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Trust the Experts to Go the Distance. INCORPORATING THE WEST HEMPSTEAD BEACON VOL. 75 No. 47
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November 20 - 26, 2025
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Veterans honored at local concert Courtesy Reine Bethany
urban analysts edward Lamson, left, asher Hoyt and Charlotte Moore facilitated the Local Planning Committee of the Hempstead downtown Revitalization initiative.
A thorough, thoughtful process toward Hempstead renewal $10M Downtown Revitalization planning is ready to take off By REINE BETHANY Special to the Herald
Thoughtful deliberation characterized the sixth and final meeting of the Local Planning Committee for the Hempstead Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The meeting took place in the community room of the Hempstead Public Library on Nov. 13. Like all of the Local Planning Committee meetings and work-
shops, it was open to the public. Hempstead village was awarded the $10 million DRI grant in March of this year. After administrative costs, $9.7 million is left to be spent on revitalizing Hempstead’s downtown. The meeting was a culmination of an eight-month-long process, during which the Local Planning Committee members were selected, the boundaries of downtown Hempstead that would be eligible COntinued On Page 7
What is the Downtown Revitalization Initiative? the downtown Revitalization initiative is a state-sponsored program that each year awards a $10 million grant to one municipality within each of 10 regions. each region’s Regional economic development Council selects the municipalities. Hempstead village won the 2025 grant for the Long island region by demonstrating its potential for downtown transformation. after administrative costs, $9.7 million is left for distribution among the projects cho-
sen by the Local Planning Committee. the committee consists of state revitalization specialists, urban planning experts and local leaders. a series of committee meetings and community workshops, all open to the public, has culminated with a slate of projects called a Strategic investment Plan. the plan is sent to the department of State for final evaluation and distribution of the dRi funds. — Reine Bethany
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with classics ranging from Irving Fields’s “Miami Beach Rhumba” to the Beatles, “Yesterday,” some of which James Capriotti didn’t expect to be elicited emotional responses from the so moved. But when the first notes of audience. “Our Salute to Veterans is a mixture Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” filled the Uniondale Public Library, of music so focused on veterans as well Capriotti, a veteran of the Vietnam as a little bit of the music we can do all the time,” Weber explained. War, felt the music hit home. “How many people here are actual “That one in the beginning, the Lee Greenwood one — wow,” he said after- veterans?” she asked early in the perward. “Those songs, they can bring formance. Three hands rose across the tears to your eyes.” room. “This concert is for you.” A Uniondale native who served in In 2019, Weber[//??//] was presented the Air Force, Capriotti was stationed with the Long Island Music Hall of at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Vietnam in Fame’ Music Educator of Note Award. the late 1960s and early ’70s. He met his The East Meadow resident also taught wife, Eleanor, while they orchestra for 32 years in the were both serving — she Uniondale school district. was in Air Force communiThe ensemble opened cations. They have been with the “Colonel Bogey married since 1972. March,” the tune made “People should be famous in “The Bridge on proud,” Eleanor said, the River Kwai,” and folreflecting on the patriotic lowed with a journey song. “Not many people through 20th-century music are.” — some selections written “Way back then, when for veterans, and others chothe Vietnam veterans came sen simply because they resback home, they were not onated across generations. SuSAN WEBER treated nicely,” she added. Weber urged audience memThe couple were among Conductor and bers to sing along, and many r o u g h l y 2 0 p e o p l e w h o musical director, Long did. attended a Nov. 9 concert at Island Mandolin and Vocalist Joy DelGiorno, a the library by five members Guitar Orchestra frequent guest performer of Stringtopia, the Long with the group, joined in on Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra, several numbers. She led the 1924 ballad which has about two dozen musicians. “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” and her The small ensemble featured Geri Rheel clear, nostalgic tone drew soft humming and Amy Noll on mandolin, Susan from audience members. Some grew Weber on mandocello, Vicki Gleicher on teary during “We Say Thank You,” a mandola and Ken Kurshel on guitar, song written specifically for veterans. and they performed a wide-ranging “It is so appropriate for Veterans musical tribute to America’s veterans. Day — the words which you will hear Held in the library’s Bookmark Cafe, many times through this piece (are) ‘we the concert blended patriotic anthems COntinued On Page 2
By STACY DRIKS
sdriks@liherald.com
H
opefully it brought back memories, because a lot of the music we do is older.