Nassau Herald 02-05-2026

HERALD Nassau

center, who was a member of the troop from 1957 to 1960. Lorenz was given a challenge coin and shared his experiences with current troop members. He reflected on his years as a member of the troop and his time serving in the military.

Hewlett’s Troop 20 welcomes a former scout

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

For Cedarhurst native Rick Lorenz, being a Boy Scout was a foundational part of his life. He had an opportunity to pay that experience forward on Jan. 27, donating some of his military artifacts and patches to BSA Troop 20 in Hewlett.

Lorenz shared his wisdom and stories with 20 scouts. Though he now lives in Tacoma, Wash., Lorenz, 79, was a member of Troop 20 from 1957 to 1960, when it was headquartered in Cedarhurst before disbanding in 2013.

When Lorenz was a scout, troop meetings were held in the gym of what was then

ConTinued on pAge 7

Hewlett students lead Kindertransport presentation

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Hewlett High School freshmen Romy Fruman and Harley Moritz presented their Kindertransport project to students in grades five to seven at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Merrick last week.

Jan. 27 marked 81 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, the largest of the Nazi concentration camps and extermination centers. International Holocaust Remembrance Day was created by the United

Nations General Assembly in 2005, and is observed annually on that date, a global reminder of the dangers of hatred, bigotry and antisemitism, according to UN.org.

When the Chabad students took their seats for the presentation on Jan. 28, they found nametags to wear, each with the name of a Kindertransport survivor.

The Kindertransport was a rescue effort that relocated nearly 10,000 mostly Jewish refugee children from Nazi German to Great Britain between December 1938 and May 1940, according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia.

“It was an incredible rescue mission just for kids,” Harley said. “Thousands of kids, mostly Jewish, were sent from dangerous countries such as Germany and Austria to safety in Britain before World War II.”

Parents in those countries were given an option to send their children on the Kindertransport, and possibly never see them again, or keep them with them.

“These children, some as young as 5 years old, had to board trains alone, with only one small suitcase or backpack,” Harley explained.

Nicholas Winton, a British stockbroker, organized foster

families in Britain, and saved the lives of 669 children that arrived from Czechoslovakia.

“Because he chose to act and not stay silent, those children didn’t just survive,” Romy said. “They grew up to have families of their own. Today there are four generations of families living all across the world because of the children Nicholas Win -

ton saved.”

The girls taught the younger students that one person could change the world, no matter how many people he or she saved.

Years later, the writer Michael Bond was inspired by stories of the Kindertransport to create Paddington Bear, a

Challenging their students minds at HES STEAM Night

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

The hallways of Hewlett Elementary School were buzzing with excitement as students and parents gathered for STEAM Night on Jan. 28. The night included challenging activities, forcing students to think critically and test their creative skills.

The goal, as Principal Heather Sosnovski said, was to allow students to get hands-on.

On the school’s main level, students were challenged to make the tallest tower out of 50 index cards, 30 noodles, or 20 marshmallows. They could also program Dash the Robot to move snowflakeembroidered cups through a grid, acting as a snow remover. In the gymnasium, students from the high school robotics teams showcased their robots, with one ejecting a ball, allowing students to have a catching partner.

Venturing down to the lower level, students worked to save “Wendell the Worm” in the art room, finding an innovative way to help Wendell—a gummy worm—put on his Lifesaver jacket.

In the library and innovation lab, students were invited to create and test paper airplanes, learn the game Sudoku, and construct a car out of lifesavers, straws and paper—using a blow dryer to see if it could move.

just have fun trying something new.”

Central Council PTA co-president Pam Darby was present with her fourth-grade son, Jack, and said it was nice to see him and his classmates having “good old fun” without using their devices.

“You can start to see what kinds of things they’re interested in by watching how they respond to the activities,” Darby said. She also said the night helped her identify ways to engage her son without the use of technology.

“Who knew I could take marshmallows and spaghetti and challenge my son to make a tower at home,” she said.

Discovery and enrichment teacher Jaime Harrington, who oversaw the Dash the Robot activity, said it was nice to see students problem solving in a space that’s different from their regular classroom.

“Learning and problem solving is fun,” Harrington said. “I want students to have these experiences of struggling because that’s life.”

On a night that saw many former and current students, Sosnovski stressed the importance of providing students with an opportunity to “build the background knowledge that a lot of kids don’t have.”

The last stop, the music room, allowed students to make wind instruments out of straws, and decorate sound shakers made out of paper towel rolls stuffed with popcorn kernels and rice.

things that they wouldn’t ordinarily experience.

Sosnovski described the night like a museum, saying it provided an opportunity to go wherever they wanted, and enjoy

“The night provided an opportunity for students to explore ways in which they can thrive,” she said. “It lets students explore topics they thought they didn’t like and

“We’re trying to tap into all areas of the brain,” Sosnovski said. “Not every child has the opportunity to go to museums and do different things. Giving them a fun night that they can experience STEAM with their friends and family is a great opportunity to give kids all the things that they love.”

Al Bauer named interim principal for second year at HHS

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

The Hewlett Woodmere Board of Education approved Al Bauer as interim principal of Hewlett High School for the 202627 school year, bringing the longtime district administrator back for another term.

The 56-year-old has worked in administrative roles for 18 years. From 2008 to 2013, Bauer served as assistant principal at the high school. In 2014, he then transitioned to principal at Woodmere Middle School, where he served in his role until turning the reins over to John Andruszkiewicz in October of 2024.

For Bauer, his shift to middle school was “perfect” because he had kids around that age, but he always wondered what could’ve been. That became a reality last year, when District Superintendent Dina Anzalone reached out at the start of her tenure following the departure of Alexandra Greenberg.

“I am thankful that he came back when I started my new leadership as a way to really help the school move forward in a positive way,” she said.

In his first year as interim, Bauer returned to some of the same students he saw roaming the hallways at the middle school, and said it provides a different perspective.

“Now I have 17- and 18-year-olds thinking about college, work, and their futures,” Bauer said.

Bauer and the high school seniors rang

in the new school year with their “Senior Sunrise” as some students wore backpacks and T-shirts with his face on them.

A moment that, as Anzalone said, felt like a “homecoming.”

“I knew that at that moment I made the right decision to bring him back,” she said.

This year, Bauer has had to lead while experiencing the challenges of the role

and the changing landscape of the district.

In addition to developing plans for budget season like potential staffing and course offerings, Bauer has had to learn the demands of the high school level—all while school policy continues to evolve. He helped jumpstart the school’s cellphone ban as part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s legislation in July of last year,

being patient with students during the process.

“It has gone fairly well,” he said. “The staff has been great and super supportive. All I need to do is pick up a phone and contact somebody.”

Bauer’s leadership is not new to Anzalone—the two have known each other since Bauer was the assistant principal when she was the director of curriculum and assessment. She added that his stability and continuity within the district will allow the high school to continue to create a positive school community, with motivated teachers who can allow students to “get the best of everything.”

“This isn’t about me filling a gap,” Anzalone said. “It’s about welcoming proven, respected leadership that our community has already embraced for years.”

Bauer’s leadership skills translate into his proactive involvement with the school community. Anzalone, who calls the office at the high school almost daily, said that the secretaries often have to search for Bauer because he’s rarely at his desk.

“He’s an active leader,” Anzalone said. The district will resume its search for a permanent principal, and Bauer says he’s looking forward to helping the next principal when the time comes.

“I owe a lot to this community,” Bauer said. “I look forward to being here to help support the next principal and do whatever I can to leave the district in a better place.”

Performing the story of ‘Anastasia’ at Lawrence High School

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

The Lawrence High School Music and Drama Department transported audience members back to 1920s Russia with their production of “Anastasia” this week.

“Anastasia” follows a young amnesiac woman who may be the long-lost daughter of Russia’s last royal family, as she journeys from post-revolutionary Russia to Paris in search of her true identity. Along the way, she teams up with two con men planning to pass her off as the missing princess, only to discover that her connection to the Romanovs may be real.

Director Shelly Goldman said she felt an immediate pull to this story the first time she saw it as her family is from Russia and her first language is Russian.

“This is definitely a story that need story be told,” Goldman said. “Not only historically and what it meant to live in Russia during that time. But, it’s also fascinating because the story of ‘Anastasia’ is real, there have been people throughout history that believe they were here.”

Lawrence uses projections during their productions and Goldman said she was sold on this show once she saw the projection package offered with obtaining the rights.

“When I pick a show I really do look at that,” she said. “That is what creates such an amazing atmosphere and helped decide the show.”

As a song heavy production, Goldman

said that she had the right students to perform this show.

“It is a difficult production and a lot of thought process goes into it,” Goldman said. “From the moment it was cast in October, most of them started sleeping listening to the music and learning the show.”

Arbi Corbita, a senior who plays Anastasia, said she watched the movie two

days before auditions and fell in love with the songs, the score and staging.

“When I found out I was Anastasia I was really happy,” Corbita said. “I didn’t really know what to expect or step into with this role. I feel like I went into this as a challenge in my senior year and I wanted it to be beautiful and wonderful on stage.”

Corey Shakur, a junior who plays Dim-

itri, said he was intimidated when he found out that was this year’s production.

“It’s a big show and understanding that the stage was going to be all of Russia was intimidating,” Shakur said. “I feel like this show fits us very well because we all could play so many different characters.”

Last year, in the “Addams Family” Corbita and Shakur played father-daughter roles as Gomez and Wednesday. This year, they portray love interests and learned how to channel their close friendship into a palpable relationship on stage.

“I’m more comfortable with it because [Arbi] is my girl I love her,” he said. “We had to try and find it, the love. We love each other but we had to find the physical chemistry.”

Senior Jay Nixon who plays Vlad said that they are able to pour more emotion into their performance because the topic relates to today’s society.

“Representing that kind of history allows us to give more emotion and character,” Nixon said. “That’s something really important that we need to stress more. Getting into the whole tone is something we came together with.”

Corbita said that the song “Stay I Pray You” relates to society, as you don’t know what is coming next.

“We don’t know what is coming after and that’s what we can put into the show,” she said. “It’s the emotion so when people are watching the show will relate to how we’re portraying the characters.”

Crime watCh

Felony charges in AB crash

According to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, a Brentwood man has been indicted after a December 2025 drunken driving crash in Atlantic Beach.

Job Giuliani, 30, was arraigned before Judge Colin O’Donnell on a grand jury indictment charging him with multiple counts of aggravated vehicular assault, assault, driving while intoxicated, driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of alcohol and a drug, and reckless driving.

Giuliani pleaded not guilty. Bail was continued at $500,000 cash, $1 million bond, or a $1.5 million partially secured bond. He is due back in court on March 5. If convicted, he faces up to 7 to 15 years in prison.

The crash occurred on Dec. 10, at 5:30 p.m., as a 52-year-old father, 49-year-old mother and their 11-year-old son were traveling westbound on Beech Street in Atlantic Beach on their way to a restaurant. The Nassau County Police Department Fourth Precinct arrested him that night.

Prosecutors allege that Giuliani was leaving a holiday party at a local beach club when he made a right turn onto Beech Street, drove eastbound on the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with the family’s vehicle in the

left westbound lane.

According to police, the child and his mother were airlifted from the scene to Cohen’s Children’s Hospital. The 11-year-old boy sustained a lacerated liver and spleen, loss of function to one kidney, a leg fracture and a rib fracture. He was placed in a medically induced coma for nearly two weeks and remains hospitalized.

The child’s mother suffered multiple spinal fractures and a rib fracture and was hospitalized for more than a week.

The father was transported to Mount Sinai South Nassau University Hospital, where he was treated for pain to his wrist and knee. Giuliani was also taken to the same hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Blood drawn from Giuliani at the hospital showed a blood alcohol concentration of .10 percent, prosecutors said. Testing also revealed the presence of active Delta-9-THC in his blood approximately 40 minutes after the crash.

“There is always another way to get to and from a party and there is never an excuse for driving drugged or drunk,” Donnelly wrote. “This defendant destroyed a family’s sense of security with his alleged selfish actions and now faces significant prison time.”

—

Lawrence seniors gather for ice skating event LAWRENCE LATELY

On January 26, the Lawrence Student Cabinet hosted a senior get-together at the Freeport Ice Skating Rink. 40 Lawrence students attended the event.

Since the beginning of the year, the Lawrence Student Cabinet has been planning and preparing a senior gettogether along with Mrs. Lohwasser. They ultimately decided to choose an ice-skating rink to host the event, since it would be a new and fun experience for most of the students.

Many different resources went into planning this event. Several fundraisers were held to raise money for the cost of the ice-skating rink. The Cabinet sold pancakes in the morning and clothing to help raise funds. When asked what the most valuable resource was during the organization process, the Senior Cabinet responded with “time.”

can all learn together?”

The event started at 3:00 PM and lasted for an hour before ending. During the very beginning of the event, many students had trouble ice skating. However, as the event went on, most students became comfortable and skilled at the activity.

“Everybody who got there was scared, but once we got the hang of it, we started having fun,” said 12th grader Tevin. “Every time we fell, we got back up.”

In the days leading up to the event, the Senior Cabinet promoted the gettogether through morning announcements and social media posts to make sure all seniors knew about it. Students purchased tickets for $10 each to attend the ice-skating event, which helped cover the remaining costs and ensured the event was accessible to everyone. The promotion and ticketing process allowed the Cabinet to organize attendance efficiently while keeping the event fun and inclusive for the entire senior class.

“We knew that most of our students had never gone ice skating before,” said senior president Eliana. “So we decided, why not pick an activity we

Even after the event ended, many of the students stayed together and continued to celebrate the occasion at a nearby restaurant.

As time flies by, the Lawrence senior class only has a few more months together before graduation. After that, most students will head off to different colleges to continue the next chapter of their lives. This event served as another meaningful memory for students to treasure as they move on to new experiences.

“It was really nice to hang out with all the people I’ve grown up with, and I’m thankful for everyone who set it up,” said 12th grader Lucas.

Spending time together outside of school allowed students to strengthen friendships and create lasting memories. As graduation approaches, experiences like this remind seniors of how far they have come together and the importance of appreciating these final moments as a class.

Andre St.Urbain is the student columnist for Lawrence High School.

NEWs bRiEf

Families gather for movie night at LPS

Lawrence Primary School hosted Family Movie Night, bringing students, families, and staff together for an evening of fun, laughter, and connection. The event featured the movie “The Bad Guys 2”, which delighted audiences of all ages.

The evening was filled with smiles and a strong sense of community as families settled in to enjoy the movie together. Popcorn was served, adding to the classic movie-night experience and making the event even more special for everyone in attendance.

The Lawrence Primary School community came together for a fun and

relaxing night, creating lasting memories for students outside of the classroom setting.

“Events like this strengthen the bond between home and school and highlight the importance of shared experiences,” the district wrote in a news release.

The PTA hosted and organizing the event. Their dedication, generosity, and hard work made the evening a tremendous success, and the school is deeply grateful for their continued support.

–Melissa Berman

spotlight athlete

MIA DISALVO

SOUTH SIDE Senior Gymnastics

A MEMBER OF SOUTH SIDE’S varsity for five seasons, DiSalvo is considered one of the most talented gymnasts in Nassau County. She earned All-County honors on vault in the 202122 campaign and has been All-County in three events (vault, balance beam and floor exercise) in each of the past four seasons. Her career highs are 8.45 on vault, 8.95 on beam and 9.3 on floor. She’s also one of the Cyclones’ captains.

games to watch

Thursday, Feb. 5

Girls Basketball: Sewanhaka at Carey 4:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Manhasset at Elmont 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Roosevelt at Mepham 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Calhoun at Long Beach 6:45 p.m.

Girls Basketball: South Side at Clarke 6:45 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Lawrence at Seaford 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Long Beach at Calhoun 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Clarke at South Side 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: G.N. South at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 6

Boys Basketball: Carey at Sewanhaka 4:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: V.S. North at V.S. South 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Carle Place at West Hemp 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Island Trees at Malverne 6 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Baldwin at Oceanside 6:45 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Lo. Valley at North Shore 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Seaford at Lawrence 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: V.S. North at V.S. South 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 7

Boys Basketball: Hempstead at Freeport 11:45 a.m.

Boys Basketball: Massapequa at Uniondale 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Massapequa at South Side 3 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Oceanside at Baldwin 4 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a winter sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.

HERALD SPORTS

Hewlett clings to playoff hopes

By TONY BELLISSIMO

tbellissimo@liherald.com

The margin for error to qualify for the Nassau Class AA girls’ basketball playoffs is practically down to zero for Hewlett following a 55-45 home defeat to Glen Cove last Friday night.

Brooke Simmons, who last spring led Glen Cove’s softball team to a historic county championship as its star pitcher, was in the zone against the Bulldogs with a game-high 28 points, including a perfect 11-for-11 performance from the free throw line.

“It was a long bus ride and we were just trying to stay quiet and focused,” Simmons said. “We knew it was a big game but sometimes a rowdy bus ride can get you tired. Hewlett has two good guards and we knew we needed to find a way to overcome what they do.”

Isabella Santiago added a careerhigh 16 for Glen Cove, which shot 17-for20 from the line and led after every quarter.

Junior Mia Koloden had 25 points but it wasn’t enough as Hewlett (3-5) slipped behind the Big Red (3-4) in the Conference AA-2 standings. The teams meet again this Saturday at Glen Cove at 2 p.m. with a playoff berth likely going to the winner.

“Simmons had a great game but No. 10 [Santiago] really hurt us, that wasn’t on the scouting report,” Hewlett head coach Alex Palatto said. “Defensively, we didn’t close gaps quick enough on their outside shots in the first half. Offensively, we moved the ball better than we did last game but we missed some layups.”

Koloden, the team’s lone double-digit scorer on the night, hit a trio of three pointers in the opening quarter as the Bulldogs jumped to an 11-7 lead. The Big Red closed the quarter scoring nine straight, including 7 by Santiago to lead 16-11 after one.

Koloden nailed another trey on the first possession of the second quarter to make it 16-14, but Hewlett was unable to create a lead change over the last three quarters.

Sophomore Angelina Batista, right, led the Bulldogs with 12 points in their narrow victory over Roosevelt Jan. 27.

Simmons and Santiago had plenty to say about it. They combined for 15 points in the second quarter, offsetting 3-pointers from sophomore Angelina Batista and senior Ella Fahy to allow Glen Cove to take a 33-26 halftime lead.

Coming off a 29-27 victory over Roosevelt three nights earlier snapping a four-game slide, the Bulldogs still had no answer for Simmons in the third quarter as she had 8 points and went 6-for-6 from the line to help extend Glen Cove’s lead to 49-36.

“We’re in a tough league and we don’t want to roll over for anyone, we want to win,” Simmons said. “We had two great practices leading up to this game and played really well.”

Koloden’s two technical foul shots and subsequent basket brought Hewlett within 50-45 with just over three minutes remaining in regulation, but it wouldn’t score again.

In the win over Roosevelt, Batista (game-high 12) and Koloden (11) combined for all but six of the team’s points.

‘There

are no limits to what they can achieve’

known as Lawrence School Districts’ Public School No. 5. The troop had a small room for flags and equipment.

In 2019, when Eugene Corless and his family reassembled the troop in Hewlett, he came across a virtual Vietnam memorial wall on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall of Faces website. Lorenz had created a touching tribute to Sgt. George Camomere, a U.S. Army 8th Cavalry soldier and a former Troop 20 member whom Lorenz admired for his physical prowess and mental toughness.

Corless, the troop’s current scoutmaster, and Lorenz had the chance to connect in January 2025. Lorenz promised to stop by a meeting in the troop’s Hewlett headquarters, at Trinity St. Johns Episcopal Church, on Broadway, the next time he was in town.

Lorenz graduated from Marquette University in 1968, served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was part of the First Marine Expeditionary Force in 1992, serving in Bosnia as a senior legal adviser for the NATO implementation force in 1996. After retiring as a colonel in 1998, he became a senior lecturer at the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies, teaching courses like humanitarian law.

He credits much of his life’s success to Boy Scouts, having grown up in a single-parent household without a father.

“It was a beginning for me,” he told the Herald. He recalled taking part in a water-boiling contest at a scout jamboree, for which then Scoutmaster Paul Baynes gave Lorenz and his partner, Eugene Kushner, pitch pine instead of regular wood so the fire they built would burn more intensely, and boil water faster.

“When lit, the pitch pine was literally a torch,” Lorenz said, recalling their winning 62-second boiling

time. “Our scoutmaster had developed a way to give us an advantage over the other troops.”

The patches and artifacts he donated to Troop 20 will be mounted in an archival frame and hung on a wall at its headquarters.

“It’s with enormous pride that we will be displaying and preserving them,” Corless said, “so future generations of scouts can understand Rick’s legacy as someone who has served our country.”

Conor Corless, 17, Eugene’s youngest, who is working toward Eagle Scout, said that Lorenz’s visit last

week changed his perspective, and made him “think more outward.”

“Never thought about what my life might look like outside of scouting,” Conor said. “I never thought about its influence.”

Lorenz reflected on some of the differences between the past and the present. When he was in scouting, he said, he moved on when he was 14 to become an Explorer, which is now known as an Adventure Scout. Now, scouts ages 11 to 18 remain in their troop. Conor said he was captivated, because Lorenz offered perspective on the way the Boy Scouts used to operate.

Conor also found it interesting to hear Lorenz talk about his time in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Marquette in the late 1960s, and being an Adventure Scout when he was younger.

Some of the older scouts agreed. “They found it was an interesting topic,” Conor said. “Many kids raised their hands, asking questions.”

Lorenz clearly made an impression on Conor, who, after seeing the accomplishments of a former scout, expressed his admiration. “He’s living his best life,” Conor said. “Maybe scouting can give me this outlet to become like that.”

Eugene Corless thanked Lorenz for taking the time to visit the troop, saying he offered scouts inspiration and the opportunity to see what’s possible.

“I wanted them to understand that there are no limits to what they can achieve,” Corless said, “and to see someone who was doing exactly what you’re doing moving on to pursue wonderful things.”

Lorenz said it was a pleasure to come back and meet the scouts. As he looked at his box of military memorabilia, he smiled, knowing what he was passing down to the next generation.

“I’m glad I found a home for them,” he said.

Long Island’s fragile drinking water system

Experts explain what lies beneath the surface, and detail the threats to our crucial aquifers

By JORDAN VALLONE, WILL SHEELINE & ABIGAIL GRIECO of the Herald Community Newspapers

First installment in a series about water.

On Long Island, we’re not talking enough about water.

From the drops coming out of our taps to the waves breaking along both shores, myriad water-related issues have the potential to impact Long Islanders’ day-to-day lives.

The water system is not a single pipeline or policy, but a web of underground aquifers, aging infrastructure, coastal ecosystems — and policymakers — that together determine who has access to clean, affordable water — and who faces the greatest risk when that system begins to fail.

This series will break down how Long Island’s water system works, from aquifers to coastal bays, and clarify how policy, infrastructure and governance shape access to clean, affordable water. It will also examine the environmental pressures facing that system, from contamination and climate change to the health of bays, fisheries and drinking water supplies.

Through global reports that demonstrate the rapid growth of freshwater use over the past century, and interviews with environmental experts and regional advocates who connect these issues locally, this first installment examines what lies beneath the surface: the water we drink, and how contamination and access may disproportionately affect certain communities.

The sole source beneath Long Island

In order to understand Long Island’s relationship with drinking water, it’s essential to understand where the water comes from. The island relies on aquifers, underground layers of sand, gravel and clay that store billions of gallons of water accumulated over tens of millions of years. More specifically, Long Island relies on three: the Upper Glacial, the Magothy and the Lloyd (as well as a fourth, significantly smaller one, the Jameco).

These aquifers together are designated a single-source aquifer system by the Environmental Protection Agency, which means that “your groundwater supply is provided by an aquifer that serves at least 50 percent of your water needs,” according to Sarah Meyland, a former professor at New York Institute of Technology.

Meyland explained that both Nassau and Suffolk counties rely on this single aquifer system for 100 percent of our freshwater, whether it comes from a tap, shower or sprinkler. While this has meant that Long Islanders have had access to clean, easily accessed drinking water for decades, the aquifers, particularly in Nassau County, have one major downside.

“This aquifer needs to be particularly well protected, because if you damage it,

or if you ruin it, you don’t have any other source of water,” Meyland said. “And that’s exactly the situation Long Island is in. We don’t have a secondary backup source of water.”

Since the federal government began measuring water usage in Long Island’s aquifers in 1900, roughly 5 percent of drinkable water has been consumed or lost due to salinization, the process by which freshwater is turned into saltwater. It occurs in aquifers due to overpumping, as water is taken out faster than it is replaced, causing saltwater from the Long Island Sound and the ocean to fill in the missing volume.

tion of the aquifer system is already nonfunctional, Queens is barely better, and both now get their water from the New York City water system, which pumps freshwater in from upstate. Nassau is well on its way to following them; the difference is there is no municipal entity to bail Nassau out.

as of 2021, the United States withdraws the third-highest amount of freshwater from underground globally, roughly 444.4 billion cubic meters per year.

A key conclusion from the university’s report put the crisis in simple terms: “The world is already in the state of ‘water bankruptcy.’” In many basins and aquifers, long-term overuse and degradation, the report says, means that “hydrological and ecological baselines cannot realistically be restored.”

What areas are more affected?

If Long Island continues on the same path of aquifer depletion without any intervention from state authorities, such as the Department of Environmental Conservation, Meyland said, Nassau County will suffer more than Suffolk within the next 50 years.

“It’s about a third of the size of Suffolk with roughly the same number of people,” she said. “The Town of Brookhaven is the same size as the county of Nassau. So Nassau County will continue to experience saltwater intrusions. That’s going to put pressure on virtually all of the water suppliers along the north and south shore.”

Meyland singled out Long Beach as an area that would likely lose its entire local water supply because of saltwater intrusion to the Lloyd Aquifer, the only aquifer the city draws from.

The vast majority of the used water is consumed by private sprinklers and irrigation systems, many of which are automated to water yards and home gardens. According to Meyland, Long Island has the highest per-capita water use of any community from New York to North Carolina, and the vast majority of that use occurs from spring through fall, when sprinklers turn on and swimming pools fill up.

There is no known way to create new water, or to speed up the natural replenishment process. Desalination plants, which remove salt from water, are becoming more common globally, but they are expensive projects, according to Meyland.

“It’s like a bank account,” Meyland said. “The water, the money coming in, needs to be at least equal to the money going out.”

Water bankruptcy

While a 5 percent loss may seem inconsequential, the real problem is there’s no way to efficiently and cheaply replenish that loss. And the damage is not evenly distributed: The vast majority of the loss takes place in Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau, which have not effectively stewarded their portions of the aquifers.

Suffolk, which has the lowest population density of the four counties, has proactively monitored and managed its water intake and outflow for years, leaving its portion of the aquifers “a system in balance,” as Meyland described it.

She pointed out that Brooklyn’s por-

The issues impacting drinking water supply are not unique to Long Island. According to a report released by the United Nations University last month, the world is entering an “era of global water bankruptcy” — a new, formal definition of a reality for billions of people. The report called for a “fundamental reset” of the global water agenda, as irreversible damage pushes sources of fresh drinking water beyond recovery.

“This report tells an uncomfortable truth: Many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, and many critical water systems are already bankrupt,” said the report’s lead author, Kaveh Madani, the director of the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health.

Numbers published by Our World In Data, a nonprofit publication that uses data to explain global issues like poverty, disease and climate change, showed that

“They will have already been forced to look for other sources of water, whether they make arrangements from New York City, or they make arrangements and buy water from some of their neighboring water suppliers,” Meyland explained. “I’m sure there will be a lot of pressure to desalinate water, but that will be very expensive.”

On the North Shore of Nassau County, she said, areas of the Great Neck and Manhasset peninsula, including Sands Point, are at risk of losing their supplies of water, also due to salinity. And their options are limited, she added, because some of these communities are already piping water from other parts of Long Island.

Water suppliers are aware of the risk the future holds, Meyland said, but it is unfair to put the burden on them to fix the situation. “They are not at fault for what is happening to the water supply for coastal communities,” she said. And water supplies are not only depleting on Long Island, but they are also contaminated.

The Environmental Working Group affiliated with Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for stronger environmental policies in New York and Connecticut, released a report in 2025 showing that a least 189 New York water systems — primarily serving residents of Long Island — detected high levels of toxic so-called “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, in tap water.

The report showed that 702,000 residents in Nassau County and 122,200 resi-

Detailing the threats to L.I.’s drinking water

dents of Suffolk have elevated levels of PFAS in their water supplies. Some particularly vulnerable communities include those serviced by the Lynbrookbased Liberty Utilities, the Water Authority of Western Nassau and the Hempstead Town Water District.

What can be done?

According to Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, geography and land use play a major role in why some Long Island communities experience more severe water quality issues than others.

“The biggest driver for water quality in the marine environment is land activity,” Esposito said, noting that polluted stormwater runoff, fertilizer use and marine debris all flow from developed areas into surrounding bays and waterways.

Highly populated and heavily developed regions — particularly along the South Shore — generate greater amounts of runoff, which carries excess nitrogen from lawn fertilizers, bacteria and debris into nearby bays. That nitrogen fuels algae growth, which depletes oxygen levels and can lead to fish kills and damage to shellfish populations.

Aging infrastructure in some coastal communities continues to pose challenges. Esposito pointed to the Long Beach’s sewage treatment plant, which discharg-

es roughly 5 million gallons of wastewater per day into Nassau County’s Western Bays. While the wastewater is treated, Esposito said the facility is old and in need of major repairs.

The Western Bays have been among the most degraded areas, in part due to decades of treated sewage discharges and runoff from surrounding communities. Marine debris, including plastic bottles, cigarette butts and food packaging, often originates farther inland, and makes its way through tributaries before washing into coastal waters, Esposito said.

On the North Shore, in areas that still rely on septic systems, groundwater contamination presents another challenge, as pollutants can leach directly into aquifers and nearby waterways.

result of years of advocacy and scientific review.

In addition to regulating water systems themselves, Esposito highlighted a first-of-its-kind state law, passed in 2019, that limited the amount of 1,4-dioxane allowed in common household and personal care products. The law was phased in over several years and was fully implemented in 2023, reducing the amount of chemicals entering wastewater systems in the first place.

to protect our waters and public health, sometimes you have to speak out

AdrIenne d’esposIto Executive director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Esposito pointed to several major policy changes that have reshaped how New York addresses water contamination, particularly by emerging chemicals like PFAS and 1,4-dioxane.

She noted that the state now has some of the nation’s strongest drinking water standards for these chemicals — standards that are fully implemented across Long Island’s public water systems, the

Esposito also emphasized the importance of preventing pollution at its source, rather than relying on expensive treatment systems after contamination occurs. Citizens Campaign has spent several years advocating for legislation aimed at reducing packaging waste, a significant contributor to marine debris found in Long Island’s bays and waterways.

One of the most significant steps underway is the long-awaited redirection of treated sewage from the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility, in Bay Park, away from the Western Bays and into the Cedar Creek ocean outfall pipe — a nearly $600 million project more than a decade in the making. The change is expected to dramatically improve

water quality in the Western Bays once the Bay Park Conveyance Project is completed.

At the local and state level, municipalities are also tapping into grant programs designed to reduce stormwater pollution. These initiatives fund upgrades to stormwater systems, filtration devices that remove nitrogen and bacteria before runoff reaches waterways. Environmental organizations, including Citizens Campaign, Operation SPLASH and the Nature Conservancy have played a key role in advocating for these measures through long-term collaboration and public pressure.

Looking ahead, Citizens Campaign plans to launch a new marine debris prevention campaign this spring, focused on public education and outreach, emphasizing that litter discarded anywhere on Long Island can ultimately end up in coastal waters. The organization is also continuing its push in Albany for legislation aimed at reducing packaging waste and monitoring contaminants entering waterways through wastewater systems.

Residents can make a difference, Esposito said, by limiting fertilizer use, properly disposing of trash and supporting redevelopment over construction on green spaces.

“We encourage people to get up, show up and speak up,” she said. “If you want to protect our waters and public health, sometimes you have to speak out.”

Annual Hoops for Hope game at Hewlett

sIBSPlace, in partnership with Hewlett High School, hosted its annual Hoops for Hope Basketball Fundraiser. SIBSPlace is a support program for children ages 5 to 17, sponsored by Mount Sinai South Nassau.

The program provides free support to children with siblings with cancer or another devastating medical diagnosis, a parent with a cancer diagnosis, or to children coping with the death of a sibling or parent. SIBSPlace, based in Rockville Centre, is an affiliate of Mount Sinai South Nassau based in Oceanside.

The basketball tournament on Jan. 23 showcased the Hewlett boys basketball team against Roslyn High School.

Hoops for Hope is a cornerstone of fundraising for SIBSPlace, raising more than $15,000 annually for the nonprofit organization. Funds are generated through ticket sales and donations that support critical programs that provide mental health care to children and families throughout Nassau County.

— Melissa Berman

romy fruman, left, and Harley moritz presented their Kindertransport project to students in fifth to seventh grades at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life, in merrick, last week, in honor of Holocaust remembrance day.

Inspiring a new generation to ‘never forget’ the Holocaust

bear who arrived in England with a similar nametag around his neck that read, “Please look after this bear” — Just like the children who were relocated.

Romy and Harley explained why they were passionate about this chapter of history, and how their interest expanded from a school history project to wanting to educate the next generation about the Holocaust.

“One year ago, this was just supposed to be a history project,” Harley recalled. “We wanted to just get 100 and get the perfect grade. As we researched and started hearing these stories, it became something much bigger.”

They girls interviewed 94-year old Kindertransport survivor Manfred Korman in 2024, and were inspired to continue learning, and created a plan to share survivors’ stories.

“In that moment, we knew we had to be their voices,” Romy said. “Since the beginning of our mission, we have given many presentations and assemblies to keep these voices alive.”

In collaboration with Donna Rosenblum, director of education at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center, in Glen Cove, Romy and Harley created an educational packet for fifth- and sixth-grade students. Now 13 school districts on Long Island have begun to implement the lesson into their curriculum.

Chabad students were encouraged to share their families’ stories of survival during the Holocaust, and Gregory Goldman, 11, of Merrick, was the first to raise his hand and stand in front of the gathering.

“My great-grandparents had just got married, and there was an attack by the Nazis in Ludlow, Poland, and they had to escape,” Gregory recounted. “There was a miracle that happened.”

Two German soldiers came into his great-grandparents’ shop, and, Gregory said, his great-grandfather treated them like any other customers. One of the soldiers told him what was going to happen, because he was an “honest Jew.” They were told to leave in one day, because after that, all the Jews in Poland would be killed.

“They got a boat and crossed the river to Russian territory with six other people,” Gregory said. “When they got there, a Russian soldier stopped them. My great-grandparents were honest about why they were there, and were sent to a labor camp in Siberia.”

His great-grandparents spent two years in the labor camp before they were liberated. They returned to Poland, but there the Nazis were still executing Jews. A nun helped them hide, and after the war ended, they received documentation to go to the United States.

“We realize that in just a few short years, we will no longer be able to hear these accounts directly from Kindertransport survivors,” Romy said. “Their generation is getting older, and their memory is very precious.”

“Their presentation encouraged meaningful discussion,” Rabbi Shimon Kramer, of the Chabad Center, said of Romy and Harley. “Students shared family Holocaust stories and spoke openly about antisemitic incidents they encounter today.” Continued from page 1

Cedarhurst residents obtain marriage license

Cedarhurst residents Rachel Hamburger and Samuel Liebowitz obtained their marriage license from Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray at Hempstead Town Hall, on Jan. 15.

Residents interested in obtaining their marriage license and/or scheduling a wedding ceremony should call the Office of the Town Clerk at (516) 812-3014 or visit hempsteadny.gov/marriage.

— Melissa Berman

things to know AnnuAl Rock

Honoring Linda Barreira’s legacy

The third annual The Friends of Rock Hall Linda Barreira Memorial Scholarship: Celebrating Community Passion application is live and submissions can be sent until April 1. This scholarship was made to remember Barreira in perpetuity while recognizing students who give back to their communities. They are looking for students who give a little extra and are passionate about animals, the garden and helping others just like Barreira was.

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

n Honoring a legacy of community dedication and cultural preservation

This $1,000 scholarship celebrates the legacy of Linda Barreira, the beloved Director of Rock Hall Museum who dedicated 37 years to its growth and success. During her tenure, Linda initiated the garden club, curated permanent exhibits that still grace the museum today, and was the driving force behind the Annual Country Fair, transforming Rock Hall into a beacon of history and culture. The Friends of Rock Hall proudly carries on her mission of preserving the museum as a vibrant cultural center and promoting educational programs through fundraising activities that support educational exhibits, lectures, museum enhancements, and research.

n Eligibility

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be a high school junior or senior attending a private or public school or be homeschooled, and must be a resident of the Town of Hempstead. Applicants must not have previously won this award and cannot be related to a board member of the Friends of Rock Hall or an employee of Rock Hall Museum. The application period opens on January 1st and all completed applications must be submitted by 12 noon Eastern Standard Time on April 1st, with late applications not being considered.

In the spirit of Linda Barreira’s dedication to the community, applicants are invited to share a passion project or an impactful way in which they have contributed to their community through an original essay of 500 words or less. The essay must be emailed to friendsofrockhall@gmail.com with the subject line “Linda Barreira Memorial Scholarship” and must include the applicant’s name, grade, and current school. A panel of three board members of the Friends of Rock Hall will carefully review each submission, with the recipient of the $1,000 award being notified at the beginning of May and honored at the Friends of Rock Hall Annual Meeting in June at Rock Hall Museum in Lawrence with the award possibly also being presented during the recipient’s end-of-year ceremony at their respective school.

Living Well with Hearing Challenges

Practical, science-backed strategies to improve connection,

News briefs

FECC to host an open house and registration for new students

The Franklin Early Childhood Center is hosting an open house on Jan. 28 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Families can learn ore about programs, curriculum and registration during an in-person information session.

In-person registration will be held on Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to noon and on Feb. 5 from 10 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

— Melissa Berman

STEPPING OUT

West Bank Wings Blazin’ Buffalo Potato Skins

Chili Meatballs

Big game, big flavor

Score from kickoff to crunch time

By Karen Bloom

It’s the biggest sports day of the year — and a perfect excuse to throw a bash that’s almost as exciting as the game itself. The Super Bowl on Sunday isn’t just about touchdowns, commercials and the halftime show: it’s about friends, fun and food that’s worth a victory dance.

Sure, the game on the big screen is the main event, but let’s be honest — some of the best plays happen around the snack table. Wings, dips, even desserts are all part of the strategy to keep your fans happy (and maybe even sneak a second helping before halftime). When it comes to dessert, fuss-free is the way to go. An array of cookies, brownies and dessert bars will satisfy the sweet tooth. You can take your dessert table to the next level by icing your treats in team colors. Here’s your playbook for scoring big with game-day treats that’ll make your party a championship-worthy hit.

West Bank Wings

No football party is complete without a generous serving of wings. Try these Asianinspired chicken wings, with a spicy Creole twist.

• 3 pounds chicken wing pieces

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice

• 1/4 cup cane syrup or molasses

• 1/4 cup ZATARAIN’S® Creole Mustard

• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• Chopped fresh cilantro

• Sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss chicken wings with oil and Creole Seasoning in large bowl. Arrange wings in single layer on foil-lined large shallow baking pan.

Bake 35 minutes or until wings are cooked through and skin is crisp.

Mix remaining ingredients, except cilantro and sesame seeds, in large skillet. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer about 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced by a third and is a “syrup” consistency. Add wings; toss to coat with sauce. Transfer wings to serving

platter. Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Cajun Buffalo Wings

Here’s another zesty take on the footballwatching favorite.

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wing pieces

• 1/2 cup any flavor Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce

• 1/3 cup ketchup

• 2 tsp. Cajun seasoned spice blend

Bake wings in foil-lined pan at 500 °F on lowest oven rack for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy, turning once.

Mix Buffalo Wings Sauce, ketchup and spice blend.

Toss wings in sauce to coat.

Tip: You may substitute 1/2 cup Red Hot Sauce mixed with 1/3 cup melted butter for the Wings Sauce.

Alternate cooking directions: Deep-fry at 375°F for 10 minutes or broil 6-inches from heat 15 to 20 minutes turning once.

Blazin’ Buffalo Potato Skins

This the ideal game day snack! Seriously, it’s a crowd pleaser.

• 3 pounds small russet potatoes

• Olive oil cooking spray

• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat or regular Monterey Jack cheese

• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

• 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce

• 1/2 cup chopped Blue Diamond Smokehouse

• Almonds

• 1/2 cup light sour cream

• 1/4 cup sliced green onion tops

Preheat oven to 450 F and line baking sheet with foil.

Rinse potatoes and pat dry; pierce with fork or sharp knife. Place in large microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave high for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft when gently squeezed. Remove and let cool slightly.

Cut in half and scoop out potato leaving 1/4inch rim of potato inside skin. Place on prepared baking sheet and spray both sides of potato skins liberally with cooking spray; bake for 15 minutes to crisp.

Avocado Dip

Billy Stritch and Friends celebrate Judy Garland

Sprinkle equal amounts of cheese into each skin. Stir together chicken and wing sauce and spoon over cheese. Top with almonds and bake for 5 minutes more. Add dollop of sour cream to each and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with and additional wing sauce, if desired. Makes 6-8 servings.

Sweet Chili Meatballs

Round out your lineup with this tasty addition to your game day spread.

• 1 pound lean ground turkey or ground beef

• 1/3 cup Japanese panko crumbs or bread crumbs

• ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

• 3 green onions, chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 12 ounces Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce, divided

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Mix ground meat, panko crumbs, cilantro, green onion, ginger, egg, salt and 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce. Form into one-inch meatballs. Place meatballs on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Put meatballs in slow cooker or Dutch oven to keep warm, pour remaining sweet chili sauce over meatballs. Gently stir to coat meatballs and serve.

Bacon Avocado Dip

Game day requires guacamole. Try a new twist on the must-have dip.

• 1 large avocado, peeled and mashed

• 1/2 tomato, seeded and chopped

• 1/3 cup Blue Diamond Jalapeno Smokehouse

• Almonds, chopped

• 1/4 cup diced red onion

• 3 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• Salt and pepper, to taste

In small bowl, mix all ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips or other favorite dippers, such as carrots, bell peppers and broccoli.

Judy on TV! This concert shines a long-overdue spotlight on a unique chapter of Garland’s legendary career: her 1963–64 CBS television series. It’s a look at Garland’s iconic talent through the lens of her landmark 1963-64 weekly television broadcasts. Renowned entertainer and music director Billy Stritch leads this dazzling tribute that brings together a stellar lineup of jazz and Broadway favorites including acclaimed vocalists Gabrielle Stravelli and Nicolas King. The Judy Garland Show lasted only nine months and the star saw its cancellation as a devastating failure. Stritch sees it much differently, noting that the show’s 26 hours of concert material capture a crucial era of her life and legacy as one of the greatest entertainers of all time. These terrific performers revive the unforgettable music, intimate moments and sheer star power that defined the show.

Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. $58, $48, $38. Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Feel the beat with Step Afrika!

The acclaimed dance company visits Hofstra University with a high-octane performance, Step Afrika! 101. Since its 1994 founding, Step Afrika! has been recognized as a cultural ambassador for this percussive dance tradition rooted in African American communities and historically linked to Black Greek-letter organizations. Their signature style fuses precise footwork and rhythmic movement with contemporary African dance, AfroBeats and popular music, in a powerful celebration of culture and community. Everyone is encouraged to clap, stomp, and join in calland-response moments that make the show feel as communal as it is electric. In keeping with Step Afrika!’s emphasis on service and community, it’s requested to bring non-perishable food items or basic toiletries to benefit the Hofstra Pantry and the Mary Brennan INN.

Sunday, Feb. 8, 3:30-5 p.m. Free admission. John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus, Hempstead. For more information, visit hofstra.edu/academics/culturalcenter or call (516) 463-5669 or email hofculctr@hofstra.edu.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

FEB

7

‘Inside Out’ Headquarter Hats

Join in some creative fun relating to Long Island Children’s Museum new exhibit. Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out” focuses on Riley’s emotions Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear. Come explore your many emotions and craft an interchangeable hat to display which emotion is “in charge” throughout the day at the drop-in program.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: Noon-2 p.m., also Feb. 8

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

FEB 8

‘Early American Jews: Myth, Reality and Legacy’

Rock Hall Museum hosts a talk led by Professor Michael Hoberman. Who were the first Jews to come to North America? Where did they originate? Why did they choose to settle where they did, and what were their motivations for crossing the Atlantic in the first place? In this talk, Michael Hoberman will explore these questions but, also, more broadly, the reasons why early Jewish American history matters in the first place. As we approach the semi-quincentennial of the US, what are we celebrating, exactly, and what can we learn by marking the occasion? $10, $8 seniors, members free. Check is to be payable to the Friends of Rock Hall. Space limited. Reservations required.

• Where: 199 Broadway, Lawrence

• Time: 1:30 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 239-1157

FEB

10

Short Story Circle

Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library and Librarian Ellan Getreu welcomes all for Short Story Circle. Stories are selected from The Best American Short Stories of the Century. Come hear “In the Gloaming” by Alice Elliott Dark “Proper Library” by Carolyn Ferrell.

• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett

• Time: 2 p.m.

• Contact: hwpl.org or (516) 374-1967

Souper Tuesday Soup Festival

Stop by the Israel Chesed Center for an all-you-can-eat soup buffet plus fresh breads, crunchy croutons, assorted toppings and flavorful dips. With a special guest

‘So don’t stop me now’

deliver gravity-defying skills and thrills. It’s an adrenaline rush not to be missed.

• Where: 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont.

• Time: Noon and 6 p.m.; also Feb. 15 and Feb. 16

• Contact: ticketmaster.com

Lunar New Year program

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes Chinese Theatre Works to the museum stage. Join in a celebration of the Lunar New Year with an original “budaixi” glove puppet production that features the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac. This year’s show stars the Horse, who presides over a jolly selection of wild puppet skits, dances, popular songs, and well known Chinese sayings that celebrate the wit and wisdom of the zodiac animals. Hao Bang Ah! Horse! A hands-on post show demonstration will make the Chinese bilingual cultural experience accessible to even the youngest audience members. $5, $4 members, $10 theater only.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 8 p.m.

Queen-mania rolls on. Almost Queen returns to the Paramount stage with their homage to the beloved band. They don’t just pay tribute to the legendary band, Almost Queen transports you back in time to experience the magic and essence of Queen themselves. The band — featuring Joseph Russo as Freddie Mercury, Steve Leonard as Brian May, Randy Gregg as John Deacon, and John Cappadona as Roger Taylor — is “guaranteed to blow your mind” with iconic four-part harmonies and expertly executed musical interludes. The band’s authenticity shines through in their impeccable attention to detail and genuine costumes, while their live energy and precision captivates fans of all ages with an unforgettable concert experience. Almost Queen’s concerts are a true testament to the band’s love for Queen’s music. The carefully curated setlist featuring Queen’s best-loved songs, like “Somebody to Love,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Fat Bottomed Girls,” and “Radio Ga Ga,” along with lesser known tracks. And of course, no Queen tribute concert would be complete without classics like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions!” It’s no wonder fans keep coming back for more.

performance by Comedian Eli Lebowicz and Israeli wine tastings. $54 a person or $100 a couple. All proceeds support Israel.

• Where: 140 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: 7-10 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 655-7545

Game Time

FEB

12

Visit Peninsula Public Library downstairs for Canasta, Mah Jongg, Scrabble and more. Seating is limited and is first come, first seated.

• Where: 280 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: Ongoing weekly, 2 p.m.

• Contact: peninsulapublic.org or (516) 967-5777

Pottery Class

Naomi Singer guides participants in creating a functional pottery piece out of clay at HewlettWoodmere Public Library. Add color by glazing it. Naomi will then fire the pieces in her kiln and leave them at the library to be picked up. Registration required. Space is limited to 12 participants.

• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett

• Time: 6:30 p.m.

• Contact: hwpl.org or (516) 374-1967

Little Learners Art Lab

Each week in this engaging workshop, 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 This week, we will be transforming clothespins into charming lovebug pals for Valentine’s fun. $4 with museum admission.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

Book talk

Karine Jean-Pierre, former White House press secretary and senior advisor to President Joseph R. Biden Jr., visits Hofstra University to discuss her two books published last year, “Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America” and “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House Outside the Party Lines.” Copies of both books will be available for purchase, and her talk will be followed by a book signing. Advance registration is required.

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

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

• Where: John Cranford Adams Playhouse, Hofstra University South Campus, Hempstead

• Time: 11:15 a.m.- 2:45 p.m.

• Contact: events.hofstra.edu to RSVP

FEB

14

Evening of Love and Laughter

Enjoy an evening of entertainment with Dovi Neuburger at the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC’s Harrison-Kerr Campus. Tickets are $75 each with dairy dessert provided. Proceeds to Benefit the Gural JCC’s Rina Shkolnik Kosher Food Pantry

• Where: 140 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: 8-10 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 569-6733

Monster Jam Freestyle Mania

See the world’s best drivers tear up the dirt and show off crazy skills and all-out racing in fierce head-to-head battles of speed and skill when Monster Jam roars into UBS Arena. Get ready for the event that will change everything you thought you knew about freestyle. Monster Jam trucks team up with Freestyle Motocross bikes to

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m..

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

FEB

15

Hudson Valley Chamber Musicians

Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library welcomes the Hudson Valley Chamber Musicians. This woodwind group based in the Hudson Valley takes everyone on a trip through France. The quintet comprises performers on flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, and bassoon.

• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett

• Time: 2:30 p.m.

• Contact: hwpl.org or (516) 374-1967

News brief

Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti, center, the Hempstead Town Board, and the town’s Antisemitism Task Force lit the Town Hall clock tower yellow on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Holocaust Remembrance Day at TOH

Hempstead Town officials marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day by illuminating the clock tower atop Town Hall in yellow, honoring the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution.

Town Supervisor John Ferretti and members of the Town Board were joined by members of the town’s Antisemitism Task Force for the commemoration.

“The words ‘Never Forget’ are not just

a phrase, they are a responsibility,” Ferretti wrote in a news release. “Lighting our clock tower yellow is a solemn reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and a clear statement that antisemitism and intolerance have no place in the Town of Hempstead. We remember the victims, we honor the survivors, and we recommit ourselves to educating future generations. Never Forget. Never Again.”

— Melissa Berman

BUSINESS EXPO & WORKSHOPS

Public Notices

LEGAL nOTICE pUBLIC nOTICE OF COUnTY TREASURER’S SALE OF TAX LIEnS On REAL ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that I shall, commencing on February 17, 2026, sell at public on-line auction the tax liens on real estate herein-after described, unless the owner, mortgagee, occupant of or any other party-ininterest in such real estate shall pay to the County Treasurer by February 12, 2026 the total amount of such unpaid taxes or assessments with the interest, penalties and other expenses and charges, against the property. Such tax liens will be sold at the lowest rate of interest, not exceeding 10 per cent per six month’s period, for which any person or persons shall offer to take the total amount of such unpaid taxes as defined in section 5-37.0 of the Nassau County Administrative Code. Effective with the February 17, 2026 lien sale, Ordinance No. 175-2015 requires a $175.00 per day registration fee for each person who intends to bid at the tax lien sale. Ordinance No. 175-2015 also requires that upon the issuance of the Lien Certificate there is due from the lien buyer a Tax Certificate Issue Fee of $20.00 per lien purchased.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Nassau County Administrative Code at the discretion of the Nassau County Treasurer the auction will be conducted online. Further information concerning the procedures for the auction is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: https://www.nassaucountyny. gov/526/County-Treasurer

Should the Treasurer determine that an in-person auction shall be held, same will commence on the 17th day of February, 2026 at the Office of The County Treasurer 1 West Street, Mineola or at some other location to be determined by the Treasurer.

The liens are for arrears of School District taxes for the year 2024 - 2025 and/or County, Town, and Special District taxes for the year 2025. The following is a partial listing of the real estate located in school district number(s) 14 in the Town of Hempstead only, upon which tax liens are to be sold, with a brief description of the same by reference to the County Land and Tax Map, the name of the owner or occupant as the same appears on the 2024/2025 tentative assessment roll, and the total amount of such unpaid taxes.

IMpORTAnT

THE NAMES OF OWNERS SHOWN ON THIS LIST MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS OWNING THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT. SUCH NAMES HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE 2024/2025 TENTATIVE ASSESSMENT ROLLS AND MAY DIFFER FROM THE NAMES OF THE OWNERS AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. IT MAY ALSO BE THAT SUCH OWNERS ARE NOMINAL ONLY AND ANOTHER PERSON IS ACTUALLY THE BENEFICIAL OWNER.

Town of Hempstead School:14 Hewlett-woodmere UFSd

ROSS RONALD & SUSAN 7,964.02 41028 00170 17-20

STEIN AARON & TERI 26,362.17 41028 04030

GOLDSTEIN BENJAMIN S 28,902.94 41033 03290

SCHEMTOB RONNIE & SCHEMTOB ROCH 3,469.47 41033 05280

OLIVE TREE 18 INC 4,199.48 41034 02630

TELLER MITCHELL & STACEY 18,232.68 41035 03050

KERSTEIN DANIEL 24,245.63 41061 00010

JUNGREIS MOSHE & SARAH 4,652.88 41063 00060

SELA SHLOMO & SELA KEREN TRUSTS 4,032.37 41066 04480

PARTMAN BRIAN & C 15,562.05 41102 06260

BAKAYEV MICHAEL & KANEVSKAYD IN 28,945.43 41102 06490

KLEIN ERIC & SHARONA 29,166.65 41109 00140

HOUSES R US NYC LLC 14,326.75

42 H 00230 23,24

PINTCHIK MATTHEW & SHEVILLE-PIN 320.84

42 H 0405A

DABIE RAMNARINE & HAMWATTIE 63,250.92

42 K 00770

PACKER LOUIS & WILMA 63,018.55

42 L 00060

BAKAYEV MICHAEL 535.64

42 L 02170

VERITY CAROLINE & HARRY E 477.84

42071 00020

VERITY HARRY & CAROLINE 2,727.37

42071 00830 83-84

ROFFE ALLAN & ANNE 3,725.16

42111 00070

SEPE PAUL & SLOANE & SEPE ELAIN 60,426.86

42113 00080

MIBE REALTY LLC 91,417.06 42113 00110

REZNICK LOUIS & SYLVIA M 3,234.43 42123 06610 661

ALABAYEV SHARONE R & EDUARD 2,882.38 42146 01580

CONTE YVES & KARINE 14,497.66

42170 00450 45,251

RASHID HUMAYUN 23,560.76 42191 04210

RAGHID FAROOQI & SAMINA 27,337.84 42191 04260

GOODKIND JUDITH 12,269.94 421910100060

ROSENBLUM STEPHANIE & IRA 31,451.34 42197 02060

CORLESS EUGENE & VARAS CECILIA 9,063.67 42199 02150

GOLOB SHMUEL & HINDY TRUSTS 26,973.61 42213 01200

ROITMAN MICHAEL & KUCHER SAMANT 3,450.76 42213 01210

MARUSIC SIME & DUSANKA 21,546.08 42213 01710

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST CO 657.05 42219 03100

RANKOV LEONID & MAYA 4,037.34 42221 00760

GAGLIARDI ROCCO & MARY 2,449.23 42221 01300

GAGLIARDI ROCCO & MARY 1,083.84 42221 02570

178 EAST ROCK LLC 21,830.36 42221 02650

WOLKOWITE ARIELA 28,784.85 42240 00130

DIAZ LUIS A & MARTA C 2,653.12 42249 00050

GOLDENBAUM JEFFREY 7,891.40 42249 00320

PEACOCK DEBORAH 20,079.08 42250 00020

BOUSKILA DAVID & CECILE 25,961.70 42265 00340

TERMS OF SALE

Such tax liens shall be sold subject to any and all superior tax liens of sovereignties and other municipalities and to all claims of record which the County may have thereon and subject to the provisions of the Federal and State Soldier’s and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts.

However, such tax liens shall have priority over the County’s Differential Interest Lien, representing the excess, if any, of the interest and penalty borne at the maximum rate over the interest and penalty borne at the rate at which the lien is purchased.

The Purchaser acknowledges that the tax lien(s) sold pursuant to these Terms of Sale may be subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or may become

subject to such proceedings which may be commenced during the period in which a lien is held by a successful bidder or the assignee of same, which may modify a Purchaser’s rights with respect to the lien(s) the property securing same. Such bankruptcy proceedings shall not affect the validity of the tax lien. In addition to being subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/ or the Federal and State Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts, said purchaser’s right of foreclosure may be affected by the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), 12 U.S.C. ss 1811 et. seq., with regard to real property under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) receivership.

The County Treasurer reserves the right, without further notice and at any time, to withdraw from sale any of the parcels of land or premises herein listed.

The rate of interest and penalty which any person purchases the tax lien shall be established by his bid. Each purchaser, immediately after the sale thereof, shall pay to the County Treasurer ten percent of the amount from which the tax liens have been sold and the remaining ninety percent within thirty days after such sale. If the purchaser at the tax sale shall fail to pay the remaining ninety percent within ten days after he has been notified by the County Treasurer that the certificates of sale are ready for delivery, then all deposited with the County Treasurer including but not limited to the ten percent theretofore paid by him shall, without further notice or demand, be irrevocably forfeited by the purchaser and shall be retained by the County Treasurer as liquidated damages and the agreement to purchase be of no further effect.

Time is of the essence in this sale. This sale is held pursuant to the Nassau County Administrative Code and interested parties are referred to such Code for additional information as to terms of sale, rights of purchasers, maximum rates of interest and other legal incidents of the sale.

Furthermore, as to the bidding,

1.The bidder(s) agree that they will not work with any other bidder(s) to increase, maintain or stabilize interest rates or collaborate with any other bidder(s) to gain an unfair competitive advantage in the random number generator in the event of a tie bid(s) on a tax certificate. Bidder(s) further agree not to employ any bidding strategy designed to create an unfair competitive advantage in the tiebreaking process in the upcoming tax sale nor work with any other bidder(s) to engage in any bidding strategy that will result in a rotational award of tax certificates.

2.The tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) bid, will be arrived at independently and without direct or indirect consultation, communication or agreement with any other bidder and that the tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) to be bid, have not been disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder, and will not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder prior to the close of bidding. No attempt has been made or will be made to, directly or indirectly, induce any other bidder to refrain from bidding on any tax certificate, to submit complementary bids, or to submit bids at specific interest rates.

3.The bids to be placed by the Bidder will be made in good faith and not pursuant to any direct or indirect, agreement or discussion with, or inducement from, any other bidder to submit a complementary or other noncompetitive bid.

4.If it is determined that the bidder(s) have violated any of these bid requirements then their bid shall be voided and if they were the successful bidder the lien and any deposits made, in connection with, said bid shall be forfeited.

This list includes only tax liens on real estate located in Town of Hempstead. Such other tax liens on real estate are advertised as follows:

TOwn OF HEMpSTEAd Dist

Public Notices

NEIGHBOR NEWSPAPERS

NEW YORK POST

1004

1005

1006

1007

1008

1009

1010

1011

1012

BELLMORE HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEIGHBOR NEWSPAPERS NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEIGHBOR NEWSPAPERS NEW YORK POST THE NASSAU OBSERVER

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEW YORK POST

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

WANTAGH HERALD CITIZEN

BELLMORE HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

YORK POST

BALDWIN HERALD

HEMPSTEAD BEACON, NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

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FREEPORT HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEW YORK POST

BALDWIN HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

YORK POST

OCEANSIDE TRIBUNE

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEW YORK POST VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE Dist 1013

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

VALLEY STREAM HERALD

VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE

Dist 1024

Dist 1025

Dist 1026

Dist 1027

Dist 1028

NEW YORK POST

SEAFORD HERALD CITIZEN

WANTAGH HERALD CITIZEN

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

VALLEY STREAM HERALD

VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE

MERRICK HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NASSAU OBSERVER

MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

LONG BEACH HERALD

LONG BEACH TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

Dist 1029

Dist 1030

Dist 1031

Dist 1201

Dist 1205

1014

1015

1016

1017

FIVE TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

FIVE TOWNS TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU HERALD (FIVE TOWNS)

NEW YORK POST

FIVE TOWNS JEWISH TIMES

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JEWISH STAR

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

FRANKLIN SQ/ELMONT HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

FRANKLIN SQ/ELMONT HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW HYDE PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

NEW YORK POST

1018

1019

1020

GARDEN CITY NEWS

GARDEN CITY TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS NEW YORK POST

EAST ROCKAWAY TRIBUNE

LYNBROOK/EAST ROCKAWAY HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEW YORK POST

ROCKAWAY JOURNAL

EAST ROCKAWAY TRIBUNE

LYNBROOK/EAST ROCKAWAY HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEW YORK POST

ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

Dist 2122

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW HYDE PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

NEW YORK POST

Dist 2301

GLEN COVE OYSTER BAY RECORD PILOT

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NORTH SHORE LEADER

Dist 2315

JERICHO NEWS JOURNAL

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SYOSSET JERICHO TRIBUNE

Town of oysTer Bay

Dist 3001

GLEN COVE OYSTER BAY RECORD PILOT

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NORTH SHORE LEADER

Dist 3002

GLEN COVE OYSTER BAY RECORD PILOT

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SEA CLIFF - GLEN HEAD HERALD

THE NORTH SHORE LEADER

MERRICK HERALD

MERRICK/BELLMORE TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

VALLEY STREAM HERALD

VALLEY STREAM/MALVERN TRIBUNE

ISLAND PARK TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

EAST MEADOW HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

MALVERNE/WEST HEMPSTEAD HERALD

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW HYDE PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

NEW YORK POST

Town of norTh hempsTead

Dist 2001

Dist 2002

Dist 2003

Dist 2004

Dist 2005

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

MINEOLA WILLISTON TIMES

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

BNH

MANHASSET PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

ROSLYN NEWS TIMES

MANHASSET PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

PORT WASHINGTON NEWS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW HYDE PARK FLORAL PARK HERALD COURIER

NEW YORK POST

Dist 2006

Dist 2007

Dist 2009

Dist 2010

Dist 2011

MANHASSET PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

PORT WASHINGTON NEWS

GREAT NECK NEWS RECORD

JEWISH STAR

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

MINEOLA WILLISTON TIMES

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

MINEOLA WILLISTON TIMES

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NASSAU ILLUSTRATED NEWS

NEW YORK POST

Dist 3003

Dist 3004

Dist 3006

Dist 3008

Dist 3009

Dist 3011

Dist 3012

Dist 3013

Dist 3014

Dist 3015

Dist 3017

Dist 3018

JERICHO NEWS JOURNAL

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SYOSSET JERICHO TRIBUNE

LONG ISLAND PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NORTH SHORE LEADER

LONG ISLAND PRESS

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NORTH SHORE LEADER

GLEN COVE OYSTER BAY RECORD PILOT

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

OYSTER BAY GUARDIAN

GLEN COVE OYSTER BAY RECORD PILOT

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

OYSTER BAY GUARDIAN

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SYOSSET ADVANCE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SYOSSET ADVANCE

SYOSSET JERICHO TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SYOSSET ADVANCE

SYOSSET JERICHO TRIBUNE

JERICHO NEWS JOURNAL

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SYOSSET JERICHO TRIBUNE

JERICHO NEWS JOURNAL

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

SYOSSET JERICHO TRIBUNE

HICKSVILLE/LEVITTOWN TRIBUNE

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

NEW YORK POST

THE NASSAU OBSERVER

BETHPAGE NEWSGRAM

MASSAPEQUA POST

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

SOUTH BAYS NEIGHBOR - N. MASSAPEQUA THE NASSAU OBSERVER Dist 3019

BETHPAGE NEWSGRAM

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEW YORK POST Dist 3020

BETHPAGE NEWSGRAM

NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEW YORK POST

SOUTH BAYS NEIGHBOR - BETHPAGE

BETHPAGE NEWSGRAM NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE

Upon request, accommodations such as those required by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in all services, programs, activities and public hearings and events conducted by the Treasurer’s Office. Upon request, information can be made available in braille, large print, audio tape other alternative formats. For additional information, please call (516) 571-2090 ext. 13715. Dated: February 05, 2026

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of Qualification of Meteorite Camillus LLC, a Delaware limited liability company formed on 12/04/25. Authority filed with New York Secretary of State on 12/09/25. County in New York: Nassau. Address: 1030R Broadway, Woodmere, NY 11598. Designated agent for service of process: Joshua Jacobs, 1030R Broadway, Woodmere, NY 11598. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 157654

LEGAL NOTICE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS

Docket: 24-cv-07716

TRUSTEE FOR DEUTSCHE ALT-A SECURITIES

MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2007OA2 MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, Plaintiff, vs. JOSEPH J. FENELON, Defendants.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, filed in the office of the clerk on January 9, 2026, wherein HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR DEUTSCHE ALT-A SECURITIES MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2007-OA2 MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES is the Plaintiff and JOSEPH J. FENELON is the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction on the front steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on March 4, 2026 at 11:00AM, the premises in said Final Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale described and therein directed to be sold, to which Final Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale reference is made for the terms of sale and for a description of the premises which may be briefly described as follows: 11 PARSONS DRIVE, HEMPSTEAD NY 11550; and the following tax map

identification: Section 35, Block 442, Lot 7. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATE LYING AND BEING IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Dated:

Melissa D. Mohan, Esq. Court Appointed Referee 158077

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR RASC 2006KS9 Plaintiff, Against MICHELLE WILLIAMS A/K/A MICHELLE D. WILLIAMS, et al Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 11/14/2024, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 3/9/2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 37 Cedar Road, Inwood, New York 11096, and described as follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Inwood, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. Section 40 Block 144 Lot 350

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $524,686.09 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 606755/2022 If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction.

This Auction will be held rain or shine.

Anthony C. Curcio, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 1/8/2026 File Number: 20-303082 CA 158242

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter: Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: February 18, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Place: Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case #25-09-6949 RA 29 Lewis Avenue LLC Lewis Avenue Atlantic Beach, New York 11509. Applicant proposes to install two A/C condenser units in the front yard setback on Ocean Boulevard. Our denial is based on nonconformance with the following sections of the Zoning Code of the Village of Atlantic Beach. 250-108

Prohibited and restricted uses. (Q) In any use district generators (permanent or portable) shall be prohibited in the front yard setback and within five feet of the side and rear property lines and shall be restricted to one side yard or the rear yard. Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 49 Lots 34-37 & 67 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map. All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter. All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: January 27, 2026. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Steven Cherson, Plans Examiner 158231

LEGAL NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter: Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: February 18, 2026

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case #25-11-6988 Jean Lindenbaum as Trustee of Jean Lindenbaum Revocable Trust 1744 Bay Boulevard. Atlantic Beach, New York 11509. Applicant proposes to construct a new twostory single-family dwelling. The applicants are seeking relief from the following section of the Zoning Code: Section 250- Section 250-21 Lot coverage. The lot coverage shall not exceed 30% of the lot area. Proposed 45.84% (house 40.6%, balconies, landings and steps 5.24%) Section 250-23 (B) Side yards. In case of a singlefamily dwelling with 51 feet or more of frontage where the existing aggregate widths of which are 15 feet and the existing side yard is five feet, any additions shall be permitted to maintain the same aggregate width and side yard setback. This shall include any vacant lots or when the entire structure is removed and replaced. Proposed side yard on west side to first story landing 7.9 feet, aggregate width 13.9 feet and stairs 5.4 feet, aggregate 11.4 feet. Section 250-24 Rear Yards. There shall be a rear yard, the depth of which shall be at least 25 feet, Proposed rear yard to second story decks 19.4 feet. Section 250-25 Permitted encroachments (A)(7) Stairs no greater than four feet in width and secondary landings no greater than four feet by four feet projecting into the front yard setback shall be permitted, shall not count towards lot coverage. Proposed stair width 6 feet. 250-108 Prohibited and restricted uses(J) Buildings within the Village of Atlantic Beach shall be constructed with a peaked or gable roof only. Proposed 797 sf flat roof, rooftop deck

above the second floor 306 sf, 101 sf above second floor for HVAC equipment and 466 sf between pitched roof and parapet wall. 250-108 Prohibited and restricted uses(N) In any use district, no permanent structures shall be installed on a roof without a special exemption from the Board of Zoning Appeals, excluding chimneys and photovoltaic panels. Proposed 6 HVAC condensers. Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 82, Lots 14-16 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map. All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter. All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: January 27, 2026.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Steven Cherson, Plans Examiner 158230

LEGAL NOTICE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR

LEGAL NOTICE MONTHLY MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hewlett Harbor will meet in both public and via Zoom on February 12, 2026, at 7PM, Eastern Standard Time, for the purpose of holding the Village’s regular monthly meeting.

All residents wishing to attend via Zoom can visit www.hewlettharbor.go v for instructions. Residents wishing to speak via Zoom or in person must notify the Village Clerk in advance.

Dated: February 2, 2026

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

LISA JAMES VILLAGE CLERK 158254

LEGAL NOTICE HEWLETT-WOODMERE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING, PROPOSED REPAIR RESERVE FUND EXPENDITURE

February 11, 2026 6:20 P.M.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Section 6-d of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York, a Public Hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 6:20 P.M., prevailing time, at the Woodmere Education Center, One Johnson Place, Woodmere, NY 11598, at which time and place the Board of Education of the Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District will propose to appropriate monies not to exceed $300,000 from the Repair Reserve Fund IIFacilities Repair Reserve fund for the purpose of locating and repairing leaks associated with the geothermal system at George W. Hewlett High School. By order of: District Clerk Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District Date: February 5, 2026 158232

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 13-2026

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 27th day of January 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 13-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 13-2026, to amend Section 197-13 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include “TRAFFIC REGULATIONS IN THE VICINITY OF SCHOOLS” at various locations. Dated: January 27, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158194

10-2026

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 27th day of January 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 10-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 10-2026, to amend Chapter 202 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “REGULATIONS & RESTRICTIONS” to limit parking at various locations.

Dated: January 27, 2026

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

JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158191

LEGAL NOTICE CASE NO. 21527

RESOLUTION NO. 84-2026

Adopted: January 27, 2026

Councilmember Muscarella offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AND SETTING ASIDE CERTAIN PARKING SPACES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE SOLE USE OF HOLDERS OF SPECIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF NASSAU TO PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.

WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 73-2026, adopted January 13, 2026 a public hearing was duly held on the 27th day of January, 2026, at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the proposed establishment and setting aside of a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons, in accordance with Section 202-48 of

the Code of the Town of Hempstead, all as set forth in said resolution; and WHEREAS, after due consideration, this Town Board finds it to be in the public interest to establish and set aside a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, the following parking spaces be and the same hereby is set aside for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons:

EAST ATLANTIC BEACH

MOHAWK AVENUEeast side, starting at a point 240 feet south of the south curbline of Beech Street, south for a distance of 16 feet.

(TH-616/25)

ELMONT

237th STREET - east side, starting at a point 118 feet north of the north curbline of 116th Avenue, north for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-641/25)

TERRACE AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 495 feet south of the south curbline of Atherton Avenue, south for a distance of 18 feet.

(TH-644/25)

GARDEN CITY SOUTH

WHITEHALL ROAD SOUTH - east side, starting at a point of 285 feet south of the south curbline of Ardsley Boulevard, south for a distance of 22 feet.

(TH-605/25)

ROOSEVELT RONALD PLACE - east side, starting at a point 459 feet south of the south curbline of East Fulton Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-597/25)

UNIONDALE

LAWRENCE STREETwest side, starting at a point 269 feet south of the south curbline of Westbury Boulevard, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-596/25)

SOUTHERN PARKWAYnorthside, starting at a point 455 feet west of the west curbline of Uniondale Avenue, west for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-625/25)

WANTAGH

Brushing up on dental skills at Lawrence Early Childhood Center

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

Students at the Lawrence Early Childhood Center were treated to a special visit from Dr. Levi Grosser, a pediatric dentist where they learned the importance of brushing teeth and dental care.

Grosser, an Inwood resident, is opening a new pediatric dental office in Cedarhurst called Smiles Off Central. He wanted to personally reach out to the local community and give back while educating them about dental care.

“I made sure to bring different cartoons that were brushing their teeth,” Grosser said. “I went through the different diets of what’s good for the teeth and what’s bad.”

He showed different pictures of foods and the children provided thumbs up if it was good and thumbs down if it was bad.

The main element of his presentation on Jan. 29 was a bear with big teeth to get the kids into it and to pay attention.

“We spoke about brushing twice a day and how important it is,” he said. “At the end of the day, my goal here is that the kids go home and they are excited to brush their teeth.”

Grosser went to dental school at Tufts University in Massachusetts and was one of two fellows in a special needs fellowship at Stony Brook University. He did his residency at Jamaica Hospital in Queens for two years.

He wanted to make sure the kids felt comfortable when they go to the dentist and to improve their oral hygiene.

“When you deal with little kids it’s hard to know but from the beginning they

were into it,” Grosser added. “I just think everything worked out perfectly. I loved coming here because it’s so diverse.”

He said his aim is to give back to the community and play a role in helping out.

“I just want kids to know that dental hygiene starts at home before going to the dentist,” Grosser said.

Grosser also presented to a special education classroom with non-verbal children and spent one-on-one time with each one showing them how to brush their teeth.

“It was really special for them to be able to experience this in a structured like setting and a safe space,” said Jennifer Bloodnick, special education teacher.

“I know with this population they have a hard time opening up their mouths and allow access in for a routine checkup.”

She said Grosser built trust in the students by making them feel comfortable as a medical provider.

“They liked the giant toothbrush, the bear and I tried to prep them before he came in,” she said. “We talked about toothbrushes and all things involved with dental care and a check up.”

Patricia Almonaitis, the pre-school supervisor said the student’s were very attentive and participated during the presentation.

“It’s good for reminders to see why we need to brush our teeth,” she said. “It was a great interactive presentation he gave.”

Each student had an opportunity to brush the bear’s teeth and learned how to properly brush.

Students went home with goodie bags filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste and a squishy toy.

“It’s very important especially at an

Public Notices

BAYVIEW AVENUEeast side, starting at a point 187 feet north of the north curbline of St. Regis Street, north for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-599/25)

WOODBINE AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 340 feet west of the west curbline of Express Way, west for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-600/25)

WEST HEMPSTEAD

BARBARA LANE - west side, starting at a point 213 feet south of the south curbline of White Star Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-608/25) and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:

FRANKLIN SQUARE

THIRD AVENUE - north side, starting at a point 84 feet east of the east curbline of Fourth Street, east for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-35/11 - 6/14/11)

(TH-592/25) ; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk shall enter this resolution in the minutes of the Town Board and shall publish a copy of this resolution once a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town of Hempstead and shall post a copy hereof on the signboard maintained by her, and file in her office affidavits of such publication and posting. The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Schneider and adopted upon roll call as follows:

AYES: SIX (6)

NOES: NONE (0) 158200

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Zoning Appeals is meeting on February 5, 2026 at 7:00pm at Atlantic Beach Village

early age to learn how to brush your teeth,” Almonaitis said. “Every single

child was quiet and they definitely got a lot out of it.”

Celebrating multicultural day

Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach to discuss the application of 1846 Park Street Realty LLC. 1846-1850 Park Street Atlantic Beach, New York 11509 (Case #25-09-6944), and any other matters that may come before the Board.

Giuseppina Ficeto Building Clerk 158229

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to N.Y. Constitution Article 9, N.Y. Town Law, and N.Y. Municipal Home Rule Law, as amended, the Hempstead Town Board will hold a public hearing at Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 10th day of February, 2026 at 10:30 in the forenoon of that day, to consider enacting Chapter 153 of the Hempstead Town Code to be

entitled “Cat and Dog Litter Registry”. The proposed local law is available at hempsteadny.gov, on the bulletin board at Town Hall as of the publication of this notice, and on file in the Office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Hempstead, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, where the same may be inspected during office hours.

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

Dated: January 27, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158203

Lawrence Universal Preschool (UPK) celebrated multicultural day, a special event that honored the rich diversity of cultures represented within its school community. The celebration provided students with meaningful opportunities to learn about and appreciate the traditions and backgrounds of their classmates.

Children wore traditional clothing representing their own cultures or the countries of their ancestors, filling the classrooms with vibrant colors and cultural pride. Students also brought in special items from home to share in the school’s Cultural Mosaic Museum, where families and classmates explored artifacts that reflected a wide range of traditions, val-

ues, and customs.

Through these hands-on experiences, students learned about similarities and differences among cultures while developing respect, curiosity, and understanding for one another. Multicultural Day highlighted the importance of inclusion and helped children recognize that diversity is a strength that enriches the entire community.

“The Lawrence UPK Multicultural Day celebration was a joyful reminder of the many cultures that come together to make the school community welcoming, unique, and special,” the district wrote in a news release.

— Melissa Berman

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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

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Positions Available!

Busy Print Shop in Garden City

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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

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Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome!

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EDITOR/REPORTER

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 CHAIRSIDE 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

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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

OUTSIDE SALES

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.

HomesHERALD

Hewlett Harbor

A House You'll Call Home

Welcome to this beautifully updated and spacious 5-bedroom, 3 full bath expanded Ranch in Hewlett Harbor! The most desirable section of the Five Towns! Low taxes, no Sandy damage and no flood insurance required! Step into an atmosphere enhanced by brand-new wall-to-wall windows that fill every room with natural light and custom-built blinds. The primary bedroom offers a private ensuite bath with a triple door closet. The eat-in kitchen is newly renovated with gorgeous countertops, modern new appliances, a wine cooler, and a butler’s pantry with additional counter space for effortless entertaining. A mudroom with ample storage provides the perfect spot to keep seasonal and holiday items neatly organized and out of the way. There are two additional updated bathrooms, new air conditioning and gleaming hardwood floors flow throughout the home. The second floor is a private oasis, complete with two bedrooms and a full bath, and a stand-up attic for extra storage. The outside is beautifully landscaped with oversized fenced-in backyard. There is plenty of room for a pool, hot tub, outdoor fireplace, swing set, and even a basketball hoop. The ultimate space for entertainment and relaxation. Enjoy new siding, a newer roof under 10 years old, freshly installed pavers, and a beautiful patio that’s perfect for gatherings or outdoor relaxation under the stars. Well water for sprinklers. Don't miss the opportunity to make it your Home sweet Home! Schedule your private tour to view this beauty.

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Apartments For Rent

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How do we keep our home livable during renovations?

Q. Do you have any suggestions on how we can guarantee our house won’t be damaged while we have a renovation done? We’re doing a lot of work to add a back family room and a second floor. Our house is a cape that already has a second floor, but we want a full second floor. Everyone we spoke to called it a dormer, but we read your column in which you clarified that a dormer is pushed out through the current roof and a second floor is the whole thing, so we know. We want to stay on the first floor, and even though we’ll get a POD for the driveway, we’re concerned about staying on the first floor. The contractor showed us the plastic curtains he uses, but is there anything else? Our daughter has asthma, and we’re very concerned.

A. It’s tough to guarantee that dust won’t get in, since there are many ways dust travels and the average home, without any air filtration, usually get dusty, anyway. I have seen countless projects with zippered air curtain separations, sealed at the walls, floors and ceilings — even double curtains separated by 4 feet to create a vestibule, with a fan drawing air to the outside just before people open the first zipper. This is called a negative air method, and the fan should only be turned on when someone is about to enter the vestibule from the clean side, because if the fan is left on, it’s drawing air from the dusty side to the clean side.

Several clients purchased boxes of disposable booties to slip over shoes to keep from tracking in dust and dirt. If you have carpeting or just want to protect your finished floors, it’s best to have the walking paths covered in plywood and heavy plastic. Lift the plastic and fold inward to discard periodically, or vacuum with a brush attachment so as not to suck up the plastic. Also, if the path is highly trafficked, it will tear and may be slippery from the booties and dust, so monitor the surface and how affected it will be.

Sometimes just a smooth fiberboard, without splinters, is best. One client even used a spray bottle to spray the air and then the booties before discarding them in a plastic bag. Unfortunately, some people did not completely understand the air flow issues, and left their exterior windows open in the clean areas, adjacent to where the work was being done, allowing the dust to float in through the windows from outside.

Depending on how much you want to spend, there are elaborate portable units with high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filters that will rid the air of a large amount of dust as well as less-visible matter such as pollen. You may want to consult your child’s doctor for advice about filtered respirators, or whether it’s a good idea for her to be there during the construction at all. Good luck!

© 2026 Monte Leeper

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

AFFORDABLE

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SERVICES

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Extremist green policies have made electric rates soar

Anew report issued by our Center for Cost Effective Government confirms that progressive policies implemented by New York’s Legislature designed to tackle climate change have caused energy rates in the state to skyrocket, with few environmental benefits.

In fact, these policies increased electric bills by roughly 50 percent in the six years since their implementation.

In 2019, Albany enacted a sweeping law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, imposing mandates seeking a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It also calls for 100 percent renewable electricity use by 2040.

But recently, New York’s government has been quietly telling the utilities to slow-walk the decommissioning of gasfired power plants. And after the November election, Gov. Kathy Hochul officially retreated from the unrealistic mandate requiring electric heat in new buildings until a lawsuit on the issue concludes.

The state’s progressive policies

included numerous initiatives many now regret, including shutting down nuclear plants; refusing to frack in New York; refusing to approve natural-gas pipelines; requiring all new buildings be heated with electricity; imposing carbon penalties on utilities, passing costs to consumers; and mandating that all cars be electric by 2035.

OIronically, New York’s carbon footprint wound up being worse after passage of this bill, while electric rates soared. Curtailing natural gas had devastating consequences, both economically and environmentally. It was the transition from dirtier coal and oil to cleaner natural gas that dropped U.S. greenhouse emissions by 14 percent from 2005 to 2019, while emissions were increasing worldwide. Rates are slated to increase further, with the New York State Electric & Gas company saying it will charge 23.7 percent more in 2026, while National Grid is seeking increases that could raise bills upstate by $600 a year. And Con Edison is seeking increases that would increase average gas and energy bills more than $150 higher than in 2020. This reduced supply is exacerbated by the enormous energy required for the A.I. revolution. Large companies at the forefront of A.I. innovation put

immense strain on the grid. A.I. data centers are becoming large energy users, outpacing even electric vehicles in their power demand growth.

verly ambitious initiatives have had negative consequences worldwide.

Overly ambitious policy initiatives to shut down traditional power generation and replace it with less-reliable wind and solar energy have resulted in significant negative consequences worldwide. In Germany, an optimistic energy transition plan involved shutting down nuclear plants. In 2011, Germany’s 17 nuclear reactors generated over 33 percent of the country’s electricity. Their shutdown led to a return to fossil fuels. Consequently, greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on foreign energy sources actually increased.

These extreme policies have been mirrored in California, resulting in electric costs that are roughly 50 percent higher than the national average and gasoline costs that are 47 percent above the average.

The typical residential customer in New Jersey, which also promulgated extreme green policies, saw an increase of 17 to 20 percent last year. One resident of Clark, N.J., claimed that her bill rose from $174 in June to over $300 in July — this despite New Jersey’s Public Service Electric & Gas having told her

to expect an increase of 17 percent. Even once-touted wind projects are losing their luster when they come under greater scrutiny. According to NY Energy Ratings, “Developers are looking for a way to pay for the mounting costs of new wind energy projects. They have even asked the [Public Service Commission] to increase New York electric rates.” This is estimated to result in an increase of 4 percent, or $4.67 per month for ratepayers. Some projects are costing double what they were expected to.

Billionaire Bill Gates, who previously sided with the climate doomsday faction, has tempered his position, noting that the trillions of dollars being funneled to climate initiatives could be better spent relieving worldwide poverty.

Are you a better person if you pay an arm and a leg for extreme green policies that will have little impact on reducing the carbon footprint decades down the road? Or is it more cost-effective to concentrate those funds on saving lives today, via better health care and economic opportunity, while simultaneously investing in innovations that can provide cheaper, cleaner energy over a rational, gradual period of time?

Steve Levy is president of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm, and has served as Suffolk County executive and as an assemblyman. He can be reached at steve@commonsensestrategies.com.

We can make our school cafeterias safer

in recent years, we’ve seen stories on the news of everyday heroes who have saved the lives of choking children. There have been incidents all over Long Island, from Elmont to East Setauket, yet New York does not currently require cafeteria monitors to be certified in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the Heimlich maneuver.

My new bill, SS6127A, known as Stella’s Law, would correct this oversight. The legislation is named in honor of Stella Tsimis, a teacher’s aide in the Connetquot school district who, in February 2023, saved the life of a 7-year-old boy in the school cafeteria by performing the Heimlich maneuver on him while he

was choking.

Tsimis received the New York State Liberty Medal for saving the boy’s life.

The Liberty Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by New York state, and is presented only for extraordinary, heroic and life-saving acts.

Tsimis’s actions that day highlighted the need for all adult cafeteria monitors in school cafeterias to be trained in and hold current certifications for first aid, CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, to help ensure the safety of the children who eat there. Requiring the First Aid for Choking poster to be displayed in all school eating areas further supports this goal by providing clear, life-saving instructions that can be followed in an emergency.

such posters, but it’s important for teachers, monitors and staff to be able to successfully intervene in an emergency.

s taffs need to be trained in first aid for choking and the Heimlich maneuver.

Many rescuers have learned the Heimlich maneuver in school health classes, workplace training or even from

Stella’s Law would ensure that personnel are trained, and that informative posters showing the Heimlich maneuver are displayed where students are at the greatest risk of choking. The instructional posters help make sure students are not fearful or afraid if a choking emergency occurs, because they understand this life-saving technique.

There are many resources available in your community. Organizations like the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association hold classes to help people be prepared for such emergencies. We hosted our first CPR-Heimlich maneuver training in cooperation with the West Babylon Fire Department on Jan. 24.

In 2024, a Patchogue-Medford math

teacher, Chris Schiefer, came to the rescue of one of his students. Schiefer noticed the student choking on a gumball and quickly went into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and helping to dislodge the obstruction. After making sure the student saw the nurse to confirm he was all right, Schiefer turned the incident into a learning opportunity by teaching his students about the Heimlich maneuver and pointing out a chart on the wall demonstrating how to handle a choking incident.

This was a great effort made by a responsible educator, but we should have standard training in place, as well as step-by-step signage for school staff, so they can be frontline administrators of these life-saving techniques.

Please contact your local school district, state senator or Assembly member and encourage them to support Stella’s Law, and to make our schools safer.

Nassau

Established 1924

BerMan

Warshavsky

lOri harWiTT

Multi Media Marketing Consultant Office 2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530

Phone: (516) 569-4000

Fax: (516) 569-4942

Web: www.liherald.com

E-mail: nassaueditor@liherald.com

Official neWsPaPer:

Incorporated Villages of Cedarhurst,

Out of practice, but not out of resolve

last week, for the first time in three years, Long Island was forcefully reminded that winter isn’t just a suggestion. The Jan. 25 snowstorm dumped more than a foot of snow, whipped it around with high winds and then sealed it in place with a deep freeze, making it the most significant storm in these parts since Jan. 29, 2022. For a region that had grown used to mild winters and more rain than snow, it was a rude, icy wake-up call.

Within hours, schools and businesses were closed, and familiar streets transformed from wet pavement to skating rinks masquerading as thoroughfares.

Snow shovels were unearthed from garages, boots were rediscovered in the backs of closets and many residents wondered, “Wait, how do we do this again?”

The storm highlighted the dedication of emergency workers and the importance of preparation, but it also revealed something else: After a few relatively snow-free winters, Long Island was a little out of practice.

Emergency crews, plow drivers, sanitation workers, police officers, EMS personnel and other essential workers put in long hours in harsh and dangerous conditions. Their efforts kept major roadways passable and ensured that critical services remained available. These people don’t get snow days, and Long Island is better off because of it.

Elected officials also moved quickly. Roads were treated with pre-storm brine to prevent ice from bonding to

letters

pavement. Hundreds of plows were deployed across towns and villages. Gov. Kathy Hochul sent more than 100 members of the National Guard to assist with snow removal, including on major parkways that thousands of drivers rely on every day.

County Executives Bruce Blakeman and Ed Romaine, in Nassau and Suffolk, respectively, declared states of emergency, helping streamline coordination and resources.

Many residents noticed and appreciated responders’ efforts. Social media was filled with thank-yous to plow drivers and sanitation crews, often described as “the backbone of the operation.” Credit where it’s due: Without their efforts, the storm’s aftermath would have been far worse.

Still, once the snow stopped falling, patience began to melt, unlike the ice. Complaints poured in about side streets that weren’t plowed quickly enough, leaving cars stuck and neighbors frustrated as snow hardened and became virtually unmovable. In some areas, plows managed little more than a single narrow lane, pushing snow into piles that quickly froze into what might as well have been concrete barriers.

The storm’s heavy mix of snow and sleet didn’t help. Parked cars made matters worse. Town officials, including in Oyster Bay, pointed to vehicles left on streets despite parking restrictions as a major obstacle to proper plowing. And then there was the Long Island tradition of shoveling snow into the street

Our foreign policy ‘is heading in the wrong direction’

To the Editor:

I read Peter King’s opinion piece last week, “What did Trump gain by badmouthing Denmark?” about the administration’s various foreign policy accomplishments and failures during the first year of President Trump’s second term. I agree that the approach that’s being taken in regard to Greenland is not wise. Our current treaty with Denmark gives the United States great leeway for the use of Greenland’s territory for U.S. bases in the defense of the U.S. and our NATO allies.

I feel that our foreign policy in general is heading in the wrong direction. The “America First” policy that’s being promoted by the administration is doing great damage to our peaceful relationships around the world. We may have the greatest military in modern history, but we live in a complex world. We need to preserve NATO and make sure that treaties established at the end of World War II remain strong. We need cooperation, not condemnation of friends.

I agree that we need secure and safe borders, and

— illegal, counterproductive and, in Nassau County, potentially a $200 mistake.

All of this slowed cleanup, especially when you consider the scale of the task. The Town of Hempstead alone is responsible for clearing roughly 1,200 miles of roadway. That’s not a quick lap around the block — it’s a marathon in snow boots.

Snow removal is a team sport. Municipalities can plan routes, deploy equipment and send alerts, but residents have to do their part, moving vehicles, following restrictions, staying informed and resisting the urge to dump snow where plows just cleared it.

After three quiet winters, Long Island’s collective snow-day muscle memory had weakened. The key takeaway from Jan. 25 is that the storm exposed gaps while providing a muchneeded refresher. Main roads were cleared. Most neighborhoods were eventually serviced. Emergency operations held up under pressure. With better coordination, clearer communication and stronger public cooperation, the next response can be even smoother. Snowstorms on Long Island are inevitable, and we should be ready for them. If everyone — from county and state governments to towns, villages, businesses and residents — gets back in practice, the next big storm can be met not with surprise and frustration, but with confidence, coordination and maybe even a little less slip-sliding around.

The political distraction industry — and its cost

something’s wrong. It’s hard to put a finger on it. We live in a political world, and something about the way that world slides between the foreground and the background of daily life just seems off — not dramatic, not mysterious, just persistently wrong.

That unease has a source.

Contemporary politics now functions within what can fairly be called a political distraction industry. Large, highprofile controversies generate a media fog that draws our attention toward whatever is loudest or most immediate, while steadily pulling our focus away from decisions that more directly shape our lives.

In any given week, we may be urged to fixate on the latest scandal, to listen to conflicting stories about exploding motorboats off the coast of South America, to dissect executive orders that change little in practice, to scroll through a flood of presidential social media posts, or to follow lawsuits filed theatrically against judges and officials with no realistic chance of success.

Each story is framed as urgent. Each demands our attention. It’s hard to keep up, and it’s harder to see through the fog of information to discern things that may be far more important.

This isn’t an accident. Distraction has become a strategy.

The incentives aren’t difficult to see. Media outlets compete in an overcrowded attention economy. Social media platforms reward speed, outrage and repetition. Political fundraising thrives on alarm. Issues and decisions are boiled down to simplistic either/or choices. Complexity doesn’t travel well. The most consequential changes tend to arrive quietly, already dressed as routine.

w here every problem is a ‘crisis,’ and every disagreement ‘unprecedented.’

scrutiny. Constant conflict fragments potential coalitions. Attention jumps from flare to flare, rarely lingering long enough for consideration of the most basic questions: What has actually changed? Who benefits? What precedent has just been set? Distraction works in part because it enlists us. We share the clips, repost the provocations, argue over headlines designed to provoke argument. It feels like engagement, but reaction isn’t the same as agency, and outrage — however understandable — doesn’t substitute for influence.

chasing.

The result is a loss of perspective. Minor controversies swell into national emergencies, while decisions affecting housing costs, public education, health care access, environmental protections and local governance are made quietly. We debate the tone of a speech while overlooking the budget it obscures. We argue about personalities while the machinery of government is adjusted — often in ways that prove difficult to reverse.

It’s no secret: a distracted public is easier to manage than an attentive one. Constant motion prevents sustained

LeTTers

those who illegally entered our country should be dealt with through our justice system. But I hope that the constant rhetoric we see daily in our news media starts to abate, and that cooler heads prevail. We need the direction of our politics, and our policies, to return to a sense of normalcy.

JErOME I. rOSEn Hewlett

Where have all the plows gone?

Editors’ note: The following letter was sent to the Herald on Jan. 29, after last week’s issues went to press.

To the Editor:

It’s frustrating that nearly five days after the significant snow we had on Jan. 25, our neighborhoods, thoroughfares and side streets are still not cleared. Did the plows come? Yes, they did. Main roads have been cleared. But who’s responsible for the mess left behind along Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Avenue and other highly traveled streets that could certainly benefit from another pass of the plow?

Why are cars forced to park next to huge mounds of snow that haven’t been removed? The plows should still be out there, helping to widen the streets. Instead I’ve seen multiple town highway trucks with plows removed.

An example is Goldenrod Avenue in Franklin Square, which leads to both Washington Street School and H. Frank Carey High School. During school hours, Goldenrod is almost impassable, whether you’re driving north or south, because it

Even our political vocabulary has been thinned by overuse. Everything is a “crisis.” Every disagreement is “unprecedented.” When every day is framed as an emergency, real emergencies become harder to recognize. Fatigue follows. People disengage — not because they don’t care, but because constant alarm is mentally exhausting. There is no need to tune out — but there is a need to slow down. When a story breaks, a few stubborn questions help restore a sense of scale: Does this materially change how power is exercised? Does it affect people’s rights, safety, or economic security? Will it still matter a year from now? If not, it may be worth keeping an eye on — but not

has at least 4 feet of snow sticking out into the street on both sides.

Why are all the corners leading to crosswalks not cleared? This is a safety issue. Are people expected to climb a snow mound to get to businesses on Hempstead Turnpike?

If the curb outside a store is still piled with snow and the crosswalk at the corner of that street isn’t cleared, how are people expected to get to the store? Businesses are clearing their own sidewalks, but it seems that curbs, corners, crosswalks and some bus stops are orphans of the storm.

When talking to the Town of Hempstead Highway Department, I was told they are only responsible for “residential areas.” They did offer to put in a “ticket” to replow Goldenrod Avenue. I was told that the state Department of Transportation is responsible for large thoroughfares like Hempstead Turnpike and Sunrise Highway. I called the DOT, and an employee repeated “from curb to curb” when I asked what snow clearing they were responsible for.

It seems to me that during these storms, the town, as the “first responder” agency, funded by our tax dollars, should do more to make traveling in our community easier — especially since the town isn’t responsible for plowing main thoroughfares. Why can’t they send crews out to dig out street corners and crosswalks when a storm is over? If we’re expected to take our kids to school, go to work and go about our daily lives, we should get better assistance from the town in order to return to our normal routine.

ELIzABETH MUrPHY Franklin Square

The normalization of continuous distraction carries a cost most of us have experienced without quite naming it. The news and social media flood the airwaves with stories and endless commentary about the latest nasty thing the president has said about a celebrity — who insulted whom, who clapped back. Meanwhile, we hear only a sidebar about a court decision that permits the administration to empower ICE agents to arrest U.S. citizens as though they were undocumented immigrants, the decision mentioned only briefly before disappearing from coverage. One story dominates our attention for days; the other slips past almost unnoticed. Again, the imbalance is not accidental.

Distraction isn’t merely noise, but leverage. The point is not to stop us from seeing anything at all, but to keep us looking in the wrong direction long enough for other, potentially more consequential, decisions to settle into place. By the time our attention shifts back, the argument is over, the paperwork is filed and the change is treated as a fact rather than a choice. What is lost is not awareness, but the chance to intervene at the moment when our scrutiny might have made a difference.

Michael Blitz is professor emeritus of interdisciplinary studies at the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice.