Ella Neyer, Lily Latouche and Ava Guadagno, above, were excited about another year of academic and extracurricular achievements. At right, Scarlet and Michael Genovese lined up with their backpacks, ready for the first day of school at Oaks School No. 3. Story, more photos, Page 4.
By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com
Stephanie DeCarolis — the Oceanside author and lawyer, who early in her legal career worked with victims of abuse — has turned that experience into the engine behind her fourth novel, “The Wives of Hawthorne Lane,” which is due out Sept. 16.
DeCarolis, 39, said her legal background, combined with her love of suspense fiction, drives the story.
“This book was inspired by real women, and my experience working with them,” DeCarolis said. “Early in my legal career, I worked on an honorary basis as an advocate for victims of abuse.”
While the book’s characters and the situations they find themselves in are entirely fictional, DeCarolis’s time spent working as an advocate shaped the subject matter and her approach.
Published by Random House, at the book’s center are four neighbors on Hawthorne Lane whose picturesque lives hide fractures and secrets. There’s Georgina, known for her perfect cheesecakes and enviable home, with a guest list everyone hopes to make. Audrey is bold and beautiful, a fashion magazine
Book launch & signing: Sept. 19 at Insieme Wines, 3333 Lawson Blvd, Oceanside
Author talk: Sept. 27 at Oceanside Library —Kepherd Daniel
editor unafraid to speak her mind — except when it comes to her marriage. Libby juggles teenagers, a business and a soon-to-be ex-husband, determined to push her over the edge. And then there’s Hannah, a doeeyed newlywed and children’s librarian, as wholesome as they come.
“You know from the first page that someone doesn’t make it to the end of the fall festival, but you don’t know who’s killed or why,” DeCarolis said.
After that jolt, the book rewinds three months and follows each woman’s story as the reader pieces together motive and opportunity.
That structure — a shocking
Continued on page 13
Island Park’s Sacred Heart Church welcomed hundreds of community members for its 55th annual San Gennaro Feast.
The event also maintained its spiritual core with Thursday evening Mass and the procession of the statue of San Gennaro through the streets of Island Park, honoring the patron saint of Naples.
From Sept. 4 to Sept. 7. the beloved tradition offered homemade Italian specialties, live music, rides, and games, bringing together parishioners and residents alike to together.
Volunteers worked tirelessly through-
out the week to ensure a smooth and vibrant celebration.
From preparing classic dishes like sausage and peppers, eggplant, meatballs, and zeppole to organizing the White Elephant tent and games of chance, the feast showcased the dedication and spirit of the Island Park community.
— Kepherd Daniel
Oceanside schools kicked off the 2025–2026 academic year on a bright and bustling first day. Students, families, and staff returned to classrooms with excitement and anticipation for new experiences, friendships, and learning opportunities. From kindergarteners taking their first steps into
Many people are unclear about financial advisors versus estate planners. In fact, many financial advisors and accountants give their clients estate planning advice even though it is not their actual area of expertise.
The main focus of a financial advisor is to manage and grow your money during your lifetime. They look at which investments are suitable for your goals and your tolerance for risk. Financial advisors also assist with retirement planning so that you have enough income later on after you stop working as well as budgeting, debt management and cash flow planning during your working years. They also assist with various forms of insurance.
Estate planners, on the other hand, focus on protecting your wealth from being devastated by long-term care costs and transferring your assets after death to whom you want, when you want and the way you want, with the least amount of taxes and legal fees possible. Estate planners are lawyers since legal documents are needed for disability and death planning -- typically wills
and trusts, powers of attorney and health care proxies/living wills.
The client often has had a long-term relationship with their financial advisor or CPA when they go in to meet the estate planning attorney for the first time. They are used to relying on those trusted professionals for advice. Keep in mind that the experienced estate planning attorney has been doing this type of work on a daily basis for many years. Most of their time is spent on exploring family dynamics and planning to effectively (financially, legally and socially) protect assets and pass on inheritances. On the other hand, the financial advisor is spending the majority of their time dealing with finances and the CPA is spending the majority of their time on filing for and saving income taxes.
When it comes to protecting and passing assets, the estate planning attorney is your quarterback — they scan the field utilizing the services of your other advisors as needed, and then throw the winning touchdown pass for your family’s future well-being.
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school to seniors preparing for another year of milestones, the community came together to celebrate education and growth. Staff welcomed students with smiles, encouragement, and safety measures in place to ensure a smooth start.
— Kepherd Daniel
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IT WAS A HISTORIC 2024 season for Kama and he’s looking to follow up with a big senior campaign and lead the Dalers to the promised land after they fell just short in last year’s Nassau Conference I championship game. A deadly combination of strength, size and speed, Kama rumbled for 1,717 yards on the ground and reached the end zone 29 times. He’s also a tackling machine at running back and a top Thorp Award candidate.
Thursday, Sept. 11
Girls Soccer: Seaford at Wantagh
Girls Soccer: Calhoun at Carey .................................5 p.m.
Girls Soccer: C.S. Harbor at Plainedge ......................5 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 12
Girls Soccer: Kennedy at East Meadow ....................5 p.m.
Boys Soccer: Clarke at South Side ...........................5 p.m.
Football: Mineola at Hewlett .....................................6 p.m.
Football: Carle Place at West Hempstead .................6 p.m.
Football: Malverne at East Rockaway ........................6 p.m.
Football: Freeport at Massapequa .......................6:30 p.m.
Football: Island Trees at Plainedge .......................6:30 p.m.
Football: V.S. North at Wantagh .................................7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13
Football: Oceanside at Uniondale ...........................11 a.m.
Football: Floral Park at Sewanhaka .........................11 a.m.
Football: V.S. South at Carey .....................................2 p.m.
Football: Glen Cove at Baldwin .................................2 p.m.
Football: MacArthur at V.S. Central. ...........................2 p.m.
Football: North Shore at Lawrence ............................2 p.m.
Football: Garden City at Long Beach.........................2 p.m.
Football: Clarke at South Side ..................................3 p.m. Boys Soccer: Baldwin at Oceanside..........................6 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.
By BRIAN KACHARABA sports@liherald.com
The Oceanside girls’ soccer team enters 2025 with something it hasn’t had in nearly five decades — the title of defending county champions. But after graduating 11 seniors from the program’s first Nassau crown since 1978, the Sailors will look far different when they take the field this fall.
Coach Danielle Chiera, who guided Oceanside to the championship in her first season at the helm after previously serving as an assistant, knows a transition is ahead, but she’s confident in the mix of returners and newcomers.
“Of course, our goal is for all of that to happen again,” Chiera said of another playoff run. “But new year, new team. We definitely anticipate there’s going to be some growing pains and some adjustments.”
The attack will be built around junior forward Ava Bowers, who earned AllCounty honorable mention last season after tallying five goals and 11 points, including a pair of markers in the Sailors’ quarterfinal win over Hicksville.
“Ava’s a dynamic player,” Chiera said. “She can play multiple positions, she’s a leader on the field, and we’re expecting great things from her.”
Joining her up front will be sophomore Charlotte Heym, who moves up from JV, and freshman Victoria Maloney, and both could make an immediate impact.
Junior Isabella Mannino could also help drive the offense.
“We’re hoping Charlotte can plug in right away, and we’re looking forward to seeing her work with Bella,” Chiera said.
In the midfield, senior Molly Boller returns as a key playmaker in the attacking role. It was her throw-in that
led to the Class AAA-winning overtime goal against Massapequa last Nov. 5.
“Molly is always connected to the play — whether it’s the pass, or the pass before the goal,” Chiera said. “We’re hoping she takes more shots this year, because she can definitely finish.”
She’ll be joined by twotime All-Conference senior Gianna Visone, who the staff hopes will take on more scoring responsibility. Visone scored the team’s first goal of 2025 in a 1-1 draw with Syosset Sept. 4.
“Gianna has unbelievable soccer IQ and ball skills,” Chiera said. “We’re encouraging her to be a little more selfish in the final third.”
Also back is Cathryn Evans, who broke out with two goals in last year’s county semifinal win over Port Washington, while junior Chloe Polito has stepped into a larger role at center midfield
Defensively, Oceanside returns one of the most experienced back lines in the county. Senior All-Conference player Ryann Zydor and junior center back Maddy McMurray anchor the group along with junior Addison Goldstein.
“Between Ryann, Maddy, and Addison, we have a lot of experience,” Chiera said. “They each bring something different, and they give us stability in front of our new goalkeeper.”
That new goalkeeper is junior Ella Murray, who was called up late last year from JV.
The Sailors know repeating as county champions won’t be easy, especially in a brutal Conference I.
“Every single game is tough,” Chiera said. “Everyone knows we have a target on our back after last year. But our goal is to compete in Conference I, finish at the top, get better as the season goes on, and make another run in the playoffs.”
Though too many homes are beyond first-time buyers’ means, there are options, the experts insist
By ROKSANA AMID, JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO & ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN of Herald Community Newspapers
Final installment in a series on housing on Long Island.
With housing costs climbing and affordability dropping across Long Island, the path to homeownership has become increasingly complex, demanding not just financial preparation but also creative solutions from nonprofit organizations, lenders and policymakers. From credit-building and grant programs to community land trusts and accessory dwelling units, real estate professionals and housing advocates agree that a variety of strategies will be required to help families achieve stability and the long-held dream of owning a home.
For Connie Pinilla, principal of the Connie Pinilla Team at Compass Greater New York, homeownership is more than a transaction — it’s a long-term investment in stability and wealth. With more than 20 years of experience in real estate and law, she has guided both agents and clients through the complexities of buying a home.
“Everybody should strive to own a home — it’s the American dream,” Pinilla said. “But the most important element isn’t just finances, it’s your credit score.”
Pinilla emphasizes that a good salary isn’t enough without good credit. “You could make $300,000 a year, but if your credit score isn’t up to par, your chances of getting a loan are very slim,” she said. “On the other hand, with an excellent credit score and even a $50,000 or $60,000 salary, there are many programs that can help you purchase a home.”
She encourages buyers to plan at least a year ahead, starting with a mortgage broker. Reducing debt, keeping credit card balances below 30 percent and paying bills on time are critical steps toward building trust with lenders.
Grants and assistance programs
In addition to personal financial discipline, Pinilla says, grants are underused tools. Some programs are government-backed, while others come from banks and credit unions.
“Bank of America runs a program where qualified buyers can get up to $75,000 in grant money,” she said. “Chase often has private grants of $5,000 for closing costs. Credit unions also have excellent incentives and often lower rates.”
Grants typically apply to first-time homebuyers. Many require completion of a homebuyer education course on budgeting, credit and financial planning. If the buyer remains in the home for a set period, usually seven years, the grant does not need to be repaid.
Pinilla often asks clients to compare the cost of rent to a mortgage. In Glen Cove, a one-bedroom apartment averages about $3,000 per month.
“Rent money is gone forever,” she
said. “With a mortgage, you’re building equity, and you can deduct interest and property taxes on your income taxes. Strategically, you may be better off owning than renting.”
Preparation is key to navigating a competitive market. Pinilla advises securing a pre-approval letter before making an offer, because sellers want proof of financial readiness.
Once an offer is accepted, buyers work with inspectors, attorneys and lenders to ensure the home is sound, the title is clear and the property is properly valued before closing.
“Every step is designed to protect the buyer,” she explained. “That’s why you hire professionals — your attorney, mortgage officer and real estate agent — to guide you.”
your future.”
Payment risks, and avoiding them
As the need for affordable housing grows on Long Island, nonprofit organizations like Community Development Long Island are fighting back. They offer resources including single-family rehabilitation, multi-family home improvement and new home construction.
Pinilla encourages buyers to focus on needs rather than wants. Starting with a modest or multi-family property can be a smart path to building wealth.
“A lot of people have built wealth starting with a two-family,” she said. “You live in one unit, rent the other, and let that income pay the mortgage. Over time, you can build equity and move on to bigger investments.”
Her message is simple: Preparation and realistic expectations make the dream of homeownership possible. “If you have your finances in order, you’re not just buying a house,” Pinilla said. “You’re building equity and security for
To support first-time homebuyers, CDLI helps reduce the risk of future foreclosures and struggles they commonly face. “We provide education and orientation around what that looks like,” President and CEO Gwen O’Shea said, “helping people think about things like building their credit, reducing debt and ensuring you know good ratios when it comes time to close on a potential property.”
The assistance doesn’t end there: CDLI supports current homeowners as well. It offers a targeted home improvement program in the Village of Hempstead, which includes a $40,000 forgivable grant for home improvements for homeowners who may not have had access to other credit. “This is a great way to make necessary health and safety improvements while also increasing the value of your home,” O’Shea said.
Renters have access to CDLI’s support as well, as the organization works with those in need of homes to find
available properties that meet their needs. “We provide incentives to landlords to participate in the program as well,” she said.
For low to middle class families, Habitat for Humanity of Long Island is fighting the expensive housing market by providing safe and affordable places to live. They are built with the help of their volunteer staff, and awarded families work with a construction team to create their homes.
These homes are sold to these families based on construction costs alone. Each family’s mortgage and taxes are no more than 30 percent of their total income, ensuring these homes are sustainable for a stable living situation.
Homes usually have two to three bedrooms, with occasional four-bedrooms, based on family size. “When we build a home and partner with a family, they have to put in 300 sweat-equity hours helping build their home and other Habitat homes,” Caroljean D’Aquila, the organization’s director of corporate and community partnerships, said.
Families must go through an application process. “They have to meet a certain income level, depending on the family size,” D’Aquila said. “They have to have decent credit. They have to have a willingness to partner, and then the last thing is based on a need.”
Habitat for Humanity of Long Island has built around 270 homes in the past 38 years, helping over 800 people. With the growing need for affordable housing, it’s hard to keep up with the demand. Twice a year, applications open
for a 14- to 16-month building period. Over 200 families apply for homes each application period, and only about three are accepted.
Ground lease agreements
One method to drive down the cost of a house is collaboration with a community land trust, as used in a new development in Uniondale.
One of the aspiring homeowners who entered the Affordable Homeownership Lottery in February will live in a newly built house without paying for the land underneath. The land is owned by the Uniondale Community Land Trust, a local nonprofit, using a ground lease agreement that dramatically reduces the house’s cost.
The 1,688-square-foot, two-story house will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It has an estimated value of $620,000, but has a sale price of $275,000.
Jeannine Maynard, vice president of U-CLT, said that the program has taken great effort: the permit collection, construction planning and lottery preparation were all carefully planned.
Recently, Maynard heard of the federal Manufactured Housing Pilot Program, which assists in financing manufactured homes by waiving certain regulatory barriers.
“There was a pilot program done upstate New York,” she said. “They expedited the permitting processes — they didn’t allow those kinds of hangups. They were able to bring homes to market close to the $250,000 level.”
The program has limited accessibility, requiring candidates to be eligible for a mortgage, to be able to afford a down payment, to be a first-time buyer and to make between 50 and 80 percent of the median household income in Uniondale — just over $78,000 for a family of four.
Accessory dwelling units
Long Island Housing Partnership is an organization that creates accessory dwelling units on new or existing properties. ADUs are independent living spaces on the same plot of land as a main house, ranging from converted basements and attics to completely new structures.
Last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the ADU Plus One Program, a $59 million grant to various organizations and municipalities to create roughly 500 ADUs across the state, according to the governor’s office.
The program is for two-person households that earn under $213,840, with a preference for those earning under $129,600.
LIHP President Peter Elkowitz has led efforts to build ADUs across Suffolk County. Recently the organization redeveloped homes in Bay Shore and in the Town of Islip, creating 78 ADUs.
“They’re very valuable,” Elkowitz said. “There’s extended families that live in these accessory dwelling units, with the grandparents, the parents and now the kids.”
He described ADUs as being able to financially support the owner of the
property, who would collect rent to offset their own mortgage payments and property taxes.
While ADUs do not take up more land, they do increase the population of a neighborhood, yielding more traffic and higher demand for parking in areas that may not have access to robust public transportation.
James Britz, executive vice president of LIHP, explained that the group is pursuing multiple housing solutions at once.
“All of our homes we built now go into our community land trust,” Britz explained. “Our next major development is 32 single-family homes, all with accessory dwelling units in them, so we’ll be able to assist 32 homeowners and 32 renters in the Bellport community.”
LIHP also administers county and town payment assistance programs for
these projects, and requires affordable home programs to include ADUs in municipalities that permit their construction, according to Maynard.
With the homeless population rising in recent years, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless offers various resources, including a street outreach team and street medicine team.
A safe option support team is offered as a time-limited, evidence-based service that helps people in transition. Support services are provided for nine to 12 months, including initial outreach and engagement pre-housing. That includes multiple visits each week and a 90-day transition service after housing placement.
“We’re the lead entity of the Long Island Continuum of Care,” Paul
■ Homes are sold at construction cost, not market value.
■ Mortgages and property taxes are capped at 30 percent of a family’s income.
■ Each family contributes 300 volunteer hours toward building homes.
■ Typical builds are two- or threebedroom houses.
■ Each home is designed as a long-term residence.
Application process
■ Families must meet income guidelines, have decent credit and demonstrate need.
■ Only about three families are chosen out of more than 200 per cycle.
■ HFH has built about 270 homes on L.I. in 38 years, housing more than 800 people.
LaMarr, the organization’s policy and community planning manager, said. “We kind of are the command center for the homeless response system here on Long Island.”
To reach out directly, a helpline is available to connect with direct services and references. A boutique is available by referral for individuals to receive clothing and other home goods they may need.
An individual must be currently experiencing homelessness to receive these services. Those who qualify for programs are currently taking much longer to be housed. “I would say as a whole region it’s getting pretty stretched out, as far as our capacity as a region to adequately address and serve people who are experiencing homelessness,” LaMarr said. “The reality is that we have a lot more people entering into homelessness, and not enough housing to get people quickly housed.”
The housing crisis on Long Island is a problem at the intersection of social, economic and political stresses, and efforts to fix it must be multifaceted. Long Island’s communities differ in opinion, opportunity and solution strategies, but share a common cause in improving local living situations.
To reach the Long Island Homeless services hotline, call 211.
The Oceanside Fire Department hosted a community craft fair on Aug. 24 at Fireman’s Field to raise money for the Kenny Marino Scholarship Fund. Families enjoyed a day of food, local vendors, and live music, with proceeds benefiting scholarships for Oceanside students.
The Kenny Marino Scholarship Fund was established in memory of the longtime Oceanside firefighter to help local students pursue their educational goals.
The fair drew strong support from residents and highlighted Marino’s legacy of community service. The event featured over two dozen craft booths, children’s activities, and performances that entertained the crowd throughout the afternoon.
— Kepherd Daniel
By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com
A funeral at the Greek Orthodox church on Newport Road in Island Park saw dozens of mourners walk out of the service to find parking tickets lining their windshields. The funeral held at Panaghia Greek Orthodox Church on Aug. 25 was for Stylianos Nicholas Vlahakis of Oceanside.
“There was no other possible place to put the cars,” said Evie Vlahakis, Stylianos’ daughter. “The parking lot was blocked off because of the festival and the feast this weekend. People parked on the street because they were coming from out of town.”
The church’s main lot was occupied by equipment from that weekend’s Greek festival, which filled the church’s main lot with rides, vendors, and equipment. The rear entrance — unfamiliar to many non-locals — was not easily accessible.
As a result, guests filled nearby streets, including Newport Road. Vlahakis said more than 20 vehicles were cited.
“Everybody along Newport Road got tickets,” she said. “There are over 20 people that I have been informed of. I’ve gotten about 12 pictures of the tickets. I’ve been forwarding them to the priest, Father George, who is trying to find out who all the parishioners are.”
For some mourners, the experience
compounded an already difficult day.
“They were coming out of the funeral, walking to their car crying,” Vlahakis said. “Then they got tickets. It just shouldn’t have happened.”
Oceanside native and now Lynbrook resident Amanda Sitzman, who attended the funeral with her mother, said the parking situation was confusing.
“I did not see a sign stating I had to pay,” she said. “I didn’t see a sign saying no parking. But again, I did what I needed to do to be able to go to this funeral.”
Sitzman has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting a response from the village.
Others, worried about late fees, paid right away.
“A $40 ticket goes up to 120, 30 days after the citation is written, and then it goes up to 150, 60 days after,” Vlahakis explained. “People got nervous, and a lot of people already paid.”
Vlahakis and others are urging the village to void the tickets, issue refunds to those who already paid, and clarify signage around the church.
She said Island Park’s mobile pay-topark system was confusing, but applying it during a funeral felt especially unfair.
“Everybody misread the posted sig-
nage — it was so unclear, and I find it unacceptable,” Vlahakis said. “It wasn’t like two people got a ticket. It was the entire line along Newport. So it was misleading, it was confusing and deceptive.”
The citations appear to have been issued by a code enforcement officer responding to a complaint.
“She was doing her job because somebody called,” Vlahakis said, adding that the church has been working with parishioners to document what happened.
The tickets were issued under Island Park’s ParkMobile system — a digital, app-based pay-to-park program the village implemented on Feb. 1, 2024.
While village officials presented the switch as a way to modernize parking and produce much-needed recurring revenue, residents and merchants have long criticized the change. Some residents say they avoid coming into the village because of the hassle.
The incident has also raised concerns about future gatherings. In the Greek Orthodox tradition, families often return 40 days after a death for another large memorial service. Vlahakis said she hopes the situation is resolved by then.
“There’s another large gathering and mourning period,” Vlahakis said. “It’s just as important as the funeral. So of course, they’re going to be bringing mourners back, and they won’t know not to park there.”
By LUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com
After nearly six months of hearings, Suffolk County Supreme Court Judge Tim Mazzei ruled in a written decision on Sept. 3 that the DNA evidence connecting alleged Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann to several victims, obtained through a new type of DNA testing, will be admissible in Heuermann’s trial.
“Astrea Forensics’ use of whole genome sequencing to generate SNP data and create a DNA profile,” Mazzei wrote, “is generally accepted as reliable within the scientific community,” based on the testimony of prosecution witnesses Kelley Harris, an associate professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington, and Richard Green, founder of Astrea Labs in California.
Mazzei also wrote in his opinion that “neither of the defendant’s expert witnesses controverted Astrea Forensics’ use of whole genome sequencing, to extract DNA from rootless hairs to generate SNP data and create a DNA profile.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney praised his staff and Mazzei’s decision outside the courtroom at the Arthur M. Cromarty Criminal Court in Riverhead. “The reason why we were able to prevail was one simple reason: The science was on our side,” Tierney said, in front of several family members
of victims of the Gilgo murders who chose not to speak.
Prosecutors have said that Astrea Forensics linked Heuermann to six of the seven killings he is alleged to have committed over the course of at least two decades, beginning in 1993, through the testing of rootless hairs found at the crime scenes and comparative analysis of those hairs to DNA samples obtained from Heuermann and family members.
His defense team has argued that the technology is new and unproven.
Five witnesses testified in a Frye hearing, a legal proceeding — also known as a general acceptance hearing — used to determine whether scientific evidence presented in court is widely accepted and considered valid within the relevant scientific community.
The admittance of DNA by Mazzei’s ruling could create a statewide prece-
dent. Prior to his decision, Astrea’s technology had only been admitted in court in Idaho. Heuermann’s defense filed another motion based on the court’s decision, alleging that the use of Astrea Forensics to analyze Heuermann’s DNA violates New York state health law.
“It criminalizes this very type of action,” Michael Brown, Heuermann’s court-appointed lawyer said, “which is an out-of-state, non-permitted laboratory for profit to test and offer evidence in the state of New York on a criminal case.”
The motion was filed on Sept. 3 with a return date of Sept. 17 — the same date the prosecution will certify its case. The Suffolk County district attorney’s office will answer the motion on Sept. 22.
Heuermann’s defense has been trying to sever the case into separate murder cases, while the prosecution has pushed to have the whole case combined in one trial. Mazzei called all parties back to court on Sept. 23, when he anticipates ruling on both motions.
Heuermann, 61, a Massapequa Park resident, now stands charged with the murders of a total of seven people: Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen BrainardBarnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Valerie Mack. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, and has maintained his innocence since his July 2023 arrest.
prologue followed by intersecting lives — is familiar to fans of domestic suspense. DeCarolis’s debut novel, “The Guilty Husband,” published in 2021, became a USA Today bestseller. She followed that up with “Deadly Little Lies” later that year, and “The Perfect Sister” was released last year. But DeCarolis said penning “The Wives of Hawthorne Lane” was her toughest challenge yet.
“This book, for me, was the most difficult one to write,” she admitted. “I actually started it before I wrote ‘The Perfect Sister.’ This was supposed to be my third published book, and I just couldn’t quite fit the pieces together.”
She set it aside, wrote “The Perfect Sister,” and then returned to finish “The Wives of Hawthorne Lane” with renewed clarity.
“When I did come back for this book, I saw the path a lot clearer,” she said.
Despite the difficulty in writing her latest novel, she found joy in inhabiting multiple perspectives.
“I love getting into the heads of different characters — people I could relate to, but who were living very different lives than me,” she said.
Beneath the twists lies the serious subject matter of domestic violence and the ways communities respond to it. DeCarolis said the work she did with a domestic violence litigation clinic shaped how she approached those chapters.
“I underwent a lot of training on recognizing the cycles of domestic abuse and how to interview witnesses in a thoughtful and compassionate way,” she said. “That training really helped me here, to slow down the popcorn pace and give those difficult topics the attention they deserve.”
She wanted the novel to feel authentic without sen-
sationalizing pain, she said.
“I wanted these characters to be people that you could kind of see yourself in,” she said. “It’s not farfetched — it’s things we can really relate to.”
Just as importantly, she wanted to resist rehashing tired tropes of women who are pitted against one another.
“There’s a lot of books out there on the market that kind of have women against each other, and I wanted to go the opposite way with this — finding community in maybe unexpected places,” DeCarolis said.
“I’ve been really thrilled to see the feedback,” she added. “So I’m excited that there’s kind of a buzz building up around this book.”
Even the book’s design carries special significance, DeCarolis said, explaining that the purple cover acknowledges the awareness ribbon for domestic violence and the courage of survivors. “As soon as I saw it, I said, ‘Guys, this is meant to be. This is the one,’” the author said.
A lifelong reader — “since I was in elementary school” — DeCarolis cites her influences, including Taylor Jenkins Reid, Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley. She now balances writing with family life and her law practice.
“I do a lot of my writing while my kids are in school,” she said. “I need a few hours at a time of silence to concentrate.”
For DeCarolis, suspense is just the entry point. “I hope it really sparks a discussion … about the more difficult subject matter,” she said. “I hope this isn’t a book that you close and then forget about. I’m really hoping that it stays with readers.”
The Wives of Hawthorne Lane can be preordered on Amazon.
It’s likely that you are, or know, a woman with pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a painful condition that’s disruptive to daily living and emotionally discouraging.
Many women suffer in silence from this common disorder. But help is available.
POP occurs most often in older women when pelvic organs, like the bladder, uterus, or rectum, descend or protrude into the vagina due to weakness in the pelvic floor muscles and tissues that hold these organs in place. POP affects one in four women in their 40s, one in three in their 60s and 50 percent of women in their 80s.
The many painful and awkward symptoms of POP (which intensify as the muscles and tissue weaken) include:
• Bulging or feeling of a mass in the vagina
• Urinary problems, such as frequent urination, difficulty emptying the bladder, or urine leakage when coughing or sneezing
• Constipation or fecal incontinence
• Incessant pain and pressure in the pelvic area lower back
• Increased or discolored vaginal discharge
• Decreased libido
• Lower extremity numbness or weakness (especially when POP is severe).
Women no longer have to suffer in silence. At Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, a team of physician specialists called urogynecologists led by Alan D. Garely, MD, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division Director of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, are using a minimally invasive, simplified surgical procedure to relieve women who are suffering silently with this burdensome condition.
Using one tiny incision, which is not visible, the procedure takes less than an hour, is done in the hospital, and is out-patient. It requires the insertion of a small anchoring device that lifts and supports pelvic organs and tissues and repositions them to their proper positions, eliminating the need to cut or remove tissue and
Alan Garely, MD, Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science and Division Director of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery at Mount Sinai South Nassau utilizes a minimally invasive surgical procedure for women with pelvic organ prolapse.
insert surgical meshing. Patients don’t need to have a hysterectomy.
A study published in the March 2023 edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that the procedure is an effective treatment for uterine prolapse and can be used with other common POP repair procedures.
“When pelvic floor disorders are appropriately diagnosed and treated, the outcomes can be truly remarkable and liberating for patients,” said Dr. Garely.
Dr. Garely and Mount Sinai South Nassau’s team of urogynecologists also specialize in non-surgical and surgical treatments that enable women to gain control over urologic health problems, from urinary incontinence to bladder and voiding
dysfunction.
Each member of the team is fellowship-trained in pelvic surgery, board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and are among the first surgeons in the U.S. to be board-certified in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. They also have advanced training in gynecologic laparoscopy (an alternative to traditional surgery that uses smaller incisions, for quicker recovery), computer-guided hysterectomy using the da Vinci® Surgical System and a special interest in outpatient care including outpatient laparoscopy (and incisionless prolapse surgery).
On average, they prescribe non-surgical treatments to successfully treat more than 50 percent of patients annually. Nonsurgical options that they prescribe include pelvic floor physical therapy, pessary use (a soft, flexible device that supports the bladder, vagina, uterus, and/or rectum), home exercise regimens, peripheral nerve stimulation (a stimulator implanted near the tailbone to treat urinary incontinence, urinary retention, urgency, frequency, and fecal incontinence) and medication.
Accreditations, designations, and awards that Mount Sinai South Nassau has received in women’s health services include The Joint Commission Perinatal Care Certification; Healthgrades’ FiveStar for Vaginal Delivery, Gynecologic Procedures and Hysterectomy; US News & World Report High Performing Rating in Maternity Care, and Baby Friendly hospital.
To schedule a consultation or for more information, call the hospital’s Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, call (516) 390-2850 or www.southnassau.org.
One Healthy Way Oceanside, NY 11572 • 877-SOUTH-NASSAU (877-768-8462) • www.mountsinai.org/southnassau
Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.
mountsinai.org/southnassau
So you’re pushing ahead with your wellness goals. Obviously, all you need to do is jog a few miles each day, right?
Wrong! Healthy living is all about making smart choices for your body, diet, mind and overall well being.
Discover a new active hobby
There are a myriad of ways to get regular exercise that’s enjoyable and rewarding. Get out there in all seasons, as much as possible. Go beyond running, biking, tennis, and golf. Other uplifting physical activities with hobby potential include, rock climbing, horseback riding, dance and martial arts, and, of course, skiing, snowboarding, and the newest craze, pickleball.
Be label smart
Generally speaking, if an item has a label on it with more than five ingredients, you probably shouldn’t be eating it, nutritionists advise. The healthiest choice foods contain one ingredient or no label at all. For instance, fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes are all single food options that your body can use much better than a processed protein bar with 10 or more ingredients.
Added sugars, fillers and preservatives, emulsifiers, and many animal-based ingredients can all make their way into foods that aren’t necessarily easy to spot. When you choose simple labels, you’re naturally choosing healthier foods.
Try something new at the farmers’ market
Don’t get stuck in a rut by eating the same boring veggies; locate the nearest farmers market for fresh, seasonal
produce. Try a new vegetable each week to up your intake and keep you interested. Veggies like kale, bok choy and
butternut squash are high in fiber and antioxidants.
Don’t neglect breakfast
Morning preferences vary, but it’s important for ever yone to get an energy boost to face the day and breakfast is a great way to do this. You should wake up early enough to enjoy a meal, and if time is of the essence, rely on nutritious cereals or oatmeal.
Go red
Red tea is the hot new health drink. Green tea and black tea are full of disease-preventive antioxidants, but they’re also caffeinated. Red tea, or rooibos tea, has the same advantage of antioxidants without the consequences of caffeine. Plus, it’s recommended to help with anxiety, tension, allergies and digestive issues.
Unwind with a daily stretch
Whether it’s in between tasks at work or after your commute home, stretching your muscles increases blood circulation, improves posture and induces relaxation. Consult a yoga or pilates instructor for a new stretch each day to build up your repertoire and make it a daily habit. You’ll notice long-term benefits like increased range of motion and less back pain.
Find your inspiration
If you adopt a healthy practice that feels right and fits your lifestyle and don’t push yourself harder or faster than you’re reasonably able to go you’re going to stick with it. And staying true to your health goals is your key to reaching them.
Photo: Working toward a better lifestyle can be as simple as finding a new approach to stay active — such as martial arts or yoga.
At Oceanside Care Center, the comforts of home are right here at your fingertips, allowing you to focus on what really matters — recovering safely and quickly.
Oceanside Care Center has earned a reputation for over 50 years as a premier rehab facility, providing intensive short-term rehab as well as long-term care, seven days a week. The OCC team believes that the road to recovery is paved with compassion, and their goal is to help each resident reach their highest functional level with the help of our expertly trained staff of nurses, therapists
and physicians, all of whom are driven to build warm and compassionate bonds with residents. Together, they can develop a personalized care plan matched to specific needs and abilities, focusing on rebuilding each resident’s confidence, strength and skill, so that they can return to an independent life as quickly and safely as possible.
OCC’s cutting-edge programs and therapies ensure a speedy recovery, while their five-star amenities and our kind and caring staff make you feel pampered and cared for in our beautiful, homelike environment. The comfortable
setting allows residents to focus on regaining their strength and independence, while empowering them to enjoy fruitful lives with their families and friends. Come in for a tour today!
HECHT
JONATHAN JASSEY, DO, FAAP
Pediatrician Concierge Pediatrics
ANNE Y. F. LIN ’84P, ’86PHARM.D., FNAP
& Professor
of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Manager & SVP CITIZ3N
Solutions, A Softheon Company
VANESSA MORILLO, LCSW Lead Licensed Clinical Social Worker Harmony Healthcare Long Island
KELLY MURPHY SVP & General Counsel Henry Schein
KAREN PAIGE, MBA, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, CPXP, OCN EVP & COO Episcopal Health Services
DIMITRIA PAPADOPOULOS, MD Founder Bellmore Dermatology
SAMANTHA RENIERIS, MS, CCC-SLP, TSSLD Speech-Language Pathologist The Speech Language Place
BERNADETTE RILEY, DO, MS Professor and Director, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
ALLA SHENKMAN, MD PM Pediatric Care
ROUMIANA T. TZVETKOVA, DDS, DMD
HAMILTON, RN, MSN
By Karen Bloom
Autumn’s many pleasures are upon us — and nothing says fall quite like a trip to the apple orchards.
As September rolls in, the air turns crisp, leaves begin to glow and our taste buds are tempted by the flavors that define this fleeting season: juicy apples, fresh-pressed cider and, of course, pumpkins. It’s the perfect time to gather family and friends, head to a local orchard, and fill your baskets with fall’s sweetest treasures.
Apple season is now in full swing, wich picking continuing into mid-October — giving everyone a chance to savor the harvest. When it comes to choosing apples, there’s no shortage of flavor. Local orchards are brimming with varieties to suit every taste and recipe.
Best for snacking: Crisp, juicy favorites like McIntosh, HoneyCrisp, Macoun, Zestar, Granny Smith, and Paula Red are perfect eaten fresh off the tree. More adventurous pickers might enjoy Cortland, Empire, Jonagold, or Crispin (also known as Mutsu).
Best for baking: McIntosh and Cortland shine in pies, crisps, and cakes — Cortlands, in particular, need less sugar because of their natural sweetness. Rome, Empire, Fuji, Crispin, and Ginger Gold are also reliable choices. For pies, a mix of varieties such as Crispin, Cortland, Rome, Granny Smith, and Northern Spy often brings out the best flavor.
Best for sauces and more: Paula Reds cook down beautifully into applesauce, while Cortlands add flavor and color to salads. And, of course, fresh-pressed cider remains the season’s star — orchards throughout the region urge everyone to “buy local” and enjoy each batch. Once home with your bounty, make delectable apple treats.
crisp is surely one of the definitive desserts of the season.
Filling:
• 3 pounds apples, to yield 2 pounds peeled, cored, and sliced apples; about 9 cups
• 1/4 cup (57g) rum, apple cider or juice, or water
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup (53g to 159g) light brown sugar or 1/4 cup (53g) dark brown sugar, depending on the sweetness/tartness of your apples
• 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons (43g) boiled cider, optional but good
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice, or 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg + 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 3 tablespoons (20g) unbleached all-purpose flour or tapioca flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
• 3/4 cup (90g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (45g) quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup (142g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 tablespoons (113g) butter, cold, cut in pats
• 1/2 cup (57g) diced pecans or walnuts, optional
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9” x 9” square cake pan, or similar-size casserole pan. Slice the apples about 1/4” thick. Toss them with the remaining filling ingredients, and spread them in the pan.
To make the topping, whisk together the flour, oats, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the cold butter, working it in to make an unevenly crumbly mixture. Stir in the nuts, if you’re using them.
Spread the topping over the apples in the pan. Set the pan on a parchment or foil-lined cookie sheet, to catch any potential drips. Bake for about 60 minutes, till bubbling and top is golden brown.
Remove to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. If you serve the crisp hot/warm, it may be quite soft; you wait till it’s completely cool, it’ll firm up nicely.
Note: To make individual crisps, grease eight 8-ounce capacity baking dishes, and proceed with the recipe accordingly, baking the smaller crisps for 45 to 55 minutes.
New York Apple Slaw Salad
A tasty side with plenty of crunch.
small matchsticks
• 1 medium green apple, sliced thin and cut into small matchsticks
• 1 cup(s) grated carrot
• 1/4 cup(s) shelled, roasted pistachios
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoon(s) apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) country Dijon mustard (such as Grey Poupon)
• 1 tablespoon(s) honey
In a cruet or jar, combine dressing ingredients and shake well. Set aside. Combine cabbage, carrot and apples into a large bowl.
Chop pistachios with a knife or use a chopper. Add chopped pistachios to the bowl. Add dressing, salt and pepper to taste, and stir well. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes; stir again before serving.
Apples and cranberries combine for a welcome ending to any meal.
• Pastry for a 2 crust deep dish 9-inch pie
• 4 cups sliced, pared tart apples (thickly sliced)
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter
Both Sides Now: Music and Lives of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen
This intimate theatrical concert explores the music and lives of longtime friends and one-time lovers, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. Created by, and starring folk-rocker Robbie Schaefer and award-winning jazz vocalist Danielle Wertz, the cabaretstyle performance — developed at Washington D.C’s Signature Theatre — traverses decades alongside songs such as “A Case of You,” “Hallelujah,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Suzanne,” and many more. Both Sides Now is at once a piece of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and of right now — offering us a story about the messiness of being human, of lives persistently lived at the edge of growth, and of finding the courage to turn toward one another, again and again. Robbie, a rabbi, singersongwriter and theater-film artist, and Danielle, a storyteller-composerarranger, pair up for an unforgettable evening.
Friday, Sept. 12, 8 p.m. $39, $36, $31. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org.
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Preheat oven to 425° F. Prepare pastry. In large bowl, combine sugars, flour and cinnamon. Add apples and cranberries. Mix to coat well. Turn into prepared pie pan. Dot with butter. Cover with second crust and seal to bottom crust edge by pressing edges together, then flute. Cut slits in top crust. Bake 40-45 minutes until crust is lightly browned. Cover edge of crust with foil if crust is browning too quickly. Cool.
For over 40 years the band from Down Under continues to shine. See what critics have acclaimed as “the gold standard” of tribute acts with stunning special effects that re-create Pink Floyd’s legendary stage shows. The band performs the seminal album Wish You Were Here in its entirety, including all nine parts of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” along with tunes from The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. With colorful lighting and video, pinpoint lasers, gargantuan inflatables and flawless live sound that was the benchmark of Pink Floyd shows, the band delivers a memorable experience. Replicating music from every phase of Pink Floyd’s journey, this tour reinforces their dedication to the heritage of Barrett, Waters, Gilmour, Wright and Mason.
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 8 p.m. $105.25, $88, $77.75, $66.25, $55.75. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
On Exhibit
Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “At Play,” surveys artists’ perennial fascination with entertainment in all forms. Framing this topic between the nineteenth century Belle Époque and today, the exhibit includes works by Pablo Picasso, Reginald Marsh, Everett Shinn, and Max Beckmann among many others. The works are gathered to represent a wide range of expressions, from entertainment-related activities to the fascinating personalities involved. It encompasses dance, music, theater, movies, circus, boating, and beach scenes, along with horseracing and various sports, both active and passive Also featured are archival items from The Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, including costumes by Marc Chagall for Die Zauberflöte, vintage fashion items by such designers as Alfred Shaheen, and iconic costumes from the Folies-Bergère in Paris. On view until Nov. 9.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: Ongoing
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
9/11: Another Day That Will Live in Infamy
Visit Oceanside Library for a moving talk with Gerald Raffa, a former federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He shares his harrowing experience of being caught in the Towers’ collapse on 9/11. Hear about the events leading up to that day and the lasting impacts of the attacks.
•Where: 30 Davison Ave.
•Time: 2 p.m.
•Contact: oceansidelibrary.com or (516) 766-2360 ext. 312
Village of Island Park 9/11 Ceremony
Join the Village of Island Park for the annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the village’s 9/11 Memorial.
•Where: Long Beach Road & Parma Road, Island Park
•Time: 11 a.m
13
In concert
New York City-based writer-performer
Joriah Kwame, a Jonathan Larson Grant recipient visits Adelphi University for a special concert appearance. Kwame, who has a deep passion for musical theater, showcases work from various projects in development. He is most known for writing the viral song “Little
Get in the groove with the NYC Ska Orchestra. This 20-piece big band blends the exuberant musical layers of the jazz big band era with Jamaican roots music. The top-notch musicians, led by arranger-trumpetervocalist Kevin Batchelor deliver a lively concert that surely will lead you to want to get up out of your seat and dance. The band features star turns from celebrated octogenarian percussionist/vocalist Larry McDonald and master drummer Carl Wright. Alongside a powerhouse collective of instrumental artists from the reggae recording scene, bandmembers have performed with Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Toots & the Maytals. Together they play a non-stop selection of lush original compositions and arrangements of songs from the richly historic and culturally iconic Jamaican musical styles of 1950s and ’60s ska, mento, rocksteady and jazz. Don’t know the difference between mento and two-tone? Let this collective of musicians be your guide. The passionate team of talented musicians each bring unique energy and expertise to create an unforgettable sound experience. The band includes Pallavi Gummalam and singer/arranger Aida Brandies Hargrove, joined by top-notch pros who all combine for a hugely entertaining, danceable, unforgettable show. $42, $37 members..
•Where: Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington
• Time: 8 p.m.
•Contact: landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444
Miss Perfect,” of which he is developing a stage musical of the same name. His current slate of projects (both original and adaptations) ranges widely, featuring collaborations with artists like Debbie Allen, Lena Waithe, Siedah Garrett, Marcus Gardley, Lauren Gunderson, and Sam Pinkleton Tickets start at $25, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees.
•Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City
•Time: 3 p.m.
•Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or call (516) 877-4000
17
Voices wanted The Oceanside Chorale is looking for new members in all sections to sing in our next concerts: Veterans Day Concert (Nov. 8), Holiday Concert (Dec. 10) and Light up the Holidays (Dec. 14). Rehearsals are Wednesdays.
•Where: Fulton Avenue School, 3252 Fulton Ave.. Oceanside
•Time: 7:30 p.m.
•Contact: Marie at (516 )459-8513 or email oceansidechorale@gmail.com for further information
Bag’ Art Conversation
Join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular Brown Bag Lecture. Experience the museum’s exhibition “At Play: Artists & Entertainment” through a lively and informative presentation. Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Registration not required. First come, first seated.
•Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
•Time: 1 p.m., also Oct. 23
•Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
SEPT
19
Parti-gras at the park
Poison frontman Bret Michaels and former Eagles member Don Felder bring their spirited concert to Eisenhower Park. Rock on to fan favorite tunes.
•Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow
•Time: 7 p.m.
•Contact: nassaucountyny.gov
inspired by the opulence of Long Island’s Gold Coast. This juried exhibition at Light Court Hallway celebrates the era’s iconic fashion, architectureand luxury in true Art Deco style.
•Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
•Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
•Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
Get the kids ready to join in an oversized “block” party at Long Island Children’s Museum! Stack them, crawl through them or team up to make dream designs come true. Back by popular demand these giant, lightweight blocks turn playtime into extraordinary adventures. Construct castles, mazes, fantastical creatures or secret hideaways in this incredible exhibit experience. Imagination Playground blue blocks provide a blank canvas for children to express their creativity and bring their ideas to life. Giant and lightweight, these blocks encourage hands-on exploration and problemsolving, collaboration and spatial awareness. Through Nov. 2.
•Where: Museum Row, Garden City
•Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
•Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
DeCarolis lanches her fourth novel, “The Wives of Hawthorne Lane,” with a book signing at Insieme Wines.
•Where: Insieme Wines and Tasting, 3333 Lawson Blvd, Oceanside
•Time: Friday, 7 p.m.
•Contact: (516) 696-3300
Gatsby’s Swingin’ Scavenger Hunt
Old Westbury Garden’s Gatsby Weekend celebration the 100th anniversary of “The Great Gatsby,” continues with a family adventure. The jazz artists are late for Gatsby’s big bash and lost in the gardens! Hunt for jazz players hidden in the landscape. Check off your findings then and return to Westbury House for a special prize.
•Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury
•Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
•Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048
Gatsby in the Gardens: Art Deco Perspectives
Experience the glamour and bold design of the Roaring Twenties through contemporary artwork
Little Learners Art Lab
Each week in this engaging workshop, participants are introduced to hands-on materials, artmaking, and inspiration from artists and techniques. Young kids, ages 2-5, build critical thinking skills, expand vocabulary, and support imaginations as they play, create and explore. This week use blocks to stamp patterns for geometric art. $4 with museum admission.
•Where: Museum Row, Garden City
•Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon
•Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800
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.
The recent detention of Christian Rodriguez, a manager at the Oceanside McDonald’s on Long Beach Road, has sparkied questions about immigration enforcement, court procedures, and the future of a man many coworkers and customers describe as hardworking and dependable. Rodriguez was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a scheduled court appearance, with federal officials citing visa overstay and prior convictions.
— Kepherd Daniel
Christian Rodriguez, 51, a manager at the Oceanside McDonald’s, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Aug. 21 after going for a scheduled immigration hearing and check-in at an ICE office in Bethpage.
He was taken to the Central Islip area and has been held in ICE custody since. Rodriguez entered the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa that required him to leave by June 3, 2016, and that he remained in the U.S. beyond that date. DHS and ICE also said his record includes convictions for battery and property-damage offenses — information the agency cited as part of the removal basis.
Co-workers and regular customers describe Rodriguez as a hardworking, familiar presence at the restaurant; colleagues said he had applied for political asylum and, at times, had work authorization and a Social Security number for employment. Local coworkers have organized fundraising for legal help and called for his release.
According to immigration lawyers, asylum applicants normally remain pending while cases proceed. People who apply for asylum typically remain in the U.S. while their applications are processed; being detained at a check-in or hearing can therefore feel unexpected to applicants and their communities.
Multiple local immigration attorneys have said arrests at hearings have become more visible and more controversial.
ICE is emphasizing arrests of people it describes as immigration violators with criminal records. Tthe degree and type of conviction matter for removability and for eligibility for relief (and defendants sometimes have avenues such as bond motions, appeals, or forms of relief if their legal case supports it).
Colleagues and regular customers say they’re shocked and upset. The case has raises questions about fairness, enforcement priorities and the treatment of longtime community members who say they came “for work.”
Rodriguez’s Oct. 27 immigration-court appearance will be a key date. His legal team can pursue bond, appeals, or other defenses depending on the record; ICE can also move to execute an order of removal if one exists or seek detention pending resolution. The Rodriguez case combines a personal story — a manager coworkers describe as hardworking and familiar — with a systemwide picture: millions of backlog cases, shifts in enforcement priorities, and new operational tactics that make arrests at hearings more visible and more contentious. The immediate next step is Rodriguez’s immigration docket and any filings or bond motions his counsel can make.
September 11, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
NASSAU COUNTY STATE OF NEW YORK
MORTGAGE AGENCY, Plaintiff against EDWARD FARRELL, et al Defendant(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065.
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered July 14, 2025, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on September 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM. Premises known as 23 Julian Place, Island Park, NY 11558. Sec 43 Block 41 Lot 130. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Island Park, Long Beach, Nassau County, New York.
Approximate Amount of Judgment is $487,552.12 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 607938/2023. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”
Brian Davis, Esq., Referee File # 23-000757-01 155246
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU MIDFIRST BANK, Plaintiff AGAINST DONALD SCHREINER, JR., MICHELLE RANOLDE-SCHREINER, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 25, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive,
Mineola, NY 11501 on September 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 235 Madison Ave, Oceanside, NY 11572. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, at Foxhurst Park, Oceanside, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 54 Block 239 Lot 156. Approximate amount of judgment $490,828.12 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #612438/2022. Jane Shrenkel, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 22-003408 86794 155220
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Mortgage Assets Management, LLC f/k/a Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc., Plaintiff AGAINST Unknown Heirs of Samuel Carattini if living, and if he/she be dead, any and all persons unknown to Plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 8, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on September 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 2922 Oceanside Road, Oceanside, NY 11572. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Oceanside (an unincorporated area), Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, and State of New York District: 11, Section: 38, Block: 365, Lot: 107-108. Approx imate amount of judgment $384,370.77 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #603698/2022. Linda S. Agnew., Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive
Williamsville, NY 14221
21-000177 86597 155208
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, US BANK TRUST
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS AN OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. HEIDI LIPPACHER, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 4, 2025, 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 September 30, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 10 Quebec Road, Island Park, NY 11558. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Island Park, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 43, Block 41 and Lot 107. Approximate amount of judgment is $208,314.50 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #608447/2023. Cash will not be accepted. Brian J. Davis, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 155352
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 55-2025
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 3rd day of September, 2025, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. -2025, and following the close
of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 55-2025, to amend Section 197-13 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “TRAFFIC REGULATIONS IN THE VICINITY OF SCHOOLS” at various locations.
Dated: September 3, 2025
Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI
Supervisor
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 155650
LEGAL NOTICE CASE NO. 21527 RESOLUTION NO. 852-2025
Adopted: September 3, 2025
Councilmember Goosby offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AND SETTING ASIDE CERTAIN PARKING SPACES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE SOLE USE OF HOLDERS OF SPECIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF NASSAU TO PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 844-2025, adopted August 5, 2025, a public hearing was duly held on the 3rd day of September, 2025, at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the proposed establishment and setting aside of a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons, in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, all as set forth in said resolution; and WHEREAS, after due consideration, this Town Board finds it to be in the public interest to establish and set aside a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with
Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, the following parking spaces be and the same hereby is set aside for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons:
BELLMORE
MILDRED PLACE - east side, starting at a point 136 feet south of the south curbline of Sunrise Highway, south for a distance of 23 feet.
(TH-306/25)
EAST MEADOW
EVERGREEN LANEnorth side, starting at a point 48 feet east of the east curbline of Hemlock Avenue, east for a distance of 21 feet.
(TH-344/25)
ELMONT
BELMONT BOULEVARD
- west side, starting at a point 218 feet south of the south curbline of Hempstead Turnpike, south for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-331/25)
FRANKLIN SQUARE
FENDALE STREET - east side, starting at a point 455 feet south of the south curbline of Naple Avenue, south for a distance of 22 feet.
(TH-278/25)
LEVITTOWN
GRASSY LANE - west side, starting at a point 340 feet north of the north curbline of Hempstead Turnpike, north for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-287/25)
OCEANSIDE
EVERS LANE - east side, starting at a point 289 feet west to the southwest, southwest for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-311/25)
SEAFORD
ARDMORE PLACEeast side, starting at a point 135 feet south of the south curbline of Marion Street, south for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-302/25)
UNIONDALE
GOODRICH STREETnorth side, starting at a point 590 feet east of the east curbline of Chester Street, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-284/25)
MERILLON STREETnorth side, starting at a point 53 feet east of the east curbline of Manor Parkway, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-322/25)
PAMLICO AVENUEeast side, starting at a point 260 feet south of the south curbline of
Warwick Street, south for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-324/25)
WANTAGH
CHURCH STREET - east side, starting at a point 69 feet south of the south curbline of Island Road, south for a distance of 60 feet.
(TH-301/25)
WEST HEMPSTEAD ESSEX COURT - west side, starting at a point 187 feet south of the south curbline of Coventry Road north, south for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-323/25) and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:
BALDWIN BERTHA DRIVE - east side, starting at a point 183 feet south of the south curbline of Cherrywood Drive, south for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-387/23) - 10/05/23) (TH-355/25)
; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk shall enter this resolution in the minutes of the Town Board and shall publish a copy of this resolution once a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town of Hempstead, and shall post a copy hereof on the signboard maintained by her, and file in her office affidavits of such publication and posting. The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Dunne and adopted upon roll call as follows: AYES: SEVEN (7) NOES: NONE (0) 155651
LEGAL NOTICE Island Park Union Free School District NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Island Park Union Free School District will be holding a public hearing on September 15, 2025 at 7:00 p.m., in the Lincoln Orens Middle Auditorium, 150 Trafalgar Blvd., Island Park, NY to consider appropriating a sum not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand dollars ($500,000.00) from the District’s General Municipal Law § 6-d Repair Reserve Fund for structural repairs at the Lincoln Orens Middle School.
Additional information may be obtained by contacting Salvatore Carambia, School Business Administrator, at (516) 434-2600.
Cindy Pastore District Clerk
Dated: September 3, 2025 155659
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 54-2025
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 3rd day of September, 2025, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. -2025, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 54-2025, to amend Section 197-5 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include “ARTERIAL STOPS” at various locations.
Dated: September 3, 2025 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 155649
LEGAL NOTICE
Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU ACTION TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE INDEX #: 609525/2024 ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS, LLC Plaintiff, vs JEAN MARIE CARDINEAU, DONNY G. CARDINEAU INDIVIDUALLY AND AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF DONALD E. CARDINEAU, JOHN G. CARDINEAU AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF DONALD E. CARDINEAU, UNKNOWN HEIRS OF DONALD E. CARDINEAU IF LIVING, AND IF HE/SHE BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, CLAIMING, OR WHO MAY CLAIM TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, OR
GENERAL OR SPECIFIC LIEN UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THIS ACTION; SUCH UNKNOWN PERSONS BEING HEREIN GENERALLY DESCRIBED AND INTENDED TO BE INCLUDED IN WIFE, WIDOW, HUSBAND, WIDOWER, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNEES OF SUCH DECEASED, ANY AND ALL PERSONS DERIVING INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON, OR TITLE TO SAID REAL PROPERTY BY, THROUGH OR UNDER THEM, OR EITHER OF THEM, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE WIVES, WIDOWS, HUSBANDS, WIDOWERS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNS, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES, EXCEPT AS STATED, ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, NASSAU COUNTY CLERK, CITIBANK, N.A., PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE IRS JOHN DOE (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). MORTGAGED PREMISES: 4065 Broadway, Island Park, NY 11558 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) with in twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to
The Village of Island Park rang in Labor Day with a festive evening of music, community, and fireworks at Masone Beach on Aug. 30.
Hundreds of residents and visitors gathered on the shoreline to enjoy a lively concert by Dancefloor NY, whose highenergy performance kept the crowd dancing well into the night. Following the concert, the sky lit up with a dazzling fireworks display over the water, marking the end of the summer season with bright colors and applause. The event capped off another memorable summer at Masone Beach, leaving families and friends looking forward to next year’s festivities.
you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Nassau. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Donald E. Cardineau Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Jeffrey A. Goostein of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the TwentySecond day of August, 2025 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, in the City of Mineola. The object of this action is to foreclosur e a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by Jean Marie Cardineau, Donald E. Cardineau (who died on July 28, 2023, a resident of the county of Nassau, State of New York), and Donny G. Cardineau dated the October 31, 2021, to secure the sum of $335,000.00 and recorded at Book M 46255, Page 797 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on January 21, 2022. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed April 8, 2024 and recorded on April
17, 2024, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book M 47501, Page 202. The property in question is described as follows: 4065 Broadway, Island Park, NY 11558 HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CA REFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department
of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline
1-800-269-0990 or visit the department’s website at WWW.DFS.NY.GOV. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTI L YOUR PROPERTY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from
you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and comp laint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: August 25, 2025 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221
The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 87130 155640
$1,450/ Month Owner 516-637-2182
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‘How does anybody want to do business here?’
Q. Can you explain why I have to go back through a whole repeat of applying for a permit that has already been approved twice in the past 10 years for the same thing? I bought a property that I was told could be developed for multiple families. I looked up the records and found that it had been approved as recently as 10 years ago, but the person who was getting the permit must have run out of money or something. I applied for the exact same thing and was told I would have to go through applying for the permit, getting a denial, going through a board meeting with the council, and if approved, would still need to get a zoning variance that has already been given approvals twice before. I was also warned that this whole process could take three to four years. How does anybody want to do business here? Buying a property, paying the taxes, getting nothing, just shelling out loads of money on the assumption that the whole thing will be approved hardly makes it worth it. Is this avoidable? Is there another way?
A. Not every municipality has this long a process, but the process is generally the same in every government, no matter the size. The only way through it is to promptly apply at each stage but, unfortunately, the procedures and rules make the process extremely drawn out. In theory, each phase of approval is intended as a “checks and balances” procedure, and as long as you are writing the checks and keeping the local government’s balances, they rarely try to streamline unless you cooperate. I did recently experience an exception worthy of recognizing Long Beach for its wisdom and compassion toward a homeowner. The person had a deck built that had columns running right along the property line, which is not allowed in the zoning regulations. The owner went through the building permit and zoning variance process, but the contractor deviated from the plans once the permit was issued.
Instead of putting all the columns right along the property line, even though the second floor deck was set back the required 5 feet, the contractor only put the first two front columns on the property line, and then installed the remaining three columns 5 feet in, so that a car couldn’t park under the deck. It made no sense, but the owner can’t read plans, and didn’t know what was happening until it was too late. They questioned this with their building department, and an official looked at the problem, but instead of forcing the owner to go back through the whole process, the official recognized that this problem had a simpler solution, and only required a letter of explanation from a licensed professional, and the problem will be solved without the expensive and time-consuming burden to the owner.
So it can be done, if only compassion prevailed. Good luck!
© 2025 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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i’m a capitalist. There, I said it. Even more than that, I’m a Democrat. In fact, I serve as a Democratic national committeeman. I have also been a partner in a small business on Long Island for more than 35 years. Capitalism is neither a threat nor just a theory to me; it is a reality that provides opportunities for me as well as our employees, vendors and clients.
As I write this confession sequestered in my undisclosed location, it is important to remember that our nation’s capitalist economy and entrepreneurial spirit are the envy of the world, attracting workers, investment and admiration. But this success wouldn’t be possible without two critical features: a social safety net that allows people to take risks, start businesses and join unions, and federal funding for research and development.
It is because of my commitment to capitalism that I stand in strong opposition to President Trump’s economic agenda.
Think about the child tax credit, the
Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security — these historic programs achieved by visionary leaders during national crises protect people from the vicissitudes of the market and allow them to pursue economic opportunity. Trump is tearing up that legacy by gutting Medicaid and food assistance for tens of thousands of New Yorkers.
Trump’s economic agenda is an assault on everything from jobs to science.
His Big Beautiful Bill — a big, ugly bill — will spike health care premiums for more than 24 million households that receive health insurance through the ACA exchange, and the exorbitant expense will cost as many as 80,000 New Yorkers their coverage. It will lead to the layoffs of more than 3,000 hospital workers in our state. It will reduce after-tax income not just for the very poor and vulnerable, but also for the middle class. It will raise electricity bills, and make basic consumer goods more expensive. Our small businesses and their employees will suffer the repercussions.
The latest jobs report indicates a slumping economy, with just 22,000 jobs added in August and the unemployment rate at the highest level since October 2021. This will only get worse as the administration’s unprecedented tariffs
bsentee voting leads to fraud!” “Absentee voting is essential to protect the right to vote!” We hear these arguments passionately made by politicians across the spectrum. But what if we didn’t have to choose? What if we could ensure both easy access to voting and robust security — so that only registered citizens vote, every ballot is accurately counted, and results are announced promptly?
This isn’t a pipe dream. The technology exists, and is already in use globally. Let’s explore how it could work here, in our communities.
Every day, trillions of dollars move securely across the internet. You likely shop on Amazon, pay bills with online banking and transfer funds between accounts. These systems work because they’re designed to ensure that money goes exactly where it’s intended, with
are fully implemented. Moreover, Trump’s decision to fire the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner over a weak jobs report and his attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, in addition to eroding the independence of the Fed, are the tactics of a banana republic that undermine American capitalism. Our fellow citizens can’t succeed when they are denied opportunities to enter the middle class and build a future for their families.
Contrary to conventional belief, the federal government has funded and developed leading technologies, such as GPS, Siri, the Covid-19 vaccines, the space program and the internet. According to a recent Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas paper, non-defense government research and development has been responsible for more than 20 percent of productivity growth since World War II. Instead of doubling down on these critical investments, the Trump administration has canceled billions of dollars in grants for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. His research funding budget would inflict even more austerity. Put simply, this is an assault on American jobs, education, science, health, medicine and our
economic standing in the world.
There’s no question that unchecked government and unchecked capitalism are equally dangerous. Imagine two scenarios: In one, American businesses innovate, grow and compete globally, powered by a workforce with access to health care, education and financial opportunity. That leads to a future in which new industries emerge, lifechanging technologies are invented and prosperity is widely shared.
In the other scenario, we watch our competitive edge erode. Entrepreneurs can’t take risks because they can’t afford to get sick. Innovation stalls. Inequality deepens. Businesses fail. Families suffer.
The choice we face isn’t between capitalism and government, but between a sustainable capitalism that works for all and a broken system that serves and favors only a few. If we are to create jobs, power local businesses, develop innovation and protect the American dream, we must rise above party labels and partisan rhetoric and respond as patriots by learning from history. The investments that have cured disease and provided economic growth have made our country the beacon of innovation. That requires standing in defense of capitalism.
Robert Zimmerman is a co-president of ZE Creative Communications in Garden City.
safeguards against fraud and error.
It’s not just money. Many of us renew passports, file taxes, manage health records and sign legal documents online. We trust the internet with sensitive tasks because secure systems make it possible.
So why not apply this to voting? Here’s how a secure online voting system could work:
1. Voter registration and authentication. Every voter would register once, providing proof of identity and citizenship. They would receive a unique digital key — perhaps biometric, like facial recognition or a fingerprint scan, features already built into most smartphones. This registration would be valid for life, updated only when they moved to a new jurisdiction, like from one county to another.
authentication would protect against tampering or impersonation, much like safeguards for online banking.
3. Instant tabulation and verification. Votes would be encrypted, transmitted and counted in real time. Results could be announced within minutes after polls close, eliminating delays and reducing opportunities for confusion or manipulation.
E lections in the U.S. should follow the lead of Brazil, Estonia and Switzerland.
2. Secure voting interface. Voters would access a platform using their digital key. The system would ensure that only eligible voters cast ballots — and only once. Encryption and multi-factor
Countries such as Estonia, Switzerland and Brazil already use versions of these systems. Estonia has offered secure online voting in national elections since 2005. Switzerland has piloted it in several regions, and Brazil’s electronic voting machines tabulate results quickly and securely. If they can do it, surely the United States, with its technological leadership, can, too. Of course, there are concerns that would have to be addressed. Privacy is a core right that we cherish. Voters must trust that their ballots are secure, anonymous and accurately counted. No one — not election officials, hackers or third-party vendors — should be able to
trace a vote to an individual. Cost is another concern. Building an online voting system wouldn’t be cheap, but we don’t need to start from scratch. We can adapt proven technologies that are in use in other countries, saving time and resources. Over time, such a system could reduce the costs of printing ballots, staffing polling stations and mailing absentee forms — savings that could benefit our local budgets.
Accessibility is a major advantage. Online voting would make it easier for seniors, people with disabilities, rural residents and those with demanding schedules to vote without traveling or waiting in lines. Imagine a farmer in our county casting a ballot from home or a nurse voting between shifts. We don’t have to settle for outdated systems or false choices between access and security. With investment and political will, we can build a voting system that’s secure, accessible and worthy of our democracy. Let’s bring the future of voting to our communities — because every voice deserves to be heard, safely and fairly.
Howard Kopel represents Nassau County’s 7th Legislative District and is the Legislature’s presiding officer.
ioften reflect on how people thought differently about the world on Sept. 10, 2001. Then, in an instant, everything changed. I remember the confusion, chaos and fear — and the extraordinary unity that followed. In the days and weeks after the attacks, we weren’t Democrats or Republicans. We were Americans, bound by grief, resolve and an unshakable sense of shared purpose.
I was buoyed by the sight of American flags flying everywhere, on cars, on homes, on buildings. They reminded us, even in our darkest hour, that we were still united as one people. That unity stands in stark contrast to the fractured and divided state of our country today. On this solemn anniversary, I believe Sept. 11 must not only be a day of remembrance, but also a day of recommitment. Let’s rededicate ourselves to the dream that is America — the proposition that all men and women are created equal, and the promise that hard work will be reward-
As county executive, I am proud to announce that Nassau County has reached unprecedented levels of safety during my time in office. Despite having a larger population than 10 U.S. states, our crime numbers have continued to decline every year. After falling by 9 percent in 2024, major crimes are now down by over 13 percent in the county yearto-date in 2025. This is a massive accomplishment for our Nassau County Police Department, and it’s a major reason why we continue to be regarded as the safest county in America.
But despite our accomplishments, we know that we can never rest on our laurels. Every day we strive to find new ways to bring security and peace of mind to our residents. One of my top priorities is protecting our children from criminals who threaten their security at school. With a new academic year underway, many parents may be feeling anxious about shootings and other devastating events that have
ed with a decent life. Let’s re-devote ourselves to faith, family, community and country.
I vividly remember those first hours. In Glen Cove, where I was serving as mayor, one of the first decisions we made was to run continuous trips of the Glen Cove Ferry to help bring people trapped in Manhattan to safety. Our crews and volunteers transported thousands of people. It was a small act of service compared with the enormity of what had happened, but it was something tangible, something immediate, something that made a difference.
Lness of those who stood ready to serve.
I lost friends and neighbors that day, and I know others who survived because they decided not to go to the office that morning. One friend instead handed out my campaign literature at the train station.
et’s carry forward the spirit of unity and purpose that defined us in those dark days.
We solicited hundreds of volunteer doctors, nurses and first responders to be ferried to the city. We also coordinated with New York City emergency management and Glen Cove Hospital to bring the wounded back to our facility. Sadly, as the day wore on, the reality became painfully clear. There were no wounded. They didn’t need our hospital, or our volunteers — the devastation was so complete that there were no survivors to be saved.
That truth still weighs heavily on me, a reminder of both the cruelty of that day and the extraordinary selfless-
We must be grateful for our lives and what we have when we have it. Let’s do the work we can, while we can.
Over the years, I’ve been privileged to work closely with John Feal, of Commack, a man who turned his own tragedy into a life of service. John was working as a demolition supervisor at ground zero when a falling steel beam crushed his foot. After his injury, he was denied compensation. He made it his mission to fight for others. Through the FealGood Foundation, and with allies like Jon Stewart and many others, we’ve fought hard on behalf of first responders and survivors, ensuring that they receive the care and resources they deserve.
This year, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and I introduced the bipartisan Patriot Day Act, to establish Sept. 11 as a federal holiday. Our goal is simple: to give every American the chance to com-
memorate one of the most significant days in our history. For 24 years we have honored 9/11 in our own ways. By enshrining the day in federal law, we would affirm that remembrance is not optional; it is essential.
But remembering isn’t enough. We owe it to those we lost, and to those who rushed into the burning towers to save others, to carry forward the spirit of unity and purpose that defined us in those dark days. Let us never forget the pain that was visited upon us, the bravery and sacrifice of our first responders and the extraordinary sense of togetherness that carried us through. And most of all, let’s rededicate ourselves to the dream and promise of America, that we’re stronger together, that our differences don’t divide us, and that hope, not hatred, will define our future.
On Sept. 11, 2001, everything changed. Twenty-four years later, the memories are still raw. The grief still lingers. But so, too, does the possibility of renewal. If we remember well, and recommit ourselves, Sept. 11 will not only be a day of mourning, but also a day of resolve. That’s how we can best honor those we lost: by building a country worthy of their sacrifice.
Tom Suozzi represents the 3rd Congressional District.
repeatedly happened across our country. I am taking every possible step, however, to ensure that those tragedies do not happen in Nassau County.
Last month, I announced that the NCPD was creating and deploying a new Strategic Response Team specifically to safeguard our schools and mitigate any threats to students, teachers and faculty.
W ith efforts like the largest gang takedown in the county’s history last month.
The team is made up of dozens of dedicated police officers who work closely with school officials to identify and prevent potential threats. I’m proud to say that the team’s deployment was a complete success for this year’s back-toschool transition, and it will be a critical tool moving forward for all of the county’s educational institutions.
Part of the task of keeping our children safe is ensuring that the streets they live on are free from crime. The NCPD is doing an excellent job of collaborating with local, state and federal partners to achieve this goal. Just last month, we coordinated a tactical takedown of gang members with the assistance of Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials. We arrested dozens of dangerous criminals in less than
a week, with many of them known members of gangs like MS-13, the 18th Street Gang and the Trinitarios. This monumental achievement was the largest gang takedown in Nassau County history, and it helped remove illegal criminals who had no business being here in the first place. Nassau is not a sanctuary county, and we will not tolerate criminality from illegal migrants who threaten our neighborhoods.
Tackling public-safety issues is critically important to me, which is why I’ve made so many investments in our local police. While other counties and leaders are reducing their focus on public safety and seeing an increase in crime, I have authorized hiring over 600 police and correctional officers during my time in office. I plan to expand our law enforcement hires even further in the years to come, to continue giving our residents the security they deserve.
Our officers will be the best in the nation thanks to a brand new policetraining village that we opened this summer. This critical resource will ensure that the brave men and women who protect us receive the best available
training alongside our federal, state and local partners. The real-life scenarios and exercises they undertake there will give them the experience to handle any situation they encounter on the job with confidence.
In addition to the best training, my administration and the County Legislature are ensuring that our police have the necessary funding to access the most advanced equipment and resources. It’s my goal that every police officer working for the county is put in the best position to do their job effectively so they can return home safely at the end of their shift.
My administration’s commitment to the safety and well-being of our residents has never been stronger. Under my leadership, we will continue to prioritize the safety of our communities so that every resident can live, work and prosper without fear. That means not only maintaining and enhancing our law enforcement resources, but also fostering strong relationships among our police, local organizations and the community. We will engage with residents, listen to their concerns and respond proactively to keep our streets safe. Together we will ensure that Nassau County remains the best place to live for everyone.
Bruce Blakeman is Nassau County executive.
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For the past few weeks, the Herald has presented a series on housing and the challenges of finding an affordable place to live for Long Islanders — a necessity that seems to be slipping further from reach for so many in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
For decades, people came here to build lives rooted in family, work and community. These days, however, housing has become not just a financial burden, but also a destabilizing one that threatens health, safety and the very fabric of our towns.
Housing supply has stagnated while demand has soared. Rising rents and homes priced beyond the reach of working families are reshaping daily life. They are forcing impossible choices: whether to stay close to loved ones, whether to sacrifice health care in order to pay the rent or the mortgage, whether to leave Long Island altogether. The crisis is no longer theoretical — it is personal, urgent, and in desperate need of solutions.
Consider the story of Karen Wihlt, whom we featured in Part 2 of our housing series, “Personal stories of L.I.’s housing crisis,” three weeks ago. Wihlt, 58, lives in uncertainty with her service dog in a Bethpage hotel room. After years of building a life here, working as a chef and helping open restaurants around the area, she now faces homelessness.
She can no longer work, but her income from disability benefits — too much for her to qualify for local aid but
letters
King stirs memories of what football used to be
To the Editor:
nowhere near enough for her to afford rent or a continued hotel stay — illustrates the sobering arithmetic of survival on Long Island.
The cost of insecurity reaches beyond the wallet. As Peggy Boyd, vice president of community services and advocacy for the Family Service League, noted in that story, the trauma of losing housing often triggers depression, anxiety and hopelessness. The Family Service League is a social service agency that provides support and security to Long Islanders in need.
Children, the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population nationwide, suffer disrupted schooling, constant moves and the erosion of the routines essential for healthy development. When a child repeatedly sleeps in a car or a motel instead of a bedroom, the damage isn’t just temporary — it echoes through a lifetime.
Even middle-class professionals, long considered the backbone of Long Island, are struggling. Brandon Webber, a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department, and his fiancée, preschool director Alexa Rubinstein, who rent an apartment in Farmingdale, embody the contradiction: two educated, hardworking adults with multiple jobs who still can’t buy a home in the communities they serve.
For some, like Denise Minicozzi, 60, the only option is to work harder by working more hours — but still never getting ahead. Minicozzi waits tables and works part-time at an assisted-living facility just to cover the $4,200 rent for a
Re Peter King’s op-ed, “College football just ain’t what it used to be,” in last week’s issue: I arrived at Dillon Hall, University of Notre Dame, a graduate of Baldwin High School, in the fall of 1966. Alan Page walked through Dillon every day from Alumni Hall to get to the south dining hall. Bob Gladieux, Rocky Bleier, Tom Schoen — all regular guys, passing through the hall. I use the term “regular guys” because they were. And they were students as well.
I always remember Tom McKinley, All-American center on the team, with a 3.97 GPA in electrical engineering, writing an article for the N.D. paper, called The Observer. He described his day, and the focus was on time management. I’m 77, and have never forgotten the clarity of time these players had to observe in terms of classes, studying, practice, meals, travel, game days.
The 1966 team was electrifying. We all gathered in the old fieldhouse for the first pep rally. The team sat
modest Bayville house — an arrangement with no security and the constant threat of increases. Like many others, she and her partner are contemplating leaving Long Island.
Too many longtime residents are reaching the same conclusion: the place they love no longer loves them back. The ripple effects are already visible. Assemblyman Charles Lavine, a Democrat who represents the 13th District, warns that without affordable housing, Long Island is “losing its future.”
Middle-class families are being priced out, young people are leaving and communities risk being hollowed out. Without a thriving middle class, schools weaken, businesses falter and neighborhoods lose their vitality.
State funding has helped, and projects near Long Island Rail Road stations hold promise. But efforts remain piecemeal, stymied by local resistance to new development and a lack of federal investment.
The solution requires bold action: regionalizing poverty thresholds so assistance matches local costs, investing in supportive housing that integrates mental health care, and building more homes and apartments where people need them. Above all, it requires the political will to overcome “not in my backyard” resistance and acknowledge the reality staring us in the face.
Housing is not just shelter. It is health care. It is education. It is stability. It is dignity. If we don’t act now, we risk losing the very essence of what has always made Long Island home.
the intrusions into the governance and operations of the University of Virginia, George Mason University, Harvard and columbia, among others, by federal and state officials contradict U.S. Supreme court precedent and undermine the integrity of higher education.
The White House and the Department of Justice threaten the withholding of federal research funds as leverage to force changes in who is admitted, who teaches and what is taught. They accuse institutions of being silent in the face of antisemitism; ignoring presidential orders limiting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and violating the Supreme court’s decision on affirmative action in Students for Fair admissions v. Harvard. In addition to reductions in federal funding, the government has threatened to limit the enrollment of international students and the employment of international scholars.
These actions, based on unproven allegations and without due process and respect for the law, expose the vulnerability of colleges and universities, despite Supreme court decisions including Dartmouth college v. Woodward
(1819) and Sweezy v. New Hampshire (1957). Both decisions affirmed that universities must remain free from government interference in their teaching, hiring, admissions and governance. Institutional autonomy and board independence are fundamental to academic freedom, educational excellence and the fulfillment of fiduciary duties, the court affirmed.
aThe attacks against universities elsewhere should raise concern on long Island. We are home to 15 colleges and universities, and all rely on federal funding for student financial aid. Some have substantial research agendas. Stony Brook University, for example, is a major recipient of federal research grants, which totaled over $16 million in 2023. adelphi, cold Spring Harbor laboratories, Hofstra, long Island University, New York Institute of Technology and Northwell Health, among others, also have active research programs that rely on government grants. Earlier this year, Newsday reported that the new federal budget could reduce research funding on long Island by over $163 million for medical, science, technology and other projects.
tion, the Department of Energy, NaSa and the Department of Education.
ence between governance and management, and questions and prescriptions.
ttacks on colleges elsewhere should raise concerns on Long Island.
like universities elsewhere, ours are governed by boards of trustees that are responsible for preserving institutional independence, academic freedom and free speech, all necessary for teaching and scholarship that challenges assumptions and assertions. Surprisingly, fewer than 15 percent of american college and university trustees have any professional experience in higher education, which underscores the need for rigorous orientation in academic governance and mission. can we imagine a public company saying its directors did not know its legal landscape, finances and markets?
Public university trustees are mostly appointed through a political process, although some states allow public elections, and most independent college and university trustees are selected with consideration given to their philanthropic capacity. Neither are generally selected for their governance acumen or knowledge of higher education.
Nevertheless, the duties of trustees are threefold: care, loyalty and obedience.
The duty of loyalty: Board members must act in good faith and in the best interests of the institution, not out of self-interest or in the interest of a particular constituency.
The duty of obedience: Boards must uphold the institution’s charter and mission, maintaining public trust through honest stewardship.
Each institution has a covenant with the public that gives it a charter, its major asset. The faculty may be the heart and students the soul, but the license to award degrees and certificates is what gives the institution stature, credibility, relevance and viability. That is what trustees hold in trust as guardians of the institution.
Key federal agencies providing research funding for long Island institutions include the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the National Science Founda-
downfield, furthering the distance between himself and the Boilermaker defense. Terry Hanratty threw a pass toward the sideline where no one was until, a moment later, Jim Seymour, on a timed route, appeared out of nowhere to snag the throw. It was glorious. Every visit to the campus brings me home, as it does with the thousands who have attended the university. But Peter King is correct: The sports landscape has changed. It’s mind-boggling to hear the play-by-play announcer name the three different schools that this or that player has attended before he landed on the team out on the field.
It’s a cliché, but how often is the answer to just about anything one word: money? It doesn’t seem like a degree in electrical engineering is in the offing. Not that these young athletes aren’t smart. They’re being offered something that may never come along again in their lifetime, and it’s hard to resist.
In some ways, people of our age resist change. We could never imagine the terms being presented to today’s players. (This goes for technology as well. I thank God our grandchildren live in town, so we can call them any time we need something that relates to
our phone, computer or TV.) Go, Irish!
BIll PIccHIoNI
Notre Dame class of 1970
MaTTHEW PIccHIoNI
Notre Dame class of 2000 Rockville Centre
To the Editor:
Workers deserve fair pay, safe working conditions, affordable health care and the freedom to retire with dignity. We deserve the right to join unions that give workers a voice; an economy that works for all families, not just the wealthy; and a democracy in which every voice is heard and every vote counts.
Workers and families deserve fully funded public schools that are safe, welcoming, relevant and engaging, as well as higher education that is accessible, affordable and free from political intrusion.
President Trump campaigned on making life better and more affordable
The duty of care: Board members must prepare diligently, participate actively and protect the institution through appropriate oversight, including guarding against external interference. Trustees need to know the differ-
Trustees are most effective when they know the history, mission and purpose, the students, local community and the comparative advantages of the institutions they serve. This is vital not only for the health of the institution but also to maintain the standards of independence that have been the hallmark of U.S. higher education. as a former university president and trustee, and as a member of PEN america’s champions of Higher Education, I believe it is my responsibility to speak out on behalf of our institutions, our students and our country’s future.
Dr. Robert A. Scott is president Emeritus of Adelphi University and Ramapo College of New Jersey, and the author of “How University Boards Work.”
for working families, and I’m sad to say that his administration has not delivered on these promises. Instead we have seen funding slashed for schools, health care, child care and more — while tax breaks are handed to the ultra-wealthy. our family members and communities will be sicker, hungrier and poorer. We deserve so much better.
Whether it’s peacefully protesting with our neighbors and co-workers in the streets, forming unions at our workplaces or engaging with elected officials in congress, let’s work together to fight for the future that all workers deserve.
claIrE laBorDE Hempstead
