The Village of Sea Cliff was one of the many areas on the Northeast buffeted by major snowstorms and blizzards on Sunday and Monday. The ground was left covered in powder from Memorial Park to the village library, with potentially more snow expected this week and next. Story, more photos, Page 10.
By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com
The Sea Cliff Senior Outreach Network welcomed residents of all ages to the Sea Cliff Village Museum on Feb. 18 for “Exploring Our History Through the Stories of Our Artifacts,” their second intergenerational event that invited participants to share meaningful objects from their lives.
Seniors getting relegated just to senior activities
can
Attendees, included students in eighth through 10th grade. Most participants were Sea Cliff residents, with a few from Glen Head and Glen Cove. Tacy Warzer, the network’s coordinator, said in a follow-up interview that while the first event held last year focused on textiles, this year’s gathering of artifacts was intentionally broad.
be a little demoralizing and I think it’s nice that Tracy brings the different generations together.
described as “a really nice range and some really interesting folks,” including 106-yearold Edna Perlmutter, who attended on her birthday. Perlmutter’s parents purchased the Prospect Hotel in Sea Cliff decades ago for $32,000, a detail preserved in one of the documents her family brought to share. A photograph of Perlmutter as a toddler riding a pony in Sea Cliff was also among the items displayed.
Warzer said the event is designed to foster connections between generations by sharing life experience in an intimate setting.
KAy VICKERS Sea Cliff
“This one was really open ended,” she said. “People were allowed to bring any artifact that reflects personal experience at any point in time.”
The result was what Warzer
“I really think that it’s an opportunity for elders to share what life was like back in the day and what their experiences were and how it compares to life today,” Warzer said. “It’s not something in a textbook. It’s owned by people who actually went through these historical and cultural times, and that information helps convey the impact that
Continued on page 7
By JULIA CAPITELLI jcapitelli@liherald.com
Drawings, paintings and collages made by students at Sea Cliff’s Tyree Learning Center are on the wall at the Sea Cliff Village Library through the end of February. This is the second year the Sea Cliff Arts Council has featured work from Tyree students at the library.
After the partnership with the special education school last year, the arts council reached out to the learning center’s art teacher, Jenna DiPietro, in the summer to discuss interest in showing her students’ work again. DiPietro, in response to written questions, wrote that she accepted offer “enthusiastically.”
“The Sea Cliff Arts Council has developed an incredible reputation for both the quality of the artists they feature and the inclusive, community-centered events they host,” she wrote. “They have worked intentionally to make art accessible and to create space for a wide range of voices. That commitment to accessibility and representation deeply aligns with our values at the Tyree Learning Center.”
DiPietro has worked at the learning center for 15 years and has been teaching for nearly 20. She has a PreK-12 Visual Arts Certification and recently earned School Building Leader and School Administrator certifications from St. John’s University.
Students at the learning center live in a residential treatment setting. DiPietro explained that it can be isolating for students but having art displayed helps connect them to the community.
“It tells them that they are not defined by their diagnoses, but by their creativity, perspective and individuality,” she wrote. “For students who may struggle to communicate in traditional ways, art becomes a bridge, an authen-
tic way to say ‘this is who I am’.”
The exhibit includes colorful pieces depicting flowers, trees, animals and patterns. Meaghan Travis, chief operating artist at the arts council, said the arts council chose to display the students’ work at the library because it is an educational environment.
Travis also noted the alignment of the arts council’s mission with that of the learning center.
“We’re just trying to give a microphone,” she said, “to all the different voices that we have in this community.”
Both Travis and DiPietro expressed a desire for this to become an annual exhibit. DiPietro wrote that her students, many of whom communicate in nontraditional ways, have shown their excitement with smiles, gestures and simply lingering in front of their work.
“Even without words, you can feel their pride,” she wrote. “It’s in their body language, their energy and the joy they carry back with them after the visit.”
is the second year
Everything my grandmother cooked was perfect. I have such fond memories as a child, sitting at her kitchen table, shoveling down whatever she put in front of me. Everything she served had a smile on its face. This month, I found four eateries with new foods that remind me of my grandma’s meals. Maybe they’ll remind you of someone you loved too.
Matt’s Deli (303 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff)
While strolling on Sea Cliff Avenue, I noticed a mini blackboard hanging on the wall outside Matt’s Deli that said, “Hot Soup Today.” It turns out, owner Matt and his chef associates now offer a different homemade soup every day. My favorites, split pea and tomato, are both thick-butnot-too-thick and are filled with grandma-friendly herbs and spices that seem to say, “I love you.” Other endearing soups include chicken and dumpling, lobster bisque, corn chowder, chicken vegetable, beef barley and lentil. Hearty winter dishes accompany all the soups.
eating! No matter what you do, you’re a good girl.”
Crepe Town (17 N Broadway, Hicksville)
This new cafe features so many variations on crepes, waffles, pancakes and shakes, it’s like the FAO Schwarz of desserts. Crepe flavors range from Dubai chocolate, to Biscoff, to Ferrero Rocher. Brownie waffles, blueberry cheesecake pancakes and Frosted Flake Shakes are just a few of the stars on the menu.
C athi t urow
I watched the chef create my strawberry shortcake sushi crepe. Plump, juicy strawberries, plus sweet, gooey sauces, and pink and red sprinkles were all rolled inside a freshly made crepe. The roll was then sliced into six sushi-sized pieces. Each bite felt like a hug from my grandma.
The Sweet Tooth Booth (121 Frost Pond Rd., Glen Cove)
Gioia (94 South St., Oyster Bay)
The menu in this charming restaurant celebrates Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. Seasonal vegetables and handmade pastas dance together on many of the plates. Chef Jesse Schenker mentioned his maltagliati pasta is made with homemade dough that is cut into random shapes. So cool! The dish is offered with asparagus and shrimp. Since I can’t eat shellfish for dietary reasons, I was very happy to learn I could order the pasta with the chef’s light marinara sauce instead. Oh my goodness. The pasta’s silky texture partnered perfectly with the loving flavors in the sauce. I shoveled it down the way I used to in my grandma’s kitchen. As I munched, I imagined my grandmother saying, “Keep
While driving on Frost Pond Road, I noticed a sign outside a house that said, “The Sweet Tooth Booth.” I found the menu online and noticed fairy bread was offered. I was hooked. Here’s the way it works. Heather Fiorita is a stay-at-home-mom who loves to bake. She just opened an official at-home baking business. In her kitchen, she creates everything from blueberry scones to potato chip cookies to muffins, cinnamon rolls, and fairy bread. On weekends, Heather places her baked goods on shelves in front of her house. Stop by, pick out what you love, pay with cash or an app, or order online in advance.
Most importantly, Heather’s fairy bread is made with sourdough bread and colored sprinkles. Toast it and add butter. Triple yum! If I’m a grandma someday, I’ll definitely buy it for my grandchildren.
See you next month.
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These two moms opened a spa. It had one big, on
Mery and Sindy always knew they wanted to open a spa to bring beauty to customers. Little did they know it would have the same effect on the community. And Business First was there. We provided $23,000 in grants to help with much-needed renovations so Mery and Sindy could bring their vision to life.* Now, not only does their spa impact clients in a beautiful way, it gives the community an economic lift as well.
*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.
Learn more about how we’re helping communities thrive. psegliny.com/revitalization
The North Shore Vikings and Locust Valley Falcons participated in a basketball game on February 12, featuring players from both districts’ Life Skills programs. The North Shore High School gym was filled and the energy was electric as students from the high school and around the district cheered on the two teams. This was the fourth annual Life Skills basketball game North Shore has held, and in a statement released after the event multiple special education teachers wrote about how proud they were of their students, and of the community for coming out in support of them.
North Shore’s cheerleaders came out to support their classmates.
In addition to the fans in the crowd, some students also volunteered as refs for the game.
time.
(the artifacts) had on their lives.”
She added that the museum provides the perfect space for such conversations, and credited Courtney Chambers, the museum’s director, for her help in organizing the event.
Kay and Rick Vickers have participated in the event twice. Kay explained that it was the intergenerational aspect of the event which initially drew them in.
“The idea of having intergenerational contact, I think it’s a really good thing,” she said in an interview after the event. “Seniors getting relegated just to senior activities can be a little demoralizing and I think it’s nice that Tracy brings the different generations together.”
This year, the Vickers brought four patent medicine bottles from the mid-19th century, and a massive 1,800-page volume titled “The Library of Health.” The book included a questionnaire readers could fill out and mail to the author with a two-cent stamp to receive medical advice by return mail.
The patent medicine bottles, sold widely before the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, passed by Long Island’s own Theodore Roosevelt, often contained alcohol, barbiturates, morphine or heroin. Vickers, who along with her husband is a former psychologist, said the items offered a window into the evolution of health care.
“They brought back memories that we enjoyed, but we also felt that people could learn from this,” Vickers continued, “about the role of medication, how important it is, and all the changes that have happened.”
The artifacts prompted questions and discussion, particularly from the younger attendees. Vickers said she hopes physical objects help bring history to life.
“Any event that brings the generations together is really nice,” she continued. “Not everybody has that in their own family, and it’s nice to hear other people’s stories.”
During her turn to speak, Perlmutter recalled attending Sea Cliff High School before the creation of the North Shore School District, including looking out at the cemetery from the top floor and walking to Clifton Park for gym class. While walking between classes, the students would sing “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Quasha added that one high school student in attendance was particularly inquisitive, asking questions of presenters throughout the afternoon.
“I think it was great for the community, not just for the people who were there, but to be aware of what Sea Cliff is offering,” she said. “This meeting brought out a feeling of community, actually sitting there.”
The gathering also created unexpected connections. Seated next to Perlmutter was Sea Cliff resident Sally Davies, who as it turned out had the same English teacher decades later.
Perlmutter attended with her daughter, Ellen Quasha, and granddaughter, Tammy White. Though Quasha and Perlmutter now live in Glen Cove, White lives in Sea Cliff.
In a later interview, White said they learned about the program through local publicity and thought it would be a meaningful way to celebrate her grandmother’s 106th birthday. White said the event allowed participants to hear a variety of stories, and that “everyone had an interesting thing to share.”
For Warzer, that sense of belonging is central to the Senior Outreach Network’s broader mission of helping Sea Cliff become more age-friendly through regular intergenerational programming.
“We really value this experience tremendously,” she said. “To bring youth and elders together in a shared space that reflects the history of our community … what more of a perfect place could there be for intergenerational storytelling experience than to be in a museum?”
For more information on the Senior Outreach Network and the Sea Cliff Village Museum, visit SeaCliff. ny.gov and SeaCliffMuseum.org, respectively.
By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com
Plainedge returned its entire eight-player roster from a season that ended with a loss at North Shore in the Nassau Class A girls’ basketball quarterfinals.
Last Saturday morning, the Red Devils returned the favor behind a stifling defense and balanced scoring. They held the visiting Vikings to no more than seven points in any quarter and pulled away in the fourth for a 47-25 quarterfinal playoff victory before a jam-packed crowd for both sides.
Juniors Michela Netto (game-high 13 points), Allison Younghans (10), Giovanna Pannitti (8) and Peyton Wise (8) and led the attack for No. 8 Plainedge (15-6), which advanced to face top-seeded and defending county and Long Island Class A champion Wantagh in the semifinals Friday at Farmingdale State College at 6 p.m.
“We knew this would be an intense game and we had to step it up,” said Pannitti, who hit the front
end of back-to-back threes with Netto to give the Red Devils a 41-21 cushion midway through the fourth.
“We had a good week of practice and focused on our defense,” she added.
Senior Erin Lily La Rosa led No. 9 North Shore (14-6) with 8 points — all coming on free throws. Junior Katina Pappas and sophomore Annabella Misiti chipped in 6 points apiece in what was the Vikings’ lowest-scoring output of the season.
“Plainedge’s defense made things difficult, so hats off to them,” North Shore head coach Keith Freund said.
“We tried to make adjustments, but we couldn’t get the offense going.”
Netto opened the game with a 3-pointer and Plainedge never looked back after racing to an 11-1 lead. It led 13-7 after the opening quarter and extended it to 24-14 by halftime.
“We wanted to swarm them with pressure and I thought we did a nice job,” Plainedge head coach Sarah Tansey said. “I didn’t sense any jitters from our girls. Last year’s experience helped us.”
The hosts led by as many as 13 in
the first half and had five different scorers — Netto, Wise, Younghans and freshmen Maddie Belz and Delaney Auer — within the first 4:29 as it forced Freund to burn an early timeout. The Vikings responded by scoring six of the next eight points, but Younghans opened the second quarter with a long trey to regain momentum.
Each team managed just six points in the third quarter, then the Red Devils blew the game open with a 13-3 run to start the fourth.
“I’m so proud of our team,” Freund said. “Just an amazing group of kids who were a joy to coach. I really had no idea what to expect this season. They worked every day and made practices fun.”
Plainedge’s attention now turns to Wantagh, which defeated the Red Devils twice during the regular season by scores of 55-45 Jan. 12 and 43-40 Feb. 9.
“We’re familiar with each other and I think it’ll be another close one,” Tansey said. “Last game we played was tied with a minute left.”
By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
The Village of Sea Cliff is continuing cleanup efforts following a powerful Sunday to Monday blizzard that blanketed Long Island with heavy snow, while also preparing for additional storms forecast later this week and early next week.
Ahead of the storm, the National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning calling for 16 to 24 inches of snow, wind gusts up to 60 mph, whiteout conditions and extremely dangerous travel. A Coastal Flood Warning was also in effect overnight into early Monday, with moderate flooding possible in low lying waterfront areas.
While a storm is going on, stay inside.
Mayor Elena Villafane said village crews began preparing well before the first flakes fell.
“What we did was we prepared ahead of time all the week before, because, if you recall, the projections were all over the place,” Villafane said.
“You literally had a model that said an inch, and then you had another model that said ‘Snowmageddon.’”
Crews brought trucks in, emptied and cleaned sanders, oiled equipment and replaced plow blades as needed. By Friday afternoon, Villafane said, the fleet was “snow ready.”
Sea Cliff’s policy is to begin plowing at one inch of snow accumulation. Villafane said crews came in early Sunday evening and worked through the night, taking a brief break before returning at 5 a.m. Monday. They continued plowing through Monday afternoon.
The village canceled Monday garbage collection in advance of the storm.
Residents were notified through Facebook, the Sea Cliff Circle (the village’s official newsletter) and the village website. The village urged residents to keep vehicles off roadways to allow plows to operate safely and efficiently and reminded them to avoid travel except in emergencies during the height of the storm.
Cliff’s buildings and houses were
expected.
Villafane praised residents for their cooperation, noting that most kept their cars off the streets, making plowing easier across the village’s 22 miles of roadway.
In the aftermath, crews transitioned back to regular duties, including garbage pickup and clearing corners and snow piles. Villafane said she spent much of Monday driving through the village and checking in with DPW staff.
“Our guys just once again, they really in a small crew, and they really step up, and they knock it out of the park every time,” she said.
With additional snowfall projected for Wednesday to Thursday and again Monday to Tuesday, village crews are once again preparing equipment and reloading sanders.
The mayor also reminded residents of their responsibilities between storms, including clearing sidewalks and fire hydrants, as well as to stay safe.
“While a storm is going on, stay inside,” she said. “Take care of yourself. Hunker down. Have that second chocolate chip cookie. Heat up that next can of soup.”
To stay informed on storm safety and updates for residents, visit SeaCliff-NY.gov. or the Sea Cliff Circle.
The white blanket even beautified Sea Cliff’s side streets, giving them the appearance of a wynd, a British expression for a narrow lane between houses, out of a Scottish fairytale.
By ABBY GIBSON & KUMBA JAGNE Interns
Hempstead native Karine Jean-Pierre, the former press secretary in President Joe Biden’s administration, was the latest guest in Hofstra University’s “Signature Speaker” series.
Jean-Pierre, who served in the White House from May 2022 to January 2025, made history as the first Black and first openly LGBTQ person to be press secretary.
She is a graduate of Kellenberg High, in Uniondale, and Columbia University, and her involvement with Hempstead has not diminished: She gave Hempstead High School’s commencement speech in 2022, and was given the keys to the village by Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. in 2024.
“This is very much home for me,” Jean-Pierre said on Feb. 12. “This is not unfamiliar ground.”
Sister members of her honorary sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Hofstra students, community members and students from 18 area high schools attended the event.
Hempstead High senior Zeydi Guerra, 17, said that Jean-Pierre’s speech left her with more motivation to succeed in her own career. “She’s a Hempstead native,” Guerra said. “I feel like if she can make it, I can definitely do something as well.”
Speaking directly to the high school students, JeanPierre encouraged them to be curious, ambitious and passionate. A common thread through her speech, a panel discussion and an interview with student media was urging people to become involved in politics, even though the options may be imperfect.
“Your civic identity doesn’t begin at 18 — it begins when you start paying attention,” she said. “When you
notice what feels fair and what doesn’t, who gets heard and who has to jump higher just to be seen.”
Eleanor McKay, of Hempstead, president of the Long Island Cross County Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, said she attended because she recognizes the importance of Jean-Pierre being a Black woman who held a high-profile government position.
“She talked about seeing someone touch President
Obama’s hair, a young [Black] boy, and realize that from the texture he was here and how real it is that he is just like us,” McKay said. “Sometimes it’s not really appreciated, or we don’t understand the magnitude of representation. It impacts us and the next generation.”
Hofstra University President Susan Poser introduced Camryn Bowden, a senior majoring in political science and journalism, who in turn introduced JeanPierre. Poser spoke so glowingly of Bowden’s resumé that Jean-Pierre said she would be working for Bowden one day.
“I had the opportunity to get her to sign my copy of her book ‘Independent,’” Bowden said. “She wrote in the book, ‘I’ll be watching you on the news someday.’ It was, again, just a surreal experience to hear someone who held such a high position of power in the White House say such sweet things.”
Jean-Pierre’s first book was “Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America.” Her most recent, published last October, is “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines.”
She empathized with young people’s feelings of being disconnected from the two-party system. “The two-party system often feels rigid, outdated and unresponsive,” she said. “It forces false choices and limits imagination. Questioning that system is not a failure of citizenship.”
She expressed disdain for the current administration, saying, “This too shall pass.”
“We have to work as a people to make sure that there is people power in this time, that our voices are heard, that we hold powerful people accountable,” Jean-Pierre said. “We are celebrating 250 years of this country, and that is a young democracy. If we don’t fight for it every day, we will lose it.”
The Town of Oyster Bay held its Lunar New Year celebration on Tuesday night, honoring the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse for billions of people across East Asia and the world. Performers, families, business owners and elected officials gathered to ring in the event with music, dance, and martial arts performances, with snacks and Boba tea provided by local vendors.
Nominate a student under 18 for the Sustainability Champion Award to recognize their efforts in driving sustainable change.
Submit a nomination of approximately 100 words or less describing the student’s leadership in promoting sustainability: What motivates them? What impact have they had?
Be sure to include a photo or an example of their work—whether it’s a community garden, an environmental campaign, or a creative solution to a sustainability challenge.
By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD & CAROLYN JAMES of the Herald
As employers across Long Island struggle to fill open positions, State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon visited Suffolk County Community College’s Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood on Feb. 17 to spotlight workforce training and emphasize child care access as a critical barrier to employment.
“There are many pathways leading to middle-class, family-sustaining jobs right now, and many of them lead through community college programs,” said Edward Bonahue, president of Suffolk County Community College. “An apprenticeship, an industry-recognized certification or license or a two-year degree. Eventually, many of them can also lead to bachelor’s degrees as well, and I appreciate Commissioner Reardon helping to shine a light on these opportunities.”
Reardon toured the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, met with students and educators and highlighted several workforce development and child care initiatives included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed state budget.
Long Island faces ongoing shortages in skilled trades like electrical work, heating and air conditioning, plumbing and advanced manufacturing. Nassau and Suffolk community colleges offer workforce training in those areas, as well as in
health care. And the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center, sponsored by SUNY Farmingdale, offers regional residents tuition-free vocational training.
Officials said the programs help create a pipeline of locally trained workers who can remain in their communities.
Will Testa, owner of Will Testa Remodeling Inc., in Copiague, noted the shortage of workers. “There are not enough people coming in to the workforce who are trained properly,” he said. “The problem is, everyone forces their kids to go to college, which may be good for some, but
it’s not good for everyone, and trade schools are important — it’s the infrastructure of our society.”
What’s important, Testa added, is that this training is designed hard in hand with local employers.
While workforce-training programs are expanding, Reardon said, employment growth also depends on addressing Long Island’s child care shortage.
Reardon, who also co-chairs the state’s Child Care Task Force, said that increasing access to affordable care is essential to strengthening the labor force. The task
force, relaunched in 2023, is developing strategies aimed at universal, high-quality, affordable child care statewide.
“The governor has spoken a lot about this issue, and made it clear that she wants every New Yorker to be able to work at their fullest capacity and desire,” she said. “And that means that we have a responsibility to help them have accessible, affordable child care to do that.”
Child care costs on Long Island are among the highest in the country, second only to Massachusetts. Families typically spend between $15,000 and $24,000 annually per child for full-time, center-based care, according to the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island.
“When you couple that with the high costs of everything else — housing, food, utilities — child care is a tremendous stress on families,” Reardon noted.
Prachi Shah, owner of Kiddie Academy, in Hicksville, said that care providers also face financial pressures. “We are grateful for Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s visit to the Brentwood Campus and her attention to matters affecting our industry,” Shah said.
The Kiddie Academy of Hicksville and Bethpage are independently owned and operated franchise locations that serve 350 children and employ 75 early-childhood educators. “It is essential to keep this discussion going,” Shah said, “and highlight ways the state can better support providers on Long Island.”
By Abbey Salvemini
Let the good times roll when the museum opens its doors to Carnival on Saturday.
As a globally cherished cultural celebration, Carnival honors the unique traditions and diverse identities of the Caribbean and Latin American cultures it touches. Locally, Long Island Children’s Museum transforms into a vibrant street festival for its second annual Carnival — a vibrant showcase of creativity and self-expression — through a blend of music, dance, crafts and interactive programming.
Supported by New York State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, the event highlights the museum’s commitment to creating shared cultural experiences for Long Island families.
“As a woman of Caribbean descent, I am proud to sponsor this event at the Long Island Children’s Museum, an institution that plays a vital role in educating and inspiring our young people,” Solages says. “Events like this remind us, and teach the next generation, that diversity is our strength and that honoring our roots can be both joyful and meaningful.”
Hofstra University’s renowned ensemble-in-residence celebrates the legacies of founding clarinetist Naomi Drucker and longtime violist Lois Martin at its upcoming concert. The program — a diverse selection of works by Mendelssohn, Hurlstone, Beach, Dimmler, and Steven Gerber — honors both who were instrumental in shaping ACE’s storied history. In a special tribute to Martin, the ensemble performs Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, a masterpiece known for its prominent viola scoring. Drucker, a revered educator and co-founder, is remembered with David Holsinger’s On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss. In a testament to her impact, f Drucker’s former students, colleagues, and friends join the ensemble on stage for this moving tribute
• Saturday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Admission: $18, $16 65+
• View the LICM events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
• 11 Davis Ave., Garden City
While the iconic celebrations in Rio de Janeiro and Portau-Prince often steal the spotlight, the museum’s festival dives deeper into the tapestry of the region — from the energetic parades of Barranquilla to the historic traditions of Oruro and Montevideo. They are expressions of heritage and identity, artistic creativity and community spirit that define the joy of marking the changing seasons and the region’s rich tapestry.
Visitors will get a taste of Carnival’s jubilant spirit of throughout the day’s programming.
“We were looking for a festival that embodies the diversity of Long Island,” Aimee Terzulli, the museum’s vice president of program and visitor experience shares. “These cultural festivals are invitations to the community.”
Throughout the day, families can expect a lively mix of music, movement and creative experiences, set against the backdrop of upbeat Caribbean rhythms that create a lively, tropical atmosphere.
The Brazilian Samba Novo troupe, a returning favorite, gets everyone moving to the sounds of Samba and salsa music. The lively dancers and energetic drummers once again entertain the crowd and teach kids some of the dance steps, adding an interactive element to their entertainment. Those towering “Jumbie” stilt walkers, rooted as a symbol of spirit guardians, are also back, bring the magic to life as an iconic part of the Carnival celebration.
“The performances resemble what Carnival would really be like,” Terzulli enthuses.
No Carnival is complete without a massive parade to ring in the holiday. Here everyone gets into the parade spirit during what she describes as “the fantastic float parade.”
Kids can help decorate miniature floats before pulling them through the parade, accompanied by dancers and stilt walkers. And, of course, there’s a Carnival King and Queen involved — chosen from
Music in the air, joy in every step. Samba Novo dancers bring rhythms to life and invite young guests to move, groove and celebrate together.
Vsitors get creative with hands-on artmaking, turning tradition into playful masterpieces.
those in the “crowd” to reinforce the event’s playful, inclusive spirit.
Little faces, big imaginations! From butterflies to bold designs, creativity takes center stage as kids are transformed into works of art.
The museum’s animal ‘residents” even join in the fun, helping families understand how wildlife has historically inspired Carnival imagery and costume design. New craft offerings this year include maraca-making, ribbon stick design and face painting.
However, the day isn’t just about play — it’s about perspective.
“We want everyone to find an entry point,” Terzulli says.
While the event is undeniably festive, education remains a core focus. Museum staff and performers involve conversations about Carnival’s history and meaning throughout the day, helping visitors understand its cultural roots while enjoying it all. Through partnerships with authentic cultural contributors, the museum ensures the history of the experience remains front and center.
“We make sure that when they are making the crafts, there is an exchange of why they are making it,” Turzelli adds.
Of course, no festival is complete without flavor. Families can pause for a “pit stop” to sample sweet and savory treats inspired by various Latin American and Caribbean nations, providing a literal taste of the regions being celebrated.
At its heart, the aim is for families to leave with more than just memories of a fun day. Carnival also reflects the museum’s broader mission of serving as a community gathering place.
“I hope they walk away with a sense of joy about the holiday. I think it’s a beautiful, multicultural event,” Terzulli adds. “We want LICM to be a space where people come to learn about each other.”
Sunday, March 1, 3 p.m. $20, $15 seniors 65+ or students with ID; available at the door. Hofstra University, Monroe Lecture Center, California Ave., Hempstead. For information or reservations, call (631) 242-5684 or (516) 586-3433.
“Don’t stop believin’… Voyage rocks on with another dynamic tribute to Journey. The popular band takes everyone back to the ‘80s when Journey’s timeless music ruled the airwaves. Hailed by fans and critics alike, the band performs the music with chilling accuracy. Voyage is celebrated for their uncanny ability to recreate the legendary sound, energy and passion of one of rock’s greatest bands. With their blistering guitar solos, lush keyboard arrangements, electrifying stage presence, and stunning harmonies, the band has earned a reputation as the ultimate homage to Journey’s timeless music. Fronted by vocalist Pedro Espada, whose range and tone is acclaimed as rivaling the iconic Steve Perry, he’s backed by a lineup of world-class musicians — Robby Hoffman, Greg Smith, Lance Millard, and Dana Spellman — who bring every note to life with precision and heart. Voyage doesn’t just perform Journey’s greatest hits — they transport audiences back to the height of arena rock glory.
Friday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
North Shore Volleyball invites girls in third and fourth grade to sign up for instructional programs. Weekly instruction through May 21 is offered. No experience necessary. is open at NorthShoreVolleyball.org, but space is limited. The 14-week session costs $210.
• Where: 145 Glen Ave., Sea Cliff
• Time: 5 p.m. for third graders and 6 p.m. for fourth graders
• Contact: NorthShoreVolleyball. org
Join in a spelling bee for adults 21 and over. The Love Your Neighbor Projectsponsored spelling bee at St. Luke’s raises funds for Friends of the Sea Cliff Library. Compete in teams of two or three. Tickets for teams of three are $75, teams of two are $50; spectators $20. Competitors recieve a free drink and t-shirt.
• Where: 253 Glen Ave., Sea Cliff
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: seaclifflibrary.org or call (516) 671-4290
Tunes with KingFisher
Visit Still Partners for an evening of rock and roll with local band KingFisher
• Where: 225 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff
• Time: 8 p.m.
• Contact: stillpartners.com or (516) 200-9229
Converse, collaborate and create with kids at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and adults connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. For ages 2-14. Registration required. $20, $10 child; members free.
• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
• Time: Noon-3 p.m.
• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
Sands Point Preserve’s historic mansions and waterfront grounds are the backdrop for an evening of nature-based mindfulness and meditation with Hildur Palsdottir, first Thursday monthly. Classes are held in the beautiful rooms of the Preserve’s mansions, or in the Hempstead House Garden when weather permits. Explore techniques specifically aimed at stress reduction. Hildur adapts ancient Buddhist teachings to modern applications for calming the mind. With transformative practices you will access wisdom and clarity to live a more compassionate life. No feeling is final. $17 per class.
• Where: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point
• Time: 6-7 p.m.
• Contact: sandspointpreserveconservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901
• Time: 8 p.m.
Drag out that neon once again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back — as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off, on the Paramount stage. The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that “Back To The Eighties” vibe with the latest edition of their popular concert experience. With a lineup including four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as 80s icons, backed by a dynamic band, this is the definitive ‘80s experience. Jessie’s Girl’s primary line-up includes a team of NYC’s top rock and pop vocalists: Jenna O’Gara, Jerome Bell-Bastien, and Mark Rinzel. They are backed by one of the tightest bands in the city comprised of 20+ year veterans of the NYC music scene: Eric Presti on guitar, Drew Mortali on bass, Michael Maenza on drums, and Karlee Bloom on Keys and the Keytar. Each with dozens of credits performing with authentic ‘80s icons who made the music famous to begin with! From the synth-pop glitz of the early MTV era to the power ballads of stadium rock, the band captures the specific magic that defined a generation. Throw on top of that: a load of super-fun choreography, audience participation, props, costumes bubbles, and confetti — and you have a party that audiences don’t want to leave. Their motto: There’s no decade like the Eighties and no party like Back To The Eighties with Jessie’s Girl. Whether you lived through the ‘80s the first time or are just a fan of the timeless anthems, you’ll want to join in the fun.l.
tournament sponsored by North Shore CASA. Participants rotate partners during the round robin style tournament. With raffles, prizes and refreshments. $80 per adult or $150 per couple. Registration required.
• Where: 95 Glen Head Road
• Time: 3 p.m.
• Contact: NSCPBTourney. eventbrite.com or call (516) 676-9849
Sea Cliff Arts Council invites all to a performance by local favorite Roger Street Friedman and his stripped-down band. Guest Meghan Cary joins. $35 per person.
• Where: 86 Roslyn Ave.,
Sea Cliff
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: SeaCliffArtsCouncil. org
with North Bound Sound
the bar. There is a GoFundMe link on the Still Partners website donations.
• Where: 225 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff
• Time: 3 p.m.
• Contact: stillpartners.com or (516) 200-9229
See the grand rooms inside the massive 50,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion at Sands Point Preserve, the former summer residence of Howard Gould (1912-1917) and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim (19171930). For adults, but children 5+ are allowed. $10 per person.
• Where: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point
• Time: Noon-2 p.m.; also March 15
• Contact: sandspointpreserveconservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901
Nassau County Museum of Art welcomes acclaimed artist Adam Straus for engaging conversation with noted art critic-writerfilmmaker Amei Wallach. Together, Straus and Wallach will discuss
• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com
his artistic process, share insights from his current and past work, and present images that illuminate the evolution of his practice. Their dialogue offers a unique window into the artist’s creative journey and the broader role of art in reflecting and responding to our contemporary world. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students (members free). Limited seating, register in advance.
• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
• Time: 3 p.m.
• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
Explore the extensive collection of medieval and renaissance stained glass at Planting Fields! During this walk and workshop for adults, participants will discover the travels and stories of some of the 40-plus stained-glass panes that illuminate the historic house-museum, the Main House. Guests are guided by Collections and Exhibitions Manager Emily Leger, and Archivist Marie Penny to view the Corpus Vitrearum, an International scholarly compilation of historic glass windows. Also make your own faux stained glass to bring home and enjoy! $25.
• Where: Main House, 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay
• Time: 2-3:30 p.m.
• Contact: plantingfields.org or call (516) 922-9210
Join the Gold Coast Public Library for a virtual conversation with author Michael Perry, whose work spans genres and captures the experiences of rural communities and the people who live in them. Registration is free, and reservations can be made via email at reservations@ goldcoastlibrary.org.
• Where: 50 Railroad Ave., Glen Head
• Time: 2 p.m.
• Contact: (516) 759-8300
Having an event?
OF TAX SALE
INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF SEA CLIFF, NEW YORK 2025-26 VILLAGE TAXES
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to the provisions of Sections 1450 and 1452 of Article 14 of the Real Property Tax Law of the State of New York, I, Judith Phelps, Treasurer of the said Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff, will sell at public auction, in the manner provided by law, on the 20th day of March at 10:00 o’clock in the forenoon, in the Board Room at the Village Hall in said Village, so such of each of the following parcels of real estate upon which Village Taxes remain unpaid as will be sufficient to discharge the tax, fees, interest and charges which may be due thereon respectively at the time of such sale, and shall continue the same from day to day until the said sale shall be completed. Such purchaser at such tax sale will be required to pay ten percentum of his respective bid to the undersigned Village Treasurer immediately upon the conclusion of this sale and the remaining ninety per centum within ten days after the sale and upon such payment in full shall receive a written certificate of sale describing the real estate purchased and sum paid therefor.
THE NAMES OF OWNERS SHOWN ON THIS LIST MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS OWNING THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT. SUCH NAMES HAVE BEEN TAKEN EITHER FROM ASSESSMENT ROLLS PREPARED AS OF APRIL 2025 OR FROM THE RECORDS OF THE RECEIVER OF TAXES AND FREQUENTLY DIFFER FROM THE NAMES OF THE OWNERS AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. IT MAY ALSO BE THAT SUCH OWNERS ARE NOMINAL ONLY AND ANOTHER PERSON IS ACTUALLY THE BENEFICIAL OWNER. PROPERTY OWNERS MAY MAKE PAYMENT AT VILLAGE HALL PRIOR TO TAX SALE. PAYMENT MUST BE BY CASH OR CHECK ONLY.
The following is a list of the parcels of real estate to be sold, including the amount of the tax, fees, interest and charges thereon, all parcels being within Section 21 of the Nassau County Land and Tax Map, to wit:
NOTICIA PÚBLICA NOMINACIONES A LOS ELECTORES ESTADO DE NUEVA YORK
CONDADO DE NASSAU NOMINACIONES A LOS ELECTORES DEL PUEBLO DE SEA CLIFF
TENGA EN CUENTA que la siguiente es una lista verdadera y correcta de todas las nominaciones para que las oficinas se llenen en la Elección del pueblo que se realizará en el Departamento de Obras Públicas, 66 Altamont Avenue, en el pueblo de Sea Cliff, Condado de Nassau, Nueva York, el miercoles, 18 de Marzo de 2026 entre las horas del mediodía y las 9:00 p.m., certificado por mí de conforme las disposiciones de la Ley
Electoral:
Candidatos nominados por el Comité de Progreso Cívico:
George O. Williams, 117 Littleworth Lane, Sea Cliff, NY, para Fideicomisario del pueblo por un período de dos años
Nicholas J. Pinto, 292 Prospect Avenue, Sea Cliff, NY, para Fideicomisario del pueblo por un período de dos años
Christine R. Hughes, 120 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff, NY, para Justicia del pueblo por un período de cuatro años
Fecha: 11 de febrero de 2026
Sarah Beaudin Sea Cliff, NY Secretario del pueblo 158624
LEGAL NOTICE
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:
Agency: Planning Board, Village of Sea Cliff
Date: March 11, 2026
Time:7:00 pm Place:Village Hall, 300 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York
Fichtl, 70 Ransom Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, to expand an existing driveway, which expansion requires site plan approval pursuant to Village Code Chapter 107. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 48, Lot 51 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.
Application of PL Sea 18 LLC, 18 Downing Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, to construct a second floor addition and a one story porch which construction exceeds 50% of existing floor area, and to enlarge a driveway, which improvements require site plan approval pursuant to Village Code Chapter 107. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 95, Lot 95 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.
Application of Robert Schlesinger, 311 Littleworth Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, to alter the topography on the western side of the lot and expand the size of the driveway, which site modifications require site plan approval pursuant to Village Code Chapter 107. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 222, Lots 422 and 423 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.
Application of TVC 38 Prospect LLC, 40 Cove Woods Road, Oyster Bay Cove, New York, for property located at 38 Prospect Avenue, Sea Cliff, to demolish an existing dwelling and construct a new single family dwelling with associated improvements, which work requires site plan approval pursuant to Village Code Chapter 107. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 200, Lot 211 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.
having a disability which would inhibit attendance at, or participation in, the hearing should notify the Village Clerk at least three business days prior to the hearing, so that reasonable efforts may be made to facilitate such attendance and participation.
Dated: February 24, 2026
BY ORDER OF THE PLANNING BOARD 158627
LEGAL NOTICE
North Shore Central School District 112 Franklin Ave. Sea Cliff, New York
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
On behalf of a cooperative of school districts in Nassau County, the Board of Education of the North Shore Central School District, Sea Cliff, New York, in accordance with Section 103 of General Municipal Law, hereby invites the submission of sealed bids from reputable and qualified contractors for the provision of labor and materials for the following contract: Cooperative Bid for General A/C, Ventilation & Refrigeration Repairs & Services
Works, 66 Altamont Avenue, in the Village of Sea Cliff, Nassau County, New York, on Wednesday March 18, 2026 between the hours of noon and 9:00 p.m., certified by me pursuant to the provisions of the Election Law: Candidates nominated by the Civic Progress Committee:
George O. Williams, 117 Littleworth Lane, Sea Cliff, NY, for
Village Trustee for a term of two years
Nicholas J. Pinto, 292 Prospect Avenue, Sea Cliff, NY, for Village Trustee for a term of two years
Christine R. Hughes, 120 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff, NY, for Village Justice for a term of four years
Date: February 11, 2026
Sarah Beaudin
Sea Cliff, NY
Village Clerk
Subject: Application of Kevin Costello, 387 Littleworth Lane, Sea Cliff, New York, to alter the topography in connection with the construction of a one (1) story addition, which alteration requires site plan approval pursuant to Village Code Chapter 107. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block M, Lot 594 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map. Application of Todd and Heather
At the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matters. All relevant documents may be inspected at the office of the Village Clerk, Village Hall, 300 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, during regular business hours.
Any person
Bid receipt day and time: March 17th, 2026 at 11:00am This is a Cooperative bid. Participating school districts are as follows: Baldwin UFSD, Bellmore UFSD, Bellmore-Merrick CHSD, Bethpage UFSD, Carle Place UFSD, East Meadow UFSD, East Rockaway UFSD, East Williston UFSD, Elmont UFSD,Floral Park UFSD, Freeport UFSD, Garden City UFSD, Glen Cove CSD, Great Neck UFSD, Hempstead UFSD, Herricks UFSD, Hewlett-Woodmere UFSD, Hicksville UFSD, Island Trees UFSD, Jericho UFSD, Levittown UFSD, Locust Valley CSD, Long Beach CSD, Lynbrook UFSD, Manhasset UFSD, Massapequa UFSD, Merrick UFSD, Mineola UFSD, New Hyde ParkGCP UFSD, North Bellmore UFSD, North Merrick UFSD, North Shore CSD, Oceanside UFSD, Plainedge UFSD, Plainview-Old
Bethpage CSD, Port Washington UFSD, Rockville Center UFSD, Roosevelt UFSD, Seaford UFSD, Syosset CSD, Uniondale UFSD, Valley Stream CHS, Valley Stream #13, Valley Stream UFSD #24, Valley Stream#30, Wantagh UFSD, West Hempstead UFSD, Westbury UFSD. Bids for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 will be received until the above-stated hour of prevailing time and date at the Business Office of North Shore Central School District located at 112 Franklin Ave , Sea Cliff, NY 11579. Promptly at 11:00am prevailing time on March 17th, 2026, bids will be opened and read aloud .Bids will be opened and read in this manner from the District Offices, located at 112 Franklin Avenue, Sea Cliff NY 11579. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained via email on Feb 26th , 2026, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00am and 4:00pm, excluding holidays. Requests for bid documents must be sent via email to Mathew Cheravallil cheravallilm@northsho reschools.org . All questions regarding this cooperative bid shall be submitted in writing and faxed to the attention of Matthew Backes at 516-277-7833. Bids must be presented on the standard proposal form in the manner designated and as required by the specifications. All bids must be enclosed in sealed envelopes which are clearly marked on the outside: “North Shore Central School District -Cooperative Bid for General A/C, Ventilation & Refrigeration Repairs & Service” Bids shall remain firm for a period of forty-five (45) days following the date of the bid opening. Each board of education reserves the right to waive any informalities in or to reject any or all bids, or to accept that bid which, in the Boards of Education’s judgment, is in the best interest of the School District. The Boards of Education
further reserve the right to consider experience, service and reputation in the above referenced fields. In addition, the Boards of Education reserve the right to consider the financial responsibility and specific qualifications, set forth in the bid specifications, of the prospective bidder in evaluation of the bids and award of contracts
BOARD OF EDUCATION North shore Central School District By: Elizabeth Ciampi, District Clerk 158623
To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. EDWARD YOUNG; KERRY YOUNG, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on December 3, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 30, 2026 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 17 Wellington Road, Greenvale, NY 11548. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of North Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 20, Block N and Lot 57. Approximate amount of judgment is $604,889.34 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 602545/2023. Cash will not be accepted. Jane P. Shrenkel, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 158618
Every administration has its ideologues. Every president has advisers who translate impulse into policy. But once in a while, a single figure emerges whose real work is not governance but sabotage — the deliberate narrowing of civic life.
In Donald Trump’s White House, that figure is Stephen Miller.
Miller is often described as the architect of Trump’s immigration agenda.
That may be true, but it’s incomplete. Immigration is simply the most visible stage on which Miller operates. The deeper project is broader and more corrosive: a politics designed to make Americans afraid — not only of immigrants, but of one another, and of acting freely in public life.
Miller’s real architecture isn’t just about who gets in. It’s about what kind of country we become.
The through-line is intimidation. The point isn’t merely enforcement but atmosphere: to show that the state can reach into your life suddenly, harshly,
without apology. To make people think twice before speaking, gathering, helping or dissenting. To shrink civic space until citizenship itself begins to feel conditional. In such a climate, obedience becomes the safest form of participation, and democracy begins to feel like a risk.
That’s why Miller matters. He isn’t simply a policy adviser. He is both symptom and accelerant — a product of a political sickness and one of its most effective carriers.
The sickness is the belief that democracy is too messy, pluralism too dangerous, compassion too soft. Miller gives that belief bureaucratic form.
idone profound damage. And once that atmosphere is established, the most vulnerable are always the first to suffer the worst of it.
n a Millershaped America, protest would be treated as menace.
Miller’s defenders characterize him as “tough.” But toughness isn’t the same as callousness. A serious country can enforce laws without turning the machinery of government into an engine of humiliation. Miller’s politics depend on a story: that America is perpetually under siege, that outsiders are threats, that pluralism is weakness, that empathy is naïveté.
tions would be staffed by loyalty, not expertise; protest would be treated as menace; law would be less a shield than a club; and citizenship would be a conditional permit, not a shared inheritance. It’s tempting, and comforting, to say, “The Constitution will save us.” It won’t. Constitutions don’t rescue republics by themselves. They are frameworks, not force fields. They depend on officials who honor them, courts that enforce them, legislators who defend their authority, and citizens who refuse to be intimidated into silence.
It’s not a secret that his fingerprints are on some of the harshest immigration measures of the last decade, including family separation at the southern border — a policy widely condemned because it treats children not as human beings, but as instruments of deterrence. Whatever you believe about border control, using suffering as a message is a show of cruelty, not strength. But the deeper lesson is about power. A government that can make ordinary people afraid — afraid to speak, gather, help or dissent — has already
Civil rights organizations have raised alarms for years about Miller’s proximity to white nationalist rhetoric. The Southern Poverty Law Center took the extraordinary step of listing him in its extremist files. That is not a marginal controversy; it goes to the moral and ideological foundations of the policies he designs. Whether you accept every charge or not, the pattern is difficult to miss: Miller’s governing worldview is built on suspicion — of difference, of openness, of the very idea of a shared civic “we.”
In a Miller-shaped America, the safest posture would be silence; institu-
The danger of Stephen Miller’s politics is that they treat laws not as a restraint but as an instrument — something to stretch, weaponize and exhaust until rights feel theoretical and the public stops believing that resistance matters.
So the question isn’t whether the Constitution can save us. The question is whether Americans will still insist on the constitutional order itself: limits on power, equal citizenship, lawful process, and a public life in which fear isn’t the organizing principle.
Miller’s project runs in the other direction. And if it succeeds, no piece of parchment will protect us.
Michael Blitz is professor emeritus of interdisciplinary studies at the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
On Feb. 5, not long after Black History Month began, President Trump’s Truth Social account posted a video depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. In response to criticism from Republicans, the video was removed the next day, but with no apology from the president.
That’s the immediate context in which Black History Month takes place, but it’s been an entire year since the last celebration of this month, during which the Trump administration has advanced white supremacy and moved aggressively to undermine America’s longstanding commitment to diversity. The administration’s support for white supremacy isn’t new. In November 2019, in Trump’s first term, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights called for the firing of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, stating, “Stephen Miller represents white supremacy, violent extremism, and hate — all ideologies that are antithetical to
the fundamental values that guide our democracy. Allowing him to remain a White House advisor is a betrayal of our national ideals of justice, inclusion, and fairness.”
Yet in the second Trump administration, Miller has even more power. As Ashley Parker, of the Atlantic, told NPR recently, “He’s incredibly powerful. Steve Bannon and other people jokingly call him the prime minister.”
The Trump government has undermined our country’s commitment to diversity.
Miller is perhaps best known, as NPR reports, as “a chief architect of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.” That crackdown has generated intense public opposition due to the killings in Minneapolis of two American citizens with no criminal records by ICE officers. Because ICE is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it ironically shares the department’s mission to “safeguard the American people.” That irony is not lost on Americans, and the public response to those two deaths has echoed the outcry after the 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.
The irony of the administration continues, as the White House acts to ensure that America’s schools instill, in the words of Executive Order 14190, “a
patriotic admiration for our incredible Nation and the values for which we stand” — while detaining children through ICE crackdowns at accelerating rates. As MS NOW reports, “Recent independent analysis by the Marshall Project shows that the number of children held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement has skyrocketed in Trump’s second term — from an average of about 25 children detained per day during the final 16 months of Biden’s presidency to about 170 children per day under Trump.” On some days, the analysis found, “ICE held 400 children or more.”
What values, exactly, are those detained children learning at the hands of the administration? What values are all children learning as they witness detentions of other children, day care workers and young parents? These are actions of cruelty, not respect for human life and liberty. They are acts of lawlessness, not patriotism.
Now the administration proposes to change the way we vote in America. As The New York Times reports, “President Trump has repeatedly suggested that he wants the Republican-led federal government to ‘nationalize,’ or ‘take over,’
the running of elections.” His allies in Congress are simultaneously advancing legislation — the Make Elections Great Again, or MEGA, Act — that would make voting more difficult. These proposals completely ignore the fact that elections in the United States are free and fair.
As the Brennan Center for Justice writes, “In 2025, a new threat to free and fair elections emerged: the federal government. Since day one of his second term, the Trump administration has attempted to rewrite election rules to burden voters and usurp control of election systems, targeted and threatened election officials and others who keep elections free and fair, supported people who undermine election administration, and retreated from the federal government’s role of protecting voters and the electoral process.”
Nationalizing state elections is blatantly unconstitutional, and the legislative actions would make voting more difficult. That is exactly what this White House and its allies want to achieve.
As Black History Month continues, and in the months and years ahead, ERASE Racism will be championing inclusiveness, fairness and justice for all.
Elaine Gross is founder and president emerita of ERASE Racism, a regional civil rights organization based on Long Island.
The arrival of spring training, and the anticipation of another baseball season, brings back great memories. My earliest baseball memories date back to the early 1950s and the Brooklyn Dodgers, the famed “Boys of Summer,” in what is now regarded as the sport’s Golden Age. Baseball was the unquestioned national pastime, and New York’s Yankees, Dodgers and Giants were the dominant teams. From 1947 to 1956, the Yankees won eight league pennants, the Dodgers six and the Giants two.
For nine of those 10 seasons, at least one World Series teams was from New York, and for eight years, both teams were. That was a true monopoly of excellence.
The Dodgers teams of my youth included such Hall of Famer players as Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and Gil Hodges. There was nothing better than sitting in the stands at Ebbets Field, watching these stars excel. (Tickets for bleacher seats cost 75 cents!) As mighty as the
Dodgers were, however, the Yankees, led by legendary stars like Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford, prevailed in five of the teams’ six World Series encounters.
And then, in 1957, Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley announced the unthinkable: He would move the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles the following year, and the Giants would go to San Francisco. My childhood had come to a crashing halt. National League baseball would be gone from New York.
Just one example: thousands of area kids looking forward to Little League.
My final goodbye to the Dodgers would come on Sept. 22, 1957, when I went to their final home day game at Ebbets Field. Brooklyn beat the Phillies, 7-3, and Duke Snider hit two home runs, but that was small consolation. Dodgers baseball in New York, and my years of sports innocence, were behind me. National League baseball didn’t return to New York until the Mets arrived in 1962. They were an expansion team, which meant they were composed of players others teams didn’t want. There were some rough, lean years, but to Mets fans, it didn’t matter. They rallied behind the team, and after seven seasons, and many losses, the 1969 Mira-
cle Mets, led by their manager, Dodgers legend Gil Hodges, won the World Series in a never-to-be-forgotten triumph over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. The Mets captured the Series again in 1986, defeating the Red Sox in a memorable seven-game struggle. There have been several good runs since then that fell just short, including a World Series defeat to Kansas City in 2015 and, most recently, a League Championship Series loss to the Dodgers in 2024. Now the Mets face the 2026 season having decided to go forward without their all-time leading home run hitter, Pete Alonso, and star relief pitcher Edwin Diaz, as well as proven veterans Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. Their core four are gone. For Mets fans, spring training will be filled with questions and unknown answers.
I know that baseball has changed dramatically since years ago. There are almost twice as many teams now as there were then; players move from team to team, season to season; and teams regularly play inter-league games. As well, the Super Bowl has surpassed the World Series in public attention, and sports such as hockey and bas-
ketball crowd the calendar, playing well into the baseball season.
But still, that sense of anticipation remains. There is something about the fresh spring air and the crack of the bat that brings our attention back to the baseball diamond. The distances from the pitcher’s mound to home plate, and between the bases, remain the same, as do ball and strike counts. And, especially on Long Island, many thousands of kids are looking forward to playing Little League baseball in a new season, when, as always, their parents and grandparents will be in the stands, cheering them on. They’ll create new memories that, in years to come, they’ll pass on to their children and grandchildren.
No matter the rule changes or league realignments, baseball will remain unchanged as an essential component of the American fabric. Almost 75 years ago, the renowned cultural historian Jacques Barzun famously proclaimed, “Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball.” That is as true today as it was then, and I believe it will be true for generations to come.
Play ball!
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
Having spent 23 years of my life in the State Assembly, I keep close contact with members and monitor the progress of significant legislation. I make it a point to call individual members to encourage them to take action on proposals that are good for Long Island. Which is why I was thrilled that Republican Assemblyman Ed Ra was chosen as minority leader earlier this month, in a unanimous vote.
Living as a bipartisan person, I have been supportive of Ra in his many roles as an elected official. During his 10 years in office he has been a proactive legislator, proposing laws focusing affordability, antisemitism, workforce development and controlling state costs. I was especially pleased when he became the ranking minority member of the Ways and Means Committee.
I had the good fortune to chair that
committee for 10-plus years, and have great respect for committee members who pay attention to pending laws and ask questions. Ra has been a diligent member of the committee, and he has kept the majority members on their toes. Ways and Means is the most important committee in the Assembly, and it desperately needs members who keep an eye on the 7,000plus bills that are sent to it each year.
He’s worked hard to become the Assembly’s Republican minority leader.
Ra is the third Assembly member from Long Island in my career who has held the title of minority leader. The late Assembly members Perry B. Duryea and Jack Kingston also held that job. Duryea eventually became the speaker, and holding the minority post was a springboard to the top job. I know for a fact that Ra didn’t get the leadership job without a lot of preparation, forging coalitions to win the support of the minority caucus.
I doubt that even the Republican leaders on Long Island fully understand what it took for Ra to get his new job. Over the years he has taken on all of the
thankless jobs that most members do not covet. He has been involved in reviewing all of the bills that affect the Island, and for a few years he acted as the Republican floor leader, organizing debates on bills advanced by the majority. It’s the job of minority members to craft credible arguments opposing majority legislation.
There’s a separate issue that most of the Albany establishment doesn’t understand. The Assembly’s Republican membership is dominated by upstate legislators. They tend to be anti-downstate, and want all of the key jobs for their delegation. If you talk to an upstate Republican member, don’t be surprised if he or she is anti-Long Island. They are jealous of the attention Long Island gets, and many think negatively about the downstate region in general.
When the previous minority leader, Will Barclay, an upstater, announced that he wouldn’t seek re-election this year, the upstaters immediately began to caucus to support one of their own to
keep the job in their region. At the same time, Ra had to move quickly to win a majority of the conference. That backroom stuff happens in any type of legislative body, and it takes political smarts to pull it off.
Why make a fuss about the election of an assemblyman who’s in the minority party? We’re a very big island, with multiple needs and demands. We need all the voices we can get to speak out for the bi-county area. New York City legislators have a strong voice on a variety of issues, and the Island has to fight for recognition when the dollars are being disbursed and laws are passing that help other areas of the state.
Last year I wrote a column singling out Democratic Assemblywoman Mickey Solages and Ra for their hard work in Albany. I was pleased then and now that Ra has advanced in his party leadership. Solages is a rising star in the Democratic Party, and I’m happy that Ra is now a part of the four-way leadership.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.
on Long Island, where school boards debate curriculum priorities and districts navigate tight budgets, one subject can no longer be treated as optional: media literacy.
Across Nassau and Suffolk counties, students scroll through a relentless stream of headlines, commentary and viral content, frequently without formal instruction on how to tell the difference between verified reporting and misinformation.
In an era when misinformation travels faster than facts and algorithms reward outrage over accuracy, the future of journalism and civic trust hinges on what young people understand about news.
A November 2025 study from the News Literacy Project makes the stakes unmistakably clear: Teenagers are not rejecting journalism outright, but they are struggling to distinguish it from everything else crowding their feeds.
The nationwide study builds on a troubling News Literacy Project 2024 finding that 45 percent of teens believed journalists harmed democracy. But the new research goes further, examining not just skepticism but the roots of distrust — and the confusion at its core.
Teens often lump professional reporting, partisan commentary and outright online misinformation into a single category: “news.” When everything looks the same, nothing earns trust.
However, there is a mandate for action. An overwhelming 94 percent of teens said news or media literacy should
be part of their education. They are not tuning out because they don’t care. They are asking for help.
The problem is access. Only 39 percent of students reported receiving any media literacy instruction during the prior school year. More than six in 10 teens are left to decode a complex information ecosystem by themselves. They scroll through algorithm-driven headlines, influencer commentary masquerading as reporting and viral misinformation engineered for emotional impact — often without being taught how to verify a claim or evaluate a source.
That gap isn’t just an educational oversight. It is a civic vulnerability.
According to Donnell Probst, executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education, the most effective time to teach these skills is early, before beliefs harden and misinformation calcifies into identity.
Encouragingly, instruction works. Students who had lessons in media literacy were more likely to seek out news, and reported higher levels of trust in journalists. This is measurable impact backed by research.
Long Island school districts should take note.
Across Nassau and Suffolk counties, some schools offer journalism electives or student newspapers. Others offer none. According to a 2022 survey by Baruch College, 73 percent of New York City public schools lacked student newspapers — with access concentrated in private and selective schools. The same inequities often surface on Long Island,
where opportunities vary widely by district.
The decline of school newspapers and journalism classes compounds the media literacy crisis. These programs teach students what real journalism requires: cultivating sources, verifying facts, and asking tough follow-up questions.
If we want a generation that values journalism, we must first ensure that it understands journalism. This isn’t a “kids these days” problem. It is a larger one — and it is also a business imperative for local news organizations across Long Island. If the next generation cannot differentiate between a reported investigation and a viral conspiracy thread, it will not subscribe to, support or defend professional journalism.
Doubling down on media literacy in school curriculums is no longer optional. It should be embedded across grade levels, integrated into English and social studies classes and reinforced through experiential learning like student newsrooms. Policymakers should treat media literacy as foundational civic infrastructure, not a niche elective.
News organizations on Long Island must also step forward and partner with schools, open newsrooms, support media literacy initiatives and provide mentorship and transparency about how reporting is done.
The answer isn’t louder defenses of journalism, but deeper public understanding — teaching media literacy so people can recognize misinformation and think critically for themselves.
New Yorkers are opening their utility bills this winter and asking the same question: How did it get this expensive? For families, seniors on fixed incomes and small businesses already squeezed by inflation, the answer is alarming.
In New York state, the cost of electricity and heating isn’t driven solely by usage. In many cases, 65 to 70 percent of a utility bill is made up of taxes, fees, policy surcharges and delivery charges. That means the majority of what residents pay has little to do with the energy they actually consume. It’s insanity!
As supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay, I hear from residents every day who are forced to choose between heating their homes and paying for groceries, prescriptions or property taxes. This isn’t an exaggeration — it’s the reality facing hardworking families
across Long Island and around the state.
New Yorkers now pay nearly double the national average for electricity. While energy costs have risen nationwide, no other state places such an extraordinary burden of added charges on ratepayers. These costs stem from state-imposed mandates, subsidies and regulatory programs, which are layered onto every bill. Residents aren’t just paying for energy — they’re paying for policy.
Surcharges? Fees? Mandates? You name them, and New Yorkers are paying them.
Delivery charges alone often exceed the actual supply charge. Layered on top are renewable-energy surcharges, publicbenefit fees, energy-efficiency mandates and other assessments that few consumers understand, and even fewer can afford. Transparency is lacking, accountability is minimal, and the financial burden continues to grow.
At the same time, New York’s energy policies are moving in the wrong direction. Reliable power plants that provide stable, affordable electricity have been
shut down or forced offline. In their place, the state is investing heavily in technologies that aren’t yet capable of delivering consistent, large-scale energy at an affordable cost. While renewable energy has a role in our future, the current pace and structure of these mandates are driving costs upward while jeopardizing reliability, and your wallet. When dispatchable energy sources are eliminated before viable replacements exist, supply tightens and prices climb. Residents pay more, businesses face rising operating costs and our economic competitiveness suffers. Manufacturers, small businesses and employers look elsewhere, where energy is affordable and predictable.
Public policy should protect residents, not punish them. Energy policy must balance environmental responsibility with affordability and reliability. Instead, New York has pursued aggressive mandates without fully considering their financial consequences.
We need a reset.
First, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature must reduce the hidden taxes and policy surcharges that inflate utility bills. Families deserve transparency and relief. Second, the state must preserve reliable energy sources while transitioning responsibly to new technologies. Shutting down power plants creates scarcity and drives up costs.
Third, policymakers must prioritize affordability. Energy is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. Seniors shouldn’t be afraid to open their utility bills, and families shouldn’t be forced to ration heat in the middle of winter.
New Yorkers are proud to lead in innovation and environmental stewardship. But leadership shouldn’t come at the expense of affordability and common sense. Our residents deserve energy policy grounded in realism, transparency and fiscal responsibility. Until Albany recognizes the real impact of its decisions, New Yorkers will continue paying the price — literally. It’s time to put ratepayers first.
Joseph Saladino is supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay.
The strength of our community comes from open dialogue.
The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.
We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.
The strength of our community comes from open dialogue. We invite residents to submit letters to the editor on issues affecting our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and local government.
Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com
Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com
Letters must include your name and contact information for verification. Send lettters to execeditor@liherald.com
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Be heard. Be part of the conversation.
Be heard. Be part of the conversation.
