Nassau Herald 10-23-2025

Nova Festival survivor shares harrowing story

By Sean Kennedy Correspondent

The Lawrence High School Golden Tornadoes played their Homecoming game against the Malverne Mules at Fireman’s Field in Valley Stream last Saturday. At right, Lawrence’s varsity cheerleaders roused the crowd, which included district residents, students and faculty. Story, more photos, Page 10.

Just after sunrise on Oct. 7, 2023, Ron Segev, who was among the crowd at the Nova Music Festival, near Kibbutz Re’im, Israel, looked up at the sky, and saw rockets headed toward him. The festival’s music abruptly shut off, and was soon replaced by the sound of gunshots, screams and the shrieks of sirens. Segev’s next 24 hours were unforgettable, and, he says now, the rest of his life will never be the same.

Just over two years later, Segev, 39, offered a riveting firsthand account of his experiences as a survivor of the Oct. 7 attacks at a commemoration last Sunday at the Israel Chesed Center in Lawrence.

Segev, who is originally from Tel Aviv, spoke of the many “miracles” that not only made it possible for him to escape from the festival, but also helped him saved lives in the

process. After making his way from the festival grounds, he managed to evade the gunfire of Hamas terrorists and found refuge in an abandoned, running car, in which he escaped with his brother and 11 other people.

“This pain is still very fresh, and the healing is just the first step,” Segev said. “We still have a long way to go, and that’s why it’s important to understand what’s going on in Israel.”

Segev is one of over 3,450 survivors of the Nova Festival, each with their own account of what happened that day. “There are thousands of stories like these that need to be told, and people need to keep hearing them,” Jeff Eisenberg, the Chesed Center’s co-founder, said.

More than 100 Five Towns residents attended the event, held in conjunction with the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, in Cedarhurst. They listened to Segev’s story and prayed for

Continued on page 3

Family Nissan of Inwood celebrated their first anniversary under new ownership on Oct. 16.

To celebrate their first anniversary, they are offering a free accessory on every car purchased during their celebration and a $20 oil change, on Oct. 16. Along with any car purchased throughout October get their first purchase paid for by the dealership.

“We’re celebrating our birthday month all month long,” said Ramzey Rizk, dealer principal. “I’m hoping the community will come out and enjoy

some food and music with us so we can celebrate together.” They hosted a one-year anniversary party from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 16. There was music, food, special savings and a ribbon cutting ceremony. Rizk said it feels “surreal” to see the name on the building everyday, as it was a goal of his one-day to own the company. Their motto is “family” and that is why Rizk named the company Family Nissan.

— Melissa Berman

Sharing his story to help other survivors heal

those who died.

“To see the amount of people that came out to commemorate the event that occurred and hear (Segev’s) story, I think it’s a testament to the spirit and approach of our community,” said Robert L. Douglas, of Woodmere.

“I thought he spoke very eloquently, and he truly spoke from the heart,” added Ari Wallach, of Cedarhurst.

Students from local high schools lit candles in remembrance of the lives lost both on Oct. 7 and in the war in Gaza that followed.

“I think it’s important to expose stories like mine to the youth, especially in the age of the Internet, where they could find things out themselves,” Segev said. “In sharing my story, at least they hear a testimony from someone that was really there, in the moment.”

His account helped the students understand the gravity of what occurred. “The reality is, you can’t wake up later on in life and just then realize that this is how life is,” Eisenberg said. “Learning about these parts of history is something that can shape you, with memories you carry around and remember for life.”

Segev also spoke of “invisible” issues that continue to affect many Nova Festival survivors. He described symptoms of trauma that many of them share, including disbelief, denial, anxiety, shame and guilt. He described his own post-traumatic stress disorder, restlessness, and related issues that make it impossible for him to sleep for more than a few hours each night.

He commended an Israeli mental health organization, SafeHeart, which offers support and therapy to survivors of the attacks.

“I think it’s important for people to not only hear

Sean Kennedy/Herald

Israel Chesed Center co-founders Moshe Bodner, left, and Jeff Eisenberg, right, welcomed more than 100 people to the center, in Lawrence, last Sunday to commemorate the lives lost during, and since, the Oct. 7 attacks. At the event, one of the survivors, Ron Segev, recounted the trauma of that day.

about my story, but to also learn about organizations like SafeHeart, and ask how to assist,” Segev added. “We’re a very small part of this world, the Jewish people, and we have to stick together and help one another.”

For Segev, retelling — and reliving — his experience can be difficult, but it also allows gives him the

chance to help those who need it. “Now I try to do things not only for myself, but also for others,” he said. “I’ve been going around America, sharing my testimony and raising donations. In doing that, I feel I’m doing something that is great, something that is larger than just me — and it’s helped me heal.”

Chabad of Hewlett celebrates Simchat Torah

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

The Chabad of Hewlett celebrated the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah with a giant celebration in their new building, on Everit Avenue in Hewlett.

Simchat Torah commemorates the conclusion and restart of the annual Torah reading cycle and is celebrated with dancing, music and festive food.

The Chabad held their 14th community celebration in honor of the rejoicing of the Torah, on Oct. 14.

This year was special as Jews honored the release of the 20 remaining alive hostages from the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, just two years after it occurred.

“To see the entire Jewish community of Hewlett dancing, singing, and celebrating together, it fills us with indescribable joy and pride,” said Rivkie Tenenboim, Chabad of Hewlett. “This year was especially emotional as we celebrated the return of hostages and a great victory for Israel. We couldn’t sleep that night from the sheer energy and gratitude.”

There was a children’s Hakafot party when the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and paraded around while people sing and dance at 5 p.m., and a community celebration at 7:30 p.m.

The evening featured merchandise and flags with the phrase Am Yisrael Chai “the people of Israel live” along with a buffet dinner, music from the Boys if Israel Choir and an open bar.

“While the hands-on preparation took a few weeks, the vision and planning began months in advance,” Tenenboim said. “We’re always thinking about how to make this celebration more meaningful, more inclusive, and more joyful for every member of our community.”

Tenenboim said it’s important to celebrate Sim -

chat Torah now more than ever and to show that Judaism is joyful and alive.

“In a time of rising antisemitism, Simchat Torah reminds us, and especially our children, that our Jewish traditions are beautiful, uplifting, and worth celebrating,” she added. “It’s a powerful message: being Jewish is something to dance about.”

“We’re celebrating Simchat Torah and having the Torah,” said Arielle Vaknine, Hewlett resident. “It’s a very joyous time for us and especially this week because the hostages have returned and it’s a very positive week of us.”

Vaknine, 18, is currently studying abroad in Israel for a year and celebrating Simchat Torah was her last Jewish holiday while living in America.

“It’s amazing,” she added. “I’m so happy that I get to go at a time where there won’t be any war and everyone is happy. I think there are exciting things to come.”

Ronnie Korn, 15, Hewlett High School student, said she came to the Chabad of Hewlett to celebrate the Torah and to be apart of the community celebration.

“I came to celebrate something that’s very powerful with our culture with everyone here together,” Korn said. “It’s not so much a religious thing, it’s about having a strong Jewish community and a strong community voice.”

Rafaella Heamie, 15, Hewlett High School student, said she wants to start off her new year with happiness, joyous times and to bring the community together with ther Torah.

“I came here just to celebrate this occasion because everything is so happy now,” Heamie said. “The hostages are home and it’s a great way to start off the new year with a new beginning and positive vibes.”

Crime watCh

North Carolina man arrested in North Lawrence on vehicle stop

According to the police, a North Carolina man was arrested for an incident that occurred at 9:36 p.m. on Oct. 10, in North Lawrence.

According to Detectives, the Strategic Response Team Officers conducted a vehicle and traffic law stop on a 2008 Honda in the area of Rockaway Turnpike and East Avenue. An investigation led to the recovery of a 9mm Taurus firearm in the vehicle. The driver, Thomas Haynes, 47, of 423 Jefferson Street, Roanoke Rapids, was placed under arrest without incident.

The Strategic Response Team, a specialized unit within the Nassau County Police Department, initiated the stop after officers observed the vehicle committing multiple traffic violations in the area.

According to police, a loaded 9mm Taurus semi-automatic handgun was discovered concealed within the vehicle’s interior. A records check revealed that Haynes did not possess a valid New York State pistol permit, which is required to legally possess a handgun in the state.

Additional investigation determined that Haynes was traveling from North Carolina and had been in the New York area for several days prior to his arrest. Detectives are working to determine the purpose of his visit and whether the firearm was brought into New York State from North Carolina, which would constitute additional criminal violations under interstate firearms trafficking laws.

stop, and no other weapons or contraband were recovered during the search.

The vehicle was impounded pending further investigation, and officers documented all evidence collected at the scene. No other people were in the vehicle at the time of the

Police report that Haynes is charged with criminal possession of a weapon 2nd degree, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd Degree, criminal possession of a firearm and multiple vehicle and traffic law violations. He was arraigned on Oct. 11, 2025 at First District Court in Hempstead.

— Melissa Berman

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

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EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT:

News brief

Courtesy Gerard Petrocelli

Kensly Kung, left, Ava Kong, Skye Lee-Brode, and Shayna Steinman posed with their pumpkins at the annual Pumpkin Patch, at Hewlett Elementary School.

Festive fall pumpkin fun at Hewlett Elementary School

The Hewlett Elementary School backfield was filled with fall spirit during the school’s annual Pumpkin Patch, hosted by the PTA.

Each student had the opportunity to pick a free pumpkin, take part in a seasonal craft, and pose for a class picture among the festive decorations.

“The event has become a beloved tradition at HES, bringing smiles to students and staff alike,” the district wrote in a news release. “The school extends its thanks to the PTA for organizing another memorable celebration of the season.”

— Melissa Berman

MDVIP-affiliated

97%

SPOTLIGHT ATHLETE

GIANNA VENTURA EAST MEADOW Senior FIELD HOCKEY

PICKING UP WHERE she left off last fall when she earned All-County honors, Ventura has reached new heights while leading the Jets to a 10-2 start in Nassau Conference II field hockey. Through Oct. 16, the Adelphi University bound standout was leading the county in goals with 20 to go along with 8 assists. She began 2025 with a bang, scoring all three of East Meadow’s goals in a win over New Hyde Park. Ventura has more than 50 career goals.

GAMES TO WATCH

Friday, Oct. 24

Football: Seaford at Island Trees 5 p.m.

Football: Farmingdale at Port Washington 6 p.m.

Football: Freeport at Oceanside 6 p.m.

Football: Sewanhaka at Division 6 p.m.

Football: Hempstead at Plainview

Football: Hewlett at Manhasset

Football: Long Beach at MacArthur

Football: East Meadow at Glen Cove

Football: Plainedge at Malverne

Saturday, Oct. 25

Football: South Side at V.S. South 11 a.m.

Football: Wantagh at Carey 11 a.m.

Football: Clarke at Floral Park

Football: V.S. North at Elmont 1 p.m.

Football: Garden City at Calhoun 2 p.m.

Football: Baldwin at Mepham 2 p.m.

Football: New Hyde Park at Kennedy 2 p.m.

Football: Roslyn at V.S. Central 2 p.m.

Football: Lynbrook at C.S. Harbor 2 p.m.

Football: East Rockaway at Locust Valley 2 p.m.

Football: West Hempstead at North Shore 2 p.m.

Football: Lawrence at Oyster Bay 2 p.m.

Football: Syosset at Massapequa 3 p.m.

Football: Herricks at Uniondale 3 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a fall 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.

BRINGING LOCAL SPORTS HOME EVERY WEEK

HERALD SPORTS

Lawrence navigates difficult road

By MARC BERMAN sports@liherald.com

No home field. No problem.

The Lawrence boys’ soccer team weaved a solid 6-3-1 conference record despite playing away from home the entire season.

Lawrence finished third in Conference A2, qualified for the playoffs and will face No. 3 Mineola in the first round Thursday. As usual, the sixthseeded Golden Tornadoes will be on the road.

“Despite all the things we had to deal with this season, we ended up with a respectable league record,’’ Lawrence coach Gerard Lagasse said. “We had our ups. We had our downs, but mostly ups. The boys showed a lot of character, fight and perseverance to play without having a home crowd or home field. I’m really proud of the team that they came together.’’

Two days before the season opener, in early September, the team learned its artificial turf field was deemed unsafe by school officials.

Two of its home games were shifted to a neutral site at Lynbrook North Middle School.

The other home games took place on the road. The team practiced on a grassy field at its school, then turned into road warriors.

“It’s disappointing,’’ star forward Corvin Pocasangre said.

“The turf, I felt was still playable. It was a letdown for us. The grass field wasn’t that good. It was a tough challenge.’’

On. Oct. 14, Pocasangre scored the lone goal in Lawrence’s 1-0 regular-season finale victory over Seaford to cap a 9-4-1 overall clip. Pocasangre notched 14 goals and 5 assists,

Ron Manfredi/Herald

Jeremy Cruz has chipped in 2 goals and 4 assists for the Golden Tornadoes, who seek another deep playoff run.

finishing in the top 5 in Nassau County in scores.

“He scored some big goals, some big assists,’’ Lagasse said. “He did what a striker is supposed to do – carry the team and be a leader.’’

As a junior, Pocasangre struck for 6 goals, meaning he made an 8-goal improvement. “Just hard work,’’ Pocasangre said. “Over the (summer) break, I trained hard.’’

Still, this is a defense-first squad, spearheaded by the

excellent work of senior goalie Gabriel Rosales, who posted 7 shutouts and allowed just 7 league goals. Rosales’ save percentage climbed to .875.

“He had a bunch of clean sheets,’’ Lagasse said. “He has athleticism and ability to make the hard save look easy. He’s very good with his feet, which is a big part of the way we play. He starts the offense for us.’’

Lagasse also cited several defenders that keyed its stout season, including centerback

star, junior Andrew Rosales, who manned the middle of the field.

“He played everywhere defensively for me, which was huge because of injuries and red-card and yellow-card situations,’’ Lagasse said.

Jason Arevalo was a sophomore standout wingback, moving up and down the sidelines and providing offensive surge. “He was all over the field,’’ Lagasse said.

The most surprising performance came from centerback Nelson Martinez, a senior who didn’t play much as a sophomore and junior before becoming a backline mainstay as a senior. “Without him, we would’ve been in a little trouble,’’ Lagasse said. “The couple of games we didn’t have him, we struggled defensively.”

Lawrence also got offense from senior striker/midfielder Jeremy Cruz (2 goals, 4 assists). But defense ruled with its season-opening 3-0 blanking of Plainedge setting the tone. (Harold Garcia scored 2 goals in its biggest win against a past conference stalwart.)

“We were more defensiveoriented,’’ Lagasse said. “We didn’t score as many goals as we should have. I tend to focus more on defense. I believe if the other team can’t score, you can’t lose.’’

Last season, Lawrence advanced all the way to the Nassau Class A finals before losing to eventual state champion Floral Park. Can the Golden Tornadoes repeat that thrust? “Preseason, I was afraid,’’ Pocasangre said. “We didn’t have a shape and a full team with injuries. But we found our shape in the first game and I feel pretty confident now.’’

Show Off Your Little Fans!

Snap a photo of your “Little Fan“ in their favorite football, hockey or any sports gear or outfit and enter our Little Fans Photo Contest!

Whether it’s your pet in a jersey or child in their favorite team’s colors, we want to see how you get into the sport spirit!

Scan the QR code to submit your photo today for a chance to win a pair of New York Islanders tickets to a game this season and be featured in your Long Island Herald.

Contest Ends 11/20/25

What’s neW in and out of the classroom

HERALD SchoolS

Lawrence High School’s Homecoming celebration

Lawrence High School hosted their homecoming game against Malverne on Oct. 18 at Fireman’s Field in Valley Stream.

The Golden Tornadoes lost to the Mules 34 – 19 and are currently 0-6 overall for the season.

The loss did not take away from the spirit radiating from the stands and field as the marching band was serenading students and families during the game and halftime. Along with the varsity cheerleading team, color guard and Police Activity League dancers.

Faculty members, staff, administration, students and families were in attendance of the special game and cheered on their favorite player and spirit support student.

The Golden Tornadoes made the best of their season playing “home games” at Fireman’s Field due to the school turf being deemed “unplayable” earlier in the school year.

The team joined in on the school spirit and went around the field to highfive friends and family.

— Melissa Berman

Kopel stresses safety, suburban preservation

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

Howard Kopel is a well-known face in Nassau County’s 7th Legislative District, in office since 2010 and serving as the Legislature’s deputy presiding officer since 2024, after Richard Nicolello retired.

“I’ve been getting a lot of nice things done for the district, and hopefully for the entire county,” Kopel told reporters during a Herald Roundtable session. “I’m hoping to continue that, as we’re supporting some good causes and keeping taxes from going up.”

Kopel, 72, a Lawrence resident for 38 years, is a self-described “reformed lawyer” who owns a title insurance company in Valley Stream. He has prioritized keeping taxes from rising, safety in Nassau County and building bipartisan relationships.

His legislative priorities this election cycle haven’t changed a great deal, and a main point of concern for him is affordability. He is critical of the county’s cost of living and aims to preserve the suburban quality of life.

“In my area, we have infrastructure that is over 100 years old,” he said, “(from) a time where nobody dreamed of having one car in every driveway, let alone four in some of them. We have gridlock in the neighborhood very

often, and the state trying to force apartment houses into the area.”

Kopel said he is in favor of development, but not overdevelopment if the infrastructure can’t support it. “We don’t want to see that happen,” he said. “There’s not a lot of open spaces, and as it is you can barely move on Broadway.”

He noted one of the major construction projects that will likely lead to increased traffic volume in the Five Towns, the Woodmere Club. What was originally proposed as a 284-single-family-home plan has turned into the current iteration of 160 age-restricted condominiums in the portion of the property in the Village of Woodsburgh. The Town of Hempstead unanimously voted to reserve a decision on the Woodmere Club project at a public hearing on July 1.

“We don’t have a lot of capacity there,” Kopel said. “People moved out of Brooklyn and Queens — we don’t want to find ourselves back there.”

On affordable housing, he noted that the barriers to affordability are interest rates and supply and demand in many areas, while some areas can afford more housing and redevelopment. “You’ve got to put it where it’s wanted, where it’s feasible and makes sense,” Kopel said.

Asked about the uptick in antisemitism and other forms of hate in recent months, he praised the work of the Nas-

Jeff Bessen/Herald Legislator Howard Kopel, the incumbent in the 7th District, addressed key issues affecting his constituents, including housing affordability and development, at a Herald Roundtable.

sau County Police Department’s 4th Precinct, and said education helps eradicate antisemitism.

“Education is important, of course,”

he added. “Maturity is important and police are important — the 4th Precinct are great people and very helpful. I think we’re doing well. You’re always going to have something; there will never be nothing.”

Regarding the old Five Towns Community Center, on Lawrence Avenue, Kopel said it was poorly run and was falling down and decrepit for many years. It is now being transformed into a community center by the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC with the Police Activity League and a consistent presence from the NCPD. Kopel helped push the initiative as a board member of the JCC.

“That is going to do wonderful things for that neighborhood,” Kopel said. “I think you’re going to see some tremendous improvement and some development in that area. It’s moving towards a good resolution with the county.”

Editors’ note: Democratic candidate Alec Fischthal did not respond to the Herald’s requests for an interview.

Peace of Mind

In the midst of abundance such as we have never known, why are so many people unhappy? It may be that pursuing happiness is too vague a concept. Instead, we recommend pursuing peace of mind. Peace of mind can be found by eliminating those situations or circumstances that are preventing you from achieving it. Impossible, you say? Not if you are determined to fnd a way. Someone once said, “Tell me what it is that you want that you can’t have, and I’ll ask you what it is you aren’t willing to do.”

Recently, a client contacted me for advice on a family matter. She was the executor of an estate where the decedent had been in a second marriage and the two families were bickering over an old motorcycle, some personal effects and a relatively small amount of money. She wanted out as executor but her brothers wanted to fght. I asked her brothers whether they wanted peace of mind or to be right, since they couldn’t have both. They fnally relented.

Too many people want the thing but are un-

willing to pay the price. You want out of the relationship or situation but the other side is asking too much? Pay the price and get on with your life, it’s worth it. It doesn’t have to be fair, it just has to get done. Emerson said “Do the thing and you will have the power.” Many of the issues we see people grappling with involve fghting something or someone in a way that resembles Don Quixote tilting at the windmill. They are fghting all by themselves. We say “stop fghting”. Let it go.

We also meet a great many worriers. Worried about everything all the time. Perhaps it is no more than a bad habit. Why do we say that? Whenever we solved a client’s worry, they immediately started worrying about something else! Churchill recounted a dying friend telling him, “You know, Winston, I had a lot of troubles in my life. Most of which never happened.”

Finally, from the Canadian thinker, Brian Tracy, “Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it”

Aloise, a prosecutor, hopes to become D.A.

By LUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com

Nicole Aloise, a Democrat running for Nassau County district attorney, is focusing her campaigning on public safety, community investment, and experience forged in courtrooms.

“I firmly believe in the job of a prosecutor,” she said. “It’s all I’ve done in my career.”

Aloise, 41, has worked as a prosecutor for 16 years in both Nassau and Queens, most recently as a senior assistant district attorney in the Queens Homicide Bureau. She began her legal career in 2008 after graduating from St. John’s University School of Law. While in Queens, she secured more than 20 violent felony convictions and helped establish case law by making use of NYPD body camera footage for the first time in a trial in New York City.

Aloise moved with her family from Astoria to Garden City in 2019. From 2019 to 2023, she prosecuted homicides and violent felonies as senior litigation counsel in the Nassau D.A.’s office. She returned to Queens for a brief period before stepping down in 2024 to launch her campaign.

Despite its staff of hundreds, one of the largest D.A.’s offices in the country, it has fallen behind, Aloise said. “The office now being run,” she said, “is not appropriate for a 2025 D.A.’s office.”

She criticized what she called a lack of courtroom experience in the office’s current leadership, and said that has led to high staff turnover. The issues that are central to her platform include strengthening the county’s Hate Crimes Bureau, especially when it comes to antisemitic and anti-Asian attacks; sup-

porting a statewide “death by dealer” law to hold drug suppliers accountable in fatal overdoses; and increasing funding for youth, mental health and violence prevention programs.

Aloise has also pledged to pursue tougher prosecutions in drunken-driving cases, and expanding cooperation

‘It’s been my life’s work,’

By LUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com

For Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, pursuing justice and supporting crime victims isn’t just a job — it’s a passion.

“It’s been my life’s work,” she said. “I have worked in every bureau in the office. I have been a boss, a supervisor, and I’m very passionate about what we do.”

Donnelly, 61, a Republican and a longtime prosecutor, defeated former State Sen. Todd Kaminsky in 2021 to become district attorney — the fourth consecutive woman to hold the office. A Garden City resident who graduated from Fordham Law School in 1989, she is seeking a second term on a platform of public safety, gang enforcement and law enforcement support.

Since taking office in 2022, Donnelly has created three county law enforcement units. The Firearms Suppression and Intelligence Unit, focuses on illegal gun sales and weapons trafficking. “We’ve had an uptick of guns being taken off the street, and I wanted to know why,” she said. The Pharmaceutical Diversion and Cybercrimes Unit targets opioid diversion by medical professionals and prosecutes cybercrimes, including dark web activity. The Hate

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

with local police departments. “I’ve got the best experience to be in this job,” she said, “because I won’t be asking anybody to do something I myself personally haven’t done, and I will know what resources and guidelines to put into place to make sure they’re successful.”

Like the Republican incumbent, Anne Donnelly, Aloise has criticized New York’s 2020 discovery and bail reform laws. “It absolutely makes our job harder,” she said. “I’ve been outspoken about these laws since prior to their inception.”

But, she noted, she successfully worked under the same rules in Queens, and argued that the county badly needs an upgraded functioning discovery system. “They have one in Queens,” she added. “They have one in Suffolk.”

“I won’t run a stagnant office,” Aloise said. “I’ve got the passion, I’ve got the energy and I’ve got the vision to make the Nassau’s district attorney’s office one of the premier offices in the country — because we have the resources, if used correctly.”

Anne Donnelly says

Tim Baker/Herald

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly is seeking a second term as the county’s top prosecutor.

Crimes Unit is tasked with investigating bias-motivated violence and boosting community outreach, training and reporting.

“There’s always going to be crime,” Donnelly said. “The important aspect of maintaining or keeping Nassau safe

is to target the crimes that we see increases in.” She has been an outspoken critic of New York state’s bail reform and Clean Slate laws, which she described “problematic,” and argued they allow repeat offenders back onto the streets.

She also raised concerns about the state’s discovery reform law, passed in 2020, which requires prosecutors to quickly share evidence with defense attorneys. Under the law, prosecutors originally had 20 to 35 days after a defendant’s arraignment, depending on pretrial custody, to provide all evidence — with a possible 30-day extension.

“It’s not like we’re trying to hide anything from them,” Donnelly said. “Getting all the information within the window is the challenge.” A 2025 amendment now allows cases to proceed if prosecutors show “good faith and due diligence” in providing evidence.

On the subject of the 2019 bail reform law, which eliminated cash bail for many non-violent offenses, she pointed to aggravated animal abuse and DWI as examples of “violent and dangerous” offenses that don’t meet the law’s definition of violence.

With nearly 250 attorneys and a staff of more than 450, the Nassau County district attorney’s office is one of the largest in the country. Donnelly said that her management experience stands in contrast to her challenger in next month’s election, Democrat Nicole Aloise. “She’s a very nice person, but has never managed one person,” Donnelly said. “I don’t think she’s the person for it. I think I am.”

What’s up next door and around the corner

HERALD neighbors

39th annual Rock Hall Country Fair

Thousands gathered at Rock Hall Museum in Lawrence for their 39th annual Country Fair on Oct. 18 and 19.

The fair featured entertainment from the Red Hawk Indigenous Arts Council, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, arts and crafts, scarecrow making, an animal farm, pony rides, craft vendors, antique cars, harvest market and food vendors. A spooky walk through the museum’s new educational center will also be available, along with the Peninsula Public Library outreach van.

“It’s a lot of fun, and people come to both get entertained and to learn,” Doug Sheer, president of Friends of Rock Hall said. “You can always take a tour of the museum or go to presentation to everything from making food in colonial days, working on handicrafts, or view historical objects.”

Amy Vacchio, the museum’s director, described the fair as a “labor of love,” adding that as an Inwood native, she has been attending the event for 25 years.

“We start working on it six months to a year before and think of a theme or featured event,” Vacchio said. “I really feel connected to the community — anybody who knows me knows I love this place and I’m passionate about history.”

She said her goal is to bring history to life, inviting historians who serve as artisans that work on the property to give demonstrations at the fair.

—

Melissa Berman

News brief

H-W School District earns top recognition from Niche

Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools announced that it has earned top recognition in the 2026 Niche Rankings, reflecting the district’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, outstanding teaching, and a supportive learning environment.

Highlights from the rankings include:

• 10th – Best District in New York

• 34th – Best District in America

• 4th – District with Best Teachers in New York

• 15th – District with Best Teachers in America

• Overall Grade: A+

The Niche 2026 Best Schools and Districts rankings evaluated more than 93,000 public schools, 30,000 private schools, and 11,000 school districts nationwide. Niche combines quantitative data, including test performance, graduation rates, and school resources with three million reviews from students, parents, and educators to provide a comprehensive picture of school quality.

— Melissa Berman

The Hewlett-Woodmere Public School District has earned top recognition in the 2026 Niche Rankings.

Long Island Cares names new regional CEO

By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com

Katherine Fritz became the new regional president and CEO of the Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank, a Long Island Cares nonprofit that benefits people dealing with food insecurity, on Oct. 8.

Fritz has over 30 years of experience working for nonprofits. She joined LIC in 2019, just before the coronavirus pandemic began, which left many Long Islanders dealing with food insecurity.

“During that really crazy time period, I had to help the organization move forward quickly with fundraising and communicating with our donors about how money was being spent,” she said.

Fritz told the Herald that her leadership will prioritize patience, understanding and stability while pursuing the group’s goal of eliminate hunger on Long Island. “The mission of the organization is always going to be at the forefront of everything I do,” she said.

Crawford estimated that Fritz, as a fundraiser, managed to bring in $8 million for the organization in five years, which was “a testament to how hard she works, how she builds her team and stewards our donors,” Crawford said.

“After a nationwide search, the Board of Directors of Long Island Cares found its next leader down the hall from the boardroom,” board President David Herold stated in a news release. “She will lead us in meeting the ever-increasing need ahead, which is what the battle against the challenging climate surrounding food insecurity requires.

I think we are going to be able to help a lot more people.

KIm

CRAwfORD Marketing director, Long Island Cares

Before Fritz’s appointment, she was the organization’s vice president for development and communications. Her predecessor, Paule Pachter, retired earlier this year after serving for 17 years.

Marketing Director Kim Crawford has known Fritz from her beginnings at LIC. “She has a passion and a kindness that she is able to balance with her leadership, which is why she has such an incredible team now,” Crawford said. “I think we are going to be able to help a lot more people.”

“We believe that with her steady hand on the tiller, our mission will be advanced and the future of the people we serve will be brighter,” Herold added.

Fritz’s major goals include increased collaboration among more than 300 LIC food pantries, schools and community centers, supporting advocacy efforts and addressing the root causes of hunger — all while making LIC’s 2025-30 financial plans into realities.

“We’re in another critical time for food banking with the current government shutdown, in addition to the federal cuts that have already been enacted,” she said. “We need to focus on ensuring that we can provide appropriate food to the people in the community that are really needing assistance right now.”

Heading into the holiday season, LHC plans to provide healthy food for people of all cultural backgrounds and dietary restrictions in Long Island’s

diverse communities.

“There’s so many ways for people to help support their neighbors,” Fritz said.

To volunteer, donate or find food, visit LICares.org.

MARINE COMBAT VETERAN,

VOTERS GUIDE 2025

Candidate profiles, ballot Information and more inside! LOCAL ELECTIONS

ElEcTION ‘25

TOWN clERK

Kate Murray is running for re-election as Town Clerk of Hempstead. She was first elected to the position in 2002 and returned to the office in 2019 after serving as Hempstead Town Supervisor from 2003 to 2016, making her the first woman to hold the position.

She has also served in the New York State Assembly representing the 19th District.

On the issues:

As Town Clerk, Murray has focused on improving accessibility and convenience for residents. Her initiatives include the “One-Stop Passport Shop,” online access to permits and licenses and commuter parking permits available directly at LIRR stations. She oversaw the construction of a $6 million multi-purpose center for the ANCHOR Program, which offers programs in athletics, aquatic activities, theater, computer skills, nutrition and

social engagement. Murray’s office has also advanced renewable energy initiatives, including a green energy park and a solar-powered government office recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for its zeroemission design.

The Town Clerk’s Office handles vital records, marriage licenses, permits, public notices, town board records, official records and historical archives dating back to 1644. The office also performs wedding ceremonies and processes applications for zoning changes, public garages, and other municipal permits.

Democratic candidate Yveline Dalmacy has not responded to requests for an interview for a roundtable.

Howard Kopel, a Republican, and legislator since 2009, replaced Richard Nicolello as the Legislature’s Presiding Officer after he retired in 2024.

Kopel, 72, is a selfdescribed “recovering attorney” who owns a title insurance company in Valley Steam. He has prioritized keeping taxes from raising, safety within Nassau County and building bipartisan relationships. Kopel is a Lawrence resident for 38 years.

Howard Kopel Party: Republican

Upon taking office he has pushed and secured a state-of-the-art system at the Bay Park sewage treatment plant and advocated for open space maintenance and infrastructure improvement

On the issues:

He wants to define affordable housing properly wile finding appropriate locations and believes government control

create housing shortages. He said that current barriers are “interest rates” and price jacking due to high demand and low supply in certain areas.

Kopel addresses the gridlock on Rockaway Turnpike and Nassau Expressway and is concerned about more traffic from multiple transitoriented development projects in the Five Towns. He supports development but opposes over-development that exceeds infrastructure capacity such as the Woodmere Club. Kopel wants to “preserve the suburban way of life.”

To address antisemitism and racial hate crimes, he praised the work of the Nassau County Police Department Fourth Precinct and said the Five Towns “doesn’t have a lot of crimes, thankfully.” He added that education and maturity are important.

candidate Alec Fischthal did not respond to the Herald for an interview.

Legislative District 7 includes Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Oceanside, Rockville Centre, Woodmere and parts of Baldwin, Hewlett, Lawrence, Lynbrook & Valley Stream.

TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD SUPERVISOR

Republican John Ferretti, appointed Hempstead Town Supervisor in August following Don Clavin’s resignation, is running to retain the position with a focus on fiscal discipline, public safety, and community values.

On the issues:

A former Nassau County legislator, Ferretti, a lifelong Levittown resident, has emphasized his record of opposing tax increases and supporting responsible budgeting. During his tenure, he led efforts to reduce county taxes by $70 million and block $150 million in proposed hikes. He has said government should operate within its means, similar to the financial discipline of local families.

Ferretti’s platform highlights a commitment to maintaining public safety and supporting law enforcement. As a legislator, he helped expand police presence, reopen a closed precinct, and invest in advanced public safety technology. He also worked with town officials to increase patrols at houses of

worship and co-authored legislation to prevent individuals from concealing their identities during acts of intimidation.

In addition to his focus on safety and fiscal management, Ferretti has positioned himself as a defender of suburban neighborhoods, opposing proposals for high-density housing developments he believes would alter the character of local communities.

Before his election to public office, Ferretti served as Chief Deputy County Clerk, overseeing a staff of more than 100 employees and managing over $240 million in annual revenue.

Ferretti has also prioritized strengthening community infrastructure and ensuring that development and town policies reflect the needs and values of local residents, supporting initiatives that preserve open spaces and enhance the quality of life in Hempstead.

Democrat Joe Scianablo, a Marine combat veteran, former NYPD officer, and prosecutor, is running for Town of Hempstead supervisor with a pledge to restore transparency, lower taxes, and hold local government accountable.

Scianablo, a Garden City resident, says families across the town are feeling the strain of rising costs, from a 12 percent property tax hike to increases in water, power, and fuel bills. He is calling for a full financial audit of all departments, a freeze on nonessential spending, and new measures to root out waste and corruption.

On the issues:

Joseph Scianablo Party: Democrat

If elected, Scianablo said his first 100 days would include converting all town streetlights to LED to save $1 million annually, implementing zero-based budgeting where every dollar is justified, and exploring shared services with nearby towns to eliminate duplicate costs. His platform emphasizes “common-

sense solutions,” including proactive infrastructure maintenance, performance-based funding, and energy efficiency upgrades. He has also vowed to hold monthly town halls and establish resident oversight to keep taxpayers informed.

Scianablo said improving public safety and supporting veterans would also be key priorities. Drawing on his law enforcement background, he aims to strengthen trust between communities and public safety departments. As a Marine veteran, he wants to expand access to healthcare, housing, and employment programs for fellow veterans.

He has also criticized the closure of the Safe Center and pledged to expand domestic violence services by working with Nassau County and community partners.

OF THE HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS PULL OUT

ELECTiON ‘25

NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTiVE

On the issues:

Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is seeking a second term, emphasizing public safety, fiscal stability and preserving suburban character as the foundation of his administration. He said Nassau remains the safest large county in America, citing expanded law enforcement ranks, a stable budget and seven Wall Street bond-rating upgrades as evidence of sound fiscal management. Blakeman has repeatedly highlighted that county taxes have not increased during his tenure and that Nassau’s average home value has risen, which he sees as proof of prosperity and stability.

A central point of pride for Blakeman has been Nassau’s partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the first of its kind in the country — which dedicates jail space and crosstrained detectives to assist federal agents. He said the agreement improves safety and has strong support among Hispanic residents who want “safe

neighborhoods and strong schools.” On crime prevention, Blakeman defended his creation of a volunteer emergency database, which critics have called a militia, describing it instead as a vetted roster of former police and military members who could be mobilized Blakeman continues to challenge the state’s takeover of Nassau University Medical Center, calling it “illegal” and harmful to residents who rely on it as a safetynet hospital. He contends the move is part of a broader state plan to reduce local control and diminish services. On housing, he opposes state-mandated density requirements, arguing that Nassau is already one of the nation’s most developed suburban counties and that zoning decisions should remain local.

Overall, Blakeman’s campaign message centers on fiscal prudence, public safety and protecting Nassau’s suburban quality of life.

On the issues:

Democratic Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow, of Merrick, is running for county executive on a platform centered on transparency, fiscal accountability and restoring public trust in local government.

A former Queens assistant district attorney and small business owner, Koslow said his decision to run was motivated by frustration over what he views as secrecy and mismanagement under the current administration. He cited ongoing problems at Nassau University Medical Center and the county jail as examples of a government unwilling to answer questions or plan for the future.

Koslow criticized County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s creation of a civilian militia, saying it undermines law enforcement and creates liability, and argued that Nassau’s shortage of detectives poses a more urgent safety threat. On fiscal issues, he said the county must better track its spending, cut

waste and redirect resources toward infrastructure, housing and public services. He supports using county-owned properties for new mixed-use housing and simplifying the permit process for small businesses to boost local revenue without raising taxes. Koslow also said he would end Nassau’s cooperation agreement with federal immigration authorities, arguing it strains community relations and overextends county resources.

On social policy, he has rejected measures like the county’s bans on transgender athletes and public masking as divisive distractions from more pressing issues of affordability and public safety. His approach, he said, would emphasize collaboration with state and regional leaders, community input on major development projects such as the Nassau Hub, and long-term planning to keep future generations living and working on Long Island.

NASSAU COUNTY COMPTROLLER ELECTiON ‘25

Elaine Phillips, the Republican Nassau County Comptroller, is seeking re-election on a platform centered on fiscal responsibility, government efficiency, and taxpayer protection. Since taking office in 2022, she has focused on modernizing Nassau County’s financial systems, strengthening oversight of county spending, and ensuring residents receive measurable value for their tax dollars.

payments owed to Nassau County, identified inefficiencies in procurement and contract management, and implemented updated auditing procedures to prevent waste and fraud. She has also emphasized modernization, leading efforts to digitize accounting systems.

A former New York State senator representing the 7th District, Phillips previously served as mayor of Flower Hill, where she managed local budgets and enacted cost-saving reforms. Before entering public office, she built a successful career in finance with senior roles at J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and MetLife, bringing private-sector expertise to government operations.

As comptroller, Phillips has prioritized accountability and transparency in county finances. Her office has recovered millions in outstanding

On the issues: Phillips has focused on strengthening fiscal stability, monitoring contract performance, and scrutinizing the county’s partnerships with major public entities such as the MTA. She has also overseen audits addressing delayed payments to small businesses and service providers, ensuring timely reimbursements and greater financial clarity. Phillips points to her background in both finance and local government as key to her pragmatic approach to fiscal management. She has emphasized longterm planning, responsible borrowing, and efficiency-driven reforms designed to safeguard public resources.

Wayne Wink, the Democratic candidate for Nassau County Comptroller, is running on a platform centered on transparency, fiscal integrity, and restoring independence to the county’s chief financial office. With more than two decades of public service, he brings extensive legislative and administrative experience to the race.

Wayne Wink Party: Democrat

A resident of Roslyn, Wink began his career in local government on the North Hempstead Town Board, where he served from 2003 to 2007. He was later elected to the Nassau County Legislature, representing the 10th District from 2007 to 2014, which includes parts of Great Neck, East Hills, Roslyn, and Manhasset. During his tenure, he developed a reputation for fiscal diligence and constituent advocacy, focusing on responsible budgeting and government accountability.

In 2014, Wink was elected North Hempstead Town Clerk, a position he held until 2021. In that role, he oversaw

modernization of the town’s recordkeeping and licensing systems, implemented digital accessibility initiatives, and ensured compliance with open government and transparency laws. His administrative experience as clerk further solidified his focus on efficiency

On the issues: Wink has framed his campaign for comptroller around independence and transparency. He emphasizes the need for unbiased financial oversight, ensuring that county contracts, audits, and expenditures are handled with integrity and free from political influence. His platform includes expanding digital access to county financial data, improving internal controls, and strengthening collaboration with local municipalities to enhance fiscal efficiency. Wink holds a bachelor’s degree from Union College and a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law.

GENERAL ELECTION Candidates

County Executive

Ejecutivo del Condado

Amendment to Allow Olympic Sports Complex In Essex County on State Forest Preserve Land. Allows skiing and related trail facilities on state forest preserve land. The site is 1,039 acres. Requires State to add 2,500 acres of new forest land in Adirondack Park. A yes vote authorizes new ski trails and related facilities in the Adirondack forest preserve. A no vote does not authorize this use.

Enmienda para Permitir Complejo Olímpico de Deportes En el Condado de Essex en Tierra de Reserva Forestal Estatal. Permite el esquí e instalaciones relacionadas de pistas en tierra de reserva forestal estatal. El sitio es de 1,039 acres. Requiere que el Estado añade 2,500 acres de nueva tierra forestal en el Parque Adirondack. Un voto afrmativo autoriza nuevas pistas de esquí e instalaciones relacionadas en la reserva forestal Adirondack. Un voto negativo no autoriza este uso.

DEM,MOD

Seth I. Koslow

District Attorney

Fiscal del Distrito

REP,CON Bruce A. Blakeman

DEM, MOD Nicole Aloise REP, CON Anne T. Donnelly

Comptroller

Controlador del Condado

DEM, MOD

Wayne H. Wink, Jr. REP, CON Elaine R. Phillips

County Clerk

Secretario

DEM, MOD

Joylette E. Williams

CON Maureen C. O’Connell

Hempstead Supervisor

DEM, MOD

Joe Scianablo REP, CON John R. Ferretti

Your Community.

Justice

ELECTIon’25

actual ballot, but a composite of several sample ballots so as to refect all the districts within the communities covered edition of the Herald. Complete reporting on candidates running in districts covered by the Herald may be found at under the Elections ’25 tab. For election results after the polls close Tuesday night, go to LIHerald.com

Hempstead Town Clerk

Secretario Municipal

Yveline L. Dalmacy REP, CON Kate Murray

County Legislator

Legislador del Condado Distrito 7

(1) REP, CON J. Fischthal Howard J. Kopel

Justice of the Supreme Court

la Corte Suprema

CON

Kenny

Mark A. Cuthbertson

Margaret C. Reilly

Joseph C. Pastoressa

Surrogate Court Judge

Tribunal Sucesorio

David P. Sullivan

Steven A. Pilewski

James W. Malone

Carl J. Copertino

Bronwyn M. Black-Kelly

County Court Judge

Nancy Nicotra Bednar

Donald X. Clavin, Jr.

Family Court Judge

Juez del Tribunal de Familia

REP, CON Robert E. Pipia

District Court Judge

REP, CON Maria Boultadakis

Robert G. Bogle

Howard E. Sturim

PULL OUT WHO’S ON THE BALLOT FORM COURTESY OF

10th Judicial District 2025 JUDICIAL CANDIDATES

Bronwyn Black-Kelly

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties

Age: 65

Legal career: Bronwyn Black-Kelly has served as a Suffolk County District Court judge since 2023, following a long career in both public service and private practice. From 1990 to 2022, she was a partner at the Law Offices of Black & Black, a general practice firm. Earlier in her career, she worked as an assistant district attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office from 1985 to 1989.

Black-Kelly earned her law degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 1985, and her bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University in 1981. She was admitted to the state bar in 1986, and is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a member of both the Suffolk County and New York State bar associations.

James Malone

Endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 59

Legal career: Since 2018, James Malone has been a District Court Judge. From 2014-2017, he was a principal law clerk for State Supreme Court Justice William Condon. He received his undergraduate degree from Clarkson University in 1983 and a law degree from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 2005.

Carl

Copertino

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties

Age: 69

Legal career: Judge Carl Copertino currently presides over family cases in the Family Court of Suffolk County and has served as a New York judge for 13 years.Previously, he spent five years as an attorney with the New York City Transit Authority. He received his law degree from Fordham University School of Law in 1981. He was admitted to the New York State bar in 1981.

Mark Cuthbertson

Endorsed by Republican and Democratic parties

Age: 59

Legal career: Mark Cuthbertson, a lifelong Huntington resident, focused his legal career on commercial real estate, municipal litigation, and the representation of municipalities and notfor-profit cemeteries.

Admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut, Cuthbertson earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Albany Law School of Union University. There, he served as the executive editor of the Symposium for the Albany Law Review. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova University.

In addition to his legal practice, Cuthbertson has served on the Huntington Town Board since 1998, where he has worked to reduce and stabilize taxes while advancing environmental protection and smart growth initiatives. He sponsored legislation preserving hillside areas and open space throughout the town.

Matthew McDonough

Endorsed by the Conservative party Age: 36

Legal career: Matthew McDonough, of Massapequa, has been admitted to practice law in New York since 2019. He is also admitted to the District of Columbia, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern districts of New York, the U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. McDonough, a graduate of the City University of New York School of Law at Queens College, he earned his Juris Doctor before serving a clerkship with the State Supreme Court. In 2020, he opened his private practice in Babylon, focusing on municipal and public sector law. He works often with local governments, businesses and residents on municipal policy, taxation and regulatory compliance.

Joseph Pastoressa

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 66

Legal career: Justice Joseph C. Pastoressa has served on the state Supreme Court in Suffolk County since 2012. Before that, he was an acting Supreme Court justice from 2004 to 2011, while also serving as a Court of Claims judge. Earlier in his career, Pastoressa worked in private practice, and later as a principal law clerk for a justice on the state Appellate Division, a Court of Claims judge and a state Supreme Court justice. He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University, and graduated cum laude from Brooklyn Law School.

Steven Pilewski

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties

Age: 69

Paul Kenny

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 64

Legal career: Paul Kenny, a Glen Head resident, began his career in 1986 as a court attorney in the New York City Criminal Court and later joined a general practice firm in Queens. He served as co-counsel to the State Court Officer’s Association. From 1992 to 2007, he worked in the Kings County Supreme Court Law Department, as a court attorney-referee for matrimonial matters, and from 2000 as the deputy chief court attorney. He was appointed chief clerk of the Appellate Term, Second Department in 2007 and edited the Election Law Handbook for more than a decade. He serves on the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, is an instructor at Lehman College, an adjunct professor at the NYC College of Technology and lectures at the Appellate Division, Second Department and State Judicial Institute on election law.

Margaret Reilly

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 61

Legal career: Steven A. Pilewski is a longtime member of the state’s court system, with more than two decades of experience in judicial chambers. From 2000 to 2022, he served as principal law clerk to Justice Guy J. Mangano Jr. in the state Supreme Court in Kings County. Before that, he worked as a principal appellate law clerk for the Appellate Term of the 2nd Department from 1995 to 2000. Pilewski earned his law degree from Touro College in 1994, and received a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University in 1989. He has been a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association since 1999.

Legal career: Margaret Reilly has served as a Nassau County Surrogate’s Court judge since 2016. She was previously a Nassau County Supreme Court Justice from 2012 to 2015, an acting justice from 2007 to 2012, and a twice-elected County District Court judge from 1998 to 2011. Earlier in her career, Reilly practiced law as a deputy Nassau County attorney, the Stewart Manor village prosecutor and a senior associate at Mulholland Minion & Roe and the Law Office of Vincent D. McNamara. She has lectured at Hofstra and Touro law schools, co-chaired the Nassau County Courts’ Women in the Courts Committee, and served as an adjunct professor in trial advocacy at St. John’s.

2025 JUDICIAL CANDIDATES

County Court Judge

Nancy Nicotra Bednar

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties

Age: 54

Legal career: Nancy Nicotra Bednar is a lifelong Nassau County resident raised in Elmont. She lives in Rockville Centre.

A 1993 Notre Dame graduate with a bachelor’s in English, she graduated from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City in 1996 She has over 25 years of legal experience working with the Innocence Project to her leadership roles in the Nassau County Attorney’s Office and state courts.

In 2003, Bednar became a deputy bureau chief-for the General Litigation Bureau in the County Attorney’s office until 2008. Then a senior principal law clerk for Appellate DivisionSecond Department She is now a principal law clerk in the County Supreme Court

Court Judge, 2nd District

Robert G. Bogle

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties

Age: 68

Legal career: Bogle has served as a New York judge for over 40 years and began his term after election in 2015. He also serves as a supervising judge of the Village Courts in the county. He received his law degree from Hofstra University in 1982 after receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science from Niagara University in 1979. Bogle has received awards such as the Magistrate of the Year Award from the State of New York in 2006 and the Frank J. Santagata Memorial Award from the Nassau County Magistrates Association in 2008. A lifelong resident of Valley Stream, he and his wife, Kathleen, have two children. He is a Knights of Columbus member.

Donald X. Clavin Jr.

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 56

Legal career: Donald X. Clavin Jr. is the former Town of Hempstead Supervisor who served almost 3 terms from 2020-2025. He stepped down in August. Clavin was the Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes from 20012019.

Previously Clavin worked as a trial attorney and as deputy county attorney in Nassau County’s Attorney’s office. Clavin holds a law degree from Hofstra University and a bachelor’s in history from Canisius College. Clavin lives in Garden City with his wife and two children. He has stated “tax relief” as his top priority. He also helped develop the town’s 2019 and proposed 2020 budgets, including tax cuts. He has also hosted public information forums

Robert E. Pipia

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 61

Legal career: Robert E. Pipia is a judge on the Nassau County District Court in the 10th Judicial District of New York. He was first elected in 2014.

Before that, Pipia was the executive assistant to then Town of Hempstead Supervisor’s Office. This followed his work as deputy town attorney for the town’s Attorney’s Office where he served as the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance coordinator.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Albany in 1987, and earned his law degree from Hofstra University in 1992. He was licensed in New York in 1993.

Born in Queens and raised in Elmont, he attended the Henry Viscardi School.

Court Judge, 3rd District

Maria Boultadakis

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties

Age: 39

Legal career: Maria Boultadakis is a candidate for district court judge in Nassau County’s 2nd District. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2012 and is registered with the New York State Unified Court System. She earned her law degree from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. Boultadakis has served as a law clerk for three New York State Supreme Court justices, and she also held the position of deputy county attorney in Nassau County from 2022 to 2023.

Karen L. Moroney

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 55

Legal career: Karen L. Moroney serves as a judge in the Nassau County District Court, first elected in 2007, she was re-elected in 2013 and is currently serving a five-year term that expires at the end of this year.

Since 2017, she has also served as principal law clerk to Justice Sharon M.J. Gianelli of the Nassau County Supreme Court, and previously held similar roles for three other county Supreme Court justices. Her legal experience includes work as an attorney for the state Supreme Court and as an assistant district attorney in Queens County from 1992 to 1999.

Moroney earned her law degree from St. John’s University School of Law and was admitted to the bar in 1992. She is also admitted to practice before multiple federal courts.

Diana Hedayati

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 41

Legal career: Diana Hedayati is an attorney based in Plainview and a candidate for district Court judge in Nassau County’s 3rd District. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2010 by the Appellate Division, First Judicial Department and is currently registered with the New York State Unified Court System.

Hedayati graduated from Pace University School of Law. Her professional background includes over a decade of legal experience in the public sector, with a focus on administrative and regulatory law.

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 66

Legal career: Howard E. Sturim is a New York Judge in the Supreme Court of Nassau County and has served for 10 years. His career began as an assistant district attorney for the Nassau County District Attorney’s office from 1991 to 2004. He prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases then became head of the Arson Unit and Major Offenses Unit. He then became a principal law clerk for the state Court of Claims to Alan L. Honorof before his term as New York Judge began in 2016.

Sturim earned his bachelor’s degree from the New York Institute of Technology in 1987 before receiving his law degree from Hofstra University in 1990 in the Maurice A. Deane School of Law.

Court Judge, 4th District

James A. Saladino

Cross endorsed by Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties Age: 60

Legal career: James A. Saladino is a district court judge in Nassau County, appointed in March of this year. He has over 30 years of legal experience, including service as a judge, law clerk, prosecutor and private practitioner. From 2019 to 2024, he served as a district court judge in Suffolk County, presiding over criminal and civil matters. Before that, he spent eight years as a principal law clerk in the New York State Supreme Court and practiced law as a partner at Saladino & Hartill, LLP. Earlier in his career, he was an assistant district Attorney in Suffolk County from 1991 to 2002.

Saladino earned his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law and a B.A. from Boston University. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1991.

Nassau COuNty DistriCt attOrNey

Anne Donnelly, a Republican and prosecutor for over 30 years, defeated former State Sen. Todd Kaminsky in 2021 to become Nassau County’s top prosecutor; becoming the fourth consecutive woman to do so.

Donnelly, 61, is campaigning on her record as a career prosecutor who has prioritized public safety, gang enforcement and support for law enforcement. She is a Garden City resident and took office in 2022.

On the issues:

To address gun violence and online drug trafficking, she created a Firearm Suppression Unit and a Cyber Crimes and Pharmaceutical Unit. Her office has also expanded education programs in schools and invested in hate crime prevention efforts.

Nicole Aloise, a Democrat and candidate for Nassau County District Attorney, is mounting a campaign centered on addressing crime in the county, community investment and public safety.

run for district attorney.

Upon taking office she assembled a team of prosecutors and law enforcement officials—including a former police commissioner—to focus on violent crime, narcotics, and unsolved cold cases.

Donnelly also assisted in the Gilgo Beach serial killer investigation and helped close multiple cold cases from the 1960s and 1970s. Donnelly has said her administration prioritizes justice for vulnerable populations, including animals, and has prosecuted abusers under animal cruelty laws.

Donnelly has been an outspoken critic of New York’s “Cashless Bail” and “Clean Slate” laws, which she argues put repeat violent offenders back on the streets. She has called for their repeal while voicing continued support for police.

Before her election, Donnelly served 32 years in the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, most recently as deputy bureau chief of the Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau. Her cases included murder-for-hire schemes, narcotics rings, and a counterfeit electronics bust that led to the largest asset forfeiture in county history.

Donnelly holds degrees from Fordham University and Fordham Law School.

Aloise, 41, brings 16 years of experience as a prosecutor in both Nassau and Queens counties, including recent work as a senior assistant district attorney in the Queens Homicide Bureau. She began her career in 2008 after earning her law degree from St. John’s University. In Queens, she helped secure more than 20 violent felony convictions and made case law by introducing the first NYPD body camera footage used in a New York City trial.

From 2019 to 2023, she served in the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office as senior litigation counsel, prosecuting violent felonies and homicide cases. She returned to Queens in 2023 and continued her work until stepping down in 2024 to

Nassau COuNty ClerK

Maureen O’Connell, Nassau County Clerk since 2006, is seeking re-election to continue her work modernizing the office and expanding services for seniors and non-English-speaking residents. With over 30 years in public service, O’Connell brings experience as both a registered nurse and attorney, having previously served in the New York State Assembly and as Deputy Mayor of East Williston

On the issues:

Maureen O’Connell Party: Republican

During her nearly two decades as clerk, O’Connell has overseen a major transformation of the office’s operations. Under her leadership, millions of backlogged documents were processed, and the office transitioned to a fully digitized system for court and land records. This modernization has allowed residents and attorneys to file and access official documents online, reducing the need for in-person visits.

O’Connell implemented one of the

On the issues: Her platform includes strengthening the county’s Hate Crimes Bureau to better address attacks on Jewish and Asian communities, supporting the creation of a “death by dealer” statute to hold drug traffickers accountable in fatal overdose cases, and boosting funding for mental health, youth and violence prevention programs.

Aloise has also pledged to crack down on DWI cases through the county’s Vehicular Crimes Bureau and continue partnering with local police departments to improve public safety.

She lives in Garden City with her family, serves on her school’s PTA, coaches youth soccer and teaches legal ethics as an adjunct professor at Molloy University.

state’s earliest Supreme Court e-filing systems and integrated digital connections with state and local agencies. She has also prioritized digitizing historical documents, making decades-old records more accessible for residents, particularly seniors who often need to retrieve property information.

In an effort to protect homeowners, O’Connell launched a Property Fraud Alert Program, allowing property owners to receive email notifications if deeds or mortgages are filed in their name, helping to prevent fraud.

If re-elected, she plans to continue digitizing older records and expand parking at the Mineola office. She also intends to further adapt services for residents who speak languages other than English, building on the existing language line currently in place.

A lifelong Nassau County resident, O’Connell lives in East Williston and teaches nursing at SUNY Farmingdale.

Joylette E. Williams, a longtime educator and community leader, is running for Nassau County Clerk with a platform focused on modernization, accessibility, and administrative efficiency. A county resident since 1993, Williams has spent over two decades in public service and education, currently serving as a professor of English at Nassau Community College and a two-term member of the Hempstead School Board.

Williams holds a Ph.D. in English and is completing a second doctorate in Higher Education Administration at the University of Connecticut. Her academic and professional background includes extensive experience in document management, recordkeeping, and organizational leadership—skills she says directly translate to the responsibilities of the clerk’s office.

Her public service includes prior roles as a Village of Hempstead trustee and current board member of the Town of

Hempstead Industrial Development Agency. Williams is also actively involved in civic organizations, including the NAACP, the Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, among others

On the issues: If elected, Williams plans to prioritize the digitization of county records, improve online access to public documents, and expand the use of the clerk’s mobile outreach van to underserved communities. She also proposes extending office hours one day a week to better serve working residents and increasing language accessibility for non-English-speaking residents.

Williams advocates for reducing or waiving fees on property transactions for groups such as seniors, veterans, first responders, and first-time homebuyers, citing Nassau’s fees as higher than neighboring counties.

News brief

Lawrence Early Childhood Center hosts bus safety day

As the youngest learners begin their educational journey, learning the importance of school bus safety is a vital first step. The Lawrence Early Childhood Center hosted its annual Bus Safety Day, providing students with hands-on experience in how to ride the bus safely and responsibly, on Sept. 18.

Leading up to the event, students participated in Social and Emotional Learning lessons focused on the fundamentals of safe bus behavior. These included understanding how to stay seated, keeping hands to oneself, using a calm body, and following directions — key skills that support both safety and respectful behavior.

Students had the opportunity to board a real school bus and practice what they had learned. They greeted the driver, found their seats, buckled their seat belts, and reviewed the bus safety rules in a real-world setting. One highlight of the day was the emergency exit drill, where students learned how to leave the bus quickly and calmly in case of an emergency.

“This experience is especially important for children who may not ride the bus every day,” Kathleen Graham, Lawrence Early Childhood Center principal wrote in a news release. “It helps build their confidence and prepares them for a variety of situations

while reinforcing safety in a fun and engaging way.”

The Early Childhood Center extends a special thank you to Independent Coach and their team of professional, supportive drivers who generously provided buses and guided our students through the experience. Their partnership helped make Bus Safety Day both educational and enjoyable for all.

— Melissa Berman

place of

• Preparation and documentation, including one death certificate

• Air transportation to your local funeral home

• 24/7/365 assistance from experienced professionals One-time fee: $450.00 for an individual, or $875.00 for a couple. Lifetime coverage. Any age accepted.

ATTENTION STUDENTS: THE HERALD IS HOLDING A CONTEST TO DESIGN HOLIDAY WRAPPING PAPER

THE WINNING DESIGNS WILL BE PRINTED AS HOLIDAY GIFT WRAP IN 12/4/25 & 12/11/25 ISSUES OF YOUR HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

CONTEST RULES:

Who can enter: There will be 2 categories: Students in grades k-5. Students in 6-12

One entry per student

Deadline: Entries must be received by 5 p.m.

Friday, November 14, 2025

Requirements: All entries should have the student’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, grade and school printed on the back. Design can be reflective of all religious holidays. Entries will not be returned.

Mail or hand-deliver to:

Wrapping Paper Contest

Herald Community Newspapers

2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 OR Scan and email to:

ekimbrell@liherald.com

(No Photos of Artwork Will Be Accepted).

Winners will be notified by email or phone by November 21

Creative Tips

• Must use 8 1/2 x 11” unlined paper, copy paper or construction paper.

• Be creative & original.

• Use bright colors.

• Fill the entire page.

STEPPING OUT

Scare up a Halloween soirée

Get your ghoul on with a tricky treat of a bash

By Karen Bloom

The big day of tricks — and treats — is fast approaching. Ir’s the perfect excuse to let your spooky side shine. Whether you’re hosting little ghouls or adults who love a good fright, transform your home into a playful (or slightly spooky) party lair. Think mad scientist candy tables,“frightfully” delicious bites, bubbling mocktails, and enough treats to satisfy every sweet tooth.

Costumes optional, fun required. Not everyone wants to go all out with a full costume — and that’s fne! A Halloween Disguise Table lets guests add just a touch of whimsy. From goofy glasses and wacky hats to plastic fangs and spinning bow ties, everyone can join the fun, one accessory at a time.

Go for some spooky eats and magical drinks. Turn everyday foods into Halloween delights with cookie cutters, clever renaming, or inventive presentation. Sandwiches become tombstones, cookies turn into ghosts, you get the idea. Drinks? Pour them into vintage bottles and jugs and label them “magic potions” for an instant wow factor.

With a little imagination, your Halloween gathering can be a playful mix of tricks, treats and memorable moments — no matter your age. Try these tricked-out goodies for tasty spooking.

Spooky Ghosts

These friendly ghosts are sweetly spooky.

• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1 cup extra-fne Baker’s Special Sugar

• Chocolate mini chips, for eyes

Preheat the oven to 200°F, with a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare a pastry bag with a 1/2” plain tip. Place the room-temperature egg whites into the bowl of a mixer. Add the cream of tartar. Beat on slow speed until the cream of tartar is dissolved and the egg whites are foamy. Slowly increase the speed of the mixer. When

the volume of the eggs has doubled and they begin to look opaque, sprinkle in about half the sugar. Continue to beat until the whites are glossy and getting stiff. Add the remaining sugar and mix until it’s evenly distributed and the whites hold a stiff peak.

Transfer the meringue to the pastry bag and, holding the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, pipe, with even pressure, about 2”-high mounds of meringue.

Carefully press two chocolate mini chips into each meringue ghost, to make eyes.

Bake the meringues for approximately 60 to 90 minutes, or until they’re dry and crisp to the touch.

Turn off the oven, open the door a couple of inches, and leave the meringues in the oven to fnish drying several hours, or even overnight.

Remove the ghosts from the completely cold oven, and store them loosely covered. They should keep for several days at cool/dry room temperature. Yield: 20 to 24 ghosts.

Meatball Mummy Bites

Take a bite out of these mummies if you dare.

• 1 can (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

• 20 meatballs, pre-made

• Ketchup or mustard

• Marinara sauce, as desired

Heat oven to 375°F. Line work surface with cooking parchment paper. On parchment-lined surface, unroll dough and press perforations to seal; cut into 4 rectangles.

With knife or pizza cutter, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough.

Wrap 2 pieces of dough around each meatball to look like “bandages,” stretching dough slightly to cover meatballs.

Separate “bandages” near one end to show meatball “face.” On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped meatballs.

Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and meatballs are hot. With ketchup and mustard, draw “eyes” on mummy

bites. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

Monster Mouths

A spooky treat you’ll want to sink your teeth into.

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated peanut butter cookies

• 3/4 cup hazelnut spread with cocoa

• 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 16 balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 3 inches apart.

Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Spread hazelnut spread on bottom of each cookie; cut each cookie crosswise in half. For each “mouth,” press 4 to 5 marshmallows into hazelnut spread along rounded edge of 1 cookie half. Top with second cookie half, bottom side down; gently press together.

Melted Witch Punch

Take a sip and you’ll be feeling “witchy.”

• 6 cups water

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 (6 ounce) package lime-favored gelatin mix

• 1 (46 fuid ounce) can pineapple juice

• 2 quarts orange juice

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 2 (2 liter) bottles chilled lemon-lime soda

Mix water, sugar, and gelatin mix in a large saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook at a boil, whisking frequently, until gelatin and sugar have dissolved, about 3 minutes. Stir pineapple juice, orange juice, and lemon juice into gelatin mixture and transfer into resealable plastic bags. Place in freezer until slushy, about 4 hours.

Pour mixture into a large punch bowl and stir in lemon-lime soda; foat a black plastic witch hat atop the punch.

Ruthie Foster is eager to share tunes from her new CD, “Mileage.” Renowned for her ability to weave together a tapestry of diverse musical infuences ranging from gospel and blues to folk and soul, Foster’s musical odyssey has taken her from singing in churches in rural Texas to earning multiple Grammy nominations, gracing the stage with the Allman Brothers, and collaborating with Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. With her milestone 10th studio album, Foster continues to tell stories that refect her personal triumphs, losses and the universal human experience. Born into a family steeped in gospel tradition, she initially shied away from the spotlight, preferring to play guitar, piano and write songs for others. Now, many albums later, she stands as a testament to the power of authenticity and resilience in music.

Friday, Oct. 24, 8 p.m. $43, $38, $33. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Little Feat

One of America’s most distinctive and longest-running rock bands, Little Feat is back in a big way with a revitalized lineup and a stellar new album — its frst of original material in over a decade. The venerable band is touring in support of ‘Strike Up the Band,” their frst new studio album reliant on new material since 2012’s Rooster Rag. It’s Little Feat’s triumphant return to rock ‘n roll with plenty of swampy Southern soul. The band builds on a deep, over 50-year history of elite musicianship and brilliant, idiosyncratic songwriting that transcends boundaries. California rock, funk, folk, jazz, country and rockabilly mixed with New Orleans swamp boogie has kept audiences grooving for decades.

Saturday, Oct 25, 8 p.m. $141.25, $120.25, $99.75, $77.75, $66.25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Spooky Family Movie Night

CALENDAR

Enjoy a family movie in Rock Hall’s new Education/ Visitor Center. See “Beetlejuice” (rated PG). Bring a blanket. $5 per person. Space limited and reservations required. Raffles, popcorn and snacks will be sold. All proceeds benefit the Friends of Rock Hall.

• Where: 199 Broadway, Lawrence

• Time: 6:30-9 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 239-1157

Board of Trustees

Meeting

The Village of Lawrence Board of Trustees holds its monthly meeting. Stay up to date on what’s happening in the village.

• Where: 196 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: villageoflawrence.org

OCT 23 Dog Days Weekend

OCT

25

Enjoy the glorious grounds of Old Westbury Gardens with your pooch (leashed of course), With fall dog parade and costume contest on Sunday. Prizes awarded to best dog costumes, including Prettiest, Most Handsome, Most Original, Best Duo or Group, Funniest. Costume contest participants must register.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury.

• Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: also Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with costume parade/contest, 3-5 p.m.

• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048

Haunted Halloween

Step back in time at Old Bethpage Village Restoration for some Halloween fun. Enjoy safe trick or treating, a kids’ costume parade and contest, witch-broom making, pumpkin painting, and other family fun. Meet the Headless Horseman and listen to a reading of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Enjoy the spooky fun while you appreciate the colors and beauty of the fall season in the farms, woods, and felds of the historic site. $15, $12 seniors and children 5-12.

• Where: 1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage

• Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Contact: oldbethpagevillageresto ration.org or call (516) 572-8409

‘Uncle Vlad’s Pumpkin Patch: Under New Management’

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes all to its latest theater

Orchestre National de France

The Coolest Book Club Teens, ages 13-17, get together on the last Monday monthly to discuss a book and hang out, with snacks. Registration required.

• Where: 280 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: 7-8 p.m.

• Contact: peninsulapublic.org or call (516) 239-3262

Board of Education meets

The Lawrence Board of Education holds its monthly meeting. Stay up to date on what’s happening in the district.

• Where: 2 Reilly Road, Cedarhurst

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: lawrence.k12.ny.us

OCT

28

Golden Notes Choir Join in a joyful hour of singing in several languages with instructor Zvi Klein at Gural JCC. All are welcome. $5 suggested donation.

• Where: 207 Grove Ave., Cedarhurst

• Where: Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville

• Time: 7 p.m.

Music Director Cristian Maˇcelaru leads the Orchestre National de France on its frst U.S. tour in nearly 10 years, performing with Grammy-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov. Their brief three-concert tour, with a stop at Tilles Center, culminates in a much-anticipated return to Carnegie Hall. Founded in 1934 and prized as France’s leading orchestra, the Orchestre National frst toured in North America in 1948. Joined by the pianist-extraordinaire (whose career has taken him far and wide, to Paris, throughout France, and to the most prestigious classical music venues in the world), the Orchestre National de France, the orchestra performs repertoires that lie at the core of its identity: Maurice Ravel (to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his birth), Elsa Barraine and Camille Saint-Saëns. Their brilliant repertoire features Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, along with Elsa Barraine’s Symphony No. 2 and two works by Ravel — Concerto in G and Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2 — with Trifonov as soloist on both of the program’s concerti. Under the baton of Cristian Maˇcelaru, this masterful program stuns in the musical story it provides, bringing the listener on a picturesque journey from start to fnish. The programming of Elsa Barraine’s Symphony No. 2 with its gumptous string lines that compliment the playfulness of the work’s structure sits beautifully in the program with Ravel’s Daphnis & Chloé. The two piano concertos bring different stylistic characters to the stage, with Saint-Saëns offering late romantic era lushness and Ravel offering the lavish fancy. Hearing these two works performed by Trifonov, a performer with a dedication to perfecting concerto repertoire for piano, is iconic.

production. Horrible news! The Mountain Boo Soda Company has their eyes on a piece of property for their new factory — Uncle Vlad’s pumpkin patch! Join Uncle Vlad, his nephew Chad, and their freakish friends as they team up to protect their Halloween home from the bony fngers of big business. The company is run by a skeleton, after all! With puppeteers and actors from LICM’s Theater, this musical adventure will tickle your funny bone as a Halloween treat for the whole family. $5 with museum admission ($4 members). $10 theater only.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., also Oct. 26

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 2245800

Blood Drive and Fundraiser

Hewlett Fire Department hosts its 2nd annual Firefighter Daniel Berrios memorial blood drive and fundraiser. This is in collaboration with the New York Blood Center, In memory of volunteer firefighter of Daniel Berrios who died in a 2023 motorcycle accident. With silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.

• Where: 25 Franklin Ave., Hewlett

• Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Contact: kahern@hbfiredistrict. org

Aesthetic Realism Cabaret

Enjoy a performance with the Aesthetic Realism Theatre Company at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library. Their production interweaves performance and comment, with the focus on why the songs are so meaningful.

• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett

• Time: 2:30 p.m.

• Contact: hwpl.org

Trunk or Treat

Celebrate Halloween with trunk or treating, hosted by Warrior Scholar Martial Arts, St. John’s of Inwood and Gammy’s Pantry.

• Where: 4 Henry St., Inwood

• Time: 1-3 p.m.

• Contact: signup. warriorscholarmartialarts.com/ trunk-or-treat

Suicide Awareness Walk

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Long Island Chapter holds their Long Island Out of the Darkness Community Walk to raise awareness about

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100

suicide at Jones Beach. Register to walk or become a sponsor.

• Where: Field 5, Jones Beach, Wantagh

• Time: 10 a.m.

OCT

Movies with

the Pagemasters

See sensory-friendly movie screenings of films related to the book club picks at HewlettWoodmere Public Library. All are welcome to attend. Movie titles to be announced.

• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett

• Time: 1 p.m.

• Contact: hwpl.org

Thanksgiving Bakes with Rachel

Impress your guests this holiday season with fresh pretzel buns and a perfect pumpkin pie! Visit Peninsula Public Library for some culinary inspiration. Participants will go home with ready-to-bake dough and a homemade pie.

• Where: 280 Central Ave., Lawrence

• Time: 7-9 p.m.

• Contact: peninsulapublic.org or call (516) 239-3262

• Time: 11 a.m.

• Contact: guraljcc.org or (516) 569-6733

Art talk

Discuss the art of Fra Angelico, with Professor Thomas Germano at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library. Though trained in the late gothic painting style, the adapted the new principles of the emerging Renaissance style.

• Where: 1125 Broadway, Hewlett

• Time: 11 a.m.

• Contact: hwpl.org

Having an event?

Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND

SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR RPMLT 2014-1 TRUST, SERIES 2014-1, Plaintiff, vs. NINA FISCHMAN, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 17, 2023 and a Short Form Order duly entered on May 5, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on November 12, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 703 Carlyle Street, Woodmere, NY 11598. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 39, Block 192 and Lot 218. Approximate amount of judgment is $191,479.38 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fled Judgment Index #608260/2017.

Joshua David Brookstein, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 182006-1 156135

LEGAL NOTICE

INCORPORATED

VILLAGE OF CEDARHURST

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

THAT the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cedarhurst will hold a public hearing on Monday, October 27, 2025, at 8:00 pm in Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Avenue, Cedarhurst, New York for the following purposes:

Amending §224-9 Permitted curb cuts and driveways.

Amending §250-65 Schedule XI: No Stopping. Amending §265-41 Side Yards.

Amending §265-52 Side Yards.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE THAT all interested persons will have an opportunity to be heard at said hearing.

Dated: Cedarhurst, New York October 16,2025

By Order of the Mayor, Benjamin Weinstock and Board of Trustees Jacob Plaut Village Administrator 156425

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF REGISTRATION ROLLS FOR ANNUAL ELECTION OF THE GREATER ATLANTIC BEACH WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT TO THE REGISTERED VOTERS AND ELECTORS OF THE GREATER ATLANTIC BEACH WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Elections of The Greater Atlantic Beach Water Reclamation District shall meet on the 20th day of November, 2025 between the hours of 6:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. at the offce of the Board of Commissioners, 2150 Bay Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York for the purpose of preparing the rolls of registered voters of The Greater Atlantic Beach Water Reclamation District.

The Annual Election of The Greater Atlantic Beach Water Reclamation District will be held on the 9th day of December, 2025 between the hours of 6:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. at the Atlantic Beach Fire Rescue Headquarters, Bridge Access Road, A/K/A One Rescue Road, Atlantic Beach, New York.

Please note that in 2025, and thereafter, only those persons who have registered with the County Board of Elections on or before the 23rd day before the District Election Day shall be eligible to vote. In 2025, such registration must take place on or before Monday, November 17, 2025.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Secretary, The Greater Atlantic Beach Water Reclamation District

Chairman, The Greater Atlantic Beach

Water Reclamation District

DATED: Atlantic Beach, NY

October 14, 2025 156426

LEGAL NOTICE

Village of Lawrence Legal Notice NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the Board of Appeals of the Incorporated Village of Lawrence will hold a work session beginning at 6:45 P.M. followed by a public meeting on November 5, 2025 at Lawrence Yacht and Country Club, 101 Causeway, Lawrence, New York 11559 beginning at 7:30 P.M. to conduct the following Public Hearings and to attend to such other matters as may properly come before the Board:

“Herzka (Contract Vendee), 1055 New McNeil AvenueSection 212-17.D (1) of the Village Code states, in a Residence District C-1, the minimum rear yard setback is 30 ft. Section 212-17.D(2)(b) of the Village Code states, in a Residence District C-1, the maximum rear yard height/setback ratio is 0.74.

“Pharmko, 298 Central Avenue - Section 212-23.H (1) of the Village Code states that “every building hereinafter erected tor altered shall provide on-site off-street parking. One parking space shall be provided for each 200 square feet of gross foor area contained in building.”

Required parking for a space sized 1,613 sq. ft. is 9 parking spaces.

“Portnoy, 148 Sutton Place South- Section 212.12.1 Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the maximum building coverage for a lot size of 13,630 sq. ft. in an area is 3,172 sq. ft.

Section 212.12.1

Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the maximum surface coverage for a lot size of 13,630 sq. ft. in an area is 6,133.5 sq. ft.

Section 212-12.1

Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the minimum rear yard setback for a lot size of 13,630 sq. ft. is 40 ft.

“Stern, 122 Harrison St- Section 212.12.1

Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the maximum building coverage for a lot size of 12,000 sq. ft. in an area is 3,025 sq. ft.

Section 212-12.1

Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the

minimum front yard setback for a lot size of 12,000 sq. ft. is 30 ft.

Section 212-12.1

Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the minimum rear yard setback for a lot size of 12,000 sq. ft. is 40 ft.

Section 212-12.1

Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the maximum front yard height/setback ratio for a lot size of 12,000 sq. ft. is 0.74. Section 212-12.1 Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the maximum rear yard height/setback ratio for a lot size of 12,000 sq. ft. is 0.55. The order in which the listed applications are heard shall be determined the night of the meeting. The applications and accompanying exhibits are on fle and may be inspected at the Village Offce during normal business hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If anyone needs special accommodations for a disability, such person should contact the Village Clerk at least 5 days before the hearing. All interested parties will have the opportunity to be heard

By Order of the Board of Appeals

Lloyd Keilson Chairman

Dated: October 3, 2025 156424

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Inwood Fire District in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, at a meeting held on the 9th day of October 2025 duly adopted the following Resolutions, subject to permissive referendum: Be it resolved that an expenditure of monies from the Inwood Fire District Capital Radio, technology and Equipment Fund will be used to purchase (frst) one new replacement 140 H.P. Boat motor with associated equipment all conversions and will be limited to a cost not to exceed $11,500. (second) the board also approved to purchase new Radio repeater equipment with associated equipment and conversions not to exceed $65,000 replacing old and obsolete existing equipment located at the Inwood Fire Headquarters. A copy

News brief

EHS launches new ‘Food as Medicine’ program for patients

Episcopal Health Services announced the launch of its “Food As Medicine” pilot program, designed to improve health outcomes by addressing the critical link between nutrition and chronic disease management.

“Food As Medicine” recognizes that access to nutritious food plays a vital role in promoting health, preventing disease, and even treating certain conditions. This program reflects EHS’s ongoing commitment to health equity and social impact by removing barriers to care and supporting patients in achieving sustainable wellness. Overcoming systemic barriers that limit access to healthy food ensures patients have the tools and support they need to manage chronic conditions and improve overall well-being.

“This program reflects our commitment to treating the whole patient, not just the illness,” Donald T. Morrish, chief executive officer at EHS wrote in a news release. “By combining medical oversight with access to nutritious food – through our partnership with Campaign Against Hunger – we are empowering patients to take control of their health, prevent complications before they arise, and build sustainable habits that support long-term wellness.”

The pilot program is designed for adults over the age of 18 with Stage 2 hypertension who have experienced multiple hypertensive crises – requiring at least four visits to the emergency department or their primary care physician in the past year and who also face food insecurity.

“At EHS, our mission extends beyond hospital walls,” Sharika Gordon, SVP & chief people operations officer wrote in a news release. “Programs like Food As Medicine demonstrate how we are investing in the social and environmental factors that influence health. Through this initiative, we are helping patients and community members build healthier lives and stronger futures.”

Over the course of six months, participants will receive personalized guidance

and support: Nutrition Education and Medical Oversight: Participants first meet with a registered dietitian to develop a personalized nutrition plan. Within the first month, they will see their primary care physician, who will assess blood pressure, vitals, and weight, and finalize a tailored food plan in consultation with the dietitian. Follow-up visits at three and six months will track progress and make adjustments as needed.

Grocery Support and Cooking Guidance: In partnership with Campaign Against Hunger, EHS will provide weekly medically prescribed groceries and monthly kitchen demonstrations, equipping participants with both the food and the practical skills to follow their individualized plans.

Ongoing Monitoring: An EHS Population Health Team nurse will conduct weekly virtual or phone check-ins to monitor blood pressure, BMI, and weight.

Through the “Food As Medicine” pilot, EHS is advancing innovative, person-centered care that addresses the root causes of chronic disease while supporting the health and wellness of the communities it serves. For more information or to sign-up, call 718-869-7100 or email FoodAs_Medicine@ ehs.org.

— Melissa Berman

Public Notices

of this Resolution is available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Offce of the Inwood Fire District Secretary for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice.

Dated: Inwood, New York October 15, 2025, Joseph Reda, Fire District Secretary 156423

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Frederick L. Thomas, III; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered July 28, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on

November 13, 2025, at 3:00PM, premises known as 127 Lawrence Avenue, Inwood, NY 11096. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Lawrence in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section: 40 Block: 38 Lot: 278. Approximate amount of judgment $124,412.80 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fled Judgment Index# 615770/2023. Foreclosure auction will be held “Rain or Shine”. Paul Meli, Esq, Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: September 23, 2025 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2831 156182

Our window replacement looks complicated

Retail Space For Rent

GREENPORT: North Fork. Prime Main Street location. Historic Captains' house. Original floors and moldings. Suitable for: retail, gallery, office, tasting room. $3,700/month. Call 516-241-8135.

Apartments For Rent

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Cemetery Plots

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Q. With winter coming, we’re realizing that our windows are drafty and hard to open. It’s time to replace them after 40 years in our house. As we start shopping around, are there windows you recommend, and why? We keep seeing commercials for replacement windows, and were wondering if there’s a difference since our window openings aren’t standard. I took some measurements, and some of the windows are very uniform — like 4 feet tall, and others are off by 2 or 3 inches and those don’t match one another. Will the new windows be custom fit to the openings, or will we need to change the openings? I’m concerned, because our house is brick, and it seems like not every window is going to fit. What should I look for when talking to a contractor, and will we need a permit?

A. The most important thing to look for with windows is energy compliance and the strength and ease of operating the hardware. Windows that will lose more energy are a poor investment, followed by those that can’t be opened easily as they age. The strength of the frames goes hand in hand with the window operation, because less costly vinyl windows are made of less costly materials that will distort over time and directly affect the seal around the frames, making for more difficulty opening and closing.

Lately I’ve noticed that clients are searching for unique styles and brands from faraway places and even other countries. One person asked me to look at a lift-out window from Southern California that was meant for a café serving counter, but they wanted to use it for a second-floor bedroom. The window was a push-out-and-up type that didn’t look like it could handle our weather in the Northeast. There was no energy data to show resistance to our winters, and nothing published that could pass our local codes.

Another client is getting windows from Poland. They’re very strong, triple-pane units that cost less and will probably comply with the energy codes, but it was a struggle to get the energy data in a format required in your state codes.

The rule with most building departments in your area is that direct replacement doesn’t need a building permit, but altering window sizes does. You should still verify this with your building department, because you want to avoid receiving a warning or summons during the installation and then having to stop to get plans made and permits filed.

Custom window sizes require creating extra framing to attractively insert standard sizes. If you reduce the window opening, it must still comply with safety requirements. Consult either a local official or an architect to be sure that you comply. The codes vary for existing window openings, which require 4 square feet versus altered openings that bump the required size up to 5.7 square feet. The architect can also give you some guidance about wood versus vinyl, fiberglass versus metal, etc. Good luck!

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opiNioNs

How does this shutdown fnally end?

The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1. I can’t stand it. I’ve been back and forth to Washington, but the Capitol is relatively quiet. Federal workers are missing paychecks; Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare applications can’t get processed; flights are being delayed; and without any action come Nov. 1, millions of Americans will be notified that their health insurance premiums are going up by over $1,000 — per month!

Why can’t we fix this? Republicans have the White House and majorities in both the Senate and the House, but they need eight Democratic votes in the Senate to pass a government funding bill. Despite the high stakes and the need for high-level bipartisan negotiations to end this crisis, no one is talking. Why?

Republicans say they won’t negotiate until the government is reopened. House Speaker Mike Johnson hasn’t called us back to Congress for a month. Senate Majority Leader John Thune refuses to budge, and President Trump continues his my-way-or-the-highway

“Nposture, unilaterally — and likely unlawfully — firing federal employees, cutting projects in Democratic states and eliminating programs to try to impose his will, making this shutdown as painful as possible.

The Democrats are just as dug in. They warn that those health insurance premiums will soon skyrocket because Republicans refuse to extend the tax credits that keep the premiums down. We’re running out of time.

We need a solution that staves off spikes in health insurance premiums.

If the credits expire, 22 million Americans, including more than 100,000 Long Islanders, will see their premiums spike. Healthy people all over the country will choose to forgo coverage, which will shrink the risk pool and raise premiums for everyone. The results will be catastrophic.

The crazy thing is, most Democrats want to reopen the government, and many Republicans want to extend the tax credits. The problem is that no one trusts one another. Republicans want to open the government with a handshake promise to talk about health insurance later. Democrats want it dealt with as part of the reopening. There must be compromise, often a dirty word in D.C.

Normally, I’d advocate for trust. I don’t believe shutdowns should be used

as negotiating tactics for these kinds of policy debates. But these aren’t normal times. For the past nine months, the administration has ignored the Democrats, unilaterally eliminating jobs and cutting key programs, reversing budget decisions without warning and generally steamrolling Congress’s constitutional authority over “the power of the purse” and the use of the military in our cities.

Johnson and Thune have refused to negotiate with Democrats. I’ve voted to keep the government open more than 40 times over my five terms in Congress. Each time, the governing majority has negotiated with the minority party, with the understanding that they simply don’t have the votes on their own.

How can Democrats reasonably be expected to trust that health care will be dealt with after the reopening in an environment of such fear, anger and distrust in Washington?

Nevertheless, we need to find a way to reopen the government as soon as possible, or things will only get worse. We need a solution that also staves off spikes in health insurance costs.

That’s why I’m leading a bipartisan effort with Republican Congresswoman Jen Kiggans. Our bill, the Premium

Tax Credit Extension Act, would extend the credits for one year, protecting families while giving Congress time to reach a broader health care deal. It’s not perfect. Like most of my Democratic colleagues, I’d prefer extending the credits permanently. But we’re in the minority, and we can’t let our aspiration for perfection stop us from achieving the good. Republicans, who can’t open the government without Democrats, must also see that truth.

The sticking point in this shutdown is health care affordability: Polling shows that the top concern in our country is the cost of living, and health care costs are a key contributor. At Trump’s inaugural address, he said he would “rapidly reduce prices.” I, like many Americans, hoped that he would.

Now inflation is up, costs are climbing, and Americans feel duped. They want us to reopen the government, prioritize lowering costs —health care a big part of that — and stop playing partisan games while they pay the price.

For many Americans, Washington hasn’t just shut down this month — it’s felt closed for far too long. We need to reopen it in every sense: by rebuilding trust, negotiating honestly, and committing to working together to find solutions for the people we represent.

Tom Suozzi represents the 3rd Congressional District.

Returning to autumn in New York, 2025

o man can step into the same river twice.” — Heraclitus, 500 B.C.

After spending the past few years in Florida, my husband and I decided this season to rent a place near Woodmere, where we lived in the same house for 51 years. I taught in the local schools, our kids grew up here, and our roots in the community run deep.

We’ve been back in town for about two months.

I don’t have meteorological data, but I believe we’ve had the most glorious autumn weather ever experienced in southwestern Nassau County. Until the nor’easter, of course, which brought back memories of Hurricanes Belle and Irene and Sandy.

I took myself to Woodmere Dock and found the seascape of the bay, the waterside holes of the Rockaway Hunting Club and the vast marshes all the same. I imagine I’m one of few people who

recall that the dock was owned at one time by the Ike family, who rented rowboats by the hour and owned an access road to the dock known as Ike’s Lane.

You can go home again, but if you do, be prepared. Everything is the same, but entirely different. And, of course, you are different, too. Our old house looks as if we closed the door and walked away yesterday. The tiny memorial to our dog Sheba still rests in a flower bed where we buried her ashes.

You can go home again, but be prepared. Everything is the same, but entirely different.

The second day up North, I walked into a doctor’s office and into a friend from our kids’ high school days. We looked the same, other than dusted and stamped by time. That afternoon, a woman jogged by our rental house, and I realized she was in a book group I ran 25 years ago. I kept running into people who looked as if a makeup artist had worked them over. And they did double takes when I reintroduced myself.

Things are where I remember them — firehouses and supermarkets and a few restaurants. But some stores are now banks, and many small businesses

have been replaced by medical megapractices, gyms or nail spas. Community boards advertise unfamiliar events and groups. I felt like Emily in “Our Town,” when she returns from the dead to revisit her 12th birthday and realizes that no one ever appreciates the everydayness of their lives while they’re living them. I took the LIRR to the city from Lawrence one day. I didn’t know where or how to park, how to buy a ticket or how to find the train schedule. Since I last rode the Snail, it went digital. I got a tutorial from my granddaughter and enjoyed a glorious day with her traipsing through downtown Manhattan. BTW, despite the fearmongering of many Floridians, the subway was clean, and it all felt safe.

Penn Station was emblematic of my experience, looking completely new and kind of brazen and futuristic, but foundationally the same. Track 19 is still Track 19, and the train back to Lawrence still left from there.

Another day, I drove from the Five Towns to Astoria. I hadn’t driven in city

traffic for six years. That was hell and a half. I felt gratified that my memory of the roads was accurate, and the Van Wyck still went to the Grand Central and then to Steinway Street — but what a holy mess the roads are. Everything is under construction, and cement trucks terrorized me all the way from here to there. My Waze app told me to go right so I could go left, and then an 18-wheeler backed into my lane. More people gave me the finger salute during that 50-minute ride than in all of my years driving. The Woodmere and other towns of my younger self have evolved and, in some cases, disappeared. That’s what happens. New people, new shops, new activities festoon the old infrastructure. All the little back roads are the same, though. I realized I knew 10 different ways to drive anyplace.

I also know the origin stories, the history, of people and places, and it all came flooding back as I zipped about town. I felt grounded in the way you can only feel when your present is layered with rich memories of the past.

It’s autumn in New York again, and it’s good to be home.

Copyright 2025 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

HERALD

Herald editorial

Science strengthens justice on Long Island

For decades, justice in Nassau and Suffolk counties often depended on eyewitnesses, confessions and detective work that, while diligent, was limited by the science of its time. But today, the breakthroughs of modern forensic science are rewriting history, freeing the innocent and holding the guilty accountable.

Last week, the Nassau County district attorney’s office announced a stunning development in one of Long Island’s most haunting cold cases, the 1984 murder of 16-year-old Theresa Fusco in Lynbrook. Fusco disappeared after finishing her shift at the Hot Skates Roller Rink. A month later, her body was found in a nearby wooded area.

For nearly 40 years, her family lived with grief and confusion, compounded by the wrongful convictions of three men whose lives were destroyed before DNA technology could prove their innocence. Those men — Dennis Halstead, John Kogut and John Restivo — spent nearly two decades in prison before DNA testing cleared them in 2003.

Now, that same science has brought the case full circle. Investigators linked Richard Bilodeau, 63, of Center Moriches, to the crime after obtaining DNA from a discarded smoothie cup earlier this year. When tested, it was a 100

letters

percent match with evidence preserved from the Fusco crime scene.

“Science and DNA evidence doesn’t lie,” the district attorney’s office stated. And it doesn’t coerce confessions. It doesn’t forget. It doesn’t play favorites. It tells the truth when the truth is hard to find.

The Fusco case isn’t just about closure — it’s a lesson in progress. Four decades ago, detectives couldn’t imagine a world in which a cold case could be revived by a few microscopic cells. Today, the Nassau County forensic unit has reopened a number of cases, identifying both victims and suspects through genetic technology once considered science fiction.

Science is also central to another major Long Island case now unfolding in court: that of Rex Heuermann, the Massapequa Park architect accused of being the Gilgo Beach serial killer. There, too, DNA stands at the center of the search for truth. Prosecutors are relying on cutting-edge testing from Astrea Forensics, a California lab that analyzes even the tiniest hair fragments. Defense attorneys have tried to discredit the science as “magic,” claiming that New York courts haven’t yet accepted it.

But experts such as Dr. Kelley Harris,

There should be funding in the county budget for a safe center

The following letter was sent to Nassau County legislators.

The South Shore Women’s Alliance is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to advocating for the rights of women and families. In line with this mission, SSWA hosted “Not Me” workshops for parents and their daughters, in which the Safe Center LI, of Bethpage, played a crucial role, providing instruction on fundamental prevention and protection strategies, as well as education on the warning signs and cycles of abuse.

In addition to serving as the primary center for people affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse, the Safe Center operated as an advocacy center for child-abuse prosecutions, maintained a crisis-intervention hotline and offered an advocate-response program that dispatched trained volunteers to emergency rooms to assist survivors of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence.

The Safe Center was the lifeline for over 5,000 people each year, providing crucial resources and support to victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, the only center of its kind in Nassau County. It is unconscionable that County Executive Bruce Blakeman allowed it to close.

Nassau provided $2.9 million to the Safe Center in 2023. But when asked for county grants to keep the center going, Blakeman failed not only to provide the needed funding, but also to facilitate a takeover by another organization, forcing the center to shut its doors.

The Safe Center board’s former president, Shanell Parrish-Brown, said, “The county sort of left the Safe Center

a University of Washington geneticist, defend the method as “elegant and powerful”— a reminder that while justice is constant, the tools to attain it evolve. Every forensic innovation, from fingerprints to fiber analysis to DNA sequencing, was once new and controversial. Yet each step forward has given law enforcement stronger, fairer tools to uncover facts that human memory or intuition alone could never provide.

Whether it’s exonerating the innocent, as in Fusco’s tragic case, or convicting the guilty, as prosecutors hope in the Gilgo Beach murders, forensic science is reshaping the path toward justice on Long Island. It demands accuracy. It demands accountability. And it demands that we trust evidence grounded not in guesswork or coercion, but in chemistry, genetics and time-tested truth.

For the Fusco family, science may finally bring the closure they’ve waited for since 1984. For the families of the Gilgo Beach victims, it may soon bring answers to a mystery that has haunted this area for years.

From Lynbrook to Massapequa Park and across Long Island, one message is clear: Science keeps faith with the facts — and with the people who deserve justice.

out to dry.”

As reported in Newsday, County Legislator Seth Koslow “said the impending closure could have been avoided with better county planning.”

“This was a failure of leadership in Nassau to ensure the safety of these children who have been victimized once and are now being victimized again by the Blakeman administra -

tion,” Koslow said. “This wasn’t something that just fell out of the heavens — people saw this coming.”

Why weren’t there hearings about the future of the center when the financial problems first became known? Why hasn’t the Legislature’s Health and Social Services Committee held hearings about how it might save the center?

opinions

Haven’t heard about kratom? It’s a new cause for concern.

kratom is a substance that has caught the attention of legislatures across the country — in New York especially, due to its wide usage as a stimulant and because of its alleged medicinal properties, but mainly as a cause of recent tragic deaths. I believe you should be aware of the risks of kratom, its compounds and synthetic derivatives. According to Dr. Marty Makary, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Concentrated, synthetic 7-OH” — the herb’s chemical byproduct — “may be the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic.”

Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves are sold on the market as tea, powder, pills, tablets or capsules. It is found in energy drinks, vapes, herbal supplements and gummies. Unregulated kratom products have been found to contain lead.

People use kratom to treat conditions such as pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, opioid use disorder and withdrawal, and to boost energy and enhance wellness. Depending on the dosage,

however, it can produce both stimulant effects and opioid-like sedative effects. Its risks include liver toxicity, seizures and addiction.

The use of kratom started to become mainstream over the past decade. It’s relatively inexpensive, but according to industry statistics, the industry is valued at between $1.3 billion and $5.62 billion, and is projected to grow rapidly. This is concerning!

TThe FDA has not approved any uses for kratom, and it is not lawfully marketed in the United States. The FDA describes it as lacking medicinal value, and has raised concerns about risks it says are similar to those of using morphine. The FDA warns consumers to avoid usage until it is better understood.

Although it occurs naturally in the kratom plant, it is considered a synthetic substance in its potent form, in commercial products. The recommendation is now under review by the DEA.

he head of the FDA says it ‘may be the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic.’

In 1970, Congress established five schedules of classification for controlled substances, Schedule 1 being the worst, and granted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FDA the authority to determine which substances could be added or removed from those schedules.

In July, the FDA announced that it would recommend to the DEA that 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, the powerful compound found in kratom, be classified as a Schedule I substance.

LeTTers

Even more egregious is how Blakeman uses women’s trauma as a political ploy in mailings and TV ads against his opponent, while abandoning survivors of rape, abuse and domestic violence — effectively casting them onto the streets.

The South Shore Women’s Alliance gathered hundreds of Nassau resident signatures urging that, rather than spending millions of dollars on outside legal fees for frivolous culture war lawsuits or for his own personal militia, Blakeman reinstate the county’s only domestic violence center.

The SSWA requests that Nassau County allocate funds in the 2026 budget for opening a new facility that shelters and provides the services that the Safe Center provided to women and children of Nassau County.

Until the review is complete, New York can’t pass legislation that deviates from a federal classification standard because of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Although this was a step in the right direction, the kratom plant itself was not included in the recommendation. I recently signed a letter written by the chairman of the Assembly’s Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee requesting that the DEA and FDA add kratom products as a Schedule I substance.

At least half of the states in the U.S. regulate kratom, often including age restrictions. As of this year, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C., have banned it, and classified it as a Schedule I substance. Florida and Missouri have banned synthetic 7-OH.

The inconsistency of these laws demonstrates exactly why federal regulation streamlining the classification and use of kratom is so vital. While it may have medicinal benefits, the focus should be

ernment is a nonpartisan group concerned about transparency, accountability and integrity. We believe Mr. D’Esposito is wholly unqualified for this job, and ask that you block his confirmation.

Anthony D’Esposito’s history of questionable hiring practices has been well documented. While at the New York City Police Department, he reportedly broke labor rules by working a second job. More recently, D’Esposito was at the center of a scandal. In September 2024, it was reported that that while he was serving as a congressman in the 4th District, he put his fiancée’s daughter and his mistress on his congressional payroll, despite the House Code of Conduct prohibition against employing spouses, relatives and stepchildren.

on harm reduction. Individual choice needs to be respected, but I believe public health is at stake.

We have taken action in New York state. I co-sponsored two bills that passed unanimously in June and are awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature. One would require manufacturers of kratom products in New York to include a warning label stating that the product hasn’t been approved by the FDA, and is prohibited from being labeled as all natural. The other bill would prohibit the sale of kratom to anyone under age 21. It is vital that we protect this age group, just as we do with the sale of alcohol and marijuana.

It is paramount that these bills be signed, and that kratom products be classified as Schedule I substances. The tragic deaths of too many New Yorkers have shown how dangerous and addictive kratom can be. Some people seeking alternative remedies to pain, insomnia, anxiety, fatigue and other problems have unknowingly been at risk, and some have died believing this substance was natural, safe and had therapeutic value.

Unfortunately, this sounds all too familiar. “We got burned with fentanyl. We got burned with prescription drugs,” Makary said. “We cannot get behind the eight-ball again.”

Judy Griffin represents the 21st Assembly District.

CLAUDIA BORECKY Executive director, South Shore Women’s

Alliance

Should D’Esposito be an inspector general?

The following letter was sent to United States Senate Majority Leader John Thune. It has been reported that the U.S. Senate is advancing the confirmation of former Congressman Anthony D’Esposito to be Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nassau Residents for Good Gov-

There are also questions about his judgment. D’Esposito was part of the GOP’s slate of 2022 freshmen candidates for Congress, which included the disgraced George Santos, who was expelled in 2023 (and just released from prison). D’Esposito reportedly had a close financial relationship with Santos, and coordinated with him during their concurrent 2022 House campaigns, sharing a campaign treasurer (who later pleaded guilty to conspiring to defrauding the U.S. government) and raising money together through the Santo D’Esposito Nassau Victory Committee.

D’Esposito says that if confirmed, he will bring “grit, independence and accountability to the Department of Labor.” In fact,

his record is antithetical to that position and that promise. As detailed above, his record is one of corruption and a general disregard for ethical considerations.

President Trump chose D’Esposito despite his ethical lapses amid lingering questions about his hiring practices. But the Senate doesn’t have to.

Here in Nassau County, we have seen up close D’Esposito’s labor practices, which we believe should disqualify him from consideration. Instead of advancing D’Esposito’s confirmation, it should be blocked.