Manhasset Press 3/01/23 edition is published weekly by Anton Media Group.

Collections For Earthquake Relief Ongoing At Local Organizations

Herricks Muslim Families, Islamic Center do their part

AMANDA OLSEN

aolsen@antonmediagroup.com

The past month has been difficult for victims of the Feb. 6 earthquake. Cold weather has made recovery efforts even more challenging. The death toll in Türkiye and Syria, so far, is over 46,000. 345,000 apartments and over 50,000 buildings have been destroyed. The quakes were followed by 3,858 aftershocks since February 6, 38 of them over magnitude 5. A second 6.4 quake shook the region February 20, followed by 90 aftershocks, the largest of which was recorded at 5.8.

Aid has reached Türkiye relatively quickly because of that country’s status as a NATO member, but has been slow to reach Syria. That situation is now changing, as reported by NPR news. According to Ismail Aladullah of the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, support is finally reaching those in need in Northwest Syria, but more help is needed.

Two local organizations are collecting donations for earthquake relief in Syria and Türkiye. Herricks Muslim Families, a community of Muslims on the north shore, raised over $22,000 so far from 11 businesses and 58 families. The Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury has raised over $150,000 in cash and clothes. These items will be shipped to the affected areas and distributed directly to survivors.

“Many mosques on Long Island-we have about 40+ mosques in Nassau and

Suffolk- had collections of truck after truck full of good quality, warm stuff, plus cash, at each congregation.” Said Habeeb Ahmed, chairman of the Islamic Center.

Collections are ongoing. The NYPD is coordinating logistics and has three drop off locations on Long Island: The NY

Turkish American Center in Amityville, Hamza Masajid in Valley Stream, and the Islamic Center. The following items are most needed: blankets; tents; sleeping bags; pocket warmers; feminine hygiene products; winter clothing such as jackets, gloves, and hats; over the counter medications for

flu, cold, and painkillers; and baby products like formula, diapers, etc. Items should be in clear bags and a list of items must be provided. For more information email NYPDturkishrelief@gmail.com.

—With additional reporting by Hassan Chughai and Habeeb Ahmed

An NYPD truck arrives to take the relief supplies.

Stacks of relief supplies awaiting pickup.

(Photos by the Islamic Center of Long Island)

Over $100,000 in cash and items have been donated to the relief effort so far.

Winning The World: Local Fencing Star Takes Gold

LI Student Isabella Chin Becomes Fencing Junior World Cup Champion

AMANDA OLSEN

aolsen@antonmediagroup.com

Isabella Chin knows a thing or two about discipline. The 17-year-old senior at Manhasset Secondary School has been fencing since she was in third grade. Her mom suggested fencing when the younger Chin had run through more standard sports like swimming and ice skating. For Chin, fencing clicked in a way she hadn’t experienced with her other activities.

“I like many different components that go into fencing, like how strategy plays a big role. You have to be both mentally and physically in shape. And I also admire how you may be creative in your actions. I also feel like discipline is a big part of the sport and being confident. It teaches you that it’s important.” Chin said.

Chin competed in the Junior World Cup, the ultimate competition for fencers under 20 years old, in Maalot, Israel, in January. Only the twelve best fencers in the country earn spots to represent Team USA at the prestigious competition. Chin represented Team USA proudly and proved that she was the strongest fencer of the day, winning the Gold Medal and becoming a World Cup Champion.

Though Chin is no stranger to international competition, the World Cup still presented a unique challenge. “Every time I do (an international competition,) it always has a different feel to it compared to a domestic competition, because you’re fencing different competitors from different countries, and they all have different styles. When I went to Israel, it was tough. It was something I had to prepare myself for. But I thought it was a good experience, competing with people from different countries.”

Chin is trained in the épée discipline of fencing. This discipline uses the heaviest of the fencing swords, also called an épée. The tip of the epee is spring loaded and requires 750 grams of pressure to register a hit. According to the International Fencing Federation, the épée is a thrusting weapon and the attack is with the point only. In this discipline, the target area is the entire body, head to toe, including any clothing and equipment. Any hit that makes contact

is counted. Hits are awarded based solely on whichever fencer makes a hit first.

It might seem like fencing is a male dominated sport, but in reality, women have been participating for many years. Competitive fencing was one of the first sports featured in the modern Olympics. Women’s foil fencing was added in 1924, and the epee style in 1996. While men and women do compete separately, in Chin’s training, “we practice with both boys and girls. I feel like there’s no separation. More and more girls are participating in it, which I feel is really good. There’s more and more every year.”

Chin practices four days a week at New York Fencing Academy in Port Washington. Her coach, Sergey Danilov, describes her as one of the hardest working students there.

“Isabella is usually one of the first to show up in the gym, and she’s definitely the last one to leave the gym. So she’s a very hard worker. She would usually come earlier and do just a regular warmup. After that she spent some time on self-improvement,

which means using some exercises to improve yourself such as work, target work, and after that she normally would have a lesson, a private lesson, with me. And after that, she joins the group class where she is training with other athletes. After the group class, she always stays for extra defense, more bouts or to do some target work.”

Michael Mokretsov, co-owner of the fencing academy, also praised Chin’s dedication. “Isabella is not just a great fencer, but also a great student at school, an amazing teammate, and simply a hardworking person. She spends numerous hours on her studies to remain an excellent student and countless hours perfecting her actions at the gym, and yet, she manages to remain social with her family and friends. If there is one person who deserves this result, it is Isabella. She always stays for extra practice in the gym to get better but never forgets to help her younger teammates at New York Fencing Academy to succeed as well.”

This hard work has paid dividends outside of fencing as well. Chin has been

recruited to fence for Harvard next year. One of her teammates is an opponent she faced at the World Cup.

“There is no doubt that Harvard earned a great person,” Danilov said. “Our congratulations to Isabella Chin and the entire “village” which helped her get great results on and off the strip.”

Chin, for her part, is keeping her focus on the near future, and her next competition. She has several fencing events over the coming months. “Yeah, I’m gonna be at Harvard. But for now, I’m preparing for the junior zonal championships, also known as the Pan American championships, which is … March fourth to sixth. And after that, I’ll be training for summer nationals, which is, I think, the biggest competition for the year because it’s the last competition of the season. But after that, I’ll be preparing myself for Harvard fencing team.”

And as far as Olympic aspirations, Chin is leaving that far future undecided. “Oh, I haven’t decided yet, but I feel like if I have a chance to go, I’d definitely try to go.”

Isabella Chin won gold at the Junior World Cup in January. (Photo by New York Fencing Academy)

Coach Michael Mokretsov, Isabella Chin, and Karen Chin at the Junior World Cup. (Photo by New York Fencing Academy)

AN UNCONVENTIONAL BUYERS'S MARKET

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Perfect End To Unblemished Season

coaches his sons’ sixth- and tenth-grade teams.

FRANK RIZZO

editors@antonmediagroup.com

Baskets were hard to come by, but the final result was never in doubt.

St. Mary’s of Manhasset defeated St. Martin’s of Bethpage 15-10 to win the Nassau County CYO Fifth-Grade Championship Game at Kellenberg High School in Uniondale.

With the win, the squad completed a perfect season, finishing 14-0. Elle Giannopoulos, who attends Munsey Park Elementary School, paced the winners with 10 points while Maeve Colello of Shelter Rock ES added five.

St. Mary’s runs an extensive CYO program, and this championship squad was one of four at the fifth grade level. Head coach Peter Spinelli said he was an assistant coach last season and expected to remain one, but was asked to coach an additional team in order to give participants additional playing time. His daughter Bianca is on the roster. He also

Asked what he hoped to impart at this age level, Spinelli replied, “Our goal for the season is to ensure the girls have fun while expanding their skill set, athleticism and understanding of the game in a safe environment where they can make new friendships. We achieved that goal and, proudly, we were also able to do it while getting each girl meaningful if not equal playing time in each game.”

Spinelli never dreamed that his charges would go undefeated, noting that finishing 10-0 in the regular season “was shocking. And then to go 14-0 through the playoffs and championship was exhilarating. Hearing the jubilant screams and seeing the smiles on the players’ faces after each win was truly a pure joy in life. Each week the girls improved—including two separate games where we hung on to win by only one point, which helped build our confidence. We were fortunate to have great parental support and great attitudes throughout the season.”

Asked for his final thoughts, Spinelli stated, “I cannot wait for next season. Every week I would look forward to that weekend’s game and do as much as I could to prepare for the upcoming game and to get the girls ready in our Thursday night weekly practice. I am

Sitting, from the left: Piper Godfrey (Shelter Rock), Evelyn Matina (Shelter Rock), Jenna Hassan (St. Mary’s), Maeve Colello (Shelter Rock) and Sienna Philip (Munsey Park). Standing, from the left: Elle Giannopoulos (Munsey Park), Bianca Spinelli (Green Vale School), Jolie Peters (Shelter Rock), Meredith Neckles (Munsey Park), Ariella Eli (Munsey Park) and Katerina Venetoklis (Munsey Park). (Contributed Photo)

excited to try to repeat the goal of having a fun season with either a new group next year or with this same group up at the next level.”

The coaches gave out the following awards

at the championship luncheon: Comeback Player of the Year: Katerina Venetekolis; Best Sixth Person of the Year: Evelyn Matina; Most Improved Player: Sienna Philip; Co-Most Improved Player and Team Spirit: Bianca Spinelli; Most Coachable Player: Piper Godfrey; Best Attitude: Ariella Eli; Best Dribbler and Overall Performance/ Player of the Year: Maeve Colello; Defensive Player of the Year: Jenna Hassan; Chairwoman of the Boards: Jolie Peters; CoMost Valuable Players: Meredith Neckles and Elle Giannopoulos. Read a longer story at www.manhassetpress.com.

The St. Mary’s CYO team is guided by head coach Peter Spinelli, left, and assistant coach Peter Giannopoulos.

St Mary’s Maeve Colello drives to the hoop as Paige Harrison of St. Martin’s defends. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)

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Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association

(NSWCA) Welcomes Water Commissioners

Re-elected and newly elected water commissioners from 21 local water districts who are members of the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA) were sworn into office on January 1, 2023 to begin their three-year term. Each local water district is comprised of three commissioners on each board. Manhasset-Lakeville Water District Commissioner Steven Flynn was re-elected.

NSWCA President and Locust Valley Water District Chairwomen Patricia Peterson commented on the election results, “Local voters came out to cast their ballet in meaningful elections for the men and women of their choice who harness the responsibility

of safeguarding our water today, and into the future. This process is a sterling example of local representation by and for each community as water commissioners and voters must

Resident’s Response To Governor Hochul’s Housing Plan

The ill-conceived housing plan proposed by Governor Hochul will usurp local control of zoning. She has proposed a plan that will be a boon to developers but will end Manhasset as it now exists. Opposition to her plan should be the highest priority for Manhasset residents and we should all contact Senator Martins as well as Assemblywoman Sillitti, urging them to do everything in their power to oppose her plan.

Furthermore, the Manhasset Press should be highlighting the destructive consequences of the Governor’s plan on our community.

Mr. Michael Zino, 42 Bayview Terrace Manhasset NY 11030

reside within their respective district.”

Voter-elected, commissioner-run districts (21 in total) provide water to over 620,000 consumers in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Peterson added, “I am extremely pleased to welcome all our new and returning colleagues to the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association.”

Organized and chartered in 1981, the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA) is comprised of water commissioners elected by voters in each of 21 Nassau County and Suffolk County water districts. The NSWCA is dedicated to promoting environmental excellence and best practices as well as to maintaining the highest standards of water quality and supply. The Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association sponsors regular educational

meetings and trainings on topics that include compliance, the environment, security, economics, conservation, sustainability, remediation, water treatment and aquifer health, among other issues germane to water utilities.

—Submitted by the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association

North Shore Women’s Club Sponsors Souper Fundraiser

The North Shore Women’s Club is hosting a “Buy a Bowl, Feed a Soul” fundraiser Saturday, March 4, from 5 to 7 p.m at the Sea Cliff Yacht Club, 42 The Blvd, in Sea Cliff. The ticket Price is $30 for a bowl (to keep), and includes a variety of soups and rolls. All proceeds go toward assisting and caring for the North Shore Community. More information at https:// www.northshorewomensclub.com/ or contact Audra Roth at (516) 477-9286 or ARoth@RothandRothLaw.com.

—Submitted by North Shore Women’s Club

CALENDAR

To place an item in this space, send information two weeks before the event to editors@antonmediagroup.com.

MONDAY, MAR. 6

Happy Purim

TUESDAY MAR.7

Cooking Class with Chef Rob: Traditional Irish Soda Bread

Get ready for St. Patrick’s Day with Chef Rob’s Traditional Irish Soda Bread at the Manhasset LIbrary from 12-2 p.m. in the third floor multiuse room. This class is hands-on. You’ll prepare the bread in the class and bake it at home. Participants will need to bring a large bowl, mixing spoon and a cookie tray. Space is limited. Priority Registration to Manhasset Library cardholders. You’ll prepare the dough in class and bake them at home. Call (516) 627-2300 for more information.

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, MAR. 7 AND 8

America’s Boating Course

There are several upcoming safe boating courses and seminars presented by the United States Power Squadrons. America’s Boating Course is being offered via zoom and in person March 7. Contact Michael Richter at (516)526-8177 or mikerichter22@gmail.com for the zoom session. This course begins at 7:00 p.m.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Contact George Winsper at (516)698-5399 or gwins12345@aol.com for the Glen Head session at the North Shore Middle School on Glen Cove Ave in Glen Head. The class begins at 7:30 P.M. These sessions are $60.

MONDAY, MAR. 13

Film @ Manhasset Library

Film @ Manhasset Library presents The Fabelmans at 2 p.m. Loosely based on acclaimed director Steven Spielberg’s childhood, this award winning film follows Sammy Fabelman’s introduction to cinema following his first film viewing experience, The Greatest Show On Earth, with his parents. Armed with a camera, Sammy begins making films, foreshadowing a successful career and allowing him an escape when his parents’ marriage begins to fracture. Please join librarian Jazmin Mooney for this fascinating movie followed by an in-depth discussion. All are welcome. Registration not required.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14

Town of North Hempstead Town Meeting

This year’s Town Board meetings will be held on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. The meetings are also broadcasted live on the Town’s website beginning at its regularly scheduled time at 7 p.m. Residents who are interested in viewing the meetings can visit: www.northhempsteadny.gov/ townboardlive.

For the latest updates including information on meeting locations, please visit: www. northhempsteadny.gov.

Happy St. Patricks Day

FRIDAY, MAR. 17

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

TUESDAY, MAR. 28

Tuesday’s Children Plandome Benefit

The annual Tuesday’s Children Plandome Benefit will take place at 6:30 P.M. at the Plandome Country Club, 145 Stonytown Road, Plandome. Please visit www.tuesdayschildren.org to purchase tickets. This year’s benefit will honor the Plandome Fire Department. Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena has accepted and will attend. Tuesday’s Children provides a lifetime of healing for those who have been forever changed by terrorism, military conflict or mass violence. Contact (516)5629000 for more information.

ONGOING

Project Independence: Bridge Class

Come learn to play Bridge at this beginner-friendly class. Every Wednesday from 12 to 2 p.m. at the North Hempstead “Yes We Can” Community Center at 141 West Garden Street, Westbury. Call 311 or (516)869-6311 to register or for more information.

Project Independence: Bingo

And BP

A fun hour of bingo with a bonus of blood pressure screenings and health counseling. At the Roslyn Community Center auditorium, 53 Orchard Street, Roslyn Heights. Call 311 or (516)8696311 to register or for more information.

Calligraphy

Every Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the lower level Meeting Room at the Manhasset Public Library, 30 Onderdonk Ave., Manhasset. Contact Ting Wong at (516)708-1287 or email tingdaiwong@gmail.com.

You Are Not Alone

If you or someone you know is in crisis or feeling suicidal, call the Long Island Crisis Center 24/7 hotline: (516) 6791111. The 988 Suicide and Crisis line is also available 24/7 by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-8255.

Moriches Field Brewing Company received $18,750 to revitalize an empty downtown space. (Cheers to that.)

Revitalization grants are just one of the ways we help businesses on Long Island and in the Rockaways. For Moriches Field Brewing Company, a grant from our economic development program was a perfect fit to help them renovate a previously vacant property. A discount through our Vacant Space Revival Program saved them more than $4,000 on their electric bills, and rebates for upgrading to LED lighting are keeping them saving month after month.

Helping revitalize our Island, one business at a time, is something we’re proud to be part of and something definitely worth celebrating.

Grants | Rebates | Incentives | Assessments | Community Support

For more information, visit PSEGLINY.com/EcoDev

Long Island Cannabis Conversations

Part I: Colonial Traces, From Hempstead to the Hamptons

and 1800s.”

JANET BURNS

As New York State continues pushing forward into an era where cannabis will be a legal, taxed part of our economy, it’s important to know some of the history of this plant that humans have cultivated for likely tens of thousands of years.

Here on Long Island, where traces of this history remain in the form of street signs, town names, and some local laws, it may be doubly important to keep an eye on our past if we hope to build an equitable, sustainable cannabis industry.

In short, humans and cannabis have for thousands of years demonstrated what is known as mutualistic coevolution, meaning that our two species have profited and excelled by sticking together. As we have benefited from the cannabis plant’s nutrition (e.g. proteins and oils), its fibers (e.g. in cords and cloth), and its medicinal uses (e.g. anti-inflammatory, psychoactive, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties, just to name a few), so has the plant known as cannabis sativa (whose modern cultivars include the “Sativa” and “Indica” plants we smoke, as well as low-THC hemp) prospered by being intentionally transported and grown around the globe.

The exact etymology of the word “cannabis” is still under dispute, but what’s clear is that cultures around the world have given names to this plant, sometimes known as hemp — also spelled, in various parts of the European continent, as “hennep” or “hamp.”

By the time Europeans started arriving in present-day Long Island, most societies and cultures around the world had a substantial appreciation for cannabis, including European royals, doctors, scientists, and military figures.

In the second half of the last millenium, in fact, cannabis played a large role in both pre-U.S. and early U.S. history.

Given the plant’s utility, European colonists were keen to start growing it in “the New World,” and did so up and down the East Coast. Along with tobacco and cotton, it was also one of the major crops which kidnapped and enslaved people of African descent (and, in some cases, Indigenous Americans) were forced to grow on plantations. It’s well known, for example, that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both proponents of the plant, and cultivated personal crops of it on their own plantations using slave labor.

In 1600s and 1700s, when ships roamed the seas seeking precious cargos in whatever form, cannabis was particularly seen as a major resource because it provided strong fibers used for cloth, such as ships’ sails, and for rope, i.e. the rigging that held ships’ sails in place.

And so it was, centuries before New York State would be nicknamed the “Hempire State” because of its pro-hemp farming regulations, that Long Island became one of the major sources for rope in the colonized world.

Many aspects of the exact history of hemp-growing on Long Island remain unclear, as records of agricultural production as well as slave-owning operations in our region are sparse.

What is clear, however, is that hemp was grown abundantly for at least 100 years by European colonists (and the laborers they enslaved, or in some cases paid) up and down Long Island. For one thing, well-known place names establish the connection: in Nassau County, we have Hempstead, which means “hemp farm;” to the east, in Suffolk County, we have the Hamptons, or “hemp towns.”

“That whole area of Long Island was called the Hamptons, and ‘hamp’ is the Northern European word for ‘hemp,’” explained entrepreneur and author John Roulac in an interview with Anton Media Group. “Essentially, Long Island was the provider of hemp for making ropes and sails for the shipping industry in the 1700s

“Basically, with the advent of steam power, hemp was no longer a significant crop after, say, the 1870s,” Roulac said. In the early 20th century, the burgeoning U.S. pharmaceutical industry also identified cannabis as a threat, in a word (among other things, which future parts of this series will discuss), and the nation’s enthusiasm for hemp dropped from a boil to a simmer.

Looking back at the region’s history, it’s also clear that these vital hemp crops on colonial-era Long Island were being grown, at least in part, by enslaved persons of African descent.

According to Hofstra University’s previous “Slavery on Long Island” exhibit: “After the English took over New Netherlands (changing the name to New York) in 1664, the colony became more deeply involved with the importation of slaves via the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and from the Caribbean. In order to satisfy labor demands in their colonies, the English actively sought to step up their efforts to transform African men, women, and children into chattel property.”

“The Census and tax data from the late 17th century indicates that approximately two out of five households in Queens and Suffolk counties included one or more slaves,” Hofstra researchers found. “By the mid-18th century, an internal slave trade was the predominant method of exchanging and acquiring slaves on Long Island, and it greatly contributed to the seven-fold increase in the number of slaves by the early 19th century.”

And while historical records do indicate clearly that this was going on, Long Island has comparatively few records of the transactions themselves. As researchers noted: “Unlike New York City, with its public forums [and slave market/s], the buying and selling of slaves on the Island was typically a private matter during this time.”

Despite slave-owners’ bookkeeping issues, however, some researchers have been able to create a timeline of that era on the Island, and even to trace back family lines of people now living on Long Island whose ancestors were brought there by force.

The Plain Sight Project, for one, has tracked down records of hundreds of slaves who lived mostly on Eastern Long Island, from Sag Harbor to East Hampton. Meanwhile, as our next installment of “Long Island Cannabis Conversations” will explore, some of the people who’ve been in this same region since long before European colonists arrived are now poised to carry this plant, and its potential for equity and positive change, into a new era.

A hemp stalk cut open to reveal the fibrous stem within. (Public domain)

A painting of the Constitution, a.k.a. Old Ironsides, c. 1803–04, attributed to Michel Felice Corné (1752–1845). (Public domain)

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State Education Department Proposes Indigenous Culture And Language Studies Certification For Teachers

Certification Would Support Preservation of Indigenous Cultures and Languages

60-Day Public Comment Period Through May 1

The New York State Education Department today proposed the creation of the Indigenous Culture and Language Studies (All Grades) certificate for teachers, Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced. If established, the new certification area would increase the capacity and number of teachers who can teach indigenous cultures and languages while increasing the awareness, knowledge, and appreciation for indigenous peoples. The Department will accept public comment on the proposal through May 1 and is conducting ongoing consultation with Indigenous Nations regarding these proposed regulations. This past month, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Newsletter said, “[i] t is a shared goal with the NYSED to create tenured teaching positions for Indigenous language instructors in public schools across the State.”

Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said, “Learning and preserving New York’s Indigenous languages are critical to recognizing the rich tapestry of our diverse state and acknowledging the importance of sustaining indigenous cultures both within and outside the Nations. Diversity is a tenet of the mission of the Board of Regents to create and sustain nurturing and engaging learning environments for all students.”

Commissioner Rosa said, “All voices must be heard, respected, and considered. By expanding opportunities for teachers, we are advancing access to educational excellence and equity for all students. Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education, such as learning about indigenous languages and cultures, affirms cultural identities, develops students’ abilities to connect across lines of difference, and elevates historically marginalized voices.”

Currently, individuals who would like to teach an indigenous language in New York State public schools can obtain a permit. Although a permit authorizes an individual to teach in public schools, it is not equivalent to a teaching certificate.

Teachers who hold a certificate demonstrate their content, pedagogical knowledge, and skills through the certification process and may be eligible for tenure in a school district. Additionally, the Professional teaching certificate is continuously valid, while individuals who hold a permit would need to apply to renew their permit every five years after their first twoyear permit. Having both the permit and proposed new certificate as options would allow permit holders to continue practicing in the classroom while also attracting new teachers into this area.

More information on the proposed regulatory changes to establish the Indigenous Culture and Language Studies (All Grades) certificate and the registration requirements for teacher preparation programs leading to this certificate may be found

in the Item {link} and presentation {link} discussed by the Board of Regents today.

Following the 60-day public comment period required under the State Administrative Procedure Act, it is anticipated that the proposed amendment will

be presented to the Board of Regents for adoption at its June 2023 meeting. Public comments may be submitted via email to oheregcomments@nysed.gov.

—Submitted by the New York State Board of Education

FCA Offers Free Help With Medicare Enrollment

Recent changes make coverage even more affordable

Enrolling in Medicare can be confusing. Family and Children’s Association’s (FCA) Free Nassau County Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) can help with enrollment guidance by phone.

The Open Enrollment season for people who are currently enrolled in Medicare ended December 7, 2022, but there is another potential opportunity to switch Medicare health plans for those currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan (HMO or PPO).

The additional Open Enrollment season runs from January 1 through March 31, with any changes effective the first day of the month following enrollment. There is also the opportunity to drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to traditional Medicare during this time, although you would also need to sign up for a Medicare drug plan. If you find that the plan in which you are currently enrolled does not work for you, this added flexibility can help you find a new plan that better suits your needs.

Please note, that if you were not currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you cannot sign up for one at this time. The current enrollment period only allows people to switch or drop a plan.

Income Limit Increase Helps More People

The Medicare Savings Program has dramatically increased the income limits for eligibility. This program can help pay your Medicare Part B premium and can dramatically lower your drug costs. If you were previously found to be ineligible for this program, you should call Family and Children’s Association’s (FCA) Nassau County Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) office to see if you are now eligible.

Medicare coverage can be confusing

Barry Kiltsburg

for the uninitiated, as there are various options. Choosing the right plan for you requires careful consideration. If you need help understanding or choosing a plan, FCA can help guide you through the process with free help by calling 516-485-3754.

There are four basic parts of Medicare: Hospital Insurance (Part A) covers you as an inpatient in a hospital or skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility, or for skilled home care after a hospitalization. Medicare Part A also can cover hospice care if you have a terminal illness. For most people Medicare Part A is premium free.

Medicare Medical Insurance (Part B) covers physician and other outpatient services. These services include doctor visits, hospital outpatient services, lab tests; physical, speech or occupational

therapy; and durable medical equipment for use in the home. The standard Part B premium amount in 2022 is $164.90. Most people pay the standard Part B premium amount. If your modified adjusted gross income as reported on your IRS tax return from 2 years ago is above a certain amount, you’ll pay the standard premium amount and an Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). IRMAA is an extra charge added to your premium. Medicare Part C You may opt for Medicare Advantage plans instead of Part B. Medicare are managed care plans including Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). These plans generally have a network of providers. In an HMO you must use providers in that network. If you join a PPO, you can go out of the network, but you will have a higher copayment for out of network services. Medicare Advantage plans generally cover prescription drugs, otherwise covered by Medicare Part D, and frequently cover non-Medicare services such as vision, dental and hearing services.

Medicare Part D is prescription coverage. There are 19 drug plans in New York State. These plans vary in premium cost and formularies.

Medigap

There are Medicare supplement plans known as Medigap. These are standardized plans that can fill most of the Medicare gaps such as deductibles and co-insurance.

For more information about these changes to Medicare and for any other information pertaining to your health benefits, you can call our office at 516485-3754 and a trained counselor will assist you.

—Submitted by Barry Klitsberg, Nassau County Medicare Counselor, FCA

(Photo submitted by Family and Children’s Association)

Customized advice that changes with your

Everyone has different financial goals and priorities, and they change and grow as you do. That’s why it’s important for me to get to know you and understand what you’re working toward. Together, we can create a personalized financial plan that fits your needs today and helps you build the tomorrow you deserve.

J. Laliberte, CRPC® Financial Advisor

Not FDIC or NCUA Insured | No Financial Institution Guarantee | May Lose Value

The 2023 Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list is developed by SHOOK Research and is created using an algorithm that includes both qualitative (in-person, virtual and

5 Things You Might Be Surprised to Learn About Insurance

How con dent are you about the insurance strategies you have in place to protect against an unexpected turn in your life? Do you feel like you have a clear handle on how to manage your insurance needs effectively?

Before you answer, here are ve aspects of insurance coverage that may surprise you:

1. Even a stay-at-home spouse may need life insurance. We tend to think of insurance as something to replace income that would be lost if a person dies. But household contributions aren’t limited to take-home pay. For example, a stay-at-home spouse might ful l a role – such as childcare and housekeeping - that would be expensive to replicate if they were no longer around. Think about the nancial impact the loss of him or her would have on the overall budget and expenses of the household. An appropriate life insurance policy can help mitigate that burden at a time when mourning families have plenty of other worries and stressors on their minds.

2. Single people should be protected, too.

Assuming you have no dependents, there may be no obvious reason to have life insurance in place. But if you pass away unexpectedly, you may still leave behind some expenses, such as funeral costs. Also, if you carry debts that outstrip your assets, family members may have to assume responsibility for them. One more consideration is that life insurance may be more attainable and economical if you buy it when you’re younger and healthy.

3. You may want to insure the lives of children.

How would your life be affected if your child passed away? Would it impact your ability, at least for a time, to carry on with work and other aspects of your life? While it’s a terrible prospect to have to contemplate, it is a possibility for which you may want some nancial protection. Life insurance for a young healthy, person can be very cost effective in most cases.

4. Too many people risk being underinsured, especially women. According to a 2021 study by LIMRA and Life Happens, survey

by the Life Insurance and Market Research Association, just 47% of women have life insurance coverage in place compared to 58% of men1. In most cases today, the need for insurance coverage is generally equal regardless of gender.

5. Disability coverage may be even more important than life insurance.

Suffering a disabling injury or illness that sidelines you from work can have a dramatic impact on your income. Most people make life insurance a priority, but for those who do not, the result is bills that risk going unpaid and nancial goals unmet.

According to the Social Security Administration, more than one in four Americans age 20 or older will become disabled before retirement age2. The risk is greater than you think.

Reviewing your protection needs is an important part of the nancial planning process. Talk to your nancial advisor if you have any concerns about your own coverage.

Michael J. Laliberte, CRPC® is a Financial Advisor with Andriola, Goldberg & Associates a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. He offers fee-based nancial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 12 years.

To contact him, www.ameripriseadvisors.com/ Michael.j.laliberte

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SANTOS WATCH

Treasurer Of The Sierra Madre?

Following FEC insistence, Santos announces new campaign finance head

JANET BURNS

acing a perilous quest for riches, a fictitious but wise man once said, “Ah, as long as there’s no find, the noble brotherhood will last, but when the piles of gold begin to grow... that’s when the trouble starts.”

In this case, Howard, as portrayed by Walter Huston in the 1948 film adaptation of the novel The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, was talking about his fellow gold-diggers and the treacherous cost of achieving wealth in the 1920s southwest.

But he could have been talking about the tribulations of U.S. Representative George Santos a hundred years later over on the east coast — that is, depending on how the rest of this story plays out, and how much more digging we see.

To wit, the biggest Santos news we’re aware of this week is the appointment of a new campaign treasurer for the congressman, a situation which probably sounds a lot simpler than it is.

In mid-February, the Federal Election

Comission sent a letter to Rep. Santos demanding that he appoint a new treasurer to oversee his campaign finances within a month; in prior weeks, Santos’ relatively longtime treasurer Nancy Marks, a veteran GOP finance operator, resigned from the post, then Santos said that another person was his treasurer, who swiftly denied that they held the post.

After the legal 10-day deadline to

appoint a new treasurer for Santos’ reelection campaign (which may or may not be happening, officially) had more than passed, the FEC told Santos he had one more month to appoint a new treasurer, or risk having the campaign’s accounts frozen; a week later, in late February, an FEC filing for the campaign named Andrew Olson of Elmhurst, listed at Santos’ own prior address, as his new campaign ‘money guy.’ Tim Balk reported for the New York Daily News the next day that Santos’ lawyer had “declined to confirm whether Olson was the new treasurer.”

If it’s true, Olson is likely to have an exciting road ahead, whether or not it ultimately leads to lucre.

Lee Brown reported for the New York Post on February 16, “Disgraced Long Island Rep. George Santos is reportedly set on running for re-election in 2024 — even as outraged locals marched on his district office Wednesday again, demanding his ouster over his lies. Fellow New York Rep. Richie Torres confirmed reports that ‘Santos is telling advisors that he wishes to serve a 2nd term, despite previously promising that he wouldn’t run for reelection.’”

Other Recent Highlights:

• In an hour-long filmed interview, Rep. Santos told semi-disgraced British news personality Piers Morgan that he is “just a regular person” who makes mistakes, and also that he was surprised he got caught: “I ran in 2020 for the same exact seat for Congress and I got away with it then.”

• Video footage from the House of Representatives was used in a viral parody by the well-known humor account Bad Lip Reading, in which Santos gets several solid nods, including the voicedover claim, “I also invented ‘movie date night.’ It’s not a big deal.”

• As Jessica Piper reported for Politico on Feb. 22, “One of George Santos’ first acts as a candidate for Congress in 2019, according to his campaign finance filings, was making a series of four-figure donations from his campaign to a pair of local Republican groups and President Donald Trump’s reelection committee. But according to those groups’ own filings, the contributions were never received — and may not have been donated.”

The official portrait of U.S. Representative George Santos (R, NY-03). (Public domain)

Colorectal cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths among women. That's why the Northwell Cancer Institute and the Katz Institute for Women's Health are working together to raise awareness about testing and prevention. Join our community events for information on screening, healthy habits and other ways to fight back.

Happy Anniversary, Nassau Inter-County Express Bus Service

January 2023 marks the eleventh anniversary for Nassau Inter County Express Bus . Thousands of Nassau County residents ride NICE Bus to jobs, schools and other destinations in Queens. Many transfer to the NYC Transit subway at Flushing, Jamaica or Far Rockaway stations. Thousands of Queens residents travel via NICE bus to jobs, schools, medical appointments and other destinations in Nassau County. The viability of NICE benefits everyone. To understand the origins of how we got here, you must go back in time to the early 1970’s. Prior to NICE, bus service in Nassau County was operated under Long Island Bus and Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority. In 1973, Nassau County purchased equipment, routes and some facilities from numerous private bus operators most of whom were experiencing serious financial difficulties. These private bus operators included Bee Line, Rockville Center Bus Corporation, Utility Lines, Stage Coach Lines, Schenck Transportation, Inc., Nassau Bus Line, Hempstead Bus Corporation, Jerusalem Avenue Bus Lines, Universal Auto Bus, Roosevelt Bus Lines, Stage Coach Lines, Hendrickson Bus Corporation and others. Their respective fare box income was insufficient to cover current day to day operating expenses. They lacked the funding to purchase new replacement buses, along with upgrading out of date maintenance and operating bus garages. Nassau County followed up that same

PENNER STATION

Larry Penner

year by entering into a lease and operating agreement with the MTA to continue providing local bus service. This resulted in creation of the Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority. Years later, MSBA was followed by Long Island Bus and on January 1, 2012 Nassau Inter County Express. Most of the same routes operated by MSBA, LI Bus and NICE Bus today can be traced back to the various private bus operators.

It is a four-way dance between fares paid by riders along with funding provided by Nassau County, the State and the Federal government in financing public bus transportation operated by NICE. They operate a fleet of 280 buses out of the Mitchel Field bus garage. NICE also operates a fleet of 122 Able Ride paratransit vehicles out of the Stewart Avenue facility. Both facilities were constructed by federal capital grants with local matching funds provided by Nassau

County and the State Department of Transportation. It was the same funding sources for both construction of the Hempstead Multi-Modal Bus Terminal, Mineola Intermodal Bus Terminal/Commuter Parking Garage and Rockville Centre Bus Garage which was removed from active transit service in 2017. All five of these investments combined cost over $100 million. In today’s dollars, it would be far higher.

Over time, there have been other capital investments, including replacement buses, compressed natural gas fueling stations, facility modifications to accommodate CNG buses inside garages, new fare collection equipment, automatic vehicle locator equipment, real time communications systems to notify riders for anticipated arrival of the next bus, shelters, bus stop signs and other support equipment necessary to run the system. Just like a homeowner, what is new today requires constant maintenance, periodic upgrades and eventual replacement years later. Capital physical assets of any bus system (including revenue vehicles along with bus facility components such as HVAC, bus washers, paint booths, engine shops, bays, pits, lifts, doors, fueling stations, lighting, security systems and many others) eventually reach the end of their useful life. Significant changes in technology also require replacement of outdated equipment.

It has been 50 years, since Nassau County took control of all bus routes from private operators.

Over that time period, Nassau County, Albany and Washington have combined invested over $800 million in capital improvements. Operating subsidy dollars easily top over $1.5 billion.

NICE services continue to be one of the best bargains around. Since the 1950s, the average cost of riding a bus in Nassau County has gone up at a lower rate than either the consumer price index or inflation. The Metro Card introduced in 1996 affords a free transfer between NICE bus and the NYC Transit bus or subway. Prior to this, riders had to pay two full fares. Purchasing either a weekly or monthly pass further reduces the cost per ride. Many employers offer transit checks, which pay even more of the costs.

TANSTAFL - There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch, or in this case, bus ride. NICE services continue to be one of the best bargains around.

(Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for NJ Transit, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NYC Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, MTA Bus, Nassau County NICE Bus along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.).

The Reframe: Shifting the Way in Which You View a Behavior Can Enhance Your Relationship

According to Dr. John Gottman, famed relationship researcher, approximately 69 percent of the problems that couples face are perpetual problems. This means that couples will have unsolvable problems that will recur throughout their relationship. For each couple, this issue is different, such as the influence of in-laws on the decisions the couple makes, different levels of cleanliness in the home, difficulties with work/life balance, etc.

Take for example, hypothetical couple Jessica and Steve, who have been married for four years and living together for three. They have very different views when it comes to cleanliness in the home and household chores. Steve wants the house to be pristine before

LOVE LESSONS

Marisa T. Cohen, PhD

inviting any company over, while Jessica is not bothered by piles of clothing on the floor or towers of dishes in the sink. They have attempted to reach a compromise in the past and have also come up with solutions such as maintaining

separate to do lists. Their solutions have helped them avoid huge blow outs, but they still have different thresholds for tidiness, which can get on one another’s nerves. Rather than wracking their brains trying to come up with new solutions, they should acknowledge that they have different views when it comes to household chores such as cleaning. Additionally, they should recognize that this is something that is likely to come up throughout their relationship. By accepting that this is a perpetual problem, they are letting go of the tendency to blame one another, and instead acknowledge that they just don’t see eye to eye. One person is not right, one person is not wrong, they each have their own views.

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Cue the Reframe

Reframing is a technique that can shift your mindset so that you can view a person or situation from a different perspective. For example, if a person at work is shouting their opinions during a meeting, instead of thinking of them as an aggressive coworker, you can reframe and view the coworker as a passionate person.

By reframing how we think about our partners, specifically when it comes to dealing with perpetual problems, we alter our cognitions, which can change our feelings and lead to a softer exchange. This prevents partners from approaching conflict with hostility and ensures that they discuss issues with kindness. This makes it more likely that

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COLUMNS

Behind the Mask of Purim

In a few days, Jewish people around the world will parade through streets and synagogues dressed as the brave Queen Esther and the wise Mordechai. Dressing in costume is exciting. When we change our outward appearance, we feel different; through the eyes of a mask, we experience a new way of looking at the world.

Everyone loves Purim because it is a day filled with lighthearted fun. But beneath the masquerades, there is a serious message: the remembrance of a time of great danger, and of a wicked man who tried to utterly destroy the Jewish people.

We can see these timely themes woven throughout the Bible. The Almighty commands Moses to make holy garments for his brother Aharon, the Kohen Gadol (High Priest). We read a detailed description of the clothing worn by Aharon and by the other Kohanim—clothes that clearly set them apart from ordinary people and marked the sanctity of their position.

The Kohen’s elegant robe and bejeweled breastplate were not only beautiful, but also inspirational, and fitting for someone whose

role was to elevate the Jewish nation in the eyes of The Almighty. According to Maimonides, the priestly garments were meant to elicit respect for the worthiness of the Kohen as a holy vehicle. His majestic attire would motivate each Jew to connect with the Almighty.

On Purim we are commanded to remember how the Biblical Haman and others sought to destroy us. We’ve all heard the expression, “Clothes make the man”—and to a large extent, it’s true. The clothing of the Kohanim is an excellent example. Of course, focusing on clothing for superficial reasons can

become excessive, but when used for the purpose of holiness, and worn with dignity and modesty, clothes are symbolically elevating. Self-respecting clothing raises our image in the eyes of others. They encourage us and those around us to live according to higher ideals. What we wear on the outside affects how we speak, behave, and think.

Clothes can also convey a sense of history and give us a sociological context. Some of our grandparents and great-grandparents arrived in America in tattered clothes; generations later, our closets burst with designer clothing. Interestingly, the Jewish Museum is currently displaying an exhibit tracing the history of fashion trends in America. It details how Jews, through their contributions to the garment industry, helped shaped and influence the American fashion ideal.

But attractive exhibits may gloss over the less-than-glamorous realities of the past. Carefully curated displays of sepia-toned photographs show us an old-fashioned world through rose-colored

glasses. A trip down memory lane makes us sentimental. But if the past also brings us painful memories—as history certainly does— why look back? Indeed, why bother remembering Amalek, an evil force bent on Jewish annihilation? Why not focus on the positive and move forward? However, The Almighty commands us “not to forget Amalek” for our own good. Parshat Zachor reminds us that Amalek still exists in the world even today, and we should stay alert. Jewish survival depends on remembering our past. Surely in this way we can preserve our future.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

partners will work together as a team rather than see one another as adversaries.

So, let’s go back to Jessica and Steve. Steve may want to reframe the situation in the following way:

“Jessica is messy.” turns into “Jessica is working so hard, that she sometimes forgets to clean up after herself.”

Jessica may want to reframe her view of Steve in the following way:

This Purim, as Megillat Esther is read, we will drown out the name of the evil Haman. And when we hear the story of Esther’s transformation from a simple Jewish girl to a beautiful queen who dressed in royal gowns to win the favor of the king, we are reminded that each of us is like royalty, since we are all children of our Creator. Each of us is like a Kohen; we are called “a nation of priests.” When we see ourselves this way, we elevate our people in the eyes of the world, so that we can look forward to a time of true freedom and peace for all humankind.

“Steve is so rigid when it comes to cleaning.” becomes “Steve wants to keep a clean and comfortable home for us.”

By slightly altering the way in which you think about your partner or the situation, you open the possibility of interacting with one another with greater care. Additionally, your perpetual problems may not seem as serious or as insurmountable.

Stay on track this school year.

Give your student the tools they need to succeed this school year. Hofstra Youth Academy offers over 30 classes taught by New York State certified teachers and/ or professionals in the different areas. Students in grades K-12 can choose from academics, fine and studio arts, athletics, enrichment, video game development, and more. Academic courses follow the appropriate grade level New York State Standards and Curriculum for the different subject areas and serve as enrichment courses for students who may struggle academically in certain areas.

There’s still time to register!

Spring classes begin Saturday, March 4.

For more information or to register, visit ce.hofstra.edu/youth or contact us at 516-463-7400

RABBI MOSHE WEISBLUM

Long Island Startup Featured On Reality Show

JENNIFER CORR

jcorr@antonmediagroup.com

Garrett Guttenberg and Eric Stroud started a company based in Long Beach called Seaview Adjusting Group, which helps home and business owners navigate insurance claims. And the pair took part in a reality show called The Blox, a show that houses entrepreneurs together as they go through several challenges putting their entrepreneurial skills to the test.

It can be watched for free on Google Play, the App Store and on an original, free app called The Blox. This app does much more than just allow for binging of the show, it has resources for entrepreneurs, meditations, music that can help put you in the workzone and more.

According to news-website, Heavy, MTV star Wes Bergmann, an entrepreneur himself, is the man behind the show. He started in a competitive reality show called The Challenge. And he wanted to create a reality show of his own.

The format is similar to that of The Champion. The entrepreneurs face off in “start-up games” and are judged by up and coming celebrities. Bergmann told Heavy that he was proud of the impact the show had on the contestants, changing their lives in a short period of time.

Guttenberg said he found out about the show through an advertisement when he was scrolling through social media. Taking a leap of faith, he decided to apply to be on season 5.

“The TV show is the largest, live startup competition,” Guttenberg said. “It’s a

combination of a docu-series and a competitive reality TV show. We were basically put through his ‘startup accelerator’, as he called it. We’d sit through a class each day, which was all recorded, on the different topics... And there was competitions throughout the show that stemmed from the topics from each day, and then you’d be broken out into different rooms with judges. All these judges were from different multi-million dollar companies and start ups and such. They’d basically just rank your presentation based on the challenge.”

Topics focused on in the show included utilizing technology, copy-writing and design, search engine optimization, branding and storytelling, early-state fundraising and deal structures and more.

“The coolest thing was I’ve never been in a room with so many like-minded people,” Guttenberg said. “They’re all people who left different fields and had a dream and a vision and basically sacrificed everything to start their own company. Some of them were very new to business. Some of them had been running their company for years.”

And being on a reality show was an experience in itself. Guttenberg said they would shoot from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and he’d forget the cameras were even there. He had to stay in Kansas for a week to film the show, leaving behind his family, including two young sons. Being away from his family was the hardest challenge of the show, as well as not having much down time to call his family and run his business.

“I went into the whole competition really expecting nothing,” Guttenberg said. “But I was super happy that we did that. We left with a lot of valuable information on how to grow the business.”

Guttenberg and Stroud started Seaview Adjusting Group in 2020 to assist home

owners and property owners with their insurance claims against the insurance carriers. They handle the claim, they negotiate with the insurance company and they make sure the home or property owners are getting paid adequately in order to re-build after a fire, water damage from a pipe break or flood, or any other factors that can damage a home.

“I’ve been in insurance since I graduated law school in 2012,” Guttenberg. “I write flood insurance, homeowners and business on the brokers side. In 2019, I had a fire at my house in Oceanside and we lost the house and we lost everything to the fire. I brought in public adjusters who I’ve heard of... Long story short, I wasn’t happy with the job they did and that meant I knew more about the insurance policies, coverage... I ended firing those guys and I took the claim from that point to the end by myself. And I realized there was a need for more people in the public adjusters.”

Since starting the business, they’ve helped home and property owners on Long Island, in New York City and in Westchester with their claims.

Long Islanders were featured on the reality show, The Blox.

(Photo courtesy The Blox)

HOME IMPROVEMENT

REPURPOSING YOUR BACKYARD Replace those old windows

DIY firepit…finally

Backyarding Has A Purpose

Identify your backyard’s purpose, then build the yard of your dreams

Backyarding—the trend to use the backyard for everything from tele-working and working out to relaxing and recreating—has a di erent purpose for each of us. Identifying your backyard’s role in your family’s health and happiness is the key to cultivating a purposeful outdoor space that is customized to your needs.

“How do you a create a more purposeful outdoor space? First, you need to identify what type of ‘backyarder’ you are,” explained Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and the TurfMutt Foundation. “Then, you can get to work in your yard with that idea in mind.”

Here are just a few of the backyarding personality types. Which one are you?

Landscaper

Your yard makes neighbors green with envy. You know how to maintain a healthy living landscape all year long, and you have the latest outdoor power equipment to make even big jobs easier. You put the right plant in the right place, so your green space is always thriving.

Outdoor athlete

Forget basement workouts—you have an outdoor gym and exercise space that makes the neighborhood running club want to pit stop at your house. Your yard is the ideal place to stay active and inspire others to work out, too.

Work From Home Pro

Your work from home means nature is your background, and there’s no lag on the living landscape. The birds, squirrels and, yes, the dog your co-workers see on conference calls are all real. All you need is strong WiFi, your nicest sweatpants, and a jacket for chilly morning meetings, and you’re ready for work.

Nature Lover

You know that nature starts at your own back door, and understand pollinator support and plant choice. You prefer to spend your free time in the urban habitat of your living landscape, watching the birds, bats, butterflies and other wildlife that count on your yard for food and shelter.

Kid Zone Creator

You know the safest place for young kids is in your own backyard, and you work hard to create an outdoor fun zone they will never want to leave. A flat area of sturdy turfgrass to play sports and pitch a tent? Check. Treehouse? Check. Zipline strung safely between backyard trees? Check. An elevated garden where they can help grow family meals? Check. Natural playscapes, like a patch of sand bordered by rocks and log stump seating? Check. “Fun” is your middle name, and you are winning at this game.

Pet Pamperer

Your focus is on Fido – no one knows your yard better – and you take cues from your four-legged friends about how to purpose your backyard. You’ve planted appropriate turfgrass that can stand up to pet play, and you’ve used soft foliage to create a natural barricade between “off limits” areas and the rest of the lawn. Trees and shrubs are strategically planted for shade, and you’ve even set up a shallow water feature to help your pup cool off on hot days. Planting with

purpose for you means keeping toxic plants out of the picture. (For a complete list, visit ASPCA’s list of non-toxic and toxic plants).

Entertainer Extraordinaire

Your backyard was the neighborhood hot spot long before the pandemic made that trend posh. Family milestones, birthdays, graduations, reunions, socially distanced BBQs – your yard is *the* place to gather. Your yard is set up for success with patio furniture, fire pit, yard games, plenty of outdoor seating, string lights, and maybe

even an outdoor kitchen.

Zen Master

Your yard provides you and your family a place to be still and de-stress. Whether it’s coffee in the morning or yoga in the afternoon, you know that spending time outside is good for your health and well-being, and thanks to your yard these benefits are only steps away.

To learn more about creating the yard of your dreams, visit TurfMutt.com

—TurfMutt Foundation

Sustainable Landscaping

How homeowners and businesses design the landscape on their property, including plant choices, can result in significant positive benefits on the environment, our water supply and public health.

Go Native

Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. These important plant species provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds, and other animals. Unlike natives, common horticultural plants do not fit the bill. These adaptations bring us several gardening advantages.

Wildlife Viewing

Native plants, birds, butterflies,

beneficial insects, and interesting critters are “made for each other.” Research shows that native wildlife prefers native plants.

Save Water

Once established, many native plants need minimal irrigation beyond normal rainfall.

Low Maintenance

Low maintenance landscaping methods are a natural fit with native plants that are already adapted to the local environment. Look forward to using less water, little to no fertilizer, little to no pesticides, less pruning, and less of your time.

Pesticide Freedom

Native plants have developed their own defenses against many pests and diseases.

Since most pesticides kill indiscriminately, beneficial insects become secondary targets in the fight against pests. Reducing or eliminating pesticide use lets natural pest control take over and keeps garden toxins out of our creeks and watersheds.

Support Local Ecology

As development replaces natural habitats, planting gardens, parks, and roadsides with New York native plants can provide a “bridge” to nearby remaining wildlands. Additional information about gardening with native plants can be found at bookstores, online and at your local library. Your local Soil and Water Conservation District may also be able to provide guidance.

—Department of Environmental Conservation

Sustain ecology with natives. (Christy Hinko)

Update Or Replace Windows

Energy efficient windows are an important consideration for both new and existing homes. Heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25 to 30 percent of residential heating and cooling energy use. If you are selecting windows for new construction or to replace existing windows, it’s important to choose the most efficient windows you can afford that work best in your climate.

If your existing windows are in good condition, taking steps to reduce the energy loss through windows can make your home more comfortable and save you money on energy bills. You have two broad options if you hope to reduce the amount of energy lost through your windows and improve the comfort of your home. You can replace your windows or you can update them.

Replace Your Windows

If you decide to replace your windows, you will have to make several decisions about the type of windows you purchase and the type of replacement you will make.

You may have the option of replacing the windows in their existing frame; discuss this option with your window retailer and installer to find out if it will work for you.

You will also need to decide what features you want in your windows. You will need to decide on the following:

• Frame types

• Glazing type

• Gas fills and spacers

• Operation types

Update Existing Windows

If your windows are in good condition, taking steps to improve their efficiency may be the most cost-effective option to increase the comfort of your home and save money on energy costs. There are several things you can do to improve the efficiency of your existing windows:

• Check existing windows for air leaks

• Caulk and weatherstrip. Check out our do-ityourself project to learn how to weatherstrip double-hung windows.

• Add window treatments and coverings.

• Add storm windows or panels

• Add solar control film

• Add exterior shading, such as awnings, exterior blinds or overhangs. With any efficiency improvements, take steps to ensure proper installation and check for air leaks after the improvement.

Selection Process

In addition to choosing the window type, you also need to consider design, energy use and labeling, warranties and installation. First look for the ENERGY STAR label when buying new windows. Then review ratings on the energy performance label from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) to find the most efficient windows.

NFRC ratings are included on all ENERGY STAR certified windows and provide a reliable way to determine a window’s energy properties and compare products.

Selection Tips

• Look for the ENERGY STAR and NFRC labels.

• In colder climates, consider selecting gasfilled windows with low-e coatings to reduce heat loss. In warmer climates, select windows with coatings to reduce heat gain.

• Choose a low U-factor for better thermal resistance in colder climates; the U-factor is the rate at which a window conducts non-solar heat flow.

• Look for a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). SHGC is a measure of solar radiation admitted through a window. Low SHGCs reduce heat gain in warm climates.

• Select windows with both low U-factors and low SHGCs to maximize energy savings in temperate climates with both cold and hot seasons.

• Look for whole-unit U-factors and SHGCs, rather than center-of-glass U-factors and SHGCs. Whole-unit numbers more accurately reflect the energy performance of the entire product.

Installation

Even the most energy-efficient window must be properly installed to ensure energy efficiency and comfort. Have your windows installed by trained professionals according to manufacturer’s instructions; otherwise, your warranty may be void.

Window installation varies depending on the type of window, the construction of the house (wood, masonry, etc.), the exterior cladding (wood siding, stucco, brick, etc.), and the type (if any) of weather-restrictive barrier. Windows, flashing, and air sealing should all be installed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations to perform correctly.

—U.S. Department of Energy

How To Build A Fire Pit

Awood-burning fire pit makes a great outdoor gathering place for friends and family. Installing a fire pit is a DIY project that can be configured for your yard’s measurements. This guide teaches you how to build a fire pit using concrete pavers or concrete blocks for a quick, easy backyard upgrade that can be enjoyed in any season.

Select Location and Fire Pit Shape

Whether you are building a fire pit out of stone or concrete pavers or using a fire pit kit, you must select a location that is a safe distance from any structures and low hanging trees.

Consult local building code and homeowner association for any restrictions.

Disclosing your backyard fire pit could be a requirement of your homeowner’s insurance policy. Check with your agent to learn if having a fire pit may affect your coverage.

The style and shape of your fire pit will determine the type of blocks you’ll need to purchase. Fire pits typically measure 3 to 4 feet across.

For a fire pit ring, you need trapezoidal blocks, which are narrower on one side.

This allows the edges to fit snugly together for a circle without creating any gaps.

A square fire pit uses rectangular blocks and can be constructed in a variety of patterns with blocks of different shapes and sizes.

Mark and Prepare the Fire Pit Site

Outline what will be the footprint of the fire pit to mark your work area.

If you are building a circular fire pit in your yard, drive a stake at the center of what will be the fire pit location.

Use marking paint tied to a string to draw a circle around the stake.

The diameter of the circle should be slightly larger than the outside dimensions of the fire pit ring you’re preparing to build.

For a square or rectangle fire pit, temporarily lay out the first layer of concrete blocks for your design on the ground and check the layout for the square. Use a shovel to outline the perimeter and then remove the blocks.

Remove the sod and dirt to a depth of about 7 inches from inside the perimeter that you marked. Keep the excavated area level as you work.

Pack the dirt solidly all the way around with a hand tamper.

If you are building your stone fire pit on top of an existing backyard patio, cement the first layer of blocks onto the patio to prevent shifting.

Build the Fire Pit Gravel Base

Adding gravel on top of the compacted dirt will create a base for your fire pit. Pour a generous amount of crushed gravel paver base into the hole so your finished

base will be approximately 5 inches thick. Wet the gravel thoroughly with a garden hose, and then use the hand tamper to compact it into a hard layer a couple of inches below the surface. Check the base at several points to be sure it is level and make adjustments where necessary.

Lay Out the Fire Pit

Lay out your first layer of blocks on top of the level gravel base. Be sure the sides of the blocks are touching.

Place the blocks one-by-one around the perimeter of the hole, pushing them together and using a level to make sure the height stays consistent.

If necessary, add leveling sand beneath low blocks or tap high blocks down with a rubber mallet to keep everything even.

After finishing the first row, check the layer in several places with a long level to be sure the structure is even.

Then, temporarily assemble the second level of blocks, making sure to stagger the joints between rows.

Test-Fit the Fire Pit Bowl

Bowls and insert rings come in several standard sizes, so make sure to choose the right one for the fire pit you’re planning to build.

After you’ve temporarily laid out the second row, test-fit the fire pit bowl to make sure the lip rests fully on the edge. Remove the bowl.

Adjust the positioning of the blocks if needed.

Add Construction Adhesive to the Blocks

Use construction adhesive between the layers of blocks to secure the concrete block pavers as you build the fire pit walls. Remove the second row of blocks that were temporarily placed.

Add beads of construction adhesive to the bottom layer to bond everything in place. Refit the second layer of blocks and continue the process for the third row of blocks. A fire pit typically has three or four rows of blocks. Repeat the test-fitting for each

layer before securing with adhesive. The bowl sits on top and can be removed for easy cleaning.

Tip: Refer to the label on your construction adhesive for the proper curing time. It can take between two and seven days for the material to dry, fully cure and be ready to handle the heat from your DIY firepit.

After you’ve learned how to build a fire pit, you can rent the soil compactor or tamper.

Visit www.homedepot.com/c/diy_projects_and_ideas to learn more.

HOMES

Recently Sold

This move-in ready expanded cape at 103 Yorkshire Dr. in the Radcliff Manor section of East Norwich sold on Jan. 18 for $660,000. It has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The home is on an oversized lot with a lovely backyard, perfect for entertaining. The living and dining rooms are sunlit and have stunning hardwood floors. There is also a spacious sunroom with radiant heat flooring. There are two sizable bedrooms upstairs. The home has a new roof and updated windows. The basement is finished and is a perfect place for recreation, a playroom or a home office. This home is near Vernon School and is in close proximity to shopping, restaurants and historic parks. The home has town beach rights and offers dockage and moorings for additional fees.

HOME & DESIGN

Micromobility Injuries On The Rise

E-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards have grown in popularity among Americans in recent years, as a way to get to and from work or school, or for fun. A new report recently released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) finds that emergency room (ER)-treated injuries and deaths with these products are also increasing.

From 2017 to 2021, injuries spiked 127 percent to 77,200 for micromobility devices, and the number of deaths rose from 5 to 48. E-scooters had the highest percentage increase in injuries and accounted for 68 deaths in the same time period. Consumerowned e-scooters accounted for most ER visits (56 percent), but incidents involving rental e-scooter were not far behind (44 percent).

The top hazards in fatalities were incidents with motor vehicles and user-control issues, followed by fires. CPSC recommends these tips to prevent fires with these devices:

• Always be present when charging devices using lithium-ion batteries. Never charge them while sleeping.

• Only use the charger that came with your device.

• Only use an approved replacement battery pack.

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper charging, and unplug the device when done.

This home at 146 Radcliff Dr. in East Norwich that sold on Jan. 19 for $560,000 is perfect for investors who are ready to give this home a little TLC. This lovely cape-style home is large enough for a growing family and has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. It has hardwood floors throughout and has a cedar closet in the upstairs bedroom. This home is on a large piece of property and has plenty of room for a backyard barbecue. It has a quaint patio off the back door. The single car garage has plenty of space. This home is located in the Oyster Bay School District.

• Never use an e-mobility device with a battery pack that has been modified/reworked by unqualified personnel or with re-purposed or used cells

• Never throw lithium batteries into the trash or general recycling. Take them to your local hazardous waste

collection center. Because collisions with motor vehicles and user-control issues are the most common hazards, CPSC urges consumers to:

• Always wear a bicycle helmet.

• Before riding, make sure to check for any damage, which includes examining the handlebars, brakes, throttle, bell, lights, tires, cables and frame.

• See and be seen. Most deaths involve motor vehicles.

• Expect vehicle drivers and pedestrians not to see you; slow down and stay aware of your surroundings.

• Use the bell/horn to alert others.

• Do not make abrupt, unpredictable movements.

• Beware of obstacles. .

• Always keep both hands on the handlebars.

• Slow down and lean back when you have to ride over bumps.

• Never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Only one person per e-scooter.

• Follow all manufacturer directions.

• Report safety incidents or concerns with consumer products to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov. Visit www.cpsc.gov to sign up for product recall information.

—U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

Homes shown here represent closed sales, sold by a variety of agencies and are selected for their interest to readers by the Anton Media Group editor. Except where noted, data and photos are provided courtesy of Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, Inc. and Zillow.

Governor’s Proposed Increase To State Aid Is A Real And Refreshing Commitment To Helping Schools

By Regina McLean, President of the Port Washington Teachers Association; John Caulfield, President of the Levittown Teachers Association; and Matthew Adler, President of United Teachers of Seaford, on behalf of LongIslandTeachers.org representing over 100 Local Teachers Unions across Long Island.

Last week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled her 2023-24 budget for the state, which includes a record-breaking 10 percent increase in state aid to public schools. Of the $3.1 billion increase statewide, Long Island schools will realize an unprecedented increase in aid of approximately $775 million – and this comes on top of healthy aid increases in the previous two budget cycles.

The Governor’s proposed budget represents a truly historic investment in the intellectual infrastructure that is our public school system on Long Island.

This long overdue support package will help financially position our 121 local school districts throughout Long Island to meet the challenges of our times and our students’ educational and emotional needs.

Most significantly, the aid increase is a hopeful signal of a long-term shift in thinking in Albany – a recognition that the state was failing to adequately support school districts for far too long.

New York State has a long and unfortunate history of underfunding its public schools. For decades, Albany defied a court-ordered increase in Foundation Aid – and further cut school funding at that time through mechanisms such as GEA (Gap Elimination Aid). Districts found themselves tens of millions of dollars short of funding and were forced to burden their residents with dramatic property tax increases to pay for educational programs. With the implementation of the property tax cap beginning in 2012, school districts were financially hamstrung further in trying to meet the needs of students.

Through the advocacy and awareness-raising of educators across the state, from the New York State United Teachers down to local teacher unions, advances have been made recently to ensure Albany is meeting its constitutional responsibility for funding education. GEA was eliminated in 2016 and, as noted, the past few budget cycles have seen healthier increases in aid packages, highlighted by this year’s proposed 10 percent increase.

Governor Hochul’s promise could not have come at a more critical time as districts across Long Island work to meet the rising costs due to inflation, supply chain issues, and oil prices without sacrificing educational

programs in the classroom.

A few of the many potential benefits from the substantially increased state aid for schools include:

• Creating a plan to upgrade technological infrastructure after the COVID-19 pandemic revealed shortcomings and inequalities in many communities;

• Increasing mental health and wellness programs to support the emotional and social needs of students;

• Addressing learning loss and closing the achievement gap through high-impact tutoring and support programs;

• Enhancing career and technical educational offerings; and

• Expansion of Universal Pre-K programs. Our highest priority is preparing our students for success in the world, whether that means moving on to higher education or applying their knowledge, training, and skills in the workforce. That success begins with a high school diploma.

Despite the multi-year challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, high school graduation rates on Long Island far exceed the national average (92.6 percent in 2022 versus 88.6 percent) and fall high on statewide averages of 74 to 94 percent. We can only expect these rates to climb with the added support of state aid.

Over the past decade, our school districts on Long Island have been fortunate to enjoy the community’s overwhelming support as they have navigated annual school budgets through tax cap requirements. Budgets have been approved by the vast majority of voters every year, and the proposed increase in state aid from Albany will help districts across the Island maintain the support of their communities.

Local and statewide educator organizations have been waging a 30-year battle in Albany for adequate state funding for schools. The Governor’s proposed state aid package marks significant and substantial progress in that battle, as it recognizes the long-standing inequity in state funding.

Increased state aid is an investment in our children, our communities, and the future health of Long Island’s public school system. It is worthy of enthusiastic support from both sides of the aisle as the State Budget process moves ahead this spring.

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian Announces Stable Spirits Art Show And Auction Fundraiser

Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, Inc. (www. pal-o-mine.org, Islandia, NY), a private, not for profit organization providing a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing for children and adults with disabilities, announced that it will hold an art show and auction on Thursday, May 4th, 2023 from 5:30 PM–8:30 PM at its facilities located at 829 Old Nichols Rd, Islandia, NY 11749. The Stable Spirits Art Show and Auction Fundraiser will feature the artwork of local artists of all ages and art mediums and styles. In addition to the art show and auction, the event will include a selection of wines from local vineyards paired with small bites by Sommelier Jun Xi Chen, assisted by restaurant professionals and fellow Culinary Institute of America graduate, Megan Henne. Event ticket prices are $60.

“We are very excited to give local artists an opportunity to show their work, while also helping Pal-O-Mine raise funds for our new 2,000 square foot educational center, which will expand our on-site therapy and vocational services,” said Pal-O-Mine founder and CEO Lisa Gatti. Under the guidance of Splashes of Hope artists, attendees will also participate in an interactive mural process creating art to hang in the new center.

For artists interested in participating, they can submit three to five pieces by completing a submission form and emailing images of their artwork. The deadline for all submissions is March 15, 2023. Artists will be notified of acceptance by email on March 17th, 2023. Artists must agree to donate 20 percent of each sale made at the event to Pal-O-Mine and donate one piece of art to Pal-O-Mine for use in future fundraisers.

Accepted artists will drop off their work at Pal-O-Mine on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023 between 9 AM and 5 PM. Each artist will have space in one of Pal-O-Mine’s barn stalls to display their art. Tables and professional lighting will be provided for artists’ use during the event. Artists must bring any additional display materials they require (e.g., tablecloths, easels, display boards, etc.). Each piece should be priced between $200-$500.The art pick-up date is Friday, May 5th, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon. Sponsorships are available for the event and range from $10,000 for the DaVinci sponsorship and $5,00 for the Picasso sponsorship, to $3,500 for the Van Gogh sponsorship and $2,500 for the Matisse sponsorship. There is also a Paint sponsorship for $250.

For more information, contact: Tessa at 631-887-3751.

—Submitted by Pal-O-Mine

South Shore Audubon Society Offers Environmental Scholarships

The South Shore Audubon Society has begun accepting applications for two $1000 Environmental Scholarships. The scholarships will be awarded to college juniors, seniors, or graduate students earning a degree in areas of biological or environmental science, or sustainable and renewable energy .

For the Evelyn and Jerry Bishop Environmental Scholarship, applicants must be residents of one of the areas listed at www. ssaudubon.org/areas-we-serve.asp and/or attend a college in Nassau or Suffolk County.

For the Jay Koolpix, Environmental Scholarship, applicants must be residents of Nassau County and/or attend a college in Nassau or Suffolk County.

The deadline for submission of applications is May 31,2023. Completed applications include a brief explanation of the reason for applying for the scholarship and the plan to use the money, a copy of the most recent transcript of grades, and at least one letter of recommendation. Applicants may apply

for both scholarships but cannot be awarded more than one.

For applications and more information, go to www.ssaudubon.org/ or contact Betsy

Gulotta eagulotta@optonline.net, or Betty Borowsky, bborow@optonline.net.

—Submitted by South Shore Audubon Society

Experience

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Visit 1,000 Museums Free Supporting members ( $150) enjoy admission privileges while they travel and VIP invitations while they’re here. Visit NARMassociation.org to see participating museums

Purchase a Membership Scan code, visit the museum, or go online to NassauMuseum.org

SEE IT NOW

PHOTOGRAPHY’S MOMENT

NOWTHROUGHMARCH 5

Open Tuesday-Sunday 11 am-4:45 pm

WORD FIND

HOROSCOPES By Holiday Mathis

HOROSCOPES By

HOROSCOPES By

Holiday Mathis

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have pleted the puzzle, there will be 16 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

Holiday Mathis

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Not every action you take needs to be a play for the win. is game is long. Some moves are meant to get you to the next move, and that is enough. What’s important is that you get some momentum. And if you don’t know what’s next, don’t worry. You’ll get your best ideas when you’re already in motion.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Restlessness is an uncomfortable state and not one to dwell in. You can take the agitation as a signal to move you quickly to the next thing or, if it’s clear that you cannot or should not go yet, ask your restlessness to lead you to tap deeper reasons and purposes for being where you are.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). When you need things too much, it’s miserable not to have them. It is a free and easy feeling to have that which you enjoy but you do not need. You raise your happiness by lowering your reliance on certain comforts. You may go stoically without things just to prove to yourself your own independence and strength.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). is week brings more than one situation akin to a split screen. You’re like a security o cer in a high room, monitoring the mundane. Sure, you can pay attention to several things at once, if most of it is going to plan. Part of your brain will be scanning for anything out of the ordinary. You’ll nd it, too.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Language is a tool. Every tool is con ned to the limit of its ability. A hammer can’t saw, and a screwdriver isn’t great for cutting paper. is week, you will wisely recognize that there are things that can’t be accomplished with words, an acknowledgement that helps you switch to di erent modes and tools.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). e easiest way to get lled with wonder is to be somewhere new. Is the world very di erent just because you go to new places? You are very di erent in new places, and you carry that di erence around and back home again. So, yes, the world changes when you travel, and you’re right to make it a priority now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). As you live by what you see as virtuous and relevant, you spend your days thinking about and acting toward what you value. If you add self-compassion to the equation, it’s an unworried and unhurried existence because it doesn’t require you to meet any standard outside yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). ough you know things outside of you cannot provide you with ultimate happiness,the world counteracts with strong and constant messages to the contrary, mostly to get you to buy things. It brings you good fortune to calm your inner perceptions and reactions. You will achieve e ective and joyful states.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’ll answer a calling. You’ll know where you belong and how to get there. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to travel in the herd. e herd only goes where the herd is going. You’re going somewhere else. Plot your course and then choose your guides, but give yourself exibility by traveling solo or in a very small group.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Boredom is an invitation from the universe to gure out what exactly is keeping you where you are. Is it an emotional tether or a contractual chain? A family obligation or a social expectation? is week brings a chance to wiggle, maneuver, buy or y your way out. Once free, there’s no shortage of things to do.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Often when you talk about experiences, you realize they cannot properly be recounted with words. is is part of what drives you to keep creating new experiences with people. e only thing better than telling the story is living it. You’ll be very fortunate in your dreaming, scheming and planning.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). If you had no concern for the future, you would be unable to set yourself up for good tomorrows. When stressful thoughts come up, thank your inner worrier, then decide if it brings up anything actionable. If so, you’ll act immediately. If not, you’ll change your focus to what you want and move right along.

THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAY

It seems logical that happiness, like other states of mind, could be achieved through a process that, once learned, could always be recreated. Not so. Happiness is a shape-shifter who never takes the same form twice. And so, this year is an adventure in which happiness greets you in new and exciting incarnations. You’ll challenge yourself to achieve a physical or mental goal, and new people come onto your scene to help with it. More highlights: You’ll invest in yourself and your team and enjoy building together. Your loyalty will be rewarded. You’ll accept an honor.

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND

Puppy love

Solution: 16 Letters

WORD FIND

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 16 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

Puppy love

Solution: 16 Letters

Active Affenpinscher

Afghan Akita Alert

Bark

Beagle

Bichon frise

Briard

Chinese crested

Coat

Corgi

Digging

Dogs Family

Fearless Guide

Intelligent

Kennel

Litter

Love Loyal

Mongrel Nose

Papillon

Pets

Pharaoh hound

Playful

Poodle

Protect Pugs

Puppy Ridgeback

Skye

Spaniel

Toys

Yelp

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Solution: Sizes run the gamut

Solution: Sizes run the gamut

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 236

Creators Syndicate

Date: 3/1/23 Creators Syndicate 737 3rd Street Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 info@creators.com

CONTRACT BRIDGE — BY STEVE BECKER

FOR RELEASE SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2023

737 3rd Street Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 info@creators.com

CONTRACT BRIDGE

A deducible deduction

Date: 3/1/23

By Steve Becker

the ace. East returned the ten of hearts, covered by the Q-K-A. South later lost a heart and a club, and so went down one.

On the surface, it seems that South did nothing wrong. He had four losers, and he lost them. But it is not that cut-and-dried. The fact is that South missed his cue when he covered East’s ten of hearts with the queen. He should have played the six instead!

Undoubtedly, he played the queen in the hope of finding East with the king. However, this was not a realistic view, since the defenders could have arranged for West to be on lead at trick three instead of East and would have done so if East had had the king of hearts. Their plays clearly indicated that West had the king.

The most difficult part of declarer play is to determine how the defenders’ cards are divided and where specific key cards are located. Fortunately, there are clues in almost every hand that should enable declarer to attain the best result possible if he puts forth a maximum effort.

Consider this case where South failed to take advantage of a significant clue. West led the king of diamonds, which held, and continued with the ten, won by East with

Tomorrow:

Had South played the six on the ten, he could have made the contract by taking the ace, drawing trump, ruffing a diamond in dummy, cashing the A-K of clubs and then leading a heart to the queen.

West would take the king, but, with only hearts and diamonds left, he would be forced to return one or the other. This would allow declarer to ruff in dummy while discarding his remaining club, and the seemingly unmakeable contract would come sailing home.

Weekly Sudoku Puzzle

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square.

Answer to last issue’s Sudoku Puzzle

Answer to last issue’s Crossword Puzzle

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EMPLOYMENT

Administrative Openings Monticello Central School School Building Principal (2 positions) The Monticello CSD is seeking forward thinking and dynamic School Building

Principals who can lead MCSD’s highly engaged faculty, staff, parents, students and community. The successful candidate will have a vision of educational excellence, be highly motivated and demonstrate the ability to impact student learning. Starting salary: $125,000, commensurate with experience. NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification

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Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 844-947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required.

The New York Press Association, the trade association for newspapers in New York, is seeking a talented college creator to be our chief TikTok officer for the summer.

The internship will pay a net ta e home stipend of 6 and wee ly schedules wor hours are negotiable.

We are seeking a candidate who uses the app daily and understands what resonates. nterested candidates should send a letter of interest to doug nynewspapers.com e plaining their ualifications and e pertise. nclude the name of the college you attend, e pected year of graduation, and the names of three references at least one of whom is one of your professors or instructors. ttaching sample videos encouraged.

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Pro Piano Man

Cathy Teevan (third from right), of Roslyn Heights, recently submitted the photos of the Flower Hill office fire, which were used for the cover photo on 2/15. Former editor of the Roslyn News, Lester Grolnick, paid her $5 for her first published item in the Roslyn News in 1966, when she was in junior high. Pictured (from left to right) are Frank Virga, Julie Prisco, Amanda Olsen, Cathy Teevan, Jennifer Corr, and Janet Burns.

Manhasset Library To Sponsor Bus Trip To New York Botanical Gardens

Bus trips are back! Please join the Manhasset Public Library on Wednesday, May 24 for a wonderful trip to the New York Botanical Gardens. Enjoy great exhibitions plus roses, azaleas, cherry trees, magnolias and much more in this grand museum of plants. Enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating ride on the public tram, visit the gift shop, and experience the wonders of nature. Lunch included at a local restaurant on Arthur Avenue. Cost is $100, sponsored by the Manhasset Library. Priority registration for Manhasset residents began in person February 22 at the first floor Circulation Desk.

North Hempstead Seeks Lifeguards For Summer Months

The Manhasset High School Reunion Committee of the class of 1973 (Jill Tasco Easton, Sharon Orlando McCormack and Gerri Santoro Prentice) is planning their 50th reunion for September 23, 2023. The event will take place at the Strathmore Vanderbilt Country Club at 260 Country Club Drive in Manhasset. More information will follow as the date approaches. Please mark your calendars in anticipation of this milestone.

—Submitted by the Reunion Committee for the class of 1973

The Town of North Hempstead is now hiring lifeguards for the summer season in North Hempstead parks. The Town is seeking staff to join the North Hempstead team at any one of its six aquatic facilities.

Lifeguards should be able to work at indoor and outdoor facilities, including pools and waterfront venues. Lifeguards will have the opportunity to work up to 40 hours per week during the summer months. Lifeguard positions offer a

competitive salary of $18 an hour. All lifeguard applicants must have the appropriate lifeguard certification from Nassau County and possess a current CPR/AED certification. For more information or to apply for a lifeguard position, please contact the Town of North Hempstead Parks Department by email, Parks@northhempsteadny.gov, or call 516-869-6311.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

(Photo by Anton Media Group)

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Next Steps For Stepping Stones Lighthouse

JULIE PRISCO

jprisco@antonmediagroup.com

At the Jan. 24 Town of North Hempstead board meeting, town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board unanimously approved the town’s 2023-2027 five-year Capital Plan, which includes improvements to infrastructure, park upgrades, and road repaving. Improvements to the Stepping Stone Lighthouse in Great Neck are included in the Capital Plan, among various other projects. The $126,887,733 plan will be funded with a combination of borrowing, grants, and existing cash.

“This five-year capital plan puts a particular emphasis on bringing forward momentum to a number of long-stalled projects throughout the town,” Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said. “I believe that the Town should be seeking to not just maintain, but significantly improve our parks and our infrastructure. Thank you to the Town Board for working collaboratively throughout this process, the result of which is a capital plan that will improve Town infrastructure for generations to come.”

The Stepping Stones Lighthouse was built in 1876 to help ships navigate the Long Island Sound waters and rocky reefs and guard the approach to New York City’s East River. The US Government enacted the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, which gives away dozens of lighthouses every year to groups willing to preserve them and turn them into public attractions like museums. The lighthouse was offered at no cost to eligible entities, including federal, state, and local agencies, non-profit corporations, and educational organizations. In 2008, the lighthouse was transferred to the Town of North Hempstead.

Since the Town of North Hempstead gained stewardship of the lighthouse 14 years ago, not much has been done to restore or maintain it. In 2014, North Hempstead partnered with the Great Neck Historical Society and the Great Neck Parks District to raise funds and awareness for the lighthouse. Since Steppingstone Park is the closest land to the lighthouse, the Park District offered staff and facilities to take people back and forth to the lighthouse.

“In the 14 years [that the town has had stewardship over the lighthouse], the building has been deteriorating,” said Marc Katz, Vice President of the Great Neck Historical Society. “The outside is fairly firm, but the inside is not; plaster is falling, and it’s not holding up well in the weather.”

Katz shared that about a year ago, North Hempstead took bids to build a dock at the lighthouse so that boats could dock there and unload construction material to repair the lighthouse. This company put pilings in the ground to start a dock and got partially into this project, and the town supervising it said they needed to do a better job and stopped them from completing it.

Bob Muller, President of the United States Lighthouse Society, Long Island Chapter, outlined the next steps to get started with the preservation. “The first steps are very clear and really easy: they need to finish that dock. And that’s, again, all up to the town. And we also need to stabilize that lighthouse to get it watertight.”

The funds in the Capital Plan for the Stepping Stone Lighthouse is for phase one of the project, which includes the installation of a new docking facility consisting of a fixed pier and floating dock at the southeast reach of the lighthouse.

According to the Capital Plan, “Grant funding for this project comes from the following organizations: National Parks

Service, National Maritime Heritage Grant, administered through the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Office, Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, State and Municipal Facilities Programs, Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and the State and Municipal Facilities Programs (Great Neck Park District).”

At the Jan. 24 Town of North Hempstead board meeting, Katz expressed his gratitude for the Capital Plan’s inclusion of Phase One for Stepping Stones Lighthouse. “With the acceptance of the lighthouse comes a responsibility of preserving it as a symbol of our past and a beacon for our future. I’d like to thank the town board for including funding in its Capital Plan for the completion of the dock and pier at the lighthouse so that it can be restored and maintained.”

While residents of Great Neck are excited to see progress being made in restoring the historical lighthouse off the coast of Kings Point, others feel this project shouldn’t be funded by the town.

Since the lighthouse is closest to Stepping

Stones Park, that is the most probable point of access to visit and see the lighthouse. Stepping Stones Park is part of the Great Neck Parks District and their parks are only open to Great Neck residents.

“Nobody in my district is allowed to go into Stepping Stones Park, including me and people in Garden City Park, Williston Park, and New Hyde Park. This is not helpful for anybody in my district,” said North Hempstead Councilman Dennis Walsh (District 3).

Councilman Walsh along with a Mineola resident expressed that they feel the lighthouse restoration seems like a private project, not a public one. Since North Hempstead residents don’t have access to Stepping Stone Park, North Hempstead funds shouldn’t be used in the project.

Robert Lincoln, a Great Neck resident on the Board of Directors for the Great Neck Historical Society, attended the board meeting to speak on behalf of the restoration project.

“I understand the objection thinking you’re not allowed to go into Stepping Stones Park. Stepping Stones Park is a park in the Great Neck Park District, which the local taxpayers pay to visit. However, they are also a player in this partnership, and already they have opened the park to the Historical Society to run fundraising boat rides,” said Lincoln. “One of the things that we’re looking to do at the Park District is to make that accessible on a scheduled basis for people to go out and visit the lighthouse down the road a long way.”

“But it will be made available, so there is no privacy. This is not a Great Neck Park District or Great Neck private project. It’s open to everybody,” said Lincoln.

At the Feb. 7 town board meeting, the concern over the project and North Hempstead funding were brought up again.

“So money has been spent to keep it from completely falling apart because we are the stewards of [the lighthouse] right now,” said Councilwoman Lurvey. “And the capital plan now authorizes this phase to be finished.”

While Councilman Walsh and a concerned resident expressed their disapproval of town funds being used on a seemingly private project, Councilwoman Lurvey assured them this money is just being used to finish the incompleted dock. After Phase One, there is no solid plan for the rest of the lighthouse restoration.

At this meeting, a resolution was on the agenda authorizing the assignment of an agreement for engineering services in connection with the Stepping Stones Lighthouse. Taking into consideration the concern of the resident and other councilmembers, Councilwoman Lurvey decided to table the resolution for the town to come back to in a later meeting.

Original cornerstone of the light house. (Photos from steppingstoneslight.com)

This is not a Great Neck Park District or Great Neck private project. It’s open to everybody.

—Robert Lincoln.

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Manhasset Robotics Team Secure Spot In State Championship

In an impressive display of engineering prowess and collaboration, the newly-formed robotics team of seven sophomores from Manhasset has secured a spot at the New York State championships, marking a major achievement for the young innovators. They clashed against 26 other teams at Malverne High School this past weekend in the highly competitive tournament.

Joining together through a shared passion for technology and engineering, Jonathan Chen, Jonas Kim, Alex Lu, Ming Lu, Henry Ma, Grace Punzalon and Tyler Wong have spent countless hours designing, building and fine-tuning their robot in

preparation for tournaments.

The journey to the state competition was not an easy one, with the team facing many challenges along the way. At the Malverne competitions, they won their first two matches handily, 120-23 and 167-20. In the third match, the robot got stuck in the netting, cutting short their ability to compete. However, their dedication and hard work paid off as they steadily climbed the rankings. During the quarterfinal match, their catapult jammed, derailing their efforts to advance further and forcing them out of the match. Most importantly, their performance earned them a coveted spot in the New York State competition on March

4th at the Harvey School in Katonah.

Currently, the team is busy preparing for the next round. They eager to showcase their skills and compete against some of the brightest minds in the state. They are determined to bring their A-game and represent their community with pride and excellence.

The robotics team’s success is a testament to the power of hard work, creativity, and innovation. There are no limits to what can be achieved when uniting in pursuit of a common goal. Congratulations to the Lawnmowers, and we wish them the best of luck in the upcoming state competition!

—Submitted by Michael Chang

Manhasset Schools Mull Mascot Mandate Plan for changes must be submitted by end of school year

AMANDA OLSEN

aolsen@antonmediagroup.com

After the memorandum forbidding Native American names and imagery was set down by the State Education Department this past November, Manhasset schools have been establishing their path forward. The New York State Board of Regents published a notice of a proposed regulation requiring the boards of education in affected districts to commit to eliminate offending names, logos and mascots on December 28 of last year. Though the resolution is due by the end of this school year, districts have additional time to implement the change. This means that, although the plan is due by the end of the 22-23 school year, the changes must be

complete by the end of 24-25 school year.

Both the Shinnecock and the Unkechaug nations, the two recognized tribes on Long Island, have made statements in support of the change. The Montauket tribe, who have worked with the district before on other matters, sent correspondence directly to the district expressing their support for the proposed regulation.

The National Congress of American Indians sent the following statement when reached for comment: “NCAI commends the New York State Education Department for taking this important step to promote welcoming learning environments for all students in their state. The Tribal Nations of New York have consistently conveyed their opposition to stereotypical portrayals as public school sports mascots. It is our hope that sincere efforts to infuse a holistic, tribally-informed curriculum which teaches

an accurate history and the contemporary realities of the diverse Tribal Nations of New York will follow.”

A reoccurring concern in these proceedings is cost. The state is not providing any aid to make the change. Patricia Aitken, president of the board, pointed out that there has been some discussion of defraying the cost using building aid. “I know that they refer to building aid. Unfortunately, being a high wealth district, we get very little in building aid. So we will have to ultimately figure out how to deal with that. But again, the cost is not an acceptable reason (not to change the mascot.)”

With the intended purpose of logos and mascots being to build recognition, it makes sense that they are nearly ubiquitous at the schools. Superintendent Guarav Passi addressed some of the items and décor that will need to be replaced; “I can tell you that

costs will include uniform replacements, scoreboard modification, our competition wrestling mats signage, gym floors and wall padding, outdoor windscreens and banners. So it’s quite an extensive list of things that will that will need to be replaced.”

Aitken placed strong emphasis on community involvement in the choice of a new mascot, making a comparison to a company rebranding. “if you are a company and you are changing your branding, you would go to an ad agency and they’d have focus groups. So that in my mind is sort of the model of having focus groups… we really want this to be broad based in the community, based amongst the students. So people (will) start to talk about what they want to see in the representation of the school, what are the characteristics that should be embodied and represented?”

Scholastic Book Fairs Return To Manhasset Elementary Schools

The Munsey Park and Shelter Rock Schools will kick off their book fairs with a virtual visit from this year’s featured guest author, Tui Sutherland, on Monday afternoon, March 13th. Ms. Sutherland is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Wings of Fire series, the Menagerie trilogy, and the Pet Trouble series, as well as a contributing author to the bestselling Spirit Animals and Seekers series (as part of the Erin Hunter team).

Both schools will host Family Night events later that evening on March 13th. Munsey Park’s will run from 5:30-8:30 pm, and Shelter Rock’s will run from 4:30-8:30 pm. The Scholastic Book Fair continues throughout the week with class visits, where

parents can join in the fun and shop with their kids.

For the tiniest astronauts and marine biologists out there, preschool events are planned for Thursday, March 16th. Munsey Park’s Preschool Hour will run from 12:151:10 pm and will feature Mr. Dillon, one of the school’s music teachers, who will lead songs and storytime with the children. Shelter Rock’s Preschool Hour will be the same day, but from 1:15-2:15 pm, and will feature a sea-themed craft and storytime with Principal Roder.

As part of Scholastic’s All for Books campaign, Munsey Park will be fundraising for the Adventures in Learning after-school enrichment program. Shelter Rock will

also be participating in the All for Books campaign, raising money for books for their school library as well as other departments and classrooms. Scholastic will match the amount raised by both schools and donate it to one of the many charities they support. In addition, the Munsey Park Kindness Club will be collecting and donating gently used books to The Book Fairies, a non-profit organization that provides reading materials to local communities in need. The Shelter Rock Student Council will be collecting and donating gently used books to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital.

—Submitted by the Munsey Park Book Fair Committee

Jonathan Chen, Jonas Kim, Henry Ma, Ming Lu, Grace Punzalan, Tyler Wong and Alex Lu of the Manhasset robotics team practice for the regional competition in Malverne.

(Photo by Manhasset robotics team)

Book Fair guest author Tui Sutherland (Photo By Jeremy West)

Supervisor DeSena Visits

Munsey Park Elementary School For “Guess Who’s Coming To Read”

North Hempstead Town Supervisor

Jennifer DeSena recently visited with a fourth-grade class at Munsey Park Elementary School as part of the “Guess Who’s Coming to Read” program. Guess Who’s Coming to Read is an annual program in which community leaders visit classrooms and read to students to promote literacy and a love of reading. As part of the program, identities of guest readers are unknown to students until the readers walk in the door, heightening the anticipation for the yearly event. Supervisor DeSena spoke to the students about her passion for reading, her favorite books, and encouraged the children to work on their literacy each and every day.

—Submitted by Town of North Hempstead

Manhasset Students Host Family-Fun Robotics Event

Manhasset fifth-graders from Munsey Park Elementary School shared their love of robotics with family members this Valentine’s Day. The classes hosted their first robotics event in the school’s multipurpose room to showcase the great work that they have been doing in the classroom through Project Lead the Way. The students kicked off the event by presenting what they learned about robots. This included how robots can go into areas that are too dangerous for humans and bring back helpful information. They then shared the robotics challenge that they were tasked with in class. Each group researched a different biome and created a biome board on the floor which their robot could navigate through. The goal was to build and modify

their robot so that it could remove the “toxic waste” (three cubes) that had been illegally dumped in their biome.

During the event, family members were encouraged to take part in the challenge. With one student timing them, participants had to move all three toxic waste cubes out of the biome, using a controller to navigate the robot. Families also walked around the multipurpose room to view each team’s tri-fold board which outlined their research about their biome of study and a different type of robot. The fifth-graders had fun educating their special guests and showcasing the great work they have been doing in the world of robotics.

Manhasset Student-Musicians Perform At The “Happiest Place On Earth”

Manhasset High School music teacher

Caroline Shyr could not have picked a better weekend to take her orchestra to Florida. While New York battled the recent record-setting cold-snap, 66 of Manhasset’s finest musicians recently hopped a flight to Orlando for an experience of a lifetime at Walt Disney World. While there, students had two very special musical opportunities.

First, students spent one of their days in a recording session/workshop with Disney Teaching Artist, composer, arranger, and conductor Allen Gray. During the workshop, students learned strategies to help them improve sight-reading skills and overall musicianship by playing several Disney selections that they had never played before.

As they progressed through increasingly challenging selections, a professional sound engineer was on site and the workshop evolved into a recording session where students recorded sound effects, and ultimately the soundtrack for a Disney “Carnival of the Animals” cartoon. Students also recorded a piece from the Star Wars catalog for the soundtrack to the credits of their movie.

On the following day, Ms. Shyr and her students performed in the Disney Springs

outdoor amphitheater to an audience of friends, families and park visitors. While on this musical field trip, students also received special private access to a few of Disney’s most popular attractions.

“I absolutely loved this trip,” said Manhasset High School sophomore Alyssa Kapouralos. “I learned the expectations of Disney performers and what is sought after to help bring about Disney magic. Bonding with my fellow orchestra mates in a nonschool environment was a blast! Overall, this was a very memorable trip that has added a unique element to the orchestra experience.”

Manhasset Director of Fine and Performing Arts Dr. Joseph Owens expressed how well the students represented the district.

“The orchestra students made Manhasset proud at all times,” he said. “From the airport to the stage, we received compliments on students and their musicianship and maturity. A special thanks to Ms. Shyr and the music teacher chaperones, Dr. Benson, Mr. Berry, Ms. Goldberg, Ms. Meyer, and Mr. Van Boxel, for taking such good care of our student-musicians on this trip!”

Supervisor DeSena surprised students at Munsey Park.

(Photo by Town of North Hempstead)

Manhasset High School orchestra students traveled to Walt Disney World to enhance their musical abilities with Disney professionals and perform.

(Photo by Manhasset Public Schools)

Munsey Park fifth-graders James Deignan (right) and Luke Post (left) with their group’s robot and biome board.

Munsey Park fifth-graders showed family members their robotics project on Feb. 14 during the school’s first robotics event. (Photos by Manhasset Public Schools)

—Submitted by Manhasset Public Schools

Fifth-graders Victoria DeAngelis (left) and Nikoletta Nissirios (right) during Munsey Park’s robotics event.

(Photo by Manhasset Public Schools)

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