Uniondale Herald 03-05-2026

HERALD UNIONDALE

Stacy Driks/Herald photos Children’s Librarians Sabrina Damus and James Grzybowski; Chrissy Hirsch, head of children’s services, as Pikachu; and Travis Williams. “Professor Brittany,” Brittany Georgalas, provided the costume.

Celebrating a 30-year milestone

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

The Uniondale Public Library hosted a Pokémon-themed program last Saturday to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary, welcoming children and parents for an afternoon of games, crafts, giveaways and card trading.

While fans around the world marked the anniversary on Friday, National Pokémon Day, the library held its event a day later to make it more accessible for families.

Children’s Librarian James Grzybowski organized the gathering, saying he wanted to create a program that brought families together while celebrating a global phenomenon that has spanned generations.

“It’s the 30th anniversary — we had to celebrate it,” Grzybowski said. “I figured, why not do it here in the children’s section instead of our Pokémon Club? That’s a little low-key, and this is obviously a big event.”

A lifelong fan, Grzybowski said his connection to Pokémon runs deep. “I’ve loved Pokémon forever,” he said. “I’m the same age as it, and even have a Pikachu tattoo on my ankle.”

The turnout was larger than expected, with more than 30 children attending, which Grzybowski attributed to his outreach efforts. Every month he hosts scavenger hunts for children, and in February the theme was Pokémon. He said he hoped to bring the event back, but acknowledged that making it annu-

Rolling out the blue carpet for ‘Pete the Cat’

By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com

The red carpet turned blue at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Uniondale on Feb. 16, when families gathered for a star-style premiere of “Pete the Cat,” a musical complete with a grand entrance for the storybook character.

Based on the popular children’s book series by Kimberly and James Dean, the production follows the laid-back blue cat as he helps a young boy navigate creativity, confidence and self-expression. The musical features live musicians — a signature element of LICM Theater — and blends humor and life lessons designed to engage both children and adults.

ater program volunteered as “paparazzi” to take photos of them. The children posed for photos with the character and took part in a VIP-style experience ahead of the show, before heading to “Pete’s Groovy Lounge” for refreshments and food sponsored by The Gluten Free Treat Shop.

“It popped into my head one day that it would be really fun to do a special VIP event,” Lisa Rudin, artistic director and co-director, said, “to give kids a chance to pretend to be glamorous movie stars or very important people.”

MICHAel KoHN Audience member

The production uses the theme of creativity, friendship, cooperation and personal growth, mixed in with some emotional learning and messaging about overcoming fears and trying something new.

The sold-out “Pete’s Blue Carpet Catwalk” invited children to walk the carpet, as students from Farmingdale High School’s the-

Children lined up along the blue carpet, some holding copies of the popular book series as they waited for their turn in the spotlight. Some children invited the attention of the paparazzi, while others were slightly shy and casually walked on through.

“I like ‘Pete the Cat,’” Mateo Diaz, 4, of Oceanside, said while clutching his book.

Other young attendees also expressed that they had fun walking down the carpet.

While waiting on line to walk

ConTinueD on PaGe 20

By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO

things to know about Ramadan

Celebrating the holiday Ramadan

azingariello@liherald.com

Ramadan is a central observance in Islam, marked by a month-long period of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. It follows the Islamic lunar calendar, so its start date shifts each year. During this time, Muslims deepen their spiritual practice and self-discipline, culminating in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

Religious significance

Ramadan holds central religious importance in Islam because Muslims believe it was during this month that the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

This event marks the beginning of divine revelation in Islamic belief. Within Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Power, commemorates the initial revelation and is described in the Qur’an as better than a thousand months. For this reason, Muslims devote increased time to prayer, Qur’an recitation and supplication during the month.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Its beginning and end are determined by the sighting of the new crescent moon, which causes the dates to shift approximately ten to twelve days earlier each solar year.

Fasting as one of the Five Pillars of Islam

Fasting during Ramadan, known in Arabic as ṣ awm, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which are the fundamental acts of worship required of Muslims.

Each day from dawn, marked by the fajr prayer, until sunset, marked by the maghrib prayer, adult Muslims who are physically able abstain from food and drink. The fast begins before dawn with a meal called su ḥū r and ends at sunset with if ṭ ãr.

Islamic law provides exemptions for specific groups, including children, the elderly, the sick, pregnant or breastfeeding women and travelers. Those who miss fasts for valid reasons are generally required to make them up later when able. Fasting emphasizes self-control, moral conduct and heightened spiritual awareness.

Communal worship and Eid al- Fitr

Ramadan is observed through both personal devotion and communal religious practice.

In addition to the five daily prayers, many Muslims observe special nightly prayers called tarawih, performed after the evening prayer throughout the month. The final ten days are considered especially significant, as they include Laylat al-Qadr. Acts of charity are also emphasized, including zakat, an obligatory form of almsgiving, as well as voluntary charity.

Ramadan concludes with Eid al-Fitr, which begins with the sighting of the new moon marking the start of Shawwal, the next lunar month. Eid al-Fitr includes a congregational prayer held shortly after sunrise, festive meals, social visits and the giving of Zakat al-Fitr before the prayer.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE ROOSEVELT CHILDREN’S ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

Board Meeting

Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 • Time: 6:00pm Place: 201 Debevoise Ave. Roosevelt, NY 11575 All Are Welcome

Board members participating remotely: Fort Mills, SC 29707 • Durham, NC 27713 • Winston Salem, NC 27103

Date: Friday March 27, 2026

CTeen summit brings 8,000 to Nassau Coliseum

Making history, the 18th annual CTeen International Summit held its closing ceremony at Nassau Coliseum, bringing one of the largest gatherings of Jewish teenagers in the world to Long Island for a four-day Shabbaton.

On Feb. 22, roughly 8,000 teenagers from more than 60 countries filled the venue, celebrating their Jewish identity. Organizers said more than 4,500 teens traveled to New York City for the summit, with participants representing countries including Ukraine, Israel, Venezuela, Mexico and Australia.

There are seven active CTeen chapters on Long Island and more than 900 worldwide, where teens take a leading role in organizing events and community initiatives.

Throughout the summit, participants attended leadership workshops focused on combating antisemitism, mental health, Jewish identity and community leadership.

The closing ceremony featured remarks from four former Hamas hostages, musical performances by Jewish artist Nissim Black, and appearances by business leaders, public officials and teen representatives from around the world.

Among the speakers was Australian Priva Schlanger, who spoke in place of her father, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia on Dec. 14. Organizers also announced the creation of 100 new “safe spaces” for Jewish teens worldwide in response to rising antisemitism.

– Abby Gibson

STUDENT

RECRUITMENT OPENINGS FOR 2026-2027

IMPORTANT DATE: DEADLINE: APRIL 1, 2026* NEW STUDENTS APPLICATION DEADLINE* DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST DEADLINE* LOTTERY DRAWING AT 6PM*

• SAFE, NURTURING ENVIRONMENT; EXTENDED DAY TO 4PM-AFTERSCHOOL HOURS 4-6PM

RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, WITH TWO ADULTS IN EACH CLASSROOM • HIGH FAMILY SATISFACTION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

SEATS AVAILABLE FOR KINDERGARTEN

Limited openings are available in grades 1st - 8th on a space availability basis.

Crime watCh

Teen pleads not guity to stabbing

A 19-year-old man pleaded not guilty to assault and weapon possession charges

On Feb. 27 after police said he stabbed another teen outside a Hempstead deli in November.

Nassau County police said Darwin Maldonado, of Hempstead, got into an argument with another 19-year-old on Nov. 5. During the dispute, police said Maldonado got off an e-bike, approached the victim and stabbed him in the neck and abdomen before fleeing the scene.

arrests in roosevelt Field mall

On Feb. 2 Boris Zeltzer, 63, of Forest hills was arrested for shoplifting at a JCPenney.

On Feb. 2, a victim reported an unknown female subject remove assorted items from ALO.

On Feb. 7, Anntwan Brown, 31, of Glen Cove was arrested for shoplifting at Nordstrom.

On Feb. 7, Carissa Suppes, 44, of Lynbrook was arrest for shoplifting at JCPenney.

On Feb. 7 carol Pottingbroccoli, 63, was arrested for shoplifting at ALO,

On Feb. 8 a victim reported two unknown subjects remove two Stanley bottles from Roosevelt Field Mall.

On Feb. 9 three individuals were arrested for shoplifting at JCPenney. Kim, Gurley, 27 and Sha Davay Washington, 29, both of Brooklyn. Other arrestees were, Jahem Johnson, 24, of the Bronx and Rannasia Hollman, 21, of Mastic.

On Feb. 11 Anderson Jackson, 52, of Queens was arrested for shoplifting at Burberry.

On Feb. 11 a victim reported two unknown female subjects remove assorted items from Cotton On.

On Feb. 13 Michael Catalano, 48, of Merrick was arrested for shoplifting at JCPenney.

On Feb. 14 a victim reported an unknown female subject remove as -

Maldonado was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and fourthdegree criminal possession of a weapon, police said. Maldonado was scheduled to appear in court March 3. Additional information was not available as of press time. At his arraignment Friday in Nassau District Court, Maldonado pleaded not guilty, according to court documents. Bail was set at $100,000 cash, $250,000 insured bond or $500,000 partially secured bond. — Stacy Driks

sorted items from ALO.

On Feb. 19 a victim reported an unknown male subject remove two sex toys from a location in Roosevelt Field Mall.

On Feb. 22 Walter Hill, 69, of Hempstead was arrested for shoplifting at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

On Feb. 25 Dennis Rodriguez, 27, of Hempstead was arrested for shoplifting at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Petite l ar C eny

On Jan. 30 Jason Goffe, 43, of Hempstead was arrested for shoplifting at a Target on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream.

On Feb. 7 a victim reported an unknown subject remove a Samsung galaxy S25 from a house on Leonard Avenue.

On Feb. 9 Jhonathon Rogers, 25, of Hempstead was arrested for shoplifting at TJ Maxx in Oyster Bay.

On Feb. 16 Stanislas Numa, 18, of Uniondale was arrested for shoplifting at a Walmart on Jerusalem Avenue.

On Feb. 19 Marcos Reyes Torres, 29, was arrested for shoplifting at Macy’s.

dwi

On Jan. 29, Jose Acosta Rodriguez, 44, of Uniondale was arrested approximately 11:05 p.m. at the intersection of West John Street and Charlotte Avenue in Hicksville.

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

Nassau boosts security following Iran conflict

By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com

Nassau County officials said Monday they have heightened security measures and increased police deployments in response to the escalating military conflict with Iran, citing concerns about potential retaliatory attacks, self-radicalized individuals and cyber threats.

Speaking March 2 at the Ceremonial Chamber in the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the county began reviewing and expanding its security posture immediately after the conflict began.

“As we all know, we are engaged now in a military conflict with Iran,” Blakeman said. He added that he believed the federal government’s response was “an appropriate action to take” and that “Iran has been nothing but an irritant and a danger to America for a long, long time.”

Blakeman said Nassau County is home to residents of Iranian descent, some of whom, he said, have expressed support for changes in their country of origin.

“They are now celebrating the liberation of a once great country that was taken over by a very brutal and dictatorial regime, and that is now come to an end, and I can say, on my own behalf, we are very grateful that that action was taken by President Trump,” Blakeman said.

In Nassau, he said, public safety remains the top priority.

Abigail Grieco/Herald

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman spoke during a news conference at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola on March 2, outlining heightened security measures in Nassau County following the military conflict with Iran.

“That is our number one mission, and we take that mission very seriously,” he said. “When there are extraordinary events that occur — whether it’s a mass gathering, a celebration or a situation where someone may have an ax to grind — we always take special precautions.”

Blakeman said he and Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder have been in constant contact since the outbreak of hostilities, reviewing intelligence and determining how best to deploy additional resources.

Officials referenced a recent shooting at a Texas bar that authorities believe may have been motivated by the overseas conflict. While that investigation remains ongoing, Blakeman said preliminary information suggests the attack may have been influenced by events in Iran.

“That brought especially to light the fact that there may be a lone wolf that could be motivated, or even a terrorist cell that could be activated,” he said. “Therefore, we will

take extraordinary precautions to make sure that our community is safe.”

Ryder said the police department implemented an “all-hands-on-deck” response as soon as intelligence briefings were received.

Specialized units, including the Bureau of Special Operations, criminal intelligence teams and the Strategic Response Team, have been deployed. K-9 units, mounted patrols, drones and aviation assets are also in use. Ryder said officers conducted more than 1,500 visits to critical infrastructure sites over the weekend.

Police are coordinating daily with the New York City Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Ryder said, sharing intelligence across agencies.

Blakeman urged residents to assist law enforcement by reporting suspicious activity.

“It’s not just a cliché,” he said of the phrase “If you see something, say something.” “If you see someone that looks sus-

picious, if you see a package left somewhere, a suitcase or a backpack — anything that might be suspicious — please call 911 immediately.”

He also warned residents about potential cyberattacks linked to the conflict.

“Do not open suspicious emails,” Blakeman said. “If something doesn’t look right, don’t open it. We don’t want you to be the victim of a cyberattack or someone hacking your internet or social media accounts.”

With the Jewish holiday of Purim beginning Monday evening — a celebration that often includes large gatherings and costumes — police had already planned intensified patrols, Ryder said. In light of current events, the county is asking residents not to wear masks while traveling to and from houses of worship so officers can more easily identify individuals in public spaces.

Blakeman said additional patrols have been assigned to Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Sikh houses of worship and schools, noting that religious institutions have historically been targets of violence.

“Whether it’s business, pleasure or family activities, we want you to go about your daily lives,” he said. “Our police department is out there. They’re experienced, they do a great job, and we’re very confident in their ability to make sure that we get through this situation in a way that is safe and secure for all.”

Officials said the heightened security posture will remain in place until law enforcement determines that extraordinary measures are no longer necessary.

An invisible threat in Long Island’s waters

Researchers study acidification and its potential effects on the future of oysters and clams

By ABIGAIL GRIECO, WILL SHEELINE & JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO of the Herald Community Newspapers

Third installment in a series about water.

For generations, the waters surrounding Long Island have defined its identity — from the wide-open waterfronts of the South Shore to the shellfish beds of the North Shore. But beneath the surface, a quieter transformation is underway.

Ocean acidification is often called climate change’s “evil twin,” and refers to the lowering of the water’s pH, the scale used to measure the concentration of hydrogen ions in the water. While global warming refers to rising temperatures, acidification describes a shift in seawater chemistry.

The science begins with carbon dioxide. As levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increase — predominantly from the burning of fossil fuels — the ocean absorbs roughly 25 to 30 percent of it. When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, making the water more acidic, and lowering its pH.

farmers — industries that have experienced both revival and setbacks in recent decades — these chemical changes aren’t just theoretical. They are measurable, seasonal and, increasingly, part of daily operations.

The ‘evil twin’ of climate change

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a nonprofit advocacy organization in New York and Connecticut, describes ocean acidification as a hidden but mounting crisis for Long Island’s waters — one intensified by warming temperatures, nitrogen pollution and poor circulation in local bays.

“It’s commonly understood that roughly a third of all carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere are absorbed by the marine environment,” Esposito said. That absorption increases acidity levels in bays, estuaries and the open ocean.

RISING TIDES

The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that even a small numerical drop represents a significant shift in chemistry. The ocean is naturally slightly alkaline, but since the Industrial Revolution, average ocean surface pH has dropped by about 0.1 units — roughly a 30 percent increase in acidity. That shift reduces the availability of carbonate ions, the building blocks shellfish such as oysters and clams need to form their calcium carbonate shells.

Ryan Wallace, assistant professor of environmental science at Adelphi University, explained that these acidity levels are not evenly distributed. Some bays and harbors on the North Shore are measured at 450 parts per million, close to the ideal level of roughly 300 ppm, while others, particularly in the western portion of Long Island Sound, measured as high as 2,000 ppm.

Wallace emphasized that while these may not sound like huge differences, even minor changes in CO2 levels can have a drastic impact.

it to

On Long Island, acidification is not driven by global carbon emissions alone. Local factors intensify the problem. Nitrogen discharged from wastewater, septic systems and fertilizer runoff flows into bays and harbors, fueling harmful algal blooms. When those blooms die and decompose, the process consumes oxygen and releases additional carbon dioxide in the water, further lowering pH.

The result is a compounding effect: global atmospheric carbon dioxide combined with local nitrogen pollution accelerates acidification in shallow, enclosed estuaries.

Warming waters add another layer of stress. As temperatures rise, marine organisms’ metabolic demands increase, but warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen. Together, warming and acidification can weaken shellfish during their most vulnerable larval stages, making it harder for them to survive and build shells.

For Long Island’s oyster and clam

“To put it into perspective, over the last 800,000 years or so, the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was only about 300” parts per million, Wallace explained. “Two thousand is a lot more than that, so when you get to concentrations that are that high, this can have implications for, you know, organisms that are living in these ecosystems.”

While the data reflect a global pattern, the consequences are being felt at the regional level as well. As Esposito noted, Long Island’s problems do not exist in isolation.

“It’s being exacerbated by an increase in temperature of the waterways and more nutrient runoff, such as nitrogen, going into waterways,” she said. “All of that causes unfortunate degradation to our water bodies.”

While algae is an important part of a healthy ecosystem, excess nitrogen can fuel algal blooms that, when they die off, consume oxygen and further stress marine life — compounding the chemical impacts of acidification with biological ones.

In the South Shore’s Western Bays, limited water circulation compounds the problem. Research by Stony Brook

University has shown that it can take up to 180 days for water to fully flush out through an inlet into the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, Esposito said, the water “sloshes back and forth” before eventually reaching the ocean, trapping heat and pollutants in the process.

Coastal areas such as the western portion of the Sound are especially vulnerable because of limited circulation. Wallace stressed that scientists differentiate between open-ocean acidification and coastal-ocean acidification because of the unique challenges those areas face.

In Hempstead Harbor, the issue of acidification has been a focus for local environmental organizations for decades. The Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor was formed in 1986 to address a range of environmental issues facing the area, including acidification.

Michelle Lapinel McAllister, the coalition’s programs director, explained that pH monitoring is one of the core services that the nonprofit provides for the harbor. Measuring occurs yearround, with particular emphasis from May to October, when the harbor, in

common with other waterways, sees annual spikes in nitrogen levels.

“Each season we will see periods of low dissolved oxygen, and whenever dissolved oxygen gets low, then we’ll see pH drop as well,” Lapinel McAllister said. “That will typically happen around the hottest part of the year.”

Another complication is the fact that enclosed waters respond more quickly to environmental stressors than the open ocean, meaning local ecosystems can feel the impacts sooner and more intensely.

“The more stagnant the water body is, the more these acidity levels build up,” Esposito said. “The more the temperature builds up, the more damage the increase in acidity levels can do.”

She described three primary consequences of ocean acidification: “reduced water quality, the impact on shellfish and finfish and the degradation of the overall habitat due to low oxygen.”

Shellfish such as oysters and clams struggle to build and maintain their shells in more acidic conditions, while

Rising acidity, rising stakes for coastal shellfish

Continued from PreViouS PAGe

finfish larvae have lower survival rates — threatening both the ecosystem and the region’s maritime economy.

“Acidification actually reduces the availability of carbonate ions that are needed for these organisms to build their shells, so that’s a major issue,” Wallace said. “Like shellfish aquaculture, it can impact fisheries, and then there’s this cascading effect that can influence things like recreational activities and tourism.”

This is especially relevant because shellfish play an important role in regulating nitrogen levels. An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, depending on size and environmental conditions, while a clam can filter roughly half that.

Across Long Island, and across the country, local environmental organizations and governments are throwing their support behind shellfish hatcheries and protection programs, including the towns of Hempstead, Oyster Bay and Babylon. Lapinel McAllister explained that while these efforts serve an important role in safeguarding healthy ecosystems, they can’t singlehandedly save marine ecosystems.

“On their own, shellfish can’t improve the water quality to healthy levels,” she said, “but having a good, healthy, strong population is going to be part of that overall puzzle of maintaining the stability of pH over long term.”

While local efforts to restore wetlands, upgrade sewage-treatment plants and rebuild shellfish populations are making progress, Esposito said the root cause remains global. “The main culprit of ocean acidification is the burning of fossil fuels,” she said. “The only thing we can do is support more renewable energy so that we’re not pouring more carbon dioxide into the waterways.”

The wet work of marine scientists

Across Long Island, scientists are working together to find ways to improve the quality of local waters. A leading solution is all-organic: Restoring local populations of filter-feeders could, with careful management, bear the brunt of decontamination efforts.

The Flax Pond Marine Laboratory, in Old Field, is nestled in the marshes of the North Shore, overlooking the Long Island Sound. This laboratory is a research hatchery, working toward “improving local coastal water quality and replenishing natural shellfish populations,” according to its shellfish restoration manager, Peter Martin.

The facility’s current focus is the Ribbed Mussel Bioextraction Project, in which staff test what growth strategies lead to the healthiest shellfish that could be reintroduced to coastal waters to rejuvenate them.

“There’s a lot of coastal communities and little inlets and even out-of-use small pockets of water that are just polluted and are in need of cleaner water,” Martin said. “Fundamentally … shellfish are natural filters. All they do is filter feed, so they’re cleaning the water as they grow.”’

“One of the big pollutants that we’re focused on is nitrogen removal,” hatchery Research Specialist Ashley Lopez said. “Shellfish take in the bad form of nitrogen, process it in their body, and they still expel some nitrogen, but it’s a safe and more bioavailable kind of nitrogen.”

The ribbed mussel program is exploring new methods of shellfish cultivation; according to Lopez, there is no consensus in the field about growing large amounts of these shellfish. In their nascence, ribbed mussels have delicate health — a larva is as small as a grain of sand. The Citizens Campaign for the Environment staff regularly sterilize equipment and filter externally sourced seawater to minimize diseases and infections from plankton and bacteria.

The researchers grow eight different varieties of algae to feed adult ribbed mussels, which are kept in temperature-stabilized basins. This conditioning pro-

nonprofits like the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor play a vital role in the fight against acidification. Staff members such as michelle Lapinel mcAllister, right, programs director, and Carol diPaolo, water-monitoring coordinator, track pH levels and coordinate a shellfish restoration program to keep the harbor healthy.

Acidification, by the numbers

■ 30 percent of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean.

■ From 2008 to 2017, fossil fuel burning and land use changes were responsible for 40 billion tons of emissions per year.

■ Surface waters are 30 percent more acidic than their pre-industrial levels.

■ While the ocean on average has seen a 0.06 decrease in pH units, meaning increasing acidity, since 1985, the Long Island Sound has seen a decrease of 0.04 per decade, according to UConn Marine Sciences.

■ In the past 25 years, the $6 billion clamming industry has seen a 93 percent reduction in harvests, according to the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation.

■ More than 12,000 acres of Long Island waterways have been closed to shellfishing due to algal blooms, according to the Suffolk County Health Department.

■ 76 percent of the nitrogen in the waters off Long Island — home to 40 percent of the state’s population — comes from faulty septic systems.

cess is meant to “ripen the gonads” of the mussels and help them reproduce as effectively as possible, according to Martin.

“What we’re doing is trying to find out the best way

to grow a lot of them from birth on and have them actually survive,” Lopez said. “And the starting point, we think, is the feeding regimens that we’re giving them. So that’s why we’re doing different diets — to see what kind of spawn they produce and see how the larvae survive after that.”

“This two-year project is Phase Two of a larger project,” Martin added. “Phase One was from ’23 to ’25. Each phase is getting further and further, doing more to figure out the best way to grow these things.”

In addition to ribbed mussel cultivation, CCE staff are involved with other restoration efforts, including a Community Aquaculture Restoration and Education program, in which scientists partner with community volunteers to sow “spat-on-shell” oysters into local estuaries, from which larvae will grow and mature into underwater custodians.

The Flax Pond hatchery works with groups ranging from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and Stony Brook University to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. It is one ecological collective of many working toward improving the quality of local waters from the east end of Long Island to the shores of Nassau County.

Setting course for a healthier future

Even as Long Island’s waterways face the threat of rising acidification, the experts emphasize that all is not lost. Thanks to the efforts of the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor and other environmental groups, the region’s waters have bounced back from near-toxic levels of acidity, not to mention numerous pollutionrelated threats of the 1980s.

According to Wallace, the efforts of scientists and local volunteers, from the South Shore to coastal Connecticut, to monitor and address these issues have already made an impact.

“There’s been a lot of positives,” he said, “but we can’t stop there. There’s more work to be done.”

celebrating women’s history month

The physical therapist with a mission to serve

By HAILEY FULMER hfulmer@liherald.com

Emilian Emeagwali has built a life rooted in service, driven by a deep, generational commitment to uplifting and supporting the community around her.

Born and raised in Onitsha, Nigeria, Emeagwali, 60, emigrated to the United States in 1992, where she faced a dramatic change of lifestyle. In Nigeria, she had been surrounded by support, with help raising a baby girl and managing her daily responsibilities. “Everybody was helping with the baby,” she said. “I was like a queen.”

In America there was no such support system, leaving her to adjust to life with just her husband and their daughter, and to take on a variety of responsibilities herself, from child care to cooking and cleaning.

Determined to adapt, Emeagwali immersed herself in American culture. She spent time watching movies, listening to the news and reading books to better understand her new environment. Even everyday things like food and weather required adjustment.

After moving from Nigeria, Emeagwali received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brooklyn College. In 2003 she enrolled at Stony Brook University, where she earned a doctorate degree in physical therapy. Balancing school and family life proved difficult, because she was commuting 50 miles from Elmont and now caring for two children.

Despite these challenges, Emeagwali remained focused on her goal of helping others. After finishing her degree, she was motivated to continue her education by a desire to make an impact.

Her psychology classes helped her understand how to approach and connect with people, but she ultimately felt she could make a greater difference through physical therapy. While working as a therapist’s assistant in hospital settings, she became dissatisfied with the fastpaced environment, in which she often treated multiple patients in a short period of time.

Wanting to provide more personalized care, Emeagwali decided to open her own practice. In 2007 she founded State of the Art PT OT, a clinic in Valley Stream that has now been serving patients for nearly two decades. Her approach centers on treating people with the same care and attention she would give her own family.

That philosophy, she said, stems from her upbringing. As a child, she watched her parents give money to people in need, ensuring that they had food to eat. That instilled in her a lasting commitment to helping others and giving back.

“That is how I was raised,” she said. “I think that was embedded in me when growing up.”

In 2009, Emeagwali expanded that mission by founding the nonprofit Giving Back to Community Corp., headquartered in Valley Stream. The organization, which is funded by fundraisers and donations, focuses

on providing food, educational resources and other support to underserved people in surrounding communities as well as in Nigeria.

Whether through her clinic or her nonprofit work, Emeagwali’s impact extends far beyond individual patients, strengthening entire communities and carrying forward the values that first inspired her to give back.

At South Nassau, a steady hand in cardiac care

By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com

As director of noninvasive cardiology at Mount Sinai South Nassau, Dr. Pilar Stevens-Haynes has built a career centered on precision, compassion and the belief that medicine can be both life-saving and lifechanging.

That sense of connection is what ultimately steered her toward cardiology. Born and raised in the Elmont/ Valley Stream area, Stevens-Haynes discovered her love of science in high school, drawn to biology and fascinated by a senior-year anatomy and physiology elective.

Though she once envisioned herself as a surgeon, clinical rotations changed her mind. “I thought I would just love surgery,” she said. “But I actually found I loved speaking to patients. In surgery, your patients are unconscious.”

Instead she chose a field that allows her to combine long-term patient relationships with moments of dramatic intervention. While many areas of internal medicine focus on managing chronic illness, StevensHaynes noted that cardiology allows physicians to intervene in acute, life-threatening situations — heart attacks, heart failure or dangerous arrhythmias — and dramatically improve outcomes.

“In cardiology, you can treat someone and sometimes give them back the life they had before,” she said. “I find true joy in taking care of people over time and watching them heal.”

A graduate of SUNY Geneseo, Stevens-Haynes completed her medical training in the Mount Sinai system before joining South Nassau over a decade ago. Her current role centers on cardiac imaging, from

electrocardiograms and echocardiograms to multiple forms of stress testing. Four days a week she oversees the lab, ensuring that the facility meets national accreditation standards.

“The lab has to do what it says it’s going to do,” Stevens-Haynes said. “We have to perform the studies accurately and meet the standards that are set.”

Patient care remains central to her. “I’ve got the best

of both worlds,” she said. “I get to practice medicine, but I also get to do a little bit of curative medicine.”

Throughout her career, she has also navigated the realities of being one of few women — and often the only woman of color — in the room. “You have to get very comfortable by being the one and only,” StevensHaynes said. Early on, she admitted, she was “very, very quiet and shy,” hesitant to draw attention to herself. Over time, however, she came to recognize the importance of representation.

“Patients will say how wonderful it is to see women physicians and to see people that look like them take care of them,” she said. “They trust me because I look like me.”

Mentorship has become one of the most meaningful aspects of Steven-Haynes’s work. She recalled sitting down with a tearful young physician who worried that starting a family would jeopardize her medical career. Stevens-Haynes encouraged her to do both. That physician is now a cardiology fellow.

“It’s important that women know they can have grand professional goals and personal goals — and achieve them,” she said.

Stevens-Haynes credits academic medicine with offering flexibility that has allowed her to balance professional growth with family life. She and her husband, Hector Luna, are raising four children in Baldwin. She remains driven by the passion that first led her into medicine, and by her belief that physicians can build meaningful careers without sacrificing the aspects of life that matter most.

“Even if it feels overwhelming or like an all-boys club, you can find your niche anywhere,” she said. “Chase your dreams. You don’t have to sacrifice.”

New ICE office in Woodbury sparks concerns

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is renting office space in Woodbury for what could be as many as 40 agency attorneys, Newsday has reported. The move is drawing concern from immigration advocates and prompting calls for transparency from local officials.

Last month, ICE began leasing offices in a four-story building at 88 Froehlich Farm Blvd., according to Craig J. Padover, president of the Hauppaugebased Aresco Management, which owns the property. The space, Padover said, is being used for legal offices, but he did not confirm the size or extent of the lease, nor could he verify how many ICE attorneys would ultimately work there.

He added that the space would not be used to house detained immigrants.

The expansion comes as controversy intensifies over President Trump’s deportation campaign. ICE received nearly $80 billion in funding through Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” passed last July, increasing the number of agents from roughly 10,000 to 22,000 this year, making it the largest-funded federal law enforcement agency.

ICE already maintains a presence at the federal courthouse in Central Islip and at the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow, where detained

Luke Feeney/Herald

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is leasing office space at 88 Froehlich Farm Blvd. in Woodbury.

migrants are housed. Agents covering Long Island are based primarily in New York City offices.

“One of the most important things to remember is that the Department of Homeland Security and [Secretary] Kristi Noem has not been transparent about what’s going on,” Sylvia LivitsAyass, a partner at Livits Ayass Baskin PLLC and the immigration chair of the Nassau County Bar Association, said.

In Central Islip, marked and unmarked vans have been seen near district courts. Attorneys from ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor repre -

sent the Department of Homeland Security in immigration-removal proceedings, and can facilitate warrants and enforcement actions.

“My guess is that there will be a ramp-up in ICE presence in Nassau and Suffolk, and they’re probably going to try and facilitate these enforcement actions through warrants and by supporting these operations,” Livits-Ayass said, emphasizing that that remains speculation.

She explained that there are different types of warrants. An administrative warrant is not reviewed by a federal

judge, and is often signed by an ICE officer or agency official. A judicial warrant, by contrast, must be signed by a U.S. District Court judge and typically identifies the court, the name and birth date of the subject of the warrant, and the address to be searched.

“Just because they have a warrant doesn’t mean they can go wherever they want,” Livits-Ayass said.

Because immigration court for downstate New York is at Federal Plaza in Manhattan, she added, the Woodbury lease is surprising. She suggested that it could signal expanded enforcement operations, but also noted that it could simply be cost-effective for ICE to house its attorneys on Long Island. “The bottom line is we don’t know,” she said, “because they’re not telling anybody.”

In a letter to Noem, Rep. Tom Suozzi asked if the lease was accurate and how ICE has engaged with local governments.

In a statement to the Herald, Suozzi wrote, “Expanding deportation operations in safe communities creates fear and undermines trust in local enforcement, and would be a bad policy. Our focus should be on removing dangerous criminals while protecting families who contribute to our local economy and way of life.”

ICE offices in New York City did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.

Pokémon professor contributes to the party

from PAGe 1

al could diminish its uniqueness. The next plan might be the 35th anniversary.

The library’s Pokémon Club meets every Friday and is led by librarian Travis Williams, who has built a strong following. During Saturday’s event, Williams also oversaw the game room, where children played Pokkén Tournament DX on a Nintendo Switch 2 projected onto a wall.

“If kids don’t have a Switch at home, they always have one here,” Librarian Chrissy Hirsch, who oversees the children’s department, said. “We have a healthy budget, and the kids are here because of it.”

Other activities included conversations with Hirsch in which children discussed their favorite Pokémon. Eventually Hirsch changed into a Pikachu costume and posed for pictures with the kids.

Grzybowski had created the Great Wall of Pokémon, a design from all Pokémon generations along with its creation year, from 1996 to the present time, on Canva, where users can create their own designs, and The young patrons put stickers on their favorite character.

“Pikachu is smothered in hearts — I guess everyone likes Pikachu,” he said.

The event featured a Pokémon trading hour, during which dozens of children exchanged cards with others. John Lazo and Araya White-Holland had a binder filled with hundreds of cards they have collected over the years, neatly organized in plastic sleeves.

White-Holland’s collection stood out, with the cards carefully color-coded — from greens to blues and eventually to “energy” cards — arranged for collecting rather than trading. At her side she kept a tin filled with hundreds of additional cards she was willing to trade to add to her collection.

“I haven’t even counted them because I’ve been collecting for so long,” said White-Holland, who began collecting at around age 8. “It took one whole day to organize all these cards by myself.”

The young patrons were shocked to learn how much some of Lazo’s cards were worth — one was valued at over $4,000. Before trading valuable cards, he uses a mobile app to track their worth.

During the trading hour, “Pokémon

Professor Brittany,” a character Brittany Georgalas created in 2022, greeted children with crafts. When she isn’t a Poké-

Pokémon professor — a volunteer role within the Play! Pokémon Program. Professors help run events, and often serve as assistant judges at Trading Card Games around the country. She often judges, and speaks at panels on Long Island TCG shows. She said she views her role as a youth ambassador, helping introduce younger players to the game.

I really love it, because now everyone in the library or event people see me and say, ‘Oh Professor Brittany,’” she added. “It’s the best when kids start knowing who I am.”

She brought Pokémon products including an inflatable Pikachu costume and a Poké ball – a spherical device in the show used to store Pokémon -themed air balloon arch, which were all donated.

“Since everyone knows me as Professor Brittany, I get so many donations and things that people don’t want,” she said.

During the Uniondale event, however, Georgalas drew a crowd with her “Pokémon collage” craft, which featured cutouts of Pikachu and energy logos, glue and coloring activities.

“Pokémon is magical — even though it’s not real, you kind of take it as, this is my partner, my favorite Pokémon,” she said. “That’s how we make it real in our heads. It’s a nice way to collect and make friends.”

From what Georgalas said, the kids who are interested in Pokémon are more fascinated by trading cards, rather than the show or games.

mon professor, Georgalas is a librarian at the North Merrick Public Library.

“I love Pokémon myself,” she said. “I started a club at the library, and I created a character where I got all my artwork, chose my favorite Pokémon — and the kids started calling me Professor Brittany.”

Georgalas’s character is an official

The event was supported by the library’s programming budget — a roughly $80,000 annual fund that covers supplies and events — rather than its $40,000 children’s book budget. The total cost of the Pokémon celebration will be detailed in upcoming board documents.

Most of the gifts, however, were donated by Collectors Emporium, a trading card store in Levittown. Hirsch said that she drops by whenever the library is having an event, and comes out with cards and toys. Other donation come from parents and friends.

We may still be in the throes of seemingly endless winter, but fairly soon we’ll be springing ahead. And then thoughts turn to the final months of the school year and what’s ahead.

For generations, the arrival of spring signaled that summer vacation was within reach. Today, however, the final months of the school year can feel more like a sprint than a celebration. Between sports seasons, performances, advanced placement exams, major projects and for high school students college admissions decisions, spring has become one of the most demanding times on the academic calendar.

“As stress builds for students during the second half of the school year, the best release to this ‘academic pressure cooker’ may also be the most simple time,” says education expert Dr. Richard E. Bavaria. “Through effective time management and other strategies, students can create ‘found time’ and find themselves better prepared for the activities and challenges that come with the final months of the school year.”

With thoughtful planning and consistent routines, families can help students finish strong.

Spring cleaning: Get organized

Organization is one of the most effective stress reducers. When students know where to find assignments, notes and supplies, they save time and mental energy.

Help your child create a designated “homework zone” at home a distraction-free space stocked with essential study tools. Encourage students to maintain tidy backpacks and notebooks, use written or digital planners consistently and break larger assignments into smaller, manageable steps.

Equally important are daily routines. Regular bedtimes, homework hours and family time provide structure and predictability. That consistency helps children feel secure and understand what is expected of them.

Spring check-Up: Map out the months ahead

Stay informed about upcoming tests, projects and end-of-year events. A large family calendar in a central location can help everyone visualize deadlines and plan ahead. Encourage students to create personal timelines for longterm assignments, reducing the temptation to procrastinate.

Spring tune-Up: Prioritize wisely

Not all assignments require the same level of effort. Help your child identify which subjects

or concepts present the greatest challenge. Tackling more difficult work when energy levels are highest often earlier in the evening can improve efficiency and reduce frustration. By assigning priority to high-impact tasks, students can focus their attention where it matters most.

Spring in your step: Stay healthy

Physical activity is a powerful antidote to stress. Short movement breaks between study sessions can improve concentration and renew focus. Regular aerobic exercise supports both mental clarity and emotional well-being. Healthy habits matter, too. Adequate sleep, balanced nutrition and consistent exercise help students perform at their best. While late-night study sessions may seem productive, sleep deprivation can impair memory and reduce cognitive performance. Spreading out study time over several days is far more effective than cramming.

Spring forward: Celebrate progres Use “found time” not only for productivity but also for positivity. Recognize small victories improved organization, better concentration or meeting a homework goal. Encouragement builds confidence, and confidence fuels continued effort.

Recommit to learning

As the school year winds down, sit down as a family and set one or two achievable goals for the remaining weeks. Whether it’s raising a math grade, submitting assignments on time or improving study habits, clear objectives provide motivation.

Agree on age-appropriate rewards and consequences, and emphasize that education is a shared family priority. When parents and children work together planning, supporting and encouraging one another spring can shift from a season of stress to a season of accomplishment.

CAMP & SCHOOL – A guide to programs and activities

Think you know camp? Think again

Camp has become a staple of the summer season. Each year, millions of children, youth and adults head to the hills, lakes, valleys, and parks to participate in the time-honored tradition of camp. And, while most people easily conjure up images of campfires and canoes, there is a lot more to the camp experience. Here are some things you may not have known about the camp experience, courtesy of American Camp Association.

Camp is older than dirt, almost literally Started in 1861, the camp experience turned an impressive 150 years young in 2011. The secret behind the longevity? “Camps are adapting to meet the needs of today’s campers,” says Tom Rosenberg, formr president/CEO of the American Camp Association.“At the same time, the impact camp has on campers, the lifechanging experience, has remained after all these years.”

Camp is worth its weight in gold, and then some!

The camp experience is life-changing –developing friendships and memories that last well beyond the final campfire. And, there is a camp for literally every budget. Often camps offer special pricing or financial assistance, and some camp experiences qualify for tax credits or for payment with preGreen is “zen.”

Research shows that first-hand experience with nature, like those at camp, reduce stress in children and help them better handle stress in

the future. In addition to teaching children how to be good stewards of the environment, camps are teaching children how to enjoy the world around them and take a minute to breathe deep and feel the nature, which ultimately teaches them how to de-stress the natural way.

Mommies and Daddies do it too.

Camp is not just for children and youth. There are family camp experiences, and camps for single adults, senior adults, and any adult that wants to relax and enjoy all camp has to offer. Adults benefit from the same sense of community, authentic relationships, and selfdiscovery that children do. Camp is an excellent vacation option, allowing adults to try a variety of new activities in a safe and fun environment.

Try this on for size!

Camp is a great place to try new activities and hobbies. Afraid of rock walls? According to ACA research, 74 percent of campers reported that they tried new activities at camp that they were afraid to do at first. And, those activities often leave lasting impressions. In the same survey, 63 percent of parents reported that their child continued new activities from camp after returning home.

Manners matter, and often linger.

The camp experience teaches more than just archery or lanyard making. The entire experience is made of teachable moments, perhaps one of the biggest is how to live with a group of people. Campers learn to pick up after themselves, respect each other’s property, and to say

“Please” and “Thank You.”

Camp gets those neurons pumping Education reform debate and concern over summer learning loss have pushed academic achievement into the spotlight. Research shows that participation in intentional programs, like camp, during summer months helps stem summer learning loss. In addition, camp provides ample opportunity for developmental growth, which is a precursor to academic achievement. And, because of the “hands-on” nature of camp, often children who struggle in traditional edu-

STEAM & SPECIALTY CAMPS

cation settings do well at camp.

Camp builds leaders for the 21st century and beyond Independence, resiliency, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and the ability to relate to other people these are the skills that tomorrow’s leaders will need, and the skills camp has been adept at building for 150 years.

Photo: Long after the final campfire fades, the skills and friendships built at camp continue to shine.

Monday-Friday • 9am-4pm • extended day & lunch

CAMP & SCHOOL – A guide to programs and activities

The sound of success

Unique ways music education supports academic achievement

In today’s schools, science, technology, engineering and mathematics often dominate the academic spotlight. Yet educators and researchers continue to point to another powerful driver of student success: music education.

According to the Arts Education Data Project, an estimated 2.1 million American students lacked access to arts education including music as of 2022. That gap is concerning, as mounting research shows that music instruction strengthens performance across multiple academic areas.

Mathematical Thinking

Music and mathematics share more than a passing resemblance. Reading rhythms involves fractions and division. Recognizing musical patterns mirrors algebraic reasoning.

A 2019 study published by the American Psychological Association found that students who learned to play an instrument and continued in band or orchestra performed nearly one academic year ahead of their peers in several subjects, including math. The structured logic of music timing, sequencing and symbolic interpretation reinforces the same analytical skills students rely on in advanced mathematics.

Boost Literacy And Language Skills

Music education also enhances reading and writing development. Learning to interpret

notes on a page parallels decoding words in a book. Both require attention to symbols, comprehension of meaning and the ability to selfcorrect.

Singing lyrics and studying musical storytelling introduce students to new vocabulary and poetic structure, strengthening comprehension. Research in neuroscience suggests that musical training activates brain regions associated with language processing, giving young learners an added advantage in literacy.

Build Discipline And Study Habits

Mastering an instrument takes time, patience and consistent practice. Students quickly learn that improvement comes from repetition and focus lessons that translate directly to homework, long-term projects and exam preparation.

The resilience developed while tackling challenging passages or preparing for performances can foster greater academic persistence overall.

Enhance Cognitive And Emotional Well-Being

Music engages multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, supporting memory, concentration and problem-solving. At the same time, it offers a creative outlet that can reduce stress and build confidence. Students who feel emotionally supported and

creatively fulfilled are often better equipped to handle rigorous coursework and classroom demands.

Foster Collaboration And Communication

Participation in band, choir or orchestra teaches students to listen closely, follow direction and contribute to a shared goal. Ensemble performance requires cooperation and accountability skills that mirror group projects in science labs, history presentations and other academic settings.

Balanced Learning

As schools continue to prioritize STEM ini-

and

tiatives, many educators advocate for a broader STEAM approach that includes the arts. Music education does more than enrich school culture; it strengthens cognitive development, academic performance and social skills. By investing in music programs alongside core academic subjects, schools create wellrounded learning environments that prepare students not only for higher test scores, but for lifelong success.

SPORTS

Massapequa rallies to knock off Uniondale

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Despite scoring only 11 points and trailing Uniondale by five at halftime of Sunday’s Nassau Class AAA girls’ basketball semifinal, Massapequa didn’t hit the panic button.

“I wasn’t overly concerned about struggling on offense, but we needed to be better on defense,” Chiefs head coach Billy Herr said. “I told the girls the offense would come around and to just keep shooting.”

A 20-point third quarter and 19-point fourth proved the difference in third-seeded Massapequa’s 50-41 come-from-behind win over the upset-minded Knights at Farmingdale State College. Senior Savanna Appleton scored 12 of her 18 points in the fourth to lead the rally as the Chiefs punched their ticket to the finals where they’ll face top-seeded Baldwin Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on the same court.

“We stayed positive and had a good talk at halftime,” Appleton said. “We woke up in the second half and

we’re excited to get to face Baldwin.”

Massapequa, which got 10 points from junior Molly Hoffman and 7 from senior Victoria O’Neill, overcame a second straight monster playoff effort from Uniondale senior standout Zahara Saintyl, who had 24 points, 12 rebounds and 6 steals. She picked up her fourth personal foul with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter but never left the game.

The seventh-seeded Knights appeared in big trouble, trailing 38-31 midway through the fourth after Massapequa, behind Appleton, Hoffman and a clutch trey by senior Maeve Schiereck, enjoyed a run where it scored 16 of 20.

But it was quickly knotted at 38 after baskets by seniors Saintyl, Kayla Reid (from long range) and point guard Eniola Adisa. With exactly four minutes left, Appleton put the Chiefs (19-3) ahead for good with a driving layup.

“Really proud of the girls,” Uniondale head coach Nolan Dunkley said. “We battled the entire game just like we did all season.”

The Knights (9-10) advanced to the semifinals in upset fashion and avenged a lopsided regular-season defeat at Freeport in the process when it eliminated the second-seeded Red Devils, 44-34, in a quarterfinal matchup Feb. 21.

Saintyl was nothing short of dominant, hitting for 28 points to lead the way. All but one of her points came from the floor where she shot 13-for-18.

“She wasn’t settling for just outside shots, she was aggressive to the basket and unstoppable,” Dunkley said of Saintyl’s performance.

Adisa added 9 points for the Knights, who took charge by outscoring Freeport 15-4 in the third quarter. Just 12 days earlier, Uniondale suffered a 59-25 loss on the same court.

Massapequa, which topped Uniondale 56-39 during the regular season, rolled to a 68-34 quarterfinal victory over No. 6 Port Washington Feb. 21. Sophomore Sienna Erker had 18 points and 8 rebounds, while Hoffman (13) and Appleton (11) also scored in double figures.

STEP RIGHT UP

Ringling reinvents the Big Top

By Abbey Salvemini

Get ready to cheer, dance and gasp — the legendary Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is back, and it’s dazzling audiences in ways few could have imagined. The self-proclaimed “Greatest Show on Earth” has been boldly reimagined for a new generation, bringing a high-voltage spectacle to UBS Arena from March 6 through March 8.

This is not the circus of decades past. Gone are the traditional three rings and animal acts; in their place is a fast-paced, immersive experience that blends worldclass acrobatics, cutting-edge choreography, live music and vibrant storytelling. The arena transforms into a colorful celebration that feels as much like a concert and dance party as a circus performance.

The energy begins the moment everyone walks through the doors. An interactive pre-show sets the tone, introducing audiences to the dynamic Ringling Hype Crew — a lively cast of dancers and performers who invite everyone to move, clap and join in the fun. Before the first aerialist soars or the first stunt takes flight, the crowd is already part of the action.

At its heart are the performers.

• Friday March 6, 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m.

• Tickets start at $39.35, $20 kids tickets for all performances; available at ticketmaster.com

• UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

The 65-person cast, representing 17 countries, is a truly international ensemble that fuses time-honored circus traditions with bold, contemporary feats. Among the most buzzed-about moments is the crisscross trapeze act, in which elite aerialists launch themselves along intersecting flight paths, slicing through the air in breathtaking near-misses that leave audiences holding their collective breath.

The stars of this new incarnation of circus include 33-year-old trapeze artist Miles Postlethwait. He grew up in Florida, attending Ringling shows (and Disney on Ice). Caught up in the spectacle, he in love with trapeze at age 10. A trapeze performer for 10 years (six professionally), he landed at Ringling in November.

Recalling his early circus memories: “I remember going to see Ringling Bros when I was very young. Honestly, what I remember most was the toys (specifically the dragon sword) and the cotton candy. But my mom tells me I was enamored with the acrobats.”

That fascination stuck, leading him to his tour “home” and what’s now billed as “The Greatest Party On Earth,” according to the Ringling mantra.

“Who wouldn’t want to be a part of The Greatest Show On Earth? I saw the previous tour multiple times and loved the show. It’s nonstop fun because you’re part of the show the whole time, interacting with other performers and the audience,” Postlethwait says.

The vibe is fueled by today’s cultural influences — reimagined through the lens of pop culture, concerts and festivals.

Back to the aforementioned trapeze stunt, he points out that the crisscross rig is unique and requires intense precision, but years of training make the nearmisses almost instinctive.

“It keeps me on my toes, and the crowd’s reaction

STEPPING OUT

courtesy Feld Entertainment

A 150-year tradition leaps into the future as the reimagined spectacle delivers fresh thrills, bold artistry and gravity-defying feats that redefine the

is incredible.”

The thrills keep on coming. Other highlights include the Double Wheel of Destiny, in which four daredevils leap and jump rope on spinning wheels.

A Chinese acrobatic bicycle act, created exclusively for Ringling, features gravity-defying human pyramids and fearless athleticism, with one acrobat running across the backs of nine moving bike riders. Salsa Colombia, a fiery dance and acrobatics troupe, brings the energy of Latin rhythms to the arena floor. And audiences are fascinated by Cam, a content creator and unicycle rider, who stacks up to 25 wheels towering nearly 35 feet high. Also watch out for Bailey the Robo Pup, a high-tech canine character and PT (Party Time), Ringling’s first-ever hype character, who keeps the crowd engaged and amplifies the celebratory atmosphere.

Giant LED screens and cameras capture acrobats from impossible angles, giving every seat the feel of front-row access.

Music powers the show. A DJ spins everything from hip-hop to Latin beats, driving the action from start to finish, with beat drops, live drumming and dance battles.

Those in the audience are not just spectators — they’re all in. Kids are drawn into onstage interactions, while the LED screens highlight stunts from content creator Cam, adding an extra layer of excitement. From split-second trapeze timing to jaw-dropping acrobatics, the spectacle keeps everyone on the edge of their seats while leaving lasting memories for all involved. The result is a full-on celebration with a festival-style energy that transforms classic circus elements.

Postlethwait sums it up simply: “It’s a super fun, energetic party. Families come and say everybody had a blast. It’s a show where kids aren’t just watching — they’re a part of the action.”

Perhaps most importantly, according to Postlethwait, the spectacle inspires young audiences to dream big.

“I hope they see that anything is possible. Circus acts show that humans’ limits go so much further than we think.”

Whether you’re in it for the stunts, the music or the interactive fun, this version of “The Greatest Show On Earth” promises something for everyone. Experience firsthand why Ringling Bros. has thrilled audiences for generations — now with a fresh, modern twist that makes the circus feel entirely new.

Jessie’s Girl

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, each with dozens of credits performing with authentic ‘80s icons who made the music famous to begin with! Their motto: There’s no decade like the Eighties and no party like Back To The Eighties with Jessie’s Girl.

Friday, March 6, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

South Shore Symphony welcomes Jane Monheit

With a voice radiating warmth, refinement and emotional depth, jazz vocalist Jane Monheit brings her celebrated interpretations of Great American Songbook classics to the Madison Theatre in a special collaboration with the South Shore Symphony Orchestra. Renowned for breathing fresh life into beloved standards, she headlines an unforgettable afternoon, blending the intimacy of jazz with the grandeur of full orchestral sound. Under the baton of Music Director Adam Glaser, the South Shore Symphony accompanies her in a series of orchestral arrangements that highlight both her vocal artistry and the timeless beauty of these enduring songs. The program also offers audiences a more intimate jazz club feel, with Monheit backed by a trio, including Glaser on piano, for several selections.

Sunday, March 8, 3 p.m. Molloy University campus, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

Mar

Knightime Jazz Band

Uniondale High School Knightime Jazz Band welcomes all to “Jazz Night” featuring special guest Andy Farber, a Grammy-winning jazz composer, arranger, saxophonist and Juilliard professor. Frank Abel, Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame recipient, is to be recognized. Tickets are $10.

• Where: Uniondale High School Auditorium, 933 Goodrich St. Uniondale

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: uhs.uniondaleschools.org

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Molloy University’s Molloy/CAP21 Musical Theatre students tackle Shakespeare. The Bard’s beloved comedy is a magical tale that explores the irrationality of love, desire, friendship, jealousy and magic. When the mortal worlds of four young lovers and a bungling group of amateur actors collide with a feuding fairy kingdom in a mystical forest on a midsummer eve, romantic misadventures ensue, causing chaos that only a bit of fairy magic can sort out.

• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 8 p.m.; also March 7, 2 and 8 p.m.; March 8, 3 p.m.

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Family theater

Long Island Children’s Museum stages “Pete the Cat,” the charming musical based on the book series by Kimberly and James Dean. Life is certainly an adventure for Pete, no matter where he winds up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect pal to help him out. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon; also March 7, March 11-12

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

Celtic Woman

Mar 15

The Grammy-nominated global sensation returns to the stage with their highly anticipated new tour, Celtic Woman — A New Era. Featuring the mesmerizing talents of Mairéad Carlin, Muirgen O’Mahony, Ciara Ní Mhurchú, and the dynamic new addition Caitríona Sherlock, this production fuses the ensemble’s signature ethereal harmonies with innovative orchestrations, captivating stagecraft, and a contemporary energy that honors Ireland’s rich musical and cultural legacy while embracing Celtic Woman’s ongoing evolution. Audiences will be transported on a spellbinding journey through Irish music, from timeless classics to stirring original compositions. The evening promises breathtaking vocal performances, intricate instrumental mastery, and the rhythmic grace of traditional Irish dance. Accompanied by a full ensemble, the performers bring to life Celtic staples — including the bagpipe, bodhrán, tin whistles, and Uilleann pipes — creating a lush and immersive soundscape that resonates with both tradition and modernity. From evocative Irish ballads and contemporary favorites to classical masterpieces and fresh original songs, their tour celebrates the vibrancy of modern Ireland while paying tribute to centuries of musical heritage. It is a concert experience that blends elegance, passion, and cultural storytelling, offering audiences an unforgettable evening of artistry, energy and enchantment.

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

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

Mar 7

Professional Championship

Bull Riders

Buckle up — ’cause you ain’t seen nothin’ like this before. The PCB has been a full-throttle tour de force: a mano-a-toro showdown where the toughest cowboys on the planet face off against the rankest bulls in the game. May the boldest rider win. And it’s not just the cowboys. Watch the cowgirls blaze through barrel racing, showcasing speed, agility and sheer determination in a race for the fastest times.

• Where: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com

Tabletop Gaming Expo

The Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo returns to the Cradle of Aviation Museum for a full weekend of tabletop gaming, bringing together gamers, families and hobby enthusiasts for demonstrations, tournaments and open gaming opportunities. Weekend and single-day passes are available, and advance online ticket purchases are strongly recommended as tickets often sell out.

• Where: Charles Lindbergh

Blvd., Garden City

• Time: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; 10 a.m.5 p.m. Sunday

• Contact: litabletop.com or (516) 209-2732

Climate Change: How To Help Our

Planet

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families with kids ages 6-10 to explore how climate change impacts our environment and learn ways both scientists and families can help protect it. These workshops are part of a scientific study surrounding climate education.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m.

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

S.T.O.P. Collection

The Town of Hempstead encourages residents to clean their homes of hazardous materials. Dispose of such toxic items as antifreeze, drain cleans, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, and oil-based paints at a S.T.O.P collection event.

• Where: Eisenhower Park, Parking Field 3, East Meadow

• Time: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Contact: HempsteadNY.gov or call (516) 378-4210

enhances the lush orchestral arrangements. Known for her elegant interpretations of jazz standards and contemporary classics, she brings her rich vocals to the symphonic stage for a performance that blends jazz sophistication with the power of a full orchestra.

• Where: 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

11

An intimate chat with Valerie Bertinelli

Larson Legacy Concert

Acclaimed composer and 2025 Jonathan Larson Grant recipient Dylan MarcAurele performs at Adelphi University Performing Arts Center continuing Adelphi’s tradition of showcasing emerging talents in musical theater. MarcAurele, recognized for his innovative contributions to the genre, performs selections from his current projects, including the critically acclaimed musical “Pop Off, Michelangelo!” that recently enjoyed a successful London run. His concert is a cabaretstyle showcase of music from past and future productions (including his upcoming parody musical “Heated Rivalry” that sold out performances in a matter of hours). Joining him are Taylor Fagins, Mateo Chavez Lewis, and Yael Rizowy.

• Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or (516) 877-4000

Jane Monheit in concert

8

Jane Monheit joins the South Shore Symphony for their next concert. Monheit’s signature warm, expressive sound Mar

Internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist

Long Island LitFest hosts an appearance by the actress-turned-author on her book tour, at the Madison Theatre. Moderated by Paulina Porizkova, Bertinelli’s most vulnerable book yet, “Getting Naked,” offers wisdom hard-won through divorce, menopause and generational pain, with a powerful message of self-acceptance and embracing the past with compassion. Each ticket includes a signed copy.

• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Mar

14

Candlelight

Celtic Bask in the ambience of soft-glowing candles and Irish melodies in this intimate evening performance on the Adelphi University stage. Surrounded by the soft, warm glow of over 1,000 candles, world champion Irish dancer Scott Doherty and Irish musician Chris Smith, along with their band, bring classic Irish tunes, songs, and stories to life. You’ll be immersed in a one-ofa-kind enchanting atmosphere, filled with the soul-stirring melodies of Ireland, as the beauty of Irish music and the intimacy of candlelight come together in perfect harmony.

• Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or (516) 877-4000 Mar

Having an event?

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

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU ATLANTICA, LLC, Plaintiff, AGAINST LUCIEN ESCOFFERY; VERONICA ESCOFFERY, et al. Defendant(s) Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on January 3, 2025. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 16, 2026 at 3:00 PM premises known as 213 Hudson Ave, Roosevelt, NY 11575. Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County, and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing.

All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Roosevelt, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 55, Block 494 and Lot 342.A & 342.B. Approximate amount of judgment

$890,955.93 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #005288/2016.

Keith Corbett, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 158366

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU.

EQUINNE LLC, Plaintiff -against- RACHEL

AUGUSTIN, NATHALIE

AUGUSTIN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated July 17, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 18, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at the Village of Hempstead, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York,

bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the westerly side of Friske Place, distant 55 feet southerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the westerly side of Fiske Place with the southerly side of Robin Wood Avenue; being a plot 100 feet by 45 feet by 100 feet by 45 feet. Section: 36 Block: 115 Lot: 169, 170 and 268. Said premises known as 7 FISKE PLACE, UNIONDALE, NY 11553

Approximate amount of lien $239,992.80 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 609970/2022.

ELLEN DURST, ESQ., Referee

Scott A. Rosenberg, P.C.

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 176 Tanners Pond Road, Garden City, New York 11530 {* UNIONDALE*} 158275

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. BEVERLY A. GIBBS, et al, Defts. Index #605304/2025. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Dec. 22, 2025, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 24, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. premises k/a Section 55, Block 494, Lot(s) 12-14. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. The foreclosure sale will be held “rain or shine.”

KENNETH GARTNER, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY 11021 #102735 158459

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST C/O U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff AGAINST CARLOS AZUCAR, SILVIA AZUCAR AKA SYLVIA AZUCAR, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant

to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 8, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 31, 2026 at 3:30 PM, premises known as 1345 Galley Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, and State of New York, Section 50 Block 336 Lot 10. Approximate amount of judgment $626,751.93 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #601687/2024. Cary D. Kessler, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 22-003487 88768 158539

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LOCAL LAW NO. 232026

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the N.Y. Constitution Article 9, N.Y. Town Law, and N.Y. Municipal Home Rule Law, as amended, the Hempstead Town Board called and held a public hearing on the 24th day of February, 2026, regarding the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 23-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Local Law No. 23 -2026, to enact Chapter 153 of the Hempstead Town Code to be entitled “Cat and Dog Litter Registry”. Dated: Hempstead, New York

February 24, 2026 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN R. FERRETTI Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158562

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to N.Y. Constitution Article 9, N.Y. Town Law, and N.Y. Municipal Home Rule Law, as amended, the Hempstead Town

Board will hold a public hearing at Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on March 10, 2026 at 10:30 A.M., to consider enacting Chapter 10F of the Hempstead Town Code to be entitled “Taxation: Partial Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Fallen Police Officers” regarding a real property tax exemption for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty pursuant to N.Y. Real Property Tax Law §471. The proposed local law is available at hempsteadny.gov, on the bulletin board at Town Hall as of the publication of this notice, and on file in the Office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Hempstead, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, where the same may be inspected during office hours.

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: Hempstead, New York February 24, 2026 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk

JOHN R. FERRETTI, JR. Supervisor 158674

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF

TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LOCAL LAW NO. 21-2026

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 24th day of February 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 21-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 21-2026, to amend Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at

various locations.

Dated: February 24, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158648

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that NYS Application ID: NA-0138-26-104206 for eating place beer has been applied for by Compa Bros Corp. to sell beer at retail in a delicatessen under the Alcohol Beverage Control Law at 294 Uniondale Ave. Uniondale, NY 11553 for on premises consumption. 158727

LEGAL NOTICE CASE NO.7179

RESOLUTION NO. 2502026

Adopted: February 24, 2026

Councilmember Goosby offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION DETERMINING PARCELS BENEFITED BY CONSTRUCTION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALK AREA IN; BALDWIN, BELLMORE, BETHPAGE, EAST MEADOW, ELMONT, FRANKLIN SQUARE, INWOOD, ISLAND PARK, LEVITTOWN, MERRICK, NORTH BALDWIN, NORTH BELLMORE, OCEANSIDE, ROCKVILLE CENTRE, ROOSEVELT, SEAFORD, SOUTH HEMPSTEAD, UNIONDALE, WANTAGH, WEST HEMPSTEAD, WOODMERE IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NASSAU COUNTY, NY, ADOPTING PROPOSED ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR THE COST THEREOF AND CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING THEREON. WHEREAS, pursuant to the following Resolutions adopted by the Town Board: TOWN BOARD RESOLUTIONS DATE 7179 2/21/2017

267-2021 2/23/2021

693-2022 5/24/2022

508 4/25/2023 6365 4/9/2024

992-2024 9/17/2024

151-2025 2/25/2025

814-2025 8/5/2025

NOTICE WAS GIVEN TO ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS DIRECTING THEM TO CONSTRUCT OR RECONSTRUCT SIDEWALK AREA ON : AMBROSE CT, BABYLON TPKE, BALDWIN AVE,

BARBARA ST, BAY FRONT DR, BONNIE DR, BROADWAY, CARNATION AVE, CHALADAY LN, CHESTNUT LN, CLEARMEADOW DR, COLONY ST, COLUMBUS AVE, CONDOR RD, COOLIDGE AVE, COURT ST, COURTNEY LN, DALE PL, DAY ST, E ROOSEVELT AVE, EASTERN PKWY, EVELYN AVE, EVERS LN, FARM LN, FENWORTH BLVD, GRAND AVE, GUN LN, HAMILTON AVE, HAMPTON RD, HANCOCK ST, HENRY ST, HOPATCONG AVE, HOWARD PL, HUDSON AVE, IVANHOE DR, IVY CT W, JEFFERSON ST, KINGSTON AVE, LAKEVIEW RD, LAUREL AVE, LINCOLN BLVD, LINCOLN ST, LINKS DR W, LYDIA PL, MANOR PKWY, MARILYN DR, MARJORIE LN, MATTITUCK AVE, MCDONALD AVE, MEADOW LN, MEADOW RD, MERRICK AVE, MERRICK RD, MILBURN AVE, MONACO AVE, MONROE ST, N JERUSALEM RD, NORTHERN PKWY, ORIOLE AVE, OWL PL, PAMLICO AVE, PARK AVE, PARKER AVE, QUARRY LN, REMSEN ST, ROCKWOOD AVE, ROOSEVELT ST, ROYAL AVE, SCHREIBER PL, SKILLMAN AVE, SPRAGUE AVE, SPRUCEWOOD DR, STEPHEN ST, SUNSHINE AVE, SURREY LN, WADLEIGH AVE, WAUKENA AVE, WAVERLY AVE, WESTMINSTER RD, WILLIAM PL, WOLCOTT RD, WOLFSON DR, WOOD PARK DR WHEREAS, the owner(s) who were so notified had failed to construct or reconstruct sidewalk area as required by such Notice and the Town Board has caused said sidewalks to be constructed or reconstructed; and WHEREAS, such construction or reconstruction was completed by the Town at the Total cost of $148,883.11 and which sum includes appropriate administrative fees, which amount has been paid by the Town of Hempstead, pursuant to resolution adopted by the Town Board, subject to assessment against the property benefited thereby pursuant to Chapter 181 (Part 1) Code of the Town of Hempstead, NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the actual and completed cost of the construction and reconstruction of

sidewalk area on the property hereinabove be assessed against the parcels benefited thereby pursuant to Chapter 181 (Part 1) Code of the Town of Hempstead, is hereby determined to be $148,883.11 and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the parcel(s) listed in the assessment roll be attached hereto and made a part hereof under the heading “PARCELS BENEFITED” are the lots and parcels especially benefited by the said improvements as they appear on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the assessment roll attached hereto is hereby made a part hereof and shall constitute the completed assessment roll for such improvements under Chapter 181 (Part 1), Code of the Town of Hempstead and that the figures under the heading of “ASSESSMENT” on the same line with the said lot designations, is the amount assessed against said lots or parcels and that under the headline “PAID”, and the Receiver of Taxes shall indicate the parcels of land for which assessments shall not have been paid before the return thereof to the Supervisor and that such assessment roll be forthwith filed with the Town Clerk; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the assessment hereunder may be paid in one installment without penalty or interest, or at the option of the payer, in five (5) annual installments with interest thereon, if the benefit is in excess of $100.00; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board meet at the Town Board Room (Pavilion) of the Town Hall on March 10, 2026, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to hear and consider any objections which may be made to said assessment roll; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk publish at least once not less than ten (10) or more than twenty (20) days before the time above specified, for said meeting in a newspaper published within the Town of Hempstead, a notice that said Assessment roll has been completed and that at the time and place above specified

the Town Board will meet and hear to consider any objections which may be made thereto.

The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Dunne, Sr. And adopted upon roll call as follows:

AYES: SIX (6)

NOES: NONE (0)

NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALK AREA ON: AMBROSE CT, BABYLON TPKE, BALDWIN AVE, BARBARA ST, BAY FRONT DR, BONNIE DR, BROADWAY, CARNATION AVE, CHALADAY LN, CHESTNUT LN, CLEARMEADOW DR, COLONY ST, COLUMBUS AVE, CONDOR RD, COOLIDGE AVE, COURT ST, COURTNEY LN, DALE PL, DAY ST, E ROOSEVELT AVE, EASTERN PKWY, EVELYN AVE, EVERS LN, FARM LN, FENWORTH BLVD, GRAND AVE, GUN LN, HAMILTON AVE, HAMPTON RD, HANCOCK ST, HENRY ST, HOPATCONG AVE, HOWARD PL, HUDSON AVE, IVANHOE DR, IVY CT W, JEFFERSON ST, KINGSTON AVE, LAKEVIEW RD, LAUREL AVE, LINCOLN BLVD, LINCOLN ST, LINKS DR W, LYDIA PL, MANOR PKWY, MARILYN DR, MARJORIE LN, MATTITUCK AVE, MCDONALD AVE, MEADOW LN, MEADOW RD, MERRICK AVE, MERRICK RD, MILBURN AVE, MONACO AVE, MONROE ST, N JERUSALEM RD, NORTHERN PKWY, ORIOLE AVE, OWL PL, PAMLICO AVE, PARK AVE, PARKER AVE, QUARRY LN, REMSEN ST, ROCKWOOD AVE, ROOSEVELT ST, ROYAL AVE, SCHREIBER PL, SKILLMAN AVE, SPRAGUE AVE, SPRUCEWOOD DR, STEPHEN ST, SUNSHINE AVE, SURREY LN, WADLEIGH AVE, WAUKENA AVE, WAVERLY AVE, WESTMINSTER RD, WILLIAM PL, WOLCOTT RD, WOLFSON DR, WOOD PARK DR In the TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK, and of meeting to hear and consider objections thereto.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 181 (Part 1) CODE OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead

Theatrical show brings fun, friendship and lessons

the blue carpet, children were greeted by a bodyguard, Daniel Costello, the father of co-director Austin Costello. Daniel Costello is a bodyguard by profession, and worked the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 1.

“My dad was at the Grammys a few Sundays ago, and he was showing Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish around,” Austin said. “He watched Jelly Roll playing on stage, and then he came here.

“He was showing little kids the way down the blue carpet, and after giving the kids little plastic kitty ears and sunglasses, I think he probably had more fun.”

After the children walked the blue carpet, they had a brief interview with Rudin’s daughter, Amelie Burfitt, and a photo opportunity with Pete the Cat in costume. Burfitt asked kids after they walked the carpet what they’re most excited about.

Austin praised the museum and its staff members for making the production come together, especially with a new twist during the premiere. President of the museum, Erika Floreska said this is something they might consider doing for

each opening performance.

“I think it was a home run that she had this whole thought of the blue carpet,” Austin said of Rudin. “And our staff here, especially with the theater, was willing to play ball and try something new.

“The theater has been here quite a long time, and this was a first for us,” he added. “It was a dream come true.”

Afterward, families made their way into the theater for the 1 p.m. curtain, followed by a meet-and-greet with the cast, as swag bags with glasses and plastic cat ears were distributed.

“It was entertaining — and as an adult, which is not always easy — but it was my first show here,” said Michael Kohn, who came with his two sons, Christopher, 5, and Daniel, 7, and his wife, Laura. “I was impressed with the production, quality and things for a kid’s show.”

Austin explained that creating a show to entertain both adults and children is the goal. “Some of children’s media is insufferable,” he said.

Christopher and Daniel both learned different ways to paint, which was a big lesson from the show.

The show tells the story of Pete the Cat as he helps his friend, Jimmy Biddle, con-

Public Notices

has prepared and filed with the Town Clerk of said Town, the completed assessment roll for the construction or reconstruction of sidewalk area on: AMBROSE CT, BABYLON TPKE, BALDWIN AVE, BARBARA ST, BAY FRONT DR, BONNIE DR, BROADWAY, CARNATION AVE, CHALADAY LN, CHESTNUT LN, CLEARMEADOW DR, COLONY ST, COLUMBUS AVE, CONDOR RD, COOLIDGE AVE, COURT ST, COURTNEY LN, DALE PL, DAY ST, E ROOSEVELT AVE, EASTERN PKWY, EVELYN AVE, EVERS LN,

FARM LN, FENWORTH BLVD, GRAND AVE, GUN LN, HAMILTON AVE, HAMPTON RD, HANCOCK ST, HENRY ST, HOPATCONG AVE, HOWARD PL, HUDSON AVE, IVANHOE DR, IVY CT W, JEFFERSON ST, KINGSTON AVE, LAKEVIEW RD, LAUREL AVE, LINCOLN BLVD, LINCOLN ST, LINKS DR W, LYDIA PL, MANOR PKWY, MARILYN DR, MARJORIE LN, MATTITUCK AVE, MCDONALD AVE, MEADOW LN, MEADOW RD, MERRICK AVE, MERRICK RD, MILBURN AVE, MONACO AVE, MONROE ST,

N JERUSALEM RD, NORTHERN PKWY, ORIOLE AVE, OWL PL, PAMLICO AVE, PARK AVE, PARKER AVE, QUARRY LN, REMSEN ST, ROCKWOOD AVE, ROOSEVELT ST, ROYAL AVE, SCHREIBER PL, SKILLMAN AVE, SPRAGUE AVE, SPRUCEWOOD DR, STEPHEN ST, SUNSHINE AVE, SURREY LN, WADLEIGH AVE, WAUKENA AVE, WAVERLY AVE, WESTMINSTER RD, WILLIAM PL, WOLCOTT RD, WOLFSON DR, WOOD PARK DR OF HEMPSTEAD, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW

YORK, and PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that on March 10, 2026, the Town Board will meet at the Board Room of the Town Hall Pavilion, Hempstead, New York at 10:30 o’clock to hear and consider any objections which may be made to said assessment roll.

DATE : February 24, 2026 Hempstead, New York John Ferretti Supervisor Town of Hempstead 158651

Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com

quer second-grade art, and along the way they learn something new about inspiration. Christopher painted a “purple groovy bus” while Daniel painted many jellybeans in various colors.

While “Pete the Cat” is not Daniel’s favorite TV series, a musical-driven show, which ran from 2017 to 2022, his mom said honestly that the young visitor thought the theatrical live version was “great.” He enjoys the book, however, adding, “My favorite part is when he has a bad banana.”

Since the book is only a couple of pages long, the theatrical version would need to change somehow, especially to keep children engaged for a 50-minute show.

The show has been brought into theaters around the county, and LICM had to secure the rights, during which the company wrote a brand new story, similar to what New York City does by bringing popular movies to the Broadway stage.

Where to purchase tickets

The production of “Pete the Cat” runs from Feb. 16 through April 19. Tickets are available at licm.org, and in person, although it is recommended to purchase through the website for a guaranteed seat. Cost for nonmembers are $11 and theater only is $15. Shows run twice a day at various times from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

–Long Island Children’s Museum

"paparazzi."

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time

Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multi-task, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. Salary Range is $17 per hour to $20 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: circulationassociate@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time

Positions Available!

Busy Print Shop in Garden City

is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome!

$22 - $27/ Hour

Bell Auto School

516-365-5778

Email: info@bellautoschool.com

EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $35,360 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $35,360 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours

Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

RECEPTIONIST F/T

Valley Stream Subaru Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM Answer Phones, Light Clerical $17.00/Hour, Benefits, 401K Call Therese 516-825-8700

Household Help Offered HOUSEKEEPING/ SENIOR

Hudson Steals the Show

Taking a contractor to court

Q. We are suing our contractor and need some advice. A year ago, we finished our second-floor addon and first-floor kitchen and rear family room remodel by opening up walls to join them. Everything seemed fine until it rained the first time. The windows began to leak at the bottom, and then around the tops and sides. Our new sliding glass door did the same. The basement flooded, and we are not in a flood area. Then the air-conditioning company said somebody disconnected the ducts, and when we opened the ceilings, more water poured down. The house is now filled with mold, which we clean with bleach where we can get to it, but we couldn’t move out and have two small children under age 4.

Although we have many questions and hired an attorney, we’re wondering whether we should hire an architect to go over all the problems and identify them, with remedies, or hire one of the contractors who said they could fix the problems, or wait until the lawsuit is finished to make it possible for a jury to see the damage. The job architect, whom we never met, has now had their license revoked for the next two years, but we wouldn’t go to them, anyway.

A. Ugh! This is more common than you would think. It starts with not having the architect working for you and instead working for the contractor. I can guess that the contractor was contacted first, and you hired them to get their architect and provide plans. That was your first mistake.

Next, people are lazy, expecting that anyone they hire knows all the best techniques to build and knows all the rules, codes and laws. That was mistake number two. Even though you hire people, you should have gone over critical details, especially about waterproofing and structural techniques on the plans, to make sure that the building owner looks for those steps to be carried out. You, the building owner, I always say, are the “eyes and ears” on the job, since the architect often isn’t there at critical times, when waterproofing membranes and materials are joined.

Mistake number three was not doing a water test with a garden hose when the finish siding, windows roofing, etc., had been applied. Simulating rain by pointing a hose skyward so that the water cascades down — not a direct fire-hose hit — tells you right away if something is failing.

You’re going to need a licensed expert — an architect or an engineer — to work with your attorney. Document everything with videos during simulated or storm events to show the water coming in and whatever other failures, such as leaking and disconnected air ducts, and hire people who can do the job correctly as soon as you can. You need to have a healthy home for your family, and a lawsuit could take years while you possibly get sick from the mold and the chlorine you’re breathing. Good luck!

© 2026 Monte Leeper

Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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Nassau must get serious about disbursing opioid funds

since 2019, Nassau County has had an Opioid Crisis Action Plan at its disposal. Yet it has sat on a bookshelf, collecting dust as the opioid crisis rages onward and over $90 million remains stagnant in county coffers. It’s time to dramatically change that trajectory.

A multidisciplinary task force was co-chaired by County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and former Legislator Siela Bynoe, who now serves in the State Senate. The task force included a team of medical professionals, public health experts, educators and recovery advocates. They created a plan for addressing needs in education, prevention and treatment of opioid use, and devising law enforcement and legislative solutions to reduce illegal opioid distribution and use.

Nassau County has over $100 million in proceeds from various settlements with opioid manufacturers, retailers and distributors. To date, County Executive Bruce Blakeman has gotten just 8.5 per-

cent of those funds to agencies that provide prevention, treatment and recovery resources — this despite the fact that the county launched a portal last spring to help distribute the funds, and has retained Hagerty Consulting Inc to kickstart the delivery of funds.

ticularly given the scale, urgency and human impact of this crisis.

MLast February, the Legislature approved additional funding for Hagerty, the agency responsible for disseminating these funds, with the understanding that the firm is responsible for ensuring the timely and effective movement of the Opioid Litigation Settlement Fund dollars. However, as of Feb. 3, over $91.5 million remains unexpended. Money sitting idle does not serve the individuals, families and communities who are grappling with substance use disorder and its devastating consequences.

oney sitting idle doesn’t help those dealing with substance use disorder.

I am particularly concerned by delays in the delivery of funding to the Mary Brennan INN, one of the many organizations on the front lines of the crisis. Its outstanding work could be greatly enhanced by county funding, and I applaud its ongoing commitment to providing meaningful, lifesaving assistance to our community.

amount of money that has been expended, the amount currently promised to agencies — including specific purposes and timelines — and the amount that remains unallocated.

The public also must have access to a detailed explanation of the role of and actions taken by Hagerty Consulting, the steps being taken to notify eligible agencies and service providers that the funding exists and is available, and a clear timeline for future disbursements and anticipated programmatic outcomes.

Consistent with its contract with Hagerty, the Legislature was advised that a detailed report on the status and deployment of these funds would be provided in June and December 2025. While a report was transmitted on June 30 and Dec 31, the information was limited in scope, and did not offer the transparency or detail necessary for effective legislative oversight or accountability — par-

As a volunteer firefighter, I am acutely aware that first responders like me are often the first people on the scene of an overdose. In that moment, our sole objective is to save lives — and those opioid funds aren’t doing anybody any good if they’re just sitting in the bank. They’re worth more than their weight in gold if we invest them in tools we can use to respond to these emergencies, or prevent them from happening in the first place.

That’s why, on Jan. 30, I wrote to Blakeman to formally request a comprehensive follow-up on the county’s administration of the settlement fund. Such a report must detail the activity of the fund since 2022, including amounts paid out to each organization, the

Our response to the opioid crisis demands diligence, urgency and transparency. As legislators, we have a responsibility to ensure that these funds are not only accounted for, but actively deployed in a way that maximizes their intended public benefit. Our residents, service providers and community partners deserve clarity and action, not delay. If you or someone you know is aware of a qualified agency that is well positioned to apply for a grant through the opioid portal, please share this link — https://app.nassaucountyny.gov/ce/opioid — with them so they can apply. Should they require any help doing so, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (516) 571-6205 or onicks@nassaucountyny.gov.

Olena Nicks, of Uniondale, represents Nassau County’s 5th Legislative District.

Shielding savings New Yorkers work a lifetime to build

If you’re a first-time homebuyer making a down payment, a seller waiting on the proceeds from a home sale or a family expecting settlement funds, you trust your attorney to safeguard your money in an escrow account. For many New Yorkers, that money represents years of savings — funds meant for a home, a fresh start or long-term security — not for misuse.

Yet far too often, clients become victims of theft when attorneys misappropriate funds from escrow accounts — special trust accounts in which lawyers are required to safeguard their clients’ money, most commonly during real estate transactions. Just last year, a former real estate attorney was sentenced to up to 10½ years in prison for stealing nearly $1.8 million from 32 clients over a three-year period. He did so by withholding sale proceeds and down payments that rightfully belonged to them.

The case was far from isolated. Since

New York established the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection in 1982 — which reimburses clients who lose money or property due to a lawyer’s dishonest conduct — more than $112 million in stolen real estate escrow funds has been returned to victims. Clients deserve to make life-changing financial decisions without worrying about whether their money is safe.

ing every firm — regardless of size — an equal chance of review. Entities would be randomly selected for audits, but this wouldn’t preclude an audit for suspicious activity.

We’re in need of a statewide Random Audit Compliance Program.

That’s why I introduced legislation with Assemblyman Charles Lavine to establish a statewide Random Audit Compliance Program that would conduct periodic audits of law firms managing real estate escrow trust accounts. The bill, S9129, is designed to strengthen protections for New Yorkers’ hardearned funds, ensuring that client money is properly safeguarded and kept separate from attorneys’ personal or business finances.

The legislation would direct the chief administrator of the courts to establish the program within the Office of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection. The chief administrator would also oversee the development of a software system to randomly select law firms for audit, giv-

The bill also specifies which records would have to be produced, who would conduct the reviews, who could represent a firm, and the standards auditors would have to follow to ensure fairness and consistency. It would authorize the Lawyers’ Fund’s board of trustees to hire qualified auditors with appropriate credentials, while retaining flexibility to update those requirements as needed.

We cannot ignore the growing number of trust violations in New York. A 2025 report by the New York City Bar found that the Lawyers’ Fund paid 94 awards totaling $11.6 million in 2024 — a 31 percent increase in awards and a 90 percent increase in payouts from the previous year. The report further noted that real property escrow losses accounted for $9.9 million in awards, while theft of settlement proceeds accounted for an additional $415,000plus. This growing pattern demands action to protect client funds before

more damage is done. This wouldn’t be the first randomaudit program of its kind in the country. New Jersey has conducted random audits of attorney trust and business accounts since 1981 to ensure compliance with its recordkeeping rules. Despite having about one-fifth as many attorneys as New York, New Jersey paid just $1.1 million in client protection awards in 2024–25. Since the program began, the state has completed more than 18,000 audits, and only 4.5 percent have resulted in disciplinary action. Several other states have adopted similar programs. In Connecticut, compliance improved dramatically, with the percentage of audits requiring no corrective action rising from 14 percent in 2017 to 30 percent in 2024. These programs show that random audits work, and it’s time for New York to do the same. If implemented, this program would strengthen the fiduciary duty attorneys owe their clients, protecting the savings families work a lifetime to build. I am committed to fighting for its passage and working with my colleagues to get it done, so New Yorkers can have peace of mind that their hard-earned savings are protected.

Siela Bynoe represents the 6th State Senate District.

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Sunshine week keeps democracy in the light

every March we observe Sunshine Week, a national initiative dedicated to one of democracy’s most powerful disinfectants: light. This year, Sunshine Week will be celebrated March 15 to 21, anchored by Freedom of Information Day on March 16, the birthday of James Madison. The timing is symbolic and significant. Sunshine Week reminds us that open government is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

Launched in 2005 and rooted in the pioneering 1972 Colorado Sunshine Act, Sunshine Week was created to raise awareness of the public’s right to know. At its core is a simple but profound idea: Democracy works best when the people can see what their government is doing. Transparency is not about satisfying curiosity, it’s about accountability, trust and ensuring that power remains where it belongs: with the citizens.

Sunshine Week’s foundation is the principle that government records and proceedings belong to the public. Taxpayer dollars fund government operations; therefore, the public has both a legal and moral right to understand how decisions are made and how money is spent.

Freedom of Information laws at the federal and state levels give citizens access to public documents, from village board minutes to federal agency communications. But these laws are only as strong as the public’s willingness to use them. Like muscles, transparency laws weaken without exercise. When citizens

stop requesting records, attending meetings and asking questions, secrecy grows stronger.

Open meetings and public records are not bureaucratic technicalities; they are the mechanisms that keep democracy breathing. Transparency reveals how taxpayers’ money is spent, how contracts are awarded and how policies are shaped. It enables watchdog groups, journalists and everyday citizens to trace decisions from proposal to outcome.

Without openness, the risk of waste, fraud and abuse increases. History repeatedly shows that secrecy breeds complacency and, at times, corruption. Open government, by contrast, ensures that decisions must withstand scrutiny. It does not weaken institutions — it strengthens them. Sunshine Week underscores a critical truth: When the public can see the process, officials are more likely to act responsibly.

In times of crisis — economic downturns, national security challenges or public health emergencies — secrecy often expands. Officials may argue that swift action requires less oversight. While emergencies can justify temporary discretion, they must never become permanent excuses for opacity.

Democracy demands vigilance. Sunshine Week serves as an annual reminder that transparency must be defended, especially when it feels inconvenient. Freedom of information cannot be indefinitely sidelined without eroding public trust.

Supporting Sunshine Week means protecting democracy itself. Openness prevents the concentration of unchecked power and ensures that elected officials remain responsive to citizens rather than to special interests.

Transparency helps parents question school board policies, residents examine zoning proposals and taxpayers track infrastructure spending. It provides communities with the tools to advocate for fair and effective governance.

It also allows us, as journalists, to do our jobs. We rely on open-records laws to uncover stories about misuse of funds, conflicts of interest and public safety failures. It’s why studies show that the presence of a local newspaper in a community mitigates waste, fraud and abuse.

Public trust in government is fragile. One of the most effective ways to build and sustain that trust is through transparency. When agencies proactively release information and conduct business in public view, suspicion diminishes.

Transparency does not guarantee agreement. Citizens, and government officials, may still debate policies and priorities. But openness fosters understanding, and understanding is the bedrock of trust.

So this Sunshine Week, take a moment to reflect on the importance of open meetings and public records. And vow to step up whenever someone tries to turn off the light of transparency.

It’s ‘the power of the state against the people of the nation’

To the Editor:

Re Peter King’s column, “There are better ways to resolve the immigration crisis,” in the Feb. 12-18 issue: Immigration is a problem, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement exemplifies the real, much larger crisis. Immigration is a longstanding issue, and many “better ways” have been proposed over the past 30 years, as Mr. King knows. In fact, one such proposal was on track for bipartisan approval last year until President Trump and his allies killed it. ICE has operated for decades with little notice. Violence was seldom used, citizens were not arrested, and habeas corpus was observed — until Trump. The Border Patrol previously confined its racist brutality close to the Mexican border, until Republicans expanded the “border” to a 100-mile-wide

opinions Protecting those that can’t protect themselves

in the Town of Hempstead, we believe in putting compassion before convenience and responsibility before profit. That belief guides our approach to public safety, quality of life and, increasingly, animal welfare. Today it compels us to confront a growing problem in communities across the nation: unlicensed backyard breeding of cats and dogs. Let me be clear — this is not about responsible, licensed breeders who follow the law and treat animals humanely. This is about unregulated, profit-driven operations that put money over the well-being of animals. It’s about puppies and kittens born into overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. It’s about animals separated from their mothers too early. It’s about preventable suffering.

Protecting animals is not a fringe issue. It is a reflection of who we are as a community.

When breeding is left unchecked, the consequences ripple far beyond a single household. Overpopulation strains local shelters. Inbreeding leads to serious, lifelong health problems. Animals raised without proper veterinary care

Letters

or humane conditions often become sick or behaviorally distressed. Too many are ultimately abandoned or surrendered when medical bills mount or behavioral challenges become overwhelming.

At the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, we see the results firsthand. Our dedicated staff works tirelessly to rehabilitate, treat and rehome animals that deserved better from the start. I’m proud to say that our shelter is a no-kill facility, committed to longterm case management, specialized rehabilitation, behavior training and strong partnerships with rescue groups and sanctuaries. But even the best shelter can’t solve a problem that begins with irresponsible breeding practices.

waccountability where, too often, there has been none.

e’re cracking down on the unlicensed breeding of cats and dogs.

Additionally, the legislation limits female cats and dogs to no more than one litter in a 12-month period. This will help prevent overbreeding, which can be physically taxing and dangerous for animals. The law will also prohibit the transfer or adoption of puppies or kittens before they are 8 weeks old, unless a veterinarian determines it is medically necessary. Those first weeks are critical to an animal’s development. Separating them too early can lead to long-term health and behavioral issues.

on proper medical care. They rely entirely on us. When breeding becomes a backyard business driven by quick cash, animals pay the price — with their health, their safety and sometimes their lives.

This legislation is about prevention. It targets a root cause of shelter overcrowding and animal suffering. By requiring registration, limiting excessive litters and ensuring that basic standards are met, we can reduce the number of animals that end up abandoned, neglected or surrendered in the first place.

That’s why we are passing legislation to crack down on unlicensed backyard breeders and establish meaningful oversight.

Under our proposal, any litter of puppies or kittens born in the Town of Hempstead must be registered with the town within 30 days. The registry — operated through the animal shelter — will document the approximate birth date, species and breed, the address where the animals are housed and the veterinarian providing care. This simple step will introduce transparency and

zone. Even then, cities were not invaded — not even El Paso or Brownsville, much less Portland or Milwaukee — until Trump.

The Department of Homeland Security pursued its intended mission: defending against 9/11 or Beirutand Benghazi-style attacks by foreign terrorists, seldom making the news. Then Trump decided that the homeland itself — Chicago, Los Angeles, Springfield, Ill. — was the “enemy within,” rife with “domestic terrorists” like Alex Pretti, who must be prevented from voting. Meanwhile, Trump allied himself with Saudi Arabian interests, the major sources of the 9/11 and other “homeland” assaults. Remember Jamal Khashoggi.

The FBI, formerly our premier law enforcement agency, is now Trumpified, refusing to investigate homicides by federal agents, interfering with state ballots, arresting journalists and charging members of Congress with sedition. In earlier times, Peter King himself might have been among those in such felonious jeopardy. The depth, breadth and pervasiveness of corruption in all of this is obvious, with beneficiaries openly paying well for more of this new form of republican government — modeled on ancient Rome’s republic of patricians and plebes, paterfamilias all. Our government is using the power of the state against the people of the nation. That is the crisis. Currently, the best — and perhaps only — way to resolve both the crisis and the problem is to end MAGA’s abuse of government, from Blakeman and Garbarino to Vance and Trump.

BRIAn KELLy Rockville Centre

Violations would carry fines starting at $250 and increasing to $500 for repeat offenses. But our goal is compliance, not punishment. Enforcement will largely be complaint-driven, empowering residents to report suspected illegal breeding in their neighborhoods. Our Building Department and the animal shelter will work together to investigate and enforce the law.

Some may ask: Why focus on this? Why make it a priority?

Because the way we treat animals speaks volumes about our values.

Animals cannot advocate for themselves. They cannot report abuse, demand clean living conditions or insist

Framework by Tim Baker

Communities across the country are grappling with the consequences of backyard breeding. Here in the Town of Hempstead, we intend to lead. We have long been at the forefront of animal welfare initiatives, and we will continue to make animal safety a priority of this administration.

Protecting animals is not only the right thing to do — it strengthens our entire community. Fewer animals in crisis means fewer strained resources, safer neighborhoods and more successful adoptions. Most important, it means fewer animals suffering in silence.

In the Town of Hempstead, we are proud to say: paws before profits. And we will continue working every day to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

John Ferretti is the Town of Hempstead supervisor.

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