Rockville Centre Herald 10-09-2025

Alyssa R. Griffin/Herald

Pink takes center stage in the village

From sponsors to honorees

Breast Cancer Coalition to celebrate Reardon, Coyle

By KElSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

Nearly a decade after lending their styles to the first-ever Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition fashion show, the founders of the online women’s boutique Social Threads are stepping into the spotlight themselves. This year, they are the honorees at that same annual fundraiser, and their lives are deeply stitched into the fabric of the coalition.

Maureen Coyle and Sara Reardon, Social Threads’ co-founders, will be honored at the Oct. 24 event at the Garden City Hotel. The pair, who created their business in Oceanside 10 years ago,

Members of the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition gathered with local village and county officials on Oct. 6 to light the village tree pink for the month of October, in honor of breast cancer awareness. Story, more photos, Page 2. Continued

were among the breast cancer coalition’s first sponsors.

“When they first started out doing the fashion show, we were one of their first sponsors, and we provided the fashion,” Reardon said. “So we were the first clothing that they featured in their fashion show.”

Since then, the Social Threads team has continued to support the coalition through sponsorships and community events. Though the boutique no longer provides the fashions for the event, the relationship has continued.

For Coyle, the connection is even more personal. She is a breast cancer survivor, having

South Side athletes run to remember

By KElSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

For the South Side High School soccer and football teams, the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk in New York City is more than just a race — it’s a tradition rooted in remembrance, community, and service.

Each year, dozens of student-athletes from South Side take part in the event, which honors fallen Rockville Centre firefighter Stephen Siller and the 342 other FDNY members who died on September 11, 2001.

grown to include the girls soccer team and, more recently, the football team. What began as a boys soccer initiative has evolved into a full-team community effort.

“Last year, a couple of the moms on the football team got organized, and then they got some of the boys from the football team, and now they’re with us,” Corvetti said. “We all have lunch together, and we take the buses and follow each other together.”

I think it really leaves an imprint with the kids

PATRICK

CoRVETTI Coach, South Side boys’ soccer

The 5K, which started in 2002, traces Siller’s final footsteps from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center, where he lost his life trying to save others, according to the Tunnels to Towers website.

The South Side boys’ soccer team has participated in the event for years, and soccer coach Patrick Corvetti, who is now in his fifth season at South Side, said the tradition has

The day begins early, with teams gathering before 6 a.m. at the Rockville Centre train station to board buses to Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood. From there, they walk to the start line, wait for their designated wave, and begin the 3.1-mile race through the tunnel and into Manhattan. Corvetti said most of the athletes run the 5k, but some will walk.

For senior soccer player Karter Kasschau, who has participated for three years, the day is

Continued on page 9

Going pink for breast cancer awareness

Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition partners with village to honor survivors and fighters

By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com

The village shines pink as the Village of Rockville Centre lights their tree for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Dozens gathered dressed in pink to the village hall on Oct. 6 to witness the ceremony presented by the Village of Rockville Centre and Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition.

Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley kicked off the start of the ceremony. “Every year the Village of Rockville Centre is proud to recognize the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness month,” she said. “This recognition aims to promote screening and prevention of the disease, which affects over two million women worldwide.”

“Too many of us are touched by the pain and hardships caused by breast cancer,” she said. “A disease that among women is not only one of the most common cancers, but also one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths.

Baxley then explained the importance of the village honoring those affected by breast cancer. “The village commends organizations, like the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition, whose members are supporting those in our community and other communities who have been diagnosed with breast

cancer,” she said. “Their dedicated efforts provide emotional and financial support services to assist those making decisions regarding their physical and emotional health.”

Members of the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition also gave speeches about the impact of their organization.

“We appreciate the village for recognizing the coalition every year and for allowing us to light the tree pink,” Erin

O’Sullivan, co-founder and co-president of the coalition. “Thank you to the board of the coalition, for all the work that you do for the women of Nassau County and all that we do together to help women beat this disease.”

To conclude her speech, O’Sullivan began the countdown to the tree’s lighting beginning from 10. The tree then shined bright with pink lights and will continue to shine for the remainder of

Breast Cancer Awareness

■ 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, making it the most common cancer among American women after skin cancer.

■ When detected early, the five-year relative survival rate for localized breast cancer is 99%, according to the American Cancer Society. Thanks to advances in screening, early detection, and treatment, more than 4 million breast cancer survivors are living in the U.S. today.

■ Raising awareness about breast cancer statistics empowers individuals to take control of their health through regular mammograms, early detection and prevention.

October.

For more information on the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition, visit RVCBCC.org.

Long Island Heroes Celebration

Spooky Fest returns for science and scares

The Center for Science is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the return of Spooky Fest, Long Island’s long-running, family-friendly Halloween celebration, opening this past weekend at the Tanglewood Preserve.

Running every weekend in October, Spooky Fest kicked off its 14th season with new attractions aimed at visitors of all ages.

This year introduces Pirate’s Cove, an expanded area within the popular Enchanted Walk, featuring a brightly lit pirate ship experience and colorful Halloween displays for younger children and those seeking a non-scary option. For thrill-seekers, the Haunted Woods offers a quarter-mile walk through the darkened preserve, filled with jump scares, monsters and animatronic zombie dinosaurs.

Hosted annually on the grounds of the Center’s Tanglewood Preserve, Spooky Fest has become one of Long Island’s longest-running continuous Halloween events. Unlike many seasonal attractions, all proceeds benefit a local nonprofit. Funds raised directly support the Center’s year-round youth STEM education programs, as well as its animal rescue efforts and permanent dinosaur exhibit.

The Center for Science, based in Rockville Centre, has served the Long Island community for 25 years through science-focused camps, school programs and hands-on learning experiences.

Spooky Fest, their biggest annual fundraiser, is vital for sustaining those initiatives.

“We are celebrating our 25th anniversary with this year’s Spooky Fest,” said Dr. Ray Ann Havasy, Executive Director of the Center for Science. “This beloved tradition not only brings families and the community together for Halloween fun, but also generates crucial funding for our STEM education programs that inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators. The new Pirate’s Cove

is just one example of how we continue to evolve and enhance the experience for our visitors year after year.”

The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m., rain or shine, at Tanglewood Preserve, located at 1450 Tanglewood Rd. in Rockville Centre.

Tickets are available online, with pricing set at $22 for non-scary attractions and $27 for all-inclusive admission that includes the Haunted Woods experience. All visitors ages 2 and older must have a ticket.

To buy tickets or to learn more, visit CSTL.org/spooky-fest.

–Kelsie Radziski

An Inheritance is a Gift, Not a Right

Ann Landers, who published her weekly advice column from 1955 to 2002 listed this as one of her top ten most requested columns – republishing it seven times in her long career.

Dear Ann: Let this letter be a wake-up call to all sons, daughters, and grandchildren. The message I want to convey is this: YOUR INHERITANCE IS NOT AUTOMATIC. IT’S A GIFT.

I am an estate planner. Over the last several years, I have seen many clients change their wills, bypassing children and grandchildren, and leave their money to friends, charities, and people they once worked with who were kind and helpful.

There are many reasons for changing a will, but the two most common are disrespect and isolation. In some families, the only time the old folks see the grandchildren is when their parents need a favor–usually, it’s money. So, the message the old folks wish to convey is as follows: “You didn’t make time for me when I was lonely and would have enjoyed your company, so why should I leave you the

money I worked for all my life?”

Wake up out there. An inheritance isn’t something that is owed to you. It is a gift of love. When there is no love, there should be no gift. — Manasota, Fla.

We like to say that your “family” are those you love and who love you. The rest are your relatives. Or, put another way, it’s not who you’re related to, it’s who you relate to.

For those who have children, the inheritance is usually left to the children in equal shares. However, there is no legal requirement to do so. One of the first concepts we learned in estate planning is that “there is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals.” Are some considerably better off than others? Has one been more attentive, more caring, gone out of their way for you? Where distributions will be unequal, we often suggest leaving a letter, to be opened after your death, explaining the reasons for your decision. A discussion with an experienced estate planning attorney often will provide ideas and options that you may not have thought of.

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Crime watCh

Criminal misChief

On Sept. 30, an unknown person damaged the steering column and door to a motor vehicle parked in Municipal Parking Field #27.

larCeny

On Sept. 30, an employee of CVS, located at 155 Sunrise Highway, reported that merchandise was stolen from the store.

arrest

On Oct. 1, James O’Sullivan, 47, of Rockville Centre, was arrested and charged with an active Nassau County arrest warrant during an investigation at 7-Eleven on Randall Avenue in Rockville Centre.

On Oct. 1, Tina Chen, 23, of Columbia, South Carolina was arrested and charged with Attempted Grand Larceny after attempting to commit an elderly scam.

aCCident

On Oct. 3, at around 10:15 a.m., a 37-year-old man traveling northbound on a 2003 Honda motorcycle on Lincoln Avenue struck a 2021 Ram box truck, according to Nassau County police. Detectives said the 46-year-old truck driver was heading south and attempting a left turn onto South Forest Avenue at the time of the crash. He remained at the scene, Nassau police said, and the motorcyclist is in critical condition following the serious crash. The investigation is ongoing.

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

news brief

Village is recognized for traffic safety

Rockville Centre has earned top honors for its commitment to public safety and community well-being, according to Police Commissioner Randy Dodd. On Oct. 7, he accepted the AAA 2025 Gold Award through the Community Traffic Safety Awards Program.

“This recognition is given to municipalities that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to traffic safety, education and enforcement,” Dodd said at the Oct. 6 village board meeting, “and it’s a direct reflection of the hard work, professionalism and dedication of our officers.”

AAA clubs make applications available to cities, counties, towns and villages, asking officials to outline their traffic safety initiatives from the previous year. Any community that completes the application and meets the required criteria is eligible to receive an award.

Qualifying initiatives may include pedestrian and bicycle safety programs, school bus and teen driver safety, senior

driving education, seat belt and distracted driving checkpoints, impaired driving enforcement, roadway safety projects and emergency response innovations, according to the AAA website.

Dodd emphasized the significance of the award, noting that “earning the Gold Award means our community ranks among the safest in the state when it comes to roadway safety and proactive enforcement. It recognizes the department’s efforts to reduce crashes, improve pedestrian safety and protect every driver, bicyclist and resident who uses our roads.”

This comes after Rockville Centre was named one of New York’s safest and most prosperous communities in a statewide report by GoBankingRates.

“This award is proof that our officers are out there every single day, enforcing, patrolling and protecting Rockville Centre,” he said.

–Kelsie Radziski

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CHRISTIAN ANAYA CAREY Senior FOOTBALL

A TWO-WAY LINEMAN for the reigning Nassau and Long Island champions, Anaya completed a rare daily double on the defensive side of the ball for the Seahawks in a 35-14 victory at South Side Sept. 27. His sack in the end zone for a safety put Carey ahead for good in the second quarter. Then, late in the fourth, he scooped up a fumble forced by Justin DePietro and raced 69 yards for the game-sealing touchdown as the team won its 15th straight.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, Oct. 9

Girls Soccer: Elmont at Sewanhaka 4:30 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Long Beach at Kennedy 4:45 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Mepham at Garden City

Boys Soccer: Clarke at Carey

Girls Soccer: Garden City at South Side

Girls Soccer: North Shore at Plainedge 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Farmingdale at Baldwin 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Long Beach at Oceanside 6 p.m.

Boys Soccer: South Side at Malverne/ERock 7 p.m.

Girls Soccer: West Hempstead at V.S. South 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 10

Football: Malverne at Seaford 6 p.m.

Football: Oceanside at Syosset 6 p.m.

Football: West Hempstead at Plainedge 6 p.m.

Football: Clarke at V.S. South 7 p.m.

Football: Calhoun at Long Beach 7 p.m.

Football: V.S. Central at Glen Cove 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 11

Football: Mepham at Garden City 1 p.m.

Football: South Side at Wantagh 2 p.m.

Football: East Meadow at Baldwin 2 p.m.

Football: Island Trees at Lynbrook 2 p.m.

Football: Herricks at Freeport 3 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

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

South Side already a contender

By PATRICK MOQUIN sports@liherald.com

In the span of four years, South Side boys’ volleyball has gone from a newly founded program to a powerhouse in a stout Conference 2A. The Cyclones stand tall with a 7-1 overall record, a rapid improvement that coach Jerry D’Angelo credits to special playmakers and the kids’ dedication to roles within the program.

“It would be awesome to have a conference championship in our fourth year,” D’Angelo said. “It’d be awesome to win a playoff game. Those will be the two major things, but when it’s all said and done, I hope what this team will be remembered for is their effort.”

Most on South Side rosters are counted upon to do one thing well, but this rule does not apply to senior John Pericolosi, who also leads the basketball for D’Angelo in the winter. The multi-sport star was the reigning kills leader as a junior and consistently manages to provide in all aspects on the floor. For example, in a 3-2 victory over Sewanhaka on Sept. 4, he finished with 37 kills, 15 digs, 10 assists, 5 blocks and a pair of aces.

“He’s excellent,” D’Angelo said of Pericolosi. “He does so much for us that we really go as he goes.”

While Pericolosi’s senior leadership is loud and immediately apparent, libero Kevin Rodriguez leads the Cyclones in a subtler and equally profound way. His supporting all-around role often only results in digs and aces on the score sheet, but he provides both efficiently while manning the helm.

South Side’s other key kills contributor is junior Jesse Kuo, who is expected to step into a larger role when Pericolosi graduates. Even in his secondary scoring role, the all-conference player has made great strides and seems poised to help the Cyclones sustain momentum in the future.

Most of South Side’s remaining contributors are highly specialized. Freshman Joe Muir is a 6-foot-6 basketball player being taught the finer points of volleyball on the fly. While he picks up

other skills, his primary role is to block alongside Pericolosi. Left-handed striker Trevor Walsh joins them in front and has come along quickly since his first volleyball game less than four weeks ago.

There have been several games in which sophomore Jack Bradley has done nothing but earn assists setting up for Pericolosi, a vital role that also pays handsomely in the box score. In eight appearances, he has already made 188 assists, one of the perks of playing alongside one of the best finishers in the county.

D’Angelo described junior Matt

Grande as his “most improved player,” one who has expanded his skill set since learning to play volleyball as a sophomore. He is now capable of providing a healthy mix of kills and aces as needed, an increasingly versatile player who once provided in a more narrow scope.

South Side lost its first game to Great Neck North on Sept. 27, snapping a sixgame winning streak that began on Sept. 2. The Cyclones remain undefeated in conference play, however, and games against Roslyn and Lawrence in early October will give a true indicator of their staying power as a new contender in the conference.

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Davis prioritizes connecting with constituents

By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

Scott Davis is no stranger to public service — though it wasn’t always part of his plan. A longtime Rockville Centre resident who grew up in Hempstead, Davis was first elected in 2023 to represent Legislative District 1, which covers Rockville Centre and Hempstead.

Now seeking re-election, he reflects on a first term defined by community outreach, legislative advocacy and fighting for equity in a County Legislature where Democrats remain in the minority.

Davis, 63, lives in Rockville Centre with his wife, and they have three children, all college graduates. A first-generation college student himself, he became a criminal defense attorney, where he works to educate and advise his clients about their cases and the criminal justice process. His early years, growing up biracial in Hempstead and losing his mother when he was young, shaped his belief in perseverance and giving back, as he described to Herald reporters during a Roundtable interview.

“In my first term as a legislator, all that concern, all of that desire to do good, it’s presented a platform for me where I can actually do that,” he said. “I get access to resources, I get access to information, and probably one of my favorite things of all that I really, really like to do is I’ve gone everywhere in my district and I’ve developed relationships, and I’ve been able to create a synergy of putting different people together for a good end.”

Davis said his proudest legislative achievement was securing $1.75 million in clean-water funding for Hempstead after learning about contamination issues, particularly the elevated presence of the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane.

Tim Baker/Herald

Legislator Scott Davis, the incumbent in Nassau County’s 1st District, is looking to push for more infrastructure and community projects if re-elected.

“It took us nine months, but I got the money, and (as) a first-time legislator, to be able to have the minority caucus get together and prioritize that as an issue — it’s recognizing that issue, and then it’s fighting for that issue,” he said. “And people were sick of me, because everywhere I went, I talked about it, and it was a great day to be able to get that money.”

Nine months of advocacy, including joint efforts

with now-State Sen. Siela Bynoe, eventually paid off. Davis believes that work also helped shine a light that led to a later $37 million allocation by the state.

District 1 was redrawn for the 2025 election, and now encompasses Rockville Centre, South Hempstead, Roosevelt and parts of Baldwin and Hempstead. Davis emphasizes showing up — in churches, libraries and schools — to understand his constituents, both old and new, because “you can’t effectively represent anybody unless you know who they are.”

“I go everywhere all the time, and it’s for a reason, and it’s not for the photo ops,” he said. “It’s to learn, to develop relationships, to do my job the best way that I can.”

Davis said that progress is slowed by partisan gridlock, and that the minority caucus of Democratic legislators struggles to get its capital project requests granted.

Despite these challenges, he said, if re-elected, he plans to keep fighting for equal access to county resources, improve infrastructure and support local nonprofits addressing food insecurity, youth services and education.

Davis’s vision includes renovating Mirschel Park in Hempstead, installing exercise stations at the Rockville Centre Recreation Center and expanding summer camps for underserved children.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to do my job, and do it well,” he said.

Thompson aims to be voice for the community

By KELSIE RADZISKI

kradziski@liherald.com

Charlene Jackson Thompson has worn many hats — attorney, government official, consultant and community advocate. Now, she’s running as the Republican candidate in Nassau County’s 1st Legislative District, hoping to bring her experience and network to a newly redrawn district.

Thompson, 59, grew up in Roosevelt and graduated from Uniondale High School in 1984 before attending the College of William and Mary, where she became the university’s first Black Homecoming queen. She later earned a law degree from Howard University. She currently serves as a deputy county attorney, representing Nassau County in child welfare cases. In this role she works with Child Protective Services, family support organizations and the court system to advocate for the safety, stability and long-term wellbeing of children. Her legal work is guided by a trauma-informed approach that combines compassion with legal insight.

Thompson has worked under both Democratic and Republican county executives, including roles in economic development and housing. She served as commissioner of the Community Development Agency in Hempstead and later joined the Nassau County attorney’s office, where she prosecutes child abuse and neglect cases. She also has a consulting firm focused on economic development, grant writing and regulatory compliance.

She is running for the 1st District seat as a way to make sure her voice stays in the conversation.

Tim Baker/Herald

Charlene Jackson Thompson, who is running as the Republican candidate in Nassau County’s 1st Legislative District, shared her goals of working on housing and infrastructure development if elected.

“I don’t shy away from hard discussions. I have the courage of my convictions because I am more conservative,” she told Herald reporters during a Roundtable interview. “And that hasn’t been easy when I was a student at Howard University, and it hasn’t been easy in

this environment, but I made a difficult decision, even as an African American woman, a woman (who is) a descendant of slaves — I made the difficult decision that I was going to stay a part of the Republican Party, because I feel we do a disservice when we all flock to one party.”

Thompson emphasizes deep roots and connections in each of the communities in District 1, from serving on civic associations in Baldwin to helping coordinate downtown revitalization initiatives in Roosevelt, Westbury and Hempstead. She says her long track record of cross-sector collaboration is what sets her apart.

“I have always looked at government as a way to find information, to bring it to the people,” she said. “That’s because I put community first, and I meet people wherever they are.”

If elected, Thompson said, her priorities include increasing access to workforce housing, especially by repurposing so-called “zombie homes” and expanding partnerships with local land trusts. She also wants to improve water and sewer infrastructure, ensure community involvement in large-scale projects like the Propel NY corridor in Rockville Centre, and boost civic education and transparency.

“I will be a voice and advocate for the needs of my community, and make sure that I have a seat at the table to voice those concerns,” she said.

While Thompson identifies as a conservative, she said she has always sought to find common ground with those of differing political persuasions. “My philosophy, as shown by my over 30 years of community service now, has always been community first,” she said. “That’s how I work. That’s how I live.”

Athletes carry annual tradition forward

about much more than physical endurance.

“It’s kind of surreal, because you’re seeing all these firefighters dressed up, and it just shows how hard-working they are,” Kasschau said. “It just reminds us of how we are as a soccer team, how we’re hard-working and how we are a team just like how they are.”

It’s been a great thing I’ve done for the past three

years.

Karter Kasschau

Boys’ soccer player

Kasschau said the experience has had a lasting impact on him, both as an athlete and as a person.

“I think it’s important for us to participate in because the Twin Towers and 9/11 (happened in) New York, and we’re a South Side soccer team based on Long Island,” he said. “So being so close to this experience, even though we weren’t born at the time, it explains the impact so much more and makes it so much more important for (us) to realize how big the day was for New Yorkers.”

The Tunnel to Towers 5K has grown from 1,500 participants in 2002 to become one of the most prominent

Soccer and football players from South Side High School participated in this year’s

new York City on Sept. 28.

runs in the country, with nearly 30,000 partcipants this year. Proceeds support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s programs, which benefit first responders and catastrophically injured veterans.

For Corvetti and his assistant coach, Chuck Phelan, the event continues to be one of the most meaningful parts of the season.

“We love doing it,” he said. “And at the end of it, when we’re getting off the train, (me and the assistant coach) just kind of hug each other and say, ‘What a great day.’ You see a lot of smiling faces. I think it really leaves an imprint with the kids.”

As the team tradition continues, South Side athletes say they hope the

run remains part of their culture for years to come.

“Our chemistry as one, and how we all get up in the morning, it’s just very important for us,” said Kasschau. “It’s been a great thing I’ve done for the past three years.”

To learn more about the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, visit T2T.org.

HERALD SCHOOLS

School spirit rolls through Rockville Centre

South Side High School brought the energy and excitement of homecoming season to students across the Rockville Centre School District with a districtwide Pep Tour on Friday, Sept. 26.

TSenior captains from each of the high school’s fall sports teams, along with student musicians, cheerleaders, and school mascots, visited all five elementary schools and the middle school to help build school spirit ahead of South Side’s homecoming celebrations the following day.

he Pep Tour is a great event that brings all of our schools together for a common cause.

PaTrick Walsh

Principal, South Side High School

The tour aimed to spread positivity and excitement, while also giving younger students a glimpse of high school life and a chance to engage with student-athletes and performers. Participants took time to connect with students at each stop, promoting teamwork, school pride and unity throughout the district.

The event was organized with the support of South Side High School’s Spirit Club, school administrators and staff across the district. It served as a way to not only energize students for homecoming but also to highlight leadership and community engagement among high school seniors.

“The Pep Tour is a great event that brings all of our schools together for a common cause,” Patrick Walsh, principal of South Side High School, said, “to celebrate and show pride in our wonderful school community.”

–Kelsie Radziski

Molloy Lions make sprint football history

Team earns first-ever win with their 16-6 victory over Cornell

By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com

Molloy University’s sprint football team made history, earning its first-ever win with a 16-6 victory over Cornell University at the Tanglewood Preserve on Sept. 27. The win brings Molloy’s record to 1-2 on the season.

Molloy’s strengths shone on both sides of the ball in their win over Cornell, with a dominant opening drive, a balanced offense and a strong defensive stand in the fourth quarter. The ability of the team, led by head coach Brian Hughes, to control possession, execute on both the ground and through the air, and deliver under pressure was key to the big win.

Junior Paulie Drummond led the way for Molloy, passing for 108 yards and a touchdown and running for another 106 yards and a score. Peter Von Schoenermarck caught several key passes, and the defense was led by standout performances from Ayden Das, Max Kraemer, Joseph Spano and others, according to the game statistics on MolloyLions.com.

Sprint football is a version of traditional football where players must weigh 178 pounds or less. The key difference from regular football is this weight restriction, which levels the playing field and emphasizes speed, agility and technique over size and brute strength, according to SprintFootball.com.

With smaller, faster athletes, the game is typically quicker and more dynamic, creating a fast-paced experience for players and fans alike. Sprint football follows most of the same rules as traditional football but encourages a different style of play centered on athleticism and strategy.

Molloy University began sprint football last year.

The Molloy Lions had a big win against Cornell in their second game on Sept. 27, their first-ever sprint

They just barely lost their first game this season to St. Thomas Aquinas College with a score of 14-13, and after their big win against Cornell they lost against Army with a final score of 49-0. Their next game is on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. against Chestnut Hill College.

Molloy Athletics competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the East Coast Conference, offering 17 varsity sports and seven club programs.

A two-time ECC Commissioner’s Cup winner, Molloy is recognized for developing well-rounded student-

athletes, with success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The Lions have won 30 conference championships, four NCAA regional titles and made 28 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Molloy also partners with organizations like Team IMPACT and Make-A-Wish, and has produced 17 Academic All-Americans.

To keep up with Molloy’s athletes, visit MolloyLions.com, follow @MolloyLions on Twitter and Instagram, or @Molloy University Athletics on Facebook.

Herald Senior Health & Beyond Expo brings wellness, laughter and life-saving insights

By Anna Graci

Herald Community Media and RichnerLIVE successfully hosted the fifth Senior Health & Beyond Expo of the 2025 series at the Rockville Centre Recreation Center. Presented by Hyl Conte Law, the free community event drew hundreds of attendees, including seniors, families, and caregivers.

The bustling expo, on Sept. 26, featured a variety of educational vendors and interactive activities that kept spirits high throughout the day. From lively dance sessions led by Mae Caime, CEO of aMAEzing Midlife & Beyond, to on-site jewelry shopping, there was something for everyone. Guests also accessed essential health services, including free flu shots, eye exams and hearing tests.

Presenting sponsor and keynote speaker Arthur J. Conte, Esq., Partner at Hyl Conte Law, addressed a large audience with his presentation, “Building a Plan for Life’s Uncertainties: How to Achieve Peace of Mind Through Successful Estate Planning.” Conte offered practical advice on planning for the future and emphasized the importance of asking questions when navigating legal and financial matters.

“Thank you to the Rockville Centre and surrounding communities for coming to this event and giving me an opportunity to speak with you all,” Conte said. “I hope you found what we discussed helpful and educational, and if you have any issues you need help with, please feel free to reach out. Don’t be afraid to ask the question you have.”

“It was an incredible turnout — one of our best-attended events yet, with lines around the block to get in,” said Amy Amato, RichnerLIVE ‘s executive director of corporate relations and events. “We’re thrilled to bring this beloved community event to Rockville Centre and look forward to continuing to provide valuable knowledge, resources and fun to senior communities across Long Island.”

One of the day’s highlights was Laughs with Larry. The comedy show featuring Larry Izzo had the crowd in stitches, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event.

Raffle drawings every half hour kept anticipation high, with winners taking home prizes, including Starbucks gift cards donated by Groth Pain & Spine. Attendees also engaged with experts during panel discussions and Q&A sessions on essential topics.

The expo’s impact went beyond education and entertainment. One attendee, Linda Uzenski, shared that a blood pressure check she received at a previous expo led to a life-saving diagnosis — after follow-up tests, she was successfully treated and is now cancerfree. Her story highlights the tangible,

Audience participates in dancing session.

sometimes life-saving, benefits these events provide to the community.

Guests received complimentary swag bags, and the first 150 attendees enjoyed a delicious to-go lunch provided by Bagel Boss.

A special thank you goes to present-

ing sponsor Hyl Conte Law, as well as program sponsors Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, NYS Department of Public Service Long Island, Grandel Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Beach Terrace Care Center, Oceanside Care Center, AARP Long Island, SightMD, and Groth Pain & Spine. The Herald also extends its gratitude to the Rockville Centre Recreation Center.

Two expos remain in the 2025 series: Oct. 26, at the Suffolk Y JCC, and Nov. 7, in Oceanside at O’Connell Gardens.

Fundraising Luncheon

Molloy leader James Campbell dies at 87

James Campbell, a distinguished banking executive and former chairman of the board at Molloy College, died on Sept. 30 at the age of 87.

Campbell, of Garden City, served as a trustee of Molloy University for 12 years, including eight years as chairman of the board. He was later named chairman emeritus in recognition of his dedicated service to the institution.

Professionally, Campbell served as president of Manhattan Savings Bank, now known as the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, or HSBC, and director of Lincoln Savings Bank. He also spent 15 years on the board of directors of Winthrop Uni-

versity Hospital. He was honored as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

He is survived by his wife, Arlene; daughters Lorraine (John) and Arlene (Peter); son, James (Beth); eight grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

Visitation was held at Fairchild Sons Funeral Home in Garden City, and a funeral mass to honor him was held on Oct. 3 at the Church of St. Joseph in Garden City.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Molloy University or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

News BRIef

Celebrate Ted Fass and the NY Bombers

The Bombers will be wrapping up their 2025 beep baseball season with an intra-squad beep baseball scrimmage on Saturday, Oct. 18 to celebrate the memory of Bombers co-founder Ted Fass. The event will take place at Mor-

gan Days Park in Rockville Centre from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All are invited to experience beep baseball, which is an adaptive version of the sport for the blind. For more information, visit NYBombers.org.

News briefs

Village conducts fire hydrant flushing

The Rockville Centre Water Department will be conducting routine hydrant flushing starting Wednesday, Oct. 22 and ending on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Hydrant flushing is vital for the general maintenance of the village’s water services and is performed twice a year — once in the spring and once in the fall. It ensures performance of fire hydrants for firefighting purposes, and quality water for residents and businesses.

According to the village, the flushing of the hydrants may cause some fluctuation of water pressure or discolored water to flow into homes and businesses. Residents are advised not to schedule projects that require clear water before or after the date assigned to their area. The water will be both chemically and bacteriologically safe to drink, though it may stain laundry. If tap water is discolored, it is recommended to run cold-water faucets for a short time until the water runs clear. Using more than one faucet allows the water to clear faster.

Fall hydrant flushing schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 22

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Area of the Village lying North of DeMott Ave.

Thursday, Oct. 23

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Area of the Village lying between Lakeview and DeMott Ave., west of Long Beach Rd.

Friday, Oct. 24

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Area of the Village lying between Sunrise Hwy. and DeMott Ave. east of Long Beach Rd.

Sunday, Oct. 26 to Monday, Oct. 27

Midnight to 8 a.m.

Entire area of the Village lying between Lakeview Ave. and Merrick Rd.

Tuesday, Oct. 28

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Entire area of the Village south of Merrick Rd.

Join us for our annual in-person walk and help save the lives of homeless animals.

Sunday, October 19, 2025

Garvies Point* 45 Herb Hill Road, Glen Cove, NY

9am: Registration • 10am: Walk Begins

*Starting Point: Garvies Point Brewery & Restaurant

Please

Frank’s Steaks in Rockville Centre has permanently closed its doors after more than two decades in business.

Frank’s Steaks closes after 24 years

Frank’s Steaks in Rockville Centre has permanently closed its doors after more than two decades in business.

The restaurant, located on South Village Avenue, first shut down temporarily in early August amid a variety of code violations from the Village of Rockville Centre Building Department and a landlord-tenant dispute. The restaurant is now officially closed.

The code violations deemed the

building a “dangerous unsafe structure,” according to signage posted on the door. John Casper, the restaurant’s owner, said the restaurant was initially given a total of 33 violations to address with limited time to complete repairs. Additionally, the restaurant was in litigation with the property owner for over a year due to disagreements over building repair responsibilities.

STEPPING OUT

Autumnal adventures

Reel in some hauntingly good fun

By Karen Bloom

Spooky season is casting its spell — and whether you’re ready for a scare or just some seasonal flair, there’s much to check out.

The Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns

Pumpkin patches have their moment, but a pumpkin trail is even better. The wooded site of Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts in Wheatley Heights is the evocative setting for a spooky 4,200 foot loop of over 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins and illuminated objects (10,000 in all) that light up the grounds all month long.

The Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns is now in its 12th season on Long Island, delighting visitors with all sorts of seasonal delights, from those carved pumpkins — of all sizes — to inflatables and even a space to show off some dance moves, complete with disco lights and music.

You may recall Rise from its first eight seasons at Old Westbury Gardens. Its current home at Usdan accommodates a longer trail that enhances the immersive experience.

“We found this trail to be perfect,” says Mike Pollack, Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns’ executive producer, who proclaims this to be “the spookiest walk on Long Island.”

Spooky, most definitely, but not haunted. You won’t find any frightful creatures popping out along the path. As Pollack puts it: “No scares.”

This family-friendly event is designed to get everyone in the spirit of the season, appealing to all ages.

A team of 100 handpicked artists carve their individual pumpkins with facial expressions ranging from scary to silly.

“The artistry of these pumpkins is spectacular and you will not see anywhere else,” Pollack says enthusiastically.

The 40,000 visitors annually would seem to agree. Rise is open on weekends and select weeknight through Nov. 1. All tickets must be purchased online at jackolanterns. com; no tickets are available on site. Rise is located at 185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights.

Spooky Fest

Creatures of all kinds inhabit the woods, and ghosts and ghouls come out to play at Tanglewood Preserve, home to the Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL), in Rockville Centre. A seasonal tradition for area families, the spectacle takes over CSTL’s grounds every weekend through Nov. 2.

Each year the festival offers a spirited fun-filled slate of activities on the preserve’s 16 acres — both scary and not so scary — to appeal to all ages and fright levels. The wooded paths are transformed for the season, with eerie lighting, special effects and characters along the way.

Whether you and the kids are looking to be spooked or not, the choice is yours. This time of year the preserve’s woods are definitely haunted, as those who venture along the scary walk will find out. This quarter mile hike through

the woods is not for the faint of heart, it may leave some younger kids clinging to their parents legs. Step into the darkness of the Haunted Woods where you’ll stumble upon a deserted graveyard and more — you never know what is lurking around the next turn. Be scared if you dare!

“Adults will come out crying and the kids will be laughing,” CSTL Educator Michele Anselmo,says, somewhat bemused. “You need to know your fear factor before you enter.”

As always, the not-so-spooky Enchanted Walk is welcoming haunt for the younger set. Friendly Halloween characters — including witches, fairies, aliens, ghosts, butterflies, and scarecrows — greet visitors. This year a pirate ship with a band of pirates has made its way here to get in on the action. Other activities include holiday-themed arts and crafts, and the return of the Mystic Den, with a fortuneteller and face painting. And, of course, the glow tent, is another popular spot where everyone heads to make “slime.” Just be sure to take the goopy stuff home; “sliming” those nearby is frowned upon.

Costumes are always encouraged. And in the spirit of Hallowen season, kids may find some treats to pick up as they wander about.

“There’s always something for everyone here,” Anselmo says.

Find out what’s lurking in the woods at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning, 1 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. Visit cstl.org for information and tickets.

Gone Fishing

Anglers — novice and skilled — will be on the scene once again when the Fall Fishing & Children’s Festival returns to Hempstead Lake State Park. Presented by the Department of Environmental Conservation’s “I Fish NY” program, on Oct. 18, the annual event offers an ideal way to make the most of the season with a mix of fishing, fun and family activities.

The day kicks off at 10 a.m., with a fresh stock of trout in the park’s South and MacDonald Ponds to help introduce families to the sport of freshwater fishing. Everyone can take part in fly-fishing instruction, casting practice, fish-cleaning demonstrations, and even borrow rods and bait free of charge.

“All ages are encouraged to attend to enjoy this wonderful fishing experience,” says George Gorman, State Parks’ Long Island regional director. “We hope festival attendees also take the opportunity to explore the beautiful Hempstead Lake State Park and all it has to offer.”

But the fun doesn’t end at the water’s edge. Young visitors can enjoy pumpkin decorating, a magic show, reptile exhibit, and a playful casting contest where the “catch” could be a pumpkin or a prize. Whether you’re an avid angler or just looking for a day outdoors with the kids, the Fall Fishing & Children’s Festival reels in plenty of reasons to drop by.

The fishing license requirement for all anglers over the age of 15 is suspended for this festival, and admission and parking are free. Check out the activities at the park’s MacDonald and South Ponds, also in Rockville Centre. Visit parks.ny.gov for more.

Jessie’s Girl

Break out the neon, dust off those leg warmers and tease up your hair — the ultimate ‘80s party returns to the Paramount stage. Jessie’s Girl, a band of New York City’s top rock and pop musicians, returns with their high-energy Back to the Eighties show, guaranteed to turn back the clock. Fronted by powerhouse vocalists who transform into the decade’s biggest icons, Jessie’s Girl delivers the hits that defined an era. Add in bold costumes, playful choreography, audience participation, and plenty of extras — bubbles, confetti, and props galore — and the result is part concert, part theater and all ‘80s spectacle. These talents each have dozens of credits performing with authentic ‘80s icons who made the music famous to begin with. With over-the-top renditions of memorable songs, Jessie’s Girl captures the glitz and sheer energy of the decade like no one else.

Friday, Oct. 10, 8 p.m. $64.75

$52.25, $49.25, $48.50, $37.25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Kate Kortum: The Music of ‘Wild Woman’

Tilles Center’s Atrium becomes an intimate lounge, showcasing 23-year-old Kate Kortum, one of the jazz world’s most exciting breakout artists. Hailing from Houston, Texas, her warm, distinctive sound blends bebop, blues, the Great American Songbook, and musical theater with captivating, story-driven lyrics. Her artistry bridges tradition and innovation, offering audiences a fresh, contemporary take on the jazz vocal legacy. Critics have praised her ability to revitalize jazz with authenticity and daring. “Wild Woman,” her sophomore album, features reimagined standards and originals that explore a woman’s relationship with complex emotions.

Thursday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CALENDAR

OCT 10

Spooky Fest

Spooky Fest is back at the Center for Science Teaching & Learning, through the month. Celebrate the season with Halloween for all. Be scared if you dare or enjoy not-so-spooky thrills with the younger folks.

• Where: 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre

• Time: 6-9:30 p.m.

• Contact: cstl.org or (516) 764-0045

Sculpture Stroll

Visit Nassau County Museum of Art for hour for discovery and conversation. Explore a selection of sculptures sited across the museum property. Each stop on the tour delves into the choices, inspirations and material of the artists and their sculptures. Registration required. $20, $10 members.

• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: 5-6 p.m.

• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

OCT

11

Breast Cancer Screenings

Nassau County Legislator Scott M. Davis is partnering with NuHealth to bring the breast cancer screening van for women over 40 to Hempstead. Free mammograms by appointment only.

• Where: Kennedy Memorial Park, 335 Greenwich St., Hempstead

• Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 571-6201

‘Saltwater Stories’ Festival

Families are invited to Long Island Children’s Museum’s special opening weekend festival to celebrate the launch of Saltwater Stories, the new permanent exhibition celebrating Long Island’s coastal heritage. Meet local fisherfolk, explore hands-on activities for all ages, and dive into the rich traditions of our bays and beaches. Enjoy storytelling, crafts, and demonstrations that bring Long Island’s maritime history to life! All activities included with museum admission.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

Oktoberfest Fundraiser

Enjoy an evening of diner, raffles and more with BackYard Players & Friends

• Where: St. Agnes Parish Center, 26 Quealy Place

OCT 18

Anthony Rodia

Anthony Rodia is back “Laugh Till It Hurts” tour, an all-new stand-up showcase that’s refreshingly genuine and quick witted. Building on the success of his previous outing, this is his biggest and most ambitious yet. A first-generation Italian-American born and raised in Westchester, Rodia came out of the womb making people laugh. In his 20s he tried a few open mics, but ultimately took a different career path as a finance manager of a luxury car dealership. In 2019, Rodia returned to comedy and left his day job to become a full-time stand-up comic. With a background steeped in family traditions, Italian-American culture and the ups and downs of modern life, Anthony’s comedy feels like a conversation with your funniest friend. His blend of observational humor, self-deprecation and witty impressions has led him on his path as one of the most exciting rising stars on the comedy scene. Anthony’s comedic career skyrocketed thanks to his viral social media videos, where he brought his hilarious, larger-than-life characters and relatable commentary to millions of fans. His most iconic characters, including his over-the-top Uncle Vinny persona, quickly became fan favorites, making him a social media sensation and establishing a loyal following. His ability to turn everyday situations — family gatherings, parenting, and even the quirks of his own Italian heritage —into laugh-out-loud moments has earned him widespread recognition and a rapidly growing fanbase. Tickets are $144.75, $108.75, $98.25, $86.50, $76.25, $6475.

• Time: 7-10 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 351-6299

Whimsical Wizard School

Families are invited to Old Westbury Gardens for a wizarding adventure. It all begins the moment you’re sorted into one of the enchanted Nature Houses. Create your own wand, adding colors and decorations that reflect your style. Step into a magical herbology class, where you’ll discover the plants that inspire fantasy and design your own terrarium herb garden. Join wizard professors on a Wizard Quest through the gardens, solving riddles and uncovering hidden icons along the way. Celebrate the spooky season with games, crafts, and enchanting surprises in the most magical way possible. For ages 5-10. Registration required. $18, $12 children

• Where: The Barn at Orchard Hill, 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

Fire Department

Open House

Floodlight Rescue Company #1 invites all to their open house! Enjoy fire and rescue

demonstrations, meet the firefighters and see the trucks up close. Fun for the whole family.

• Where: Floodlight Rescue Company #1

• Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 678-9254

OCT

13

Minecraft and Mario Camp

Children four and up can experience Minecraft, Mario or both! Enjoy lunch, open play and themes interactive thinking activities. Hosted by Learning First.

• Where: Once Upon a Sundae, 20 S. Village Ave.

• Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Contact: info@learningfirstny. org or (516) 633-6988

OCT 15

Car Seat Safety Checks

Nassau County Legislator Scott M. Davis is partnering with the Nassau County Police Department’s Office of Community Affairs and Nassau County’s Department of Traffic Safety to provide free child car seat safety checks. By appointment only.

• Where: Rockville Centre

special trail through the site’s fall forest. $20 non-member adults, $10 members and children.

• Where: Manes Center, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: Session 1, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; Session 2, 1-2:30 p.m.

• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

Korean Culture Day

Celebrate the vibrant traditions of Korea at Old Westbury Gardens at the 3rd Annual Korean Culture Day Celebration. This family-friendly event brings together the sights, sounds and flavors of Korea in the beautiful garden setting. Enjoy authentic Korean foods and flavors, dance performances, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, and more. Whether you’re discovering Korean culture for the first time or reconnecting with cherished traditions, this afternoon offers something for everyone. Free with Gardens admission.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 2-5 p.m.

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

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

• Time: 7 and 9:30 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

Recreation Center, 111 N. Oceanside Road

• Time: 9 a.m.-noon

• Contact: (516) 571-6201

OCT

16

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 create one-of-a-kind wave paintings with a sensory twist. $4 with museum admission.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

OCT

18

Enchanted Forest

Nassau County Museum of Art invites families to another Super Family Saturday program. This magical adventure includes hands-on art activities themed around transformation, fantasy, and discovery, plus a

Poetica Musica’s Preludes

Enjoy an evening of romantic and electrifying music at the next concert with Old Westbury Garden’s chamber ensemble-inresidence in Westbury House’s Red Ballroom. Celebrated pianist Hayk Arsenyan joins Poetica Musica for Chopin’s complete cycle of 24 Preludes, Op. 28, alongside selected preludes from Rachmaninoff’s Op. 32. Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28, are a set of short pieces inspired by Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, each written in a different key to explore all 24 keys on the keyboard. Composed in 1839, they were not performed until 1876, 25 years after Chopin’s death. Today, they are a favorite of pianists for their virtuosity, emotional depth, and exquisite beauty. With post-concert reception $30, $25 members and seniors.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 8-10:30 p.m.

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

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.

10.29.25

6:00-9:00PM

THE HERITAGE CLUB AT BETHPAGE 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale NY

Today, green businesses play a vital role in mitigating environmental challenges and driving economic growth by fostering innovation, reducing carbon emissions, and creating sustainable jobs.

The HERALD GreenBIZ Awards serves as a powerful catalyst for environmental stewardship and sustainable business practices. This inaugural event not only recognizes and honors innovative businesses committed to eco-friendly operations but it exemplifies the idea that responsible business can coexist with profitability.

MEET THE 2025 HONOREES*

CONSTRUCTION & SOLAR

Gina Farese CEO

Marcor Construction & Marcor Solar

EDUCATION

Neal Lewis Executive Director Molloy University Sustainability Institute

Richard Murdocco

Adjunct Professor/CMO SUNation Stony Brook University

ENERGY

Sammy Chu CEO Edgewise Energy

ENGINEERING

Emtec Consulting Engineers

Billy Haugland CEO Haugland Group

R&M Engineering

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING

Chuck Merrit

President/LEED AP

Merrit Environmental Consulting

Environmental Innovation

Marshall Brown Co-Founder and Principal Long Island Conservancy / Spadefoot Ecosystem Solutions

LAW

Todd Kaminsky Shareholder Greenberg Traurig, LLP

NOT-FOR-PROFIT

Adrienne Esposito Executive Director Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Build Green Long Island (USGBC-LI)

ORGANIC ENERGY

Long Island Compost

RECYCLING

Christine Kiourtsis

President Renewable Recycling, Inc.

Erik Helgesen

President PayMore Stores

RENEWABLE ENERGY

ACE NY / NYOWA

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Brian Herrington Vice President External Affairs & Foundation President Scotts Miracle-Gro

TRANSPORTATION

Marlon Taylor President New York & Atlantic Railway

UTILITIES

Carrie Meek Gallagher CEO LIPA Long Island Power Authority

Paraco Gas

WASTE RECYCLING

Karen Blumer Co-Convenor TALZ, Taking a Lead on Zero Waste

WASTE SOLUTIONS

The Reworld Team

—

9,

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notices

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 #: 609200/2025

WILMINGTON

SAVINGS FUND

SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE OF CIM TRUST 2023-R3 Plaintiff, vs GEORGE HILL AKA GEORGE W. HILL 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, COUNTY FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, 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: 34 Hawthorne Avenue Rockville Centre, NY 11570 To the Abovenamed 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) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the d ay of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to 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 Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON.

Jeffrey A. Goodstein of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Eighteenth day of September, 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 foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by George Hill AKA

George W. Hill and Jod ie Jacobs-Hill dated the October 3, 2007, to secure the sum of $386,000.00 and recorded at Book 32474, Page 604 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on November 2, 2007. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed September 9, 2014 and recorded on September 12, 2014, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 39912, Page 85. The mortgage was subsequently assigned

by an assignment executed November 1, 2018 and recorded on December 13, 2018, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 43197, Page 554. Said Mortgage was subsequently modified by a Loan Modification Agreement executed by George Hill AKA

George W. Hill and Jodie Jacobs-Hill on January 4, 2019 and recorded April 8, 2019 in Book 43379, Page 513 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed September 9, 2019 and recorded on October 7, 2019, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 43719, Page 959. The mortgage was subsequ ently assigned by an assignment executed February 18, 2020 and recorded on April 7, 2020, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 44130, Page 179. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed February 25, 2025 and recorded on March 6, 2025, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 47884, Page 57. The property in question is described as follows: 34 Hawthorne Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint 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 RESPON D BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

DATED: September 23, 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. 87469 155989

LEGAL NOTICE Public Notice to Bidders

Sealed Bids will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Village of Rockville Centre, One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on OCTOBER 24, 2025 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

WIRE & CABLE 2025/2026

Bid No. 2510E2(1169)

The contract documents, specifications and plans can be examined on the Village’s website at www.rvcny.gov. Follow the link to the Purchasing Department. All questions should be directed to the Purchasing Department. Please contact Lisa Strazzeri via email only at Lstrazzeri@rvcny.us. Questions must be submitted no later than October 16, 2025. Award of Contract will be made to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with applicable provisions of the law. The Village reserves the right to reject all bids or make such determination as in the best interests of the Village, as provided by law.

Purchasing Department

Lisa Strazzeri Purchasing Agent 516-678-9213 156205

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notice to Bidders

Sealed Bids will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Village of Rockville Centre, One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on OCTOBER 24, 2025 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

Annual fashion show raises funds, awareness

Continued from page 1

been diagnosed in 2013 and treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

“It was definitely a cause that was very close to both of our hearts,” she said, referring to Reardon as well.

The honor is meaningful for both women, and for the members of their all-woman team, who will show their support at the event.

“I think our whole team is excited to attend the event and watch us be honored,” Reardon said. “They’ll be there supporting Maureen and I, and there’s just a lot our team does that helps us give back to the community, too.”

“It’s such a great organization that does so much for so many,” Coyle said of the coalition. “We’re obviously honored.”

Peg McDonald, a co-president of the coalition, said the organization chose Reardon and Coyle as honorees because of their early and ongoing support for the cause.

“As a small business owner, they were one of the first people to support us,” McDonald said. “They redid their fashions for the show; they did pop-up sales. They were very enthusiastic. And this was when we were really, really small, and they showed up for us.”

The annual fashion show is now one of the coalition’s flagship events, drawing crowds of up to 400. While Bloomingdale’s now provides the clothing, the heart of the evening remains the same.

“All the models are breast cancer survivors,” McDonald explained. “And what’s really nice this year is that we are definitely touching many towns and many communities. So we have a lot more people outside of Rockville Centre.”

The evening includes a cocktail hour, raffles and a runway show that is both uplifting and emotional.

“It’s a fun evening out,” Reardon said. “Everyone gets dressed up. There’s raffles, there’s prizes to win — like a great dinner at the Garden City Hotel — and just, like, an awesome fashion show.”

More than just a glamorous night, the event is a celebration of resilience, and a

LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE

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reminder of how small acts of kindness can make a difference.

“I remember when I was sick, and a woman came over and gave me this gift card to local restaurants, and the difference that these little things can make in the lives of women who are going through treatment,” Coyle said. “Even just seeing new clothes, and how getting dressed up can change the way that you feel, just for a day.”

McDonald said the event also helps foster lasting bonds.

“It’s really like a very heartfelt evening, with these women that have gone through so much to show up and give back,” she said. “They do really end up being care counselors for us. And it all comes full circle.”

The fashion show will take place on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Garden City Hotel. Tickets can be purchased in advance at RVCBCC.org, and early reservations are encouraged, because the event is expected to sell out.

by a certified check, bank check or bid bond payable to the Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre in the amount of five (5%) percent of the gross amount of the bid. All questions should be directed to the Purchasing Department. Please contact Lisa Strazzeri via email only at Lstrazzeri@rvcny.us. Questions must be submitted no later than

October 16, 2025. All contractors submitting bids or performing construction work on public work projects or private projects covered by Article 8 of the Labor Law are required to register with the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) under Labor Law Section 220i and must include a copy of the registration with their bid response.

Award of Contract will be made to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with applicable provisions of the law. The Village reserves the right to reject all bids or make such determination as in the best interests of the Village, as provided by law.

Purchasing Department Lisa Strazzeri Purchasing Agent 516-678-9213 156204

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An architect for a sunroom?

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Q. I’m buying a sunroom for my breakfast room on the back of my split-level house, about 8 feet off the ground. I’m being told by the contractor that I need an architect and sealed plans. Since it’s basically a kit of parts that will go on my existing deck, why do I need this? It seems like a lot of extra expense the sunroom people didn’t tell me about. If I already have a permit for the deck, it should be allowed, right? I haven’t bought the sunroom yet. I’m just trying to be sure I know the whole story before I do this, probably by spring, when the weather is better for construction. Any advice would be helpful.

A. Do things once, the best way. A deck isn’t habitable, but a sunroom is, and a permit is required. Plans have to show structural support, energy and building code compliance. Rain, moisture and ice are your primary concerns. You need the whole story without the sales part. Just like any purchase, issues you might not expect are still important, like finding out what kind of oil to add to your snow blower before the engine seizes or that windows without factory tinting can allow ultra-violet sunlight rays to fade your carpet. As an architect for a largely popular sunroom manufacturer in the 1980s and ’90s, I experienced many issues with their construction.

Pre-engineered panel systems are designed by the company, hopefully by engineers, and should come with plans, from the manufacturer, that can be sealed and signed by their in-house engineer. If not, plans may need to be drawn from scratch by an architect or engineer that you hire so those plans can be integrated with your house. Integrated means that the company generally just sells you a product and doesn’t necessarily give any indication of how to support the unit or how to attach the unit system to your house so that it won’t leak or move.

This is the general failing of the system, since, as I experienced with most of the installations, the part I could detail was free of leaking or movement, but the units themselves leaked nearly every time. We could detail how the edges of the unit could be sealed and redundantly weather-stripped and flashed, but the frames around the glass and wall edges would unseal and leak. I even met with the corporate president/ owner and identified the specific problems. Promises to correct leak issues were made but not kept, and eventually I gave up.

I looked at a two-year-old system while discussing other work for a home recently. The owner described the back-and-forth misery he and his family were experiencing with their sunroom and the company. Even 25 years after I gave up, the same company is still doing things the same way. You need a detail-oriented architect and installer, even if you think you don’t. The cost of doing things twice is much greater. Good luck.

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opinionS

We need to crack down on visa overstays

What’s wrong with the federal government finally stepping up to track down the millions of people who are overstaying their visas on American soil?

The Trump administration should be applauded for taking this issue seriously. Yet if you look at the ridiculously biased articles on the subject, you’d think the crackdown is designed to quash the free speech of innocent people.

Many have been amazed to discover that there are over 50 million people in the United States on visas. At this point, we don’t know how many of them have illegally overstayed the privilege of being here based on approvals they received for a few weeks for a vacation or a business trip, but we know it’s a substantial number.

In fact, roughly 40 percent of all

Libraries are

Some of my most enduring memories involve libraries. Attending “Story Hour” at the local library with my mother as a child. Working my way through college staffing the Circulation desk and re-shelving books. Viewing the special exhibits at Oxford University’s Bodleian Library while serving as a visiting scholar after retiring from Adelphi. Writing my book on university governance while serving as an Allen Room Scholar at the New York Public Library. Showing the Gutenberg Bible to a grandson while visiting the Morgan Library.

Libraries are precious homes for books and other materials that preserve and interpret the past, stir curiosity and the imagination, and nurture future generations. They are celebrated worldwide on International Literacy Day, Sept. 8.

Andrew Carnegie recognized the importance of libraries over a century ago, when he began supporting free public libraries as places of congregation and education. Carnegie believed that access to information and knowledge

those here illegally did not arrive by way of an illegal border crossing, but rather by overstaying visas that were granted to them as a privilege.

Part of the crackdown is to target those fermenting dissension on American soil, as was the case with the Columbia University graduate student who was organizing protests that wound up cutting off access for Jewish students on campus, and, in some cases, harassing them. But there shouldn’t have to be a predicate beyond the overstay that warrants the deportation of these people. Someone who overstays a visa doesn’t get to say they’re entitled to stay here forever simply because they haven’t committed a crime since they came onto American soil. The mere fact that they’ve overstayed is grounds enough to deport them. Failing to enforce the time limits on visas sends the message that we have an open border, which is why millions come here deliberately on temporary visas with the intent to stay forever.

Roughly 40 percent of all those here illegally did not cross a border illegally.

The articles opposing the crackdown often quote immigration attorneys and far-left advocacy groups that have been known to promote illegal immigration. Nowhere are there quotes from those in American society who are deleteriously impacted by these overstays. There are no quotes from those who have been denied jobs because those here illegally took them. No quotes from those who have had their wages suppressed because of illegal labor. No quotes from those who have had to wait longer for doctor’s appointments, or who saw their rents soar because so many people who overstay their visas are competing for a limited housing supply.

Once again, the media has portrayed those who come to stay here illegally as the good guys — the innocent victims — and those trying to enforce the law as the bad guys who are exploiting the underdog immigrants.

Let’s not forget that the Egyptian national who fire-bombed and killed

Jews a few months ago had illegally overstayed his visa, along with his family. The salt in the wound is that the Biden administration gave working papers to this individual who was here illegally.

Then there was the man from India who overstayed his visa and wound up getting a commercial driver’s license in both California and Washington, despite the fact that he was here illegally and didn’t understand the English-language road signs. He got involved in an accident that led to the deaths of three American citizens.

We are committing national suicide by not enforcing our immigration laws. Good for the administration for getting tough, and shame on those in the media who make law-enforcement officials look like the bad guys.

Steve Levy is president of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm. He served as Suffolk County executive, as a state assemblyman and as host of “The Steve Levy Radio Show.” He is also the author of “Solutions to America’s Problems” and “Bias in the Media.”

SteveLevy.info, Twitter @SteveLevyNY, steve@commonsensestrategies.com.

precious, and must be treated with care

would help those from limited household circumstances advance in careers and civic engagement. That certainly was the case for me.

The heart of a library is the librarian. Librarians are licensed professionals with graduate degrees. They are experts in collecting sources of information and ensuring that valid and valuable knowledge is available. They monitor access to age-appropriate materials and make decisions based on evidence, not emotion.

Jtargeted books focus on sexual identity and racism, including slavery.

The lone Supreme Court ruling against book bans, from Long Island, no less, was Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico, in 1982. Some think it could be overturned by a new case from Texas focusing on the removal of 17 books deemed “obscene” and “pornographic,” including Maurice Sendak’s childhood classic, “Where the Wild Things Are.”

ust like doctors and scientists, the expertise of librarians is now questioned.

Librarians build collections according to mission and library type. They not only promote literacy, foster education and encourage critical thinking, but also offer free access to technology. They support teachers and effective teaching. Businesspeople and professionals as well as students use libraries, and seek the help of librarians, for research assignments of all kinds.

But these temples to truth are being threatened by initiatives to ban books and dismantle the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. PEN America, a nonprofit literary and freeexpression advocacy group, found 10,046 instances of book bans in the 2023-24 school year. It noted book bans in 29 states and 220 public school districts, including on Long Island. Most of the

Banning books denies freedom of speech. In the past, such efforts were isolated and local. Now these campaigns are national, and simply compile lists of books to be banned whose subjects or authors — especially Black authors — are deemed questionable without any evidence. In years past, books such as Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” and Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” were banned, until successful lawsuits returned them to library shelves.

On Long Island, there are 120 public libraries and 125 public school districts with 656 schools. Public libraries are governed by boards of trustees and funded by fundraising, tax revenue and government grants. They are essential to high-quality schooling and are vital community resources, especially in

rural and low-income regions.

According to one national report, “the American library . . . is a barometer of where we currently stand as a society when it comes to access to knowledge and information.” Libraries host listings of employment opportunities, provide health care bulletins, are sources of election information, make textbooks available for free, lend audio books for the hearing-impaired, offer citizenship classes, and open their rooms for community gatherings.

It seems that increasing numbers of people question the expertise of librarians, just as they question the expertise of doctors and scientists. None of these professions is infallible, of course. What sets them apart is that they are honorbound by professional codes of ethics, and change their conclusions when new evidence is uncovered. For the librarian, this means curating as well as collecting and storing sources of information, whether on discs, in the cloud or in books.

The Swedish designer Josef Frank said, “The world is a book, and the person who stays at home reads only one page.” The librarian is our travel guide to new vistas through books, and libraries are our vehicles. We should treat them with care.

Robert Scott is president emeritus of Adelphi University and co-author, with Drew Bogner, of “Letters to Students: What it Means to be a College Graduate.”

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Robert

Long Island’s creative spark deserves investment

long Island is known for its beaches, its vineyards and its suburban sprawl. But a new report reminds us of something too often overlooked: The arts are one of the region’s most powerful economic engines.

According to the Center for an Urban Future, jobs in arts and culture on Long Island grew by a stunning 21.6 percent between 2014 and 2024. That’s five times faster than the region’s overall economy. The number of independent artists nearly doubled during the same period, fueling downtown revitalization, driving tourism and supporting small businesses. From muralists in Patchogue to theater productions in Huntington, creativity is reshaping the Island’s identity, and its bottom line.

And yet, just as this growth is transforming local communities, warning signs are flashing. The same report shows that the average arts worker on Long Island earns just $46,500 annually — barely half the regional average income. The number of performing-arts jobs remains more than 13 percent below pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, the costs of housing and living have skyrocketed, with housing prices alone climbing more than 60 percent in the past decade.

The math doesn’t add up. We are asking artists to do the impossible: generate enormous economic and cultural value for the region while surviving on wages that barely cover rent.

The problem isn’t talent or ambition. It’s support — or rather, the lack of it. Despite being home to 14.7 percent of New York state’s population, Long Island

letters

But Mamdani is giving people hope, Jerry

To the Editor:

receives just 2.8 percent of grants awarded by the state’s Council on the Arts. Less than 1 percent of federal National Endowment for the Arts funding in New York finds its way here.

And while state economic development councils are investing more than ever in arts projects statewide, only 3.1 percent of Long Island’s recent allocation went to the creative sector.

This chronic underinvestment has created what researchers call a “negative feedback loop.” Because the region has historically been overlooked, its institutions lack the resources to compete effectively for competitive funding, which in turn reinforces low funding rates. It’s a cycle that limits growth and puts Long Island’s creative vitality at risk.

The solutions are clear, and the payoff could be enormous. The Center for an Urban Future’s recommendations should be a wake-up call to policymakers.

Among them: dedicating 1 percent of county budgets to arts programming and operations, expanding the state arts budget, and creating a Long Island Grant Academy to strengthen the capacity of local organizations to win state and federal support.

The report also suggests converting underused commercial properties into cultural spaces, integrating the arts into tourism planning, and even embedding artists directly into government initiatives, as upstate Erie County has done successfully.

These aren’t fringe ideas. They’re pragmatic strategies to sustain a sector that has already proven itself indispensable. Arts and culture are not luxuries to be funded only in good times. They are

infrastructure — just as essential to the region’s economic vitality and community well-being as roads, schools and hospitals.

Consider the ripple effects: thriving downtowns anchored by galleries and theaters. Restaurants and shops boosted by performance-goers and festival crowds. Tourists are drawn to more than just beaches and wineries, while young families choose to stay because their communities feel vibrant and alive. At a time when many Long Island towns struggle with empty storefronts and affordability crises, creativity has been a rare and steady growth engine.

To jeopardize this progress through neglect would be shortsighted. As Jonathan Bowles, the center’s executive director, put it: “Unless county leaders and the state step up, Long Island risks losing the very creativity that is powering its success.”

Leaders in Nassau and Suffolk counties must recognize that a modest investment today could safeguard the region’s cultural and economic future. Allocating just 1 percent of county budgets to the arts —around $80 million annually — would not only stabilize existing organizations but also unlock additional state and federal dollars. That kind of leverage is how Long Island can finally get its fair share.

The arts have already proven what they can do for Long Island. The question now is whether Long Island will do right by the arts. If we want downtowns that hum with life, economies that diversify and communities that feel worth staying in, then investing in creativity is not optional. It’s essential.

Re Jerry Kremer’s column in last week’s issue, “There are many reasons not to embrace Mamdani”: Nassau residents’ concern over Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, is curious, as we have no vote on the matter. Perhaps we sense the specter in our basement.

There are, I think, two reasons people embrace Mamdani — desperation and hope. Consider the central issues: housing, homelessness and “affordability,” increasingly enmeshed and worsening to the point of crisis. That’s desperation.

Housing, specifically urban housing, has been in decline since Ronald Reagan was president. Successive New York state and New York City administrations have failed to address the problem, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s and Mayor Eric Adams’s. Curtis Sliwa has no plan. They all focus on the flip side of

opinions

Balanced energy policies will keep our lights on

For too many families and small businesses in New York, high energy bills have become a serious threat to their stability and success. But that burden is not shared equally. A recent study by Binghamton University found that Black and brown households spend a disproportionate share of their income on average utility expenses. That same pressure is felt by the restaurants, retailers and other small businesses that anchor our communities, for whom higher bills mean tighter margins and fewer dollars to reinvest in jobs and growth. Rising costs hit our communities twice — once at the kitchen table, and again on Main Street.

Our elected leaders, however, have the opportunity to reorient the state’s energy policies to lower bills and protect our communities. To keep families

rfinancially stable and local businesses thriving, policymakers must support a multi-pronged energy strategy to reduce overall costs, lessen disparities and foster a more reliable grid. If energy affordability and equity are left unaddressed, high costs will continue to threaten household budgets and the survival of the very enterprises that drive opportunity in our neighborhoods. The ripple effects are enormous. When families are forced to spend more on basic energy needs, they have less to spend in local shops, less to save for education and less to invest in their future. When small businesses face higher utility bills, they are forced to cut back on hiring, scale down expansion — or in some cases, shut their doors altogether.

existing inequities. For Long Island, that could mean more families in financial distress and more businesses shutting down.

enewable sources are vital to our future, but they can’t meet the demand alone.

As someone who has dedicated his career to bolstering our local economy, I have great concern about the longterm impact of sky-high utility bills. If households are squeezed and small businesses cannot survive, job creation stalls, local wealth declines and entire communities lose ground. Lawmakers must take this seriously.

impose the steepest costs on those least able to afford them.

For Long Island’s business community, the stakes could not be higher. Rising energy bills risk driving entrepreneurs away and weakening our competitiveness. For families, the burden threatens financial stability and quality of life. For both, the wrong policies could deepen historical disparities.

There is no question that New York must do its part to advance sustainability, but the avenues we take to pursue that mission matter. We need a path forward that considers all factors before making decisions that could limit energy resources and further drive up costs.

This is why energy policy cannot be treated as one-size-fits-all. Communities differ in infrastructure, housing stock and business needs. Policies that ignore those differences risk driving up costs, reducing reliability and exacerbating

Letters

housing, speaking of “involuntary commitments” to “treatment” in facilities that don’t exist.

That totally ignores the tens of thousands of shelter-living students who need no treatment beyond a stable home address. The candidates speak of police and clearing the streets, but not of where this refuse would go. Cuomo’s plan is, again, only poetry in future tense while the desperation is now. A “rent freeze” is not “moderate,” but “moderate” has failed. The point is to keep people in their homes, now.

“Socialism” has worked well for the wealthy — maybe it should work a little for the poor as well. For all the obvious obstacles of Mamdani’s proposals, he alone names the problem, addresses its immediacy, acknowledges its multiple entwined factors and sees the human families entangled in those larger forces. That’s where the hope comes from, reflected in votes. It is a hope readily transferable to any other willing leader, but if hope comes only in Muslim garb …

BRIAN KELLY Rockville Centre

It’s Democrats who are threatening our democracy

To the Editor:

Re Randi Kreiss’s column in the Sept. 25-Oct. 1 issue, “Is our democracy suffering growing pains”: The United States is approaching the 250th anniversary of

this political experiment. Kreiss’s op-ed attempted to place the blame on MAGA for the decline in our country, and I respectfully disagree.

■ Standing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance has always been a mainstay of our country, until people on the left attempted to turn any display of national pride into a signal of racism.

■ Many on the left applauded the assassination of Charlie Kirk, who was simply engaging young college students in active, respectful debate.

■ Not knowing who was running our country as Joe Biden was in mental decline was a huge threat to our democracy. Who used the autopen? Who issued the pardons? Who ran our country?

■ The Democrats wrote the book on using the Department of Justice to go after political opponents, and now have the nerve to complain when it is used against them. They weaponized the FBI to arrest political opponents like Gen. Michael Flynn, Peter Navarro, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon and Paul Manafort, to name a few. Now the Republicans have indicted Jim Comey as the tip of the spear, with many more to follow. Thank you, Democrats, for paving the way.

■ Arresting a former president for the first time in our nation’s history and attempting to incarcerate and bankrupt him is more proof that Democrats are more of a threat to our democracy.

■ If they gain control of both chambers of Congress, we can look forward to mak-

That means pursuing a balanced energy strategy — one that lowers costs and ensures reliability while advancing toward a greener future. Renewable energy is vital to our future, and requires sustained investments. But renewables alone cannot meet demand without driving costs higher. Natural gas, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar and emerging technologies all play important roles in powering New York. Phasing out reliable sources prematurely would destabilize the system and

The Empire State has always risen to meet big challenges. By adopting a balanced energy strategy that values every resource, invests in innovation and never loses sight of affordability, we can do so again — and set a national example in the process.

Phil Andrews is president of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, New York state’s largest African American chamber. He is also a member of the Long Island Power Authority’s Community Advisory Board.

Framework by Tim Baker

these

are

ing Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., states, packing the Supreme Court, and reopening our borders. Another B.S. impeachment will follow. Sounds undemocratic to me.

■ I could go on, but I will only add one more thing. I challenge you to put on a red “Make America Great Again” hat and walk the streets of Manhattan — especially the Upper West Side — and report back on your First Amend-

ment right of freedom of speech and expression. To all the people on the hard left, if you want to see the real threat to democracy, simply look in the mirror. I enjoy the fact that President Trump lives rent free in the heads of the liberal left. God bless America.