Sofie Glassman, 17, is an East Meadow High School senior, and the founder of a new nonprofit, ‘Stop Jewish Hate, Spread Love.’ She launched the organization earlier this month with a challah bread bake at her home. She hopes to spread love and positivity, as a way to combat all hate. Story, more photos, Page 7.
NUMC thinks pink
By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Nassau University Medical Center recently unveiled the design for a new, state-of-the-art mobile van that would screen for breast cancer — dubbed the “MammoVan” — in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The advanced mobile mammography unit will be hitting the road next May, providing lifesaving early detection services to thousands of women across Nassau County while ensuring accessible healthcare for underserved communities.
“Breast cancer is the second leading cause of
A glimpse of law and disorder at E.M. library
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Earlier this month, the East Meadow Public Library hosted Robert Silbering, author of “Law and Disorder: How a Kid from the Bronx Became America’s Top Drug Prosecutor,” an autobiography, detailing his work as a prosecutor in New York City.
“I wanted to tell people about how the criminal justice system really works,” Silbering said. “Most people look at Law and Order — they see a case solved in 52 minutes. None of it is true.”
cancer-related deaths among females in New York state,” Meg Ryan, NUMC’s interim chief executive and president, said.
Ryan added that 16,700 females are diagnosed with breast cancer in New York annually, and Nassau County has a breast cancer rate that’s 10 percent higher than the rest of New York.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and joining Ryan at the Oct. 23 unveiling were Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, more than 100 hospital employees and the medical center’s board members.
NUMC offers women’s health care clinics with extended hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
Silbering, an East Meadow resident for 40 years, said even though he spent years commuting into the city for his career, he’s originally from a middleclass background in the Bronx. He joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in 1974 — in 1984, he joined the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office as Chief Assistant. Afterwards, he served as the Special Narcotics Prosecutor in 1992, and in 1997, he was the President of Foren-
sic Investigative Associates in the U.S.
Today, Silbering is the special advisor to the chief executive of T&M Protection Resources, a firm that specializes in security and investigations.
During the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, Silbering found himself with time to author his story, he explained during his presentation. His book gives the public a deep dive into the reality of working as a prosecutor. The book explores how experts make decisions about how cases are managed, and the legal procedures prosecutors use during a case, with the goal of immersing readers into the justice system.
“I want to give them a taste of what really happens, so that the reader can learn what goes on — how people get prosecuted,” Silbering said.
Silbering’s project underwent a transformation as he wrote it. “During my writing, it turned from a memoir into a love story,” he said, “A love
Continued on page 5
Tim Baker/Herald
Halloween fun in the heart of East Meadow
For the fifth year running, the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce welcomed neighbors to its annual Trunk-or-Treat event with the East Meadow Baseball Softball Association.
Trunk-or-Treating, where car trunks are decorated for trick-ortreating, is known for being a safer alternative to going out on Halloween night. Whether it’s the trunk of a vehicle or a decorated booth, kids— and parents — love the opportunity for a less spooky trick-ortreating experience.
The East Meadow Trunk-or-Treat has become a much-anticipated tradition for local families, bringing together the community in a safe and festive environment. This year, the event saw an array of creatively decorated trunks. Volunteers and local businesses went all out with decorations, handing out candy, toys, and other treats from their uniquely styled setups.
This community event was a chance for families to connect and enjoy the Halloween spirit without the worry of late-night crowds or busy streets. Organizers made sure the event was inclusive and accessible for children of all ages, ensuring that everyone had a memorable time.
The safe Halloween experience welcomed all ages on Oct. 26 to participate in the trick-or-treating fun, without worry. The East Meadow Chamber of Commerce hosts events for the family all year long. For more information on what’s next, visit EastMeadowChamber.com.
–Jordan
Holden Leeds/Herald photos
Noah Lobel picked up some treats from Brianna Ventola, Matthew Bell and Alessandra Blangiardo.
Vallone
Matty, 9, and Leah, 7, had a great time at Trunk-or-Treat on Oct. 26.
Fun times were had at the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce’s Trunk-or-Treat, by families and their four-legged friends. Chloe Wu, 12, with Kayla Hsu, 9, Mya Hsu, 3, and their pup, Bear.
At the chamber’s booth was Ryan Parkman, Roxanne Rose and Nicole Skinner.
David Gravely put on his best pirate outfit, with a Mario in the making, Keith Krauz, 5.
Accessible care, at NUMC or on the road
and Thursdays, and weekend clinics, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays. More than 13,000 women have visited the clinics so far this year, and more than 20,000 are expected to use these services by the end of 2024.
“Early detection is vital,” Ryan said. “Here at NUMC, we perform 6,500 mammograms annually, both on site here and in the van. Our breast imaging clinic, our oncology center, our women’s health and our radiology services are vital to our community.”
NUMC’s mobile mammography van has been in use since 2002, and the new van will greatly increase the standard of care being offered to patients, Ryan said.
“It’s going to be the best of the best in our van,” she said. “We’re getting new technology — the gold standard of technology. Right now, the van goes out twice a week, and now this new van that’s going to be delivered here in May, it’s going to be going out into communities five to six days a week.
“We’re going to see an increase annually of 40 percent more patients,” Ryan added. “That’s 40 percent more people that we can get in the van, diagnose and treat early. So that’s very important for our community.”
plans for a new, state-of-the-art mobile breast screening van were unveiled last week at nassau university medical Center, in recognition of Breast Cancer awareness month. the new van will hit the roads of nassau County next may.
Blakeman, whose sister is a breast cancer survivor, said he was delighted to join the hospital for the unveiling.
“I also want to express my gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff for the
NUMC will hold its first-ever Pink Gala at The Lannin in Eisenhower Park on Nov. 14, starting at 6 p.m. The new van will cost around $1 million, and while the hospital has some of the funding for it already, all proceeds from the gala will contribute to its purchase.
Contemplations on Death
As estate planning lawyers, we experience the lives — and deaths — of a great many of our clients. Being exposed to death on a regular basis prevents us from “sleepwalking” through life and fosters a keen awareness of our being alive.
“In our Western culture, although death has come out of the closet, it is still not openly experienced or discussed. Allowing dying to be so intensely present enriches both the preciousness of each moment and our detachment from it.”
— Ram Dass
“If we’re not reflecting on the impermanent nature of life, then there are a lot of unimportant things that seem important.”
— Allison Choying Zangmo
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.”
— Steve Jobs
“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s left and live it properly.”
— Marcus Aurelius
”We drift on a chartless, resistless sea. Let us sing while we can, and forget the rest.”
— H. P.
Lovecraft
“Death is not waiting for us at the end of a long road. Death is always with us, in the marrow of every passing moment. She is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight, helping us to discover what matters most.”
— Frank Ostaseski
“Never mind. Never mind. In this brief life, one cannot always be counting the cost.”
— Christopher Isherwood
Oddly enough, contemplating death may be one of the most life-affirming experiences one can have.
& Estates • Wills & Probate
516-327-8880 x117 or email info@trustlaw.com 100 Merrick Rd., Rockville Centre • 3000 Marcus Ave., Lake Success
offices in Huntington
Melville
Islandia
incredible work you do in keeping Nassau residents healthy,” he said. “Early detection is critical — getting mammograms and screenings can make all the difference in health outcomes. This new $1 million van is an incredible investment, and I couldn’t be more excited about what it will mean for our community.”
During the unveiling, Ryan also announced that the hospital has recently partnered with the nonprofit Hair We Share, which provides human hair wigs made from donated hair, free of charge, to people struggling with medical hair loss. Hair We Share, based in Jericho and founded in 2014 by Suzanne Chimera and Dean Riskin, now has a “wig room” inside of NUMC’s oncology suite to help patients dealing with chemotherapy-related hair loss.
Chimera, a wig designer since 1994, said that human hair wigs are completely hand made, and each strand of hair is individually sewn. Wigs can cost upwards of $3,000.
Hair We Share was originally founded to help a young girl dealing with alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes
hair loss. Her family could not afford the cost of a wig, so Chimera put a post out on social media urging people to donate their hair. In three days, she received more than 42 donations.
“It just killed me a little inside to know the expense that the family is already going through,” Chimera said, “and then to add this expense on top of it.”
The nonprofit has grown steadily since 2014, and it now has a “ponytailtracking program.” If people donate their hair, and the funds to cover the wig’s manufacturing expense, the donor will received a photo of their hair once its been made into a wig.
To learn more about Hair We Share and how to donate, visit HairWeShare. org.
Ryan said everything NUMC does is for the benefit of the community. The hospital serves all Nassau County residents, regardless of their ability to pay. “We’re trying to be more accessible,” she said, “and we’re really honing in on what our patients need and trying to respond to that.”
For more on the hospital and its women’s health care services, visit NUMC.edu.
■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/eastmeadow
E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: emeditor@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: (516) 569-4000 Ext. 246 E-mail: emeditor@liherald.com ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Jordan Vallone/Herald photos the hospital is now the proud home of a ‘wig room,’ made possible by the nonprofit Hair We Share.
Top drug prosecutor speaks about historic career
story about the two offices that I worked in: the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which is the most highly respected DA office of the country, and then the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office.”
Silbering faced off with prolific amounts of drug-related crime during his time as prosecutor. “I was appointed to that position in 1991 during the crack crisis,” Silbering said. “We battled the crack crisis, the drive-by shootings, the drug gangs and overcame them, and helped make New York one of the safest cities in the country for about a 20-year period.”
His career wasn’t just about fighting crime though — it also took him face-to-face with several celebrities. He collaborated with actor Keanu Reeves for the film “Devil’s Advocate” and Harrison Ford in “Presumed Innocent,” advising them on the experience of being a prosecutor. Silbering contributed his insights in the field to the creators of the television show “NYPD Blue,” and is personal friends with Judith Blum, better known as Judge Judy.
His team was responsible for one of the largest single seizures of drugs in the office’s history: 1,500 kilograms of cocaine in a single drug bust.
The book also features the story of the “Laughing Boy Murder Case,” a harrowing murder that Silbering prosecuted against violent juvenile offender William Bosket, who wound up being the only prisoner in New York State history to be kept in a plexiglass cell for 20 years due to violence.
Bosket’s conviction is one of Silbering’s cases
that have had lasting effects on the law since his retirement. This case set a precedent for trying 13 to 15-year-olds as adults in cases of heinous crimes, which was recently applied in the case against the suspect in the Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia, Silbering said.
Silbering’s book offers an expert opinion on controversial political topics such as the opioid crisis. “I wanted to talk about drugs and what was going on with the opioid crisis and fentanyl,” Silbering said. “One hundred people every day in this country die of overdoses. No one talks about it. You got a serious health problem that nobody has discussed.”
There’s learning and a local hook, which is why the library likes to make events such as Silbering’s visit possible, according to Janine Walsh, head of reader services at the East Meadow library.
“My department orders all the adult material,” Walsh said. “We also do the displays, a bunch of different programs, monthly book groups, and we have author visits as well. One of the things that libraries are great at is providing different views and different ideas. By bringing authors in and then talking about their books, we can learn so much about the world and other work walks of life.”
More author visits are in store throughout the remainder of the year. For a full list of upcoming events, visit EastMeadow.info. Those interested in purchasing Silbering’s book can do so on Amazon, by searching its title, “Law and Disorder: How a Kid from the Bronx Became America’s Top Drug Prosecutor.”
Joseph D’Alessandro/Herald robert Silbering, an east meadow resident and author of ‘Law and disorder: How a Kid from the Bronx Became america’s top drug prosecutor,’ wrote about his experiences as a drug prosecutor during the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns.
MYLES MUNRO
Seaford Senior Cross-country
MUNRO PLACED FIFTH in the Nassau County cross-country championships last fall and will look to top that performance at Bethpage State Park Nov. 2. He went on to earn All-State honors in 2023 as a Top 20 finisher in the state and posted a best 5k time of 15-minutes, 43-seconds. He’s three-time All-County in cross-country and as a junior competed in the state track and field championships in the 3200 and 1600 meter events.
GAMES TO WATCH
Friday, Nov. 1
Football: Manhasset at Kennedy 2 p.m.
Football: Oceanside at Port Washington 5:30 p.m.
Football: Division at Hewlett 6 p.m.
Football: West Hempstead at East Rockaway 6:30 p.m.
Football: Locust Valley at Plainedge 6:30 p.m.
Football: Syosset at Massapequa 6:30 p.m.
Football: Lynbrook at Bethpage 7 p.m.
Football: V.S. South at Malverne 7 p.m.
Football: Wantagh at C.S. Harbor 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2
Cross-Country: Nassau County Class I, II and III championships at Bethpage State Park 10 a.m.
Football: Calhoun at Carey 11 a.m.
Football: Jericho at Sewanhaka 11 a.m.
Football: Island Trees at Lawrence 11 a.m.
Football: MacArthur at Baldwin 2 p.m.
Football: Long Beach at Mepham 2 p.m.
Football: Seaford at North Shore 2 p.m.
Football: South Side at Floral Park 3 p.m.
Football: Elmont at Clarke 3 p.m.
Football: Mineola at V.S, North 3 p.m.
Football: Uniondale at Freepprt 3 p.m.
Football: Westbury at V.S. Central 3 p.m.
Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”
High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a fall sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.
HERALD SPORTS
Clarke enters playoffs on heater
By ANDREW FANTUCCHIO sports@liherald.com
Clarke’s field hockey team was in unfamiliar territory to start this season.
Not only did the Rams have a new coach with Lily Fox taking over the program, but after years of continued success, began the year by losing five of their first six games.
Unwilling to give up, they’ve had the run of a lifetime since then, winning eight straight entering the postseason.
“It’s tough to bounce back from that, but my girls always kept their heads high,” Fox said. “It’s not fun losing, but I think it made us work harder and realize that if we want to be one of the top teams, we need to put in work everyday practice. They always came ready to go and excited to play. As a coach like that’s all I can ask for.”
When she first took over, Fox didn’t want to rock the boat too much.
But as the losses continued to pile up, there were glaring issues that Fox could no longer ignore. She realized that rather than avoiding the unfamiliarity, embracing it was the only way to turn the season around, and made the bold decision to drastically alter the lineup.
“I was definitely concerned,” said Fox. “It’s tough when you have a lot of talent on a team and are unsure where to put people so they will play their best. A lot of times, girls come in expecting to play certain positions, but I see them somewhere else. At times I questioned if it was the best thing for the team.”
Maintaining possession in
transition through the midfield was Clarke’s biggest issue early on. Its passes weren’t connecting, and the ones that did rarely turned into scoring chances. That all changed when Fox moved junior captain Madison DeLeon from forward to center midfield.
“We weren’t utilizing her enough,” Fox said of DeLeon. “She’s not only just a powerhouse on offense, but she’s great at controlling the ball, and she sets up a lot of plays in the midfield that lead to scoring opportunities. She has a great vision of the field, which is why, ultimately, we wanted to move her to that spot.”
The change began to lead to more in other areas. After the Rams were held to just five goals in their first five games, they’ve scored a combined 24 goals during their winning streak, with Ayala Abate, Erin Frank, and Sophia Sforza leading the way offensively. Sforza scored off an assist from DeLeon last Friday as the Rams topped North Shore, 1-0.
Clarke’s defense improved as well. With the help of senior captain Rosanna DeStefano, Katerina Rivera, and Rebecca Palumbo all playing in front of her, goalie Rebekah McGrady has allowed just one goal in that span.
“Since we started winning and figuring things out, our confidence has gotten so much better,” said Fox. “The overall attitude of the team is better. It makes practices more fun, and games are more enjoyable.”
Clarke (9-5 overall) will try to keep the moment going when it hosts New Hyde Park to open the playoffs.
Tony Bellissimo/Herald
Rebecca Palumbo and the Rams overcame a slow start and are riding an eight-game winning streak with the playoffs on deck.
Teen takes a stand against antisemitism
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
For the last year-and-a-half, 17-yearold Sofie Glassman has been making waves in her community, by taking a defiant stance against antisemitism. A senior at East Meadow High School, Glassman has seen firsthand the affects of antisemitism, and is now using her voice to do something bigger: launch a nonprofit, that’ll hopefully spread her message further.
“I’ve spoken at numerous events and I’m a part of numerous organizations, different Jewish organizations, but primarily my goal is to spread positivity and extinguish hate,” she told the Herald.
After the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel, Glassman decided she wanted to make a difference. She began selling clothing that said “Stop Jewish Hate, Spread Love.” Profits from the sale of these clothes went on to support Israel.
“I was doing that for a long time, until about May of this year,” she said. “I decided that I wanted to do more. I decided to create my own nonprofit, called ‘Stop Jewish Hate, Spread Love,’ where our mission is to spread love through apparel, and different things like that.”
Tim Baker/Herald
Sofie Glassman, left, is the founder of Stop Jewish Hate, Spread Love, a nonprofit organization that seeks to spread positivity, while also combating antisemitism. She held a launch party for the nonprofit earlier this month. Glassman, above, with her friend Sophie Gak.
Glassman traveled to Israel in July of 2023 on a teen tour, and plans to travel to the country again in February of next year.
To start off, she’s hoping to raise money in order to switch clothing manufacturers, so she’ll be able to sell her apparel directly through her website.
Glassman said she’s seen antisemitism and antisemitic incidents in differ-
ent areas of her life, which was the reason she decided to start speaking out against it. She’s spoken at public forums and other events catered around fighting antisemitism.
Glassman launched her nonprofit on Oct. 13, hosting a challah bread bake at
her home in East Meadow. Those who went paid a fee to attend, were able to partake in raffles, and made challah bread from scratch. Glassman spoke about herself at the event, and why she decided to form her nonprofit, as an outlet to spread awareness.
The decision to host the launch event at her house was with reason, Glassman explained.
“I wanted to start off in a location that was more personal to me,” she said. “I wanted it to feel like a small gathering that eventually will grow into a bigger thing. I wanted to start small and see how far I can actually grows this.”
Her nonprofit offered 40 spots to attend the launch event, which sold out.
Glassman said her mission with the nonprofit is two-fold. On one hand, she wants to donate funds to Israel — but she’s also committed to education.
“Education, of course, is important,” she said. “But the one thing that I really want people to know is that we’re all human beings, and no matter what we look like, the color of our skins, our race and our religion, we’re all human beings. Hatred is not something that we should spread towards one another, and what better way to combat hate than with love.”
To learn more about Glassman’s nonprofit, to get involved, to donate, or to shop from her apparel line, visit StopJewishHateSpreadLove.org.
Be prepared: An app that lets you report and track power outages.
Power outages are a reality, especially during a storm or other weather events. One of the most frustrating issues can be not knowing when power will be restored.
The good news is that, for PSEG Long Island customers, a power outage doesn’t have to leave you completely in the dark. That’s because the Long Island company created a free Outage Tracker, accessible from any smartphone or mobile-enabled device on our mobile app.
PSEG Long Island used customer feedback from J.D. Power surveys, research, and focus groups to help them design the app.
“Our intention is to reduce the stress and anxiety of an outage by enabling customers to closely track the progress of their restoration, all within the free, convenient PSEG Long Island mobile app,” says Larry Torres, Sr. Director, Emergency Preparedness and Logistics.
It’s as easy to use as it is to download. And once it’s installed on your device, if you have a power outage, you have access to report outages and track updates.
As PSEG Long Island begins the restoration process, you receive notifications on the Outage Tracker. These show everything from confirmation that your outage report was received, to damage assessments, to repair alerts and an estimate of when power will be restored.
“The sooner we know about specific outages, the quicker we can react and restore power,” says Michael Presti, Director, Customer Experience and Marketing.
The PSEG Long Island Outage Tracker provides customers with:
Accessibility: Even if someone loses power, they can access the Outage Tracker on their mobile device as long as they have cell service. However, they need to download it before an event to ensure they’re prepared.
Reporting capability: Customers can report partial or full power outages. In the case of downed lines, the app provides a phone number to call. This immediate reporting helps PSEG Long Island respond more efficiently to restore service.
Year-round reliability: Because outages can sometimes occur even when the weather is not a contributing factor, the Outage Tracker helps people stay connected and able to report issues at any time.
We live in a world where we have more information at our fingertips than ever before. It just follows that having some control and knowledge about power outages is critical to our peace of mind and ability to plan, be heard, and feel safe. So be prepared, and learn more about the free PSEG Long Island mobile app at psegliny.com/app.
Photo by Tony Lopez.
Photo by Fotostorm via Getty Images.
A power outage doesn’t have to leave you feeling powerless. Be prepared. Download our free mobile app with Outage Tracker. You can report outages and track restoration progress. Because knowing is power.
A safe Halloween, at East Meadow High
Trick-or-treaters from the East Meadow community enjoyed a spook-tacular time as they celebrated Halloween during the district’s annual Safe Halloween, held near the football field at East Meadow High School on Oct. 22.
Numerous varsity sports teams, organizations and high school clubs volunteered their time to dress in costume, design their own tables with Halloween themes and hand out candy to young trick-or-treaters. Hundreds of young children walked around the field dressed as superheroes, anime characters, book and movie characters, and scary creatures.
The clubs’ themes included comic book heroes, spooky shows and movies, wizards, skeletons, popular sports teams, and fairies. In addition to collecting tasty treats, children also participated in games and activities at each of the themed tables. An afternoon of fun was had by the young and older students alike.
–Jordan Vallone
Beloved Halloween characters could be seen throughout the fields of East Meadow High School, including Beetlejuice and Lydia, worn by Aaron Horwitz, a sophomore and Aleigha Juliano, a senior.
Costumes were both complex and simple. John Dounelis, a fourth-grade student, with his sister Sophia, in seventh-grade.
East Meadow High School seniors Rebecca Aber and Sonali Shah worked the event as part of the National Honors Society.
Tim Baker/Herald photos
The Safe Halloween event brought many members of the community together — young and old. Chloe Perez, with her brother Ethan, and cousin Adrian Delaguerra.
Seniors Abigail Singh, Portia Bhagroo and Karampreet Ghandiyal.
East Meadow families came out for a spook-tacular start to the Halloween season at the district’s annual Safe Halloween. Chloe Lyga, Sophia-Marie Lyga, Jeanne-Marie Lyga and Craig Lyga stopped by the event.
Party
Democratic
Republican
Conservative
Working Families
Common Sense
Presidential Electors for President (Vote for One)
Kamala Harris
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump
Kamala Harris
Some Democrats are too far left.Some Republicans are too far right.But some candidates just make COMMON SENSE.
IN NASSAU COUNTY, THAT’S LAURA GILLEN FOR CONGRESS .
About Common Sense
The Common Sense Party looks at both Democrats and Republicans running for office. And then nominates the one who’s most reasonable, who thinks for themself. Who can compromise to get things done. In Nassau County, that’s Laura GIllen.
So this November, find the "Common Sense Party" on your ballot.
Representative in Congress (4th District) (Vote for One)
Laura Gillen
Anthony D’Esposito
Anthony D’Esposito
Laura Gillen
D’Esposito balances controversy, re-election
By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito has his sights set on reelection in the 4th Congressional District, where he will face a familiar opponent amid unfamiliar scrutiny over his hiring practices.
A Republican and a former NYPD detective, D’Esposito won his seat in the 2022 midterms, flipping a district that had been in Democratic hands for 25 years. He defeated former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen that year by a margin of roughly 10,000 votes with a campaign focused on crime, inflation and government spending. He hopes to do it again next week with a renewed focus on border security, crime and the cost of living on Long Island.
But D’Esposito’s re-election bid is under a cloud, with an ethics probe questioning whether he improperly hired his fiancée’s daughter and a woman he allegedly had a personal relationship with for taxpayer-funded positions in his office. During a Herald Roundtable on Oct. 10, D’Esposito made it clear that he views the allegations as baseless. “There is absolutely nothing that was violated ethically, and my personal life is my personal life,” he said, asserting that if there had been any ethical questions, he would not have made those hires.
In spite of the allegations, D’Esposito remains focused on issues central to residents of his district. He emphasized that he has been instrumental in securing millions in federal funding for local infrastructure projects ranging from water filtration systems to police training facilities. “In the last 18 months, I’ve been able to bring close to $40 million back to the district to help with infrastructure,” he said.
D’Esposito has also positioned himself as a strong supporter of Israel, and has been vocal in his support for sending more aid to Israel in light of renewed con-
Anthony D’Esposito discussed his re-election campaign in the 4th Congressional District amid controversy over his hiring practices at a Herald Roundtable on Oct. 10.
flicts with Iran and Lebanon following the attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.
“I think the United States of America needs to continue to provide every resource necessary to Israel to eradicate Hamas and any terrorist organization,” he said, criticizing the Biden administration for what he views as a lack of urgency.
Another key issue is the ongoing border crisis. “We have a border security problem,” D’Esposito said, emphasizing the need to shut down the southern border and implement a more stringent asylum process. He noted a Department of Homeland Security briefing where it was revealed that over 420,000 people who
crossed the border illegally had been convicted of crimes in their home countries, including over 13,000 convicted murderers. D’Esposito argued that the Biden administration’s handling of the border has been inadequate, claiming, “The Customs and Border Patrol agents don’t have the resources that they need.”
He remains critical of the administration’s economic and energy policies, and advocates for energy independence, saying, “We need to focus on being more energy independent and stop relying on foreign countries for power.” He also expressed concerns about the national deficit, arguing that it is unsustainable and could have long-term consequences for future generations.
D’Esposito has framed himself as a bipartisan problem solver, willing to work with both sides to achieve results for his district. But he is also aware of the tightrope he walks within his party, having been labeled both a MAGA extremist and a “Republican in Name Only” after calling for the removal of former U.S. Rep. George Santos. D’Esposito said he understands the balance between his own values and party expectations, and will do what he feels is right, regardless of how it may be perceived. “It seems to me I’m doing the right thing and playing the middle,” he said.
As the district becomes a focal point in the national battle for control of the House of Representatives, D’Esposito remains confident in his leadership and his track record of securing federal resources for Long Island.
Laura Gillen prioritizes reproductive rights
By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
Laura Gillen, the Democratic candidate in New York’s 4th Congressional District, is running on a platform focused on tackling the rising cost of living on Long Island, reproductive rights and immigration reform.
“It’s really expensive to live here, and people want relief,” Gillen said during a Herald Roundtable on Oct. 7, adding that this concern came up in nearly every conversation she has had with voters in the district. She is particularly critical of her opponent, U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito for not restoring the state and local tax deduction on income taxes, which was capped during the Trump administration. “My opponent said he was going to restore our SALT deduction. He’s been in the majority for almost two years and has completely failed to do that,” Gillen said, emphasizing that reinstating the deduction, a key issue for many homeowners in Nassau County, would be a top priority if she were elected.
Reproductive rights are also central to Gillen’s campaign, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 decision, ending nearly 50 years of constitutional protection for abortion rights. Gillen stresses the need to protect access to reproductive health care, including abortion, in vitro fertilization and contraception.
“Protecting a woman’s right to choose, protecting the right to access IVF and the right to contraception are things we never thought we’d even have to talk about before the Dobbs decision,” she said. Gillen also pointed to the broader implications of the decision, noting that Republicans are continuing to push for fed-
Tim Baker/Herald
Laura Gillen, the Democratic challenger in the 4th C.D., discussed the rising cost of living, reproductive rights, the country’s border problems, the mental health crisis, Israel and more with the Herald.
eral restrictions on reproductive rights.
Health care, particularly for mental health, is another key focus of Gillen’s campaign. She noted that the country is facing a growing mental health crisis, which affects people of all ages. “It’s affecting our young people, our seniors, our veterans and our law enforcement officers,” she said.
Gillen advocates increasing resources to make mental health services more accessible, reducing the long
wait times many patients face. “Families shouldn’t have to wait weeks to get an appointment for a loved one in crisis,” she said, calling for improvements in insurance coverage for mental health care and for expanding access to care.
Immigration reform is a pressing issue, Gillen said, criticizing Congress for its inaction on the border crisis. She said she is committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border while facilitating citizenship for immigrants. “We’ve seen nothing get done to secure our border, to stop the flow of fentanyl, or to create a pathway for citizenship for people who want to come here legally,” she said. Her proposal includes deploying more border agents, using advanced technology like anti-tunneling systems, and improving the asylum process, which she described as “completely broken” due to the long delays in adjudicating claims.
Gillen has also taken a strong stance on national security, particularly in regard to Israel and the increase of antisemitism in this country. “We’ve seen an incredible rise of antisemitism, even before Oct. 7,” she said, referring to last October’s attacks on Israel by Hamas.
Her bipartisan approach to solving these issues grew out of her experience as the first Democratic Hempstead town supervisor in over 100 years. Despite facing a Republican-controlled Town Board, Gillen managed to implement sweeping reforms, including ethics legislation, cutting taxes and modernizing the town’s infrastructure.
“I got things done, and that’s what I plan to do in Congress,” Gillen said. “People want problem-solvers in Congress … We need to get things done and reduce the partisanship that’s holding us back.”
Juan Lasso/Herald
By Danielle Schwab & Tim Baker
Havana Munsuz
Age 9, Locust Valley
My mom (Lenia Matias). I think she would make equal rights for every person. She supports LGBTQ rights, and she’s also a woman. All the presidents are boys, and we should have a girl as a president. We read a book about the election together.
If you could choose anyone, who would make a good president? Why?
Nicholas Kemp
Age 5, East Rockaway
I want Aaron Judge to be president but I (also) don’t want him because he’s playing baseball and he won’t hit any more home runs. If he was president I think he would be so happy.
Michael Lutz
Age 7, Rockville Centre
My dad (Eric Donohoe) because he’s basically like Donald Trump. Also, my mom (Shannon Donohoe) because she’s technically almost the same as my dad. She would get more jobs in America, put the prices down so if it was $3 it would be $2 and she would get more American-made products
Amelia Geraghty
Age 8, East Meadow
I think John F. Kennedy because if he ever did something wrong, his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy would have stood up for civil rights for women. I don’t think he would do anything wrong. And he was also young (when he was president). The older you are, the more you forget. I’ve read a lot of books about him and Jacqueline Kennedy.
Tasnim and Taha Laghroudi
Tasnim, age 8; Taha, age 10, Wantagh
My teacher Ms. Sanders (my third grade teacher) would make a good president because she’s really fun and she’s very serious so we do our work instead of just playing around the whole time. Teachers are hard working and they’ve been through a lot of lessons and teachings, and they’re responsible for people in their class.
L.I. schools threatened by Project 2025
By JENNA ZAZA & LORI SAXENA Special to the Herald
Project 2025’s agenda to restructure the government extends beyond the Fed and into education, proposing to completely eliminate the Department of Education. This is a contentious move that could have profound repercussions for public education on Long Island.
The DOE plays a significant role in supporting local education by providing funding to high-poverty schools and increasing programs designed to protect and serve vulnerable students, such as those with disabilities or in the LGBTQ+ community.
Eliminating the department means drastically reducing federal funding streams and eventually phasing out Title I, a federal program that provides financial assistance to schools with a high percentage of low-income students, according to a Chalkbeat report. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization focused on education issues.
Title I aims to ensure all children, regardless of socio-economic status, meet state academic standards by funding programs like after-school tutoring and teacher development. Schools can operate schoolwide improvement initiatives if they meet certain thresholds of low-income students.
“When you eliminate funding, the things that get cut are teacher salaries, teachers get laid off, class sizes get bigger, and you have less counseling services, less paraprofessional services ... all of that is eliminated when you don’t have Title I funding,” Jillian Gaeta, co-founder of the organization Roots to Revolution and a New York City public school teacher, said.
Nearly half of Suffolk County’s total public school enrollment is economically disadvantaged students at 44 percent, in Nassau County it is 32 percent, according to the State Education Department. Districts such as Huntington, Central Islip and Brentwood 63 percent, 66 and 88, of the students are from low-income households, respectively, according to state statistics.
Project 2025 also proposes to reduce eligibility for federally funded meal programs.
Funding impact
The potential rollback of programs like the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program under Project 2025 could exacerbate the lack of access to food on Long Island. In recent years, the number of food-insecure individuals on the island has surged, increasing by 58.3 percent since 2021, with an estimated 65,000 children affected, according to a Long Island Cares report.
Over 60 percent of students in lower-income districts like Brentwood and Hempstead qualify for free lunch and breakfast, indicating a substantial reliance on federal aid programs, according to Meals Count data. Meanwhile, wealthier districts like Jericho and Great Neck in Nassau County, where less than 10 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, would be less affected by federal cuts, according to state data.
“In the schools that I’ve worked in, 80 percent of students were receiving free and reduced lunch,” Gaeta said. “If you take away that ability, you now have 80 percent of your kids hungry. You can’t educate those kids; they’re struggling because all they’re focusing on is how their bellies aren’t full.”
Long Island is also seeing a surge in school lunch debt, according to a Healthy School Meals for All report. The Lindenhurst school district reported nearly $50,000 in unpaid school lunch fees and South Huntington said meal debt doubled from $20,000 after the pandemic. Wealthy districts often benefit from higher property tax revenues, which can be used to supplement educational programs. Low-income districts typically struggle with limited funding and resources, making it challenging to provide basic services, let alone additional support for meal programs.
But it’s not just lunch — early childhood education
A portion of Project 2025 aims to roll back progress made on programs and laws that are designed to protect and serve vulnerable people such as the LGBTQ community.
programs are also on the chopping block under Project 2025.
Whither Head Start?
Head Start is a federal initiative that promotes school readiness for young children from low-income families. It serves children aged 3 to 5, focusing on cognitive, social, and emotional development alongside health screenings and nutritious meals. The program is critical in preparing disadvantaged children for elementary school and fostering long-term academic success.
“Early education programs ... are foundational for a child’s ability to thrive in school, and also for their economic security, that they are able to read and write and develop those skills at an early age,” Gaeta said.
In Nassau County, the availability of Head Start programs is concentrated in districts with higher rates of low-income families. Out of eight Head Start locations, many are in areas with higher child poverty rates.
The Head Start programs in Hempstead, Freeport and Roosevelt illustrate this trend. Hempstead, with a child poverty rate of nearly 21 percent, and Roosevelt, where nearly 17 percent of children live in poverty, highlights communities that heavily rely on these educational resources. Freeport, with around 14 percent of children living in poverty, further emphasizes the critical need for support in these districts. The figures are based on Census Bureau data.
Child poverty rates in Westbury (14 percent), Lawrence (10 percent), and Long Beach (6 percent) demonstrate a varied landscape where families may still benefit from Head Start programs, although the urgency may differ.
More affluent districts like Garden City, Syosset, and East Williston, which report child poverty rates of less than 5 percent, do not have any Head Start locations. Wealthier families often have access to private preschools and other early childhood programs.
Title IX fallout
Another proposal of Project 2025 includes a rollback of Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, including sports.
“Title IX, which allows girls to play sports and opens up opportunities for young girls, is also supported and protected by the federal government,” Gaeta said. “So if you eliminate the Federal Department of Education, you’re eliminating all those benefits that our kids need to have successful schools.”
Rolling back Title IX could also disproportionately
impact non-binary and transgender students as the project aims to “define ‘sex’ under Title IX to mean only biological sex.”
“Long Island is already seeing pieces of Project 2025 being enacted,” Kiana Abbady, board chair of Long Island Progressive Coalition, said. “[Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman] already passed a transban, where individuals cannot play sports if they identify as transgender.”
In Nassau County 10 school districts — Island Park, Jericho, Lawrence, Locust Valley, Long Beach, Mineola, New Hyde Park, Oceanside, Oyster Bay and Port Washington — are set to lose funding, based on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed 2025 executive budget.
“If any parts of Project 2025 are enacted, we will see large swaths of Long Island’s communities, predominantly black and brown, predominantly working class, lose significant funding for public schools,” Abbady said. “We already see that. ”
Extracurricular activities, such as sports, are typically the first to be cut when schools experience dips in funding, and this could have adverse effects on students. Research indicates that participation in sports is linked to numerous benefits for both girls and transgender youth, including improved academic performance, higher self-esteem, and greater overall well-being.
In underfunded districts, girls often have 1.3 million fewer opportunities than boys to engage in athletic programs, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Exclusionary policies for trans youth like Nassau County’s Legislature and Project 2025 Title IX reforms could exacerbate rates of depression, school absenteeism and suicide in trans students, which are already significantly higher than for cis-gender students.
Without the federal enforcement of Title IX and adequate funding, the gap in opportunities between wellfunded and underfunded schools could widen, leaving many girls and LGBTQ youth without access to the necessary resources for their athletic and educational advancement.
Gaeta said this is ultimately the goal of Project 2025.
“It is designed to benefit wealthy, wealthy white men,” she said. “All of the projects, all the policies in Project 2025, will hurt low-income families, will hurt middle-class families, will hurt women and girls, will hurt LGBTQ families, will hurt people of color. It is designed that way.”
Jenna Zaza and Lori Saxena are reporters with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
Courtesy George Giokas
GENERAL ELECTION Candidates
Amendment to Protect Against Unequal Treatment
This proposal would protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. It also protects against unequal treatment based on reproductive healthcare and autonomy.
A “YES” vote puts these protections in the New York State Constitution.
A “NO” vote leaves these protections out of the State Constitution.
Enmienda para Proteger Contra el Trato Desigual
Esta propuesta protegería contra el trato desigual basado en la etnicidad, el origen nacional, la edad, la discapacidad y el sexo, incluida la orientación sexual, la identidad de género y el embarazo. También protege contra el trato desigual basado en la salud y la autonomía reproductiva.
Un voto “SÍ” coloca estas protecciones en la Constitución del Estado de Nueva York. Un voto “NO” deja estas protecciones fuera de la Constitución del Estado.
Democratic Electors
Electores para Presidente y Vicepresidente
Kamala D. Harris (For President)
Republican Electors
Tim Walz (For Vice President)
Electores para Presidente y Vicepresidente
Donald J. Trump (For President)
JD Vance (For Vice President)
Representative in Congress District 4
Representante en el Congreso Distrito 4
Laura Gillen (D,CS)
United States Senator
Senador Estatal, Distrito
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D, WF)
Diane Sare (L)
Vote for One (1)
Anthony D’Esposito (R,C)
Vote for One (1)
Michael D. Sapraicone (R,C)
Member
Harpreet
Member
Miembro Sanjeev
Justice
Juez de la James Gregg Deanna Terence
Miembro de
State
Senador Estatal, Lisa Lin
ELECTIon’24
Senator District 5
Estatal, Distrito 5
Vote for One (1) Lin (D)
Steve Rhoads (R,C)
Member of Assembly District
de la Asamblea Distrito 17
Harpreet Toor (D)
17
John Mikulin (R,C)
Vote for One (1)
Member of Assembly District 19
de la Asamblea Distrito 19
Sanjeev Jindal (D) Ed Ra (R,C)
Justice of the Supreme Court
Vote for One (1)
County Court Judge
Juez del Tribunal del Condado
Jeffrey A. Goodstein(D,R,C)
Family Court Judge
District Court Judge District 2
Juez del Tribunal de Distrito
Andrea C. Phoenix (D,R,C)
Veronica Renta Irwin (D,R,C)
Vote for Four (4)
Ryan E. Cronin (D,R,C) Sean Wright (D,R,C)
la Corte Suprema (Vote for up to Eight) (8)
F. Matthews, Jr. (D,R,C)
Roth (D,R,C)
Deanna D. Panico (D,R,C)
Terence P. Murphy (D,R,C)
Alfred C. Graf (D,R,C)
Paul E. Hennings (D,R,C)
Paul M. Hensley (D,R,C)
Andrew A. Crecca (D,R,C)
Are you driving yourself crazy? PERSON TO PERSON
Have you ever felt that you were on the verge of a nervous breakdown? If so, it’s time to examine how you think and feel. You probably view the cause of your problems as other people — the way they aggravate you, expect too much of you, and are constantly critical of you. And I’m sure you have a point. But it’s not only them. It’s about you and how you interpret and respond to their actions, as well as how your
Heritage Club at Bethpage 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
MICHAEL J. DOWLING PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER NORTHWELL HEALTH
own pressures and expectations contribute to your tension and anxiety. Here are some ways you probably make life more difficult for yourself.
You’re sensitive and vulnerable, quickly feeling hurt or angry by others’ thoughtless remarks or actions. You have trouble letting go of the hurt. You feel justified in keeping a grudge. After all, it wasn’t nice for that person to do that to you. Though you perceive yourself as
ENGINEERING
ACCOUNTING:
JOHN FITZGERALD Managing Partner Citrin Cooperman
GURJIT SINGH
Chief Information Officer
Prager Metis CPAs
DIANE L. WALSH
Chief Marketing Officer
Prager Metis CPAs
BANKING & FINANCE:
STUART H. LUBOW
President & Chief Executive Officer
Dime Community Bank
DAVID A. PERLMUTTER
Managing Partner Forest Hills Financial Group
MARK SANCHIONI
Senior Vice President & Chief Banking Officer Ridgewood Savings Bank
JOSEPH TEDESCO
President & Chief Executive Officer Ocean Financial Federal Credit
JOHN BURKE
Managing Director
Global Head of Business
& Professional Services
Citi Commercial Bank
BIOPHARMA:
PATRICIA ECKERT, CPA
Chief Financial Officer Enzo Biochem, Inc.
COMMUNICATIONS:
ANDREW RAINONE
Senior Vice President, Business Sales Optimum Business
EDUCATION:
MARIA CONZATTI, EdD
Chief Administrative Officer Nassau Community College
TIMOTHY E. SAMS, Ph.D.
President SUNY Old Westbury
Company
BILLY HAUGLAND II Chief Executive Officer Haugland Group LLC
ANDREW J. SOLANO
GAS/UTILITIES:
CHRISTINA ARMENTANO
Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President Paraco
JOHN RHODES
Chief Executive Officer Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)
ROSS TURRINI
Chief Operating Officer National Grid New York
ENERGY: JIM FLANNERY Chief Operating Officer National Grid Ventures, US Northeast
HEALTHCARE:
ALLISON BERGMANN
Chief Operating Officer Solutions 4 Community Health
MARIANELA CASAS, MPA
Chief Operating Officer Association for Mental Health and Wellness
STACEY C. JACKSON HARLEY
Chief Operating Officer Harmony Healthcare
ANDREW MINTZ
Chief Executive Officer The Smilist
MICHAEL N. ROSENBLUT
President & Chief Executive Officer
Parker Jewish Institute For Healthcare and Rehabilitation
AMY SILVA-MAGALHAES
Chief Operating Officer
The Bristal Assisted Living
the victim, it feels wild when others claim that you’re the problem for making too big a deal out of something.
You have a strong need to control and do things “right.” I know it’s not easy to admit this, especially if you’re a perfectionist. All you want is for things to be done “the way they should be done.” Life should be easier, but it gets hard when others keep insisting on doing things their way. Constant argu-
ing about how and when to take care of tasks saps your energy and turns potentially joyful times into heavy ones.
JOSEPH VERDIRAME
Chief Executive Officer
Alliance Homecare
AMIT SHAH, MD
Partner & Vascular Surgeon PRINE Health
HOSPITALITY:
MICHAEL LESSING Chief Executive Officer Lessing's Hospitality Group
LEGAL:
NICOLE JOSEPH
Chief Operating Officer & Finance Director CM Law PLLC
JULIE WYETZNER
Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer Cona Elder Law PLLC
MICHAEL H. SAHN
Managing Partner Sahn Ward Braff Coschignano PLLC
HOWARD M. STEIN
Managing Partner & Co- Chair of the Real Estate Practice Group Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP
NOT-FOR-PROFIT:
PHIL ANDREWS
President Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce
MICHAEL K. BILLIA
Chief Executive Officer Life’s WORC
LISA BURCH, MPH
President and Chief Executive Officer
EPIC Long Island, Inc.
RANDELL BYNUM
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of Nassau County
MATTHEW COHEN
President and Chief Executive Officer Long Island Association, Inc.
ERIKA FLORESKA
President Long Island Children's Museum
JEFFREY FRIEDMAN
Chief Executive Officer CN Guidance and Counseling Services
LLOYD Chief Executive Officer and Founder Minority Millennials, Inc.
DIANE MANDERS Interim Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director Habitat for Humanity of LI
JOHN MCGUIGAN Chief Executive Officer AHRC Suffolk
JEFFREY L. REYNOLDS, PHD President & Chief Executive Officer Family and Children's Association LUIS VAZQUEZ President & Chief Executive Officer Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
REAL ESTATE:
JOSEPH A. FARKAS Chief Executive Officer & Founder Metropolitan Realty Associates LLC
RETAIL: ROBERT KAY Chief Executive Officer Lifetime Brands, Inc.
SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT: CHRIS R. VACCARO President & Executive Officer Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame
TECHNOLOGY: AMY E. NEWMAN Senior Vice President, Administration Canon U.S.A, Inc.
TRANSPORTATION: ROBERT FREE Acting President Long Island Rail Road
MARLON TAYLOR President New York and Atlantic Railway
COREY J. MUIRHEAD Executive Vice President Guardian Bus Company
MICHAEL D. TORNABE Chief Operating Officer Guardian Bus Company *List still in formation
You’re overly concerned with safety. Others think of you as too nervous, and suggest you need to relax. Your kids think you’re nuts. Chill out, they say. Ha! Easier said than done. You’re not a risk-taker. Your great capacity to feel for others and your lively imagination do you in when you live life as though every unknown is a potential tragedy, every problem a potential catastrophe.
You’re a responsible can-do person. You have valuable skills. People respect you and admire you for all you can do. Sometimes, however, it just feels like too much. Others are not pulling their weight. Hence, you resent all the obligations on your shoulders. Yet, you find it difficult to delegate or eliminate responsibilities. After all, “things must be taken care of.” “If you want something done right, you need to do it yourself.”
You’re too self-critical. You can’t seem to turn off that inner voice that keeps telling you--do more, do better, do it faster. Though you may be complimentary to others, those closest to you get the same critical treatment you give yourself. You like to think of your comments as “helpful criticism,” but if you’re honest with yourself, you’re aware that there’s a good deal of stress and turmoil in your closest relationships.
If you’re relating to this article and feel like you could be headed toward a nervous breakdown, stop before you drop! Feeling overly stressed is a warning. It’s like a circuit breaker going off because it’s overloaded. You need to ease up on yourself. Eliminate some pressures. Today, right now, say out loud, “Relax and let go! Breathe.” Now take four deep breaths, inhaling slowly, exhaling slowing. Feel yourself relaxing. Say something nice to yourself. Smile. And remember, it’s okay to seek professional help to help you accomplish your goals.
Linda Sapadin, Ph.D., psychologist, coach, and author specializes in helping people improve their relationships, enhance their lives, and overcome debilitating anxiety, procrastination, and fear. Contact her at 516 791-2780, Dr.Sapadin@aol.com. Visit her website at PsychWisdom.com.
Linda Sapadin
DAN
Seeking federal money for road projects
By Carolyn James cjames@liherald.com
With partisan politics in high gear less than two weeks before Election Day, Long Island politicians — Republicans and Democrats — gathered in a bipartisan show of support for an effort to bring more federal funding for road and infrastructure projects to Nassau and Suffolk counties.
“This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue — it is a state and federal issue,” U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi said at a news conference on Oct. 23 at the Long Island Welcome Center on the Long Island Expressway in Dix Hills. “It is about government, labor, business and people and everyone, regardless of party. It is about coming together,” Suozzi added, with the roar of traffic along the expressway providing an appropriate backdrop.
The gathering of politicians, business and labor representatives
was to support a bill in the State Legislature, sponsored by Assemblyman Steve Stern and State Sen. Monica Martinez, that would create a mechanism for Long Island to apply directly for federal transportation dollars. As things stand now, the state must apply to the federal government for infrastructure funding through the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, which includes not only Long Island, but also New York City as well as Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties. Under the proposed legislation, Long Island would create its own Metropolitan Planning Organization to address its infrastructure needs specifically, officials said.
The need for this autonomy became abundantly clear to Long Island lawmakers several years ago. Under the current NYMTC guidelines, Long Island was slated to receive 23 percent of federal funding allocated to the state. That
figure dropped to 1 percent, or $300 million, this year. And according to officials, almost all of that will be spent on renovations to electric signs along local highways, and road repairs. It allows for practically nothing for expansive work or new projects.
Some of those projects were outlined by Marc Herbst, executive director of the Long Island Contractors Association. They include work to reconfigure the Oakdale merge, where Sunrise and Montauk highways converge; the intersection of the Meadowbrook and Southern State parkways; the expansion of Sagtikos Parkway to four lanes to make them safer; and work on the Southern State Parkway, which Herbst described as “blood alley.”
“How many more tragedies do we have to have along that roadway before we address those issues and others?” he said.
“This is more important than
party,” State Sen. Jack Martins said. “It is not about politics; it is about our communities, our homes, our residents — and fairness.”
“This is not an adversarial issue,” Herbst added, pointing to the need for Long Island to have an independent voice when vying for federal funding.
“Long Island is a place unlike any other, and with that distinction comes the reality that we have unique needs,” Martinez said. “Our infrastructure and transportation systems must be as bold and resilient as the people who call this region home in order to thrive in an ever-changing world.”
Adam Levine, executive director of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, said that he and the council understand that “Long Island officials want to get every federal dollar they can,” and that it recognizes the impacts of bureaucracy.
Vote Laura Gillen: Independent Leadership for Long Island
When my mother passed away in February 2021, Covid-19 was still raging and her funeral was four relatives and a rabbi. It was dignified, private and very personal for a quiet, unassuming, sensitive woman. Although tradition of all kinds asks that the entire community be there to support at such times, I was okay with the solitude, despite a long period of feeling like something wasn’t quite right, what
The memory of Ruth elevate the Conversation
I self-defined as “my meter was off.”
She is in my daily thoughts but in an isolated forty-eight hours a pattern emerged, elevating her memory into sharp, unexpected focus.
Circumstance No. 1: Alumni Weekend at my university. I sit in a course called “Hollywood: A History” just in time to learn the perspectives of week seven – Hollywood in the 1930s. It’s a discussion, not lecture, about the studio moguls, rise of unions, rise of Commu-
nism and the social experience of going to the movies.
The instructor asks about personal reflections of going to the movies locally and I hear myself telling the group about my mother and grandmother. My grandmother’s love of movie stars won out over homework and the pair would go weekly after school to the movies. My mom once told me how attendees would get a dish with each admission and this practically throwaway line
sparked ten minutes of discussion in class. Seems that the interviews these students did with grandparents identified that their great-grandparents had these dish collections too.
Circumstance No. 2: Continuation of Alumni Weekend. On a student-led tour of the campus, I meet a father and high school son who are there to learn more even though it’s not Open House or an “interested students” day. I hear myself recommending that the pair schedule a meeting with the department chairperson to learn more – encouraging them to ask questions and get a real sense of the major before applying. It is an immediate flashback to 1977 in which my mother is my modest entourage sitting in the back of the department chair’s office while I am speaking about the advertising program I would soon be accepted in.
And finally circumstance No. 3: The process of retrieving something that is lost. Although people have told me they have prayed to saints who are known for helping to locate lost things, my approach is always been to turn over a glass tumbler on the kitchen counter -- a superstition. I don’t remember talking much about it, just recommending it be done to help insure the lost item would be found.
Yet my son, in brief conversation with my husband, suddenly gives his dad the same advice while my husband is hunting down a lost item.
“Your mom just told me to do that,” my husband says.
“Yeah, Mom used to tell me that. Actually I think it was Grandma.” he replies.
A contributing writer to the Herald since 2012, Lauren Lev is a direct marketing/ advertising executive who teaches marketing fundamentals as well as advertising and marketing communications courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology and SUNY Old Westbury.
Lauren Lev
STEPPING OUT
Looking outward from
an artistic
Local talents on view at
perspective Museum’s Long Island Biennial
By Danielle Schwab
A tradition since 2010, the popular Long Island Biennial at Hecksher Museum returns with “The Body Politic,” shining the spotlight on our diverse artistic talent throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The latest edition of the juried exhibition — now on view through mid-January — offers an exciting look at what is happening artistically here in our area.
Out of 313 submissions, 79 were accepted from 60 artists, resulting in a vivid assortment of mediums, styles and focuses on exhibit. Curated by Meredith A. Brown, the museum’s consulting curator of Contemporary Art, each piece was reviewed by an expert jury team. The panel included Ian Alteveer, department chair of contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts; Patricia Cronin, artistic director of the LGBTQ+ VR Museum, art professor and sculptor; Grace Hong, assistant director of Galerie Lelong & Co.
The exhibit takes on a theme for the first time — examining contemporary social, cultural and political issues. It’s a snapshot of some of the major national, local and even international matters that compel artists in this important election year.
“Sixty countries — taken together, representing half the world’s population, including the United States — will have held major elections by the end of this year,” Brown says.
“It’s a crucial year. And we thought it would be interesting to see how the people, the artists in our communities, are thinking about these political, social, cultural issues — and representing them through art.”
The exhibit represents a remarkable variety of media, with styles spanning abstraction to hyperrealism, including sculpture, painting, photography, and collage. One pieceis even composed with cut plastic straws and lighters found on a beach.
“I’m always interested in the way artists can combine things that I wouldn’t have thought of, sometimes materials that are ‘non-art’ materials,” Brown adds.
East Meadow’s Karen Kirshner is among the artists featured. Her abstract acrylic painting “The Mission, 2022” employs a “direct painting” technique that enables her to use her emotions to paint onto the canvas.
“I never know what I’m going to paint. I paint in the moment, moment to moment, and then
and for the
review and evaluate and adapt and improve,” Kirshner explains.
She was influenced by the war in Ukraine, with so many trying to flee. Her movement of lines, shapes and vibrancy of colors expresses the Ukrainians’ frantic energy.
“I felt in my soul,” Kirshner says. “The mission is to get people out.”
Maria Spector, of Babylon, is represented with two paintings: “Candy Girls and Boys Under the Jellybean Tree, 2022 ” and “Candy Girls Under the Sugar-Plum Tree with Boy and the Artists that Painted Women 2020-22.”
In “Candy Girls and Boys Under the Jellybean Tree“ contemporary figures of children are mixed with images from art history, fine art and popular culture — all under a tree ‘ripe’ with various candies.
• Now through Jan. 19
• Open Thursday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
• Heckscher Museum of Art,
2 Prime Ave., Huntington
• Visit Heckscher.org for more information or call (631) 380-3230
“By incorporating pop culture, I explore issues of femininity and masculinity through both history and today. The work is meant to challenge our own biases and beliefs,” Spector says.
Another standout, Lynbrook’s Susan Kozodoy Silkowitz captures her vision through photography. “Pink Shoes, 2022” is a testament to freedom of expression without discrimination. The male in pink platform shoes was snapped outside of Fashion Institute of Technology.
“I’ve been photographing people for 50 years. It took me many years to be able to do what I do, which is approach and photograph people on the street,” Kozodoy Silkowitz says. “I think it’s a wonderful thing to see people who are unafraid to express who they are, although some people may disapprove.”
Visitors can contribute their own voice to what’s on view and how they relate to community and identity through a collage of messages on the response wall.
It’s all part of the museum’s effort to encourage artistic reflection through times of great change, inspiring us to engage with narratives in a new light.
As Brown puts it: “It helps the artists and it helps those of us who are not artists to think about the diversity of artists and viewpoints and opinions in these communities in which we live, and in that way, hopefully it can broaden people’s views of their communities, of where we are.”
As always, the exhibit experience is enhanced by related programming. The participating artists will be in the galleries on select Sundays throughout the exhibition period to engage with visitors, as well as taking part in upcoming museum and community events.
Mike DelGuidice’s Concert Weekend for Veterans
Mike DelGuidice, one of Long Island’s celebrated singersongwriters returns to The Paramount, with special guests. The band always gives it their all, especially when playing the iconic Billy Joel songs. DelGuidice leads his ensemble in a rousing concert that highlights the Piano Man’s decades of hits. Like his idol, DelGuidice grew up mastering several instruments including bass guitar, guitar, piano, and drums. He’s renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of the Joel catalog, which caught the attention of Joel himself, who ultimately brought him on stage with him. DelGuidice and his band pack hit after charttopping hit in a high energy show that’s always a crowd pleaser. The concert delights audiences with renditions of classic rock favorites and his own eclectic originals.
Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2, 8 p.m. $60, $40, $25, $20. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
America
The perennial classic rock favorite is back on the road again as founding member Dewey Bunnell celebrates the band’s 54th anniversary, appearing on the Tilles Center stage. Billed as “Ride On Tour 2024, it draws on the band’s deep catalog of hits including signature song “A Horse With No Name,” a #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1972. Bunnell and America’s co-founder Gerry Beckley (along with former bandmate Dan Peek), who met in high school in London in the late 1960s, quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of that tune. Forty plus years later, these friends continue to make music together (although Beckley has now retired from touring) thrilling audiences with their timeless sound. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners discovered there was always much more to America than surface perceptions.
Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 p.m.
Tickets start at $35. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
Susan Kozodoy Silkowitz’s Pink Shoes gives a voice to personal expression.
Photos courtesy Heckscher Museum
Maria Spector’s collage “Candy Girls and Boys Under the Jellybean Tree,” is part of a series that explore issues of consumerism, sexuality, femininity, and masculinity — merging the ideas and works of the past with the present.
Karen Kirshner’s “The Mission” was inspired by the war in Ukraine. It conveys the frantic rush to safety by
Ukrainians.
Ailey II
Ailey II, which bills itself as “the next generation of dance,” continues its 50th anniversary of bringing “off-the-charts energy” to the stage, with a performance at Tilles Center, Friday, Nov. 8 , at 8 p.m. Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s finest early-career dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s outstanding and emerging choreographers.
The 2024-25 repertory features two world premieres by former Ailey II member Alia Kache and by Houston Thomas, as well as repertory favorites and beloved classics. Founded in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble and led by Sylvia Waters for 38 seasons, Ailey II has advanced Alvin Ailey’s vision for more than five decades by giving early-career dancers a bridge from world-class training at The Ailey School to the professional stage. Led by Artistic Director Francesca Harper, Ailey II’s dancers bring their technical mastery and emotional depth to works by the most daring established and emerging choreographers. Just as Ailey envisioned, the company continues to develop the next generation of performers and dancemakers while expanding audiences through global touring and community-based performances.
The program includes Alvin Ailey’s Streams, an abstract exploration of bodies in space, danced to a percussion score by Miloslav Kabelac; Houston Thomas’ world premiere Down the Rabbit Hole, a continuation of the choreographer’s Follow the White Rabbit (2022) that expands on its themes, examining the relationship between humans and technology; also Francesca Harper’s Luminous, a work that pays homage to the 50th anniversary of Ailey II and the artists who paved the way for future generations. Tickets start at $35. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100. Nov. 8
Long Island Turkey Trot
Runners are invited to come out for the Long Island Turkey Trot in Eisenhower Park, Saturday, Nov. 2, in Parking Field 2. The walk/run 5K event begins at 9 a.m. for more information and to register, visit Events.EliteFeats. com/24LITurkeyTrot.
Concert time
Enjoy big gand tunes with the Swingtime Big Band, at the East Meadow Public Library, Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. The 20-piece band performs hits from the Great American Songbook, during its Veterans’ Day concert. Registration required. Visit EastMeadow.info for more information and to register. 1886 Front St., East Meadow.
Chiller fest
Join EMCon, the group that brings you the annual comic con at East Meadow Public Library, for a spooky-themed event, after Halloween, Saturday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. With an art gallery, special guests, panels and more. Free to attend. 1886 Front St., East Meadow. For more, visit eastmeadow.info.
On stage
Join Adelphi University’s talented theater students who perform playwright Caryl Churchill’s “Love and Information,” Thursday and Friday, oct. 31-Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 2, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 3, 2 p.m.
The fast-moving theatrical kaleidoscope explores more than 100 characters in over 50 short scenes as they try to make sense of what they know and what they find out. This is a play unlike any other that examines what it means to be human in a modern world and tackles the tension between the concepts of love and information.
Tickets start at $30, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, Olmsted Theater, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.
NEW YORK’S WRONGEST RUNNING COMEDY!
‘The Birthday Party’ Looking for something to do this Halloween season that isn’t just for kids? Visit Sands Point Preserve for an exclusive, immersive theatrical production, “The Birthday Party,” held in a secluded opulent mansion concludes Thursday and Friday, Oct. 31-Nov. 1. For those who attended Archie’s last “Birthday Party,” rest assured, there are new surprises in store.
Guests are blindfolded and escorted to a secret location on the proprrty, Villa Vanitas, to celebrate the enigmatic Lord Archibald Axel Von Finkelshorn Chatterton’s 30th birthday. He is a witless charmer on the cusp of a life-changing revelation, and everyone’s invited to witness his journey on a night that promises to be unforgettable and delightfully unpredictable. Cocktail attire preferred. $175 per person. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.
Art explorations
Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. The drop-in program continues Saturday, Nov. 2, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and their adult partners connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 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.
Bingo at Beth-El
Get your game on at a weekly bingo game at East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center starting at 6 p.m. Prizes, progressive games, bell jar prizes and refreshments will be provided. Proof of vaccination is required. 1400 Prospect Ave., in East Meadow. For information, contact (516) 483-4205.
Having an event?
Night at the Races
East Meadow Chamber of Commerce hosts A Night at the Races, at La Novella Ristorante, Thursday, Nov. 7 Doors open at 6 p.m., races begin at 7. $30 admission in advance; $40 after Nov. 1 or at the door. With a cash bar. 364 E Meadow Ave. For more, and to buy tickets, visit eastmeadowchamber.com.
Mah Jongg
Enjoy an afternoon of Mah Jongg and canasta, every Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.4 p.m., at East Meadow Beth El Jewish Center. $5 contribution per person. Snacks are provided. No outside food allowed due to dietary laws. Bring your own games and cards. Mah Jongg lessons available. 1400 Prospect Ave. For further information call (516) 4283693.
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 will 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.
Board games from days gone by
Enjoy an evening of learning and playing historic games at Old Westbury Gardens’ Westbury House, Friday, Nov. 8, 7-9:30 p.m. The Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo takes visitors on journey through 5,000 years of board game history, from its roots in ancient times to more familiar examples from the time of the Phipps family. A brief lecture on board game history includes a presentation of each of the featured games. All are fully playable, and you can try them out yourself.
Games include: Senet, The Royal Game of Ur, Three Man’s Morris, Six Man’s Morris, Nine Man’s Morris, Twelve Man’s Morris, Mancala, Go, Chess, The Royal and Most Pleasant Game of The Goose, Backgammon. The Landlords Game (transition to the modern Monopoly). $15. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU
DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR HIS ASSET SECURITIZATION CORPORATION TRUST
2007-NC1, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES
2007-NC1, Plaintiff, Against MIRNA E. GUERRERO, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 12/07/2023, 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 11/13/2024 at 2:00PM , premises known as 352 Berg Avenue, East Meadow, New York 11554, 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 Hempstead, Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 50 Block 60 Lot 72 And 73. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $549,080.77 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 614245/2019
Brian J. Davis, Esq., Referee.
For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832
SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Dated: 8/23/24 File Number: 36453 SH 149412
LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF NASSAU UMB BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE FOR LVS TITLE TRUST XIII, Plaintiff,
v. ANY UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, DISTRIBUTEES OR SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF THE LATE JOHN MARKERT, 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 January 6, 2023, I, Scott H. Siller, Esq., the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on November 19, 2024 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: 1903 Chester Drive East Meadow, NY 11554 SBL No.: 50-456-11 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. 007407/2016 in the amount of $466,074.15 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 149536
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR MASTR ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES TRUST 2007-1 MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-1, Plaintiff, Against KAREN JONES A/K/A KAREN B. JONES A/K/A KAREN B. LICHTENSTIEN, ET AL, Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 03/24/2023, 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, NY 11501 on 11/18/2024 at
2:00PM, premises known as 769 Van Buren Avenue, East Meadow, New York 11554, And Described As Follows:
ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being At East Meadow, Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 50 Block 436 Lot 4
The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $765,254.16 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 601311/2019 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.
Peter Kramer, Esq., Referee. 516-510-4020
MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573
Dated: 10/7/2024 File Number: 16-301208 CA 149534
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Plaintiff AGAINST Alisa Lifshitz, as Executor and as Heir of the Estate of Sylvia Farber; Matthew Feldman as Heir of the Estate of Sylvia Farber, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 5, 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 November 20, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 62 Haven Lane, Levittown, NY 11756. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 51 Block: 166 Lot: 4. Approximate amount of judgment $797,985.91 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index
#008645/2016. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Fred Lewis Pollack, Esq., Referee McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC 420 Lexington Avenue-Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 21-08301NY 82658 149456
LEGAL NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE: Crown Castle is proposing to install telecommunications antennas & equipment on multiple new poles in a geographic cluster in Town of Hempstead (East Meadow/Levittown), Nassau County, NY. The deployment includes construction of 9 new poles at overall heights ranging from 30 to 37.8ft at the following individual locations: SIDE OF 265 ANDREW AVE, EAST MEADOW 11554 (40° 43’ 03.20” N, 73° 32’ 29.31” W);199 EARL PL, EAST MEADOW 11554 (40° 43’ 10.23” N, 73° 32’ 25.18” W);755 BRUCE DR, EAST MEADOW 11554 (40° 42’ 09.33” N, 73° 33’ 21.51” W); 330 BERNICE DR, EAST MEADOW 11554 (40° 42’ 59.37” N, 73° 31’ 57.48” W); ACROSS FROM 293 CHESTNUT AVE, EAST MEADOW 11554 (40° 42’ 49.05” N, 73° 33’ 54.48” W); 35 ANVIL LN, LEVITTOWN 11756 (40° 43’ 02.89” N, 73° 31’ 13.55” W); 20 VISTA LN, LEVITTOWN 11756 (40° 42’ 50.22” N, 73° 31’ 01.28” W); 44 CIRCLE LN, LEVITTOWN 11756 (40° 42’ 59.11” N, 73° 31’ 03.06” W); and 53 CHAPEL LN, LEVITTOWN 11756 (40° 42’ 43.60” N, 73° 31’ 19.40” W). Public comments regarding potential effects from this project on historic properties may be submitted within 30-days from the date of this publication to: K. Eisele, Terracon, 844 N. Lenola Rd, Moorestown, NJ 08057, 856-813-3267, or Kathy.eisele@terracon.co m. 149744
News briefs
Ross Schiller honored at council breakfast
Ross Schiller, an attorney with a legal practice in East Meadow, Ross L. Schiller & Associatios P.C., was honored last week at the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce 39th annual Businessperson of the Year and Legislative Breakfast at the Crest Hollow Country Club.
Schiller was named the businessperson of the year for the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of his work with the East Meadow Chamber, Schiller takes great pride in helping others and is committed to businesses in his community and elsewhere, as well as donating much time to charitable works. The second vice president with the Chamber of Commerce, he is also involved with the Kiwanis Club of East Meadow, and was a volunteer fire medic with the East Meadow Fire Department.
Established in 1979, the Nassau Council seeks to address the business issues that members consider critical. The current president is Franklin A. Camarano Jr.
The council is at 1576 Front St. in East Meadow. The number is (516) 2530124. The email is info@ncchambers.org and the website is NCChambers.org.
–Jordan Vallone
employees were
Two women injured following nail salon crash
A two-car accident on Oct. 26 resulted in two injuries after a car crashed into a nail salon, police said.
According to police, a 24-year-old woman was driving a 2019 Dodge Charger eastbound on Jerusalem Avenue when it collided with a 2019 Jeep Cherokee driven by a 71-year-old woman. The Jeep was exiting a parking lot, heading southbound toward Ott Lane, and attempting to cross Jerusalem Avenue when the crash occurred.
Following the impact, the Dodge
Charger lost control, striking multiple parked cars before crashing into Queen Bee Nail Salon at 1377 Jerusalem Ave., North Merrick. Two employees, both 40-year-old women, suffered minor leg injuries and were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Both drivers remained at the scene and declined medical attention. No criminality is suspected, though the investigation is ongoing.
Tim Baker/Herald The Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce highlighted the honorees from all the participating chambers. Ross Schiller was the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce’s Honoree.
–Jordan Vallone
Courtesy John Scalesi
A car crash on Jerusalem Avenue resulted in a messy scene outside of Queen Bee Nail Salon. Two
injured in the crash.
CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE
Full Time/Part Time
Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. Salary Range is $16 per hour to $23 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com
DRIVERS WANTED
Full Time and Part Time
Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239
DRIVING
INSTRUCTOR
Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome!
$20 - $25/ Hour Bell Auto School
516-365-5778
Email: info@bellautoschool.com
EDITOR/REPORTER
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K
To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com
EMAIL MARKETING SPECIALIST
Herald Community Newspapers is seeking a motivated and knowledgeable
Email Marketing Expert to join our team. If you have a passion for crafting effective email campaigns and a knack for data-driven decision-making, this role is for you!
RESPONSIBILITIES: Set up and manage email campaigns from start to finish. Analyze data to identify target audiences and optimize email strategies. Craft compelling email content, including writing effective subject lines. Monitor and report on campaign performance.
REQUIREMENTS:
Degree in Marketing, Business, or related field. Strong understanding of data analysis and marketing principles. Experience with email marketing is preferred but not required.
POSITION DETAILS: Flexible: Part-time or Full-time. Salary range: $16,640 to $70,000, depending on experience and role.
Join our dynamic team and help us connect with our audience in meaningful ways! Apply today by sending your resume and a brief cover letter to lberger@liherald.com
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 per hour to $20 per hour.
Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
MULTI MEDIA
ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT
Inside Sales
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 $33,280 + 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
OFFICE COORDINATOR
To Handle Daily Office and Clerical Tasks at a Conservative Synagogue on the South Shore. 35 Hours per Week. Salary Ranges From $20-$24 per Hour Commensurate with Experience. Email Resume to: office@congbt.org or Call 516-785-2445 for more info
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 $33,280 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
To place an ad call 516-569-4000
Will housing ever be more affordable?
A Buyers Dream Home
Welcome to 7 Granada Pl in Massapequa. This stunning Fort Lauderdale-style waterfront colonial, newly constructed in 2023, epitomizes luxurious living. Offering 4 spacious bedrooms
Q. I’m looking to sell my home, and I’m stunned by the cost of homes these days. My daughter’s family had to move out of the area, not because they needed better jobs, but because their jobs couldn’t pay enough to afford a home, and my wife and I could only help a little. Do you see any hope for housing to be made more affordable? Are there less costly ways to build that could help young people get a foothold on the American Dream? What do you think?
A. Yes, there are many ways to make homes more affordable, but the way to make it happen is very complicated, and I doubt that you’ll see it happen. Think of people, our economy, our system of living arrangements, our communities, separately or combined into large entities, as being like a large woven fabric. There are many threads in this fabric, many colors and textures and many ways the threads are woven, some over, some under and some straight through. Pull at one part of the fabric, poke at another, and the whole composition ruffles, wrinkles, even tears and starts to unravel.
Now, think of how much each thread costs, how someone puts a price on that thread because of its location, its color, its finish within the fabric. That one thread is now thought of as more expensive, special and exclusive. Others see that thread and decide their threads are pretty darn special, too. Soon every thread goes up in value, and anyone trying to weave a new thread into the fabric, or trying to buy that thread, must be in compliance with the costs, rules and location.
Regulators who decide where different threads can be placed, how big or small those threads can be and what they can look like, are people. People are threads in the fabric. Your kids are threads who may or may not find a way to be woven into the fabric as other threads disintegrate or are pulled away. Government, financial institutions, property associations, neighbors and you have to all cooperate to make the fabric stay together.
It’s possible that when enough people refuse to buy a thread or be a thread, then the value of threads diminishes. The cost of making a thread — a home or a commercial building — keeps increasing, so the cost of the components has to be brought down. But the people who make those components have to get paid. Do we cut their salaries? It’s all connected, like a complicated woven fabric in which everything has to work together.
There’s currently a nationwide shortage of housing units and a limited inventory of homes for sale, possibly because it costs more for less, so people are reluctant to move. Prices, the cost of materials, the regulated size of homes, and profit margins for sellers and lenders all need to be reduced. Does anyone see that happening, or do we wait for the fabric to become brittle and start to come apart to respond? Good luck!
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
Stuff HERALD
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Nassau is no county for old men
The candidates for our state offices, incumbents and challengers, have been out campaigning, regaling voters with claims that they are the right people for the jobs that need filling in Albany. They will take up the fight in the Capitol, they insist, to do the best job for us, their constituents. They cite their talent, experience and vision, and their ability to solve even the thorniest of problems.
But the sad irony is that the thorniest problems often remain unsolved. Take, for instance, the conundrum of property assessment in Nassau County. After the school districts establish their budgets, the state sees to additional school funding via foundation aid, the School Tax Relief program and the like. But it is the county that determines the value of real estate, and from that comes our school tax bills. In my case, and those of many other seniors trying to stay in their longtime homes, this process is daunting, confusing and sometimes heartbreaking.
Succeeding elections bring us Demo-
Wcrats and Republicans. Each of these entities has demonstrated a philosophy of how to deal with assessments and taxes. One party hollers about fairness and equity, and claims that they will absolutely get it right — for the benefit of taxpayers, of course. In 2019, then County Executive Laura Curran gave us a Taxpayer Protection Plan, promising that elusive equity. My school taxes continued to climb.
NThen the other guys came in, claiming they were the true champions of the citizenry when it came to property taxes. Their particular talent seemed to be granting homeowners lots of assessment “relief.” My school taxes continue to climb.
panies are among the top contributors to our political office seekers? And their generosity is bipartisan, because it turns out that business is good no matter who is at the helm in Mineola.
o matter which party is in the majority, my school taxes continue to climb.
Neither party seems capable of actually solving this particularly thorny problem. And leavened into their mystifying blend of ideas is a category of businesses that, their advertisements promise, will help us grieve the injustices that the property tax formula creates. These companies tout their acumen and their results. How about the lady in Merrick who got a new kitchen with the money XYZ company saved her?
Is it just coincidence that these com-
While all of this is going on, seniors like me, frustrated and dejected, quietly hire real estate agents to deliver us from all of this “good” news as our ever-rising taxes leave us with no choice but to sell the homes we love. I’m 79, and the increases in school taxes have come like annual infestations of locusts — about $10,000 in additional taxes for schools alone in the past several years. I call everybody — state and county politicians, school district administrators, the property assessors — and they all say the same thing: “It’s not me.” None of them, it seems, is the problem.
The assessor tells me my house is valuable. I tell him I have made it so through 35 years of sweat, my own hard work. I remind him that it’s my home; it’s where I live. He is unmoved, seeming to say, without using the words, that if I can’t pay, they’ll get someone else in here who can.
At this point, 46 years after I began paying property taxes, I have come to
the conclusion that the assessment of property is no longer a viable method of funding our schools. If you’re a senior, you’re a target.
Several years ago, I tried to persuade my local state representative to use some of his vision in Albany to figure out an alternative way to fund the schools that doesn’t target senior property owners for residential extinction. He simply dismissed the idea, saying the current system was the best one.
The subject has come up time after time on area newspapers’ editorial pages, but gets no traction from the political class.
One day soon I will go see the assessor. I am not optimistic. In the meantime, our candidates, incumbents and challengers, will continue to tell us how they’re going to help us. And the grievance companies will continue to prosper. The impossible system of taxation by way of property assessment will continue.
And quietly, all over Nassau County, bewildered longtime residents will be forced from their homes, victims of all that political talent, experience and vision.
Philip Como, who is retired after a career in sales, is a former member of the Nassau County Planning Commission and is treasurer of the Fire Department in Sea Cliff, where he lives.
Hurricanes shred lives and property
e did the stupid thing, and we survived.
We did not evacuate our home on a barrier island on the west coast of Florida when Hurricane Helene blasted through in the early-morning hours of Sept. 26.
The first alerts about Helene seemed exaggerated and alarmist: A disorganized low-pressure system, percolating quietly near the Yucatan Peninsula, would gather fearsome energy over the Gulf of Mexico and slam into Florida’s Gulf coast, as a Cat 4 or 5 killer. It was an unusual setup for hurricane in these parts. My part-time residence was long said to be safe by the indigenous people who lived here, protected geographically because of a twist in the coastline. Maybe the ancients are exacting revenge for our careless guardianship of their land.
We are on the eighth floor of a building on the beach, and we have metal wind shutters. So, considering the laborious process of gathering our belong-
ings and food and driving to a safe haven, we decided to stay. Besides, once a storm is on its way, not much time remains before landfall, and it isn’t clear which way to run. Hurricanes often wobble or weaken or, in the case of Helene, turn left over Georgia and North Carolina, destroying everything in their path.
We had water for a week, and food that didn’t need to be refrigerated or heated. We had each other and Lillybee the dog, who had been skulking in our shadows for days. We also felt somewhat jaded by overhyped weather alarms in the past. Epic snowfalls, tornadoes sprouting everywhere, on-again-off-again water spout watches. We would probably be OK.
tioned. Then I walked up. Then I did the same walk, down and up eight flights, for five days, until power was restored. Both of our cars, parked “safely” in the garage, were engulfed by the tidal surge and totaled.
W e were scared straight by Helene, and will never try to ride one out again.
Sometime after midnight on the 26th, the rain and wind came on like a freight train, hammering the shutters against our windows. Within an hour we had no electricity and no internet. Officials on the mainland turned off all water service to the island. The bridge to the rest of the world was closed.
The dog needed to go out, so I grabbed a flashlight and walked down eight dark flights of stairs to get outside. Building generators malfunc-
But we were lucky. We lived through the storm without a medical crisis and with replaceable losses.
We vowed never to stay when the authorities tell us to evacuate. What if one of us got sick during the hurricane? What if the windows blew in, even with the shutters?
Less than two weeks later, we had another shot at hurricane survival. Hurricane Milton developed on the east coast of Mexico, and got himself together in record speed, exploding from Category 1 to Category 5 in one day and taking direct aim at our island as he charged up the west coast of Florida.
This time we obeyed the evacuation orders and moved to a hotel on the mainland with Lillybee. One day later, the hotel was evacuated, sending us on a drive across the state, with thousands of other people. We took refuge with family on the East Coast. And we waited and waited for the hurricane to hit and
do its work so we could begin to build back. Like waiting for surgery.
Milton made landfall on Oct. 9 on the tiny barrier island south of us, wiping it clean of all the charming old Florida cottages that have survived for so long on a spit of land. Cars floated out into the Gulf. A man was rescued clinging to a large cooler from his sunken boat. We came back to our condo four days later. The property was a mess, but we had power and internet. We were on a boilwater advisory, stores were closed, and piles of household belongings and soaked furnishings are piled up along the roads.
We love it here, but it’s crazy to build on barrier islands. Nature always reclaims her own. We were scared straight by the first hurricane, and will never try to ride one out again. We look around at neighbors who have lost everything they own. And we know we are part of a bigger, more frightening human-made disaster called climate change.
Who will gather the will and willingness to stop the rising tides and temperatures? Who will stop the awful gathering storm of wind, rain and fire that sweep across our nation in every season?
Copyright
RANDI KREISS
pHILIp CoMo
Established
Incorporating:
Herald editorial
The Herald’s pact with you
in recent days, two of the most prominent national newspapers, The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post, announced that they would not endorse a presidential candidate in Tuesday’s election, breaking from decades of precedent. Many have speculated on the reasons behind these decisions, suggesting that the newspapers favored Kamala Harris but ultimately chose not to upset Donald Trump for fear of retribution if the former president returns to the Oval Office.
For those of us in the news business, these decisions raise questions about the role of newspapers in a charged political climate. We at the Long Island Herald, a proud local newspaper company family-owned for three generations, see this as an opportunity to reaffirm our mission to serve the people of Long Island.
Unlike many national publications, the Herald does not make endorsements of candidates seeking political office, and our reasons are simple yet vital. Our focus is not on swaying voters toward a particular candidate, but on delivering comprehensive and unbiased information about the issues that matter most to Long Islanders. We are not here to tell our readers how to vote for political candidates; rather, we are here to arm readers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions at the
letters
‘Harris shouldn’t even be on the ticket’
To the Editor:
ballot box. For us, the true measure of success is when readers feel empowered to draw their own conclusions based on facts, insights and perspectives they can trust.
Our mission is grounded in the local stories that directly impact your day-today lives — stories about Long Island schools, roads, parks, businesses and community events. It’s easy for national headlines to overshadow these essential local matters, especially in a polarized political landscape. Yet we firmly believe that our responsibility is to stay rooted in the issues affecting our neighborhoods and families. From zoning changes and public safety to neighborhood events and high school sports, we are here to cover what is relevant and timely for our readers.
The one place where you might see opinions about local and national political candidates, however, is in columns on our editorial pages, like those written by Randi Kreiss and Peter King. These essays are distinguished from Herald news content by featuring photos of the authors, making it clear that they reflect the writers’ perspectives and not the views of the Herald. We strive to showcase a diverse array of local voices across the ideological spectrum in these opinion pieces.
In a world saturated with news from national outlets, social media platforms and pundits, local newspapers play a
I couldn’t disagree more with Jerry’s Kremer’s viewpoint in his column last week, “Why I’m voting for Kamala Harris.” Harris shouldn’t even be on the ticket. If the Democrats had held an open primary after President Biden was pushed aside, she wouldn’t even have been considered. Her word-salad responses to questions are baffling and her knowledge of the issues is inept. The only thing that rings in her favor is the Roe v. Wade debate. Harris is clueless on the economy, the border, which is a travesty, and her ability to engage with world leaders. Donald Trump is far from perfect, but he’ll put America first, and Kamala, in my opinion, will not.
KEnnY
CULLEn Franklin Square
And Jerry left something out
To the Editor:
In “Why I’m voting for Kamala Harris,” Jerry Kremer forgot to mention what our open south -
unique and irreplaceable role. Our newspaper is here to highlight the concerns and successes of Long Island, to act as a mirror to our community, and to bring a sense of belonging and understanding that no national publication can provide. But to achieve this, we need to hear from you, our readers. What are the topics you care about? What issues are not getting the coverage they deserve? Are there people in our community doing extraordinary things whom we should feature? We encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas and feedback with us. Let us know what you’re curious about, what you feel needs to be addressed, and where you think we can improve. Your voices are essential to shaping a Herald that genuinely reflects and serves your community.
Reach out to us at execeditor@liherald.com, and let us know what matters to you!
As the election approaches, we understand the intense focus on national races, but our mission remains to illuminate the issues closest to home. We will continue to be your trusted source for local news, not by endorsing political candidates but by informing, listening, and responding to the needs of Long Island.
Together, let’s keep our community well-informed, engaged and vibrant — one local story at a time.
opinions
When did we become so unkind?
ispent a lot of my childhood, and now, consequently, a lot of my adulthood, at my uncle’s lake house in Pennsylvania.
Some of my fondest memories revolve around being there — whether I was fishing with my grandfather, exploring the outdoors with my cousins or curled up with a good book on the beach, taking in my surroundings.
As I’ve gotten older, I find that I love the area for different reasons. I still like to fish and spend time outside with my family and my dogs. But I also love exploring the Poconos communities around the house, which, in many ways, feel like a second home to me.
Readers of the Bellmore, Merrick and East Meadow Heralds have likely seen my name pop up on their community Facebook pages throughout the almost three and a half years that I’ve been working here. I like to stay involved with community forums,
because they’re not only a great source of information, but also a great place for me to network, and meet the people in the communities that I cover and love.
So just as I do here at home and when I’m working, I’ve joined a few community social media pages in the Pennsylvania region I travel to. Again, I find that it’s a great way to stay in the loop, find new spots to visit, and again, receive a variety of information that I might not know otherwise.
the world often feels overwhelmingly negative, but we don’t have to make it worse.
A few weeks ago, I was scrolling through a page that I check frequently, and came across a post from a page contributor that read: “NY Trash Destroyed The Poconos.”
It took me a moment to really wrap my head around what I was reading, because for one, the region is economically very reliant on tourism from places like New York, and because I couldn’t believe that people actually felt that way. I’d imagine that everyone has had their own experiences with “outsiders,” but I’d venture to guess that the vast majority of the people who’ve found second
Letters
ern border has done to our country. Maybe that’s because Harris was in charge of the border.
FRANk VENIS East Rockaway
Harris looks like the smart choice
To the Editor:
Vice presidents are very limited in what they can do in that job. Their job is to support the president’s policies. Think of former Vice President Mike Pence.
Vice President Harris is her own strong person, and she will take what she perceives to be the best aspects of President Biden’s policies, but no vice president is ever a carbon copy of their predecessor. In terms of the southern border, Harris says that she supports having both parties in Congress work together and compromise on solutions, as was recently done with the strict border bill that both parties agreed on. However, Trump intervened and told Republicans to back out.
Trump and his MAGA Republicans prefer a dictatorial approach to solving our country’s problems. They tell us that we are a failing nation that only one man can fix. Beware. That is not democracy.
Concerning our economy, economists
homes in Pennsylvania are just like me and my family — kind, courteous and respectful. Fellow commenters on the thread confirmed my beliefs. Whatever reasons he had to make that post didn’t matter in the long run. In the grand scheme of things, it was just another blip on the social media timeline. It didn’t make any waves, and it certainly didn’t stop “outsiders” from visiting the area, or going to homes that they own.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve thought a lot about that post, not because I took insult in his words, but because I can’t imagine ever going out of my way to post such a ridiculous, negative thing — on any platform, for any reason.
It’s like the age-old saying: “If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.”
It doesn’t matter that the post came from a place other than Long Island, because I’m sure we can all think of similar ones. Comments become vicious and people start attacking one another, while ignoring the actual problem: We,
as a society, can be extraordinarily unkind.
There’s a lot going on these days. Things are polarized, and I feel it — the agitation, the stress about the way things are. The world we live in today isn’t perfect, but was it ever?
The point I’m trying to make is, if you have to go out of your way to say something completely unnecessary, take a moment and ask yourself: Is it worth it?
The world today may not be perfect, and often it feels overwhelmingly negative. We don’t have to make it worse. When things feel harsh and disconnected, kindness is a quiet strength, as is thinking about the things we say, or write, before we say them.
We can choose to be mindful of what we say, understanding that our words have consequences. The world may not be perfect, but each of us can make it a little better by simply pausing, reflecting, and opting for kindness whenever we can, because in a time when so much feels out of our control, this is one thing that isn’t.
Jordan Vallone is a senior editor who writes for the Bellmore, Merrick and East Meadow Heralds. Comments? jvallone@ liherald.com.
Framework by Tim Baker
report that it is doing well. Gas prices are down, unemployment is down and the stock market is flourishing.
One would expect that food and housing costs would continue to improve under Harris. Economists say that Trump’s tariffs would backfire and increase the cost of goods. Also, it seems that most people agree with the Harris plan to have large corporations pay their fair share of taxes, but she will need a Democratic Congress to achieve this.
ELAINE RAuCH Lynbrook
On Election Day, keep it all in perspective
To the Editor:
Beware of all the promises of goodies — or, as I call them, Halloween tricks and treats — promised by candidates running for public office. There is no such thing as a free lunch, or, in this case, free government programs offering benefits to you. Taxpayers always end up picking up the tab.
That’s a good reason why politicians should be changed often, like diapers, because most are full of you know what! Remember this next Tuesday before you vote.
LARRY PENNER Great Neck
At Falcon’s Halloween Yard Haunt — Pierce Avenue, North Bellmore