Courtesy Lynbrook Fire Department
Lynbrook firefighters and emergency medical technicians dug through snow Monday morning on Merrick Road to reach the residence of a 3-month-old who was taken to a hospital by the department’s Emergency Medical Company.
By KAYl A DEchTER kdechter@liherald.com
A nor’easter that remained in the area for two days dumped more than 2 feet of snow in some areas of Long Island, including 24 inches in Lynbrook and East Rockaway on Sunday and Monday.
Categorized as a blizzard by the National Weather Service, the storm compelled Gov. Kathy Hochul to decare a state of emergency for Long Island, New York City and several other counties. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman did likewise, also imposing a temporary travel ban, which was lifted late Monday morning.
The winter storm arrived as predicted, with heavy snowfall overnight from Sunday
to Monday, when strong winds continued throughout the day. The conditions prompted Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials to suspend service on the Long Island Rail Road, including the Babylon Branch. Limited service was restored at 4 a.m. Tuesday.
After suspending operations on Sunday, Nassau Inter-County Express buses resumed limited service on Monday afternoon, though several detours remained in effect to facilitate snow-clearing efforts. On Tuesday, the NICE bus service resumed its full daily schedule, but delays were still possible due to local road conditions.
In Lynbrook, “Firefighters and EMTs had to dig through the snow to reach the
By KAYl A DEchTER kdechter@liherald.com
Stacy Ross and her brother, Michael Smith, who have carved out impressive careers as an author/mental health advocate and TV director, respectively, were the guest speakers during Human Relations Day at their alma mater, Lynbrook High School on Feb. 12.
The Student Government Club, which teacher Nicole DiBenedetto advises, invited the siblings to address the school’s juniors and seniors. A decade ago, DiBenedetto ran Human Relations Day as a student, and now the club is in charge of planning the event.
Ting for Slippers: an LHS Coming of Age Story.”
“Searching for Slippers: One Mom’s Coming of Age Story” is the title of her memoir, which is about raising a child with borderline personality disorder. Ross said she decided on the title because she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, moving from one crisis to another while raising a child with the disorder.
he best thing about Lynbrook is once you belong, you always belong.
STAcY RoSS
Author and mental health advocate
“The goal of the day is to enlighten and motivate students, showing people’s stories and being able to emphasize with them,” DiBenedetto, a 2016 graduate who began teaching social studies and AP U.S. history at the high school three years ago, said.
As a 1984 LHS graduate, Ross’s talk was called “Search-
“I wasn’t naive enough to think the shoes would never drop, that’s part of adulthood, but I wanted them to be a little lighter, like slippers,” Ross said.
“Through that book, I’ve become a mental health advocate. By telling my story, I hope to inspire others to do the same, and hopefully normalize the mental health conversation and reduce stigma.”
She recounted her story, the things she learned along the way that helps her cope when life throws her curveballs, and lessons that could be applied to many areas of struggle for ContinuEd
These two moms opened a spa. It had one big, on
Mery and Sindy always knew they wanted to open a spa to bring beauty to customers. Little did they know it would have the same effect on the community. And Business First was there. We provided $23,000 in grants to help with much-needed renovations so Mery and Sindy could bring their vision to life.* Now, not only does their spa impact clients in a beautiful way, it gives the community an economic lift as well.
*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.
Learn more about how we’re helping communities thrive. psegliny.com/revitalization
By ABBEY SALVEMINI asalvemini@liherald.com
Sweeping new legislation aimed at cracking down on unlicensed backyard breeders was introduced at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh as Supervisor John Ferretti said the goal is simple: “protect animals and prevent suffering before it starts.”
Ferretti outlined a proposed local law that would require all dog and cat litters born in the town to be registered within 30 days. Pet owners would need to report the breed or species, the name of the veterinarian who treated the animals and where they are being housed.
The measure is largely complaintdriven; allowing residents to report suspected illegal breeding to the town, which would then dispatch animal control.
“We need the community to help us out and report people who are breeding or selling out of their backyards,” he said. “We will send an animal control officer or a building department inspector out to investigate.”
Town officials say unregulated breeding operations often lead to overpopulation, inbreeding and unsafe living conditions. Puppies and kittens are frequently separated from their mothers too early, resulting in long-term health and behav-
ioral issues. Many end up sick, abandoned or surrendered to shelters when they are no longer considered profitable.
“If we didn’t have backyard breeding, we probably wouldn’t have as many animals in any shelter around the country as we do daily,” said Animal Shelter Director Ashley Behrens, voicing her
support for the proposed legislation and its focus on preventing overpopulation before it reaches local shelters.
“Cracking down on what’s best for the community and the animals is something we are fully in support of,” Behrens added.
Under the proposal, violations would
start at $250 and increase to $500 for repeat offenders. However, fines could be dismissed if the animals are sterilized or surrendered to a licensed shelter within 16 weeks. Ferretti stressed that the legislation is about accountability — not revenue.
“This legislation is about action, it’s not about money,” he said. “We’re not here to collect a penny. We want what’s best for the animals.”
Ferretti pointed to a recent case involving a golden retriever that arrived at the shelter still lactating after having given birth. He said the dog appeared to have been abandoned once she was no longer useful for breeding. The retriever was quickly adopted, but the case underscored the broader issue.
“When their owners are done with them, they throw them in the streets,” Behrens said. “We see this day in and day out.”
Ferretti emphasized that while he is proud that the town’s animal shelter operates a no-kill facility with long-term care management, prevention is key.
Town officials did not say when the new regulations would be discussed at a town board meeting.
Have an opinion on the town’s new animaloriented laws? Send letter to jbessen@liherald.com.
By ABBEY SALVEMINI asalvemini@liherald.com
Joseph Scianablo and other Town of Hempstead residents took to Cornwall Avenue Park in West Hempstead demanding greater transparency from the town, calling for a formal state audit after Hempstead officials acknowledged failing to file the legally required financial statements.
Scianablo announced on Feb. 19, he has formally requested that the New York State Comptroller’s Office, led by Thomas DiNapoli, conduct an independent financial and operational audit of the town. The request follows a Jan. 9 “Material Event Notice” in which the town admitted it did not submit its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2024, and acknowledged violations tied to bond disclosure obligations.
“I’m standing here today as a resident and a concerned taxpayer,” said Scianablo, who is once again the Democratic supervisor candidate. He lost to Supervisor John Ferretti, a Republican, in November. “This is not an accusation — it’s facts,” Scianablo added. “The Town of Hempstead failed to comply with the requirements for filing financial statements. They failed the people. They failed to submit the required 2024 audit.”
He described the missed filings as part of what he called a broader “pattern of secrecy and noncompliance,” arguing that independent oversight is “not optional — it’s necessary.”
Scianablo pointed to major fiscal decisions over the past two years, including a 12 percent tax hike followed by what he described as an unexplained 18 percent reduction the following year, as examples of why closer scrutiny is warranted.
“Critical decisions in the Town of Hempstead are
being made without clear answers,” he said. “This is exactly why an independent audit is necessary. If everything is being done properly by the town, this audit will show that. If problems are uncovered, they must be fixed.”
He also raised concerns about the town’s animal shelter, citing questions about budgeting, staffing and public access. Referencing the Companion Animal Care Standards Act, Scianablo said transparency should be prioritized rather than “creating a barrier between the shelter and the public.”
“The state comptroller exists to provide independent oversight and protect taxpayers,” he said. “We need to know our money is being managed responsibly. Real leadership means welcoming transparency, not avoiding it.”
Resident Leslie Martin echoed those concerns, alleg-
ing that reserve funds were used to give the appearance of tax relief ahead of the 2025 election.
“Instead of providing real relief, the town dipped into reserve funds,” Martin said. “The purpose of reserve funds is to act as a financial safety net, not to create tax breaks for political purposes. As taxpayers, we deserve transparency and accountability.”
The town pushed back on the claims. Spokesman Brian Devine said Ferretti has lowered taxes for residents and that the 2024 financial audit was completed on time and publicly posted online.
“Any suggestion that the town failed its auditing duties is false and misleading,” Devine said, emphasizing that the town has met all state requirements.
Have an opinion on Hempstead Town issues? Send letter to jbessen@liherald.com.
A 16-year-old Lynbrook resident was rescued after falling at least 50 feet inside the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge during an urban exploring incident on Feb. 16, officials said.
By KAYLA DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com
According to the Lynbrook Police Department, they received a call from a mother at 8:15 p.m. on Feb. 16 searching for her child that seemed to be trapped and hurt at an unknown location.
At first, the department received an anonymous call at 5:15 p.m. from the friend of a teen that seemed to be in danger. After tracking down the name of the caller’s friend and his place of residence, the child’s mother told the police department that her son must be okay and was out with friends.
At 8:15 p.m., after receiving a video of a social media post showing her son trapped inside a maintenance shaft in the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, she called the Lynbrook Police Department back to confirm the danger her son was facing in real-time.
The 16-year old Lynbrook resident was said to have been going around exploring buildings with friends — “Urban Exploring,” which the social media trend is known as — when he fell at least 50 feet down the ladder within the bridge used to get to the top, as discussed by Chief of Police Brian Paladino at the Lynbrook village board meeting on Feb. 17.
It is said by officials that the teen was intending to create and post a TikTok video of the stunt.
The Lynbrook Police Department was
“extremely dedicated” in locating the trapped teen suffering from hypothermia, arriving on the scene very soon after the call from the injured child’s mother, Paladino said.
While the New York City Police Department spent hours searching each structural tower that could have trapped the fallen teen, the Lynbrook department found another mode of location tracking.
“We tracked down the person who sent the video, and they went with us to point out the scene, as the NYPD searched to no avail,” Paladino said. “It was a team effort and it worked out really well.”
City firefighters used harnesses, ropes and a pulley system to raise the boy out of the shaft, after which he was stabilized by EMS personnel, and then transferred to New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell.
Paladino said the child retained many injuries, but was in stable condition when the department left the hospital later that night.
“Hopefully he will make a full recovery,” Paladino said.
Alan Beach, the mayor of Lynbrook, took time out of the village meeting to thank and congratulate the Lynbrook Police Department on their strong commitment to the community, and overall achievement.
“Hats off to the Lynbrook Police Department,” Beach said. “They really saved someone’s life last night.”
ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460 ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643
■ PUBlIC NOTICES: Ext. 232 E-mail: legalnotices@liherald.com
World War II veteran Ed Schilling, left, celebrates his birthday as Lynbrook American Legion Post 335 member Dennis Duffy, right, offers congratulations on behalf of the post and fellow veterans.
World War II veteran Ed Schilling celebrated his 100th birthday at Lynbrook North Sunrise Senior Living on Franklin Avenue in Lynbrook, on Feb. 16.
Schilling served as a Navy electrician aboard a destroyer tender in the South Pacific during the war. During his birthday celebration, Lynbrook American Legion Post 335 member Dennis Duffy extended congratulations on behalf of the post and fellow veterans.
— Kayla Dechter
World War II veteran Ed Schilling, left, celebrates his birthday as Lynbrook American Legion Post 335 member Dennis Duffy, right, offers congratulations on behalf of the post and fellow veterans.
Philip and Ruth Palazzolo, of Lynbrook, marked 55 years of marriage by reaffirming their commitment during a Valentine’s season vow renewal at the Coral House in Baldwin on Feb. 12. The ceremony was officiated
by Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray, who presided over the celebration for more than 100 couples throughout the day.
— Kayla Dechter
Students, staff and retirees’ achievement and innovative learning across the district was highlighted at the Feb. 11 Lynbrook school board meeting.
Before the meeting, trustees recognized Lynbrook High School students selected as All County Artists. Their work will be featured at the Nassau County All County Art Exhibit on March 1 at W.T. Clarke High School in East Meadow.
Thirty students were also honored as AP Scholars, a designation awarded to students who score three or higher on at least three Advanced Placement exams.
Elementary students presented the enrichment program Flight School, a hands-on initiative focused on critical thinking, collaboration and creativity. Fifth graders demonstrated projects observing the environmental impact of garbage consumption and disposal, including coding a robot to collect debris and building a model landfill to explore waste management.
Students also showcased “Ari,” an Ozobot coding robot programmed to follow a path modeled after a 1987 east coast environmental cleanup route.
The board additionally recognized Amy Ezagui, a physics and marine science teacher honored by the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce, and celebrated five retirees — Laura D’Achille, Maria Palazzolo, Ellen Restivo, Maria Viviano and Holly Wilson — who collectively served 122 years in the district.
— Kayla Dechter
East Rockaway High School students visited Centre Avenue Elementary School to team up with younger students to create Valentine’s Day cards for veterans on Feb. 13.
During the elementary school’s lunch and recess periods, high schoolers worked in tandem with their younger peers to create colorful, emotional tokens of appreciation for members of our armed forces.
ERHS Student Council and social studies teacher Mr. Poland originally led the project, but as enthusiasm for the project quickly spread, many additional high school students joined the team.
The cross-grade partnership gave older students the opportunity to model community service and appreciation for veterans for the younger members of the East Rockaway school family.
The school board sends a thank you to Ms. Kelly, Mr. Schaffer, Mr. Poland, Mr. Altamore, and the Culture Builds Character Committee for making this event possible.
— Kayla Dechter
During Centre Avenue’s lunch and recess periods, high schoolers worked side by side with their younger peers to craft valentines for local veterans.
By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com
Lynbrook’s heavy devotion to free throws paid dividends at the end of last Saturday’s Nassau Class A boys’ basketball quarterfinal before a raucous crowd at top-seeded Malverne.
The ninth-seeded Owls, who have every player take 18 foul shots at each practice, sent Devin Byrne to the charity stripe with 0.8 seconds left trailing by one and the senior guard calmly connected on both to deliver a 51-50 upset win. The comeback victory less than two miles from Lynbrook’s home gym rallying from a late nine-point hole sends the it to the semifinals against fourth-seeded Friends Academy at Farmingdale State Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
“That preparation is everything,” said Byrne, who finished with 16 points. “My teammates came up to me and said ‘you’re knocking both of these down’ and I said ‘I got you guys.’”
Byrne’s clutch free throws were set up by a dramatic sequence in which Malverne’s Andrew Innocent drove to the basket and connected on what
appeared to be a game-winning floater in the lane with under a second remaining. Moments later, however, officials issued a technical foul on the Mules bench for running onto the court as Lynbrook was attempting to call timeout, giving Byrne a chance to play hero.
“We take 18 free throws every single practice and Devin’s been our best free throw shooter all season doing it,” Lynbrook head coach Brian Donaldson said.
“We knew putting him in that spot he was going to hit both of them.”
Malverne filed a protest of the game’s final sequence with the Nassau County Section VIII governing body, head coach Darrol Lopez said.
Lynbrook (16-6) positioned itself for Byrne’s heroics by railing from a 45-36 deficit with just over three minutes remaining. A Byrne three-pointer cut the margin to 45-44 and a Orji Agwu bucket with just over a minute left off a Malverne turnover gave the Owls their first lead of the afternoon, 46-45.
After Shane Lee sank two free throws to give Malverne the lead back, Agwu once again came through with a layup on the other end to make it 48-47 in Lyn-
brook’s favor.
Clinging to a 49-48 lead with 15 seconds left, Agwu forced a block that sent the ball down to the other end of the floor but Lynbrook was called for a travel giving Malverne an inbounds play with seven seconds remaining to set up Innocent’s last second shot.
Agwu finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Senior forward Max Dellacona also had a big day with nine points and six rebounds.
“We did this as a team and not one person stood over another,” said Lynbrook senior forward Jake Prince, who tallied four points and three assists. “We worked so hard for this.”
The heartbreaking defeat ends the high school career of eight Malverne seniors who positioned the Mules to host a quarterfinal game the last two seasons. “We had a great journey with the seniors,” Lopez said. “They earned a tremendous amount of respect from me as a coach.”
Lynbrook, which boasts 11 seniors, recorded a 55-31 first round win at No. 8 Wantagh thanks in large part to 17 points and 9 rebounds from Prince.
By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD & CAROLYN JAMES of the Herald
As employers across Long Island struggle to fill open positions, State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon visited Suffolk County Community College’s Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood on Feb. 17 to spotlight workforce training and emphasize child care access as a critical barrier to employment.
“There are many pathways leading to middle-class, family-sustaining jobs right now, and many of them lead through community college programs,” said Edward Bonahue, president of Suffolk County Community College. “An apprenticeship, an industry-recognized certification or license or a two-year degree. Eventually, many of them can also lead to bachelor’s degrees as well, and I appreciate Commissioner Reardon helping to shine a light on these opportunities.”
Reardon toured the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, met with students and educators and highlighted several workforce development and child care initiatives included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed state budget.
Long Island faces ongoing shortages in skilled trades like electrical work, heating and air conditioning, plumbing and advanced manufacturing. Nassau and Suffolk community colleges offer workforce training in those areas, as well as in
Carolyn James/Herald
Suffolk County Community College President Edward Bonohue, left, state Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon and Mike Fabrizio, director of the college’s Computer Numerical Control program, at the Brentwood campus on Feb. 17.
health care. And the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center, sponsored by SUNY Farmingdale, offers regional residents tuition-free vocational training.
Officials said the programs help create a pipeline of locally trained workers who can remain in their communities.
Will Testa, owner of Will Testa Remodeling Inc., in Copiague, noted the shortage of workers. “There are not enough people coming in to the workforce who are trained properly,” he said. “The problem is, everyone forces their kids to go to college, which may be good for some, but
it’s not good for everyone, and trade schools are important — it’s the infrastructure of our society.”
What’s important, Testa added, is that this training is designed hard in hand with local employers.
While workforce-training programs are expanding, Reardon said, employment growth also depends on addressing Long Island’s child care shortage.
Reardon, who also co-chairs the state’s Child Care Task Force, said that increasing access to affordable care is essential to strengthening the labor force. The task
force, relaunched in 2023, is developing strategies aimed at universal, high-quality, affordable child care statewide.
“The governor has spoken a lot about this issue, and made it clear that she wants every New Yorker to be able to work at their fullest capacity and desire,” she said. “And that means that we have a responsibility to help them have accessible, affordable child care to do that.”
Child care costs on Long Island are among the highest in the country, second only to Massachusetts. Families typically spend between $15,000 and $24,000 annually per child for full-time, center-based care, according to the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island.
“When you couple that with the high costs of everything else — housing, food, utilities — child care is a tremendous stress on families,” Reardon noted.
Prachi Shah, owner of Kiddie Academy, in Hicksville, said that care providers also face financial pressures. “We are grateful for Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s visit to the Brentwood Campus and her attention to matters affecting our industry,” Shah said.
The Kiddie Academy of Hicksville and Bethpage are independently owned and operated franchise locations that serve 350 children and employ 75 early-childhood educators. “It is essential to keep this discussion going,” Shah said, “and highlight ways the state can better support providers on Long Island.”
residence of a 3-month-old baby in need of aid on Merrick Road Monday morning,” Steve Grogan, the Lynbrook Fire Department’s public information officer, wrote in an email. “The department’s Emergency Medical Company transported the baby to the hospital, who was stable.”
Grogan added that there were five emergency calls between 3 p.m. Sunday and Monday afternoon, though none involved a fire.
Both the Lynbrook and East Rockaway fire departments have urged residents to help to make sure fire hydrants are cleared of snow, so they are easily accessible when needed. “Seconds count in a fire, and a buried hydrant can severely delay fire operations for your Lynbrook firefighters,” Chief Clayton Murphy said in a statement.
The storm forced the closing of schools in the East Rockaway and Lynbrook school districts on Monday and Tuesday.
“The district’s 183-day calendar includes three designated snow days to account for potential weather-related closures,” Lynbrook Superintendent Paul Lynch said in a statement on Monday. “As of now, we have used one snow day, and the state has granted a waiver due to the declared state of emergency in our area for today’s closure. We remain prepared with two additional snow days built into the calendar before needing to re-evaluate our options.”
Young people involved in the St. Raymond Religious Education program in East Rockaway were encouraged to shovel snow for neighbors to fulfill their confirmation service hours.
The East Rockaway Public Library was closed on Monday, and the Lynbrook Public Library closed Sunday
and Monday, postponing the weekend’s Courting the Jester concert to spring. Michela Argento-Serra, president of the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce, noted the impact of the storm on local businesses. “This significant snowstorm reminds us how quickly business conditions can change,” she wrote in a text. “When severe weather hits, deliveries are delayed, foot traffic slows and employees may struggle to commute safely. Our village works tirelessly to help our community in these difficult times and we are truly thankful. We hope that this will be a short recovery time and everyone will be up and running soon as possible.”
Lynbrook Mayor Alan Beach and the village board sent out a Winter Storm Alert for Sunday and Monday, indicating that all sanitation collection had been suspended. Monday’s sanitation collection for garbage was rescheduled for Wednesday, and Tuesday’s was pushed to Thursday. Recycling and special pick ups were suspended for the week.
During the post-storm cleanup, county and Town of Hempstead officials said, vehicles should be in driveways, when possible, to make plowing easier.
teens.
“It is hard to raise a child with a serious mental illness, but through coping skills, I learned along the way,” Ross said. “I saw that it was possible not only to survive but to thrive.”
A 1989 LHS graduate, Smith has been the director of the television shows “Manifest,” “Law & Order: SVU,” and “Suits.”
Smith, who first spoke at Lynbrook High School’s Career Day four years ago, said he has always dreamed of directing and producing shows. Whether it was at home watching movies with his dad, or going to the Lynbrook Movie Theater with friends, he’s always had a love for television.
After attending the University of Michigan, Smith had been accepted into the Director’s Guild of America training — which admits only five to seven New York-based students per year — and he served 15 years as an assistant director, working on episodes of “Law & Order” and “The Sopranos.”
“I got my first opportunity to direct an episode of ‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent’ in 2007, and have been directing and producing television ever since, directing close to 90 episodes and producing around 150 episodes of TV,” Smith said.
Ross said that during her talk, the students were very receptive and polite, listening and asking questions respectfully. And there was a sweet gesture that reminded her of the ever-lasting connection that Lynbrook High School inspires.
“The Italian Club sponsored ‘Flowers for a Friend,’ and a teacher I recognized, Mr. Leonard Bruno, head of the language department, sat in on my talk and actually sent me a flower to bring to my son, Fin, the subject of my memoir,” Ross said. “It was so heartwarming. The best thing about Lynbrook is once you belong, you always belong.”
Smith said he was happy to speak alongside his sis-
ter, teaching the juniors and seniors about what goes into being a director and producing a single TV episode.
“I taught them about the eight days of prep, eight days of shooting, and five days of editing for each episode,” he said. “The process of getting a script, casting, scouting and pre-production, how I rehearse with
the actors and camera, and then how I edit the content to be ready for television five or six weeks after filming concludes.”
The students were interested and inquisitive, especially when Smith showed them clips from season three, episode four of “Manifest” that he directed.
“I look forward to going back and speaking to them whenever I can,” he said.
“Mike has spoken for us before, and we always love to have him,” DiBenedetto said. “Then I read Stacy’s book and thought she was the perfect person to speak to the whole school. The students can really relate to the honesty and coping mechanisms she talks about.”
Ross and Smith grew up in Lynbrook, with their parents Bruce and Beth Smith, who taught at Marion Street Elementary School for nearly 30 years. They lived on Fenton Place, near Lynbrook South Middle School, which both siblings attended. Both Ross and Smith now live in New Jersey.
Growing up in the village, Smith said the area inspired him to raise his family in a similar atmosphere.
“My wife and I found a small town called Springfield, that is similar to Lynbrook in size, high school structure, and a nice place to raise kids,” Smith said. “Lynbrook left a lasting impression on me to find a similar town to raise a family in.”
“I had an amazing high school experience at Lynbrook,” Ross said. “It wasn’t until I got out and went to Cornell University that I realized not everyone has that type of high school experience. I cherish it more as I get older.”
Ross was an active member of her graduating class, a cheerleader for four years and member of the prom and yearbook committees.
“We had our 40th reunion in Rockville Centre in 2024, and we realized that we all took different paths, but came back together to the community we will always be a part of,” she said.
MARCH 13 • 10AM-12:30PM
EAST MEADOW BETH-EL JEWISH CENTER
1400 Prospect Ave, East Meadow
FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle
Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers
Take advantage of on-site health screenings
Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences
Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A
Win raffles, prizes, and giveaways
Snack station for all
All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.
MAE CAIME FOUNDER, AMAEZING MIDLIFE & BEYOND
AGENDA: VISIT EXHIBITORS
10:00AM - 12:30PM
EXPERT PANEL + Q&A 11:30AM - 12:30PM
RAFFLE DRAWINGS*
*must be present to win
Register for this FREE event: RichnerLIVE.com/march.expo
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Purim is a joyous Jewish festival commemorating the survival of the Jews who were marked for annihilation in ancient Persia in the 5th century BCE, as
Purim is a joyous Jewish festival commemorating the survival of the Jews who, as narrated in the biblical Book of Esther, had been doomed to annihilation in Persia in the 5th century BCE. The festival is based on events set during the Babylonian Captivity in the capital city Shushan and the palace of Persian King Ahasuerus, often identified with Xerxes of the Achaemenian Dynasty.
The villain Haman, a descendant of the Amalekites and the king’s chief minister, drew lots (Hebrew: purim) to decide on a date for the destruction of all Jews in the kingdom, setting the 13th of Adar as the day. Queen Esther, who had hidden her Jewish identity, risked her life by going uninvited to the king to reveal Haman’s plot and save her people. After the king granted the Jews permission to defend themselves, they achieved victory over their enemies, and the following day became a holiday named Purim, alluding to the lots Haman had cast.
told in the biblical Book of Esther, where Queen Esther risked her life to reveal the villain Haman’s plot and save her people. Jews worldwide enjoy traditional three-cornered pastries called hamantaschen (filled with poppy seeds, prune, or apricot) or Sephardi treats like folares and ojos de Haman, which symbolically represent the destruction of the evil Haman.
The observance of Purim begins with the Fast of Esther on Adar 13, the day preceding the primary holiday. The sages of the Talmud listed four mitzvot (commandments) to be observed on Purim: hearing the recitation of the Book of Esther, giving donations to the poor, exchanging gifts with friends, and feasting. During the public reading of the megillah (scroll) of the Book of Esther, whenever Haman’s name is said, Jews often respond by shaking loud rattles called gragers to drown out the name associated with evil.
The holiday has a carnival atmosphere involving costumes, partying, and even religiously condoned inebriation, with the Babylonian Talmud suggesting that a Purim celebrant ought to be so intoxicated that he does not know how to distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai. Since the 16th century in Europe it has become a tradition for synagogues to hold a carnivalesque Purim play in which celebrants dress in costumes related to the story.
Purim 2026 begins at sundown on Monday, March 2, and concludes at nightfall on Tuesday, March 3.
The holiday occurs on the 14th of Adar in the Jewish calendar, falling in February or March on the Gregorian calendar, while in Jerusalem, Shushan, and other ancient walled cities, the holiday is celebrated as Shushan Purim on the 15th of Adar.
For Jews around the world this festive holiday is inextricable from its emblematic three-cornered pastries called hamantaschen. Originally filled with poppy seeds, these treats are now found stuffed with a wide variety of sweet fillings, frequently prune or apricot.
Sephardi Jews from the eastern Mediterranean make folares, a hard-boiled egg baked inside of a cage-like pastry, while Moroccan Jews make ojos de Haman, which bakes hard-boiled eggs into a pastry that look like a pair of eyes that celebrants later rip out, symbolizing the destruction of the evil Haman.
By ABBY GIBSON & KUMBA JAGNE Interns
Hempstead native Karine Jean-Pierre, the former press secretary in President Joe Biden’s administration, was the latest guest in Hofstra University’s “Signature Speaker” series.
Jean-Pierre, who served in the White House from May 2022 to January 2025, made history as the first Black and first openly LGBTQ person to be press secretary.
She is a graduate of Kellenberg High, in Uniondale, and Columbia University, and her involvement with Hempstead has not diminished: She gave Hempstead High School’s commencement speech in 2022, and was given the keys to the village by Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. in 2024.
“This is very much home for me,” Jean-Pierre said on Feb. 12. “This is not unfamiliar ground.”
Sister members of her honorary sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Hofstra students, community members and students from 18 area high schools attended the event.
Hempstead High senior Zeydi Guerra, 17, said that Jean-Pierre’s speech left her with more motivation to succeed in her own career. “She’s a Hempstead native,” Guerra said. “I feel like if she can make it, I can definitely do something as well.”
Speaking directly to the high school students, JeanPierre encouraged them to be curious, ambitious and passionate. A common thread through her speech, a panel discussion and an interview with student media was urging people to become involved in politics, even though the options may be imperfect.
“Your civic identity doesn’t begin at 18 — it begins when you start paying attention,” she said. “When you
Kumba Jagne/Herald
Karine Jean-Pierre, a Hempstead native and former White House press secretary, spoke as part of Hofstra University’s Signature Speaker series.
notice what feels fair and what doesn’t, who gets heard and who has to jump higher just to be seen.”
Eleanor McKay, of Hempstead, president of the Long Island Cross County Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, said she attended because she recognizes the importance of Jean-Pierre being a Black woman who held a high-profile government position.
“She talked about seeing someone touch President
Obama’s hair, a young [Black] boy, and realize that from the texture he was here and how real it is that he is just like us,” McKay said. “Sometimes it’s not really appreciated, or we don’t understand the magnitude of representation. It impacts us and the next generation.”
Hofstra University President Susan Poser introduced Camryn Bowden, a senior majoring in political science and journalism, who in turn introduced JeanPierre. Poser spoke so glowingly of Bowden’s resumé that Jean-Pierre said she would be working for Bowden one day.
“I had the opportunity to get her to sign my copy of her book ‘Independent,’” Bowden said. “She wrote in the book, ‘I’ll be watching you on the news someday.’ It was, again, just a surreal experience to hear someone who held such a high position of power in the White House say such sweet things.”
Jean-Pierre’s first book was “Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America.” Her most recent, published last October, is “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines.”
She empathized with young people’s feelings of being disconnected from the two-party system. “The two-party system often feels rigid, outdated and unresponsive,” she said. “It forces false choices and limits imagination. Questioning that system is not a failure of citizenship.”
She expressed disdain for the current administration, saying, “This too shall pass.”
“We have to work as a people to make sure that there is people power in this time, that our voices are heard, that we hold powerful people accountable,” Jean-Pierre said. “We are celebrating 250 years of this country, and that is a young democracy. If we don’t fight for it every day, we will lose it.”
Nominate a student under 18 for the Sustainability Champion Award to recognize their efforts in driving sustainable
Submit a nomination of approximately 100 words or less describing the student’s leadership in promoting sustainability: What motivates them? What impact have they had?
Be sure to include a photo or an example of their work—whether it’s a community garden, an environmental campaign, or a creative solution to a sustainability challenge.
award will be presented at the
By Abbey Salvemini
Let the good times roll when the museum opens its doors to Carnival on Saturday.
As a globally cherished cultural celebration, Carnival honors the unique traditions and diverse identities of the Caribbean and Latin American cultures it touches. Locally, Long Island Children’s Museum transforms into a vibrant street festival for its second annual Carnival — a vibrant showcase of creativity and self-expression — through a blend of music, dance, crafts and interactive programming.
Supported by New York State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, the event highlights the museum’s commitment to creating shared cultural experiences for Long Island families.
“As a woman of Caribbean descent, I am proud to sponsor this event at the Long Island Children’s Museum, an institution that plays a vital role in educating and inspiring our young people,” Solages says. “Events like this remind us, and teach the next generation, that diversity is our strength and that honoring our roots can be both joyful and meaningful.”
American Chamber Ensemble in concert
Hofstra University’s renowned ensemble-in-residence celebrates the legacies of founding clarinetist Naomi Drucker and longtime violist Lois Martin at its upcoming concert. The program — a diverse selection of works by Mendelssohn, Hurlstone, Beach, Dimmler, and Steven Gerber — honors both who were instrumental in shaping ACE’s storied history. In a special tribute to Martin, the ensemble performs Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, a masterpiece known for its prominent viola scoring. Drucker, a revered educator and co-founder, is remembered with David Holsinger’s On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss. In a testament to her impact, f Drucker’s former students, colleagues, and friends join the ensemble on stage for this moving tribute
• Saturday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Admission: $18, $16 65+
• View the LICM events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
• 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
While the iconic celebrations in Rio de Janeiro and Portau-Prince often steal the spotlight, the museum’s festival dives deeper into the tapestry of the region — from the energetic parades of Barranquilla to the historic traditions of Oruro and Montevideo. They are expressions of heritage and identity, artistic creativity and community spirit that define the joy of marking the changing seasons and the region’s rich tapestry.
Visitors will get a taste of Carnival’s jubilant spirit of throughout the day’s programming.
“We were looking for a festival that embodies the diversity of Long Island,” Aimee Terzulli, the museum’s vice president of program and visitor experience shares. “These cultural festivals are invitations to the community.”
Throughout the day, families can expect a lively mix of music, movement and creative experiences, set against the backdrop of upbeat Caribbean rhythms that create a lively, tropical atmosphere.
The Brazilian Samba Novo troupe, a returning favorite, gets everyone moving to the sounds of Samba and salsa music. The lively dancers and energetic drummers once again entertain the crowd and teach kids some of the dance steps, adding an interactive element to their entertainment. Those towering “Jumbie” stilt walkers, rooted as a symbol of spirit guardians, are also back, bring the magic to life as an iconic part of the Carnival celebration.
“The performances resemble what Carnival would really be like,” Terzulli enthuses.
No Carnival is complete without a massive parade to ring in the holiday. Here everyone gets into the parade spirit during what she describes as “the fantastic float parade.”
Kids can help decorate miniature floats before pulling them through the parade, accompanied by dancers and stilt walkers. And, of course, there’s a Carnival King and Queen involved — chosen from
Music in the air, joy in every step. Samba Novo dancers bring rhythms to life and invite young guests to move, groove and celebrate together.
Vsitors get creative with hands-on artmaking, turning tradition into playful masterpieces.
those in the “crowd” to reinforce the event’s playful, inclusive spirit.
Little faces, big imaginations! From butterflies to bold designs, creativity takes center stage as kids are transformed into works of art.
The museum’s animal ‘residents” even join in the fun, helping families understand how wildlife has historically inspired Carnival imagery and costume design. New craft offerings this year include maraca-making, ribbon stick design and face painting.
However, the day isn’t just about play — it’s about perspective.
“We want everyone to find an entry point,” Terzulli says.
While the event is undeniably festive, education remains a core focus. Museum staff and performers involve conversations about Carnival’s history and meaning throughout the day, helping visitors understand its cultural roots while enjoying it all. Through partnerships with authentic cultural contributors, the museum ensures the history of the experience remains front and center.
“We make sure that when they are making the crafts, there is an exchange of why they are making it,” Turzelli adds.
Of course, no festival is complete without flavor. Families can pause for a “pit stop” to sample sweet and savory treats inspired by various Latin American and Caribbean nations, providing a literal taste of the regions being celebrated.
At its heart, the aim is for families to leave with more than just memories of a fun day. Carnival also reflects the museum’s broader mission of serving as a community gathering place.
“I hope they walk away with a sense of joy about the holiday. I think it’s a beautiful, multicultural event,” Terzulli adds. “We want LICM to be a space where people come to learn about each other.”
Sunday, March 1, 3 p.m. $20, $15 seniors 65+ or students with ID; available at the door. Hofstra University, Monroe Lecture Center, California Ave., Hempstead. For information or reservations, call (631) 242-5684 or (516) 586-3433.
“Don’t stop believin’… 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.
Friday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
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.
• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or 9516) 877-4000
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: 10:15 a.m. and noon; also March 3-5
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Feb
Nite at the Races Fundraiser
Cardinal Mercier Assembly No. 705 with St. Mary’s/Maris Stella Knights of Columbus hosts a fundraiser for veterans. Cheer on your favorite jockey. Proceeds benefit Bowlers to Veterans and Honor Flight Long Island. $20 entry fee.
• Where: 78 Hempstead Ave., Lynbrook
• Time: Doors open 7 p.m.; race start 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 526-3142
stop celebration of jaw-dropping acts, world-class performances and memory-making moments. Dance, cheer and celebrate from your seat.
• Where: 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont
• Time: Various, through March 8
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or ringling.com/circus
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
Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to dress up and celebrate Purim —costumes encouraged and fun guaranteed! Enjoy a performance by Metropolitan Klezmer on the museum 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! Also make a grogger, the traditional noisemaker used during the telling of the Purim story at a drop-in program, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $5 with museum admission ($4 members), $10 theater only
• Where: 11 Davis. Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Art Perspectives
Nassau County Museum of Art
acclaimed artist Adam
Straus for engaging conversation with noted art critic-writerfilmmaker Amei Wallach. Together, Straus and Wallach discuss his artistic process, share insights from his current and past work, and present images that illuminate the evolution of his practice. Their dialogue offers a unique window into the artist’screative journey and the broader role of art in reflecting and responding to our contemporary world. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students (members free). Limited seating, register in advance.
• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
• Time: 3 p.m.
• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
Each week in this engaging workshop at Long Island Children’s Museum, participants are introduced to hands-on materials, artmaking, 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 say goodbye to winter by turning
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Time: 8 p.m.
Drag out that neon once again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back — as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off, on the Paramount stage. The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that “Back To The Eighties” vibe with the latest edition of their popular concert experience. With a lineup including four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as 80s icons, backed by a dynamic band, this is the definitive ‘80s experience. Jessie’s Girl’s primary line-up includes a team of NYC’s top rock and pop vocalists: Jenna O’Gara, Jerome Bell-Bastien, and Mark Rinzel. They are backed by one of the tightest bands in the city comprised of 20+ year veterans of the NYC music scene: Eric Presti on guitar, Drew Mortali on bass, Michael Maenza on drums, and Karlee Bloom on Keys and the Keytar. Each with dozens of credits performing with authentic ‘80s icons who made the music famous to begin with! From the synth-pop glitz of the early MTV era to the power ballads of stadium rock, the band captures the specific magic that defined a generation. Throw on top of that: a load of super-fun choreography, audience participation, props, costumes bubbles, and confetti — and you have a party that audiences don’t want to leave. Their motto: There’s no decade like the Eighties and no party like Back To The Eighties with Jessie’s Girl. Whether you lived through the ‘80s the first time or are just a fan of the timeless anthems, you’ll want to join in the fun.l.
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
paper cups into mini penguins! $4 with museum admission.
• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
• Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon
• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
MAR 6
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Molloy University’s CAP21 Musical Theatre students tackle Shakespeare. The Bard’s beloved comedy is a magical tale that explores the irrationality of love, desire, friendship, jealousy and magic. When the mortal worlds of four young lovers and a bungling group of amateur actors collide with a feuding fairy kingdom in a mystical forest on a midsummer eve, romantic misadventures ensue, causing chaos that only a bit of fairy magic can sort out.
• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre
• Time: 8 p.m.; also March 7, 2 and 8 p.m.; March 8, 3 p.m.
• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444
Buckle up — ’cause you ain’t seen nothin’ like this before. The PCB has been a full-throttle tour de force: a mano-a-toro showdown where the toughest cowboys on the planet face off against the rankest bulls in the game. May the boldest rider win. And it’s not just the cowboys. Watch the cowgirls blaze through barrel racing, showcasing speed, agility and sheer determination in a race for the fastest times.
• Where: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: ticketmaster.com
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.
INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF EAST ROCKAWAY PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to the provisions of Article 14, Real Property Tax Law of the State of New York, and a resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of East Rockaway, Nassau County, duly adopted at the Regular Meeting of such Board held on February 9, 2026, I, the undersigned Treasurer of the said Village, will sell at Public Auction in the manner provided by law on the 18th day of March, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the Public Meeting Room of the Board of Trustees in the Village Hall, 376 Atlantic AVE, East Rockaway, New York, so much of each of the following parcels of real estate upon which Village Taxes for the year 2025/26 remain unpaid as will be sufficient to discharge the tax, fees, interest and charges which may be due thereon at the time of such sale and shall conduct the same from day to day until the sale is completed. The Purchaser or Purchasers at such Tax Sale will be required to pay the amount of their respective bids to the undersigned Treasurer within ten (10) days after the sale pursuant to the provisions the Real Property Tax Law of the State of New York. The following is a statement of the real estate hereinbefore mentioned as shown and described on the Official Tax Map of the Incorporated Village of East Rockaway, New York, duly adopted, approved and filed as provided by law, a copy of which is on file and available for inspection in the Office of the Village Clerk of said Village upon which taxes are unpaid together with the amount of tax, fees, interest and charges to March 18th, 2026.
NAME OF OWNER OR DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY AMOUNT
OCCUPANT AS IT AS IT APPEARS ON THE FEES, INTEREST APPEARS ON OFFICIAL TAX MAP AND CHARGES ASSESSMENT ROLL THE VILLAGE BY:
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: PARCEL_ID LOCATION BILL_BALANCE
1-3-1 80 LAKEVIEW AVE 6,220.60 1-8-20 408 VINCENT AVE
1-11-10.10A 192 HEMPSTEAD AVE 4,916.26
2-6-1 23 BRISTOL ST 3,112.85
2-6-12 28 CLIFFORD ST 2,438.07
2-6-45 7 BRISTOL ST 2,310.83
2-8-15 108 CHESTNUT ST 4,680.40 2-10-18 118 EDMUND ST 7,416.25
5-3-9 69 CHRISTABEL ST 5,351.05
5-4-9 137 CHARLES ST 2,357.73
5-4-26A 64 CHRISTABEL ST 2,667.58
6-1-21-.23 144 CHARLES ST 3,268.77
6-3-120 BUCKINGHAM PL 215.22
6-4-1 118 OAK ST 2,456.17
7-1-2 14 DEVINE ST 5,391.81
7-2-9 266 EARLE AVE 2,760.07
7-8-602 245 MERRICK RD 8,705.87
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 AVE 54,991.95 14-2-8 21 RANDALL AVE 6,556.74 14-5-500.17 106 ATLANTIC AVE 17 2,212.49 14-5-500.18 106 ATLANTIC AVE 18
Theresa E. Gaffney
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES 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 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
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Town Hall Plaza, One Washington Street, Hempstead, New York on 03/11/2026 at 9:30 A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:
THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30
A.M.
138/26. NR EAST ROCKAWAY - Gideon & Laura Bonthuys, Special exception to construct accessory structure (shed) higher & larger than permitted, exceeding horizontal maximum on both sides with lot area occupied & percentage of rear yard occupied variances., N/s Sperry St. E., 150’ E/o East Blvd., a/k/a 5 Sperry St. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550.
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF WORKSHOP NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS will hold a WORKSHOP on Thursday, March 12th, 2026 at 5:30 P.M. in the Board Room at the Village Hall, One Columbus Drive, Lynbrook, NY 11563, on the following cases: #1028 - RKMEB LLC - 78 Taft Avenue, Lynbrook BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, Ginger Fuentes, Chair Person of the Board of
Zoning Appeals, Brian Stanton, Superintendent, Department of Buildings Lynbrook Publish 1X 158572
To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
This notice is only for new cases in East Rockaway within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it.
158571
CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE
Full Time/Part Time
Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multi-task, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. Salary Range is $17 per hour to $20 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: circulationassociate@liherald.com
Full Time and Part Time
Positions Available!
Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239
DRIVING
Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome!
$22 - $27/ Hour
Bell Auto School
516-365-5778
Email: info@bellautoschool.com
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com
F/T CHAIR SIDE DENTAL ASSISTANT Lynbrook Location. Experienced Individual With Impeccable Work Ethics. Immediate Opening. Email Resume To: nylaserendo@gmail.com Call 516-599-7111
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
MULTI MEDIA
ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT
Inside Sales
Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $35,360 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
Valley Stream Subaru Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM Answer Phones, Light Clerical $17.00/Hour, Benefits, 401K Call Therese 516-825-8700
Household Help Offered
HOUSEKEEPING/
Real Estate
WE BUY HOUSES for Cash AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-888-704-5670
CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978
Welcome to this elegant and expansive 5600 sq ft Hewlett
Q. I have a basement with a bathroom and nothing else except a washer and dryer, back to back, with the sink and toilet on the other side of the wall. Everything else is unfinished, and I bought it this way. I was recently told that I need to have a permit for a finished basement or I have to remove the bathroom. I don’t want either of those options, but I’m being told I will be issued a violation, because the building department sent me a notice about this. I consulted an architect, who started to explain all the rules, but I need a second opinion. What should I do if I just want the bathroom and don’t want to finish everything else?
A. Sorry to disappoint you, but your building department has interpreted that your bathroom in a basement is leading to habitable use, meaning that the basement is more than just a place to store boxes and other household items. The same is true of basements that have a fireplace or a mattress-and-night-table setup. Even occasional use by a houseguest puts you in the category of a “finished” basement.
What the consultant architect may have told you is that you’ll either have to remove the bathroom, with a permit for the demolition (since your building department knows about the condition) and a separate plumbing permit to have the capping of pipes inspected, or you’ll need a lot of other items, at greater expense. Your spaces will need to meet the ceiling height requirement of 80 inches from floor to finished ceiling, or anything constricting someone from walking around, such as a steam pipe or built soffit. If you don’t have 80 inches (6 feet 8 inches), then the rest of what you do will also be important to evaluate, since your plans and application paperwork will be on hold until the requirement is appealed through a separate codeappeal process, and more paperwork will need to be submitted to the state for a code compliance variance. This means you will have to request to vary or be allowed an exception after evaluation by a review board at the state level.
Either way, a finished basement will require a second means to escape in an emergency. This can be accomplished with a larger window, with an opening no higher than 44 inches from the floor and at least 5.7 square feet of clear opening, a minimum of 24 inches in height and 20 inches in width. A window that is only 20 inches by 24 inches would not meet the requirement, however. Those are just minimums for each dimension.
The escape well has to be a minimum of 9 square feet of outside floor area, and must at least have a ladder for climbing up and away. You could also have a door and stairwell, with proper drainage, at even greater expense. There’s more, so wait until next week.
© 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.
WENDY'S CLEANING SERVICES INC. Commercial/Residential. We Specialize In Houses, Apartments, Offices, Airbnb & More. Good References. Free Estimates. Call/Text Wendy 516-406-5375 Or Email wencruzpa@gmail.com
Electricians
E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.
BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-833-807-0159
CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641
DO YOU KNOW what's in your water? Leaf Home Water Solutions offers FREE water testing and whole home water treatment systems that can be installed in as little one day. 15% off your entire purchase. Plus 10% senior & military discounts. Restrictions apply. Schedule your FREE test today. Call 1-866-247-5728
PREPARE FOR POWER outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-877-516-1160 today to schedule a free quote. It's not just a generator. It's a power move.
PREPARE FOR POWER outages with Briggs & Stratton® PowerProtect(TM) standby generators - the most powerful home standby generators available. Industry-leading comprehensive warranty - 7 years ($849 value.) Proudly made in the U.S.A. Call Briggs & Stratton 1-888-605-1496
SAFE STEP. NORTH America's #1 WalkIn Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-855-916-5473
GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391
PLUMBER! PLUMBER! PLUMBER! FREE ESTIMATES! Heating, Repairs, Installations. $25 OFF New Customers. Family Plumbing. 516-825-3606
AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-833-880-7679
INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don't Accept the insurance company's first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-833-323-0318. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider.
PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833-549-0598 Have zip code of property ready when calling!
Telephone Services
CONSUMER CELLULAR - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682
Satellite/TV Equipment
DIRECTV- All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Directv and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918
ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-833-661-4172
ATTENTION: VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-833-641-6397
Every administration has its ideologues. Every president has advisers who translate impulse into policy. But once in a while, a single figure emerges whose real work is not governance but sabotage — the deliberate narrowing of civic life.
In Donald Trump’s White House, that figure is Stephen Miller.
Miller is often described as the architect of Trump’s immigration agenda.
That may be true, but it’s incomplete. Immigration is simply the most visible stage on which Miller operates. The deeper project is broader and more corrosive: a politics designed to make Americans afraid — not only of immigrants, but of one another, and of acting freely in public life.
Miller’s real architecture isn’t just about who gets in. It’s about what kind of country we become.
The through-line is intimidation. The point isn’t merely enforcement but atmosphere: to show that the state can reach into your life suddenly, harshly,
without apology. To make people think twice before speaking, gathering, helping or dissenting. To shrink civic space until citizenship itself begins to feel conditional. In such a climate, obedience becomes the safest form of participation, and democracy begins to feel like a risk.
That’s why Miller matters. He isn’t simply a policy adviser. He is both symptom and accelerant — a product of a political sickness and one of its most effective carriers.
The sickness is the belief that democracy is too messy, pluralism too dangerous, compassion too soft. Miller gives that belief bureaucratic form.
idone profound damage. And once that atmosphere is established, the most vulnerable are always the first to suffer the worst of it.
n a Millershaped America, protest would be treated as menace.
Miller’s defenders characterize him as “tough.” But toughness isn’t the same as callousness. A serious country can enforce laws without turning the machinery of government into an engine of humiliation. Miller’s politics depend on a story: that America is perpetually under siege, that outsiders are threats, that pluralism is weakness, that empathy is naïveté.
tions would be staffed by loyalty, not expertise; protest would be treated as menace; law would be less a shield than a club; and citizenship would be a conditional permit, not a shared inheritance. It’s tempting, and comforting, to say, “The Constitution will save us.” It won’t. Constitutions don’t rescue republics by themselves. They are frameworks, not force fields. They depend on officials who honor them, courts that enforce them, legislators who defend their authority, and citizens who refuse to be intimidated into silence.
It’s not a secret that his fingerprints are on some of the harshest immigration measures of the last decade, including family separation at the southern border — a policy widely condemned because it treats children not as human beings, but as instruments of deterrence. Whatever you believe about border control, using suffering as a message is a show of cruelty, not strength. But the deeper lesson is about power. A government that can make ordinary people afraid — afraid to speak, gather, help or dissent — has already
Civil rights organizations have raised alarms for years about Miller’s proximity to white nationalist rhetoric. The Southern Poverty Law Center took the extraordinary step of listing him in its extremist files. That is not a marginal controversy; it goes to the moral and ideological foundations of the policies he designs. Whether you accept every charge or not, the pattern is difficult to miss: Miller’s governing worldview is built on suspicion — of difference, of openness, of the very idea of a shared civic “we.”
In a Miller-shaped America, the safest posture would be silence; institu-
The danger of Stephen Miller’s politics is that they treat laws not as a restraint but as an instrument — something to stretch, weaponize and exhaust until rights feel theoretical and the public stops believing that resistance matters. So the question isn’t whether the Constitution can save us. The question is whether Americans will still insist on the constitutional order itself: limits on power, equal citizenship, lawful process, and a public life in which fear isn’t the organizing principle.
Miller’s project runs in the other direction. And if it succeeds, no piece of parchment will protect us.
Michael Blitz is professor emeritus of interdisciplinary studies at the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
On Feb. 5, not long after Black History Month began, President Trump’s Truth Social account posted a video depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. In response to criticism from Republicans, the video was removed the next day, but with no apology from the president.
That’s the immediate context in which Black History Month takes place, but it’s been an entire year since the last celebration of this month, during which the Trump administration has advanced white supremacy and moved aggressively to undermine America’s longstanding commitment to diversity. The administration’s support for white supremacy isn’t new. In November 2019, in Trump’s first term, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights called for the firing of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, stating, “Stephen Miller represents white supremacy, violent extremism, and hate — all ideologies that are antithetical to
the fundamental values that guide our democracy. Allowing him to remain a White House advisor is a betrayal of our national ideals of justice, inclusion, and fairness.”
Yet in the second Trump administration, Miller has even more power. As Ashley Parker, of the Atlantic, told NPR recently, “He’s incredibly powerful. Steve Bannon and other people jokingly call him the prime minister.”
The Trump government has undermined our country’s commitment to diversity.
Miller is perhaps best known, as NPR reports, as “a chief architect of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.” That crackdown has generated intense public opposition due to the killings in Minneapolis of two American citizens with no criminal records by ICE officers. Because ICE is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it ironically shares the department’s mission to “safeguard the American people.” That irony is not lost on Americans, and the public response to those two deaths has echoed the outcry after the 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.
The irony of the administration continues, as the White House acts to ensure that America’s schools instill, in the words of Executive Order 14190, “a
patriotic admiration for our incredible Nation and the values for which we stand” — while detaining children through ICE crackdowns at accelerating rates. As MS NOW reports, “Recent independent analysis by the Marshall Project shows that the number of children held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement has skyrocketed in Trump’s second term — from an average of about 25 children detained per day during the final 16 months of Biden’s presidency to about 170 children per day under Trump.” On some days, the analysis found, “ICE held 400 children or more.”
What values, exactly, are those detained children learning at the hands of the administration? What values are all children learning as they witness detentions of other children, day care workers and young parents? These are actions of cruelty, not respect for human life and liberty. They are acts of lawlessness, not patriotism.
Now the administration proposes to change the way we vote in America. As The New York Times reports, “President Trump has repeatedly suggested that he wants the Republican-led federal government to ‘nationalize,’ or ‘take over,’
the running of elections.” His allies in Congress are simultaneously advancing legislation — the Make Elections Great Again, or MEGA, Act — that would make voting more difficult. These proposals completely ignore the fact that elections in the United States are free and fair.
As the Brennan Center for Justice writes, “In 2025, a new threat to free and fair elections emerged: the federal government. Since day one of his second term, the Trump administration has attempted to rewrite election rules to burden voters and usurp control of election systems, targeted and threatened election officials and others who keep elections free and fair, supported people who undermine election administration, and retreated from the federal government’s role of protecting voters and the electoral process.”
Nationalizing state elections is blatantly unconstitutional, and the legislative actions would make voting more difficult. That is exactly what this White House and its allies want to achieve.
As Black History Month continues, and in the months and years ahead, ERASE Racism will be championing inclusiveness, fairness and justice for all.
Elaine Gross is founder and president emerita of ERASE Racism, a regional civil rights organization based on Long Island.
The arrival of spring training, and the anticipation of another baseball season, brings back great memories. My earliest baseball memories date back to the early 1950s and the Brooklyn Dodgers, the famed “Boys of Summer,” in what is now regarded as the sport’s Golden Age. Baseball was the unquestioned national pastime, and New York’s Yankees, Dodgers and Giants were the dominant teams. From 1947 to 1956, the Yankees won eight league pennants, the Dodgers six and the Giants two.
For nine of those 10 seasons, at least one World Series teams was from New York, and for eight years, both teams were. That was a true monopoly of excellence.
The Dodgers teams of my youth included such Hall of Famer players as Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and Gil Hodges. There was nothing better than sitting in the stands at Ebbets Field, watching these stars excel. (Tickets for bleacher seats cost 75 cents!) As mighty as the
Dodgers were, however, the Yankees, led by legendary stars like Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford, prevailed in five of the teams’ six World Series encounters.
And then, in 1957, Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley announced the unthinkable: He would move the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles the following year, and the Giants would go to San Francisco. My childhood had come to a crashing halt. National League baseball would be gone from New York.
Just one example: thousands of area kids looking forward to Little League.
My final goodbye to the Dodgers would come on Sept. 22, 1957, when I went to their final home day game at Ebbets Field. Brooklyn beat the Phillies, 7-3, and Duke Snider hit two home runs, but that was small consolation. Dodgers baseball in New York, and my years of sports innocence, were behind me. National League baseball didn’t return to New York until the Mets arrived in 1962. They were an expansion team, which meant they were composed of players others teams didn’t want. There were some rough, lean years, but to Mets fans, it didn’t matter. They rallied behind the team, and after seven seasons, and many losses, the 1969 Mira-
cle Mets, led by their manager, Dodgers legend Gil Hodges, won the World Series in a never-to-be-forgotten triumph over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. The Mets captured the Series again in 1986, defeating the Red Sox in a memorable seven-game struggle. There have been several good runs since then that fell just short, including a World Series defeat to Kansas City in 2015 and, most recently, a League Championship Series loss to the Dodgers in 2024. Now the Mets face the 2026 season having decided to go forward without their all-time leading home run hitter, Pete Alonso, and star relief pitcher Edwin Diaz, as well as proven veterans Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. Their core four are gone. For Mets fans, spring training will be filled with questions and unknown answers.
I know that baseball has changed dramatically since years ago. There are almost twice as many teams now as there were then; players move from team to team, season to season; and teams regularly play inter-league games. As well, the Super Bowl has surpassed the World Series in public attention, and sports such as hockey and bas-
ketball crowd the calendar, playing well into the baseball season.
But still, that sense of anticipation remains. There is something about the fresh spring air and the crack of the bat that brings our attention back to the baseball diamond. The distances from the pitcher’s mound to home plate, and between the bases, remain the same, as do ball and strike counts. And, especially on Long Island, many thousands of kids are looking forward to playing Little League baseball in a new season, when, as always, their parents and grandparents will be in the stands, cheering them on. They’ll create new memories that, in years to come, they’ll pass on to their children and grandchildren.
No matter the rule changes or league realignments, baseball will remain unchanged as an essential component of the American fabric. Almost 75 years ago, the renowned cultural historian Jacques Barzun famously proclaimed, “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball.” That is as true today as it was then, and I believe it will be true for generations to come.
Play ball!
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
Having spent 23 years of my life in the State Assembly, I keep close contact with members and monitor the progress of significant legislation. I make it a point to call individual members to encourage them to take action on proposals that are good for Long Island. Which is why I was thrilled that Republican Assemblyman Ed Ra was chosen as minority leader earlier this month, in a unanimous vote.
Living as a bipartisan person, I have been supportive of Ra in his many roles as an elected official. During his 10 years in office he has been a proactive legislator, proposing laws focusing affordability, antisemitism, workforce development and controlling state costs. I was especially pleased when he became the ranking minority member of the Ways and Means Committee.
I had the good fortune to chair that
committee for 10-plus years, and have great respect for committee members who pay attention to pending laws and ask questions. Ra has been a diligent member of the committee, and he has kept the majority members on their toes. Ways and Means is the most important committee in the Assembly, and it desperately needs members who keep an eye on the 7,000plus bills that are sent to it each year.
He’s worked hard to become the Assembly’s Republican minority leader.
Ra is the third Assembly member from Long Island in my career who has held the title of minority leader. The late Assembly members Perry B. Duryea and Jack Kingston also held that job. Duryea eventually became the speaker, and holding the minority post was a springboard to the top job. I know for a fact that Ra didn’t get the leadership job without a lot of preparation, forging coalitions to win the support of the minority caucus.
I doubt that even the Republican leaders on Long Island fully understand what it took for Ra to get his new job. Over the years he has taken on all of the
thankless jobs that most members do not covet. He has been involved in reviewing all of the bills that affect the Island, and for a few years he acted as the Republican floor leader, organizing debates on bills advanced by the majority. It’s the job of minority members to craft credible arguments opposing majority legislation.
There’s a separate issue that most of the Albany establishment doesn’t understand. The Assembly’s Republican membership is dominated by upstate legislators. They tend to be anti-downstate, and want all of the key jobs for their delegation. If you talk to an upstate Republican member, don’t be surprised if he or she is anti-Long Island. They are jealous of the attention Long Island gets, and many think negatively about the downstate region in general.
When the previous minority leader, Will Barclay, an upstater, announced that he wouldn’t seek re-election this year, the upstaters immediately began to caucus to support one of their own to
keep the job in their region. At the same time, Ra had to move quickly to win a majority of the conference. That backroom stuff happens in any type of legislative body, and it takes political smarts to pull it off.
Why make a fuss about the election of an assemblyman who’s in the minority party? We’re a very big island, with multiple needs and demands. We need all the voices we can get to speak out for the bi-county area. New York City legislators have a strong voice on a variety of issues, and the Island has to fight for recognition when the dollars are being disbursed and laws are passing that help other areas of the state.
Last year I wrote a column singling out Democratic Assemblywoman Mickey Solages and Ra for their hard work in Albany. I was pleased then and now that Ra has advanced in his party leadership. Solages is a rising star in the Democratic Party, and I’m happy that Ra is now a part of the four-way leadership.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.
on Long Island, where school boards debate curriculum priorities and districts navigate tight budgets, one subject can no longer be treated as optional: media literacy.
Across Nassau and Suffolk counties, students scroll through a relentless stream of headlines, commentary and viral content, frequently without formal instruction on how to tell the difference between verified reporting and misinformation.
In an era when misinformation travels faster than facts and algorithms reward outrage over accuracy, the future of journalism and civic trust hinges on what young people understand about news.
A November 2025 study from the News Literacy Project makes the stakes unmistakably clear: Teenagers are not rejecting journalism outright, but they are struggling to distinguish it from everything else crowding their feeds.
The nationwide study builds on a troubling News Literacy Project 2024 finding that 45 percent of teens believed journalists harmed democracy. But the new research goes further, examining not just skepticism but the roots of distrust — and the confusion at its core.
Teens often lump professional reporting, partisan commentary and outright online misinformation into a single category: “news.” When everything looks the same, nothing earns trust.
However, there is a mandate for action. An overwhelming 94 percent of teens said news or media literacy should
be part of their education. They are not tuning out because they don’t care. They are asking for help.
The problem is access. Only 39 percent of students reported receiving any media literacy instruction during the prior school year. More than six in 10 teens are left to decode a complex information ecosystem by themselves. They scroll through algorithm-driven headlines, influencer commentary masquerading as reporting and viral misinformation engineered for emotional impact — often without being taught how to verify a claim or evaluate a source.
That gap isn’t just an educational oversight. It is a civic vulnerability.
According to Donnell Probst, executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education, the most effective time to teach these skills is early, before beliefs harden and misinformation calcifies into identity.
Encouragingly, instruction works. Students who had lessons in media literacy were more likely to seek out news, and reported higher levels of trust in journalists. This is measurable impact backed by research.
Long Island school districts should take note.
Across Nassau and Suffolk counties, some schools offer journalism electives or student newspapers. Others offer none. According to a 2022 survey by Baruch College, 73 percent of New York City public schools lacked student newspapers — with access concentrated in private and selective schools. The same inequities often surface on Long Island,
where opportunities vary widely by district.
The decline of school newspapers and journalism classes compounds the media literacy crisis. These programs teach students what real journalism requires: cultivating sources, verifying facts, and asking tough follow-up questions.
If we want a generation that values journalism, we must first ensure that it understands journalism. This isn’t a “kids these days” problem. It is a larger one — and it is also a business imperative for local news organizations across Long Island. If the next generation cannot differentiate between a reported investigation and a viral conspiracy thread, it will not subscribe to, support or defend professional journalism.
Doubling down on media literacy in school curriculums is no longer optional. It should be embedded across grade levels, integrated into English and social studies classes and reinforced through experiential learning like student newsrooms. Policymakers should treat media literacy as foundational civic infrastructure, not a niche elective.
News organizations on Long Island must also step forward and partner with schools, open newsrooms, support media literacy initiatives and provide mentorship and transparency about how reporting is done.
The answer isn’t louder defenses of journalism, but deeper public understanding — teaching media literacy so people can recognize misinformation and think critically for themselves.
as a first-generation American and a longtime Valley Stream resident, I learned early that opportunity is not automatic; it is built. It’s built by people who work hard, by neighbors who look out for one another, and by a government that shows up when it matters.
My work in public service began the way it does for many parents: with a problem at home.
My daughter had access to programs that helped her thrive. When those same opportunities disappeared for my son, I couldn’t accept it. I stepped up and ran for the Valley Stream District 24 Board of Education because I believed every child — no matter their ZIP code — deserves the same chance to succeed.
On the school board we chose results over rhetoric. We secured the largest grant in district history, including $500,000 for advanced water filtration because clean water is a right, not a luxury. We built a sensory playground for students of all abilities, and implement-
ed the Community Eligibility Program to provide free, nutritious meals for every student. By removing the stigma of food insecurity, we allowed our children to focus on their books instead of their hunger.
Those experiences define my approach in the Nassau County Legislature: listen first, act decisively, and measure success by outcomes people can see and feel.
Today, nowhere is that approach more urgent than in the realm of traffic safety.
Recently, a parent stopped me after a school event and shared a sentiment that haunts me:
Nspreadsheet; these are our children. We are taking action.
Building on the work initiated by Legislator Carrié Solages, I am pushing for enhanced patrols and speed indicators in high-risk zones. The data support this: The Lynbrook Police Department’s 2024 Sunrise Highway initiative resulted in 323 citations — proof that consistent enforcement changes behavior.
o parent should have to hold their breath as they send their child to school.
“Every morning, I watch my child cross Mill Road and I hold my breath.” No parent should have to hold their breath as they send their child to school.
From Valley Stream to Lynbrook and Elmont, residents are sounding the alarm. We see the speeding, the chaotic intersections and the dangerous congestion. Pedestrians have been struck on Mill Road. Near James A. Dever and Wheeler Avenue schools, reckless U-turns and double-parking put our youngest neighbors at risk.
These aren’t just statistics on a
But enforcement alone isn’t enough. Infrastructure must do its part. Our fiscal year 2026 capital plan allocates $4 million to transform the Hempstead Avenue five-way intersection in Lynbrook, with construction slated for later this year. We are also coordinating with the state to strengthen pedestrian protections on North Central Avenue, and designing improvements for Rockaway Avenue at Merrick Road and Hollywood Avenue. In Elmont, nearly $7.2 million in improvements for Linden Boulevard are currently in the design phase.
Government should not feel distant or bogged down in bureaucracy. It should be present, responsive and accountable.
When residents raised concerns
about snow removal during the January snowstorm, we acted quickly to improve maintenance and communication. The same urgency must guide our response to traffic safety. That includes exploring traffic-calming measures such as speed bumps, rumble strips, and improved signage where appropriate.
Safety is not a partisan issue. It is a basic promise of local government.
Government should not feel distant or complicated. It should feel present. Responsive. Accountable.
When a resident calls about a dangerous street, they deserve a solution, not an excuse. Whether it’s clearing snow after a blizzard or installing rumble strips and speed bumps, the urgency must be the same.
I ran for office because I still believe that local government can solve problems and protect families. The measure of our success will be simple: It will be found in the senior who feels confident crossing a busy street, and the parent on Mill Road who can finally exhale. That is the Nassau County I am working to build: practical, responsive and relentlessly focused on keeping our communities safe.
I will not stop until every family in District 14 feels that difference.
Cynthia Nuñez represents Nassau County’s 14th Legislative District.
The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.
The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.
The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.
Letters must include your name and contact information for verification.
Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com
Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com
Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com
Be heard. Be part of the conversation.
Be heard. Be part of the conversation.
Be heard. Be part of the conversation.
mountsinai.org/southnassau