Freeport Herald 03-27-2025

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HERALD

DEADLINE APRIL 1ST

teacher dave gordon celebrated after getting his head shaved as part of the

“Brave the Shave” challenge, which raised funds for children with cancer.

Students, teachers go bald to fight childhood cancer

In a display of community spirit and compassion, Freeport’s John W. Dodd Middle School hosted its first-ever St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s head-shaving event on March 20, raising more than $9,400 — and counting — for childhood cancer research.

The event, held from 4 to 7 p.m. in the school gymnasium, brought together students, staff, families and local businesses for a common cause — finding safer, more effective treatments for pediatric cancer.

Andrew Abberton, a resource room teacher who has been shaving his head to support

St. Baldrick’s since college, spearheaded the initiative.

“So for me, personally, this was my 16th shave,” Abberton said. “I’ve been doing this since I was a freshman at Molloy in Rockville Centre. I like the organization because of what they stand for, and the fact that they fund pediatric cancer research because, as I learned later, a lot of those cancers are some of the most underfunded research because it’s so specific for children.”

Dodd Middle School Principal Christopher Porciello didn’t hesitate when Abberton pitched the head-shaving idea to him.

“When he approached me earlier in the Continued on page 16

A beloved musical, a mission to help the homeless and a cast full of heart — the Lighthouse Repertory Theatre Company’s latest production is bringing more than just song and spectacle to Freeport.

“Into the Woods” is currently running at the Twin Oaks Theater Building, a transformed space in the Twin Oaks Day Camp. The production isn’t just about fairy tale characters chasing dreams — it’s also about making a difference in the world.

Iits website.

t’s amazing to see

these two different people inhabit the same character differently, but

Tony Chiafalo, the organization’s president and co-founder, is a U.S. Army veteran and longtime theater professional who has worked in international, Off-Broadway, and regional theater for decades. But Lighthouse, he said, is something different — a way to combine art with real-world impact.

still so incredibly well
ToNy CHIAFAlo president, Lighthouse Repertory Theatre Company

The production is the latest by Lighthouse, a nonprofit arts group with a mission that stretches beyond the footlights. Based on Long Island, the company was founded “with the vision that Theatre has the power to not only transform oneself, but also have a positive impact on the community, beyond the stage,” according to

“We started last year,” Chiafalo, who lives in Lake Grove, said. “We did two main-stage shows last year and two cabarets, and we raised over $15,000 for charity. And a lot of communitybuilding and awareness-building of charity, too.”

The Freeport run of “Into the Woods” is a collaboration with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, which provides food, shelter and advocacy for some of the region’s most vulnerable residents.

“In this particular case with ‘Into the Woods,’ we’re also col-

Continued on page 4

Holden Leeds/Herald
St. Baldrick’s

Freeport High receives AP honor roll award

Freeport High School has earned a spot on the College Board’s 2024 AP School Honor Roll, a national recognition for schools that create a strong college-going culture and expand access to Advanced Placement courses.

The school was also awarded the 2024 AP Access Award for its efforts to ensure all students—regardless of background—have equal opportunities to enroll in AP coursework. This year, only 5,061 schools nationwide— about 32% of eligible high schools— made the AP School Honor Roll. Of those, just 1,962 schools, including Freeport High School, received the AP Access Award for increasing AP participation while maintaining strong student outcomes.

“Students who take AP courses are better prepared for the challenges of college, whether they earn credit or simply gain exposure to the rigorous coursework,” said Superintendent of Schools Fia Davis. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work of our educators, students and staff who continuously prioritize academic excellence and opportunity for all our students.”

Freeport High School has steadily grown its AP program in recent years, now offering 25 college-level courses in subjects such as mathematics, science, history, and the humanities. For the 2024–2025 school year, 440 students are enrolled in AP classes.

“The dedication and drive of our students to challenge themselves through AP courses exemplify their commitment to lifelong learning and success beyond high school,” said Freeport High School Principal Gisselle Campbell Ham. “This recognition also reflects the support of our educators, who inspire and empower students to reach their full potential through a culture of academic excellence.”

The College Board, which oversees the AP program, grants this recognition to schools that boost AP enrollment among underrepresented groups while sustaining high levels of achievement.

Courtesy Freeport Public Schools
Freeport High School has been recognized on the College Board’s 2024 AP School Honor Roll for developing an AP program that creates a college-going culture and provides students opportunities to earn college credit and maximize their college outcomes.

Camp in woods cleared amid questions

A long-standing encampment in the wooded area between exits 7 and 8 on the Meadowbrook Parkway, bordered by Lakeview Avenue in Freeport, was cleared last week in a joint operation involving New York State Troopers, the Department of Transportation, and social services.

“There was just a congregation of people, and we were just cleaning up the area, all the litter, and social services, DOT, and troopers are just working to make it a better area, because there was just a bunch of litter and stuff in there, so we went in there to clean it up,” said State Trooper Brittany Burton, public information officer for L-Troop, who patrol the Meadowbrook, said in response to questions from the Herald.

The Herald drove past the alleged encampment along the Meadowbrook Parkway on Wednesday and saw multiple heavy machinery vehicles and multiple state troopers.

Heavy machinery was active on-site, and troopers appeared to still be assessing the area.

Two officers posted near Lakeview Avenue confirmed a cleanup was underway but would not allow entry to the wooded area, citing the presence of heavy equipment.

When asked if an encampment had been cleared, one officer said that people had been there but could not remain while the cleanup operation took place.

Social services were on hand to provide those displaced with options for where they could go, the officer added, though he could not say where the people were told to go.

He emphasized the area is a no-trespassing zone and said he could not confirm the number of people removed.

When asked about reports that those who lived in the encampment were immigrants the officer said he had no information regarding their immigration status.

By Thursday, the entrance to the wooded area from Lakeview Ave. had been sealed with a fence.

“There were some people who were illegally living here and we just cleared the site,” a Department of Transportation worker who was leaving the scene on Lakeview told the Herald “Homeless Services came. They met with the people to give them options. They were given a couple weeks to leave the site, and they’ve left the site and it’s now been secured.”

When pressed further about the operation, the worker stated, “It’s public land, and you can’t live on public land.

He added, “We took away 150 cubic yards of garbage.”

There was still a notable amount of garbage visible in the wooded area from through the fence on Thursday that remained after the operation was completed.

The forested strip of land lining the Meadowbrook Parkway is owned in part by the New York State Department of

Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, while the DOT is responsible for maintaining the shoulders of the 12.5mile highway, which was originally envisioned by Robert Moses as a scenic gateway to Jones Beach.

Over time, however, this section of the woods seems to have become de facto living quarters for people with nowhere else to go, compounded by ongoing illegal dumping and runoff pollution from the parkway itself.

Sherryl Davis, a longtime resident of Lakeview Avenue who lives across the street from the site, said she was surprised by the operation.

She added that the fencing installed after the cleanup wouldn’t hold for long.

“The fence is definitely important,” she said. But, she added, the chainlink fence would not be enough to stop intruders from entering the woods again.

“As soon as they get this up, you give about two weeks and the fence is cut again.”

Davis said the garbage problem in the woods had been an ongoing issue for years.

“I moved here in 2009 so (we’re now in) 2025, it’s been a problem the whole time. Yes, it’s been a problem the whole time,” said Davis, who stated that there’d been a number of clean ups before.

“This is the biggest cleanup I ever seen that they did between yesterday and today,” she added. “I never seen it this big.”

Asked about the people who had been living there, Davis said that she “most definitely,” believed that they were immigrants.

“I do believe that wholeheartedly,” she said.

She described watching people come and go from the woods, often arriving in vans or on bikes.

“They don’t bother us. They don’t bother me. I don’t bother them, you know. But they were down in there. And I know they shouldn’t be down in there,

Trash and debris remain scattered inside the fenced-off woods between exits 7 and 8 on the Meadowbrook Parkway, days after a large-scale cleanup effort.

you know, but that’s how it is.”

Another Lakeview Avenue resident, Colin Girad, echoed Davis’s frustration over the state of the land.

When asked if the continued presence of garbage in the woods bothered him he said, “as like a resident here, of course, you know, but that’s Freeport,” he said. He added, when asked what he’d like to say to state officials about the remaining refuse that “they need to get someone to clean it up.”

Despite the reports from residents and DOT workers, no agency has yet confirmed how many people were displaced or where they were directed to go.

The area where the encampment once stood is now closed off, with signs of recent activity still visible from the roadside. For some, like Davis, the cleanup brought a degree of relief. For others it raised questions, such as who was it that ordered the clean up and where did the people go?

An opening in the fence along Lakeview Avenue shows a worn path into the woods, a part of which was previously home to an encampment of people living.
Mohammad Rafiq/Herald photos
A new chain-link fence with a “No Dumping, No Trespassing” sign now blocks off the wooded area near Lakeview Avenue.

Lighthouse Theatre supports the homeless

lecting nonperishable food items for their food pantry, because they feed the homeless,” Chiafalo explained.

Performances have already helped raise over $1,000 in donations for the coalition, with audience members contributing through ticket add-ons and raffles. And there are charity members at every performance, talking with guests and offering resources.

Chiafalo’s path to founding Lighthouse reflects his lifelong belief in the power of theater. “I’ve been doing theater since high school, basically,” he said. “I went into the Army, and even in the Army I was entertaining troops, I was doing productions there. “You keep doing what you love, right?”

During his nine years in the Army — including deployments during Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Joint Endeavor — Chiafalo organized shows for fellow soldiers, and even directed dinner theater performances for communities in Germany and Korea.

After returning to Long Island, he worked as a consultant for IBM, and now Amazon Web Services. But his commitment to the arts remained strong. In November of 2023 he launched Lighthouse with his wife Kami Crary, with a goal of blending storytelling and service.

“At Lighthouse, we harness the transformative power of theater to not only

entertain our audiences, but also to make a difference in the community,” the organization’s website states. “Our performances become a platform for these organizations to shine a light on their missions, fostering community

Accepting What Is

As estate planners, we consistently meet with people who are suffering from traumatic relationships with their children or grandchildren. Children themselves may become estranged or at odds with parents or their siblings. Sometimes, an in-law is involved that seems to turn the client’s son or daughter into someone completely different from the child they raised. The pain that these clients are going through is palpable.

Some wise sage once said that all pain comes from resistance. Many of these relationship issues may be difficult or impossible to overcome, but one thing we can all do is work on ourselves — by accepting what is. Accepting what is does not mean agreeing with or condoning certain behavior. What it does mean is that you stop saying to yourself that it is not fair, it “should” be otherwise, etc. That will not do you one bit of good and may do you considerable harm. Stress has been called “the silent killer”.

We recall reading a pithy quote a while back that went something like this “when someone disappoints you, you have two choices, you

can either lower your expectations or walk away”. What is disappointment but dashed expectations? Those who learn to expect less are disappointed less.

“Accepting what is” cannot be accomplished overnight. It is a concept or thought process that improves your outlook the more you think about it, work on it and form new neural pathways to forge the new outlook.

Estate planners inevitably become “therapists” for their clients because estate planning involves social relationships. Over the years, we have observed that many social problems occur between the clients two ears. As Shakespeare said in Hamlet “There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Forget about what’s fair or right and what’s not. You are only hurting yourself. The other person is often blissfully unaware of how you’re feeling. Michael J. Fox, the actor known for his optimism despite suffering from Parkinson’s, put it best when he said “My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations”.

& Estates • Wills & Probate • Medicaid FREE CONSULTATION: 516-327-8880 or email info@trustlaw.com

engagement and advocacy.”

Lighthouse’s production of “Into the Woods” features not one, but two full casts — 38 performers in all, drawn from over 135 auditions. “Each cast has 19 people, and is equally talented,” Chia-

falo said. “It’s amazing to see these two different people inhabit the same character differently, but still so incredibly well.”

Cast and crew are all volunteers, committed not only to putting on a professional-caliber show, but also to supporting Lighthouse’s charitable mission. “They all want to give back to the community,” Chiafalo said.

Performances in Freeport continue this weekend, on Friday, at 8 p.m., Saturday, at 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, at 3 p.m.

The Twin Oaks theater has been transformed for the production, Chiafalo said, “to an immersive ‘Into the Woods’ environment.”

Tickets are $30 for general admission, and $25 for seniors and veterans, and are available at lighthousetheatercompany.com/tickets.

Mark Greenberg, an Oceanside actor who plays Cinderella’s father in the musical, texted, “Don’t sleep on this … it’s going to be an amazing quality performance.”

For Lighthouse performers, every show is not only a chance to entertain, but also to inspire, inform and improve the world around them — “to ignite conversations, broaden perspectives, and make the world a better place,” its website states.

And with “Into the Woods,” Freeport audiences are getting a front-row seat for that mission in action.

the Witch (Stephanie Schrader) and rapunzel (Shea James) shared a moment.

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Photos courtesy Lisa Schindler
Little red riding Hood (amanda Luong), center, was given bread by the Baker (Stephen anastasia) and his wife (Jacklyn Lisi) as she prepares for her journey in “into the Woods.”

SPORTS

Hofstra softball shows positive signs

The Hofstra softball team struggled out of the gate to open the 2025 season but still has time to ready the ship for its bid to reach the postseason.

The Pride dropped 19 of its first 21 games before charting a four-game winning streak and has the bulk of the remaining Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) schedule ahead to earn one of the six available spots in the conference tournament. The winner of the CAA playoffs will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which Hofstra achieved in 2023.

“We definitely have hit some moments of growth and challenges,” said fourth-year head coach Adrienne Clark, whose team took 2-of-3 games from first-place Delaware last weekend to stand at 3-6 in the CAA with 18 league games remaining. “We’re trying not to focus on the outcomes as much and focus on the things that we can control and our adjustments within.”

adjustment entering the season with the loss of ace pitcher Julia Apsel, who was an integral part of the 2023 CAA championship squad and is using her final year of college eligibility at Florida State.

Junior Emma Falen is the team’s new number one pitcher after transferring from UC Riverside. The Folsom, Calif. native recorded eight strikeouts in a 4-1 win against Towson on March 14 to earn the Pride their first league win.

The pitching staff also includes freshman Carley Ernst, a two-time Lancaster-Lebanon League First Team selection during her high school career in Pennsylvania. Senior Haley Venturini, a Rhode Island native, has battled injuries over the past two seasons and Clark is hoping she can play a key part of the rotation down the stretch of the season.

The Pride’s offense returned some key pieces from last year’s 23-26 team including junior shortstop Alanna Morse, a Mepham High School graduate, who hit a home run in Hofstra’s 11-3

Feb. 16. She also has been solid anchoring the infield recording a .932 fielding percentage last season as a sophomore with 79 putouts and 88 assists.

“She’s doing a fantastic job,”said Clark of Morse, who is second on the team with a 308 batting average. “She’s also learning how to be a better teammate and support others and she’s sort of doing it in a way that is allowing her to play free and compete hard.”

Morse’s former Mepham teammate, sophomore right fielder Lily Yepez, has also emerged as a key part of the lineup after registering 14 hits in 20 starts as a freshman.

Senior first baseman Anna Butler, a Seaford High School product, adds to the Nassau County South Shore presence on the roster. Butler tied a program record for most hits during a seveninning game when she 5-for-5 in a 4-3 loss to Cornell on Feb. 28.

Butler also can contribute in the pitching circle as well and made her first relief appearance in a 1-0 victory against Howard on March 18, tossing five innings of scoreless relief to earn

the win.

“She is so committed to competing hard and to the team,” said Clark of Butler. “That dynamic is really what has been allowing her to figure some things out.”

Sophomore center fielder Chelsea Villar has begun to make waves in the lineup and entered the week as the Pride’s leading leading hitter with a .313 batting average and three home runs. Sophomore Mackenzie Fitzgerald is also making strides as a sophomore with a .293 average.

Hofstra will be on the road the next two weekends for series against Campbell and Drexel before hosting UNCWilmington for three games from April 11-13 and College of Charleston from April 18-20. The Pride conclude the regular season by hosting CAA foe Monmouth for a three-game series from May 1-3.

“In the rest of conference play it is about continuing to focus on the things we can control and continue to focus on us,” Clark said. “When we do that, we’re capable of beating any team.”

Junior shortstop Alanna Morse is a two-way standout for the Pride.
“The

Unoccupied business spaces are an opportunity to help bring vitality to downtown areas. For George Karatzas, owner of James Cress Florist, staying downtown was a priority, but costs were prohibitive. Then George applied for our Vacant Space Revival Program, which has provided $2,462 in bill credits to help offset his overhead.* And Smithtown continues to have a business that brings warmth and charm to the area. It’s a beautiful thing to see come together—just like George’s floral arrangements.

*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project. psegliny.com/businessfirst

WOMEN’S HISTORY

MONTH

Helping those who haven’t been heard find voices

Continuing a month-long series of interviews with influential area women in honor of Women’s History Month. Helen Dorado-Alessi is CEO of El Dorado Consulting and executive director of the Long Beach Latino Civic Association.

Herald: Tell me about yourself.

Dorado-Alessi: I grew up in Woodside, Queens, a very tight-knit community, so I was very accustomed to that kind of a world. When my husband and I looked for a new place to live when our children were growing up, Long Beach fit the bill for us. Beyond being a closeknit community, we found a community that was very charitable, giving and open.

I’m of Latin descent from the Caribbean, my dad from Cuba, my mother from Puerto Rico. So it’s kind of in my DNA to be close to the water, sun and sand. Youth development has always been a love of mine because of how hard it was for me coming up. There wasn’t any

such thing, so I always wanted to be on that side of my work. I have two kids, two grandchildren — (I’m) always out and about with them. I see the future in my grandchildren’s eyes and want to make sure that I make them proud with whatever work I am doing.

Herald: What do you do? Why?

Dorado-Alessi: I have my own company called El Dorado Consulting. I work on projects that have helped to broker relationships between philanthropy and nonprofits to get the work done. Right now I’m a consultant to Herstory Writers Workshop, an organization that helps people in jails and schools write their social justice memoirs. We ask people, if your words had the power to change hearts, minds and policies, what would they say? Through that work, I’ve been able to help people have confidence in their voice and their his-

tory, their families, their communities, and then share those stories with politicians, with businesses, with others who may not know what it’s like to walk in somebody else’s shoes.

HELEN DORADO-ALESSI

The other thing I do is that I’m the executive director of Long Beach Latino Civic Association. No immigrant is illegal; a person cannot be illegal, but more importantly, their dreams are not illegal. They’ve left some very violent, scary places to come here, to have a life that they could be proud of. If you give people the information and the education, the knowledge, they’re more than happy to be part of Long Beach or New York or the United States.

Herald: What has challenged you in your career so far, and what keeps you going/inspires you?

Dorado-Alessi: The most challenging part of my whole career and life has

been this particular time where there’s so much animosity, hurtfulness and bullying. I think also the biggest challenge is, how do we fight misinformation and bold-faced lies? I could see why a lot of people would want this particular person to be running the country. I understand that they have their views. I’m just hoping that people, when they see what is really happening, will take a step back.

I think the parts that really drive me is when I work with young people, and I think that could have been my mom or my dad having just arrived. When I see them succeed, when I see them with a little bit of help, they’re going to college, or they’re getting a job on Wall Street. I think other men and women in the field who are fighting as hard as I am and we are, that’s what inspires me. I’m not alone.

More information can be found atherstorywriters.org, and LBlatinocivic.org. Responses have been edited for clarity. The rest of this interview can be found online, at liherald.com.

An advocate for the transgender community

Juli Grey-Owens is founder and executive director of Gender Equality New York.

Herald: Tell me about yourself.

Grey-Owens: I am a senior trans women who does advocacy work for our community. I grew up in northwestern New Jersey, had a relatively normal childhood. I knew something was different around (age) 3 or 4. In my preteen years I experimented, but didn’t know what was up because this was the 1960s.

I went to high school and was a good student. I was a decent athlete, co-captain of my football team. Met a girl in eighth grade, and we were friends until we started going out in junior year. My experimentation stopped during high school because I was busy with school, sports — I had a girlfriend. I graduated with high honors and applied to engineering schools.

Then my parents had a tough divorce, and I had no money. College was a mess, trying to work multiple jobs and school. I felt a lot of pressure and began experimenting again.

I was recruited to a Fortune 500 company out of college, started work, paid off my bills, and then I went to a counselor to see if I could get rid of this “thing.”

The counselor was really terrific, and he said to me, “You’re not gonna get rid of it. You have to decide how you’re

gonna deal with it.”

I decided to blend this into my life. I continued as a cisgender man, but on weekends I would maybe go to a party or something, just to try to figure out the community and how I fit in it.

In 1981 a work opportunity brought my fiancée and I to Long Island. I got my MBA, I married that girl from junior year, and at 35 we had a child. As I got older, I felt stifled because between career and family, there was no time to go out.

A real turning point was when my father passed away. I was 47 at the time and I started looking at my life, as you do when your parent passes away, and I decided I needed to be more authentic. I started going to trans events in 2003, and it progressed from there.

ing at Northwell Health and Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

Herald: What has challenged you in your career so far, and what keeps you going/inspires you?

Grey-Owens: The public has a very poor idea of our community, and we suffer as a result. There’s a lot of bad information out there, outright lies in some cases. For example, 8-year-olds are not getting surgery, and school nurses are not giving out hormones. If we don’t get information out, if we don’t start making people aware of our communities, these lies will continue.

My wife and I separated in 2007, and then in 2008 I met my second wife. We’ve been together for 16 years and married for 13.

Herald: What do you do? Why?

Grey-Owens: I’m founder and executive director of Gender Equality New York, a nonprofit that advocates for transgender, gender nonbinary and intersex New Yorkers. The work we do is largely educational: We provide information to agencies, legislators. I provide training to the Nassau and Suffolk police academies. I also provide train-

We currently have a federal government that’s attacking our community and trying to make us disappear. So the work has to be done to normalize our community and make people aware of the conditions we live under.

Herald: What has been the proudest moment in your life?

Grey-Owens: Getting the transgender civil rights bill passed in 2019. Prior to January 2019, a transgender person could be discriminated against in employment, housing and public services.

In 2003, lesbians, gays and bisexuals were able to pass a bill called the Sexual

Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in New York dtate, granting them their civil rights, (but it) specifically excluded the transgender community. It was 16 years before the trans community got their civil rights.

In 2019, the Gender Expression NonDiscrimination Act was signed into law, and we have had civil rights protections in New York state since then. There are no federal protections, so if we leave there are no guaranteed protections.

Herald: What advice do you have to offer? What work is left to be done?

Grey-Owens: Trying to get federal protections for our community is a big thing, but right now we’re just trying to get our community to survive the next four years.

And to some of our younger members, who might still be in school, or living under their family’s rule, and are unable to come out and be themselves: Be patient. Be safe. Make sure you have a roof over your head, that you’re fed and taken care of, get your high school diploma, if you’re able to, get to college. Usually you’re able to be more authentically yourself in college.

It does get better once we get older, but once you’re out as an adult, anything you can do to help move the community forward is important and necessary.

For more information, visit genderequalityny.org or follow @genderequalityny on Instagram and Facebook.

‘Wing Madness’ to benefit Soup to Nuts

The Soup to Nuts Soup Kitchen at 61 N Grove St in Freeport will be the beneficiary of a unique fundraiser this Sunday at Barrier Brewing Co. in Oceanside.

The brewery, at 3001 New St., is launching its firstever “Wing Madness” event — an afternoon of food, live entertainment, and community support — running from 1 to 4 p.m. to help raise funds for the soup kitchen’s mission.

As a direct response to higher grocery prices and dwindling donations, the fundraiser aims not only to spotlight Long Island’s best wings but also to channel funds and food to those in need.

“With grocery prices rising and fewer donations coming in, many soup kitchens are struggling to feed families,” Gabriella Carlo, sales director, said.

How Wing Madness Works

The fundraiser is modeled after a March Madnessstyle bracket, featuring 64 Long Island restaurants competing to be crowned as the one serving up the best wings. Each day throughout March, fans vote via social media until the Final Four face off on March 30. For a $25 ticket — which includes four wing samples, a drink and a vote in the People’s Choice contest — attendees will experience a festive atmosphere under a large, heated tent. Live music from local guitarists and appearances by hot sauce vendors.

“The idea is to bring people together — those with disposable income can enjoy a night out while also giving back to the community,” Carlo said. “It’s a win-win.”

Building the Partnership

The partnership between Barrier Brewing and Soup to Nuts was sparked by Freeport resident Brenda White,68, a volunteer with ties to both, who came up the idea of linking the wing contest with support for

the soup kitchen.

There’s so many people with securities,” White said. “We average over 100 guests, we service at least 100 guests three days a week, if not more.”

Operating as an all-volunteer nonprofit, the Freeport-based soup kitchen located at Christ Lutheran Church in Freeport, has been serving the community for more than 35 years.

“Brenda is a Friday volunteer … and she happened to work at that brewery company, and somehow she connected the dots” Mela Massaro, co-president of Soup to Nuts, explained.

Soup to Nuts relies on personal donations, local and federal grants, and partnerships with organizations like Long Island Cares, Island Harvest, as well as local retailers. As food prices continue to rise, the soup kitchen is experiencing increased demand and in need

of both monetary contributions and essential items.

“We give them a hot, nutritious meal every day that we’re open, and they get to have a sit-down meal,” Massaro said of those served by the soup kitchen.

Meeting Community Needs

In addition to raising funds, the event encourages tangible donations. Guests who bring perishable or non-perishable items receive an extra raffle ticket. Barrier Brewing has also rallied impressive support from local businesses. Key sponsors include T-Mobile, Renewal by Andersen, Gold Peak Tea Company, and Verizon. A local mason company, Saxon Builders, is donating a gift card for home improvement services.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Barrier Brewing website or follow its social media channels.

Annual fashion show raises over $20,000

More than $20,000 was raised at the 22nd annual Bethany House Fashion Show fundraiser, an event that has become a beacon of hope for women overcoming homelessness.

Bethany House, an organization dedicated to supporting women and children experiencing homelessness in Nassau County with homeless shelters in Roosevelt and Baldwin, hosted its annual fundraiser on March 19 at the Rockville Links Club in Rockville Centre.

The event, a cornerstone of the organization’s fundraising efforts, continues to evolve while remaining rooted in its mission to support women experiencing homelessness.

The Bethany House Fashion Show has come a long way since its humble beginnings. According to Lisa King, board member and co-chair of the Development and Communications Committee, the fashion show started as a small, community-supported event.

“When Bethany House first started doing our fashion show fundraiser 22 years ago, it was a small, communitysupported event that was held wherever we could find a location that would

donate space to us,” King said. “Our Bethany House guests (the homeless women we served—we call them ‘guests’) would often be the models, and clothing was donated from local storeowners and merchants.”

Over the years, the event has grown significantly, with the past 15 years spent at the Rockville Links Club.

“It is the perfect space for this event, and we sell out every year!” she said.

“The models are long-time supporters of Bethany House, and the clothing has generously been donated from Bloomingdale’s for the past three years.”

Other brands like White House/ Black Market, Anne Taylor Loft, Estelles, Lord and Taylor, Chicos, and Lucky Finds Boutique in Rockville Centre have also contributed.

The funds raised from the fashion show go directly toward supporting Bethany House’s various programs, which provide critical resources to the women they serve.

For the women involved, the fashion show is an empowering experience. Initially, many of the models, who are local supporters of Bethany House, are reluctant to participate. But after trying on outfits at Bloomingdale’s and walking the runway, their apprehensions quick-

ly turn into excitement.

King plays a pivotal role in the event, helping the women change into their outfits, write their bios, and find the perfect clothing during their fittings.

“Many say it is a life-changing event,” King said. “They are left feeling empowered, uplifted, and grateful for the opportunity to help Bethany House. The amount of thank-yous I get afterward is truly heartwarming.”

In addition to the impact on the models, the fashion show plays a key role in raising awareness about the services that Bethany House provides.

“Our annual fashion show is such an empowering event where we always talk about our programs, our guests’ successes, and the community support we receive,” she said. “The guests who attend the event are left well-informed and ready to go out and spread the good word about Bethany House!”

Programs such as emergency and transitional housing, clothing, and safety, to name a few, are just a few of the critical services Bethany House offers.

Looking forward, Bethany House continues to encourage community involvement. King highlighted several key opportunities for engagement.

“We love when community members

help our programs thrive, with legal, financial, artistic, and business advice for our guests,” she said. “We often have experts in various fields come in and teach our women necessary tools to apply for jobs, communicate effectively, dress properly, etc.”

Courtesy Barrier Brewing Co.
A large crowd is expected to attend the Barrier Brewing Co.’s Wing Madness fundraiser on March 30.
Grace Hughes/Herald Laura Smith walks down the runway with a white top with chevron pants.

A closer look at the Propel NY Energy project

The Propel NY Energy project is aiming to revo-

1

The Big Investment

$3.26 Billion:

Ratepayers fund the total capital cost for the entire project across New York state.

Six Cents a Day:

Estimated additional cost to an average residential ratepayer—about six cents per day—to support the new infrastructure.

2

The New Grid

90 Miles of Transmission Lines:

The project will construct 90 miles of new underground transmission lines, with 66 miles in Nassau County and additional segments extending into Suffolk County, the Bronx, and Westchester.

3 Additional Interconnection Points:

Long Island currently relies on just two connection points to the statewide grid. Propel NY Energy will add three

lutionize Long Island’s electric grid. The project is currently in the Article Seven permitting process — a two-year review involving environmental and engineering assessments. Construction is slated to

new connections, strengthening overall grid reliability and resiliency.

5 Interconnection Points in Total:

With the new additions, the grid will have five connection points, ensuring that power flows efficiently in both directions.

3

Construction & Permitting Article Seven Permitting:

The rigorous Article Seven process, covering environmental, socioeconomic, and engineering assessments, is expected to take approximately two years, with submissions made in July and anticipated approval around July 2026.

Construction Timeline:

Construction is slated to begin in mid-2026 and continue for three to four years, with completion expected by mid-2030.

begin in mid-2026 and continue until mid-2030. Here’s the key numbers and figures driving this $3.26 billion initiative:

Underground cables will be installed at a depth of roughly 5 to 7 feet, ensuring they are protected from weather and other external risks.

Daily Progress:

Crews are projected to advance between 50 and 150 feet per day per crew, minimizing long-term disruption to local neighborhoods.

4

Future-Proofing the Grid

50 to 90 Percent Increase in Demand:

As much as a 50 to 90 percent surge in electricity demand is projected over the next 20 years, driven by electrification, including electric vehicles, heat pumps, and data centers.

50 percent Renewable Energy by 2030: By 2030, it’s anticipated that 50 percent of Long Island’s power will come from offshore wind—made possible by the upgraded grid capacity.

Avoided Congestion Savings:

Enhanced transmission efficiency is expected to save the state an estimated $3.3 billion in congestion-related costs over time.

5

Selection & Local Impact 19 Proposals Reviewed:

The project was chosen through a competitive process that evaluated 19 proposals from four developers, with Propel NY Energy emerging as the most cost-effective solution.

Local Workforce:

The project will utilize local union labor and contractors, ensuring economic benefits and community engagement throughout Nassau County and beyond.

The Propel NY Energy project is about building a resilient electrical grid that meets the rising energy demands of Long Island and supports a more sustainable energy future.

Herald publications win seven state awards

At the annual New York Press Association Spring Conference in Saratoga Springs last week, Herald Community Media won seven state awards in the 2024 Better Newspaper Contest.

Long Beach reporter Angelina Zingariello won a first place award in the Feature Story category, Division 4. With so many submissions in each of six divisions, it is a very difficult award to win.

About the story with the headline “A long, cold, healing journey” the judges said: “Good combination of personal struggle and outcome with unconventional therapy. Well written and edited, a compelling read.”

The Nov. 21 story focused on how Long Beach resident Mindi Dovberg uses cold-water immersion as a technique for an emotional reset when dealing with physical challenges and emotional setbacks.

The Herald took the top spot in Best Large Space Ad, Division 1, which was printed in the Nassau Herald and other Herald newspapers.

“This stunning ad touches me,” one judge wrote. “The simplicity and pure elegance of this is beautiful. Love how white space was used to create such an impact. Proves the point that sometimes less really is more! Outstanding!”

There were 10 entries in the Rookie Reporter of The Year category, and Sea Cliff/Glen Head reporter Brian Norman captured second place with stories ranging from the controversy surrounding the proposed state regionalization plan to how the food is prepared for North Shore High School students.

Sea Cliff/Glen Head reporter Brian Norman, left took second place in the Rookie Reporter of the Year category. His colleagues Melissa Berman and Charles Shaw congratulate him.

The judges said: “Reporter does a great job conveying story to readers, whether the subject be ‘hard’ news or a feature article.”

Norman, a 2024 graduate of Quinnipiac University, interned with the Herald last summer and was hired in September as a full-time reporter for Sea Cliff/Glen Head. He is now a reporter for the Nassau Herald, the flagship newspaper for the community weekly chain.

Photographer Brian Ballweg placed second in the Sports Feature, Division 1 category. The photograph appeared on the front page of the June 13 Rockville Centre Herald.

The judges said: “This photo shows

excellent framing of the lacrosse winners in this overtime state championship moment. Their faces run to the spectrum of elation, stopping the viewer — the joy here is studying their faces, bodies contained in the goal.”

Creative Director Jeffrey Negrin earned a trio of third-place awards.

In the Best Special Section Cover, Division 2 category, the judges said: “Another really excellent use of text on black with fun ‘clinks’ of glasses as backdrop. Long Island Choice Awards makes me want to open this up over a cocktail.”

For Special Sections/Niche Publications-Newsprint, Division 1 the judges said: “Excellent school recognition.”

The publication was the Herald’s annual special section for the Red and Blue competition at South Side High School that was published for the Feb. 29, 2024 Rockville Centre Herald.

In the Best Multi-Advertiser Pages category, judges said: “Cute organic for a shared page. Makes you want to read each one.”

The 2024 Better Newspapers Contest had 132 newspapers statewide submit 2,082 entries in 68 categories. The Missouri Press Association judged the submissions.

“It’s always nice to be recognized by our peers and colleagues,” said Herald Community Media publisher Stuart Richner. “We look forward to continuing to tell the stories of our communities in the weeks and years ahead. Congratulations to our team on well deserved recognition.”

Courtesy NYPA Conference
More than 20 members of the Herald Community Media team attended the annual New York Press Association Spring Conference in Saratoga Springs March 20-21.
Jeff Bessen/Herald photos Long Beach reporter Angelina Zingariello won first place for Feature Story, Division 4.

STEPPING OUT

‘Little’ films with a big heart

In the spotlight at Asbury Short Film Concert

Sure … the Hollywood moviemakers grab your attention. Yet there’s so much more to the movie biz beside that tentpole blockbuster. Check out the Asbury Short Film Concert, which returns to its local “home” at the Madison Theatre next Friday and see an abundance of creative offerings. There’s certainly no denying the appeal of a major feature film. But for those who crave something different that certainly strikes an emotional chord, Asbury’s “concert” is for you. This national touring showcase brings a diverse, focused lineup — in many cases featuring up-and-coming filmmakers — of smaller efforts you generally won’t find on the big screen.

And it’s most definitely not a festival.

“We present the best in comedy, drama, animation, even the occasional documentary,” says Doug LeClaire, Asbury Shorts’ founder and longtime director. “We call it a concert rather than a festival because there are no awards, no Q&A or panel discussions, it’s all about entertainment value for the audience.”

As in previous years, Asbury Shorts offers up an eclectic mix of films, what LeClaire describes as a “potpourri of the short film world.” LeClaire, who was in commercial and film production for over four decades, has been passionate about short films since his student days at New York Institute of Technology. He pivoted to promoting his beloved short films full time and the result has been a resounding success.

“Myself, and those who have been with me the longest, didn’t think our short film party that began in Westbury in 1981 would evolve into a major global touring event that has presented Asbury Shorts shows from Berlin to L.A. over the years with many, many stops in between,” LeClaire says. “The mission has always been to keep great short films, from all years, projected on real cinema screens as opposed to YouTube, smart phones, computers or tablets or the big screen TVs. Asbury Shorts is strictly a theatrical cinema event, no virtual allowed!

“Our number one priority is the enjoyment of our audience. We’re proud to provide an outlet for the filmmakers’ product. For us, it is all about the experience, showing these films to an audience. We give them the opportunity to experience great films on a big screen the way they were meant to be seen.”

He and his team cull them from the film festival circuit — including the prestigious SXSW (South by Southwest), Sundance and Toronto International Film Festival, and Tribeca Festival, among others.

“To get an award at one of these festivals is just as good as an Oscar nomination,” LeClaire says. “These young filmmakers are so happy to get that wreath. They collect them the way we would collect baseball cards back in the day.”

• Friday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.

• For tickets, visit madisontheatreny.org or call the box office at (516) 323-4444

• Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

Think of this as your personal film festival experience. As LeClaire puts it: “We’re bringing these films to folks who can’t get to film festivals.”

His formula certainly has resonated with audiences.

“We have demonstrated that we are entertaining and blessed to have fans that keep coming back,” LeClaire says, “while also reaching out to new audiences.”

The two-hour show moves along briskly. The films range from a brief few minutes to 20 minutes at most.

“A good short film is to the point, fast paced, and most important of all, is the ending,” LeClaire says. “It must make sense.”

And that ending will surely leave you wanting more.

Among the highlights, LeClaire points to Martín Rosete’s 10-minute “Voice Over,” which depicts the urgency of life’s pivotal moments in a desperate race against time.

Three different stories are told by the same narrator searching for the correct story. The same actor appears in all three. Will the narrator find what he’s looking for? We don’t know — maybe, maybe not.

Rosete, a Spanish filmmaker now based in New York, was awarded the Goya, Spain’s Academy Award, for “Voice Over.”.

LeClaire describes it as “sort of the ‘perfect’ short film” due its story and production values.

“It has outstanding and mind boggling production design for an indie produced short film and an ending that I really like,” he explains.

Another standout is “Anomaly” from director Ryan Jenkins, which was honored recently with Best Short Film at the Lake Placid Film Festival. In this 15-minute drama, a renowned magician features an inexplicable illusion in his final run of performances. Meanwhile, a government agent who witnesses the baffling act becomes hell-bent on uncovering its method.

As for the rest, well, you’ll have to attend and see for yourself. LeClaire doesn’t like to reveal too much, promising it’s all “great fun.”

He is delighted to come back to his Long Island roots with his film showcase.

“We’re very heartened by the audience at the Madison. We are grateful to [Artistic Director] Angelo Fraboni and his staff for allowing us to return each year. It’s been a terrific relationship.”

‘Good times…’

Neil Diamond is certainly forever — as honored by Neil Forever, returning to the Paramount stage. David Jacobson, the tribute band’s founder, has a great passion for the music and legacy of the legendary performer. David, along with his son and music director Dylan Jacobson and drummer John Cardoso began their journey in January 2023. Today, the 14-person ensemble delivers an authentic, exciting and joyful concert that captivates the legendary superstar’s fans. Performing Diamond’s music is as much about heart and soul as it is talent; it’s a celebration of the music and the man who created it. The band has forged an exciting path, as discovered by excited and passionate fans, of all ages. Audiences are thrilled by the authentic renditions of classic hits like “Sweet Caroline,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” “Coming to America,” and “Kentucky Women.”

Friday, March 28, 8 p.m. $59.50, $49.50, $39.50, $29.50, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny. com.

South Shore Symphony

The South Shore Symphony Orchestra springs forward with its next concert, “Slavic Masterworks,” at its Madison Theatre home. The orchestra is joined by renowned cellist Amy Barston, featured in Polish composer Grayna Bacewicz’s Cello Concerto No. 1. A rare gem, according to Barston, she notes that it is fresh to the concert stage in that it is quasi-newly discovered, but it feels like a familiar, beloved masterwork. Electrifying, often dance-like energy, paired with soaring lyrical melodies, it has received an enthusiastic reception from audiences. The evening’s repertoire also includes Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, op. 46, no. 3 in Ab major and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, op. 64, e minor.

Saturday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at madisontheatreny.org or (516) 3234444.

Courtesy Asbury Shortst
Three extreme situations are actually the same in “Voice Over.”
“Anomaly” stars John Romeo as a detective investigating the work of a suspicious magician.

THE Your Neighborhood

The Wallflowers

Grab those leather jackets, and rock on! The Wallflowers are back on the road and bringing their sound to the Paramount stage, Sunday, April 6, at 8 p.m., with special guest Jackson Melnick. For the past 30 years, the Jakob Dylanled act has stood as one of rock’s most dynamic and purposeful bands — a unit dedicated to and continually honing a sound that meshes timeless songwriting and storytelling with a hard-hitting and decidedly modern musical attack. That signature style has been present through the decades, baked into the grooves of smash hits like 1996’s “Bringing Down the Horse” as well as more recent and exploratory fare like 2012’s “Glad All Over.” Even so, in recent years, Dylan — the Wallflowers’ founding singer, songwriter and guitarist — has repeatedly stepped outside of his band. First with a pair of more acoustic and rootsy records, 2008’s “Seeing Things” and 2010’s “Women + Country,” and then with the 2018 film “Echo in the Canyon” and the accompanying soundtrack, which saw him collaborate with a host of artists classic and contemporary, from Neil Young and Eric Clapton to Beck and Fiona Apple.

Financial Literacy

Month: Learn About Coins and Their Value

Freeport Library hosts an educational session on coins and their value, Tuesday, April 1, 2-4 p.m. Learn how to handle, store, buy, or sell coins and manage inherited collections. Registration required. Visit freeportlibrary.info or call (516) 379-3274 for more information. 144 West Merrick Road.

Celebrate Holi

Long Island Children’s Museum invites families to participate in Holi, the Festival of Colors, Sunday, April 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Originating in India, this Hindu festival marks the end of winter and the arrival of the colorful spring season. During this joyous celebration, families eat sweets, dance to traditional folk music and throw colorful powder made from flowers called gulal.

Egyptomania in the 1920s

Join Egyptologists-authorsprofessors Drs. Colleen and John Darnell at Nassau County Museum of Art, Sunday, March 30, 3 p.m., for a fascinating lecture on “Egyptomania” in the 1920s. The Darnells are authors of several books and dozens of articles. With academic careers in Egyptology at Yale University, they are committed to bringing ancient Egypt’s rich history, religion, art, and language to a worldwide audience. Their passion for vintage fashion and modeling has led to exciting collaborations with Egypt’s premier jewelry designers, photographers and magazines. Limited seating. Registration required. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students; members free. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or nassaumuseum.org.

Lady Blue Saxophone Quartet

But while it’s been nine long years since we’ve heard from the group with whom he first made his mark, the Wallflowers are silent no more. And Dylan always knew they’d return. And return the band has, with “Exit Wounds,” their new studio offering. It marks the first new Wallflowers material since “Glad All Over.” And while the wait has been long, the much-anticipated record finds the band’s signature sound — lean, potent and eminently entrancing — intact, even as Dylan surrounds himself with a fresh cast of musicians. $75, $45, $35, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Crafts, color throwing and dancing are part of this vibrant event. Welcome spring’s arrival with Holi. Participants are encouraged to wear clothes that they won’t mind getting messy. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. Go to licm.org or call (516) 224-5800 for more information.

Enjoy the sounds of Lady Blue Saxophone Quartet, Sunday, March 30, 2:30- 4 p.m.. at Freeport Memorial Library. The engaging and dynamic musical performance is ideal for jazz and classical music enthusiasts alike. Visit freeportlbrary.info or call (516) 379-3274 for more information. 144 West Merrick Road.

Walking Wednesday

Join Maryellen Cantanno for Walking Wednesdays, 10:30–11:30 a.m. Enjoy a 45-minute group walk at a pace set by participants, with all fitness levels welcome. Guided by the health team from Mount Sinai/ South Nassau Hospital, walkers will learn how to stay in tune with their bodies. Some weeks may include off-site meet-ups around the village, and in case of rain, the walk will be held at the Freeport Recreation Center. Call the library to find out this week’s location. Participants must sign a waiver prior to join, which can be found on the library’s website. Visit FreeportLibrary.info or call (516) 379-3274 for more information. 144 West Merrick Road.

Cardiac screening

You only have one heart. Protect it with a free cardiac screening at Mercy Hospital, Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Getting your coronary calcium score scan can save your life. This simple, non-invasive test can indicate coronary artery disease before the onset of symptoms or heart attacks. Limited appointments. No insurance necessary. 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. Radiology & Imaging (adjacent to Emergency Department). To register, call (516) 62-MERCY (63729).

Women’s History Month Supply Drive for Bethany House

Nassau County Legislature

Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Debra Mulé is partnering with the Baldwin, Freeport, and Roosevelt Public Libraries for a supply drive supporting Bethany House, which aids women and children experiencing homelessness. Now through March 31, donors can drop off toilet paper, paper towels, 13-gallon garbage bags, cases of water bottles, rideshare gift cards, and grocery store gift cards at Freeport Memorial Library, 144 W. Merrick Road, Freeport; Baldwin Public Library, 2385 Grand Ave., Baldwin; or Roosevelt Public Library, 27 W. Fulton Ave., Roosevelt.

Bethany House operates shelters in Roosevelt and Baldwin, providing a safe haven and resources to help women and mothers transition to stable housing and self-sufficiency. For more information, contact (516) 571-6206 or dmule@ nassaucountyny.gov.

STEM Explorers

Long Island Children’s Museum opens its doors to a weekend devoted to STEM activities, Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., that will ignite the imaginations of children and adults alike. Guest experts offer engaging demonstrations, experiments and interactive activities.

On Exhibit

Highlights include sampling the science of molecular gastronomy with flash frozen ice cream; learn about native and invasive species that swim in Long Island waters; discover how oysters are coming to our rescue; study the water cycle and Long Island’s unique geographic formations and more. Activities free with museum admission. . Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. Visit licm.org or call (516) 224-5800 for more.

Having an event?

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

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, the original “Deco at 100” coincides with the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) which publicly launched the movement. The direct followup to the well-received 2023 exhibit, “Our Gilded Age,” it comparably links the period’s signature innovation in the decorative arts, Art Deco, to the fine arts. The exhibit encompasses significant cultural advancements during Long Island’s Roaring Twenties/ Jazz Age movement, including votes, jobs, and the automobile for women, the beginnings of suburbia with commutation for work, and planned residential communities, which all defined the era, while the following decade brought economic reversals and the WPA program. Works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Fernand Léger, Guy Pène du Bois, Gaston Lachaise, Elie Nadelman, and Reginald Marsh, among others, along with art deco stylists of poster art and graphics, and photography will convey the Art Deco spirit along with its furniture, decorative arts, and fashion.

Like “Our Gilded Age,” the social scene of Long Island’s Gold Coast, and its personalities — both upstairs and downstairs — will be portrayed, along with the ongoing relationship with the immediate urban context of New York with its skyscrapers and deco-styled architecture. On view through June 15. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Hempstead House tour

April 12

Sands Point Preserve is the backdrop to explore the elegant Gold Coast home that’s the centerpiece of the estate, Sunday, April 12, noon-1 p.m. and 2-3 p.m. Visit the grand rooms inside the massive 50,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion, the former summer residence of Gilded Age financier Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim. Tours are limited in size and tend to sell out. Arrive early to purchase tickets. $10. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Event raises more than $9,000 for cancer

school year, he said, ‘Would you mind doing an event here?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely, let’s do it.’”

Ten volunteers then had their heads shaved, including Porciello, Abberton and Anthony Murray, the district’s head of mathematics.

Each individual who volunteers gets a separate account at stbaldricks.org, to which those who desire can donate in support.

We just couldn’t ask for any more. And we want our students to know that when you serve and when you volunteer and you help others, it’ll always come back to me

Two students, seventh grader Joseph Rodriguez and eighth grader Evan Mateo, also took part. Mateo raised more than $1,000 on his own.

Other top fundraisers included Nicholas Astuto, a Farmingdale college student whose stepmother, Vanessa, teaches art at Dodd.

“He raised over $1,500,” Abberton said of Astuto. “He was actually our top earning participant, and he was so happy to do it.”

Freeport Superintendent Fia Davis praised the event’s grassroots spirit and emotional impact.

“It’s an amazing event,” Davis said. “We just couldn’t ask for any more. And we want our students to know that when you serve and when you volunteer and you help others, it’ll always come back to me.”

Elijah Blades, a Dodd alumnus, was diagnosed with cancer at age 11. His father, Lenny, shared the family’s journey during the March 20 event.

“We were very lucky to have the Blades’ family,” Abberton said. “Both of the sons, Nathaniel and Elijah, went to Dodd. Elijah is a cancer survivor ... “

Alanna Bender, representative from St Baldrick’s Foundation and wife of its co-founder, John Bender, also attended the fundraiser.

“It started back in about 1999 … and their goal was to raise $17,000 on March 17, like for St. Patrick’s Day,” Alanna Bender said. “Now it’s 26 years later … St. Baldrick’s is now the largest funder of childhood cancer research, besides the government.”

To date, the foundation has raised more than $354 million in research grants, funding treatments and clinical trials at more than 380 institutions in 31 countries. Many of those grants support local hospitals, including Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Even before the head-shaving event,

dulce rosario, far left, andrew abberton, Chris porciello, dave gordon and John Hennessy were proud to support St. Baldrick’s.

students at Dodd led a months-long fundraising campaign that began in February and included bake sales, bracelet and T-shirt sales, snack sales during parent-teacher conferences, and coin collections during homeroom.

A highlight for many was watching Porciello get duct-taped to a wall — livestreamed to classrooms. “We raised over $400 in tape,” he said. “They bought strips of tape for $1 during lunch periods for over a week… and they were actually able to get me to stick up to the wall.”

In addition, gift cards from area shops were raffled off, while Trimz Barber Shop — located just down the street on Guy Lombardo Avenue — volunteered its barbers to do the shavings for free.

“Trimz, an amazing institution,” Davis said, “a barber shop here in Freeport that constantly gives back to the community. We just couldn’t ask for any more.”

Porciello, who’s never shaved his head before, when asked if he was nervous, admitted, “I am. I’ve gone all my

life with a full head of hair, and I’m like, Oh, I hope it comes back.”

Dulce Rosario, a foreign language teacher at Dodd, also shaved her head.

“She looks beautiful,” Davis said. “She looks gorgeous.”

In all, more than 60 students and 20 faculty and staff volunteered in some capacity, with more than 100 people attending the event.

“It was such a positive event,” Abberton said. “You could really see the kids getting so excited when people were shaving their heads.”

The fundraising goal was recently raised to $10,000, and donations are still being accepted. The school’s St. Baldrick’s page is open through December and can be found at www.stbaldricks. org/events/DMS2025.

“I think that really made a difference,” said Abberton. “Getting kids involved in seeing this at such a young age is a huge thing… every little bit counts. Just by doing those little things, giving in their change, buying a cupcake, they’re able to help others.”

John Hennessy, one of 10 volunteers for the head-shaving and a member of dodd’s maintenance department, in midshave.

a

Holden Leeds/Herald photos
Volunteers behind a colorful raffle table during a St. Baldrick’s foundation fundraiser to support childhood cancer research.
rosario,
Spanish teacher, was surprised by the feel of clippers, and watched by students in sympathetic disbelief.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF PARTNERSHIP LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

NAME:Smiles of Joy Dental Care PLLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 2/3/2024 NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:55 Allen Street, New Hyde Park NY 11040 Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity. 151846

If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee.

MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 2/24/2025 File Number: 20-303039 CA 152033

described. Approx. amt. of judgment is $40,507.53 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. WILLIAM R. BOCCIO, Referee. JAY L. YACKOW, Atty. For Pltf., 355 Post Ave., Ste. 201, Westbury, NY. #102150 152030

LEGAL NOTICE DISTRITO ESCUELA GRATUITA DE ROOSEVELT UNION Roosevelt, Nueva York 11575

LEGAL NOTICE ROOSEVELT UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT Roosevelt, New York 11575

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR ARGENT SECURITIES INC., ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-W4, Plaintiff, Against ZAHIRA CASTILLO

A/K/A ZAHIRA M. CASTILLO, et al. Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 06/04/2024, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 4/10/2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 14 Laurette Lane, Freeport, New York 11520, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being Partly In The Incorporated Village Of Freeport And Partly In Freeport, In The Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 62 Block 206 Lot 3

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $493,533.14 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 609074/2020

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. BOARD OF MANAGERS OF WHARFSIDE CONDOMINIUM, Pltf. vs. JOYCE TAYLOR, et al, Defts. Index #617057/2018. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale dated Apr. 8, 2019 and order appointing substitute referee dated April15, 2021, I will sell at public auction on the north side front steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 8, 2025 at 2:30 p.m., prem. k/a 725 Miller Avenue, Freeport, NY a/k/a Section 62, Block 103, Lot 245, CA 113, Unit 306. Said property known and designated as Unit No. 306 together with a .7043% undivided interest in the common elements of the condominium hereinafter described as the same is defined in the Declaration of condominium hereinafter referred to. The real property above described is a Unit shown on the plans of a Condominium prepared and certified by Baldwin & Cornelius, P.C. and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on the 12th day of December 1985, as Map No. CA 113 defined in the Declaration of Condominium entitled Wharfside Condominium made by Freeport Nautical Development Company, under Article 9-B of the New York Real Property Law dated May 14, 1985 and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on the 12th day of December 1985 in Liber 9689 of Conveyances at page 313 covering the property therein

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF10 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATOR OF NASSAU COUNTY, MONISHA MAPP AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF CECELYA V. MORSBY A/K/A CECELYA MORSBY, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 7, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 8, 2025 at 2:30PM, premises known as 134 West End Avenue, a/k/a 134 Westend Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 54, Block 318, Lot 209. Approximate amount of judgment $660,826.36 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #009443/2014. Mark S. Ricciardi, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-004797 84687 151948

El 1 de abril de 2025 es la fecha límite para presentar solicitudes de transporte para los niños que asistirán a la escuela privada o parroquial en el año escolar 2025-2026. El Distrito Escolar Gratuito de Roosevelt Union proporciona transporte a estudiantes de escuelas no públicas que viven dentro del distrito, siempre que:

1.El estudiante ha alcanzado la edad de cinco años a más tardar el 1 de diciembre de 2025.

2.Los estudiantes de primaria viven un mínimo de 2 millas de la escuela a la que asistirán, y los niños secundarios viven un mínimo de 3 millas.

3.La distancia máxima a la que transportará a cualquier niño es de 15 millas medida por la ruta disponible más cercana desde casa hasta la escuela.

NINGUNA SOLICITUD DE CAMBIO EN EL TRANSPORTE, QUE INCURSA EL COSTO ADICIONAL AL DISTRITO, SE HONORA DESPUES DEL 1 DE ABRIL DE 2025, INCLUSO SI HAY UN CAMBIO EN LAS ESCUELAS.

Solo los nuevos residentes serán considerados después del 1 de abril de 2025, siempre que apliquen dentro de los 30 días de establecer la residencia. Las solicitudes de transporte se pueden solicitar a la Oficina de Transporte llamando al (516) 345-7072. Los estudiantes que fueron transportados a escuelas no públicas o parroquiales en el año escolar 2024-2025 deben volver a solicitar el transporte para el año escolar 2025-2026. 152057

April 1, 2025 is the deadline to file transportation requests for children who will be attending private or parochial school in the 2025-2026 school year. The Roosevelt Union Free School District provides transportation to non-public school students living within the district, providing that:

1.The student has attained age five no later than December 1, 2025.

2.Elementary students live a minimum of 2 miles from the school they will be attending, and secondary children live a minimum of 3 miles.

3.The maximum distance any child will be transported is 15 miles measured by the nearest available route from home to school.

NO REQUEST FOR CHANGE IN TRANSPORTATION, WHICH INCURS ADDITIONAL COST TO THE DISTRICT, WILL BE HONORED AFTER APRIL 1, 2025, EVEN IF THERE IS A CHANGE IN SCHOOLS.

Only new residents will be considered after April 1, 2025, providing that they apply within 30 days of establishing residency. Applications for transportation may be found on R.U.F.S.D website. Students who were transported to non-public or parochial schools in the 2024-2025 school year must re-apply for transportation for the 2025-2026 school year. 152055

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. BOARD OF MANAGERS OF WHARFSIDE CONDOMINIUM, Pltf. vs. ANNA LVOVA, et al, Defts. Index #611600/2022.

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Feb. 7, 2025, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 14, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. premises k/a 725 Miller Avenue, Unit 236, Freeport, NY 11520 a/k/a Section 62, Block 103, Lot 245 (Unit 236) and Section 62, Block 183, Lot 410 (Parking Spot.) Parcel I (Unit 236 - All that certain plot, piece or

parcel of land, situate, lying and being part of a condominium in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, and State of New York, known and designated as Tax Unit No. 236, together with a .4709% interest in the common elements of the condominium hereinafter referred to. The real property above described is a Unit shown on the plans of a condominium prepared and certified by Baldwin and Cornelius, P.C. and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on the 12th day of December, 1985, as Map No. C.A. 113, defined in the Declaration of Condominium entitled, “Wharfside Condominium”, made by Freeport Nautical Development Company, under Article 9-B of the New York Real Property Law, dated May 14, 1985 and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on the 12th day of December, 1985 in Liber 9689 of Conveyances at page 313, as amended by Liber 9814 page 265 and Liber 12434 page 344, covering the property therein described. Parcel II (Parking Lot) All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being part of a condominium in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, and State of New York, known and designated on a certain map entitled, “Map of Freeport Beach, Section 1, at Freeport, L.I.”, property of John J. Randell Company, Freeport, L.I., New York, surveyed October, 1924 by Smith and Malcomson, Inc., Civil Engineers, Freeport, L.I. and filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on August 27, 1925 under File No. 572, as and by the Lot Numbers 283 and 287. Approximate amount of judgment is $25,388.45 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. BRUCE HAFNER, Referee. JAY L. YACKOW, Atty. For Pltf., 355 Post Avenue, Ste. 201, Westbury, NY 11590. #102164 152182

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR ACE SECURITIES CORP. HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2006FM1, ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, Plaintiff, Against PAMELA FLEARY Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 05/12/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 4/16/2025 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 127 Wilson Place, Freeport, New York 11520, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Village Of Freeport, County Of Nassau And State Of New York.

Section 54 Block 493 Lot 43 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $934,892.40 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 004842/2015 If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.

Paul L. Meli, Esq., Referee.

MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 MIDLAND AVENUE, SUITE 205, PORT CHESTER, NY 10573

Dated: 2/26/2025 File Number: 17-300038 MB 152166

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Indenture Trustee for the registered holders of IMH Assets Corp., Collateralized Asset-Backed Bonds, Series 2005-3, Plaintiff AGAINST Orazio J. Petito; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant

to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 19, 2018, and Amended June 25, 2024, and Amended February 20, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 15, 2025 at 2:30PM, premises known as 73 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove, NY 11542. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the City of Glen Cove, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 31. Block 47 Lot 417. Approximate amount of judgment $1,199,324.65 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 006906/2015. David S. Dikman, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: March 5, 2025 84777 152097

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU US Bank National Association, as Trustee for Structured Asset Investment Loan Trust, Mortgage PassThrough Certificates, Series 2006-1, Plaintiff AGAINST Stephen Dedomenico; William Dedomenico; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 25, 2015, and Amended February 23, 2016, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 22, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 4 August Lane, Old Westbury, NY 11568. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Old Westbury, Town of North Hempstead, County of Nassau,

27, 2025

Public Notices

State of NY, Section 19 Block D Lot 112. Approximate amount of judgment $928,735.94 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 007547/2012.

Jane Shrenkel, Esq., Referee

LOGS Legal Group LLP

f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: March 4, 2025 152320

If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.

Steven Keats, Esq., Referee.

SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Dated: 3/3/2025 File Number: 27789 CA 152318

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of Sale

be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: Trileaf Corp, Benjamin Allen, b.allen@trileaf.com, phone: 678-653-8673, 1395 South Marietta Parkway, Building 400, Suite 209, Marietta, GA 30067. 152479

The object or purpose for which the bonds are authorized is the payment of judgments, compromised claims or settled claims resulting from court orders on proceedings brought pursuant to Article Seven of the Real Property Tax Law that are payable in the fiscal year ending February 28, 2026.

Bid forms can be obtained by emailing Jkoutsogiannis@freepo rtschools.org beginning March 27, 2025

The Board of Education of the Freeport UFSD, Town of Hempstead, Freeport, New York 11520 invites the submissions of bids for Greenhouse, Nursery and Landscaping Supplies/Equipment

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE HOME EQUITY ASSET TRUST 2007-2 HOME EQUITY PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-2, Plaintiff, Against ANA M. BERNAL CRIOLLO, CARLOS CRIOLLO, Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 07/19/2017, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 4/22/2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 990 Ardmore Road, Baldwin, New York 11510 And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. Section 36 Block 468-03 Lot 30 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $428,345.24 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 2503/2015

Supreme Court: Nassau County T11 Funding v Nassau Industrial Dry Cleaning Corp. et al. Defts Index 609310/2019. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale filed and entered December 19, 2022, I will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr. Mineola NY 11501 on April 17, 2025 at 3:00 P.M. premises known as School District 9, Section 54, Block 315 Lot 99, Group Lots 99-100 and Lot 101, Group Lots 101-107, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York Sold subject to the terms of sale and filed judgment of foreclosure. Bank Checks Only, must be payable to the Referee for 10% of Bid Price, No Cash Accepted. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Covid-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health and safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction.

Stephen Frommer, Esq., Referee 152261

LEGAL NOTICE

Cellco Partnership and its controlled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) proposes to collocate wireless communications antennas at a top height of 50 feet on a 50-foot building at the approx. vicinity of 1 Education Drive, Garden City, Nassau County, NY 11530. Public comments regarding potential effects from this site on historic properties may

LEGAL NOTICE

The resolution, a summary of which is published herewith, has been adopted on March 24, 2025, and the validity of the obligations authorized by such resolution may be hereafter contested only if such obligations were authorized for an object or purpose for which the Village of Freeport, in the County of Nassau, New York, is not authorized to expend money or if the provisions of law which should have been complied with as of the date of publication of this Notice were not substantially complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty days after the publication of this Notice, or such obligations were authorized in violation of the provisions of the constitution.

Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk BOND RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK, ADOPTED MARCH 24, 2025, AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF TAX

CERTIORARI JUDGMENTS, COMPROMISED CLAIMS AND SETTLED CLAIMS PAYABLE IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 28, 2026, RESULTING FROM COURT ORDERS PURSUANT TO TAX CERTIORARI PROCEEDINGS

BROUGHT UNDER ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW, STATING THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST THEREOF IS $813,750, APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT FOR SUCH PURPOSE, AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $813,750 BONDS OF SAID VILLAGE TO FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION

The period of probable usefulness is a minimum five (5) years and maximum twenty (20) years, dependent on the total amount of tax certiorari claims paid in a single fiscal year. The maximum amount of obligations authorized to be issued is $813,750.

A complete copy of the Bond Resolution summarized above shall be available for public inspection during normal business hours at the office of the Village Clerk, Village of Freeport, Village Hall, 46 N. Ocean Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. Dated: March 24, 2025 Freeport, New York 152475

LEGAL NOTICE

FREEPORT UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT FREEPORT, NY

INVITATION TO BID 2025/2026

Greenhouse, Nursery and Landscaping Supplies/Equipment Cooperative Bid Director: Kevin Randazzo Freeport UFSD 235 N. Ocean Ave. Freeport, NY 11520 Office – 516-867-5222 Fax – 516-867-8962 Nassau County Directors of School Facilities Purchasing Consortium

The terms and conditions of the contract or contracts awarded under this cooperative bid shall be extended to and made available for procurement by other Nassau County school districts which are or become members of the Nassau County Directors of School Facilities Purchasing Consortium, during the term of the awarded contract(s), in accordance with General Municipal Law Article 5-G and Section 103, Subdivision 16. Bid Opening: Thursday April 10, 2025 10:00 am Freeport Schools Administration Building 235 N. Ocean Avenue Freeport, NY 11520 Large Board Room

COOPERATIVE BID for the 2025/2026 school year.

Sealed bids for the contract will be received until the above stated hour of prevailing time and date in a sealed envelope addressed to: Mr. Kevin Randazzo, Director of Facilities Freeport Union Free School District 235 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520

RE: Greenhouse, Nursery and Landscaping Supplies/Equipment 2025/2026

At which time and place bids will be publicly opened. 152481

LEGAL NOTICE BOARD OF EDUCATION FREEPORT UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT 235 NORTH OCEAN AVENUE FREEPORT, NEW YORK 11520

On behalf of the Nassau County Directors of School Facilities Purchasing Consortium, a cooperative of school districts in Nassau County, the Board of Education of the Freeport Union Free School District (the “District”) requests sealed bids from reputable and qualified bidders for the provision of labor, materials and services for emergency generator repair.

BID# 25/26

CONTRACT FOR: EMERGENCY GENERATOR SERVICE & REPAIR COOPERATIVE BID

Bid Opening: Thursday, April 10, 2025 @ 10:30 If interested in bid forms, please email jkoutsogiannis@freepor tschools.org beginning March 27, 2025

This is a cooperative bid. Baldwin UFSD; Bellmore UFSD; Bellmore-Merrick CHSD; Bethpage UFSD; Carle Place UFSD; East Meadow UFSD; East Rockaway UFSD; East Williston UFSD;

Elmont UFSD; Floral Park -Bellerose UFSD; Freeport UFSD; Garden City UFSD; Glen Cove CSD; Great Neck UFSD; Hempstead UFSD; Herricks UFSD; Hewlett-Woodmere UFSD; Hicksville UFSD; Island Trees UFSD; Jericho UFSD; Levittown UFSD; Locust Valley CSD; Long Beach CSD; Lynbrook UFSD; Manhasset UFSD; Massapequa UFSD; Merrick UFSD; Mineola UFSD; New Hyde Park-Garden City Park UFSD; North Bellmore; North Merrick UFSD; North Shore CSD; Oceanside UFSD; Plainedge UFSD; Plainview-Old Bethpage CSD; Port Washington UFSD; Rockville Center UFSD; Roosevelt UFSF; Seaford UFSD; Syosset CSD; Uniondale UFSD; Valley Stream CHS; Valley Stream UFSD #13; Valley StreamUFSD#24; Valley Stream UFSD#30;Wantagh UFSD; West Hempstead; Westbury UFSD; (collectively referred to as the “Cooperative” or ”member Districts”). The purpose of this bid is to obtain fixed pricing for the work listed in these specifications. The district will evaluate the bids in accordance with the bid specifications and recommend a successful bidder to the members of the Cooperative. Each member Board of Education will award a contract to the lowest responsible bidder(s) in the best interests of its school district. The inclusion of a school district on the list of participants in the Cooperative shall not be construed as obligating or require that any school district in any way utilize this bid. All participating school districts are free to use any bidding or contractual course available to procure a particular service or product. The pricing established by the contract shall be used by the individual members of the Cooperative for purposes of making purchases of the items listed herein. Although this bid is issued, evaluated and awarded at the request of the participating school districts, the individual members of the cooperatives shall issue

their own purchase orders to the successful bidder in accordance with the bid provisions and the schedule of award. The Cooperative reserves the right to award separate purchase contracts to multiple bidders. 152480

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2007-WFHE3, ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-WFHE3, -againstNELSON BONILLA, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on November 9, 2016, wherein U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2007-WFHE3, ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-WFHE3 is the Plaintiff and NELSON BONILLA, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on April 29, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 2 SPORTSMAN AVENUE, FREEPORT, NY 11520; and the following tax map identification: 62-78-11.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 017757/2011. Scott H. Siller, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure

sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 152427

LEGAL NOTICE REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., Plaintiff - against - ARMANDO VENTURA A/K/A ARMANDO A. VENTURA, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on September 30, 2024. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on the 24th day of April, 2025 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Premises known as 67 Mount Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. (Section: 55, Block: 233, Lots: 209 and 210) Approximate amount of lien $778,953.35 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 608163/2019. John G. Kennedy, Esq., Referee. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

Dated: January 21, 2025

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are

Public Notices

also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.

152369

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BAC HOME LOANS

SERVICING, LP FKA COUNTRYWIDE HOME

LOANS SERVICING, LP, Plaintiff -against- FEDIE R. REDD, et al

Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated January 25, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 29, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at the corner formed by the intersection of the Southerly side of Cedar St. with the Easterly side of Westside Avenue; being a plot 100 feet by 50 feet by 100 feet by 50 feet. Section: 62 Block: 149 Lot: 452

Said premises known as 173 CEDAR STREET, FREEPORT, NY 11520

Approximate amount of lien $549,313.36 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Index Number 007276/2013.

JEFFREY TOBACK, ESQ., Referee

David A. Gallo & Associates LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 47 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhasset, NY 11030

File# 8150.324

{* FREEPORT LEADER*} 152367

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. JACOB POST INC., et al, Defts. Index #609725/2024.

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Feb. 27, 2025, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 29, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. premises k/a Section 62, Block 92, Lot(s) 328-300, 461. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. The foreclosure sale will be held “rain or shine.” GEORGIA PAPAZIS, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY 11021. #102171 152399

New York.

Approximate Amount of Judgment is $530,475.40 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 000879/2016.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Andrew K Preston, Esq., Referee File # SPSNY448 152417

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

NASSAU COUNTY U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR BEAR STEARNS ASSET BACKED SECURITIES I TRUST 2007-HE2, ASSET

BACKEDCERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-HE2, Plaintiff against NINA DEMOSTHENES, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered November 25, 2019, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM. Premises known as 915 Van Buren Street, Baldwin, NY 11510.

Sec 54 Block 386 Lot 7.

All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being at Baldwin, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of

YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, on May 7, 2025, at 9:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, why the account of Nassau County Public Administrator, a summary of which has been served herewith, as Administrator of the estate of Marilyn Klatt, should not be judicially settled.

[X] Further relief sought (if any):

1. Releasing and discharging the Petitioner from all liability, responsibility and accountability as to all matters set forth in the account of proceedings;

2. Allowing the commissions of the Petitioner in the amount of $ 8,701.44 pursuant to SCPA 2307(1) and the reasonable and necessary expenses of the office in the amount of $ 1,925.36 pursuant to SCPA 1207(4);

LEGAL NOTICE

SURROGATE’S COURT, NASSAU COUNTY CITATION

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent TO: Grassi Advisory Group, Inc. New York State Office of the Attorney General Jasper Surety

Donald Klatt

Terri Willis

William Klatt

Tamara Stowe any and all unknown persons whose names or parts of whose names and whose place or places of residence are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained, distributees, heirs-atlaw and next-of-kin of the said Marilyn Klatt, deceased, and if any of the said distributees named specifically or as a class be dead, their legal representatives, their husbands or wives, if any, distributees and successors in interest whose names and/or places of residence and post office addresses are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained

A petition having been duly filed by the Nassau County Public Administrator, who is domiciled at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501.

HERALD SchoolS

Roosevelt High School students

with New York State Senator Siela Bynoe.

RUFSD kids take part in

the Albany youth summit

Roosevelt High School students recently stepped into the world of government, participating in the Albany Youth Summit for an immersive experience in civic engagement.

3. Fixing and determining the attorney’s fees and disbursements of Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC attorney for petitioner in the amount of $ 40,500.00 as and for legal fees and disbursements, of which $ 5,500.00 has been paid and $ 35,000.00 is unpaid;

4. Fixing and determining the accounting fees of Grassi Advisory Group, Inc. in the amount of $ 6,800.00 of which $ 800.00 has been paid and $ 6,000.00 is unpaid;

5. Releasing and discharging the surety;

6. Directing each of you claiming to be a distributee of the Decedent to establish proof of your kinship, and show cause why the balance of said funds should not be paid to said alleged distributees upon proof of kinship or deposited with the New York State Comptroller on account for the unknown next of kin of Marilyn Klatt, decedent, should said alleged distributees default herein or fail to establish proof of kinship;

7. Granting such other and further relief as to the Court is just and proper. Dated, Attested, and Sealed, March 17, 2025

The event offered students a unique opportunity to interact with elected officials, explore the workings of state government, and connect with peers interested in political leadership.

“The Albany Youth Summit provided an unforgettable chance for our students to step out of the classroom and see firsthand how our government operates,” said Superintendent of Schools Shawn Wightman. “We are so proud of our students for representing Roosevelt with pride and showing an enthusiasm for political engagement. We thank our dedicated ENL teacher and department coordinator Mr. Flores for organizing this amazing opportunity for our stu -

dents.”

A highlight of the summit was meeting New York State Senator Bynoe, who shared insights into her political journey and discussed leadership, public service, and civic responsibility.

She also led students on a guided tour of the Senate Chamber, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative process.

With plans to return next year, the Roosevelt School District hopes to provide more students with the opportunity to engage with government leaders and explore future careers in politics.

For more information about the Roosevelt Union Free School District, visit www.rooseveltufsd.org or follow the district on Facebook at facebook. com/RooseveltUFSD.

(Seal)

HON. HON.

MARGARET C. REILLY Surrogate

Courtesy Roosevelt School District
recently attended the Albany Youth Summit and met

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MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16.50 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $34,320 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $34,320 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS

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

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Hebrew Academy of Long Beach seeks educators to join our exceptional school faculty in fostering a culture of academic exploration and excellence and dedication to spiritual, intellectual, and personal growth of all students. We are currently looking for candidates in the following divisions:

Lev Chana Early Childhood:

• Early Childhood Assistant Teachers

• Early Childhood Head Teachers

HALB Elementary School:

• Middle School Language Arts Teacher

• Elementary School Assistant Teachers

DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys:

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• Science Teacher

• STEM Teacher

• Math Teacher

• Resource Room Teacher

To learn more about our school community, please visit www.halb.org. We look forward to hearing from you! Please send resumes or inquiries to resumes@halb.org.

The permit is taking forever, Part 2

Q. I’m waiting months for a permit and they keep asking for added notes and plan changes, but not all at once. It’s a complete runaround. Why is this happening? My business is losing money and I’m losing patience.

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A. Continuing from two weeks ago, people often have unrealistic expectations of the review process. When plans are submitted, the process begins with assigning an application designation. Many departments have a large backlog of applications, which means that they will often get to yours in the order it came in. There are the applications that jump ahead of the line for various reasons, from medical emergencies to fire repair, decisions made by economic development criteria from higher up the government chain, etc.

I’m often asked about who the client can talk to in order to speed things up. This sends a message to me that the whole review process is about to slow down even more. From experience, I reply that the applicant can “try whatever method they want, but be careful.” If someone actually does skip the line, I am aware that it may backfire, because pressuring plan reviewers can sometimes lead to delays and friction when the reviewer kicks the plans back with objections that make the owner insist that the “architect should have known this.”

Objections may seem purposeful, but because they’re legitimate, the application is on hold, and takes pressure off the reviewer. Pressuring the reviewers is not recommended. Architects are burdened enough with never knowing whether they should add all kinds of notes to the plans, or when to keep things simpler. For example, some reviewers want reprints of building code sections on the plans, only to find that another reviewer wants those same notes removed from the plans, causing further delays, to put the researched code notes on plans, and then delays in revising plans afterward. It’s a lose/lose situation guaranteed to cause further delay, but “that’s the way it is.”

There are also delays caused by the fact that your approval process may involve your local jurisdiction, separate review by the fire marshal’s office at the county level, review by the engineering department of your local government and possibly the county department of public works if the property in question is on a county roadway. You may also be asking for something proposed to occupy the building that requires a “change of use” approval, with a zoning case that may add months and even years to the process.

I recently walked with a dentist up and down a commercial district street, and we looked in the windows of three locations the dentist was interested in. Placards on the windows showed announcements for zoning hearings from two to four years ago. All of the businesses were still empty. What does that possibly tell you? There may be inadequate parking or drainage issues, previous open permits not resolved, etc. The process isn’t simple, and you must be prepared for the course it may take. Good luck!

© 2025 Monte Leeper

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The LOCAL Act: a lifeline for L.I.’s small businesses

small businesses are the backbone of Long Island, fueling local economies and creating jobs.

But despite their vital role in empowering Long Islanders and enhancing local main streets, small businesses are struggling. Countless mom-and-pop shops are still reeling from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, and small-business owners are grappling with inflation and facing fierce competition from corporate giants with massive marketing budgets.

Last month I took a major step to support Long Island’s small-business community by introducing the Lift Our Communities, Advertise Locally, or LOCAL, Act in the State Senate. The LOCAL Act, which was also introduced in the Assembly by member Jen Luns-

ford, would establish a tax credit for small businesses to promote their goods, products and services in local media outlets, from print and digital to television and radio.

The goal of the LOCAL Act is simple yet powerful: to help small businesses stretch their marketing dollars while connecting with their most important audience, their neighbors.

iThe LOCAL Act would level the playing field for Long Island’s small businesses by making marketing more affordable. It would also support local news outlets, which provide the journalism our communities rely on but that are struggling to stay afloat. As advertising revenue shrinks, more newsrooms are being forced to cut staff or shut down altogether, leaving neighborhoods without the local reporting they count on. The LOCAL Act directly addresses this issue head-on by encouraging small businesses to invest in these news outlets, providing a mutually beneficial lifeline for economic

growth.

t would level the playing field for them by making marketing more affordable.

When small businesses thrive, so do their communities. The LOCAL Act would focus on supporting any business with 10 or fewer employees as well as minority-, woman- and veteran-owned businesses of any size. For many owners of these businesses, the ability to advertise affordably in trusted, community-driven platforms like local newspapers would be a gamechanger. Local media outlets are well positioned to connect businesses with their neighbors and loyal customers who are eager to shop locally and uplift their communities.

Small businesses do more than drive economic growth — they strengthen the neighborhoods they serve, sponsor local initiatives and reflect the cultural identity of their communities. For this reason, The LOCAL Act has already garnered strong support from business groups across Long Island and the state, including the Long Island Association,

the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business and the thousands of small businesses each organization represents, as well as the more than 200 newspapers that make up the Empire State Local News Coalition. This is a testament to the urgency and importance of this legislation.

The LOCAL Act is a clear benefit for all New Yorkers. It’s a chance to make sure every dollar invested in marketing can help Long Island foster a vibrant economic environment where small businesses can grow and communities can prosper.

State legislators have a real chance to invest in solutions that make a difference for businesses and local economies across New York this year. By working alongside the Long Island business and local news community to pass this transformative bill, we will empower small businesses, uplift local journalism and create stronger, more vibrant communities for generations to come.

Monica Martinez represents the 4th State Senate District.

We must protect our immigrants

The current threat of deportation for many of Long Island’s immigrants is unjust, unwise and cruel. Members of Pax Christi Long Island, representing the Catholic peace movement, urge our community to recognize the long tradition of Catholic social teaching that guides us to the command of Jesus in Matthew 25 that we “welcome the stranger.”

As a devout Jew, Jesus knew well the command of Leviticus 19:33-34: “When an alien resides with you in your land, do not mistreat such a one. You shall treat the alien who resides with you no different than the natives born among you …”

Catholic bishops:

Our belief in the dignity of the human person demands that we treat immigrants with respect and recognize their great contributions. But our nation imposes quotas and bureaucracies that make legal immigration overwhelmingly difficult, and brands those who flee their troubled homelands as “illegals.”

At this time, our nation seems to be both shunning and relying on immigrants. As a new surge of poisonous nativism creates fear among the immigrant communities, Pope Francis has spoken clearly in a letter to American

“I have followed closely the major crisis that is taking place in the United States with the initiation of a program of mass deportations. The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality. At the same time, one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival. That said, the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness. . . . The true common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all — as I have affirmed on numerous occasions — welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.”

As Long Island residents, we have deep connections with the immigrant community. They are family members, friends, classmates, neighbors and coworkers. Our decades of experience show that most immigrants are hardworking and law-abiding. The Immigration Research Institute reports that immigrants account for 22 percent of Long Island’s economic output. Across New York state, undocumented immigrants contribute $1.1 billion in state and local taxes.

We value and respect local law enforcement officers. We remind them that enforcing federal policy on immigrants is the responsibility of the federal government. We urge local law enforcement to refrain from collaboration with federal immigration agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, unless a person is detained because of a criminal act or has a criminal record. We also remind local law enforcement that:

ship have always been respected as places of refuge. No law enforcement agency should be allowed to violate those spaces without probable cause.

■ People reporting crimes should not be forced to prove their identity before they are helped. This is especially true in cases of domestic violence.

■ Minors should not be intimidated or questioned unnecessarily; rather, they should be protected.

Pax Christi Long Island stands with our immigrant community because it’s the right thing to do. We acknowledge their sizable contribution to the health and welfare of Long Island. We ask all Long Islanders to embrace and protect them nonviolently from injustice and abuse. We hope to remain true to our religious tradition and the universal standard of decency, by treating all people the way we would like to be treated.

■ No one can enter a private dwelling unless they have a warrant signed by a judge. An administrative order signed by ICE does not meet legal criteria for entering a private dwelling.

■ Hospitals, schools, and places of wor-

Pax Christi Long Island members Sister Mary Beth Moore and Sister Evelyn Lamoureux are Catholic nuns who have worked with immigrants for decades. Pax Christi Long Island can be contacted at catholic peaceli@gmail.com.

opinionS

Protecting New Yorkers from drugged drivers

new York is one of only four states in the nation with an archaic law that stands in the way of prosecuting drugged drivers. It doesn’t permit drugged driving charges unless the drug is on a statutory list of controlled substances, no matter how impaired the driver is. Law enforcement officers must identify the drug before they can test the driver, and if it’s not on the list, they can’t charge the driver with DUI. As a result, drivers are sometimes not held accountable for endangering innocent lives. It is vital that this law be changed to close this loophole, so that law enforcement can make our roads safer by charging drivers who are under the influence of any impairing drug. In 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that New York eliminate the restrictive controlled-substance list.

With new synthetic drugs continually emerging, relying on a list is futile — especially since some of the most devastating vehicular accidents have involved individuals who were dangerously impaired by a mixture of drugs,

Amaking it difficult to precisely identify them. It’s important to note that when a driver is charged with DWI, the type of alcohol doesn’t need to be identified. It should be the same way with drugs.

I am a cosponsor of the Deadly Driving Bill (A.3981), I strongly advocate passing it right away, and I also support the governor’s drugged-driving budget proposal. It is paramount that we close this dangerous loophole in order to protect drivers and passengers across the state by getting dangerously impaired people off the road.

The Deadly Driving Bill would close a dangerous loophole in state law.

I commend the wide coalition of traffic safety advocates, public health organizations, criminal justice professionals, businesses and organizations that are working collaboratively to champion passage of this law. This has been a 17-year-long mission for Maureen McCormick, special assistant district attorney for legislative initiatives in Suffolk County, as well as for a growing list of Long Island families that have lost loved ones, the Coalition to Protect New Yorkers from Drugged Driving, the state District Attorneys Association and more than 40 other organizations.

My heart breaks for families that have experienced the devastating loss

of loved ones, and those who are caring for family members with traumatic injuries. They have courageously shared their stories about their daughters, sons, mothers and fathers, conveying their immense loss in an effort to ensure that no other families feels the pain they have suffered. It’s astonishing that opposition to this bill remains.

In some states, there have been false claims of arrests for coffee, aspirin, or food allergies or additives. I can understand the concern about ensuring that laws are enforced equitably, and not used to target people based on race, but five years of drugged-driving arrest data by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service revealed that roughly 70 to 75 percent of those arrested were white, 11 to 14 percent were Black and 9 to 11 percent were Hispanic. If this law goes into effect, this data should continue to be tracked to ensure racial equity.

Here are some illuminating statistics reported by Newsday:

■ About 41 percent of the 695 traffic fatalities in Suffolk County from 2019 to 2023 involved “substance-related” drivers, and about 35 percent in Nassau. Both counties are higher than the state-

wide rate of 31 percent. Nassau County’s traffic fatality rate, 4.8 deaths per 100,000 population, was slightly lower than the statewide average. The Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research defines “substance-related” crashes as involving alcohol, illegal drugs and/or prescription medication, as recorded in police crash reports, tickets, and alcohol test and/or drug tests. (Testing positive for drugs or alcohol does not necessarily indicate impairment.)

■ In New York, there was a 24 percent increase in roadway fatalities between 2018 and 2022, a 15 percent increase in fatalities involving drivers who had been drinking, and a 35 percent increase in drug-related driving fatalities.

■ Between 2018 and 2022, the number of drivers refusing to take chemical tests doubled, from 11 to 22 percent. Drivers can refuse the test, unless a crash involves a serious injury or death.

■ Between 2013 and 2022, there was an 87 percent increase in the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for at least one drug on the Public Health Law list. This number does not include drugs that are not on the list, or drivers who were not subjected to testing.

Judy Griffin represents the 21st Assembly District.

Some thoughts on books, privilege and girlhood

s an avid reader, I’ve always had a fond place in my heart for historical fiction and period pieces, but I enjoy exploring a number of genres. Toward the end of 2024 and so far this year, I’ve found myself gravitating toward women-centric contemporary fiction and comingof-age novels, which would normally imply that they feature teenagers or young-adult characters and themes, but I think their impact is broader. We’re constantly changing and growing, and whether we come to realizations about life at 15 or 55, they impact our sense of self.

I’ve often said that the best writers are also the best readers, and as a young woman navigating the craziness of life, I’ve found comfort in books that showcase both the hardships, and the joys, of girlhood. There is so much pressure these days to adhere to societal standards — which can vary so greatly depending on whom you’re talking to — and not enough conversations about

what’s actually important to modern, up-and-coming women. Everything we want for ourselves, and every decision we make, is so important.

fort in knowing that the struggles of young women aren’t unique to our culture, but rather, are shared by many.

SMarch is Women’s History Month, and I considered just rattling off a number of my favorite empowering reads, but I realized I could never narrow down the list. So instead I’m switching gears, and homing in on a recent read of mine, the young adult novel “Firekeeper’s Daughter,” by Angeline Boulley.

This was my first exposure to Native American literature. The book’s protagonist, Daunis Fontaine, is a biracial high school senior who lives in a mostly indigenous community near an Ojibwe reservation in Northern Michigan. The Ojibwe are a large Native group in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. and Canada. While the book is largely about a drug-related scandal that wreaks havoc in Fontaine’s Native community, it also conveys so many important undertones relating to her culture and womanhood. Full of twists and turns, it kept me on my toes, and left me with an understanding of a culture I wasn’t familiar with and a sense of com-

ome days, it’s so hard to be a woman that I wonder if we’re heading backward.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve thought a lot about the concept of privilege because of another book, “Difference Matters,” by Brenda J. Allen, which I read for a class I’m taking through Stony Brook University. Allen crafts meaningful observations about various social groups, and effectively communicates why and how our differences matter in fascinating ways. She defines privilege as “unacknowledged entitlement that one receives,” and in a series of exercises, she encourages readers to think about the things in their lives that have given them privilege.

I’ll be the first to admit that some days, it is so hard to be a woman. The negative rhetoric, and the legal moves that are stripping women in the United States of rights they previously had, sometimes make me wonder if we’re heading backward. Despite those doubts, I am also so proud to be a woman — one with a voice, and drive, and dreams that I know I will work hard to achieve.

Daunis Fontaine has a voice, drive, and dreams, too. As do Rocky, the middle-aged, comical protagonist in Catherine Newman’s novel “Sandwich”; Caroline Ferriday, a real person whose story is told in Martha Hall Kelly’s “Lilac Girls”; and Isabelle Rossignol, a young woman who is part of the French resistance in World War II in Kristin Hannah’s work of historical fiction, “The Nightingale.”

I’ve listed a few additional reads of mine to make this point: I am so privileged to have had access to these works — to read and think about things with free will — and to be able take the time to ponder what they mean to me, and hopefully to other women, too.

The weight of girlhood is heavy, but so is its strength. Reading these stories has reinforced what I’ve always known to be true — that women’s voices, whether in fiction or in real life, hold immense power. The privilege of having access to these narratives is one I don’t take lightly, and as I continue to learn and grow, I hope to carry that same power into the spaces I occupy. Because every woman’s story deserves to be told, and more important, heard.

Jordan Vallone is a senior editor of the Herald Community Newspapers. Comments? jvallone@liherald.com.

JUDY GRiFFin
JoRDAn VALLonE

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History should not be a political casualty

recent actions by the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies to remove web pages highlighting the contributions of Black, Hispanic and female veterans raise a critical question: Are we confusing history with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives? And more important, what does the loss of historical information mean for present and future generations?

The removal of these pages from Arlington National Cemetery’s website, along with thousands of other web pages across government platforms, was carried out to comply with an executive order issued by President Trump.

The order, which aimed to eliminate DEI initiatives in federal programs, mandated that any DEI-related content published between Jan. 20, 2021, and Jan. 19 of this year be either archived or removed. As a result, significant historical records, including those recognizing the sacrifices and achievements of marginalized groups in the U.S. military, have been erased from public view.

The decision reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the distinction between diversity efforts and historical documentation. DEI initiatives are designed to promote fairness, representation and opportunity for marginalized communities. History, on the other hand, is an objective record of the past — one that cannot be rewritten or selec-

letters

tively deleted without serious consequences for society as a whole.

When we remove historical information under the guise of eliminating DEI, we are erasing the stories and experiences that have shaped the nation. The contributions of African American soldiers who fought in segregated units during World War II, the bravery of Hispanic servicemen in the Korean War, and the pioneering achievements of female military officers are not “DEI content.” They are part of the fabric of American history.

By erasing these stories from public platforms, we are denying future generations the opportunity to learn from the struggles and triumphs of those who came before them. We are also depriving historically marginalized communities of the recognition and respect they deserve. History gives us a deeper understanding of our nation’s progress — and its failures. Without it, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past and failing to appreciate the diversity and resilience that define America.

The removal of content highlighting the contributions of marginalized groups does not end DEI; it merely attempts to silence the voices of those who have long fought for recognition and equality in our society. The effort to scrub this content from government websites sets a dangerous precedent. It suggests that historical facts can be elimi-

Our representatives must stand up for Medicaid funding

To the Editor:

On March 7, hundreds gathered at the State Office Building in Hauppauge to advocate for a 7.8 percent targeted increase in Medicaid rates for disability services to address rising costs, ensure fair pay for staff, and stabilize the care system for people with disabilities.

As a father of an adult child with disabilities who relies on Medicaid-supported services, I feel an overwhelming responsibility to advocate for the protection and support of staff, whose roles are crucial in caring for those with disabilities. These significant issues have profound personal and far-reaching effects for families like mine.

For over 25 years, my son Bobby has received exceptional care from the Developmental Disabilities Institute in Smithtown. The dedication and compassion of their staff have greatly enriched his life, helping him accomplish daily tasks. Their work is more than just a job; it is a calling driven by empathy and a commitment to improving lives. These critical services deserve fair compensation and job security.

In addition, the proposed hundreds of billion of dollars in cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental

nated or hidden when they become politically inconvenient. That isn’t the behavior of a free and democratic society.

The loss of historical information has far-reaching implications. For educators and students, online resources serve as vital tools for teaching American history. For researchers and historians, they provide access to primary sources and documentation that help us understand the evolution of social and political movements.

Restoring the content that was removed from Arlington National Cemetery’s website and other federal platforms isn’t just about complying with government policy — it’s about protecting the truth. Historical documentation must be treated as sacred, separate from politics or ideological battles. Federal agencies must prioritize the preservation of historical records, regardless of whether those stories align with the current political environment. Educational institutions, historians and advocacy groups must also work to archive and share information through independent platforms to ensure that those stories are not lost forever.

In a democracy, history belongs to the people — all the people. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard that history, not erase it. Without an honest and complete understanding of our past, we cannot hope to build a more just and equitable future.

Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are deeply troubling. These programs serve as lifelines, supporting people like my son and often the staff caring for him and his peers, many of whom seek supplemental food support

because of their low-wage status. Cutting funds for these programs is more than an economic decision; it is a moral one that will have devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.

opinions Preparing for real work, not just a job

as high school seniors and others contemplate their college plans, it is timely to remind them about the purpose of higher education. This is especially true at a time when there are those who question the value of universities and focus on vocational rather than on advanced education. Critics also tend to focus on the means for learning rather than on its purpose.

roBert a . sCott

A college education is much more than job prep. It is as much about character development and preparation for civic engagement as it is about preparing for a career. Too many people focus on immediate job placement instead of preparing for a life with the potential for multiple careers.

As Bill Gates once said, jobs are eliminated, but “work” — opportunities for solving problems — expands. So how best can students prepare for a future in which they see themselves as problem-solvers in constantly evolving work settings? That’s the role of colleges and universities.

In 1900, farm employment accounted for nearly 40 percent of all jobs. Today it’s about 10 percent. Technology and new management techniques are the

difference. At the end of World War II, service industries accounted for 10 percent of nonfarm employment, compared with 38 percent for manufacturing. Since the 1970s, the American economy has moved away from producing goods to providing services, and the service sector has accounted for an increasing proportion of jobs and workers.

CThe work necessary for sustainable, civil communities will continue to expand. Technological tools are increasingly available, but create ethical challenges and require educated judgment. AI should be used as a tool, not as a crutch or a substitute for thinking. Work requires information verification, not just data gathering. AI will eliminate jobs, and those graduating from colleges and universities must be prepared for this new world of employment options.

ing a civilization compatible with its inhabitants’ aspirations and the limitations of the natural environment; teach students to appreciate other cultures; and apply theory to practical problems.

ollege is as much about character development as it is about career prep.

Colleges seek to help students’ transformation into productive citizens and professionals. Cooperative education, internships and service learning all reinforce classroom learning. Students gain the confidence to formulate ideas, take initiative, increase their ability to reason in different modes, solve problems, and develop communication and computational skills as well as imagination, the ability to consider ideas from different angles through exposure to the arts, literature and other cultures.

■ Graduates have lower unemployment rates than those with only a high school diploma. They also report higher job satisfaction and better career prospects.

■ Most graduates view their college education as a good investment.

We know the skills and abilities that organizations want in employees. Beyond technological know-how, they want people who can learn to analyze problems and create ethical solutions — i.e., add value and perform — without AI support. These are the skills and abilities necessary for all work, from corporate to public service to community-based jobs.

The purpose of a college education is to help students advance their knowledge, both general and expert; skills such as writing and speaking; abilities such as analysis and leadership; and values such as respect for others and teamwork. This includes the ability to understand the choices that await them as citizens, consumers, decision-makers, and arbiters of ethical alternatives. The purpose is also is to inspire students to contemplate the meaning of life; help them become capable of build-

Letters

I urge our local congressional representatives, including Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino, to oppose these cuts. I encourage them to advocate for sustainable funding that prioritizes the well-being of those who depend on these critical support services. An investment now will secure the present and safeguard the future for people like my son.

Board of Directors chair Developmental Disabilities Institute Wantagh

Why is all that opioid money sitting idle?

To the editor:

Nassau County has received $95.5 million from New York state for opioid treatment and awareness, part of the opioid lawsuit settlement. of that amount, $39.5 million has been awarded. h owever, awarded does not mean spent. In reality, the county has only spent $3 million of that

$95.5 million.

Meanwhile, 210 residents died of overdoses in 2023. data for 2024 has not yet been released.

To make matters worse, County e xecutive Bruce Blakeman has been publicly highlighting the $39.5 million in awarded funds — an impressive figure on its face — while omitting the far less impressive $3 million that has actually been spent.

This lackadaisical approach to deploying lifesaving resources is not only negligent and callous, but also appears to be financially motivated. Since receiving the funds, Nassau County has accrued millions in interest from the unspent balance sitting idle on its books. What does it say about our county executive that he appears willing to gamble with lives for financial gain? Surely there are more ethical and effective ways to manage the county’s finances — ones that don’t come at the expense of public health. PeTroS KroMMIdAS

They learn how to learn on their own as well as in groups. We hope they will learn to think strategically about their lives, even taking a job so they have a base from which to pursue bigger dreams. We also hope they will develop a sense of humor and can laugh at themselves.

The benefits of college graduation are well known:

■ Possessing a degree provides access to a wider array of opportunities.

■ Certain fields in technology, health care and education require a degree.

Just think of the work to be done in a society: clean, affordable and dependable energy sources; reliable, inexpensive mass transportation and infrastructure; secure information systems; effective schools, health care, and fire and flood protection; safe, nourishing and affordable food; affordable housing; clean water and sanitation; peaceful relations among nations; and equal access to the rule of law.

These and other requirements for a sustainable, civil society represent problems to be identified, analyzed and solved — work to be done.

Dr. Robert A. Scott is president emeritus of Adelphi University and co-author of “Letters to Student: What it Means to be a College Graduate” (Roman & Littlefield, 2024).

Framework by Tim Baker
The seniors win the cup at Rock Rivalry — East Rockaway High School

Thursday, April 10, 2025

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