Lynbrook/East Rockaway Herald 02-19-2026

Kathy Buchsbaum is assistant director of the Lynbrook Public Library, which is holding the Experience Lynbrook event.

‘Experience Lynbrook’ returns, to strengthen resident-business ties

By KAYl A DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com

The Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce will hold its fourth annual Experience Lynbrook event on March 7, once again aiming to bring local businesses and residents together by showcasing hidden gems and strengthening community connections.

The event is scheduled to take place at Lynbrook Public Library, at 56 Eldert St., from noon to 3 p.m., organizers said.

Audrey Donaldson, the chamber’s second vice president, said she had a booth set up in 2024 for Touched By A Rose as a licensed massage therapist, and was chosen by the chamber to plan both this year’s and last year’s event.

“As a long-time Lynbrook resident, they asked me to host the event,” Donaldson said.

“I grew up in Lynbrook, and it was amazing to see that the turnout at last year’s event was huge.

“It was very successful,” she said about the 2025 event. “We had about 30 businesses set up, and a lot of people from the village were constantly in and out throughout the three-hour event. There were at least 100 people. There are eight businesses already signed up for this year, and we are expecting more.”

Last year’s Experience Lynbrook featured entertainment by the band the New Standards, food from Elsie Lane and Vincent’s Pizzeria and an array of businesses promot-

E.R. trustees are pressed on Princeton Plan

By KAYl A DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com

Elementary school realignment has been the subject of an ongoing conversation in the East Rockaway school district since 2011, when the district first considered the Princeton Plan, Board of Education Vice President Maureen Doyle said at the board’s Feb. 10 meeting.

Roseanne Melucci, the superintendent at the time, rejected the plan at a 2012 board meeting, due to “budgetary issues.”

The Princeton Plan is an elementary school model that would align school districts based on grade levels rather than where students live in the community. In this case, the Centre and Rhame Avenue elementary students would be regrouped, with kindergarten through third grade at Centre Avenue and fourth through sixth grades at Rhame Avenue.

ics of the East Rockaway community had changed significantly since 2012, describing the review as an opportunity to evaluate what configuration best serves the district’s current needs.

W e hear your questions, and no decision has been made.

MAUREEN DoYlE Vice president, Board of Education

“The district is exploring a K-3 and 4-6 elementary school structure to better serve our students and community,” DeTommaso said in a statement released on Jan. 21. At last week’s meeting, which DeTommaso did not attend, many parents had questions about the plan. When Doyle asked how many had come just to ask about it, roughly 20 parents raised their hands, more than half the attendees.

The plan was considered again last year, when Superintendent James DeTommaso told the Herald that the demograph-

Lauren Pritchard, who has a son in first grade and daughter in fourth grade at Rhame Avenue, asked, “Can you explain how the district is evaluating the emotional and psychological impact on students, specifically the mental aguish, stress and disruption caused by unexpected school change?”

Pritchard’s son, she said,

ContinuEd on PagE 7

Dinner honors former fire captains, firefighters

Former Captains Daniel Coffin and John McKee of East Rockaway Hose Company No. 1 were presented with State Assembly citations, celebrating many years of dedicated service to the community last month on Jan. 30.

Volunteer firefighters exemplify the highest ideals of public service, responding consistently with courage, selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to their neighbors. The leadership, sacrifice, and dedication demonstrated by Coffin and McKee reflect a deep commitment to the East Rockaway community and a lifelong commitment to serving and protecting others.

Chief Andrew Pignataro, East Rockaway Mayor Gordon Fox, and members of East Rockaway Hose Company No. 1 celebrated this well-deserved recognition.

“I extend my sincere gratitude to all volunteer firefighters, past and present, for their courage, professionalism, and continued service to our community,” Assemblywoman Judy Griffin said in a news release.

— Kayla Dechter

State report: bullying up, violent incidents down

By KAYLA DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com

A new report “Violent and Disruptive Incidents and Bullying in New York Schools,” unveiled by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli states bullying and drug-related incidents statewide are on the rise, even exceeding pre-pandemic highs, while the rates for the number of serious violent and disruptive incidents remained near zero even after students returned to inschool instruction, and have stayed low.

This depicts a prominent disconnect, revealing the system may risk measuring safety based on definitions rather than students’ real-time experiences.

The comptroller’s analysis of seven years of School Safety and Educational Climate data from the State Education Department states the most frequently reported school safety incident is bullying.

Almost 30,000 bullying incidents were reported, meaning 12.4 incidents per 1,000 pupils in the 2023-24 school year.

“We appreciate the comprehensive report issued by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and the seriousness with which his office is addressing bullying and related incidents in school districts statewide,” East Rockaway Superintendent James DeTommaso said in a statement.

He described that the report numbers accurately reflect the incidents brought forward in East Rockaway. Historically, even with the updated definition, the number of reported cases has remained relatively low.

Cyber bullying remains low in data, though it is more difficult to locate due to the anonymity of off-campus media platforms. The report actually acknowledges that many of these incidents likely go unreported. The question is not whether bullying occurs, but whether schools

NYS Comptroller/Flickr

A new report from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli shows that bullying and drug-related incidents statewide are on the rise. Above, DiNapoli at the 2026 at the states Economic Development Conference in Albany.

are accurately aware of those incidents.

Similarly, for drug-related incidents, remote learning helped the statistic drop, though secondary schools have risen above pre-Covid levels. Statewide rates went up from 4.2 to 6.5 incidents per 1,000 students in 2023-24, compared to 2017-18.

While these troubling trends are rising, reports of extremely violent and disruptive incidents — such as assault, sexual offenses, and weapons possession — have plummeted. The implication is that the culture hasn’t dramatically changed, but that the new reporting definitions implemented in 2021-22 have limited potential inci-

dent reports.

“Looking at Lynbrook across all its schools for serious incidents — assault, sexual offence, and weapons possession — the numbers do not differ much from pre-Covid years, even after the definition changed in 2021-22,” Lynbrook Superintendent Paul Lynch said in a statement. The new qualifications include that incidents must be due to an offender that is at least 10 years old, has to meet felony criteria, and has been presented to law enforcement.

The data may be technically accurate by state rules, but the results may be misleading if taken at face value, assuming no other incidents have occurred, as they were not reported.

“As the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority, our district does not condone bullying or harmful conduct of any kind,” DeTommaso stated. “We remain committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment for our students.”

Limited cell phone use during the school day is a step toward protecting students, reducing in-school distractions and platforms for conflict. Schools must pay close attention to student life in order to address these real problems.

Lynch also said families have access to mental health services through the district’s investment in the Northwell School Mental Health Partnership and it’s Behavioral Health Centers.

“The Lynbrook School District is committed to maintaining safe, inclusive and respectful schools where bullying, harassment and discrimination are not tolerated.” Lynch stated. “We provide a comprehensive network of in-house supports, including school social workers, school psychologists and school guidance counselors, to promote students’ academic, social-emotional and behavioral well being.”

New ‘Coffee Lobby’ as a village hub at Langdon

By KAYLA DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com

Coffee Lobby, a new business opening in the lobby of the Langdon building — previously the Feather Factory in Lynbrook — aims to expand the connection between community members, while offering quality coffee and a homely ambiance.

The Langdon, a six-story apartment building at the corner of Broadway and Langdon Place, has 201 rental units now open for leasing, which village businesses hope will stimulate the local economy.

The Langdon features 55 studio apartments, 111 onebedroom units and 35 two-bedroom units. It includes onsite parking for 205 vehicles. Monthly rents begin at $3,030 for studios, $3,545 for one-bedroom units, and $4,900 for two-bedroom units.

The 278,014-square-foot development is a joint project by Garden City-based Breslin Realty Development Corporation and Fields Grade Development of Hoboken, New Jersey.

With the start of Coffee Lobby, Justin Breslin, vice president of Breslin Realty Development Corporation and manager of leasing for the Langdon project, said he thinks other businesses will be inspired to join the small business hub that the street will gain.

“It’s in the heart of a walkable village, train-side for commuters,” Breslin said. “It’s a different feel from more corporate types of coffee shops, like Starbucks or Dunkin. It will be a hub for Lynbrook residents to be alone while immersed in the community. It’s a main lobby for all of Lynbrook.”

The development’s proximity to the Long Island Rail Road station has raised concern among some Lynbrook residents. Complaints include concerns about train noise, though Breslin said the train-side location offers a

significant advantage for residents.

The Langdon is part of a broader push to increase housing options on Long Island, particularly near transit hubs, as demand for rental housing continues to grow.

While increasing housing options, in what is now an under-utilized location but was once a center of economic and social life in Lynbrook, the village hopes for this opening to reconstruct the location to benefit the community in the same way.

Peter Kambaitsis, owner Sugarberry, Pappa Gallo, and Mojo in RVC, is also the owner of Coffee Lobby.

“We were attracted to the Langdon building because it’s an upscale luxury building, and it fits our profile of looking into shopping centers or community hubs,” Kambaitsis said.

Located beside the lobby in the Langdon building, Coffee Lobby will have street entrances on Broadway, and an indoor lobby entrance for Langdon residents.

As a new independent concept, the shop is more locally based with their ingredients. They use local providers, including roasters, earning high quality coffee and delicacies.

Kambaitsis considers it a European café that will serve breakfast pastries, croissants, muffins, cupcakes, lunch sandwiches, and homemade gelato. The shop will have 40 indoor seats and 40 outdoor seats, with sofas and lounge seating for comfort.

Michela Argento-Serra, president of the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce, noted the importance of new businesses coming to the village.

“I think it’s a fabulous idea,” she said, “not only good for the building, but for the community. The Atlantic Avenue and Broadway location brings more to that downtown area, and allows for the Langdon residents and broader community to come together.”

Argento-Serra added that having this new shop in the

On Kindness

PSEG details fiscal help, energy-saving programs

PSEG Long Island marked National Energy Assistance Day on Feb. 2 by encouraging customers facing high winter heating costs to explore available financial assistance programs and energy-saving options.

The utility said its consumer advocacy team is assisting residents across Long Island and the Rockaways through phone and email support, community outreach events and webinars to help customers enroll in bill assistance and payment programs.

Among the available options is PSEG Long Island’s Household Assistance Program, which provides qualifying customers with a monthly bill credit of at least $45 for up to 18 months. Customers may also qualify for state and federal programs, including New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program and Emergency HEAP, which help eligible households pay heating costs during the winter.

Additional programs include Project Warmth, administered by United Way

of Long Island, which offers emergency heating assistance to low-income households, and the Residential Energy Affordability Partnership, which provides free home energy audits, efficiency upgrades and bill credits for incomeeligible customers.

PSEG Long Island will host upcoming assistance webinars on Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. Registration information and outreach schedules are available on the company’s social media pages and at PSEGliny.com.

Customers seeking help can contact the consumer advocacy hotline at (631) 755-3407 on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or email Consumeradvocacyli@ psegliny.com.

The utility also encouraged customers to lower energy costs by sealing drafts, adjusting thermostats, using programmable thermostats and energy-efficient lighting, and running high-energy appliances outside peak hours.

■ PUBlIC NOTICES: Ext. 232 E-mail: legalnotices@liherald.com

Honoring Mary Thorpe’s service to the library

Mayor Gordon Fox and the East Rockaway village trustees honored Mary Thorpe and her departure from East Rockaway Public Library. After 23 years of service, Thorpe was named Director of the library, holding the position since July 15, 2015.

She started working part-time, helping residents at the circulation desk, and earning a master’s degree in library science at Queens College and a certificate in library management and public administration from Post University.

Thorpe previously told the Herald, “I grew up in East Rockaway. I’ve watched it grow, and I grew with it. I love the people I work with and our patrons are great … it’s a great community to work with, and I’m very happy here.”

She said she learned a lot throughout her years at the library, and credited her predecessors as directors with some of that knowledge.

“Ellen Rockmuller and Betty Charvat, taught me quite a lot about running the library and the skills needed to have a great relationship with the staff and make the library the best place it can be.”

After 35 years at the library, Mary Thorpe has retired. Her leadership and influence on those around her will last at the library for many years post her departure.

School briefS Student artwork chosen for Heckscher Museum exhibition

East Rockaway continues to celebrate exceptional achievement in the arts as senior Sophia Carnesi has been accepted into the Long Island’s Best: Young Artists exhibition at The Heckscher Museum of Art. Carnesi’s digital art piece, “Domestic Light,” was chosen among 84 out of 402 submissions to join the prestigious 2026 show. The piece will be on display at the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington from March 29 to May 3.

“We are thrilled for this prestigious regional award and achievement for both Sophia and our art program,” art teacher Kristie Galante said in a news release. “This recognition reflects the exceptional talent and dedication of our students and the strength of arts education in East Rockaway.”

The Long Island’s Best: Young Artists exhibition showcases outstanding work from young artists across the region, giving students the opportunity to display their work in a professional museum setting.

— Kayla Dechter

North Middle School’s Hoot Café Partners with Local Ready Coffee

Students at Lynbrook North Middle School’s Hoot Café teamed up with local business Ready Coffee on Feb. 11 for hands-on coffee shop experience that merged community connection with real-world learning.

The Hoot Café, a coffee shop ran by students from the special education program serves beverages to staff and classmates throughout the school year.

During this special event, Ready Coffee employees aided students in setting up and operating the café, offering professional guidance as they prepared and served cold brew, hot coffee, and flavored iced teas. Proceeds from the day directly benefited the Hoot Café program.

Students welcomed guests with Hoof Café–branded bracelets and managed the register, gaining experience by taking orders, handling cash and making change. Ready Coffee staff also explained the food service industry and answered student’s questions about entering that career path.

“This has been an eye-opening and inspiring experience,” Ready Coffee manager Denzel Maitland said. “We received the opportunity to support our community, and we were thrilled to help out.”

— Kayla Dechter

No decision yet on elementary restructuring

would have to leave Rhame Avenue, separating from his sister, and readjust at Centre Avenue only to return to Rhame Avenue for fourth grade.

Other parents had similar questions, expressing their concerns about their children’s mental health and the impact that switching schools could have, with complications like disrupted drop-off and pickup routines.

One parent who has a daughter at Rhame Avenue, but declined to give her name, said she “wished they had more details when this announcement was made.”

“We aren’t here to complain,” she said. “We’re here because we want answers and solutions.”

Transportation was a big concern, with parents asking questions about the schools’ busing schedules.

In DeTomasso’s statement last month, he said, “We’re also exploring staggered start times between the two schools to give parents with children at both buildings enough time for drop-off. These adjusted times would be modest — similar to our current schedule — so families won’t experience a dramatic change to their morning or afternoon routines.”

District officials, the statement read, are working with the Village of East Rockaway and the Nassau County Police Department to identify safety concerns at

intersections near the school buildings.

“We recognize that any change affects family schedules, and we’re committed to listening to parent feedback as we finalize these plans,” the statement continued.

“Your input is essential in helping us create solutions that work for our community.”

Doyle said she could not speak on DeTomasso’s behalf, and the parents’ questions, though noted by the board, received no definitive answers.

“We hear your questions, and no decision has been made,” Doyle said. We want

to consider both teacher and family opinions on the matter.”

DeTommaso’s statement added, “Our priority is straightforward: doing what’s best for our students while carefully weighing educational quality, family needs, and the long-term health of our district.”

He noted changes that a school realignment would bring that, he said, would benefit families, including more balanced classrooms, enhanced education centralized by grade level to assess students more accurately based on their learning needs, improved special education, and stronger teacher collaboration.

“This proposal does not involve reducing current staff positions or the number of classes per grade level,” DeTommaso stated. “Instead, it’s designed to manage future growth more sustainably while improving educational outcomes for all students.”

The trustees encouraged parents to ask more questions, and not to wait for school board meetings, but to submit their inquiries on the feedback form on the school district website, EastRockawaySchools.org.

Have an opinion on East Rockaway implementing a version of the Princeton Plan? Send letter to kdechter@liherald. com.

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.

Students unite to learn Lunar New Year traditions

Lynbrook High School students visited Waverly Park Elementary School to bring in the Lunar New Year, teaching their younger peers about traditions associated with the holiday on Feb. 9.

Members of the high school’s Culture and Diversity Club routinely make visits to their peers in Lynbrook elementary schools to honor the different cultures of holidays observed around the world.

Celebrating the Lunar New Year, high schoolers, led by advisor Karen Smith, visited classrooms at Waverly Park, teaching and creating projects about the holiday.

Culture and Diversity Club members read stories about the Lunar New Year, making learning traditions like the lantern festival fun and engaging for kids. The students were guided in art, each coloring a page signifying the Chinese zodiac Year of the Horse, which was then assembled into a lantern for display.

— Kayla Dechter

Students assembled lanterns signifying the Chinese zodiac Year

East Rockaway High School performs ‘Cinderella’

High School Students in East Rockaway served as the cast, crew and orchestra in the school’s production of “Cinderella.” They delivered performances that enchanted the audience and showcased the unique talent within the school community.

The production featured Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale, originally written as a 1957 television special

East Rockaway High School presented “Cinderella” Feb. 6-7 in the high school auditorium to captivated audiences.

with Julie Andrews. Several remakes later, it made its Broadway debut as a stage production in 2013 with Douglas Carter Beane’s new book, reinventing the timeless story.

Many actors were returning students from previous ERHS stage productions, and several seniors made their final appearance on stage before graduation.

The pit orchestra brought the

songs to life, consisting of both student musicians and music faculty. Pete Ceglio, music department chairperson, was playing drums, while ERHS orchestra teacher Noah LuftWeissberg conducted, and Christina Pace was the director.

Event will spotlight village shops, services

ing what the village has to offer, like Rachele Leone, owner of the Pottery Workshop, who decorated her table with a variety of ceramics.

Michela Argento-Serra, the chamber’s president, said the first Experience Lynbrook was held in 2023 — post-Covid— with the intention to bring more traction to local businesses that may have taken a negative hit as a result of the pandemic.

“It’s really a showcase where everyone brings something they have to offer at their business using giveaways and raffles,” she said. “It’s more than businesses networking, it is for bringing the residents together to really enjoy what their community has to offer.”

Argento-Serra noted that the event has always been held at the library.

“It was originally decided to host it indoors due to uncertain weather conditions, making it more accessible to businesses that didn’t have tents or proper equipment,” she said.

This year, the family-friendly event invites residents to explore local businesses, sample food sponsored by area restaurants and enjoy live entertainment. During this year’s event, musician Christine Solimeno will sing and play the piano, and Gourmology will attend as a food vendor.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet business owners holding booths like First Central Savings Bank, hosted by Michael Caldwell, and Champion Inspections, Inc., hosted by Gary Roes, and will learn more about the products and services available throughout the village.

Travis Stockman will man a booth for Stockman & Poropat, PLLC, a Lynbrook law firm that handles intellectual property and business law.

“We like to consider ourselves entrepreneurs for

entrepreneurs,” Stockman said. “Our firm is like a one-stop shop for businesses. By the time they leave our office, they have a whole foundation with legal protections in place. From forming small companies to bringing on investors, local businesses will gain a lot from it.”

A substantial amount of what his business deals with is e-commerce, especially after Covid, when shopping online became prominent around the world.

“Our goal is to build and grow local businesses,” he said. “We have opportunities for businesses that are just starting, and getting them online is imperative in their success, should global shutdown for in-person shopping ever occur again.”

Stockman & Poropat deals with both mom-and-pop businesses and large corporations, helping them reach higher numbers through innovation, protected trademarks, and the establishment of e-commerce. In the past, the law firm has done trademarks for the New York Yankees.

“I’m assuming it’s going to be a pretty big mix of individuals coming up to our table,” Stockman added. “We have a whole variety of ways to help them gain traction with their business.

“Not everybody gets the time to sit with an attorney and ask the questions they want, a lot of times that process is really complex, and this is a good event for us to skip all of that, and let them have a conversation about whatever it is they need for their business,” Stockman added.

This marks the first time the law firm will establish a booth at the annual event. “If I could turn that local business into a major business, they’re going to hire more people, and make more income, benefiting Lynbrook residents,” Stockman said. “For this particular event, I want to offer my services as a resource for the local community, and any businesses on the rise.”

Chamber members may reserve a table for $35 to showcase their business and connect with potential customers. Space is limited and advance registration is required.

The event is open to the public and admission is free. For more information or to reserve a table, contact the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce at lynbrookcoc@gmail.com or visit LynbrookUSA.com.

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

Blakeman, 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

win back 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.

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

LIMITEDTIMEACTNOW!

N.Y. increases points for vehicle violations

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has increased point values for several serious driving violations.

Many violations that carried zero points will now impose up to 11 points, depending on the violation.

Many drivers are questioning whether the changes will affect insurance rates, but DMV points will not affect insurance rates, but a reckless driving record still can.

Updating one’s address with the DMV within 30 days of moving to ensure important updates are received and installing dash cameras for addi -

“These updated regulations will have no impact on drivers who follow the rules of the road, but they will have a big impact on dangerous drivers and repeat offenders whose poor choices always put other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk,” DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said in a statement. “Our job is to make sure that New York’s roads are safe for everyone, and if someone chooses to be reckless and unsafe, they do not deserve to be behind the wheel, period.”

— Jeffrey Bessen

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

Sarah Hanahan

“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

AARP

feb

feb

27

“Don’t

stop believin’…

MAR

Metropolitan Klezmer

1

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes Metropolitan Klezmer to its stage. The band brings eclectic exuberance to Yiddish musical genres from all over the map. Performing vibrant versions of lesser-known gems from wedding dance, trance, folk, swing and tango styles, as well as soundtrack material from vintage Yiddish films, they re-invent tradition with both irreverence and respect. Sing and dance along with us at this interactive family concert! $5 with museum admission ($4 members), $10 theater only

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 1:30-2 p.m.

Defensive Driving

Refresh your driving skills and learn updated traffic laws and safety tips at this one-day defensive driving class run by AARP at East Rockaway Public Library. $25 fee for AARP members, $30 nonmembers. Registration required.

• Where: 477 Atlantic Ave., East Rockaway

• Time: 10 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

• Contact: eastrockawaylibrary.org or (516) 599-1664

L.I. Music Bonanza

Enjoy the original sounds of four local bands, hosted by St. Mary’s/ Maris Stella Knights of Columbus. $15 cover.

• Where: 78 Hempstead Ave., Lynbrook

• Time: 7 p.m.-12 a.m.

• Contact: (516) 887-2228

Courting the Jester

Lynbrook Public Library welcomes Bob Spiotto in Courting the Jester, a musical salute to the legendary Danny Kaye. Blending storytelling and song, the program celebrates Kaye’s enduring legacy of laughter through his memorable work on stage, screen and television. An engaging performance for music and classic entertainment fans.

• Where: 56 Eldert St., Lynbrook

• Time: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

• Contact: lynbrooklibrary.org

Little Learners

Art Lab

Each week in this engaging workshop at Long Island Children’s Museum, participants are introduced to hands-on materials, artmaking, feb 26

and inspiration from artists and techniques. Young kids, ages 2-5, build critical thinking skills, expand vocabulary, and support imaginations as they play, create and explore. This week, use paper towels to watch colors burst and designs reveal themselves. $4 with museum admission.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 2245800

feb

27

Sõ Percussion in concert

The Grammy-winning percussionists return to the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center. For 25 years and counting, the quartet has redefined chamber music for the 21st century through an “exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam” (The New Yorker). Their commitment to the creation and amplification of new work have made them a trusted partner for composers, allowing the writing of music that expands the style and capacity of brilliant voices of our time.

• Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City

• Time: 7 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: adelphi.edu/pac or (516) 877-4000

feb

28

Night At The Races

St. Mary’s/Maris Stella Knights of Columbus hosts a fundraiser for veterans. Cheer on your favorite jockey. $20 entry fee.

• Where: 78 Hempstead Ave., Lynbrook

• Time: Doors open 7 p.m.; races start 7:30 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 526-3142

Carnival

Long Island Children’s Museum invites families to a celebration of Caribbean and Latin American culture. Feel the rhythm and embrace the color at the Carnival Festival! Inspired by Caribbean and Latin American traditions, this high-energy celebration welcomes the changing of the seasons with music, dance, and joyful cultural activities for all. Decorate a parade float fit for the Carnival King and Queen; sample the sweet and savory flavors of the

• Where: 11 Davis. Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

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

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

MAR 7

Experience Lynbrook

Check out the free, family-friendly community event celebrating local businesses and everything that makes the village special at Lynbrook Library. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, sample food from local restaurants and connect with business owners showcasing their products and services. Chamber members also have the opportunity to reserve a table to engage directly with residents and visitors in a lively, welcoming setting.

• Where: 56 Eldert St.

• Time: Noon-3 p.m.

• Contact: Audrey Donaldson at (516) 670-2057

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.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF VILLAGE TREASURER’S SALE FOR TAX LIENS ON REAL ESTATE IN THE VILLAGE OF LYNBROOK, NEW YORK

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Real Property Tax Law, the Village Law of the State of New York, the Village Code of the Incorporated Village of Lynbrook, and pursuant to a Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lynbrook, Nassau County, New York, adopted at a meeting held on the 12th day of January, 2026, the Treasurer of said Village will sell pursuant to Village Code §222-27(B) to the Village of Lynbrook, in the manner prescribed by law, on the 12th day of March 2026 at 10:00 A.M., each of the following parcels of real estate upon which Village taxes remain unpaid as will be sufficient to discharge the taxes, interest and charges thereon which may be due at the time of the sale. Such interest in real estate will be sold subject to any unpaid assessment thereon levied by said Village and any unpaid lien purchased and held by said Village, and all liens on property included in this sale are sold subject to the provisions of any federal or state law. The following is a list of lots, pieces and parcels of real estate to be sold, and the total amount of the taxes, interest and charges thereon:

8-5-5.6 81 CHARLES ST 2,881.50 9-2-13 16 LYNBROOK AVE 2,382.18 9-4-10 44 JEFFERSON AVE 4,598.33 10-4-2 12 CHARLES ST 3,354.65

12-3-12 33 PARK PL 6,546.69

12-3-13 35 PARK PL 5,459.74

13-1-8 43 HUTCHESON PL 4,451.32

13-2-1&2 40 ROCKLYN

15-4-23 108 EARLE AVE 3,262.16

15-7-8 35 MANOR RD 2,575.08

17-3-2 8 MERTON AVE 2,244.77

17-5-2 30 CHESTER RD 5,772.24 19-1-18

55-10-5

56-1-6

56-4-2

57-5-15.16

57-5-18F 459 MERRICK RD 4,504.17

58-4-7

60-2-21.20A 181 WALNUT ST 8,842.87

60-4-9 170 WALNUT ST 6,620.06 60-4-22

Croak, motor repair supervisor for the

Fuel-powered buses being replaced by electric vehicles

Nassau BOCES has begun replacing fossil fuel-powered school buses with electric vehicles after securing state and federal funding to support the transition, marking a significant shift toward cleaner transportation for students across Nassau County.

The Nassau BOCES Transportation Office received a $145,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant through the Clean Bus Program, along with a $100,000 voucher from the New York State Bus Incentive Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. An additional $55,000 incentive helped fund installation of an electric charging station.

Officials said the transition supports both environmental goals and New York State requirements for school transportation fleets. State regulations require districts to gradually move away from emissions-based vehicles, with all new school bus purchases required to be electric beginning in 2027 and all school bus fleets statewide transitioning to zeroemission vehicles by 2035.

Supporters of the transition say the move will help reduce emissions and improve air quality while also lowering long-term operating costs by reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

department,” Denise Gillis, director of Nassau BOCES Business Services, said. “The grant supports our efforts to comply with the state’s EV requirements. The new buses are expected to reduce emissions and contribute to improved air quality on Long Island.”

Officials said the grant funding allowed Nassau BOCES to purchase its first electric bus at less than half the typical cost. In total, EPA funding covered more than $300,000 in costs, helping the agency begin transitioning its fleet sooner than anticipated.

“Electric buses create a safer environment for our students,” Nakia Jackson, supervisor of Nassau BOCES Transportation Services, added. “EV buses are quieter, enabling our bus staff to pay better attention to the students and ensure a safe, well-managed ride for everyone on board.”

Nassau BOCES provides educational programs and shared services to school districts across the county, including career and technical education, special education, professional development and technology services, as well as transportation operations serving thousands of students each day.

More information about Nassau BOCES programs and services is available at nassauboces.org.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU

FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff AGAINST GEORGE R. ERCOLE JR A/K/A

GEORGE ERCOLE; ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 4, 2017, 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 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 169 Spencer Avenue, Lynbrook, NY 11563. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of East Rockaway, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 38, Block 441, Lot 232. Approximate amount of judgment $367,743.07 plus

interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #008271/2009. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Mark Ricciardi, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-002974 88705 158315

HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. SENECA J. VETRANO, NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER, Defts. Index #610074/2024. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered April 14, 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 3:30 p.m. premises k/a Section 42, Block 235 Lot 32. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and

“Transitioning to electric vehicles is an important operational change for our

terms of sale. The foreclosure sale will be held, “rain or shine.” PAUL MELI, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY 11021. #102789 158455

—Jordan Vallone

HomesHERALD

Lloyd

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?

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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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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,

Tas 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.

They’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.

Tom Suozzi represents the 3rd Congressional District.

The Hochul-Blakeman race for governor takes shape

With Elise Stefanik, the sixterm Republican member of the House of Representatives from upstate Schuylerville, deciding that she would not run for governor this year — and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado dropping out of the Democratic primary — the race became a two-way contest.

karl grossman

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, after a big re-election win in November, is now the presumptive Republican nominee. He was just sworn in to a second term as county executive, but has his eye on Albany.

“I’m on a journey,” he said. “I don’t know where the path will end.” Blakeman is a former presiding officer of the Nassau Legislature and Hempstead town councilman. He is a staunch supporter of President Trump, who has endorsed him for governor. Hochul, who is seeking a second term, and Blakeman were both at a recent Long Island Association event, at which she criticized him for having

Nassau County coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in federal immigration enforcement efforts. Hochul also denounced Blakeman’s launching a program for deputized, armed county civilians to function as a reserve force with a mission including working with local police in assisting ICE.

They’re already mixing it up, and, Blakeman said, ‘I’m on a journey.’

In the 2014 New York gubernatorial election, then Gov. Andrew Cuomo selected Hochul as his running mate, for lieutenant governor. She had been a member of the House of Representatives. The pair won, and were re-elected in 2018. Hochul ascended to governor in 2021 when Cuomo resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment.

Hochul, of Buffalo, who became the state’s first woman governor, chose Delgado, of upstate Rhinebeck, also a former House member, as her replacement lieutenant governor in 2022. They ran together that year, but their political relationship subsequently soured, and Delgado announced last year he would not run with Hochul in 2026 but instead take her on for the Democratic nomination for governor.

In an interview before he ended his campaign, he charged that Hochul had been “capitulating to Trump.” He faulted her, for example, for the state’s turnaround on a pipeline pushed by the Trump administration, previously rejected by the state, which would send fracked gas from Pennsylvania to New York.

Many of Delgado’s charges focused on environmental and energy issues. He said Hochul had not sufficiently implemented the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019, which aims to substantially reduce climate changecausing greenhouse gas emissions and emphasizes the use of green, renewable energy.

Delgado also differed with Hochul on nuclear power — a dominant issue in this area for decades, as the Long Island Lighting Company sought to build seven to 11 nuclear power plants, with the first constructed in Shoreham. Because of grassroots and governmental opposition, including from the administration of Governor Mario Cuomo, the Shoreham plant never went into commercial operation, and the

multi-plant scheme failed.

Last year Hochul began calling for new nuclear power generation in New York and pushing for the state to become the center of a nuclear power revival in the U.S. In her recent State of the State address, she said: “Last summer I took the bold step of green-lighting the first nuclear power project in a generation … At the time we set a goal of building one gigawatt of nuclear power” — the power generation equivalent of one large nuclear power plant.

“But if there’s one thing I believe, it’s this: Go big or go home. So I’ve decided to raise the bar to five gigawatts. That’s more nuclear energy then has been built anywhere in the United States in the last 30 years.”

Delgado said that nuclear power was a “distraction” from an emphasis on renewable energy led by solar and wind power. In terms of economics and rapid implementation in the face of climate change, he said, that was the sensible energy route.

Blakeman is also a supporter of nuclear power.

Karl Grossman has been an investigative reporter in a variety of media for more than 50 years. He is a professor of journalism at the State University of New York at Old Westbury.

Kayla Dechter

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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.

Nurses get the short end of the educational stick

Dr. William osler, one of the founders of Johns Hopkins Hospital and a pioneer in medical education and history said, “The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest.” Now, though, we have nurses on strike for safer working conditions and greater compensation, and educators decrying federal action to withdraw graduate nursing education from the category of “professional.”

The members of a profession are highly educated, with specialized knowledge, may be required to pass stateapproved licensure exams, and pledge to certain ideals. In the case of nursing, the pledge is to patient welfare, compassion and trust, building knowledge in the field, lifelong learning, teamwork, professional integrity, an ethical code, skillful care, and humanity. Like other professions, nursing requires prolonged learning and licensure.

So imagine the surprise to nurses, nurse educators, nurse researchers, nurse executives, hospital administrators and others when the U.S. Depart-

ment of Education declared that an advanced degree in nursing did not qualify for federal student aid. yet advanced education is one of the pathways for advancement in nursing, and many employers require a master’s degree.

In response to critical reactions to its decree, the department said it did not mean that nursing is not a profession, just that advanced nursing education at the master’s and doctoral levels did not qualify for federal student loans. In addition to reducing the amount students can borrow under the Graduate PLUS program, which previously allowed up to the full cost of a program, the government has cut in half the amount that students in nursing and social work, among others disciplines, can borrow for advanced education.

a n advanced degree in nursing doesn’t qualify for federal student aid.

No such limits have been proposed for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, theology, law or clinical psychology. Architects, physical therapists, social workers, computer scientists and accountants, however, join nursing in losing their professional status.

The Education Department is trying to limit access to government-backed loans for graduate degrees because, it says, the availability of loans encourag-

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

es universities to raise tuition even in fields that have limited employment opportunities and low compensation. That is certainly not the case in nursing. others support the department, arguing that there is a strong correlation between extended graduate study for women and our low rate of childbearing. According to public reports, there are approximately 57,000 registered nurses on Long Island, with an average age of 46. In New york City and the Downstate region, there is a critical shortage of certain categories of nursing, with “disaster emergencies” declared in Manhattan, the Bronx and Nassau County. In upstate New york, over 93 percent of hospitals report extreme difficulty in recruiting RNs, and 97 percent struggle with retention. Hospitals and nursing homes have the most difficulty recruiting and retaining RNs.

Long Island is fortunate to have universities that offer baccalaureate and higher nursing programs, including Adelphi, Farmingdale, Hofstra, LIU, Molloy, NyIT, St. Joseph’s and Stony Brook. yet even with these resources, shortages remain. With the new federal guidelines, those shortages will likely persist, while retention rates drop.

I have seen the profession of nursing

from four distinct vantage points. As assistant commissioner of Higher Education in Indiana in the 1970s, I was involved in a national study of nursing supply and demand commissioned by the National Governor’s Association. In the 1980s I initiated a nursing program at Ramapo College of New Jersey, in partnership with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, which did not offer nursing.

In the 2000s I led the rebuilding of Adelphi’s historic nursing program, which had been neglected by a previous administration. We built new, state-ofthe-art nursing labs and teaching spaces, with the help of leaders at Winthrop and Northwell hospitals.

From these experiences, I learned a great deal about nursing education and practice. They are professionals at every level of education.

More than 150 Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have authored a bill, the Professional Student Degree Act, that would include graduate nursing education in the category of professional degree, and give graduate nursing students access to the federal student-aid programs for which they were eligible just last year. Let’s hope that wisdom prevails in Congress, with hearty encouragement from grateful patients.

Robert A. Scott is president emeritus of Adelphi University and the author of “How University Boards Work.”

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

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