the acclaimed film adaptation — directed by Robert De Niro — and later a hit Broadway musical.

reasons counted out throughout their lives, according to Lucius “Too Tall” Winston, who has spent the last nine years with the Globetrotters. Winston, despite his nickname, only measures 5’11’’ and was told by a former coach at age 15 he was too short to play college or professional basketball.

“You have a ton of guys through our team that had to face adversity and that builds character,” he says. “I got a chance to see that coach a couple years ago after he saw me play and he said he wanted to apologize for what he said to me and I told him if he didn’t tell me those words at that age I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Sunday, Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny. com.

and

pursue their dreams — anything is possible with good

Winston is as fanatical about basketball today as he was as a young player in his hometown of Russellville, Ala. His love of the sport has crossed from player to coach to motivational speaker. Winston dedicates his personal time to organizations that shine a light on the sport with emphasis on leadership, team work and focus. True joy for him comes with motivating kids to get out of their comfort zone and pursue their dreams — anything is possible with good character, good grades and hard work.

• Feb. 21, 2 p.m.

• Tickets range from $50-$200; available at ticketmaster.com and harlemglobetrotters.com

The Globetrotters have revolutionized the sport of basketball throughout its 100-year history, including popularizing the slam dunk The team’s roster includes Zeus McClurkin, who set a record for the most dunks in a minute with 16 in 2016.

• Nassau Coliseum, Hempstead Tpke., Uniondale

“Too Tall” Winston’s favorite trick is the 2 Ball Spin. He holds eight Guinness World Records, including Most Figure Eight Dribbles in One Minute (2020 and Most Three Point Shots Made By a Pair in One Minute (2020).

In addition to the Globetrotters’ famed high-flying dunks, the number of longdistance shots are always a thrill.The Globetrotters famously introduced a 4-point shot in 201, 30 feet from the basket, which is seven feet longer than the NBA’s three-point line.

Winston, who played college basketball at Tuskegee University, relates that interaction with the fans is what makes attending a Globetrotter game particularly unique. Among the signature moments, the team holds a free postgame autograph session. And during the game those in the crowd are frequently called down to the court to participate in stunts. Everyone can also take part in premium options that enable pregame access to meet players along with joining the team for warmups on the court.

“You get to see guys that can play the game at a high level who can jump out of the gym and shoot the ball extremely well and you’ll also see plenty of entertainment as well,” Winston says. “It’s a high quality game from start to finish and then at the end fans are allowed to come down courtside and get autographs and take pictures with us.”

McClurkin, who set a record for the most dunks in a minute courtside and get autographs and take pictures with us.”

future Hall of Famers like Wilt Chamberlain and Connie Hawkins; or Curly Neal and Meadowlark

International icons, the Globetrotters are considered “ambassadors” of the game, beloved the world over for their special brand athleticism that combines the skills and foundations of basketball with a uniquely theatrical flare. From breaking the NBA color barrier with alums like Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton signing a pro contract as a member of the New York Knicks or courting future Hall of Famers like Wilt Chamberlain and Connie Hawkins; or Curly Neal and Meadowlark Lemon dazzling sellout crowds; to ushering women into professional basketball; to the current group, the Globetrotters’ reach and impact attract attention.

Tilles Center Atrium becomes an intimate lounge to showcase exciting up-and-coming jazz talent Sarah Hanahan, presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center. The dynamic, soulful alto saxophonist is swiftly emerging as one of the most compelling new voices in jazz. A graduate of both the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and The Juilliard School, she blends deeprooted swing and bebop traditions with a bold, modern intensitySince stepping onto the scene, Hanahan has performed with an extraordinary range of jazz luminaries. =Her commanding tone, technical mastery, and melodic imagination have taken her to major stages across the U.S. and abroad, with regular appearances at premier New York City venues. Whether fronting her own quartet or collaborating with some of the music’s most revered artists, Hanahan plays with passion, precision and an unwavering commitment to the ever-evolving art of jazz.

The current team of elite men and women, holders of an unprecedented 60+ Guinness World Records, including 18 set just last year — the most of any team in any sport — bring a fresh look of gravity-defying dunks and game-changing tricks against their renowned rivals in this special centennial season.

Thursday, Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

feb

‘The Wedding Singer’ Molloy University’s CAP21 Musical Theatre students stage the musical comedy based on the iconic film. The show will have you partying like it’s 1985! Travel back to the outrageous 1980s, when hair was huge, neon ruled fashion and everything MTV was “like, totally tubular.” Based on the mega-hit Adam Sandler movie, this Broadway romance about a heartbroken rock star wannabe finding love again is jam-packed with big laughs, dazzling dance numbers, and a score as bold and electric as the decade itself. From popped collars to power ballads, “The Wedding Singer” is a nostalgic, feel-good celebration of love, friendship, and all things ‘80s.

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

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

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

Family theater

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

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.: also Feb. 25-26

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

Zumba Class

feb

27

“Don’t stop believin’…

Cooking with Chefs of D’ Future Children aged K-5 are welcome to Elmont Library’s culinary class where they’ll create a delectable dish. Registration required. Children will be placed in groups according to their age.

• Where: 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: 7-8 p.m.

• Contact: elmontlibrary.org or (516) 354-5280

Winter birds of Long Island

Bird enthusiast

feb

Start off your weekend with an adrenaline-centered workshop hosted by Franklin Square Public Library. From your own home, follow along as the instructor, Kristen guides you through a 45-minute workout. All levels and abilities are welcome.

• Where: Zoom/virtual

• Time: 10-10:45 a.m.

• Contact: FranklinSquarePL. org or (516) 481-3444

Friends

of the Library Hot Cocoa/ Cookie Party

Join the Franklin Square library’s staff for an afternoon of sweet treats and hot cocoa. Discuss library programming and benefits.

• Where: 19 Lincoln Road

• Time: 1-3 p.m.

• Contact: FranklinSquarePL. org or (516) 481-3444

‘Baby,

please don’t go…’

Plaza Theatrical invites to all to its stage at Elmont Memorial Library for a tribute to Chicago. Make Me Smile takes everyone on a musical journey that transcends time and space to bring the iconic sounds of Chicago to life. The band brings “classic rock with horns” to life right before your eyes. $40, $35 seniors.

• Where: 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: 7:30 p.m.

• Contact: PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870

22

UBS Arena Challenge Cup

Visits UBS Arena for the premier international hockey event that together the best Israeli teams to the North America region. See a rematch between Jerusalem Capitals and HC Tel Aviv.

• Where: 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: 5 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com

‘What the world needs now’

Plaza Theatrical invites to all to its stage at Elmont Memorial Library for a tribute to the incomparable Burt Bacharach. The exhilarating concert honors the timeless masterpieces of the legendary American composer. This dynamic tribute breathes new life into Bacharach’s cherished classics, offering a vibrant mix of beloved hits like “What the World Needs Now,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” along with some hidden gems that deserve the spotlight. $40, $35 seniors.

• Where: 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: 2:30 p.m.

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

Voyage rocks on with another dynamic tribute to Journey. The popular band takes everyone back to the ‘80s when Journey’s timeless music ruled the airwaves. Hailed by fans and critics alike, the band performs the music with chilling accuracy. Voyage is celebrated for their uncanny ability to recreate the legendary sound, energy and passion of one of rock’s greatest bands. With their blistering guitar solos, lush keyboard arrangements, electrifying stage presence, and stunning harmonies, the band has earned a reputation as the ultimate homage to Journey’s timeless music. Fronted by vocalist Pedro Espada, whose range and tone is acclaimed as rivaling the iconic Steve Perry, he’s backed by a lineup of world-class musicians — Robby Hoffman, Greg Smith, Lance Millard, and Dana Spellman — who bring every note to life with precision and heart. Voyage doesn’t just perform Journey’s greatest hits, they transport audiences back to the height of arena rock glory. From the soaring ballads of “Faithfully” and “Open Arms” to the anthemic energy of “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Separate Ways,” every performance is a journey through the soundtrack of a generation. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering the magic of Journey for the first time, Voyage promises a night of unforgettable rock ‘n’ roll.

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

• Contact: PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870

Defensive

Driving

Elmont Library offers Empire Safety Council’s Defensive Driving course.

Attendees receive a 10% coupon for Collision and Auto Liability/ PIP rates on your own insurance. $33 to be paid to Empire Safety Council. Registration required.

• Where: 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: 6-9 p.m.; also Feb. 24

• Contact: elmontlibrary.org or (516) 354-5280

Family Preschool Hour

Elmont Library welcomes families with children 2-4 years to A Time for kids. Sessions provide educational classes for preschool-aged children, to participate in fun and educationally centered activities for your little ones including a story time, music, and practicing motor skills

• Where: 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

• Time: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

• Contact: elmontlibrary.org or (516) 354-5280

Dianne Taggart presents an informational session over zoom, hosted by Franklin Square Public Library. Learn about the wonderful Long Island birds, even about the ones that stay during the cold winter months. Registration is required.

• Where: Zoom

• Time: 7-8 p.m.

• Contact: FranklinSquarePL. org or (516) 481-3444

Community legal assistance

Those who are dealing with a legal problem are encouraged to participate in this information session at Franklin Square Public Library. Volunteer attorneys, Nassau Suffolk Law services, and the Nassau County bar Association are on hand to answer any general legal questions you may have. Topics includeomestic violence, bankruptcy, custody, disability, immigration, and more.

• Where: 19 Lincoln Road, Franklin Square

• Time: 1-3 p.m.

• Contact: FranklinSquarePL. org or (516) 481-3444 feb 25

Having an event?

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

Uncertainty lingers for 350,000

and other community improvements.

While expressing gratitude for the court’s decision, Russell said that a permanent solution is still needed. It’s not just legal status that is being debated, she said, but the type of society the United States chooses to shape.

This is America, the land of dreams, the land of immigration.

Michelle SolageS Assemblywoman

“The federal government’s decision to block the termination of TPS is a critical step toward fairness and compassion,” Nunez, who represents Valley Stream and Elmont, said in a statement. “America has always been strongest when we lead with compassion, fairness, and respect for dignity.”

Dr. Karl Latortue, president of the Haitian Medical Association Abroad, who also spoke at the news conference, said he has been treating families that are fearful and emotionally distressed, and that deporting TPS holders back to Haiti, in its current state of crisis, would constitute a public health failure.

Health care professionals are seeing increased anxiety and depression in the Haitian community, Latortue said. “Family separation causes trauma, and trauma can last a lifetime,” he said.

Brian Perez, a paralegal with the Center for Central American Refugees and the son of immigrants, also spoke, saying that he has worked with countless people seeking to build stable lives in the United States. The center offers them legal resources and community pro-

assemblywoman michaelle Solages hosted a news conference feb 6, at Bethany Baptist Church, in elmont, at which she detailed the impact on those with temporary protected status if that designation is revoked.

gramming.

Many families with TPS are making contingency plans in case of deportation to prevent their children from becoming entangled in the court system, Solages said. Others, she added, are living in fear.

Referring to the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010, she said that those who have lived in the United States since then and have contributed to society

should be provided a pathway to citizenship.

She accused the Trump administration of spreading misinformation about the Haitian community. “They are not operating in good faith,” Solages said, adding, “This is America, the land of dreams, the land of immigration.”

Have an opinion on temporary protected status? Send a letter to hfulmer@liherald.com.

February 19, 2026 —

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notices

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. BANK N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF MASTR ASSET BACKED SECURITIES TRUST 2006-AM3, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES

2006-AM3, -againstSHARON SPERANZA, 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 5, 2019, wherein U.S. BANK N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF MASTR ASSET BACKED SECURITIES TRUST

2006-AM3, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES

2006-AM3 is the Plaintiff and SHARON SPERANZA, 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 March 5, 2026 at 2:30PM, premises known as 247 PASCHAL AVE, FRANKLIN SQUARE, NY 11010; and the following tax map identification: 33-308-52 & 53. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT FRANKLIN SQUARE, IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 011081/2013.

Janine T. Lynam, 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. 158029

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

DITECH FINANCIAL LLC, -againstMERITUS MALIVERT, 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 July 18, 2018, wherein DITECH FINANCIAL LLC is the Plaintiff and MERITUS MALIVERT, 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 March 5, 2026 at 2:30PM, premises known as 83 NORFOLK DRIVE WEST, ELMONT, NY 11003; and the following tax map identification: 37Q18-13.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN AT ELMONT, IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 001512/2012.

Janine T. Lynam, 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. 158031

LEGAL NOTICE

REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR OPTION ONE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2007-FXD1, Plaintiff - against -

NICHOLAS M. DELAPO

A/K/A NICHOLAS DELAPO, et al

Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on December 19, 2025. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on the 27th day of February, 2026 at 2:30 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Village of Floral Park, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. Premises known as 59 Willow Street, Floral Park, NY 11001.

(Section: 32, Block: 510, Lot: 34 & 35)

Approximate amount of lien $1,386,754.56 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 002989/2017. Jaime D. Ezratty, Esq., Referee. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409

For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

Dated: December 30, 2025

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale. 157995

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

SHERESE WOODLEYBENDER and SHARON WOODLEY, Plaintiffs, against

THOMAS L. BENDER, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, Defendants.

Pursuant to an Interlocutory Judgment of Partition and Sale entered on February 20, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at a public auction on the North Side steps of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. on February 26, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Said premises known as 1378 Madison Street, Elmont, New York, 11003. (Section: 32 Block: 303 Lot: 136). Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Interlocutory Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index No. 614753/2021

Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee.

The Law Office of Ronald J. Ferraro, PLLC, Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, P.O. Box 1729 Mineola, New York 11501 516-459-3576

The property is being sold “as is” in all respects (physical condition and from title perspective), except to extent stated in Judgment. 158025

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR INDYMAC INDX MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2006-AR27, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH

CERTIFICATES SERIES 2006-AR27, -againstMARIA RODRIGUEZ, 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 November 14, 2025, wherein DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR INDYMAC INDX MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2006-AR27, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2006-AR27 is the Plaintiff and MARIA RODRIGUEZ, 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 March 11, 2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1311 MCCLURE AVENUE, ELMONT, NY 11003; and the following tax map identification: 32-578-78 & 87. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT ELMONT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD NASSAU COUNTY, STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 609890/2019. Brian J. Davis, 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. 158219

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION of 11 Cubed LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/26/26 Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 222 Doris Avenue, Franklin Square, NY 11010. Purpose: any lawful act. 158223

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, FLAGSTAR BANK, N.A., F/K/A FLAGSTAR BANK, FSB, Plaintiff, vs. MIGUEL F. HERNANDEZ, ESTER AMBROSIO-RUIZ, if living and if he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the

following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, though, or under them and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heir-at-law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff, ET AL., Defendant (s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on February 18, 2025 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 18, 2026 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 96 FLORAL BLVD, FLORAL PARK, NY 11001. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Floral Park, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 32, Block: 181, Lot: 107 & 406. Approximate amount of judgment is $983,321.90 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 606142/2019. 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, the Mortgagee’s attorney, or the Referee. For Sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. CHRISTINE M. GRILLO, Esq., Referee Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for

Plaintiff 158330

LEGAL NOTICE

Separate sealed proposals for the INTRUSION ALARMS will be received by the Board of Education of the Elmont Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, at the Elmont Road School, located at 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, New York, at which place said bids will be publicly opened and read, at the time and date specified, for the furnishing of the following:

RFP/BID:#10-25/26

OPENING DATE:3/6/26

OPENING TIME: 11:15 AM Request for Proposal forms may be secured at Elmont UFSD Business Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays beginning 2/19/26. An original signed proposal must be received by Diane Tool, Business Office, Elmont Union Free School District, 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY 11003 by 11:15 AM on March 6th, 2026. The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked “INTRUSION ALARMS.” Any proposals after that time will be returned to the sender.

If you should require additional information or have any questions, please e-mail Cory Walker at cwalker@elmontschool s.org . Mr. Walker will respond to concerns raised as soon as practical. Responses to questions will be provided to all parties in writing by e-mail.

The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all bids, to waive any informality in said bids, and/or to accept the bid which seems most favorable to the interests of the Elmont Union Free School District.

By Order of the Board of Education Date: 2/11/26

Nicole Termini District Clerk 158442

LEGAL NOTICE

Separate sealed proposals for the SCHOOL BUS & MOTOR VEHICLES MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR BID will be received by the Board of Education of the Elmont Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead,

Nassau County, New York, at the Elmont Road School, located at 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, New York, at which place said bids will be publicly opened and read, at the time and date specified, for the furnishing of the following:

RFP/BID:#12-25/26

OPENING DATE:3/2/26

OPENING TIME:11:30 AM

Request for Proposal forms may be secured at Elmont UFSD Business Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays beginning 2/19/26.

An original signed proposal must be received by Diane Tool, Business Office, Elmont Union Free School District, 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY 11003 by 11:30 AM on March 2nd, 2026. The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked “SCHOOL BUS & MOTOR VEHICLES MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS BID.” Any proposals after that time will be returned to the sender. If you should require additional information or have any questions, please e-mail Cory Walker at cwalker@elmontschool s.org . Mr. Walker will respond to concerns raised as soon as practical. Responses to questions will be provided to all parties in writing by e-mail. The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all bids, to waive any informality in said bids, and/or to accept the bid which seems most favorable to the interests of the Elmont Union Free School District.

By Order of the Board of Education Date: 2/11/26 Nicole Termini District Clerk 158443

LEGAL NOTICE

Separate sealed proposals for the ACCOUNTING SERVICES will be received by the Board of Education of the Elmont Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, at the Elmont Road School, located at 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, New York, at which place said bids will be publicly opened and read, at the time and date specified, for the furnishing of the following:

RFP/BID:#13-25/26

Public Notices

OPENING

DATE:3/2/26

OPENING TIME:11:00

AM Request for Proposal forms may be secured at Elmont UFSD Business Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays beginning 2/19/26.

An original signed proposal must be received by Diane Tool, Business Office, Elmont Union Free School District, 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY 11003 by 11:00 AM on March 2nd, 2026. The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked “ACCOUNTING.” Any proposals after that time will be returned to the sender.

If you should require additional information or have any questions, please e-mail Linda Macias at lmacias@elmontschool s.org . Dr. Macias will respond to concerns raised as soon as practical. Responses to questions will be provided to all parties in writing by e-mail. The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all bids, to waive any informality in said bids, and/or to accept the bid which seems most favorable to the interests of the Elmont Union Free School District.

By Order of the Board of Education Date: 2/11/26

Nicole Termini District Clerk 158444

LEGAL NOTICE

Separate sealed proposals for the OIL TANK ABANDONMENT will be received by the Board of Education of the Elmont Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, at the Elmont Road School, located at 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, New York, at which place said bids will be publicly opened and read, at the time and date specified, for the furnishing of the following:

RFP/BID#9-25/26

OPENING

DATE:3/6/26

OPENING TIME:11:00 AM

Request for Proposal forms may be secured at Elmont UFSD Business Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays beginning 2/19/26. An original signed proposal must be

received by Diane Tool, Business Office, Elmont Union Free School District, 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY 11003 by 11:00 AM on March 6th, 2026. The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked “OIL TANK ABANDONMENT.” Any proposals after that time will be returned to the sender.

If you should require additional information or have any questions, please e-mail Cory Walker at cwalker@elmontschool s.org . Mr. Walker will respond to concerns raised as soon as practical. Responses to questions will be provided to all parties in writing by e-mail. The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all bids, to waive any informality in said bids, and/or to accept the bid which seems most favorable to the interests of the Elmont Union Free School District.

By Order of the Board of Education Date: 2/11/26

Nicole Termini District Clerk 158441

LEGAL NOTICE

Separate sealed proposals for the MEDICAL SERVICES will be received by the Board of Education of the Elmont Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, at the Elmont Road School, located at 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, New York, at which place said bids will be publicly opened and read, at the time and date specified, for the furnishing of the following: RFP/BID:#2-26/27

OPENING

DATE:3/2/26

OPENING TIME:11:00

AM Request for Proposal forms may be secured at Elmont UFSD Business Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays beginning 2/19/26. An original signed proposal must be received by Diane Tool, Business Office, Elmont Union Free School District, 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY 11003 by 11:00 AM on March 2nd, 2026. The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked “MEDICAL SERVICES.”

Any proposals after that time will be

returned to the sender. If you should require additional information or have any questions, please e-mail Linda Macias at lmacias@elmontschool s.org . Dr. Macias will respond to concerns raised as soon as practical. Responses to questions will be provided to all parties in writing by e-mail. The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all bids, to waive any informality in said bids, and/or to accept the bid which seems most favorable to the interests of the Elmont Union Free School District. By Order of the Board of Education Date: 2/11/26

Nicole Termini District Clerk 158446

LEGAL NOTICE

Separate sealed proposals for the STEEL AND METALS BID will be received by the Board of Education of the Elmont Union Free School District of the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, at the Elmont Road School, located at 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, New York, at which place said bids will be publicly opened and read, at the time and date specified, for the furnishing of the following:

RFP/BID:#11-25/26

OPENING

DATE:3/2/26

OPENING TIME:11:00 AM

Request for Proposal forms may be secured at Elmont UFSD Business Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on weekdays beginning 2/19/26.

An original signed proposal must be received by Diane Tool, Business Office, Elmont Union Free School District, 135 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY 11003 by 11:00 AM on March 2nd, 2026. The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked “STEEL AND METALS BID.”

Any proposals after that time will be returned to the sender. If you should require additional information or have any questions, please e-mail Cory Walker at cwalker@elmontschool s.org . Mr. Walker will respond to concerns raised as soon as practical. Responses to questions will be provided to all parties in writing by e-mail.

The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all bids, to waive any informality in said bids, and/or to accept the bid which seems most favorable to the interests of the Elmont Union Free School District.

By Order of the Board of Education Date: 2/11/26

Nicole Termini District Clerk 158445

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 202-48 of the code of the Town of Hempstead entitled, “Handicapped Parking On Public Streets,” a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 24th day of February 2026, at 7:00 o’clock in the evening of that day, to consider the adoption of a resolution setting aside certain parking spaces for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons at the following locations: ELMONT

MEACHAM AVENUEeast side, starting at a point 74 feet south of the south curbline of World Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-4/26)

NORTH ASCAN STREET - east side at a point 100 feet north opposite the north curbline of Home Street, north for a distance of 18 feet.

(TH-11/26) and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:

ELMONT

HUNNEWELL AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 151 feet north of the north curbline of Russell Street, north for a distance of 18 feet.

(TH-82/24 - 5/07/24)

(TH-9/26)

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

Dated: February 10, 2026

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

Supervisor KATE MURRAY

Town Clerk 158438

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, HIMC CAPITAL LLC, Plaintiff, vs. CHRIMAR REALTY CORP., ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on December 22, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 26, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 148 Tulip Avenue, Floral Park, NY 11001. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Floral Park, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 32, Block 120 and Lot 119. Approximate amount of judgment is $810,499.07 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 606907/2022. Cash will not be accepted. Certified bank checks only made out to Joseph Juliano, Esq., referee.

Joseph Juliano, Esq., Referee Law Offices of Joseph R. Bongiorno & Associates, P.C., 220 Mineola Boulevard, Mineola, New York 11501, Attorneys for Plaintiff 158451

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. S/B/M TO BAC HOME LOANS SERVICINGM LP F/K/A COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS SERVICING LP, Pltf. vs. JOSEPH GIRARDI, et al Deft. Index #602428/2023. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered June 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 March 24, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. prem. k/a 122 Grange Street, Franklin

Square, NY 11010 a/k/a Section 35, Block 184, Lot 9 (lot group 9-10). Said property located in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, known and designated as and by Lots 9 and 10 in Block 519 on a certain map entitled “Map of Garden City Terrace, Section 2, Nassau County, N.Y. owned by and developed by Fairbank Realty Corporation Inc., November 9, 1925 and surveyed by William H. Parry” and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on March 5, 1926 as Map #595, Case #613. Approximate amount of judgment is $606,380.01 plus cost and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. LAUREL KRETZING, Referee. HILL WALLACK LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 261 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor, Ste. 940-941, New York, NY. File No. 017511-03788#102756 158449

LEGAL NOTICE SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF OBJECT OF ACTION STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF NASSAU ACTION TO FORECLOSE A TAX LIEN INDEX NO.: 609003/2025, ELM CAPITAL LLC, Plaintiff, vs. the unknown heirs, legatees, devisees and/or representatives of CAROL STERLING and all persons that may claim an interest in the property referred to in the complaint by, through or under any of the foregoing (the aforesaid unknown heirs, legatees, devisees and/or representatives being all such heirs, legatees, devisees and/or representatives other than those specifically named as a defendant in the complaint-the identity and addresses of all the foregoing not being known to plaintiff), PREMISES SUBJECT TO TAX LIEN: 632 Demille Ave., Elmont, NY, SBL# 32, 691, 9. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action, to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with the summons, to serve notice of appearance, on the plaintiff s attorney within thirty

(30) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the date of service, and in case of failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the subject property. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the tax lien holder who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the tax lien holder will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (TAX LIEN HOLDER) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: February 7, 2026. Joseph Ehrenreich, Attorney for Plaintiff, 33 South Service Road, Jericho, NY 11753, 833-993-0100. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of HON. JEFFREY A. GOODSTEIN of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, entered January 27, 2026. Such order and the Complaint in this action are filed in the office of the Nassau County Clerk, in Mineola, NY. The object of this action is to foreclose a tax lien on the premises identified above. 158420

LEGAL NOTICE SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF OBJECT OF ACTION STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF NASSAU ACTION TO FORECLOSE A TAX LIEN INDEX NO.: 609056/2025, ELM CAPITAL LLC, Plaintiff, vs. the unknown heirs, legatees, devisees and/or representatives of ARTHUR BEZMAN and all persons that

may claim an interest in the property referred to in the complaint by, through or under any of the foregoing (the aforesaid unknown heirs, legatees, devisees and/or representatives being all such heirs, legatees, devisees and/or representatives other than those specifically named as a defendant in the complaint-the identity and addresses of all the foregoing not being known to plaintiff), PREMISES SUBJECT TO TAX LIEN: 201 Waldorf Ave., Elmont, NY, SBL# 32, 425, 125. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action, to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with the summons, to serve notice of appearance, on the plaintiff s attorney within thirty (30) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the date of service, and in case of failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the subject property. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the tax lien holder who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the tax lien holder will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (TAX LIEN HOLDER) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: February 7, 2026. Joseph Ehrenreich, Attorney for Plaintiff, 33 South Service Road, Jericho, NY 11753, 833-993-0100. The foregoing summons is

331-hub plan targets 911-operator burnout

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

Nassau County Legislator Olena Nicks on Monday introduced legislation to create a countywide 311 non-emergency service, a move that she and other Democratic lawmakers say will reduce burnout on 911 operators and improve emergency response times.

County residents often call 911 for non-emergency issues — including potholes, sanitation problems, streetlight outages and noise complaints. Nationwide data suggests nearly 50 percent of 911 calls fall into these categories.

While these calls deserve attention, they shouldn’t compete with someone reporting a fire, a violent crime or a medical emergency when only seconds count.

The proposed 311 system would include a centralized call center staffed by trained personnel. It would allow residents to submit service requests via mobile app — including uploading photos — and track their status in real time. Lawmakers say that reducing nonemergency call volume would help address a 20 percent staffing shortage among emergency operators and cut down delays in life-threatening situations.

“While these calls deserve attention, they shouldn’t compete with someone reporting a fire, a violent crime or a medical emergency when only seconds count,” Nicks said. “Here in Nassau, our operators are handling everything from noise complaints to service requests, and these non-emergencies calls pull resources away from urgent needs.”

Carrie Solages emphasized the public safety implications of reducing unnecessary emergency calls.

“When dispatchers are overwhelmed, it impacts response times for critical emergencies,” Solages said. “This legislation helps ensure emergency services remain focused on situations where every second counts.”

OlenA nICKS Legislator served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of HON. JEFFREY A.

Last September, Uniondale implemented a new ambulance meant to improve emergency response time.

She pointed to similar systems in New York City, Suffolk County and the Town of North Hempstead. North Hempstead launched its 311-call center in 2005, and has handled more than

three million calls, according to Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena. The center acts as a one-stop hub for municipal services, with requests tracked through completion.

County Legislator Viviana Russell, who represents parts of Uniondale and North Hempstead, said she was part of the original team that launched North Hempstead’s system. She also took part in the Suffolk operating system as well.

“I can tell you first-hand how it helped residents of the Town of North Hempstead,” Russell said. “Through tracking the calls, you are able to see where there are needs in different departments as well as where residents need additional help, within the confines of the county.”

The county would also launch a public education campaign to help residents

understand when to call 311 versus 911. Nicks said labor unions would be included in planning for staffing and training. As of now, the legislators are in close contact with CSEA, one of the largest public service unions in the state, and other labor groups have expressed support for the legislation.

“It’s about protecting the people who will protect us, this proposal will help reduce burnout, improve retention and strengthen emergency responses across Nassau County,” said Delia DeRiggi Whitton, a county legislator who represents Glen Cove and Sea Cliff, who serves as the Legislature’s minority leader. This is a commonsense workforce and public safety investment that benefits residents, employees and emergency responders.”

Also, the short staffing concerns have grown since County Executive Bruce Blakeman passed a voluntary buyout program for longtime employees in his $4.4 billion executive budget in January. Possibly saving $30 million annually, concerns were raised about losing experienced staff in public safety.

Under the plan, full-time workers with at least 10 years of service would receive a $2,000 lump-sum payment for each year worked. About 3,400 employees are eligible — including 911 operators. As a former emergency medical service responder and fire captain with Uniondale’s Manor Company 3, Nicks said she knows how critical a fast response can be.

“This is most apropos for her to introduce this legislation,” said County Legislator Scott Davis, who represents North Baldwin and Rockville Centre. “This is an opportunity to provide 21stcentury service. Nassau County deservse services that are accessible, convenient and efficient.”

HomesHERALD

Gutter Care 101

Q. I just took a $2,500 contract to have gutter screens added to my rain gutters. Would you recommend this instead of the biannual flush cleaning I do, which costs $450 per service?

Once you step through the front door, the outside world fades away. This one-of-a-kind contemporary Colonial blends luxury, technology, and comfort across approximately 5,800 square feet, plus an additional 2,000 square feet of lower-level space with sliding glass doors to the rear yard. Water views abound. The home features five bedrooms and six baths, including two primary suites, one with cathedral ceilings, a fireplace,

Built-in speakers, a new outdoor sound system, 9-zone HVAC, motorized skylights, 48 new windows, a 4K theater projector, EV chargers, and 48 solar panels add efficiency and innovation. Set on two manicured acres in Fiddler Green, residents enjoy a private beach and deeded harbor with mooring. Located in the Cold Spring Harbor School District, this Gold Coast retreat is luxury living at its finest.

A. It is great that you monitor routine maintenance around your house, including rain gutters. The cost, if you pay $450 twice a year for your biannual gutter cleaning, is $900 per year. An expense of $2,500 for the rain gutter covers would pay for itself in a timeframe determined by dividing 2500 by 900, which would be 2.7 years. So in two years and nine months, your outlay of $2,500 would be paid off — but only if the gutter screens do not also need maintenance.

I went through a learning phase with my own rain gutters, except that I would flush the gutters by myself. At first I had gutters that were open and, with all the trees surrounding my home, the gutters filled every fall with leaves and the debris that had to be removed. I then bought gutter screens that snap in, although there were places where they couldn’t snap in because of the long nail shafts used to attach the gutters to the face board, referred to as fascia. In those places, the metal screens had to be trimmed with a hacksaw and tin snips. It was tedious but rewarding, because the leaves did not clog the gutters. Unfortunately, twigs and smaller debris managed to find their way through the screens, and the metal rusted.

Those screens lasted six years, before another product, called Leafguard Gutters, was brought to my attention. It is a gutter with a top that wraps around and is bent in a curve so water flows over the top of the rain gutter and then, by a phenomenon called adhesion, the water clings to the gutter top and flows into a thin opening that runs the length of the gutter. It works very well, and hardly anything gets into the thin horizontal continuous opening except the rain.

I did not touch the gutters for 15 years. Then one day a contractor noticed that my roof edge trim boards had discolored in places, and said he would gladly take care of it for me. I awoke one morning to loud banging, and when I looked out the window, several very energetic men had ripped all the trim from my home along with those rain gutters. It lay in a heap in the back of a pickup truck, and within two hours my fascia boards were covered in spanking new white aluminum and I had brand new, open-top gutters.

So, back at square one, I began cleaning gutters again, every fall, until one day, when I saw Leafguard stainless mesh gutter covers with a lifetime guarantee. They completely eliminated the debris, but require occasional brushing to keep clean, at a much higher price. It still pays to put on the screens. Good luck!

© 2026 Monte Leeper

Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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A new chapter of leadership for Assembly Republicans

The State Assembly minority conference has a new leader, and if you haven’t heard the news yet, I’m honored to share that my colleagues have unanimously chosen me to serve in that role. After nearly 16 years as an assemblyman, I’m grateful for the trust placed in me and excited to lead our conference into this next chapter. As minority leader, I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to deliver real results for New Yorkers throughout the state.

This role is tremendously meaningful to me on both a professional and personal level. Leadership is never a solo endeavor, and I wouldn’t be here without the support of my friends and family, especially my wife, Laura. She has been with me through every campaign, starting with my very first election to college student government. We’ve been together for 24 years and married for 15. Laura’s patience and belief in me have made my work as a

public servant possible.

There’s nothing more humbling than having a group of dedicated people like Assembly Republicans entrusting me to lead our conference going forward. It’s an honor to be part of this group, and I’m aiming to live up to the trust and faith they have placed in me. My predecessor, Will Barclay, and Speaker Carly Heastie have demonstrated how leaders should interact with respect and professionalism — how government should work. I intend to uphold that same standard of civility and collaboration as we tackle the serious challenges facing our state.

After nearly

mission does not. Assembly Republicans have long been at the forefront of fighting for affordability, public safety, reliable energy and fiscal responsibility, and that will remain our focus. New York has been governed by one-party rule for the better part of a decade. It’s no surprise that people are looking for a change.

16 years in the Assembly, I’m excited to lead our conference.

I would be remiss not to recognize Barclay’s outstanding leadership, and I will be endlessly grateful to him for his mentorship and friendship. Since 2020 he has led our conference with integrity while earning the respect of colleagues on both sides of the aisle, a rare achievement in Albany. I hope to continue to lead with that same cordiality. Our conference is united, and we will continue building on the strong foundation he established.

While leadership may change, our

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s approach to affordability has largely been to spend more taxpayer dollars, but New Yorkers know that more spending hasn’t translated to lower costs or a better quality of life. We have the worst business climate in the country, and we’re one of the least affordable states. If history has taught us anything, it’s that no amount of additional spending will solve the affordability crisis.

There are many issues where Republicans and Democrats can, and should, work together for the public good. When we agree, we’ll partner in good faith. When we disagree, we won’t hesitate to speak up clearly and loudly on behalf of the people we represent.

My path to this role has been shaped by a wide range of experiences in public

service. I began my career as a deputy attorney for the Town of Hempstead and as a legal aide in the state attorney general’s office. Since joining the Assembly in 2010, I’ve had the privilege of serving in several leadership roles, including assistant minority leader pro tempore, where I coordinated and led floor debate for our conference. I’ve also served as ranking member of the Assembly Education Committee, where I fought against the state’s over-reliance on standardized testing and became a leading advocate for students with special needs. Most recently, since 2020, I’ve been the conference’s ranking member on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, leading the review, analysis and debate of the state budget.

As I take on this new role, my commitment to Long Island and the communities I represent — my home — remains unchanged. Serving as minority leader does not replace my responsibility to my district; it only strengthens it. I am eager for the challenge ahead, and deeply grateful for the confidence my colleagues have placed in me. This is a new chapter, and I’m ready to get to work.

Ed Ra, of Franklin Square, represents the 19th Assembly District and is the Assembly’s minority leader.

I’m focused on getting New York’s tax dollars back

For decades, New Yorkers have faced high taxes, rising prices and infrastructure in need of repair. At the same time, we’ve been subsidizing other states with our federal tax dollars. New York is a big “donor” state, while most red states are “taker” states.

I’m always trying to bring money back to my district, and in the past couple of weeks I’ve had some new success doing just that. I announced more than $17 million in funding for community projects in my district.

Everyone knows that we’re facing a cost-of-living crisis. From health care to housing, energy to groceries, prices are sky-high. To make matters worse, New Yorkers bear one of the heaviest tax burdens in the country, which only adds to our cost of living. People are leaving our state at a record pace.

When I was born, New York had more than 40 representatives in the U.S. House. Now we only have 26. That number will be smaller after the next census,

as low-tax states continue to grow rapidly while New York’s population stays essentially the same. That’s not just a loss of political power, but a referendum on how expensive it is to live here. Between our skyhigh property taxes and the loss of our full SALT deduction (which I continue to fight to reinstate), it’s no wonder people are moving out.

TThey’re fleeing to red states in the South with much lower state taxes. The irony is that states like New York have long sent more money to the federal government than we get back, and Washington spends it propping up “poor” states like Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. For every dollar we pay in federal taxes, we get 91 cents back. Kentucky gets $2.50. It’s just unfair.

in Congress is simple and direct: bring our money back home.

I’m working to make sure my constituents get a fairer return on the dollars we contribute to the federal government. That means fighting for federal funding that eases the burden on local governments, strengthens our infrastructure and protects public health and safety.

hat means fighting for federal funding to ease the burden on local governments.

Recently that work paid off. I secured millions of dollars worth of projects for my district, making sure federal money was included in a funding package that Democrats and Republicans worked together to craft. Those funds will support a wide range of critical projects that directly affect my constituents’ lives.

the Glen Cove Police Department. In Bethpage, the money will help build infrastructure to remove chemicals from the water supply linked to the Navy-Grumman plume. It will help create a vibrant downtown in Huntington by supporting affordable housing and business spaces. And in Lattingtown, these funds will go toward repairing emergency evacuation routes along East Beach Drive, improving our roads and safety during severe weather.

Securing funds for sewer repairs and water wells isn’t glamorous work, but it’s crucial. It’s not only about improving public health, environmental protection and local infrastructure; it’s also about fairness. New Yorkers contribute massively to the federal government, subsidizing growth in other states, and it’s time we got our fair share back.

Meanwhile, our town and village governments are under water. Our infrastructure is older and more expensive to maintain, and local budgets scramble to keep up. While New Yorkers fund new projects in the South, our own infrastructure risks lagging behind and our taxes continue to rise. We have been subsidizing our own demise.

That’s why one of my core missions

They’ll help replace old sewer pipes in Roslyn and Manorhaven, and replace old cesspools with new sewer lines in Sea Cliff. They will help prevent harmful runoff into Hempstead Harbor and Manhasset Bay, helping preserve our Long Island Sound ecosystem. Other projects will protect drinking water supplies from so-called “forever chemicals” and other contaminants.

The funding will also provide muchneeded technology and equipment for

I’ll never stop fighting to make sure we get back as much of the money we send to the federal government as possible, and use it to lessen the pressure on local budgets, improve our public health and safety, and reduce costs. In the months ahead I’ll propose a dramatic change to the federal tax code to try and bring more of New Yorkers’ money back to New York, to reduce our tax burden. Stay tuned.

Franklin square/elmont

Established 1998

Incorporating the Franklin Square/Elmont

Hailey

aHERALD

Misleading safety data could hurt kids

Feb. 2 report, “Violent and Disruptive Incidents and Bullying in New York Schools,” from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli should serve as a wake-up call for anyone tempted to declare victory on school safety.

While official data shows that rates of “serious” violent and disruptive incidents are near zero, bullying, cyberbullying and drug-related incidents are rising statewide — in many cases exceeding pre-pandemic levels. That disconnect matters, because it reveals a system that risks measuring safety by definitions rather than by students’ lived experiences.

According to DiNapoli’s analysis of seven years of School Safety and Educational Climate data from the State Education Department, bullying is now the most frequently reported school safety incident.

In the 2023-24 school year, bullying, not including cyberbullying, accounted for nearly two-thirds of all reported incidents statewide. Almost 30,000 bullying incidents were reported, translating to 12.4 incidents per 1,000 pupils. In schools that reported at least one incident, the rate was far higher.

Cyberbullying, meanwhile, remains officially “low” in the data, but that is precisely the problem. Anonymity, offcampus activity and the digital lives students have after dismissal make cyberbullying notoriously difficult to detect and report. The report itself acknowledges that many incidents likely go unreported. When nearly 35 percent of public schools report no bullying or

letters

Peter King goes too easy on ICE agents

To the Editor:

Re Peter King’s column “There are better ways to resolve the immigration crisis” in last week’s issue: The videos we all saw of Renee Good and Alex Pretti being shot to death by ICE agents contradict Mr. King’s description. He referred to these horrific acts as “heat-of-the moment reactions to unexpected incidents.”

Additionally, Mr. King opposes “any requirement that ICE agents remove their masks” because “wearing masks has become absolutely essential for them.”

If only Mr. King found it in his heart to have similar consideration and respect for the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

JOSIE MARINO Lynbrook

cyberbullying incidents, the question is not whether bullying exists, but whether schools are capturing it honestly.

Drug-related incidents tell a similar story. After dropping during the period of remote learning, the number of drug incidents in secondary schools has risen above pre-Covid levels. Statewide rates climbed from 4.2 incidents per 1,000 students in 2017-18 to 6.5 in 2023-24, with especially high rates in upstate districts. These are not abstract numbers. They reflect daily realities that students, teachers and families confront in hallways, bathrooms and social spaces.

Yet at the same time these troubling trends are rising, reports of serious violent and disruptive incidents — such as assault, sexual offenses and weapons possession — have plummeted. That decline coincides not with a dramatic transformation of school culture, but with changes to reporting definitions implemented in 2021-22. Under the revised rules, incidents are only reportable if the offender is at least 10 years old, the incident meets felony criteria, and it has been referred to law enforcement.

The result is a dataset that may be technically accurate under state rules, but deeply misleading if taken at face value. Schools may still experience serious incidents that never meet the threshold for state reporting, creating a false sense of security for parents and policymakers who rely on these numbers to assess safety.

This is not the intent of New York’s school safety laws. The Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act,

enacted in 2000, and the Dignity for All Students Act, adopted a decade later, were designed to protect young people and ensure transparency in reporting harassment, bullying and violence. After the Sandy Hook tragedy in Connecticut, New York state rightly sought to refine and streamline reporting to focus on prevention. But refinement must not become minimization.

Limiting cellphone use during the school day is a modest step in the right direction. It will reduce in-school distractions. But bullying and cyberbullying don’t stop at the dismissal bell. Students carry their social worlds and their conflicts home in their pockets. Without sustained education, intervention and accountability, phones will simply resume their role as weapons after school hours.

Schools need to be honest with themselves about what these incidents are and properly report them to the State Education Department. That honesty isn’t about protecting reputations or presenting a picture of perfect calm. It’s about identifying real problems so they can be addressed.

Pretending a school or district is blissful may look good on paper, but it does nothing to protect students. Reliable, transparent data is the foundation of meaningful solutions.

If we want safer schools in reality and not just safer statistics, we must confront bullying, cyberbullying and substance use head-on, report them accurately, and commit to prevention that extends beyond the school day. Our children deserve nothing less.

opinions

Combating the scourge of kratom in Nassau County

our most consequential responsibility as public servants, parents and community leaders is to confront emerging threats to our children’s health and wellness. Frighteningly, many of these can be found within arm’s length at our local convenience stores, and there’s a new one on the shelf.

We are all aware of the everpresent threats of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products and the risks of lifelong addiction, cancers and terminal illnesses their use can cause. More recently, we witnessed the frightening rise of dangerous fruit- and candy-flavored vaping products that get our kids hooked on nicotine and can cause irreversible health problems like “popcorn lung.” Thankfully, our efforts to stem that tide have made slow but steady progress. Now we are confronted by the threat of a new and alarming substance — an emerging stimulant known as kratom — and it is incumbent on all of us to act swiftly to protect our communities.

A constituent recently contacted my office and asked to meet with me to discuss how Nassau County could address the dangers of this drug, which their son, and many others, had gotten hooked on. It had caused devastating damage, and I knew action was necessary.

It’s easy to see how people can be enticed by kratom. It is often falsely marketed as a natural, plantbased energy booster, mood lifter, pain reliever and opioid withdrawal remedy. But, as they say, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

it’s a stimulant with side effects ranging from psychosis to liver damage.

Experts at the Mayo Clinic warn that kratom has not been proven safe or to have any medical efficacy. The Food and Drug Administration similarly cautions against its use, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has labeled it a drug of concern, with side effects including confusion, delusions, tremors, psychosis, depression toxicity, liver damage and addiction. Because it is unregulated and its labeling is inconsistent, its users have little idea how much they’ve actually taken until it’s too late.

During a five-year span, poison-control centers across America received

Letters

Who’s left to report the truth?

To the Editor:

As a former reporter, I cherish a free press — and with our democracy hanging by a thread, I refuse to sit by while truth tellers are silenced.

I was bothered that Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos caved to President Trump’s demand that the Post stay out of presidential endorsements. But what bothered me more was watching people cancel their subscriptions over it. That’s cutting off your nose to spite your face. Why punish a newspaper already struggling to survive? Did we forget that reporters are stationed around the world, risking their lives to bring us the truth — and that in times of conflict, they’re always the first targets, precisely so the truth never reaches us?

The Post loses $100 million a year, yet it remains an essential truth teller. This is the paper that exposed Watergate. Not surprisingly, Trump admired President Richard Nixon. Both detested the press because its job is to investigate corruption and

more than 3,400 reports of kratomrelated incidents, and some cases ended in patients’ deaths. My constituent told me that when their son finally embarked on a path to recovery, the withdrawal symptoms he experienced were similar to, if not worse than, someone going through heroin withdrawal.

Based on these disturbing facts, I filed legislation on Feb. 6 that would ban the sale and distribution of kratom products in Nassau County. Those found in violation would be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail for each offense.

Suffolk County has already banned kratom, and New york state restricts its sale to people over age 21. Passing my legislation would bring us in line with our neighbors in Suffolk and hopefully serve as a catalyst for a statewide ban. The fact that the Republican majority has followed my lead and filed similar legislation gives me hope that this common-sense approach to protecting public health is on the fast track to approval.

Throughout my decade as a legislator, I have remained laser-focused on preserving the wellness of our commu-

nities and protecting our young people from dangerous, misleading products that can ruin their health. In 2019 I proudly introduced and passed a ban on the sale of most flavored vaping products in Nassau — products that we have proven vape companies market directly to unsuspecting youths. The ban was later adopted statewide. The proposal built on my previous bill to restrict the advertising of age-restricted items such as cigarettes, tobacco and vaping products within 1,000 feet of establishments frequented by young people.

Before taking steps to regulate vaping, I focused intently on finishing the work that the late Legislator Judy Jacobs began to ban the sale of tobacco and cigarettes to anyone under age 21 — a goal that we achieved in 2018.

All of these proposals were ultimately enacted with bipartisan, unanimous support. As our focus now turns to kratom and addressing the devastation it has already caused for far too many families, I implore my colleagues to once again set aside our partisan labels. Banning kratom will protect our children and our communities from irreversible harm. Let’s work together and get it done.

Arnold W. Drucker represents Nassau County’s 16th Legislative District and is the Legislature’s deputy minority leader.

report the truth. And let’s not forget: a Washington Post journalist was murdered at the direction of a Saudi prince while Trump looked the other way.

While Trump manufactured a crisis in Greenland and ICE gunned down American citizens, the final board meeting of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting barely registered. Jimmy Kimmel’s being pulled off the air and the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” already feel like ancient history. Even as wars rage in Ukraine and the Middle East, coverage keeps shrinking — and that is no accident. And now Bezos is laying off a third of the Post’s staff, including a war correspondent in Ukraine. With Secretary of War Pete Hegseth blocking Pentagon reporting, Trump forming a “Board of Peace” with Putin and other authoritarian leaders, and independent news sources collapsing, who is left to deliver the truth?

CLAUDIA BoRECKy President, Bellmore Merrick Democratic Club Merrick