______________
UNIONDALE _____________ We cut your
HERALD
property taxes. Property Tax Not corners.
35 years of trusted property tax reduction experience.
BEACON
honoring ‘Aunt Ruthie’
Page 3
Page 10
THE LEADER IN PROP ERTY TAX REDUCT ION
Sign up today. It on ly takes seconds. Apply online at mptrg .com/heraldnote or call 516.715.1266
Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Grou p, LLC 483 Chestnut Street, Cedarhurst, NY 11516
$1.00 fRee
JAnUARY 23 - 29, 2025
1281288
liCm celebrates louis Armstrong
Hablamos Español
Lawrence Road learns about MLK’s legacy As part of the day’s activities, on the Friday before the holiday, students in all three L aw r e n c e Ro a d M i d d l e grades watched the video, in School engaged students in a which Yolanda Renee King disnew observance of Mar tin cusses issues such as voting Luther King Jr. Day, as a way to rights and gun violence — topfocus on the relevance of the ics that have deeply impacted civil rights leader’s legacy in her family, most notably with today’s world. This lesson fea- the loss of her grandfather to a tured a video message from gunshot in 1968. The video highlighted how Yo l a n d a R e n e e King, despite her King, King’s youth, has taken it 13-year-old grandupon herself to daughter, to help carry on her students connect grandfather’s legawith his message cy of activism. of justice, equality Clips of King’s and advocacy. famous “I Have a A d e o l a Te l l a D re a m ” s p e e ch , Wi l l i a m s, t h e delivered in Washschool’s dean of ington, D.C., in students and aca1963, are also d e m i c s e r v i c e s, ADeolA TellAshown in the explained that the video, connecting goal of the new WilliAms with his g randlesson was to go Dean of students and daughter’s presbeyond the tradi- academic services, ent-day sentitional assembly. Lawrence Road Middle ments. “We usually do School “His dream was an assembly, but for his children to we decided to do something a little different this live in a nation free of prejuyear, where we wanted the stu- dice,” King says in the video. “I dents to really connect with am his granddaughter. I, too, King,” Tella-Williams said. share his dream, that every “Not just in an assembly, but person in this nation will be also in an intimate fashion in afforded their constitutional their classroom.” ContinUeD on pAge 7
By Kelsie RADZisKi
kradziski@liherald.com
W
Rei Wolfsohn/Herald
LA Blacksmith, right, played the flute and Dave Brown played the guitar at a concert celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Uniondale library last Saturday.
Jazz and history at Uniondale library By Rei Wolfsohn Correspondent
Last Saturday, two days before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, musician LA Blacksmith and his band played jazz and shared some history about the civil rights leader with community members at the Uniondale library. LA Blacksmith, a funk, jazz and soul artist based in New York City with a long history of performing with famous musicians, played flute and saxophone and sang, accompanied by Dave Brown on guitar and vocals, and James Prescott on keyboards. Blacksmith explored King’s history chronologically, performing songs that related to periods of his life. Throughout the concert, audience members clapped, sang along and danced in
the aisles. Just before singing Aretha Franklin’s version of Otis Redding’s “Respect,” Blacksmith described how King was born with the name Michael, as was his father. His father traveled to Germany with the Baptist World Alliance, and was deeply moved by stories of the atrocities against the Jewish people and others who were persecuted by the Nazis. After learning about the Christian reformer Martin Luther, King’s father changed both of their names. Blacksmith emphasized King’s great oratorical skill when he mentioned the 1963 March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom. “A lot of time, the media thinks that it’s the only good speech he had,” Blacksmith said. “But he gave many, many good ContinUeD on pAge 4
e want our students to connect with history, and we want our students to stay present.