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Attending the 150th anniversary dinner on Dec. 5 are members of Freeport’s Excelsior Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 who have racked up more than 50 years of service: from left, Chief George Mulholland, Hon. Chief John Bruscino, Hon. Chief John Mauersberger, Hon. Chief Anthony Fiore, Chief Stephen Wenk, Chief Donald Mauersberger, Hon. Chief Joseph Falco and Chief Richard Holdener.
By MoHAMMAD RAFIQ
mrafiq@liherald.com
The Excelsior Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, the cornerstone of the Freeport Fire Department, is marking its 150th anniversary this month with the release of a historical journal that captures the storied legacy of the organization and its volunteers.
The company, founded in 1874 as a bucket brigade to combat the ever-present threat of fire in a rapidly growing Freeport, has evolved into the bedrock for the community’s safety and protection. Excelsior was formed before the 1892 incorporation of the Village of Freeport and prior to the establishment of the Freeport Fire Department in 1893.
Regina Feeney, Freeport’s village historian, emphasized the critical role Excelsior played in shaping the community.
“Our Freeport ancestors lived with fear, a fear of fire,” Feeney explained in an article documenting
By MoHAMMAD RAFIQ mrafiq@liherald.com
In recognition of January’s designation as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow is partnering with Pepper Martin, head pastor of Destiny House Christian Center, in Freeport, and the founder of Women Intended for Excellence, to host a Human Trafficking Prevention Symposium on Jan. 9.
The event will take place at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building, in Mineola, from 6 to 9 p.m.
“Human trafficking inflicts
unimaginable violence upon its victims, robs them of their dignity, and relies upon silence to enable such heinous crimes to slip through the cracks of our society,” Koslow said. “Working with Dr. Pepper Martin and our community partners, it is our hope that this symposium during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month will raise awareness and spark critical conversations about combating this ongoing humanitarian crisis.”
Martin, who has been deeply involved in the battle against human trafficking and has addressed related issues through her ministry and
W e can’t address an issue until we are educated and aware
PePPeR MAR tIN
Head pastor, Destiny House
WIFE, a nonprofit, has spoken extensively about the importance of raising awareness of the problem.
“Human trafficking is big, and it’s big on Long Island, but a lot of Long Island residents
didn’t realize it,” she said. “The nature of trafficking is so subtle that you don’t even realize that somebody — if you’re going in to get your nails done, as an example, the person working on you may not be an employee. That person working on you may be a trafficked individual working there for free. They’ve been brainwashed and told that
they have to work off debt.”
Women Intended for Excellence has supported numerous survivors of domestic violence and trafficking. Martin explained how the issues intersect, and how trafficking victims often face compounded trauma.
“There are three basic rea-
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The Roosevelt High School Varsity Football team faced a new challenge this season as they moved up to Conference 2, marking the highest conference placement in the program’s history.
Rising to the occasion, the Rough Riders finished the regular season with four wins and were also honored with the Nassau County Coaches Association’s Community Service Award.
“For the first time in Roosevelt history, the Rough Riders competed in Conference 2 and held their own in each game,” said Athletic Director Eamonn Flood. “We commend every student on the team for their efforts and successes this season. We also congratulate them on earning the Community Service Award for their passionate services and philanthropic events this fall.”
The team’s community contributions were a highlight of the season. The Rough Riders supported the United Cerebral Palsy Center, participated in the Breast Cancer Walk, and organized a district-wide blood drive.
Their dedication earned them recognition from the Nassau County Coaches Association, which presented the team with this year’s Community Service Award.
On the field, the Rough Riders finished the regular season with four wins and four losses, advancing to the playoffs to face Carey High School.
Despite a valiant effort, Roosevelt fell short as Carey clinched the title. Several players earned individual accolades for their standout performances.
Kenyen Brown received All-County recognition, while Tyler Giles earned an All-County Honorable Mention. Jeremiah Spears was named an All-Conference award winner, and Luciano Norman was honored with this year’s Unsung Hero award.
The Roosevelt Varsity Football team roster includes Tyrese Williams, Jeremiah Spears, Luciano Norman, Qamar McNeil, Tyreik McClenic, Malachi Knight, Ryan Jones, Tyler Giles, and Kenyen Brown.
For more information about the Roosevelt Union
Free School District, visit their website at www.rooseveltufsd.org or follow district updates on Facebook at facebook.com/RooseveltUFSD.
Young performers from all three elementary schools in the Roosevelt School District took center stage for the district’s annual “Roosevelt on Broadway” event, held at Roosevelt High School.
“Our students poured their dedication, passion and talents into performances of songs and scenes from their favorite Broadway shows,” said Superintendent of Schools Shawn Wightman. “We would like to congratulate all of our performers and thank our students, families, and staff for creating such an exciting and inspiring event.”
The Roosevelt High School stage was transformed into a vibrant Manhattanthemed setting, complete with a backdrop inspired by Radio City Music Hall. Students delighted the audience with performances featuring singing, dancing, and acting from iconic musicals and timeless classics.
For more information about the Roosevelt Union Free School District, visit RooseveltUFSD.org or follow the district on Facebook at facebook.com/ RooseveltUFSD.
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The Corporate Transparency Act came into being this year as part of the AntiMoney Laundering Act. This act is designed to combat terrorism, tax fraud and moneylaundering. Under the act, corporations and LLC’s are required to report who their “beneficial owners” are in a Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOI report) to the Financial Crimes Enforcement network (FinCEN) on an annual basis. The BOI report is due by January 13, 2025 for entities formed before 2024 and within 90 days of formation or registration for entities formed in 2024. For entities formed after 2025, the BOI report is required to be filed within 30 days.
The BOI report must contain the following information:
1. The entities’ full name (and any alternative names which it is doing business under)
2. Address
3. Where it was formed or registered
4. Its tax id number (EIN)
The BOI report must include the following information for each “beneficial owner” — defined as any individual who has “substantial control” over the entity or owns or controls at least 25%. “Substantial control” means serving as a senior officer, having authority to remove a senior officer or a majority of the board of directors, or in charge of or having substantial interest over major corporate decisions. The trustee of a trust may be a “beneficial owner” if the trust owns an interest in the entity.
The “beneficial owner” must report:
1. Full legal name
2. Date of birth
3. Home or business address
4. Identifying number from passport or driver’s license along with scanned copy of the document.
For help in reporting, search fincen.gov, call the helpline at 800-949-2732, or google “help with fincen reporting” to locate online services that will assist with the application for a fee.
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Nassau County police arrested Felix Hernandez Morales, a 26-year-old man from Freeport, following an alleged shooting on Dec. 17 in Rockville Centre.
Authorities said officers responded to the parking lot of the Pantry Diner, at 525 Merrick Road, for possible shots fired.
Following further investigation, law enforcement apprehended the subject at his residence at 27 Harrison Avenue in Freeport later that afternoon and placed him into custody.
Upon further investigation, officers recovered a black Beretta APX 9mm handgun.
At the scene, police were informed that a male subject had removed a gun from his jacket pocket and fired it into the air before fleeing the scene.
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During the investigation, shell casings were recovered on the ground, according to police. No injuries were reported.
Morales has been charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment. He was arraigned on Dec. 18 at First District Court in Hempstead.
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the company’s history. “Everything was made from wood … everything was combustible.”
The fear of fire was so intense that local farmers initially resisted the arrival of the railroad, fearing fiery ash from locomotives.
Despite these concerns, the South Shore Rail Road came to Freeport in 1867, and within seven years, Excelsior Hook & Ladder Company was founded, with its first apparatus kept in a shed behind Mead’s Bakery on Main Street.
A devastating schoolhouse fire put the company’s heroism to the test in January 1893. Firefighters battled the blaze with limited water resources and innovative tactics, including using snowballs to extinguish embers and protect nearby structures. Three firefighters were hurt, including Andrew Taft and Thomas Wright, who suffered serious injuries when a ladder collapsed.
“That fire was a wake-up call to Freeport,” Feeney said. “Lessons learned led to the establishment of a water department, (which led to) the creation of a power and light company — today’s Freeport Electric. “And, most importantly, if Freeport was going to grow, we needed to ensure fire protection throughout the village, thus the establishment of the Freeport Fire Department.”
To commemorate 150 years of service, Excelsior, which now has 63 members, has launched a year’s worth of celebrations, including a dinner honoring the company’s members on Dec. 5, with photographs capturing the legacy of multi-generational firefighters like the Mauersberger family, whose lineage of service dates back nearly a century.
The celebrations will culminate with the release of a historical journal later this month, including photographs and stories documenting the company’s evolu-
tion from a bucket brigade to a modern fire department.
For lifelong firefighters like Chief Donald Ray Mauersberger, who has served for 61 years, the occasion is deeply personal.
“It’s in our DNA,” he said. “This is what we do. (Maybe I didn’t understand that at) the beginning when I was 18 years old, but I certainly get it today. It’s family, it’s family to us.”
Mauersberger’s father previously served as fire chief, as did his father before him, and Mauersberger’s
brother has also served in the fire department for 60 years.
Mauersberger added that being a part of a fire department, especially for the younger generation, could instill a sense of discipline and “give them a direction in life, because on the fire ground, when someone tells you to do something, you don’t ask why. That’ll force you to grow up.”
Advancements in equipment and technology have transformed firefighting over the years, from early bucket brigades to modern tools like thermal cameras and air masks.
However, the spirit of dedication and service remains unchanged.
“Tradition is a very, very significant part of the fire department, and that tradition and honor,” Raymond Maguire, executive director of the Freeport Fire Department, said. “And upholding that tradition and honor is something that the members of the fire department take very seriously to carry on (what) our forefathers have left for us and to basically make the fire department better than how you left it.”
As the Freeport Fire Department looks to the future, its volunteers remain committed to evolving with the times while honoring their rich legacy.
“We’re proud that for 150 years the brave men and women of the Excelsior Company have answered the call of Freeport residents to help keep them safe,” Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy said. “We know they’ll continue to do so for another 150 years. So, if you see a firefighter today, be sure to say ‘Thank you’ for all that they do to keep us all safe.”
For more information on how to support the journal or to learn about Excelsior Hook & Ladder Company No. 1’s history, visit its Facebook page or the firehouse, at 76 Church St.
East Meadow Senior Basketball
AFTER HELPING LEAD the Jets to a historic 2023-24 season that ended in the state semifinals, Twible got her senior campaign off to a roaring start by reaching the 1,000-career point milestone Dec. 10. She was named First Team All-Long Island as a junior and was a major part in East Meadow’s first-ever Nassau County and L.I. championship teams. Twible has averaged close to 20 points per game over the past two seasons.
Thursday, Jan. 2
Wrestling: Plainedge at MacArthur 5 p.m.
Boys Basketball: Sewanhaka at Manhasset 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 3
Boys Basketball: Friends Aca. at Long Beach 12 p.m.
Wrestling: Kennedy at Hewlett 4 p.m.
Boys Basketball: Farmingdale at West Hemp 5 p.m.
Wrestling: Lawrence at North Shore 6 p.m.
Wrestling: Lynbrook at Clarke 6 p.m.
Wrestling: East Meadow at Long Beach 6 p.m.
Girls Basketball: Freeport at Seaford 6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball: Hewlett at Oceanside 7 p.m.
Boys Basketball: Oceanside at South Side 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 4
Girls Basketball: Plainedge at Lynbrook 10 a.m.
Girls Basketball: Calhoun at Division 11 a.m.
Girls Basketball: Malverne at Mineola 11 a.m.
Boys Basketball: Plainedge at Clarke 12 p.m.
Girls Basketball: Jericho at Kennedy 1 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 6
Wrestling: North Shore at Wantagh 5 p.m.
Girls Basketball: Hewlett at Carey 5 p.m.
High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a winter 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.
By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com
On the heels of a fourth-place country finish last season, fifth-year Freeport wrestling coach Matt Cellan is looking to continue to move the needle this winter.
Cellan said with a few wrestlers capable of high podium finishes, the Red Devils have the chance to place among the top three team scores during the Nassau County Division I wrestling championships at Hofstra’s Mack Sports Complex in February.
“Last year we took fourth in the county and ‘d like to get higher than that and place in the top three,” Cellan said. “We’re trying to win individual county championships and state championships and that’s always the expectation.”
Freeport qualified 14 wrestlers for the individual county championships last year and will look to exceed that total this season with a number of returners who gained experience on the big stage at Hofstra.
Freshman Christian Mccravey shined as an eighth grader at 101 pounds with a third place showing in the counties. Mccravey will compete in the 116-pound weight class this season and look to reach the New York State Championships in Albany after just missing out on a trip upstate in first varsity campaign.
Senior Jahari Lloyd at 124 pounds also has potential for a county championship run after placing fifth at 116 last season.
“He is an absolute stud and got so much better putting in a great offseason of lifting and wrestling,” said Cellan of Lloyd. “We’re looking for him to hopefully maybe win the tournament and then go upstate.”
Anthony Velasquez is another veteran looking to make a big splash as a senior following an All-County performance where he placed fifth at 170 during his junior season.
The Red Devils boast two strong heavyweights with the ability to go deep into the county championships in Edwin Aracena and John Saraldi. The teammates often faced each other in tournaments last season, splitting six matches.
“They’re gonna wrestle each other a bunch of times this year,” said Cellan of his heavyweight duo. “They are both guys who could be right up there with anyone.”
Junior Kerry Ellis will also look to reach the podium at 138 this season. He won a county qualifier at 131 as a sophomore.
Sophomore Noah Rowe brings leadership to the team as one of four captains along with Lloyd, Aracena and Velasquez.
“All four of them have matured throughout the years and they’re totally different kids from when they were ninth graders and they took on a leadership role
with the younger kids,” Cellan said of his captains. “They’ve done a really good job of taking the younger guys and teaching them how to practice and how to do things the right way.”
Junior Kelvin Abreu is another wrestler making strides this season at 145 and Cellan hopes he gets rewarded with some big wins on the mat.
Cellan pieced together a challenging schedule to prepare his wrestlers for the postseason which includes a tournament at Cold Spring Harbor. The county qualifiers are scheduled for Feb. 8 followed by the individual county championships at Hofstra on Feb. 15-16.
sons for trafficking: sex, labor or organs,” she said. “Now, organ trafficking is really becoming a growing problem.” Organs, she added, are in high demand on the black market due to the difficulty if obtaining them from legal sources.
“It is unbelievable,” Martin said. “Some people can’t explain where their loved ones are. This is across the country. I’m not saying that it is exclusive to Long Island, but because Long Island is the suburb outside of New York City, you don’t think about it.”
natural extension of Martin’s work. She detailed how their partnership developed through mutual community involvement and shared values.
Martin’s journey in ministry and advocacy began years ago. She founded Destiny House in 2015, responding to a spiritual calling, and WIFE provides critical support for professional women dealing with the hidden scars of abuse and trauma.
“I’ve had women who are attorneys, doctors and teachers disclose their struggles with trauma and abuse,” she said. “Many don’t seek help because they fear tarnishing their image or exposing their pain. They look great on paper, but they’re dying inside.”
The collaboration with Koslow was a
“When Seth began to run for office, he and my husband connected,” she said, referring to her husband, Sydney Martin. “My husband was also running for town council with the Town of Oyster Bay, and they needed a place, and we had just rented out space across the hall from our church, and the Democrats utilized that space. They loved it. We welcomed them, and we forged a relationship in the community.”
Next week’s symposium will feature speakers from across Long Island and beyond, including law enforcement officials, advocates for trafficking victims, and survivors.
“The purpose of Jan. 9 is really not to be judgmental, but to simply raise awareness, because we can’t address an issue until we’re educated and aware,” Martin said. “It is not yet a call to action, because it’s too new and fresh in our minds, but we just want to raise awareness on this issue and then work with all facets of people in critical roles, from the church to the Legisla -
ture, on taking action against this issue.”
Human trafficking affects all demographics. According to Martin, traffickers exploit vulnerabilities such as immigration status, economic hardship, and prior trauma.
She also highlighted the factors that make Long Island a prime location for trafficking and for kidnappers, like the fact that it is surrounded by water, and has three major airports and many hotels.
“This is prime area — the hotels,” Martin said. “And when you talk to these young girls, they’ve been shipped from one hotel in Suffolk to another one in Nassau, back and forth from hotel to hotel. And I’m not talking about the motels. I’m talking about the notable hotels. The traffickers are very savvy, and dress them up, and they don’t look like prostitutes … they are dressed, they go to work and they are not getting any money, so they have to rely on their traffickers for everything.
Super Bowl or the NBA, bus depots (like) Greyhound, the Port Authority in New York City, Long Island Rail Road stops. Freeport is a hotbed for this: the Freeport stop.
“Or when major teams play at Madison Square Garden,” Martin added. “Because that’s Penn Station. That’s a direct conduit to Long Island.”
The goal of next week’s event is to spark dialogue and create pathways for future action. “What I expect to achieve is people walking out and saying, ‘Wow, I didn’t know.’ That’s really what I expect to achieve,” Martin said. “To raise awareness and maybe look for a path where the average citizen can see themselves in helping to defuse this issue — either as a volunteer for an agency, writing a letter, or being specific about who they vote for and really making this something that should go on the ballot.”
“There are different places that are prime for people who are traffickers” to kidnap victims, she said, “and it’s from major entertainment platforms like the
For more information about the symposium, call Martin at (516) 519-0092 or go to WomenIintendedforExcellence. org. Additional resources are available at the National Human Trafficking Hotline, at (888) 373-7888, by texting 233733, or at HumanTraffickingHotline.org.
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
The holiday season may be winding down, but in the Town of Hemsptead, there’s still time to celebrate sustainably at the town’s 5th Annual Mulchfest.
Residents are invited to bring their Christmas trees to Veterans Memorial Park at 1700 Prospect Ave., East Meadow on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where the trees will be shredded into mulch for personal use or donated as snacks for the Nigerian Dwarf goats at Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve.
“Mulchfest is back for the fifth year in a row, and the goats at Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve are bleating in excitement,” Town Supervisor Don Clavin said. “This holiday tradition sees scores of residents turning their Christmas trees into mulch, with each year getting better and better.”
A “Mulchfest” is an event where people can bring their natural Christmas trees to be recycled into mulch, a nutrient-rich material often used in gardening and landscaping. During a Mulchfest, trees are shredded into mulch using wood chippers, and participants are usually offered free mulch to take home for personal use.
The event promotes eco-friendly practices by preventing discarded trees from going to landfills and repurposing them in ways that benefit the environment, such as improving soil health, retaining moisture, and reducing weeds. Some Mulchfests also
use excess mulch for community landscaping projects or even as snacks for animals, like the Town of Hempstead’s goats, that enjoy eating pine. It’s a sustainable way to “give back” during the holiday season while responsibly disposing of Christmas trees.
The eco-friendly event gives families the opportunity to extend the season of giving by repurposing their trees into nutrient-rich mulch for gardening, moisture retention, and weed prevention. Residents can take home a free bag of mulch or choose to have the mulch donated to the town’s goats. Additionally, broken-down cardboard will be accepted and recycled during the event.
For those unable to attend Mulchfest, Christmas trees can be dropped off at the homeowner disposal area next to Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve at 1600 Merrick Road, between Monday, Jan. 13, and Saturday, Jan. 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“The Town of Hempstead proudly stands for greener and environmentally friendly programs,” Clavin said. “Come on down to Veterans Park to repurpose your Christmas tree and receive a free bag of mulch in return. Don’t forget to stop by Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve and share some with the lovable goats.”
The surplus mulch will also be used for landscaping and planting projects throughout Hempstead Town’s parks, ensuring that residents’ contributions support the community year-round.
The Town of Hempstead will hold its annual Mulchfest on Jan. 11 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in East Meadow. Residents can turn their Christmas trees into mulch, which they can either take home or donate to the Nigerian Dwarf goats that inhabit the Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve in Merrick. Above, a goat at the park munches on a tree at a past event.
By Zoe Casselman Special to the Herald
A lawsuit over fair elected representation in the Nassau County Legislature is now under way in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, with many voters of color saying they believe their voices have been drowned out by the current district lines. The lines, they contend, oppress Black, Latino and Asian voters through deliberate gerrymandering designed to dilute the influence of communities of color.
These communities have been basically dashed against the rocks, and their rights were clearly made to be less than by the legislature that passed this current map, so therefore it’s being challenged
The case — New York Communities for Change (NYCC) v. Nassau County — was brought to court Dec. 17 by the Brooklynbased nonprofit NYCC and four voters — Maria Jordan Awalom, Monica Diaz, Lisa Ortiz and Guillermo Vanetten — against Nassau County, the Nassau Legislature and multiple Nassau officials.
NYCC, which has a Nassau chapter, fights for economic, racial and environmental justice, according to the lawsuit.
FrederiCk BrewingTon Civil Rights Attorney
The suit is challenging the Nassau Legislature’s district map that legislators approved on Feb. 27, 2023, alleging that it favors Republican candidates and discriminates against voters of color.
The map, the suit argues, unlawfully engages in “cracking” of Black, Latino and Asian voters; that is, splitting up communities with large minority populations into predominantly White — and often Republican — districts to repress their political power. At the same time, the map also “packs” voters of color into certain districts, with the intention of segregating and thus weakening the minority vote, according to the suit.
The lawsuit emphasizes that the current district lines separate a large community of Asian voters in western Nassau into three districts rather than one to discriminate and deny those voters the ability to influence an election’s outcome.
Republican legislators “refuse to let Asian voters have a majority [or] plurality,” said Claudia Borecky, president of the North and Central Merrick Civic Association who has been involved in Democratic politics for several years. “In Nassau, they have never had that before, and they need a voice. They need to be represented. The Asian community does not have a representative, and
they can’t elect one.”
The suit calls for the court to declare the current legislative map invalid and immediately implement a new district plan that respects the voting rights of Nassau’s growing communities of color. The suit centers on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York of 2022 and the New York Municipal Home Rule Law of 1963, which prohibits partisan and discriminatory gerrymandering at the local level, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped bring the case to court.
Democratic legislators and activists are seeking six majority-minority legislative districts and one Asian-majority district, according to Newsday. Even though voters of color constitute nearly half of Nassau’s population, the 2023 map carves out only four majorityminority districts, according to the lawsuit.
A bipartisan election panel drew district lines in 2022. The panel was charged with creating 19 legislative districts, each with roughly 72,000 residents. The Republican-controlled Legislature, however, did not accept proposals from the Temporary Districting Advising Commission, but instead adopted its own plan that “incorporated testimony from both the public and legislators.”
The lawsuit claims that the presiding officer of the Nassau Legislature, Howard Kopel, a Republican from Lawrence, offered no real justification to dismiss the two maps drawn by the TDAC. Further, the suit states that district lines adopted by the legislature were anything but “race-blind” and only served to further “racially polarized voting.”
Civil rights attorney Frederick Brewington, whose office is in Hempstead, is among the attorneys representing the plaintiffs. He recently discussed the case with The Long Island Advocate by phone. Brewington argues that the legislature’s current district lines serve only to silence underrepresented voters. Redistricting, he noted, is supposed to maintain “communities of interest”; that is, blocks of voters with like interests. The current district lines, he argued, do not do that.
“You have a legislature that has ignored many of the voices being raised about maintaining communities of interest and making sure communities of color in Nassau County are properly and fairly represented,” Brewington said. These communities “have been basically dashed against the rocks, and their rights were clearly made to be less than by the legislature that passed this current map, so therefore it’s being challenged.”
Republicans, however, disagree that the map is illegal or unjust.
“The lines are fair, reasonable and in accordance with applicable law,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican from Atlantic Beach, in a statement.
Nassau County Republican Chair Joseph Cairo echoed Blakeman, telling reporters “the districts comply with all applicable state and federal redistricting laws.
A number of Nassau voters disagree, however.
“We love the diverse cultures of our communities. We are sickened by the cruelty of this potential policy, but we
also know cruelty is the goal,” said Lorraine Attias, of East Meadow, of Nassau’s treatment of minority groups in development of its legislative districts. The map “is an absolute travesty of justice. [When] legislators redraw lines and deliberately manipulate the system, they [are] negating to actually represent their communities,” said Judy Cataldo, executive assistant of the Elmont Cultural Center.
“This case is important because it seeks to protect the rights of individuals who have been consistently and historically underrepresented,” Brewington said, “both in government and in terms of making sure that they have full fair opportunity to exercise their franchise in terms of voting.”
Additional reporting by Scott Brinton
Hot Wheels Monster Truck Live Show is back at Nassau Coliseum for another year of car-smashing, ramp jumping, wheel-revving action
By Danielle Schwab
Get ready, everyone. Gather up the kids and shake up those January doldrums when the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow party lights up Nassau Coliseum once again. Witness the raw power of epic machines when the iconic Hot Wheels toy vehicles transform into unstoppable monster trucks for the “Glow-N-Fire” competition.
“Kids” of all ages can watch their favorite Hot Wheels trucks come to life when the action returns to Long Island, Jan. 18-19. As the arena darkens for this glow-in-the-dark party, each truck revs up with its unique LED lights. And, in true “It’s Not The Same Without The Flame” fashion, pyrotechnic effects light up the arena, adding even more intensity to the action.
• Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18-19; times vary
• Tickets start at $63.85 adults, $35. 15 children (also “Me + 3” family discount option); available at ticketmaster.com and hotwheelsmonstertruckslive. com
• Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale
It’s an especially big day for one particular truck: The classic blue vintage-style pick-up Bigfoot turns 50. Everyone is invited to the birthday bash. Plus, have the chance to be celebrated alongside the iconic monster truck. Bigfoot would love to see everyone’s creativity — so fans are encouraged to bring homemade birthday cards to wish Bigfoot a happy birthday. And show off those homemade birthday signs at the show for a chance to win prizes during the bash.
“Bigfoot is known as the original monster truck because this monster truck is what started monster trucks in general,” says Caleb Janezich, Bigfoot’s driver since July.
Owner-operator Bob Chandler first began building Bigfoot in 1975, and a legend was born. The modified 1974 Ford F-250 started its career at local mud runs and truck and tractor pulls. It quickly launched a worldwide phenomenon and its legions of fans. Chandler continued to make improvements and modifications until it grew into the massive behemoth known and loved today by multiple generations of fans.
“There are people that come up to us and the dad knows who Bigfoot is, and then maybe the kids are exposed to Bigfoot for the first time. Even the grandpas come up and they remember Bigfoot,” says Janezich, on Bigfoot’s popularity.
There’s surely no better way to commemorate the original monster truck than with incredible stunts performed by Bigfoot along with all his mechanical monster pals, including Mega Wrex, Tiger Shark, HW 5-Alarm, Boneshaker, and Gunkster.
Expect to see wheelies, donuts, and long jumps, along with a freestyle Motocross demonstration.
And of course, be prepared for plenty of good ol’ car crushing!
Also witness as the show unleashes its newest addition, Skelesauraus, a truck that takes the spine-chilling form of a giant skeleton head.
This is Janezich’s first time appearing at Nassau Coliseum, however he is no stranger to the Hot Wheels monster truck circuit. An avid collector of Hot Wheels since childhood, Janezich worked as a Bigfoot crewmember before taking up the driver’s seat.
“Bigfoot was always my favorite. I grew up around pickup trucks and four-wheel drives. My dad got me into it.” he says.
“It’s pretty humbling, and it’s really a dream come true. Honestly, they say, ‘if you do what you love, you never work a day in your life’ and that’s pretty much what I live by now.”
While the trucks may seem invincible, it take a dedicated team behind the scenes to keep them crushing to the max.
“The stuff that can be challenging is the unknown. You never know what these trucks are going to do sometimes, and the biggest challenge sometimes can just be just keeping them going and just making sure that we’re ready for the next show all the time, which we try to do very well,” Janezich adds.
Opportunities to go behind the action add to the spectacle. At the Pre-Show Party, held two-and-a-half hours prior to every performance, get up close and see the outrageous designs and epic size of the Hot Wheels behemoths on the arena floor. Meet favorite drivers and performers. Also check out the new VIP Backstage Experience. It’s a behind the scenes guided tour of what goes on before all the smashing and crashing.
Everyone becomes a kid at the show, which is geared to five to 10-year-olds.
“That’s the part that’s always cool because families are coming down and the parents get involved. When the parents are having fun, the kids are having fun, that’s what keeps them coming year after year,” Janezich says.
Courtesy Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Photos: Bigfoot, driven by Caleb Janezich, headlines the latest edition of the spectacle. The iconic truck is joined by many Hot Wheels favorites to thrill fans with exciting car-crunching feats, flying more than 35 feet in the air. Plus, the fiery Skelesaurus roars into the arena ready to “chomp.”
‘Cold Beer on a Friday Night’
Keep those winter doldrums at bay with Jimmy Kenny and the Pirate Beach Band. It may seem like we’ve got too long to wait ‘til we’re back on the beach, but Kenny comes to the rescue. Join in their “Ultimate Beach Party Tribute” to Kenny Chesney, Jimmy Buffett and Zac Brown Band. Parrotheads, No Shoes Nation and the Zamily. The Long Island-based band — guided by Paul C. Cuthbert (aka Jimmy Kenny) on lead vocals/ acoustic guitar, with Linn DeMilta (aka Lovely Linn), lead and backing vocals, Luis Rios, lead guitar/backing vocals, Frank Stainkamp, keyboard/ backing vocals, Dan Prine, bass, and drummer Mike Vecchione — gets everyone into the groove as only they can.
Friday, Jan. 3, 8 p.m. $35, $25, $20, $15. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny. com.
‘…Your voice is heard’ Broadway comes to Tilles Center. “Dear Evan Hanson,” the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it, has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere. If you’ve yet to see it, now’s your opportunity. Declared “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by the Washington Post, it’s the first musical to take a groundbreaking look — from the point of view of both the parents and young people — at our complex, interconnected, and social media-filled lives. It features an uplifting score, including some of the most iconic musical theatere songs from the last decade: “You Will Be Found,” “Waving Through A Window,” and “For Forever.”
Thursday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $35. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
The kings of ‘70s tribute hit the road with an authentic throwback to the era, on the Paramount stage, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 10-11, at 8 p.m. Yacht Rock Revue, hailed by Rolling Stone as the “world’s premier soft-rock party band,” invites listeners on a nostalgic voyage through the sun-soaked melodies of the ‘70s and ‘80s. The dynamic Atlanta-based 10-piece ensemble blends impeccable musicianship with a deep reverence for the yacht rock genre. Their original album “Escape Artist” is a bold homage to this iconic sound. Each side of the album encapsulates the band’s ability to transport audiences to a simpler, more carefree time. Lead singles like “Tropical Illusion” and “Passengers” set the tone, evoking sunsets and salty breezes with their lush instrumentation and ethereal vocals.
Collaborations with yacht rock legends Elliot Lurie and Robbie Dupree underscore the band’s status as innovators within their genre. YRR continues to captivate audiences nationwide with their infectious energy and unabashedly joyous performances. Since their humble beginnings in 2007, YRR has emerged as a pivotal figure in revitalizing yacht rock, sharing stages with icons and garnering a devoted following of “Anchorheads.” Whether performing in intimate venues or rocking arenas, their concerts promise an immersive musical journey that celebrates the timeless allure of smooth grooves. $55, $40, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
Jan. 8
Nassau BOCES, Long Island’s state-of-the arts career and technical education high school, opens its doors to all students with a passion for hands-on careers, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 6-7:30 p.m. Nassau BOCES GC Tech prepares students for a future in the workforce by providing them with the skills, knowledge and professional qualities they will need to be successful in their chosen career fields. The school boasts a new spa where aspiring estheticians learn skin care and massage techniques. There is also a newly revamped auto shop.
Prospective students and families from Nassau County are invited to tour the GC Tech campus and to meet with expert teachers, counselors and administrators. Additional open house sessions are offered in February and March. Interested students and their families can register for an Open House at nassauboces.org/gctech or call the school for more information at (516) 604-4200. 150 Abbey Lane, Levittown.
Hang out with some Long Island Children’s Museum’s “residents,” Sunday, Jan. 5, 1:30-2 p.m., at the drop-in program. Join an animal educator in the Yellow Studio’s Feasts for Beasts Gallery to learn what goes into the care of LICM’s animal “residents.” Observe animal bath time. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or licm.org.
Walking Wednesday
Join Maryellen Cantanno for Walking Wednesdays, 10:30–11:30 a.m. Enjoy a 45-minute group walk at a pace set by participants, with all fitness levels welcome. Guided by the health team from Mount Sinai/ South Nassau Hospital, walkers will learn how to stay in tune with their bodies. Some weeks may include off-site meet-ups around the village, and in case of rain, the walk will be held at the Freeport Recreation Center. Call the library to find out this week’s location. Participants must sign a waiver prior to join, which can be found on the library’s website. Visit FreeportLibrary.info or call (516) 379-3274 for more information. 144 West Merrick Road.
In observance of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow and Dr. Pepper Martin of Destiny House Christian Center of Freeport and Women Intended for Excellence hosts a Human Trafficking Prevention Symposium, Thursday, Jan. 9, 6-9 p.m., at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola.The symposium aims to raise awareness and spark conversations about combating the ongoing humanitarian crisis of human trafficking. For additional information, contact Dr. Martin at (516) 519-0092 or visit womenintendedforexcellence. org. Additional resources are available through the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888) 373-7888, texting 233733, or visiting humantraffickinghotline.org. 1550 Franklin Ave., Mineola.
Freeport Memorial Library hosts an Adult Coloring session, Friday, Jan. 3, 2-3 p.m. Relax and unwind as you enjoy the calming effects of coloring. Coloring pages designed for adults and coloring pencils are provided. Visit freeportlibrary.info or call (516) 379-3274 for more information. 144 West Merrick Road.
2
There’s no better time to adopt a new pet than during, “Home for the Holidays” at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter. All fees are waived and include free spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, now through Sunday, Jan. 5. Licensing feels still apply. Prospective adopters can browse photos and profiles at hempsteadny.gov/179/ animal-shelter and also on the shelter’s Facebook page. 3320 Beltagh Ave., Wantagh. For more information, call (516) 785-5220.
Freeport Schools Board of Education holds a Planning/ Action Meeting, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 7:30-8:30 p.m., at Caroline G. Atkinson School. 58 Seaman Ave.
The South Shore Audubon Society welcomes all to join its members for another in its series of bird walks, at Hempstead Lake State Park, Sunday, Jan. 5, starting at 9 a.m. Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. The group will meet The group will meet in parking lot #3, off Exit 18 of the Southern State Parkway.
To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. No walk if rain or snow. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit ssaudubon. org.
Mark your calendar for winter registration for programs at Freeport Recreation Center. Freeport residents can register on Saturday, Jan. 11, 8-11 a.m.; non-residents can register on Sunday, Jan. 12, 8-11 a.m. For more information, contact (516) 377-2314. 130 East Merrick Road, Freeport
Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.
Nassau County Museum of Art ‘s latest exhibition
“Seeing Red: Renoir to Warhol,” reveals the many meanings, connotations, and associations of this powerful color in art. Evoking strong emotion, red can represent the human condition. Its myriad variations have come to signify authority as well as love, energy and beauty. Red warns us of peril and commands us to stop, but it can also indicate purity and good fortune. Red boldly represents political movements and religious identities. From the advent of our appreciation for this color in antiquity to its continued prominence in artistic and popular culture, this exhibition spans various world cultures through a range of media.
It features more than 70 artists, both established and emerging, ranging from the classical to the contemporary. American portraitists such as Gilbert Stuart imbued red in their stately paintings of prominent individuals to conjure authority. Robert Motherwell, Ad Reinhardt, and other major abstract painters displayed a deep fascination with red in their commanding compositions that evoke a sense of chromatic power. And, of course, Andy Warhol is known for his bold and imposing silkscreened portrait of Vladimir Lenin saturated in bright red to his signature Campbell’s Soup Cans. On view through Jan. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Sands Point Preserve’s reserve’s historic mansions and waterfront grounds are the backdrop for the 2025 unique chamber music series, “Four Seasons in Music,” Sunday, Jan. 12, 3 p.m. The duoJalal ensemble-in-residence led by Kathryn Lockwood on viola, with percussionist Yousif Sheronick, violinists Deborah Buck and Emma Frucht and cellist Caroline Stinson presents a German flavored. Celebrating Germany’s rich history of extraordinary composers, including Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Brahms, to the less traditional, this concert will warm you up on a winter afternoon.
A reception follows. $56, $45 members. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For tickets and information, visit sandspointpreserveconservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL
VILLAGE OF FREEPORT
TAKE NOTICE that the 2025/2026 Final Assessment Roll for the Village of Freeport, New York, for the Year 2025 has been completed and will be filed in the office of the Village Clerk and Assessor’s Office on Thursday, January 2, 2025 where it will remain open to the public for fifteen (15) days after the date of this notice.
Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk 150813
at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS
FURNISHING OF ONE (1) NEW HEAVY DUTY PLOW TRUCK FOR THE INCORPORATED
VILLAGE OF FREEPORT
NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK
Notice is hereby given that the Purchasing Agent of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York will receive sealed proposals for “FURNISHING OF ONE (1) NEW HEAVY DUTY PLOW TRUCK” until 11:00 A.M. on January 22, 2025 in the Main Conference Room of the Municipal Building, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York, 11520, at which time and place they will be opened publicly and read aloud.
Specifications and forms of proposal may be seen and obtained at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Municipal Building, 1st Floor, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York, 11520, or by visiting the Village’s website at www.freeportny.gov.
Bids will be available from 9:00 A.M. on January 6, 2025 until 4:00 P.M. on January 17, 2025. There is NO charge for a set of contract documents. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bid proposals received and subject to these reservations, shall award the contract to the lowest qualified and responsible bidder. Bids which in the opinion of the Board, are unbalanced, shall be rejected.
In submitting a bid, bidders agree not to withdraw their bid within forty five (45) days after the date for the opening thereof.
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in accordance with provisions of the Village Law §4-412(3), a Public Hearing will be held by the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York, on the 13th day of January, 2025, at the Municipal Building, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York, at 5:30 P.M, in the evening of that date, to consider the proposed contract between the Incorporated Village of Freeport and the Freeport Volunteer Fire Department for the furnishing of fire protection within the Incorporated Village of Freeport for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026, for a fee of $151,000.00. At this hearing all persons interested will be given an opportunity to be heard.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the foregoing notice of public hearing shall be entered in the minutes of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, and published in the Freeport Herald and a printed copy thereof posted conspicuously in at least three (3) public places in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York.
STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU, VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, ss: I, PAMELA WALSH BOENING, Village Clerk of the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of said notice duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the said Village at a meeting of the said Board of Trustees, calling for a public hearing to be duly held in the Conference Room of the Municipal Building of the Village of Freeport, New York, on the 13th day of January 2025, at 5:30 P.M., in the evening, and of the whole thereof, as entered upon the minutes of the proceedings of the said Board kept by me as Village Clerk.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Corporate Seal of said Village this 2nd day of January 2, 2025. Pamela Walsh Boening, Village Clerk
Dated: January 2, 2025 Freeport, New York 150811
filed with the Village Clerk of the Incorporated Village of Freeport. A copy of the tentative budget will be available at the Office of the Village Clerk where any interested person may inspect it during office hours.
The Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York, will conduct a public hearing on the 13th day of January, 2025 at the Municipal Building, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York, at 5:30 P.M., of the evening of that date, to consider the proposed budget of the Fiscal Year commencing March 1, 2025 and ending February 28, 2026. At this hearing all persons interested will be given an opportunity to be heard.
Following is a schedule of salaries paid to the Mayor, members of the Board of Trustees, and Village Justice:
Mayor $ 188,492.28
Trustee $ 35,572.19
Village Justice $ 91,349.71
LEGAL NOTICE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC
HEARING - January 16, 2025
NOTICE IS HEREBY given that a Public Hearing with the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 6:00 P.M. in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Main Conference Room, 46 N. Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York on the appeals and applications of cases as they appear on the calendar; residential applications that do not extend their prior nonconforming status may be called first; public comment invited. It is anticipated that the Board will adjourn the legislative session and enter into Executive Session until 6:30 P.M. INTERESTED PROPERTY OWNERS and other persons should appear at the above time and place to have questions answered and to voice opinions. All applications are nonconforming with zoning regulations herein specified for the districts in which they are located. Application #2024-23691 S. Bayview Avenue, Residence A - Section 62/ Block 187/ Lot 13 - David Riemer - Construct new (4,829.71 SF) 3-story house with attached garage, 2 front balconies (42.6 SF each), 2 rear decks (188.94 SF & 189.09 SF) and maintain hot tub. Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A, §210-39A Building height; sky exposure plane, §210-40 Lot area; street frontage; lot width, §210-41 Lot coverage; floor area ratio, §210-43A (1&2), C (2) required yards. Application #2024-25411 S. Ocean Avenue, Residence A - Section 62/ Block 170/ Lot 10Kimberly Smith - Maintain 648 SF garage. Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A, §210-41 Lot coverage; floor area ratio. BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Pamela Walsh Boening, Village Clerk 150815
Notice is hereby given that the Purchasing Department of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York, will receive sealed proposals for “Continuous Emissions Monitoring System” until 4:00 P.M. on Friday, January 24, 2025. Completed proposals are to be delivered to Ms. Taylor D’Orta, Buyer, Inc. Village of Freeport, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York 11520. Specifications, proposal and proposed contracts may be seen and obtained at the Purchasing Department, Municipal Building, 1st Floor, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York 11520, or by visiting the Village’s Website at www.freeportny.gov. Copies of the Request for Proposals will be available from 9:00 A.M. on Monday, January 6, 2025, until 4:00 P.M. on Friday, January 24, 2025. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received and subject to these reservations, shall award the contract to the highest qualified and responsible candidate. Proposals which, in the opinion of the Board, are unbalanced shall be rejected.
In submitting a proposal, candidates agree not to withdraw their proposal within forty five (45) days after the date for the opening thereof.
Taylor D’Orta, Buyer Purchasing Department Village of Freeport VILLAGE OF FREEPORT Issue Date - January 2, 2025 150814
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INDEX NO. 613456/2021 COUNTY OF NASSAU
PLACE AN
Taylor D’Orta Buyer Village of Freeport VILLAGE OF FREEPORT
Issue Date - January 2, 2025 150811
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in accordance with §5-508.3 of the Village Law, a budget showing the revenues and expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 has been prepared by the Mayor of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, and has been
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the foregoing notice of public hearing shall be entered in the minutes of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, and published in the Freeport Herald and a printed copy thereof posted conspicuously in at least three (3) public places in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York. STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU, VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, ss: I, PAMELA WALSH BOENING, Village Clerk of the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of said notice duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the said Village at a meeting of the said Board of Trustees, calling for a public hearing to be duly held in the Conference Room of the Municipal Building of the Village of Freeport, New York, on the 13th day of January 2025 at 5:30 P.M., in the evening, and of the whole thereof, as entered upon the minutes of the proceedings of the said Board kept by me as Village Clerk. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Corporate Seal of said Village this 2nd day of January, 2025. Pamela Walsh Boening, Village Clerk
Dated: January 2, 2025 Freeport, New York 150820
TAXATION AND FINANCE; THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; ALTIA MANIFOLD; JAQUELINE WILLIAMS, Defendants.
Plaintiff designates NASSAU as the place of trial situs of the real property
SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS
Mortgaged Premises: 16 SCHERER PLACE, ROOSEVELT, NY 11575
Section: 55, Block: 315, Lot: 137, 138, 139 & 140
To the above named Defendants
YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.
NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF
further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.
Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action.
YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.
Dated: November 22nd, 2024 ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Theresa Regis, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675 150752
AND LEGAL
at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com Place a notice by
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF 2ND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CONTINUOUS EMISSIONS MONITORING SYSTEM FOR THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FREEPORT ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK
MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. MICHAEL L. WILLIAMS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF WILLIE WILLIAMS; GREGORY WILLIAMS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF WILLIE WILLIAMS, if living, and if she/he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property
by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; LAURA KNOX A/K/A LAURA WILLIAMS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF WILLIE WILLIAMS, if living, and if she/he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES TO THE ESTATE OF WILLIE WILLIAMS, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; ALL BUSINESS CONSULTANTS, INC.; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF
SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $462,000.00 and interest, recorded on December 30, 2009, in Liber M 34472 at Page 538, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York., covering premises known as 16 SCHERER PLACE, ROOSEVELT, NY 11575.
The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.
NASSAU County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.
516-569-4000 x 232 Place a notice by
NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME
If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.
Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Specialized Loan Servicing LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST Nora Salvagni, Individually and as Administratrix of the Estate of Daniel Salvagni, Sr a/k/a Daniel H. Salvagni a/k/a Daniel Salvagni; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 27, 2024 I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 4, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 587 Miller Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hemstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 62 Block 179 Lots 3 & 444. Approximate amount of judgment $892,977.81 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 011471/2012. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the 10th Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Brian Davis, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff
January 2, 2025 —
175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York
14624 (877) 430-4792
Dated: December 6, 2024 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832 150762
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU
Wilmington Trust, NA, successor trustee to Citibank, N.A., as Trustee f/b/o holders of Structured Asset Mortgage Investments II Inc., Bear Stearns ALT-A Trust 2006-8, Mortgage PassThrough Certificates, Series 2006-8, Plaintiff AGAINST Sergia M. Minaya, Julio Estevez, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 15, 2018, 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 February 5, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 34 Grand Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 55., Block: 23601, Lot: 222. Approximate amount of judgment $565,937.88 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #001309/2015. 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. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Andrew K. Preston, Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-029399-F01 83472 150739
To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. CONDELL RAWLINS, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 15, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 16, 2025 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 79 Henry Street, Roosevelt, NY 11575. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Roosevelt, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block K and Lot 378. Approximate amount of judgment is $294,957.06 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #603771/2023. Cash will not be accepted. Alexis Majano, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 150480
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF BEAR STEARNS ASSET BACKED SECURITIES I LLC, ASSET BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-HE6, -againstNORVAL CURTIS, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on November 16, 2023, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF BEAR STEARNS ASSET BACKED SECURITIES I LLC, ASSET BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-HE6 is the Plaintiff and NORVAL CURTIS, ET
AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on January 14, 2025 at 2:30PM, premises known as 185 SOUTHSIDE AVE, FREEPORT, NY 11520; and the following tax map identification: 0062 - 00113-00 - 00102. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 000676/2013. Russell S. Burman, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 150478
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST SYLVIA A. FAISON, ALICE L. FAISON AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ALICE A. FAISON, SYLVESTER FAISON, JR. AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ALICE A. FAISON, JESSE LEE FAISON AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ALICE A. FAISON, ANDREW FAISON AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF’ ALICE A. FAISON, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 6, 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 January 21, 2025 at 2:30PM, premises known as 135 Whaley Street, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 62, Block 129, Lot 2. Approximate amount of judgment $711,178.99 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #011201/2014. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in
accordance with the NASSAU County 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. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Jane Shrenkel, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 1422120-002305 83203 150524
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Plaintiff, -againstHenrietta O. Stephenson a/k/a Henrietta Stephenson’s unknown heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devises, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming, under, by or through said defendant, who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, Lisa M. Salkey a/k/a Lisa M. Harmon, as Heir to the Estate of Henrietta O. Stephenson a/k/a Henrietta Stephenson, Nicola Johnson, as Heir to the Estate of Henrietta O. Stephenson a/k/a Henrietta Stephenson, Asset Servicing Corp. and Zap My Tax/Property Assessment Correction Group, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, United States of America, Jane Doe (Refused Name), Defendants. Index No.: 605024/2024 Filed: November 25, 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL
SUMMONS
Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is situated. TO THE ABOVE NAMED
DEFENDANT(S): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to
Nassau police responded to a disturbance on Lakewood Avenue in Roosevelt and discovered a man arguing with another man at midnight on Dec. 25.
The argument escalated and Ramon Blandon, 48, of Lakewood Avenue, allegedly grabbed a box cutter and slashed the face of the man, 22. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Blandon is charged with assault, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty and a temporary order of protection was issued. Blandon was release without bail. Attorney Lori Golombek represents him. His next court date is Dec. 31.
Bessen Ramon Blandon
–Jeffrey
you within the State of New York; or within sixty (60) days if it is the United States of America.
In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.
NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT
THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $125,000.00 and interest, recorded in the office of the clerk of the County of Nassau on August 28, 2003 in Liber Book M 24817, Page 746 covering premises known as 242 North Brookside Avenue a/k/a 242 N. Brookside Avenue, Freeport a/k/a Hempstead, NY 11520. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.
NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME
If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.
Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.
Dated: Bay Shore, New York
November 25, 2024 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss,
Weisman & Gordon, LLP /s/BY: Karen Sheehan
Attorneys for Plaintiff 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, New York 11706 (631) 969-3100
Our File No.: 01-097298F00 150544
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU SABR MORTGAGE LOAN 2008-1 REO SUBSIDIARYI LLC, Plaintiff, Against PATRICK BROADNAX AS ADMINISTRATOR AND HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF LORAINE RIZO, RAFAEL RIZO AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LORAINE RIZO, RAFEL RIZO AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LORAINE RIZO, TONY RIZO AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LORAINE RIZO, ERIC RIZO AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LORAINE RIZO, ET AL. Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 09/28/2023, 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 1/21/2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 5 2nd Place, Roosevelt, New York 11575, 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 Roosevelt, Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 0055 Block 00450 Lot 00142 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $379,163.30 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 006711/2016
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.
Tiffany D. Frigenti, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 MIDLAND AVENUE, SUITE 205, PORT CHESTER, NY 10573
Dated: 12/10/2024 File Number: 17-301421 MB 150574
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WELLS FARGO BANK, NA, Plaintiff, vs. URSULA CAMPBELL A/K/A URSULA M. CAMPBELL, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 15, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 27, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 58 Rutland Road, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 225 and Lots 416 & 417. Approximate amount of judgment is $349,568.19 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #001028/2015. Cash will not be accepted.
John Kennedy, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 150665
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, -againstJOHN DESILVA, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on September 30, 2024, wherein JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION is the Plaintiff and JOHN DESILVA, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on January 28, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 54 NORTH COLUMBUS AVENUE, FREEPORT, NY 11520; and the following tax map identification: 55-227-258 & 259. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 611565/2019. Lisa Goodwin, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 150653
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Q. After much research, we chose brick for our new house. It has been a nightmare getting satisfaction from the mason who did the work. We noticed after only a few months that there were white powder-like streaks across the brick walls in many places. We spoke with the brick manufacturer, who said it sounded like an installation problem or streaking from other materials around it. The mason came back and looked at it. He used acid and brushed one spot and it lightened up but didn’t go away. He seemed annoyed with us, and said he could “send someone” to brush and put more cleaner on, but the whiteness would remain and it would have to “weather” after that. We had a sample wall built to make sure the color was right, and really went to a lot of effort for our choices. We are upset that the mason acted like it was our fault for complaining. We selected brick for high durability, weather resistance and low to no maintenance, and now we have this problem. What could have caused it, and is there any other remedy?
A. Brick was a great choice for all the reasons you described, and will outlast generations of occupants if installed correctly. The whiteness may be caused in a few ways. You have to first know what caused it.
Trim materials, above and around brick, will streak from the wrong paint on roof-edge or topof-wall trim. If the paint used was interior latex water-soluble paint, it will separate and run. Prefinished metal, factory finished, will also start to chalk and run. If a highly pigmented paint with low-resin binder was used, then the same results occur. The brick will be somewhat cleanable, but will have to be exposed to many cycles of rain, heat, freezing, etc., also known as weathering.
Because the mason did not mention the runoff of paint from trim, I suspect that your problem is the worst-case scenario, and all the cleaning with muriatic acid and a steel brush will not solve the staining entirely. Wire brushing or high powerwashing actually harms brick, because that amazingly strong fired-finish on the brick, the reason brick is such a good resister of the elements, is now going to be broken down to a grainy finish that can harbor mildew.
Sadly, the issue was completely preventable, either by using trim that did not lose color or by the brick installation. Yes, the brick installation. It starts with not having the correct width of the foundation to carry the brick, so it is installed too close to or right against the exterior plywood. That airspace is supposed to be 2 inches, clear, behind the brick, so rain that gets sucked into the mortar joints can drop behind the brick and “weep” from weep holes at the bottom of the wall. If you do not have weeps, then the wall was installed incorrectly and the problem will continue. Good luck!
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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.
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As the season of giving comes to a close, it’s important to reflect on not just all we have to be thankful for, but on those who still need our support. While there are certainly plenty of domestic issues, and Americans in need, we cannot forget the people of Ukraine, who are nearing the end of their third year of war with Russia.
The conflict, which has cost the lives of roughly 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers and over 11,000 civilians, has put on display the very real threat authoritarianism is posing to democracies all around the world today. And the people of Ukraine, who spent decades under Soviet rule and centuries under czarist rule before that, know how important their right to self-determination is, because they know what it means to live under a regime without rights. Here in America, where we’ve had the luck and privilege to live under a democratic government for our entire history, it can be easy to brush aside these kinds of conflicts by claiming that certain areas or certain cultures are used to con-
flict. We hear it about the Middle East all the time: so-called “experts” who assert that the region has “always been at war,” and that one ethnic group or another “doesn’t understand democracy.”
I don’t buy it.
As our Founding Fathers knew too well, human beings are born with an innate desire, and a right, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. While we may think of these words as uniquely American, I’ve always believed that they were written not just with our country’s population in mind, but as a fundamental fact of the human condition.
Wmyr Zelensky chose to stay in Kyiv in 2022, when the capital city refused to fall, and every day since, his people have had one message for Putin and the world: We will not go quietly.
When our nation was in its infancy and fighting for its existence, we relied heavily on the support not only of foreign nations like France and Spain, but on the extraordinary efforts of individuals from around the world who recognized that our fight for independence wasn’t just a local conflict, but a global one, that of freedom vs. tyranny.
e can’t turn our backs on a country that is fighting for its sovereignty.
And the people of Ukraine have shown their desire for these universal rights with a determination and tenacity that has allowed this country of only 37 million to face down, and frequently defeat, a richer and larger nation with nearly five times its population. And Ukrainians are fighting not just for their own rights and sovereignty. They are the first line of defense against the deranged, ahistorical and plutocratic worldview that Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian oligarchs are so desperate to spread.
When Ukrainian President Volody-
AThe analogy isn’t perfect. Ukraine isn’t fighting to win its independence from its mother country, but is fighting instead to maintain its sovereignty in the face of foreign aggression. But the fact remains that its people, who have seen family members’, friends’ and loved ones’ lives destroyed by the aggression of a brutish dictator, deserve not only our respect and admiration, but our help.
You may think, “But I’m only one person — what could I possibly do?” And obviously, no one person can end this conflict overnight (except maybe Rocky Balboa). But there are plenty of ways for us to do our part.
There are hundreds of international
charitable groups that are on the ground in Ukraine providing humanitarian aid, from UNICEF to the Red Cross. Other organizations, such as United Help Ukraine, Nova Ukraine and Razom for Ukraine, provide medical aid to tens of thousands of people and soldiers across the country.
There are also nearly 300,000 Ukrainian refugees now living in the United States, part of a diaspora of nearly 4 million Ukrainians, predominantly women, children and seniors, who have been forced to flee their homes in the face of ruthless Russian aggression. While many of these people have been kindly fostered by Americans, Europeans and people everywhere, there are always more people in need.
To learn more about how to host Ukrainian refugees, visit SupportUkraineNow.org.
Ukrainians are fighting not just for their own right to exist, but for the rights of people around the world struggling against conquest and the threat of extermination. As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously declared, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” — and we can all do more to help Ukrainians restore peace in the country they love.
Will Sheeline is an editor covering Glen Head, Locust Valley, Oyster Bay and Sea Cliff. Comments? WSheeline@liherald.com.
fter Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed the Planned Offshore Wind Transmission Act in the fall of 2023 due to local opposition to a wind farm’s high-voltage cables, the state had a trick up its sleeve.
The bill would have required the State Energy Research and Development Authority to establish transmission planning for the offshore grid, coupled with a requirement to conduct a costbenefit analysis that included the impact on ratepayers. In essence, the bill would have, for the first time, given New Yorkers insight into the true cost of implementing offshore wind projects and their transmission lines.
The question is, why did Hochul veto the bill? In addition to local opposition, I believe the answer is that if the public knew the true cost of these plans, people would ask hard questions about where money was being spent, and who was benefiting — questions the governor obviously doesn’t want raised.
In its infinite surreptitious reach, the
state concealed in its latest budget the Renewable Action through Project Interconnection Deployment, or RAPID, Act, granting it the authority to overrule local and public input. The state Office of Renewable Energy Siting would have final say on project siting, even over community objections.
Groups of so-called environmentalists, influenced by Hochul’s green agenda, have received millions of dollars to push the narrative that we need to move off fossil fuels now because the Earth is on fire. Before we go scorched-Earth, Let’s look at facts.
ties in residential and commercial areas.
i
t’s a mistake to plan for wide-scale solar and wind power in New York at this point.
The state took away local municipality and public involvement in the siting of renewable-energy projects and paused congestion pricing. Further, a report by the state’s Fire Safety Working Group falsely concluded that fires last year at three battery energy storage system facilities in New York state — which store the energy that wind turbines create — had no environmental impact, neglecting to include test results of hydrogen fluoride levels in the air, soil or water at those sites. What is even more disturbing is that the working group has written an inadequate code that allows for placement of BESS facili-
Long Island water comes from aquifers that, if polluted, would jeopardize the health of millions. Hydrogen fluoride gas produced in these fires turns acidic when mixed with water, becoming acid rain. This acid, in large enough concentrations, can dissolve concrete. Would you or your children want to drink water this contaminated? Apparently, Hochul doesn’t care about such consequences in her drive to rapidly implement green-energy projects.
This act-now-and-monitor-later mentality, regardless of the consequences, does nothing to put minds at ease. To date, no robust engineering analysis suggests that Hochul’s RAPID Act plan will work. There has been no rigorous analysis. Instead, evidence seems to indicate that the state’s planned installations of solar arrays, wind turbines, battery facilities and transmission cables will not reliably power the grid, and will not prove safe or affordable.
Worth noting is the Vineyard Wind offshore debacle off the coast of Nantucket last July, when a single turbine blade self-destructed, dropping 60 tons of plastic into the ocean and wreaking
havoc, closing beaches and impacting marine life, fishing, local businesses and communities. How future offshore wind catastrophes will affect shore towns, wildlife and commercial fishing isn’t known. But New Yorkers should realize that it’s a mistake, at this point, to plan the construction, let alone the funding, for dozens of gigawatts of solar and wind power — along with batteries 100 times the size of the world’s largest existing battery — and new transmission lines to tie all this to the existing grid.
Instead, we might better ask, first, who thought this was possible? and second, from empirical examples of places with significant intermittent energy — California and Germany — why did anyone think this would enable New York to cut fossil-fuel use and reliably and affordably power the grid?
Given the egregious overreach of Hochul’s RAPID Act, there should be an immediate halt to all Office of Renewable Energy Siting work as well as a prohibition on placing any renewable-energy facilities within residential communities and near schools. Taxpayers don’t want to be the subjects of a large-scale energy experiment, or a class-action lawsuit, as a result of the “next big idea.”
Christina Kramer is the founder and president of Protect Our Coast – Long Island, New York.
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anew year always arrives freighted with emotion. It carries the accumulated hopes, frustrations and lessons of the previous 12 months, paired with the tantalizing possibility of transformation.
This year, as we look ahead, we find ourselves grappling with familiar challenges while daring to believe in the promise of better days.
One challenge we must confront is the growing fragmentation of our shared experiences. Increasingly, the global and local spheres seem to exist in parallel universes. A catastrophe halfway across the world — whether a climate disaster, political upheaval or humanitarian crisis — has the power to shape economies and policies closer to home, yet often feels distant, reduced to a fleeting headline.
Meanwhile, our more local and personal concerns — the cost of living, caring for family and doing well at work — demand urgent attention but risk being overshadowed by the constant churn of global issues. Bridging this gap requires a recalibration of priorities. The new year demands both outward-looking empathy and a renewed focus on strengthening the foundations of our own communities.
Economically, the year ahead will likely test the resilience of all levels of
To the Editor:
our government. Trust in institutions has eroded, but there are also glimmers of progress worth celebrating: advancements in green technology, a renewed emphasis on workers’ rights, and shifting societal attitudes toward mental health and well-being. These trends suggest that positive change, while slow, is possible.
We need to be optimistic, but that demands resolve. The climate crisis, for instance, is no longer a future threat but an immediate reality, underscored by the fires, floods and record-breaking temperatures of recent years. The urgency to act cannot be overstated, and yet real solutions remain politically fraught and logistically complex. We face the challenge of balancing personal responsibility with the recognition that systemic change requires collective action.
At the same time, the new year also offers a chance to reimagine what progress means. Growth, long equated with economic expansion, is being reconsidered in light of its environmental and social costs. These ideas challenge deeply entrenched narratives about success and prosperity, but they also open up the possibility of more inclusive, equitable futures.
Many of us also enter 2025 grappling with uncertainty. The relentless pace of
I agree with everything that Peter King wrote in “Like many other devotees, I’ll miss ‘Blue Bloods’ dearly” (Dec. 19-25). Though I never had the chance to meet the cast of “Blue Bloods,” they did feel like family. There has to be a show for people like us — born in Queens, my grandfather was with the Manhattan mounted police in the late 1920s, my cousins were with the Port Authority Police during the Colin Ferguson bloodbath on the LIRR and on Sept. 11.
We love the Police Department and everything they stand for. They are our angels on earth in these crazy times. I appreciated grace before meals as a practicing Catholic. So there are many people who loved “Blue Bloods,” but I’m sure the network needed to try to make even more money! No one cares about the audience, just the dollar sign.
NANCY ALBERTELLI East Meadow
To the Editor:
My father, like Mr. King’s, wore NYPD’s blue. Like Mr. King, I consider ‘Blue Bloods’ more nuanced than many cop shows. But his speculations about imagined opponents of the show, and his “unanswered questions,” are dubious.
technological change, the aftershocks of a pandemic and the simple unpredictability of life can feel overwhelming. Yet amid this turbulence, we find moments of connection and meaning. A neighbor’s kindness, a shared laugh, the rediscovery of an old passion — these small, often overlooked moments remind us why we persevere.
How do we handle the bad while making room for the good? We need to balance action with rest and contemplation, and ambition with gratitude. This requires recognizing that while we cannot solve every problem, we can contribute to their solutions.
As we step into the new year, we should resolve to move beyond empty platitudes. Instead of vague aspirations for “better days,” let’s strive for tangible progress: a stronger sense of community, a commitment to justice, and a willingness to adapt to changing realities. We should allow ourselves moments of joy, not just as a distraction from life’s difficulties, but also as a reminder of its possibilities.
It isn’t easy. There are always setbacks and frustrations, but there are also breakthroughs, large and small, that remind us of our capacity to endure, to grow and to create a better future. The new year’s gift gives us the opportunity to begin anew.
No doubt, the cast members are all outstanding people and first-class actors, but they were performers acting out dramatic scripts. It’s all fiction, and we can enjoy “as if” for the hour, but to extend the imaginary past the credits is delusional.
Americans generally tend to romanticize both our lawmen and our crimi-
nals, clouding our view of reality. Our fiction is out of sync with our nonfiction, and we get confused. If real police were “Blue Bloods” police, we would not have had a Bernie Kerik as commissioner; there would be no need for civilian complaint review boards, body cameras and millions spent on misconduct settlements; and less turnover in
since the november election, I have been eager to resume my work as the assemblywoman in District 21 and tackle the tough issues affecting families across long Island. Most recently, one of my primary focuses has been addressing the complex challenges of equitable funding for public schools and meeting the needs of our local school districts.
I recently attended an education forum of the Southwest Quadrant, which encompasses districts in southwestern nassau County. The key topics there were the future of foundation aid, funding challenges, infrastructure and school safety, and charter schools. The forum provided invaluable information, including insight from superintendents, administrators, Board of Education trustees and PTa leaders. Their combined expertise offered a comprehensive understanding of the issues our schools face and the support they need from the state.
Since I began representing the 21st district in 2019, I’ve observed that our school districts share many challenges. Space limitations are a significant issue, with many districts forced to host universal pre-kindergarten programs at off-
district sites. The rockville Centre school district recently addressed this issue through an inter-municipal agreement with the village, creating 36 new pre-K seats at the village recreation center. Previously, the district relied on the Friedberg JCC, in Oceanside, to accommodate all families in the district. The Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC, in lynbrook, and the Tiny Tykes Early learning Center and Tutor Time, in East rockaway, also host pre-K for local districts.
In recent years, local districts have also faced rising numbers of English language learners, often from economically disadvantaged or homeless families. The demand for special-education services, mental health support, and health care accommodations has also surged. at the same time, schools are grappling with escalating costs of building maintenance, school and cybersecurity, technology upgrades and transportation.
an idea that warrants further consideration.
While many districts are experiencing declining enrollment, the number of students with substantial needs continues to grow. Foundation aid calculations should not rely solely on population metrics.
s pace limitations, more demand for special ed and rising costs, to name a few.
Schools today are tasked with addressing a broader range of needs than ever before. yet long Island districts consistently contribute more in taxes than they receive in state aid, increasing financial pressures at the local level.
Despite these challenges, I am inspired by the progress our schools are making. To support these efforts, I’ve met with superintendents and school leaders from Hewlett, lynbrook and East rockaway, and plan to meet with others soon.
Transportation costs, in particular, have become a significant financial burden, especially in districts that transport large numbers of non-public-school students. Some districts also struggle with the financial impact of charter schools, which can divert resources from public schools. One local administrator suggested revising the state’s charter school approval process to limit expansions and regulate tuition rates —
the top brass. “Courtesy cards” would be in museums, not wallets.
Distractions from reality allow speculations like Mr. King’s suggestion that scriptwriters were pressured “to portray cops in a negative light,” as if any producers care at all about what viewers see between the commercials. There are other shows for that. Equally dangerous is his question about the series’ cancellation. Instead of noting the fact that the noble cast accepted a 25 percent pay cut to subsidize season 14, Mr. King conjures the demon of “woke” from nothing.
It’s true that the show’s fans will always have the memories, but we must hope our nostalgia doesn’t distract from the realities of 21st century law and its enforcement.
BrIan KElly Rockville Centre
To the Editor:
l ong Island r ail road commuters should be concerned about insufficient funds being earmarked to bring bridges,
During tours of lynbrook and East rockaway schools, guided by Superintendents Dr. Paul lynch and Dr. James DeTommaso, I witnessed how these districts are supporting students of all abilities. Their innovative approaches to addressing mental health challenges, accommodating Ell students, and meeting the increasing needs of children with special-education requirements were remarkable. a standout moment was observing the student cafés in lynbrook and East rockaway, where educators and special-ed students collaborated seamlessly to serve drinks and snacks to the school population.
On Dec. 18 I attended a legislative briefing hosted by the nassau-Suffolk School Boards association and the long Island Education Coalition, on the rockefeller Institute report, a comprehensive study on recalculating the foundation aid formula. The session focused on the report’s recommendations, and also offered a platform to discuss key issues impacting public schools on long Island. It was an invaluable opportunity to exchange ideas with experts, administrators and fellow legislators.
The briefing was extremely important as we enter 2025 with the prospect of recalculating the foundation aid formula in this year’s state budget. The formula’s base calculations have not been updated since 2016-17. But no change should be made in a vacuum, and must account for the many variables that have been added in the past decade to balance the formula. It’s clear that the growing changes in demographics and the variety of new metrics need to be considered in recalculating the formula. This will be challenging, and will require much more discussion, deliberation and reflection.
I look forward to discussing this more extensively in albany, and hope to form a working group in the hopes of delving further into the topic with my colleagues on long Island and throughout the state’s suburban areas at the next roundtable on Jan. 30.
Judy Griffin represents the 21st Assembly District.
viaducts, tunnels and other basic infrastructure that are in poor or marginal condition up to a state of good repair in the Metropolitan Transportation authority’s proposed $68 billion 2025-2029 Five year Capital Plan. This also applies to Metro-north railroad and new york City Transit.
It’s questionable whether $600 million is sufficient funding for l I rr critical infrastructure projects under the proposed plan. Can this eliminate the growing backlog of critical infrastructure repair? Too many critical capital assets remain in daily service beyond their anticipated useful life. There is still a $33 billion shortfall to fully fund the plan.
Safety, state of good repair, and reliable, on-time performance with a minimum of service disruptions at a fair price should be higher priorities than system expansion projects. The $7.7 billion Second avenue Subway Phase 2, the $5.5 billion Brooklyn-Queens light-rail Interborough Express and the $3.1 billion Metro n orth Bronx East Penn Station a ccess projects all need to be put on hold. Funding for all three would be better spent on critical infrastructure projects benefiting over 4 million nyC Transit subway, 200,000-plus lIrr and 200,000plus Metro north daily commuters. MTa
Chairman Janno lieber and board members have a fiduciary responsibility to protect the interests of riders and taxpayers.
larry PEnnEr Great Neck
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a director of the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.
mountsinai.org/southnassau