Sea Cliff/Glen Head Herald 10-02-2025

Courtesy Saul Schachter

The goal of the emerging North Shore Alumni Network is to connect the many generations of graduates, improving the experience for current students, older alumni, and the local community.

Bringing decades of North Shore grads together in alumni network

By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com

For decades, North Shore School District graduates stayed connected through their own class reunions, Facebook groups, and informal gatherings at community events. Now, district leaders and alumni are working to centralize those connections into a formal alumni network designed to strengthen community ties, support students and celebrate the district’s history.

The North Shore Alumni Network is still in its early stages but already counts more than 500 registered members. It will host its first official event, an alumni breakfast and high school tour, on the morning of Homecoming, Oct. 18, this fall. The initiative is a

joint effort between the district administration, Board of Education members and alumni volunteers, who see the project as a way to connect generations of graduates.

Superintendent Chris Zublionis said the idea had been under discussion for years as the district noticed how individual graduating classes organized online.

“We noticed that individual graduating classes from North Shore High School had a really strong Facebook presence and pages, and they had great events,” he said. “And we realized… that there was no central alumni organization.”

Board of Education President Andrea Macari, a 1996 graduate of the district, echoed the need for a formal structure. She

Sea Cliff begins zoning revamp at workshop

By lUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com

The Village of Sea Cliff started the process of revamping its zoning regulations and provided residents with an update Monday night on the work that has been done over the past few months as well as what they can expect moving forward.

Dozens of Sea Cliff residents attended the first of two public workshops to inform and gather feedback from the public about proposed changes in zoning.

TMayor Elena Villafane described the public workshop as “the first of several public outreaches where we will give you an idea of where we have started, where we are right now.”

Villafane emphasized that “no decisions,” regarding zoning changes “have been made at this point.” The goal of the zoning overhaul is to address and guide new development as well as redevelopment in an environmentally sustainable manner, reflecting the vision and values expressed in the most recent Comprehensive Plan.

“We are here to seek your information, your thoughts and your guidance.” Villafane added. In September 2023, over 50 years after the previous Plan, the Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a new comprehensive plan.

hey’re willing to think about it, talk about it. It’s a big process

ElENa VIllaFaNE Mayor

State legislation requires that zoning be undertaken in accordance with a Comprehensive Plan. The last comprehensive update of the village’s Zoning Regulations was conducted in 1979, a few years after the previous Village Master Plan was adopted in 1970.

The 12th and final chapter of the 187-page plan focuses on providing the policy foundation for future zoning changes, presenting a proposed future land use map, major zoning recommendations, and recommendations for implementing future changes.

The project is funded through the State Smart Growth program, which promotes principles of smart growth planning, such as pro -

CoNTiNued oN pAge 17

A taste of St. Luke’s at the Fall Bazaar

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is preparing for its annual Fall Bazaar, a community tradition that has been part of village life for decades. The event will take place Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the church garden, with an indoor setup if weather does not cooperate.

Janette Heurtly, chairman of the bazaar’s country kitchen, said the fundraiser has long been a highlight for residents and visitors alike.

“I guess that this bazaar has been going on for 100 years,” Heurtly said. “It has sort of evolved into a niche product, bizarre in the sense that it’s different from other church bazaars because of having this, having the country kitchen with all the jams, jellies, pickles, preserves, pies, quiche, all the homemade stuff.”

Heurtly has volunteered at the bazaar, and the country kitchen there, for more than 30 years, and she said preparations begin well before the fall.

“We start in the spring, making stuff, then when the strawberries come out east in June, we go out to the strawberry farms,” she said. “We try to use local ingredients in everything we make.”

The team of volunteers meets twice a week, producing dozens of varieties of jams, jellies and marmalades, along

with pickles, sauces, candies and infused oils.

“We make probably at least 30 different kinds of jams and jellies,” Heurtly said. “We also make oils which are infused with herbs which are grown in Sea Cliff.”

Beyond the food, the bazaar will also feature raffles, a white elephant table, hand-knit sweaters, and crafts from local families. For those looking for a meal, the church will serve lunch and a grill offering hot dogs, sausage and peppers, chips and drinks.

The event supports the church’s operating budget, which covers building upkeep and staff salaries. Heurtly said it is just as important for the wider community, and remembered how the one year it didn’t take place, she was stopped in the street by people wanting to know when the bazaar was happening that year.

“People wait all year for this bazaar,” she said. “We think it is an important thing, not just for the church itself, but for the community of Sea Cliff and beyond.”

The bazaar will also offer online ordering through the church website, allowing customers to pick up prepacked items on the day of the event.

For more information, visit the church’s website at SaintLukes-SeaCliff. org.

Protecting Your Future with

Michael and Suzanne Ettinger Attorneys-at-Law

Taking Back Control with a Living Trust

In the fall of 1990, thirty-five years ago, your writer first heard of the proposition that if you set up a living trust your estate doesn’t have to go to court to settle – the so-called probate court proceeding for wills. Having spent the previous eleven years as a litigation attorney, and having faced numerous problems probating wills, this sounded too good to be true.

At the time, some of the best estate planning lawyers were in Florida. Perhaps you can guess why. In any event, off I went to Florida to train as an estate planning lawyer and, upon returning, closed the litigation practice and founded Ettinger Law Firm in April 1991, to keep people just like you, dear reader, out of probate court.

The reason I was so excited about the living trust, and continue to be so to this day, is the concept of taking back control from the courts and government and giving it back to you and your family. After all, who doesn’t want control over their affairs?

When you go to court, who’s in charge? The judge, right? Now tell me, does the judge

always act in your best interest? Does the judge ever make a mistake? And when the judge says jump, you know what the answer is!

Not only do you pay considerably for this privilege, but it can take many months and often years to complete the probate court proceeding. Meantime, houses cannot be sold, bank accounts accessed, or investment portfolios managed – at least without the judge’s permission which involves additional time and resources to request. Of course, that permission may be denied as well.

With a living trust, your trustee (formerly your “executor” under the will) may act immediately upon death to sell the house, pay the bills and handle the investments – no permission required! An additional benefit is, in the event you become unable to handle your affairs later in life, your trustee may take over by simply getting a letter from your doctor showing you are unable to handle your legal and financial affairs. Essentially then, a living trust gives you back the control your may have thought you had.

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THE GREAT BOOK GuRu

Weekends in Sea Cliff

Dear Great Book Guru, What an amazing weekend here in Sea Cliff - first on Friday “Lights, Camera, Sea Cliff!”, the Sea Cliff Museum’s opening of a retrospective of films shot here in Sea Cliff from 1918 until the present! It was a gala celebration and so many of the Village came out to celebrate. Then on Saturday, the Sea Cliff Fire Department had its annual celebration/inspection of its equipment and volunteers. Many of its newest and oldest members were honored followed by a picnic at Tappen Beach. While at this event, I heard talk of a book about young men and the tragic lives they lived. Do you know about it?

Lover of Sea Cliff Past and Present

nary.

Told from the perspective of Hal, a late teen, this short book takes place over one evening - an evening that will change the lives of his family, friends, and community.

This book is definitely not for the squeamish. Hal and his friends live in Carbon, a small, fictional city, probably in Wyoming. The lives of the boys and a few of the girls are recounted in striking detail as we see the brutality that colors their everyday existence - most of which takes place in a shabby, malfunctioning car gotten under troubling circumstances.

Dear Lover of of Sea Cliff Past and Present, I too enjoyed the wonderful events of this Sea Cliff weekend and I’m guessing the book discussed was DOGS by C. Mallon. This is Mallon’s debut novel, and it is quite extraordi-

As the night goes on, we learn more about each of the characters. The last pages are very difficult to read but are almost poetic as lives explode in horrific detail. A disturbing book but worth the read – recommended.

Would you like to ask the Great Book Guru for a book suggestion? Contact her at annmdipietro@gmail.com.

NEws BRiEf

Experts tackle youth mental health crisis

The Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club in Locust Valley will host a forum on youth mental health and social media

The community forum, “Social Media, Mental Health & the Crisis Facing America’s Youth,” will take place Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. The forum aims to explore the growing mental and physical health challenges facing children and teens, with a focus on the influence of social media.

Dr. Laura J. Morizio, clinical director of Coast Psychology in Oyster Bay, will moderate a panel of experts from health care, education, law enforcement and government. Panelists include Dr. Alli -

son Eliscu of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital; Locust Valley schools superintendent Dr. Kristen Turnow; Assemblymember Charles Lavine; FBI Special Agent Justine Atwood; and NYPD Detective Antonio Pagan, also of the FBI’s Special Victims Unit Task Force.

Topics will include rising rates of anxiety and depression among youth, impacts on self-esteem and peer relationships, and how schools and law enforcement are adapting.The mission of the Grenville Baker Boys and Girls club is to provide a safe place for children to learn, to grow, and to have fun.

—Luke Feeney

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Glen Head activist named Woman of Distinction

By LUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com

Christine Panzeca of Glen Head was one of seven women recently recognized as a Woman of Distinction by Assemblyman Daniel Norber at a ceremony held Sept. 28 at the Port Washington Public Library.

Panzeca, 51, said she was “honored” to receive the recognition, and added that “it was wonderful to meet other women, who are out there doing wonderful things for their community.”

She is a member of the North Shore Women’s Club, and added she works on “a number of charity events throughout the year to help residents in our community and their families and their children who are struggling.”

The North Shore Women’s Club is dedicated to the social, cultural, and educational interests of its members while promoting citizenship and support for charitable purposes.

“Christine embodies what we all want in our community members,” Michelle Hagen, president of the North Shore Women’s Club, said. “Passion, activism and all things local. Having someone like her live in Glen Head, helps us become aware and engaged in the happenings whether good or bad.”

In addition to her work with the North Shore Women’s Club, Panzeca has been a vocal advocate against the Propel NY project, a $3.2 billion project which proposes 89.7-miles of underground transmission lines spanning multiple New York counties. Construction is slated to begin in mid- 2026 and will continue for up to four years, with project completion anticipated by mid-2030.

Panzeca has also been extremely critical of the possibility of another developer using the current Global Petroleum terminal at the corner of Glen Head Road, Shore Road, and Glenwood Road near Tappen Beach in

Glenwood Landing to develop a lithium-ion battery facility after Jupiter Power cancelled its contract to build its proposed 275-megawatt battery energy storage system in May.

Panzeca has spoken at several public meetings and hearings, and organized rallies in the community arguing that both projects present a threat to resident health and safety.

While Panzeca acknowledged that it felt “amazing to receive this recognition,” she also emphasized that “this is not something that can be done by any one individual,” adding that it is “done by community engagement,

Christine Panzeca of Glen Head was one of seven women recently recognized as a Woman of Distinction by Assemblyman Daniel Norber at a ceremony held Sept. 28 at the Port Washington Public Library.

Courtesy Christine Panzeca

because without our locally elected officials, our town boards, our county; we are just dots on a map.”

The event was the first hosted by Norbers office. The assemblyman represents Great Neck, Manhasset, Port Washington, Roslyn, and several other communities along the county’s border with Queens.

“Each of these women has made an impact in or on our communities,” Norber wrote in an Instagram post after the event. “United by their commitment to service and leadership, it was an honor to celebrate their achievements and highlight the difference they continue to make.”

LUKE MARTINI

WANTAGH Sophomore FOOTBALL

IT WAS A HISTORIC 2024 for Martini and the Warriors as they captured both the Nassau Conference IV and Long Island Class IV titles. One of a handful of returning starters and a rise to Confernece III, Martini is being counted on to produce even more. So far, so good. He led a 35-7 victory at Elmont Sept. 20 with four rushing touchdowns, all coming in the second half. He finished with 195 yards on the ground with his longest score covering 78.

GAMES TO WATCH

Friday, Oct. 3

Football: Carey at V.S. North 4:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Farmingdale at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Calhoun at Seaford 5 p.m.

Football: Mepham at Glen Cove

Football: Baldwin at V.S. Central

Football: Plainedge at Lynbrook 6

Football: Seaford at East Rockaway 6 p.m.

Football: Oceanside at Massapequa 6:30 p.m.

Football: South Side at Bethpage 6:30 p.m.

Football: Farmingdale at Freeport 7 p.m.

Football: Garden City at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 4

Girls Soccer: Garden City at Wantagh 2 p.m.

Football: Syosset at Uniondale 3 p.m.

Football: Lawrence at West Hempstead 3 p.m.

Football: Hempstead at Hicksville 3 p.m.

Football: Manhasset at V.S. South 3 p.m.

Football: Mineola at Sewanhaka 3 p.m.

Football: Wantagh at Clarke 3 p.m.

Football: Hewlett at Division 3 p.m.

Football: Roosevelt at East Meadow 3 p.m.

Football: Jericho at Kennedy 3 p.m.

Football: C.S. Harbor at North Shore 3 p.m.

Football: Floral Park at Elmont 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.

SPORTS

Malverne takes down North Shore

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

As if North Shore’s defense wasn’t enough for Malverne’s Jayden Johnson to overcome, the sophomore tailback battled cramping that sent him to the turf in pain several times in Friday night’s Nassau Conference IV football matchup.

But nothing could stop Johnson from leading the Mules to an impressive 32-12 victory just six days after a heartbreaking Homecoming defeat. Johnson had 159 yards and four rushing touchdowns, including the goahead score late in the third quarter.

“I owe it all to my coaches and the offensive line,” Johnson said. “I had cramps in both of my legs but I was able to overcome it. Losing to West Hempstead was tough, but we put it behind us and practiced hard all week.”

Cameron Wesley, another sophomore, capped the victory with a 2-yard touchdown run with 5:32 remaining as Malverne evened its record at 2-2. Senior Matthew Burgos had a pivotal fumble recovery on special teams, Tyleek Whitfield recovered a fumble to help seal the deal, and Chris Tucker, Devondre Martin, Brian Major, Chris Morales and Julien Dumornay dominated in the trenches.

“We let one get away last week but I’m content with 2-2 at the halfway point,” Mules head coach Kito Lockwood said. “We had a lot of guys come up big tonight and I thought we did a great job of finishing.”

Sophomore quarterback Joseph Cristofari scored both

Sue Grieco/Herald

Sophomore quarterback Joseph Critofari scored both of North Shore’s touchdowns in last Friday night’s 32-12 setback at Malverne.

touchdowns for the Vikings, who slipped to 1-2.

ond half. A 19-yard reception by junior Casey Gates on fourth-and-14 from the Malverne 26 kept the chains moving and his 10-yard run set up Cristofari’s 3-yard touchdown burst.

“Joe’s a gamer and his work ethic is unmatched,” Madigan said of Cristofari.

The Mules responded quickly and needed just over two minutes and six plays to take the lead for good. The key play came on secondand-14 when senior quarterback Jayden Jungra connected with junior Jace Richards for a 44-yard gain into the red zone. Then on second-andgoal from the 11, Johnson followed the lead block of Major into the end zone to make it 18-12.

“Coach Lockwood always tells us to act like you’ve been there [in the end zone] before,” Johnson said.

North Shore’s ensuing possession was derailed by a penalty that nullified a long gain and it was forced to punt from midfield. A botched snapped on the punt attempt was recovered by Burgos at the Vikings’ 20 and his reception on the first snap of the fourth quarter set up a Johnson 12-yard touchdown run that upped the margin to 24-12 with 10:47 left.

“We’re always going to be the best-conditioned team,” Lockwood said. “Tonight our emphasis was finishing drives. Last week we didn’t, but tonight we did.”

Trailing 12-6, North Shore pulled even with a 13-play scoring drive to open the sec-

“I’m proud of the way we competed,” North Shore firstyear head coach Bill Madigan said. “We’ve got a lot of younger kids out there and Malverne took over a little bit with their physicality in the second half. I know we’re going to stick together and keep working and that’s all I can ask.”

The Mules have a bye next week and return to action Oct. 10 at Seaford. The Vikings host Cold Spring Harbor next Saturday at 2 p.m.

“Every week is another test,” Madigan said.

News briefs

Senior named National Merit semifinalist

North Shore High School senior Joanna Kim has been named a semifinalist in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program, Principal Eric Contreras and Director of Counseling Dan Doherty announced this month.

Kim is among about 16,000 semifinalists nationwide recognized for outstanding academic promise. Roughly 95% of semifinalists are expected to advance to finalist standing, and about half of finalists will be awarded one of nearly 6,900 scholarships worth more than $26 million next spring.

“We are proud of Joanna Kim on her terrific accomplishment,” Contre -

ras said. “She is a stellar member of our North Shore community; intellectually driven, a talented orchestra musician, high honors mathematics and science student, and multilingual leader who brings out the best in those around her.”

Doherty added that Kim’s impact extends beyond academics. “Beyond her test scores, she is a talented musician, accomplished student, and service-minded individual,” he said.

The National Merit Scholarship Program, founded in 1955, honors scholastic achievement and is supported by about 280 business and higher education partners.

Gatsby gala marks 100 years, Gold Coast style

The North Shore Historical Museum will host its 13th annual gala on Friday, Oct. 10, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., celebrating the centennial of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.”

Set at the Webb Institute in Glen Cove — once the Herbert L. Pratt Estate, The Braes — the event invites guests to dress in Gatsby-era fashion and enjoy a night of Roaring ’20s ele-

gance, featuring drinks, hors d’oeuvres, a buffet dinner and a lecture by Dr. Richard Harris.

Tickets are $150 for museum members and $175 for nonmembers. No tickets will be sold at the door. Proceeds benefit the museum’s mission of preserving local history.

— Luke Feeney

Hispanic Heritage celebrations coming to city

By LUKE FEENEY

lfeeney@liherald.com

Each year, Hispanic Heritage Month offers a time to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities across the United States. Spanning from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the month celebrates the rich traditions and lasting impact of people with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Spearheading the celebrations on the North Shore has been its Hispanic Chamber of Commerce , founded in 2019, whose goal is to help connect and support the Hispanic business community on the North Shore through education and resources.

Chamber President Connie Pinilla said the celebration “allows our culture to highlight our talent and our cultural costumes that are so rich.”

In Glen Cove, the month will be marked by a community celebration in Village Square on Oct. 4, hosted by the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The event will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m., and feature live music, cultural displays and performances designed to celebrate and highlight Hispanic traditions.

The month-long observance aligns with the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Pinilla, who is originally from Bogotá, Colombia, said this year’s event will include performances of music from Disney’s “Coco” and “Encanto,” which showcase Mexican and Colombian cultures. “They’re going to perform these pieces of art which highlight Colombian and Mexican artists,” she said, adding, “children love those two musicals.”

The Glen Cove School District has also embraced Hispanic Heritage Month as part of a broader district initiative to build culturally affirming environments. Several schools have incorporated Hispanic culture into lessons and events throughout the month.

“We have a beautifully diverse population,” said Ashley Ghiraldi, the district’s coordinator of world languages. “We’re just also planning celebrations for other cultural celebration months to

represent our diversity with our students and staff.”

Bilingual administrators read to students in Deasy Elementary School’s bilingual program, and each school is rotating a “discovery chest” of Latin American artifacts from the Huntington Arts Council. Ghiraldi noted that “most of our world language classes in the middle school and high school have been focusing on famous Hispanic persons.”

The district also hosted a dance workshop on Sept. 22 with Riley Bermingham of the American Street Dance Theater Company, where students learned salsa, merengue and bachata.

On Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Connolly Elementary School will host a celebration featuring teachers, parents and members of the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce sharing traditions and culture.

Hispanic Heritage Week was first proclaimed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 and later expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

“If our children grow up listening to other languages, and grow up seeing different cultures and smelling different foods and trying different restaurants,” said Lia D’Angelo, a Glen Cove resident and president of the Comite Civico Argentino, “it is a way to truly immerse ourselves into learning about other people.”

The event will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m., and feature live music, cultural displays and performances designed to celebrate and highlight Hispanic traditions.

D’Angelo and Pinilla both emphasized the importance of “appreciating the artistic talent that Hispanic culture can bring.”

“The more that we focus on it, the

more we show it off, and the more we all appreciate everybody,” D’Angelo said. “The less racism we’re going to see, and the more inclusion we are going to have.”

Sea Cliff wraps up popular ‘Summer Nights’

By LUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com

The final iteration of ‘Sea Cliff Summer Nights,” where Sea Cliff Avenue transforms into a destination for people looking for food, music and shopping, took place in the heart of the village on Sept. 24.

The event takes place from 5-10 p.m. and is intended by the village to help local businesses and strengthen relationships between the businesses and residents. The initial plan was to have four during the summer, but the event became so popular that they ended up doing eight according to Village Trustee Mark Sobel.

Sea Cliff restaurants such as The Onion Tree, Fosters, and Tavern 227 opened up outdoor siting for hungry patrons. In addition other businesses on Sea Cliff avenue like Deja Vu Consignment, Moonshot Emporium and Frost Ceramics remained open late.

Five years ago, the village introduced outdoor dining on Friday and Saturday nights in 2020 as part of its reopening of the economy after Covid-19 lockdown.

At the time, the village did not allow live music during outdoor dining. Restaurants had to set up outdoor tables six feet apart, which limited customers. The sixfoot rule is no longer in effect, and live music is now part of the event.

Sobel praised the summer-long initiative as a success and added that planning for next year has already begun.

The event takes place from 5-10 p.m. and is intended by the

things to know Fall in sea CliFF

Mini mart, Bazaar’s, homecomings and more

As the seasons change from Summer to Autumn, the activities available to residents on the North Shore become different as well. From the return of sports, outside fairs and more here are three things Sea Cliff residents can look forward to this fall.

n Mini Mart

The streets of Sea Cliff will come alive once more with music, artistry, and food, as thousands are expected to enjoy the 53rd annual Kiwanis Sea Cliff Mini Mart on Sunday. Mini Mart, held on the first Sunday in October and scheduled this year for Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., has become a hallmark of the North Shore. The event annually attracts more than 12,000 visitors to Sea Cliff Avenue, where over 200 retail vendors and artisans showcase a wide range of handcrafted goods, original artwork, specialty items, and unique retail finds for holiday shopping. It is one of the biggest fundraisers for North Shore Kiwanis, a chapter of Kiwanis International that has served the community for over 55 years. A complimentary shuttle bus will run continuously from Tappan Beach between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., during the day stopping at both Prospect and Carpenter Avenues.

n North Shore homecoming

North Shore High School’s varsity football team will kick off its homecoming against East Rockaway on Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. Prior to the game the district will host its annual Homecoming Fan Fest with events including the first-ever Alumni Brunch at 10 a.m., a carnival, sports clinics and many other activities for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the wider community.

Halftime will include cheerleading, pulse, pep Band, and drum line performances from students in the district. Free Shuttle Bus service will be provided throughout the day to and from the district’s elementary schools and North Shore High School. For more information, head to NorthShoreSchools.org.

Other activities throughout the day will include a fun-run for elementary students, sports clinics and a middle school flag football game

n Fall Bazaar

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is preparing for its annual Fall Bazaar, a community tradition that has been part of village life for decades. The event will take place Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the church garden, with an indoor setup if weather does not cooperate. The fundraiser has long been a highlight for residents and visitors alike. The event supports the church’s operating budget, which covers building upkeep and staff salaries. The bazaar will also offer online ordering through the church website, allowing customers to pick up pre-packed items on the day of the event. For more information, visit the church’s website at SaintLukes-SeaCliff.org. Beyond the food, the bazaar will also feature raffles, a white elephant table, hand-knit sweaters, and crafts from local families. For those looking for a meal, the church will serve lunch and a grill offering hot dogs, sausage and peppers, chips and drinks.

Long Island’s best gather for Excellence in Healthcare awards

By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com

Long Island is home to some of the nation’s most skilled medical practitioners, the best of whom were honored at the Herald’s fourth annual Long Island Excellence in Healthcare Awards.

The ceremony — at the Heritage Club at Bethpage on Sept. 17 — brought together almost 40 groups representing hospitals, researchers and independent practices.

Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications and publisher of the Herald, began the gala evening by praising Long Island’s medical community for their unrivaled research and innovative programs and services.

“We’re here tonight to honor the doctors, nurses, hospital executives, educators, caregivers, and so many others who keep our families and our communities healthy, safe and informed,” he said. “Our honorees tonight are sources of both strength and inspiration, walking alongside us at some of the lowest and highest moments in life.”

Emmy award-winning investigative journalist Kristin Thorne, the creator of Hulu’s first true crime series “Missing,” emceed the ceremony.

Keynote speaker Dr. Purna Prasad, CEO of Vedi Robotics in Hicksville, led off the night’s awards segment preceding the distribution of honors.

“Our evolution in Vedi Robotics has made us who we are today,” he said. “We identified one problem that is always a challenge for healthcare: a deficit of workforce.”

During his tenure of 30 years at Stanford and Northwell, Prasad observed machine learning and artificial intelligence mature as a field of study. After two and a half years, his team produced a robotic platform that is ready for deployment; it can check in patients, process their paperwork and take their vitals.

“That whole concept of home-grown, state-of-the-art technology — you could say we are a flagship for that,” he said.

Vedi Robotics received the Trailblazers in Technology special award.

“What we’re trying to do is we’re trying to bring a curated artificial intelligence into the arena that is only going to be beneficial,” Vedi Robotics COO John Power added.

A portion of ticket proceeds from the event will benefit the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Center at Stony Brook University. The LEND program, recipient of the Community Health Champions special award, provides interdisciplinary training to prepare the next generation — along with professionals, families and self-advocates — to lead in their fields as providers of high quality care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities.

“Our team truly excels, in an interdisciplinary fashion, to deliver health care for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families,” LEND Program Director Michelle Ballan said. “We offer hundreds of hours of training for people with disabilities and healthcare professionals to learn how to work effec-

tively with this group.”

Kerri Anne Scanlon, president of Northwell’s Glen Cove, Syosset and Plainview hospitals, received the Healthcare Visionary special award alongside CEOElect John D’Angelo; Northwell CEO Michael Dowling was honored with the Healthcare Legacy special award.

“I think the foundation of Northwell is really the incredible culture,” Scanlon said. “It’s a culture that truly invests in its employees. It’s a culture about worrying about someone as much as yourself, and then building that engagement so that we can give the best care to our patients.”

Carolyn Quinn, the director of Northwell Health’s Cohen Children’s Medical Center, received the Community Health Champions special award. The pediatric hospital was honored for providing outstanding long-term care for children.

“The team is just over the moon,” she said. “They are an amazing group of women, just an amazing group made up of three nurses and three certified holistic nurses and four Reiki Masters who are also certified and gifted in other holistic services. There’s quite a menu of services that we offer.”

Anne Petraro. founder and CEO of

The team is just over the moon.

CAROLyN QuiNN Director of Cohen Childrens’ Medical Center

Mending Hearts Counseling in Elmont, was honored with a Community Health Champions award for establishing an Article 31 MHOTRS clinic during the pandemic to aid underserved communities, specializing in brain care.

“I would love to change the face of mental health,” she said. “There’s so much stigma against it. And I guess by starting this agency, we’re kind of coming with a different approach, more of like a private practice feeling where everyone feels at home.”

Co-founders Linda Harkavy and Mitchell Goldstein of Form & Function Aesthetics and Wellness in East Meadow received the Power Couple special award.

“We’re focused on now, rather than disease management and crisis management, keeping people well and getting them well and having them enjoy their best lives,” Harkavy said. “We engage in wellness, not only body but mind.”

Their practice now offers Exomind, an advanced non-invasive brain therapy designed to help patients with depression, anxiety and OCD.

“We’ve been doing health care here in Long Island for 40 years, and it’s been our great pleasure helping so many people over these decades,” Goldstein said. “We’ve taken it now to the next level with state of the art medical care and devices to improve people’s longevity and wellness — Nassau County deserves that.”

The following individuals were each recipients of Excellence in Healthcare awards.

Alla Shenkman is the former medical

director of PM Pediatrics in Syosset. After 10 years in the role, she stepped down to return to work as a regular physician.

“It’s my passion,” Shenkman said. “I love it. PM Pediatrics is a great — probably largest — urgent care for pediatric patients in the country, and I’ve been there since day one. I certainly want to thank all my colleagues. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. It was a mutual effort to bring PM Pediatrics to where we are today.”

Howard Goodman, better known as the Long Island Weight Loss Doctor, is the recipient of numerous Herald honors: two Long Island Choice, one Long Island Health and Beauty, and now two Excellence in Healthcare awards.

“All these awards put us on the map,” he said.

Goodman uses all-natural methods to help patients reach their ideal weight while combating common internet misinformation.

“We’re fixing the damage that’s caused by these erroneous medications,” he said.

Brian Caberas is the COO of the People’s Arc of Suffolk, a nonprofit that provides services to people with disabilities across Suffolk County.

“We offer them residential alternatives and the ability to find jobs out in the community and a multitude of other services as well,” he said. “We want the People’s Arc of Suffolk to become the premier provider for people with disabilities.”

Sponsors of the event include Northwell Health, Episcopal Health Services, Henry Schein, Cohen Children’s Medical Center Northwell Health, The Speech Language Place, Brightview Senior Living, Stony Brook University LEND Center, Mending Hearts Counseling, Veda Robotics, LiveOnNY, People’s Arc of Suffolk, Long Island Nurses Honor Guard, PM Pediatric Care, Bellmore Dermatology, The Stroke & Brain Aneurysm Center of Long Island, Harmony Healthcare Long Island and the New York Institute of Technology.

To view a complete list of honorees and photos, visit richnerlive.com/healthcare-awards/honorees.

Alumni Network already has 500

said that while alumni were always welcome back for Homecoming and included in a group photo, the district had no way to consistently engage with its graduates.

“I have this involvement with the school district because my daughter goes to school here and I’m on the school board,” Macari said,” but I could not remember any district outreach that had occurred since I graduated.”

The new network is designed to change that. Organizers are preparing programming that includes lectures, mentorship opportunities, and career connections. Alumni will be invited to give community talks in their areas of expertise, offering what Macari described as “North Shore’s own version of Master Classes.”

The district is also looking ahead to ways alumni can support current students. Zublionis said mentorship, even in informal ways, could be transformative.

“Maybe not in a super formal sense, but if there’s somebody who works in finance, and we have students in our business program, they could maybe be somebody one of our students who wants to major in business could talk to,” Zublionis said. “We have a rich network of people in all fields, medicine, psychology, law, business, finance, the arts.”

For alumni like Saul Schachter, who graduated in 1974 and went on to teach at North Shore for more than three decades, the initiative represents a natural extension of what he has already been doing informally. Schachter has long been a point of contact for former classmates and students seeking to reconnect.

“Every year there’s always a few reunions, and I get emails from people asking, ‘do you know where so and so is?’ And often I do so I put people in touch,” he said.

We’re hoping that these connections will build school spirit, create alumni-student connections and networking events, and also give us an opportunity to showcase our very prominent and eminent graduates.

AndreA MAcAri

President,

North Shore School District Board of Education

“It’s been great because former students come back, classmates come back. It’s local people.”

That enthusiasm made Schachter a natural fit when the district asked him to serve as alumni coordinator. He is managing outreach and sign-ups while others manage the network’s online platforms.

Organizers envision the network serving graduates across all generations. Recent alumni could help current high schoolers by offering insights into college life, while older graduates might return for nostalgic building tours or to share wisdom from established careers.

Macari said the effort is also about school pride.

“I think people’s relationships with their schools are lifelong, and we weren’t participating as a district in events that engage people’s nostalgia for school,” she said. “We’re hoping that these connections will build school spirit, create alumni-student connections and networking events, and also give us an opportunity to showcase our very prominent and eminent gradu-

ates.”

The district started highlighting well-known alumni such as actress Kate McKinnon and Broadway performer Michael McKeever, but leaders stress that the network is equally about celebrating graduates who excel in fields like medicine, law, business, and education. Plans for future events include author talks, alumni lectures and mentorship opportunities tied to the district’s curriculum.

Schachter believes the network can also provide a sense of connection for graduates who have moved far from Long Island.

“A lot of these people want something like this,” he explained. “I’m on Facebook with everybody and often people live out in Colorado or in Texas or and they say, ‘Boy, I miss North Shore, I miss Long Island, and this is a way for them to come, come together.”

For Zublionis, the network also aligns with the district’s broader educational goals. He said the initiative reflects the New York State Education Department’s “portrait of a graduate” framework, which emphasizes applying knowledge in real-world settings.

The alumni breakfast and high school tour in October will be the network’s first official gathering, but organizers see it as just the beginning. Macari said she hopes the alumni themselves will eventually take the lead.

“I would actually like to see a formal alumni structure formed where we have alumni who serve as like Chair of the network, and then allow it allow them to like, run the programs and spearhead events,” she said.

For now, the district is providing support as the network builds momentum. Zublionis said he is optimistic about its potential. “I just think it’s one of those things that’s good for the community,” he said.

STEPPING OUT

Doing it ‘His Way’ with the Nassau Pops

By Karen Bloom

ANew York moment arrives on the Tilles Center stage when Maestro Louis Panacciuill and his orchestra return with their popular gala musical in support of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County. This year the orchestra welcomes back Tony Danza and his band as their guest performers.

The concert continues to feature the Nassau Pops signature blend of popular and classical music as well as an inspiring moment with Creation, the CP Nassau vocal team. This heartwarming tradition dellights both musicians, guest performers and the audience.

“This is one big lovefest,” says Panacciulli, the orchestra’s longtime musical director. I’m so glad to be back at Tilles Center during our 42nd season. So many wonderful people have crossed this stage. It’s always exciting to be here.”

The connection between the Nassau Pops and CP Nassau is special for Panacciulli and the orchestra. He credits his mother, Panacciulli who was a member of the CP auxiliary in Valley Stream, for this special connection.

“When we first started performing, we decided we wanted to do more than just play music. We wanted to do something meaningful,” he recalls.

“In the past we had done benefits for Special Olympics, pop concerts for hospitals. This came about one day when I was discussing with her the idea of doing a benefit concert for CP Nassau. I’m thrilled to carry on Mom’s legacy. Plus it means a lot to the musicians. We’re leaving something behind long after the notes have faded away.”

And he’s delighted to have Danza, who performed with the Nassau Pops in 2023, back to share the stage.

“Tony dances, plays the ukele, always tells a corny joke or two,” Panacciulli says. “He’s very engaging, a wonderful entertainer.”

This collaboration brings a unique twist to Danza’s acclaimed cabaret show, “Sinatra and Stories.” Combining his trademark wit, charm, storytelling, with a dash of soft

Yes:

‘The Fragile 2025 Tour’

Get ready to experience an unforgettable evening of Yes on the Paramount stage, featuring its existential prog masterworks and instrumental pyrotechnics. Throughout a prolific and enduring music career spanning 45 years and 20 studio albums, Yes has electrified audiences with daunting virtuosity, complex musical textures and powerful lead vocals. The band — currently comprising Steve Howe on guitars and vocals, Geoff Downes on keyboards, Jon Davison on vocals and acoustic guitar, Billy Sherwood on bass guitar and vocals, and Jay Schellen on drums — performs their iconic 1971 album “Fragile” in its entirety. “Fragile” holds a special place in Yes’s discography, as it propelled the band to headline status in the U.S.

Tony Danza stars in the return of the orchestra’s gala benefit concert

shoe, he offers up his take on the music of the legendary ‘Ol Blue Eyes, with whom Danza had a personal relationship. Some might not realize that Danza, who grew up on Long Island and attended Malverne High School, is a well-established song and dance man, in addition to his acting chops in television, film and on stage.

Throughout his 60-plus minute set, Danza blends personal anecdotes with Sinatra’s unforgettable tunes.

“He always has a big smile on his face. He’s certainly having a good time. And I guarantee the audience will as well,” Panacciulli says.

The tone is set from the moment the orchestra strikes up their first note.

“We like to start out with something hot and jazzy,” Panacciulli adds.

• Sunday, Oct. 19, 3 p.m.

• Tickets start at $30; available at npso.org/tickets or tillescenter.org

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post Campus, Brookville

Certainly the addition of a sax section gets the vibe going, as the orchestra opens the show with a medley of Big Band tunes.

As always, the musicians are joined by Creation — the singing duo who participate in CP Nassau’s Life Options Program — in a heart-warming segment during the concert’s opening. Each has their moment in the spotlight. David Tindal sings Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” while Chris Wawrzonek does “Till There Was You” from the Broadway classic The Music Man.

Tindal and Wawrzonek have ‘grown up’ with the orchestra.

“I’m filled with such a sense of gratitude that I can affect two lives by giving them a chance to perform in front of a full orchestra and a large audience,” Panacciulli says. “We share something special, when we share music together. They’re wonderful people and the audience gives them standing ovations every time. It’s just nice to see how they’ve grown up. They’re always smiling and in good humor.”

And for Panacciulli, a Franklin Square resident, who has been at the helm of the Nassau Pops since 1984 (and is on Nassau Community College’s music faculty where he serves as band director) that surely is the concert’s defining moment.

“Creation is a byproduct the wonderful work that CP Nassau does. It does my heart good to help them and give back to the community through the gift of music.”

Panacciulli gratefully acknowledges Long Island-based credit union Jovia (formerly NEFCU), the gala’s title sponsor since 2012. Proceeds from every ticket sold are donated directly to CPNassau.

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m. $152.25, $129.75, $118.75, $108.75, $86.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Roomful of Blues

The renowned, horn powered, Grammy-nominated, houserocking “little big band” is ready to celebrate STEPPIN’ OUT!, their first new album in five years. With this album, Roomful of Blues brings something new to the table. After 19 releases with male singers, STEPPIN’ OUT! is the first to feature a female vocalist, the sublime D.D. Bastos. Her powerhouse, soul-stirring voice and her charismatic stage presence bring a whole new spirit to the Roomful sound. For over 50 years, this beloved, iconic and much honored band has been delivering wildly infectious, hard-swinging blues. Guided by guitarist-bandleader Chris Vachon since 19989, Roomful remains a defining musical force in the blues world, with their sound rooted in tradition, but their sights reaching far into the future.

Thursday, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. $38. My Father’s Place in Roslyn, 1221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn. Tickets available at mfpproductions.com or (516) 5800887.

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CALENDAR

On Exhibit Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “At Play,” surveys artists’ perennial fascination with entertainment in all forms. Framing this topic between the nineteenth century Belle Époque and today, the exhibit includes works by Pablo Picasso, Reginald Marsh, Everett Shinn, and Max Beckmann among many others. The works are gathered to represent a wide range of expressions, from entertainmentrelated activities to the fascinating personalities involved. It encompasses dance, music, theater, movies, circus, boating, and beach scenes, along with horseracing and various sports, both active and passive Also featured are archival items from The Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, including costumes by Marc Chagall for Die Zauberflöte, vintage fashion items by such designers as Alfred Shaheen, and iconic costumes from the Folies-Bergère in Paris. On view until Nov. 9.

• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: Ongoing

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

OCT

4

OCT 16

Kate Kortum: The Music of ‘Wild Woman’

Little Learners: Pumpkins

Planting Fields Little Learners series continues with a pumpkinthemed adventure. Begin with a fun and festive story to spark imaginations. Next, children create their a pumpkin craft to take home. Then, head outside for some hands-on discovery in the garden for close-up look at real pumpkin plants! From curly vines to growing gourds, it’s a sensory-rich experience that brings the season to life. For ages 2-5. Registration required. $15 per child.

• Where: Education Center, 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay

• Time: 10-11 a.m.

• Contact: plantingfields.org or call (516) 922-9210

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create with kids at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art when it resumes following the summer hiatus. 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

Mini mart

OCT 5

The Village of Sea Cliff hosts its 52nd annual mini mart. Stroll throughout downtown and enjoy one of the largest artisan craft fairs on the North Shore.

• Where: 230 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff

• Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 671-0080

Tilles Center’s Atrium becomes an intimate lounge, showcasing 23-year-old Kate Kortum, one of the most exciting breakout artists in the jazz world. Hailing from Houston, Texas, her warm, distinctive sound blends bebop, blues, the Great American Songbook, and musical theater with captivating, storydriven lyrics. Her artistry bridges tradition and innovation, offering audiences a fresh, contemporary take on the jazz vocal legacy. Kortum discovered her passion for music at Houston’s legendary High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where she studied flute and saxophone before ultimately falling in love with singing. She went on to earn a degree in jazz voice from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, studying with some of the leading voices in modern jazz. Critics have praised her ability to revitalize jazz with authenticity and daring. “Wild Woman,” her sophomore album. featuresreimagined standards and originals that explore a woman’s relationship with complex emotions like obsession, promiscuity, self-pride, and hatred. She gives her audience a glimpse into the past, present, and future of jazz through her unique arrangements and improvisatory deliveries.

OCT 6

Village

Board meets

The Sea Cliff Board of Trustees discusses key issues pertaining to the village.

• Where: 300 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff

• Time: 6 p.m.

• Contact: seacliff-ny.gov

OCT 9

Composting meeting

Sea Cliff Board of Trustees holds a meeting to explore what community composting could look like within the village.

• Where: 300 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 671-0080

Sculpture Stroll

OCT 10

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

BOE meeting

The North Shore Board of Education holds its monthly meeting. Be informed on district issues.

• Where: 505 Glen Cove Ave., Glen Head

• Time: 7:45 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 277-7801

OCT

12

Ecotherapy Walk

A change in the air. Wind down summer with gratitude. Join certified guide Linda Lombardo for an Ecotherapy Walk at Sands Point Preserve. Ecotherapy, also known as Forest Bathing, is not simply hiking in the woods, or a walk on a beach. The focus is on connection and relationship, allowing the heart to open to the beauty of the natural world, and at the same time, understand our belonging in that world. Register for individual

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

• Time: 7:30 p.m.

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

walks or a series of three. $135 for series of 3, $120 members; $49 per session, $44 members.

• Where: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point

• Time: 2 p.m.; also Nov. 8

• Contact: sandspointpreserveconservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901

OCT

14

Sea Cliff Board meets

The Sea Cliff Board of Trustees discusses issues pertaining to the village..

• Where: 300 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: seacliff-ny.gov

OCT

17

Friday night pickleball

North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse’s Friday night pickleball for teens is back. Prior registration is required. $20.

• Where: 95 Glen Head Road, Glen Head

• Time: 7-9 p.m.

• Contact: northshorecasa@gmail.com

OCT

18

Homecoming

North Shore hosts a carnival and pregame fanfest prior to its homecoming game with East Rockaway.

• Where: 450 Glen Cove Ave., Glen Head

• Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 277-7801

OCT

25

Gold Coast Business Association Car Show

Check out the 2nd Annual Glen Head Car Show, where shiny chrome meets community spirit. Whether you’re into hot rods, vintage cruisers, or one-of-a-kind customs, there’s something for everyone at this family-friendly event. This year vintage fire trucks are added to the show lineup! Come see the engines that made history, alongside over 50 classic and custom cars.

• Where: Glen Head LIRR station

• Time: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Contact: goldcoastbusinessassocation. com or call (516) 860-5176

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.

Village updates code for first time

moting mixed-use neighborhoods and a mix of housing types, encouraging compact growth where infrastructure is available, and preserving open space and natural resources.

The Zoning Advisory Committee; a 13-member committee made up of village residents from different neighborhoods; the Village Board of Trustees, Village Staff, residents, business and property owners are the major stakeholders in the zoning overhaul.

Frank Fish, firm partner at BFJ Planning, covered the nature of the project, places where residents can share their input, definitions of zoning, the village’s existing zoning code and recommendations from the comprehensive plan.

“There’s no specific project that we’re looking at,” he explained. “We’re really basing it on the policies and recommendations that are in the comprehensive plan.” Fish emphasized that the goal is “to make life, hopefully very reasonable and don’t affect people unnecessarily in zoning.”

BFJ Planning is a consulting firm that assists planning, urban design, environmental analysis, real estate, and transportation. It is one of the three consultants for the village on the zoning overhaul alongside Urbanomics and the CSA Group.

Project Manager with BFJ Planning Silvia Del Fava did highlight areas being considered; beginning with the Glen Cove Avenue Corridor, Fava identified that mixed-use buildings are not allowed as a principal use along Glen Cove Avenue, causing inconsistencies in the visual environment and existing sidewalks.

The proposed zoning recommendations, Fava said, would allow mixed-use buildings a principal permitted use as well as residential-only buildings by Special Permit–except on corner lots. She also suggested rais-

Luke Feeney/Herald

While no vote has been taken yet, several recommendations were presented to residents who had the chance to share their thoughts during a 45-minute public comment session on Sept. 29.

ing the maximum building height from 35 feet to 38 feet in addition to several other recommendations.

Another issue Fava pointed out was the significant presence of small lots not conforming to existing zoning, which could potentially create septic and stormwater management issues.

The proposed changes, according to Fava, are to add a sliding scale for maximum lot coverage and make side and rear yards that correspond to actual lot size and a green space requirement. She also recommended considering regulations to increase mandates for onsite stormwater retention and encouraging the installation of modern septic systems.

decades

The village’s current zoning code does not regulate accessory dwelling units, defined as a secondary residential unit that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more people, located on a lot with an existing primary residence.

To expand housing options, Fava recommended to allow ADU’s by special permit which includes requirements such as the owner living on site, a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet and the maximum size being 30 percent of the house. Fava recommended that Sea Cliff adopt the Long Island Workforce Housing provision, which would require new developments to include affordable units for households earning up to 80 percent of the area median income and other zoning changes were discussed.

“We know that this is just the beginning of the conversation,” Suzanne Goldberg, a senior planner at BFJ Planning said. “As we move along in the process, we want to continue to hear from you, continue to get feedback.” Around a dozen residents participated in the public comment portion of the meeting, questioning the board and members from BFJ Planning on issues such as ADU’s, impact on local churches and other older buildings in the village as well as highlighting their concerns for the board and the zoning Advisory Committee to consider.

All updates on the progress of the zoning code overhaul are posted on the project’s website, SeaCliffZoningUpdate.com. Villafane said she was “gratified to see how many people” attended the workshop, adding that she was pleased with “how engaged the community was,” praising her residents’ willingness to discuss an issue that she conceded could be “contentious.”

“They’re willing to think about it, talk about it,” she said. “It’s a big process. It has a lot of impact on the village.”

PAPER

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

CONTEST RULES:

Who can enter: There will be 2 categories:

Students in grades k-5. Students in 6-12

One entry per student

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

Friday, October 31, 2025

Grand prize: Winners will have their design printed as wrapping paper in the Herald and will be featured in an article in their local Herald newspaper.

Entry format: Please use an 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of unlined paper. All entries should have the student’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, grade and school printed on the back. Design can be reflective of all religious holidays. Entries will not be returned.

Mail or hand-deliver to:

Wrapping Paper Contest

Herald Community Newspapers

2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 OR Scan and email to: ekimbrell@liherald.com

(No Photos of Artwork Will Be Accepted).

Winners will be notified by email or phone by November 14

HELPFUL HINTS

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

• Be creative & original.

• Use bright colors.

• Fill the entire page.

• Choose paint, crayon, chalk, markers, pens, or other creative materials.

• Remember your design will be used to make a real sheet of wrapping paper.

or 516.569.4000 x

Ryder Cup excitement in East Meadow

As the Ryder Cup unfolded at Bethpage State Park, golf fans gathered at Eisenhower Park from Sept. 26 to 28 for a weekend of watch parties, concerts, and celebrations.

Hosted on the Kite Field by Nassau County, the free public event brought live-stream coverage of the tournament on a giant screen, golfthemed games, food vendors, and Ryder Cup ticket giveaways.

The festivities began with a watch party on Thursday, followed by another watch party and an electric Steve Aoki performance on Sept. 26 at the lakeside stage.

Crowds packed the park throughout the weekend to enjoy the mix of sports, entertainment, and community spirit, as East Meadow became a hub for fans eager to experience the Ryder Cup atmosphere close to home.

–Jordan Vallone

The Annual meeting the Brookville Cemetery Association and Plot Holders will be held Saturday, October 18, 2025 Youngs Farm 5:00pm 155964

OpiniOns

Trump meets with the king and mixes it up at the U.N. p

resident Trump’s state visit to Great Britain and his meetings with foreign leaders at the United Nations General Assembly emphasized the continued significance of personal diplomacy in international affairs.

Trump’s royal welcome by King Charles III at Windsor Castle demonstrated the lasting relationship between the United States and Great Britain. (I say this as an Irish-American who severely criticized British policy in Ireland in the years before the signing of the historic Good Friday Agreement in 1998.) The reality is that beyond a common language, Americans and Brits share common values emanating from the Magna Carta. British leaders have demonstrated firmness and strength at key moments in our history.

Winston Churchill stood alone, defending Western civilization against Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany in the dark early days of World War II, and then, in the postwar years, alerted the U.S. and the world to the growing menace of Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union’s Iron Curtain.

Margaret Thatcher allied with Presi-

dent Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II to bring down the Soviet empire.

Tony Blair stood with President George W. Bush and America in the aftermath of 9/11. I observed Blair behind the scenes during the negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement, and was struck by his extraordinary courage and leadership. That British leadership continues today, as Britain provides weapons to Ukraine and deploys RAF fighter jets to Poland to help the nations resisting Russian aggression.

The state dinner Charles hosted for Trump was more than pomp and ceremony. It was a dramatic affirmation of the special relationship between our nations. This show of unity was particularly vital when totalitarian states — Russia, China and North Korea— threaten world security. In his remarks, Charles urged the U.S. and Great Britain to stand strong against Russian aggression in Ukraine, as we did against Hitler. (My wife, Rosemary, and I met then Prince Charles in Washington in 2011. He was very engaging and down to earth.)

ing, friendly relationship. Their meeting certainly appeared to go well, with Starmer emphasizing the importance of the U.S. and Europe standing with Ukraine.

By all accounts, the president’s visit to Great Britain was a solid success.

F for the General Assembly, a classic performance on the world stage.

The following week, he was in New York for the annual opening of the U.N. General Assembly. Trump was the first major leader to speak, and it was a classic Trump performance brought to the world stage. He began by mercilessly critiquing the U.N. for being consistently ineffective, exemplified that morning by the malfunctioning of an escalator and his teleprompter.

al concessions to Putin).

Just hours after his General Assembly speech — which went three times longer than his allotted time — Trump met with Zelensky, and went beyond just criticizing Russia and Putin. He made a full reversal. Informed by a key adviser, Gen. Keith Kellogg, how weak Russia was after having suffered more than a million casualties, taken control of only 1 percent of Ukraine and with its economy in shambles, Trump hailed Ukraine’s courage and fighting ability. With allied support, he said, Ukraine could win the war and regain its lost territory, and that NATO countries should shoot down Russian planes that violate their air space.

I have supported Ukraine from the start, not just because its position is just, but because it’s in America’s national interest for Russia’s aggression to be stopped.

The following day, Trump met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Though Starmer is a member of the Labor Party and has a number of policy and ideological differences with Trump, the two are known to have a good work-

Not content to assail the organization itself, Trump verbally attacked countries individually and continents collectively. He was particularly critical of Russia and its dictator, Vladimir Putin, for its continued attacks on Ukraine, especially its innocent civilians. Significantly, one country that was spared Trump’s caustic criticism was Ukraine (in stark contrast with Trump’s White House encounter earlier this year with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he criticized for continuing to wage what Trump thought was a futile battle against Russia, because Ukraine had “no cards” left to play and would have to make territori-

British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s failure to stop Hitler at Munich because it was a “faraway” war led to World War II and millions of deaths, including more than 400,000 Americans. I believe that Trump’s visit with our closest ally was a reminder of the necessity to follow Churchill’s example, stand with Europe against Russian imperialism and not let the tragic failures of appeasement and isolationism be repeated.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

There are many reasons not to embrace Mamdani

Over the past few weeks, Democrats have been having a slugfest over the question of the obligation of party officials to endorse the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani. The debate was triggered by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to endorse Mamdani. State Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs angrily pledged that he would not support Mamdani, in an obvious break with the governor. So who’s right and who’s wrong?

power in the House of Representatives. A state chair’s endorsement of a controversial mayoral candidate could reverberate around the state. and beyond.

First of all, to quote my parents, it’s a free country. You’re entitled to endorse whomever you want, and Jacobs has the right to break from Hochul. She has yet to explain why she endorsed Mamdani, but I have no doubt that she has her own bona fide reasons to do so.

And Jacobs has a lot of reasons to disagree with her endorsement. Next year there will be dozens of congressional races that will decide the balance of

The more I’ve thought about Mamdani’s candidacy, the more I’m convinced that there are lots of reasons why some Democrats will rightly shun him. He made a decision to run for mayor after analyzing the field of potential opponents, and had the backing of the Working Families Party and the Democratic Socialists of America. He had the endorsements of other socialist and progressive groups that have the ability to organize voterturnout operations and have helped elected a number of members of the State Assembly. They’re especially effective when moderate Democrats are sound asleep.

Tmedia and old-time get-out-the-vote operations to win the nomination. He had a story to tell right out of the socialist playbook.

He focused on the high cost of living in the city, and pledged free bus rides, a rent freeze and public grocery stores. While these promises aren’t realistic, they appealed to thousands of young voters, many of whom had never voted in a primary.

he failure of some prominent Democrats to endorse him is no surprise.

Mamdani saw that his Democratic rivals would likely be former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams. Both had a ton of political problems that would affect their chances — indeed, Adams suspended his campaign on Sunday — and that gave Mamdani a clear field to tell his story, and utilize social

Another facet of the campaign is that the vast majority of moderate voters don’t vote in city primaries. They show up in November for the general election, but don’t understand that the primaries determine who the candidates will be in November. It’s no surprise that all of these factors combined to help Mamdani win a decisive victory, which stunned Democratic elected leaders as well as party officials. While they privately conceded that Mamdani won fair and square, they simply couldn’t believe that a socialist might be the next mayor. Aside from the fact that Mamdani wasn’t a moderate candidate, once the primary was over, the media began exploring his views on Israel, and focused on his

Muslim background. He had made numerous controversial statements on the war in Gaza. In the past he has also advocating defunding the police. Post-primary, he has backtracked on a number of previous positions, including that one, but he has failed to satisfy his critics, and he has made other controversial statements that have kept the political pot boiling. In my political lifetime I have often noted that retractions only make things worse, and that the public rarely changes its views after the first missteps.

So the failure of some prominent Democrats to endorse Mamdani is no surprise. Embracing him could be fatal for a moderate member of the party. Other than having won its primary, Mamdani isn’t a traditional Democrat, and there’s no reason to believe that he would act like one come next January. He will temper his past comments now, but he is rumored to be selecting lots of people who are pleasing to him and the socialist movement. In the past, I’ve gone against my party on some major occasions. If I were still in office, I wouldn’t endorse Mamdani, either.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. Comments about this column? jkremer@ liherald.com.

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Protecting Long Island from invasive species

asilent invasion is making its way across Long Island. From beetles boring through forests to aggressive weeds choking native plants, invasive species pose an urgent and growing threat to the natural beauty, the economy and the very identity of our region.

As these pests encroach on farmland, damaged crops mean higher food prices and struggling farms. Infested woodlands mean fewer tourists and diminished property values. And the loss of treasured natural spaces — from forests and meadows to backyards and parks — erodes the very character of Long Island.

The recent detection of the redbay ambrosia beetle in Suffolk County, likely imported accidentally from Asia and bringing with it a tree-killing fungus, only increases the volume of our collective wake-up call. The question before us is simple: Will we act now to defend our communities, or will we watch as our landscapes steadily degrade and our land-based livelihoods slowly unravel?

Invasive species aren’t a new problem, but their spread has accelerated dramatically in recent decades. Increased global trade, climate change and urbanization have opened doors for pests and plants that don’t belong here, allowing them to thrive in places where native species have no natural defenses. The result is widespread ecological disruption.

In Nassau County, we already know the damage invaders can do. The spotted lanternfly, a deceptively attractive insect with mottled wings, feeds on more than

letters

70 species of plants. Its favorite targets include vineyards, orchards and hardwood forests — ecosystems that support industries that have helped Long Island grow. Left unchecked, lanternfly infestations can cripple agriculture and rob us of the fall foliage many tourists come here to see.

The plant kingdom has its own wellknown adversaries. Japanese knotweed, with its bamboo-like stalks and dense root systems, is nearly impossible to eradicate once it takes hold. It smothers native plants, leaving wildlife without food or shelter, and even undermines human infrastructure, pushing up through sidewalks, driveways and foundations. Its spread is a quiet but relentless reminder that invasive species are as much an economic challenge as an ecological one.

And then there’s the southern pine beetle — a small insect with an outsized appetite that can be found across the Island. This pest can wipe out acres of pine forest, reducing green woodlands to brown arboreal graveyards. The loss is not only aesthetic; forests are essential for carbon storage, stormwater absorption and wildlife habitat.

Together, these threats underscore a sobering reality: Invasive species weaken biodiversity, strain local economies and diminish our quality of life. Each unchecked outbreak increases the costs borne by everyone from homeowners to landscapers to farmers, while also endangering industries like agriculture and tourism that are the backbone of Nassau and Suffolk’s economies.

A tale of three cities, and two socialist mayors — so far

To the Editor:

Jerry Kremer warns in his Sept 18-24 Herald column, “The battle of egos in the Big Apple,” that “all of New York City and state will suffer” if Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor in November. “Many people, city and suburban voters, have been transfixed by fear about the possibility” of Mamdani becoming the city’s first socialist leader, Kremer notes.

In terms of dynamism and attractions, New York has only a few peers among cities worldwide. London and Paris are two of them. So it could come as a surprise — or, one hopes, a reassurance — to Kremer and others fearful of a Mamdani victory that both London and Paris have been governed by socialists for the past nine and 11 years, respectively.

And voters in those European cities seem quite satisfied with the performance of their progressive mayors. London’s Sadiq Khan was elected to an unprecedented third term last year by an 11-point margin over a Conservative Party opponent. Paris’s Anne Hidalgo won a second six-year term in 2020 by 15 percentage points over a conservative rival.

Khan, a Muslim of Pakistani descent, is a member of a Brit-

The earlier an invasive species is detected, the greater the chance of stopping it before it becomes a living feature of the landscape. Funding for local monitoring programs isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Public education is equally critical. Residents are often the first line of defense against invasive species. With the right tools and training, they can help identify and report harmful insects and plants before they spread out of control. Imagine how much better off we’d be if every homeowner could recognize lanternflies and every gardener knew how to prevent knotweed from hitching a ride in soil or mulch.

State and local governments, environmental nonprofits, research institutions and industry leaders must work together to create a unified strategy. Protecting Long Island’s agriculture, landscaping and tourism sectors requires pooling resources, sharing knowledge and mobilizing communities. A fragmented, haphazard response will only give invasive species more opportunities to occupy new territory.

By investing in prevention, monitoring and education today, we have the power to preserve our island’s future. The rising tide of invasive species is controllable — but only if we act decisively. Long Islanders have always taken pride in protecting our shoreline, parks and communities. Now we must extend that vigilance to these less visible, but no less dangerous, invaders among us. Our environment, economy and way of life depend on it.

ish political organization roughly equivalent to Democratic Socialists of America, to which Mamdani belongs. Hidalgo, a Spanish-French politician, is a prominent figure in France’s Socialist Party.

Has violent crime run rampant in London and Paris under left-wing

leadership? The London police recorded a total of 110 murders in 2023. That’s 10 fewer than in 2015, the final year of Boris Johnson’s tenure as that city’s Conservative Party mayor.

Urban crime rates are difficult to measure in France because such sta-

opinions

It used to be that words couldn’t hurt us

“sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

We all grew up repeating that rhyme. And as cliché as it may now sound, it actually conveyed some valuable lessons. It promoted emotional resilience and, in true Stoic tradition, taught children that they have the power to rise above criticism and control their reactions to others’ words. It was a calm but clear reminder that the answer to words might be more words, but never fists or fighting.

At some point along the way, we lost that thread. Today, we’re told, “words are violence.” We’re told, “silence is violence.” And by intentionally blurring the line between words and actions, we’ve somehow justified real violence and made it easier to excuse. If you believe an opinion is truly an “attack,” then retaliation in

the form of physical violence starts to seem almost rational.

The consequences of this thinking are no longer hypothetical. The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a grim reminder of what violence really looks like. It is a life stolen, a family shattered and a nation further divided.

BSadly, Kirk’s murder isn’t an outlier. We’ve now seen assassination attempts against President Trump; two Israeli embassy staffers gunned down in Washington, D.C., after attending a Jewish event; and the tragic murder of Minnesota State Legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband — different victims, different circumstances, but all united by the same thing: political violence.

protected by our Founding Fathers became the trigger for violence.

Even more disturbing? Some people cheer this behavior on and view it as appropriate.

y blurring the line between words and actions, we’ve justified violence.

Making these attacks more chilling is that none of these victims was engaged in any violence themselves. Their opinions and ideas were the only things that incited attacks against them. Each of these heinous crimes was, at its core, a reaction to speech. The very right that was enshrined and

LeTTers

tistics are kept primarily on a national rather than the local level. But according to a compilation used by the publication World Population Review, Paris was the 23rd safest city in the world in 2024. Safer than Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona and Rome.

Mamdani, meanwhile, has retracted his call for defunding the NYPD — a stance he took at the height of the Black Lives Matter agitation. He has pledged to make public safety a top priority of his mayoralty, along with making New York City more affordable for all of its residents.

Instead of freaking out over political labels, Kremer and other fearmongers should calm down and see how Mamdani actually governs.

Closer to home: I lived in Burlington, Vermont, when Bernie Sanders was mayor. A socialist who had held no previous elected office, Sanders made Vermont’s largest city a more equitable and prosperous place. Burlington’s business community came to regard him as an outstanding mayor.

KEVIN J. KELLEY Atlantic Beach

The fight against smoking isn’t over

To the Editor:

As partners in the New York State Tobacco Control Program, Health Systems for a Tobacco-Free NY and the

Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island work together to reduce the burden of commercial tobacco use and support a healthier, tobacco-free Long Island.

Since the inception of the state’s comprehensive Tobacco Control Program 25 years ago, cigarette smoking among adults in the state has dropped dramatically, from 23.2 percent in 2001 to 9.3 percent in 2023. Nassau and Suffolk counties have achieved two of the five lowest smoking rates in the state. There has also been a striking decrease in youth smoking since 2000, when 27.1 percent of high school youth reported cigarette use. The latest data show a 92 percent drop, to just 2.1 percent.

Nonetheless, the tobacco industry continues to harm New Yorkers. Industry documents reveal how tobacco companies have deliberately marketed menthol cigarettes to specific populations, including LGBTQ, Black and Hispanic communities, for decades. Data from the Adult Tobacco Survey highlight these disparities: Menthol cigarette use was highest among adults who identify as Black or African American (88 percent) and those who identify as Hispanic (70 percent).

The use of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches is on the rise, especially among youth. Vaping exposes users to serious health risks such as heart disease, lung cancer, asthma attacks and long-term effects from toxic metals. Nicotine can harm the developing brains of adolescents, and nearly one in five high school students in our state report vaping. Add-

But consider this: Our right to free speech is the very first of our freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights for a reason. It is the foundation on which every other right is built. If Americans can’t disagree without fear, then all of our other freedoms collapse. Of course words can hurt feelings and divide people. Of course arguments can be traumatic. But the moment we redefine speech as “violence,” we invite actual, physical violence into our politics. Violence is not a metaphor. Violence is not a feeling. It is blood, it is broken bones. It is a 31-year-old husband and father of two murdered by a shot to the neck in front of the whole world. Ask yourself, if we can’t tell the difference between speech and assault, what kind of country will we become? And is that truly the country we want to leave to our children?

Like many of you, I am well past the age for mincing words or beating around the bush. When you’ve lived a little and suffered some yourself, you come to understand that empathy is a much better guide than a “cause.”

So here’s the call to action: Don’t play along with the lie that everything is violence. Push back when someone tells you that speech is violence or that silence is an attack. Speak, debate, disagree — but don’t confuse barbs with brutality. We need to understand the plain meaning of the words we use: Words are words. Silence is silence. Violence is violence.

Because once a society fails to recognize the distinction, it won’t be long before the only arguments left are made through force. And that’s a pretty scary place to be. The freedom to speak freely, with civility, courage and conviction, is what keeps democracy alive. We owe it to the next generation to demand civility, to defend that courage, to draw the line clearly against all forms of violence and to insist that ideas be met with other ideas, and not with an assassin’s bullet.

Jack Martins represents the 7th State Senate District.

ing to the concern, social media have begun promoting pouches as a cheaper alternative to weight-loss drugs.

The closing of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health puts years of progress at risk. Without this support, states will have a harder time keeping prevention and quit-smoking programs strong. These programs have helped countless families in New York and around the country live healthier lives. The cuts will hit vulnerable communities the hardest.

Here in New York, funding cuts have led to the layoff of more than a dozen key members of the state’s tobacco

control program. This could weaken our free State Quitline services, reduce support for the Health Systems program and limit several other vital tobacco-control initiatives.

It’s imperative that we continue to employ comprehensive, evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce tobacco product use and nicotine addiction. The decline in cigarette smoking is worth celebrating, but there is still more work to be done.