Baldwin Herald 12-05-2024

Santa Claus came to town

At St. Christopher’s Church, Santa Claus visits church goers and children for the start of the holiday season. Story, additional photos, Page 10.

Town of Hempstead files suit opposing congestion pricing

Local officials urge Gov. Hochul

By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

The Town of Hempstead has filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the state of New York, opposing the revised congestion-pricing plan in Manhattan. The suit comes after several town supervisors and state senators throughout Long Island voiced their objection over the initiative.

Earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul relaunched the congestion-pricing program, requiring operators of regular passenger vehicles traveling south of 60th Street in Manhattan to pay a one-day $9 charge. This marked a 40 per-

to

cancel tolling initiative

cent drop from the initial cost of $15 before the plan was paused in June, after state officials voiced concerns over the financial burden the initiative would impose on commuters.

On Nov. 18, the MTA board approved the revised plan, which is set to take effect on Jan. 5.

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin said the lawsuit, filed in the Nassau County Supreme Court on Nov. 21, states that Gov. Hochul and the MTA “circumvented procedural requirements that enable residents to speak and be heard,” referring to the legally required 45-day comment period.

According to Town of Hempstead attorney

Karen Rochester recovers from transplant scare Heart failure survivor tells her story

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

For nearly 30 years, 58-yearold Karen Rochester, of Baldwin, has been fighting a lifethreatening heart condition, diagnosed after the birth of her first son, Jahlani, when she was 28. She developed post-partum cardiomyopathy, a rare form of heart failure triggered by pregnancy.

Eventually, the former nurse said, her condition improved, with the help of medication, and she was under the impression that she had recovered. Last year, however, she had a major scare, beginning with the symptoms of a stomach virus accompanied by intense indigestion and cramping.

While at home in August 2023, Rochester experienced respiratory distress and difficulty standing. She called 911, but when first responders arrived, they told her the symptoms would pass and advised against going to the hospital. But she was convinced that

something was wrong, and was eventually taken to Mount Sinai South Nassau.

The cardiologist in the E.R. performed a scan of her heart, which revealed that the right side of the organ wasn’t functioning, and the left side was functioning at just 5 percent. She was on the verge of death.

“It was very dire, because I thought I was going to die,” Rochester recalled. “It was very scary.” She was transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital, in Manhattan, for more advanced care, and was admitted to the intensive-care unit.

Once she was stabilized, the doctors there, including Dr. Johanna Contreras, an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist, said she needed a heart transplant. Rochester was placed on the transplant list on Sept. 4, 2023, but the situation became more worrisome, complicated by the fact that she has rare type O negative blood, like only 7 percent of the U.S. population. On top of that, she tested positive

Continued on page 2

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Fully recovered, she is now focused on advocacy

for the coronavirus.

“She was dealing with her condition, and on top of that was dealing with Covid-19,” Contreras said. “Patients with cardiomyopathy that get Covid do poorly. So, really, our first initial thought was very concerned, because she had a very significant, advanced cardiomyopathy.”

Depending on where you live, according to the Cleveland Clinic, cardiomyopathy roughly affects as few as 1 in 20,000 women, but as many as 1 in 100 in countries like Haiti and many in Africa.

Nonetheless, just days after she was placed on the transplant list, she was told that there was a heart for her, and she had the surgery on Sept. 7. But her body struggled to adapt. She had complications, and was eventually intubated — placed on a ventilator after being intubated to assist with breathing.

“Going through what I went through, you don’t feel like you’re going to survive,” Rochester recounted. “I started feeling like, wow, did I make a mistake? because it wasn’t until I had the transplant that I felt sick.”

Rochester said she doesn’t remember much of the four months she spent in the ICU, during which she suffered two strokes.

“Every day was like, I didn’t know if she was going to make it,” Contreras said.

over a year after undergoing a heart transplant, Karen rochester, of Baldwin, has fully recovered from complications of the surgery. She had a follow-up appointment with dr. Johanna Contreras, an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist.

Finally, four months after the transplant, Rochester came home, but was still sick and had a weakened immune system, which preventing her from spending the 2023 holiday season with her family.

Now, 15 months after the procedure, she is fully recovered, and as she

reflects on her experience, she is considering becoming an advocate for increased awareness of post-partum cardiomyopathy, a condition that rarely receives attention. She also emphasizes the importance of standing up for yourself when something feels wrong. Contreras agrees.

“There’s a lot of maternal mortality with African American and Hispanic women who have cardiomyopathy but don’t get the care they actually need,” Contreras said. “People don’t realize how sick these patients are.”

Courtesy Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital

Courtesy Karen Rochester Karen rochester and her fiance, freddy Carter, celebrated her one-year heart transplant anniversary.

The best in canine creativity at annual Barkfest

Nassau County’s Eisenhower Park came alive with dogs and spirit on Oct. 26 for the annual “Barkfest.”

A “Barkfest” is a community event where dog owners are invited to dress their pets in Halloween costumes and participate in festivities that often include parades, contests, and social gatherings. These events celebrate the bond between humans and their canine companions, fostering community spirit and providing a platform for local businesses and organizations to engage with residents.

Such events also provide an opportunity for community members to socialize, share in festive activities, and strengthen neighborhood ties. By involving pets, these gatherings tap into the joy and companionship that dogs bring, enhancing the overall community experience.

As Long Island’s largest free pet

costume contest and parade, pooches of all shapes, sizes and breeds came dressed up, for a chance to be named winner.

The event took place at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Field 6 of the park, drawing a great turnout of Nassau County residents, and of course, their dogs.

The event was sponsored by the Nassau SPCA, Long Island’s K98.3 radio, and CSEA Nassau Local 830.

From 1 to 3 p.m., dogs that stopped by were able to linger and meet other friendly faces, and their owners were able to help pets in need, by bringing a pet food donation for local organizations that were at the event with tents.

For more on the work of Nassau County’s SPCA, and upcoming events, visit NassauCountySPCA.org or call (516) 576-2921.

–Jordan Vallone

Mike Monahan/Herald photos

Dogs and their owners lined the field of the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre for Barkfest.

Nassau County’s Barkfest in Eisenhower Park brought pups together from near and far. Darla rocked a police costumer, alongside her owner Rosemarie Sehmied.

Some pups, and their owners, took on a spooky theme. Ani and Mark Keurian from East Meadow, with their pup, Penny.

Cindy and Christian Fonseca took their dog, Bailey, for an out-ofthis-world stroll.

Dogs and their owners lined the field of the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre for Barkfest.

Baldwin Middle School raises $2,000 for families

Baldwin Middle School’s Student Interest Organization, or SIO, advised by Courtney Nelson and Ashley Firmbach, and the National Junior Honor Society, NJHS, led by Laurie Tricamo, recently launched an initiative to kick off the holiday season—Operation Turkey: Baldwin Shares the Harvest.

The collaborative effort was aimed to provide local families with a warm Thanksgiving meal. In less than a month, the middle school raised $2,000 and received five frozen turkeys, all of which were distributed to families before the November break.

A Mission Beyond Meals

Inspired by the district’s focus on civic engagement, Operation Turkey goes beyond just providing “comfort food.” The initiative also teaches students the values of hope, kindness, and community involvement.

To help amplify the effort, the school partnered with Dream Chasers with Kris, Inc.—a Long Island-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping single mothers achieve their dreams.

Students Haley Prabhakar, Synthia Desantos, Jace Bristol, Cerai Ashby, and Sebastian Graham led the initiative. Throughout November, community members, families, students, and staff were encouraged to contribute by completing a pledge form with their donations.

The SIO and NJHS organized the fundraiser in the school’s main office and promoted the effort leading up to the holiday.

A Helping Hand for All Families

Middle school social worker Camela Tufano explained in a news release that not all families have the resources to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey, which is why gift cards to grocery stores or local restaurants are often valuable alternatives. Tufano, who incorporates non-traditional staples like homemade ravioli into her own Ital-

ian family’s Thanksgiving celebrations, noted that many families now celebrate the holiday with a variety of cuisines and customs.

Each year, Tufano and fellow social worker Margaret Lorenz, along with other district social workers, collaborate to identify families most in need of support during the holidays.

A Festive Presentation of Gifts

The culmination of Operation Turkey: Baldwin Shares the Harvest was marked by a presentation, where middle school representatives from the SIO and NJHS presented the monetary donations and frozen turkeys to

the school’s social workers. Baldwin Middle School Principal Erica Taylor organized the event and expressed her appreciation for the students’ hard work.

“This incredible achievement underscores the power of community spirit and the impact we can make when we come together for a common cause,” Taylor stated. “Every donation, regardless of size, is a step toward bringing joy and nourishment to those who need it most. Thanks to these generous gifts, every one of our families can now enjoy an even brighter holiday season.”

— Hernesto Galdamez

A Baker’s Dozen Reasons to Use a Trust

1. Trusts can shield your assets from the high cost of home care making you eligible for home health aides through the Medicaid program.

2. Trusts start the five year “look-back” for institutional care, making you eligible for Medicaid benefits to pay for a nursing home.

3. Trusts can ensure the inheritances you leave will stay in the bloodline for your grandchildren and not end up with in-laws and their families.

4. Trusts can provide who takes over if you become disabled – guaranteeing you get the person you choose instead of a court-appointed legal guardian.

5. Trusts can avoid a will contest from heirs you leave out or ones that receive less than they think they are entitled to.

6. Trusts give you immediate access to assets on death unlike wills which can take months and

sometimes years to probate.

7. Trusts can provide supervision and protection for special needs and other children who have issues with handling financial matters.

8. Trusts can reduce and often eliminate estate taxes for couples with taxable estates.

9. Trusts can avoid guardianship proceedings for gifts made to grandchildren.

10. Trusts can avoid the problems of locating unknown heirs or dealing with heirs abroad.

11. Trusts can move assets out of your estate for income and estate purposes.

12. Trusts can avoid the expense, delay and publicity of a probate court proceeding for your property in New York and out of state.

13. Trusts can protect the inheritances you leave from your children’s divorces, lawsuits and creditors.

Courtesy Baldwin school district

Baldwin Middle School students raised $2,000, which was distributed to families in need before the November break.

Town supervisors voice concerns over pricing

Josh Liebman, the revised tolling program is an entirely new law that should be subjected to a renewed public comment period.

“When a governmental body makes a rule, the public has a specific right to comment on it and to give any objections they have,” Liebman said. “What happened here was a complete rush-job. It’s a new law, and it was done without any kind of public participation whatsoever.”

This is going to have an effect on people who are seeking medical treatment.

Don Clavin Town of Hempstead supervisor

Gordon Tepper, spokesman for Gov. Hochul, said the state cannot comment on pending litigation, but noted that opponents of the tolling initiative have “failed to offer any of their own meaningful solutions” for reducing gridlock, improving emergency vehicle response times and strengthening the city’s transit system.

When the revised plan was given the go-ahead on Nov. 18, Clavin held a news conference at Sand Hill Road Park in Wantagh, condemning the rehashed proposal. Joining him in opposition to the

revised plan were Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico and Congressman Anthony D’Esposito.

Clavin called the tolling initiative “an ill-conceived idea that is nothing more than a money grab,” adding that it would be costly to Long Island commut-

ers traveling to the city.

“This is going to have an effect south of 60th Street to the men and women who teach our kids, the men and women who protect our students, who protect the workforce down there,” Clavin said.

“This is going to have an effect on people who are seeking medical treatment.”

Clavin, along with D’Esposito, said they wrote to president-elect Donald

Trump, urging him to eliminate Hochul’s plan when he returns to the White House in January.

D’Esposito said the MTA has lost millions over the last year from people riding buses and subways without paying. According to the MTA, fare evasion cost the agency nearly $700 million in 2022.

“This is not a group that knows how to manage money,” D’Esposito said of the MTA, “and instead of tightening the reins, instead of finding new leadership, what do they do? They dig into the pockets of the people of New York and New Jersey.”

According to the MTA, congestion pricing would improve quality of life by reducing traffic and improving air quality in the city. In addition, the program is expected to bring in “billions of dollars in funding,” which the MTA stated could improve subways, buses and commuter railroads, on top of supporting around 23,000 jobs throughout the state.

Saladino said addressing traffic congestion and environmental sustainability are goals that he supports but called congestion pricing “an unfair burden on the hard-working residents, commuters and small businesses.”

“Countless New Yorkers who live outside Manhattan see driving into the city not as a luxury, but as a necessity,” Saladino said. “Many rely on these roads to get to their essential jobs, medical appointments and educational opportu-

Curing a rare heart disorder with a short life expectancy.

Performing a life-changing brain surgery without a single incision.

Helping a new mom give birth—and receive a new liver.

At Northwell’s North Shore University Hospital, the nation’s most brilliant minds come here to conquer health care’s greatest challenges. So that whatever comes through our doors: challenge accepted.

North Shore University Hospital

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

town of Hempstead Supervisor don Clavin joined town supervisors acroos Long island at Sand Hill road park in Wantagh on nov. 18, denouncing gov. Kathy Hochul’s congestion-pricing plan.

BALDWIN HERALD — December 5, 2024

HERALD SPORTS

Hofstra hoops showing plenty of promise

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

With a largely new roster this season, fourth-year Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Speedy Claxton was expecting that the beginning of the new season could be a bit of a learning curve. The former standout Hofstra and NBA guard then saw quicker chemistry than he anticipated, providing hope that the 202425 campaign could culminate with a banner.

Hofstra won its first four games to start the new season with many new faces including a 49-48 upset victory against Big East foe Seton Hall at the Nassau Coliseum on Nov. 13. The hot start featured a number of scoring contributions with the Pride also finding ways to win games in a variety of fashions in three straight wins against Iona, Seton Hall and UMass after starting with

a blowout of Division III opponent SUNY Old Westbury.

“Those are three good wins and if you would have told me before the season we would get all three I’d be extremely happy and even if you told me I would only get one I would have been happy,” said Claxton, a former NBA guard who led Hofstra to the NCAA Tournament as a player in 2000. “It shows we can compete with anyone.”

The 4-0 start was followed up by stiff competition at Florida State and then 7th-ranked Houston. The Pride then headed to the Bahamas for three games over the Thanksgiving weekend and knocked off Rice in overtime 68-63 and edged Arkansas State 68-66 on a buzzer beater shot from graduate student forward Michael Graham.

Claxton added six transfers and two freshmen to the roster to go along with six returners from last year’s team that went 20-13 and fell to Long Island rival Stony Brook in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) semifinals.

Sophomore guard Jean Aranguren is one of the newcomers shining early as the team’s leading scorer. The Iona transfer registered a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Hofstra’s 75-71 overtime win at UMass on Nov. 16.

The addition of Big East transfers Cruz Davis (St. John’s) and Jaquan Sanders (Seton Hall) are also paying dividends early on this season. Sanders was clutch in the Seton Hall win against his old team with 10 second half points while Davis tallied 21 in the UMass victory.

“All three of those guys have been playing well,” Claxton said. “I think that is why we have been performing well in the early part of the season.”

Other transfers added to the roster include Graham (Loyola Marymount), senior guard TJ Gadsden (Canisius) and redshirt sophomore guard Eric Parnell (Eastern Florida State). Graham is the team’s fourth leading scorer and recorded 14 in the dramatic Arkansas State win.

The Pride are also getting a leadership boost from returning players Silas Sunday and German Plotnikov, who both

Newcomer Cruz

saw key minutes last season. The 7-1 Sunday provides a big presence in the paint while Plotnikov is a long-range shooting threat who connected on 47.4 percent of his three-pointers last season.

“They’re both benefiting from being here last year and knowing how we do things,” said Claxton of Sunday and Plotnikov.

Hofstra’s December schedule is highlighted by a Sunday afternoon home game against Temple on Dec. 15 starting at noon. It will also serve as Hofstra’s annual Jewish Heritage Day game.

The CAA home schedule gets under-

way on Jan. 2 against William & Mary at 7 p.m. which will honor the 25th anniversary of David S. Mack Arena. Hofstra’s annual winter homecoming game will take place on Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. against Stony Brook.

Hofstra was picked fourth in the CAA Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll behind Towson, defending champion College of Charleston and UNC-Wilimington.

“The conference is always going to be tough with some really good teams and really good coaches,” Claxton said. “It’s not gonna get any easier once we get into conference play”

photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications

Davis popped in 21 points for the Pride in a Nov. 16 victory over UMass.

Sophomore Jean Aranguren is leading Hofstra in scoring in the early going.

Staying safe during the holiday shopping season

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

As the holiday season is now in full swing, the Nassau County Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Patrick Ryder and County Executive Bruce Blakeman, are enhancing safety measures across the county to protect residents.

The police department has intensified patrols in shopping malls and commercial areas, deploying both marked and plainclothes officers. Specialized units such as the Mounted Unit, Bureau of Special Operations, K-9, Emergency Services, and POP officers will support these efforts. Additional patrols will be stationed at major malls during peak hours to ensure a safe shopping environment.

Police will also enforce vehicle and traffic laws, targeting illegal parking in fire lanes, failure to use child safety seats, and texting or driving while intoxicated. Handicapped parking violations will be strictly monitored, with spaces reserved only for vehicles displaying visible permits.

Residents are encouraged to take precautions to ensure their safety both at home and while shopping. Before leaving home, residents should secure their homes residence by engaging alarms and leaving lights on in frequently used rooms to give the appearance of occupancy. Residents are reminded to shop carefully by knowing their destination and route in advance. Shopping with a friend is advised for added safety, and it is helpful to inform someone of your plans, including your route and expected return time. Valuable items should be stored securely out of sight in closets or safes.

When parking, drivers should choose well-lit areas and ensure that all keys, wallets, and other valuables are removed from plain view. Items like laptops, packages, and radar detectors should be secured in the trunk or glove compartment. Lock all doors and note your vehi-

Courtesy Metro

The Nassau County Police Department is enhancing their patrols this holiday season, to ensure a safe shopping experience for all. The department urges people to follow simple precautions in order to ensure their safety and the

cle’s location for a smoother return. Avoid parking near vans or vehicles with concealed cargo areas. To minimize risk, carry only essential items and be vigilant for suspicious activity. Do not exit your car unless you feel safe, and if necessary, drive away.

While shopping, keep money and credit cards in your front pocket and carry only what is necessary. Be cautious at ATMs and cash registers to avoid exposing credit or debit card information, as thieves may use cell phones to capture card details. Stay alert for distractions that could be staged to facilitate theft, as these are common during the holiday season.

When returning to a car, shoppers should avoid carrying an armful of packages. Drivers should have their car key ready to unlock their door, and check for suspicious individuals near your vehicle and in the parking lot

before exiting the store. If you notice loiterers nearby, do not approach your car. Consider carrying a whistle or other audible device, and if you feel threatened, use it. Once inside the car, drives should lock their doors and honk the horn to attract attention if necessary. Always inspect your car’s interior and surroundings before entering. If you plan to return to the store, ensure packages are not left in plain view. Secure them in the trunk or cover them with a blanket or jacket.

The police department urged residents to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings, and wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season. For additional safety concerns, call (516) 573-7138.

Before Leaving Home:

• Secure your home by engaging alarms and leaving lights on in frequently used rooms to give the appearance of occupancy.

• Plan your shopping trip, knowing your destination and route in advance.

• Shop with a friend if possible, as there is safety in numbers.

• Inform someone of your plans, including your route and expected return time.

• Store valuable items securely out of sight in closets or safes.

While Shopping:

• Keep money and credit cards in your front pocket and carry only what you need.

• Be cautious at ATMs and cash registers to avoid exposure of credit or debit card information. Thieves may use cell phones to capture card details.

• Stay alert for distractions that could be staged to facilitate theft.

Reduce Your Cancer Risk by Eating Healthy

Learn to make healthy, low-cost meals through our free online cooking series led by Karla Giboyeaux, a registered dietitian at MSK.

Point your smartphone camera at the QR code and tap the link to find festive recipes for the holidays, including a red meat-free version of Pastelón.

Celebrating Long Island’s Future Leaders: $2,500 Student Sustainability Prize Open for Nominations

By: Maureen Fitzgerald

Reworld™ is searching for Long Island’s next generation of environmental innovators to receive the first-ever 2025 Student Sustainability Champion Award. This prestigious award honors one outstanding student from Nassau County and one from Suffolk, with each winner receiving $2,500 to support their education or future sustainability projects – presented to the student recipients at the upcoming 2025 Herald Sustainability Awards of Long Island.

Nominations are now open, inviting the community to recognize young changemakers under 16 who are making a positive impact. Submissions should highlight the student’s leadership, innovative contributions, and dedication to sustainability. Entries should include a brief description of their achievements and motivation, along with a photo or example of their work—be it a community garden, recycling initiative, or creative environmental solution.

This award is part of the larger 2025 Herald Sustainability Awards of Long Island, presented by Reworld™ and hosted by the LI Herald and RichnerLIVE, which will take place on February 26th at The Heritage Club in Bethpage.

The event will bring together community leaders, advocates, and changemakers who are driving innovative environmental solutions and fostering sustainable tomorrows across Long Island.

Despite Long Island’s environmental challenges —coastal erosion, water quality, and balancing development with conservation—stories of innovation and hope thrive. Local nonprofits restore habitats, educators inspire, and leaders prioritize sustainability. From renewable energy to advanced recycling, these efforts showcase the region’s spirit. With Reworld™ fostering this innovation and community empowerment, they’re driving Long Island toward a greener future.

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“Reworld™ is honored to partner with RichnerLIVE and the Herald to recognize the inspiring efforts of our young changemakers,” said Dawn Harmon, East Region Area Asset Manager at Reworld™. “This initiative aims to empower Long Island’s future leaders and celebrate the innovative strides our community is taking toward sustainability.”

For more information or to submit a student nomination, visit www.richnerlive.com/reworldcontest. Let’s celebrate the bright minds and groundbreaking innovations shaping Long Island’s sustainable future.

Nominate a student under 16 for the Sustainability Champion Award to recognize their efforts in driving sustainable change.

We want to hear about the extraordinary young individuals who are driving change in their communities.

The award will be presented at the 2025 LI Herald Sustainability Awards of Long Island powered by Reworld in February.

Your nomination could inspire countless others to follow in their footsteps!

Submit a nomination of approximately 200 words or less describing the student’s leadership in promoting sustainability: What motivates them? What impact have they had?

Be sure to include a photo or an example of their work—whether it’s a community garden, an environmental campaign, or a creative solution to a sustainability challenge.

What’s up next door and around the corner

Santa visits St. Christopher’s Church

Santa Claus made an appearance at St. Christopher’s Church in Baldwin this weekend, spreading holiday cheer to families from all over the community.

The jolly red man greeted children with open arms for a photoshoot on Dec. 2, where young ones had the chance to share their Christmas wishes and see if they made the nice list.

In addition, the event featured a fun and creative craft station.

— Hernesto Galdamez

Photos by Maureen Lennon/Herald Santa had many children come for a visit.

Cheryl Fields with Jordan Bell as they had some delicious snacks while playing bingo.

Erin Regan with her nephew Charlie enjoyed the festive craft at St. Christopher’s, after having a visit with Santa Claus.

Herald Photographer Maureen Lennon shares her Christmas wish with Santa – a new camera.

Brookside students visit Baldwin High School

Brookside Elementary School second graders recently embarked on a unique excursion to Baldwin High School, where they tackled a series of math challenges.

High school teachers Miguelina Ortiz and Rina Adams, along with their Algebra II Honors class, teamed up with second grade teachers Kristin Maldonado, Lauren Maywald, and Morgan Maus for a Learning2Learn excursion. The students worked together to measure the length of the Baldwin Bruin logo across the high school field.

The collaborations comes after the young mathematicians were inspired after viewing the high school’s new track and field on the district’s website.

“Math activities like this one, that is inquiry based and driven by student curiosity, just makes the learning about measurement that much more meaningful and engaging,” Maywald wrote in a news release.

Students determined the end zone spans 24 meters and the bruin measures 48 meters. Afterwards, students tested their speed by racing high school students in a 20-meter dash.

Courtesy Baldwin school district

Brookside Elementary School students took a trip to Baldwin High School as they determined how long the Baldwin Bruins logo on the football field is.

Including the logo, students measured the end zone.

Every meter counts.

BALDWIN HERALD — December 5, 2024

STEPPING OUT

Five times the charm

Laurie Berkner returns with a rockin’ holiday concert for families

By Alyssa Seidman

The scarcity of sun that marks winter’s return often brings Laurie Berkner back to her musical roots. On cozy winter evenings her family would gather ’round a songbook to recite melodies reminiscent of Christmas and falling snow.

“Music always made me feel safe, happy, and loved, and all those feelings come together around [this] time of year,” Berkner says. “Holiday songs were always something that brought up a lot of really warm feelings for me.”

It’s no surprise, then, that Berkner’s discography includes two bestselling albums about the most wonderful time of the year. Families adore her — she still wears the known as the ‘Queen of Kindie Rock’ — and can tale in her festive originals alongside yuletide classics once again when “The Greatest Holiday Hits Tour” arrives here at the Paramount, on Dec. 15.

Berkner is a veritable dynamo as singer/songwriter, author, lyricist, and founder of Two Tomatoes Records. With more than one billion total streams, over 500 million views on YouTube, and millions of albums, singles and DVDs sold, her songs have become beloved classics for families worldwide.

While working as a children’s music specialist at preschools and day care centers in New York City, she gained an instinctive understanding of kids’ natural rhythms and energy. This enabled her to launch the progressive “kindie rock” movement, a genre that is just as palatable to parents and caregivers.

Berkner has released 16 award-winning albums over the course of her decades-long career. She was the first recording artist to perform in music videos on Noggin — appeared regularly on the network’s “Jack’s Big Music Show” — and helped develop the animated musical preschool series “Sing It, Laurie!” for Sprout TV, now Universal Kids.

Berkner has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the White House, among many prestigious venues. She is regularly lauded by her peers, and has been dubbed “the Adele of the preschool crowd” (The New York Times), “the queen of kids’ music” (People), and “one of the most popular children’s performers in America” (Wall Street Journal).

Holiday hits

This is the fifth time “The Greatest Holiday Hits Tour” will grace The Paramount stage. She first brought her holiday concert to Long Island in 2019, and has delighted kids — and kids at heart — every year since, aside from 2020.

“It feels really great to be able to come back each year and make it feel like a tradition,” Berkner says. “It’s that feeling of coming together and doing something that feels really good, fun, and joyous.

“Mostly what I try to do is hit a lot of people’s favorites and put the songs I can’t get to into a medley for the encore. I’ll also be playing my new song ‘Walking With The Penguins,’ so they’ll

DoLaurie Berkner is ready to share some holiday cheer with her fans — as only she can. Groove along to festive originals alongside yuletide classics at “The Greatest Holiday Hits Tour.

• Sunday, Dec. 15, 11 a.m.

• Tickets start at $20.50; available at LiveNation.com

• A $1 donation to Little Shelter Animal Rescue is included in each ticket

• The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

hear that live for the first time.”

Her concert features original tunes from her popular holiday albums, “A Laurie Berkner Christmas” and “Another Laurie Berkner Christmas.” She’ll also play treasured holiday classics like “Deck the Halls,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Jingle Bells,” and more.

Of course Berkner’s greatest hits — “We Are The Dinosaurs,” “Waiting for the Elevator” and “Pig On Her Head” — are always in the mix. At that point everyone is sure to be singing and dancing along with their favorite stuffed animal on their head.

The hour-long show fully involves her audience from the get-go; yet two moments in particular stand out to Berkner.

“In every show I do ‘We Are The Dinosaurs,’ and it’s very hard to not start laughing while everyone is screaming. “When I sing ‘My Family’ I will ask people to hug the person they’re there with, and it’s amazing that they actually do it.”

Cultivating these shared experiences for her mixed-age audiences is Berkner’s aim for every performance, but especially at her holiday shows.

“Those events that feel exciting to the kids [yet] still fun and enjoyable for the parents are difficult to find, but my shows fit that bill. I feel really grateful to provide moments where they can connect with one another, and have a sweet, loving memory when they leave.”

New Year’s resolutions

With a new year on the horizon, Berkner shares some of her plans for 2025.

“I very likely will put out another album next year, but I also have a couple projects I can’t talk about yet,” she says.“There will be new music, new videos, and definitely some surprises — probably more on my plate than I should have!”

Her fans would expect nothing less.

Leggz Ltd.’s

‘The

Nutcracker’

Visions of sugarplums await when Leggz Ltd. Dance, presents its annual full-length production. Helmed by longtime Artistic Director Joan Hope MacNaughton, it’s as always, accompanied by the South Shore Symphony Orchestra. This year’s production stars Violeta Angelova as the Sugar Plum Fairy, who’s appeared with the Vienna State Oper and Suzanne Farrell Ballet, with George Sanders, who has danced with New York Theatre Ballet and The Little Prince Broadway, as the Cavalier. The gifted young dancers who round out the cast include 9-year-old Vivian Ng as Clara and 11-year-old Matthew Carnaval as The Prince — both Rockville Centre residents.

Friday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 7, 5 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 8, 3 p.m. Tickets start at $35. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444.

Jason

Led Zeppelin Evening

Jason Bonham, son of the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer, showcases his musical journey and family legacy when he visits the Paramount stage. He celebrates his father with hits from Led Zeppelin’s iconic albums, while highlighting his own contributions to rock history. Encompassing tunes from the iconic band’s entire career, including albums “Led Zeppelin,” “Led Zeppelin II,” and “Led Zeppelin IV,” the concert event is a dynamic tribute to a legend. Jason always finds himself at home behind the drumkit. From this spot, he has anchored the tempo of one of the legendary artists of all-time.

Monday, Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m. $99.50, $89.50, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny. com.

Bonham’s

Courtesy Jayme Thornton

THE Your Neighborhood

The Hot Sardines

The band brings their distinctive sound back to the Landmark stage, with a “Holiday Stomp,” Saturday, d ec. 14 , at 8 p.m. It’s a raucous Christmas celebration that includes timeless classics and original tunes. The Hot Sardines bring classic jazz standards with their own brassy horn arrangements, rollicking piano melodies and vocals from a chanteuse who transports listeners to a different era with the mere lilt of her voice. Emerging over a decade ago from the underground parties of Brooklyn to touring worldwide and recording a string of albums that’s racked up more than 60 million streams across digital platforms, the Hot Sardines’ own “potent and assured” (The New York Times), “simply phenomenal” (The Times of London) brand of reinvigorated classic jazz landed them at the center of a whirlwind. . In the last two years, the Hot Sardines have been featured at the Newport Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival, have sold out venues in New York City from Joe’s Pub to Bowery Ballroom and more than 150 tour dates from Chicago to London. They released two albums on Universal Music Classics to critical reviews and a #1 slot on the iTunes Jazz chart in the U.S. and internationally. Their unique recipe blends hot jazz and sultry standards from the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s, rich New Orleans sounds, a dash of ’40s Paris flavor, and vibrant musical surprises. It’s all steeped in salty stride piano and the music Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Fats Waller used to make. The result is straight-up foot-stomping jazz. Their name says it all: their iconic ‘hot’ styling will paint a vibrant picture with smoky sounds and audiences revel in the steamy, swanky influence of their art form. With their contagious brand of joy, grit, glamour and passion, the 8-piece band invokes the sounds of nearly a century ago, yet stay right in step with the current age. $65, $55, $45. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or by calling (516) 767-6444.

Holiday at Westbury House

Old Westbury Gardens’ Westbury House offers a festive glimpse of early 20th century holiday merriment, before it closes for the winter, Saturday, dec. 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sunday, dec. 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Also dec. 14-15. The “Christmas at Westbury House” celebration reflects what the festive season was like during those opulent decades of the early 1900s when the Phipps family lived there. The period rooms in which John S. Phipps — the eldest son of Henry Phipps, Andrew Carnegie’s partner at Carnegie Steel — and his family resided are impeccably decorated with wreaths, mantelpiece drapes, plenty of greenery, and other horticultural arrangements.

Take a self-guided tour through Westbury House and view specially decorated rooms for the holidays, have cookies and cider on the West Porch and meet and take photos with Santa while listening to ambient holiday music. The gardens will also be open, along with other special holiday events, including Holiday Flute Choir concert, Dec. 8, 2:30 p.m., holiday market, and more. $15, $13 ages 62+ and students, $8 ages 7-17. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information visit OldWestburyGardens.org or call (516) 333-0048.

Holiday concert

The Long Island Choral Society returns its holiday tradition, Handel’s Messiah, Part 1 and highlights from Parts 2 and 3, Saturday, dec. 7, 7 p.m., at Garden City Community Church. For many Long Islanders, the holiday season officially begins with this performance. The chorus is accompanied by a professional orchestra and soloists. $25, $10 youth. Tickets are available via credit card by calling (516) 652-6878 as well as via Venmo at LICS_2022. For more information, visit lics.org. 245 Stewart Ave., Garden City.

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art.

A holiday themed program is offered Saturday, dec. 7, noon-3 p.m. Inspired by the winter pines within the forest surrounding the museum, families will make winter trees to decorate with ribbon and beads, using the Nuno felting technique.

Kids and their adult partners connect while talking about and making art together. $40 adult, $35 child. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org for more information and to register or call (516) 484-9337.

Let’s Skate

Get ready to enjoy all the thrills of the snowy season, while staying warm and cozy as Long Island Children’s Museum’s popular “Snowflake Sock Skating rink returns, through Jan. 7. Slip on “sock skates” and take a spin on the indoor rink, made from a high-tech synthetic polymer surface that lets kids slide around without blades.

Kids can stretch, twirl and glide. As visitors step off the “ice” they can jump into winter dramatic play in Snowflake Village. Become a baker in the holiday sweet shop, step inside a giant snowman and serve up some hot cocoa, take a turn in the rink “ticket booth” and “warm up” around a rink side “fire pit.” Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Annual Christmas Tree Lighting

The Baldwin Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to the festive Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, Sunday Dec. 8, 3:30-5 p.m., at the Baldwin Historical Society. Enjoy live performances, pony rides, and a special visit from Santa! 1980 Grand Ave.

Holiday Tales At The Hearth

Visit Sands Point Preserve’s Hempstead House and join in the holiday cheer, Sunday, Dec. 8, 1-4 p.m. The familyfriendly event includes activities for all ages. Meet and take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, enjoy jazz and holiday music with Port Jazz Project, along with seasonal crafts, Dreidel Corner, “nutty” holiday scavenger hunt, reading nook with holiday and winter stories, and puppet shows with Wonderspark Puppets at 2 and 3 p.m. 127 Middle Neck Road. Admission is $40/car, members; $45/ car nonmembers, includes parking. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Having an event?

Sugar Plum Ball/ Galactic Gala

Bring the kids to celebrate the season at festivities hosted by the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, Sunday, Dec. 8, noon-4 p.m., at Fox Hollow in Woodbury. Kids ages 4-12, accompanied by their adult guest (Mom, Dad, grandparent, etc.), will enjoy a unique party featuring food, fun and some special guests including princesses, fairies and visitors from a Galaxy Far, Far Away. With lunch, DJ, magic show, dancing, raffles, games, photo ops, and more, even Jedi-training.

Enjoy a sit down lunch and meet characters from some favorite shows and movies. Cost for each child/adult pair is $195. Advance reservation only. All proceeds benefit CP Nassau. Call CP Nassau at (516) 378-2000 ext. 651 for reservations or visit cpnassau. org. 7755 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury.

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.

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art ‘s latest exhibition

“Seeing Red: Renoir to Warhol,” reveals the many meanings, connotations, and associations of this powerful color in art. Evoking strong emotion, red can represent the human condition. Its myriad variations have come to signify authority as well as love, energy and beauty. Red warns us of peril and commands us to stop, but it can also indicate purity and good fortune. Red boldly represents political movements and religious identities. From the advent of our appreciation for this color in antiquity to its continued prominence in artistic and popular culture, this exhibition spans various world cultures through a range of media.

It features more than 70 artists, both established and emerging, ranging from the classical to the contemporary. American portraitists such as Gilbert Stuart imbued red in their stately paintings of prominent individuals to conjure authority. Robert Motherwell, Ad Reinhardt, and other major abstract painters displayed a deep fascination with red in their commanding compositions that evoke a sense of chromatic power. And, of course, Andy Warhol is known for his bold and imposing silkscreened portrait of Vladimir Lenin saturated in bright red to his signature Campbell’s Soup Cans. On view through Jan. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Family theater

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to its stage, Friday, Dec. 6, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; also Tuesday through Thursday, Dec. 10-12, 10:-15 a.m. and noon. Ezra Jack Keats’ “The Snowy Day & Other Stories” celebrates the joy in the small moments of a child’s world. Experience the wonder of a fresh snowfall, the delight of whistling for the first time, and the awe of finding a special treasure. In this childhood adventure, Keats’ classic books come to life, featuring live actors and shadow puppets telling the stories of “The Snowy Day,” “Goggles!,” “Whistle for Willie,” and “A Letter to Amy.” $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or licm.org.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR MFRA TRUST 2014-2, Plaintiff, vs. MAUDLYN DIXON, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 31, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on December 17, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 764 Allwyn Street, Baldwin, NY 11510. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Baldwin, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 54, Block 575 and Lot 11.

Approximate amount of judgment is $400,108.55 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #614087/2019.

Mary Ellen Divone, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No. 171801-2 149990 LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR LEHMAN XS TRUST MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-3, -againstMARIO MARROQUIN, 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 8, 2023, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR LEHMAN XS TRUST MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-3 is the Plaintiff and MARIO MARROQUIN, 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 December 17, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 678 BALDWIN AVENUE, BALDWIN, NY 11510; and the following tax map identification: 54-30-186. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT BALDWIN, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 608039/2017. Mark S. Ricciardi, 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. 149983

LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff, v. MARIE JEROME, ET AL, Defendants.

NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the Office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on March 4, 2014, I, George P. Esernio, Esq. the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on January 7, 2025 at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Ct. Dr., Mineola, NY 11501, at 02:00 PM the premises described as follows: 858 Seaman Avenue Baldwin, NY 11510-2816

SBL No.: 54-470-320 ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York. The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 010925/2013 in the amount of $284,962.27 plus interest and costs. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the Court System’s COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale.

Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Attorneys for Plaintiff 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 150278

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT.

NASSAU COUNTY. COMMUNITY LOAN

SERVICING F/K/A BAYVIEW LOAN

SERVICING LLC, Pltf. vs. NATHTOE SPENCE, et al, Defts. Index #617290/2023. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Oct. 16, 2024, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on January 8, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. premises k/a 1312 Grand Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510 a/k/a Section 36, Block 216, Lot 158. Said property beginning at the corner formed by the intersection of the northerly side of Washington Boulevard with the westerly side of the northerly side of Washington Boulevard

with the westerly side of Grand Avenue, as widened in 1952, being a plot 104.49 ft. x 20 ft. x 102.57 ft. x 20.09 ft. Approximate amount of judgment is $281,600.29 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. The sale will take place “rain or shine.”

MICHELLE AULIVOLA, Referee. DEROSE & SURICO, Attys. for Pltf., 213-44 38th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361. #101928 150276

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. VALARIE BROCCOLI, INDIVIDUALLY AS EXECUTRIX TO THE ESTATE OF ROBERT BROCCOLI AKA ROBERT V. BROCCOLI, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 8, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 6, 2025 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 3014 Western Boulevard, Baldwin, NY 11510. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Baldwin Harbor, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 54, Block 415 and Lot 61. Approximate amount of judgment is $187,227.57 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #610706/2023. Cash will not be accepted.

Jerome A. Scharoff, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 150272

THEM

Baldwin High School receives College Success Award

Baldwin High School has been honored with the College Success Award from GreatSchools, a nonprofit that provides school information to families across the country.

Now in its sixth year, the College Success Award recognizes public high schools that prepare students for success in college and beyond, based on state-specific data. This is the first year that New York high schools have been included in the program, with Baldwin High School being one of 284 schools statewide and 1,436 schools nationwide to earn this distinction.

“It is always a proud moment for our school to receive recognition for our achievements,” Neil Testa, principal of Baldwin High School stated in a news release. “This award is especially meaningful because it highlights how well our students are prepared for both college and their future careers. This success is the result of a team effort involving our dedicated students, supportive families, and talented faculty.”

Dedicated for college preparation, Baldwin High School offers a range of academic programs and partnerships.

The district boasts a 99 percent graduation rate. In addition to Advanced Placement courses, Baldwin offers more than 30 dual-enrollment college-level courses in collaboration with local institutions, including Nassau Community College. Baldwin also provides hands-on learning opportunities through its School2Career programs, including the awardwinning Academic Academies, which allow students to explore various professions as early as 8th grade.

“We commend Baldwin High School for its commitment to providing a highquality education that sets students on the path to successful futures,” Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools stated in a news release. “It’s inspiring to see how an entire school community — students, teachers, and families — can come together to achieve a common goal: ensuring the success of all students. Congratulations to Baldwin High School for earning the College Success Award, which is a testament to their dedication and hard work.”

— Hernesto Galdamez Herald file photo

Baldwin High School was honored with the College Success Award from GreatSchools.

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Yes, those tall buildings really sway

Waterfront Luxury

Q. We were in Manhattan recently, and learned that tall buildings actually sway back and forth. We stared at the tallest apartment building in the Western Hemisphere, at 432 Park Ave., but couldn’t really tell. Do these buildings sway? How far? Wouldn’t that be dangerous, and how come we don’t hear about it? Why would people put up with that for so much money?

A. Yes, for anywhere from $2 million upward (pun intended) to around $200 million, you, too, can get a continuous amusement ride, or the sensation of always being on a cruise, if you like that sort of thing. When people, mostly at parties, ask me whether I have designed anything tall or famous, I wince, because I’d rather be asked if I’ve ever done anything that people enjoyed seeing or being in.

Few people ever discuss the failings of the most well-known architects. Most of the buildings Frank Lloyd Wright designed leaked. Wright never really was a trained or licensed architect, but he made it to postage stamp status. When the 500-pound windows began flying out of I.M. Pei’s Hancock Tower in Boston, most people, except those who either nearly died or had to clean up the mess, never noticed. The list of the ways in which we learn from building design “aberrations” is endless, but the important thing is that we learn.

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People who can afford to live in those tall buildings, above the crowds of common folk, must have to accept the soft sway of the windswept towers they rest their weary heads in. I have read many articles in technical magazines, and reports about how engineers have been tasked with trying to resolve the problems. In the case of 432 Park Avenue, two “dampers” were designed into the center of the tower, even though there is currently no code requirement for them.

The Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, which is much taller than 432 Park Avenue, has features including an aerodynamic shape to cut the wind, and a massive 660-ton pendulum that sways from cables in the core of the building. Even so, on the 163rd floor, the building sways 6½ feet back and forth. There are many different damper systems, flexible, viscoelastic collars and inserts between the rigid steel frame connections that transfer the forces by taking the heat away from the strain of the otherwise rigid joints. Without all of these shock-reducing components, sections would crack and crumble.

As it is, the residents of 432 Park Avenue have complained of air conditioning and heating malfunctions and acoustical discomfort from the creaking walls, whistling wind and stalled elevators. Most of the units are purchased for the beautiful vistas, and you can sell anything to someone who doesn’t do their homework. Many units have been leased and re-leased, bought and sold several times in the three years since the tower opened, with the prices going up and up. Better than buying the Brooklyn Bridge, right?

© 2024 Monte Leeper

Readers are encouraged to send questions to

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

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Remembering Jimmy Breslin, a legend in New York journalism

Ihave always been an avid reader of newspapers, and have a great admiration for columnists, particularly Jimmy Cannon, and then Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill. That’s why I so appreciate the opportunity to write a column for the Heralds.

All of this came rushing back at me as I was reading the recently published biography “Jimmy Breslin,” by Richard Esposito. Breslin was a unique character. No one understood New York’s people, neighborhoods and streets like him.

Breslin’s New York was Queens Boulevard, not Park Avenue. It was cops, prizefighters, bookies and cold beer (until he stopped drinking, anyway). I started reading his columns years ago, in the old Journal-American, and continued with him through the Herald Tribune, the Daily News and Newsday.

I first met Breslin in the 1980s, and we became close friends in the late 1990s. My wife, Rosemary, and I would go to dinner with Jimmy and his wife, Ronnie, at least once a month, and he and I would talk at least once a day. When Jimmy wanted to talk, he wouldn’t stop, and it was almost impossible to get off the phone with him, even if you had work to do. I found that the one way to close out a conversation was to compliment him on something. In true Irish fashion, he would get flustered, mumble a rushed goodbye and slam down the phone.

Wsupport in an Irish sort of way. He came to my daughter Erin’s wedding and reception, and stayed to the very end — and that was long after he’d stopped drinking!

hen he wanted to talk, it was impossible to get off the phone with him.

Breslin was a great guy to be with. He was tough and cynical, but had endless stories and was a true friend — when he was still your friend. He wrote several columns about me during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment that I will always cherish, and he wrote a great blurb for my first novel (which he probably never read). We commiserated after the 9/11 attacks, attending funerals of mutual friends, giving each other

ADuring these good times, though, I would have in the back of my head columns Breslin used to write when he was living in Baldwin, listing people he would no longer speak with. Though he stopped issuing those lists, I wondered when my number would be up. I found out in March 2003, when Rosemary sent him a heated note, blasting him for comparing President George W. Bush to Adolf Hitler.

That ended it. It was curtain time. No more phone calls or dinners. I did call him once when I heard there was a serious illness in his family.

“Jimmy, I heard the news,” I said. “I’m sorry. I’m thinking of you.”

“Yeah,” he replied, “I’ll be thinking of you, too. Goodbye.”

Later I saw him at the renowned journalist Jack Newfield’s funeral, and

we had a quick handshake. Several years after that, in 2009, Rosemary and I went to the funeral of Breslin’s daughter Kelly at an old church in Lower Manhattan. Afterward we sat and talked with him at a table in the churchyard for 10 or 15 minutes. The conversation was warm and friendly, almost like it used to be. When it was time to say so long, I said, “Jimmy, we should get together.”

“Yeah,” he said. “We should. That’d be good.” We shook hands.

We never got together. I wish we had. Breslin died in 2017, and a large part of New York died with him.

Esposito’s biography brings back the memories not just of Breslin, but of the days when newspapers and their columnists — and the written word — had such a vital role to play in our society. While much of that has died, I commend the Herald for keeping the tradition alive for the people of Long Island.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

Governor Hochul’s totalitarian energy agenda

fter Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed the Planned Offshore Wind Transmission Act last fall due to local opposition to a wind farm’s high-voltage cables, the state had a trick up its sleeve.

T he bill would have required the State Energy Research and Development Authority to establish transmission planning for the offshore grid, coupled with a requirement to conduct a cost-benefit analysis that included the impact on ratepayers. In essence, the bill would have, for the first time, given New Yorkers insight into the true cost of implementing offshore wind projects and their transmission lines.

T he question is, why did Hochul veto the bill? In addition to local opposition, I believe the answer is that if the public knew the true cost of these plans, people would begin to question the wisdom of investing millions of dollars in reworking a power grid that wasn’t broken in the first place. They would ask hard questions about where money was being spent, and who was benefiting — questions the governor obviously doesn’t want raised.

In its infinite surreptitious reach, the state concealed in its latest budget the Renewable Action through Project Interconnection Deployment, or RAPID, Act, granting it the authority to overrule local and public input. The state Office of Renewable Energy Siting would have final say on project siting, even over community objections.

IGroups of so-called environmentalists, influenced by Hochul’s green agenda, have received millions of dollars to push the narrative that we need to move off fossil fuels now because the Earth is on fire. Before we go scorched-Earth, Let’s look at facts.

commercial areas.

t’s a mistake to plan for wide-scale solar and wind power in New York at this point.

Long Island water comes from aquifers that, if polluted, would jeopardize the health of millions. Hydrogen fluoride gas produced in these fires turns acidic when mixed with water, becoming acid rain. This acid, in large enough concentrations, can dissolve concrete. Would you or your children want to drink water this contaminated? Apparently, Hochul doesn’t care about such consequences in her drive to rapidly implement green-energy projects.

life, fishing, local businesses and communities. How future offshore wind catastrophes will affect shore towns, wildlife and commercial fishing isn’t known. But New Yorkers should realize that it’s a mistake, at this point, to plan the construction, let alone the funding, for dozens of gigawatts of solar and wind power — along with batteries 100 times the size of the world’s largest existing battery — and new transmission lines to tie all this to the existing grid.

T he state took away local municipality and public involvement in the siting of renewable-energy projects and paused congestion pricing. Further, a report by the state’s Fire Safety Working Group falsely concluded that fires last year at three battery energy storage system facilities in New York state — which store the energy that wind turbines create — had no environmental impact, neglecting to include test results of hydrogen fluoride levels in the air, soil or water at those sites. What is even more disturbing is that the working group has written an inadequate code that allows for placement of BESS facilities in residential and

T his act-now-and-monitor-later mentality, regardless of the consequences, does nothing to put minds at ease. To date, no robust engineering analysis suggests that Hochul’s RAPID Act plan will work. There has been no rigorous analysis. Instead, evidence seems to indicate that the state’s planned installations of solar arrays, wind turbines, battery facilities and transmission cables will not reliably power the grid, and will not prove safe or affordable.

Worth noting, in this critical context, is the Vineyard Wind offshore debacle off the coast of Nantucket last July, when a single turbine blade selfdestructed, dropping 60 tons of plastic into the ocean and wreaking havoc, closing beaches and impacting marine

Instead, we might better ask, first, who thought this was possible? and second, from empirical examples of places with significant intermittent energy — California and Germany — why did anyone think this would enable New York to cut fossil-fuel use and reliably and affordably power the grid?

Given the egregious overreach of Hochul’s RAPID Act, there should be an immediate halt to all of the Office of Renewable Energy Siting work as well as a prohibition on placing any renewable-energy facilities within residential communities and near schools. Taxpayers don’t want to be the subjects of a large-scale energy experiment, or a class-action lawsuit, as a result of the “next big idea.”

Christina Kramer, a professional photographer and an adjunct professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, is the founder and president of Protect Our Coast – Long Island, New York.

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HERALD

BIn Long Islanders we trust

eginning with the birth of our nation, Long Islanders have shaped the policies of America as well as our country’s impact on the world. Suffolk County’s William Floyd was one of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. President Theodore Roosevelt, who made his home in Oyster Bay, is often cited as one of our greatest leaders. Bellmore’s William Casey served as President Ronald Reagan’s CIA director during an era fraught with Cold War tensions.

As the Biden administration sunsets and President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration begins to take shape, Long Islanders are once again positioned to influence our nation and the course of human history.

T rump has nominated Howard Lutnick, from Jericho, to serve as secretary of commerce. Lutnick, the chairman and chief executive of the global financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, strongly supports the president-elect’s plans to impose tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico, which would have dramatic impacts on the global economy.

T rump has chosen Dr. Dave Weldon, a Farmingdale High School and Stony Brook University graduate, to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weldon, a former congressman from Florida, would succeed fellow Long Islander Dr. Mandy Cohen, a Baldwin native whom President Biden appointed to the role last year. (Another Baldwin native, Karine Jean-Pierre, has served as President Biden’s White House press secretary since 2022.)

Given the recent politicization of the CDC, as well as the anti-establishment views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom

letters

Trump has selected as his secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services — which oversees the CDC — Weldon is set to wield unique power in setting public health policy.

Biden named Dr. David Kessler, a graduate of Woodmere Academy (now the Lawrence Woodmere Academy) as the lead scientist on the coronavirus vaccine distribution efforts. Kessler formerly headed the Food and Drug Administration under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

T rump has also named Steve Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff, who was raised in Baldwin Harbor and Old Westbury, is a successful real estate developer and a major benefactor of Hofstra University, where he earned a law degree. (He shares that law school alma mater with Charles Kushner, the father of Trump’s son-inlaw, Jared Kushner, and a convicted felon whom Trump has selected as ambassador to France.) Witkoff’s appointment continues Trump’s selection of Long Islanders for critical Middle East policy roles.

In Trump’s first term, the U.S. ambassador to Israel was David Friedman, who grew up in North Woodmere. The son of Rabbi Morris Friedman, who led Temple Hillel for 33 years and brought Reagan to the synagogue in 1984, David Friedman played a pivotal role in promoting Trump’s Middle East policies, from the decision to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, to supporting the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

T rump also announced his choice of Garden City’s Kash Patel as director of

Randi just won’t stop with Trump

To the Editor:

I just finished reading Randi Kreiss’s column, “Dear readers, we can’t keep it in neutral” (Nov. 28-Dec. 4). It seems that Randi is totally consumed by Trump derangement syndrome. Donald Trump is a deeply flawed soul to be sure, but when compared with Hillary and Harris, he is Abe Lincoln.

When he left office, but for the horror of Covid, the country was at peace and the economy was in great shape. Could this country endure four more years of what we just went through? Obviously not! The fake dossier, the disgraceful lawfare, and it goes on and on.

Trump establishes the Depar tment of Government Efficiency and the left mocks him unendingly. When it pays enormous dividends, they will ignore it, as they always do. Thank God the country was sickened by the last four years and overwhelmingly decided to reject it!

the FBI. Leaders on both sides of the aisle, however, have expressed concerns about that choice, because of what they perceive to be Patel’s desire to dismantle the very institution he has been tapped to lead, as well as his lack of relevant experience.

“I categorically opposed making Patel deputy FBI director,” William Barr, who served as attorney general under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Trump, wrote in his 2022 book, “One Damn Thing After Another.” “I told Mark Meadows,” Barr added, referring to Trump’s White House chief of staff, “it would happen ‘over my dead body.’ Someone with no background as an agent would never be able to command the respect necessary to run the day-to-day operations of the bureau.”

Finally, there’s former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, who, in 2022, unsuccessfully challenged Gov. Kathy Hochul in New York’s gubernatorial election. Zeldin, an Army veteran who represented New York’s 1st Congressional District from 2015 to 2023, is poised to become Trump’s administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. In that role, Zeldin would have wide-ranging powers to create or eliminate regulations that protect the environment.

Many of Trump’s selections must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. We expect most of them will be, or will serve in interim roles. Regardless, these Long Islanders are a testament to the region’s diverse influence on national politics and international diplomacy. We hope they don’t forget where they came from, and make decisions that uplift not only our country, but also the Long Island communities they once called home.

opinions

No matter who’s president, L.I.’s middle class struggles

eight years ago, about four months into Donald Trump’s first term as president, the Herald published an op-ed i wrote entitled “What American Dream?” in which i lamented the ever-growing financial burden on Long island’s middle class.

Despite all the hard work i put in, i wrote, i was decidedly worse off than my mother and father were a generation earlier. i laid equal blame on Democrats and republicans, who had rotated in and out of Washington all my life and done little to stop the downward spiral. “And his promises notwithstanding,” i added, “President Trump will likely do little to change our trajectory.” He did not.

And, in all fairness, neither did President Biden.

Eight years ago i noted that my wife and i worked full time as teachers, but that she had to care for our kids alone during the week, while i tutored after school to keep up with ever-rising expenses.

Today i tutor two to three times as much as i did then. Not out of greed, but necessity. My wife continues to do the lion’s share of the work with the kids, but she, too, has taken on a second job, doing early intervention for specialneeds 2-year-olds. so, eight years ago, we basically needed three incomes to make it. Now we need four.

some of my colleagues at school were elated after Election Day that we have another four years of Trump coming, almost as if their team had won the super Bowl. it has always surprised me how any teacher can support the guy whose supreme Court appointee, Neil Gorsuch, rendered the decisive vote in Janus v. AFsCME, a case that weakened public-sector unions like the ones we belong to.

House — our lives here on Long island are not going to get any easier.

That’s because we’ve witnessed a steady erosion of the middle class since 1973, when real wages started to fall against the backdrop of an energy crisis and pronounced inflation. The true death knell was President ronald reagan’s taking office in 1980. reagan slashed taxes for corporations and the wealthy with the idea that the financial benefits at the top of the economic food chain would trickle down to the rest of us. Only they didn’t.

B y the time I graduated from eighth grade in 1992, working moms were the norm.

To be fair, others at school were crestfallen.

i, on the other hand, for the first time in my adult life, paid absolutely no attention to this election, and did not watch one minute of election night coverage. Although i voted for Kamala Harris, i did not shed a tear.

That’s because i’ve heard this song before. i know how this movie ends. it doesn’t matter who’s in the White

i’m by no means an economist, but consider this: When i entered kindergarten in 1983, my mother was one of a few moms who needed to get a job to help make ends meet. The embarrassment of getting picked up by another classmate’s mother will forever be etched in my memory. years later, my mother told me how the guilt i laid on her at the time absolutely broke her heart. sorry, Mom. i love you.

But by the time i graduated from eighth grade in 1992, working moms were the norm. i can only recall one or two classmates whose mothers didn’t work. Things had certainly changed, and they only continued to get worse.

Letters Framework

by Tim Baker

Shop safely during the holidays

To the Editor:

The Nassau County Police Department advises shoppers to be vigilant for their safety and the safety of others this holiday season.

Before leaving home, secure and engage alarms, and leaving lights on in frequented rooms to give the appearance that people are home.

Plan your shopping trips, know where you’re going and, if possible, go with someone else. Let someone know where you’re going. Park in an area that’s well lit, and make sure your valuables are out of sight. Avoid parking near vans or other vehicles with covered cargo areas. Don’t get out of your car unless you feel safe, lock your vehicle, and remember where you’ve parked.

As you shop, keep money and credit/debit cards in a front pocket, and limit the number of cards and the

cash you carry. To avoid identity theft, be careful when exposing your cards and other identification at cash registers and ATMs. Be aware that thieves use cellphones to capture card and identity information. Be cognizant of distractions that could be staged to avert your attention.

When you return to your vehicle, don’t do so with your arms full of packages. Use a cart. Be ready to unlock your car door. Check the parking lot for suspicious-looking people, and if you see anyone loitering nearby, don’t go to your vehicle.

Carry a whistle or other audible device, and if you feel threatened, use it. Before getting into your vehicle, look around and inside it. Once inside, lock the doors, and if you have to, use your horn to attract attention.

Always be aware of your surroundings.

NAssAU COUNTy POLiCE DEPArTMENT

i’m not piling on republicans, because there were 20 years of Democratic presidents as well between then and now. My colleagues, both jubilant and dejected after this past Election Day, might remember that the roles were reversed in 2008, when Barack Obama was first elected. regardless of who has led the country, things haven’t gotten a whole lot better.

That’s because the people at the top — the corporate interests that really run America — don’t want them to. As the late, great comedian George Carlin said, “Our country’s a big club … and you ain’t in it!”

Nobody should have been surprised that Trump trounced the incumbentbacked Harris. Middle class voters have been drowning for 50 years, desperately hoping someone would toss them a life vest that never seems to come.

i wish i shared my Trump-supporting colleagues’ optimism, or even the Harris supporters’ melancholy, but i just don’t. i don’t think any real help is coming, regardless of who is in office.

i will gladly eat my words in four years if my wallet is fatter and prices are lower. But i doubt that’s going to happen.

Nick Buglione is a teacher, a freelance journalist and a former editor of the East Meadow Herald.

At the Froehlich Family Lights, on Sherwood Drive — East Meadow

nick BugLione

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