_________________ WANTAGH ________________
HERALD Vol. 73 No. 48
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A robotic parade by first-graders
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NoVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2025
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Alum returns home with FDNY lacrosse to Ladder Company 117 in Astoria, Queens, since May, said. The FDNY vs. NYPD sports Joseph Giardina recently returned to the Wantagh High rivalry is a long-standing tradiSchool field where he played tion featuring multiple annual lacrosse more than 10 years events like the Heroes of Hockago — but this time, he showed ey game and the Fun City Bowl up in a New York City Fire football game. Department uniform. “Two of the biggest rivalries Giardina, 31, a member of in sports are Army-Navy and Wa n t a g h ’ s 2 0 1 2 FDNY-NYPD,” Giarg r a d u at i n g cl a s s dina, a Wanta gh and its lacrosse n a t ive wh o n ow team, played lives in Astoria, defense for the s a i d . “ T h at j u s t FDNY against the goes across the N e w Yo r k C i t y board in all sports.” Police Department As a tradition in the 30th annual JosEPh GiARDiNA over the years, the Battle of the Badges Wantagh High School FDNY and NYPD o n N o v. 1 . T h e have faced off in alum and FDNY FDNY won the s eve r a l s p o r t i n g member matchup, 15-7, in events, including front of hundreds hockey, baseball, of spectators. soccer, golf, football In his fifth-grade yearbook and lacrosse, often for charity at Wantagh Elementary School, a n d t o h o n o r f a l l e n f i r s t Giardina was asked, “Where do responders. you see yourself in 20 years?” “They all respect each other Giardina wrote, “fireman,” and and respect everything that this year, that dream became they do off the field,” Giardina reality. said. “But the second that hel“I was a teacher and a foot- met gets buckled and you’re in ball and lacrosse coach at Long between the lines, you hate Island City High School, in each other.” Astoria. Then, I got the call for The game was initially set the FDNY, and I had to take it,” for Sept. 6 at John J. Burns Giardina, who’s been assigned Continued on page 9
By lUKE FEENEY
lfeeney@liherald.com
F
or me, it was a homecoming.
Paul Grassini/Herald
Winning Warriors Wantagh quarterback Carter Loughman, right, and Luke Martini celebrated one of four touchdowns in last Saturday’s 28-21 victory over Bethpage in the Nassau Conference III football title game at Hofstra University. Story, more photos, Page 6.
League forum dissects 2025 election Residents explore local victories, national Democratic gains By lUKE FEENEY lfeeney@liherald.com
The League of Women Voters of East Nassau hosted a forum at the Levittown Public Library last week, attended by more than a dozen residents, to analyze local and national results from the 2025 elections. Barbara Epstein, co-president of the nonpartisan, grass-roots nonprofit, which is dedicated to empowering people to participate in democratic activities, opened the Nov. 19 forum by focusing on local races. She highlighted the continued success of Republican candidates in countywide elections.
Republican incumbent Bruce Blakeman secured another term as Nassau County executive on Nov. 4, defeating his Democratic challenger, Seth Koslow, 54 percent to 46 percent. County District Attorney Anne Donnelly was also elected to another term, defeating Democrat Nicole Aloise, 55 percent to 44 percent. County Comptroller Elaine Phillips, another Republican, won re-election, besting Democrat Wayne Wink, 55 percent to 45 percent, in a race centered on fiscal oversight and government efficiency. Republican County Clerk Maureen O’Connell held on to her seat as well, defeating Continued on page 12