Roslyn 2021_02_19 by The Island 360

Serving Roslyn, East Hills, Roslyn Estates, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn Heights, Greenvale, Old Westbury and North Hills

Friday, February 19, 2021

Vol. 9, No. 8

SPECIAL PRIVATE WATER HEARING CUOMO ADMITS WITHHOLDING OCCASIONS NEXT WEEK: GOV NURSING HOME DATA PAGES 19-21

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2nd hearing on Warner Avenue moves to March

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LUNAR NEW YEAR

Discussion of proposed development postponed from Tuesday trustee meeting BY R O S E W E L D ON A second hearing on a proposed four-to-five-story mixeduse development on Warner Avenue before the Village of Roslyn’s Board of Trustees will take place next month, after being postponed from the board’s meeting on Tuesday. The hearing was one of two adjourned at that meeting, which Mayor John Durkin announced soon after it began. “We will be, at the request of the applicants, adjourning the public hearings … and we’re going to continue them to our March meeting,” Durkin said. In October, the board passed a change of zone for 281-301 Warner Ave. from commercial to mixed-use. The property currently houses a strip mall of empty storefronts and was zoned for commercial use only. J.K. Equities, headed by Roslyn resident Jerry Karlik, has sub-

mitted an application for a transitoriented mixed-use development on the site, comprising one floor of retail and either three or four floors of 54 residential apartments. The plans have been widely discussed due to the Roslyn school board’s stance against the proposal since July 2019, when President Meryl Waxman Ben-Levy claimed that the district was “functioning at capacity.” Ben-Levy also successfully asked the board to change the date of a public hearing on the zoning change in 2020. “[We] have reduced the density, eliminating one residential floor, decreased the retail component by 50 percent, increased parking, and I’ve reserved 20 percent of the apartments as aﬀordable workforce housing,” Karlik said at the first hearing, held in January. “We will also be making a sizable monetary contribution to the village to defray costs associated with this project, as well as Continued on Page 36

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROSLYN SCHOOL DISTRICT

Roslyn High School world language teacher Huichee Yeh celebrated the Lunar New Year with students in her Chinese 3, 4, 5, and AP Chinese classes. The students commemorated the Year of the Ox with the lion dance and by creating hong bao, red envelopes traditionally filled with money and given on special occasions.

Stern, who led Roslyn ed board post-scandal, dies BY R O S E W E L D ON Stanley Stern, former president of the Roslyn Board of Education, has died at 86. Stern’s death was announced in an email to the

district’s community by current Board of Education President Meryl Waxman Ben-Levy, who was first elected to the board when he served as president. A date of death was not given. “It is with sadness that I

write on behalf of the Roslyn Board of Education to inform you of the passing this past weekend of former Roslyn Board of Education President Stanley Stern,” Ben-Levy Continued on Page 37

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The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Possible legacy in Buckley hearing store on F. Hill board moved to March Trustee candidate Frankel seeks to succeed Beber

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATE

Max Frankel is following in his mother Ann’s footsteps by running for an open spot on Flower Hill’s Board of Trustees. BY R O S E W E L D ON Max Frankel has lived in the Village of Flower Hill for 26 years — albeit nonconsecutively. “I was raised in the Roslyn area until 2001, and in 2012 I came back with my wife,” Frankel said in a phone interview. “We now live on the same street I grew up in.” If he’s elected to the village Board of Trustees on March 16, as the only new face in a slate of uncontested Flower Hill Party candidates including two-term Trustee Frank Genese and recent board appointees Mary Jo Collins and Claire Dorfman, Frankel

would be a second-generation trustee. In the 1990s, his mother, Ann, served on the board, and she continues to serve the village as its resident arborist. For Frankel, being raised in the village and seeing what parts of the village have and have not changed gives him a unique perspective that would be useful on the board. “Just growing up here and seeing how Flower Hill changed for the better for so much over the years is amazing,” Frankel said. “When I was younger, my father and my mother were going around getting signatures

for a petition for one-way streets in our neighborhood where cars would cut through, which is one of the main things I’ve seen living here.” The traffic issues in Flower Hill have persisted into Frankel’s adulthood and prompted him to volunteer for the village’s traffic committee two months ago to “get [his] feet wet” in its inner workings. Frankel, who works as a commercial mortgage underwriter, adds that he would bring his financial expertise to the board. “From a financial perspective I understand the ins and outs kind of of the business side of what the board deals with,” Frankel said. “So anything that has to do with building projects, and financing and housing development, and just understanding the costs and the intricacies of the financial aspects of everything, I definitely bring to the table.” In addition to traffic, Frankel sees beautification and housing as something he’s interested in looking at while serving on the board. “I’m very interested in the housing and the building aspect of what’s kind of going on, with these smaller houses that are all being torn down, and you’re having these enormous new homes being built up,” Frankel said. “I’d like to be making sure things are to code and that we really keep with the standards, that I guess we’ve set forth in the village.” The village’s standards for beautification were most recently seen when a mural painted at 1067 Northern Blvd. prompted complaints last month, ending with the building’s owner receiving code violations for “failing to maintain exterior surfaces of the Continued on Page 28

Seventh postponement for school plan BY R O S E W E L D ON A second, seven times-postponed public hearing on an application from Buckley Country Day School for an expansion before the Village of North Hills Board of Trustees is scheduled to be livestreamed on YouTube on March 17. Initially discussed in 2019, the school’s proposed $5 million expansion plans drew ire at its first public hearing in January 2020, with residents from the neighboring Acorn Ponds condominiums complex and nearby streets Bonny Lynn Court and Fox Ridge criticizing the project and calling Buckley “a bad neighbor” for its behavior and treatment of the neighborhood in the past. The project includes a parking lot renovation, dining hall expansion, addition to the headmaster’s house, six new classrooms for the performing arts and language departments, a garage and equipment storage

building. Buckley’s project had been in development for two years, headmaster Jean-Marc Juhel said at a February 2019 village Board of Trustees meeting. “We created a master plan for what we needed to do to enhance the quality of the programs here, the quality of the experience of the students and to enhance traﬃc,” Juhel said at that meeting. The intention behind the parking lot renovation, the headmaster said last year, is to beautify the campus and make it safer for pedestrians. “Our youngest children are 2 1/2 and our oldest are 14,” Juhel said. “I really want them to be able to enjoy this beautiful location that we’re in without having to worry about cars.” The school’s support for the project will come from alumni and parents, the headmaster said, and the school’s endowment will receive part of the $5 Continued on Page 39

PHOTO BY ROSE WELDON

Attorney Bruce Migatz presents a plan for Buckley Country Day School’s proposed additions at a meeting of the Village of North Hills’ Board of Trustees. The next public hearing, which was rescheduled multiple times, is taking place March 17.

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The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Port doctor named to prez’s task force

Dr. Homer Venters, expert in prison health care, joining team on health equity BY R O S E W E L D ON Dr. Homer Venters, an expert on prison medical care and a resident of Port Washington, has been appointed to President Joe Biden’s and Vice President Kamala Harris’ COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, the White House announced last week. A physician and epidemiologist specializing in prison health care and social justice, Venters works as an independent consultant addressing COVID-19 responses in jails, prisons and immigration detention facilities, and was touring prisons in Florida when he found out about his appointment. “I found out with the oﬃcial announcement,” Venters said in a phone interview. “And you know, I’m excited.” Venters will join an 18-person team led by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, an epidemiologist and Yale University professor, and representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice and Department of Labor. As one of the 13 appointed specialists in various fields, Venters will bring the perspective of health care for the incarcerated, which he first became interested

when they were in prison or jail, and or just being denied basic health care. That got me very interested in the subject.” From there, Venters spent two years in a fellowship, touring the country to examine health care for detained immigrants. Eventually he was named deputy medical director of the New York City jail system. “The critical thing was that in New York City, the health service is independent of the security service,” he said. “So my boss was the commissioner of health. In most places in the United States the health service works for security service. And that’s really, part of this idea there isn’t a culture of transparency, like we have in hospitals or outpatient clinics.” Lack of transparency complicates many matters in prison health care, VenPHOTO VIA TEDMED ters says. “Most of what people know comes Dr. Homer Venters of Port Washfrom the people who run prison systems, ington has been appointed to the but those systems really are built and Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity run in a way that lacks the same kind of transparency that we have in hospitals, or Task Force. nursing homes or outpatient clinics,” Venin while completing medical training in ters said. “The access to health care for the South Bronx. people who are incarcerated is really sub“I trained in a program called Social standard, and yet what people hear from Internal Medicine,” Venters said. “And I the people who run jails and prisons is had a lot of patients, who I would see in that people get high-quality health care, the clinic who would report being hurt which they often don’t.”

COVID-19 threw a further wrench into the works, according to Venters. “The health care systems in these places are often broken, so that people who are incarcerated before COVID, if they had a medical problem, they may not be able to get care or assessment for it,” Venters said. “It’s really shocking to see how when COVID would hit a building, or a dorm, some part of a detention setting, it just runs like wildfire through it. And really, in many cases, the people who are providing care are the inmates caring for the other inmates. And the health services are quickly overwhelmed in a way that leaves people to fend for themselves. “It’s terrifying, because there’s also a lack of information, and that if people do find that they can get seen, often what happens is they could get put into solitary confinement, that may be the primary response.” These factors mean COVID-19 is only getting worse in prisons, Venters said. “I would say right now, behind bars, things are getting worse, they are not getting better,” he said. “As a nation, we’re looking ahead, we think we’ve turned a corner, but for people who are in probably 5,000 jails, prisons and immigration detention centers around the country, for Continued on Page 28

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The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Private water hearing next week: Gov New York American customers can give comment on possible public utility changes BY R O S E W E L D ON Customers of New York American Water in the Glen Head and Sea Cliff areas will be able to voice opinions on whether the private company should turn into a public utility on Tuesday. The hearing is the latest development since Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed Rory I. Lancman, special counsel for ratepayer protection at the state’s Department of Public Service, to start a municipalization feasibility study on the company. On the North Shore, New York American Water covers the Glen Head and Sea Cliff areas in addition to East Rockaway, Roosevelt, Bellmore and parts of Merrick on the South Shore. American Water has about 124,000 customers systemwide, including about 120,000 customers on Long Island. “Public forums give ratepayers the chance to directly communicate their concerns and share their ideas for improving water delivery, so that Governor Cuomo, the Commission, legislators, local government officials, and the public can make an informed decision on how best to reduce water rates and provide safe and reliable drinking water in the long-term,” Lancman said. “I urge everyone concerned with the future of water

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

The Merrick-based private company New York American Water, which provides water to the Glen Head and Sea Cliff areas, may become a public utility. delivery on Long Island to participate in the forum for their area.” The company has been criticized by consumers in the past for surging water rates, a result of property taxes that public utilities are not required to pay. As reported in Newsday in 2017,

Large venues to open for small crowds

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one public forum at a Glen Head middle school attracted displeased consumers who voiced support for the idea of turning the company into a public utility. Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) criticized the company last October for ignoring a

cost-eﬀective approach to a water treatment project in Glen Head that added $1 million to its cost. The state is currently reviewing the sale of the Merrick-based New York American Water to Liberty Utilities Co., another private utility, and the proceeding has triggered strong local interest in reviewing options for a potential public takeover of the system. Cuomo included a provision in his utility reform legislation introduced in November that requires the issuance of a study by April 1 on the feasibility of a public takeover of American Water and directed the Department of Public Service to begin the study immediately. “[The public hearings] are essential next steps in looking for solutions to the critical concerns of New York American Water customers,” Department of Public Service Chair John B. Rhodes said in a statement. “Lowering the cost of good, safe water is of prime importance to New Yorkers, and the Department needs to use all available tools to achieve that.” The public hearing on New York American Water for northern Nassau County, including Sea Cliﬀ, Glen Head and Mill Neck Estates, will be held Tuesday at 6 p.m. Continued on Page 37

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Sports and entertainment events in major stadiums and arenas can reopen with as few as 1,000 spectators in February, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but little has been said about the opening of the Nassau Coliseum. Cuomo announced on Feb. 10 that stadiums and arenas with a capacity of 10,000 or more people could reopen, with spectators capped at 10 percent of capacity, beginning Tuesday. Following the model established as part of the successful Buﬀalo Bills pilot program, venues and events must follow similar guidelines, including Department of Health approval for venues and events, capacity limitations, testing requirements, mandatory face coverings, temperature checks and assigned, socially distanced seating. The Department of Health’s work to inspect eligible venues statewide is already underway, with the state saying that the Barclays Center in Brooklyn has been approved to re-open on Tuesday. The oﬃce predicts that should this be met with success, similar events in approved venues over the coming weeks will help inform the reopening process

for smaller venues in the future. “While we continue to fight COVID on multiple fronts, we must also get this economy reopened intelligently and in a balanced way,”Cuomo said. “Live sports and entertainment have long been engrained in the fabric of New York and the inability to hold events has only added to the isolation we have all felt at the hands of this virus. Thankfully, our pilot program to reopen Buﬀalo Bills games to fans was an unparalleled success and now we are taking that model and expanding it to other large venues across the state to not only reinvigorate local economies, but also help bring some fun and joy back into people’s lives as safely as possible.” In order to reopen, eligible sites must obtain approval from the Department of Health for both venues and events; institute a 10 percent capacity limit in arenas and stadiums; ensure all staﬀ and spectators receive a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of the event; mandate face coverings, social distancing and temperature checks for all those in attendance; mandate assigned, socially distanced seating; collect contact information from all those in attendance to Continued on Page 28

The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

Nassau officials split on Trump verdict Dems say ex-prez deserved to be found guilty; Ra says it was too late to impeach BY R OB E RT PELAEZ

Some elected oﬃcials from both parties in Nassau County said former President Donald Trump bore responsibility for the Capitol riot last month even though the Senate on Saturday acquitted him in his second impeachment trial. The vote on whether Trump was guilty of inciting the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 was 57 guilty to 43 not guilty, 10 votes short of conviction. U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), who with Rep. Kathleen Rice (DGarden City) was present in the Capitol when the insurrection occurred, explained why he supported those who found Trump guilty. “I was there in the House Chamber January 6th and if you can’t impeach a President for what he did here, I don’t know what would qualify,” Suozzi said. “We must continue working to move our country forward.” Assemblyman Ed Ra (RFranklin Square) agreed with

PHOTO BY STEPHEN ROMANO

Some elected officials throughout Nassau County stressed the need to push past partisan politics and focus on rebuilding from the coronavirus pandemic after Donald Trump was acquitted by the Senate on Saturday. oﬃcials who found Trump responsible for the insurrection at the Capitol, but claimed that the not guilty result was “all but certain” since the trial occurred after Trump had left oﬃce. “I agree with Congressional leaders in both parties who

have been clear that President Trump bears responsibility for the horrible events of January 6. However, proceeding with this trial after President Trump left oﬃce meant that acquittal in this specific proceeding was all but certain,” Ra said.

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Ra, like Suozzi, stressed the importance of moving past political agendas to help people deal with the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s time for Congress to move forward. I’m urging our representatives to finalize badly needed COVID-19 relief for our families, small-business owners, local governments, schools and health care providers,” Ra said. Rice said America’s national security could be affected by the acquittal, but praised the officials who spearheaded the impeachment effort. “The Senate’s failure to hold a President accountable who incited an insurrection leaves our democracy vulnerable to future attacks,” Rice said. “Our House impeachment managers did an admirable job. In compelling fashion, they laid out a damning indictment of Trump’s guilt.” Jay Jacobs, the state and Nassau County Democratic Committee chairman, was blunt in a tweet on Monday and compared Trump’s acquit-

tal with arguably the most notable recent trial to end in the same result. “Donald Trump is now the OJ Simpson of politics: He got acquitted but we all know he did it,” Jacobs tweeted. Seven Republican senators found Trump guilty, including Richard Burr of North Carolina, who previously served as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and spearheaded the Senate’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Rice and Suozzi praised Burr and the six other Republican senators for voting to hold Trump accountable for the insurrection. “I commend the Republicans that took a stand and did the right thing,” Rice said. “Those that didn’t will forever be on the wrong side of history.” “I applaud the 7 Republican Senators that put country first,” Suozzi said. “Future generations will note where we all stood during this important moment in our nation’s history.”

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

Cuomo admits ‘mistake’ over data Defends administration’s efforts, accuracy of virus-related deaths in nursing homes BY R OB E RT PELAEZ Gov. Andrew Cuomo admitted he made a “mistake” in not providing statistics and information on nursing home deaths related to the coronavirus in a timely manner during a Monday news conference. Cuomo defended state health oﬃcials and the accuracy of the nursing home figures his administration provided, but admitted that he should have “prioritized providing more information.” “To be clear, all the deaths in nursing homes and in the hospitals were always fully, publicly, and accurately reported,” Cuomo said Monday. “The public had many questions and concerns and the press had many questions about nursing homes primarily. I understand that they were not answered quickly enough.” The controversy began when Attorney General Letitia James announced in late January that an investigation into the state’s Health Department revealed

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he should have “prioritized providing more information” on coronavirus-related deaths in nursing homes. coronavirus deaths of nursing home residents had been undercounted. James said in a statement on Jan. 28 that her oﬃce had been investigating nursing homes throughout the state “based on allegations of patient neglect and other concerning conduct that may have jeopardized the

health and safety of residents and employees,” received as early as March 2020 and numbering more than 900 since November. More than 20 nursing homes remain under investigation as a result, according to James. “As the pandemic and our investigations continue, it is imperative that we understand why

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the residents of nursing homes in New York unnecessarily suﬀered at such an alarming rate,” James said. “While we cannot bring back the individuals we lost to this crisis, this report seeks to offer transparency that the public deserves and to spur increased action to protect our most vulnerable residents.”

The initial investigations conducted by James’ oﬃce indicated that a larger number of nursing home residents died from the coronavirus than reported by the state’s Department of Health. Based on a survey of 62 nursing homes that found the state undercounted the fatalities there by an average of 56 percent, the data could push the department’s original count of 8,711 coronavirus-related deaths in nursing homes to more than 13,000, according to the report. Investigations also showed that the lack of compliance in nursing homes with infection control protocols put residents at increased risk of harm, and facilities that had lower prepandemic staﬃng rating had higher coronavirus-related fatality rates. After the investigations’ preliminary findings were publicized, the state came out with new data that showed an additional 3,800 coronavirus-related deaths of nursing home residents had occurred in hospitals. Continued on Page 29

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

Nassau Dems pick comptroller candidate Lawyer Ryan Cronin of Garden City selected for race to succeed Jack Schnirman BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z The Nassau County Democratic Committee has named Ryan Cronin, a lawyer, as a candidate to succeed Jack Schnirman as county comptroller in November’s general election. Cronin, a partner at the New York branch of the national law firm Blank Rome LLP, was put forward by the committee last week, according to a news release. The county Democratic committee touted Cronin’s fiscal responsibilities during his tenure in the legal field, which included protecting victims of Bernard Madoﬀ ’s Ponzi scheme. “Right now, we need a Comptroller with a strong private sector background and track record of delivering for people in Nassau – and Ryan checks all the boxes,” said Jay Jacobs, chairman of the New York state and Nassau County Democratic committees. “Whether he was helping Nassau’s underserved and underinsured gain access to healthcare, fighting to keep green spaces in his community, or representing victims of financial frauds, Ryan is the experienced watchdog that we need to keep the cost of living under control.” Cronin, a Garden City resident, said

PHOTO BY NOAH MANSKAR

The Nassau County Democratic Committee announced that Ryan Cronin will be running to succeed Jack Schnirman as county comptroller in the upcoming general election in November last week. his initial goal if elected is to lower the fiscal burden of Nassau taxpayers due to the current hardships caused by the lingering coronavirus pandemic.

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“Lowering the cost of living is essential to sustain Long Island as a great place to live and raise a family,” Cronin said. “Now, more than ever, we need elected officials committed to this objective. COVID-19 has upended the lives of our families, friends, neighbors, and businesses. As Comptroller, I will ensure Nassau County government works efficiently and eliminates corruption, fraud, and abuse.” Cronin is seeking to succeed Schnirman, a fellow Democrat who was elected to the position in 2017. Earlier this month, Schnirman cited leaving politics to other people as a reason not to run for re-election. Before being elected comptroller in 2017, Schnirman served as the Long Beach city manager for six years beginning in 2011. Although Schnirman cited efforts to increase government transparency, his tenure as comptroller included some blemishes.

A 2019 draft audit conducted by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli showed Schnirman was one of 10 former and current Long Beach employees who received a total of more than $500,000 in excessive separation payments. Schnirman’s overpayments were a combination of accrued sick and vacation days that exceeded the amount allowed under city codes, resulting in his getting total payments of $108,000. Schnirman ultimately returned all of the $52,780 in overpayments he had received. Schnirman highlighted the work that his office was able to do over the past four years, including the implementation of the Open Nassau Transparency Portal, which allows residents to view county expenditures, budgets, payroll and other governmental aspects. Schnirman’s office also recently released a three-year progress update, which showed that the comptroller’s office recovered more than $149 million for county taxpayers. Jacobs told Newsday that Schnirman had been mulling over the move to not run for re-election “for a while.” “I fully understand his decision. I think he’s done a great job as comptroller, certainly has a record to be proud of as comptroller,” Jacobs told Newsday. “I wish him well and I look forward to working with him again. I don’t think his political career is at an end. I think he will be back in some capacity, and I look forward to that in the future.” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran praised Schnirman’s modernization efforts. “Jack spearheaded initiatives that modernized the office of comptroller,” Curran said. Though Schnirman’s fellow Democrats praised his work, Presiding Officer Rich Nicollelo (R-New Hyde Park) told Newsday that Schnirman was “compromised since the moment he got here, and what Nassau really needs is someone who can be a true watchdog, which he isn’t.” The Republicans have not yet named a candidate for comptroller.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

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Kaplan-backed ‘ghost gun’ bill passes Senate BY R O S E W E L D ON The state Senate passed legislation on Feb. 10 sponsored by Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck) to crack down on “ghost guns,” untraceable firearms used by criminals to evade background checks. The Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receivers Act, sponsored by Kaplan, prohibits the possessions of unfinished frames or receivers without a gunsmith license; prohibits the possession of major components of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun by persons who are otherwise lawfully prohibited from possessing

such weapons; and makes it illegal to sell or transfer an unfinished frame or receiver to anyone other than a licensed gunsmith. It will next go to the state Assembly, where the bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove). During the COVID-19 crisis, gun violence has spiked; as have sales of firearms and ghost guns. At the beginning of the pandemic, gun manufacturers reported massive sales of ghost gun kits; at least 16 manufacturers told customers they were experiencing shipping delays due to a high volume of orders, according to Kaplan’s oﬃce.

vocate for gun safety. “I am truly overwhelmed and humbled by the actions of Senator Anna Kaplan, and the New York State Senate today in honoring Scott with the passage of Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act,” Beigel Schulman said in a statement. “Senator Anna Kaplan is by far one of the most honest, dedicated and caring individuals we have working for us in our government. My sentiments are not because this bill is named in honor of my son Scott. My sentiments come from working with and knowing the person, Anna Kaplan. Anna Kaplan fights for what she believes in. Anna Kaplan fights for the good for all of us. Anna Kaplan fights for what she knows will keep us all safe from totally unnecessary and preventable gun violence. We all need to give thanks to Senator Anna Kaplan for her caring, listening, and continuous fighting, against all odds, for all of us. “That being said, this legislation is only the first step. When passed by the New York State Assembly and signed by Governor Cuomo, this legislation will save lives. This legislation will help keep us all safe from senseless and preventable gun violence.” “As we mark three years since the tragedy in Parkland, Florida, I couldn’t be more proud to sponsor ‘The Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act,’ which will close the dangerous unfinished receiver loophole, because I know that it will save lives,” Kaplan said in a statement. “I’m so grateful to Scott’s parents Linda and Michael for their passionate advocacy for sensible gun safety laws, to Senator Brad Hoylman for his leadership and partnership on this legislation, and I’m thankful for the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Andrea-Stewart Cousins for always ensuring that the Senate is responsive to the needs of our community.”

“If you can’t pass a background check to obtain a firearm legally, then you shouldn’t be able to circumvent the process by making your own out of parts you bought online either,” Kaplan said. “The ‘unfinished receiver loophole’ in our gun laws allows too many dangerous ghost guns into our community every year, and with the rise of extremism across the country driving huge demand for these untraceable weapons, we must take action to close it right away.” The legislation passed the state Senate nearly three years after the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14, 2018, during which the bill’s namesake, Long Island native, teacher and coach Scott Beigel, was killed while herding 31 students to safety in his classroom. Since the shooting, Beigel’s mother, Linda Beigel Schulman, a native of the Roslyn area, has become an active ad-

LEFT PHOTO BY JANELLE CLAUSEN; RIGHT PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SCOTT J. BEIGEL FOUNDATION

A new bill sponsored by State Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck) left, and named for the late Scott Beigel, right, takes aim at “ghost guns.”

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12 The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Soundview Cinemas lawsuit dismissed Port movie theater’s claim against insurance company, brokers thrown out of court BY R O S E W E L D ON A lawsuit filed by the Soundview Cinemas in Port Washington against its insurance company over economic losses sustained as a result of having to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been dismissed. In a filing dated Feb. 10, Justice Timothy S. Driscoll of the state Supreme Court’s Commercial Division approved a motion to dismiss the suit from the defendants, who included the Blue Point-based insurance brokers Five Star Coverage Corp. and Wilkinson & Krause Agency Inc. as well as insurance companies including the Ohio-based Great American Insurance Group, the Great American Insurance Co. of New York and Jimcor Inc. Soundview, which had an insurance policy covering direct physical loss of or damage to the property, had accused the defendants of breach of their insurance policy, negligence, failing to properly procure insurance and breach of fiduciary duty, and said that it had submitted a notice of loss claim on March 16, but the

PHOTO BY ROSE WELDON

A lawsuit filed by Port Washington’s Soundview Cinemas against its insurance company has been dismissed. request was rejected. Driscoll found in his decision that Soundview made no inquiry to the brokers or its insur-

ance company regarding specific insurance coverage that would apply to “these unprecedented times.” The justice also noted

that there was no indication that any such coverage for pandemicrelated government closures existed before the onslaught of the

pandemic. “While the court is sympathetic to the economic consequences resulting from the closure of plaintiﬀ ’s movie theater, the court concurs with the majority view that loss of the premises due to COVID-19 related government orders does not constitute ‘direct physical loss of or damage to the property’ that would trigger business income coverage under the policy,” Driscoll wrote. The ruling may be a precedent in future cases concerning insurance payouts and the pandemic. Kevin Buckley, a partner with Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass who represented Great American, touted the ruling as a “first of its kind” in a statement to the New York Law Journal, and said the decision would provide guidance to attorneys in similar disputes. “I think this is the first of many we’re going to see from New York courts,” Buckley told the Journal. “To date, no [New York] state court has issued any decision that we’re aware of. Most of these policies borrow lanContinued on Page 28

Man arrested in death Joe Viverito, ran from of Nicki Minaj’s father Manhasset to NYC, dies BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

A 70-year-old Mineola man was arrested on Wednesday and faces felony charges in connection with the death of Robert Maraj, the father of rapper Nicki Minaj. Maraj died on Saturday after Charles Polevich of 165 Roselle St. in Mineola allegedly hit Maraj with his white 1992 Volvo station wagon on Roslyn Road in Mineola, according to the Nassau County Police Department. Oﬃcials said the 64-year-old Maraj

was hit on Friday after 6 p.m. while walking through the intersection of Roslyn Road and Raff Avenue. Officials said Polevich initially stopped after hitting Maraj before he fled the scene and left Maraj on the side of the road. Maraj was taken to a local hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition, according to the police. Health officials declared Maraj dead on Saturday. Multiple news outlets reached out to Minaj for comment unsuccessfully, Continued on Page 28

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Robert Maraj, the father of rapper Nicki Minaj, died on Saturday after a hitand-run incident that occurred in Mineola Friday night.

BY K AT I E F E N T O N Joseph Viverito, a Mineola resident known for his passion for long-distance running and work as an advertising executive, died in his home on Dec. 25 at age 87. Viverito was also a veteran, serving in the Army from 1956 to 1957, and father to four sons. Viverito made headlines in 1972 when he decided to run nearly 20 miles from his home in Manhasset to his job in Manhattan during an LIRR strike. As he set out to prove, the traﬃc caused by the strike was so bad that he could get to his oﬃce more quickly on foot than by car. Combining his interest in long-distance running with his public relations expertise, Viverito contacted newspapers and radio stations to get the word out about his exploit. Reporters followed in cars as he completed the 18.6mile run in 2 hours and 16 minutes on Dec. 5, 1972. “I wanted to demonstrate the plight

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW VIVERITO

Mineola resident and avid runner Joseph Viverito died on Dec. 25. of the commuter and how he’s being inconvenienced. I wanted to show the anguish and frustration,” Viverto explained in a 1972 interview with NewsContinued on Page 37

The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Scramble on for COVID-19 vaccines State officials criticized for lack of adequate doses in Nassau County as eligibility grows BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Expanded eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine in New York began on Sunday, but Long Islanders continue to scramble for inoculations and elected officials continue their pleas to the state for more doses. Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned New Yorkers that the demand for appointments would be high last week. On Tuesday, Cuomo said that nearly 10,000 appointments were made per hour on Sunday, beginning as early as 8 a.m. “The State’s vaccination program is failing and as more individuals become eligible, it’s creating an even bigger risk to our most vulnerable citizens,” Presiding Oﬃcer Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) said. “With limited supplies and a mad scramble among millions of New Yorkers trying to obtain an appointment dealing with shifting rules, overloaded websites and interminable waits on the phone, the current system is simply not working and it’s time to make a change.” Nassau County legislators underscored two prominent issues for county residents, the lack of help seniors have received from the state’s website and officials to make inoculation appointments

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LEGISLATIVE MAJORITY

Nassau County Presiding Office Rich Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) (left) criticized state officials for a lack of adequate vaccine doses for the county and all of Long Island.

18.5K total cases counted on N. Shore BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z More than 18,500 people on the North Shore have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began in mid-March, according to statistics provided by the Nassau County Department of Health on Wednesday. As coronavirus vaccinations continue to be rolled out throughout the county, the North Shore saw one of the lowest one-week increases with fewer than 700 new cases throughout the region in the past week, according to statistics. The area that incorporates the Willistons and Mineola had 4,189 cases as of Wednesday, the most of all analyzed areas. Reflecting the overall decrease in new cases, the Village of Mineola saw its lowest increase of cases over the oneweek period with fewer than 70 new cases. Mineola’s 1,772 cases and Garden City’s 1,609 cases accounted for more than 3,300 of the 4,189 total cases in the area. The New Hyde Park area accounted for 3,688 of the North Shore’s cases, with North New Hyde Park having the third most confirmed positives, 1,337, out of any analyzed area. The villages of Floral

Park, with 1,189 cases, and New Hyde Park, with 860 cases, were also among the top 10 villages or unincorporated town areas in terms of positive tests, according to Health Department statistics. The Great Neck peninsula saw an increase of fewer than 100 new cases over the past week for the first time since the early months of the pandemic. The villages of Great Neck, Kings Point and Great Neck Plaza accounted for more than 2,300 total cases. Kings Point hit 610 total cases as of Wednesday. The peninsula accounted for 3,437 cases, according to Health Department figures. The Port Washington area, which surpassed 2,000 total cases this week, saw an increase of fewer than 60 cases over one week, according to the figures. The town-governed area of Port Washington had 1,018 total cases as of Wednesday, leading the peninsula, and Manorhaven had 620 cases. Municipalities and unincorporated areas that stretch into more than one North Shore area such as Flower Hill, Herricks, Albertson, Garden City Park, Searingtown and North Hills were counted separately and accounted for 2,408 cases, according to county statistics. Continued on Page 37

and the lack of adequate vaccine doses and centers for Long Island residents. Nicolello criticized state officials for what he called a lack of adequate distribution of vaccine doses and New York City officials for their inoculation efforts with more vaccines distributed to them than any region throughout the state. “It is outrageous that New York City’s incompetent leaders and selfish policies have allowed the desperately needed vaccine to go to waste,” Nicolello said on Facebook. “There are so many of our most vulnerable population, including seniors and those with underlying health conditions, who cannot obtain the vaccine.” As of Wednesday, New York City had received more than 1.5 million first and second doses of the vaccines and administered just under 1.3 million, or 85 percent. Long Island had received 418,005 vaccine doses and administered 372,856, or 89 percent of them, according to state figures. Cuomo announced last week that New Yorkers with underlying health conditions were allowed to make appointments at state-run mass vaccination sites as early as Sunday, with inoculations Continued on Page 37

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14 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

Opinion

OUR VIEWS

Truth of nursing home deaths

e now know that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration undercounted the coronavirus-related deaths of state nursing home residents by the thousands. How do we know this? State Attorney General Letitia James issued a report two weeks ago that said the state failed to report the deaths of nursing home residents who had died in hospitals and were not previously counted by the state as nursing home deaths. This was confirmed hours later by the state Health Department, which added more than 3,800 deaths to its count of nursing home deaths and raised the total from 12,743 in February to more than 15,000. This did not change the overall number of COVID-19 deaths in New York – now 45,500, the second-highest total among the states – but it is important data needed to understand where the disease struck and why. We also know that Cuomo, who gained a national following during the early days of the pandemic for his daily television briefings in which he emphasized the need for using science to respond to the pandemic, has been anything but transparent about the number of nursing home deaths. The administration released the latest figures as a result of a court order following a six-month battle between the Cuomo administration and the Empire Center for Public Policy, a conservativeleaning think tank in Albany. The Empire Center resorted to filing a lawsuit to force the Health Department to release more complete data after it was denied that

information under the state Freedom of Information Law. State Republicans had also raised questions about nursing home deaths. And the Trump administration’s Justice Department had requested information on the nursing homes deaths last summer. But Republicans were not alone in seeking more information. The Democratic-controlled state Legislature held hearings in early August in which legislators repeatedly questioned the state health commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, on the full extent of deaths linked to nursing homes. Lawmakers came away dissatisfied with Zucker’s failure to disclose the number of resident deaths outside nursing homes and long-term care facilities. We now also know that Cuomo and his top aides intentionally covered up the death toll in the state’s nursing homes by withholding data to avoid potential investigations into state misconduct. How do we know this? The governor’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, told Democratic lawmakers in a phone call to address the nursing home situation last weekthat “basically we froze,” after being asked by the Justice Department for information. “We were in a position where we weren’t sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice, or what we give you guys, and what we start saying was going to be used against us and we weren’t sure if there was going to be an investigation,” DeRosa told lawmakers, according to a partial transcript obtained by The New York Times.

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This is as damning an admission as you can make. You froze when you were asked for the information? You didn’t know what to give state legislators? Really? Let’s make this easy for the governor and his administration to understand. When government agencies or the press asks for public information, you give it to them. Yes, the information provided might have been politically embarrassing. There is no conceivable scenario under which Donald Trump would not have used the information against Cuomo. Trump was already criticizing Cuomo – notwithstanding the then-president’s colossal failure in responding to the COVID pandemic. But that should not matter. The information the state held could have provided insight into weakness in nursing home regulations and oversight. And that’s more important during a pandemic than any political considerations. Or at least it ought to be.

In the face of blistering criticism from both sides of the aisle, Cuomo acknowledged Monday his administration’s lack of transparency. He claimed the release of information to the state Legislature was delayed because his administration was busy with the federal request, which was made in late August. “The governor’s explanation was quickly criticized by legislative leaders, who said they were not told that the delay was a result of a federal inquiry,” The New York Times reported. “They also questioned why it took Mr. Cuomo’s administration five months to respond to lawmakers after it had responded to the federal request in September.” The report from James, a fellow Democrat, also casts a renewed light on a state directive that ordered nursing homes to accept and readmit patients who had tested positive for COVID-19. The Health Department re-

REPORTERS Rose Weldon, Robert Pelaez

sponded in July that most of the patients sent back to nursing homes “were no longer contagious when admitted and therefore were not a source of infection.” The agency said the virus was instead spread by employees who did not know they were contagious. Forgive us for not wanting to take the Health Department’s word for this. We think the state Legislature should investigate to determine if that is true. Cuomo has also said in response to critics, including thenPresident Trump, that the directive was consistent with federal guidance at the time. This is true, but James said the governor’s policy outlined in the directive may have “resulted in additional fatalities.” It also means Cuomo may have blundered when he followed the Trump administration’s guidance. His unwillingness to release the full data seems damning proof that Cuomo did make the wrong call. Continued on Page 24

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KREMER’S CORNER

Life after COVID pandemic may be better

uring my lifetime, there are so many events that have left an indelible imprint on my mind. Among them are the attack on the World Trade Center, the day President Kennedy was assassinated, the end of the O.J. Simpson trial and sadly, the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. I know there are others but a new one that will never be forgotten is the year that we have lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic. If you are a 25-year-old, losing a year robs you of many social happenings but with many years left to live, the loss of a year is no big deal. If you are in your 70s or older, losing a year out of your life is a big deal. As a senior citizen, the loss of 12 months is a precious robbery of time that you can’t make up in any way. A year without close family, a missed vacation, travel restrictions, the loss of a loved one and a shutdown of the economy make this a sad chapter in our lives. If you have been confined to your home with some close family

at least you are having some social interaction. But the vast majority of the people quarantined at home have only one or two people in the house. This type of situation creates tension and anxiety and makes the lost year seem even longer. The next question is when will the Covid lockdown end and what will our world be like after that? Once we are free to come and go will we really be that free? By the end of this year, it is hoped that a sizable number of people will have been vaccinated. Movie theaters, sports stadiums, restaurants and party venues will probably be open, but with some restrictions. Airlines will be operating once again at full capacity. But wearing a mask will be a habit that will last for the next two or three years, until we are totally convinced that it is safe to mingle with strangers. But with the restrictions lifted, will everything be the same again? Many of those little local restaurants that you have patronized

JERRY KREMER Kremer’s Corner

for years may not be there anymore. Those local stores that sell clothing, greeting cards, newspapers and other basic items, may have been forced to close due to the health restrictions and lack of federal subsidies. I have spent the past 12 months working remotely from my oﬃce. I do talk to staﬀ members and partners from time to time, but I miss those daily social moments when we could exchange some stories and just laugh a little bit more.

Every time we seem to be coming closer to opening up again, someone comes down with Covid-19 and the lockdown starts all over again. I am convinced that I am now working longer hours than ever before because there is no car trip to and from the oﬃce, but I am not positive that all those extra hours have been totally productive. But will they ever fully return? Last year our daughter Lindsey gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She was born before the virus hit us so we had the thrill of seeing her on the day of her birth and for a few months after that. But once the pandemic hit, we grandparents were forced to keep at a far distance from the baby and most of the time we cannot see her in person. We do see her from time to time on a cell phone, but it just isn’t the same as hugging her and watching the changes on a living room couch. Because we have no assurance that another virus will pop up again, our hospital systems

will never quite be the same. To guard against any new infections, hospitals will have to stock extra supplies of masks, gowns, gloves, cotton swabs and other necessities. During the past year, we have learned that any new pandemic will require massive expenses for all of these precious items and they will have to be immediately available for patients to get treatment. This is not meant to be a doom and gloom column. I believe that we will get back to some degree of normalcy in the near future. Just being able to go to a local restaurant or take in a movie will be exciting. Attending a baseball or hockey game will be a wonderful experience, even if we are socially distanced. Seeing new faces, with or without a mask, will mark the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. We will have lost a year, but getting back to any type of normal living will be exciting. And if I am lucky, I will get to hold my granddaughter again.

A LOOK ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

If Trump throws a fit, you must acquit

can still remember my shock and disbelief at the O.J. Simpson verdict. That trial is intimately bound up with my first year as a mother. As I was being lightly sedated for my C-section, the doctors and staﬀ were joking about the recent headline-grabbing murder. “They say her husband did it,” said one. “Who, O.J.? Isn’t he a football player?” “He’s so well-known! He’d have to be stupid to do that.” “Like I said, he’s a football player.” Soon, I was much too busy to pay attention to anything on TV. But a year and four months later, when O.J.’s trial had finally concluded, and a verdict was about to be reached, I invited a friend and her 1-year-old over, to watch it with my 1-year-old and me. As the children played, the verdict was announced: Not Guilty. We were shocked. Completely shocked. I was speechless for at least a minute. How could this be? He was so obviously guilty. You didn’t even have to have watched the trial to know that, because as

the first widely televised celebrity murder trial, it was the water we’d all been swimming in for more than a year. News programs started showing photos of Black and White people, side by side, upon hearing the verdict. Most of the White people reacted like my friend and me — mouths agape, eyes wide in disbelief. For the Black people it was another story entirely. No one seemed shocked, and my recollection is that many of them were smiling. I did not understand any of that, at the time. In the days and weeks that followed, as the entire nation processed this verdict, that’s when I first heard the phrase, “Jury Nullification.” In a nutshell, it’s what happens when a jury thinks that the accused is, indeed, guilty — but sets that aside to pronounce them “Not Guilty” anyway. It sounds unforgivable. But in the context of O.J. Simpson’s trial, I learned that “jury nullification” had been the norm in the American South for more than 100 years, with White juries ac-

JUDY EPSTEIN

A Look on the Lighter Side quitting countless White men who they knew had committed heinous crimes like rape or murder against Black people. I don’t recall any of O.J.’s jurors specifically saying this, but plenty of commentators seemed sure that the majority-AfricanAmerican jury had basically decided to let it be a Black man, for once, who got away with something. Now — 26 years later, and after the murders of Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many

more but, especially, George Floyd — I have greater understanding of the racism that permeates every aspect of our national life. I now see how America’s justice system, in spite of everything, too often delivers horribly unjust verdicts. But I never thought I would witness Jury nullification from the United States Senate…on behalf of a president of the United States. Because that’s what happened, last week. The evidence of President Trump’s guilt, as presented at his Impeachment Trial, was overwhelming. Undeniable. Even Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said so: “There is no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day. No question about it.” And there can be even less question that Trump’s actions were in blatant violation of his oath to defend the Constitution— sending violent people to overturn the most important, Constitutionallymandated thing the Congress ever does, namely certifying the completely legal election of our next President.

Seven Republican senators must be recognized for their courage in crossing the usually impermeable party line, to pronounce Trump “Guilty.” They honored the oath they had all sworn, upon taking office, to “support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Their courage is only exceeded by that of the officers who valiantly protected them from the mob, on Jan. 6 — at loss of life and limb. The rest — a Cowardly Caucus of 43 Republicans, including McConnell — ultimately let exPresident Trump off the hook. The cowards were afraid of losing …what? Their fingers, like some of the officers? An eye, like another? Their lives, like officer Brian Sicknick did, to protect them? No. These cowards violated their oaths just to keep their cushy jobs… all while being protected by people who willingly laid down their very lives. They aren’t fit to polish the boots of the officers they walk past.

16 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

E A R T H M AT T E R S

Trashing space, one satellite at a time

here were you on the evening of this past winter’s solstice, Dec, 21, the longest night of

2020? I know exactly where I was… staring up into space through high powered binoculars to observe an event that has not occurred since 1623 when Jupiter and Saturn aligned at night in a “great conjunction.” And it has been nearly 400 years since Jupiter and Saturn passed this close to each other, although they are aligned in the sky about once every 20 years. The date of the conjunction is determined by the positions of Jupiter, Saturn, and the Earth in their paths around the Sun, while the date of the solstice is determined by the tilt of Earth’s axis, so this rare coincidence was truly a oncein-a-lifetime celestial gift. I don’t remember ever being so in awe thinking about the vastness of space and how other planets in our solar system are so permanent, so unchanged. This, sadly, is not so for our planet and the geospace surrounding it. The diﬀerence, of course, is that humans live here and instead of being good stewards of our incredible life-sustaining and magnificent planet, we are trashing it. We are all familiar with our habit of terrestrial trashings, such as destroying our rain forests, filling up our land and seas with plastic, polluting our air and water, and losing about 150 species every day, but it seems we humans are now

intent on polluting space as well. SpaceX, Amazon, One Web, Facebook and a few other companies are now actively launching or planning to launch their satellites into the Earth’s magnetosphere to provide 5G from space that will eventually cover every corner of the planet. They claim the extremely high frequencies (millimeter waves) associated with 5G will assist with the delivery of enhanced mobile broadband and next-generation IoT devices by providing higher data rates and low latency across a constellation of satellites across the sky. To accomplish this, they will need up to 100,000 satellites. There are already a lot of things floating around (or speeding around) in space, of course. There are about two thousand active satellites that help us predict the weather, handle telephone traﬃc and other routine functions. Three thousand more “dead” satellites are also up there, silently circling the globe, waiting until they reach the point where they burn up in the atmosphere. And that’s in addition to the 500,000 pieces of “space junk” that NASA knows about. 21,000 of these pieces are large enough to be mapped and tracked by NASA, since a collision with any one of them could damage or even destroy another satellite, a space shuttle or even the space station itself. NASA is not happy about the launching of 5G satellites by private companies for non-essential

PATTI WOOD Earth Matters

use.

According to the NASA website, “The problem with adding thousands of new satellites to orbit is that there is only so much room up there. When too many satellites are present collisions can start to occur. Given that satellites travel at extremely high speeds, each collision creates a shotgun eﬀect of debris that can damage nearby satellites. This sort of chain reaction could cripple the world’s satellite infrastructure if it gets out of hand.” Concern is growing quickly among other governmental agencies, scientists, our allies and our enemies about who is really in control of this proliferation of objects in space. The FCC has approved the launching of these new satellites to help promote 5G, without any consultation with other branches of government, other countries, or any public input as to the potential impact of such deployment. Meteorologists have com-

plained that the significant number of new satellites and accompanying microwave signals will interfere with weather prediction. Astronomers have demonstrated that adding so many new satellites to the sky will make their jobs much more diﬃcult. Even the military has expressed concern that these wireless transmissions are easily hacked and that this new cluster of satellites could jeopardize national security by interfering with their own elaborate space-based network of weapons and satellites. Perhaps most concerning is that the bandwidths used by the satellites providing 5G are too close to the frequencies used for air navigation and could cause inaccurate readings on altimeters or even their failure. The Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation have asked the FCC to stop approving more satellites while their concerns are further investigated. Several commercial aviation groups say the interference could lead to catastrophic failures and multiple fatalities. Some legal experts have weighed in too, questioning the authority of the FCC to grant permits for this use and indeed the legality of this action, which they feel is in complete defiance of US domestic law. And did I mention the health risks of the constant emission of radiofrequency microwave radiation from space…the very same radiation that has been shown to

increase the risk of cancer and reproductive and neurological problems in humans and has the potential to have devastating eﬀects on wildlife and the environment? Or the rocket exhaust from regular launchings that contribute to ozone depletion and climate change? Is this the future of space? Will we enable private corporations to have unlimited access to space that is fraught with serious risks, just so they can make lots of money? Is our pre-emptive claim to space the best way to secure international peace? These are serious questions that need serious consideration, international cooperation and public input. So far, none of those things are happening. The only thing that seems to matter is how fast we can get private satellites into space. We already have a lightningfast fiber-optic international communications network that ties most of the world together and allows secure, economical and worry-free communication that is 100 percent safe for everyone and everything on the planet. While it may not be as profitable or “futuristic” as launching 100,000 satellites into space, it eliminates almost all of the issues that are being raised by the exploitative ambitions of Elon Musk and his contemporary entrepreneurs. It’s time to hit the pause button on the new race in space, and we hope the Biden administration will give this issue the urgent attention it deserves.

THE BACK ROAD

Happy white privilege day is every day

everal Republican Senators averted their eyes when, during the opening moments of the impeachment trial on Feb. 9, a compelling 13-minute video of the Capitol insurrection was shown. Why? Were they feeling shame? Guilt? Indiﬀerence? Nothing? Although one cannot be certain, perhaps Sen. Ted Cruz said it best when he stated that it’s “time to move on.” Just hours after the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection, Donald Trump tweeted: “Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!” “Remember this day forever” could very well be the opening words in a commemoration ceremony for the launch of a new holiday on Jan. 6, 2022 – White Privilege Day. Although some would argue that that’s every day

in America. White privilege refers to the inherent advantages possessed by white persons in a society exemplified by racial inequality and injustice. It does not mean that white people do not encounter challenges and struggles in their lives, only that they are typically not related to the color of their skin. Although it has already been widely expressed by now, it bears repeating that if hundreds of black folks wearing Black Lives Matter hats stormed the Capitol building, scaled the façade, smashed windows, broke down doors, chanted f*ck the police and called for the deaths of the vice president and speaker of the house, we would not see a video like the one that was projected on the first day of the impeachment trial. It would simply never get

ANDREW MALEKOFF The Back Road

that far. Instead, we would see BREAKING NEWS clips, around the clock, of blood splattered on the steps and the walls of the Capitol building, body bags, and scores of handcuﬀed invaders being led to buses for transport to legal processing and incarcera-

tion. And, soon thereafter, instead of an impeachment trial, there would likely be a Patriots Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, wellpopulated by people wearing red caps. There would be no cries of f*ck the police, only chants of Blue Lives Matter, accompanied by a firework display and air show by the Blue Angels. The Jan. 6 white supremacist marauders were enabled to do what they did because of their white privilege and the inspiration and tacit orchestration by Good Old’ Boy Donald Trump. He revved them up for months, cheered them on for hours, honored them in the end by stating how much he loved them and how special they are, and then fortified them upon their exit by reminding them to “remember this day forever”.

Forty-four Republicans cowards and traitors voted against holding an impeachment trial for Donald Trump who incited the vicious riot, and then they averted their eyes and looked down at their shoes because they are cowards who want all of America to know is that it is “time to move on” and recognize that democracy only applies to people of a certain color. In her second book Caste, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson stated that after Trump won the election in 2016 that “the election was a victory for him and for the social order he had been born to.” In fact, she recalled, after the election Trump said to those around him, “I remember a time when everybody knew their place. Time we got back to that.” On Jan. 6, 2021 he got his wish. Happy White Privilege Day!

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

VIEW POINT

Trump acquittal shows need to end filibuster

fter the biggest, most bipartisan vote ever to convict a president, 57-43, the Senate tally failed to reach the two-thirds majority threshold of 67 to hold Trump accountable for inciting a deadly insurrection to overturn the election. “This sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant. That violence and extremism has no place in America,” President Biden said. “And that each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.” And in a stunning statement following the Senate vote, Mitch McConnell, who as majority leader prevented the House from bringing the Article of Impeachment Jan. 15 while Trump was still in oﬃce and forced the delay until after he was out of oﬃce, actually gave a more damning indictment of

Trump’s criminality. He cited his betrayal of his oath of office and his culpability in the deadly insurrection but said – get this – he couldn’t vote to impeach because Trump was out of office, a private citizen. He suggested – as did Trump’s own defense attorney by the way – that accountability be found in the court system. But then you know what will happen. It already has. Trump, who has escaped accountability his whole life, becoming more and more emboldened, a sociopath who gets orgasmic pleasure out of others’ suffering and pain and delighted in using the awesome power of the presidency to exert that much higher level of cruelty, will decry as he has so often that any attempt to hold him accountable is a witch hunt, hoax, political prosecution, political retribution. And why not? The techniques he has used – witness intimidation, politicizing criminal justice, threatening prosecutors and investigators, extortion, bribery,

KAREN RUBIN View Point

destroying careers and livelihoods and lives — has worked so well not only to shield him from accountability forever but to advance this bankrupt reality TV conman to the most powerful oﬃce in the world. But what if Trump uses the same tactics against the prosecutors and jurors in criminal court? He has already proved that he can incite people to commit murder for him. The Fulton County, Georgia prosecutor has already gotten the death threats

the secretary of state and election workers received. What if jurors in a Trump trial — whether for money- laundering for Putin or subverting the election — are subjected to threats or fear they will be hounded, like the Michigan secretary of state or Georgia election workers? Trump’s control of the Republican Party now is such that the only ones who will run – and get his blessing – are people like QAnon nut Marjorie Taylor Greene, who claimed California wildfires were caused by Jewish lasers from space). Indeed, just about every Republican – Senator Cassidy of Louisiana, Senator Burr of North Carolina, Congresswoman Cheney of Wyoming, who voted their conscience to impeach Trump have been censured by their state’s Republican party. “We did not send him there to vote his conscience,” the chairman of the Washington County GOP said of Senator Pat Toomey, “We did not send him

there to do the right thing.” Trump has no limit to the supply of armed White Supremacist insurrectionists he can call upon, propagated and validated by Trump’s constant campaign ginning up division, hate and violence. They are emboldened by the same sense of impunity, doing their best to intimidate any judge, prosecutor, juror or Congress member who stands in his way. As Trump said literal minutes after the Senate failed to convict, in a clear, unchastened call to arms, “Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun.” Will the new attorney general seek justice or will he be constrained by Biden’s (fruitless) call for “unity” and to “just move on” and inhibited by the inevitable charges of political retribution and politicized Justice Department. But here are the lessons of the Trump Impeachment: Republicans have no interest in Continued on Page 24

OUR TOWN

Virtual world versus real world, you decide

ast week a patient of mine began discussing the video game “Fortnight” and mentioned the cost of buying a new design for one of the guns was $30. It dawned on me that he was in a world that I knew nothing about. I was told that “Fortnight” has over 100,000,000 players worldwide and that each player forks over approximately $500 per year to buy aesthetic accessories like hair color, facial characteristics, body size and gun design. That’s a fast $5,000,000,000 per year made by the owners of “Fortnight.” This is worrisome but maybe I’m being too old-fashioned. After all for the small price of $500 per year, you get to travel to faraway places, see strange and wonderous things and kill people along the way. What could be better? Maybe real life could be better?So, to test the question of which is better, the virtual world or the real world, I decided to make an experiment.I would take a virtual hike and then take a real hike and see for myself which is better. On the day of this experiment, it was dark and dreary with the temperature hovering at about 28 degrees and a slight

drizzle falling. The temperature is of no importance in the world of virtual reality. All one needs to do is to sit in front of the computer and type in “virtual hike” and see what you get. I was oﬀered a number of hiking experiences and chose one with a big Canadian hiker who was making his way up a snowy mountain in the Yukon. His adventure was astonishing. He had before him beautiful vistas as he raced up the mountain. He saw some little birds that he kicked out of the way and then when he least expected it, he encountered an angry black bear on the trail. The fight was savage, he did some Tae Kwondo kicks and pummeled the bear as the bear ripped away at his coat. Thankfully, the Canadian hiker had a knife and managed to finally kill the bear. All’s well that ends well and as he walked away from his kill, he met up with a friendly fox and they both traveled on. This excellent adventure took only about 10 minutes.And now for my actual hike.As luck would have it, I’m doing a series on the New York State Parks in Nassau County and wanted to explore Belmont Lake State Park, a place sure to have trails. Belmont Lake

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

State Park was the former thoroughbred horse farm of August Belmont and is now the home of the Long Island region of the New York Oﬃce of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. It is a 463-acre nature preserve with a 26-acre natural lake for fishing and boating, Carlls’ Creek and over 7 miles of hiking trails.But first I had to persuade my hiking companion to join me. This wouldn’t be easy since it was so nasty and cold outside but I tempted her with the promise of making homemade pancakes covered with peaches, slabs of fresh butcher cut bacon and hot coﬀee before we started. Of course, we would also need to have proper clothing including thermal underwear, lined

pants, new Merrell hiking boots, extra wool sweaters, warm gloves, down jackets, and wool hats. Next, I had to look up how to make homemade pancakes which means you need baking powder, baking soda, flour, eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup, lots of butter, a good griddle, and of course some good coﬀee. I embarked upon making breakfast.It took about 1 ½ hours to prepare and consume breakfast and now we had plenty of energy for our hike. I persuaded my partner to accompany me and oﬀ we went, bundled up from head to toe and racing towards Exit 38 on the Southern State Parkway.Since I’m a relative novice to the process of hiking, I casually asked her what was the purpose in hiking and she told me “Hiking is not about excitement. It’s more about observing the subtle beauty of nature. There’s magic in the woods if you’re quiet enough to see it.”At that point, we were meandering along the winding road that led up to the lake, parked the car and embarked on the hike. There was snow on the ground and not a soul in sight as we made our way to the lake. We were in the company of a group of swans and ducks who quacked at us in the hope that

we had brought some snacks for them but they were not in luck. We walked along the snowy trail, through the woods and watched as two dogs, with owners in tow, said hi to each other. We came upon the mystery of Carll’s Creek very deep into the woods and after a few moments to pause and smell the winter air we made our way back to the car. The hike took about 1 hour.We got home by about noontime so the entire aﬀair from beginning to end was four hours or 240 minutes in total. That is compared to the 10 minutes it took to virtually hike up a mountain in the Yukon and kill that bear.Experimental conclusion: If you enjoy feeling like an invincible cold-hearted cyborg that feels no pain, has great courage, is never tired and likes to kill vicious black bears, you ought to get more involved with video gaming. I can see the appeal. But if you want to remain human, learn how to cook pancakes from scratch, wear good hiking boots, spend time with your significant other, burn some calories, build up an appetite and explore the magic of the parks of Long Island than you should stick to real hiking and leave the virtual world to the kids.

18 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

F R O M T H E D E S K O F K E VA N M . A B R A H A M S

Celebrating Long Island’s hardwood helpers

hroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I have continued to draw tremendous inspiration from the admirable and selfless deeds performed by so many Nassau County residents. Thanks to the heroic actions of first responders and essential workers; the courageous doctors and healthcare workers who risked their own health to save others; the scientists working tirelessly to create safe, effective vaccines; and the tireless philanthropists who are working to overcome food insecurity in our communities, there is much to be grateful for even during these tremendously difficult times. Although the ongoing pandemic has prevented the Long Island Nets from taking the court, the team and its front office have continued to diligently serve

the community they proudly call home. In addition to aiding direct pandemic relief through food drives, mask giveaways and direct deliveries of sneakers to nurses, they have reinvented their outreach and continued to pursue their mission to support education, social justice and equality. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, the L.I. Nets utilized their unique position in the community to promote early voting and civic engagement across their various digital platforms. They also partnered with my colleague, County Legislator Siela Bynoe, to ensure seniors at local assisted living communities had the opportunity to vote by providing bus transportation to the polls. The L.I. Nets are also keenly focused on uplifting diverse

KEVAN M. ABRAHAMS Nassau County Legislator

communities, supporting young people, and empowering girls in sports. During LGBTQ Pride Month in June, the Nets partnered with Pride for Youth to host a Careers in Sports panel. Over the summer, they also launched an engaging program for high school

students interested in pursuing a career in sports law, in partnership with the New York Liberty and the Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights at St. John’s University School of Law. However, as a father of two children, their commitment to education — the ultimate vehicle for social justice — is most impressive to me. Throughout the pandemic, the Nets hosted a series of virtual Read to Achieve events on Facebook Live as part of their ongoing mission to cultivate a lifelong love of reading in elementary school students. The series culminated this August with a virtual “read-athon,” hosted with their Freeportbased philanthropic partners, the Book Fairies. Just last month, the Nets distributed a donation of school and cleaning supplies to two local elementary schools

in Long Island, helping more than 400 students. In addition, the Nets have co-sponsored numerous backpack giveaway and Stuﬀ-A-Bus events throughout Nassau County, benefitting thousands of deserving young people. After hosting 85 community events during the 2019-20 season, donating tens of thousands of dollars back to the community and benefitting thousands of students, it’s little wonder why the L.I. Nets were honored with the NBA G League Social Responsibility/Youth Basketball Program Award for achieving excellence in community outreach and youth basketball initiatives in 2020. While they complete many of these eﬀorts without great fanfare, their wide-reaching impact is something we can all cherish as we continue to count our blessings in this New Year.

READERS WRITE

Editorial on GOP support of police misleading

his is in response to your blatantly misleading editorial “Where is Nassau GOP’S Support of Police Now?” (Feb. 10). The afternoon of the Capitol riot, I issued a statement categorically condemning the action of those that engaged in the riot, violence and vandalism. I called for the prosecution of those that

committed criminal acts. This position was identical to the position I took over the summer. I called for the prosecution of those responsible for George Floyd’s death. I also condemned the violence and riots occurring throughout America, making sure to distinguish between those committing criminal acts from those peacefully

protesting. My position in response to both events was completely consistent noting in both cases that America has no place for extremists who use violence. One wonders if the Island Now is as consistent in its outrage. The Island Now has also repeatedly expressed its annoyance at our Blue Ribbon cam-

paign, which is based on the simple premise that the unlawful and appalling behavior of a small number of bad actors must not be used to attack the vast majority of dedicated and courageous men and women who serve in law enforcement. Yes, I am proud to support our law enforcement here in Nassau County, who have made

our communities among the safest in the nation. I am equally proud of the fact that so many residents joined the campaign and displayed blue ribbons in response to the campaign. Richard J. Nicolello Presiding Oﬃcer Nassau County Legislature

Voters should replace Cuomo with DiNapoli

e know the results of the investigation, by a fellow Democrat, no less. Alas, Attorney General Letitia James omits Cuomo’s motive in the nursing home scandal: the

governor cavalierly murdered thousands of our elderly because his ego, his obsessive micromanagement — would not allow him to utilize help from the federal government. Rather than place recover-

ing COVID patients on the USNS Comfort ship or at the Javits Center — whence they were supposed to go — he sent them to spread illness death in nursing homes. It was about displaying “heroism” by accepting no help.

His behavior, his “Emmy,” his book — and his CNN brother — represent unabashed thuggery. New Yorkers need a competent, decent human being in the governor’s mansion to begin to restore our state — yes, much like

my former boss, George Pataki. Yes, we need the very good man right in our own backyard: Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Jeﬀrey S. Wiesenfeld Great Neck

Key to fighting racism is in our hearts

ove is the answer for all of us to fight racism. That being said as reported and that is February is Black History Month. Its’ origin can be traced to 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson and others decided to make February Black History Month and this would be around the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and this was a time to honor Afri-

can Americans. In 1976 President Ford said this celebration helped to “seize the opportunity to honor neglected accomplishments of Black Americans.” Well, I fully agree. We are one nation under God and that means respect for all races. These are just words that I know only too well. I have as a teenager in the 1960s been involved with civil rights to a

limited extent. I’m 71 years old now and have worked on a total of three plumbing supply companies on Long Island in the last 50 years. Now in these three I was one of the few white employees and have worked alongside quite a few fine AfroAmericans who treated me with respect as I did likewise. I, therefore, have made it my mission in the last few years to of-

fer a hello or a kind word to others of diﬀerent races and those of diﬀerent countries of origin. I hope those I has spoken to will feel I’m trying to extend kindness, love and even a helping hand. Maybe, we should all do the same. Racism must end and that can only happen with acts of kindness to our brothers and sisters who are Afro-Americans. Americans can finally be uni-

fied and opposed to racism as one but it takes work. Our creator put us here to love one another. Unfortunately, there are some who have not gotten the message yet. Finally, remember this, Love is the answer. Frederick R. Bedell Bellerose Letters Continued on Page 23

A Blank Slate Media Special Section • February 19, 2021

20 Guide to Special Occasions • Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

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6 advantages to dining out Dining out was once a rarity reserved for special occasions. More recently, consumption of food away from home has played an increasingly larger role in everyday life. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, the increase in dining out since the 1970s is owed to a larger share of two-income households, more convenient and aﬀordable food outlets, increased advertising and promotion by food chains, and the smaller size of most households.

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2. Introduces new foods Dining at a restaurant can be eyeopening for customers willing to try new things. Restaurants that specialize in ethnic cuisine can introduce diners to classic recipes from around the world - something they may not normally try if they do not dine out. 3. Prolongs the dinner hour Dining out gives diners a chance to linger and converse without the distractions of home and daily schedules. A restaurant can be a good way to focus on communication with family and friends. 4. Escape workplace distractions A workday lunch or business meeting held at a restaurant can help coworkers escape workplace pressures and distractions. Such meals also can be a great way for managers to foster strong relationships and build camaraderie within their teams. 5. Convenience One of the best arguments for eating out is the convenience factor. When time is of the essence, making a reservation, eating out and allowing the restaurant to handle everything from service to cleanup cuts down on work at home. This frees up opportunities to do other tasks, including spending time with one another. 6. Variety Many households are comprised of people with different palates. Restaurants have many offerings, which means that each member of the dining party can choose his or her own unique dish. This is not something easily achieved at home. Dining out has been gaining popularity for more than 40 years. Individuals and families can explore the many different advantages to enjoying a meal at a local eatery.

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22 Guide to Special Occasions • Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

READERS WRITE

Preventing repeat suicide attempts

fter years of battling depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, my younger son, Alan Ross Jacobs, died on Jan. 10, 2015, from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Three months later, I attempted suicide by overdosing on pills and alcohol in the hopes that I could be with Alan again. As a result of my failed suicide attempt, New York State incarcerated me in a mental institution. For 21 days, I was confined in an environment that was degrading, stultifying, and downright depressing. It’s six years since my discharge from the hospital, and I have not made another attempt on my life. Sadly, Emily — a very beautiful young woman I met in the hospital — took her life a year after her discharge. She was one of 130 suicides that occur each day. Emily was only 40 years old. Why were our outcomes so diﬀerent?

At least part of the reason can be found in what psychologists refer to as “self-determination theory.” According to this theory, people’s need for competence, connection and autonomy must be fulfilled if they are to grow and change. These three needs were utterly unmet in the psychiatric hospital. First and perhaps foremost, institutionalization stripped us of autonomy. In the hospital, our every move was dictated by the staﬀ — when and where we slept and ate, the clothes we wore, the toiletries we used, the books we read, even whether we could open a window. In addition to taking away our autonomy, hospital policies suggested that we were not competent to make any decisions for ourselves. If we sought explanations — particularly explanations about the drugs we were given — we were told that non-compliance would lead to increased time in the hospital. Emily already had

feelings of incompetence. During her early school years, she had struggled to succeed because of dyslexia. That early struggle had left her feeling inept. On the other hand, I’d had a good deal of academic and professional success throughout my life which gave me a strong sense of my own competence even while the hospital made me feel as if I was incapable of taking care of myself. Furthermore, my hospitalization can be seen as resulting from a loss of connection. My younger son’s fatal accidental overdose had

left me reeling from the loss of a vital connection. I was fortunate that my feelings of connection to my family increased during my hospitalization. My son flew up from Atlanta and visited every day. My sister, niece, nephew and boyfriend called constantly. Emily didn’t have a sense of connection to her family. She was divorced, and her husband was in jail. Her parents were also divorced and lived far away as did her brother. They never visited and rarely called. Emily expressed to me her fear of being alone when she returned home. In the hospital, we were surrounded by people and noise but many patients go home to a silent, empty house. Discharged patients are, in a sense, “set adrift” and lose the sense of “connectedness.” Sometimes the patient interprets the return of emotional distress even after being treated in a hospital as a sign that there is no help to be had, no hope for recovery or improvement. At

least in my case, my older son was going to stay with me for a few days after my discharge. No wonder many mental health professionals today are calling for treatment that prioritizes autonomy, empowerment and respect for the person receiving services. To help patients find a way to go on living, therapeutic approaches must give patients a sense of their value by giving them respect and treating them with dignity. Hospitals must also give the patients some autonomy so that they learn to deal with living on their own. It’s time for hospitals to turn to a new way of preventing repeat suicide attempts. You can read more about my experiences in “Broken: How the Broken Mental Health System Leads to Broken Lives and Broken Hearts” available on Amazon. Linda Comac Williston Park

Cuomo, MTA on same page for electric buses?

ov. Cuomo has promised that all transit providers in the state would operate 100% electric bus fleets by 2035. Reading the MTA’s upcoming Feb. 23 Notice for a Public Hearing to discuss their potential Federal Transit Administration 2021 Program of Projects revealed some inherent conflicts in meeting Cuomo’s goals. Here is the link to the document https://new.mta. info/document/28146. Under NYC Transit Bus Replacement, there are three projects: (1) T7030216 45 Standard Electric Buses for $54.20 million, (2) T8030201 Standard Electric Buses for $70 million and (3) Articulated AllElectric Buses for $103 million. The (4th) T8030205 Express Buses for $20 million appear to be non-electric. Under MTA Bus Replacement, there is one project U8030202 for the purchase of 110 Standard Buses for $20.90 million which also appear to be non-electric. MTA Bus represents the former New York City’s seven private franchised bus operators Green Bus Lines, Jamaica Buses, Triboro Coach Corpora-

tion along with Queens Surface providing service in Queens, Command Bus (Brooklyn), Liberty Lines Bronx Express and New York Bus Service (Bronx) whose buses, facilities and routes were transferred from NYC to the MTA in 2005. It is managed as a separate operating unit from NYC Transit and Manhattan Bronx Surface Transportation Operating Authority bus divisions. Why is NYC Transit requesting $20 million and MTA Bus requesting $20 million for non-electric buses? The federal grant application process known as Trams from start to finish can average up to six months. Funding may not be available under an approved obligated FTA grant to MTA until the federal fiscal year fourth quarter (July 1, 2021 — Sept. 30, 2021). The process is under FTA’s Transit Award Management System (known as “TrAMS”) is used to award and manage federal grants. FTA does oﬀer MTA preaward authority. This aﬀords MTA the ability to incur costs prior to grant approval. In normal times, the MTA would take advantage of this option. Due

to the MTA’s ongoing financial crisis, they may not have the cash flow to lay out money in advance of grant approval. A procurement process from development of bid specifications, advertisement, issuing of any addendums and opening responses until bids are awarded to a bus manufacturer averages six months to a year from start to finish. Vendor production from beginning to end for construction, delivery, inspection and acceptance followed by entering revenue service averages two years. Non-electric buses funded under FY 2021 FTA grants to MTA may not go into revenue service until 2024. They will be in revenue service beyond Cuomo’s promised 2035 date for 100% electric bus fleets. Buses have a minimum useful life of 12 years or 100,000

miles before they become eligible to be replaced under FTA guidance. Many transit agencies including MTA, who have good maintenance plans funded and in place, can operate buses for up to 15 years before needing to replacing them. If the MTA NYC Transit and MTA Bus are serious about going 100 percent electric, it would be reflected in the MTA 2020 — 2040 Twenty Year Capital Needs Plan. Gov. Cuomo and the MTA promised that this document would be released by December 2019. It is now 15 months late. Is the MTA refusing to release this document until it receives Cuomo’s blessing? The MTA also has to update its FTA Bus Fleet Management Plan. This document would include information about future bus acquisitions, fleet size and facility modifications to

manage a growing electric bus fleet. The projects would also be included within the state-sponsored Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (locally known as the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council) Short Five Year and Twenty Long Range Planning documents as well. Cuomo promised the most transparent administration in history. This would include all state agencies and authorities such as the MTA. Commuters, taxpayers and transit advocates expect no less. Larry Penner Great Neck (Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Oﬃce.)

LETTERS POLICY Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten, and those longer than 750 words may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters must include the writer’s name and phone number for verification. Anonymously sent letters will not be printed. Letters must be received by Monday noon to appear in the next week’s paper. All letters become the property of Blank Slate Media LLC and may be republished in any format. Letters can be e-mailed to news@theislandnow.com or mailed to Blank Slate Media, 25 Red Ground Road, East Hills, NY 11577.

24 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

READERS WRITE

Dems can do better than Cronin for comptroller

really, really dislike the party ‘boss,’ old smoke-filled room of machine politics. For starters, Jay Jacobs’ record is spotty at best. Most recently, he was characterized as one of the ‘losers’ of the 2020 elections by several news outlets. Even before that, I accuse him of grandstanding the night of the ‘two Laura’ victories (Curran & Gillen) but never mentioning Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth’s 65 percent plurality re-election in North Hempstead.

Then, when both Curran and Gillen made missteps, where was his guidance. Can you say ‘frontrunner’? Jacobs must bear responsibility for Gerard Terry, Jon Kaiman, one could include Sheldon Silver because Jacobs is ‘tight’ with Gov. Cuomo. Mymain concern about Jacobs rushing to ‘anoint’ Ryan Cronin is the stifling of new talent. Why not a 30 or 60 day period for candidates to make their case? Why not encourage new talent? The ‘negatives’ Cronin has already

accrued is daunting and appalling. Two election losses to Sen. Kemp Hannon calls into question if Cronin is a belowaverage campaigner. Next, Curran bestowed a patronage appointment for Cronin to NuHealth, a public benefit corporation that runs Nassau University Medical Center, already acknowledged as a pigsty of bloated six-figure salaries given to the ‘connected.’ What did Cronin do at his first trustee meeting? Abstained from voting on

a four-year labor agreement bestowing a total raise of 8 percent which exacerbated the already big deficits of NUMC. The Nassau Interim Finance Authority criticized this agreement. I call on all qualified candidates to toss their hat in the ring, including Republicans because I do not like the ‘shadow’ government of Jacobs, Steve Markowitz, ‘super delegates’ all. Steven M Walk Great Neck

OUR VIEWS

Wanted: whole truth of nursing home deaths Continued from Page 14 Likewise, Zucker was – strictly speaking – accurate when he said New York state’s website reported the deaths that occurred in nursing homes. But the state’s figures were misleading. They did not include the death of nursing home residents in hospitals. The state now acknowledges that the overall death toll related to nursing homes was 40 percent more than reported on the website when taking into account residents who died in hospitals. James’ report is even more damaging, suggesting the state’s previous count could be oﬀ by as much as 50 percent. That’s not a statistically insignificant number.

James’ report also found a number of nursing homes that “failed to comply with critical infection-control policies,” including those that did not isolate residents who had tested positive for the virus or screen employees for it. The attorney general asked about a tenth of the state’s nursing homes for information about on-site and in-hospital deaths related to the virus and is continuing to investigate more than 20 nursing homes across the state that “presented particular concern.” The Legislature should investigate whether nursing homes followed state requirements and what kind of oversight those homes received from the state Health Department. James’ report and news of DeRosa’s

remarks have sparked a flurry of angry denunciations from Cuomo’s fellow Democrats among others. There are calls for censure, stripping the governor of his emergency powers during the pandemic, federal and state investigations and the resignations of DeRosa and other state oﬃcials. “This is a betrayal of the public trust,” state Sen. Andrew Gournades, a Democrat from Brooklyn, said on Twitter, according to The Times. “There needs to be full accountability for what happened.” State Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) called for his fellow legislators to aggressively pursue the truth. “I hope my colleagues in the Assembly are finally ready to subpoena top administration oﬃcials so we can get answers for thousands of families who lost loved ones. I

hope my colleagues are finally ready to join us in revoking the governor’s emergency powers and restoring checks and balances. We’ve never needed them more,” Ra said in a news release. We agree. Missing so far is public criticism from Nassau County Democrats. We would like to think that the sight of 43 Republican senators choosing their party over their country in not convicting the former president in Saturday’s impeachment trial would show local Democrats what happens when politics gets in the way of justice. Cuomo has preached the use of facts in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The state Legislature and federal government should answer his prayers.

VIEW POINT

Trump acquittal shows need to end filibuster Continued from Page 17 unity, in bipartisanship or in governing on behalf of the people. If they couldn’t even get 10 senators, let alone the 17

needed to convict Trump, after this clear, deadly insurrection to overturn a democratic election, they will never get 10 votes to pass the American Rescue Plan so des-

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perately needed nor any of the other critical elements of Biden’s agenda (voting rights, immigration, climate change, infrastructure, gun reform, criminal justice, health care). Notably, the number of Americans represented by the guilty votes was nearly 75 million MORE than the number represented by votes against conviction (just as strong majorities support the elements of Biden’s agenda). But Republicans haven’t cared about the majority for decades, realizing how they could use voter suppression, gerrymandering, the Electoral College, Citizens United and the filibuster to maintain power. And just as Trump’s takeaway from the verdict was “we have only begun,” Republicans are digging in more, reveling in their obstruction as a badge of loyalty to their Dear Leader. There has to be accountability for Trump and for Republicans, which has become the White Nationalist Party, content to using violence and intimidation –

a return to Jim Crow, the KKK and Al Capone style of politicking – solely to hold power. Their agenda isn’t COVID relief, vaccinations or criminal justice. It’s overturning civil rights and restricting voting rights (already some 100 bills presented by Republicans to roll back access to vote since the 2020 election). McConnell is reverting back to his Obama obstructionism because he believes it is the path back to regaining control in 2022. So here’s what has to happen: end gerrymandering, expand the Supreme Court, overturn Citizens United, end the Electoral College and establish a presidency by popular vote, but the first step has to be to end the filibuster. It’s the only way to end this tyranny and this march to autocracy and preserve our democratic republic. “And if all this takes eliminating the filibuster – another Jim Crow relic – in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do,” President Obama said.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

Business&RealEstate

Mentality of buyers, sellers, investors Over the years as one is ensconced in the real estate business, those of us who act and conduct ourselves in a professional and transparent manner are constantly learning, absorbing and educating ourselves to expand our knowledge to better serve our clients. This, in turn, becomes an extremely valuable asset and tool that we use to assist, guide and share with our sellers, investors, purchasers and tenants of residential and commercial properties. Those who choose this path of becoming educated and wiser through careful listening while practicing and performing our business to become quite adept at understanding how our sellers and buyers and even investors think and sometimes go about their pragmatic, systematic and in-depth process of selling and purchasing. Their method of tradeoffs and fine-tuning the approach to their sale and/or purchase may be similar or quite different. However, while sellers are determining and figuring out their prices and proper marketing being tantamount to luring the most qualified purchasers they are also relying on us as experts to providing them information backed up by accurate facts. However, some rely on their “feelings” as to what they believe their property is worth or the better way by requesting the more accurate and actual comparable sales over the previous 6 months by receiving a well laid out value analysis of as little as 10 to up to 80-plus pages by their potential listing broker. This will compare what is available on the market, what is under contract, what is sold (most critical) and what has expired or withdrawn and released as they were most likely overpriced! The buyers are determining and learning the key points to figuring out their budgets and getting qualified with a lender and this should be the first step. Moreover, I would suggest that prior to making any offers, the buyer should be astute, smart and methodical enough to ask their agent to provide them with this information providing the most accurate and valuable data also with comparable sales for the previous 6 months in the towns that they are considering residing in. This in turn will provide a basis to go by and provide a bet-

ter idea of prices comparing what is on the market. A buyer should always try to ascertain how long a property has been on the market; the longer the number of days on the market the greater the chance that the home is overpriced right from the beginning of their listing, which will vary between 5-10plus percent or more of the actual final sale price. The exception might be the current market that shows prices continuing escalating and those fortunate enough in selling in an upwardly increasing market, with strong demand, historically lowinterest rates with low inventory. However, many will wait way too long and then try to time the market as it is turning downward resulting in less than stellar results and less money in their pockets at closing. This example is very similar to the stock market, where there are losers that enter the market too late and who then run scared and sell short and contribute substantial sums to the winners who are more knowledgeable and in sync with the market. My belief is that luck equals timing and it surely isn’t an exact science, but when greed and/or fear takes over the mindsets of many, we lose perspective and a sense of reality and become euphoric, thinking things will continue to go higher and that is where losses occur.

PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

One must be prepared to sell, while at the same time become as knowledgeable as possible as to the trends to what is going on in the market, avoiding scare tactics and “doom and gloom” scenarios. One must be as realistic and sensible as possible while using as much common sense as possible; and you know my thoughts on “common sense, if you follow my column. There is a terminology called, “tailgating the market” whereby a seller’s property is not priced correctly and seems to always be above where the buyers are purchasing. Then the purchasers ricochet oﬀ those homes to other places because the prices and/or locations have more value and are more desirable. So all those overpriced sellers are doing is helping

everyone else sell their homes. As the seller reduces their price, so do other sellers as well as buyers whose expectations have changed in the value and worth of those homes. As I have conveyed in previous columns “seller’s feelings” are generally not relevant or realistic to market values. However, when one or more sellers become more realistic to what their price should be via listening to their broker’s analysis and recommendations, the market reacts and then many other “smart” sellers begin lowering their asking prices to be in line with what today’s values are within that current market environment. This in turn creates more activity, leading to oﬀers and acceptances resulting in more closings. However, feelings by purchasers are many times much closer to reality because many have done their homework and more research than their agents or sellers have. In the end, sometimes they actually become the best individuals who should be in the business. Most information is more attainable today, compared to 25 years ago when information was much more proprietary and not easily available to sellers and purchasers. I remember way back when we use to receive our weekly listing inventory books from MLS and we couldn’t wait to scour and

search out the new inventory. Looking back it was a much, much slower process, no diﬀerent than comparing our old forms of pager communications and dial phones and today’s high tech instantaneous cell phone communication technology, using FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom, IM and texting. One must be fast on their toes and be able to service and truly understand the seller and buyer and to do our best in servicing their “needs and wants.” It is critically important especially in our Covid-19 Pandemic environment to truly develop a clear and concise understanding of how they “tick” and think to be as successful as possible in helping sellers, buyers, investors and even renters in today’s fast-paced market. Philip A. Raices is the owner/ Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 39 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). For a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, a value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com

26 The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Recent Real Estate Sales in

Roslyn

29 The Oaks, Roslyn Estates

3 Greenway, Roslyn

5 bd, 5 ba, Sold on: 12/3/20, Sold Price: $1,750,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Roslyn

3 bd, 3 ba, Sold on: 11/18/20, Sold Price: $950,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Roslyn

4 Quail Ridge Road, Glen Cove

21 Flamingo Road N, East Hills

4 bd, 4 ba, 2,993 sqft, Sold on: 12/8/20, Sold Price: $1,460,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Glen Cove

6 bd, 4 ba, Sold on: 11/11/20, Sold Price: $1,480,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Roslyn

"!!!!!!! #!!!!!!! $!!!!!!! %!!!!!!! &!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! #!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! *!!!!!!! +!!!!!!! %!!!!!!! *!!!!!!! ,!!!!!!! -!!!!! !!!!!!! +!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! /!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! "!!!!!!! $!!!!!!! 0!!!!!!! &!!!!!!! 1!!!!!!! 2!!!!!!! 3!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! 4!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! 6!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! 7!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! 8!!!!!!! 9!!!!!!! 2!!!!!!! :!!!!!!! &!!!!!!! 3!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! 8!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! 2!!!!!!! 1!!!!! !!!!!!! "!!!!!!! #!!!!!!! $!!!!!!! %!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! &!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! *!!!!!!! +!!!!!!! &!!!!!!! ,!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! -!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! .!!!!!!! /!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! .!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! ,!!!!! !!!!!!! "!!!!!!! #!!!!!!! $!!!!!!! %!!!!!!! &!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! $!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! %!!!!!!! *!!!!!!! %!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! +!!!!!!! ,!!!!!!! ,!!!!!!! -!!!!!!! .!!!!!!! $!!!!!

0!!!!!!! 1!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! ,!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! ,!!!!!!! +!!!!!!! (!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! )!!!!!!! !!!!!!! &!!!!!!! 2!!!!!!! '!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! 3!!!!!!! 4!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! 6!!!!!!! 7!!!!!!! 8!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! 9!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! :!!!!!!! 8!!!!!!! 6!!!!!!! ;!!!!!!! 6!!!!!!! .!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! <!!!!!!! =!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! >!!!!!!! ?!!!!!!! 6!!!!!!! 8!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! .!!!!!!! !!!!!!!! @!!!!!!! A!!!!!!! B!!!!!!! 6!!!!!!! >!!!!!!! C!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! 8!!!!!!! D!!!!!!! 6!!!!!!! 8!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!! ,!!!!!!! E!!!!!!! F!!!!!!! G!!!!!

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Editor’s note: Homes shown here were recently sold in Roslyn by a variety of real estate agencies. This information about the home and the photos were obtained through the Zillow.com. The homes are presented solely based on the fact that they were recently sold in Roslyn and are believed by Blank Slate Media to be of interest to our readers.

!!!

The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Temple Zoom event hijacked with hate speech BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Intruders hacked into a Temple BethEl virtual Torah study event on Saturday morning and posted anti-Semitic material, according to temple officials. A joint statement from temple President Gary Slobin and Executive Director Stuart Botwinick said several unknown people logged onto the Shabbat Torah study Zoom event and proceeded to “post offensive material and speak words of hate.” The event was promptly ended, according to the statement, and the police were contacted to investigate. Officials said that they did not believe Temple Beth-El, located at 5 Old Mill Road in Great Neck, was a target for any specific reason other than its role as a Jewish temple. Officials said they are working with the temple’s security consultants to ensure incidents such as this do not occur again. “As Jews, we have experienced hatred and antisemitism in our history … and we know the importance of being strong and proudly standing up in our own defense,” the statement said. “While there will always be moments of darkness and acts of evil, our community will stand united, strong and never bend to intimidation. May we continue to go from strength to strength.” Officials from the Nassau County Police Department’s 6th Precinct said that

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Officials from Temple Beth-El in Great Neck said a Saturday Zoom event was hijacked by unkown people who sent in hate speech and offensive language.

the investigation was ongoing. In December, the North Shore He- even in our own backyards, and we must The hacking is the most recent in brew Academy High School’s website was ALL speak out in no uncertain terms that a string of anti-Semitic attacks on the the victim of a hacking scheme featuring we reject it at every opportunity and in North Shore. anti-Semitic images, messages and songs. every corner of our community,” state Pictures and videos from StopAntisemi- Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck) said in tism.org, a nonprofit whose mission holds December. COMMUNITY NEWS In October, unidentified vandals “antisemites accountable” and creates “consequences for bigoted actions” were spray-painted 12 swastikas after breaking posted on Dec. 14. The video featured into the Port Washington Police Athletic the home page of the school’s website League’s Sunset Park clubhouse. PAL Executive Director Rob Elkins with Nazi soldiers marching in the backsaid that the vandals found a can of red As the sunset on Thursday, Feb. 11, the friends and families, and Rabbi Alan Lucas ground. Screenshots of the website were then spray paint in the clubhouse and sprayed students from Temple Beth Sholom Early concluded the evening by teaching the chilChildhood Center in Roslyn Heights logged dren about the proper techniques for teeth posted with anti-Semitic messages with swastikas “all over the inside of the buildslurs above a notification that the website ing, on-field equipment, on balls and bats, on to Zoom in their pajamas to participate in brushing. During a pandemic winter, when the was under construction. In the website’s on the bathroom walls, on our tractor, a virtual pajama party. To mark the occasion, students and staff cold and darkness prevent outdoor gather- “About Us” tab, there were more pictures and on the front door to the building.” Investigations of the incidents at at the preschool came to school in their paja- ings, and with strict restrictions regarding of Nazi soldiers holding up swastikas mas in anticipation of the evening event. The indoor events, the administration and staff at and referring to the school as the “North the North Shore Hebrew Academy High School and the Police Athletic League are event, the Zoom Shema Pajama Party, was Temple Beth Sholom Early Childhood Center Shore Concentration Camp.” Some of the more than 4,000 mem- continuing. created to help teach the preschool children are finding new and creative way to deliver “Threatening a group of people based about the Shema prayer, which is tradition- meaningful Jewish events and experiences to bers on a “Mom and Dads of Great Neck” ally said in the evenings before going to bed. families in their community. “This is not for- Facebook group discussed the incident on their religion, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation will not be tolerated,” North Simply put, this Jewish blessing serves as a ever,” said Schiffer, “this is what we must do online. for now, until we can safely gather together way to thank G-d for the gift of another day. “It’s nauseating and whoever is re- Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth At Temple Beth Sholom Early Childhood again.” sponsible for this should be prosecuted to said in October. “Such actions are not Who doesn’t love a pajama day? Center, the nursery school children prepared only immoral, but they are criminal as the fullest degree,” one member said. for the “big event” by decorating special pil“This is beyond disgusting and hor- well. We at the Town of North Hempstead lowcases with the ritual morning and everible,” another member replied. “It is so will continue to promote messages of inning prayers printed on them in Hebrew. sad to see such incidents happened again clusivity, and we look forward to continuDue to COVID restrictions, this typically ing to partner with the community in our in our community.” in-person event was moved to Zoom to al“This is a horrific reminder that ha- advocacy efforts.” low young families to participate safely, from tred and anti-Semitism are alive and well the comfort and safety of their homes. Prior to the event, the preschool sent home each chid’s pillowcase, a copy of the special Shema blessing, cookies, and a toothbrush with toothpaste. Each package was marked with a “BYOM” suggestion, “Bring Your Own Milk,” LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AT to enjoy with cookies. Early Childhood Center Director, Jen FACEBOOK.COM/THEISLANDNOW Schiffer, kicked off the evening by reading a book about the Shema blessing called “The 3-year old Early Childhood Center AND LIKE US ON TWITTER: @THEISLANDNOW Perfect Prayer” by Donald Rosoff and illustrated by Tammy L. Keiser. The children were student Liam Zohar decorating his pilinvited to share their pillowcases with their lowcase for the Shema Pajama Party

Virtual pajama party at TBS

28 The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Gov OKs arenas, venues to reopen Continued from Page 4 help inform contact tracing eﬀorts; meet enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards; and ensure that retail, food services and athletic activities abide by all state-issued guidance. Such requirements await eligible Long Island venues like Hofstra University’s James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, Belmont Park in Elmont, and most notably the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale. The Coliseum is currently hosting home games for the New York Islanders, albeit unattended by spectators. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran hinted at the stadium’s reopening in a statement issued the same day as Cuomo’s announcement. “I’m thrilled that Islanders fans will be able to safely rock the Barn again,” Curran said in a statement. “Governor Cuomo reopening arenas is a big step towards New York’s safe return to normal, and the reopening of the Coliseum means so much for Nassau. We know virus risk is dramatically reduced with precautions in place and rules being followed. I’m confident that we’re ready to do this safely and smoothly.”

Continued from Page 12

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Stadiums and arenas that can hold over 10,000 people like the Nassau Coliseum are eligible to reopen at a reduced capacity beginning Feb. 23.

Port doc named to prez’s task force Continued from Page 3 many of them, things are getting much worse, and they’re gonna keep getting worse for many, many months, because they don’t have an equitable access to vaccines.” He added that the cooperation of government health authorities will be necessary for the revamping of such systems. “What I really want to promote is a much more active role of health agencies, like the [Centers for Disease Control], state departments of health and local departments of health, a much more active role for them in promoting the health of people who are in the justice system,” Venters said. It’s the feedback of the incarcerated

that Venters also intends to take with him to the task force. “The reality of what they’re experiencing is terrifying for them and their families,” Venters said. “And so I am excited to hopefully take some of these kind of insights that I’ve learned from incarcerated people and from being in these places, and use that [on the task force].” A native of Minnesota, he moved to the Port Washington area seven years ago. Before working full-time as a consultant, Venters served as chief medical oﬃcer of the New York City Correctional Health Services. He also wrote a book, “Life and Death in Rikers Island,” presented a TEDMED talk on health risks of incarceration last year, served as a clinical associate pro-

fessor of the New York University College of Global Public Health and wrote articles for The Hill, among other publications. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, Venters was serving as president of the nonprofit Community Oriented Correctional Health Service. Venters added that he hopes to use his position on the task force to advance the idea that the health of people who are incarcerated is not separate from that of other people. “We’re all in the same boat,” he said. “And so we need to use our public health structures and organizations to promote their health, just like we do everybody else’s.”

Frankel said. “However, the problem is it sets a precedent for people to do things that they shouldn’t do and start taking advantage of the system. Say if someone wanted to paint their house a certain way, and then neighbors have an uproar over that, [the hypothetical homeowners] can say, ‘Well, Joanne’s was allowed to do it, so why can’t we? It’s not the mural itself, it’s setting a precedent for other people to take advantage of the rules without going through the processes of the village.” A graduate of Roslyn High School, Frankel obtained a bachelor of science in psychology and history from Franklin and

but representatives of the rapper confirmed the death of her father. In several earlier interviews, Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj, said her father displayed various forms of abuse, ranging from drugs and alcohol to setting her childhood house on fire while her mother was still inside in Jamaica, Queens. “It’s the price you pay when you abuse drugs and alcohol,” Minaj said in a 2010 Rolling Stone interview. “Maybe one day your daughter will be famous and talk to every magazine about it, so think about that, dads out there who want to be crazy.” In a 2015 interview with The New York Times, Minaj said she was not physically abused by her father but said his actions caused emotional harm to her and her mother. “I would always hear him yelling and cursing, always,” Minaj told The Times. “And it made me feel it was the way to interact, because that’s how I saw him interacting.’’ Polevich was arraigned on Wednesday and will appear in court on Friday, according to oﬃcials. Polevich was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with a fatality and tampering with evidence.

Soundview lawsuit dismissed Continued from Page 12

Frankel runs for trustee in F. Hill Continued from Page 2 building,” “keeping up with the standards of the community,” and for the display of a sign upon the building without application. Frankel, who lives near the building and says he’s been a customer of one of its tenants, Joanne’s Pizza, for most of his life, said that since the business did not go to the proper oﬃcials for permits beforehand, the village was “100% correct” in its actions. “Regarding art, I think it’s a matter of ‘to each his own’ — people can like it, people can hate it, it’s whatever they want,”

Father of Minaj killed

Marshall College in Pennsylvania. He began his career in finance by working for Citigroup’s troubled asset loan sale and syndication group, also receiving formal credit training during that time. He currently works as a senior commercial underwriter for Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s commercial real estate group. He lives in the Roslyn area of the village with his wife and three children. The Village of Flower Hill’s elections will take place on Tuesday, March 16.

guage from one another, so much of the language is pretty consistent throughout the industry.” The movie theater closed when New York State guidelines dictated so on March 16, 2020, and did not reopen on Oct. 23, when the state allowed cinemas to reopen at reduced capacities. At the time, Desner told Blank Slate Media that Cuomo “would have done the same thing by keeping us closed” since no major movies were in release at the time. Eﬀorts to reach Desner or Soundview Cinemas for comment on the ruling were unavailing. In December, months after the theater closed, the shopping center where it is situated was purchased by New York-based Sagamore Hill Partners and Florida-based PEBB Enterprises for an undisclosed amount.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

Cuomo admits ‘mistake’ over virus statistics because then we were in a position where we weren’t sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice or what we give to you guys, what we start saying was going to be used against us,” DeRosa said on the call. DeRosa later clarified her quote to state legislators in a statement on Friday. “I was explaining that when we received the DOJ inquiry, we needed to temporarily set aside the Legislature’s request to deal with the federal request first,” she said. “We were comprehensive and transparent in our responses to the DOJ, and then had to immediately focus our resources on the second wave and vaccine rollout.”

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Continued from Page 7 Part of the discrepancies between the initial state Health Department figures and findings from the investigation included the deaths of people in nursing homes compared with those who were in nursing homes and were then transported to a hospital or somewhere else and died. The situation escalated when top Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa told state lawmakers in a private phone conversation that the state delayed providing oﬃcials with updated statistics after former President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice sent an inquiry regarding coronavirus-related deaths in nursing homes. “Basically we froze,

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347–444–0960 CAREER TRAINING COMPUTER & IT TRAINING program! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Now offering a $10,000 scholarship for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET) TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get trained, certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440 (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EVENTS COVID-19 TESTING AVAILABLECOVID-19 PCR Nasal Swab and/or ANTIBODY testing Mon, Wed & Fri in Floral Park Doctor’s Office without wait or lines. Scheduled by appointment. 516-488-1414

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A.T. STEWART EXCHANGE CONSIGNMENT SHOP 516-746-8900 Antiques-Furniture-Jewelry-SilverMirrors-Lamps-Artwork Come to Consign & Stay to Shop Visit....Our Shop 109 Eleventh St. Garden City Tues-Fri 10-4 (Wed till 6) Saturday 12-4 Our Website tgchs.org Our Online Store stores.myresaleweb. com/ at-stewart-exchange Items to Consign? Email photos (with sizing info) to: store@atstewartexchange. org All proceeds benefit The Garden City Historical Society Like us on Facebook & Instagram INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN is doing VIRTUAL TAG SALES and ONLINE AUCTIONS now! Sell the contents of an entire house or sell just a few things! You can host your own sale on invitedsales.com and Facebook and Instagram or we can do it for you. We can photograph, advertise and handle the winning pickups for you within a week! Don’t worry about your closing date, we can get your house ready on time! We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress. Contact info@invitedsales. com for more information or call 516-279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information. Visit us at www.invitedsales. com for a listing of our upcoming Virtual Tag Sales and Weekly Auctions!

AUCTIONS

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MARKETPLACE

Cool Old Stuff in Glen Cove Vintage Shop. WINNER OF BEST OF NORTH SHORE 2020. GREAT PRICED items for Boat and Home. See ALL online: Wilsonsdrydock. com. For info / appt Please call 516-662-2821

MINI GOLDENDOODLES Adorable • Stunning Colors • Hypoallergenic Minimal Shedding • Family Raised and Loved Well Socialized by Our 4 Children • Vet Checked/First Shots Microchip • 1 Year Health Guarantee • Parents DNA Approx 20-30lbs full grown Sure to win your heart! Ready for their forever home. $3,900 Includes Free Personal Delivery.

Hoosick Falls NY • Call or text 518-669-4521 WANTED TO BUY LOOKING TO BUY! Estates, Oriental items, Gold, Silver, Costume Jewelry, Dishes, Flatware, Watches, Clothing, Old Photos, Coins, Stamps, Records, Toys, Action Figures, Comics, Art and Furniture. Immediate Cash Paid Call George 917-775-3048 or 718-386-1104 TOP CASH PAID: ESTATE CONTENTSALL OBJECTS OF ART JEWELRY, ETC. Please call 718-598-3045 or 516-270-2128 www.antiqueassets.com

PETS

PET SERVICES CHERYL’S PET SITTING SERVICE Dependable pet sitter will walk and feed your precious pet while you work or travel.Also available to board small dogs. Many excellent references. Call 516-971-3242

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

▼ AUTOMOTIVE, REAL ESTATE, SERVICE DIRECTORY AUTOMOTIVE ***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$ All Years /Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct Ca$h. DMV 10#1303199 Call LUKE 516-VANCARS 516-297-2277

AUTOS WANTED Drive out Breast Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup 24hr response Tax deduction Easy to do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755

JUNK CARS BOUGHT Auto Wrecking Frank & Sons

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ATLANTIS, BAHAMAS TIME SHARE RENTAL July 3-10, 2021 Corner Premium 1BR Unit, Bldg 7 Sleeps 4 On the Atlantis Marina 7 nights, $2,000 Call: 516-742-3176

GARDEN CITY HOME WANTEDFamily seeks home in Garden City, up to $1 million (cash transaction). Avoid costly listing broker fees/open housesdeal directly with buyer and attorney.Please leave message for John: 516-522-0544

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

SERVICE DIRECTORY

OUT OF TOWN REAL ESTATE STUART FLORIDA FOR SALE BY OWNER Gated Community Beautiful 2,441 sq.ft. home on small scenic lake w/screened lanai. 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath Two car garage Large lush plot w/185’ frontage. Award winning golf course and clubhouse w/gourmet dining and social activities. Gym, tennis, pickle ball, pools, dog park.Mixed ages. 10 mins to Hutchinson Island Ocean beaches/downtown Stuart restaurants and shops. 30 mins to PBI $170,000/ $2,500/mo fees. Info/pictures call 516-551-1905 NO BROKERSService

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SERVICES JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING We can frame anything! Quality Care & Workmanship Thousands of frames to choose from!! Over 30 years in business! 92 Covert Ave, Stewart Manor 516-775-9495 WE HAVE THE HELP YOU NEEDHHA, LPN, Nurse’s Aide, Childcare, Housekeeping & Day Workers. No Fees to Employers. Call Evons Services 516-505-5510

ATTORNEY STEPHANIE A. D’ANGELO, ESQ. Elder Law, Wills & Trusts Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122 www.dangelolawassociates.com

HOME IMPROVEMENTS AMBIANCE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES *Handyman & Remodeling *Kitchen Installations *Furniture Assembly *Finish Carpentry *Minor Electrical & Plumbing 28 year GC Resident Lic & Ins H18E2170000 Call BOB 516-741-2154

HOME IMPROVEMENTS FREE ESTIMATES Extensions, Kitchens, Baths, Basements, Carpentry Work, Porticos, Siding, Dormers, Stone, New Construction & Conversions, Mason Work, Stone. Insured. Please Call 516-581-9146 HANDYMAN Careful & Reliable Covid-19 Conscious and Safe Serving GARDEN CITY and surrounding area since 2003 Repairs & Installations of all types Carpentry, Moldings, Lighting and More 35-yr Nassau Resident References Lic#170101 Phone/Text Friendly Frank: 516-238-2112 Email: Frankcav@optonline.net LAMPS FIXED $65 In home service. Handy Howard. 646-996-7628 MADE IN THE SHADE CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Draperies Top Brands at Discount Prices! Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli.com 516-426-2890

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING MICHELANGELO PAINTING & WALLPAPER Interior, Exterior, Plaster/Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing. Call: 516-328-7499

HEALTH SERVICES FAMILY CARE CONNECTIONS, LLC Dr. Ann Marie D’Angelo PMHCNS-BC Doctor of Nursing Practice Advanced Practice Nurse Care Manager Assistance with Aging at Home/Care Coordintion Nursing Home & Assisted Living Placement PRI / Screens / Mini Mental Status Exams Medicaid Eligibility and Apllications 516-248-9323 www.familycareconnections.com 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530

TUTORING CERTIFIED TUTOR AVAILABLE Long Island teacher with 9 years of experience Masters Degree and NYS certifications in Childhood (1-6) Early Childhood (B-2) and Special Education. Available evenings, weekends and school breaks, including summer. Virtual or in-person. For more information call Caitlin 516-287-6304

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TO LIST YOUR SERVICES HERE, CALL 516.307.1045

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH FOR SALE HISTORIC SARATOGA SPRINGS

Well maintained colonial style dwelling with open floor plan !""#"$%&'(()*"+,-"$./0"" !""1//.20%&"32.'"4.'.4%"" !""155'(67)./%89"3:;;"<=">/, !""?(2./%&"7@"."A%'9"&%<7'.$8%"BC1"D())E@7/9"FG"5((8, !""?%<<"/0.@"."3G+")78%"/("07</('72"H.'./(4."I.2%"D(E'<%"" " .@&"J(F@/(F@"H.'./(4. !""K.@/.</72"'%@/.8"5'(5%'/9"LM'.2N"<%.<(@*"" " OPD"Q.88%/".@&"R(8("/(E'@.)%@/<S

Values are on the rise !!!! Get a head of the increasing spring market Prices !!!!! List Price $489,000 Photos available upon request Call Jack 516-840-8616 Legacy Real Estate

HEALTH SERVICES CNA: MALE & FEMALE CAREGIVERS Will provide proof of negative COVID test. Exp w/Dementia, Alzheimers & Parkinson patients. Caring and dependable. Driver references available. Derrick 917-363-8924

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1993

We are Long Island Care at Home, a team of dedicated professionals specializing in inhome, non-medical services including light housekeeping, personal care assistance, meal preparation, medication reminders and more. We are available hourly, daily or 24 hour care. Covid-19 Safety Protocols are strictly adhered to. • Licensed by the NYS Department of Health • Joint Commission of Healthcare Organizations Accredited

Call us for a free consultation at (516) 794-0700 or visit our website at www.licareathome.com

Serving patients in Queens, Nassau & Suffolk

325 Broadway • Bethpage, N.Y. 11714 Phone (516)794-0700 Fax (516) 794-0787 www.licareathome.com

34 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

▼ SERVICES TUTORING

SERVICES

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LONG ISLAND TEACHER available to tutor ELA, social studies, special education, study skills, Living Environment, life skills, help with remote learning. Vaccinated with mask or over Zoom Tailored to individual needs Highly qualified Call LL 516-456-6849

Passion for Seniors. Certified HHAs, Companions & Homemakers. 24 hour care available. Also Nassau locations. Trained in Dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Call 718-850 -3400

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SERVICES DISH TV $59.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-800-609-9405

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS

Temple Beth-El of G.N. Purim celebration All are welcome to join Temple Beth-El of Great Neck for a variety of Purim events for people of all ages — from a virtual Purim Costume Parade to a Family Purim Megillah Reading to a Purim Parking Lot Experience to A Purim Yoga Event. Purim is a joyous Jewish festival commemorating the survival of the Jews who were marked for death by their Persian rulers in the fifth century BCE. This year, the holiday begins at sundown on Thursday, Feb. 25, and concludes at sundown on Friday, Feb. 26. Don’t miss these fun-filled events: • Purim Costume Parade: Thursday, Feb. 25 | 6:30 to 7 p.m. Families with children in preschool through Grade 3 can attend an Erev Purim preMegillah reading Zoom Cos-

tume Parade!• Come in your favorite costume—or fun pajamas.• Share a trick, joke or dance.• Sing some silly songs with Cantor Adam.• Make a grogger by bringing dry beans, two paper plates, markers and a stapler. • Family Purim Megillah Reading: Thursday, Feb. 25 | 7 p.m. After the Purim Costume Parade, join a family-friendly Zoom Megillah reading—offered with flare—by TBE clergy and an intergenerational group of talented members. Bring your grogger and prepare to laugh, boo and reflect upon the meaning of the Purim tale for us today. • Purim Parking Lot Experience: Saturday, Feb. 27 | 5:15 p.m. Join a special Saturday night Purim celebration in the TBE parking lot. Individuals and families in costumes

and decorated cars, along with those at “home-ntaschen,” will be featured in the “Zoomasquerade.”• Arrive masked, prepared to show oﬀ your wildest costume in your headlights—as you munch on hamantaschen and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.• In-person attendees will be invited to “car-ticipate” in a Purim shpiel by the dashboard lights on Zoom, led by Rabbi Meir and Cantor Adam.• “Homentaschen” attendees may also participate on Zoom.• The evening and Purim will end with Havdalah.• Bring canned goods and nonperishable food items (check expiration dates!) for contribution to Great Neck’s Interfaith Food Pantry to fulfill the Purim custom of Matanot L’evyonim (gifts to the needy).• Preregistration is required.

• Laughter & Survival in a World Turned Upside Down: A Purim Yoga Event: Sunday, Feb. 28 | 10-11:15 a.m. Lev Shalem Health & Wellness and Temple Beth-El of Great Neck will present a live Zoom yoga event with Sharon, Elanit and Rabbi Tara. No previous yoga experience is necessary. Come with an open heart and mind. The fee is $18; FREE for Temple Beth-El members. Register by Saturday, February 27, at 9 p.m. at https://tbegn. wufoo.com/forms/m1kgk3od080f8ah/. The Zoom link will be sent with your completed registration. Temple Beth-El is Great Neck’s oldest synagogue, serving the community for more than 90 years. Learn more at www.tbegreatneck.org or by calling 516-487-0900 or emailing info@tbegreatneck.

org.

Temple Beth-El of Great Neck invites the community to participate in its many Purim festivities.

Best-selling author L.I. Music Hall of Fame to host discussion names teacher of note Deborah Feldman, author of the best-seller, “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots,” leads a virtual discussion of her book in a talk hosted by Congregation Tifereth Israel in Glen Cove. The talk will be held on Thursday, March 11, 1-2 p.m. Feldman’s book, published in 2012, went on to be the basis for the highly popular, award-winning 2020 Netflix series, “Unorthodox,” and a companion documentary, “The Making of Unorthodox.” The program is free, the public is welcome to attend. RSVP for a Zoom link to oﬃce@ctionline.org. Donations to support this special program are accepted online at https://www.ctionline. org/payment.php. For further information about programs and activities at CTI, call (516) 676-5080 or log onto ctionline.org. Long Island’s oldest continuously operating Jewish congregation, CTI has provided innovative Jewish programming and education to the Long Island community since 1897.

Deborah Feldman, author of “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots”

The Long Island Music Hall of Fame has announced that Marc Greene from Coram as 2020 LIMHOF Educator of Note. “The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is very excited to honor such an accomplished and respected educator,” LIMHOF Education Committee Chairman Tom Needham said. “We have found Marc to possess an unparallel level of commitment to music education here on Long Island his body of work is exemplary! He is one of a small group of music educators who have had such a long-lasting and significant impact on so many music students all over Long Island.” Marc Green is currently a professor at Ithaca College in the music education program. He is also supervising Student Teachers across Long Island. Greene began his teaching career in upstate NY. Has taught in Middle Country, Baldwin, Centereach and Port Washington school districts. “It is so very exciting and humbling to be recognized as the 2020 Long Island

Marc Greene named LIMHOF’s 2020 Educator of Note Music Hall of Fame Educator of Note,” Greene said. “So many of the previous honorees are esteemed music education colleagues and mentors, providing very large footsteps in which to follow and broad shoulders upon which to stand.” For more information, visit www. https://www.limusichalloﬀame.org/

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK.COM/THEISLANDNOW AND LIKE US ON TWITTER: @THEISLANDNOW

36 The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

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Second Warner Avenue hearing moved to March Continued from Page 1 other municipal expenses enclosing this project [which] will be a significant improvement to this area of the village, and a benefit to the areas beyond the village’s border.” During the public comment session at the January meeting, Roslyn Gardens resident Randi Beatus, who lives near the proposed development, said she was wary of what the building would do to her area’s taxes. “This is going to raise the taxes, it’s not going to be good for the people around [here], even the Roslyn Gardens people who have lived there for a very, very, very long time,” Beatus said. “And the prices, when I moved in about 16 to 17 years ago, the prices hadn’t gone up for like 20 years. When I got there and bought, in three months time they went up. What’s gonna happen when this building comes to light? What’s going to happen with our taxes?” Maureen O’Connor of Roslyn Heights took issue with the building’s size and what she perceived as an addition to parking problems in the neighborhood. “This latest design for the building continues to be too large for the location as Randi stated. It’s too tall, there are too many rental units, and there’s insuﬃcient parking to accommodate the expected number of residents, employees and customers,” O’Connor said. “As we’ve stated before, our neighborhood streets are already inundated with parked cars belonging to Roslyn Gardens residents, Sun Harbor Manor employees and commuters who are unable to park in the train station. We should not have to accommodate overflow parking from future residents and customers for this site.” Stacy Backhash of Roslyn Harbor, a parent of two children in the Roslyn school district, voiced support for the

project and told the trustees that she “fundamentally believe[d] that this project will have no material impact on the school district.” “I know the school board has been a vocal opponent of this project but I want the Board of Trustees to know that the school board’s views do not fully represent the views of the parents at the school,” Backhash said. Resident Lisa Aberle added that while a mixed-use project seemed to be a good idea, she shared concerns about parking and the development’s size. “I think it is too big for that area,” Aberle said. “I think that smaller apartments, less apartments and less stories would be significantly better.” Representing the Roslyn school district was attorney Carrie-Ann Tondo of Hauppauge-based Ingerman Smith LLP, who took issue with the traﬃc engineers’ and demographer’s reports. “Enrollment is increasing, and the enrollment report [provided by the village to the district] finds that the growth projected at the district over the next five years is 130, which will increase to 190 as a result of new housing developments,” Tondo said. “As you know, the district schools are operating at capacity and that new housing construction will impact class size.” Jordan Fensterman of Roslyn Estates voiced strong support for the project. “I think it’s fairly straightforward that this is something that is going to benefit pretty much everyone in Roslyn,” he said. “To keep [the site] in a state of disrepair so people are not going in there so there’s better parking, I understand why people would want that, but I don’t think that truly benefits all of Roslyn.” The Board of Trustees will meet to discuss the matter on Tuesday, March 16, at 7 p.m. over Zoom.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOJO STUMER

A rendering of the proposed development on Warner Avenue.

The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

Stern, who led school board, dies Continued from Page 1 wrote. “Stanley served on the Roslyn Board of Education, as some of you may recall, during a particularly turbulent time in our community. As a lifelong educator himself, Stanley was passionate about ensuring that each and every student in the Roslyn School District had access to a quality education.” The “turbulent time” referred to in the email was an embezzlement scandal that occurred under then-Roslyn Superintendent Frank Tassone, who headed the school district at a time when approximately $11.7 million was embezzled, $7 million of it by Tassone and Assistant Superintendent Pamela Gluckin. Tassone, who pleaded guilty to firstand second-degree grand larceny, was sentenced in 2006 to 4 to 12 years in prison, and was given an early release in 2010. Gluckin, the first district oﬃcial to be caught, obtained a plea deal for a 3-to-9-year sentence in 2006, and was paroled in 2011. Immediately after board President William Costigan stepped down from the post, Stern was one of four new faces on the board in 2005, and upon being named president worked quickly to get

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Stanley Stern, a lifelong educator and former president of the Roslyn Board of Education, has died at age 86. back the district’s money, filing lawsuits not only against Tassone and Gluckin but also against members of the previous

board and the district’s former auditors. “It was our responsibility to take this action, to try to recover as much money as we can,” Stern told The New York Times in 2005. “I assure you that the board will pursue every avenue of recovery available to us.” His eﬀorts brought the board over $7.7 million in restitution, and he was elected to four terms before he left the board in July 2012 for personal reasons. Adam Haber joined the board in 2009, the year that Stern was succeeded as president by Ben-Levy while remaining a trustee, and described Stern as a pleasure to work with. “Stanley joined the board at a tumultuous time in our community’s history, and brought something horrific to terrific through his expertise and his advocacy,” Haber said in a phone interview. In addition to serving the educational community in Roslyn, from 1976 to 1996 Stern served as principal of P.S. 206, an elementary school in Rego Park, Queens. Stern is survived by his wife, Barbara, his daughter, Beth Godnick of East Hills, his son, Andy Stern, and five grandchildren. Ben-Levy said in her email that services will be private.

Scramble on for vaccinations Continued from Page 13 beginning on Monday. Underlying health conditions Cuomo mentioned include cancer, kidney disease, pulmonary disease, liver disease, type 1 or 2 diabetes, intellectual or developmental disabilities, pregnancy and others. Cuomo expanded the eligibility list for the coronavirus vaccine in New York to taxi drivers, restaurant workers and residents in facilities for those with disabilities two weeks ago. He announced in late January that the vaccinations provided to the state would increase by 20 percent for the next three weeks. Private pharmacies, he said, would receive an additional 10 percent, or roughly 30,000 more doses, from the federal government. A spokesperson for Cuomo said that

the state’s singular goal remains getting as many vaccines into the arms of New Yorkers as quickly and eﬀectively as possible. “We have followed the federal government’s expanded eligibility recommendations and have the capacity to do far more than the supply allocated to us by the Trump administration,” the spokesperson said. “Fortunately, the Biden administration has already demonstrated they are in line with our goal to get shots in the arms of New Yorkers as quickly and safely as possible. We look forward to administering increased vaccinations with increased supply.” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said the county will explore addition-

al partnerships to increase the county’s vaccination operation and will prioritize vaccinating residents with underlying health conditions and vulnerable populations of eligible residents. “We have not wasted one dose at our Nassau County Department of Health vaccination centers and we will continue to swiftly use 100% of the doses we receive,” Curran said in a statement Sunday. “The County’s IT team is working on a streamlined registration system that will help people not only register for a vaccination but also be put on a wait list for the next available appointment, to alleviate the hassle of going on a wild goose chase for a vaccine.”

Continued from Page 13 The Village of Roslyn’s 274 cases appeared comparatively low, but the cases per 1,000 residents, 96.07, is one of the four highest rates in Nassau County, according to Health Department figures. Despite this, the village has seen one of the lowest three-month increases of any analyzed municipality, with fewer than 160 new confirmed cases since Nov. 1, according to county statistics. The village had just three new cases over the past week. Roslyn Heights had 557 total cases

as of Wednesday, and the Village of East Hills had 433. Manhasset, which has remained comparatively low since the beginning of the pandemic, had 1,330 cases, with nearly half coming from town-governed areas. It is the only analyzed area with fewer than 1,400 cases. A total of 140,686 Nassau County residents had tested positive for the virus as of Wednesday, and 2,830 had died since the pandemic began. More than 560 Nassau residents remained hospitalized due

to the virus, with 88 in intensive care units and 59 on ventilators, according to county figures. All three hospitalization figures are decreases from last week. Throughout New York, more than 1.5 million people had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday, according to state figures. Of that total, more than 45,600 people had died. In New York City, 676,000 people had contracted the virus, and 28,428 had died.

Viverito, runner, dies at 87 Continued from Page 12 day. Because of the stunt, Viverito not only made front-page news in area newspapers but also found a love for longdistance running. Over the subsequent years, he ran in over 100 marathons, including the Long Island Marathon, which the race’s founder, Paul Fetscher, personally invited him to after reading about his publicized run to work. Viverito also competed for the Long Island Athletic Club and the Warren Street Social & Athletic Club, running about eight miles during his lunch break every day. Viverito’s body was cremated, and a memorial service will be held in his honor in June. Born on June 6, 1933, he attended Villanova University on a football scholarship after graduating from Chaminade High School in 1951. He went on to spend over 40 years in the advertising industry, eventually starting his own firm, Viverito and Associates, in 1993. The Manhattan-based company dissolved upon his retirement in 2014. “He was a quiet individual, and extremely sincere. What he taught to his sons just through example was to always be humble,” his son Bill Viverito said. “He was just one of the true good guys, and he certainly did lead by example in that.” In addition to Bill Viverito, Joseph Viverito is survived by his wife of 60 years, June, and their other sons, Joseph III, Peter and Matthew.

Water hearing 18.5K total positive cases on N. Shore next week

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Continued from Page 4 For online access, go to www. webex.com and enter event number 179 075 0213 and event password Feb23-6pm. Registration for the event is at https://meetny-broadcastpilot.webex.com/meetny-broadcastpilot/e.php?AT=SI&From=GPS& MK=1790750213. For phone-only access, interested parties can call 518549-0500 and enter access code 179 075 0213.

38 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, February 19, 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS

FCA appoints chief development officer FCA, a leading health and human services nonprofit organization on Long Island, has appointed a new vice president for strategic advancement and chief development oﬃcer. A graduate of New York University, Craig Pinto completed both his B.A. in Organizational Behavior and Communication and M.S. in Fundraising and Grant Making. Pinto brings a wealth of management, fundraising and event experience in the nonprofit sector to FCA. While at NYU he was given the prestigious NYU Bart Lawson Award for Public Service for his work and dedication to the nonprofit community. More recently, he was named “Best Philanthropist” by Bethpage Federal

Credit Union Best of Long Island for 2020. Prior to joining FCA, Pinto led fundraising eﬀorts at Man Cave Health, Celiac Disease Foundation, Child Care Council of Nassau, and Lawrence Woodmere Academy, focusing on disease research, education, mental health, childcare, and social services. He has overseen successful growth in both fundraising and participation in virtual and in-person special events, capital campaigns, strategic planning, and annual appeals. His recent oversight of the online campaign, “The Water Bottle Project,” utilized social media platforms to raise funds and successfully deliver over 100,000 bottles of

clean water to families in Flint, Mich., Houston, Texas, and the Bahamas, during times of crisis. In 2019, he created an International Student scholarship for Mineola High School students, which helps to cover the cost of

college materials for immigrant students or students whose parents have emigrated from another country. He has been a guest lecturer at California State University, discussing nonprofit management and has also appeared as a guest on various television programs on ABC, TLC, NatGeo, News12, and ESPN. He has also been featured in USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Books for Better Living, Newsday, as well as Gluten-Free Living magazine. Craig has been a repeat guest on SiriusXM radio, ESPN Radio, and Power 105, to discuss philanthropy, nonprofit development, and the importance of giving back. “After an extensive search, we are thrilled to welcome Craig

to FCA to lead our fundraising eﬀorts and serve as a key member of our management team. His experience, drive and ability to connect with others will help potential donors fully appreciate the importance and urgency of our work,” said FCA President/ CEO Dr. Jeﬀrey Reynolds. Pinto remarked, “I am excited to join an organization with such a strong commitment to caring for Long Island’s vulnerable children, youth, seniors, and families while helping them prepare for successful futures. Being a part of one of Long Island’s largest health and human services organizations brings a sense of pride and a commitment to achieving all of our goals for 2021 and beyond.”

JCC, UJA partner for COVID relief effort Sid Jacobson JCC has announced the launch of the Covid Relief Hub at Sid Jacobson JCC, created in partnership with UJAFederation of NY. The Hub is a one-stop-shop that provides help and support needed in a confidential and easy to access environment. During these diﬃcult times, The Hub is here to assist those who were furloughed or laid oﬀ and those feeling anxious, depressed, or scared about tomorrow. “COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on so many lives right here in our community — people just like you and me,” says

Connie Wasserman, associate executive director, Sid Jacobson JCC. “People who have been furloughed and have not returned to work because their industry is still not back; those who have been laid oﬀ and who

can’t pay their mortgage or rent; and those who are making the decision to take vital medication or put food on the table. These are real stories of individuals living in our neighborhood who will benefit from all The HUB

has to oﬀer.” The Hub’s services include case management, mental health and wellness support, financial and legal assistance, career services, benefits, and food security assistance. Caseworkers work one-on-one with individuals to explain all of SJJCC’s available resources to meet their unique needs and receive the assistance required. Mental health and wellness workshops are available to help manage day-to-day stresses and on-going struggles as well as weekly job search workshops led by a Career Services Specialist. Critical financial and le-

gal counseling is provided by The Hub’s on-site partner New York Legal Assistance Group. Caseworkers are also available to guide individuals through the often complicated available benefits including health insurance, disability coverage, SNAP, housing, and social security. To learn more about The Covid Relief Hub at Sid Jacobson JCC, visit sjjcc.org/thehub. To make an appointment to learn about The Hub’s services and how SJJCC can help, contact Jill Rakusin, LMSW, Hub Intake Coordinator + Case Manager jrakusin@sjjcc.org or 516.484.1545 ext. 171.

EisnerAmper 4 Mile Race to Feed L.I. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels of ability are cordially invited to enter the EisnerAmper Four Mile Race to Feed Long Island, which will be held at Eisenhower Park on Sunday morning, March 7. There is a virtual option for those who may not be comfortable participating in a live race. The generous title sponsorship of the event provided by EisnerAmper guarantees that at least $5,000 from the event will be used to bolster the Food Drive that the Greater Long Island Running Club initiated 10 months ago near the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. GLIRC’s Food Drive has to date delivered nearly 25,000 pounds of food and personal hygiene products,

plus nearly $30,000 in supermarket gift cards, to soup kitchens and food pantries all over Long Island from Patchogue to Long Beach. EisnerAmper is one of the largest full-service advisory and accounting firms in the United States. In addition to EisnerAmper, other generous sponsors of the Race include All Round Foods, Long Island Beer Guide, and Bimbo Bakeries. “We are slowly getting back to live racing on Long Island, and it is entirely fitting that one of the first races that our Club is staging will be raising some funds to help those who have felt the economic impact of the pandemic the most,” observed

Running Club Race Director Jim Murray. “The running community obviously can’t feed all of Long Island’s hungry families, but in large part thanks to the generosity of the good people at EisnerAmper we can continue to do our share through this Race and our ongoing Food Drive.” Due to current Nassau County COVID-19 rules, registration is limited to residents of Nassau County, Suﬀolk County and the five boroughs of New York City. The event will strictly comply with rules aimed at protecting everyone’s health. All staﬀ and volunteers will be wearing masks at all times. Runners will be required to wear masks before the start of the race, and

to resume wearing the mask as soon as they cross the finish line. There will be a staggered start to ensure social distancing. Every registered runner or walker will receive a soft and warm commemorative winter hat in their grab-and-go bag when they cross the finish line. Virtual participants will have their hats mailed to them after the event. Awards will be presented to the first male and female finishers and the first male and female Masters (age 40 plus) finishers in the “live” event. There will be age group awards for the first three male and female finishers in each five-year age group from 14 and under through 80 and over. The overall and Mas-

ters awards will be presented during a Facebook/Instagram ceremony a few days after the Race. Age group awards can be mailed to the winners or picked up at the Running Club oﬃce in Plainview. There are no awards for the “virtual” Race. The entry fee for the Race is $35 for those who enter prior to 7:30 PM on Thursday, March 4th, and $40 for those who register later on March 4th, or on March 5th or March 6th. Members of the Greater Long Island Running Club receive a $5 Discount. There is no day-of-race registration. For more information, contact the Greater Long Island Running Club at (516) 3497646 or info@glirc.org.

The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

C OSMCM HU ON O ILT Y N ENWE SW S

Meadow Drive School hosts ‘Souper Bowl’ Students at Meadow Drive School in the Mineola Union Free School District are collecting soup and canned goods as part of the school’s Souper Bowl drive. The drive kicked oﬀ in the beginning of February and will run through Feb. 23. Donations will be made to the Mary Brennan INN, a Long Island nonprofit that assists those challenged by hunger, homelessness and poverty. The Souper Bowl drive encourages students to spread the joy of giving and kindness, while also giving them the opportunity to work toward earning their Mission Pathway badges.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Meadow Drive students dressed up in jerseys and sports-themed clothing to kick off the food drive ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.

Buckley hearing moved to March, for 7th time Continued from Page 2 million, according to the campaign’s webpage. Plans obtained from the Village of North Hills through a Freedom of Information Law request say that while the number of parking spaces would be increased from 120 to 317, proposed enrollment would remain the same. During the public comment period at the January 2020 hearing, more than 10 residents from surrounding areas took issue with the plans, claiming that Buckley failed to address issues including loud noise during the summer and that drainage from the school often resulted in flooding damage to the condominiums, among other complaints. Maureen Rothschild DiTata, an attorney and resident of Acorn Ponds, presented photographs of a clearing in a trail on Buckley property where POD storage containers, go-karts and gasoline containers were present. A series of extension cords were also pictured, leading to a post near a sports field at Buckley. “We have no idea what is being powered by that power cord at the end of Buckley’s property, but the mere presence of the cord fuels Acorn Ponders’ complaints,” DiTata said. “Buckley is a bad neighbor. Buckley is either unconcerned or totally oblivious to the

hazard of running a series of electrical cords over brush and debris a distance of 30 yards, or the risk attendant to leaving go-karts, oil containers and gasoline cans together in an open and unsupervised area on a school ground.” Once the public comment session had ended, Buckley attorney Bruce Migatz rose to speak again, and referred to DiTata’s photographs. “I saw those pictures for the first time; shame on Buckley,” Migatz said. “I’m flabbergasted myself at what is back there, and by all means they have to clean it up and you should give violations if they have violations there. But that is no basis for denying a project going forward.” Near the end of the hearing, Mayor Marvin Natiss asked Migatz if the surveys had recommended 265 additional parking spaces. “Of course not,” Migatz responded. A further hearing on the project was originally set for the village board’s March 25 meeting, only to be postponed due to coronavirus concerns, and an April 15 meeting was postponed for the same reason. It has been postponed a further five times since then. The public hearing, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, will be livestreamed on the village’s YouTube channel.

SCHOOL NEWS

Herricks student wins essay contest Herricks High School sophomore Carolyn Lau was named a first-place winner in the Ringling College of Art and Design’s Sixth Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” High School Creative Writing Contest. Her entry, “On Circles,” won in the nonfiction category based on overall quality. More than 500 high school students submitted literary, genre and nonfiction stories to the competition. Carolyn was awarded prizes that include $150, an

iPad for her writing teacher’s classroom and publication in Ringling College’s literary arts journal, “Shift.”Additionally, she received rave reviews from judges, who praised her structure, prose and verse sections. Her work is published online and can be viewed by visiting https://www. ringling.edu/writingcontest/ and clicking “Past Winners.” Submitted by Herricks Public Schools

PHOTO COURTESY OF HERRICKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Herricks High School sophomore Carolyn Lau’s story, “On Circles,” won in the nonfiction category of Ringling College’s writing contest.

40 The Roslyn Times, Friday, February 19, 2021

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